Community Celebrations in Maryland, D.C. and Virginia, 2016 to 2019
From 2016 to 2019, Antaryami kept a kind of community notebook for the Washington area. A flyer would go up before each event, and afterward a folder of photos: Diwali in a shopping plaza, Ugadi evenings in high school auditoriums that ran past ten, a temple opening its doors for the first time.
Those posts were mostly pictures, so we've gathered them here in one place, as a record of who came together, where, and for what.
Diwali and Dasara
Every autumn the calendar filled up. Telugu associations booked high school auditoriums, temples lit their lamps, and a shopping plaza in Hyattsville turned into a fairground.
Diwali Mela 2016
2016 · Maryland and Washington, D.C.
Bi-County Diwali Festival
October 15, 2016, 1 to 6 PM · Langley Park Plaza, Hyattsville, MD
An afternoon of music and traditional dance, with the main cultural program starting at 2 PM.
Deepavali at Sri Siva Vishnu Temple
October 30, 2016, from 5 PM · Sri Siva Vishnu Temple, Lanham, MD
Dasara and Diwali with CATS
October 7, 2017 · Gaithersburg High School, Gaithersburg, MD · Capitol Area Telugu Society
Vaaradhi Dussehra and Diwali
2017 · Maryland · Vaaradhi
TAM Dasara Deepavali Sambaralu
November 17, 2018, 3 to 10 PM · High Point High School, Beltsville, MD · Telugu Association of Maryland
The evening closed with a live concert by the composer Anup Rubens.
Dasara and Diwali with CATS
November 17, 2018, 4:30 to 10 PM · Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology, Alexandria, VA · Capitol Area Telugu Society
Ugadi and Sri Rama Navami
The Telugu new year in spring, often celebrated together with Rama's birthday. Long afternoons that ran well into the night, most of them open to anyone who walked in.
CATS Ugadi
April 22, 2017, 4:30 to 10 PM · Broad Run High School, Ashburn, VA · Capitol Area Telugu Society
Open to the public.
Vaaradhi Ugadi and Sri Rama Navami
April 29, 2017, 2 to 9 PM · 3601 Powder Mill Road, Beltsville, MD · Vaaradhi
Dinner was served from 6 to 7:30.
TAM Ugadi and Sri Rama Navami
March 31, 2018, 10 AM to 5 PM · Burleigh Manor Middle School, Ellicott City, MD · Telugu Association of Maryland
Open to the public.
CATS Ugadi
March 31, 2018, 4:30 to 10 PM · Broad Run High School, Ashburn, VA · Capitol Area Telugu Society
Same day as TAM's, an hour's drive apart.
Vaaradhi Ugadi and Sri Rama Navami
April 14, 2018, 2:30 to 10 PM · Glenelg High School, Glenelg, MD · Vaaradhi
Sankranthi
The January harvest festival, when the floors fill with rangoli.
TAM Sankranthi Sambaralu
January 13, 2018 · Centennial Elementary School, Ellicott City, MD · Telugu Association of Maryland
Bathukamma
Telangana's flower festival: women stack flowers into tall cones, sing around them, then set them on the water.
Bangaru Bathukamma
2016 · Maryland
Bangaru Bathukamma Sambaralu
September 24, 2017, 4 to 8 PM · Gary J. Arthur Community Center, Cooksville, MD · Maryland Telangana Community
Open to the public, all welcome.
Bathukamma Sambaralu
October 13, 2018, 4 to 8 PM · Gary J. Arthur Community Center, Cooksville, MD · Maryland Telangana Community
Temples, festivals and sacred days
New temples opening their doors, idols being installed, an all-night Shivaratri, and a summer festival on Baltimore's waterfront.
Sri Saibaba Prana Pratishta
January 22, 2017 · Sri Sai Balaji Temple
The installation of the Baba idol, open to the public. Watch the video
Shri Shirdi Sai Baba Temple inauguration
February 11 and 12, 2017 · 19711 Waters Road, Germantown, MD
The temple's opening and prana pratishta.
Maha Shivaratri Pooja aur Jagran
February 24 to 25, 2017, 7 PM to 6 AM · Washington Kali Temple, Burtonsville, MD
An all-night vigil, open to the public.
ISKCON of Baltimore temple grand opening
April 28 to 30, 2017 · 200 Bloomsbury Avenue, Catonsville, MD · ISKCON of Baltimore
NATA Spiritual Day
September 17, 2017, 9 AM to 1 PM · Meadowbrook Park, Ellicott City, MD · NATA
Sri Venkateswara Swami vari Kalyana Mahotsavam, with Veda pandits leading the ceremony and laddu prasadam from Tirupati.
Sri Srinivasa Kalyanotsavam
July 11, 2018, 5 to 9 PM · Brambleton Middle School, Ashburn, VA · JET USA
Held in the presence of Sri Chinna Jeeyar Swamiji.
Festival of India
May 27, 2018 · McKeldin Square, Inner Harbor, Baltimore · ISKCON of Baltimore
Free admission.
Festival of India
May 26, 2019, from 11 AM · Near the Maryland Science Center, Baltimore · ISKCON of Baltimore
Free admission. The last event we posted.
Beyond Washington
Sri Chinna Jeeyar Swamiji in Austin
January 25 and 26, 2017 · Sri Venkateswara Temple of Austin (Cedar Park) and Austin Hindu Temple, TX
Two evenings of discourse.
If your organization ran one of these, or you have something coming up, write to us at info@antaryami.com.
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