Tomorrow is a big day at our temple as it starts its big four days of pooja. Our temple is about four years old, and just recently in March was able to hire a full time priest. 
Now these four days of pooja is called Prana Prathishta Mahotsavam and Kumbhabhishekam Chaturdina Karyakaramam (Installation and Consecration Ceremony). This will then transform this holy sanctum into a full fledged temple with a resident priest.
As you might have read before, my family is quite active in the temple programs. I have participated in many of the cultural programs and my parents are regularly volunteering for any holiday or event. Before having a priest, families were requested to volunteer and open the temple for the community. My family had adopted Thursday as our day, and we would open the temple from 7-9 pm every Thursday night. Now with a priest, those duties have been fulfilled.
We decided to take part in this great occasion by being a sponsor. I donated $500 so that my family could take part in this four day extravanganza. Because Papa and Bhayia will be working tomorrow, Mumma and I will go and participate in the first day of Ganpati pooja. Then Saturday the whole family will be able to participate in the pooja. We are lucky to have all of the murthis present in our temple: Ganpati Bapa, Ram and Sita, Lakshman, Hanumanji, Shivji and Parvati, Radha Krishna, Durga Mata, Lakshmi Mata, Lord Venkateshwara, Mahavir Swamiji, and Lord Swaminarayan. Each day there will be special ceremonies that will take place for the placement of all of the moorthis in the mandir.
This is a great time to get blessings and participate in a once in a lifetime occasion. I am really excited. I really love to volunteer and be involved in the temple, not because its a good deed to do, but because I get great satisfaction in doing it.
Growing up in the US and living in a very small city with hardly an Indian population, I wasn’t able to participate and learn about our religion like my counterparts in India. Religion isn’t taught at school, and whatever I have learned is from my parents. They built a mandir within our home and from a small age taught us everything about being Hindu. Now having a mandir, mann hi mann ki iccha hota hai ke kuch karu, wahan jaaon, baithu, seekhu, aur shanti milti hai. I love listening to bhajans and even singing them. But I like to sing less and play my tabla more. 
Alvida. Jai Mata Di.
hahaha..me again..ok reading now..
That is so great. In a way, i think it is better than a large population because then you are so involved andeveryone in the community is involved in doing something so sacred. Sachi main, going to mandir brings peace of mind to me. Even if I go there and just sit there, I feel very relaxed and just very very satisfied from within. Your family is doing a great deed. Keep up the good work :)
jai mata di( I am learning :))
It’s really good that you have that kinda of passion, volunteering in the temple. I totally understand your feeling and satisfaction :) I love volunteering in some activities too … it’s not only about the activity itself but it’s about the satisfaction and happiness which we get :) We feel like we are able to do something meaningful for someone else … :)
Hope you have a great day *hugss*
wowwww Abhishek got new movie, yeyyyyyyyy
I can’t wait to watch it …. yeyyyyyyy
The small community atmosphere is great because everyone knows you, knows what you are capable of doing, and so are given more responsibilities.
I really love doing anything for the mandir. Its funny how many of my ABCD friends won’t even go near the temple. They find it a bore or just a hassle to go, but for me its the faith that brings me there. Bhagwan mere liye itna karta hai…mere ko bhi seva karne ka mann karta hai. 
Jai Mata Di. You are learning.
Yup you are so right Mona.
It doesn’t matter what type of volunteering or activity you are doing, but you should feel a satisfaction from doing it. I definitely feel it and know that you must feel it also. 
its great Poonam.. i really admire u for this.. cos being an ABCD, u manage to do things very much like an Indian.. or I should say in some cases more than that…
u remember I had this qn in my blog once.. abt ABCDs and their confusions… but, u r entirely different..
I should appreciate ur parents for this….
when i read that u don’t even hear or see English songs n films, i was stunned.. :)
anyway, enjoy ur time in the temple.. and pray for all of us.. :)
btb, r u dancing this time? cos i read that u used to dance in the temple festivals…
Wait wait Prasad…i am not an ABCD.
As you can see I am not confused. 
I might be American born, but I am 110% Hindustani. 
The credit for who I am definitely goes to my parents. If they wouldn’t have raised us with Indian values and traditions then today life would be different. 
I am not dancing this weekend because the local cultural program on Saturday night is for little kids only.
Koi baat nahi…next time. 
:D PRASAD she is not ABCD she is ABD ;) i really appreciate your parents who being in US bought u like this , will all the Indian values.. not many parents can do that..
seva at mandir.. good work Poonam.. keep it up ..
arre yaar Poonam is an ABCD albiet American Born Charming Desi…:wink:
great going Poonam!
It sure is nice to know such a devoted gal as u… u have inspired me now!! :D
Thanks Manish.
I am very lucky to have such parents that care about their culture even though they are so away from their homeland. Aakhir main woh nahi seekhaayenge…toh kaun seekhayega? 
Nah Kaush..i am not an ABCD…chahe tum C jo bhi rakho. I am Hindustani..pure pakka Hindustani. Aur kuch nahi.
Thanks Nupur. Good to see after you some time. Like I said before, bhagwan ne mere ko bahut kuch diya hai, mera mann bhi karta hai unki seva karni ki.
Jai Mata Di.
I hope Poonam you will enjoy your time in Mandir and Pooja. Anyway I am really impressed with you after seeing your enthusiasm and excitement about the Prana Prathishta Mahotsavam:smile:. I really wish Poonam If I could join you in this four days programme:sad:.
Well I am sure that I will also start volunteering in these kind of activities
Thanks Neeru
that means a lot to me becuz its you who is saying it. 
I also wish that you were here with me but main tumhare liye bhi duayein maang rahi hoon. 
Jaise tumne kaha…woh din bhi jaldi aayega jab tum aur main mandir saath jaa rahe honge. 
Oh Poonam.. sorry for mentioning u as ABCD… :(
u r a true Hindustani… :) and these days when youngsters in India try to copy the western culture, its really great to see so many Indians living abroad (am not going to use the ABCD word, this is safe isn’t it ;) )trying to preserve our traditions n values… great poonam.. greattt….
Hey Neeraj, great to know that u r also going to start volunteering such activities… :)
Thanks Prasad.
No tension. Don’t worry about it. 
ABD.. new term applicable to Poonam only
Hmmm, too late over here, I think. Where is this temple? And how did the Kumbabhishekam go?
Yup you missed it Anand.
Temple is in Peoria. Kumbhabhishekam was great. 
Oh Peoria! Thats altogether in a different state! :-)
Hmm…aren’t you in Chicago??
Peoria is in Central IL.
Yeah, I stay in the NW suburbs (Schaumburg) but it takes a neat 2-3 hours drive to get to Peoria (from most part of civilization)…which is as good as an inter-state drive!
I guess you drive at the speed of a grandpa.
I have lived in IL all of my life, being born in Arlington Heights and lived in Libertyville for half of my life, and its never taken me more than hour and half from any NW suburb. 
Well in that case, I will go with your estimate. Yahoo maps gave me an estimate of 2 hour 41 minutes (for a distance of 168 miles) to the center of Peoria from my place.
Khair jo bhi ho..we are in the same state, and really its not as far as you think.
I live on the outside of Peoria, in the middle of PIA and Bloomington, so I save another 20 mins when I am going to Chicago. 
I used to commute every week from downtown Chicago to my home for four and a half months…so know all about it.