JAPAN - Bharatiya Temple The Aftermath. A nation copes with disaster. 17 ... Prana Pratishta is the...

THE BHARATIYA TEMPLE QUARTERLY

© Copyright 2012 The Bharatiya Temple of Metropolitan Detroit. All Rights Reserved.

J A P A NTHE AFTERMATH

SPRING 2012

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4. Letter to Members Save the dates—June 13-17—

for Prana Pratishtha

5. Details, Details A peek at the craftsmanship

in the new prayer hall

7. The Gentleman In the Corner

Temple’s Vivekananda Jayanti celebration makes news

8. Om Namah Shivaya Community’s spirit and devotion

shine on Maha Shivaratri

10. Bharatiya ‘Seniors’? Not Yet.

A new temple community for Baby Boomers

11. JAPAN: The Aftermath

A nation copes with disaster

17. Refreshing Memories

Recalling the love of a mango

20. Running the Table Youth wins table tennis title

21. This Just In ... Balbharati kickoff features

appearance by Fox 2’s Roop Raj

22. Temple Leadership Contact information for the temple’s trustees, executive

committee and working committee chairs

Chetana is printed byFLASH PRINTING 1219 East 11 Mile Rd.

Royal Oak, Mich. 48067248 544 3229

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THE BHARATIYA TEMPLE QUARTERLY • SPRING 2012

CONTENTS

Chetana is published four times a year by The Bharatiya Temple for the enjoyment of its members. To submit original articles for consideration, please contact the editor, Krishnan Anantharaman,

at 248 538 4576, or [email protected]. To find out about advertising opportunities, visit bharatiya-temple.org or email [email protected].

© Copyright 2012 The Bharatiya Temple of Metropolitan Detroit. All Rights Reserved.

11. 17.5.

Publications Committee: Krishnan Anantharaman, Anand Varadarajan, Shanti Patel, Prasanna Vengadam, Ishani Bhatawdekar, Sheetal Muralidhar

April 1, 2012

Dear Devotees,

This year promises to be one of the most momentous in our temple’s history, as we consecrate our new building and open the doors of the new prayer hall to you, the devotees of Lord Lakshminarayana.

It’s difficult, perhaps, to grasp the significance of these events today. But years from now, as many of our community’s pioneers can attest, you will certainly look back and know that you were part of something very special. So please set aside the dates in your calendar for these inaugural celebrations, and be sure to bring your families and friends to the new Bharatiya Temple.

JUNE 13 - 17 | PRANA PRATISHTA

Prana Pratishta is the ceremony by which the sacred images of the Lord are infused with the breath of life. In this five-day celebration, the murtis representing the Lord’s various forms are immersed in water, bathed with offerings of milk and honey, and decorated with flowers. These sacred rituals are complemented by a prescribed series of pujas and havans, in accordance with ancient traditions.

OCTOBER 19 - 21 | MAHA KUMBHABHISHEKAM

Kumbhabhishekam denotes the ritual bathing of the shikhar, or crown of the temple, but its significance goes well beyond this ritual. On an appointed day, at an auspicious time, the Kumbha is washed with sanctified waters from the sacrificial pot, which trickle down to the Deity installed in the sanctum sanctorum of the temple. By mystic process, the deity is transformed from a mere granite sculpture into a vibrant, living representation of the Lord, with innate beatitude, grace and grandeur, conferring divine blessings on all His devotees.

These inaugural ceremonies are a milestone for our Temple and the culmination of years of work, generosity and sacrifice on the part of our community. Let us all share in the joy and excitement together.

Sincerely,

Tribhovan “Tom” Patel S. ViswanathanChairman, Board of Trustees President, Executive Committee

• Chetana • Spring 2012

LETTER

Chetana • Spring 2012 •

Details, Details

We have waited a long time for the opening of the new prayer hall. One reason: It takes time to create a masterpiece.

This spring, the doors to the new hall will open to Lord Laksh-minarayana’s devotees and the en-tire community during the Prana

Pratishtha ceremonies, set for June 13-17.

This is just a preview of the breathtaking artistry and crafts-manship that are now a part of our temple. Be among the first to see them in person, in color, by joining the celebrations this June. \

CONSTRUCTIONIM

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Upcoming EventsThe Bharatiya Temple Special Events Com-

mittee presents two musical programs to raise money for Shikhar construction.

Metro Detroit boasts several gifted artists train-ing a new generation of Hindustani and Carnatic instrumentalists and vocalists. These two programs will showcase their talented students and will also serve as an occasion for parents to explore learning opportunities for their children.

INSTRUMENTAL SHOWCASE• Sunday, April 22, 2012, 5 to 7 p.m.• Bharatiya Temple Multipurpose Hall• Tickets: $20 per family of 4; $6 per person

VOCAL SHOWCASE• Sunday, May 6, 2012, 5 to 7 p.m.• Bharatiya Temple Multipurpose Hall• Tickets: $20 per family of 4; $6 per person

Students age 6-13 are invited to attend this summer’s Balbharati Youth Camp.

Children will spend the night at the temple, under the guidance of Youth Committee counselors and adult chaperones. Activities include a talent show, postercontest,picnic,games,bonfire,henna,artsand crafts and much more.

CAMP DATES• Friday, Aug. 3 to Saturday, Aug. 4.• The fee for temple members is $55 (plus $50

for each sibling); fee for nonmembers is $65, plus $60 for each sibling.

• Contact: Ruta Desai, 248-601-6390

IN BRIEF

Let Real Estate Specialists, Jon Levin

and Suprina Walvekar, help you find

your new place to call, ‘Home Sweet

Home’.

Jon Levin Cell: 248-505-4884

[email protected]

Suprina Walvekar Cell: 248-943-8184

[email protected]


O N G U A R D F O R 1 8 0 Y E A R S

Sunday 3.11.2012 www.freep.com ◆◆

In the two years since it was launched,

the federal Hardest Hit program has

paid out only about11%of the $7.6 bil-

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struggling homeowners who collect

unemployment,sufferedawagecutorhad

amedical emergency.Michigan, which received the fourth

highest amount, has committed just 6.1%

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lion,helping2,897homeowners,according

to U.S. Treasury data.Critics say desperate homeowners in

need of temporaryhelp are not getting the

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enuporlosthomesasaresult.Otherfeder-

al programsaimedathelpingpeople avoid

foreclosure have received similar criti-

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people,” said Jamele Hage, executive di-

rector for the Wayne County Foreclosure

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Press that lack of large bank participation

early on and the lead timeneeded to set up

the programwere problems.

“Everyone thinks if you get $500 mil-

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ingDevelopmentAuthority’s homeowner-

ship division.The fund is the subject of two federal

audits yet to be released.Themoneywasdividedamong18states

and Washington, D.C., based on how hard

theywerehit by the housing crisis that be-

ganfiveyearsago.Californiagot themost,

$1.97 billion, and gave 11% to help 4,357

people through the end of last year.

