MTNA Newsletter
MURUGAN TEMPLE OF NORTH AMERICA
New Silver
Kavasam for
Meenakshi Amman
A new silver kavasam will be
adorned to Meenakshi
Amman on Chithra
Pournami (April 29).
Devotees are invited to
contribute for the Kavasam.
Sponsor Silver
Kavasam for Kaala
Samhaara Murthy
The project cost estimate
is around $20K. A group
of devotees have
already pledged about $11K
to have the proposed Silver
Kavasam made in Tamil
Nadu and shipped to us.
Devotees are cordially
invited to sponsor this new
initiative. For details,
please contact the temple
manager.
6300, Princess Garden Parkway, Lanham, MD 20706
Issue 1, 2018
Om Saravana Bhava
President’s Report
The construction of the expansion part is nearly complete and we
hope to get the occupancy permit soon. As an extension to this,
we have many projects in line to be completed. Leading the list is
the provision of racks in all storage areas and closet places to
properly store items and reduce the clutter inside the temple. We
will also provide security cameras in all the entrances and have it
monitored. Our temple is growing and we see a big increase in
the participation of devotees at the various functions. New Year,
Pongal and Thai Poosam brought in hundreds of devotees.
As part of Thai Poosam celebration, for the first time in the
history of Murugan Temple, the devotees were allowed to enter
the arthamandapam for a short period of time and prey. We plan
to allow this annually on three occasions, namely, during Thai
Poosam, Brahmootsavam, and Kandashasti.
The auditorium is now equipped with ‘state of the art’ audio
system. Devotees are encouraged to rent the auditorium with the
special audio system for their functions. Please contact the
manager for further details. The cafeteria will be completely
operational soon. It is anticipated that we will have a great
selection in the menu for the weekends. Hope you will come and
enjoy the food.
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MTNA Newsletter Issue 1, 2018

We need to build a strong volunteer base. We are looking for

volunteers in all age groups to participate in various temple
activities. Please call the temple to sign up. Your volunteer and
monetary support is very much needed to help the temple grow
and prosper.

We believe that it is our job to make you feel comfortable in the

Temple Abishekams
Daily 9am: Gaensha & Shiva

Weekdays 10am: Murugan

temple premises and when you leave, you should go with
contended outlook. If you have any comments, please contact
me. – Anantha Krishnan (anantha_krishnan_98@yahoo.com)

MTNA Cafeteria
Weekends 11am: Murugan

Mondays 7pm: Shiva

Tuesday 7pm: Meenakshi

Thursday 7pm: Palani
Andavar

Thursday 7:30pm:
Dhakshinamurthy

Grand Opening
March 25th
Friday 7pm: Ganesha

Saturday 9:30am: Navagraha

Sunday 5pm: Durgai

Special Abishekams
Sankata Hara Chathurthi
Ganapathty Abishekam
Pradosham Siva Abishekam
1st day of Tamil Month
Kaala Samhara Murthy
Abishekam
Sukla Shasti Murugan
Sahasarnamam
Pournami Meenakshi
Abishekam
Kirthigai Palani Andavar
Abishekam
Theipirai Ashtami Kaala
Bairavar Abishekam
Check Temple calendar/
website/Facebook for more
information.
µ"க$
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வாWPறாrக5.

6300, Princess Garden Parkway, Lanham, MD 20706 2

MTNA Newsletter Issue 1, 2018

6300, Princess Garden Parkway, Lanham, MD 20706 3

MTNA Newsletter Issue 1, 2018

6300, Princess Garden Parkway, Lanham, MD 20706 4

MTNA Newsletter Issue 1, 2018

Thai Pongal at MTNA Tamil School 


Agash Pathmathevan

Our Sunday school kids and parents celebrated 2018 Thai Pongal on
January 14th along with lots of Murugan devotees. Though the Tamil
people celebrate many festivals, Pongal is the only festival that is purely
from the Tamil tradition and culture. Starting from January 12th,
Pongal is celebrated for four consecutive days. Farmers offer their
thanks to nature and the various animals helping them in their day to
day work.  

On the very first day of Bhogi, farmers burn old belongings to

symbolize the start new life. On the day of the Surya Pongal, they offer
their crops as an expression of gratitude to Surya, the sun God. The
next day is devoted to the cattle, which supports the farmers’ well-
being.

For many years now, the MTNA Sunday School has been celebrating

the Thai Pongal with all the children to revive the fading traditions.
During the Pongal event, all the kids enjoyed every minute, singing the
bhajan songs, making Kolam in and around the temple, listening to
speeches about Pongal and our Tamil tradition, offering the flowers to
Sun and, most importantly, making the prasadam by adding rice, sugar
and other ingredients to the Pongal by their hands. It was an amazing
and wonderful experience to all of us and on behalf of the Sunday
school students and parents, we thank and love the Murugan Temple.

