H i n d u T e m p l e a n d C o m m u n i t y C e n t e r O f M i d - M i s s o u r i 2 0 0 6 H o l l y A v e n u e , C o l u m b i a , M O 6 5 2 0 2 - 2 0 4 3

h t t p : / / s h a n t h i m a n d i r . m i s s o u r i . o r g ( 5 7 3 ) 8 1 4 - 1 2 8 6

Shanthi Sandesh

V O L U M E 4 , I S S U E 4 N O V E M B E R 2 0 0 9

Vedanta 1-2

Executive Board 1-3

Interfaith Thanksgiving 3

Carnatic Music and Kutcheris

4

Bal Sandesh 5-7

Know Your Voice 8

Bhagavad Gita 9

Quarterly Fiscal Report 10

Donor Acknowledgment 10

Community Calendar 11

Current Programs 12

Kadri Gopalnath in concert

4

HTCC Joins CROP Walk 7

Seva Day at the Mandir 11

HTCC Officers are 11

Inside This Issue

A s we get set to host the Interfaith Thanksgiving

celebration in a week, we have a lot to be thankful for. During the last four formative years of HTCC our devotional, educational, service, outreach and youth programs have steadily grown to meet the needs of our community. We have built a wonderful spirit of “community” and a “shared set of values” that have enriched us in many ways. The Columbia community too has come to rely on us as a dependable partner. During this time we have worked closely with the City of Columbia, Columbia Interfaith Council, Faith and Education

Collaborative, the Central Missouri Food Bank and numerous local schools and universities on ongoing projects to serve the community. We could not be where we are today without your unstinted support, encouragement and generous donation of time. Thanks to our many

benefactors and volunteers, despite a difficult economic year for our nation, HTCC is debt-free and on a sound financial footing. As we continue to grow the activities to better serve our community, we also need to

proactively plan for growing our Mandir infrastructure. This ongoing planning effort has been slow but deliberative. As we start the countdown to 2010, we look ahead to the future with hope and a renewed sense of optimism. The lead article in this issue on

Vedanta by Holalkere R.. Chandrasekhar offers nuggets of practical wisdom, distilled from scriptures several thousands of years old, relevant to this day. This issue of

(continued on Page 2)

T he Vedas, the oldest documents of Hinduism

are called apourusheyas, i.e., not a product of humans, but divine-inspired. Upanishads follow the Vedas. The numerous Upanishads by great thinkers and their curious disciples are discussions of the philosophy of the Vedas. They are unhindered by dogma and liberating in their openness. Then came Brahma Sutra as the result of debates among scholars who interpreted the inner meaning of the Vedas. The Bhagavad Gita is the central piece among the Vedantic texts. Over the centuries such luminaries as Shankara, Madhva, and Ramanuja enriched and propagated this knowledge by their Bhashyas or commentaries on earlier texts and teachings. In modern times, teachers such as Ramana Maharshi and Swami Vivekanada made this knowledge available to the general public. This entire body of knowledge generated in the post-Vedic period is generally termed as Vedanta. Literally the Sanskrit word Veda denotes knowledge, and anta means end or goal. Hence Vedanta can be translated as

the ultimate form of spiritual knowledge. T.M. P. Mahadevan lists all

the Vedantic texts and their accepted classifications in his “Brahma Sutra” published by Advaita Ashram, Kolkotta which is reproduced here: “The three basic texts of Vedanta are the Upanishads, the Bhagavad Gita and the Brahma Sutra. Together they are referred to as the Prasthana-traya, triple canon of Vedanta. The Upanishads constitute the revealed texts (sruti-prasthana); they mark the summits of the Veda which is Sruti (the heard, the revealed). They are the pristine springs of Vedantic metaphysics. As embodying the teachings of Sri Krishna and as constituting the cream of the epic Mahabharata, the Bhagavad Gita occupies a unique place in the Vedantic tradition. A popular verse compares the Upanishads to the cows, the Bhagavad Gita to the milk, Sri

Krishna to the milkman, Arjuna, the Pandava hero, to the calf and the wise people to the partakers of the milk. Sri Sankara describes the Bhagavad Gita as the quintessence of the teaching of the entire Veda (samasta vedartha sarasangraha bhutam). As this text forms a part of the Mahabharata which is a Smriti (the remembered, ie., secondary text based on the Veda), it is called Smriti-prasthana. The third of the canonical texts is the Brahma Sutra which is regarded as Nyaya-prasthana, because it sets forth the teachings of Vedanta in a logical order. This work is known by other names also: Vedanta Sutra, since it is the aphoristic text on Vedanta; Sariraka sutra, since it is concerned with the nature and destiny of the embodied soul; Bhikshu-Sutra, since those who are most competent to study it are the sannyasins; Uttara Mimamsa Sutra, since it is an inquiry into the final sections of the Veda. The author of the Brahma Sutra is Badarayana whom Indian tradition identifies with Vyasa, the arranger or compiler of the Veda.”

(continued on Page 2)

Vedanta – Frontiers of Knowledge H.R. Chandrasekhar

Message from the Executive Board

Sources: Lectures and articles by Swami Vivekananda and Dr. S. Radhakrishnan; Bhagavad Gita, Chapter 2; Upanishads quoted in the text ; Brahma Sutra by Mahadevan

The above photo entitled Serenity by Nirja Loyolka graces HTCC’s 2010 Wallet Calendar. Please pick up your complimentary copy when you visit the Mandir next

P A G E 2 S H A N T H I S A N D E S H

The basic principles of Vedanta can be summarized as such:

1) Brahman, the supreme divine force pervades the universe, supports it, determines its many forms as they come into being and ultimately merge into Brahman as the rivers follow their myriad paths but ultimately join the ocean. Nothing but the Brahman is permanent and real. They are unreal and transitory.

2) The soul of each individual is divine by nature. Due to the myriad influences of the world in which it inhabits, its nature may be temporarily masked; however the individual can achieve the realization of this divine nature by the path of Yoga and ultimately merge with Brahman, the universal soul.

3) The goal of the individual, then, is to realize and manifest the divinity, which is his/her true nature.

4) There are many ways to realize God. Religions are many; Prophets differ in their interpretation of religion as to details, but not in the essentials. As the Upanishads state: “Ekam; Sadvipra bahudha vadanthi” – There is but one Reality, scholars describe Him in many differing ways.

