Murugan Temple Newsletter - April, May, June 2009

Saturday, May 23rd and Sunday, May 24th– Murugan Temple Kumbabeshakam Anniversary Celebration

Friday, June 5th—Vaikasi Visakam 09:00 am Subramaniya Homam 09:30 am Kavadi and Pal Kudam 10:00 am Murugan Abishekam

Saturday, June 20th—Kolam Competition (4:30 pm)

Monthly First and Third Fridays @ 8 pm—Bajan Last Sunday @ 1 pm Adhi Parasakthi

MTNA CALENDAR HIGHLIGHTS (See murugantemple.org to view a free on-line calendar with greater

details and up-to-the-minute updates)

Wednesday, April 8th—Panguni Uttiram 09:00 am Subramaniya Homam 09:30 am Kavadi and Pal Kudam 10:00 am Murugan Abishekam

Monday, April 13th—Tamil New Year (Virothi Year) Tamil Month Chittirai Begins

09:00 am Ganapati Homam 09:45 am Ganapati Abishekam 10:30 am Murugan Abishekam 07:30 pm Sankatahara Chathurthi—Special Abishekam to Ganesha

Saturday, April 18—Panguni Uttiram and Tamil New Year Celebrations

09:00 am Subramaniya Homam 09:30 am Kavadi and Pal Kudam 10:30 am Murugan Abishekam 11:00 am Bajan 12:30 pm Deeparathanai 01:30 pm Lunch 03:00 pm Thiru Kalyanam 04:00 pm Murugan Procession

Friday, May 8th—Special Abeshekam to Meenakshi (7:30 pm)

Inside MURUGAN TEMPLE WELCOMES NEW PRIEST 2 ANNOUNCEMENTS 2 VOLUNTEER’S CORNER—MAHASIVARATHRI DANCE 2 VOLUNTEER’S CORNER—NANTHAVANAM PROJECT 2 TREASURER’S REPORT 3 MAHASIVARATHRI AND THAI POOSAM 2009 4 RATHAM FOR MURUGAN 4 TEMPLE SERVICES, HOURS, AND DIRECTIONS 4

The Murugan Temple of North America is a Traditional Saivite Hindu Temple. It has a floor area of 7000 square feet, with main Sannidhi for Murugan (Karttikeya) and four smaller Sannidhis for Vinayaka (Ganesha), Siva, Meenakshi and Palani Aandavar. We also have an auditorium that is available for community use.

Saturday, May 23rd Anniversary Day One

Sunday, May 24th Anniversary Day Two

09:00 am Ganapati Homam 09:45 am Ganapati Abishekam 10:30 am Kavadi 10:45 am Murugan Abishekam 12:30 pm Deeparathanai 05:00 pm Ganapati Sahasranmam—

Ganapati Processsion TBA Original Tamil Play

09:00 am Ganapati Puja 09:30 am Subramaniya Homam

and 108 Sangu Puja 10:00 am Kavadi 10:45 am Murugan Sangaabishakam 12:30 pm Deeparathanai 01:00 pm Lunch 03:00 pm Thiru Kalyanam 04:00 pm Murugan Procession

Panguni UttiramPanguni UttiramPanguni Uttiram Kumbabeshakam Kumbabeshakam Kumbabeshakam

AnniversaryAnniversaryAnniversary

Ganapati Tunai

Murugan Temple of North AmericaMurugan Temple of North Americatl tl mbkhpf;fmbkhpf;f KUfd: nfhapy;KUfd: nfhapy;6300 Princess Garden Parkway, Lanham, MD 20706, USA

Phone: 301- 552- 4889, FAX: 301- 552- 5043Emai l: [email protected], Internet: www.murugantemple.org

““ahkpUf;fgahkpUf;fg; ; gankdgankd::””

20092009AprilAprilMayMayJuneJune

VOLUNTEER’S CORNER

Over 80 Dance Students Praise “The Cosmic Dancer” in Honor or Maha Sivarathri

Murugan Temple of North America celebrated Maha Sivarathri with a program, Shivaanjali, dedicated to the Lord of Dance. Ten dance teachers from the local area participated with over eighty students to make this cultural,

colorful, evening a grand success. The audience was treated to a scintillating array of dances, all in praise of the cosmic dancer, Lord Shiva, in a variety of Indian classical dance styles including bharatanatyam, kuchipudi, and kathak. The temple plans on

making this an annual event to provide a platform for the young local dance talents to showcase their proficiency while honoring Lord Shiva. Pictures and article submitted by Kalyani Sanmugalingam and Lakshimi Swaminathan

Murugan Temple Nanthavanam Project. We plan to start a flower garden, a Nanthavanm and a green

house in the premises of the temple to produce the flowers needed at the temple. We need volunteers, flower seeds and plants, and other materials which will be useful for this project. For more information please contact the temple or Mr. Vignarajah at (410) 788-7251.

