Hindu Press International- Mar 19, 2019

Goddess Kalikambal Blesses Boston in New Temple
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BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, February 8, 2019 (Lokvani): In the heart of Chennai is located a popular centuries old temple known as Sri Kalikambal, where Goddess Mother Kali in her benevolent form of Kalikambal showers divine grace on Her devotees. The temple was visited by the great Maratha Emperor Chhatrapati Shivaji in 1677, and was frequented by the great Tamil poet Subramania Bharati who composed many well-known songs in praise of the Goddess of this temple. Two centuries later, thanks to the untiring efforts of Shivacharya Bhairavasundaram, the presence and blessings of Mother Kalikambal in our midst.

Shri Bhairav has established a beautiful temple for Mother Kalikambal in Bellingham, MA. The people of Greater Boston are very fortunate to have among them Shivacharya Bhairav, an alumnus of the Madras Sanskrit College, and an experienced and highly respected priest well-versed in the spiritual traditions of Hinduism, who is well-known in the area, and who is also closely related to the spiritual custodians of the Chennai Kalikambal Temple. In fact, the late Guru Deiva Shri Dr. Sivasri Sambamurthy Sivachariar of the Chennai Kalikambal Temple was Bhairav’s primary mentor and guide. His son and disciple Guru Swami Sathasivom Sivacharyar of the Chennai Kalikambal Temple continues to mentor and guide Bhairav in his mission, and sets aside time to visit the Boston Kalikambal Temple to participate in important events. The Boston Kalikambal Temple is currently housed in temporary premises that is part of a shopping plaza on North Main Street in Bellingham. Bhairav recently announced that the acquisition of land on which a new temple will be constructed has been successfully completed.

More on this temple at ”source” above.

A Prayer for Bliss in the New Hampshire House of Representatives
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NEW HAMPSHIRE, U.S., March 14 2019 (Lokvani): The Hindu Temple of New Hampshire, Nashua, NH, once again had the honor of being invited by the New Hampshire State Legislature to give the opening prayer in the chamber of the House of Representatives on Thursday, March 7th, 2019. Sri Veeramani Ranganathan, co-founder of the Temple, shared ancient Indian wisdom from the Taittiriya Upanishad with those assembled, and prayed for a blissful life for all. This special and unique event was made possible through the kind support and efforts of the New Hampshire State Representative from Nashua, Smt. Latha Mangipudi. The custom of opening legislative sessions with prayer was borrowed from the British Parliament, where the practice of beginning each day with the reading of prayers had already existed for a long time. This custom has been practiced in the United States Congress starting from the first Congress in 1789. Most state legislatures have also adopted this tradition, and many have been practicing this for over a century.

The Honorable Speaker of the House, Mr. Steve Shurtleff, introduced Sri Veeramani Ranganathan as the Guest Chaplain and invited him to deliver the opening prayer. All the assembled members of the House and the guests stood up in respect as Sri Veeramani delivered the prayer which lasted several minutes. Sri Veeramani started by offering pranaams to all assembled, offered salutations to parents and preceptors, and went on to deliver a selection of chants in Sanskrit from the Yajur Veda’s Taittiriya Upanishad. The chanting of the Taittiriya Upanishad was followed by a universal prayer in Sanskrit (”sarve bhavantu sukhinah”) seeking the well-being of all. Sri Veeramani followed up the chanting with an explanation in English of the meaning of the Vedic hymns that he chanted. The members of the House and the guests gave him a warm applause to express their appreciation.

Daily Inspiration
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Wisdom ceases to be wisdom when it becomes too proud to weep, too grave to laugh, and too self-full to seek other than itself.
— Kabir (1440-1518), mystic Indian poet

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