Mettilotsava, VMS Retreat, Memorial Day weekend, May 26-28

[Guest guest]

Dear Sri Hari Bhaktas,

 

By the grace of Sri Hari, Vayu, Gurugalu, the Mettilotsava in Sri Venkateshwara Temple in Penn Hills near Pittsburgh and the Annual Vishwa Madhva Sangha (VMS) Retreat in Laurel Hill State Park near Pittsburgh will be held during the Memorial Day holidays, May 26-28. All are welcome. This is the 6th year we will be gathering together for these events. Please mark your calendars.

As in the previous years, we will be gathering in the Organized Group Cabins Site 5 in Laurel Hill State Park for the VMS Retreat. A tentative version of the program is given below for your review and suggestions.

Sri Venkateshwara Temple has been informed and the Temple authorities will provide us the usual arrangements in the Temple as in the previous years for Mettilotsava.

Sri Janardhan Rao has set up a blog http://jitamitra.org/mett2007/ for planning and discussions for Mettilotsava and the VMS Retreat. This has useful information as well as links to the previous years functions. Those who are planning to participate for the first time, please do contact us and we will provide any additional information you may require. We also need to receive responses from our " regulars " so that we can move ahead with our planning process.

At this time, we anticipate participation from India, Singapore, California, Washington (West Coast), New York, Connecticut, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Virginia, Washington DC, Carolinas, Wisconsin, Michigan etc.

Sat May 26

1:00-3 pm, Arrival, settling down, coffee, snacks, games etc

4:00 pm, " Cooking starts " in the kitchen with recitation of Vayusthuthi

6:00 - 8:30 pm, " Srinivasa Kalyana by Hari Daasara Paddathi " This is a delightful " repeat " from last year due to popular demand from many in our group

9:00 pm Dinner

9:30 pm, Camp-fire activities

Sun May 27 (Ekadashi)

5:30-6:30 am, Nirmaalya devarapooje, Nirmaalya theertha

7:00 am, Depart for Sri Venkateshwara Temple

8:00 am, Gather in the foot-hills, stothra paarayana by the group

8:30 am, Mettilotsava starts

10:00 am, Mettilotsava concludes in the sanctum sanctorum in front of Sri Venkateshwara in the top of the hill

11:00 am, Depart to Laurel Hill State Park

12:30 - 2 pm, Devarapooje

2 pm, Light palahara to those not fasting

3-5 pm, Informal discussions, socializing

5-6 pm, Panel discussions by scholars, Questions and Answers, Philosophy Session

6-8 pm, Devaranaama session (Ekadashi special)

8 pm, Light palahara to those not fasting

9 pm, Camp-fire activities

Mon May 28 (Dwadashi)

3 am, Madi Cooking for all starts in the kitchen

4:30-6:30 am, Devarapooje

7:00 am Theertha prasada, Dwadashi paarane to all

9:00-10:30 am, Clean up of camp-site

11:00 - 12 noon, Handing over the camp-site, depart

Hare Srinivasa

Bindu

(tel 610-966-9299, Allentown, Pennsylvania)