❚ $7.6 BILLION IN FEDERAL AID TRICKLES DOWN

TOA LUCKY FEWACROSS COUNTRY. 3A

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JESSICA J. TREVINO/DETROIT FREE PRESS

Elizabeth Williams, 51, of Detroit was initially denied help fromMichigan’s Hardest Hit fund.

But she now gets $433 a month in aid. “I am nowhere near out of the woods,” she said.

In Mich., banks and guidelines share in blame

Hardest Hit home loans

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General Motors will stop

making the Volt for five weeks

starting March 19. Sales are be-

low expectations, though stron-

ger this year than those of the

competing plug-in Nissan Leaf.

Meanwhile, for the first two

months of this year, Toyota sold

more than 10 times as many hy-

brid Priuses than all plug-in

electric vehicles on the market,

even as gasoline surged to $4 a

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lar hybrids are not plug-ins, us-

ingacombinationofgasandbat-

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Brett Smith, co-director ofman-

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tomotive Research. “The pub-

lic’s perception of the time

frame for widespread adoption

was way out of whack with the

reality.”Troubling signs for the elec-

tric car industry are mounting

this year:❚ ConsumerReports saidThurs-

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Fisker, which lost funding from

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MetroROCHELLE RILEY

Hundreds gather tohonor Eleanor Josaitis

Art Van Elslander donated

$1million in seed money to

help raise $10 million forFocus: HOPE. The tribute to

Josaitis on Saturday night

allowed the organization to

thank its supporters. 6AEleanor Josaitis

OUR 2012HONOREESSTOPPEDWASTEFULCAR IDLINGANDINCREASEDRECYCLINGBUSINESS,1B

Two Michigan brothers in

prison for nearly a quarter-cen-

tury hope to hear something

Monday that will set them free.

A Wayne County circuit

judge convicted Thomas and

Raymond Highers of shotgun-

ning Robert Karey in a drug

house robbery in 1987 on De-

troit’s east side, and gave them

each life sentences.But now a man who says he

never told police what he saw

thatnighthascomeforwardand

is expected to testify in a hear-

ing before Judge Lawrence Tal-

on that Karey’s killers were

black. He knows this, he says,

because he saw them up close.

The Highers are white.According to a news account

at the time, the killing happened

during a Friday night “rush

hour” at Karey’s home in June

1987, with customers coming

and going from the home on

Minden Street near Algonac

whereKarey,knownasOldMan

Bob, ran a marijuana business.

The new witness, John

Hielscher, already has signed a

swornaffidavit andsaid inan in-

terview that he never talked be-

fore, in part, because he didn’t

knowanyonehadeverbeencon-

victed in Karey’s murder.But thanks to a Facebook

post and the persistence of an

old roommate, Hielscher

learned the fate of the Highers

brothers. He doesn’t know

them, but he believes they

shouldbe free—andhewants to

help make it happen.

❚ HOWA FEWWORDS ONFACEBOOK LED THIS FAR. 5A

Murder at a drug house

New cluesoffer hopeto brothersserving lifeWitness comesforward in ’87killing, robbery Raymond, left, and Thomas

Highers got life sentences, but

some say they should be free.By Jim SchaeferFree Press Staff Writer

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pleased his listeners … showingapproval by outbursts of ap-plause,” the Free Press wrote.“The Eastern brother is mostimpressive.”

The Detroit Journal wrotethat if Vivekananda “could beinduced to remain for a weeklonger, the largest hall in De-troit would not hold the crowdswhich would be anxious to hearhim. … Everyseat in theUnitar-ian church was occupied, andmanywere compelled to stand.”

The admiration was mutual,as Vivekananda often spoke ofhis love for the U.S., writing in1896: “In America alone there isthat something in the air whichbrings out whatever is best inevery one.”

Motivating othersBorn in Kolkata, India, Vive-

kananda was taught by anotherspiritual leader, Ramakrishna.Much of his views were basedon ancient Hindu texts such asthe Vedas and the Upanishads.

Vivekananda helped reviveHinduism and influenced In-dia’s independence leaders.

Harvard University offeredto make him a professor, whichhe declined. He died in 1902 atage 39.

During his lectures in De-troit, Vivekananda sought to ex-plain Hinduism, telling people,“You are not sinners, you are di-vine,” Vengadam said.

On March 15, 1896, Viveka-nanda spoke at Temple Beth-Elin Detroit — Michigan’s firstJewish congregation — tellingthecrowd that respectingdiver-sity is important. The crowd

was so big that “hun-dreds … hadtobeturnedaway,”reported the News Tribune.

“Unity in variety is the planof the universe,” Vivekanandatold the crowd. “We must notseek that all of us should thinkalike. … Difference ofthought … is the very soul ofprogress.”

Kul Gauri, a Troy residentand retired dean at MacombCommunity College, said: “It isunfortunate that no one of hislevel is amongus todaywhenwedesperately need one to under-stand and resolve conflicts aris-ing out of religion.”

But his message lives on, in-fluencing local leaders such asPadma Kuppa of Troy. A mem-ber of the Bharatiya Temple,Kuppa said Vivekananda “moti-vates my perseverance as acommunity and interfaith activ-ist.”❚ CONTACT NIRAJ WARIKOO: 313-223-4792OR [email protected]

SWAMI:Message ofpeace findsnew audienceFrom Page 6A

PHOTOS BY SUSAN TUSA/DETROIT FREE PRESS

Lisa Bohra, 38, of Troy takes a photo of her sons, Dilan Swami, 6, and Ketan Swami, 5, with thestatue of Swami Vivekananda at the Bharatiya Temple in Troy.

Ketan reads a poem as part of the yearlong celebrationscommemorating the 150th birthday of Vivekananda.

LANSING — Michigan Demo-crats chose their favorites for thisfall’s state Supreme Court and edu-cation board races Saturday, hop-ing once again to give their candi-dates a five-month jump in fund-raising and campaigning over theirRepublican rivals.

Votes at the state convention atCobo Center in Detroit were non-binding because Democrats can’tformally nominate candidates untilthe party’s September convention.Republicans will nominate candi-dates in August.

The conventionwas a chance forDemocratic activists to gear up forthis year’s elections. Both Presi-dent Barack Obama and U.S. Sen.Debbie Stabenowwill be on the No-vemberballot, andDemocrats haveset their sights on ensuring thepair’s re-election—andpossiblyre-gaining a majority in the stateHouse and on the state’s high court.

Democrats will choose a presi-dential favorite inMay 5 party cau-cuses. Obama was on Michigan’sFeb. 28 presidential primary ballot,but votes cast for him didn’t count.Michigan is considered a must-winstate for Obama this fall.

In November, voters will get tofill three positions on the state Su-preme Court. Justice MarilynKelly, who has been endorsed byDemocrats in the past, can’t runagain because she’ll be older than70when the election is held. JusticeStephenMarkman, aGOPnominee,is up for re-election. Justice BrianZahra was appointed by Gov. RickSnyder last year to succeed Justice

Maura Corrigan and must win theright to serve the rest of her term.

