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  Upcoming Events | Classes | Places Of Worship
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SIGNIFICANT DATES:

MAR. 15: HOLI


TAMPA/ST. PETERSBURG/CLEARWATER

MARCH 4: ASIAN-AMERICAN SMALL BUSINESS WORKSHOP: organized by Asian-American Chambers of Commerce; guest speaker topics include “The Power of Credit Scoring,” “Dealing With Difficult Employees,” “Liability, Tax & Your Business Entity,” “Hurricane Preparedness”; 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.; Bayanihan Arts Center, 14301 Nine Eagles Drive, Tampa; $10; call USF Small Business Development Center at (813) 905-5800 or click on www.sbdc.usf.edu

MARCH 11: MEDITATION CLASS: information session to introduce a course on Sahaj Marg (natural peace) method of meditation, cultivating inner silence and a balanced life; 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.; free; Jan Kaminis Platt Regional Library, 3910 S. Manhattan Ave., Tampa; call Pavan at (813) 300-2103, e-mail pavan07@yahoo.com or check out www.sahajmarg.org

MARCH 18: HOLI PICNIC: organized by Volunteers of India Culture and Art Society (VICAS); activities include Holi, music, cricket, volleyball and other ball games; 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.; free; Lake Seminole Park Shelter No. 11, Park Boulevard, Seminole; call Sathya at (727) 712-1233 or email vicasgroup@yahoo.com

MARCH 19: TAMPA VISA CAMP: organized by the Federation of Indian Associations of Tampa Bay; among the services offered by Consulate General of Houston will be visas to U.S. passport holders and overseas citizens; applicants to be received from 9 a.m. to noon; miscellaneous service documents returned between 4 and 5 p.m.; Howard Johnson, 2520 50th St. N., Tampa; call Chandrakant Patel at (813) 340-5505 or Shyam Mohapatra at (813) 312-4248.

MARCH 19: HOLI: organized by the Gujarati Samaj of Tampa Bay; 11 a.m. onwards; free; 7404 Picnic Island Blvd., Tampa; call Parimal Butala at (813) 237-1186 or click on www.gujaratisamaj.org

MARCH 24-26: ST. PETERSBURG INTERNATIONAL FOLK FAIR SOCIETY (SPIFFS); annual international festival; $6 advance, $10 at gate; Vinoy Park, St. Petersburg; call (727) 552-1896 or check out www.spiffs.org

MARCH 25-31: “THE TEACHINGS OF BHAGAVAD GITA: CHAPTERS 1 THROUGH SIX,” series of lectures organized by Khaas Baat columnist Swami Suryadevananda at the Hindu Temple of Florida hall; 7:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. daily; free admission; call Indira Sastry at (813) 855-7884 or Dr. Nageshwara Rao at (813) 962-6890.

MARCH 29-APRIL 2: MAHA KUMABABHISHEKAM CELEBRATIONS, organized by Hindu Temple of Florida; chief guest is His Holiness Swamy Dayanand Saraswati of Rishikesh; Hindu Temple of Florida, 5509 Lynn Road, Tampa; call Dr. G.M. Ramappa at (727) 863-5474 or Manjul Derasari at (813) 977-6695 or click on www.hindutempleofflorida.org

APRIL 1: 2006 CULTURAL CAROUSEL BALL: organized by Patel Foundation for Global Understanding; the event will transport attendees all over the world while enjoying sumptuous ethnic cuisine from far-flung places as well as offering world music and dance; beneficiaries are more than a dozen Tampa Bay area charities; $300 charity guest, $350 special guest and $500 VIP guest tickets; Tampa Convention Center; call Morgan Rose at (813) 471-4380, Ext. 620 or check out www.global-understanding.org

APRIL 1: GUDI PADWA: organized by Mayaboli Melawa of Tampa Bay (MMTB); light musical concert and children’s camp; 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.; free for MMTB members, non-members pay $25 for adults and $15 for children over 5 years of age; Northlakes Recreation Center, 2640 North Lakeview Drive, Tampa; call (813) 264-3824.

APRIL 8-9: SATSANG ON SELF-REALIZATION WITH PUJYA DEEPAK DESAI; free; 5 to 8 p.m. at Keystone Civic Center, 17928 Gunn Highway, Odessa; 5 to 8 p.m., auditorium of UCH-Carrollwood, 6925 N. Dale Mabry Highway, Tampa; call Ramesh Patel at (813) 926-1143, Babu I. Patel at (813) 933-7197 or Dr. Mukesh Patel at (813) 969-1740.

