Sri Ganesh Chathurthi           
September 7th, 2002

Austin Hindu Temple and Community Center Project
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'vakratunDa mahAkAya ; kOTi soorya samaprabha
avighnam kurumE dEva ; sarva kAryEshu sarvadA'
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In a continuous effort to provide traditional services to devotees in the Austin area, the Austin Hindu Temple (AHT) Committee is organizing Ganesh Chathurdhi Vratam (Pooja) on Saturday, September 7th, 2002.  AHT would like you and your family to attend and actively participate in this traditional Pooja and receive Lord's blessings.

 To complete a work or a ritual without any obstacles, it is customary to pray Lord Vignesha (One who removes hurdles).  In this back to school season, let us all celebrate this festival together and start our endeavors with blessings from Lord Ganesha.

 Dr. Madhu Godsay, a well known teacher, priest, and a great learned man, will perform the Pooja.  This is a great opportunity for you and your family, especially kids, to perform Pooja individually; starting with the invocation of Lord Ganesha and ending with His Visarjan/Nimajjanam (Immersion ceremony). 

Please If you would like to sponsor the Pooja or Volunteer for making prasadam, please register with one of the volunteers below as soon as possible (Preferably by September 01, 2002). Early registration will help AHT to organize the Pooja successfully. 

Pooja Sponsorship:

• Level 1 Sponsorship: $31 per family.  AHT provides Pooja items and clay Ganesh idol.
• Level 2 Sponsorship: $51 per family.  AHT provides Pooja samagri, clay ganesh idol, & a silver coin of Lord Ganesha
• Business Sponsorship: $101 and above per family/business. AHT announces the Business name twice during the Pooja and provides a link on AHT’s web site.

Details of the Pooja are as follows:

• Date:  September 7th, 2002
• Pooja Registration: 9:30 AM - 10:30 AM (Sponsors will receive Pooja kit.)
• Pooja: 10:30 AM - 12:30 PM
• Aaarti: 12:30 PM
• Lunch Prasad: 12:30 - 1:30 PM
• Lord Ganesh Procession and  Nimajjanam (Immersion of the idol): 1:30 PM

Venue:  Murchison Middle School Cafeteria , 

3700 North Hills Dr., Austin, TX 78731

AHT requests you to be present with your family and friends, take the Lord's prasadam and make the occasion a great success. Also, AHT needs your support in sponsoring, volunteering, organizing pooja, making Prasadam, etc. Together, we can realize our dream of bringing a much needed, easily accessible Hindu Temple & Community Centre to the Austin area.

For more information on Pooja, please contact:

Raghuram Tupuri 301-7418               Krishna Gobburu  341-9753
Jagannath Vedula 990-8780              Uma Gupta          255-4601
Umesh Somanahalli  346-3698          Ravi Kandikonda   779-7284
or Please send email to  mypuja@austinhindutemple.org.

For more information on Austin Hindu Temple & Community Center Project, please visit www.austinhindutemple.org.  

Directions: From North/South Mopac, Exit at Farwest Blvd and go west in Farwest Blvd. Cross 2 signals on farwest Blvd and turn left at Hartlane (3rd Signal). Then make a right at North Hills Dr. and the school is on the right side.

Sarve' Janah Sukhino' Bhavantu