Hari Om,  

The eNewsletter team is bringing to you the 12^th issue of the electronic news for Austin Hindu Temple. This is an ongoing effort to update the community on the progress of the construction activities and keep you updated on all the exciting things happening as AHT progresses. We are striving to bring community news and announcements to you all. This is a reach out effort and we need your help to spread the word and urge your friends and neighbors to register email addresses to start receiving this newsletter. We wish all our readers happy Independence Day.

AHT Grand Opening Ceremony - Kumbhabhishekam will be February 9th 10th and 11th. For more information please visit http://www.austinhindutemple.org. To volunteer please email jvedula@yahoo.com or pmuralib@yahoo.com or kmgobburu@yahoo.com.

The Austin community can contribute in many ways. Become a Founding Family member and be part of the pride of the community project for generations to come. One can also contribute through sponsorships towards the construction and necessary miscellaneous items for the start of the Ganesha Temple and Multi-Purpose Religious Hall (MPRH). Sponsor vigrahas for the MPRH. Please check our website for more information or click here.

"Sarve Bhavantu Sukhinah"

Events in Austin

AHT thanks its Mela Sponsors. AHT would like to thank numerous volunteers who made 4th Annual Mela a success. 

Proud Sponsors of 4^th Annual Mela! Thank you.

Home Loan Experts   Please contact Sunita Murti @512.299.2725@Home Loan Experts, a division of Wachovia - the best lender in the industry	Home Loan Experts First Time Purchase Move up Buyers Investors Equity Cash Out Commercial Loans
Capitol metro http://www.capmetro.org/  (512) 389-7400	TX TAG Get you TX tag at the AHT Mela
General Agents Insurance Network Our services: "National Independent Life Insurance Agency doing business since 1992 with many competitive products from financially sound companies like AIG American General.	Radiator King/Muffler King http://www.mufflerradiatorking.com/ best service, free visual inspection and estimates

Exhibitors:.

CitiBank - Contact SUDESHNA DAS (713) 966-5181, email mou.das@citigroup.com.

Indus Realty  Contact: Hem Ramchandra: (512) 970-6336,

VSNL Contact: Sharon Bechtold: (830) 798-2235,

Regions Bank Contact:  Durriayah Chinwalla: (512) 331-6586

New York Life Contact: Prakash Panjabi (512) 731-4010

Naren Pati:  Contact: International Wellness Foundation, Narender Pati,

Indian Info Network (IIN) Contact: Harish Kotecha: (512) 335-8809,

Rotary of Lakeway/Lake Travis Contact: Renee Matta: (512) 261-5984

Lucknow Fashions Contact: Zeba Sajid (512) 203-5259

Bindu Photography, Fine/Commercial Contact: Nick Applebee, (512) 380-9367, www.paint-the-holy-cow.com

Come and enjoy watching the kids participate in a variety of fun sports activities in their efforts to take a trophy home! Please bring all your friends and help celebrate Chacha Nehru's Birthday with your children.

Barsana Dham Hindu Temple - Austin Families Overnight
Begins Thursday, November 23rd - 12noon and ends Friday November 24th - 2pm
•Give your kids the gift of knowledge of Sanatan Dharm and have fun in the devotional atmosphere at Barsana Dham. Enjoy classes, Thanksgiving dinner, fun activities and create meaningful, long lasting memories. (call soon, as we fill up fast).
Contact: Braj Rani 512-288-7180 x323 brajrani@barsanadham.org

TCA Diwali function - November 11th 2006 at West view Middle school. More information here.

• Balavikas is a program that is focused towards bringing cultural and spiritual awareness to children. This is open for children ages 5 and above and is grouped based on their age. We meet every other Sunday in a place that is convenient to all the parents. For details Please contact Lakshmi @ 834-8807 who is currently coordinating one of the groups(BV5)

• Veda Classes: We have two levels of classes that happen regularly and open for all ages. Basic level includes learning of sandhya Vandanam and basic Vedic Chanting.  Advanced Level classes are for the students who are already familiar with the basic chanting and cover Upanishads and ArunaPrashna. Please contact Srinivas Lanka at 512-535-2829 or Venkat Indrakanti @ 512-251-5029.

• For a list of all our services please check our website http://www.austinhindutemple.org/Newpages/Services.htm

Construction Update

Dear Devotees and Friends of AHT,
Hari Om,

The Austin Hindu Temple & Community Center construction of phase I is progressing steady and well. We would like to see construction moving at faster pace to make sure that all construction is complete before the opening of the Phase I. The base for Ganesh Temple rebar is poured. Insulation is nearly complete in the ceiling, and thus outer ceiling should be complete soon. The total frame work is expected to be over by Nov 10. 

Plan is that by the opening ceremony on Feb 9-11, 2007, Ganesh Kumbhagraham work is complete.

