Tamil New Year’s Day 2015
Hindu Temple of New Hampshire

ஆறென அறம் பெருகி ஓடட்டும்
நாடெல்லாம் நற்செயல்கள் நடக்கட்டும்
புவியெல்லாம் புன்னகைப்பூ பூக்கட்டும்
புத்தாண்டில் பெருவாழ்வு பிறக்கட்டும்

May the river of righteousness swell and flow
May virtuous deeds occur all over the country
May smiles blossom all over the world
May our lives become great in the new year

The Hindu Temple of New Hampshire, Nashua, NH, celebrated the advent of the Tamil New Year on Saturday, April 18^th, 2015 with an exquisite dance program. The New Year known as “Manmatha” is the 29^th year in the 60 year cycle of years in the Tamil calendar.

Natyamani

The highlight of the celebration was a beautiful Bharatanatyam recital by Amrita Ajai Thirumalai, student and daughter of Smt. Sridevi Ajai Thirumalai, founder of the Natyamani School of Dance. There is a saying in Tamil that goes  â€œKamban veettuk kaiththariyum kavi padum“ (“கம்பன் வீட்டுக் கைத்தரியும் கவி பாடும்” ) – composing poetry comes very easily even to  inanimate objects present  in the great poet Kamban’s home! Analogously, growing up under her mother’s shadow in the environment of Natyamani School of Dance, Amrita would have absorbed the art form through osmosis automatically even without any effort. However, starting from age 4, Amrita went through formal training at the Natyamani School of Dance, known for its rigor and adherence to traditions. Amrita, just in middle school, completed her Arangetram last summer. She has since given many solo and group performances in the US and India on various occasions, won prizes, and has appeared on Shankara TV. Amrita also learns Carnatic music under Guru Tara Bangalore and has won numerous prizes in solo music competitions at Cleveland Aradhana.

Nrityopasana

The recital was held under the auspices of Bharathi Vidyashram, the cultural school of the Hindu Temple of New Hampshire.  Delightful entertainment for the viewers, the recital was a “nrityopasana” - offering of prayers through dance – from Amrita’s perspective.  The performance was lively, pristine and very graceful. The hard wood floors of the main hall of the Hindu Temple of New Hampshire served as a solid and expansive stage for the dancer to move around and perform freely.

The program commenced with a welcome and introduction by Sri Arvind Krishnamoorthy. The recital which was compered excellently by Smt. Sridevi Thirumalai, began with a Thodayamangalam, consisting of a number of pieces including Guru Vandana (obeisance to the teacher), verses from the Bhagavad Gita, the Gayathri Mantra, and the Ganga Stotram in praise of Mother Ganges.  This was followed by “Ananda Nartana Ganapathi Bhavaye” in raga Gambhira Nattai/Adi  in which Amrita brought the dancing form of Lord Ganesha to life. This was followed by a dance set to Thyagaraja’s “Naada thanumanisham” (raga Chita Ranjani/Adi) in which the dancer reverentially prayed to Lord Shiva. The main piece of the evening was a varnam, “Vaare Raghuvamsa Chandrane” on Sri Rama in Ramapriya/Adi, presented to the recently installed Sri Ram Parivar deities in the Temple. In this piece Amrita walked through the whole of Ramayana and vividly captured various episodes in the life of Sri Rama through her expressive bhavas and smooth movements. This was followed by a “Devarnama” – a Kanakadasa ragamalika in Kanada – in praise of Lord Krishna of Udipi. Amrita brought Lord Krishna in front of the eyes of the viewers both through this “Devarnama”, as well as the fast-paced  in Arabhi/Adi that followed  â€“ “Maragatha Manimaya”, by Oothukadu Venkatasubbaiyer. The Bharatiyar composition “Om Shakti” provided an opportunity to Amrita to offer her prayers to every deity enshrined in the Temple. Amrita concluded her memorable performance with a Thillana, Kaliya Nartanam and a Mangalam piece. This was followed by a felicitation of the artist by Sri Veeramani Ranganathan and Smt Usha Dwarakanath. Here is a link to pictures from the recital.

Ugadi - Nadopasana

The Hindu Temple of New Hampshire also recently celebrated Vishu (Malayalam New Year’s Day), Ugadi (Telugu/Kannada New Year’s Day) and Gudi Padwa (Marathi New Year’s Day).  The Ugadi  celebrations  held on March 21^st, started with a “Panchanga Sravanam” (reading of the almanac) by Astrologer and IIT alumnus Sri P.V.Narasimha Rao.  This was followed by an excellent Carnatic music concert by a talented team of youth consisting of Pratik Bharadwaj (vocal), Sahana Srinivasan (violin), and Tarun Bangalore (Mridangam). Pratik and Sahana are both students of Guru Tara Bangalore and have won numerous prestigious awards including at the Cleveland Thyagaraja Aradhana. Tarun is a student of Dr. Pravin Sitaram, and has also been receiving advanced training from Vidwan K .U. Jayachandra Rao of Bangalore. This reporter missed this wonderful Nadopasana (worship through music) event and so is not able to provide details, but people he spoke to highly acclaimed the concert and the performance of the artists, which is consistent with what he has seen in other concerts by the same artists. Here is a link to pictures from the concert.

Appeal for Support

The Hindu Temple of New Hampshire, whose mission is to serve the cultural and religious needs of the Hindu community in the New England area, started its operations 7 years ago. It is located at 525 Broad Street, Nashua, NH. The Temple has recently embarked on an expansion project to add Sannidhis (sancta sanctorum) for Sri Medha Dakshinamoorthi and the Navagraha Devatas, to provision for performing Homam/Havan, and to expand the cultural school premises and priest quarters. The Temple seeks your help and generous support in reaching the targeted amount of $200K for this project that is intended to serve the community. While no amount is too small, the Temple suggests that you consider donating amounts of $10000, $5000, $1000, $500, $100 or higher yataa shakti. You can make this donation by participating in the “Donate-A-Brick” fundraiser, by sponsoring a Chant for Dharma at your home, or sponsoring an event at the Temple. The Hindu Temple of New Hampshire is 501c(3) certified, and all donations to the Temple are tax-deductible.

"If we practice Dharma without expecting any reward in the belief that Isvara gives us what he wills, and in a spirit of dedication, the impurities tainting our being will be removed and we will obtain the bliss that is exalted" – Sri Kanchi Paramacharya.

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