Priest Hired/Inauguration
From the Bhakti List Archives
• November 14, 1995
Dear Prapatti members, I posted a note in August to the group, seeking info on a South Indian priest to be hired for our temple in Cincinnati. I am pleased to inform you that we finally hired Sri Srinivasa Bhattar, formerly of the New jersey Balaji (Bridgewater) temple. He is awaiting Visa approval(Extention) to officially joining our Temple. We all hope with Sriman Narayana's grace, everything will go through smoothly. The response I got from you all was the basis of this success in hiring the priest prior to inauguration of our new temple(Nov. 18 and 19). Without the help of the Prapatti group this would not have been simply possible. In this connection, I also had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Balu Murli and Mr. Sriram of the Prapatti group. I like to specifically thank the following members: Mr. Muralidhar Rangaswamy Mr. Balu Murli Mr. Sriram Mr. Varadhan Mr. Sadagopan Mr. Eswar Mr. Satish Mr. Krishna Kalale and many others. Interestingly, Sriram personally brought the candidate for the interview Puja. Balu Murli helped Mr. Bhattar to move to Cincinnati . I immensly thank the enthusiasm and the good will shown by so many of you in so many ways. I have posted here a detailed program of the inauguration. BCS refers to Pujas that will be performed by Bhagavathi Charan Sharma (Our North Indian Priest) and BSS (Srinivasa Bhattar) refers to Pujas that will be performed by Srinivasa Bhattar. It will be great if some of you who are nearby can attend. (I am glad to note that Mr. Sriram will be attending) Sincerely, K. Sreekrishna DIRECTIONS TO HSGC (Hindu Society of Greater Cincinnati) TEMPLE Once you approach Cincinnati ,take 275 East >From 275 East , Take 32 West (Exit 63A) Within a 1/4 mile turn right on route Old 74 At the first stop, turn left on Summerside road After driving less than a mile, turn right onto Klatte Road. Continue driving on the Klatte Road, past the subdivisions to the Temple gate. The temple sits on a 100 acre lot. The style is Futuristic. About 15,000 sq.ft. There will be no central Deities, will have 12 Deities) AUM in the Center. Each Deity has a seperate enclosed Sannidhi. PROGRAM DETAILS November 18, 1995 8:00 AM - 5:45 PM 1. Suprabhatam (BSS, group) - Good Morning verses to the Lord (5 min.) 2. Transport Deities in a decorated truck from the current Temple to the New Temple 3. Truck carrying the Deities to arrive at the new Temple Gate by 8:50 AM 4. Ready the deities for Murti Yatra (Deities procession) (10 min.) Procession Participants Assemble at the New Temple Gate by 8:45 AM!!! 5. Murti Yatra -Deities procession from gate to the Temple front (30 min.) The procession will include in the following order: Flag bearers, Music band, 51 ladies in traditional dress carrying on their head a Kalash (decorated pot filled with water and coconut placed on the top), Deities placed in the decorated truck, Vydhiks chanting the Taittiriyopanishad, Special guests including: Dignitaries Community leaders, Officials of various societies, Bhajan-sankeertan group, Men, Women and Children singing and clapping. On arrival at the Temple front, the Deities will be temporarily located in the upper level of the Temple, awaiting ritual purification of the Fellowship Hall. The Kalshs will be placed in the Fellowship Hall. PUJAS for Sanctification of the Fellowship Hall of the New Temple 6. Prithvi Puja (BCS) Puja to the Mother Earth 7. Dik Shuddhi (BCS) Purification of Atmosphere 8. Swasti Vachanam (BCS) Chanting Mantras for peace and Prosperity 9. Vigneshwara Puja (BCS) Worship of Ganesh, the remover of obstacles 10. Kalasha Sthapan and Puja (BCS) Invocation and worship of the Gods Godesses, holy rivers, Varun (Time for items 6-10 is 40 min.) 11. Vastu Homa (BSS) Yagna (fire sacrifice) for Vastu Purusha 12. Shanti Homa (BSS) Yagna (fire sacrifice) for peace 13. Poornahuti (BSS) Conclusionary offering 14. Vastu Paryagnikarana (BSS) Vastu Purusha is extracted in fire (Agni) from the Fellowship Hall and escorted out. (Time for items 11-14 is 50 min) 15. Digpalakas Avahan (BSS) Invocation of the guardians of all the directions 16. Digpalakas Puja (BSS) Puja for the guardians of all the directions 17. Digpalakas Baliharan (BSS) Offerings to the guardians of directions Items 15-17 are done out side the temple Walls. Time for items 15-17 is (50 min.) Parallel to items 15-17, following Pujas will be performed inside 18. Navagraha Puja (BCS) Worship of 9 planets 19. Lok Palkas Puja (BCS) Worship of safeguarders of the world 20. Havan (if time permits) (BCS) Total time for items 18-20 is 50 min. Noon: Maha Mangala Aarati (BCS) Jai Jagadeesha...