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BR hidden treasure shares Kriya Yoga, Sanskrit, Hindu worship
By Lauren Hendrix
Off Siegen Lane, wearing the façade of the monotone colored warehouses that surround it, is the Datta Temple and Hall of Trinity.
According to the Temple's site, the temple was inaugurated by Sri Ganapathi Sachchidananda Swamiji, a world-renowned spiritual teacher from India, on July 20, 1997. Since then, the Temple lay virtually unknown to the people of Baton Rouge. The director and president Daulat Sthanki, calls the temple, "a hidden treasure."
The temple is dedicated to the Hindu faith. This particular following of Hinduism involves a trinity called the Dattatreya Trinity. Within the trinity are Brahma, the creator, Vishnu, the preserver and Shiva, the destroyer. Though the temple is dedicated to Hinduism, the director hopes that others of different faiths know that they are all welcome in the temple.
The Datta Temple is the only temple dedicated to the Dattatreya Trinity in North America. The temple has added courses that are open to the public including Kriya Yoga, meditation classes and Sanskrit Courses. The Kriya Yoga courses are on Tuesday evenings, 7 p.m.- 8:15 p.m.
Kriya Yoga is different from the Hatha and Ashtanga forms that are thought of when yoga comes to mind for most people. The difference between the forms is the concentrations and the asanas or yoga postures. With Kriya, a person is "uniting mind and breath and increasing life force energy in the body," explained Daria Woodside. The practitioner takes a sitting asana and repeats different breathing exercise lead by the teacher.
The particular teachings of yoga practiced at the Datta Temple were created by Sri Ganapathi Sachidananda Swamiji in Mysore, India. Daria Woodside explains that the Kriya Yoga at the temple is a, "simplified version of ancient Kriya Yoga practices that can be used in modern times."
On April 16, the temple is expecting Sri Swamiji to honor his followers with a visit.
On Wednesday evenings, the temple has started having Sanskrit lessons. The lessons start at 7 p.m. and go to 8:15 p.m. The cost is $20 a month for lessons and $9 for supplies.
The lessons are taught by Premalatha Unnikrishnan and started just two weeks ago. The temple will welcome a guest teacher named Vasuvaj Easwaramangalam for a workshop on March 13-14. According to Unnikrishnanthat after Easwaramangalam he, "completed his MA and M.Phil in Sanskrit at the Presidency College, Madras. In 1983, he joined Samskrita Bharati as a full time volunteer during its early days and has remained so ever since. He has traveled extensively to conduct classes within India, United States, Canada, Trinidad, Guyana, Ireland, Australia and the Middle East."
On Thursday evenings, the temple holds group meditation courses from 7 p.m.- 8:15 p.m. Then Sundays are open at 10 a.m. for regular services. People of all faiths are welcome at all functions and classes.
For more information on Kriya Yoga, visit the Temple's Web site at www.dattatemple.com, shoot the Temple an e-mail at kriyayoga@cox.net or give them a ring at 225-751-8949.
Originally Published: February 17, 2010