APRIL 8: ANNUAL LIVE CE PROGRAM (includes med errors, HIV and medicare part D updates); organized by the Indo-American Pharmacists Association of Tampa Bay (IAPA); 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.; free for IAPA members, non-members pay $100 (includes breakfast and lunch) before March 15; Marriott WestShore, Tampa; call Linda Shah at (727) 641-3613 or Nila Patel at (813) 971-8081.

ORLANDO

MARCH 5: SENIOR GROUP GALA DINNER AND SHOW: organized by the Hindu Society of Central Florida; musical and variety shows are in the works; 5 to 9:30 p.m.; Temple Community Hall, 1994 E. Lake Drive, Casselberry; call Dev Sharma at (407) 862-9920, Madan Arora at (407) 971-9259 or Mala Karkhanis at (407) 365-0985.

MARCH 10-APRIL 30: “SARI: SIX YARDS OF MAGIC” EXHIBIT: organized by Asian Cultural Association and Maitland Art Center; center is at 321 W. Packwood Ave., Maitland; call (407) 333-3667 or check out www.aca-florida.org

MARCH 11: DURGA MAA’S JAAGRAN: Nora and Anshu Jain are inviting Devi Maa worshippers to the Jaagran, which starts at 9 p.m.; dinner will precede at 6:30 p.m.; Days Inn, 5827 Caravan Court, Orlando; call Millie McDonald at (407) 581-5043 t confirm for dinner purposes.

MARCH 11: “PASSIONATE PURSUITS … A CELEBRATION OF INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY”: organized by 1008 Wells Foundation to present the Global Women’s Humanitarian Award; 6:30 p.m. to 10 p.m.; tickets are $35; Orlando Marriott Downtown; international dinner buffet, global bazaar and marketplace, artisan gallery and silent auction; for more information, call 407-460-7276 or visit www.1008wells.org.

MARCH 19: HOLI CELEBRATION: organized by Gujarati Samaj of Central Florida; 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; free; Bill Frederick Park at Turkey Lake, 3401 S. Hiawassee Road, Orlando; call (407) 438-0766.

MARCH 19: HOLI CELEBRATION: organized by the Association of Asian Cultural Festivals; free; music, dance; 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; parade starts from 11 a.m. from Lakshmi Narayan Mandir; Turkey Lake Park-Orlando; call Lalman Persaud at (407) 293-6691 or Buddy Shivdat at (407) 578-8175 or e-mail lmpersaud@aol.com

APRIL 8: INDIA SHOWCASE FAIR: enjoy food, clothing, jewelry and more during the daylong festival; Central Florida Fairgrounds; call (407) 260-0567 or e-mail info@indiashowcase.net

GAINESVILLE

MARCH 31-APRIL 2: HINDU STUDENTS COUNCIL SE REGIONAL CONFERENCE; organized by University of Florida HSC (Gainesville); keynote speaker will be Swami Dayanand Saraswati; open to all college and high school students (all can attend Swamiji’s talk); early registration fee, which will cover food and accommodation, is $35 till March 10 and $45 thereafter; registration and donations to cover costs for students may be sent to HSC treasurer Parth Joshi, 4415 S.W. 34th St., Apt #105, Gainesville, FL 32608; checks can be addressed to UF with HSC Conference in the memo; for more information, visit http://grove.ufl.edu/~hsc/ or call Jaya Goswami at (352) 871-3803.

JACKSONVILLE

APRIL 29: INDIA FEST: organized by Hindu Society of Northeast Florida (HSNEF); display of art, culture, fun and food; also free health fair and visa camp offered; 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.; free; Hindu Society Grounds, 714 Park Ave., Orange Park; call (904) 269-1155 or click on www.jaxhindutemple.org



CLASSES

VIDYALAYA AT HINDU TEMPLE OF FLORIDA: Every Sunday except on public holiday for first-graders to 12th grade; 12:15 to 2:45 p.m.; subjects include Mathematics and English; $25 registration fee per academic year, $125 per fall or winter term; Hindu Temple is at 5509 Lynn Road in Tampa; for more information on Vidyalaya, call Manish Kharod at (813) 963-0616 or Ravi Narayanan at (813) 961-6120.