(15 min.) ***Prasad, Lunch, Fellowship, Temple Tour (12:15-2:00 PM)*** Cultural Programs: (2:00-5:00 PM) ***Dashavataram Bharatha Natyam Dance by Satya Priya and Party *** ***Bhajans by Anupama Sahasrabhudhe and group*** 5:00 PM Maha Mangala Aarati (BCS) Jai Jagadeesha... (15 min.) ***Snacks and Adjourn (5:15 PM)*** November 19, 1995 9:00 AM - 6:00 PM 1. Sabha Anugna (BSS) Seeking permission to do Puja (5 min.) min.) 2. Mahasankalpam (BSS) Pledge to accomplish the puja (5 min) min.) 3. Vishvaksena/Vigneswara Aradhana (BSS) Vishvaksen and Ganesh Invocations to remove obstacles (5 min.) 4. Devata Agaman (BCS and BSS) Entry of the deities to the Sanctified Fellowship Hall (10 min.) 5. Devata Aaseen (BCS and BSS) Placing the deities on the altar (10 min.) 6. Panchamrita Abhishek (BSS) Ceremonial Bathing (30 min.) 8. Alankar and Archan (BSS) Decoration and Puja (30 min.) 9. Mantrapushpam (BSS) Garland of Mantras (5 min.) 10. Sankeertan (Pratap Jani and Group) Group Bhajans (45 min.) 11. Maha Naivedhyam (BSS and BCS) Offering food to Deities (5 min.) Curtain Falls in front of the Deities 12. Vishnusaharanama Parayanam (Chanting the 1000 names of Vishnu) Led by Padma and Sreedhara Murthys Hindu Heritage Class Students (25 min.) Unveiling of the Curtain by Swamiji (5 min.) Noon: Maha Mangala Aarati (BCS) Jai Jagadeesha... (15 min.) 13. Shattumorai (BSS) : Recitation of the melodious Verses from the Tamil Vedas (A tradition popularized over 900 years ago by the great Sanskrit /Tamil Scholar-Philosopher - Reformer Ramanujacharya) (5 min.) HSGC committee members assemble at the front for Aasheervadh (Blessings) from BSS and BCS (5 min.) *** Prasad, Lunch, Fellowship, Temple Tour (12:30-2:00 PM) *** ART, COLORING, DRAWING & OTHER FUN ACTIVITIES FOR CHILDREN (2:00-4:30 PM) Religious Discourse- Children: Bhagawat Gita:Meaning of Hinduism (2:00-3:00 PM) (By the invited Swami Sharananandaji/Chicago Chinmaya Mission) Educational Forum-(3:00-4:30 PM) Hinduism Outside India: Preservation & Coexistance Moderator: Dr. Rama Rao Pappu (Miami U): Hinduism in America Dr. A.V. Rangarajan (U of Dayton): Temple as a preserver of Vedic religion Dr. William Jackson (Indiana-Purdue U): Role and Importance of Academic Institutions Dr. Anuradha Mitra (Union Institute) Teaching Hinduism to Children: Importance of Home Education Nisha Gupta (Miami U): What Hinduism means to me Mala Bhattacharjee(Talawanda High School): Hinduism and my Indian Heritage Nehracia Babu (Ohio State University): Hinduism and My Indian Roots ***Raas-Garbha Cultural Program (Ankur Samaj Youths) (4:40-5:15 PM)*** 5:15 PM: Maha Mangala Aarati (BCS) Jai Jagadeesha ... (15 min.) ****Snacks and Adjourn (5:30 PM)*** NEWS RELEASE HSGC is pleased to announce the appointment of a second priest(Pending Visa approval) Sri Bangalore Srinivasa Bhattar to our Temple. Sri Srinivas will work closely with Punditji (Sri. Bhagavati Charan Sharma) to fulfill the religious and spiritual needs of our community. Sri Srinivasa, a native of Bangalore hails from the family of Priests of the famous Kote Srinivasar (Venkata Ramana Swami) hails from the family of Priests of the famous Kote Srinivasar (Venkata Ramana Swami) hails from the family of Priests of the Sri Srinivasa, a native of Bangalore hails from the family of Priests of the famous Kote Srinivasar (Venkata Ramana Swami) Temple of Bangalore. He is fully conversant with all traditions of a Temple. Proficient in conducting all the Pujas, such as for Sri Satyanarayana Swami, Nava Graha and many special auspicious Homas for the peace and the prosperity. He is also able to perform all Purva Karmas. He holds the title of "Agama Praveena" which recognizes his excellence of priestly services in a temple. He has studied Pancharatra Agama, Vishishtadvaita philosophy and Astrology at the Mysore University for several years . He has previously served as a Priest in the Sri Venkateswara Temple in Bridge Water, NJ. He is fluent in Kannada, Tamil, and Telugu languages. He is also able to converse in Hindi and English.
- Next message: krish: "donations"
- Previous message: Sampath Rengarajan: "108 DIvya SthalangaL"
- Messages sorted by: [ date ] [ thread ] [ subject ] [ author ] [ attachment ]