On Saturday, Democrats en-dorsed three women for the Su-preme Court races: Wayne CountyCircuit Judge Connie Kelley, Oak-land County District Judge SheliaJohnson and Bridget McCormackof the University of Michigan LawSchool’s Innocence Project. Al-though nominated by political par-ties, SupremeCourt candidates runon a nonpartisan ballot. CurrentjusticesMarkmanandZahrawillbeidentified as incumbents.

Democraticcandidates for threeuniversity boards and the StateBoard of Education also receivedendorsements at the convention.

State Board of Education candi-dates are Lupe Ramos-Montigny ofGrand Rapids and Michelle Fec-teau, executive director of theAmerican Association of Universi-ty Professors-American Federa-tion of Teachers at Wayne StateUniversity. Democratic incumbentMarianneMcGuire ofDetroit is notseeking re-election. The other seatis held by Republican Nancy Dan-hof of East Lansing.

Candidates for the MichiganState University Board of Trusteesare incumbent Joel Ferguson andBrianMosallam, a financial adviserbased in Dearborn; for the Univer-sity of Michigan Board of Regents,attorney Mark Bernstein andGrosse Pointe dermatologist Shau-na Ryder Diggs; and for the WayneState University Board of Gover-nors, Northville attorney SandraHughes O’Brien and Detroiter KimTrent, student recruitment manag-er for Michigan Future.

The twoDemocrats currently ontheWayne State board, TinaAbbottof Detroit and Annetta Miller ofHuntington Woods, have declinedto run for re-election.

Mich. Dems name court,education board favoritesEarly nods hoped tohelp with campaignsBy Kathy Barks HoffmanAssociated Press

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The storied and abandonedBrewster-Douglass public hous-ing complex that once offeredhousing to low-income Detroit-ers, including the familiesofMo-town legends Diana Ross andSmokey Robinson, is now a tow-ering symbol of the city’s resi-dential decline.

The four 14-story high-riseapartments — decaying, win-dowless and tagged with graffiti—greetdriversalongI-75acrossfrom Ford Field.

Twosix-storyapartmentsandrows of burned-out town housesalso line the 30-acre grounds, lit-teredwithheapsoftrash,verminand discarded needles.

“Ain’t nothing left,” Angelo(Baldy) Hill, 48, said, sitting onthe steps of an abandoned townhouse that he occasionally usesfor shelter. “Looks like a warcame through here.”

Across the freeway fromdowntownandadjacenttohistor-ic Brush Park, Brewster-Doug-lassmay soon be demolished un-der a plan announced Wednes-day byMayor Dave Bing duringhis State of the City address.

“You’ve got a piece of proper-ty that is in a prime location, andwe aren’t getting anything out ofit right now,” Bing told the FreePress on Friday, adding that hemet with U.S. Department ofHousing and Urban Develop-ment Director Shaun Donovanon Thursday. “I thinkwe can getthe funding.”

Askedwhatwouldreplacethehousing projects, Bing respond-ed: “I can’t get into that.” But inhis speech Wednesday, he said,“Wewill create affordable hous-ing and commercial develop-ment in its place.”

The Detroit Housing Com-mission, which is handling thedemolition plans, said the areawill be revitalized once the $9.8-million demolition project iscompleted. Plans also includerenovating the abandoned andadjacent Brewster-WheelerRecreation Center on BrewsterStreet, which once included aswimming pool, basketballcourt, open gymandgame room,said Eugene Jones, executive di-rector of the Detroit HousingCommission.

“Wewant tobringthereccen-ter back to its old glory,” Jonessaid.

Whatever replaces the hous-

ingprojects, Jones said,will ben-efit Detroiters.

“We want to make a greatercommunitythat theresidentsde-serve,” Jones said. “We want tomake sure the property is revi-talized so it won’t be vacant.”

In the 1950s, so-called work-ing poor Detroiters began occu-pying the Brewster-DouglassHousing Development, whichwent throughmany incarnationsas apartments and were demol-ished and replaced with newerhousing units.

In December 2000, a fire inone of the apartments killed fivechildren. But drugs and crime,especially during the 1980s, be-gan to deteriorate the communi-ty, leading toadrawn-out exodusthat left the housingunits vacantin 2008.

Despite its abandonment, thetowers are still a draw to urbanexplorers and photographers,who often climb to the top for abird’s-eye view of downtown.

Once thebuildingsaredemol-ished, Jones predicts the areawill sprout with new growth.

“We owe it to the residents ofDetroit to create something spe-cial,” Jones said.❚ CONTACT STEVE NEAVLING: 313-222-8655 [email protected]

Storied housingprojects may betorn down soonCity officials hope tospur growth in areaBy Steve NeavlingFree Press Staff Writer

KATHLEEN GALLIGAN/DETROIT FREE PRESS

The Brewster-Douglass towersoffered low-income housing.

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When Eleanor Josaitis’friends asked1,000 people togather in her name Saturdaynight to raise $10million, theyweren’t sure what responsethey’d get.

Now theyknow.

Art Van Els-lander, founderof Art Van Furni-ture, announced a$1-million dona-tion at The Lightfor HOPEElea-norM. JosaitisTribute Dinner atthe Detroit Mar-

riott Renaissance Center.“Eleanor was a dear friend

ofmine,” he told the audience.“She was also an example ofwhat can be done with a per-son’s dedication to a tremen-dous cause. She had courage,determination and a vision. Andshe gave somuch of her life tosomany during her life for allof us. Tonight, it is our turn to

give back. Together, we canensure that Eleanor’s legacylives on for a very long time. . .

Val Elslander pledged tomatch the evening’s donationsup to $1million. By evening’send, organizers had raised $3million toward the $10milliongoal.

Art Van had already an-nounced that it would adoptFocus: HOPE for the entire yearand host fund-raisers and otherevents to raisemoney for theagency program birthed in thewake of the Detroit riots 43years ago.

The tribute, which came

sevenmonths after Josaitis’death, was a chance for Focus:HOPE to thank supporters,including the FordMotor Co.and the GeneralMotors Foun-dation. GM announced a $2.5-million grant Saturday to theFocus: HOPE Fund, a communi-ty campaign begun in 2005 toraise $100million for the agen-cy.

Plans for Saturday’s dinnerbegan in December when19prominent female leaders insoutheastMichigan announceda community campaign to col-lect food for families, art sup-plies for students andmoneyfor the Josaitis Fund.

Led by Beth Chappell, presi-dent and CEO of the DetroitEconomic Club, the womenraised the $3million in threemonths.

The night’s first standingovation was given to Focus:HOPE graduate Yemi Kinni-Olusanyin, whomoved some inthe audience to tears.

