Shiv Mandir of Atlanta Journal

Shiv Mandir of Atlanta Journal

5675 Jimmi Carter Blvd,Norcross GA 30024Phone: 770-912-0332www.ShivMandirAtlanta.orgVol-1/2012From the desk ofEditor:Dear Shiv MandirFamily members,It gives us extremepleasure to launch ourJournal “Aastha” ,which will serve as achannelofcommunicationbetween the Mandirand its large family ofdevotees. We will keepyou informed of anyupcoming events andactivities of interestvia this Journal. We willalso share articlesrelated to the HinduSanatan Dharma andabout our rich Cultureand heritage. We inviteyou to send yourarticles ,to share withfellow communitymembers. We would beglad to include yourarticles in this Journal.Please also encourageyour children to writea column for ourJournal.Om Namah Shivay,Shyam Gupta,Vice President,Communications & MediaSend articles/suggestions-Shyamgupta22@gmail.comDear Friends,Shiv Mandir of Atlanta, humbly and respectfully thanks you all forjoining us for the "Maha-Shivratri puja celebration". I am sure you all had a veryholy and pious puja on that day with your family, friends and all the Shivgans.The trust and confidence that you all bestow on us year after year has made usmore indebted to our society. This is the impetus for us to work more hard andmake the puja a great religious event each year. We promise to raise ourdedication level and match all the expectations. The gathering felt like a bigfamily and the ambience was so somber and pious-----I am sure it reminds us allabout our country back home. Your noble presence and get together in theShiv mandir for the puja made all of us feel as "Home away from home" andnostalgic."Big Thank-you to all'. You may view the beautiful pictures of theblessed program at the following link or by going to our website.Picasa Web Albums - ShivMandirofAtlan... - ShivMandir-Ma...Let's grow our family of Shiv-gans together and make it bigger .With all yourhelp and patronage, we are planning to start construction of 'OUR SHIVTEMPLE' this year. I would request you to please come forward and 'Help us 'anyway you can. This is our temple and will be for generations to come.I feel proud that our two great priests—Upadhyay ji and Madhav ji are theepicenter of our family of Shiv ji. We are soon going to add another priest fromSouth India. Please do your pujas, archanas in the temple and at your home byour priests.We have activities lined up in the temple throughout the year. Please feel freeto visit our online site and get involved. We have activities for all ages and needmore and more of shivgans to make it more special.Last of all, I would request you all to please excuse us if we had anyshortcomings during the puja as we all tried our best to make it a memorableoccasion for all. We promise you that next year the puja will be more special.You all are part of our family and we hope to see you all every year .Lookingforward to an everlasting company and wish you all the best of life, peace andprosperity by the grace of Lord Shiv.OM Namah Shivay .Maha Shiv Ratri Celebration 2012Our Heart Felt Thanks to All DevoteesShivbhakt- Devashish Ray,Shiv Mandir of Atlanta JournalPresident,Shiv Temple,Atlanta.

Amid Maha ShivRatri Celebration, Shiv Mandirannounces big steps towards Mandir ConstructionBy Shyam GuptaPhotos by Kiran MudigondaThere was Om on every lip, Om in very mind, Om in every soul. There was Om vibratingeverywhere in the atmosphere, when Pandit Gyan Prakash Upadhayay began the MahaRudrabhishek Pooja organized by Shiv Mandir of Atlanta. The huge hall was filled with sacredchanting of Om. It was Monday the 20 th , February, 2012, the auspicious occasion of Maha ShivRatri, the Grand Night of Lord Shiva and Lingodbhava (Origin of Shiva Linga). Mahashivratri is afestival of significant importance for Hindus. It is believed that fasting and performing this poojaon Mahashiv Ratri with proper rituals, relieves one from the cycle of birth and death andhe/she attains moksha.Devotees getting ready for Aarti. Over 1000 devotees attended the Group Pooja??

Like every year, devotees at Shiv Mandir of Atlanta celebrated Mahashiv Ratri with intensedevotion, religious fervor and traditional solemnity. The Group Pooja in which more than 225families (around 1000 people) took part, was organized in the Ashiana Banquet Hall at GlobalMall, Norcross. Shiv Mandir has been organizing Maha Shiv Ratri for last eleven years, wheredevotees in similar numbers perform this pooja under one roof. For sitting of the devotees, 250asanas were placed in rows. Devotees were provided all pooja samagree, coconut, ghee,shivling, charanamrit etc. In the middle of the hall, a decorated stage was set up where the twoPandit Gyan Prakash Upadhyay , explaining theimportance of Maha Shiv Ratri to assembleddevotees.Devotees patiently waiting outside the Mandirfor Abhishek..Doesn’t this remind you of India?priests Pt Upadhyay ji and Pt Madhav Kafley ji, were sitting with the Mukhya yajmaans andguiding the devotees to perform the pooja. There were two projector screens on each side ofthe stage, to facilitate proper view of the main stage to all devotees sitting across the hall.Special seating arrangements were made for senior citizens and for those who are unable to sitfor long. Outside the hall this year there was a new display arranged with Slide show andpictures about the Mandir’s activities and its future plans on a flat screen. The Maha Prasadstall had food arrangement for both fasting and non fasting devotees. Before thepooja, President of the Executive committee of Shiv Mandir, Dr Devashish Ray briefly welcomedall the devotees and thanked them for their support to the Mandir.The pooja began at 7.00 pm with the pranayam and sacred chanting of “Om”. It was somesmerizing to watch little kids-“the young Hindu Americans”, sitting beside their parents andchanting OM with their beautiful eyes closed. Pranayaam was followed by a devotional bhajan.The pooja was performed strictly as per vedic rituals with Swasti vachan, Ganesh Vandana,sankalp, dhyaan, avaahan, solah upchaar poojan, Vedic rudrabhishek,and 108 naam archanaand Aarti followed by Maha Prasad. The pooja lasted for about two hours. Children of variousage groups worked as volunteers replenishing samagree etc. The devotees enjoyed theinteractive and interesting way it was being conducted by the??