What is Brahman? Brahma Sutra states that Brahman is that from whom the cosmos is born, sustained and destroyed: “Janmaadyasya yatah.” Brahman is the unchanging reality that pervades the transient, ever changing world. He is that which assumes, without any self-interest, myriad forms, first creates the universe and in the end, withdraws it unto himself (Svetasvatara Upanishad). Several attributes to Brahman are: Satyam (eternal), Shivam (good), Sundaram (beautiful); Sat-Chit-Ananda (existence, consciousness, and bliss); Satyam Gnanam Ananyam Brahma (Brahman is true, all knowing and incomparable.) To

quote Aldous Huxley from his treatise The Perennial Philosophy: “The divine ground of all existence is a spiritual Absolute ineffable in terms of discursive thought but susceptible of being directly experienced and realized by the human being. This Absolute is the God-without-form of Hindu mystical phraseology.” Among all the attributes of Brahman, the most stressed in the Upanishads is His immanence. In the classic phrase “tat twam asi” – “That thou art” the Upanishads affirm the identity of Brahman with Atman, the individual soul. This is not dissimilar to the Biblical injunction: “The Kingdom of God is within you.” Chandogya Upanishad

contains a poignant conversation between the young and inquisitive Swetaketu and his wise father. The latter illustrates the all pervading Brahman as the very essence which is imperceptible, yet sustains everything that is perceivable. King Janaka once asked sage

Yagnavalkya: “When the sun, moon and the fire are gone, no sound is audible, what serves the man in darkness?” The sage replied: “Atman, the soul is indeed his light; by this light he sits, moves about, and rests.” “What is this self?” asked Janaka. “The self-luminous being that dwells within you,” answered Yagnavalkya, “ that which is surrounded by senses, the light of the intellet is that self.” Bhagavad Gita elucidates

Dharma, the proper way of life, and various paths one can take in following it. Krishna refers to the karma-kanda of Veda where sacrifices are made with the hope of reward, which entangles one in the snares of this world, whereas Yoga leads one to liberation from rebirth. He speaks with contempt of people who place their trust in the material rewards and do not look beyond. He then explains the working of

the Yoga system – the practice of self-control and how it leads one to realize his unity with the

Absolute. It is based on two principles: balance of mind and skill in works. To have a balanced mind, one should be completely indifferent to success or failure. Work without any attachment for the results is required of all. Such work leads one to liberation, not bondage. By this method, man's reason becomes free from delusion and his mind rises above traditions and stands firm in the meditation of the Supreme. Arjuna asks how to distinguish

and recognize such a man. Krishna gives the picture of a perfect ascetic who has obtained self-control. The only aim of such a man is to realize the Self. Pain, pleasure or passion cannot move him. As a tortoise withdraws its limbs under its shell, a Sthitha Pragna, or one with steady senses, withdraws his senses from the objects of desire. One can attain this stage only by a diligent practice of starving the senses. It leads one to a stage when attachment to the world gradually becomes less and less, and when the positive inspiration of a vision of the Brahman dawns on the mind, sensual longings disappear. So Self-Control is the first step for salvation. But if the mind is allowed to

ponder on sensual objects, it breeds attachment which leads to delusion and forgetfulness and ruins reason. Such a man is carried away helplessly by his senses as a ship in the ocean is tossed by conflicting winds. On the other hand the ascetic

sees truths that cannot be seen by ordinary men. Desires and worldly things affect him no more than one who is asleep. The rivers empty their waters into the ocean, but the ocean remains unmoved; so also desires flowing into him cannot move him. He isolates the Self and obtains the calm of Brahman. His mind rests in the Absolute identifying himself with Him. When death comes inevitably, he welcomes it. His Atman will mingle with the Absolute and become free from the cycle of rebirth☯

Vedanta (continued from Page 1)

Shanthi Sandesh also includes the seventh in the series of articles on the Bhagavad Gita by Saroj Mohanji, a timely complement to the lead article. Articles by Hema Srinivasan on Carnatic Music and the insightful

observations on the make up of voice, voice problems and practical tips for voice care by Nandhu Radhakrishnan round-off the main section of Shanthi Sandesh. As usual, we have a robust complement of articles and stories from our youth in the Bal Sandesh section. Fall has been a busy time with

numerous festivals and other events including Janmashtami, HTCC Youth Day and Ganesh Chaturthi. Navaratri this year started with the celebration of Devi Puja on the first day of the nine-day celebration. It was followed by a new event, the

Executive Board (Continued from page 1)

(continued on Page 3)

"The divine ground of all existence is a spiritual Absolute ineffable in terms of discursive thought but susceptible of being experienced and realized by the human being. This Absolute is the God-without-form of Hindu mystical phraseology."

Aldous Huxley Quoted from his treatise "The Perennial Philosophy"

P A G E 3 V O L U M E 4 , I S S U E 4

T he Holiday Season is fast approaching and we are excited

to be a part of various celebrations around the city. One of these celebrations is the Interfaith Ecumenical Thanksgiving Celebration, scheduled from 3:00 – 5:00 p.m. on Sunday, November 22nd in the Stotler Lounge of the Memorial Union on the MU Campus. The Interfaith Council of Columbia has been organizing this revived Columbia tradition for the past three years. Each year the event is hosted by a different faith group and this year HTCC has taken the initiative to host this wonderful event that brings together almost a dozen of Columbia’s faith communities. The celebration has grown in stature and participation during the last three years. It has now evolved to include shared reflections of Thanksgiving, short presentations on “the giving of thanks” as practiced by each faith community. The Interfaith Council is made up of

members from various religious groups and several denominations. They meet on a monthly basis to provide a forum for regular interfaith dialogue and to discuss the needs of the community. These individuals and representatives of other faith groups constitute the Planning Committee responsible for the organization of the

Interfaith Thanksgiving Celebration to recognize the various religious, cultural, and social practices, appreciate their similarities, and understand their differences. It helps us understand that there is Unity in Diversity if we can set aside our differences and celebrate the human spirit by respecting each others beliefs and cultural heritage. This year’s celebration is being hosted by

HTCC. We are actively involved in the

organizing and programming of the event. The chairperson of the Planning Committee for the Thanksgiving Celebration is John Prenger, Pastor of the Charismatic Episcopalian Church and the current leader of the Interfaith Council. HTCC is represented on the Planning Committee by Leela Jashnani. Dr. Randhir Mitra, president of the HTCC Board of Trustees has also been actively involved in providing support to the Planning Committee by securing co-sponsorship for the celebration from the MU Chancellor’s Diversity Initiative and the Cultural Association of India, including the reservation of the Stotler Lounge. The program will include performances and presentations from various faith groups

depicting the meaning and value of Thanksgiving. Light refreshments including ethnic finger-foods will be provided by the participating groups and other volunteers. As hosts we take great pleasure in inviting all of you to attend the celebration and volunteer to help with the organization and preparation of finger-foods. Please contact Leela Jashnani at

ljashnan@yahoo.com for more information and to volunteer☯

An Interfaith Ecumenical Thanksgiving Celebration Leela Jashnani

Durga Puja, on Ashtami day. The festivities culminated with Dussehra/Vijaya Dashmi Puja which was held in conjunction with the regular Bal Sabha gathering. In early September we were also fortunate to have a Pravachan on the Gita by Shree Swami Atmananda Giriji Maharaj, visiting us from Nepal and a Satsang led by Ma GnanaPriyananda of St. Louis. October brought us Karva Chauth, a celebration observed by married women for ensuring wedded bliss and long and happy lives for their husbands. Deepavali Puja in mid-October was a treat for the young and the young at heart who got to play with sparklers following a short devotional program. We round up the current quarter with

