Durgai Amman Sannidhi Kumbabishekam Celebrations

The Kumbabishekam celebra-

tions for Durgai Amman were a very suc-

cessful event at our Temple. With the

vast support of our devotees and the

strong drive to build the new Durgai

Amman sannidhi, our committees

worked together to make this a joyous

celebration.

We would like to thank the

board of trustees and the executive com-

mittee who used the opportunity to cre-

ate the Durgai Amman Sanndhi. We are

also grateful to our Temple priests, who

provided us with the guidance to ensure

all the necessary religious attributes

were met. And a very heart-filled thank

you to all our volunteers who participat-

ed in the three day event to make the

Kumbabishekam so successful. Thank

you, and please continue to support our

Temple so that we may continue to

move forward.

Thank you,

The Durgai Amman Committee.

The Ashtabandana Kumbabishekam Celebrations at the Murugan Temple

Ashtabandana Kumbabishekam

of the Murugan Temple will be celebrat-

ed during May 2011. Since this is the 12th

anniversary of the Kumbabishekam, the

celebrations will be of a very grand mag-

nitude and we are waiting for auspicious

dates from the Palani Andavar Temple in

Tamil Nadu. The revised dates will be

announced soon. Please join us for the

grand celebrations as the Temple scales

new milestones with every passing year.

You may sponsor either the celebrations

for a single day or on both days. Please

check the Temple blog or contact the

Temple manager at 301-552-4889 for

updates.

Tamil New Year Grand Celebrations

Every new year heralds new

promises and hopes. Join us for the

grand Tamil New year celebrations at

the Murugan Temple on April 16th. Start

your new year with the blessings of Lord

Muruga. You may also choose to be an

all day sponsor of the celebrations.

Please refer to the calendar on page 3 or

the 2011 MTNA calendar for more de-

tails.

Abhishekam to Noothana Durgai Amman

after Parthishta: The Kumbabishkam to the

new Durgai Amman was performed on Janu-

ary 22nd. Please refer to the Temple blog for

more photos and video from the celebrations

Vaikasi Visakham—June 13th 2011

Vaikasi Visakham is the birthday

of Lord Muruga. Lord Muruga emerged

from the third eye of Lord Shiva. Thus,

His birth signifies the opening of the eye

of consciousness. Please join us for the

Vaikasi Visakham celebrations at the

Murugan Temple. Refer to the MTNA

calendar on page 3 or for more details. What’s inside

Saiva Saints Guru Puja 2 Vilakku Puja 2 Projects in Progress 2 Announcements 2 Nandavanam 2 Graduation ceremony 2 Apr-Jun Calendar 3 Directions to the Temple 4

Check out the Temple

blog for photos from

Thai Poosam, Maha

Sivararthri and Pangu-

ni Uthram celebrations.

2

Important Announcements: Projects in Progress

GOLD CROWN PROJECT

A gold Crown for the Utsavamoorthis of Lord Murugan, Valli and Theaviyani are in the process of being made. If you are interested in donating towards this project, please mail a check to MTNA in the memo list "Gold Crown Project".

PANCHALOKAM PROJECT

Somaskandhar, Separate Amman, Pradooshamoorthi and Sandikeswarar are being custom-made from Panchaloakam in India. If you wish to donate towards this project, please mail a check made out to MTNA and in the memo list "Panchaloakam Project"

Thank you for all the support and donations. If you have any questions please call the Religious chair at 301-545-0002

Announcements

Sign up for the temple blog: please sign up for the Temple blog http://

murugantemple.wordpress.com/ to receive e-alerts about forthcoming

events at the temple and articles, photos and videos from past events. Go to the temple website www.murugantemple.org/main.jsp and choose “subscribe to blog” in quick links or leave your email ID at the sign-up sheet with the Temple manager.

Tamil, Religion, and Hatha Yoga Classes For Children: The Murugan Temple offers Tamil, Bajan, and Religious classes for children. Classes on Sundays from 10:15AM - 12:00 noon. Please call Jana Kesavan at 410-747-0019 for more information.

YOUR YEAR END CONTRIBUTIONS LETTER can now be easily obtained from www.murugantemple.us secure website. Register if not already done so. Retain this newsletter for help during registration. Click 'Register' and Click 'Help' adjacent to the DevoteeID field to obtain Dev-oteeID.

Sponsors needed: MTNA needs sponsors for corporate grade printer fax fax machine with maintenance service and a sturdy refrigerator costing approximately $ 1,100.00 or more each. You can sponsor a badly needed replacement or addition to the Temple for items as inexpensive as $25. Please call the Temple manager 301 552-4889 to find out what items are needed at the time.

