Gayatri Temple / Gayatri Consciousness Center Houston
State Texas
Website: https://www.awgphouston.org
The Gayatri Temple for the Houston area is located in Katy. The Houston center operates under the auspices of the All World Gayatri Pariwar, India, with the mission to promote scientific spirituality and self-transformation through the principles established by the founder.
The All World Gayatri Pariwar (AWGP) organization, with which the Houston Gayatri Temple (Gayatri Consciousness Center) is affiliated, was founded by the revered spiritual leader, scholar, and social reformer Pandit Shriram Sharma Acharya. Known to his followers as “Gurudev,” he started the movement for “Era Transformation” (Yug Nirman Yojna) to bring about moral and spiritual regeneration in society. He established the movement’s headquarters, Shantikunj, in Haridwar, India, in 1971.
More Information
- Address: 20914 Park Row, Katy, TX 77449.
- Hours:
- Monday–Saturday: 8:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m.–7:30 p.m.
- Sunday: 8:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m.–8:00 p.m.
- Contact: (281) 717-4895.
- Website: awgphouston.org.
Worship and Spiritual Practices
- Daily Worship (Aarti): The temple holds daily Aarti services at 8:00 a.m. and 6:30 p.m..
- Weekly Pooja and Prasad: Community members gather every Sunday for regular prayers, Havan Pooja, and Prasad (blessed food).
- Meditation and Yoga: The center emphasizes self-transformation through spiritual practices, including meditation, Pranayama, and Yoga.
- Gayatri Mantra Chanting: Chanting the powerful Gayatri Mantra for spiritual enlightenment, mental clarity, and peace is a central practice.
- Yagyopathy: Fire rituals (Yagyas/Homams) based on Vedic traditions are performed to cleanse the environment and invoke divine blessings.
Education and Community Programs
- Bal Sanskar Shala: A Sunday school for children that teaches moral values, culture, Hindi and Gujarati languages, yoga, and Vedic knowledge through interactive sessions and arts and crafts.
- Swadhyay (Self-Study): Weekly study sessions for community members focused on self-improvement and the teachings of the founder, Pandit Shriram Sharma Acharya.
- Language Classes: Online classes are available for learning Hindi and Gujarati.
- Community Events: The center hosts various cultural programs, social gatherings, and celebrations for major Hindu festivals like Navratri.
Life Event Services (Sanskaras)
Experienced priests (male and female) are available to perform various traditional rituals (Sanskaras) at the temple or devotees’ homes, often with explanations provided in English, Hindi, or Gujarati. These include:
- Weddings (Vivah Sanskar): The temple provides various wedding services, with rituals led by priests.
- Baby Showers (Godh Bharai)
- Housewarming (Grih Paravesh)
- Naming Ceremonies (Namkaran)
- Other rituals: Punsavan, Mundan, Yagyopaveet, birthday and anniversary celebrations (Janmadin & Vivahdin).
Other Events
- Weekly services: They have weekly pooja and Prasad on Sundays.
- Children’s program: The Bal Sanskar Shala offers classes and interactive programs for children on Sundays from 4:15 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.. Online language classes are also available.
- Special events: The center hosts special events throughout the year, including festivals and community gatherings.