Gurpurab (festival celebrating anniversary of the Sikh Gurus), the Guru Nanak Jayanthi on November 28th when we will be hosting Gyani Santok Singh from St. Louis, the Samuhika Satyanarayana Puja (tentatively planned for December 12) and the New Year’s Puja. A special bhajan is planned for the New Year’s day. It will be preceded by half an hour of meditation, led by Kate Walker. Details of the Satyanarayana Puja and the New Year’s programs will be posted on our web site when it becomes available. This year HTCC is playing host to the

Interfaith Thanksgiving Celebrations to be held at the Stotler Lounge on the MU

campus on Sunday, November 22nd from 3:00 – 5:00 p.m. Details of the program are included on Page 3 in the article by Leela Jashnani who is coordinating the event on behalf of HTCC. The ecumenical celebration is organized by The Columbia Interfaith Council. This year it has support from the Chancellor’s Diversity Initiative. HTCC is also getting active support from the Cultural Association of India and the Vedic Society in putting this event together. Please join us in this community-wide celebration and use the opportunity to connect with other faith groups. On the service front, HTCC participated in

the CROP (Communities Responding to Overcome Poverty) Hunger Walk in early October, for the second year in a row. Prerna Srinivasan, Ipsa Chaudhary, Trisha Chaudhary, Sumidha Katti and Mayukh Ghosh registered to walk on behalf of HTCC. They were supported by several other walkers from HTCC (see article on Page 7). Our youth walkers did a splendid job of raising over $500 for the CROP walk this year. We also organized our first “Seva Day” where over thirty volunteers participated in various clean-up, repair and maintenance projects at the Mandir. The day of volunteering was jointly organized by the Service Programs and Facilities and Renovations Committees of HTCC. It is hoped that this will become a semi-annual event promoting volunteerism at the Mandir. The theme for the 2010 HTCC Youth

Competitions is “Be the change you want to

see…”, with inspiration drawn from Gandhiji’s popular quotation. The competitions in the literary and visual arts categories are open to all interested. Details of the competitions are posted at: http://shanthimandir.missouri.org/HTCCYouthCompetitions2010.pdf. The HTCC 2010 wallet calendar is now

available at the Mandir. Please pick up your complimentary copy of the calendar. Credit for the calendar photograph, titled “Serenity” goes to Nirja Loyalka. As we ring in 2010, please remember to renew your membership. Please also consider upgrading your annual membership to lifetime membership. The lifetime dues provide the HTCC with a strong ownership base and steady stream of revenue for delivering quality devotional, education, service and youth programs. We are proud that more than 2/3rd of our members are lifetime members. We also look forward to grow our annual membership by bringing in students, post-docs, residents, fellows and others new families in town. Please help our Membership Committee, chaired by Dabir Viswanath in this on-going effort to expand our membership base.

See you at the Mandir!☯

Vellore S. Gopalaratnam Inder Khurana Manjula Narasimhan Ravi Thawani

Executive Board (Continued from page 2)

P A G E 4 S H A N T H I S A N D E S H

Carnatic Music and Kutcheris Hema Srinivasan

C arnatic music is perhaps the most ancient form of

classical music that originated in India and is most prevalent currently in southern India. It intertwines structured compositions (krithi or kirthanam) with improvised music (mandodharma sangeetham). The very first sol-fa system “Sa Ri Ga Ma Pa Da Ni” or letters for notes was developed in India, in Tamil music. Many of the current ragas or melodies are based on the ancient Tamil Pan. Over the years, Indian classical music has absorbed influences from various cultural encounters, the most significant being Persian influences that gave rise to Hindustani Music that is more popular in Northern India. What remained in Southern India is termed “carnatic” meaning ancient or old style music. In the last 300 years, Carnatic music has seen the introduction of violin, viola, clarinet, mandolin, and now saxophone and guitar. One of the main differences between Hindustani music and Carnatic music is the fact that

Carnatic music has a huge wealth of compositions written down by many composers. A glance at any of the famous recordings of the legendary vocalist M.S. Subbulakshmi will show that the composers range from Ilango Adigal from 2nd century to modern day Rajagopalachari. Musical composers Thyagaraja, Deekshitar, and Shyama Sastrigal are known as the trinities of Carnatic music whose compositions are more classical. Oothukkadu Venkata Kavi, Purandaradasa, and Arunachala Kavi, along with some modern composers are usually more janaranjakam or what is now termed light classical. These are usually sung towards the end of a concert. A carnatic music kutcheri or concert usually has a main artist, a string accompaniment (usually violin), and one or more percussion (Mridhangam, Gatam, etc.). The main artiste starts the pieces and sets the stage. The accompaniments actually exhibit a lot of creativity for they indeed have the freedom to follow the

main artist with instant interpretation. All the pieces are in different ragas, irrespective of the time of the day, creating a world of emotions and scenes. Every December, in the holy month of Margahi, Chennai is agog with music festivals. Wherever you are in Chennai, you would be within a few blocks of a musical concert or a lecture or discussion or a devotional bhajanai. It is said that anyone who is any one in music will be in Chennai at that time. The concerts or kutcheris go on all day from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. The artistes who get prime time after 6 p.m. in the evening are the ones who have made it on the scene professionally. This year, on October 16, we had three of these artistes in concert right here in Columbia, for the very first time. Many of these musicians regularly tour India and the world. The United States sees many different musicians touring typically from September to November as well as from March to May☯

Padma Shree Dr. Kadri Gopalnath on Saxophone in Concert in Columbia, Missouri

Hema Srinivasan

O n Friday, October 16 2009, there was an enchanting

performance by Saxophone Chakravarthy Kadri Gopalnath with Violin Vidhushi Kanyakumari and Mridhangam Maestro Harikumar. The three of them wove a wonderful design in music beginning with Bahudhari and continuing with majestic Endaromahanubahu in Sri Ragam. Then came a spirited Raghuvamsa Sudha followed by Bhajare Manasa in Abheri. A variety of thukkadas, or shorter and lighter compositions, enthralled the audience for the last 40 minutes of the concert ending with Bhagyada Lakshmi Baramma, heralding Deepawali! Not surprisingly, there was a

spontaneous standing ovation. The concert lasted for nearly four hours and the audience was spellbound (and not just by Dr. Gopalnath's Magudi or snake dance piece) till the very end. The concert is a maiden event organized by the music group “Raagas of Columbia”. Started by Hema Srinivasan, Anand Chandrasekhar, Manjula Narasimhan, Rajagopalan Thiruvengadathan, Shuba Ratneshwar, and Dabir