“I came to know Focus:HOPEwhen I was at the cross-roads ofmy life,” she said.“Focus: HOPE offeredme apath to security and stability bygivingme the tools to competein the real world . . . Mrs. Josai-tis was amotivator whose pas-sion and persistence led thecharge for correcting the imbal-

ances in this world . . . “Thankyou, Eleanor. Youwere an angelin ourmidst. Whenwewerehungry, you fed us. Whenwewere thirsty, you gave us some-thing to drink. Andwhen I wasin despair, you welcomedmeandmy family into your world .. . You will forever remain inmy heart.”

The night’s second standingovation was given to Eleanor’sdaughter, Janet Denk.

“Mymother named us allafter saintsMark, Thomas,Michael andMary Catherine.Then there’s Janet Nancy. Shenamedme after her two lovelysisters. I don’t knowwhat to sayexcept thank you. I knowmymom is having a blast rightnow, with her Scotch sitting ona cloud getting all caught up inthat fund-raising . . . We get itnow.…Mymother just wantedto infect you so youwould go onand do that. Just carry on. “

Last Saturday, 35 businesses,schools, organizations andchurches delivered supplies toFocus: HOPE.

Last night, a communitygathered downtown to deliver amessage:

Eleanor’s work— and thedream that started it —will notdie.❚ CONTACT ROCHELLE RILEY:[email protected]

Community makes it clear at tribute dinner that Josaitis’ legacy will live on

ROCHELLE RILEY SAYSHUNDREDS TURN OUT INEFFORT TO RAISE $10M

JARRAD HENDERSON/DETROIT FREE PRESS

Kim Yost, from left, Beth Chappell, Art Van Elslander, William Jonesand Janet Denk with a $1-million donation at the tribute dinner.

EleanorJosaitis

Draped insaffronrobes,a9-foot statueofSwami Vivekananda stands in a corner ofthe Bharatiya Temple in Troy.

Vivekananda is the 19th-Century spiritu-al leader from India who gave birth to themodern interfaith movement.

It’sasymbolofhiscontinuedinfluenceashis 150th birthday is commemorated thisyear with events in metro Detroit andaround the world.

At the Hindu center in Troy, Vivekanan-da’smessagewillbediscussedtodayata lec-ture,oneofseveralsuchevents thetemple isholding to remember the man who intro-ducedIndianphilosophyto theWest.Duringhis life,Vivekananda lectured often in citiessuch as Detroit, Boston and New York.

AsHindu practices like yoga,meditationand vegetarianism rise in popularity inAmerica, so does the interest in Vivekanan-da.

ANewsweekwriter isworking on a biog-raphy of Vivekananda that examines his in-fluenceonarangeof thinkers in theWest. InJanuary, the University of Chicago an-nounced it was creating a $1.5-million aca-demic chair in his name.

And with religious tensions rising today,his message of peace and tolerance is need-ed more than ever, his admirers say.

Vivekananda is most well-known for hisspeech at theWorld Parliament ofReligionsin1893 inChicago,wherehismessageofuni-versal brotherhood and diversity waspraised. Coretta Scott King, the late wife ofDr. Martin Luther King Jr., called Viveka-nanda’s talk “the most definitive statementof religious tolerance and interfaith unity inhistory.”

“Though they were uttered a centuryago, Vivekananda’s words ring with a clari-

onrelevanceforour times,”shewroteonthe100th anniversary of the speech.

Relevant teachingsVivekananda’s impact also is felt on a

personal level for many in metro Detroit.“He created a democracy among reli-

gions, saying that no one religionhas any su-periority over others,” said Prasanna Ven-gadam of Troy. “That was such an originalmessage at the time. He was the first inter-faith leader.”

Mahaveer Khetawat, 63, an engineerfrom Sterling Heights, said he is guided to-day at work by Vivekananda’s message ofacting morally and selflessly.

“One of his main teachings was: Keepyour hands onwork and yourmind onGod,”Khetawat said.

Vivekananda came to Detroit twice, in

1894 and 1896, speaking to standing-room-only audiences in churches, a synagogue,and downtown hotels. He stayed for threeweeks as a guest in the home of then-Gov.John J. Bagley, meeting political and socialleaders in Detroit. He also was a guest ofSen. Thomas Palmer; both Palmer and Ba-gley were Unitarians, a group drawn to Vi-vekananda’s message.

“Every human being would bemade bet-terbyknowinghim,”wrote FrancesBagley,the wife of the Michigan governor. “I wanteveryone in America to know Vivekanan-da. …He has given us in America higherideas of life than we have ever had before.”

On Feb. 14, 1894, Vivekananda spoke to apackedcrowdat theUnitarianChurch inDe-troit.

“His eloquent and graceful manner

PHOTOS BY SUSAN TUSA/DETROIT FREE PRESS

Children told stories and recited poems and essays as part of a Jan. 15 celebration of the 150th birthday of Swami Vivekananda at the Bhara-tiya Temple in Troy. In 1896, Vivekananda spoke at Temple Beth-El in Detroit, telling the crowd that respecting diversity is important.

A MESSAGE OF PEACE19th-Century spiritual leaderinspires metro DetroitersBy Niraj WarikooFree Press Staff Writer

Prasanna Vengadam helps Atreya Maktal, 6, of Rochester show off a picture he made ofVivekananda. The swami is credited with starting the interfaith movement.

See SWAMI, PAGE 7A

COURAGEOUS FATHER: Lawyer Erik Chappell, whose car was bombed with him and his sonsinside last year, was one of 12 people honored during last week’s Monroe County AmericanRed Cross’ 10th annual Everyday Heroes Event. Chappell told the audience that even thoughthe bombing was deeply traumatic, he found solace in the people of Monroe. Chappell receivedthe Adult Good Samaritan Award for his efforts to save his sons, Grant and Cole, while calling911. All three survived. No arrests have been made in the Sept. 20 attack. —ASSOCIATED PRESS

The gentleman in the cornerThe Bharatiya Temple’s celebration of this

year’s Vivekananda Jayanti—marking the 150th birthday of the great spiritual leader who introduced Americans to the principles of Sanatana Dharma at the turn of the century—earned recognition in a Detroit Free Press article by religion reporter Niraj Warikoo.

As Mr. Warikoo writes, the Swamiji himself was the news of the day during his visits to Detroit in 1894 and 1896. Those visits included addresses at

the Unitarian Church and Temple Beth-El in Detroit, where Swamiji enthralled standing-room-only crowds of various faiths with his teachings on peace, tolerance and universal brotherhood, all chronicled by the newspapers of the day.

The continued interest in his work more than a century later attests to the enduring power of his message and his central role in paving the way for Hindu communities, like ours, to thrive across the United States. \

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By SHANTA VISWANATHAN

You can tell a lot about the strength of a congrega-tion by the number of people who participate in the celebrations of Maha Shivaratri, which begin in the morning and reach their climax around midnight.

Shivaratri marks the night when Lord Shiva mani-fested Himself as the “Lingodbhava Murti” or as the Jyotirlinga—a column of light.