priests. At the end of the pooja, Chairman of the Mandir’s board Alok Gupta gave a power pointpresentation with over view of financial status and proclaimed year’s goal i.e. “To begin theconstruction of the new Mandir by doing Silanyasa pooja in the fall of 2012.” Alok Guptastressed on the need of funds to begin the construction and urged the devotees to become apart of the mandir, now and forever by sponsoring various parts like pillars, Murtis etc of theMandir and donate generously to support the mandir’s construction. He said “suchopportunities are rare in life time. Be a part of this history by supporting it with “Tan- Man andDhan”. While the presentation was still going on, many motivated devotees came forward todonate generously.While the group Maharudrabhishek pooja was being held on the groundfloor, on the first floor, scores of devotees stood in queue, waiting to offer milk abhisekh to ShivLimgum. The scene outside the mandir was no different than that at the temples in India onShiv Ratri. Over 4000 devotees offered milk abhisekh. Later, Prahar Pooja was conducted from10pm till mid night in the Mandir.Children-“the young Hindu Americans” actively participated in the Pooja with their parents.The mega event, in which more than 1200 devotees participated, was made possible by thehard ?? working and dedicated volunteers of the Shiv Mandir. Many children actively volunteeredand helped inside the hall during the pooja, and in packing and distribution of mahaprasad, all

this while having lots of fun. Children were granted volunteer hours for their excellent services.Shiv Abhishek in the Ashiana Hall after the Pooja.Working day, 10.30 pm, still Devotees don’t seemto be in rush.Passing on the tradition. Three generationsdoing Shiv Abhishek together. This is ourculture.Shiv Mandir caters to the religious and spiritual needs of Hindus and followers of SanatanDharma ?? of Greater Atlanta area and its family of devotees ?? has increased exponentially since itsinception in 2000. Shiv Mandir’s objective of providing a place of worship for all Hindus wherepeople from East, West, North or South feel comfortable and welcomed, makes it different.Shiv Mandir has successfully eradicated the thin line of North –South by conducting Ayyappapooja for last couple of years and having Swamis from South presiding for Satsangs. Tocontinue with this effort, a South Indian priest has been hired and will be joining soon.Young volunteers of Shiv Mandir busy in gettingready for Maha Prasad under the guidance oftheir mentor Bhupinder Gouri.Special seating arrangement was made for ourrespectable seniors and those who are not able tosit for long.The new Mandir, for which Bhumi Poojan was performed in 2010, is conveniently located on??Peachtree Industrial Blvd, in City of Sugar Hill. The total land area is about 12 acres.??

`The projected cost of land development and building the Mandir complex is $3.5 Millions. Theplanis to build a 22 thousand square foot Mandir complex where the sanctum area will beabout 7,500 square feet. The main deity will be the Shiv parivar, with other deities like ShriRadha-Krishna; Shri Ram Parivar, Shri Bala ji and Shri Durga mata. Each deity will be about 5’ to6’ in height. Each deity will have a camera inside each ‘garbh grah’ so that the pooja vidhi canbe seen on a TV placed outside. At the entrance there will be a big fountain called “Gangotri”and the on-site stream will be called as “Shiv Ganga” with walking trails on its sides. There willbe a play area for children and open space to conduct outdoor events. Currently parking for 200vehicles has been planned. The open area around the complex will have beautiful landscapeand a flower garden. The lower part of the Mandir complex will house an auditorium with astage, with state -of-art audio visual system, a kitchen and community dining hall, offices androoms to hold classes for children and adults. The mandir will also have a library and anoutdoor Yagna Shala pavilion.Let us join hands to build this Mandir for ourselves and for generations to come and preserveand embellish our rich culture and traditions and be proud of it. To view more pictures of theevent & to know more about Shiv Mandir of Atlanta or to make an online donation please visitmandir’s website - www.shivmandiratlanta.org or call any of the office bearers.Behind The Scene

`Holi celebration by Shiv MandirMonth of March was full of colors for devotees of Shiv Mandir. On Wednesday, March 7 th ShivMandir organized Holika Dahan followed by Rung- Gulal in association with GokulDhamMandir, Global Mall. The event, which took place in the rear parking lot of Global Mall, wasattended by more than thousand people. Holika was set on fire and Devotees did parikrama ofHolika singing Bhajans. Simultaneously people enjoyed Holi with Rung and Gulal. One can seecolored faces all over the parking lot. Mahaprasad was also arranged by Gokul Dhaam Mandir.As the color sensation was still on, Shiv Mandir partnered with Sewa International and againorganized Holi on Saturday, March 17. Sewa has been organizing Holi for several years as acommunity event. Being a Sunny weekend with temperature in 80’s a score of people attendedthis celebration. People of all ages played Holi, hugging each other and painting each otherwith Rung and Gulal and dancing to the tunes of DJ Ameet. Desi and other Snacks wereavailable for the attendees for purchase. Pt Gyan Prakash recited a Bhakti ras poem to inspirethe attendees. Our goal for next year is to celebrate Holi on our own grounds at new locationof Mandir.

