Spiritual Development Center (Adhyatmik Vikas Kendra)
Celebrating our 50 Years of Friday Prayers and Hindu festivals on July 12th 2025
Dear Members and Well-Wishers, સૌ હરિભક્તોને જય શ્રીકૃષ્ણ,
It is a great pleasure that the Spiritual Development Center (Adhyatmik Vikas Kendra) will be celebrating its 50th anniversary on Saturday, July 12, 2025. The Center was established on July 23, 1975, on the holy day of Guru Purnima in Forest Hills, Queens, New York. It was founded with the inspiration and blessings of the popular saint Shree Devendravijay Maharaj-the founder of Manav Mandir in Bombay, India. The Center completed its glorious fifty (50) years in July 2025. Perhaps, you may recall that the late Pujya Devendra Vijay Maharaj, the founder of Manav Mandir, Mumbai, and a prominent kirtankar (Jai Bhaghavan), was an inspirer and a pioneer in suggesting to start a bhajan group in 1975. The underlying objective was to preserve and develop our religion, culture and tradition which ultimately culminated in the birth of the Center. Ever since then, the Center continued its non-stop Friday prayers, cultural and social activities.
The program is as follows:
The July 12th celebration is a full day program from early morning until midnight and we expect a large attendance to participate in a multitude of activities. The program is as follows:
Place :- Gujarati Samaj Community Hall
173-15 Horace Harding Expressway
Fresh Meadows, New York 11365
Time :- 7:00 AM to Midnight
Due to limited Hall capacity, the committee has decided that we will limit 600 people on a first come first serve basis, no matter of your membership status. So make every effort to come as early as possible to enjoy all the events.
Celebration Program Outlines:
Morning Session: (AM)
7:00 Arrival of volunteers at the hall
8:00 – 8:30 Kalash Yatra ( Entrance pooja by Pandit Mehulkumar Jani)
8:00 Deep Pragatya / Diya lighting ceremony
9:00 Breakfast, Tea and Coffee
9:00 Navchandi Yagna starts
10:30 Bhajan and Speech
12:00 Mahaprasad ( Lunch )
Afternoon Session: (PM)
1:30 — 3:00 Break and slide show / video
3:00 — 4:30 Yagna Purnahuti / Shrifal Homwanu / Aarti
4:30 — 5:30 Light snack, Tea and Coffee
Evening Session:(PM)
5:30 — 7:00 Cultural program, Garba performance by various group
7:00 — 9:00 Mahaprasad ( Dinner )
9:00 — 11:00 “Kathiyawadi Dayaro” (Lagyo Kasumbi No Rang)
The success of the above program hinges up on your interest, whole-hearted support and enthusiasm which have been a vital source for inspiration. Even though the Center has not specifically demanded any fees or donations for participation in its blizzard of activities, our community members have enthusiastically and voluntarily contributed thousands of dollars in the past fifty(50) years, which in turn have been donated to various needy organizations in India and abroad for charitable, religious and relief purposes.
The Board of Directors, founder members and Executive Committee members convey their heartfelt thanks for your fifty (50) years of continuous support and valuable services to the Center in performing Friday prayers, religious and cultural programs.
