January 10, 2022
Dear Devotees, friends, and well-wishers:
Namaste!
We are beginning this year with the idea and hope that finally
there will be an end to the pandemic as we have known it. We are
not there yet and as we write this letter, we are under a serous
Omicron wave that has swept through the nation. The good news
and the silver lining is that it is a milder infection in the
folks that have been vaccinated and that the wave may peak
quickly and some signs from New York point to this being the
case. This also means that we will have to learn to live with
the virus in some form and continue our lives in a modified
manner with some preventive measures such as masking and
distancing socially for the foreseeable future. At the Hindu
Bhavan, we have remained vigilant and cautious.
Pundit Ji is continuing prayers and Aarti daily in the evening;
the prayers and Aarti session is available for viewing and
participation via a Zoom link sent out from Hindu Bhavan; This
session is at 6 pm each day. We have tested Zoom, and it has
added a new meaning to attending a session virtually and yet
enjoying the altar in full view. On Mondays 4.30 pm and
Thursdays 4 pm. Of course, you can attend in person and are
welcome to do so. The Pongal, Sankranti, Lohri event had to be
postponed due to the high prevalence of COVID transmission
locally and as a result, the Priest is also unable to travel for
Pujas at devotee homes until further notice.
Some additional information is that Dr Kamal Bakri has asked to
retire from the Trustee Board. He has served for over twenty
years in various capacities and is a founding member, donor,
Director, Trustee, and devotee. His contributions and his legacy
will be etched for ever in Hindu Bhavan history. We thank him
for his service and wish him a joyful and healthy life and wish
him and his family the very best as he continues his personal
journey. He has been a doctor, mentor and a friend to many and
we cannot thank him enough.
Mr. Anup Contractor has been nominated to the opening on the
Board of Trustees and no one is more qualified to take this
role. Anup has served the temple since it opened, and he is a
constant presence in the volunteer role handling all tasks at
every event. He is also a former President of the Board of
Directors.
Dr Mrs. Amruta Bahekar Patel is nominated for the vacant
position on the Board of Directors. She and her husband Pavan
Patel have made Fayetteville their home and she brings a
different and youthful vision to the temple.
If you have any questions or concerns, please contact any of us
on the Board; If not, we will accept the support by acclamation
(in the absence of a formal vote due to inability to hold a
general body meeting).
Full Slate: Trustees: Dr Dinesh Chandra (Chair), Dr Divyang
Patel, Mr Anup Contractor, Mrs Jyotiben Naik, Dr Rakesh Gupta
Directors: Mrs Vidhya Hegde -President, Dr Sumedha Dalvi -Vice
President, Dr Kalpana Krishna, Mr Raju Shah, Mr Sharad Surati,
Mrs Koki Patel Secretary, Mrs Sujita Naik, Mr Natarajan Raman,
Mr Manish Mehta,
We encourage you to visit the temple as always, participate in
Puja and Aarti, which is the very best way to get the blessings
and feel the vibrations from the altar, and if not able to come
in person, attend virtually via Zoom link. We wish you and your
family a healthy and happy new year.
No cloth masks will be permitted for now – Surgical masks, KN 95
or N 95 masks only, when at the temple.
Sincerely
On behalf of The Board of Directors and Trustees – Hindu Bhavan
Jai Sri Krishna
November 22, 2021
Dear Devotees, Friends, and well-wishers:
Namaste!
We are now closing in on the end of the year and the Holiday
season is here. This also means that we are in November and
Thanksgiving is this coming Thursday. As we gather around the
dining table and give thanks and celebrate with family and
friends, it is also time to pause. This has been a difficult
year for many, especially the young and old amongst us, with
separation, lack of social contact due to COVID restrictions and
work at times replaced by Zoom conversations and Webex meetings.
The world has seen over 5 million deaths and numerous others
that have had lingering effects of long covid. We want to give
thanks to Bhagavan for allowing us to continue our journey and
with the hope for a better tomorrow.
Hindu Bhavan is especially grateful for your support,
resilience, and vigilance during this pandemic. We are grateful
that our operations have continued uninterrupted and while we
have had in person gatherings for main events, we have continued
to host small or even large events on Facebook live and zoom. We
are also grateful that our congregation continues to adhere to
masking and social distancing while at the temple. Please
understand that the pandemic is not over, and even at our local
hospital, while the inpatient census for COVID has declined in
recent weeks, there are an estimated 8-9 % (hospitalized) that
have been vaccinated but have breakthrough infections (In the
community at large - this is an underestimate). Thus, the need
for continued vigilance and masking. Get your Booster Vaccine
now.
