Wellington: Indian High Commission (Feb 28), Indian Community Hall, Petone (Feb 29)
Auckland: Bal Mandir, Balmoral Road, March 1 and 2, 2024
Venkat Raman
Auckland, February 14, 2024
One of the finest Hindu scholars whose views on religious festivals and rituals are constantly sought on television channels and radio stations, will be in New Zealand next fortnight for discourses in Auckland and Wellington.
Dushyanth Sridhar, who carries the title of Ubhaya Vedantacharya (or U Ve, meaning a person who is well-versed in Sanskrit and Tamil Vedanta and Upanishads), will give discourses in English in Wellington and Auckland as a part of his tour of the region.
In Wellington, he will speak on Hanumad Vaibhavam or the Glory of Lord Hanuman at the Cultural Centre of the Indian High Commission (72 Pipitea Street) in Thorndon from 6.30 pm to 8.30 pm on Wednesday, February 28 and on Rama and Rama Janma Bhoomi at the Indian Cultural Hall (Corner of Nelson and Udy Streets) in Petone from 7 pm to 9 pm on Thursday, February 29, 2024.
In Auckland, his discourse on Dharmashastra and Dharma Sankatam will be held at Bal Mandir (258, Balmoral Road), Sandringham from 6.30 pm on Friday, March 1, 2024.
He will speak about Sri Rama Pattabhishekam (The Coronation of Lord Rama) at the same venue from 2 pm on Saturday, March 2, 2024.
The discourses have been organised by Saranagathi, an Auckland-based religious organisation in association with the Vedic Society of Victoria, Melbourne, Australia.
About Dushyanth Sridhar
Born and raised in Bangalore (now Bengaluru), Dushyanth Sridhar started studying the Vedas in Sanskrit when he was five years old. Completing his school education in Bangalore and Chennai, he graduated in Chemical Engineering and Chemistry from the Birla Institute of Technology and Science, Pilani (Rajasthan). Even as he worked at large private undertakings such as Century Rayan and Tata Consultancy Services, Mr Sridhar was presenting discourses (Upanyasams) on Vedanta, Ramayana and Mahabharata.
In 2016, he renounced his job to devote time entirely to promoting Hinduism and helping individuals and organisations to understand and practice its ideals.
Giving vent to his creativity, Mr Sridhar has also produced and presented dance performances and films in praise of Hindu Gods and Goddesses and epic personalities. These include ‘Agre Pashyami’ (Sirman Narayaneeyam), a tribute to Lord Vishnu, Narayana Sudha, on Lord Rama, and Sakuntalam, a movie in Sanskrit on the life and times of Shakuntala, the daughter of Vishwamitra and husband of the legendary Dushyanta, the father of Bharata.
Mr Sridhar wrote the story for ‘Vedanta Desika,’ in homage to one of the most revered Gurus of Vaishnavism and portrayed the lead character.
His discourses are shown on several television channels. He is reported to have more than 560 million views on YouTube.
Among the Awards and Citations that he has earned include the Young Achievers Award by Rotary International, Global 30 under 30 Award from BITSAA International, Sollin Selvan Title by the South Indian Bhajana Samaj, Best Parliamentarian Award from the G D Birla Memorial Foundation and the Best Outgoing Student Award from the Kishkinta Theme Park and School Pupil Leader Medal from the NSN Group of Institutions.
About Saranagathi
Saranagathi New Zealand was established in Auckland in 2018 to promote Hinduism, its values, rituals, Vedic texts and epics among the youth, the Indian Diaspora and others keen to learn the traditions and the Hindu way of life.
Formed in 2018, Saranagathi NZ had invited many scholars from India including Velukkudi Sri Krishnan Swami to deliver discourses on Hindu religious matters.
According to Krishnan Tirumalai, an official, the Organisation invited many spiritual speaking during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Among the recent visitors include Velukkudi Krishnan Swamy, Aravindakshan, Gopala Valli Dasar and many others in recent years.
“Sri Dushyanth Sridhar’s discourses at the Balmoral Community Hall are free events and open to all. On March 1, he will deliver a talk on Dharma, one of the four Purusarthas (Objectives). He intends to cover the rules and codes of conduct of Dharma and the predicaments that we face in our day-to-day lives in observing such Dharmic obligations. On March 2, he will be delivering a discourse on the Sri Rama Pattabhishekam. After enjoying the Pran Prathishta event at Ayodhya last month, we will have an opportunity to cherish the celebration of Sri Ram’s coronation as King of Ayodhya in Sri Dushyanth’s discourse,” he said.
Mr Tirumalai said that cash donations are welcome and that they can be remitted to the Bank Account of Saranagathi: 06-0229-0877169-000. Further information can be obtained from Sundar Ranganathan on 021-620621, Badri on 021-1289969 or Kesavan on 021-1740542.