`By Divya AgarwalHoli was celebrated last month all around the world. In this article by Divya Agarwal, we bring one of thestories for the children to tell them Why “Holi hai”Holi is celebrated at the end of the winter season on the last full moon day of the lunar monthPhalguna (February/March), (PhalgunPurnima), which usually falls in the later part of February orMarch.On this day “Prahlad” ne of the greatest devotees of Lord Vishnu, is glorified. Prahlad’s devotionand love towards Lord Vishnu was pure and unconditional. Likewise, lord Vishnu also loved hisdevote and always protected him from perils. Prahlad’s faith towards Vishnu made him fearless andcalm, and gave him the strength to bear the hardships imposed by his cruel father KingHiranyakashipu.Hiranyakashipu was a demon. His brother, (also a demon)“Hiranyaksh” was killed by Lord Vishnu.Thus, Hiranyakashipu hated Vishnu. He had a boon from Brahma which made it impossible for himto be killed. Consequently, he became a very proud king and banned worship of Lord Vishnu in hisempire. But his five years old son Prahlad was an ardent devotee of Vishnu. He always sang theglories of lord and encouraged his peers to do so as well. This made his father very angry.Hiranyakashipu made various attempts to kill his son, but Prahlad escaped miraculously. He waspoisoned but the poison turned to nectar in his mouth. He was ordered to be trampled byelephants yet remained unharmed. He was put in a room with hungry, poisonous snakes butsurvived. All of Hiranyakashipu's attempts to kill his son failed. He thus realized there was asupreme energy protecting Prahlad. Out of arrogance, ignorance, and hatred, Hiranyakashipu againtried to challenge that supreme energy. In spite of his father’s cruelty, he never showed any angertowards him.He ordered young Prahlad to sit on a pyre in the lap of Holika, Hiranyakashipu's demoness sister,who also could not die because she had a boon preventing her from being burned by fire. Prahladreadily accepted his father's orders. His faith remained unshaken and he continued to pray to LordVishnu. When the fire started, everyone watched in amazement as Holika burnt to death, whilePrahlada survived unharmed. The salvation of Prahlada and burning of Holika is celebrated as Holi.On the day of Holi a bon fire is lit, devotees offer prayers and sacrifices. They prepare deliciousmeals and offer to god. They visit families and friends, play with colors, and celebrate. Coloredpowed called gulal is thrown on each other. The miraculous escape of Prahlad from is glorified. Thepopular believe that, “no energy in this universe that can destroy Lord Vishnu’s genuine devotee” isreinforced. The story of Prahlad is re-told to strengthen devotion and faith among people.

`सब एक GEET Hindu Hum Sab EkTo listen: Click hereGangaसब एकस क क एकसब एक.... …(2)क क स कससक सएक स स क ॥स क …….क बस स स कJeena Hai To Garaje Jag Men | Geetjīnā hai to garaje jaga me hindu hum sab ekUlajhe sulajhe praśno kā hai uttar kevala ekHindu hum sab ek… Hindu hum sab ek..keśava ke cintana darśana ne saṁghaṭanā kāmaṁtra sikhāyāājīvana avirāma sādhanā tila tila kara sarvasvacaḍhāyāeka dīpa se jalā dūsarā jalate dīpa aneka ||Uljhe suljhe prashnon ka hai uttar kewal ek…bhāṣā bhūśā mata vādoṁ kī bahuraṁgī yahaparaṁparāsarva dharma samabhāva sikhātī ṛṣi muniyoṁ kīdivya dharāindra dhanuṣa kī chaṭā srota meṁ śubhra raṁgahai eka ||कएक ॥Uljhe suljhe prashnon ka hai uttar kewal ek…स स एस क सब कएस क क ॥स क ……..क स ईस ब स सक स ककस क ..क क क कस कक स क ॥स क ……sneha samarpaṇa tyāga hṛdaya meṁ sabhī diśāmeṁ lāeṁgesamatā kī nava jīvana racanā hama saba koapanāeṁgeāja samaya kī yahī cunautī bhūle bheda anekaUljhe suljhe prashnon ka hai uttar kewal ek…bhagīratha ke tyāga tapoṁ se āī bhū para gaṁgādhārāsaṁgha rūpa meṁ bahī jāhnavī mādhava ne haisatata saṁvārāhuve yahīṁ para vikasita kitane taṭa para tīrthaaneka ||Uljhe suljhe prashnon ka hai uttar kewal ek…madhukara kī do tūka garjanā hindu śakti lalakārakhaḍī haigiri jaṁgala meṁ grāma nagara meṁ dāvānala sībhaḍaka rahī haijāga rahā hai āja deśa kā vistṛta supta viveka ||Uljhe suljhe prashnon ka hai uttar kewal ek…Hindu hum sab ek… Hindu hum sab ek..