Vishwanath, Raagas of Columbia is an informal organization of people interested in bringing quality cultural events of interest to the community. The first program, the saxophone concert of Dr.Kadri Gopalnath, was held in the Launer Auditorium of Columbia College with the generous sponsorship of Columbia College and Dr. Nollie Moore. Raagas of Columbia would appreciate knowing about your interest in music and related cultural activities. You can email us at either Raagasofcolumbia@gmail.com or hemaxsrinivasan@gmail.com with your comments and suggestions☯

The Membership Committee earlier this fall sent emails to 34 individuals and families who are not currently members of HTCC. Rajini Tolani, the Secretary for the committee is currently updating the addresses and

emails records of members, and the list should be ready soon. This update will allow us to publish the HTCC Directory using up-to-date information. If you would like to send in changes to your address or e-

mail, please contact Rajini at: RAJINIBT@hotmail.com before December 15, 2009. The Membership Committee requests members to encourage their friends and colleagues to become members of HTCC☯

Membership Committee Updates - Dabir Viswanath Thanks to our members for their continued support!We currently have 66 lifetime member families and 29 annual member families.

"One who twangs a guitar

Sails through life, the ocean far

One who sings of God's divine grace

Sprints to heaven with mighty ease"

Saint Purandara Dasa

P A G E 5 V O L U M E 4 , I S S U E 4

Newsletter of Bal Sabha of Columbia, MO November 2009

EDITOR’S NOTE Bal Sabha Officers

President Ravi Thawani

Vice-President

Arpita Kumar

Secretary/Treasurer Manjula Narasimhan

Cultural Secretary

Anjna Sethi

Bal Sandesh Coordinator Hema Srinivasan

B al Sandesh wishes everyone a very Happy Deepavali. This issue welcomes new editors Vikram Arunachalam, Nidhi Khurana ,

Prerna Srinivasan, and Neeta Thawani . You will find two interesting stories by Neeta and an intriguing story by Nidhi. Congratulations to all Bal Sabha members who participated and helped with participation in India Nite 2009. If you took pictures during the practice or the rehearsals you can send them in to the next issue with a caption. Bal Sandesh needs your help. Send in articles, stories, poems,

drawings, reviews, and photographs. You can send them in any time. Don’t forget to send items for Bal Sabha Kudos. You don’t have to pat yourself on your back. Just tell us about it and we will all do it☯

Maya Cutkosky

D urga Puja is an annual Hindu festival that celebrates the worship of the

goddess Durga. She is the fiercer form of the gentle Parvati. The festival of Durga, or the Nav Durgas at Navratri (or Nine Nights) is celebrated with great extravagance and splendor, especially in the state of Bengal. It is the return of Parvati to her father’s

home from the Himalayas. She visits Earth and is pampered by her devotees, just like a married daughter visiting her parent’s home. Images of the goddess are installed in all public areas and in private homes. For nine days goddess Durga receives offerings from her devotees—like food, clothing, flowers, and even jewelry—while families visit her to pay their respects. She is entertained with plays and musical performances throughout the nine days of Navratri. On the tenth day, she is given a tearful farewell and immersed in the waters

of river Hoogli (also known as Ganges). There is a legend that says Mahishasura,

a demon, posed a threat to the gods because of the power that he had earned through his hard penance. The gods appealed to goddess Durga to subdue him. Lord Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva combined

their powers and created an incredibly beautiful woman who had the energy and weapons of all the gods and set out to confront the demon who was terrorizing the gods. Mahishasura changed his forms to

mislead her, until she finally killed him. At the time of his death he was in the form of a buffalo. Ironically, it is considered a symbol of death. Goddess Durga is shown standing detached, with one foot on the buffalo, with Mahishasura appearing dazed, and her vehicle—the lion—attacking the demon from the rear. With the demon dead, the cosmic balance

was regained and the goodness won over the evil. Goddess Durga is said to have changed into ten total forms to defeat a large array of demons. She is ever changing, her name, Durga, means beyond reach☯

Durga Puja Neeta Thawani, 9th grade, Boonville High School

H ere is a brief recap of the Bal Sabha activities during the past three months.

Bal Sabha families jointly hosted the Annual Picnic along with Bal Puja families and HTCC Youth Group at Cosmo Park on August 30th. A membership drive was organized during the Picnic for the new calendar year August 2009 through July 2010. Currently there are 27 families that are members of Bal Sabha. The families who have yet to pay the annual dues of $10 per family are encouraged to kindly

pay the dues at their earliest. Bal Sabha celebrated Dussehra on September 27th alongwith the HTCC Devotional Committee. The Bal Sabha children talked about traditions of Navratri and Dussehra. Younger children also presented a short skit which delivered a very important and timely message – Generosity. Children also displayed their talent by playing musical instruments like clarinet. This short Dussehra program displayed several important skills that the

Bal Sabha children have acquired in school and also by associating with their peers and other Bal Sabha children. It also displayed the amount of knowledge that these children have developed about India, its traditions and culture. We encourage all families that have children to get involved in Bal Sabha. Bal Sabha children sang the U.S. and Indian National Anthems on stage during “India Nite” October 31st☯

Bal Sabha Activities Ravi Thawani

P A G E 6 S H A N T H I S A N D E S H

Editorial Staff Phone E-Mail Anchal Sethi (573) 514-0486 danzingdivas@yahoo.com Maya Cutkosky (573) 445-2854 Neeta Thawani (660) 882-5317 booneville.kid@hotmail.com Nidhi Khurana (573) 874-9647 n_khurana@yahoo.com Prerna Srinivasan (573) 445-0033 Vikram Arunachalam Parent Advisor Hema Srinivasan (573) 445-2854 srinivasanh@missouri.edu

Bal Sandesh needs you! We welcome submissions of all types (reports, poetry, short stories, artwork, puzzles, jokes etc.). Work can be submitted to the Editors or the Parent Advisor. We prefer electronic version of the submission (e-mail or diskette). Artwork can be submitted on paper. Older kids interested in volunteering to serve on the editorial team should contact the Editorial Staff or the Parent Advisor.

