September 2003

New Zealand Hindu Association Inc.

1 Batchelor Street P O Box 597

Newlands Wellington

04-477 4346 e-mail: kktemple@xtra.co.nz

www.hindutemple.wellington.net.nz

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This newsletter covers the festivals & events conducted in the Temple and other activities of the Association.

It is published every two months notifying the forthcoming events. Further details of the events will be posted on the Temple notice board nearer to the event.

Everyone working in the Temple is a volunteer with service in mind and a view to promote the religion and uphold its eternal values.

Pooja times:-

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

Saturday

Sunday

7.00 pm

7.00 pm

7.00 pm

7.00 pm

7.30 pm

7.00 pm

7.00 pm

We have had a very eventful two months since the last newsletter with Vinayagar Sathurthi on 31st August and very inspiring lectures/Satsang from Swami Sridaranadaji from the Ramakrishna mission, Sydney and Dr. Vijay Shankar from Kesashram in U S A. With summer months around the corner it is a time for festivities. The scheduled festivals are listed below but regretfully some activities happen at short notice. Please look out on the Temple notice board for such events and further details of the festivals nearer to the date.

 

Forthcoming Festivals and Events

The Festivals in the Following three months are given below.

Nadesar Abishekam

09 September 2003

Puraddasi Sani (Start)

20 September 2003

Navarathiri Viratham (start)

26 September 2003

Saraswathi Pooja

04 October 2003

Vijaya Thasami /Maanambu

05 October 2003

Nadesar Abishekam

08 October 2003

Puraddathi Sani

11 October 2003

Deepavali

24 October 2003

Kanda Sashti Viratham (Start)

26 October 2003

Sooran Por

30 October 2003

Thirukkalyanam

31 October 2003

Soama Varam

17 November 2003

 

Note: Due to the overlap with Navarathiri Festival, Puraddathi Sani can be celebrated only on the 1st and last Saturdays of the month of Puraddathi.

 

Vilakku Pooja

Vilakku pooja has been started in the Temple and is conducted on Pournami days every month after the normal pooja. This is new and a Priest will conduct the Pooja. As the Pournami days usually fall on working days, the pooja will be conducted to accommodate working devotees. Your participation is encouraged, as this, like any other Pooja depends on the number of participants. The dates are displayed on the notice board up to December 2003. For details on what to bring please contact Pathman Iyer.

Diwali

We have been requested again this year to participate in the Diwali celebrations organized by Asia 2000 foundation in association with the Wellington city council. It will be held at the Civic square on Saturday, 18 October 2003. This is good opportunity to publicise the Hindu culture by presenting items on stage. This is also a good fund raising activity and we will be having a stall on the day to sell food. Members are welcome to participate. Please contact Mr. Balakrishnan (Bala) or a committee member for details.

Neivethiyam (Offerings to God)

Please ensure all prasadham and offerings intended for the Gods are brought in and passed on to the daily volunteers or to the priest before the pooja commences. It causes distraction if the offerings are brought in after the pooja has started.

Special Poojas

Please refer to the notice board for the starting time of special poojas, as they may not be the same time as the daily pooja.

Library

The library is finally in shape with lockable cupboards and a collection of valuable books. A devotee has subscribed for "Hinduism today" and is now available for reading. More books and other literature are expected to arrive.

If you have any books / magazines etc. on Hinduism and have finished reading them please consider donating them to the library. In this regard please contact any one of the committee members.

The library will be open every Sunday from 10 AM to Noon. This is the time when the Temple is opened for maintenance. Usually from 10 a.m. to noon. Once we find a person to take on the duties of the library some hours will be set.If a volunteer to run the library is found the library could operate on other days as well. Members are invited to volunteer for the position of librarian.

Note: Those who borrowed books please return them for us to take stock and catalogue them.

Other activities

    1. Devotional Singing (Pannissai, Thevaram) Classes for children
    2. These classes are held at the temple new hall every Friday from 7.00 to 7.30 P M. (prior to the Pooja) Please bring your children and make use of this opportunity to learn Thevaram and participate in the Bhajan after th Friday Pooja. Please Contact Mr. Sivasaththivel for details. Phone 566 0456.

       

    3. Bhajan classes for children
    4. These classes are being conducted on the 1st Sunday of every month at 10 a.m. in the Temple hall. Please bring your children and make use of this opportunity to practice bhajan singing. Children can then participate in the Bhajan held every Friday after the Pooja. Please contact Mrs. Pasupathy for details Phone: 569 3660.

    5. Philosophical (Vedantic) Study Group

This Study Group holds meetings fortnightly on Sundays (10.30 AM) at the Temple new hall. For additional information contact the organiser of the group. Ganesh Phone: 478 1533.

Donations/Membership

An Extraordinary General meeting of members was held on 3rd August 2003 and the amendment to the Association’s rules to include a life membership clause passed at the AGM was ratified.

The life member fee is now $300 and applies to all applications for life membership received after 3 August 2003.

There is no change to the annual membership subscription which remains unchanged at $20.00.

The annual membership period is from 1st April of the year coinciding with the association’s financial year. . If you have not paid the subscription for the current period please remit it as soon as possible to the Treasurer or Assistant Treasurer at address as given on page 1.

 

If you wish to give donations please contact the Treasurer (Narendra– 566 5112) or Assistant Treasurer (Geevasinga – 566 8246).

Temple Cleaning

With the Sun shining brighter the rostered Sunday cleaning is gathering momentum. There are a few important task you can do this summer. For further information please ring / contact Selva (Selvamaheswaran). Phone 971 1275. Those who are not yet on the roster and wish to serve please contact Selva. More volunteers on the roster will reduce the burden on the existing volunteers.

Quotes & Quips (From Hinduism Today)

Though many people use God as a spare wheel, we need God in each and every moment of our life

His divine Holliness, Pramukh Swami Maharaj

There are higher objects in life than mere living and only by turning to religion can you secure such objects. Do not ignore your spiritual welfare in the interests of mere living. – Jagadguru Sri Chandrasekara Bharati Mahaswamigal

Think twice before you talk. Think thrice before you act - Sri Sivaratnapuri Tiruchi Mahaswamigal

 

 

Thought For The Day

 

Every time we enjoy a moment of happiness, it is ourselves. But not knowing that we are the source of that happiness, we look for it everywhere else – in the objects, living and non-living things, relationships, emotions, wealth, power, name, fame, and the search is never ending.

What a wonderful life a man will have if, while tasting, touching, smelling, hearing and seeing, and experiencing everything in the world, the man knows, ‘I am the Source of Bliss, Happiness itself’. No more there is any search, no more he dies.

Life becomes a luxury of the highest order. Every experience is a bonus and living itself is a celebration.

Swami Suddhananda

Committee

New Zealand Hindu Association.