This season of Thanksgiving is a wonderful time for sharing with
family and friends. This is followed by Giving Tuesday – the
Tuesday and week after the holiday. In our community over 60
charities are participating, and you can give large and small
through the Cumberland Community Foundation to support your
favorite charity. The gift will be amplified with matching
support of generous donors up to $400K. If you should, however,
choose to support us at Hindu Bhavan, we welcome your support
and you can write a check to Hindu Bhavan directly, and mail it
to Box 87255, Fayetteville, NC 28304. All support will be
directed to retiring our mortgage (debt) that is currently
estimated at $100K. This is our focus for the year.
As the famous poet Maya Angelou said, “When we give cheerfully
and accept gratefully, everyone is blessed”.
May everyone in your family be blessed and may all of you have a
wonderful holiday season.
Thank you for your continued support and kindness. Stay healthy
and safe. Please visit the temple as often as you can – this
helps you and the family, the temple, and the priest Pandit Vyas
Ji. It also allows us to perpetuate our faith “Sanatana Dharma”.
“Dharma, Duty, Devotion, Dhyanam and Danam” – The five pillars
of our faith as per Premaji Pandurang.
Jai Sri Krishna
Executive Committee and Board of Trustees.
May 17, 2021
Dear Devotees and friends:
Namaste! It is our sincere hope that you and your families are
doing well and have been vaccinated against COVID 19. As all of
you already know that vaccines are now available quite freely at
most pharmacies and under the current CDC guidelines anyone over
age 12 is eligible and should avail of the opportunity.
Also, under the most recent guidance it appears that it is quite
safe to pursue outdoor/indoor activity and family gatherings if
everyone is fully vaccinated. Since it remains uncertain if
everyone “is” or “is not” in a public setting such as a temple,
we are continuing the strict guideline of masking and social
distancing when indoors at the temple. This will include the
priest Kamlesh Vyas Ji when he goes to the devotee homes or out
and about in public locations. Please help ascertain that this
guidance is followed.
We are beginning to resume as much of an activity as is
permissible and safe at the temple. We are grateful for your
support during the pandemic which has been difficult for all.
Many members of our congregation have lost a family member or a
friend here in US or at home in India where the infection
continues to be devastating. Many of you have made contributions
for equipment and support individually and collectively to
support folks back home. Please be reminded to do so with
scrutiny of nonprofits that are providing support in India.
Hindu Bhavan will celebrate Varshikotsav on June 18/19 at the
temple. Please mark this on your calendar. Your presence and
support as usual are crucial for this to be a success. We will
provide separate small homam kunds for families to use while
performing the ceremony outdoors to avoid congregating at one
homam used by the priest.
During this annual celebration, we will once again try to reach
out to our members/friends to contribute to pay off our mortgage
(balance of $162 K). We look forward to seeing each of you.
Pundit Vyas Ji is doing well and has recovered well from his
illness in January.
He is once again available for Pujas at home and at the temple –
only if you and the family are fully vaccinated.
Temple Hours: Evenings 5pm-7pm (Aarti at 6.30 pm)
Weekends Saturday and Sunday 10 am – 12 noon and evenings at the
same time. the Priest has a day off on Tuesday.
Sai Bhajan on Thursday Evening 4.30-6 pm; Regular Aarti 6.30 pm
Thank you once again. Jai Sri Krishna.
Members of Board of Trustees and Directors
December 14, 2020
Dear Members, devotees, friends:
Jai Sri Krishna and Namaskar.
We are coming to the end of this year and what a remarkable and
unforgettable 2020 has been.
The pandemic brought upon us a completely different way of
living and connecting. We have learned new phrases and are
forced to live and work with virtual technology. Yet, I must say
the spirit is not broken and, in many ways, we will come out
stronger than ever, simply because we now realize how valuable
the human connection is, friends are, and the family is. We
encourage you to not let your guard down, as we await the
vaccine and development of adequate herd immunity, we need to
remain vigilant and observant of masking, social distancing and
hand washing. (projected at least into the winter of 2021).
At the temple we have been fortunate to have Pundit Ji conduct
daily Pujas and connect with most of you in a virtual fashion
especially during important festivals. It has been hard for him
and the congregation, because not being able to assemble on
premises poses many hurdles. Yet he remains flexible and
resilient and willing, so that many Pujas can be conducted using
facetime live or zoom technology. Please avail of such
opportunities. WE have advised him against travel to individual
homes to minimize his exposure to COVID 19 infection.
