September 2005 Newsletter HINDU CONNECTIONS VOLUME 3 – Num. 8
Sri Krishna Janmashtami festival
On August 26, 2005, the American Hindu Association (AHA) organized a large and
joyous Sri Krishna Janmashtami festival on behalf of the Madison area Hindu
community.
With almost 200 people in attendance, this was one of the largest and most
successful Janmashtami celebrations in Madison history. In addition to devotional
bhajans, the recitation of sacred shlokas from the Bhagavad Gita, and arati,
the large event included many dazzling performances from several area Indian dance
schools. The pravachana (discourse) was delivered by Dr. Frank Morales,
the AHA’s President. After the main event, everyone finally enjoyed a delicious
home-cooked prasada feast. The event took place at the Fitchburg Community Center.
What Can Vegetarians Eat On Airline Flights?more...
USA, August 25, 2005: Being an airline passenger has never been more challenging than it
is now. This is even truer for vegetarians as many airlines have eliminated some or all
meal options to cut costs in this extremely budget-focused environment. Thus, we called
major airlines to determine which offer vegetarian meals.
The results were highly variable. In some cases, airlines only offer meals on
long-distance flights or, in the case of Delta, on those flights to which the
airline has applied some set of criteria. Passengers have to call the airline
or log onto their website to determine if meals are offered on a particular flight.
Some airlines charge meal fees while others don't. Some limit meals to their
first-class cabins. One carrier, American Airlines, does not offer vegetarian
meals but does serve slightly substantial snacks that may include vegetarian
foods kept separate from pre-packaged animal products in the same box.
Keeping A Dying Tradition of Temple Singers Alive
Kishori Barman - Eighty-one-year-old Saidai D. Natarajan belongs to the vanishing
tribe of the Oduvars -- professional temple singers. He has taught hymns from the
Tirumurai to about 500 students in the city. Mr. Natarajan conducts classes in
Thevaram and Carnatic music in his house at West Mambalam. But now their number
has dwindled and he is trying to keep the tradition alive by teaching youngsters
this dying art. Some have migrated abroad and continue to sing from the Thevaram
and give concerts in Carnatic music. Mr. Nadarajan is the president of the Oduvar
Sangam which he started in 1980 says that Oduvars need to have good memory power
as there are no notes for Thevaram. Oduvars also perform at weddings and house
blessing functions.
Quotable Quotes
In my opinion the Sanskrit text Satyam bruyat priyam bruyat, Na bruyat
satyamapriyam means that one should speak the truth in gentle language.
One had better not speak it if one cannot do so in a gentle way, meaning
thereby that there is no truth in a man who cannot control his tongue. -Mahatma Gandhi
Home
On August 26, 2005, the American Hindu Association (AHA) organized a large and
joyous Sri Krishna Janmashtami festival on behalf of the Madison area Hindu
community.