Satsang Sandesh A monthly news magazine of India Temple Association, Inc. Hindu Temple, 25 E. Taunton Ave, Berlin, NJ 08009 SOUTH JERSEY ♦ DELAWARE ♦ PENNSYLVANIA Vol. 37 No. 10 Phone: (855) MYMANDIR (855-696-2634) www.indiatemple.org OCTOBER 2011 Religious Calendar Diwali Celebration at Berlin Mandir Oct 4, Tuesday Durgashtami-Havan in Temple DHAN TERAS PUJA Monday, October 24, 6:30 p.m. Oct 6, Thursday Please call Ghansyambhai at 856-596-7531 or Binduben at Vijayadashmi/DASHERA 856-768-6785 to participate as PUJA YAJMAN Oct 7, Friday KALI CHAUDASH/NARAK CHATURDARSHI Parshankush Ekadashi Tuesday, October 25. Lord Hanuman Puja at 6:30 p.m. Oct 11, Tuesday Sharad Purnima DIWALI CELEBRATION W/ANNAKOOT Oct 15, Saturday Wednesday, October 26 from 6:00 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Karak Chaturthi/ Kadva Choth Initiation of Diwali Celebration will be with Laxmi Pujan at 6:00 p.m. Upon completion of Puja, Temple will host Bhajan Program along with ANNAKOOT . Oct 23, Sunday FIRST AARTI: 8:00 P.M.****SECOND AARTI: 9:30 P.M. Rama Ekadashi Oct 24, Monday Please call Nikunj at 856-596-7531 or Binduben at 856-768-6785 if you are planning to bring Dhan Terash-Puja in Temple Annakoot Prasad. Appropriate items will be allocated for RAJBHOG style offering and presenta- tion. Please bring Prasad in sufficient quantity to serve 25 people. Oct 25, Tuesday Kali Chaudash/Narak Chaturdarshi CELEBRATION OF HINDU NEW YEAR 2068 Temple will celebrate this on Thursday, October 27, 2011 from 6:00 a.m. Aarti will be at every Oct 26, Wednesday hour. Hot coffee/tea and snacks will be served from 8:30 a.m. to 12:00 noon. DIWALI-Laxmi Puja Annkoot in Temple Oct 27, Thursday NEW YEAR 2068 begins September 28, 29, 30 and October 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 & 8 Oct 28, Friday Further details including School Change are Bhai Duj included on 4 pages inside this edition of Satsang Nov 6, Sunday TULSI VIVAH AKHAND VISHNU SAHASRANAMA Celebration in Temple Saturday, October 1, 9:30 a.m. in Berlin Mandir, followed by Prasad Monthly Bhajans Please contact Kshama Raghuveer at [email protected] Oct 14, Friday, 8-9 p.m. Pushti Mandal of Voorhees Special Prayers Dhiraj Saparia (856) 287-1415 ITA has a program whereby you can have prayers performed on your behalf every year on a Priti Shah (856) 467-9148 special day in your life by pledging $301. Also, at your request, Shri. Bhupendra Shuklaji will perform a special puja on your behalf, or the regular temple puja performed on the designated Oct 21, Friday, 8-9 p.m. day will be dedicated in your name. Below are the donors for this month. Satya Sai Baba of Medford Patel Dupta Oct 01 Pandya Surina Oct 14 P.K. Prabhakar (856) 596-3147 Patel Dahyabhai & Taraben Oct 02 Gupta Renu Oct 18 Sesha Vemuri (856) 751-0867 Dave Kamlesh & Vrinda Oct 05 Patel Dahyalal & Sushilaben Oct 21 Oct 28, Friday, 8-9 p.m. Shah Mosmi Oct 06 Patel Piyush Oct 23 Shree Ji Bhajan Group Patel Kusum N. Oct 08 Patel Chandrika Oct 24 Urmi Upadhya (856) 424-9328 Gandhi Vijay Oct 10 Gupta N. K. Oct 26 Charu Sheth (856) 662-8754 Patel Dhyabhai & Taraben Oct 13 Goyal Arjun Oct 29 Dave Jitendra Oct 14 Gupta Vijay & Asha Oct 30 Condolences Hemant Purohit, brother of Rasmin Purohit, passed away on August 29, 2011. ITA and its Board extend their sincere condolences to the Purohit family. Mrs. Rajeshwari (Shobha) Balakrishan, mother of Jayshree Subramanian, passed away on September 11, 2011. ITA and its Board extend their sincere condolences to the Subramanian family. Bal-Vihar Updates Bal-Vihar started this year on Sunday,Senior September Citizens' 26, 2010 Program at Cherokee High School with a record num- ber of children participating.Thursday Oct.With 13, over 6:30 200 p.m. children to 9:15 p.m. signed & Thursday up for theOct. 2010 27, 6:30-2011 p.m. year, to 9:15 the p.m. enthusiasm from both children and parents was evident. Registration for the 2010 -2011 year is now closed; however, a waiting list will On Octoberbe maintained. 