Desi Talk

www.desitalk.com – that’s all you need to know 5 CITY VIEWS October 31, 2025 Over 1000 Dishes Create The Annakut At BAPS Flushing Swaminarayan Mandir M ore than 4,000 people visited Flushing Swami- narayan (BAPS) MandirWednesday, October 22, 2025, for the Annakut created to mark the Gujarati NewYear. The Flushing Mandir has been celebrating Gujarati NewYear and organizing Annakut offerings for the past 51 years. Every year, the Annakut is presented under different themes which the food mountain illus- trates with different dishes. This year’s Annakut featured more than 1,000 differ- ent dishes, prepared by devotees as offerings to Krishna, Sahjanand Swami who was the founder of Swaminarayan Sampraday, other deities and Gurus of the Sampraday. The theme of this year’s Annakut was ‘Samp’ or Unity and Harmony. The Mandir was decorated with flowers, lights, diyas, and rangolis. Wall decorations depicted the significance of Diwali, Lakshmi Pujan, Saraswati Pujan, and the Hindu NewYear. Special wall presentations were dedicated to the work of Pramukhswami maharaj who was the inspiration and force behind the Akshar Purush- ottamMandirs in the U.S. Special hourly aratis punctuated the NewYear’s Day for devotees who kept coming through the day from11 am to 6 pm. Speaking to Desi Talk, Dr. Vipul Patel, Administrator of the External Affairs Committee said, “Devotees of all ages, including the elderly, the young, and the ‘sant’s participated in the aratis.” He said there were aratis by the ‘vadil mandal’, the ‘yuvak and yuvati mandal’, ‘kishor and kishori mandal’, ‘bal and balika mandal’ , the ‘mahila mandal’, and the ‘sant’s. Special visitors to the Annakut included Senator John Liu, Assembly members Edward Braunstein, DavidWe- prin and Nily Rozic and Councilmember Sandra Ung. Speaking on the occasion, Senator John Liu said BAPS began at the Flushing Mandir which was its first ever temple in the U.S. “Many BAPS temples have come up now in the US, but this is where the roots are,” Liu said. Congratulating the audience, Liu said establishment of Diwali as NewYork City official holiday is a great achieve- ment. “Now we have to work to make it a state holiday,” he said. Some of the representatives said they have been at- tending the NewYear’s Annakut for more than ten years, and spoke about the importance of Diwali and of tradi- tions like the Annakut which hold a cultural significance. They also praised the Flushing Mandir for serving the community and fulfilling their need for a cultural center for many years. Assembly memberWeprin presented a proclamation to BAPS. The kitchen volunteers had been busy from early morning preparing the free NewYear’s feast of delicious Indian vegetarian dishes including khasta kachori, khi- chu, jalebi, pav bhaji, pani puri, pizza, French fries, ice cream and more. Decorations, meal preparations and organization were supervised and managed by women volunteer team headed by Pragna Patel, with special support from Esha- ben and Riyaben, who ensured everything was in order through the day. “We also presented devotees a sampler box of all the items from the Annakut as prasad to take home,” Patel said, explaining the Annakut items were taken to the kitchen and packed into boxes at the end of the day after the last arati. By Archana Adalja PHOTO:Provided byPragna Patel,BAPS PHOTO:Provided byVipul Patel,BAPS Representatives of a temple group perform Arati at the Annakut on Gujarati New Year;s day at the BAPS Flushing Mandir. Assembly Member Weprin (holding the proclamation) presenting a Proclamation to BAPS Flushing Mandir representative Dr. Vipul Patel, and Senator Liu standing next to Weprin. Mahwah Temple Holds Mata Ki Jyoti Lighting Ceremony; Invites Community To Nov. 22 Sthapna Ceremony T he Hindu Samaj Temple of Mah- wah conducted a special cer- emony this Navratri bringing the Mata Rank Vaishno Devi ki Jyoti from India. The Mahwah temple continues to be a beacon of hope, faith, and resilience, organizers said in a press release. “As a source of comfort and spiritual strength, the temple has brought forth a special blessing this Navratri — the sacred presence of Mata Rani Vaishno Devi ki Jyoti.” The planned Jyoti STHAPNA will take place at Mahwah temple on November 22, 2025 when a special Sthapana (installa- tion) ceremony will take place, enshrining it permanently within the temple – a step which the organizers said was “a profound spiritual milestone for the entire com- munity.” Organizers said, “We warmly invite all community members, friends, and well- wishers to join us on November 22 for this once-in-a-lifetime, auspicious celebration — a day to honor our heritage, strengthen our faith, and ensure that the light of our traditions continues to shine brightly for generations to come.” About Mahwah Temple In the press release, organizers detailed the history of the temple as follows: The Mahwah Temple was founded through the shared vision and dedication of a small group of individuals who came together with a singular purpose — to preserve and promote Hindu culture, tra- ditions, and faith for future generations. When many members of the Hindu com- munity first arrived in the United States during the 1970s, they carried with them a deep commitment to their heritage. As their children found success and built their lives in this new land, the communi- ty recognized the importance of ensuring that the next generation remained con- nected to their spiritual roots. Among the visionary leaders who worked tirelessly to transform this dream into reality were Mr. Dinesh Khosla, and Mrs. Vinod Chadha, whose efforts laid the foundation for what Mahwah Temple is today. Over the years, the temple has wit- nessed both challenges and triumphs. Its continued growth and service to the com- munity have been made possible through the unwavering dedication of Dinesh Kho- sla, Vinod Chadha, Anu Sehgal, Vasantha Ambat and others whose leadership and service has ensured the temple’s ongoing vitality and relevance. One part of temple life is the weekly SUNDAY POOJA GATHERING, held every Sunday and organized by Mrs. Vinod Chadha. These events bring devotees together in collective prayer and devotion, featuring beautiful bhajans sung by TEM- PLE BHAJAN CHOIR GROUP and invited participants. Each gathering concludes with a traditional LANGAR PRASAD. For more information or to participate in the Mata Ki Jyoti celebrations, please contact: Mrs. Vinod Chadha – (201) 370- 5872 and DINESH KHOSLA 201-294-9966 By a StaffWriter PHOTOS:Vinod Chadha Maa Durga at the Hindu Samaj Temple in Mahwa. Havan being conducted with the main contributors to the temple, at the Hindu Samaj Temple for the Mata ki Jyoti from Vaishno Devi.