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Volume 12, Issue1 11210
Page 1 Volume 12, Issue 9
Volume 12, Issue1
11210
Volume 12, Issue 9 Page 2
Editorial
The month of September 2021 feels a lot different from the one last year.
There is an air of optimism and hope that we may have learnt to deal with and
live alongside Covid. Schools have opened and offices and workplaces are
beginning to function with safety measures. Following the removal of restric-
tions after July 19th, some of us would have taken a summer break within or
outside the country. Let us hope and pray that the coming months will not see
a resurge of the pandemic and the past ordeal becomes a distant memory.
After almost 16 months, the OHTCCP monthly communal prayers resumed on
8th August at our usual external venue, the Rose Hill Community Centre. Fu-
ture sessions will take place on the second Sunday of the month between
10am and 12 noon, the new timing. We would welcome your presence and we
would encourage you to get your masks and take adequate precautionary
measures.
Following elections in July 2021, the OHTCCP management team is in place
with new office bearers who will carry forward the aims and objectives of the
organisation.
Best Wishes
Satish
Thought for the Month
“A Karma-yogi performs action by body, mind, intellect, and senses, without
attachment, only for self-purification.” – Bhagavad Gita
Page 3 Volume 12, Issue 9
August Havan and Satsang - Report by Chinta Kallie
After a closure of c. 15 months, the Rose Hill Community Centre was opened
to the public for holding their regular functions. The OHTCCP August Com-
munal Prayer session took place on Sunday 8th August from 10am to noon. In the absence of Gian Gopal, OHTCCP’s acting Lay Pandit, the Purohit was
Mark Bhagwandin who very expertly performed the Havan Yagna for Ankit
Shukla, the OHTCCP Vice-Chair who was observing the demise of his be-
loved Uncle who had recently passed away in India.
The OHTCCP Committee was in almost full attendance and arrangements to
set up the Hall and the Pooja and Hawan Kund worked in an admirable clock-
work fashion with every member ensuring that all was in order. It was with
great respect that all Committee members sat down to participate in the Havan
ceremony, with Mark giving appropriate explanations as he went along.
We were happy to have with us Chris Hill with his dhol, He provided accom-
paniment to the bhajan singers where possible. The bhajans we in Tamil. Ben-
gali, Punjabi, and Hindi.
It was not possible to have the customary sit-down meal, but prasad was dis-
tributed by Mr Gupta.
Volume 12, Issue 9 Page 4
OHTCCP Janmashtami Celebration 2021 - Chinta Kallie
The celebration of Janmashtami or the birth of Lord Krishna was held at the
residence of Kanta & Gian Gopal as it was a Bank Holiday Monday. The likeli-
hood of getting a Hall to rent till late
was almost impossible and the
OHTCC is grateful that there was a
suitable place to hold the celebration
with a limited number of 30 people.
The ‘jhoola’for Baby Krishna was
beautifully decorated and designed to
give worshippers an opportunity to
gently pull the swing and put Baby
Krishna to sleep. It was also an
opportunity to make the customary
donations to OHTCCP.
Gian Gopal recounted the story of
Lord Krishna ‘s birth in a dungeon.
Mark Bhagwandin read from the
Bhagavad Gita to explain why Lord
Krishna came. Members of the Ox-
ford Kirtan Group sang appropriate
bhajans. The evening ended with the
customary vegetarian meal and
prashad
Page 5 Volume 12, Issue 9
Why we celebrate Ganesh Chaturthi
Ganesh Chaturthi, a popular Hindu festival, also known as Vinayaka Chaturthi, is
celebrated all over India, especially in Maharashtra. This is a ten-day festival begin-
ning on the fourth day (Shukla Chaturthi) and ending on the fourteenth day of the
waxing moon period (Anant Chaturdashi) in the month of Bhadrapada (mid-August-
mid September). Ganesh Chaturthi is a festival that celebrates the birth of Lord Ga-
nesh, the elephant-headed God of wealth, good fortune, and harmony.
