TEMPLE TIMES. Sita Rama Kalyanam

Transcription

1 TEMPLE TIMES nd Quarter 2016 April, May, June Sita Rama Kalyanam A Quarterly Publication of Sri Meenakshi Temple Society Pearland, Texas

2 Sri Meenakshi Temple Society McLean Road, Pearland, TX SPECIAL EVENTS April THROUGH JUNE, Apr Fri Ughdhi Telegu and Kannada New Year 14 Apr Thu Tamil New Year 14 Apr Thu Vishu Kani Darshanam 15 Apr Fri Sri Rama Navami 15 Apr Fri Dwajarohanam, Mahotsavam 1 st day 16 Apr Sat Meeanakshi Pattabhishekham, Mahotsavam 2d day 16 Apr Sat Poo Pallakku 24 Apr Sun Mahotsavam final day, Meenakshi Kalyanam 30 Apr Sat Sita Rama Kalyanam 8 May Sun Raja Mathangi Homam, Mother s day 9 May Mon Akshaya Thrithiyai 16 May Mon Vasavi Jayanthi 20 May Fri Sri Narasimha Jayanthi 22 May Sun Vasavi Jayanthi Celebration 28 May Sat Hanuman Jayanthi 19 Jun Sun Father s day, Siva and Venkateswara abishekam 24 Jun Fri Maha Rudram begins 25 Jun Sat Maha Rudram MONTHLY SCHEDULED ABHISHEKAM DATES APR TO JUN 2016 APR MAY JUN Pradosham, Nandi & Siva 5, 19 4, 19 2, 17 Abhishekam Maha Ganapathy Abhishekam Subramanya Abhisheshekam 10, 12 7, 11, 21 4, 10 Rama Abhishekam Sri Venkateswara Abhishekam 17 1,2,17, 27 1,5,15, 30 Sathyanarayana Puja Sankata Hara Chaturthi Anjanyar Abhishekam Bhairavar Abhishekam Meenakshi Abhishekam 12

3 A MESSAGE FROM THE MTS BOARD It seems like only a short while ago we welcomed the New Year with over 8000 devotees visiting Sri Meenakshi Temple to seek the blessings of the almighty. As we near the end of the first quarter 2016, the Poojas and festivities of Pongal, Makara Sankaranthi, Andal Kalyanam, Vasavi Agni Pravesam, Thai Sukravara Deepa Puja, Masi Magam all seem like a blur of the moment. The Grand celebrations of Thai Poosam and Maha Sivarathri witnessed hundreds of devotees who packed the magnificent spacious renovated Main Temple hall. The first quarter wraps up with the Vedic Heritage School (VHS) children participating in the Slokotsavam, simultaneous with the Grand celebration of Panguni Uthiram. The Golden group just celebrated its one year anniversary and continues to thrive and grow. Serving the devotees and attention to Cleanliness are the priorities for the current Board. Every member of the MTS board is committed to this and is working hard to fulfill these goals. An example is the new main Temple self-service Kiosk that is fully functional. The devotees will see that a lot of effort has been put to keep the Temple area and the Grounds clean as the last vestige of the MTRP construction nears completion. MTS devotee base has expanded significantly in the last three decades and on several regular and major functions for all deities in Corner Sannadhis such as Ayyappa, Ganesha, Muruga, Sri Rama parivar, Anjaneya, Nataraja, Navagraha, Durga and Kannika Parameswari, there is not enough room inside and it is noticeably overcrowded, often forcing devotees to stand outside. Recognizing the need to complete the religious area renovations, the MTS board is pursuing as a priority, the Corner (Mandapam) Temples renovation project (CTRP). As the Phase-III of the MTS religious areas renovation, CTRP builds on the momentum from the earlier phases already completed: Ganesh Temple Renovation Project (GTRP, Phase-I) and Main Temple Renovation Project (MTRP, Phase-II). The completion of CTRP fulfills the original plan conceived by the founders in the late 70s as the long term vision for the Temple; with the CTRP completion devotees should expect an aesthetically grand, functionally utilitarian place of worship. The MTS Board and the MTS Advisory Council have approved the conceptual design and the resolution is being presented to the Senior Members and the General body on April 10th. The second quarter, a traditionally faster and busier time once again sees several pujas and festivals coming up, with Ugadhi, Tamil New Year, Vishu Kani, Sri Ramanavani and the traditional grand Chitirai Mahotsavam in the month of April, just to name a few. This year MTS is proud to host the Hindus of Greater Houston (HGH) Youth Gala on April 9th, a premier HGH event. The entire Board of this grand institution of Sri Meenakshi Temple Society is grateful for the opportunity to continue the long tradition of serving. May the blessings of Goddess Meenakshi, Lord Sundareswara, Goddess Padmavathy and Lord Venkateswara always be with you, your family and friends. G.N. Prasad Treasurer