PANDIT JASRAJ SCHOOL OF MUSIC FOUNDATION: Vocal and harmonium classes by Pandit Rattan Mohan Sharma and Radha Raman Kirtane; table classes (group and special) by Aditya Narayan Banerjee (www.adityabanerjee.com); classes held at different locations depending on the day; for more information, call (813) 960-0176 or e-mail: pjsmftampabay@hotmail.com; Web site: www.pjsmf.com

CHHANDAYAN SCHOOL OF MUSIC: Sitar, vocal and table classes by Hidayat Khan (son of sitar maestro Vilayat Khan), Mithali Bhaumik Banerjee (vocal) and Pandit Sameer Chatterjee (tabla); classes are held in Clearwater; for more information, call Satya Challa at (727) 712-1233 or Viji Reddy at (727) 934-7721 or e-mail sameer@tabla.org

BALVIHAR BY CHINMAYA MISSION OF TAMPA BAY: Sundays from 3 to 4:30 pm. at Hindu Temple of Florida; Saturday from 3 to 4:30 p.m. in St. Petersburg; ages 5 through teen; children learn about Hindu religion, culture and festivals through stories from the Ramayana and Bhagwad Gita; fees are $75 per year; additional $50 per year for each sibling; for more information on BalVihar, call Laxmi Sastry at (813) 948-3590 or e-mail nsastry@tampabay.rr.com

SANKARA CULTURAL ALLIANCE OF FLORIDA: classes in Carnatic percussion instruments mridangam, ghatam, kanjira and morsingh by Ghatam Vidwan Sri T.H. Subash Chandran (brother of T.H. "Vikku" Vinayakram) and N. Ganesh Kumar (www.ganeshkanjira.com); classes held in Tampa and at the Hindu Temple of Florida; for more information, call Kala Gangadharan at (813) 979-4598 or Jyothi Venkatachalam at (813) 977-9039 or (813) 404-7899 or e-mail jvenkata@yahoo.com or ganesh@ganeshkanjira.com

TAMPA SHAKHA/BALAGOKULAM: free activities for all ages, including yoga, games, field trips, and shlokas for children and adults; 10:30 a.m. Saturdays, Hindu Temple of Florida, Lynn Road; for more information, call Vijay Singh at (813) 920-7494.

ORLANDO

JAIN VISHWA BHARATI U.S.A.: Every Saturday classes are held on Pranayam, Yogic Exercise and Relaxation, 9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m.; donations accepted; JVB Center, 7819 Lillwill Ave., Orlando; for information, call (407) 852-8694 or e-mail jainvishwa@hotmail.com


PLACES OF WORSHIP

TAMPA/ST. PETERSBURG/CLEARWATER

HINDU TEMPLE OF FLORIDA: 9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. and 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Friday; 9:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday; 5509 Lynn Road, Tampa, FL 33624; (813) 962-6890.

SHIV MANDIR: 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Sunday; officiating priests are Pandit Balraj Maharaj and Ram Maharaj; 2001 N. Howard Ave., Tampa, FL 33607; (813) 907-6311.

DADA BHAGWAN’S GROUP OF TAMPA BAY: Satsang every Sunday from 2 to 4 p.m.; everyone is invited; call Ramesh Patel at (813) 926-1143 or Mukesh Patel at (813) 969-1740.

JAIN SOCIETY OF TAMPA BAY: Monthly bhavna from 3 to 5 p.m. every fourth Sunday; also, non-Jains can take Dev Darshan of statues made of marbles by sculpture-artist from Rajasthan; 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. and 5 to 7 p.m.; both events at Days Inn hotel at Fletcher Avenue and Interstate 75; call Kini Shah at (813) 503-0715 or Pradeep Bavishi at (727) 525-5400.

VISHNU MANDIR: 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Sunday only, discourse by Pandit Vishnu Sharma; 5303 Lynn Road, Tampa, FL 33624; (813) 654-2551.

SANATAN MANDIR: 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Sunday; 311 East Palm Ave., Tampa, FL 33602; (813) 221-4482.

SHRI SARASWATI DEVI MANDIR: 9:30 a.m. to noon Sunday only; officiating priest is Pandit Purnanan Sharma; 16220 Livingston Avenue, Lutz, FL 33559; (813) 264-1539.