The construction team and trustees have approved several improvements and will be listing those in our next newsletter.

 Target dates (modified):

Concrete work to finish        July 31 à Aug 31 à Finish Sep 14
Metal frame delivery            Aug 10 à Aug 31 à Delivered Sep 10
Metal building assembly       September à work starts around September 25^th. Completion around Nov 10th
Walls and partitions            November / December
Complete construction         Dec 2006
Certificate of Occupancy     Jan 2007
Opening of the Phase I        Feb 9, 10 and 11, 2007,

Grand Opening of the Phase I  - Feb 9, 10 and 11, 2007.  

"Sarve Bhavantu Sukhinah"

Umakant Gupta

Types of Worship

There  are  8 types  of worship according to Hindu dharma saastra.

1. Sravanam : Listening  to good keerthans, manthras, prayer, naama japa, listening to stories  and puranaas  which are known as  sravana – listening remember  your ears)

2. Darsanam : Seeing the picture of divine power, nature, all living and non living being realizing that, the divine power exist in that. Going to temple, seeing great scholars and avathaars  and  also seeing all the divine people who came to the earth for serving  the  people  as  god’s creations. This is darsanam  ( remember your eyes)

3. Keerthanam : Chanting manthras, keethanas, namaas,  telling stories, giving upadesas, guiding people,  appreciating  good  actions,  and satkarmaas are all known  as keerthanas   ( Remember your tongue)

4. Smaranam: Remembering   the divine power,  the guiding force  existing in all the 1.6 million type of  animals, 4 lakhs type of  plants  80, 000 type of trees  and  one million types of micro organisms. Remembering that  we are only the tools in the hands of the divine power. Remembering that  every second, we are under the  guidance of  the divine power.  That is smarana  ( remember your mind)

5. Archanam : offering  the flowers, manthras, fruits, leaves, etc ( whatever you have a part of that) to god is archana. Even thinking that you are doing archana is  also archana

6. Vandanam : Bowing the head, saluting and doing the namaskaara to god and elders, scholars, gurus, parents, athithies, all include in this vandana (Remember  your  hands)

7. Sevanam : Serving the deserving  people, animals  and  all living beings as your own family members and implementing the applied spirituality principles of Lokaa: samasthaa: sukhino Bhavanthu. Serving the aged, orphans, sick, hungry, people and animals. Nara seva is narayana seva  says our Rishies  ( Remember  all your  karmendriyaas)

8. Samarpanam: What ever  we have offering to  the deserving people one part/share ) that is samarpanam.  Samarpanam has to be done  with a good intention and selfless  vision.  In India  we have  annadaanam, vastra daanam, netra daanam, bhoo daanam, koopa daanam, and so on  which all means the samarpanam to the deserving people.

- Indian Institute of Scientific Heritage (iish.org)
 

Why do we chant shanti Mantra three times at the end of prayer?

To invoke peace, at a mental and physical plane, Hindus chant prayers. These prayers always end with three chants of invocation, "Shaanti, Shaanti, Shaanti" or "Peace, Peace Peace" chant prayers. These prayers spoken in sincerity, gives peace of mind. But, why chant Shaanti three times?

The three repetitions are addressed to three groups into which all obstacles can be classified as:

1. Cosmic (God sent) or Heavenly - From Nature, the thermic or dynamic forces such as wraths from unknown objects earth quake, lightning, excessive rain, cold. in Sanskrit, this is called Aadhidaivika.

2. Phenomenal or cruelties from objects like floods, fire, robbers, wild beasts, objects known to us. Environmental disturbances like human foes, etc. In Sanskrit, this is called Aadhibhautika.

3. Purely subjective i.e. created Body ailments, inertia, insincerity, lack of concentration, from our own selves - obstacles agitation of mind, disturbances arising from our own arising from our own mind, body negative thoughts. and intellect. in Sanskrit, this is called Aadhyaatmika.

About healthy lifestyles - Traditional Medicine

Traditional medicine according to WHO, refers to health practices, approaches, knowledge and beliefs incorporating plant, animal and mineral based medicines, spiritual therapies, manual techniques and exercises, applied singularly or in combination to treat, diagnose and prevent illnesses or maintain well-being.

Countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America use traditional medicine (TM) to help meet some of their primary health care needs. In Africa, up to 80% of the population uses traditional medicine for primary health care. In industrialized countries, adaptations of traditional medicine are termed “Complementary” or “Alternative” (CAM).

The World Health Organization launched its first ever comprehensive traditional medicine strategy in 2002. The strategy is designed to assist countries to:

• Develop national policies on the evaluation and regulation of TM/CAM practices;

• Create a stronger evidence base on the safety, efficacy and quality of the TAM/CAM products and practices;

• Ensure availability and affordability of TM/CAM including essential herbal medicines;

• Promote therapeutically sound use of TM/CAM by providers and consumers;

• Document traditional medicines and remedies.

