PAGE 8 • INDIA HERALD • WEDNESDAY, MAY 28, 2014
COMMUNITY CALENDAR Chinmaya Mission Sunday satsangs for adults, youth and children. Unique Bala Vihar program for each grade, from PreK to Grade 12. Satsangs in two sessions between 8:35 a.m. to 10:15 a.m. and 11:20 a.m. 1p.m. Bala Vihar students can take shloka, bhajan and orchestra classes or classes for Hindi, Telugu, Marathi, and Gujarati. At 10353 Synott Road, Sugar Land (77498) New members visit welcome desk bet. 8 to 8:45 a.m. or 10:15 to 11:30 a.m. Visit www.chin mayahouston.org or contact Bharati Sutaria 281-933-0233.
Arya Samaj Satsang Weekly Havan Satsang every Sunday from 10 a.m. to 12 noon. DAV Sanskriti School Sundays 10 a.m. to 12 noon. - Havan, Hindi and Naitik Shiksha classes. DAV Montessori School for ages 2 to 7 years. Call Arti Khanna 281-7593286. Free Yoga classes on Sat. Sanskrit & Upanishad classes Tue. 6-8 p.m. At 14375 Schiller Rd. (bet Westpark & Bellaire off Hwy 6). 281-752-0100.
Vedanta Society Vedanta Society of Greater Houston, 14809 Lindita Drive (77083) has classes every Sunday from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna, 1st & 3rd Sunday; Bhagavad Gita, 2nd Sunday; on works of Swami Vivekananda, 4th Sunday; Holy Mother Sarada’s Gospel, 5th Sunday. Swamis of Ramakrishna Order visit to conduct retreats and talks. www.houstonvedanta.org or 281-584-0488.
Durga Bari Temple Durga Bari temple is open from 9 to 11 a.m. and 4 to 7 p.m. Mon. thru Sat. Sandhya aarti at 6:30 p.m. Temple closes at 7 p.m. Sunday special from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Puja services - Priest Bishnupada
Goswami 281-597-8100 Temple is located at 13944 Schiller Rd (off Hwy 6 bet. Bellaire & Westpark). Call Ganesh Mandal at 713-7979057 / 832-423-8541.
Telugu Fellowship Telugu Christian Fellowship meets every third Saturday of the month at Triumph Church, 10555 W. Airport Blvd., Stafford TX 77477 at 6:30 p.m. Join us for a time of praise, worship and fellowship. Worship is in English. Call Chris Gantela 281-344-0707, or Rev. V. Gurrala 281-997-0757.
Sahaj Marg Meditation Sahaj Marg (Natural Path) Meditation and Spirituality (www. sahajmarg.org) A natural, simple system of Raja Yoga meditation and spiritual practice. Weekly satsangs held in the Houston area. Email Radheshyam Miryala, MD at meditate_ houston@yahoo. com or meditate.galveston @gmail. com.
Heritage Classes Ashirwad’s Heritage Classes in Katy, Cypress and Sugar Land for kids 4 to 18 yrs - meditation, Yoga, slokas, stories from scriptures, Vishnu Sahasranam, bhajans, competitions and fun activities. Adult meditation classes by appointment only. Register at www.ashirwad ablessing.org or Sri Ravula 281-995-0930.
Hare Krishna Dham Houston’s original Vedic temple, ISKCON of Houston. At 1320 W 34th St. (77018). Daily Darshan & Arati Times: 4.30am, 7am, 8.30am, 12noon, 4.30pm, 7pm, 9pm. Sunday Festival: 5.30 pm to 7.30 pm. Weekly Gita classes for adults; 281-433-1635 or harekrishna dham@gmail.com
Gandhi Library Mahatma Gandhi Library Book Club: Meets 2nd Sunday
SARGAM SCHOOL OF MUSIC SARGAM SCOOL OF MUSIC is offering SHORT SUMMER WORKSHOP in southwest Houston (77083). The workshop will consist of Hindustani Vocal classical music and light music, harmonium, and keyboard lessons in English for ages 5 and above. Group and solo lessons also available. For information please call MANGALA SANE 281-498-6126. Email: mangalamusic@gmail.com Web: Http://Mangal1.cloud. Prohosting.com or www.Zingerbay.com Also MANDAR SANE - professional accompanist - tabla, dholak, dhole, guitar, available. Professional group of singers for concerts - Hindi, Urdu ghazals, semiclassical, classical Hindi songs. Also devotional bhajan group for religious occasions. Call MANGALA SANE 281-498-6126.