4 Sri Meenakshi Temple Society McLean Road, Pearland, TX April Apr Tue 7.00 PM Pradosham Nandi & Siva Abhishekam & Procession 8-Apr Fri 7.00 PM Ugadhi Telugu & Kannada New Year 10-Apr Sun AM Krittikai Sri Subramanya Abhishekam 10-Apr Sun 11:00 AM Meenakshi Abhishekam 11-Apr Mon 7:00 PM Maha Ganapathy Abhishekam 12-Apr Tue 7.00 PM Sukla Sashti Sri Subramanya Abhishekam 14-Apr Thu 7.00 PM Tamil New Year 14-Apr Thu 8.30 AM Vishu Kani - Ayyappa Abhishekam & Vishu Kani Darhnam 14-Apr Thu 7.00 PM Mahotsava Vasthu Shanthi 14-Apr Thu 7.00 PM Punarvasu Ramar Abhishekam 15-Apr Fri 7.00 PM Sri Rama Navami 15-Apr Fri 6.00 PM Dwajarohanam, Mahotsavam 1st Day 16-Apr Sat 6.00 PM Meenakshi Pattabbhishekam, Mahotsavam 2nd Day 16-Apr Sat 6.00 PM Poo Pallaku 17-Apr Sun AM Ekadasi Sri Venkateswara Abhishekam 19-Apr Tue 7.00 PM Pradosham Nandi & Siva Abhishekam & Procession 21-Apr Thu 6.30 PM Sathyanarayana Puja 24-Apr Sun 9.30 AM Mahotsavam Final Day, Meenakshi Kalyanam 26-Apr Tue 7.00 PM Sankatahara Chaturththi Ganapathi Homam & Abhisheham 27-Apr Wed 7.00 PM Mulam Sri Anjaneyar Abhishekam 30-Apr Sat 9.00 AM Sita Rama Kalyanam 30-Apr Sat AM Ashtami Bairavar Abhishekam Regularly Scheduled Weekly Abhishekam Sri Ganesha Homam & Abhishekam...All days 7:00 AM Sri Siva (Sundareswara) & Sri Meenakshi Abhishekam....All days 9:00 AM Sri Siva (Sundareswara) Abhishekam...Mondays 7:00 PM Sri Durga Abhishekam...Tuesdays 7:00 PM Sri Padmavathy Abhishekam...Fridays 6:30 PM Sri Meenakshi Abhishekam & Lalitha Sahasranamavali...Fridays 7:00 PM Last Friday of the month Lalitha Sahasranamavali & Shodasa Upacharam Sri Navagraha Abhishekam...Saturdays 11:00 AM Sri Ayyappa Abhishekam...Saturdays 10:00 AM Sri Kanyaka Parameswari Abhishekam...Last Sunday of the Month 10:00 AM Sri Meenakshi Abhishekam...Second Sunday of the Month 11:00 AM Sri Venkateswara Abhishekam...First Sunday of the Month 10:30 AM 4

