This publication caters to devotees who wish to use it at home, in personal temples and Pooja rooms. The Spiritual Head of SWAHA, Paramacharya Pt. Hardeo Persad, states in his introduction that the worship of this form of Divinity is integral to Hindu worship. Through this form of worship, the devotee is endowed with the tool of discriminative power, by means of which one is able to successfully overcome personal, environmental and other challenges that confront him daily. The devotee no longer perceives a world of distinction and differentiation, but of non-duality. He acquires a greater connectedness with his world, discerning unity in diversity. He develops increased confidence, creativity, magnetism and optimism. He becomes more grounded as he acquires enhanced stability, balance and harmony with himself and his world. With such focus obstacles, challenges and difficulties in any form are easily removed. This expression of communication to the Divine is also one form of ‘nitya karma’ or daily activity to which everyone is duty-bound.

The first section of the book presents the nature of ‘Ganesh’, symbolism of the form as well as brief insights into the significance of the ‘Swastika’, the symbol of good luck and other emblems of this deity. A philosophical explanation of ‘Ganesh Visarjan’ or final immersion of the murti into the waterways is also presented. Some frequently asked questions pertaining to Pooja are also answered in this segment of the book.The second part of the book deals exclusively with the physical preparations and the actual worship of Shri Ganesh. Designed for personalised use, all preliminary preparations are comprehensively explained. A pooja checklist and a step by step format for offerings and mantras are clearly laid out so that the devotee can make use of this valuable information at any time. Powerful Sanskrit Stotras with English translation, pertaining to this form of God are included.

SWAHA believes that this book will be an invaluable guide for the Hindu community, especially at this present time when challenges, individual, natural and environmental, abound and the power of discrimination is needed more than ever. Ganesh Upaasanaa is available from SWAHA’s Head Office (Ph: 674-7384, swahainternational@gmail.com), SWAHA Centres and Branches, and leading Pooja stores.

A full preview of the book is available below:

SWAHA Sukh Shanti Bhakti Mandali: Five (5) nights Ramayan Yayna
Commencing on Wednesday 18th August 2010, Terminating on Sunday 22nd August 2010

Dharma Jyot Mandali: Three (3) Nights Ramayan Yagya
Commencing on Friday 27th August 2010, Terminating on Sunday 29th August 2010

Swaha Gyaan Jyoti Mandali: Three (3) Nights Ramayana yagya
Commencing on Thursday 26th August 2010, Terminating on Saturday 28th August 2010

Commencing on Sunday, July, 04, 2010 at 6.30pm
Terminating on Sunday, July,11, 2010 (mid-day)
Govardhan Puja on Thursday, July, 08, 2010

Devotional Hours:
9.00-11.00am, 1.00-3.00pm and 7.00-9.00pm each day.

Officiating:
His Holiness Paramachaarya Pt. Hardeo Persad, Spiritual Head of SWAHA
Assisted by Pt Umadutt Maharaj of SWAHA

Come share in the Divine Bliss.
Om Shanti! Shanti! Shanti!

Facebook Event: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=140373409311627

The concert will take place on Sunday 27th June 2010 from 10.00am – 11.30am at the Gyaan Deepak Kirtan Mandali Temple, 19 Chotoo Street, Aranjuez, San Juan.

Shekher Kumbhojkar is a versatile vacalist who has performed both in India and internationally. He learnt music from age of six from Gandharva Mahavidyalaya, Pune. His teachers included Pt. Dattopant Agashe, Pt. Manoharpant and Pt. Jitendra Abhisheki. He accompanied many well known artists on the harmonium and with vocal support. Presently, he is working as the vocal teacher at the Mahatma Gandhi Institute for Cultural Cooperation in Trinidad and Tobago. Shekher Kumbhojkar will present a morning raga followed by other semi-classical forms. Dr. Mahendra Sharma will accompany him on the tabla.

Dr. Mahendra Prasad Sharma was born in the holly city Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India. He is a disciple of Pandit Chhote Lal Mishra of Banaras Gharana. He is a performer as well as academician. Dr. Sharma read for an M.A. (tabla) from Khairagarh Music University and a PhD from Panjab University, Chandigarh, India. Presently, Dr. Sharma is working as the tabla teacher at the Mahatma Gandhi Institute for Cultural Coopration. Dr. Prasad Sharma will present a tabla solo in teen taal (16 beats). He will start with a Ganesh Vandana on tabla, and then proceed to present Peshkaar, Kayda, Rela, Tukra, Farmyshi, Gats, Baant etc. He will be accompanied on harmonium by Mr. Shekhar Kumbhojkar.

Facebook Event: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=129574990404756

UPDATE: Live audio broadcast of this yagna at Indo Caribbean Radio: http://www.icrradio.com/

The godchildren of his holiness Pundit Hardeo Persad in collaboration with Sudama Mandir Inc. (Richmond Hill, New York) cordially request the pleasure of your company at a 7 nights Shiv Puran Yagna commencing on Sunday 20th June, 2010.