SALES HELP WANTED Well-known Houston jewelry store is looking for saleswomen availabe to start immediately. Must be able to speak English and Hindi well. Call 713-789-7575
Chandra & David Courtney
of each month; 12:30 PM at Arya Samaj Greater Houston, 13475 Schiller Rd. Join the discussion of the great man’s autobiography – The Story of My Experiments with Truth. Call Manish Wani 713-829-6979.
Saumyakasi Sivalaya Sri Saumyakasi Sivalaya is located at Chinmaya Prabha, 10353 Synott Road, Sugar Land, TX 77478. Temple timings: Monday to Friday: 9:00 AM - 12:00 Noon and 5:00 - 8:00 PM Saturday and Sunday: 8:30-2:00 PM and 5:00 - 8:00 PM. Contact Bharti Sutaria 281568-1690 or Jay Deshmukh 832541-0059 or visit www.saum yakasi.org.
Veerashaiva Samaja VSNA Houston is a group of families who believe in Veerashaiva dharma (Basava dharma). Monthly Mahamane program for prayer and discussion on Vachana Sahitya followed by Prasada. Contact: vsnahouston@gmail.com or Jagadeesh Halyal 832-744-4166.
Shiv Shakti Mandir Sanatan Shiv Shakti Mandir, 6640 Harwin. Open daily 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. All major festivals, as well as birthdays, naam karan, engagement and other ceremonies. Call Pandit Virat Mehta 713-278-9099 or Hardik Raval 361-243-6539 for puja or other ceremonies.
Gaudiya Math Sri Govindaji Gaudiya Matha at 16628 Kieth Harrow Blvd., Houston 77084. Satsang every Sunday 5 to 7 pm. Mantra meditation, kirtan and classes on Sanatan Dharma. Vedic Education and Hindi classes for kids 5-14 yrs. Gita classes noon - 1:30 pm Wednesdays. Hanuman Chalisa and Ramcharit Manas on Tuesdays 7:30–8:30 p.m. info@sggm. org or 281-499-3347
Sathya Sai centers Sathya Sai devotees meet on Sundays from 3:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. at two locations in North and South Houston; Sai Spiritual Education classes for children, meditation, study circle, bhajans and service activities. Call Raghu Amara (North) 832-418-3842 or Ajit Paralkar (South) 281-788-4786. www.saicenterofhouston.
Sanatana Dharma Discussions on confusion between Sanatna Dharma and religion. To protect, preserve and promote the wisdom of Dharma, the eternal, universal and natural tradition. Call 832 868 5656 (cell).
Sadhu Vaswani Center Sadhu Vaswani Center of Houston holds regular Satsang on 3rd Thursday of the month and daily Arti at 7.30 p.m. Call 281 463 0379 or e.mail ramolaj@ aol.com
FEEDBACK Dear Editor: When Tulsi Gubbard, the first time Congress woman from Hawaii, took her oath of office in US Congress with her hand on Bhagavad Gita, Hindus all over the world rejoiced and felt immensely proud. How come, none of the BJP ministers, including Narendra Modi, took the oath of office on the Bhagavad Gita, on such a historic occasion? Have they already become like the Congress who they accused of being "pseudo-secular"?? Krishna Vavilala Houston, TX
Mar Thoma Church
How Modi defeated liberals
Trinity Mar Thoma Church every Sunday at 5810 Almeda Genoa Rd. Sunday School at 9:15 a.m. Malayalam service at 9:30 a.m. on 1st & 3rd Sunday. Adult Bible class at 9:30 a.m. English service at 10:30 a.m. on 2nd & 4th Sunday. Call 713-991-1557 or 281261-4603.