`Why we do Namaste?By Subhamoy DasI remember when we moved to our present home, while going for a walk with my family, we happened to meet our next door(Indian) neighbor. My wife and our 9 year old daughter greeted him with Namaste. When I met him next time after couple ofdays, he told me that he was surprised to see my daughter doing Namaste and that how did I teach her to do that. He asked his6 year old daughter, who was standing by to say Namaste to me, and the little girl obeyed but with questions on her face. Thepoint we are trying to put here is that we should teach our kids to do Namaste or other similar rituals by first properly explainingthe idea behind the same. In “Aastha” we would try to compile various Hindu rituals and the idea behind them for you to explainit to your children so that they don’t have questions on their face. In this issue, we present explanation on Namaste bySubhamoy Das, who is a researcher and writer on Hindu philosophy and Indology.Introduction‘Namaste’ or ‘namaskar’ is the Indian way of greeting each other. Wherever they are – on the street,in the house, in public transport, on vacation or on the phone – when Hindus meet people they knowor strangers with whom they want to initiate a conversation, namaste is the customary courtesygreeting to begin with and often to end with. It is not a superficial gesture or a mere word, and is forall people - young and old, friends and strangers.Namaste According to the Scriptures:Namaste and its common variants ‘namaskar,’ ‘namaskaara’ or ‘namaskaram’, is one of the five formsof formal traditional greeting mentioned in the Vedas. This is normally understood as prostration but itactually refers to paying homage or showing respect to one another, as is the practice today, whenwe greet each other.The Meaning of Namaste:In Sanskrit the word is namah + te = namaste which means “I bow to you” - my greetings,salutations or prostration to you. The word ‘namaha’ can also be literally interpreted as "na ma" (notmine). It has a spiritual significance of negating or reducing one's ego in the presence of another.How to Namaste:Bend the arms from the elbow upwards and face the two palms of the hands. Place the two palmstogether and keep the folded palms in front of the chest. Utter the word namaste and while saying theword bow the head slightly.Why Namaste:Namaste could be just a casual or formal greeting, a cultural convention or an act of worship.However, there is much more to it than meets the eye. The real meeting between people is themeeting of their minds. When we greet one another with namaste, it means, ‘may our minds meet’,indicated by the folded palms placed before the chest. The bowing down of the head is a graciousform of extending friendship in love, respect and humility.Spiritual Significance of Namaste:The reason why we do namaste has a deeper spiritual significance. It recognizes the belief that thelife force, the divinity, the Self or the God in me is the same in all. Acknowledging this oneness withthe meeting of the palms, we honor the god in the person we meet.Namaste in Prayers:During prayers, Hindus not only do namaste but also bow and close their eyes, as it were, to look intothe inner spirit. This physical gesture is sometimes accompanied by names of gods like ‘Ram Ram’,‘Jai Shri Krishna’, ‘Namo Narayana’, ‘Jai Siya Ram’ or just ‘Om Shanti’ – the common refrain in Hinduchants. This is also quite common when two devout Hindus meet - indicating the recognition of thedivinity within ourselves and extending a warm welcome to each other.

`From Didi Ji’s TreasureIf you have not attended any Pravachan by Su Shri Shidheshwari Devi ji, commonly known as Didi ji, you aremissing a fortune. She is a kind of preacher who inspires adults, teens and children alike through her lectures,satsangs and devotional retreats in various parts of the U.S. and the world. She is a vibrant speaker, a melodioussinger, compassionate by nature and extremely approachable. Born in the state of Punjab in Northern India andspent her formative years in Canada, graduating from York University in Toronto with a degree in linguistics, Didiji, a disciple of JagadGuru Kripalu ji Maharaj, is the founder of Radha Madhav Society. To know more about Didiji, please visit WWW.RADHAMADHAVSOCIETY.ORGBe mindful of the Expiry DateEverything in the grocery store has a shelf life. All the edibles: milk, bread, jam,butter etc. clearly state that the product is good until a certain date. If youcheck your medicine shelf, you will see that all drugs come with an expiry date.Our body has an expiration date too. The difference is that the expired foodand medication can still be consumed. But when the body expires, it comes toan end altogether. Although we know that it will surely expire one day, we donot know when. There is no doubt that our mortality rate rises exponentiallywith the increase in age. According to the wise, the intelligent thing to do is totreat every day as our expiry day.If you treat every sunrise as the last one you will ever see, you will look at itdifferently. You will savor the fresh smell of earth more than ever before. Yourfamily will become more precious; your time with them will become moremeaningful. Your child who is begging you to play with her, will not seembothersome. Stars will shine more brightly; trees will seem greener; the world willseem full of wonder. You will become more involved with issues and peoplethat truly matter, and move away from the ones that do not.Regarding every day as our expiry day, is a healthy way of thinking which willgive you a clear perspective on life and all that is important in it.