5 CHITTIRAI MAHOTSAVAM THE ANNUAL TEN DAY TEMPLE FESTIVAL By M.K.Sriram The Chittirai Mahotsavam is the grand annual festival of MTS. This ten-day festival occurs in Chittirai, the first month in the Tamil calendar (roughly April 15 May 15). The Board members, temple priests & staff and a host of dedicated and energetic volunteers work countless hours to prepare for, and flawlessly execute their most creative and magnificent plan. This year s festival is even more special because we are celebrating the Mahotsavam for the very first time after the Main Temple renovation and expansion. The festival commences with the dwajarohanam (flag hoisting) at the dwajasthambam (flag post) at the entrance of the temple. This signals the start of the special pujas conducted everyday morning and evening. Various religious rites including homams are performed at a beautiful Yaga Sala. Hundreds of devotees pray and meditate while the vedic mantras resonate. Every evening the temple is alive with classical music and dance organized by the cultural activities committee. The Utsava murthis are taken on a procession around the temple on a different vahanam every night to the beat of chenda mela or nadaswaram & thavil. Sri Meenakshi Pattabhishekam is a major event during this festival. The crowning moment of this event is indeed the offering of the jewel studded crown and the divine Scepter to Goddess Meenakshi, our Mother. The underlying significance of the event is that the devotees crown The Divine Goddess in their very own hearts. This event is followed by a procession with Sri Meenakshi in all her glory seated on an extraordinarily decorated Poo Pallakku (flower palanquin). The grand finale of the festival is the Meenakshi Sundareswar Thiru Kalyanam (divine wedding). This celestial wedding is celebrated with great pomp and grandeur. Starting with seervarisai, all the marriage rites including Kanyadhanam, where Lord Vishnu gives his sister Meenakshi s hand away to Lord Sundareswara, and Mangalya Dharanam are performed. A grand Rathotsavam follows, when all the deities are taken on a procession around the temple in their respective vahanas with the accompaniment of nadaswaram music, vedic chanting and slokams. This is a most unforgettable and heavenly experience. The grandest of all weddings culminates with the grandest of feasts. So it is, when more than a 1000 devotees are offered a sit-down prasadam lunch on banana leaves. A lot of effort goes into the preparation of the mega lunch an army of volunteers assemble the day before to cut hundreds of pounds of vegetables, then the kitchen staff go into action early morning to cook the delicious food that is then served to the entire devotee guests by a hundred volunteers. The festival formally concludes with dwaja avarohanam, when the flag is taken down and furled till the next year.sri Meenakshi Temple, Pearland has the unique reputation of conducting its ceremonies and festivals in the most traditional and authentic way. The Mahotsavam is a prime example where the devotees immerse themselves in the river of bhakti and experience a 10-day trip to Madurai Meenakshi temple, right here in Houston. Kudos to the entire MTS team for putting on such a spectacular and spiritual event. 5

6 Sri Meenakshi Temple Society McLean Road, Pearland, TX May May Sun AM Venkateswara Abhishekam 2-May Mon 7.00 PM Ekadasi Sri Venkateswara Abhishekam 4-May Wed 7.00 PM Pradosham Nandi & Siva Abhishekam & Procession 7-May Sat AM Krithikai Subramanya Abhishekam 8-May Sun 11.00AM Rajamathangi Homam, Mother s Day 9-May Mon 7.00P PM Akshaya Trithiyai 10-May Tue 7.00 PM Maha Ganapathy Abhishekam 11-May Wed 7.00 PM Sri Rama Abhishekam 11-May Wed 7.00 PM Sri Subramanya Abhishekam 16-May Mon 7.00 PM Vasavi Jayanthi 17-May Tue 7.00 PM Ekadasi Sri Venkateswara Abhishekam 19-May Thu 7.00 PM Pradosham Nandi & Siva Abhishekam & Procession 20-May Fri 7.00 PM Sri Narasimha Jayanthi 21-May Sat AM Subramanya Abhishekam, Vaikasi Visakam 22-May Sun AM Vasavi Jayanthi Celebration 24-May Tue 7.00 PM Mulam Sri Anjaneyar Abhishekam 25-May Wed 7.00 PM Sankatahara Chaturththi Ganapathi Homam & Abhishekam 27-May Fri 7.00 PM Sravanam Sri Venkateswara Abhishekam 28-May Sat AM Hanuman Jayanthi Celebrations 29-May Sun AM Ashtami Bairavar Abhishekam Regularly Scheduled Weekly Abhishekam Sri Ganesha Homam & Abhishekam...All days 7:00 AM Sri Siva (Sundareswara) & Sri Meenakshi Abhishekam....All days 9:00 AM Sri Siva (Sundareswara) Abhishekam...Mondays 7:00 PM Sri Durga Abhishekam...Tuesdays 7:00 PM Sri Padmavathy Abhishekam...Fridays 6:30 PM Sri Meenakshi Abhishekam & Lalitha Sahasranamavali...Fridays 7:00 PM Last Friday of the month Lalitha Sahasranamavali & Shodasa Upacharam Sri Navagraha Abhishekam...Saturdays 11:00 AM Sri Ayyappa Abhishekam...Saturdays 10:00 AM Sri Kanyaka Parameswari Abhishekam...Last Sunday of the Month 10:00 AM Sri Meenakshi Abhishekam...Second Sunday of the Month 11:00 AM Sri Venkateswara Abhishekam...First Sunday of the Month 10:30 AM 6

