HMEC 2011 Program Committee Sant Gupta Abhinav Dwivedi Krishna Kirti Dasa Beth Kulkarni Ramnarine Sahadeo Divya Selvakumar
6TH HINDU MANDIR EXECUTIVES’ CONFERENCE · P.O. Box 611, Iselin, NJ 08830 · (732)-744-0851 · mandirsangam@vhp-america.org · Call For Papers and Participation Namaste On behalf of the HMEC 2011 Program Committee, it is our pleasure to invite you to participate in the 6th Hindu Mandir Executives' Conference 2011 (HMEC 2011), Sept. 23-25, 2011 to be held in Columbus, OH. The theme of the conference is: "The Role of Mandirs in Sustaining Dharma in America”. At HMEC 2011 you will deliberate on ways of ensuring the sustenance of Hindu Dharma in North America and explore avenues for expanding mandirs' roles to meet the ever-changing needs of our community. Your enthusiastic support contributed immensely towards making the previous five conferences of high quality. We plan to continue that tradition this year. The program being developed will be filled with inspiring talks and discussions. We will have ample opportunity of networking with our peers from other Hindu Temples nationwide, develop longlasting friendships and share common goals and aspirations for our future generations.
Dr. Surendra Pandey Dr Sudershan Pasupuleti
Keynote Addresses
Plenary Sessions
Exhibitions
Workshops
Panel Discussions Poster Sessions
Dr. Shardanand Dr. Umesh Shukla Dr. Nangali Srinivavsa Dr. Siva Subramaniam
We come together from many walks of life, bringing with us varied experiences and points of view. It is this diversity which makes these conferences as successful as they have been. You are invited to offer your experience and wisdom in specific areas, for everyone else's benefit. Contributing as: A
Dr. Sharma Tadepalli
Parallel Tracks: Seva and Outreach, Education, Temple Operations, Youth Programs, Arts & Culture
youth speaker A
A speaker A poster
A session chair An
A sponsor Workshop
Vinay Vardhana Dr. Bishun Pandey Dr. Ram Belagaje Krutarth Jain Dr. Shubha Mullick Manu Bhatt Satish Kathula
panelist
presenter
author
organizer
We join together as one and share and listen to each other’s stories, opinions and experiences. It is our hope that each one of us may take several new concepts from this conference and implement in advancing the growth of the respective temples. If you would like to contribute in any of the above roles please contact: Shri Sant D. Gupta, Program, Chair, HMEC 2011 santguptava@gmail.com 703-495-9299H; 703-9807487M
Dr. Abhaya Asthana, Program Co-Chair, HMEC 2011 abhayaji@gmail.com, 508-875-0432H; 508-3146069M We are confident that participating in this conference will be a rewarding experience for you. Thank you once again for your interest and we look forward to working with you in the coming months in developing the program.
Ravi Iyer HMEC 2010 Program Committee Ravi Joshi Dr. Abhaya Asthana Highlights of the 2010 Conference 1. Inaugural Session Set the stage and the tone for the conference. Introduce the hosts. Pique the interest of the attendees with a few thought-provoking talks. “Keeping Mandirs Relevant in Modern Society” “About the Coalition for Hindu Youth” "All Religions are Not the Same" Inaugural address 2.