Bal Sabha meets every fourth Sunday of the month from 3:00 - 5:00 p.m. at Shanthi Mandir

W ali Dad was a carpenter who lived alone and

worked hard the whole day long. His tastes were simple and his wants few, so he spent very little of the money he earned. One day he found that the jar in which he kept his money was full to the brim. "I must empty it," he thought,

"or I'll have no container for my money." He took the jar to the local

jeweler, emptied its contents on the floor and asked the jeweler to give him a bracelet worth the sum. The jeweler gave him a pretty little bracelet made of gold. Wali Dad wondered what he

should do with the bracelet. He saw a merchant at the head of a line of camels laden with goods, and asked him where he was going. "To the palace," said the

merchant, importantly. "The princess has ordered some clothes." "Will you give her this bracelet

too," said the carpenter, handing over the bracelet he had bought to him. "Tell her it's a gift from Wali Dad." The princess liked the bracelet

and sent him a camel-load of the finest silks in return. "What will I do with these

silks?" groaned Wali Dad when the merchant brought the heavily-laden camel to him. "Give them to someone else,"

suggested the merchant. "Whom?" "Perhaps the Sultan of Kesh." So Wali Dad sent the silk to the

Sultan who, delighted with the gift, sent him six of his finest horses. Wali Dad sent them on to the

princess. "Who is this Wali Dad? And

why is he sending me gifts?" she asked her advisor. "Probably somebody who

wants to impress you with his wealth," said the advisor. "Send him a gift that he cannot match. That will humble his pride." The princess sent him 20

mules laden with silver. Not wishing to be burdened by so much wealth Wali Dad sent the silver to the Sultan. The Sultan was perplexed. "Who is this Wali Dad? And

why is he sending me gifts?" he asked his advisor. "Probably somebody who

wants to impress you with his

wealth," said the advisor. "Send him a gift that he cannot match. That should humble him." The Sultan sent Wali Dad 20

cartloads of precious stones which Wali Dad promptly re-routed to the princess. The princess, her curiosity piqued, decided to pay him a visit. She set out secretly, taking only her maid with her. Their enquiries led them to the humble dwelling of the carpenter. As they were looking around in bewilderment, a handsome man of regal bearing came riding towards them. It was the Sultan of Kesh. He too had decided to make the acquaintance of the mysterious Wali Dad. The Sultan and the princess fell in love with each other, at first sight. After a short courtship, they announced their marriage. Wali Dad was now a famous

man. As he refused to go to either of their palaces, the princess and the Sultan sent him a chest full of gold. But it was never delivered. When Wali Dad saw the Sultan’s men bringing the gold, he fled the village and was never seen again☯

Wali Dad, the Carpenter Nidhi Khurana, 9th grade, Jefferson Junior High School

The Lion’s Bad Breath Neeta Thawani, 9th grade, Boonville High School

Once Mrs. Lion told Mr. Lion that his mouth smelt very bad. Mr. Lion was very upset. He first called a sheep and asked, “Is my mouth smelling very bad?” The foolish sheep wanted to tell the truth. So he replied, “Yes, sir, you have a bad breath.” The lion promptly killed the sheep. Then the lion called the wolf and asked him the same question. The wolf had seen how the sheep had been killed for speaking the truth. So he lied, “Sir, your breath smells as fresh as the flowers.” The lion promptly killed the wolf. Then the lion called the fox and asked him, “Tell me fox, how does my breath smell?” The fox had seen the fate of both the sheep who spoke the truth and the wolf who had lied. So the clever fox sniffed hard and said, “Sir, I have a very bad cough and cold. I cannot smell any-thing at all.”

Moral: In time of danger it is wise to keep quiet☯

P A G E 7 V O L U M E 4 , I S S U E 4

O nce again this year, the Youth Activities Committee of HTCC

organized a potluck picnic at Cosmo Park, Columbia, on August 30, 2009. Both kids and adults look forward to this picnic every year to celebrate the efforts they put in attending and conducting summer workshops. It was a windy evening and the weather was chilly. However, the Nickell Shelter at Cosmo Park saw a good turn-out, with both kids and adults participating with enthusiasm. There were several new families and this was a good opportunity for them to get to know about HTCC and the community.

The adults were busy setting the tables,

hotplates, and chaat corner for the potluck dinner. Amidst the cold weather we managed to have the usual volley ball match and the legendary tug-of-war. Apart from food and games, Youth Day is also a platform to present awards to members who participated in several programs conducted by the Youth Committee. Certificate of participation was awarded to

every member by the instructors. Breath-taking photographs taken by participants of the Creative Shutterbug workshop were also on display for all to enjoy. HTCC also took this opportunity to bid farewell to Arun Jain and his daughter Anjali who have moved to Kansas City. We will miss them.

Members of the Youth Activities Committee extend their heart-felt thanks to all members, especially Anjna and Alagu for coordinating the potluck dinner. We hope to see more members participate both as officers and volunteers. Please send your nominations and ideas for future workshops to htcc.youth@gmail.com☯

HTCC Youth Day, Bal Sabha/Bal Puja Picnic 2009 Nandhu Radhakrishnan

Scenes from the Youth Day Picnic at Cosmo Park, August 30, 2009

T he CROP (Communities Responding to Overcome Poverty) Hunger Walk is an

annual event that combines fun and fundraising to raise awareness and funds for international relief and development, as well as local hunger-fighting. The local chapter of CROP organized the Columbia

CROP Hunger Walk on the 4th of October. This is the second year that HTCC participated in the walk. 25% of the money raised by the Columbia CROP Hunger Walk is used to partially support the Loaves & Fishes Soup Kitchen and the Russell Chapel Food Pantry. The rest of the funds

are used to support global hunger education and in support of refugees, disaster relief and self-help projects in more than 80 countries. The CROP walk recruiter’s meeting was held on the 25th of August 2009 at the First Presbyterian Church on Hitt Street and led by Mr. Cleo Kottwitz, the Recruitment Coordinator. The

meeting highlighted the importance of the cause and shared the need to reach out to create awareness and have citizens of Columbia contribute to reduce hunger in the world. Registered walkers have their friends and

family make donations to the cause and sponsor the walk. Prerna Srinivasan, Ipsa Chaudhary, Trisha Chaudhary, Sumidha Katti and Mayukh Ghosh registered to walk on behalf of HTCC. They were supported by several other walkers from HTCC (see photo alongside). Our youth walkers did a splendid job of raising over $500 for the CROP walk this year. The walk routes had a short walk option of approximately one mile and a long walk option of three miles. The walk routes were designed around the downtown area with the First Presbyterian Church as the start and finish locations. The total amount collected during the Columbia CROP Walk was just under $18,000. The walk was an enriching experience in near perfect weather conditions and helped create awareness for a very worthy cause☯

Pictured are HTCC CROP Walkers. Standing (L to R): Sonal Ghosh, Prerna Srinivasan, Ipsa Chaudhary, Pranavi Tella, Shikha Srivastava, Anantha Gopalaratnam, Manjula Narasimhna (hidden), Vellore Arthi, Sumidha Katti and Trisha Chaudhary. Front row (L to R): Mayukh Ghosh, Vellore Gopalaratnam, Gyan Srivastava, and Soham Srivastava

HTCC Participates in the 2009 Columbia CROP Walk Mayukh Ghosh

P A G E 8 S H A N T H I S A N D E S H

Know Your Voice Nandhu Radhakrishnan

Words mean more than what is set down on paper. It takes the human voice to infuse them with deeper meaning.