The temple Board of Directors wish to inform you that we are
forming select committees to assist senior citizens who are
unable to venture out, for help with purchase of groceries,
making physician appointments and such. We do remind you, that
should you have an urgent physical/medical emergency, the best
way to handle that would be by using 911 access. We are also
looking into the idea of basic health and medical guidance with
the help of our physician members/devotees to help triage simple
health issues. We will send out additional information regarding
this item.
We wish to thank each member/family that has donated time and
money to Hindu Bhavan to keep us operational. We again seek your
support before the end of this year as you make your charitable
gifts/donations. Please be reminded that all cash donations made
to Hindu Bhavan are tax deductible fully and you can also
contribute appreciated equities through FCB brokerage. (A Pledge
card with a self-addressed envelope is enclosed). Our goal is to
retire our mortgage (currently about $230 K) via the 2020
campaign. Many families have made generous contributions to
retire about $300000/- in our mortgage this year.
We wish to inform you of a change in leadership; Mr Arunesh
Kaushish has asked to be taken off the Board due to his
inability to contribute time and Mrs Sujita Naik was nominated
and approved by our Board. We seek affirmation from the general
body, and she will be a wonderful addition. Should you disagree,
please let Dr D. Patel know via E mail or phone. We have not had
the opportunity to seek confirmation via vote of the general
body typically done at our annual meeting.
Many or you are on the mailing list via E mail, but should you
not be in the 2018 directory from Hindu Bhavan, please forward
your mailing address to Dr Sumedha Dalvi.
In concluding, we wish to thank Mrs Kamlesh Tandon for doing a
wonderful job of conducting Yoga via Zoom daily. She now has
people attending class from here and abroad and many distant
places within USA.
We also wish to remember those in our community that we have
lost this year from COVID 19 illness and otherwise.
WE wish each family the very best and send our heartfelt
condolences for the loss of their dear ones. It is never easy,
and we hope that the next year will bring an opportunity for
peace and joy and that the pandemic will be behind us.
We thank you and again remind you that “all of us are in this
together”.
Tentatively, we are planning an outdoor event (weather
permitting) for Makar Sankranti on January 16, 2021 by kite
flying and bonfire. Each member (child) is asked to bring their
own kite(s) with roll of thread to celebrate that day.
Additional details will be forthcoming.
Namaste, JSK; Happy Holidays.
Be safe!
Board of Trustees and Directors
“No person was ever honored for what he received. Honor has been
the reward for what he gave.”
Calvin Coolidge
September 27, 2020
Dear Devotees, members and well-wishers:
Namaste and Jai Sri Krishna
This letter is to thank you all for your patience and diligence
in dealing with COVID 19 crisis and we very much appreciate that
all visitors to the temple have been socially distancing,
wearing masks and following hand washing guidelines. It is
unlikely that these guidelines will change anytime soon as we
come to the fall and winter season.
This year we did not celebrate our annual Varshikotsav, but the
Board of directors and Trustees met to review our recent
progress. There is a significant interest by the devotees in
hosting a two-day celebration (Vishwa Shanti Yagna) with Pujas
and outdoor homams with careful social distancing. Please mark
Oct 9/10 weekend and a detailed flyer will be forthcoming. As
all of you know the Ganesh utsav was celebrated with a lot of
gaiety and we raised over $10 K for the operational temple fund.
Kudos to all those who participated and contributed.
Pundit Vyas Ji is quite busy and has generated a compact
schedule. We will have a visiting Priest from the Charlotte
temple to assist. We must remain cognizant of the State
guidelines and a limited number of people can gather within the
hall at any given time (socially distanced with masks) and
outdoor gatherings are better and easier to manage. Homas will
be conducted with restriction of two or three couples/families
around each Havan Kund to diminish the risk of infection. Pundit
ji will control the time permitted for each participant
couple/individual.
We encourage you to remain vigilant and continue to follow
guidelines from CDC and the State.
Should you have an interest in contributing to the temple
mortgage retirement fund, please contact any member of the
Board. Additionally, many options will be available to support
the event (Yagna celebration) on Oct 9/10. Our goal is to retire
our mortgage as soon as possible.
Wishing you the very best of the upcoming fall season.
