HRS 179B The Hindu Year - Local Sites for Observation

Observation Guidelines - Local Sites

Site visits and interviews are designed to get you to experience first hand the people and behaviors linked to the Indian traditions studied in the course. On the course content page in SacCT, you will sign up for one of the celebrations featured in this course, held at a particular locat worship site; you will then then visit the site at the scheduled time, observe participants, and interview one of them to get a sense of what they are thinking. This experience will serve as the foundation for the observation report. Choose a local place of worship

that you have NOT previously visited yourself and OR known much about from friends or family;
that is reasonably accessible (see me if you have problems with transportation or commute from a distance);
whose times of formal worship match your schedule. (I recommend going with at least one classmate, family member or friend.)

IMPORTANT: you must observe one of the celebrations at one of the times listed below, not simply visit the site and talk to people. Although you may at other times have interesting informal interactions with community members there, it will be difficult to tell what they normally do when outsiders are not present based exclusively on such interactions.

Temple- (& Home-) Based Hindu Communities

Sri Siddhi Vinayaka Cultural Center
(South Indian Temple Worship)
4679 Aldona Lane, Sacramento 95841
(916) 483-4760

IMPORTANT: schedule tentative, **call ahead to verify**

Shivaratri:
Ganesh puja (& fire ceremony?), Sun, Feb 19, 9-12 am;
all-night Shivaratri pujas, Sun, Feb 19, 5-9 pm, 9:30 pm -12 am; Mon, Feb 20, 12:30-3 am, 3:30-5:30 am;
Mon, Feb 20, 9:30-11 am - culmination of vow

Holi: Thursday, March 8th, 6-8 pm
("Satya Narayana puja")

Navagraha ("Nine Planets") Puja:
any Saturday before April 15, 9-11 am

Subhramanya (=Karttikeya) Puja: 6:30-8pm on
Mon, Feb 13 & 17; Tue, Mar 13; Wed Mar 28; Wed, Apr 11

Laxmi Narayan Temple
(North Indian Temple/Fiji Hindu Traditions)
7495 Eldercreek Road, Sacramento 95824
(916) 383-4206

IMPORTANT: schedule tentative, **call ahead to verify**
For Hindi translation, ask for priest Om Jai Sharma.
NOTE: meal ("Pritbhoj") served after most events in back hall, ~ 9 pm

Shivatratri: Friday, Saturday & Monday, February 17, 18 & 20, 7-9 pm
& Sunday, February 19, all night starting 6 pm

Holi: *Saturday, March 10, 7-9 pm* (<--TIME CHANGE)
puja, songs, dancing (& colors?)

Rama's Ninth: Saturday - Sunday, March 24 - April 1, 5-7 pm
& Sunday, April 1, 9 am - 12 pm - fire offering, stories, pujas

"Waking Chants for the Goddess:"
Friday, March 30, 9 pm - 12 am

Assimilated & Universalist Hinduism

Ananda Temple
(Universalist Hindu-Christian Community)
10450 Coloma Road, Rancho Cordova, Ca. 95670
center@anandasacramento.org | (916) 361-0891

Shivaratri Chanting: Friday, Feb 17, 7-11 pm

Vedanta Society of Sacramento
(Universalist Hindu Monastic Order)
1337 Mission Avenue , Carmichael 95608
society@vedantasacto.org | (916) 489-5137

Shivaratri Service: Monday, Feb 20, 7:30-9 pm
CONFIRMED --> Chaitanya's Birthday, Thursday, March 8, 7:30-9

Lotus Garden Meditation Center
(Assimilated Vaishnavite Hindu Retreat Center)
3225 Lincoln Avenue, Carmichael
info@lotusgardenmeditation.org |(916) 944-8505

Weekly Chanting & Meditation (inspired by Chaitanya Vaishnavite tradition):
Fridays, 6:30-8:30 pm (mellow chanting, meditation & snack)
& Sundays 4-8 pm (loud chanting, talk & free dinner)
--> must attend **before March 25**

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