`Srushti (Universe) and BrahmBy – Pt. Gyan Prakash UpadhyayTranslated from Hindi by Sudhakar ModyMost of us, whether in our child hood or at any other stage of life, havequestioned ourselves, who is the creator of everything around us? Whocreated this beautiful but complicated system that we all live in? What isAtma? What is the realtion between Atma and body? And many many more,which are not easy to answer. Challenged by similar questions, Pundit GyanPrakash Upadhyay sets out on researching our Vedas, where he is sure tofind the answers. Let’s see what his research into the oldest scriptures ofHindus, which unlike other scriptures, are supposed to have been “revealed”not remembered, result into.When I look to the Sun and the Moon in the sky, I wonder with many questions in my mindabout how this universe was created. What is the original source in creation of this universe? How thisworld was created? What is the relation between Brahm, individual soul and Super soul (god)? Untilwe know these secrets and reasons, we may not be able to understand about Moksh or liberation.As mentioned in our scriptures (Ved, Puran, Upanishad) about Ishvar (god) is difficult to be seen orvisualize by us. But based on the same scriptures, I am trying to understand the Brahm and creation ofthe universe.Ved are spoken by Ishvar and are the oldest scriptures. Hence, as mentioned in chapter 129,verse 1 to 7 of Rugved, it is my humble effort to understand the creation. After the maha-pralay (greatfloods) there was no creation in the whole universe. Only Ishvar (source) and Shakti, were all over, wecall Him Param Brahm (Supreme Lord). He is above the three modes of nature, Satva, Rajas and Tamas(goodness, action and ignorance), smaller than the smallest and greater than the greatest, has nobeginning or end. This Shakti is indescribable and cannot be visualized.As Tulsidas ji has said, Ishvar ansh Jiva (soul) avinashi (indestructible). Atma is a fraction ofIshvar and both have same qualities. But as soon as one is born, jiv gets the body form, gets bound bythe three gunas (satva, rajas and tamas). As Ishvar is everywhere in the whole universe, same wayatma is residing in our body. After the death jiv-atma is free from the triguna, formless and can not beseen or described.

`Before the sarjan (creation) and after pralaya (disappearance) of the universe, Parmatmais formless, nirgun and indescribable. But after the creation, He has the form, becomes presentand can be described. As He resides in our body, He is present in the Brahmand (universe).At the time of pralaya (great floods), He was not Sat (present) nor Asat (absent). There wasno sky or space. In this situation there was nothing around. No oceans or rivers or earth. In otherwords it was total emptiness. (Rugved: 10-129-1).In our Puran (scriptures), He is mentioned as Narayan (naar+ayan), one who resides in thewater. He is believed to be in yog-nidra during the Maha-Pralalya (torrential floods). From thesethree verses, we come to know that, there was darkness everywhere in the beginning of thecreation. There was no day or night, nothing was visible.First of all, Parmatma, by His own thought, created water and remained there in Yog-nidra(deep meditation). This is explained in detail in our scriptures.In the beginning, Ishvar Brahm thought of creation of the universe. His first creation wasprakash (light). This became the initial cause of creation. Rishis came to conclusion thatParaBrahm is the creator of this Asat Srushti. (Rugved: 10-129-4). First verse of Etareya (another)Upanishad says that, non-other but only Parmatma was present before the creation. He thoughtof creating the non-existing universe himself. Jal and Prakash (Water and light) were created as Hethought. Hiranya-Garbha (Brahmand) was created (same as Big Bang theory). Verse 10, chapter121 of Rigved is called Hiranya-Garbha Sukta. Hiranya-Garbha is called big ball of Gold like fire(Agni). It is like vast gold like huge egg or Brahmand in infinite ocean.It spread all over, and divided into space and material earth.Thus Parmatma created this cosmos and we worship Him and perform Yagna and Hom.(Hiranya-Garbh Sukta). After this Param Brahm Parmatma created earth, Surya-Mandal (solarsystem), stars, and galaxies like Aakash Ganga (milky way).As Newton has postulated that any object in steady state, cannot move unless an externalforce is applied. Maharshi Ved Vyas has proclaimed in Brahm sutra that without any externalforce, motion of the universe (nature) cannot be altered.Hence we can conclude that the relation between atma and the body is the same therelation between creation and Brahm. This Brahmand (universe) is the body of the Parmatma.Parmatma exists in every particle of the universe and Atma also resides in every part of the body.Parmatma is known by many names according to His purpose and function of descending toearth. He incarnates (Avatar) at different times (Yuge Yuge) for different purposes. According toour Shruti, Smruti and Purana (our scriptures), Ishvar can be contemplated or worshiped indifferent forms and names but ultimately He is ONE and ONLY.