13, we will For actively each participate of the ten in sessions, a "Laughing children Session". will We learn have notinvited only Dr. about Lucy HinduSheffield heritage and Mrs. and Shirl culture, Abrams, but certified laughteralso leaders about of the a Laughingvarious HinduClub of USAfestivals.. As you They know, will laughs partake and smiles in both are yogaapparently and Aartithe best as medicines well. As and director are free! Lata They Pim- light up our facesplaskar and lift hasup our stated, spirits “Bal, reduce-Vihar stress, is andthe improveplace where cardio children-vascular fitness.make friendsSo, if you and feel learn stressed about or grumpy, their heritage.join us for thisIt will exciting be ses- sion. a valuable experience and an essential ingredient to building confidence.” October 27, we will celebrate our New Year 2068 with a musical evening. Three talented artists of our community - Sri Praful Patel, Dr. Hiro Pahlajani an dOn Dr. the Neeraj October Pahlajani 10th have session, graciously children agreed learnt to entertain the story you. Theyand significancewill sing your of favorite Navratri. and popular Classes songs talked in the about Social Hall of thethe temple. glory This of Maa is going Durga, to be Maaan enjoyable Laxmi, evening and Maa for all Saraswati. of us. If any The of youimportance want to sing, of allyou goddesses are cordially to welcome. achieve success in all that we do was emphasized. The session concluded with lunch sponsored by Naresh and Yamini Patel, Arun For more information about the program, activities, and to join the group, please contact: and Sapana Patel, and Chetan and Leeta Puwar. We thank them for their dedicated support. Suraj Bhan Singh, by phone: (856) 582-5035 or email ([email protected]) or NarsinhFor N.the Sangani Diwali by session phone: on (856) November 435-2128 14th, or email 2010, ([email protected] each child will be). individually performing a Laxmi Puja and will learn the meaning of this ritual. Bal-Vihar Program We are currently looking for lunch sponsors. If you are interested, please contact Chetana Giyanani for more information:On Sept. 11th 2011, new and enthusiastic parents and children with skeptical faces poured into Cherokee High School cafeteria. Many old timers, parents and children quickly adhered to rules and spread out yoga mats making seats for the Chetana Giyanani,puja. In less Cell: than (732) half an 322 hour-6212 125 Email:thalis were [email protected] prepared. It was a quite an assembly line as many volunteers lend their hands to our event coordinators, Brinda and Kshama Raghuveer. Volunteers quickly prepared more thalis as more chil- dren arrived. Before beginning, the reason for performing puja and payers was explained, as follows: Just as our body gets dirty and needs a bath, puja and prayers are for cleansing of mind sullied with anger, jealousy etc. When the mind is clean, then only it can reflect the Lord that is within us! Senior Citizens' Program Children began puja at 10:15 with lighting of lamp and chanting mantra, “Dipjyoti parambrahm….” Not all children can chant Sanskrit mantras but listening to sounds Sunday of the words November is considered 14, auspicious.11:30 a.m. After to 3:00chanting p.m. in Sanskrit(Gagan the Palace) meaning is given in English. Be- fore offering Prasad, children chantedThursday Gayatri November mantra and five 18, names 6:30 ofp.m. Lord to Gaensh. 9:15 p.m.As children (Temple) enjoyed sharing Prasad with their parents, our team prepared for the 9/11/2001 memorial service. That report is given in ITA_Seva Samiti section. Our Group has been organizing the Annual & Diwali Function in November every year. This year's celebra- th Nexttions session will ofbe Bal held Vihar on isSunday scheduled November for Sept. 25 14 at from Cherokee 11:30 High a.m. School, to 3:00 at 10:00 p.m. a.m. The sharp. venue The is doors Gagan will Palace be closed Restau- at 10:05 a.m. rantThose (located who wishnear to Desi take Bazaar),part in Lunch Stratford, Sponsors Phone: Program, 627 -please6200. contact The fee Denny is $11.00 Depani for @ members.856-772-1257 or 439-7072 or Mr. Bhavesh Gala and his Gunjan group havee-mail graciously [email protected] offered to perform and entertain us, creating a festive atmosphere with their melodious songs. Our members are also expected to show their musical talents (instrumental, vocal) at the occasion. You willYouth enjoy snacks Program and a vegetarian buffet dinner. Friends, this is your function so celebrate with gusto and enthusiasm. Please join us because in the end, " It's not the years in Youthyour Program life that sessions count. for It's 2011 the-12 life began in your on Sunday, years!" September 11th with the Sarasvati and Ganesh Puja. Each youth individually con- ducted the sixteen step puja with the Sanskrit mantras and their English translation. The Sankalpa — a statement of purpose for the puja — included not only removal of the afflictions and obstacles in their study, but also to gain universal peace through harmony and love. In the winter months of November through February, we will have only one meeting scheduled per month at A theshort temple orientation premises. followed A the representative puja to make youth of the familiar Burns with Foundation the new class will schedule be our starting guest at speaker 9:45 a.m.