We exist because of the many devotees who have volunteered to help the temple in various ways. But there are never enough volunteers to do Murugan’s work! Murugan temple commitments for the future can and will be achieved with the help of devotees who volunteer. We ask your help in increasing the effectiveness and growth of the Temple’s operations and presence. We need two types of volunteers: Those ready to make long-term, hands-on leadership commitments (one year or more) to help with the Executive Board and other committees Those seeking project-specific assignments – For example, helping during festivals, operating the audio/video system, student volunteers to answer the phone at festivals time when manager is busy and have the needed executive member or otherwise answer the call, garlands making, flower garden, feeding the poor, identify graduating students from Montessori/pre-school, elementary, middle, high, college, and music and dance programs to recognize and appreciate their achievements so that more students get encouraged to aim higher. Interested? Please call the Temple Manager at 301 552-4889 or email [email protected].

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Please contact the Temple Manager as far in advance as possible for all bookings including outside services, special abeshekham, and for scheduling the Temple Auditorium.

If you have a suggestion or an idea for a fundraising, cultural, or religious event on behalf of MTNA, please contact: For Fundraising events: [email protected] For Religious events: [email protected] For Cultural events: [email protected]

Tamil, Religion, and Hatha Yoga Classes For Children—The Murugan Temple offers Tamil, Bajan, and Religious classes for children. Classes on Sundays from 10:15AM - 12:00 noon. Please call Jana Kesavan at 410-747-0019 for more information.

Carved Doors for Sannathies— A group of Devotees has proposed that the plain door of the Murugan Sannathi be replaced with traditional carved doors with brass bells. The fabrication will be done overseas. It is estimated to cost about $ 2500. The door will be available for installation during the Nallur Festival. Donations, marked for Sannathi Door are welcome.

MURUGAN TEMPLE WELCOMES NEW PRIEST

T h i r u v e e z h i m i z h a l a i Sanka ra [ Gurukka l ] Sivachariar hails from a family of Sivachariars, who have devoted their lives for many generations to the service of the Veezhinatha swami at the Devasthanam Temple at Thiruveezhimizhalai, near Kumbakonam, Tamil Nadu, India. Right from his early days, he was inspired by the Saivite

tradition, contributions of the great Saivite Saints, the Nayanmars, particularly Sri Sundara Murthi Nayanar, and the dedication of his own ancestors and decided to continue the family tradition.. While in the US, he says he would like to make a humble contribution towards the spread and preservation of Saiva Samayam, particularly amongst the younger generation of devotees. Parampara: Adi Saiva Parampara (Sundara Murthi Nayanar) Guru: Viswanatha Sivachariar, Allur School: Allur Veda Sivagama Pata shala, run by Kanchi Kamakoti Peetam. Specialised Study: Veda Sivagama Siromani and study of Saiva Siddhantham. Awarded title of Siddhantha Saravali by Indian Institute of Indology. Languages: Tamil, English, Sanskrit(Grantham), Hindi. Temples; Veezhinatha Swamy Temple, Thiruveezhimizhalai ( 3 Years); Sri Murugan Temple, Mumbai, (4 Years); Sri Mangala Vinayakar Temple, Chennai (18 years). Mahakumbabishekams, Satya Chandi Maha Yagnam etc at different Temles. Also eligible to perform Special Poojas at the famous Saneeswara Bhagwan Temple at Thirunallar, near Nagapattinam.

Treasurer’s Report: Financial Results for 2008 Receipts mainly from Religious Services and Donations totaled about $ 389,000 as against $ 420,000 last year. However, expenses at about $ 266,000 were about $ 33,000 below that incurred in 2007. The operating surplus was about $ 123, 000 compared to $ 121,000 last year. During the year donations received towards the Rajagopuram Project totaled about $ 35,000. These contributions increased the available funds to $ 158,000. Capital expenditures and mortgage payments totaling $ 134,000 were met from these funds. This resulted in a surplus of about $ 24,000 for 2008 as against $ 18,000 in 2007.

MAHA SIVARATHRI 2009

The Mahasivarathri Celebrartion was inaugurated on Saturday 21 through Sivanjali performed by about 80 children. It ranged from solo pieces to group dances. (See article on page 2) The next day, Sunday 22, and over flowing into Monday 23 the four

Kala pooja was celebrated in the presence at some time or other of about 90 devotees. Poojas and Abhishekams were sponsored by devotees contributing about $ 1500. Various Poojas, Abhishekams and Alangarams were meticulously done by Kumar and Sankaran Kurukkals and Ganeson Butter, while devotees chanted various Thevarams.

