Event #1: Field Trip

Event Report

On November 13, 2011 approximately 40 Vidyalaya families came together at the bucolic, serene setting of Arsha Vidya Gurukulum in Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania for a memorable field trip, a first for Vidyalaya. The day started at 10:30AM with everyone gathered in the main temple hall for recitations of prayers.

Around 10:45AM, the children were escorted to the Yoga Studio, where they were treated to an exciting program of bhajans and yoga. The program was led by the dynamic Savitriji from AVG. In only 40 minutes, she taught two bhajans to the children. Children also learned yoga from a highly qualified AVG yoga instructor. The children’s program lasted until noon, at which time they were brought back to the main temple hall. They amazed everyone by singing the bhajans that they had just learned.

While the children were at the Yoga Studio, adults had a unique opportunity to listen to a highly spiritual discourse by Swami Sarvabhootanandji. Swamiji, in very simple terms, explained how to lead a moral and dharmic life, while dealing with the materialistic demands of work and family in the US. The audience was highly engaged and asked many questions of Swamiji, which were promptly answered to everyone’s satisfaction.

Around 12:30PM, an Aarti was performed. Everyone was treated to a delicious, wholesome lunch which was prepared by AVG volunteers, especially for Vidyalaya families. After lunch, Savitriji led everyone on a tour of the AVG grounds, which included the Yoga Studio, the library, and the bookstore.

We are extremely grateful to AVG management for their hospitality and for customizing a unique day for the children as well as adults. We would like to offer special thanks to Drs. Raj and Suman Katara of Vidyalaya for arranging the logistics, and to Suddhatmanandji of AVG for coordinating the program.

Event Planning

Date	Sunday November 13, 2011
Destination	Arsh Vidya Gurukulum located at Saylorsburg, PA.
Deadline	Please register by November 3, 2011. Registration is mandatory as lunch is being served.
Cost	See donation section below. Minimum donation applies
Travel	Self driving - Please carpool where possible to avoid overcrowding at the parking lot.
Travel Time	80-90 minutes from Parsippany
Directions	http://www.arshavidya.org/maps-directions.html
Lunch	Lunch will be served in the temple cafeteria

Schedule

10:25	Arrival and seating at temple. Please start driving around 9am to reach on time.
10:30 - 11:15	Prayers, Lecture by Swamiji, Question and Answer session
11:15 - 11:30	Short Break
11:30 - 12:00	Yoga for Adults and Students
12:10 - 12:20	Aarti
12:30 - 13:30	Lunch
13:30	Tour of the Library, Bookstore and the Gurukulum Campus. Visit the beautiful farms and countryside near-by that offer many activities such as horseback riding, hiking, boating, etc.

Families are welcome to explore Gurukulum property after 1:30pm. The countryside and nearby farms are beautiful and other activities like horseback riding, hiking and boating may be available.

Donation

We request all Vidyalaya participants to donate generously to the Gurukulum. Vidyalaya will collect a minimum of $10 per enrolled family ($5 per person for non-enrolled families) and donate it to the Gurukulum.

Registration

Please register (or decline) for the trip by November 3, 2011 at Dakhila Portal. For more information about using Dakhila, please click here. Cash should be paid in an envelop. Please write your family or individual identification number on check or envelop so we can account for it correctly. When we book the donation received, we will update the status on the portal.

About AVG

http://www.arshavidya.org/about-us.html

Arsha Vidya Gurukulam is an institute for the traditional study of Advaita Vedanta, Sanskrit, Yoga, Ayurveda, astrology, and other classical Indian disciplines. The word Arsha means that which is from the Rishis - the great sages of ancient India. The word Vidya means knowledge. Gurukulam refers to a residential center for learning with the teacher. Thus, Arsha Vidya Gurukulam is a place where one learns the knowledge imparted by the Rishis.

Established in 1986 by Swami Dayananda Saraswati, the Gurukulam is patterned after the ancient gurukulams of India. The Gurukulam offers Indians and Westerners alike an opportunity to study the profound spiritual knowledge of the Upanishads, Bhagavad Gita, Brahmasutras, and other classical Vedic texts in English in the USA.

Located on 14 acres in Saylorsburg, Pennsylvania, a serene setting in the Pocono Mountains, the Gurukulam offers short- and long-term programs of study for guest and resident students of all ages. The campus is adorned by a beautiful temple dedicated to Lord Dakshinamurti, considered the first teacher of Vedic knowledge. Apart from Vedanta, classes on Sanskrit, Vedic chanting, Vedic astrology, Ayurveda, meditation and Iyengar Yoga are also offered. There are ongoing meditation and Vedanta classes on weekends which anyone can attend without prior registration.

The Gurukulam also publishes many books on various topics in Vedanta, including a Bhagavad Gita Home Study course and a Vedic Heritage Teaching Program for children. The Arsha Vidya bookstore has over 7000 publications on Vedanta, Hinduism, Sanskrit, Yoga, astrology, Ayurveda, philosophy and Indian history. Funding comes in the form of donations from people who value the Gurukulam’s offerings. Additional funds comes from books sales.