7 Sri Meenakshi Temple Society McLean Road, Pearland, TX June Jun Wed 7.00 PM Ekadasi Sri Venkateswara Abhishekam 2-Jun Thu 7.00 PM Pradosham Nandi & Siva Abhishekam & Procession 4-Jun Sat AM Krithikai Sri Subramanya Abhishekam 5-Jun Sun AM Venkateswara Abhishekam 8-Jun Wed 7.00 PM Sri Rama Abhishekam 8-Jun Wed 7.00 PM Maha Ganapathy Abhishekam 10-Jun Fri 7.00 PM Sukla Sashti Sri Subramanya Abhishekam 12-Jun Sun AM Meenakshi Abhishekam 15-Jun Wed 7.00 PM Ekadasi Sri Venkateswara Abhishekam 17-Jun Fri 7.00 PM Pradosham Nandi & Siva Abhishekam & Procession 19-Jun Sun AM Father s Day, Sri Siva & Sri Venkateswara Abhishekam 20-Jun Mon 7.00 PM Sathyanarayana Puja 21-Jun Tue 7.00 PM Mulam Sri Anjaneyar Abhishekam 23-Jun Thu 7.00 PM Sankatahara Chaturththi Ganapathi Homam & Abhisheham 23-Jun Thu 7.00 PM Sravanam Sri Venkateswara Abhishekam 24-Jun Fri 9.00 AM Maha Rudram Begins 25-Jun Sat 9.00 AM Maha Rudram 27-Jun Mon 7.00 PM Ashtami Bairavar Abhishekam 30-Jun Thu 7.00 PM Ekadasi Sri Venkateswara Abhishekam Regularly Scheduled Weekly Abhishekam Sri Ganesha Homam & Abhishekam...All days 7:00 AM Sri Siva (Sundareswara) & Sri Meenakshi Abhishekam....All days 9:00 AM Sri Siva (Sundareswara) Abhishekam...Mondays 7:00 PM Sri Durga Abhishekam...Tuesdays 7:00 PM Sri Padmavathy Abhishekam...Fridays 6:30 PM Sri Meenakshi Abhishekam & Lalitha Sahasranamavali...Fridays 7:00 PM Last Friday of the month Lalitha Sahasranamavali & Shodasa Upacharam Sri Navagraha Abhishekam...Saturdays 11:00 AM Sri Ayyappa Abhishekam...Saturdays 10:00 AM Sri Kanyaka Parameswari Abhishekam...Last Sunday of the Month 10:00 AM Sri Meenakshi Abhishekam...Second Sunday of the Month 11:00 AM Sri Venkateswara Abhishekam...First Sunday of the Month 10:30 AM 7

8 SRI RAMA NAVAMI AND SITA RAMA KALYANAM By M.K.Sriram On the ninth day of the waxing moon, in the month of Chittirai (mid-march to mid-april), Lord Vishnu took the avatar of Sri Rama and was born to King Dasaratha and Queen Kausalya. On this auspicious day, devotees repeat the name of Rama with every breath and vow to lead a righteous life. People pray to attain the final beatitude of life through intense devotion towards Rama and invoke him for his blessings and protection. Many observe a strict fast on this day. Otherwise, it is an extremely colorful ceremony, highly inspiring and instructive too. Temples are decorated and the image of Lord Rama is richly adorned. The holy Ramayana is read in the temples. In Ayodhya, the birthplace of Sri Rama, a big fair is held on this day. In the south of India the Sri Ramnavami Utsavam is celebrated for nine days with great fervor and devotion. In temples and at pious gatherings the learned narrate the thrilling episodes of the Ramayana. This day, marking the birthday of Lord Rama, is also observed as the wedding day of Rama and Sita and thus also referred to as Kalyanotsavam. Rama exemplified the perfect person (maryada purushottaman). He was the embodiment of compassion, gentleness, kindness, righteousness and integrity. Although he had all the power in the world, he still was peaceful and gentle. His reign in Ayodha is referred to as Ramarajya, the epitome of perfect governance. MTS celebrates the Sita Rama Kalyanam with great festivity. This event gives our devotees the great opportunity and privilege to witness and participate in the re-enactment of this divine wedding. This is a special occasion for parents and grandparents who are anxiously seeking life partners for their progeny to offer their prayers to Lord Vishnu and Goddess Lakshmi. And, this is a great day to reflect on the great qualities and character of Sri Rama, as exemplified by his actions, so we the devotees can strive to be better persons ourselves. JAI SRI RAM 8

