Annual Sri Vaishnava Conference, Dallas, December 24-27,1998

From the Bhakti List Archives

• September 23, 1998


Dear Bhagavathas,

With our humble and loving praanaams at the Lotus Feet of our dear Lord, the
Sriya: pathi, we invite you to the second Annual Sri Vaishnava Conference to
be held at Dallas between December 24 and December 27,1998. Come one, come
all, with your family and friends!

The conference is organized by the Dallas/Fort Worth chapter of NAMA and is
co-sponsored by the DFW Hindu Temple Society. The conference will take place
starting December 24, 1998 and conclude on December 27. It will be held at the
large community center adjacent to the DFW Hindu Temple. The temple management
committee has kindly agreed to  host the conference at the community hall at
no charge.

Summarized at the end of this email is a draft Agenda. We would like to ask
each and every one of you to review the agenda and volunteer to lead at least
one of the sessions or participate in a panel. The subjects have been chosen
based on comments received from last year's Denver conference and individual
requests. The topics were chosen so that the same subjects covered at the
Denver conference or the Sri Ahobila Mutt 6th centenary celebrations held in
September 1998 are not repeated. We appreciate all your help and suggestions. 

There are nearly 45 families in the Dallas/Fort Worth area who are on the NAMA
list of which nearly 30 families participate regularly in the NAMA meetings.
We are all eagerly waiting to receive you all and several host families have
come forward to take care of the needs of out of town visitors. For your
information, we are dividing and sharing the work associated with organizing
the conference among the DFW members as follows. Please give your suggestions
and advice directly to the people listed below.

1. Overall Coordination - 
        Smt Vimala and Sri Rajaji (Rajaji@aol.com) 
2. Religious Activities  - 
        Sri Rajaji (Rajaji@aol.com)
3. Perumal Prasadam - 
        Smt Vijaya Chakravarthi (Vijaya@ez-mail.com)
4. Cultural Activities   
      1 Evening (Children's/Young Adults Program) - 
          Smt Revathi Srinath(Mds@seas.smu.edu)
       1 Evening - 
          Smt Vijaya Chakravarthi (Vijaya@ez-mail.com)
 5. December 26 Young Adults Program - 
          Smt Revathi Srinath (Mds@seas.smu.edu)
 6. Food -  
          Smt Radha Balaji(Radha@utdallas.edu) & Smt Vimala Rajaji
(Rajaji@aol.com)
 7. Finance - 
          Smt Radha Balaji & Sri Rajaji
 8. Books/Handouts - 
          Sri Giri Chakravarthi ( giri_chakravarthi@peoplesoft.com) & Smt
Vimala Rajaji
 9. Invitations to out of town guests and follow up through email - 
          Sri Krishnaswamy & Sri Rajaji
10. Host Family Arrangements - 
          Smt Anusuya and Sri Krishnaswamy (skswami@aol.com)
11. Souvenirs - 
          Smt Nirmala Chari(MChari@aol.com) and Smt Vimala Rajaji

We are looking forward to receiving confirmation that you will be able to
participate in the conference. Even if you will not be able to, please give us
your thoughts regarding the agenda and how we can improve it. If you would
like to volunteer your services in one of the areas mentioned above or if you
would like to participate in the cultural programs or perhaps give a
thoughtful speech, please contact one of the members mentioned above.

For those of you who are travelling from out of town, please let us know your
travel plans as soon as possible, at either Rajaji@aol.com or skswami@aol.com.
If we can receive your confirmation by October end at the latest, that will
help us with the host family arrangments and allow us to get back to you in
early November.

After receiving your input on the proposed agenda, we will finalize and issue
it by October end.

Looking forward to seeing you all,

Smt Vimala and Sri Rajaji
For the Conference Organizing Committee
==============================================================

                                                  AGENDA


                        Srimathe Ramanujaya Namaha
 

What:			Sri Vaishnava Philosophy Conference in Dallas, 12/24-12/27/98

When and Where:	Christmas Holidays (12/24 -12/27/98), Dallas DFW Hindu Temple

Speakers:		Learned Sri Vaishnava Scholars across USA  from the Bhakthi List,
SDDS and NAMA	

Sponsored By:		NAMA Inc. (An Association for Sri Vaishnavas), Dallas/FortWorth
Chapter

Participants:		Anyone interested in learning about the vast and rich Sri
Vaishnava Heritage

Contact:		Smt. Vimala Rajaji		972-596-0561 		(RRajaji@aol.com)  
			Smt. Vijaya Chakravarthy 	817-428-6846

AGENDA
12/24 Thursday
1:00  - 2:00 PM   	Welcome and introductions
                              Salutations to Sri Vaishnava Guruparamparai
(Acharya Lineage)
                       		(Thaniyans, Dedicatory Verses, Compiled by Sri. V.
Sadagopan)
2:00 - 3:45 PM     	History of Sri Vaishnavism & Acharya Lineage (Question &
Answers)
3:45 - 4:15 PM     	Break
4:15 - 5:45 PM    	Life and Works of Sri Ramanuja (Question & Answers)
5:45 - 6:15 PM    	AnushtAnam/Break
6:15 - 7:15 PM     	Dinner
7:15 - 9:15 PM		Life and Works of Sri Vedanta Desika and Sri Manavala
Maamunigal (Question & Answers)

12/25 Friday
8:00 -  10:00 AM    	ThiruvArAdhanai/NityAnusandhAnam/Thiruppaavai Recital
10:00 - 11:30 AM  	Prabhandam/Veda Paarayanam Recital
11:30 - 12:30 PM 	Explanation and Significance of Sri Vaishnava Rituals -
Punyavachanam, upanayanam, vivaham etc.
12:30 - 2:00 PM    	AnushtAnam and Lunch
2:00 - 3:00 PM     	Role of Women in Sri Vaishnava Society
3:00 - 4:30PM		Open Forum Question & Answers
4:30 - 5:00PM		Break
5:00 - 6:00 PM     	Bhagavan Naama Prabhavam 
6:00 -  7:00 PM   	Paaduka Mahimai
7:00 -  8:00 PM    	Entertainment -children's drama/skit, dance and music
8:00 -  9:30 PM    	Dinner

12/26 Saturday      	For young adults and interested parties - Texas Ranch &
Horseback riding/ Downtown Dallas / Grapevine Mills Mall

8:00 - 10:00 AM    	ThiruvArAdhanai/NityAnusandhAnam/Thiruppaavai Recital
(For all others)  
6:00 - 6:300PM		Vishnu Sahasranaamam Recital
6:30 -7:30PM		Open Forum/Entertainment
7:30 - 9:00PM		Dinner

12/27 Sunday
8:00 -  10:00 AM      	ThiruvArAdhanai/NityAnusandhAnam/Thiruppaavai Recital
10:00 - 12:00 Noon   	Open Forum/Entertainment  (Bhajans, Music, Dance)

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