`Knowledgeable Hindu Kids- Confident Hindu KidsBy- Yogesh ThapliyalWe cannot just turn our ears deaf when our children complain about their non Hindu friends questioning about theirrituals, or sometimes even making fun of their religion. If we enlighten our children about our Ancient religion and therichest culture in world, they would turn into a confident and proud Hindu. Yogesh Thapliyal compiles some questionsoften faced by Hindu children in the schools with their appropriate answers. Please read this with your children.As our children are growing up among a very different culture and religion than we grew up in, it isimperative that we give them a very clear view of our religion and its core concepts. This will makethem more confident in defending their religion in discussions in school, with friends and in any othersocial situations.We are living in a secular country, are free to practice our peaceful and enriching religion and we donot have to conform to Abrahamic religious concepts to define our religion. Knowledge is the key tounderstanding the greatness of Hinduism.Need for a suitable definition of Hinduism.Abrahamic religions tend to have very narrow concept of what can be classified as religion. Due to thisthey sometimes dismiss/fail to understand Hindu concepts and try to impose their views on the moreaccepting Hindus.Hindu Children living outside India need to have good answers to general questions on Hindu religion.Knowledge will give them the confidence to answer and defend Hinduism.HINDUISMConcepts and PrinciplesThe core source of Knowledge for Hindus is the Vedas.This core source of knowledge has been further elaborated in subsequent revelations like Gita, SrimathBhagwat and Purana's.Hindus believein One God having many forms, each showing an unique aspect of the One God.God himself is our Savior and helps humanity in their times of need in various Avatars.Murti Puja (Worship)Hindu's do not worship the physical Murtis (with the exception of Murtis where “Pran Prathista”hasbeen done), but use Murtis to focus themselves on their worship. Also as the Murtis helps with focus inthe essential task of worship, the Murtis itself is respected for the service it provides, this is in tunewith the Dharmic concept of loving and taking care of all the elements of nature which helps us enrichour livesIconography is used extensively in Hinduism and is not isolated when it comes to usage in worldreligions.

`MantraMantra is the use of Sound to release positive energy and to invoke the blessings of the universalgod.This concept comes out of the immense knowledge and experiences of our forefathers who foundthis power of the sound.Cow as motherA core concept of Hinduism is respecting all the things which enrich us, and Cow is an idealpersonification of this concept. Cow gives us milk, something a mother only shares with itschildren, this extreme love that Cow has shown towards Humans is unparalleled and we areforever indebted to mother cow for this and so cow is revered as Mother in Hinduism.Caste SystemCaste system essentially means "classification based on occupation“. There is mention of this in theVedas, but Vedic Hinduism does not say that Caste is permanent; it only denotes the person’soccupation. Also no caste is more or less important to another.Subsequent socio-political equations changed this original concept of Caste to rigid andexploitative thing it later on became.Hindus who have understood the true concepts of the religion do not give any importance to Casteand for now it only denotes hereditary occupations and for all practical purposes it does not haveany significance.Status of women in HinduismThe status of women in Hinduism is equal to that of men. Our God is worshipped in many femaleforms and "Shakti" or "Strength" form of our god is a female form.There was never a “Parda” system in Hinduism and these concepts are social in origins (as opposedto religious) , and they originated when Islamic armies started taking Hindu women as spoils ofwar.The status of women in Hindu religion is much better than the status of women in manyotherworld religions.FootnoteKnowledge is the Key. If we pack our children with appropriate explanation anddetails about our religion they will never be a subject of criticism and would be ableto stand for their religion.

`Ab MandirDoor NahinYou might have noticed the image of a Mandir in the back ground of each page. Thisimage is an artist’s visualization of your New Shiv Mandir. This back will keepreminding all of us of our Goal – "To build a grand Shiv Mandir of unique architecturaldesign and physical layout with associated facilities for the purpose of providing aplace of worship for all devotees of Sanatan Hindu Dharm, and to support communityactivities for the children, adults and senior citizens."In Mid January 2012, at the very first meeting of the newly Formed ExecutiveCommittee, our Accountant Shri Bhupender Gouri informed that to meet our Goal ofbeginning construction in this fall, we need at least $ 250,000, so that talks for loanfrom Bank can be initiated. He requested all the members of the committee (about 50in numbers) to pitch in and try to raise $ 6000- $ 7000 from their circles. However,immediately after Shiv Ratri, our priest Pt. Gyan Prakash Upadhyay, as if inspired bythe Lord Himself, took the lead and got pledges for more than $160,000 within 4weeks time. A complete list of all the donors will be published soon. The devotees ofthe Mandir are very enthusiastic this year and want to make sure that the Shilanyaasis done in the fall of 2012.If you too want to help & take advantage of this rare opportunity to be a part of thismovement, please make a donation by going to our website or by filling out theDonation form, and dropping the check in the Mandir or mailing it our mailingaddress. Donation at any level is welcome and appreciated.