That celebration began at our Bharatiya Temple on Feb. 20, a Monday. Even though it was a work day for many people in the community, devotees gathered in large numbers, seeking Lord Shiva’s blessings dur-ing the morning worship.

Worship started at 9 a.m. with Sri Ganesha Puja, followed by Shiva Suprabhata Seva, Laghu-Nyasa-Purvaka-Rudrabhishekam, Shiva-Sahasranama Puja, Neerajanam, Mantra-Pushpanjali and Arati. Morning worship continued until about noon.

Just as pouring water at the root of a tree nourish-es the entire tree, worshipping Rudra-Shiva by chant-ing Rudram with devotion pleases all the Devatas. Lord Shiva is propitiated by Abhisheka, an essential part of Shiva Puja. On Maha-Shivaratri night, starting at 7 p.m., Mahanyasa-Purvaka-Ekadasha Rudrab-hishekam—the chanting of the Rudram 11 times—spread harmony through out the hall.

Along with the chantings of Rudram, Namakam and Chamakam (an indispensable part of Abhishek-am), abhishekam on Shiva-Linga continued past mid-night, with offerings of pure water, milk, ghee, yogurt, honey, coconut water, sugarcane juice, various fruit juices, panchamritam, Ganges water, rose water, san-dal paste and vibhuti, all in accordance with the holy scriptures.

This was followed by Bilva-Ashtottara-Puja, Neer-ajanam and Maha-Arati.

Maha-Prasad was prepared with great devotion, keeping in mind the observance of a fast by most in the community. The flow of devotees in the temple that night was just amazing!

As is the custom of our temple, the celebrations continued to the weekend, Feb. 25 and 26, to give more families a chance to take part. Starting with Sri Venkatesha Suprabhatam at 8 a.m. Saturday, the festivities included Sahasra-Lingarchana, (worship of clay Lingas), Shiva Ashtottara Puja, Himavat-Lin-garchana (Ice Lingarchana), followed by Karpoora-

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Neerajanam. In the afternoon, various groups sang bhajans

in praise of Lord Shiva. Amid the chanting of holy mantras, volunteers helped devotees light more than 750 diyas arranged in the form of a Shiva-Lingam, a tradition of our temple. Rudrabhishekam was also conducted at this auspicious time, followed by spe-cial Shiva stotrams. The prayer hall was packed with devotees.

Neerajanam, Mantra-Pushpanjali and Arati con-cluded the worship of the day, followed by a deli-cious Maha-Prasad prepared by devotees.

After prasad, devotees settled in for a beautiful dance performance, “Shiva Tandava,” by students of Mrs. Sudha Chandrasekhar. Shiva Tandava is the cos-mic dance by Lord Shiva, representing the universe’s cycles of creation and destruction.

Sunday’s function begain with Sri Rudra Havan at 9 a.m., followed by Rudrabhishekam, Neerajanam, Mantrapushpanjali, and Maha-Mangala-Arati. An-other sumptuous prasad was served to a very large number of devotees.

Our community’s spirit, generosity and devotion shine through in moments like these, with dozens of volunteers on duty and hundreds of devotees gath-ered, from morning to night. We sincerely thank all those who attended, contributed and volunteered for

their hard work, generosity and dedication. Above all, we owe hearty thanks to our respected

priests for conducting the entire three-day program with diligence and grandeur.

May Lord Shiva—bestower of auspiciousness and bliss—protect, guide, and enlighten us and shower His Grace and Blessings upon all! \

Shanta Viswanathan is co-chairperson of the temple’s Religious Committee. At left, temple priests Sri Ram-achandra Bhatji and Sri Janakiram Sastryji perform abhishekam during Maha Shivaratri celebrations.



Bharatiya ‘Seniors’? Not Yet.Their kids have long since outgrown Balbharati,

but these mature adults aren’t quite ready to call themselves seniors.

So they are forging a new mini-community based at the temple that they call the Bharatiya Baby Boomers, a mix of near-retirees, young grandparents and empty nesters who still enjoy getting together with friends and having fun.

Though the group is relatively new (not to men-tion, young at heart), members have already com-piled a schedule of monthly gatherings that stretches well into the summer.

First among these was a planned trip to the De-

troit Institute of Arts on April 14, with lunch at the museum and a coffee break after the tour.

Also on the agenda are outings to Greenfield Vil-lage and the Henry Ford museum in May, and to the Stratford Shakespeare Festival in Ontario during the summer, as well as lunch gatherings at one another’s homes.

Heading the group is a longtime friend of the Bharatiya Temple, Dr. Rojan Samudrala. To join or find out more about the Baby Boomers group, call Dr. Samudrala at 313 530 8131, or 313 882 2310, or email [email protected]. \

SOCIAL

BY RAVINDRA KHATTREE

A year has passed since the earthquake, tsu-nami and nuclear disaster that turned Japan upside down—a third strike against the nation after the two bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

As I reflect on it as a Hindu, I feel that while the Goddess Sridevi has bestowed her blessings freely on Japan, the Goddess Bhudevi has evidently not been so kind. But that does not affect the resolve of the Japanese people to face their challenges, or their determination to be a proud community, where the emphasis is on the collective welfare of society.

From April 2010 to August 2011, I was on an as-

signment from the U.S. National Academy of Sciences to work at the Radiation Effects Research Founda-tion in Hiroshima (formerly known as the Atomic Bomb Casualty Commission). As the name implies, this is the place where epidemiological and biostatis-tical studies concerning the long-term health effects of low dose radiation are carried out —the entire focus being on the extensive study the survivors of the two bombings in 1945.

It also so happened that I lived barely half a ki-lometer from the epicenter of the Hiroshima atomic bombing—a continuous reminder of human suffer-ing caused by human beings themselves.

We talked about it every day in our professional work, and then March 11 happened: a natural disas-ter of unmatched proportion and highly improbable in terms of statistical odds. How did Japan and its people cope with it?

Most Japanese follow the dual faith of Shintoism and Buddhism. By extension, at least to me, Japan is


Please turn to the next page

JAPANTHE AFTERMATH

Dr. Khattree, a professor of statistics at Oakland University, spent more than a year on an assignment in Hiroshima, Japan. He reflects on his observations of the country and its people as they coped with the aftermath of the March 2011 earthquake, tsunami and nuclear disaster.

COVER STORY

very much like a Hindu society. It discourages self-pro-motion, promotes the concern for others and looks for harmony within the society and with nature. Compas-sion, humility and self-discipline when dealing with oth-ers are the other main traits it encourages. As in Hindu-ism, it is considered all but natural to inconvenience one-self to help others. The Buddhist belief that life is full of suffering, and that destiny is something that you do not

question but gracefully accept, is as central to their lives as the concept of Karma is in Hinduism. This view of life and of the world around us was amply visible in the post-disaster days.

