The Hindu Temple of Atlanta (HTA) hosted their first annual Thanksgiving Day Pooja and Luncheon this Thursday, November 24, 2005. The event was held at the newly constructed banquet hall. It was an overwhelming success and was attended by approximately 300 members of the Hindu Temple Atlanta Congregation, as well as guests traveling to Atlanta from all over the Southeast over the holiday weekend.

The festivities started with a prayer service in front of temple deities honoring and thanking God as well as all the individuals who helped members of the community immigrate and establish lives in the United States. Following the prayer service Temple volunteers and kitchen staff opened the doors to the HTA banquet hall and served sumptuous food to devotees. The Meal was entirely subsidized through sponsorships from congregation members and local Indian owned grocery stores.

Dr. Aruna Prasad Kancherla, president of the temple briefed the gathering about the event being celebrated through out the US and expressed his happiness to become a part of its culture and practice. Dr. Mangaraju Vanapalli, chairman of Puja committee thanked all for their attendance at the event and appreciated the teamwork of all volunteers. Dr. Tulasi Vanapalli coordinated the arrangements with temple kitchen. Temple authorities felicitated Rangachari, permanent Cook in the temple kitchen and Mrs. Mallikarjuna Sarma, a devotee of the temple for their untiring work in the temple kitchen and in the service of the devotees. Temple provides food each day at nominal cost on an average 100. On weekends and on feast days the number may be more than three times that much and it exceeds double triple on weekends and on festive days. One permanent cook, Rangachari and two helpers besides a number of volunteers under the supervision of Ms. Uma Reddy, chairwoman of kitchen committee of the temple, are managing the temple kitchen.