27th Arya Samaj Sthapana Diwas

HOUSTON: Over the Weekend of April 7 & 8, Arya Samaj of Greater Houston celebrated its 27th Sthapana Divas, with 2nd annual community wide Public Health Fair, consisting of Health Awareness Lecture, testing, Blood Donation and consultations with doctors. Arya Samaj, was founded by Maharshi Dayanand Saraswati on April 10, 1875 in Bombay (now Mumbai). April 7, coincidentally is also WHO’s World Health Day 2018, eat healthy and stay healthy. The ASGH program began on Saturday, April 7 with a 5K walk around the lake in the next-door scenic McClendon Park. Despite overnight rain showers and ominous signs of more rain early in the morning, 58 enthusiastic walkers and families who had registered online at aryasamajhouston.org/healthfair or just showed up on the morning, participated with gusto and mother nature was kind enough to keep rain showers away, to complete the outdoor event successfully. This was followed by Yoga for health and strength and breakfast for all who came.

The health fair began with blood & EKG testing at 8 AM at no cost, supported by ASGH

dedicated volunteers & Arya Youth Mandal high school youth group and YourHealthLab.com. Almost 140 people took benefit of the health fair. Approximately, 76

patients had their blood drawn for testing over next 3 hours, and 49 patients had taken EKG

exam with free consultation with onsite Cardiologist. Thanks to Dr. Suneja for providing

E.K.G technical equipment.

This was followed by educational Health Awareness seminars from Dr. Rahul Prakash, Dr.

Ramesh Patel and Dr. Ashok Jain on current healthy living and eating related topics. The

doctors’ presentations emphasized Cardiac health, Diabetes and Power of Dietary discipline

for a healthier, happier life, Life after 50, Mind & Body Relationship, the effects of stress on

our overall health. The lectures were followed by informative live questions & answers

session with the Doctors. Gayatri Kapoor gave a talk on emphasis of Bone Marrow, Organ

and blood donation. Urging south Asian community to register timely at a DPS office or at

donatelifetexas.org for organ donation, as it takes very little time, and saves lives with a

donation – there are thousands of patients worldwide fighting blood cancers/disorders –

every 3 mins there is someone diagnosed with a blood cancer.

Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center Bus clinic was onsite and 11 donors (age 16 to 70 plus),

amongst the many who had volunteered and donated their blood. Ask the Doctor session

started at 11:30 AM, 100% free 1-on-1 consultation with ten doctors of various specialties.

ASGH health fair celebrations will be held annually at ASGH campus in the first weekend of

April in the future. Doctor’s presentations, information is available on

Facebook: www.facebook.com/AryaSamajGreaterHouston/

On Sunday, April 8, celebration continued with Sthapana divas program with Yoga for

obesity in the morning, OM flag hoisting, Sthapana divas Yajnya, Yajnyaroop, Pravachan by

Acharya Surya Nanda ji. Children from DAV Sunday Sanskriti School

(www.aryasamajhouston.org, www.davss.org, davssgm@gmail.com), which

started in 1994, on imparting Vedic values for ages (pre kinder garden, 3 to 18), DAV

Montessori & Elementary School (www.aryasamajhouston.org,

www.davmschool.com davmontessori@gmail.com), a fully Accredited school by

Texas Alliance of Accredited Private Schools (TAAPS), which started 5 years ago, gave an

amazing, enthusiastic cultural program, followed by lunch. The mission of the Montessori

School is to provide excellent Montessori and Traditional education along with the Vedic

values and Indian culture. Enrollment in both schools is open for next semester. Please

contact schools for more information.

ASGH principles emphasize importance of community service and leading by self to set an

example and make the world noble. Last year 2017 was bad due to Hurricane Harvey, ASGH

collected $70,000, and donated $50,000 to SEWA International within couple of days to

help local relief efforts and $10,000 each to Mayor of Houston funds and Governor relief

funds, prepared and delivered 500 to 900 homemade vegetarian meals per week for 6 weeks

to impacted community. Starting with cooking at home, to collective efforts to cook at

ASGH and deliver. For the past 10 years, Dr. Sushma Mahajan from ASGH has been serving

on the board of Interfaith Ministries of Greater Houston for the past 10 years, to promote

awareness of Vedic Dharma to other religions.

ASGH AKM youth have volunteered for Interfaith Ministries Meals-on-Wheels programs

annually on Thanks-giving day for many years, and last year had the largest contingent of

over 70+ with parents to distribute meals. ASGH initiated Jeevan Prabhat Pondicherry

School, a home for children who were displaced and impacted when Hurricane Tsunami

struck. This school is now converted to DAV School Puducherry in 2018, first of its kind in

that area.

Arya Samaj of Greater Houston, would like to thank, all the volunteer teams, including the

managing and working committees, Sunday DAV Sanskriti, Montessori School Teachers and

Arya Kishore Mandal High School Youth volunteers, who have supported noble efforts along

the 27 years of an amazing journey, with the principle of Arya Samaj founder Maharshi

Dayanand, “Make the Whole Universe Noble”.