SHRI RADHA-KRISHNA MANDIR: daily morning arotik at 7 followed by Srimad-Bhavatavam class; 6 p.m. Sunday and 7 p.m. Wednesday Bhagavad-Gita class followed by prasadam; 14610 N. 17th St., Tampa; (813) 971-6474 or click on www.iskcontampa.com

BAPS SHRI SWAMINARAYAN MANDIR: 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily; darshan is closed between noon and 4 p.m. but reopens at 4 p.m.; 9226 E. Fowler Ave. (between Interstate 75 and U.S. 301); (813) 986-5473.

MANAV DHARMA ASHRAM: sumiran is from 7:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. first Thursday of every month; satsang is 5 to 7 p.m. on Sunday, followed by dinner; yoga classes begin at 7:30 a.m. Saturday; bhajans are 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. every third Sunday; 7520 Caron Road, Tampa, FL 33615; call the ashram at (813) 889-7155, Himatlal Parekh at (813) 969-1661 or Ashok Modh at (813) 935-3439.

SHREE YAMUNA PREETI SEVA SAMAJ: Pushtimargiya Satsang Mandal invites Vaishnavs of Tampa Bay area to weekend Satsang sabhas and kirtans; 1340 Robin Road S., St. Petersburg, FL 33707; call Smitabein Patel at (813) 961-3816 or Himatlal Parekh at (813) 969-1661.

ISLAMIC SOCIETY OF TAMPA BAY AREA MOSQUE: 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily; 7326 E. Sligh Ave., Tampa, FL 33601; Tel: (813) 628-0007.

GURDWARA: 8 a.m. till 8 p.m. daily; 15302 Morris Bridge Road, Thonotosassa, FL 33592; (813) 986-6205.

ORLANDO AREA

HINDU SOCIETY OF CENTRAL FLORIDA: 8:30 a.m. to noon and 5 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Monday through Friday; 8:00 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday; 1994 Lake Drive, Casselberry, FL 32707; (407) 699-5277.

GURDWARA, SIKH SOCIETY OF CENTRAL FLORIDA: 11:30 A.M. to 1 p.m. Sunday; 2527 W. Aloma Ave. (west State Road 426), Oviedo; (407) 805-0404.

MASJID AL-RAHIM, ISLAMIC SOCIETY OF CENTRAL FLORIDA, WEST ORLANDO: five times daily prayers and pray on Friday; 4962 Old Winter Garden Road, Orlando, FL 32811; (407) 523-7882.

SARASWATI DEVI MANDIR/INDO CARIBBEAN CENTER: Sunday service is from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.; all special days observed with worship; 1453 N. Pine Hills Road, Orlando, FL 32808; for information, call (407) 522-1988 or click on www.saraswatidevimandir.com

SHRI SHIVDHAM HINDU TEMPLE AND BRAHMRISHI YOGASHRAM: 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. daily; 460 O’Berry Hoover Road, Orlando, FL 32825; (407) 380-2661 or e-mail ymcco@yahoo.com

SANTOSHI MA TEMPLE: bhajan and aarti first Friday of every month; 10900 Park Ridge Gotha Road, Windermere, FL 34786; (407) 996-2830.

SHRI LAXMINARAYAN MANDIR: 8:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. Sunday; 269 N. Klondike Ave., Pine Hills, FL 32811; (407) 877-7916.

SHRI SWAMINARAYAN MANDIR (BAPS): 1325 W. Oak Ridge Road, Orlando, FL 32809; (407) 857-0091.

POINCIANA HINDU MANDIR INC.: 9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. each Sunday and on special festivals; 3999 Monterey Road, Kissimmee, FL 34758; (407) 873-2679.

ALACHUA (ALACHUA COUNTY)

ISKCON OF ALACHUA (International Society for Krishna Consciousness): founder is A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, P.O. Box 819, Alachua, FL 32616; (386) 462-2017.

INVERNESS (CITRUS COUNTY)

SHIRDI SAI CENTER: 4707 Pleasant Grove Road, Inverness, FL 34452; for timings of the center and any other information, call (352) 860-2181 or e-mail shirdi@gowebco.com

SOUTH FLORIDA (MIAMI AREA)

SOUTH FLORIDA HINDU TEMPLE: 13010 W. Griffin Road, Southwest Ranches, FL 33330; for timings and classes at the temple, call (954) 438-3675 or e-mail info@sfht.org


Send information on upcoming events to Nitish S. Rele, Khaas Baat, 18313 Cypress Stand Circle, Tampa, FL 33647
or e-mail editor@khaasbaat.com
Deadline for submissions is the 18th of each month to be included in the next issue.




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