For further reading: http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs134/en/. Questions, Comments, suggestions, Contributions: Please email at narenderpati@sbcglobal.net

Narender Pati, R.Ph. International Wellness Foundation
 

Communities:

The Indian Classical Music Circle of Austin (ICMCA) is Austin's oldest organization devoted to bringing the finest in Indian classical music and dance to Central Texas.  Over the last 15 years, we have presented over 100 concerts featuring the crème de la crème of Indian classical music.  ICMCA is a 501(c)(3) volunteer-managed non-profit, drawing support from its members and through grants and donations.  Please visit our website http://www.icmca.org for details on how to join us as a member or for information on our events.

Pratham Austin is a chapter of Pratham USA. Parham’s main goal is to help bring 100% literacy in India. It has been deemed that the only way to break the cycle or subject poverty, high birthrate intense privation gruesome child labor is through education. The success of people to move out of poverty depends strongly on learning to read and count. In order to ensure success of continuing education among the disadvantaged group is to start the education at very young age. Pratham has instituted the most innovative and cost effective way. A child gets educated for a year for as little as $10 per year. About 80% of the money goes to benefit the youngster directly. Click here for more information. For Austin Chapter, contact Ashwin Ghatalia 327-4373.

Events Around Austin:

ICMCA presents, on October 28, 2006, a Grand Sarod recital by Pandit K. Sridhar. For more details: Visit www.icmca.org or email : info@icmca.org for information.

Diwali Stamps:

Diwali is an important Indian festival, and USPS – US Postal Service) is considering issuing stamps or this occasion. USPS has stamps for other festivals too like Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Eid, and Chinese New Year. USPS needs 500,000 signatures to have the Diwali stamp released, and so far we have 320,000+ people who have signed the petition. Please register your voice by signing the petition at: http://www.petitiononline.com/diwali03. Please encourage others to do the same!

ICC – India Community Center - Presents Children’s Day – Nov. 11, 2006, 11am to 5pm at Barsanadham. If you are interested in participating or need more details, please email kotecha@yahoo.com. For more information, click here. 

AKA – Austin Kannada Sangha - celebrates Rajyotsava and Deepavali on Nov. 11, 2006 from 3:00pm to 9:30pm at Akins High School. Click here for more information.

TCA – Telugu Cultural Association – celebrates Deepawali on Nov. 11, 2006 from 4:30pm to 9:30pm at WestView middle School. Click here for more information

• 2 camcorder tripod stands and a sweater were found at the Fiesta gardens on October 29th (Mela). Please Jagannath Vedula at (512) 699-3545 or email: jvedula@yahoo.com for more details.

• Sign Spot Services:

  Sign Spot is a full service sign shop offering high quality design content, fabrication and installation of all types of signs. Located in Cedar Park and serving all of the Austin area, we are a graphic solutions provider. Visit our website for more information at www.austinsignspot.com

Donate:

Please donate generously:

• Click here to download the form to make a pledge.

• Click here to make an online pledge using credit card, Pay pal.

• Donate for Kubhaabhishekam poojas or for the Vigrahas for MPRH.

• Send your donations to: Austin Hindu Temple and Community Center, PM Box 208, 13492 Research Blvd. Suite 120, Austin, TX 78750

Volunteer:

• php Programmer: Urgently need help for the AHTCC website. Please call Jagannath at (512) 699-3545 or email: jvedula@yahoo.com
• Articles for Hindu eTimes: Need articles for the newsletter (In This Issue)  – if you can contribute, send a note to the editor: Sunita Murti at smurti130@homeloanexperts.com
• Backup Editor for Hindu eTimes: If you are interested in helping, please send email to Harish at mailto:Kotecha@yahoo.com?subject=Backup Editor for AHT eTimes or call 335-8809
• To volunteer for AHT Events Please send an email to http://us.f320.mail.yahoo.com/ym/Compose?To=volunteer@austinhindutemple.org or  http://us.f320.mail.yahoo.com/ym/Compose?To=pmuralib@yahoo.com  or select Volunteer tab in the subscription http://www.austinhindutemple.org/phplist/lists/?p=subscribe

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Published by: Austin Hindu Temple and Community Center (A non-profit organization)
Mailing Address: Austin Hindu Temple and Community Center,
                    PM Box 208, 13492 Research Blvd. Suite 120, Austin, TX 78750
Physical Location: 9801 Decker Lake Rd., Austin, TX 78724
Directions: From I35, take 183 S, Left on Loyola Lane (past 290), Cross Decker Lane and Loyola Lane becomes Decker Lake Rd.  .                Make 1st right on Imperial Drive. The Temple site is on the left.