श्रीमद्भागवत सप्ताह ज्ञान महायज्ञ

एटलांटा आध्यात्मिक महोत्सव 2023

निगमकल्पतरोर्गलितं फलं शुकमुखादमृतद्रवसंयुतम्

Shrimad Bhagwat Mahapurana Atlanta Adhyatmik Mahotsab 2023

Atlanta Spiritual Festival, Mahayagya and Bhagwat Saptah

Why are we organizing a week-long Bhagavad Saptah?

The Nepali Cultural Center (NCC) is pleased to announce that it is organizing a week-long “Atlanta Spiritual Festival, Mahayagya and Shrimad Bhagavad Saptah” (collectively known as the “Saptah”) from November 5 through November 11, 2023 that will be graciously attended by Bachan Pravin Pandit Deen Bandhu Pokharel. It is the largest religious and spiritual event that has ever been organized by the Nepali community in Atlanta, Georgia.

The Saptah is a major religious event in which the Shrimad Bhagavad Katha (not to be confused with the Shrimad Bhagavad Gita) is narrated. The Katha is one of the eighteen Puranas of the Hindu scriptures and consists of 18,000 verses in the Sanskrit language. It was revealed by Sukdev Goswami to King Parikshit and provides a comprehensive knowledge about the life and teachings of Lord Krishna. Obviously, the whole event is dedicated to Lord Krishna.

The purpose of the Saptah is to engage in the religious and spiritual activities and seek blessings of Lord Krishna for yourself and the whole family as well as to collect donations for the purchase or construction of a building for the Nepali Cultural Center. The building is envisioned to be a multi-purpose facility including, but not limited to, a Hindu and Buddhist place of worship, a community hall and meeting rooms where charitable, religious, spiritual, cultural, educational activities can be conducted, and Nepalese festivals can be celebrated.

We are searching for volunteers

The week-long Atlanta Spiritual Festival and Bhagavad Saptah (“Saptah”) is a mega event that requires the assistance and cooperation of all Nepalis living in the Atlanta metropolitan area and beyond for its success. The Saptah begins on Sunday, November 5, 2023 and ends on Saturday, November 11, 2023. A few other dates during the Saptah week are notable:

• Tuesday, November 7, 2023 is Election Day. Many schools are closed on this day.
• Friday, November 10, 2023 is a federal holiday (Veterans Day). Schools, colleges, government offices, banks, and many businesses are closed on this day.

The Saptah organizing committee and their subcommittees are actively looking for volunteers to assist in the management of the Saptah during the week. We would love to have you volunteer for all 7 days. However, if that’s not possible due to your professional and family commitments, can you volunteer for just 1 day, 2 days or 3 days during the Saptah hours? Any assistance you can provide would be highly appreciated. Your assistance would go a long way toward making this Saptah successful. Please fill out the form as soon as possible and show your love and dedication to the Nepali community, volunteer signup form.

What and When is Kalash Yatra?

The opening of the Saptah week begins with Kalash Yatra on the morning of Sunday, November 5, 2023. Kalash Yatra is a large procession of ladies (estimated to be at least 101) dressed in identical red and yellow saris with each lady carrying a Kalash filled with water. The procession begins from outside the Saptah venue and is accompanied by several priests chanting mantras. All kalashes are installed on the Saptah mandap (stage) and worshipped for seven days while religious ceremonies are conducted and Bhagavad Katha is narrated every day during the week-long event.

If you are interested in participating in Kalash Yatra, you need to reserve a Kalash and a Sari. Please reserve your Kalash and Sari using the following link as soon as possible, Kalash and Sari Ordering Form.

We only have three hundred and one (301) copper Kalashes

In Hinduism, it would be rare to perform any religious ceremony without a Kalash (कलश). When Kalash is filled with water and worshipped along with the deities or images of Gods and Goddesses, it is believed that success will be achieved for the religious ceremony along with its desired results. Three hundred and one (301) copper Kalashes, especially made for the Atlanta Spiritual Event and Bhagavad Saptah, are being brought from Nepal. The following words in Nepali, Atlanta Saptah 2023, is being inscribed on each Kalash.

The Saptah will be completed on November 11, 2023 and Kalash will be available to you if you have reserved one (or more) for you. We strongly encourage you to reserve one or more kalashes for your home. Please reserve your Kalash using the following link as soon as possible, Kalash Ordering Form.

A great opportunity to perform a ritual ceremony at a week-long Saptah

A brief description of the ritual ceremonies along with their schedules are given below. Please let us know if you would like to add any more ceremonies to this list; we can certainly include them during the Saptah week.

1. Gunyo Cholo: Monday, November 6, 2023: The Gunyo Cholo ceremony is considered to be the “coming of age of a girl”. It can be celebrated when a girl reaches the age of 7 or 8, or at least before the onset of the first menstrual cycle. The girl’s mother and grandmother give her a “Gunyo” or a sari or sari-like skirt and “Cholo” or a blouse.
2. Chaurasi Puja: Tuesday, November 7, 2023: Chaurasi in the Nepali language means 84. So, the Chaurasi Puja is essentially the 84 th celebration of the blessed life of a person. Several rituals, as described in Hindu scriptures, are performed in a joyous and celebratory mood by the person’s family and friends.
3. Bel Bibaha: Wednesday, November 8, 2023: During this ceremony, pre-adolescent girls from the Newar community in Nepal are symbolically married to a wild fruit Bel, which is considered to be a symbol of Lord Vishnu.
4. Bratabandha: Thursday and Friday, November 9 and 10: The Bratabandha is considered to be a significant coming-of-age event in a young boy’s life. With his head shaved, he goes through a series of rituals where he receives the sacred Janai thread and holy mantra and begins his transition to adulthood.

Reserve you ritual ceremony schedule as soon as possible by filing the Ritual Ceremony Ordering Form.

The construction of a building for Nepali Cultural Center (NCC)

The purpose of the Saptah is to engage in the religious and spiritual discourses and seek blessings of the Lord for yourself and the whole family as well as to collect donations for the purchase or construction of a building for the Nepali Cultural Center. The building is envisioned to be a multi-purpose facility including, but not limited to, a Hindu and Buddhist place of worship, a community hall and meeting rooms where charitable, religious, spiritual, cultural, educational activities can be conducted, and Nepalese festivals can be celebrated.

We respectfully request you to open your heart and donate generously to this cause so that we can meet our goal of collecting $2 million or more during the Saptah week. Any amount you donate will go toward the purchase or construction of a building for the Nepali Cultural Center (NCC).

As a token of our appreciation, we would like to honor you with a few items such as:

• Engraving your name on a stone or brass plate mounted on a wall in the building.
• Award you a plaque with your name inscribed on it.
• Presenting a gift(s) to you such as Rudrakshya Mala, Khada, or Shawl.
• If you desire, offer you a NCC membership to welcome you.
• Naming a meeting room or community hall in your name.

A brief description of the honoring plan can be seen below.

Honoring Donors During Saptah

1. A spouse can be added with an additional payment of 25% of the respective amounts.
2. Any amount already paid in the past will be included in the respective amounts.
3. Any amount pledged for payment in the future will NOT be considered for honoring during the Saptah week.