We in Hiroshima, which is far southwest of Fuku-shima, did not feel any of the shocks of the monstrous earthquakes. We received news of the earthquake only though the phone calls from the families who happened to watch the TV news. The gravity of the situation soon became apparent to us when the news about the sub-sequent tsunami and damage to the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear reactors started trickling in.

One might have expected a panic. On the contrary, what we saw was a calm sense of solidarity that was further evident the next day on the streets of Hiroshima,

JAPAN ...


The anniversary of the August 1945 atomic bombing of Hiroshima by U.S. forces is marked each year with a ceremony at the Hiroshima Peace Memorial

where several charitable organizations had already set up donation stands.

It did not really matter that it was a Saturday. When I returned to my office on Monday, it seemed that the sup-port plans were already in place. Donation collection ef-forts within RERF were already in the works. In anticipa-tion of potential energy shortages, lights in the corridors and lightly used office areas had already been turned off. Much of the staff had already turned their office heat down to low settings.

Was it all directed by the administration? No, it was all initiated through informal communication among em-ployees who saw this more as their moral responsibility to their nation than a charity or sacrifice. Instead of any sense of resignation, the determination that “Japan will

overcome this too” was evident and repeatedly voiced by many of my Japanese friends.

As one would expect, this was the main news running continuously for the next several weeks on national and international TV channels. The scenes of houses and cars floating in the sea, entire villages and towns swallowed by tsunami and pictures of people stranded on top of the hills, trees or roofs started coming in. This was soon followed by the news of failed nuclear power reactors, radiation releases and evacuation efforts.

People within a five-mile radius of the plant were asked to remain confined to their homes, with all win-dows closed. Those within 15 miles thereafter were evacuated.



On the positive side, there were also news re-ports of refugees reorganizing their lives around the shelters, where they were still sorting their waste and recyclables into groups of aluminum cans, plas-tics and burnables.

Japan is primarily a cash society and there were numerous instances of ordinary people and vol-unteers returning the bundles of cash found in the ruins of the homes to police. The news of strangers handing over to authorities the entire safe boxes found floating in water or in the ruins of the homes

and such safe boxes piling up at the police stations, were equally noteworthy.

Even in many partially affected towns where the road traffic had become minimal, people were still following traffic rules, waiting for the traffic lights to

turn green before crossing the road. There were no reports of any crimes or of any water-borne diseases in the shelters or in the general Fukushima area. Many superfast trains had been canceled to conserve electricity, but there was hardly any chaos or major disruption. In many ways, it was a unique experience to witness a sense of urgency in the community, yet with a sense of calm, especially when the magnitude of disaster was so great and its domino effects were at the national level.

Organization, order and harmony are important to Japanese. So is doing things the right way. Impor-tant projects or undertakings are often communal in spirit and as their culture dictates, Japanese tend to

shy away from taking personal credit for their suc-cess or from blaming others for failures.

The more I saw and thought about it, the more it reminded me of the contrast with the aftermath of the Hurricane Katrina disaster of 2005. In the midst of difficult yet organized shelter lives dur-ing the cold March of northern Japan, women with small children, elderly people and men who had lost everything still seemed content in accepting their misfortune, without much indication of any resigna-


The Peace Bell in Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park contains a Sanksrit inscription describing the horror of nuclear war: “As if the Asteroid from Hell Entered.”

JAPAN ...

tion to the situation. Calling it optimism would be an exaggeration, but the resilience and their hope for better times could still be read on the faces of these people.

Because of the two atomic bombings of Hiroshi-ma and Nagasaki in 1945, radiation is not a foreign concept for the Japanese. The trauma looms large on the national psyche of Japan.

The radiation release from Fukushima Daiichi plants was no small matter, with the initial alarm level comparable to that of the Chernobyl disaster in 1986. But in terms of the management of disaster, they couldn’t have been more different.

There may be a heightened incidence of cancer and other diseases in Fukushima over the long term. And the Japanese government did withhold facts about the initial radiation release from its people.

However, to its credit, the government ultimately took responsibility for the way it managed the crisis. Japan is now planning to move away from nuclear energy, with the last of its reactors set to be closed soon. The pros and cons of this decision aside, it is certainly indicative of a nation with a resolve, a na-tion that cares about its future.

The economic impact of the Fukushima disaster has been enormous for Japan. As a natural-resource-poor country, its economy depends almost exclusive-ly on its industry. With its future energy policies in a shambles, it remains to be seen how it copes with the new challenges in long term.

The impact has been felt here in America as well. The crippling effect of this disaster on the Japanese auto industry was a boon for its counterpart in De-troit, which itself had been going through some very difficult times. At the same time, the event generated a heated debate in the U.S. about the reliability, safe-ty and wisdom of its own nuclear-energy industry.

This nuclear disaster should also serve as a wake-up call for countries possessing nuclear weapons and those pursuing a similar ambition. Chernobyl was an accident caused by a series of human errors, in a country where information was severely re-stricted. By contrast, Fukushima is a natural disaster which occurred in a free society. Both occurred in

relatively sparsely populated areas but both provide a taste of what could happen in the event of a tar-geted use of a nuclear weapon in a highly populated area.

Not counting instant deaths, would we be able to quickly evacuate a city like New York, Tehran, Delhi or Islamabad to avoid the radiation in such a case? Would our health-care system be able to support the extra cases of cancer and birth defects which may result due to such a use? Would we be able to revive the industries that would fall prey to such develop-ments, either vanishing entirely within a fraction of a second or becoming so radiation-contaminated as to become unusable?

While Japan has wisely made its decision to not develop any nuclear weapons, the rest of the world still seems to ponder this question. At the Hiroshima Memorial Peace Park, the peace flame in the Ceno-taph still waits to be extinguished on the day when the world is free of nuclear weapons.\

—Photos by Ravi Khattree


This nuclear disaster should also serve as a wakeup call for countries possessing nuclear weapons and those pursuing similar ambitions.

TRAVEL AND IMMIGRATION SHOTS

We provide these shotsand services:

➣ Typhoid, Yellow Fever, Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, Polio, MMR, Varicella, Tdap, Meningitis and others

➣ Malaria prevention and diarrhea prevention

➣ Safety tips for travel for children

INDER JIT SAINI, M.D.586-939-2229

3850 METROPOLITAN PARKWAYSTERLING HEIGHTS, MI 48310

CASH CARE(Adults and children)

➣ Have no health insurance?➣ Have a high copay or deductible?➣ Can’t afford to take time off work for routine illnesses?

INDER JIT SAINI, M.D.248 808 4260 (Cell)

$35 per visit

Appointments subject to Dr. Saini’s availability.

Mention that you want to come to the doctor’s home


TRAVEL AND IMMIGRATION SHOTS

We provide these shotsand services:

➣ Typhoid, Yellow Fever, Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, Polio, MMR, Varicella, Tdap, Meningitis and others

➣ Malaria prevention and diarrhea prevention

➣ Safety tips for travel for children

INDER JIT SAINI, M.D.586-939-2229

3850 METROPOLITAN PARKWAYSTERLING HEIGHTS, MI 48310

CASH CARE(Adults and children)

➣ Have no health insurance?➣ Have a high copay or deductible?➣ Can’t afford to take time off work for routine illnesses?