By Kanagasabai Loganathan

THAI POOSAM 2009

What a time to enter the Temple — the morning of Thai Poosam! You could feel the vibrant energy and sense everyone’s excitement. You almost couldn’t sit down. Through a stroke of fortune the religion teacher could not teach children’s class. And as a result, parents brought their children upstairs to witness the awesome proceedings upstairs. As is the Temple’s practice, celebrations went all day including Kavadi and Deeparathanai, (the passing of 108 conch shells from the Khumba pot to priests to Lord Murugan). The day ended with a profound Murugan Procession. By the Editor

RATHAM FOR MURUGAN

A group of devotees in fulfillment of their Neithikadan are getting a Ratham fabricated for Murugan. The fabrication is being carried out in a Kalaikoodam overseas. The Ratham will be 19 ft high carved into the shape of Murugan's six faces. The bottom half of the Ratham will have intricate carvings of images from Kantha Pooranam and Aru Padai Veedukal with numerous Theiveeka Chitpangal. In front of the Ratham there will be two horses with Pramma in the center with the Pramma shown to pull the Ratham. The top half of the Ratham (Vimanam) will be decorated in brass plates. A Peedam carved in wood and painted in gold will also be made. The Peedam will serve to bring Murugan in procession to the Ther Muddi, which will also be constructed. The Ratham is scheduled to be ready for the Nallur Festival in August 2009.

Picture of a similar Ratham

Arati during Thai Poosam

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TEMPLE SERVICES: Call the Temple Manager at 301 552-4889 to make prior arrangements for ceremonies at the Temple or in your home. Also, ask for information about local hotels.

TEMPLE HOURS: Monday – Friday 9 am – 12 noon & 5 pm - 9 pm; Saturday, Sunday, & Holidays 9 am – 9 pm AUDITORIUM: The Temple’s auditorium capable of seating about 200 people in the basement is available for rent by Devotees. The Temple has also

ample parking space. Call the Temple Manager at 301 552-4889 for reservations. DIRECTIONS TO MURUGAN TEMPLE: From I-95 (also 495, Capital Beltway), take exit 20-A, Lanham (Rte 450 East), then follow the signs to

Princess Garden Parkway. Turn right on Princess Garden Parkway. “Murugan Temple” is on your left within half a mile (6300 Princess Garden Parkway) From Baltimore-Washington Parkway take Exit to Rt. 193 East Greenbelt Road. Turn left on Greenbelt Road. Turn right on Hanover Parkway, which

becomes Princess Garden Parkway. Drive about 2.5 miles. The temple is on the right side.

Murugan Temple of North America 6300 Princess Garden Parkway Lanham, MD 20706, USA CHANGE SERVICE REQUESTED

Non Profit Org. U.S. Postage

PAID So. MD

Permit No. 3958

FridayFridayDaily Abishekams

9:00 am Ganesha9:30 am Siva

10:00 am Murugan7:00 pm Ganesha

SundaySundayDaily Abishekams9:00 am Ganesha9:30 am Siva11:00 am Murugan5:00 pm Durgai

AbishekamRahu Kala Puja

SaturdaySaturdayDai ly Abishekams9:00 am Ganesha9:30 am Siva9:30 am Navagraha11:00 am Murugan

FridayFridayDaily Abishekams


10:00 am Murugan7:00 pm Ganesha

SundaySundayDaily Abishekams9:00 am Ganesha9:30 am Siva11:00 am Murugan5:00 pm Durgai

AbishekamRahu Kala Puja

SaturdaySaturdayDai ly Abishekams9:00 am Ganesha9:30 am Siva9:30 am Navagraha11:00 am Murugan

WednesdayWednesdayDaily Abishekams


10:00 am Murugan

TuesdayTuesdayDaily Abishekams


10:00 am Mur uganThirusathi

7:00 pm Meenakshi

ThursdayThursdayDai lyAbishekams9:00 am Ganesha9:30 am Siva10:00 am Murugan

7:00 pm Palani Aandavar7:30 pm Dakshinamurthi

MondayMondayDaily Abishekams


10:00 am Murugan7:00 pm Siva

WednesdayWednesdayDaily Abishekams


10:00 am Murugan

TuesdayTuesdayDaily Abishekams


10:00 am Mur uganThirusathi

7:00 pm Meenakshi

ThursdayThursdayDai lyAbishekams9:00 am Ganesha9:30 am Siva10:00 am Murugan

7:00 pm Palani Aandavar7:30 pm Dakshinamurthi

MondayMondayDaily Abishekams


10:00 am Murugan7:00 pm Siva

Murugan Temple Newsletter - April, May, June 2009

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Transcript of Murugan Temple Newsletter - April, May, June 2009