MY VISIT TO TEMPLES IN U.S.

Sai Baba Temple, Kifer Road

                                                  

During my stay in U.S.I had the opportunity of visiting some temples in the neighborhood. When  I compared those religious centers with those in India, I did not find much difference except in matters like better organi zation,amenities and hygienic surroundings.For NRIs, these temples serve as places to recharge and sustain their interest in Indian tradition, culture and conventions.In spite of busy routine many people take off some time to visit temples to derive spiritual satisfaction and some relief from stress and strain. In many temples language classes, reciting hymns and Vedic mantras along with religious discourses and training programs are organized so that young people and children may learn about moral and ethical values that are not much taught in ordinary class rooms.Many people serve as volunteers and organize social service activities, festive celebrations bhajans and charity works.As these people are far away from their native land,they show more attention and care in participating in the activities of the temples.

I often used to go to Sai Baba Temple on Kaifer Road in Sunnyvale. which has been managed by Shirdi Sai Parivar since 2007.This non-profit volunteer-based organization is dedicated to spread of the teachings of Shirdi Sai Baba and motivating the members to involve themselves in cultivating devotion to God and contributing their mite in helping the poor and needy. Bhajans,religious programs,aarti and distribution of prasadam (Food offered to God) are done with  devotion and discipline. Just six miles away from Sunnyvale, the same organization established another Sai Mandir with permanent constructed building in 2010. In both these  temples religious rites and ceremonies are performed as done in Shirdi. Special poojas are done on Thursdays and festival days.Apart from religious programs, charitable works like disribution of food to the poor and conducting health camps are organized by the volunteers.The volunteers themselves will do worship and we do not find any priest employed to do this religious duty.

Idols of Satyanarayana Swamy

                                                                                          

Another temple I visited two or three times is the "Milipitas Satyanarayana Swami Temple", quite near to Sai Baba Mandir. This temple was set up in the present building by VEDA(Vedic Education and Devotional Academy) in 2010.When I visited this temple,developmental works were going on. Now this temple is in full shape with sanctum and other rooms. Along with main presiding deity one can have darshan of other Hindu deities like Durga, Shiva, Vinayaka, Murugan, Hanuman and Saraswati.The priests in the temple are well-trained Vedic scholars and perform all kinds of ritual and poojas. On every full moonday Satyanarayana Vratham is performed by many devotees here.I had also the chance of listening to Swami China Jeeyar's lecture on the significance and spiritual implications behind idol worship. In this temple special classes are conducted to teach Pooja Vidhi (procedure of worshipping gods) and Vedic Suktas(hymns).

Baps Swaminarayan temple, milipitas

 Inner Sanctum

One more temple with a wider range of activities is the BAPS(Bochanvasi Shree Akshar Purushothamtham Samstha)Swami Narayan Temple in Milipitas.As you probably know systematic management and discipline are seen here as in other Swami Narayan Temples elsewhere. The idols of Radha and Krishna, Durga,Balaji,Sita Rama,Hanuman,Shiva Parvathi, Guru Parampara and that of Swami Narayana made of costly marble and decked in dazzling gold attract our attention.The main idea in establishing this temple is to popularize and sustain the ideals and preachings of Swami Narayana cult. This temple is managed by BAPS, a religious organisation started in Milipitas in 1990s. Shantilal,a devotee of Swami  Narayan and an immigrant from Kenya took keen interest and purchased the existing building with the co-operation of other devotees from Overseas Crusades Ministries in 1991.On the first floor of the building we can see the holy shrine,priests' quarters and dining hall.On the second floor library hall and rooms for conducting classes and for cultural activities and conferences are seen. In the gift store, many religious books,children's story books herbal products and items used in worship are seen.The BAPS Organization conducts many educational and social service programs here.This temple's activities are funded by the main temple headquarters based in New York.

Sahasra Ligam in Mahakaleshwara Mandir,
Santa Clara

Kalikambal Idol

The Mahakaleswara Temple in Santa Clara has the unique privilege of having the first huge and massive six  foot Sahasra Shiva Lingam (A Shiva Lingam with one thousand,one hundred and  sixteen lingams carved around it made of black granite and weighing about 300 lbs. Here you also see  the first Jyothirlingam set up in the whole  of the U.S. on 28th August,2010 by Swami Sathasivam , the Head Priest of Kalikambal Temple of Chennai from India. Along with Lord Shiva, the idol of Mahakali is also seen.  Abhishekam for Mahakali is done every Saturday and for Shiva on every Sunday respectively.In this temple free Yoga classes and free training in  Vedic chanting are conducted regularly. There is a separate medi-tation hall for devotees to sit and pray silently. This temple is managed by Sambasadashiva Vidya Peetham, a non-profit religious organization.