Welcome Session Opening Remarks Keynote Address: “Enhancing Hindu Community Through Mandirs” 3. Review of HMEC Vision and Selected Action Items Lay the framework by reviewing the vision and mission of HMEC and reporting on selected action items from the past. HMEC Vision and Report Projects: Vivah Book, Geeta Distribution, Text Books, Prayer Book, Seva Diwas
4. Sharing Hindu Community Presence through Festivals, Culture and Seva Major festivals celebrations at Hindu Temples can become an opportunity to share with the larger community. The art forms of India have their roots in the temples and serve as a tool for learning as well as teaching of the sublime. Seva offerings during festivals can include a mini health fair or a food drive for the greater community. Festivals Temples as centers of art and culture Seva as part of, and during, festivities with examples 5. Collaborate More and Compete Less What can we accomplish as a collective that we cannot as individual mandirs? Operating in isolation with no regular connections to the other Hindu temples in the region, mandirs tend to focus only on specific elements of worship practices. Going beyond these aspects and placing more emphasis on spirituality can benefit the entire Hindu community in the region. Benefits include sharing of resources and participation in major events, coordination of visits from Gurus and Swamis, and assistance from other temples during times of need. Some ideas for "Common Projects" The value of collaboration and networking; common core services (specifics, including practical examples) Supply Chain Management for Mandirs: providing economies of scale Dealing with local governmental boards and agencies: Sharing experience in receiving approvals and resolving disputes 6a. Coordinating Hindu Seva Activities There is increased attention and visibility on Hindu Seva activities in which we work side-by-side with NGOs and interfaith groups. Mandirs, working with trained counselors, can play a critical role in serving the community in resolving issues such as nutrition, fitness, mental health including depression, care of the elderly, domestic violence, child abuse, and disability. Social services provided by the county, state or federal governments could be availed. The importance of reporting seva activities in the media needs to be highlighted. Annual Hindu Seva Diwas (October 1st week) Outreach: Working with Indian-American NGOs and Associations (medical, support, counseling, legal) Working side-by-side with interfaith groups 6b. Education and Integration
Are temples placing sufficient emphasis on Hindu Education? Are institutions such as VHP of America, Chinmaya Mission, Hare Krishna, Jagadguru Kripalu, Vedantic Society, HSS, JCC, and AOL meeting the needs of the community and its members of all generations adequately? What role can Hindu temples take in coordinating with these institutions to fulfill our common goals? Conscious Living Foundation (Columbia University) Gurukul/Montessori Schools Textbook Supplements to School Districts Digital Library on Hindu Dharma and History Development of Internet-Based Programs on Hindu Heritage 6c. Beyond Bal-Vihars and Youth Camps: Youths in the Mandirs How to retain youth once they have "graduated" from bal-vihar or have reached the age when they feel they are too "old" to come anymore. Part of this comes from the values instilled during bal-vihar itself, so a strong bal-vihar is crucial to the success of retention. Why is seva important, how do we start youth oriented seva programs at our mandirs, and why is the mandir the most appropriate vehicle for seva? Senior youth mentoring the younger students Role seva plays for integrating youth in the mandir Sports as a enjoyable medium for integration and networking; Summer games 7a. Priests in mandirs – how can they be more effective? Most of the mandirs in west recruit trained priests from India. With a few exceptions, these priests speak very little English and have great difficulty in communicating with anyone other than first generation Hindus. They are new to the American culture and it takes many years for them to be integrated into the society. Very often they live in relative isolation, sharing their lives with a few other priest families. The second-generation Hindus have almost no connection to these priests and whatever little contact they have is through verbal communication. For Hindu temples to sustain, our younger generation must understand, appreciate, and carry on the traditions of Sanatana Dharma. As more and more non-Hindus come in contact with Hindus, many would like to know more about Hindu way of life. A qualified purohita should be able to help nonHindus in this quest. Improving communication skills of the priests along with cultural sensitivity training is imperative. Summer training program for priests (English language, youth teachers, cultural sensitivity) “Adopt a priest� - Caring for priests' families, children's education, integration