Lord Ganesh is a deity with a head of an elephant. This elephant head symbolizes
immense wisdom which is brought about by “manana” or independent thinking or
reflection. In turn “manana” is brought about by the process of “Shravana” or intake
of spiritual knowledge
which is depicted by the
deity’s huge ears. The
well-developed trunk of
the lord depicts wisdom
and symbolizes intellect
of a perfectionist. Lord
Ganesh is believed to ride
on a mouse which signi-
fies destruction of the ego.
The food served at the
lord’s feet symbolizes material wealth and power. In the hands of Ganesh, the rope
signifies spiritual knowledge, the axe symbolizes annihilation of desire, the modak
stands for happiness and the lotus symbolises the divine state of self-realisation.
On Ganesh Chaturthi day we worship the God of power and wisdom to invoke his
blessings in order to attain spiritual knowledge, wisdom, and success in all our en-
deavours. Ganesh Chaturthi is observed throughout the Hindu world to attain prosper-
ity and good fortune..On Sunday 12th September we will dedicate the Havan to Lord
Ganesh. Please join us.
Volume 12, Issue 9 Page 6
Wedding of the Year - Namrata Rao Turaga & Karan Mathur The marriage ceremony of Namrata Rao, daughter of
Satish Rao (OHTCCP Committee member) and Usha
Rao to Karan Mathur took place at Heythrop Park - a
highly prestigious manorial venue near Chipping Nor-
ton on 21st August.
The wedding ceremony was preceded by the Haldi
and Mehndi ceremony on Thursday 19th August to
which several guests were invited to the Rao resi-
dence. The pre-wedding ‘Sangeet bash’ which in-
cluded the bridegroom’s family and friends took place
at the Oxford Town Hal on 20th August.
On 21st August, the ‘Milni’ ceremony (welcome of
the bridegroom’s party) took place at Heythrop Park
at 8.30am. Wedding guests participated in a tradi-
tional Indian breakfast. The wedding ceremony at
11.30am in a beautifully decorated ’mandap’ was wit-
nessed by c.200 guests. Following the wedding cere-
mony was a traditional vegetarian lunch. The evening
reception at 6pm was an extravaganza of music,
champagne reception, brass band and dancing till late.
The OHTCCP extends its heartiest congratulations to
Namrata Rao Turaga and Karan Mathur
Page 7 Volume 12, Issue 9
Children’s Story - Puppies for Sale - Chinta Kallie
There was a farmer who had puppies he wanted to sell. He painted a sign
advertising the pups and was nailing it to a post on the edge of his yard. As
he put the last nail into the post, he felt a tug on his overalls. He looked
down into the eyes of a little boy.
‘’Mister,” he said, “I want to buy one of
your puppies.”
“Well,” said the farmer, “These puppies
come from fine parents and cost a good
deal of money.”
The boy dropped his head for a moment.
Then he reached into his pocket and pulled
out a handful of change. “I’ve got thirty-
nine pennies. Is that enough to take a
look?” “Sure,” said the farmer and he
whistled,” Here, Dolly!” he called.
From the doghouse, out came Dolly followed by four little puppies. The lit-
tle boy pressed his face against the fence. His eyes danced with delight.
As the dogs made their way to the fence, the little boy noticed something
else inside the doghouse. Slowly another little puppy appeared. It came
down the ramp in an awkward manner. The little pup began hobbling toward
the others, doing its best to catch up
“I want that one,” the little boy said, pointing to the last puppy.
The farmer knelt down at the boy’s side and said, “Son, you don’t want that
puppy. He will never be able to run and play with you like these other pup-
pies.”
The little boy stepped back from the fence. He reached down and began roll-
ing up one leg of his trousers. He revealed a steel brace running down both
sides of his leg attaching itself to a specially made shoe. Looking back up at
the farmer, he said, “You see sir, I don’t run too well myself, and he will
need someone who understands.” He then bought the puppy, and they be-
came very good friends. They ran about and had fun at their own pace and
speed.
Volume 12, Issue 9 Page 8
Bhagavad Gita—Chapter 15
The fifteenth chapter of the Bhagavad Gita is unique in several respects. It is the
shortest, with only twenty shlokas. It summarizes the entire essence of not just the
Gita but also all the Vedas in those twenty shlokas. Specifically, it covers four topics
that are at the essence of any spiritual scripture: what is the world, who am I, what is
God or what transcends the world and me,
and what is the relationship between me,
the world and God.