9 Sri Meenakshi Temple Society McLean Road, Pearland, TX Cordially invites you with family & friends to celebrate UGADHI on Friday 8 th April 2016 Telugu, Kannada & Marathi New Year MANMATHA NAMA SAMVATSARA 7.00pm Sri Venkateswara Abhishekam Panchanga shravanam in Telugu and Kannada during Alankaram Aarathi at Sri Sundareswara Meenakshi & Venkateswara sannidhis Abhishekam & Pooja Sponsorship: $ 31 Prasadam Viniyogam Neem pachadi at Cafeteria Conference Room Pooja Sponsorship: $21 For more information, please contact: Sasi Pillai at nsasipillai@aol.com or Sheila Sriram at sriramsheila@gmail.com or the Temple Office at

10 Sri Meenakshi Temple Society McLean Road, Pearland, TX Cordially invites you to participate in the Tamil New Year s Day On Thursday, April 14, 2016, 7pm At Sri Meenakshi Sannidhi Sankalpam, Vignewara Pooja, Punyavahanam Panchangam Shravanam, Deeparathana Sponsorship: $21 For more information, please contact: Padmini Nathan at prn198@aol.com or Sasi Pillai at nsasipillai@aol.com or Sheila Sriram at sriramsheila@gmail.com 10

11 SPIRITUALITY By Sasidharan Pillai Spirituality can be defined as the attempt to know and live in the highest self, the divine the all-embracing unity and to raise life in all its parts to the divine s possible values. Spirituality is a broad concept with room for many perspectives. It includes a sense of connection to something bigger than ourselves. It is universal human experience and something that touch us all. What is the discipline to be followed in order to convert the mental seeking into a living spiritual experience? The first necessity is the practice of concentration of your consciousness within yourself. The true consciousness other than the superficial, there are two main centers. One in the heart, and one in the head. The concentration in the heart opens within and by following this inward opening and going deep one becomes aware of the soul or psychic being, the divine element in the individual. The head brings the consciousness of the presence, the dedication of the being to the highest and invites the descent into our nature of great force and consciousness which waiting above us. Once it is obtained makes the spiritual path far more easy and safe. Offer yourself more and more-all the consciousness, all your work and action. The awareness of the divine presence in all things, and always there. It is spirituality when you begin to become aware of another consciousness than ego and begin to live in it or under its influence more and more. It is that consciousness wide, infinite, self-existent, pure of ego which is called spirit.(divine, Brahman) Spirituality has meant are cogitation of something greater than mind and life, the aspiration to a consciousness is pure, great, divine beyond our normal mental and vital nature, surge and rising of the soul in man out of the littleness and bondage of our lower parts towards greater thing secret within him. Spirituality is not a high intellectuality, not idealism, not an ethical turn of mind or moral purity and austerity, not religiosity or an ardent and exalted emotional fervor, not even a compound of all these excellent things. These things are of considerable value to mind and life; they are of value to the spiritual evolution itself as preparatory movements disciplining, purifying or giving a suitable form to the 11

12 nature; but they still belong to the mental evolution. The beginning of a spiritual realization, experience change is not yet there. Spirituality is in its essence an awakening to the inner reality of our being to a spirit, self soul which is other than our mind, life and body, an inner aspiration to know, to feel, to be that to enter into contact with greater reality, beyond and pervading the universe which inhabits also our own being, to be in communion with it and union with it and tuning a conversation, a transformation of our whole being, as a result of the aspiration, the contact, the union, a growth or walking into a new becoming or new being, a new self, a new nature. The meaning of spirituality is a new and greater inner life of man founded in the consciousness of his true, his most, highest and largest self and spirit by which he receives the whole of existence as a progressive manifestation of the self in the universe and his own life as a field of a possible transformation in which its divine sense will be found. Its potentialities highly evolved the now imperfect forms changed into a image of the divine perfection and an effort not only to see but to live out these greater possibilities of his being. For man to become divine in consciousness and act and ti live inwardly and outwardly the divine life is, what is meant by spirituality the divine perfection is always there above us. Some Spiritual Questions normally asked: What is the meaning of my suffering? What is my connection to the world around me? Do things happen for a reason? How can I live my life in the best way possible? 12