Maya Angelou

V oice is the audible aspect of speech. Voice production

involves the effort of several systems in our body. The lungs build adequate pressure to induce vocal fold vibrations in the larynx, popularly called “voice box”. The term voice box is a misnomer because the vibrations produce sound alone and this sound is resonated by the structures above the larynx including the throat, oral, and nasal cavities. Hence, “sound box” would be a more appropriate term for the larynx. The larynx, the sound source for the voice one produces, can be affected in several ways. A voice problem can have an organic, neurogenic, and/or functional origin. It can range between slight hoarseness to complete absence of voice. The effect of voice problems can vary based on the individual. Any voice problem or change in voice that lasts for a longer time should not be ignored. Voice problems are generally treated by a team of specialists. The basic team involves a laryngologist and speech pathologist. Based on the type of voice problem, a patient can also expect to be seen by a neurologist, pulmonologist, oncologist, or an allergist. A laryngologist, specialized in treating voice related issues of the larynx, along with a speech pathologist will be able to identify, classify, and quantify a voice disorder.

Among the types of voice disorders, functional voice problems are the easiest to acquire and be treated as well. Functional voice disorders are those that arise due to the way the larynx has been used for voicing. Vocal misuse, overuse, and or abuse are the primary reasons that lead to functional voice problems. This includes extensive use of voice, inappropriate voicing at extreme levels of pitch and loudness, exposure of the larynx to hazardous gas, smoking, etc. Functional voice problems are very common among

professional voice users (PVU). PVU are those people who use their voice for a living. This generally includes teachers, attorneys, public speakers, singers, actors, etc. Among this population, females tend to be more prone to voice problems due to physiological reasons, e.g., the number of times the vocal folds strike against each other to produce sound in adult women is twice the number in men. School age children are also prone to functional voice problems because of the extent to which they use their voice.

Some of the common functional voice problems include vocal nodules and muscle tension dysphonia. These two conditions benefit to a great extent by voice therapy. Voice therapy is a process of behavior modification that involves physical and vocal exercises. Voice therapy sessions are generally covered by medical insurance, however, the number of sessions approved may vary. In most cases, 8-10 sessions will be the time required to learn strategies to alleviate symptoms. The basic steps involved in treating the above mentioned functional voice problems include relaxation exercises, strength and endurance training, and relearning healthy voicing behaviors. Vocal hygiene is also advocated during voice therapy that, if followed sincerely, can prevent functional voice problems.

Here are some tips on vocal hygiene that can save one’s voice. These tips have been taken from http://www.ncvs.org/museum-archive/bkmrk.pdf.

Speaking loudly or frequently may lead to a voice disorder. Recognize when your voice is tired. Consider vocal training if you have to talk or sing loudly, or speak extensively. Vocal endurance, like athletics, requires special skills. Hoarseness or breathiness may signal a voice disorder. If

either symptom persists for more than two weeks, call a physician or speech language pathologist. Stress can lead to forceful voice production, resulting in possible tissue damage. Relaxation techniques can improve your voice and allow you to speak more effectively and longer. Try stretching shoulder, neck, and facial muscles periodically; slow, deep breaths also may help. Caffeine and alcohol dehydrate vocal folds, which can cause tissue damage. Drink plenty of water to combat their drying effects. For example, for every mug of coffee you ingest, drink at least one 8-oz. glass of water. Some medications lead to dehydration of the vocal folds. Antihistamines, taken for colds or allergies, shrink swollen membranes and reduce saliva and mucous production. These medications lessen the discomforts of the cold, but dry the vocal tissues. If you are taking medications that dehydrate, drink lots of water and other fluids. Try to keep home and working environments at a relative humidity of 40 percent or more. Repeatedly clearing the throat or coughing may damage vocal fold tissues. Sipping water, swallowing or sucking on a cough drop may ease the irritation in the throat. Frequent heartburn and a sour taste may mean stomach acids are spilling over into your larynx, which may lead to voice problems. If you experience these symptoms, avoid high-acid foods and late-night eating. Elevate your head with extra pillows or raise the head of the bed. Smoking is the leading cause of laryngeal cancer. At the very least, smoking irritates tissues used for singing and talking. Don’t smoke! ☯

Deepavali 2009 is Brighter at the Mandir!

Earlier last month we celebrated Deepavali at the Mandir in grand style. The well attended event included Lakshmi Puja, traditional sharing of sweets and a small outdoor display of traditional fireworks (sparklers and light-emitting fountains). This year Deepavali was brighter, thanks to the generous donation of two 3-ft brass lamps adorned with traditional “hansa” or swan motifs from Geeta Sharan Kalwani of Detroit, MI. We greatly appreciate their donation!☯

P A G E 9 V O L U M E 4 , I S S U E 4

Shreemad Bhagavad Gita - Part 7 Saroj Mohan

I n the August 2009 installment (Part 6) of this continuing series on the Bhagavad

Gita, we learned that both the nishthas or paths, Karmayoga and Gyanayoga, are equal. Verse 4 of Chapter 3 states that regardless of the path chosen, performing actions physically must not be given up.

Shri Krishna continues, “Without starting actions, nobody can do Karmayoga, and nobody can reach naishkarmya sudhi or the perfect state in which actions are performed without the desire for the fruit of those actions. Similarly, remaining idle is neither karmasanyas nor is it Gyanayoga. Action is imperative regardless of whether the path of Karmayoga or Gyanayoga is followed.

In the 5th verse, Shri Krishna further explains why it is not possible to be without actions. Shri Krishna says, “Nobody can be without actions, even for a second, because all living beings are forced by their prakriti or nature to act.” The gunas of prakriti or the powerful nature of their innate disposition forces all living beings to act. In fact, it is impossible to live in a state of non-action. For example, you might say, “I am sitting here, quietly,” but sitting and breathing are actions too. So, propelled and forced by nature, all living beings are helplessly active.

The 6th verse deals with the correct state of mind for Karmayoga, and how the state of mind should and should not be. Shri Krishna says, “The fool who overtly controls his sense organs by force, but inwardly thinks about the fruits, joys, and pleasures of his actions, is not a Karmayogi. He is a Mithyachari or an imposter and wrong doer.” He is not a nishkam Karmayogi.

Shri Krishna says, “ O Arjuna, on the other hand, the one who controls his sense organs internally, mentally, and performs his actions fully dedicated and totally unattached towards the fruits of his actions, is a true Karmayogi; he is the best.” Such a person’s work is worship for the welfare of humanity.

Shri Krishna clarifies further that “You should do your prescribed duties or shastra vihit karmas or actions according to your varna and ashram, because it is the best thing for you to do. It is better to do actions than not doing them. It is necessary for the welfare of your society and for your own body and life too.” We clearly see that

performance of correct duties is necessary for one’s own livelihood and benefit of society.