Nandavanam at Murugan Temple (Flower Garden)

The flower garden at the Murugan Temple premise is still in its infancy. We need flowers on a daily basis for the pujas

and for garlands. I am calling on all devotees to join in and bring your friends as volunteers to have a beautiful garden at the Murugan Tem-ple. We need not only planting of flowering plants but help on a weekly basis to make sure we maintain well whatever

is planted. We need to form a team, have regular meetings and decide how we are go-ing to plant and have a beautiful garden with plenty of flowers for pujas. Please contact the Temple at (301) 552 – 4889 or Mr. Elyathamby Vignarajah at (410) 788 - 7251.

MTNA 2010 & 2011 Children's Graduation Ceremony

We had originally planned the 2010 ceremony for

Navarathri Day. We would like to do it on the same day for our

children who follow the Tamil and religious classes in Bethesda,

Ellicott City, and at the Temple. But, we could have the

graduation from High schools, Universities, Baratanatyam etc.

during the Kumbabishekam anniversary since some of you will

leave on holiday or for college. So kindly leave your names at the

Temple manager's desk if you are graduating and at what level -

high school, college, fine arts, music etc. Please contact the

Temple at (301) 552 - 4889 or e-mail Mr. Elyathamby

Vignarajah evignarajah@hotmail.com for updates.

Saiva Saints Guru Puja at MTNA—Sunday April 3rd 2011

Hinduism, as we

know it, has gone through

many trials and tribulations

over several centuries but

still stands up as an insur-

mountable tower. During the

trying times, the great saints

of the past, with their un-

flinching devotion to God, upheld the beacon light of Dharma

and guided the common folks, by their teaching and by example,

on the right path of virtuosity and devotion. MTNA will celebrate

the glorious works of the 63 flag-bearers of Saivism, the Na-

yanmars and the contemporary Sivacharyar Late Sri. Kripanan-

davariar on April 3rd. The celebrations include recitation of some

of the Nayanmars’ works including Panniru Thirumurai by chil-

dren, Abhishekam to Lord Muruga, religious discourse by an emi-

nent devotee of the Temple and lunch. Please refer to the calen-

dar on page 3 for the schedule. Please note the small change

from the MTNA 2011 calendar. We invite all adults and children

to participate, enjoy, learn and appreciate the devotional way of

worshipping God shown by our great Saiva saints.

Vilakku Puja— Sunday April 17th 2011

Darkness is nothing but absence of light. When the light

called devotion light up in our hearts, the God residing in them is

revealed. It is this phenomenon that is signified by the practice of

showing deeparathanai to the deities in the Garbagraham. Let

our hearts illumine with the light of devotion to Lord Muruga on

the first poornima of the Tamil new year, April 17th, also called

Chitra poornima. Come, join us on the very auspicious day as the

Temple will be beautifully lit up with lamps around each santum.

Please refer to the calendar on page 3 for the schedule.

3

Ganapati Tunai “Why Fear? I Am Within You and Protect You Always” — Murugan

Murugan Temple Sponsorship Form Make Murugan Temple’s Rajagopuram Part of Your Legacy

_ First Brick (Special) - $51

_ Ten Bricks – $1,010

_ One Thousand Bricks – $101,000

_ North or South Gopuram $35,000

SubTotal Rajagopuram Contribution ....................$________

Sponsor Temple Operations

Full day of temple operations ........................................ $750

Full month: Garlands (all deities) ................................. $900

Full month: Abhishekam and Omam provisions .......... $450

Full month: Milk .......................................................... $250

A full week of Garlands (all deities).............................. $125

One day: Simple garland for a deity........ ....................... $ 15

Choice of Deity for garland :_________________

Sub Total Operations ..........................................$________

Please indicate desired dates _________________

MTNA Newsletter Printing and Mailing .................$__________

Thiruvasi for Sivan ..................................................$__________

Kavasam for Peedam in Silver for Amman .............................$__________

Check Enclosed for................................................................$__________