13 Sri Meenakshi Temple Society McLean Road, Pearland, TX Cordially invites you to celebrate Sri Meenakshi Sundareswarar Thirukalyanam Sunday April 24th, :30 AM Seervarisai Procession from Ganesh Temple 10:00 AM Oonjal & Pidi Sutral in front of Kalyana Mandapam 10:30 AM Sankalpam, Vighneshwara Puja, Punyahavachanam, Rakshabandanam, Pravaram, Kanyadhanam, Agnipradakshinam, Mangalya Puja, Mangalya Dharanam, Homam, Lajaa homam, Purnahuthi 12:30 PM Rathotsavam and Procession of deities in All Vahanas Sit-down Lunch Sponsorship Kalyanam $31, Kanyadanam $51 Kalyanam & Kanyadanam $81 Grand Sponsor $251 For further information and sponsorship please contact: Padmini at or Sheila Sriram at or Sasi Pillai at or the Temple Office at Ext

14 Sri Meenakshi Temple Society McLean Road, Pearland, TX Cordially invites to celebrate Sita Rama Kalyanam on Saturday, April 30th, AM at Ganesh Temple: Vigneshwara Puja, Seer Varisai Procession 9:30 AM 12:00 PM at Kalyana Mandapam Sankalpam, Vishvaksena Puja, Punyavachanam,Yegnopaveetha dharanam,paada prakshalanam, Pravara, Mangalashtakam, Kanyadanam, Mangalaya Dharanam, Laaja Homam, Akshataropanam, Archana Manthrapushpam, Aarathi and Theertham & Prasadam 12:00 PM Ratha Ustavam Lunch at Youth Center Sponsorship Kalyanam $31 Kanyadanam $51 Kalyanam & Kanyadanam $81 Grand Sponsor $251 For more information please contact: Padmini Nathan at or Sheila Sriram at or Sasi Pillai at 14

15 Sri Meenakshi Temple Society McLean Road, Pearland, TX Cordially invites to celebrate Raja Mathangi Homam (108 Sumangali Pooja) on Sunday, May 8th, :00 AM at the Ganesh Temple Sankalpam, Vigneshwara Puja, Punyahavachanam, Kumba Puja, Homam, Purnahuthi, Utsavamurthi Sri Meenakshi Abhishekam and alankaram, 108 Sumangali puja, Archana, Deeparadhana (Devotees will chant Lalitha Sahasranamam during abhishekam) 12:30 PM Procession of deities Prasadam Distribution Sponsorship $21 For further information and sponsorship please contact Padmini Nathan at or Sheila Sriram at or Sasi Pillai at You may also call the temple at (281) , Ext 100 or

16 Vishu and Vishukkani By Chittoor K. Ramachandran Important aspects of Vishu and symbolism of Vishukkani Celebration of Vishu by people from Kerala is different for other areas of India. A brief description of the way of celebration by Keralites is given below. Let us explore the meaning of Vishukkani. The word kani means first thing one sees as soon as one opens his/her eyes in the morning. So Vishukkani: means what one sees first on the day of Vishu. The start of the Solar New year which is the beginning of the New Year for those who follow SauryamAna calendar. So Vishukkani means what you see first in the New Year! We believe that if we see auspicious things arranged in front of our favorite God or Goddess or arranged in front of the favorite deity as the first thing in the morning of the new year, only good things will happen to us. When we start anything with the blessings of God, how can anything go wrong? Even if something goes wrong, because of the results of our praarabdhaa Karmaas, God will direct and guide us to go though all difficulties with courage and hope! Preparing for the Vishukkani becomes an important aspect of Vishu. In addition to a lighted oil or ghee lamp and Ishtadevatha s idol or photo, a bronze container called uruli filled with raw rice forms the support base for the other items to be placed. Then well starched and ironed white mundu, yellow cucumber, two halves of a coconut with burning wicks, gold chains, silver chains, some coins, a polished metallic mirror called Vaalkkannadi, fruits like mango and jackfruit, a grantham or puranam written on palm leaf and finally the special yellow flowers called kanikkonnapookkal are kept in the uruli. Depending on regions and communities, some of the things kept in the uruli can be different. Anyway, all auspicious things can be kept. The symbolism of the uruli and things kept inside goes like this: Vishukkani symbolizes the union of Prakruthi and Purusha. Uruli is symbolic of Prakruthi or Universe and everything inside is Purusha or the Paramaathma or Bhagavaan. Rice is His body, Kanikkonnappookkal is Bhagavan s golden waist band, yellow cucumber is His face, lighted coconut halves are His eyes, Vaalkkannadi is His heart, Grantham is His wise words, the white veshti represents Satva Gunam. Visukkainettam is the gift of money given by the senior most member of the family to all his youngsters and dependants. It is considered as a gift of Bhagavaan and Mahalakshmi and this assures that the whole year will be free of financial crisis. Fire works is part of the celebration of the New year and brings joy to children as well as adults. It helps us to begin the year with a happy tone and gives hope to end with a happy tone. A sumptuous lunch is definitely a part of any celebration and eating together with family and relatives is a blessed way to start a new year! 16