Murugan Temple offers Tamil, Bhajan, Hinduism and Hatha Yoga classes for
children. The classes are conducted on second and fourth Sundays of each month,
"om September to June. Tamil language classes are certified by the American
Tamil Academy (ATA). Please contact Mr. Vigna Karunakaran
(vignakaru@yahoo.com) for more information.

6300, Princess Garden Parkway, Lanham, MD 20706 5

MTNA Newsletter Issue 1, 2018

6300, Princess Garden Parkway, Lanham, MD 20706 6

MTNA Newsletter Issue 1, 2018

Devotees’ Corner

What is Bhakthi
Bhakthi towards God is a deep love similar to the love between a mother and her child. To enjoy this love
towards God, one must surrender to the divine. To provide the space for bhakti in our hearts and mind,
we have to let go of anger, fear, and ego. With a great deal of effort, one can make space for the love of
god by reducing the space taken by its counter. A number of saints have tried to explain bhakthi.

Bhakthi of Arunagirinathar: The Tamil meaning of union is Anuputhi. Sage Arunagiri experienced the
anuputhi and sang Kanthar Anuputhi. Arunagirinathar was a man of no formal learning and spent time
seeking pleasure. When he realized his sins and appreciated the sacrifices of his sister, Arunagirinathar
felt dejected. He showered his love to Lord Muruga who then cured him of leprosy and blessed him with
the wisdom to draft Thiru Pughaz, Kanthar Anuputhi, etc. Once anybody realized their mistake, God will
rush to show him the right path.

Arunagirinathar said in his Kanthar Alangaram song 95, "The truth will not be known to anyone in this
world unless they lose the feeling of I and me from themselves."

yaan-thaan-enum-sol irandum ket-taal anRi yaavarukkum


thOnRaathu saththiyam thollai peru-nilam soo-karamaai

keen-Raan marugan murugan krubaakaran kElviyinaal

saanRu-aarum atrra thani veLikae vanthu santhip-pathE

Bhakthi of Karaikal Ammaiyar: Karaikal Ammaiyar (Punithavathi) was a devotee of Lord Shiva from her
childhood. She even believed that serving food to devotees of Shiva is a way to show her love/bhakti to
the Lord himself. One day, her husband got two mangoes for her. Punithavathi gave one of the mangoes
to a devotee of Shiva. Not knowing this, Punithavathy's husband, after eating a mango, asked for the
second one too. Punithavathi was nervous to tell him the truth, but she believed that her bhakthi would
save her and it did. She Prayed to Lord Shiva and got a new mango. This new mango was more delicious
than the first one that her husband ate. When Punithavathi's husband enquired as to how this mango
could be tastier than the previous one, Punithavathi revealed the truth. As it was hard for her husband to
believe the story, he challenged Punithavathi to get another mango from Lord Shiva, and she did. Later in
life, her husband abandoned her to marry another woman. Then, beautiful Punithavathi prayed to Lord
Shiva for an ugly face. This was an aspirational surrender to God. To praise her Bhakthi Lord Shiva called
her Ammai (the mother). This is how Punithavathy's love to Lord Shiva made her the Karikal Ammaiyar.

6300, Princess Garden Parkway, Lanham, MD 20706 7

MTNA Newsletter Issue 1, 2018

µ"க தQசனm
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iவ6க5 உ5ளன.



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ஆனnத க]wr நm உடைல நைனkக ேவ]6m எ%Pறாr. உடl

6300, Princess Garden Parkway, Lanham, MD 20706 8

MTNA Newsletter Issue 1, 2018

இைறவைன வணŋக ேவ]6m. உ5ளm இைறவைன உணர ேவ]6m.

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{lகைள ப^kக ப^kக நமC உ5ளm ெசmைம ப6m. [க µkPய ஆ3
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மன பலm, ெதm\ அைமO  ேபா%றவ,ைற ெகா6pபாr. 


6300, Princess Garden Parkway, Lanham, MD 20706 9

MTNA Newsletter Issue 1, 2018

µ"க% உ5ேள இ"kPறா% எ%ற nைனpேப  நmைம நlவd?l

ெசZtCm. எைதem சnOkக\m சாOkக\m ெப" வ+ைமைய த"m.
அத% π%z எlைலகEm ெதாlைலகEm நமk# இlைல.
அத,# மQலா]q µ"கr நமk# Cைண ெசyவாராக

6300, Princess Garden Parkway, Lanham, MD 20706 10