||    SANDHYAVANDANAM RELATED QUERIES    ||

Q 1. I am in UK as mentioned in my earlier mail, and there are very few SriVaishnavas here, and virtually none in my place...what do I do for Yajur Upakarma? Also...when will it be the time for Upakarma in this part of the world? Due to family circumstances adiyaen had a very late upanayanam (thankfully, due to Acharyan's love and kripa, had my Samashrayanam in SriPerumpudur, Udaiyavar's birthplace immediately after my upanayanam)...and this will be my 'Thalai Avani Avittam'.

 The details of the Yajur UpAkarma Performance and some special aspects of observances for Talai AavaNi avittam are coverd in a 27 [age e-book released last year. Pictures from Vaideekam group is also included there. The URL for access and Printing is:

 http://www.sundarasimham.org/ebooks/ebook47,htm

 Yajur Veda UpAkarma for UK and USA is Monday, Aug 27 2007

Gayathri Japam day is Tuesday, Aug 28 2007

Q 2. adiyaen has been observing aahaara niyamam for the last four years, and with Sriman Narayana's grace, I find it okay to manage here where food of a Saatiwka nature is not easy to prepare. What would you advise in this regard?

I do not know where you are located. Most of the Towns/Cities have ingredients for cooking Saathvika Food. Salads, Fruits, Lentils, Rice and Home prepared curry powders for Kuzhambu, Rasam (Saathamudhu), butter Milk, Yogurt, Idly, Dosai powders will easily fill up the menu. SvaympAkam would be necessary. Occasional shopping forays to cities near you with Indian ingredients for cooking (Lentils of different kinds etc) backed up by material sent from home would address needs in this area. There are a few VaishNavites in London, Cambridge areas, who are members of Vaideekam (Sri Rajan), Ponnappan and SaraNAgathi as well as Malolan groups, who can help you. By copy of this note, I am requesting them to contact you to form a network.  

Q 3. The sunrise and sunset patterns here are weird...sunrise is early enough, but sunset seems to be taking a long time...nowadays at 9.45 P.M. so when should I perform saayam sandhya?  Adiyaen will not consume food or water before Sandhyavandhanam and as the evening stretches on, I am finding it difficult to stay awake after my Sandhyavandhanam for my research work. Please help me with these questions and I will take it that Srirangan himself has guided me through you.

 Saayam Sandhya times are started just before Sunset and concluded at Sunset.  The sun rise, sun set dawn and dusk times are derivable for any location from gaisma.com/ for London:

 http://www.gaisma.com/en/location/London.html

 for Sydney :

 http://www.gaisma.com/en/location/sydney.html

 On June 23 , 2007  the Sunrise at London is at 4.43 AM and the Sun set is at 9.22 PM ; the length of the day is 16.39 Hours ;

 for this day , Dawn at London is at 3.55 AM and the dusk is at 22.10 PM; the length of the day (day light ) is 18.14 Hours .

 With this kind of Sunrise (4.43 AM) and office times (9 AM to 5 PM), You can not observe the suggested times for PrAtha: SandhyA or Saayam SandhyA . If you wake up at 7 AM, you can offer an additional arghyam and that takes care of not being able to perform Praatha: Sandhyaa at a time just before Sunrise , when the stars can be seen.

 It is not practical to do Saayam Sandhyaa at 9.22 PM, eat after,  go to bed with a full stomach and get ready for next dy's work . If your performance of research work is affected by these late Sunsets , you can make a disconnect between evening meals and performance of Saayam sandhyaa at local sun set (an hour or so before Sunset). PalahAram /Tiifin can be also had in the evening and regular meal after Saayam sandhyaa , although it is not healthy to eat that late.  The thought that you wish to perform SandhyA Vandhanam regularly is more important than abandoning it like many do. You may or may not stay in these Northern hemispheres permanently. You can regularize on return home at the end of your current stay overseas.

 Our Compassionate Rishis and AchAryAs have given us additional arghyam for delays and also sankalpam for missed saayam sandhyaa Vandhanam, when it is performed next day so that there is no discontinuity /lapse.

 When in doubt , Your AchAryan is naturally the best guide. 

 Hope these comments help ,

Oppiliappan Koil V.Sadagopan

(Camp) New York