Continuing in the 9th verse, Shri Krishna says “O Kaunteya, or son of Kunti, the world is tied up in the bondage of karma or actions that keep you in the cycle of duality; in the sufferings of pairs of opposites like joy and sorrow, etc. If your actions are other than yagyaartha karma or rightfully prescribed duties, then they will lead you into the cycle of cause and effect and it will be the reason for your bondage. So O Arjuna , do your kartavya karmas or prescribed duties without any attachment towards the fruits of your actions.”

We need to understand the phrase yagyartha karma, which means actions done for the performance of yagnas. Kartavya karma means prescribed duties of your Varna and Ashram. All these karmas are prescribed from the Vedas. Here yagna is not meant as a ritual of offerings of grains and clarified butter in fire as worship. Yagna is any prescribed duty, a special function, done well, in accordance with one’s Varna and Ashram. A properly done yagna is Karmayoga, which is good for one’s life and for the welfare of society.

To understand the next verse, we need a little background information. In ancient Indian scriptures we are told that in the beginning of kalpa (a certain measure of time), Brahma created this universe. After creation, he designated some rulers who were called Prajapatis. They were the rulers and law-makers of prajas or the people of creation. This was done for the smooth running, functioning, interaction and welfare of society. In this way, everybody would be happy and fulfilled.

There were yagnas or special duties and rituals to be performed. For example, Vivah Yagna or the marriage ceremony is a yagna. In modern times, Swami Chinmayanandji used to perform Geeta Gyan Yagna for the welfare of society. So according to required occasions and needs in society, there were various functions and duties called yagnas. In the 10th verse, Shri Krishna is referring to that kind of yagna.

Shri Krishna continued, “In the begining of kalpa, Prajapati Brahma called his people and said, ‘You should perform your duties as prescribed by Me, so you will gain prosperity and your actions will give you all your desired things. You should all prosper together. Let it be your Ishtabhuka or Kamadhenu (milking cow) of your desires. It will fulfill your desires and give even more.’” There is an ancient story about a cow named Kamadhenu. She granted every wish of her owner. A truly well done karma or action could be all fulfilling. For example, if farming is done without exploiting the earth, it gives more than it takes. One seed can provide many grains of food.

Shri Krishna further elaborates on this subject in the 11th verse. He explains that yagnas which are performed without selfish desires for the fruits of those actions, or functions which are carried out for the welfare of all society, will please the Devas and there will be abundance and prosperity for all. One’s goal must be to prosper together with others. Then, through Nishkama Karmayoga one will attain all the fruits of one’s actions, without having to ask for them.

The same idea is reiterated in the next verse, but with a little variation. Shri Krishna says, “Satisfied by your yagnas, the Devas will keep satisfying your needs, even without your asking for them. But the one who is selfish is a thief. He is “Sah sten ave”. Shri Krishna has used a very strong word for a self-centered, selfish man. The bounty and blessings given by God must be shared by all with all.

In the 13th verse, Shri Krishna explains how the prosperity from the yagnas should be shared. Those who share the benefits arising from their yagnas will become free of paapa or sin. But those who perform yagnas purely for their sole pleasure are sinners☯

niyatam kuru karma tvam, Karma jyAyO hi akarmaNaha, sharIra yAtrApi cha tE, na prasidhyEd akarmaNaha Bhagavad Gita - Chapter 3, Sloka 8

Do the duties required of you. Doing is superior to inaction. It is necessary for the welfare of your body and soul.

P A G E 1 0 S H A N T H I S A N D E S H

HTCC Quarterly Fiscal Report For the period July 1, 2009 - September 30, 2009

Prepared by Manjula Narasimhan, Treasurer, Oct 15, 2009

Quarterly Revenues

Interest Income Interest income

$851.98

$851.98

Membership: 2009 Annual Family Members (AFM) 3 @ $50 Membership Upgrade

$150.00 $950.00

$1,100.00

Donations: Check Donations Hundi Donations/Prayer Services

$7,131.00 $1,058.40

$8,189.40

Facilities Use Donations: Mandir and Educational Center use donations

$200.00

$200.00

Other Revenues Summer Workshops T-Shirts

$120.00

$62.00

$182.00

Total Quarterly Revenues

$10,523.38

Quarterly Expenses

Lawn and Garden $515.00 Maintenance and Supplies $329.20 Printing and Mailing $223.54 Special Events $168.10 Start-up $634.40 Upgrade and Repairs $418.02 Utilities $872.20 Total Quarterly Expenses

$3,854.46

Net Income for the Quarter

$6,668.92

Insurance $694.00

Thank You! Donor Acknowledgement August 1– October 31, 2009

We gratefully acknowledge the following donations made during the above period. If we have inadvertently made an error in not including your name, please let us know. We will correct the error at the earliest available opportunity with our apologies.

$24- Basu, Asit and Sandra Cutkosky, Dale, and Hema Srinivasan

$25 - $99 Mohan, Amitabh Subramanian, Krishna and Raji

$100 - $249 Khurana, Inder and Jasmit Malhotra, Anil and Kusum Mitra, Ranadhir and Roma Ratneshwar, Rati and Subha Shukla, Shivendra and Asha

$500 - $999 Sehgal, Om and Toshi

$1,000 - $1,999 Gopalaratnam, Vellore and Anantha

$5,000+ Loyolka, Sudarshan and Nirja

P A G E 1 1 V O L U M E 4 , I S S U E 4

O ver thirty volunteers participated in the first ever Seva Day jointly organized by

the HTCC Service Programs and the Facilities and Renovation Committees. The group comprising three to fifty-plus year-olds toiled for up to five hours — power washing the Educational Center siding, trimming trees and shrubs on the Shanthi Mandir lot, rearranging the HTCC library furniture, securing the chairs stored in the garden shed with weatherproof covers, planting four Japanese pine trees, landscaping around the air conditioner unit, completing housekeeping chores indoors and last but not the least, weeding the front berm and all flower boxes at the Mandir. Thanks to quick thinking Das Kutikkad we got the four 2-3 ft. tall Japanese pine trees worth several hundred dollars, gratis! We could not have asked for better weather to work outdoors. Timely tea and refreshment break support provided by some of the volunteers added to the fun picnic-like atmosphere of Seva Day.