INDER JIT SAINI, M.D.248 808 4260 (Cell)

$35 per visit

Appointments subject to Dr. Saini’s availability.

Mention that you want to come to the doctor’s home

Tirupati Comes to Troy:Sunday, May 13

The Bharatiya Temple is proud to host a unique Srinivasa Kalyanam celebration, presented jointly by the Sri Balaji Temple of Great Lakes, based in Sterling Heights, and the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams in India.

The event is the first of its kind in Metro Detroit and will be presided over by a team of priests and Vedic scholars from Tirumala.

Festivities begin at 8 a.m. on Sunday, May 13, 2012, with Suprabhatam, Thomala Seva and Archana. The main function, Sri Balaji Thirukalyanam, will commence at 10 a.m., followed at 1 p.m. by Maha Prasad.

For more information about the program and sponsorship opportunities, contact the Balaji Temple, 586-826-8711, or the Bharatiya Temple, 248-879-2552, or visit www.balajikalyanam.org. Proceeds will jointly benefit the Balaji Temple and Bharatiya Temple. \

EVENT

BY SHUBHA KOLACHALAM

We’re approaching that time of year when nothing makes more sense than sitting on the verandah or the deck and enjoying eating a sweet, juicy and memory-refreshing mango.

Mangoes are such a cultural and spiritual experience—spiritual, because all our Gods are said

to like the fruit. My father could write a volume each for the each

of the varieties of mango that he has tried over the years. He researches the varieties in the market and then regales us at the dinner table with stories related to each one, such as the Raja who liked a particular type and the mango groves on the palace grounds that fed his appetite.

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Nothing gives my parents more pleasure than watching the grandkids enjoying mangoes when they go to visit them in India. It’s not very often that we visit India during the mango season, due to the heat, but once or twice we have had to go due to a wedding or other occasion.

On those trips, first thing in the morning, we could see my parents heading off to the produce market armed with big bags in hand. Once there, they would make themselves comfortable alongside

the fruit vendor’s basket and start handpicking and sniffing each and every mango in seach of perfection. Soon a small argument would begin about which mango would taste the best to whom.

Here they would be sniffing for the sweet/tart aroma that one of the grandkids may prefer over the all-sweet banganpalli variety. Then they shuffle off to the next vendor, who may have a banganpalli

or similarly sweet-smelling fruit that they cannot resist.

When they return home, my mother starts her cleaning process. First, she washes them with regular tap water. Then she dries them all. Then she washes them again with bottled

water for the sake of the grandkids who are visiting from overseas, just so they are completely bug- and germ-free.

Next, the mangoes go into the refrigerator to


MANGO

Once the fruit is chilled, my parents both sit at their modest dining table and start peeling and cutting them into bite-size pieces. Sure, that’s how the grandkids eat, but I enjoy mine whole. And I can eat them for breakfast, lunch and dinner.


chill for after lunch. If one of the kids can’t wait that long, she’ll pop a couple of the fruits in the freezer.

Once the fruit is chilled, my parents both sit at their modest dining table and start peeling and cutting them into bite-size pieces so the kids can enjoy them with a fork. Sure, that’s how the grandkids eat, but I enjoy mine whole. And I can eat them for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

It’s hard to believe that a fruit could give both my parents such ethereal satisfaction But for them, mangoes were more than a fruit. Their own parents had been great connoisseurs of the mango. My grandfathers on both sides are said to have sat down for major mango-eating sessions, where great vats of cold water brimming with fresh fruit were brought out to the verandah. We were never told how the story ends—I can only guess—but it does conjure up images of happy harmonious times.

Mangoes also bring back memories of our childhood in Delhi. When we returned from school, our baby brother, then about 2½ feet tall, would run up to hug us, his white t-shirt and shorts stained

yellow-orange, his mouth smeared with juice and a half-eaten mango in his hand.

Our friends hooted with laughter as they watched him chase us with his sticky fingers, and we ran to protect our school uniforms. It was truly hilarious.

After my recent visit to India during the mango season, I realized that maybe our family is a bit more obsessed with the fruit than others. For instance, my mother told me that my grandfather had bought an entire orchard of his favorite variety of mango to feed his wife and his family of 12 children, two sisters, parents and grandkids.

Each summer when we visited our grandparents, a total of 35 people got together for one month, so I guess buying a whole orchard was a worthwhile investment. He had enough to eat and share his favorite fruit every day throughout the season.

Beyond that bounty, he had a massive house on two acres of land with a coconut grove. That house, and those fruits, are a trove of stories for another season. \

RunningThe Table

By MAITREYI ANANTHARAMAN

Some people play ping-pong to kill time in the basement. Arjun Jayaraman plays table ten-nis. And he plays to win.

Fresh off his first-place victory in a table ten-nis tournament at the Davidson Athletic Club, 11-year-old Arjun walked into the temple din-ing hall for an interview on a recent Sunday, his trophy in one hand and his tournament-quality, Swedish-made Yasaka paddle in the other.

“I felt happy when I won because I was the only person out of a lot of competitors,” said Arjun, a fifth-grader at Brookfield Academy. He has been playing for a year under the train-ing of coaches David Kleschik, a former table-tennis champion from Ukraine, and Lalit Sethi, who hold classes at the Bharatiya Temple on Wednesday evenings.

Arjun began playing table tennis on the com-puter, and after being defeated a few times, was motivated to become a better player. Nowadays, he practices 30 minutes a day with a special ro-bot that zings balls at him in rapid succession to keep his reflexes sharp. He is also coached by his father with his own table at home.

Outside of table tennis, Arjun is a blue belt in tae kwon do and enjoys playing the drums and the saxophone in his school band. He aspires to be a radiologist when he grows up.

Asked how long he’ll keep up with the table tennis, he said: “Until I win a championship.” \

Maitreyi Anantharaman is a student at Bloom-field Hills Andover H.S. Above, Arjun Jayaraman, with his first-place trophy.

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This just in ...By SHUBHANKAR GROVER

The temple’s new Balbharati Youth Committee is off to a promising start, and enthusiastic about providing seva to the community in the months ahead.

The year kicked off with a welcome party on Jan. 22 for the new members, where the turnout was impressive. The highlight of the party was a visit from Roop Raj, anchor and reporter for Fox 2 News.

What was special about our guest speak-er (besides the fact that he is a local TV ce-lebrity) was that he, like us, came to the Bharatiya Temple when he was our age. In this way, we could relate to him better.

His message was simple, but effec-tive: “I will.”

He told us the story of his childhood and how he became the success he is today. When anyone asked him what he wanted to be when he grew up, he answered, “I will be a news anchor.” The words “I will” are stronger than the words “I should” or “I could,” he said. Saying “I will” doesn’t leave your goal up to chance, he said.