Sri Krishna and Balarama  in the holy shrine

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Idol Of Srila Prabhu Pada

    

   

Sri Krishna Balarama temple at Reamwood Ave, Sunnyvale was established on 29th October, 2011 by Indian Heritage Foundation with the noble intention of spreading devotion to God and teaching great Indian religious classics like " the Bhagavat Gita"and" Srimad Bhagavatham." Based on the Vaishnavite philosophy of Sri A.C.Bhakti Vedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada, the most revered founder of Iskon Society. This temple organization is actively involved in catering to the spiritual and cultural needs of all the people  irrespective of race and creed. Situated in a spacious area near the vicinity of Sunnyvale many devotees visit this temple.The beautiful marble statues of Sri Krishna and His brother Sri Balaram , decked with ornaments  and colorful garlands and standing in graceful pose convey the message of brotherly love and affection. The pictures of Lord Balaji and Lord Narasimha reveal the benign and powerful aspects of the divine Lord. The statues of Sri Gaura Nitai and Srila Prabhupada reveal the greatness of Bhakti philosophy and the efficacy of chanting the name of God(Lord Sri Krishna), who promised His grace to all creatures who come to him with a sense of total surrender without bothering about the results of their karmas (deeds done in this mundane world). In this temple many activities like Bhajans, Kirtans, chanting Vishnu Sahasranama, Nagara Sankeerthana (moving around in streets singing Lord's names)  and conducting Sunday School for children and organizing feasts for all devotees and free distribution of religious books on every Saturday evening are done. The noble task of free distribution of religious and Vedic literature to all is to be emulated by other  other temples also since even highly educated people of modern times have lost touch with our noble heritage and religious classics. It is one of the ways of  imparting moral education and helps in gradual transformation of the individual.In collaboration with Big Animation Private Ltd. India Heritage Foundation also produced a series of Animation Video Stories about the life and adventures of divine child, Bala Krishna. In the gift store one can find many books concerned with philosophy and epics, pictures, photos, beautiful idols and Pooja material( items used in daily worship of God). 

Two temples a little distant from Sunnyvale are the famous Shiva-Vishnu Temple in Livermore(28 miles from Sunnyvale) and the Sankat Mochan Hanuman Temple at Gilroy.(nearly forty two miles). The temple in Livermore is a very spacious temple with a regular round of rituals and religious activities.Constructed in South Indian style, this temple attracts a large number of devotees. One can see the atmosphere of a typical Indian temple here with crowded devotees and loud chanting of Vedic hymns. In clear contrast to this busy place, nestled in the sylvan valley of Mt. Maddonna hill, the Gilroy temple is a sight to visit with calm surroundings and hermitage-like simple structure. Far away from the city this temple along with small cottages and Yoga Training center and Ayurvedic College draws many tourists to spend some time here to experience the essence of true inner tranquility and rejuvenation of their physical and mental health This temple is managed by Hanuman Fellowship a religious organization based in California since 1974.

Before concluding  I would like to brief the main features of the temples I visited in U.S. which may set an example for other temples in India in providing and improving facilities.In most of the temples in U.S. parking facilities , shoes stand, cloak rooms and rest rooms are provided free of cost and maintained very neatly. In every temple a regular schedule is followed and the list of activities and services undertaken are clearly displayed on the notice board. Clear directions are marked on sign posts and volunteers are there to help the visitors. There is no scope for brokers and middlemen to exploit tourists by promising them quick darshan and special privileges. In every temple volunteers help in guiding the visitors,in decoration,in preparing prasadam and in distribution of food.Latest technology is used in temple offices and in administrative affairs. So there is no scope for committing any fraud or illegal management in financial matters. Every temple has a web site wherein all activities and photos and history of the temple are clearly shown along with E-mail address for getting suggestions and feedback. The priests are also familiar with use of gadgets like I-pad and smart phones. They are also able to communicate in English and Hindi with devotees without any difficulty. Apart from spiritual and religious services social service and charity works are undertaken with regular schedule and active participation of devotees. Library, gift shop, and conference hall and dining hall are other things that attracted my attention.The devotees mostly from India observed traditional rules with shradda (attention) and devotion. At the same time they maintained cleanliness in temple precincts and observed discipline following queue system without any rush or hurry.In Sai temples devotees themselves prepare food items and bring them to be offered to God and later to be distributed to devotees.In Livermore temple one can see various types of rituals and ceremonies done elaborately by learned priests and Vedic scholars. The sight of People coming in traditional dresses adds a pious religious touch and shows our own identity and value of our culture.So I think we should not be led into wrong notion that our traditional dress is a sign of outdated society or social backwardness. Likewise we should not feel shy or inferior to converse or use our native language if other people know that language. Many linguists have already warned the death of so many languages along with cultures which they carry along with them. Once in India temples served as centers of knowledge, medical service,education, culture and social service.Even in Middle Ages, monasteries in Europe did commendable service in all fields and the monks led a very simple and austere life. So let us try to bring back the noble status and recognition to our temples and thereby in transforming the society by their practical example rather than by mere verbal platitudes.

Dear readers, with this I conclude the series of articles written about my experiences in U.S. during my three-month long stay.The U.S. is a very vast domain with rich diversity and modern technology.What I wrote is very insignificant. There are so many things unexplored with a wide spectrum of great magnitude. So let me celebrate my journey with these few lines of Walt Whitman, one of my favourite American poets;

            " I hear America singing the varied carols I hear
               ***********************************
              Each singing what belongs to him or her and to none else
              *******************************************
             The day what belongs to the day--at night the party of young fellows robust and friendly
             *******************************************************************
            Singing with open mouths their strong , melodious songs."

       ( I am very much thankful to my son Subash, a great blogger himself, who has helped me              in starting this literary and social platform to share my views and experiences with you.
     I would not have written these articles without my daughter-in-law, Nikhila's  help, who                 like a teacher and mentor taught me how to type on a computer, repeatedly explaining
    and clarifying my doubts with much patience.My hearty blessings to both of them.)


       Dated: 18th July, 2013                                                             SOMA SESHU GUTALA