17 Sri Meenakshi Temple Society McLean Road, Pearland, TX Phone: Ext. 100 (or) 110 Annual Puja Sponsorship Form For more information please contact the Temple Office at ext. 100, 110 If you have any questions, comments or need more information please do not hesitate to contact S. socn1@hotmail.com Sriram at mksriram.mts@gmail.com or Sasidharan nsasipillai@aol.com 17

18 Kalyana Mandapam (KM), Youth Center (YC) and Visitors Center (VC) at MTS Both KM and YC are spacious facilities for events like Engagements, Weddings, Receptions, etc. Each facility can accommodate more than 400 people VC can accommodate up to 125 people for small events Have over 1200 chairs, 50 round tables, and more than 30 rectangular (6 x 2 ) tables Use the MTS facilities (KM, YC and the newly opened Visitor Center) for all of your needs throughout the year Recommend to your friends and colleagues about the facilities and support our Temple For Reservations Contact: Mr. Venkatachalam at or venkatk2005@yahoo.com Alternatively: Send to temple@meenakshi.org or chkarunakar@yahoo.com (Karunakar Chowdavarapu) and we will get back to you within 24 hours Kalayana Mandapam Youth Center Banquet Hall 18

19 RAHUKALAM DAY YAMAGANDAM 4:30 PM 6:00 PM Sun 12 NOON 1:30 PM 7:30 AM 9:00 AM Mon 10:30 AM 12 NOON 3:00 PM 4:30 PM Tue 9:00 AM 10:30 AM 12 NOON 1:30 PM Wed 7:30 AM 9:00 AM 1:30 PM 3:00 PM Thu 6:00 AM 7:30 AM 10:30 AM 12 NOON Fri 3:00 PM 4:30 PM 9:00 AM 10:30 AM Sat 1:30 PM 3:00 PM Temple Hours Monday through Thursday: 8:30 AM to 12 Noon and 5:00 PM to 8:30 PM Friday: 8:30 AM to 12 Noon and 5:00 PM to 9:00 PM Weekends and National Holidays: 8:30 AM to 8:30 PM Listen to MTS Radio MTS RADIO PROGRAM Every Sunday 2016 New year, New timing, New station TUNE INTO RADIO DIAL 1110 AM STATION FROM -12 Noon to 2 pm Tune on link from Sri Meenakshi Temple website Listen live - Listen to Bhajans: 24/7 online Radio Sri Meenakshi Temple Telephone Numbers Main Temple (Best time to call: 9 am-12 noon and 5 pm-8 pm Main Temple , 110 Ganesh Temple Facility Center Library (During Library hours) Kalyana Mantapam Temple Kitchen MTS FAX Staff Sri Vatsa Kumar (Executive Officer) Sri K. Venkatachalam (Administrator) Sri Manickasundaram Bhattar (Priest) Sri Kalyana Sundaram (Priest) Sri R.K.E. Parameswaran (Priest) Sri Sreedharan Raghavan (Priest) Sri Pawankumar Sribhashyam (Priest) Sri Sriman Narayana Charyalu Rompicherla (Priest) Temple Times Published by MTS Public Relations and Publicity Committee

20 Temple Times is a publication of Sri Meenakshi Temple McLean Road Pearland, TX Lord Siva NON PROFIT ORG. U. S POSTAGE PAID Pearland, TX PERMIT NO. 79