`Shiv Mandir Cricket Tournament 2012 InnaugrationBy- Ravi MekalaPhotos by- Jaywant DhumalOn Saturday, March 31, 2012 at 5.00 pm, Shiv Mandir of Atlanta Cricket tournament kicked off withan inauguration by Honorable Ashok Kumar, Deputy Consul General of India, Atlanta.About 30 teams with over 300 players participated with great enthusiasm and excitement.Shiv Mandir of Atlanta 2012 Cricket tournament is a 10 over cricket competition initiated by theSports, Youth and Cultural Committee of Shiv Mandir of Atlanta. This is the second Day and NightMatch tournament to be held in Atlanta by Shiv Mandir. All the matches will played at EE RobinsonPark, Sugar Hill, GAThe matches on Saturday, March 31, 2012 started at 5:00 PM and ended 10:00 PM. There were 2matches by the men’s teams and also women’s and kids. The match between Desi Divas and Induswas an exciting one with some great batting hits by both the teams. Desi Divas won the match byshowing great bowling and batting.It was also great to see the matches played by the kids (under 15). The enthusiasm and excitementshown by the kids to play cricket was refreshing to see.The Quaters, Semis and the Finals for Mens and Finals for the kids are to be held on April 7th.Honorable Ajeet Kumar, Consul General of India, Atlanta will be present among all the sponsors ofthe tournament for Prize distribution.

`Meet your wonderful Mandir VolunteersMessage from New Chairman of BoardNamastay,With the blessings of Lord Shiva, Shiv Mandir has madesignificant progress towards the goal of building the ShivMandir at the mandir’s land on Peachtree Industrial Blvd in thecity of Sugar Hill. We did the Bhumi Poojan two years ago andthe land is fully paid off. With the support of the communityand devotees like you, our goal is to perform Shilanyasa Poojathis year and start the Mandir construction process. TheConstruction Committee has got our site development planready and is currently working on the Mandir’s design.Alok GuptaWe are currently working on securing finances to start this noble and once in a life timeopportunity. This year’s goal was to collect $250,000. We are very pleased to inform you thatwe have raised funds over $ 160,000 so far. It is with great humility that we ask all of you toplease come forward and provide financial support to your Mandir. In our hearts, we all want tobuild a permanent abode for our Lord Shiva & Shakti, Shri Ganesha, Shri Ram ji, Shri RadhaKrishna, Durga mata and Shri Venketshver Bhagwan. The Mandir is not just to serve ourgeneration but to be a pillar of support and inspiration for the generations to come. This yearwe are starting a program for our youth to teach them about our culture & heritage. TheConstruction Committee will be coming up with a way for you to actually become a part of thisdivine history by sponsoring different aspects of the construction process e.g. sponsoring bricks,steps, pandal for each deity, inner & external pillars, and murti etc.This year we have been blessed with a committee of over 40 members. With the selfless serviceof these individuals, Shiv Mandir will be organizing a number of religious and cultural programs.We ask all of you to please participate in these activities and support them whole heartedly. Weare also blessed with two excellent priests and are currently in the process of sponsoring aSouth Indian priest from India. We encourage all of you to try to conduct at least one pooja ayear in the Mandir along with your friends and become a yearly/life time member of theMandir. Let us increase the size of the Shiv Mandir parivar and bring more bhaktas to helpsupport the construction of the permanent abode of our Lord.We thank you for your support and may Lord Shiva’s blessings be upon all of us for good health,prosperity and peace. Om Namah Shivay!!

`Message from Ex- Chairman of BoardDear Devotees,The environment of devotion and love conjoined with theeternal blessings of lord Shiv makes Shiv Mandir of Atlanta aunique place for our community to harmonize and prosperspiritually. Your mandir has come a long way from the earlydays of volunteer opening and performing poojas at the templeto two dedicated priests catering to the needs of temple anddevotees. What has not changed is the grassroots involvementof the community where everyone feels they are part of thisgreat cause.Ajeet DasYour Shiv Mandir has achieved a key milestone in acquiring and paying off loan on 11.4 acresof land. As we look ahead, we have a very auspicious and herculean task of constructing apermanent abode of Lord Shiva and other deities. I congratulate new board and executivecommittee for working very diligently towards achieving this very important goal. Please let usall come together and put our heads and hearts to work to accomplish this great cause.May Lord Shiva bless us all and give us the will power and strength to achieve the task ofbuilding our Shiv Mandir successfully.Om Namah Shivaya!Shiv Mandir Of Atlanta- Board MembersAlok Gupta- ChairmanSrinath Duddilla- Vice ChairmanBhupinder GauriIsha GoyalDinesh PurohitShiv AggarwalSona PatelRamesh SharmaAlka PatelJaywant DhumalArvind Goswami

`Mandir PriestsPt. Gyan Prakash UpadhyayPt. Madhav KafleyShiv Mandir ExecutiveCommittee 2012PresidentDr. Devashish RayVice President (Operations)Sanjeev LuthraTarun SirohiVice President (Communication & Media)Shyam GuptaSecretaryRavi MekalaJoint SecretariesSwadesh KatochParitosh RaiTreasurerAshish BhagareJoint TreasurerDr. Ram ShahniRaj Joshi

`Puja CommitteeVijendra Sharma (Head)Sudhakar ModiAnjali AbrolGirish KapadiaManoranjanKishore GuptaAshish SharmaMaintenanceShailendra SinghNikesh ParayilHemRaj SharmaVijendar SharmaAvnish GuptaFoodRamesh SharmaBhupinder GauriAjay KalraPankaj GuptaSuppliesVijay PatelSatya SahooRajesh ShresthaAshish SharmaWeb PortalRakesh PathakRavi TripathiRaghu DahagamEventsVijay ParasarAshish SharmaSadanand NarwateHira BhaiLaxmipatiAnanta MuscuManoj BhaiyaCommunication & MediaKiran MudigoindaDinesh KatochMitesh RathoreSadanand NarvateRajkishor PathakCultural and Social supportDr Sunita GuptaRitanjali RayMonika MittalSuparana PathakKumud SavlaKiran ChibbarDr SupritiDr. komalAnubh SinghTemple Sringar & DecorationLekha DasSita PathakSarita VermaDr. KomalSarla ModiUrmilaNeha GuptaBhanu Ben