Mr. Raj went through high school and college working to become a news anchor, and reached his goal. The lesson in this: Once you have a goal, work toward it un-til you reach it.

Being in the Youth Committee is filled with inspiring experiences like this. The group, which encompasses students age 13 to 18, does volunteer work in our com-munity, learns about Hindu culture, and hosts events at the temple. The Youth Committee is quite often assisted by the Junior Balbharati Youth Group, for younger students.

I encourage all of the young people in our community to get involved by enrolling in the Youth Committee or Junior Balbharati. \

Shubhankar Grover is president of the Balbharati Youth Committee. Above, Roop Raj, of Fox 2 News, addresses the groups’s welcome party.

BALBHARATI


BOARD OF TRUSTEES

Chairman Tom Patel, 248 626 7326 [email protected]

Vice-ChairBhavani Garapati, 248 646 [email protected]

Secretary Velji Kansara, 248 932 [email protected]

TrusteesVasanti Bhakta, 248 641 [email protected]

Anant Bhogaonker, 248 432 [email protected]

Jagannadharao Divvela, 313 882 [email protected]

Mohinder Diwan, 248 338 [email protected]

Gobind Garg, 248 626 [email protected]

Gayatri Garg, 248 540 [email protected]

Nidhi Khattree, 248 366 0105 [email protected]

Prem Khilanani, 248 626 2829 [email protected]

Ramesh Mohindra, 248 681 6150 [email protected]

Nutan Oak, 248 879 0121 [email protected]

Sri Ram, 248 646 6644 [email protected]

Anand Varadarajan, 248 767 2655 [email protected]

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

PresidentS.Viswanathan, 248 853 5988 [email protected]

President-ElectRavi Khattree, 248 366 0105 [email protected]

TreasurerBalu Patel, 586 264 2435 [email protected]

Joint TreasurerSuman Desai, 248 879 7011 [email protected]

SecretaryMahaveer Khetawat, 586 997 9730 [email protected]

Joint SecretaryKoteshwarlu Divi, 248 641 1695 [email protected]

Committee CoordinatorSwati Paranjpe, 248 373 2654 [email protected]

Ex-OfficioRaman Patel, 586 530 0381 [email protected]

WORKING COMMITTEE CHAIRS

Adult & SeniorsSeema Shah, 248 585 [email protected]

Balbharati (Youth)Ruta Desai, 248 [email protected]

CulturalMrinalini Arkatkar, 248 740 1223 [email protected]

EducationSuman Hukku, 248 [email protected]

Gift ShopSwaran Batra, 248 474 5171 [email protected]

Gurukul (Montessori)Rajkumar Ramamurthy, 248 853 3487 [email protected]

Information SystemsSriram Parthasarathy, 248 974 4776 [email protected]

Kitchen & PrasadArun Pandya, 248 647 [email protected]

LibrarySunder Hukku, 248 677 [email protected]

MaintenanceDinesh Billore, 248 852 [email protected]

MembershipShama Kenkre, 248 267 9343 [email protected]

OutreachAnjali Vale, 248 219 [email protected]

PublicationsKrishnan Anantharaman, 248 538 4576 [email protected]

Public RelationsJanakirama Sastriji, 248 322 8718, [email protected]

Tom Patel, 248 626 7326 S.Viswanathan, 248 853 5988

Temple Office248 [email protected]

Temple ManagerSonali Bhalsod, 248 761 [email protected]

ReligiousVani Gutta, 248 852 [email protected]

Shanta Viswanathan, 248 853-5988 [email protected]

SEVA (Community Service)Bindu Suresh, 248 879 2307 [email protected]

Ramanath Vutukuru, 248 743 0899 [email protected]

2012 Temple Leadership


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LAKES AREA MONTESSORI 248-360-0500 ~ Walled Lake

8605 Richardson @ Martin Pkwy -----------------------------------------

Tuesday & Thursday April 24, May 24, June 5

10:00 AM – 2:00 PM

BLOOMFIELD MAPLES MONTESSORI 248-661-0910 ~ West Bloomfield

6201 W. Maple Rd between Farmington & Drake ------------------------------------------------

Tuesday & Wednesday May 1 & 2

10:00 AM – 2:00 PM

~ Strong Montessori Academics ~ Toddler/PreSchool/Kg/Elementary ~ Part and Full Time Programs ~ Certified, Experienced Staff ~ For 18 months – Grade 5 / 7 AM – 6 PM ~ Montessori Summer Program (June and July)

Call: Usha Mangrulkar (248) 737-9514

www.MiMontessori.com

Open Houses

Greetings From Suresh and Usha Mangrulkar Montessori Schools

“Educating today’s children and tomorrow’s leaders since 1979”

Non-Profit Org. U.S. Postage

P A I DTroy, MI

Permit No. 98

Chetana A publication of The Bharatiya Temple

BNA Construction Inc. 27350 Southfield Road, Lathrup Village, MI - 48076 Designers – Builders

BNA Construction has been in the business of designing and building exquisite homes since 1982. ( Our work has been published in local magazines and news papers.)

We take pride in having designed and built numerous additions and renovating existing homes to accommodate customer’s needs and desires and creating a new and distinct look for the house.

We employ excellent and dependable craftsmen in every area of building trade. BNA Construction and it’s employees and sub contractors are fully insured.

For last 25 years some of the most exquisite homes for the Indian community in tri county area have been designed and built by BNA Construction.

Raj Nijhon, president of BNA Construction is a licensed builder, registered architect and a professional engineer.

Two of the basic tenets of BNA Construction’s business philosophy is taking care of customer and maximizing the value for the money spent. We work as a team with the customer to make sure that project goals are fully realized.

We consider all design – build projects - regardless of size or scope.

Phone : ( 248 ) – 569 – 7474 Email : [email protected]

BNA Construction Inc. 27350 Southfield Road, Lathrup Village, MI - 48076 Designers – Builders

BNA Construction has been in the business of designing and building exquisite homes since 1982. ( Our work has been published in local magazines and news papers.)

We take pride in having designed and built numerous additions and renovating existing homes to accommodate customer’s needs and desires and creating a new and distinct look for the house.

We employ excellent and dependable craftsmen in every area of building trade. BNA Construction and it’s employees and sub contractors are fully insured.

For last 25 years some of the most exquisite homes for the Indian community in tri county area have been designed and built by BNA Construction.

Raj Nijhon, president of BNA Construction is a licensed builder, registered architect and a professional engineer.

Two of the basic tenets of BNA Construction’s business philosophy is taking care of customer and maximizing the value for the money spent. We work as a team with the customer to make sure that project goals are fully realized.

We consider all design – build projects - regardless of size or scope.

Phone : ( 248 ) – 569 – 7474 Email : [email protected]

JAPAN - Bharatiya Temple The Aftermath. A nation copes with disaster. 17 ... Prana Pratishta is the...

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