Puja begins at 6:00 pm (Puja Pundit Rudy Parray)
Pravachan (discourse) from 7:30 pm – 9:00 pm by his holiness Pundit Hardeo Persad
Shiv offerings will be done on Thursday June 24th (following puja)
Concluding service on Sunday June 27th from 9:00 am – 11:00 am

Venue: 101-51 115 St, Richmond Hill, NY 11419

For further info please contact: Mr. Evans Pirmal @ 718-843-0144 or Sudama Mandir @ 718-441-9425
All Pundits, Sadhus, Bhajan & Kirtan groups are welcome.

Kimberly Castillo, Trinidad Express, Tuesday, June 1st 2010

Pundit Balram Persad’s declaration – ’One hundred and sixty-five years from Indentureship to Prime Ministership’ – garnered loud applause and kick-started SWAHA’s 2010 Swadeshi Festival and awards ceremony on Sunday night.

Although Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar was not in attendance at the function, which was held at the Learning Resource Centre, of the University of the West Indies, St Augustine, her rise to the office of Prime Minister was lauded by presenters throughout the duration of the programme which celebrated 165 years of East Indian presence in Trinidad and Tobago.

Guest speaker and Minister of Justice Herbert Volney commended SWAHA on the charitable and educational work carried out by the organisation and pledged his cooperation to SWAHA, the headquarters of which is in his constituency of St Joseph.

In his speech, Volney was highly critical of the criminal justice system and reiterated his reason for leaving the judiciary. He also called for the support of SWAHA and its members.

’Regrettably the criminal justice system is based on legislation enacted in the years of Queen Victoria, not Queen Elizabeth and is totally irrelevant, they produce the sort of delay that allows the bad people to terrorise the good people and I left in order to take a stand for the good people of this country,’ he said.

’I would need your support and the support of your organisation when there is pressure upon me when I bring about changes that are required.

While the night’s proceedings were punctuated with reminders of Persad-Bissessar’s success at the polls, some speakers had sobering reminders for the audience.

Director of Education, Pundit Prakash Persad emphasised that the success of the community is more important than the success of an individual. He stressed the importance of giving back to society and using one’s education to benefit the lives of others.

And in his speech, Senior Counsel Kenneth Lalla, a former head of the Public Service Commission, urged the audience to examine the legacy of the East Indian indentureship and the extent and degree of its impact on the development of Trinidad and Tobago.

’Indians should also resolve to liberate themselves from the shackles of defeatism and the psychology of subservience,’ concluded Lalla.

Help for youths

Darcel Choy, Newsday, Tuesday, June 1 2010

President of SWAHA Kelvin Ramkissoon has committed to work with the new government to eradicate poverty and to ensure the development of youth and the society at large. He was speaking at SWAHA’s Swadeshi Festival and awards ceremony at the Learning Resource Centre, University of the West Indies, St Augustine on Sunday evening.

“We will work with any government that shares the ideology that we share. We share an ideology of spiritual humanitarian and charitable work. We will partner with any government throughout our various networks, temples, our institutions, our centres and all our programmes in youth and youth development,” he said.

Spiritual Head of SWAHA, Pundit Hardeo Persad, in his address also drew reference to the new government and first woman Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar saying that time is the most powerful force around.

“When it’s a man’s time to be on top, nothing can move him, when it is time for him to fall, nothing could stop him.

When it’s time for a woman to be on top, nothing can stop her. We must do what we have to do and live by principle, no man is God and everything comes in time. We have to understand the power of time, we are all controlled by this power of time,” he said.

Persad pointed that there has been a focus on the number 24 and explained what that meant in the scriptures. Persad-Bissessar has noted the significance of the number 24, as it was on January 24 that she was elected political leader of the UNC, she was elected prime minister on May 24 and is now her 24th year as a politician. On the election hustings, she joked about the Play Whe mark in which 24 is queen.

“There are 24 manifestations and 12 is a factor of 24. There are 12 sovereign principles in the scripture and now we are celebrating 165 years of Arrival Day and when you add up the numerals, you get 12. Time has come for this situation, it is in the scriptures,” Persad explained.

He noted that proper leadership is very critical and is all about sharing the responsibility for it to benefit the country.

“Leadership is about compromise and understanding, shared responsibility. In any organisation, there are different layers of leadership, but every single layer is important, and it is critical to the growth of the organisation or the country as the case may be. Everybody’s a leader in his or her own right, without proper leadership we can’t go anywhere,” Persad said.

Senior Counsel Kenneth Lalla believes the celebration of Indian Arrival Day should also be a reflection of the trials and tribulations which East Indians were subjected to, and which they had to endure during their term of indentureship in Trinidad. Lalla said the celebrations should be a timely reminder to all to examine their history.

“We should also analyse on an ongoing basis the philosophy and the rationale and the merits and demerits of the legacy of the indentured and the extensive degree of the impact on the development on Trinidad and Tobago prior and subsequent to our independence. Indians should also resort to liberate themselves from the shackles of defeat and the psychology of subservience,” he said.