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Dear
Havyakas
December 30, 2003
During
the past two years, we have learned from our relatives in India or through
personal visits, about the dramatic increase of Havyaka community
involvement in our Guru Matta initiated social, educational and spiritual
projects under the leadership of Shree Ragaveshwara
Bharati Swamiji of
Ramachandrapur Matta and Shree Gangadharendra Saraswati Swamiji of Sonda
Swarnawalli Matta. These aspects have been highlighted on several Havyaka
regional meetings as well as during the recent 10th Bi-annual
HAA convention. The details of diverse efforts of Gurujis have been
summarized in the convention souvenir, HAA web page as well as follow-up
appeals messages. These details can be accessed through our redesigned HAA
web page, www.havyak.com,
under “Events” section; 10th Bi- Annual
Convention and under “Charity” section. Consequently,
havyakas in Americas have been showing interest in learning or in
contributing more towards various projects initiated by our Gurujis to
uplift the community. To present and inform all havyakas in the West about
the latest developments/activities of our Shree Ramachandrapura Matta, the
web site of Matta is provided herewith as a link: www.shreebharathi.org.
Requests have been made to develop similar type of web page for Shree
Sonda Swarnavalli Matta or to incorporate activities within the
established web page. This will educate all Havyakas about our noble
Guru-parampara, the spiritual and cultural heritage that dates back
to Adi Shankaracharya’s time when our sacred Mattas were established.
One
of the means of building a stronger, peaceful and co-operative community
with higher intellectual capacity has
been by incorporating the wisdom of Vedanta, practice of Spirituality and
Vedic philosophy in our daily life. Accordingly, to enhance the awareness
and importance of chanting of
vedic mantras and performance of rituals and religious practices
of Guru Matta among our youth and all havyakas here in Americas, we
are proposing to form a “Guru Matta Samhiti of HAA”. In
doing so, the group of volunteers with long-term commitment in this
mission, will be better positioned to make a sustained effort and impact,
in harmony with all new office bearers of HAA chapters and the activities
they organize.
Following
are the key mission, scope, proposed activities and initial
volunteers of “Guru Matta Samhiti of HAA”
Mission:
To communicate and instill the noble principles and activities of
our Guru Matta and Gurujis to the Youth and all Havyakas in Americas.
Scope:
(1) To instill the wisdom of Vedanta and highlight the life-long
benefits of spiritual practices
(2) To put forward the means and methods of incorporating the
practices of spirituality, prayer
and meditation/Yoga in day-to-day life and as a group during
HAA chapter meetings and
atherings.
(3) To co-ordinate the implementation of such activities during
various chapter meetings of
HAA through its members and bi-annual new office bearers.
Proposed
activities: We need
input from all to make it as a practical and balanced approach so
that the activities can be adapted to enrich our Youth in Americas.
It is very important that the significance and purpose of
activities and rituals can be explained to the youngsters. Accordingly,
some aspects may need to be customized as needed to fit in the time frame
or in the society we chose to live in.
It is best if the activities are concise, and convey the core
message and values. The most important aspect probably is the
participation of all attendees as volunteers. In order to perform as
a group here are some
examples that could be incorporated during the chapter meetings, if yet to
be carried out. To convey the
message of noble Mantras and adaptable rituals, we need to have English
transliterations and translations. (With copies to be distributed to
attendees):
1.
Start the Havyaka event with
the chanting of three Shlokas such as
“
Om sahanavavatu.. “ , “Shuklambaradharam ….”, and
Devi Stuthi, for instance.
2. Pooja – with a group reading of Versus from Bhagavatgeetha
3. Arati - with
“Om Jai Jagadeesha....”
4. Just before Bhojana: “Brahmarpanam..”
and/or “Annapoorne.….”
5. Just at the end of the meeting a Bhajan /Meditation
One
can explore the possibility of extending these activities on regular
basis (monthly) by assembling
at local or city level smaller groups depending on the
number of interested families.
Volunteers:
1)
Dr. Ramachanda K. Bhat (R.K
Bhat) (Virginia), one of the founding members as well as former
presidents, and other members of HAA have been advocating Shree Matta
practices and values for many years now. He has volunteered to be a
representative of the new “Guru-Matta Samhiti of HAA” from Washington
DC-Virgina (East-Coast) area.
2)
Mr. Shivaram Betha from
Iowa is enthusiastic to be the representative from Mid-West region.
3)
Mr. Ramesh Hegde, (who is
well versed with the chanting
of Vedic Mantras, Shlokas, and Bhajans) from Plano, Texas
is enthusiastic to be the representative from Texas area.
4)
Bheem Bhat, Madiyala
another volunteer from East Coast (more on communication/ publication
aspects through JHAA).
It
will be best to have key volunteers from all the 17 chapters of HAA
as representatives to lead/ co-ordinate. In addition, we need many interested
Havyakas as participants/ volunteers in “Guru Matta Samhiti” to
instill the wisdom and practice of Vedanta to our youngsters for their
benefit.
All
havyakas interested in participating in this mission, or for any
suggestion or question please contact: RK Bhat (ramabhat@aol.com,
703-569-9792); or Shivaram
(shivaram@hotmail.com,
515-225-8628); or Ramesh Hegde hegdes89@hotmail.com,
972-985-4561) or Bheem Bhat (bheembhat@yahoo.com, 610-644-6014).
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