Name

Address

City State _________ ZIP ___________________

Phone ____________E–Mail ________________________________

Family Gothiram _________________________________________

Birth Star (el:rj;jpuk;) _____ Name of Family Member

Please use separate sheet for additional family members

Mail: The Murugan Temple of North America, 6300 Princess Garden

Parkway,Lanham, MD 20706

You can now make contributions and fill-out your donation forms

on-line at www.murugantemple.org

APRIL

Saiva Saints guru Puja– Sun, April 3rd

10:00AM Reciting Panniru Thirumurai

11:00AM Murugan Abhishekam

11:30AM Reciting Panniru Thirumurai

12 noon Panniru Thirumurai Procession

12:30pm Lunch

Thirumurai Recital—Sun, April 10th

12 noon Thirumurai recital in front of

Siva sannidhi

Tamil New Year (Khara)—Thu, April 14th

09:00AM Ganapathi Homam

09:45AM Ganapathi Abhishekam

10:30AM Murugan Abhishekam

Tamil New Year Grand celebrations*—Sat, April 16th

09:00AM Subramanya Homam

09:30AM Kavadi and Pal kudam

10:30AM Murugan Abhishekam

11:00AM Bajan

12:30pm Deeparathanai

01:30pm Lunch

03:00pm Thiru Kalyanam and procession

Vilakku Puja*: Chitra Poornima—Sun, April 17th

06:00pm Meenakshi special Abhishekam

Adhi Parasakthi Puja—Sun, April 24th at 02:30pm

Mon, April 25th

06:00pm Nataraja Abhishekam

Sani Pradosham—Sat, April 30th

06:00pm Special Abhishekam to Shiva

MAY

Mother’s Day—Sun, May 8th

10:00AM Special Abhishekam to

Meenakshi

12 noon Thirumurai recital at Siva

sannidhi

Sani Pradosham—Sat, May 14th

06:00pm Special Abhishekam to Shiva

Adhi Parasakthi Puja—Sun, May 22nd at 02:30pm

Ashtabandhana Kumbabishekam celebrations: Revised dates and

schedule to be announced soon. Check the Temple blog or call the manager for

updates.

* Sponsorship details: Refer to MTNA calen-

dar or call Temple manager 301-552-4889

JUNE

Vaikasi Visakham—Mon, June 13th

09:00AM Subramanya Homam

09:30AM Kavadi and Pal kudam

10:00AM Murugan Abhishekam

Father’s Day—Sun, June 20th

10:00AM Special Abhishekam to Shiva

Adhi Parasakthi Puja—Sun, June 26th at 02:30pm

Monthly events

First Friday Bajan 08:00pm

Apr 1, May 6 and June 3

Third Friday Bajan 08:00pm

Apr 15, May 20 and June 17

Karthigai: Special Abhishekam to Palani

Andavar 07:30pm

Apr 6, May 4, May 31 and June 27

Pradosham: Siva Special Abhishekam

06:00pm

April 15, April 30 (sani), May 14 (sani),

May 29, June 13 and June 28.

Poornima: Meenakshi Special

Abhishekam 06:00pm

April 17, May 16 and June 14

Sankatahara Chaturthi: Special

Abhishekam to Ganesha 06:00pm

April 20, May 20, June 18

4

TEMPLE SERVICES: Please call the Temple Manager at

301-552-4889 to make prior arrangements for

ceremonies at the Temple or in your home.

Also, ask for information about local hotels. TEMPLE HOURS: Monday – Friday 9 am – 12 noon &

5 pm - 9 pm; Saturday, Sunday, & Holidays 9 am – 9

pm

AUDITORIUM: The Temple’s auditorium capable of

seating about 200 people in the basement is available

for rent by Devotees. The Temple has also ample

parking space. Call the Temple Manager at 301 552-

4889 for reservations.

DIRECTIONS TO MURUGAN TEMPLE: From I-95 (also

495, Capital Beltway), take exit 20-A, Lanham (Rte 450

East), then follow the signs to Princess Garden Parkway.

Turn right on Princess Garden Parkway. “Murugan

Temple” is on your left within half a mile (6300 Princess

Garden Parkway)

From Baltimore-Washington Parkway take Exit to Rt.

193 East Greenbelt Road. Turn left on Greenbelt Road.

Turn right on Hanover Parkway, which becomes

Princess Garden Parkway. Drive about 2.5 miles. The

temple will be on your right.

Non Profit Org.

U.S. Postage

PAID

So. MD

Permit No. 3958

Murugan Temple of North America

6300 Princess Garden Parkway

Lanham, MD 20706, USA

CHANGE SERVICE REQUESTED

The Murugan Temple of North America is a traditional Saivite Temple. It has

a floor area of 7000 sq. ft with main sannidhi for Murugan (Karthikeya) and

4 small sannidhis for Vinayaka (Ganesha), Nataraja (Siva), Meenakshi and

Palani Andavar. We also have an auditorium that is available for community

use.