All in all, over 100 hours of volunteer time was donated on Seva Day. Encouraged by the number of long-overdue and significant tasks completed during the five-hour Shram Daan, the organizers plan

to hold two such Seva Day events every year — One in Fall around early October (to commemorate Gandhiji’s birthday —

Gandhiji who was an ardent proponent of Shram Daan), and one during early spring (around Spring Break)☯

Pictured after a hard day’s work, Seva Day volunteers take a breather. The photograph includes (in alphabetical order): Ajith Chandrasekar, Ajay Chandrasekhar, Anand Chandrasekhar, Anantha Gopalaratnam, Balavinayagam Ramalingam, Bharath Srinivasan, Chandra Rawlani, Das Kutikkad, Dinesh Krishnan, Gagneesh Rawat, Geetha Kutikkad, Kartik Kuppuswamy, Kavita Kuppuswamy, Krishna Sharma, Manjula Narasimhan, Mayukh Ghosh, Nandhu Radhakrishnan, Pranavi Tella, Prerna Srinivasan, Rama Rajagopalan, Ravi Thawani, Saravanan Kuppuswamy, Shreyas Srinivasan, Siddharth Kutikkad, Suryanshi Rawat, T. Rajagopalan, and Tia Rawat.

Others who volunteered and are not in the picture include: Aditi Rawat, Ashwath Kumar, Gyan Srivastava, Raji Subramanian, Senthil Kumar, Vellore Arthi, and Vellore Gopalaratnam

Seva Day Attracts Many Volunteers - Vellore S. Gopalaratnam

Community Calendar (Nov. 15, 2009 - January 20, 2009) Events not organized by HTCC are in italics. They are provided for general community interest.

Unless otherwise indicated, all events are at Shanthi Mandir, 2006 Holly Avenue, Columbia, MO 65202.

Nov. 22 Interfaith Thanksgiving Celebration 2009 Sunday, 3:00 - 5:00 p.m. Stotler Lounge, MU Memorial Union This annual interfaith thanksgiving celebration organized

by the Interfaith Council of Columbia is being hosted this year by HTCC. It will be celebrated at the Stotler Lounge in the MU Memorial Union. Please come and participate actively and show support for a community-wide event. HTCC’s contribution is being coordinated by Leela Jashnani. Further information: Leela Jashnani 268-8024.

Nov. 28 Gurpurab/Guru Nanak Jayanthi Saturday, Time: TBD Gurpurab celebrates the birthday of the founder of the Sikh

religion, Guru Nanak Dev. Celebration will include special Kirtan. It will be followed by Prasad and Langar (community pot-luck lunch). Further information: Kuljeet Singh 442-4471, Chandra Rawlani 446-5960, or Kusum Malhotra 445-1867.

Dec. 12 Fifth Annual Samuhika Satyanarayana Puja

Saturday, 5:00 - 9:00 p.m. The Puja schedule is currently tentative. We can typically

accommodate 25 sponsoring families/individuals for the puja on a first-come-first-served basis. Please visit our web site in early December to get details on sign-up, the puja and pot-luck dinner program.

Jan. 1 New Year Puja Friday, 6:00 - 8:30 p.m. Tentative plans are to have an early evening celebration at

the Mandir starting with a short meditation session followed by Special Sai Bhajan. Time and program information will be posted on the Mandir web site a week before the event.

Jan. 17 Pongal/Sankranti Celebration Sunday, 6:00 - 9:00 p.m. Mark Twain Ballroom, MU Memorial Union This annual community event to celebrate the harvest

festival will as usual also include an entertainment program, pot-luck dinner and a food drive to benefit the Central Missouri Food Bank. Please donate generously! Further information: Nandhu Radhakrishnan 882-4082.

Jan. 27 Republic Day of India Celebration Tentative Schedule. Location and Time: TBD Further information: Ranadhir Mitra 268-3736.

HTCC Officers Recognized

It gives us great pleasure to share with you the news that Leela Jashnani and Manjula Narasimhan were nominees in the first ever Women in Business Awards organized by the Columbia Daily Tribune (see details at: http://www.columbiatribune.com/news/2009/oct/27/recognizing-mid-missouris-successful-women/). They were recognized at a luncheon honoring all the nominees on October 27. Congratulations to both of them! In addition, Manjula was selected to receive the Emerging Business Woman of the Year award. It is great that HTCC has the benefit of the services and business acumen of these two individuals who have always been generous with their time and talent. Their contributions to the larger Columbia community over the last many years are also greatly appreciated. Manjula serves as our Treasurer, and Leela is an Elected Board of Trustee and Chair of the External Relations Committee☯

Shanthi Mandir Hindu Temple and Community Center of Mid‐Missouri (HTCC) 2006 Holly Avenue, Columbia, MO 65202-2043

HTCC is registered as a Nonprofit Corporation in MO HTCC is tax-exempt under IRS Section 501 (c) 3

Non-Profit Org U.S. Postage Paid

Permit No. 1005734 Columbia MO 65201

Current Programs at the Mandir (November 15, 2009)

Devotional Programs Open prayer time/Aarti Tuesday 6:00 - 8:00 p.m. Sai Bhajan Thursday 7:00 - 8:00 p.m. Venkateshwara Suprabhatam/Vishnu Sahasranaamam Saturday 9:00 - 10:00 a.m. Open prayer time/Aarti Saturday 6:00 - 8:00 p.m. Kirtan (Monthly event) 1st Sunday 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.

Educational/Youth Programs Tamil Classes 1st /3rd Sunday 3:00 - 5:00 p.m. Hindi Classes 2nd Sunday 1:00 - 2:00 p.m. 4th Sunday 2:00 - 3:00 p.m. Bal Puja 2nd Sunday 10:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. Bal Sabha 4th Sunday 3:00 - 5:00 p.m.

Service Programs Volunteering at Central Missouri Food Bank 1st Tuesday 5:30 - 6:30 p.m. Shram Daan 1 (Labor Donation) Friday 6:00 - 8:00 p.m. Shram Daan 2 (Labor Donation) Saturday 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. Narayan Seva (Sai Group - St. Francis Home Lunch) 2nd Sunday 11:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. Non-Perishable Food Collection (Ongoing continuously)

Fitness and Cultural Art Programs Bharata Natyam classes (instructor fee required) Wednesday 4:00 - 8:30 p.m. Tabla classes (instructor fee required) Sundays Flexible for now Carnatic vocal music classes (instructor fee required) Sundays 1:00 - 3:00 p.m.

Shanthi Sandesh is a quarterly publication of the Hindu Temple and Community Center of Mid-Missouri (HTCC). It is published on behalf of HTCC by it’s Publications and Communications Committee. Editor: Sandhya Sharma <sandhya.sharma@yahoo.com>

Directions: Take Exit 127 on Interstate 70, Head north on Rangeline Street, Right at first traffic light on Vandiver Drive, Left on Parker Street, Right on Holly Avenue, Shanthi Mandir sign will be visible on the right after 5-6 homes. (Note: Holly Avenue is immediately before the Sunrise Optimist building) Please visit our web site and send us your e-mail address if you would like to be included on the Friends of the Mandir distribution list to receive timely program notices. http://shanthimandir.missouri.org