NATIONAL
HINDU TEMPLE CONFERENCE AND TEMPLE GUIDE LAUNCHING
Date : 01-09-2012,
Saturday
Time : 09.00am - 1.30pm
Venue : Dewan
Institut Latihan Kakitangan DBKL,
Cheras Kuala Lumpur
Sathoorthi
Project
Sathoothi Project is aimed
at strengthening our temples with social, welfare programmes which will become
a permanent and integral part of our worshipping place. The project is
conducted in a well structured manner and on permanent basis.
We are well aware about
the basic nature of Hindu temples in creating an avenue for devotees to fulfill
their devotional needs. Apart from agamic procedures and rituals, temples in
Malaysia are used for ceremonies like marriages, Tevaram classes, bharatanatyam
classes and etc.
We also acknowledge
many beneficial activities, particularly pertaining to social welfare of
devotees are being carried out in many temples. However many of these
activities are on ad-hoc basis, seasonal in nature or only during festivals (eg
: Before Deepavali / Thaipusam)
We strongly feel
a vacuum /gap still exist to assist or help the devotees visiting the temple. Temple
must be the leading place to
provide early help, adequate counseling and continuous care to fulfill the
needs of the devotees. This will make a HUGE DIFFERENCE (c.f: seasonal
services) to nuture the confidence and trust of the people towards temple.
In long run this
will be one of the ways to “attract” people (elderly / youngsters) to come to
temple. So via this programme we should be able to ENRICH THE TEMPLE AND EMPOWER THE PEOPLE.
A permanent
venue should be created in the vicinity of the temple for devotees to sit, talk,
and discuss their problems. The coordinators at the centre can give a solution
to the problems or channel them to the right agencies / NGO. At least or minimum,
the devotee can share or discuss their problems to somebody who have time to
listen to them.
The centre
should be opened permanently at (eg : weekly / bi -weekly) a specific,
stipulated time.
The centre should
specifically service the local communities who come to temple regulary and
generally the others.
A good data-base
of the devotees living around the temple can be created in the centre. This
will enable the temple to know how many Hindu’s are living around their temple.
The benefits can be reciprocal. In time to come the well to do devotees should
be able to assist the less fortunate ones.
The “by
–product” which can be created via this project will be:-
1.
Counseling
to needy devotees
2.
“open
concept” Library
3.
Pamphlets
regarding the important festivals in the temple etc.
4.
Adopt
a Tamil-school
Why we need this Project?
According to MHS data-base, there are
about 2,500 Hindu temples in Malaysia. As we know the two important places
Indians frequently visit will be Tamil schools and temples. As it is, every devotee
who visits their respective temple should be “attended” if they require any
help. Understanding concept of the project is vital in rejuvenating our
temples. Create a concept, “ITS MY
TEMPLE, I AM TAKEN CARE, ONE DAY I WILL DO MY BEST TO HELP MY FRIENDS.”
Friends,
Just imagine what
magnificent result can be achieved if all 2,500 temples can give due care to
their fellow devotees.
We can enrich and make our temple a value-added place for devotees.
How it is being implemented?
Currently in 10 temples:-
(5 in Selangor, 5 in Negeri Selangor)
Support group
(Training,
Finance)
State Coordinator
(One coordinator for each state)
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RESPECTIVE
TEMPLE COMMITTEES
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1. All
services given at sathoorthi centres MUST be free.
2. Sathoorthi
centre should be opened permanently
(According to the time set by temple committee); not on ad-hoc basis.
3. Two
or three persons from each temple given training (Training will be given at
scheduled time and place)
4. Dedicated
place given at temple vicinity.
5. Once
the service is well established a computer / laptop will be provided to enter
the data.
How
do we communicate ?
1.
Sathoorthi committee members and state
coordinator visit the respective centers on regular basis to assist the temple
coordinators.
2.
Website :
go
to column
SATHOORTHI
PROJECT
3.
Email
Finally
The
success of the project will be mainly dependent on, the acceptance of the concept by temple committee, embrace it and
implement in your temple.
Our
temples can be transformed into permanent resource centre for the local community in each area.
Certainly this will make our temples to become more value-added place for people to visit and gain more
benefit.
Dr.Silvam
Sellappan 012 2035464
Sathoorthi
Team
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Please forward this message to all .
Let everyone be blessed with abundance of love , kindness , compassion and spirituality.
+6012 9259495
artha.dharma@gmail.com