Jai Sri Krishna
Board of Directors and Trustees
August 16, 2020
Dear Friends and devotees
Namaste! Jai Sri Krishna
We are planning a celebration (virtual) of Ganesh Chaturthi
festival over the next two weekends. The Sthapana and Ganesh
Puja will be conducted on August 22 and details will be
communicated via a flyer. The attendance at the temple will be
restricted and staggered in compliance with COVID 10 state
guidelines. The following weekend on Aug 30, a Visarjan
(outdoor) will be planned and boxed mahaprasad will be available
for pickup. Devotees are invited to the outdoor event and
masking and social distancing will be mandated as per
guidelines. A virtual music program "Pearls of Hollywood" is
planned for Saturday August 29.
This year is very unusual and difficult for all of us and the
community at large. COVID 19 disease is a serious illness and
the viral infection is very contagious and has led to more than
168 K deaths in this country alone. We should continue to remain
on guard and pursue all the safety measures to include frequent
hand washing, wearing of a mask and social distancing. It is
very likely that this “new normal” will persist for a minimum of
12-18 months or even longer until appropriate drug intervention
or vaccine with documentation of immunity becomes available for
the general population. Many families have suffered personal and
business consequences and we should remain cognizant and
supportive in any manner that is practical. It is especially
important that those with preexistent conditions such as lung or
heart disease, diabetes and HTN remain very vigilant.
On behalf of Hindu Bhavan we wish you a very happy Ganesh
Chaturthi and encourage you to participate in the celebration
(virtual) or in person with above restrictions. Please keep the
temple mission of promoting religious harmony and peace and
prayer, foremost in your daily life. Encourage our youth to
learn our Hindu faith and continue to support their social and
educational needs during this difficult period. Sunday School
has resumed its schedule (virtual).
The temple depends on your support for continuing its operations
and we encourage you to contribute by sponsorships and pledges
as you deem appropriate. We also wish to recognize the hard work
of volunteers that attend the daily service, keep the temple
premises clean and to Punditji Kamlesh Vyas who provides
religious services. We offer our support and prayers to him and
his family for their recent personal loss (mother). We thank the
families that have already sent in their support contributions
this year. Many Thanks!
Jai Sri Krishna
Members of Hindu Bhavan Board of Trustees and the Executive
Committee
April 21, 2020
Re: Temple Closure and New
Hours/Requirements
Dear Devotees and Friends:
This remains a very difficult and testing time for our community
and the country/world due to the Pandemic secondary to COVID 19
virus. These are uncharted times and even with all the backing
of modern science and technology it is very difficult to predict
the future as it relates to this disease. We currently remain
under a restriction of ‘stay and shelter’ order by the Governor
of NC.
We do know that the disease infectivity can be decreased by
social distancing and protective measures to include frequent
handwashing, facial masks(covering) in public domain, careful
sanitizing and limiting all gatherings to less than 10 people.
It is also important to self-quarantine (and seek medical
advice) if one has fever, fatigue, dry cough, altered sense of
smell/taste, difficulty in breathing or loose stools and
nausea/lack of appetite. (or contact with a person with travel
history or personal travel history).
It is quite likely that the new normal of social distancing and
wearing of masks and frequent handwashing may be with us for the
next 6-12 months or even longer. As the incidence and prevalence
of infection in our community decreases, it is likely that we
may venture out into the public domain with continuing
precautions until a drug intervention or vaccine becomes
available for general use (hopeful, but not likely for at least
12 months).
Our temple will remain closed until we have additional
directions from the NC state government. The Priest Kamlesh Vyas
ji will continue to perform Aarti daily (5.30-6.30 pm) and will
entertain devotee presence at evening Aarti only by a previously
scheduled appointment with the Priest and on a rotational basis
to allow an equal opportunity to all. No more than 6-8 devotees
with precautions (each seated >6 feet apart) will be permitted
to attend a given session. If you do not follow the prescribed
guidelines (including facial masks) you will be disallowed entry
or asked to leave. You are not allowed to touch the Aarti thali
or bring any food/offering to the temple. Do not touch any
equipment or the temple bells. Observe all
disinfection/sanitizing guidelines.
A private session for a special puja for a family (no more than
6-8 people) may be arranged by appointment. This can be also
done via Facetime or other live streaming. (at request); Please
remember that we need to prevent spread of the infection and
protect each other.
Your cooperation is very much appreciated. All temple charges
will apply for services as posted.
Thank you for your patience and support.
Jai Sri Krishna
Temple Trustees and Board of Directors
November 1, 2019
Dear Friends and well-wishers:
Namaste. We are concluding festivities for
the year and as we celebrate Annakoot it is also the beginning
of a new chapter. Our volunteers and donors have once again come
through on each occasion to support, contribute and keep us
focused on our mission.