`Our Founding MembersOur Mandir has come a long way and is at a very important stage now. Very soon we will be doingSilanyasa. At this time we take this opportunity to thank our Founding members who conceived theidea of this Mandir and dedicated themselves to this noble cause.Ajeet & Chandralekha DasAlok & Preety GuptaArvind & Asha GuptaBhupendra & Veena GouriBimal & Suparna PathakSudhakar & Sarla ModyDinesh & Kailash PurohitGangadhar & ChandraChaudhryRajkishor & Sita PathakRamjee & RajeshvariPathakSusheel & Shalinee PrasadOur Patron MembersWe are thankful to our Patron members who have always supported the Mandir with Tan –ManandDhan. Donors of $10,000 and more are designated as Patron Members and are eligible to beon the Mandir’s Board. If you are interested in becoming a patron member, please fill in thedonation form included and hand it over/mail it to us or just call us.Anil & Sona PatelArvind & Indu GoswamiChandra Kant & Alka PatelKrishan & Isha GoyalPreyesh & Kirti ManiklalSunit & Shama SinghalSuresh & Usha GuptaJaywant and Pratima DhumalBraham Prakash & ShaliniPandeyVatsa & Seema KaushikAnil & Shubhra KhatodViren & Vandana BhandariRajender & Daisy SinghSrinath & Pradeepa DuddillaShiv & Anushi AggarwalVishveshwar & Neeta EmaniDeepak and Shilpi DasJaywant and Pratima DhumalArvind and Mridula AcharyaPankaj and Poonam GuptaArvind and Mridula Acharya

`2012 Festivals and Events at ShivMandirApril- JulyAprilNavaratri Ends, ShriSunday 1stRamnavmiTuesday 3rd Ekadashi (kaahadaa)Hanuman Jayanti,Friday 6thChaitra purnimaMonday 9th Ganesh Chaturthi VrataFriday 13th BaisakhiMondayEkadashi (Varoothinee)16thTuesday Akshya Tritiya,24th Parsuram JayantiWednesday2ndFriday 4thMayEkadashi (Mohinee)Narsimha ChaturdashiSaturday 5th Vaisakha PurnimaWednesday9thSunday 20thThursday31stApraa EkadashiAmavasya,Vata SavitriVarta BeginsGanga DussheraFriday 1stJuneNirjala EkadashiMonday 4th Vata Savitri Varta endsThursday7thGanesh ChaturthiVartaFriday 15th Yogini EkadashiThursday Shri Jagannath Ratha21st YatraSaturdayDeva Shayani Ekadashi30thJulyTuesday 3rdGuru Purnima(Vyaasa)Saturday 7thGanesh ChaturthiVrataMonday 9thShravan SomvaribeginsSaturday 14th Ekadashi (Kaamika)Monday 16th Shravan SomvariMonday 23rd Shravan SomvariTuesday 24th Nag PanchamiSunday 29thPavitra EkadashiMonday 30th Shravan Somvari

`Shiv Mandir of AtlantaDonation Form(Tax ID# 58-2594498)Dear Friends & Devotees:To serve the interest of our community, Shiv Mandir of Atlanta is being constructed on PeachtreeIndustrial Blvd., in the city of Sugar Hill (near Suwanee). The approximate cost of the construction is Threeand a half million dollars. Beside spiritual needs of the followers of Sanatan Dharma, this temple willprovide facilities for Education, Cultural and Community activities for children, adults, and senior citizens.Please donate generously to support the construction of this temple for yourself and for the generations tocome.Name: _____________________________________Address: ______________________________________________________________________Phone: _____________________________________Email: _____________________________________Donation Amount: $__________________________□ Patron Member, □ Life member, □ Annual member, □ Construction, □ Other.Donors of $1,000 and above will have a corresponding plaque engraved in their or a family member’s name.The plaque will be installed in a prominent place in the Mandir campus. (Donors of $10,000 or higher maychoose to become a Patron Member of the Temple, Life membership is $1001.00 and annual membership is$501 only). Please choose whichever option suits you.For monthly recurrent donations please include a cancelled check and indicate amount$_________________. Signature: ____________________________. You may also choose to give anInterest free loan to Shiv Mandir.The donations may be handed over personally to any members of the Mandir Management or mailed toShiv Mandir, Inc.P.O. Box 922391Norcross, GA 30010Please visit: http://www.Shivmandiratlanta.org to donate online by credit card.

`New Mandir Location:890 Peachtree Industrial Blvd,Sugar Hill, , GA 30518We invite you to send us your articles relatedto Hindu Sanatan Dharma to share with yourcommunity.All artlcles should be in MS Word format andshould be emailed to:Shyamgupta22@gmail.com