Guruvayurappan Temple Hours: Mon to Fri 6 a.m. -8 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Weekends & Holidays: 6 a.m. to noon and 5:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Bhajans Saturdays 7 p.m. to 8 p.m.; Sundays 9 a.m. to 1 a.m. Special poojas (weekends and holidays) Choroon (Annaprasam) for kids, Thulabharam, Vahana Pooja, Nirapara. Temple is located at 11620 Ormandy St (77035) Tel: 713-729-8994 email: temple@ guruvayur.us
Sanskrit classes and special worship sessions for all ages. At 2918 Renoir, Sugar Land, TX 77479.Call 281-606-5607 or AVB.Houston@gmail.com. Web-site: https://sites.google.com/ site/avbtexas/classes
(713) 665-4665
Free Yoga Classes every Sat/Sun at Arya Samaj from 8 am to 9:30 a.m. Call Anil 281-579-9433. For other free classes, call Indra 281537-0018. For Yoga/Herbal products, call Shekhar 281-242-5000. Web: www.pyptusa.org and www.DivyaProducts.com.
A prayer house where the Hare Rama Hare Krishna Maha-mantra is continuously chanted. Weekends: 8-11 AM & 4-7 PM, Weekdays: 7-8 AM & 6-7 PM. Weekly “Gopa Kuteeram” children’s heritage classes and Srimad Bhagavatam classes. Call 281402-6585; visit www.godivinity.org (Global Organization for Divinity).
Classes now ongoing Classes in Houston, Mission Bend, & Sugar Land
Patanjali Yogpeeth
No Gita at swearing-in ceremony?
Arsha Vidya Bharati
or call for info.
New facilities of JVB Preksha Meditation Center. Classes for Yoga and Meditation under guidance by Samani jis and discourses. New center is located at 14102 Schiller Road (off Hwy 6 bet Bellaire and Westpark - 77082). Tel 281-596-9642.
Houston Namadwaar
Tabla and Vocal
Visit www.chandrakantha.com
Preksha Meditation
From Page 4 into exile and meditation to make up for his inadequacy. I realised at that moment that a lecture on hygroscopy or capillary action (the scientific explanations) would have been inadequate. I could not call her illiterate or superstitious. It was a struggle about different meanings, a juxtaposition of world views where she felt her religion gave her a meaning that my science could not. I was reminded that the great Danish physicist, Niels Bohr had a horseshoe nailed to his door. When Bohr was questioned about it, he commented that it won’t hurt to be there. Bohr had created a Pascalian Wager, content that if the horseshoe brought luck it was a good wager, but equally content that if it was inert it did no harm. I wish I had replied in a similar form to my friend. I realise that in many places in Europe, there has been a disenchantment with religion. I have seen beautiful churches in Holland become post offices as the church confronted a sheer lack of attendance. But India faces no such problem and we have to be careful about transplanting mechanical histories. Ours is a different culture and it has responded to religion, myth and ritual. The beauty of our science Congress is that it resembles a miniature Kumbh Mela. But more, our religions have never been against science and our state has to work a more pluralistic understanding of these encounters. Secularism cannot be empty space. It has to create a pluralism of encounters and allow for levels of reality and interpretation. Tolerance is a weak form of secularism. In confronting the election, we have to reinvent secularism not as an apologetic or disciplinary space but as a playful dialogue. Only then can we offer an alternative to the resentments that Modi has thrived on and mobilised. I take hope in the words of one of my favourite scientists, the Dalai Lama. When George Bush was waxing eloquent about Muslims, the Dalai Lama commented on George Bush by saying, “He brings out the Muslim in me.” I think that captures my secular ethic brilliantly and one hopes such insights become a part of our contentious democracy. — The Hindu