The year has been very productive and
eventful. Pundit Kamlesh Vyasji and his family joined us in
January and his dedication and devotion to the temple and the
congregation has been very remarkable. We have received positive
feedback, and this has been very gratifying. Please do let us
know if there is any suggestion or comment that you may like
considered in his evaluation at the end of this year.
The temple celebrated many events this year
with gaiety and pomp and these were enjoyed by the congregation.
Varshikotsav, Ramnavami, Ganeshotsav were especially joyous.
Navaratri celebrations and Diwali event were also a lot of fun.
It was very good to see over sixty couples participate in the
Pooja organized by Punditji at Diwali.
From a financial standpoint we have done
well this year and the annual summary will be presented at the
meeting. We also renewed our mortgage in the summer at the
prevailing rate of interest now under 4 %. Our total Principal
outstanding (430K) has declined with the support and
contributions to the Bhavan 2020 fund.
We have received $140 K in contributions to date and we
have a pledge of $30K. Our goal is to retire our mortgage at or
around the tenth anniversary coming up in May 2020. It is our
fervent hope that each of you will not only support the temple
for daily operations but contribute to the 2020 fund to help
retire the mortgage. This will go a long way in making the
temple a viable entity for the future.
The temple is open daily each morning
and evening, except on Thursday (evening only). Punditji
welcomes your presence and should you need a service performed
at home, please feel free to reach him on his cell phone. (224
85 8310). Monthly schedule for the temple is posted on the
website “Hindubhavan.org”. Contributions can be sent to
Hindu Bhavan, PO Box 87255, Fayetteville, NC 28304.
The temple has become a focal point of our
community. This is truly wonderful because it offers us the
opportunity to share thoughts, meditate, perform yoga or just
pray together or just as we choose. Our youth group meets there
every other Sunday during the school year. The Sunday school
continues to render teaching of our scriptures to the younger
children. Please feel free to support and reach out if you wish
to enroll your children.
An important message is that you
cannot impart an education unless you (as a parent) are willing
to practice and impart it at home.
It is also time to elect new leadership and
we will have some changes to the slate of officers and members
on the list for Trustees and Directors at the annual meeting
scheduled on Nov 2, 2019.Dr Divyang Patel has agreed to become
the President of Board of Directors and Mrs Vidhya Hegde as the
Vice President.
We want to especially thank Mr Harkisan
Bhai Dhandha for his service since inception of Hindu Bhavan. He
will continue to serve on Buildings and Grounds and Religious
committee. We want to welcome Mr
Arunesh Kaushish back on the Board of Directors after a
hiatus of several years. He will chair the Buildings and Grounds
committee.
The Chairs of each existing committee
will be recognized at the meeting. Dr Vinita Gupta and the
Sunday school teachers continue to serve in their roles and
provide a nurturing educational environment for the children.
Mrs Kamlesh Tandon conducts Yoga classes each week on Monday and
Wednesday. The Cultural committee chaired by Dr Sumedha Dalvi
has done a superb job hosting enjoyable events. Thanks to Mrs
Sujita Naik , we keep getting Mahaparasad
at most temple events.
In closing, we want to say a huge thank you
for our ever willing and present volunteer group that continues
to serve the temple. They are often the folks working behind the
scenes for us to all have a good time at the temple. Please stop
to say hello and should you have an opportunity, please sign up
by calling either Anup Contractor or Natarajan Raman. Please
strive to avoid littering and please keep the temple clean. We
ask for volunteers to set up and take down after each big event
at the temple.
Pundit Vyasji has asked us to remind each
devotee that he is available to do special Pooja for an
individual’s birthday, anniversary or any special event. You can
call him to make an appointment.
Please continue to attend services, offer
advice as appropriate and provide suggestions to make our
community better.
“Put you heart, mind and soul into
even your smallest acts. This is the secret of success.”
Swami Sivananda
Jai Sri Krishna
Respectfully submitted
Hindu
Bhavan Board of Directors and Trustees
Donor Categories
General Donors |
$ 1000 - $ 4999 |
Bronze Donors |
$ 5000 - $ 9999 |
Pearl Donors |
$ 10000 - $ 19999 |
Silver Donors |
$ 20000 - $ 50000 |
Gold Donors |
$ 50000 - $ 150,000 |
Platinum Donors |
$ 150,000 - $ 250,000 |
Diamond Donors |
$ 250,000 and above |
|