Proposal for a Priests' Conference; arranging for priests’ visits to other mandirs. HMEC opportunities for priest training. 7b. Reaching Out to the Local Community To achieve greater acceptance of our places of worship and Hindu religion, many temples have placed importance on connecting with the local communities. Public service (Seva) is an integral part of Hindu Dharma. Many civic welfare projects such feeding the hungry (soup-kitchens and food banks), health clinics, yoga classes, meditation instruction, lecture series on Hinduism – spirituality and philosophical aspects – have led to harmonious relations and helped connect to our youth. Bringing Hindu practices into Temples: Yoga and Meditation Programs for aging adults and preschoolers TBD 7c. Hot Topics New, perhaps controversial, topics Global Hindu: Who is a Hindu? Hindu under siege back home; grass roots temple-to-temple support Bhutanese Resettlement Project; Hindus from Afghanistan, Sri Lanka 8a. Management and Administration of Mandirs There are several common elements as to how the majority of temples in the US came into existence and flourished. However, only a small percentage has spent the time to develop strategic planning and tangible metrics to measure their attainment. This approach will necessitate assessment of their current status, re-evaluation of their practices and instituting appropriate changes for sustained growth. What are the best practices that have been used by successful mandirs, large and small? What are the constraints under which mandirs operate? What are the practical issues facing the mandirs and methods for their resolution? Growth/sustenance problems with smaller temples; Benchmark operations, procedures, policies of small/medium/large Mandirs Case studies: Lessons learned for building a new mandir (Canada, NC) Private Mandirs (single owner) Endowment for Mandirs Youth in the management of mandirs (Suggested target 10% BOT); By-laws 8b. Role of Women in Temple Programs and Management
In many temples, women are very active in management and administration aspects of temples. What role should the women play in attracting the young and the youth to our dharma and temples in our society where distractions and peer-pressure abound? A well-run mentorship program can attract people with skills and experience to act as role models for those needing guidance. Temples can provide an ideal setting for initiating and sustaining it very effectively. Performance of programs and activities based on deeper understanding of the tradition: swadharma and swabhava. Experiences of women priests: ISKCON, Barsana Dham. 8c. How Effective are Temples in Integrating Youth? A society’s strength is only as deep as the extent of its shared common values and morals. Educating our youth about a common set of Hindu values, concepts and traditions in a planned and systematic way will go a long way in instilling in our traditions, values and Dharma. The challenge is to infuse the message with sufficient fun so that enjoyment and learning go hand-in-hand. Explore ways of anchoring Hindu Dharma’s eternal values in the hearts of coming generations and roles which mandirs can play to make that happen. Case study: Vidyalaya Case study: Generation 1's gift to Gen 2, Gen 3 8d. Inter-Racial Marriages Growing number of Hindus youths, both boys and girls are marrying outside their faith. On one hand the concern is: Will it dilute the preservation of Hinduism? On the other hand many non-Hindu spouses find Hindu religion fascinating and may even wish to adopt it! Are Hindu Temples prepared to understand and meet their needs and the needs of their children? Hindu Dharma and the spirituality it espouses must be promoted to preserve their bond to the temples. Panel based on real case studies. Educating our children (and adults too); the role of Mandirs. Preparing for the inevitable- Parents as well as the children. (Dilip Amin) Acceptance and adjustment, the road to happiness. Procedures to become a Hindu We should have both a youth speaker and a first generation parent speak on each of the topics from their different perspectives. 9. Summary of the Youth and Workshop Sessions Summary of Workshop Sessions 10. Hindu Public Policy The panel discussion on Hindu Public Policy will be to present a pedagogic introduction to public policy in terms of its creation, implementation,
measurement, evaluation, and dharmic principles and guidelines to follow. In introducing these five areas, discussion of public policy will include a practical focus on the following issues: (1) cultural sensitivity; (2) youth education; and (3) women's roles in society. The panel discussion’s objective is for participants to gain a clear understanding of the basic principles of public policy, best practices and how the principles of dharma can inform and guide the public policy process throughout all its phases 11. Continuing the Interfaith Discussion (Seva) AJC, Catholic Charities, Hindu groups 12. Closure Everyone Can Serve -- Parting Thoughts - Blessings Resolutions and Next Steps 2011 HMEC Host's Acceptance Speech Vote of Thanks Poster Session at HMEC 2010: Poster Sessions provides an effective way to share your experience and knowledge with interested temple executives. You can prepare posters of regular papers and we will provide easels with backdrops for you to post them. During the break, you will be expected to attend to them and field questions from the interested folks stopping by. The title and material should fall within the scope of currently planned topics of the conference. If you have other subjects that you wish to share, please let us know. For any questions, please do not hesitate to contact the program committee; we will be glad to assist. Exhibitions at HMEC 2010: Exhibitions are an effective way to bring awareness about a subject area. If you have an exhibition that you would like to display at the HMEC 2010 please let us know. The material should be relevant to the conference theme. During the break, you will be expected to attend to them and field questions from the interested folks stopping by.