What is the world? Our existence in this
world is illustrated using an upside down
tree, similar to a family tree. The root of
this tree is Ishvara wielding the power of
Prakriti, the saguna brahman, the eternal
essence with attributes. Samsaara, our ex-
istence on this world, is the outward growth of this tree. This growth is fueled by
sense objects which are in the form of sprouts or buds. Each sense object generates
desires, which generates actions, which bind us to the branches of the tree. Who am
I? The state of the jeeva, the individual soul, or the “I”. From an absolute standpoint,
there is one eternal essence, one consciousness, one-self, one “I”. But just like space
seems like it is divided into many through walls, this eternal essence is as though di-
vided into multiple “I”’s through apparent limitations or upaadhis.
What is God? Ishvara is not some remote figure, but pervades every aspect of the
universe. Ishvara provides awareness or the faculty to know. He provides energy
through the sun, the moon and fire. This energy is circulated throughout the universe
in the form of Soma or nectar, and also used for medicinal purposes. Metabolism, the
faculty to extract energy from this food in the form of Soma, is manifested through
Ishvara as the Vaishvaanara fire. Ultimately, all memory and knowledge is possible
through Ishvara who is resides in the hearts (intellect) of everyone.
What is the relationship between the individual, the world, and God? If we trace
the energy source of a tiny mango sapling, and of a 100 megawatt solar power plant,
we reach the same source – the sun. Similarly, if we mentally remove the ap-
parent limitations, the upaadhis, the names and forms behind the individual,
the world and of Ishvara, we find the foremost person, the Purushottama, the
pure unadulterated eternal essence. It is beyond the perishable visible world
and the imperishable seed of the visible world which is Prakriti.
https:// gitajourney.com/2013/03/26/summary-of-bhagavad-gita-chapter-15/
Page 9 Volume 12, Issue 9
July 2021 Donations, Collections and Expenditure
Activity Income:
Oxford City Council Grant for Broad St Events £2,000
Marston Eco-Market Stall collection £359.50
Bank Interest £1.84
Other Income
Standing Orders £458.75
Other Collections
K Bhandari Mundan Sanskar £101.00
Ecco market box collection £9.36
Dharmaraj shop box collection £40.00
AGM Collections £86.00
Donations for the month
Saroj Saurya £21.00
Anonymous (Paypal) £60.00
Vaghela K £21.00
Anonymous £21.00
D.Prasad (testing Paypal) £1.00
K.Bhandari – Donation-Shivrati / prayer £53.00
Donations Gian Gopal/H.Gandhi/M. Saini £35.02
Bank Interest
Total collection for July 2021
Total Expenditure for July 2021
Balance July
£1.96
£3268.75
£1852.59
£1416.00
Volume 12, Issue 9 Page 10
Announcements and News
Annual General Meeting (25th July 2021)
1. The following significant Management changes were made at the
OHTCCP Executive Committee Meeting held on 9th September:
Mukesh Shori took over the role of the Chairperson from Gian Gopal who
had expertly and diligently served the OHTCCP from the time if its incep-
tion in 2008. Our very sincere thanks and gratitude are due to Gian Gopal
for steering the Committee with expertise and foresight through many
stages from registration with the Charity Commission to ensuring that vari-
ous Sub-Committees executed their roles with professional knowledge of
the voluntary sector and the funding regime. Ritesh Kapadia took over as Vice Chair from Ankit Shukla. The positions
of Treasurer and Secretary were retained as Dharamraj Gupta and Krishan
Dhiman and Rabindra Chakraborthy
2. The next Communal Prayer session will take place on 12 September at the
Rose Hill Community Centre from 10.-12pm.
3. Congratulations and Happy House-warming to Mukesh and Nirmala Shori
for moving into their new home. The OHTCCP wishes you all the very best
and hope that you will enjoy the new environment.
4. Congratulations to OHTCCP Trustee Mr. Jiwan
Sharma & Mrs.Naresh Sharma on being blessed
with twin grandsons – Veer and Kabir. Proud par-
ents, daughter Anuradha & Son- in law Ricky
Soni are delighted.
Please email us your Family Samachar to
