Welcome to our Calendar of Events. This space is updated frequently, and has the most up-to-date information on current events at SHARANYA's sanctuary, and in the community. To see images from some of our past events, click here.

We welcome you to worship, meditate, attend classes and participate in other events at our sanctuary. Let us know if you'd like to help out at a puja, learn more about our tradition, or have ideas to share with us.

Puja Dates and Locations 2008 July 27 Aug 31 Sept 28 Oct 25 (Sat) - 5th Annual Kali Puja Festival Nov 30 2009 Jan 25 Feb 22 Mar 29 Apr 26 May 31 June 14 July 26 Aug 30 Sept 26 (Sat) - 6th Annual Kali Puja Festival Oct 25 Nov 29 Dec 13 Past Events: 2007 Nov 10 - 4th Annual Kali Puja NOTE: All Kali Puja celebrations take place on a Sunday, except for our Annual Kali Puja Festival, which is held on a Saturday. All pujas are at the Cultural Integration Fellowship (CIF) in San Francisco. Click here for directions. * No pujas in June...we will be on pilgrimage in India *

Ongoing Open Community Puja - Devi (Goddess) Worship Our ongoing puja, or worship ceremony, is held in our sanctuary space located in San Francisco. We are dedicated in our worship to the Goddess Kali in Her myriad forms, and as She is expressed through the world's various traditions that honor the Dark Goddess, the one who holds the wisdom of the full spectrum of human beingness. Ceremony is held in the Sha'can tradition and lead by one of our Rashani (ordained priestesses). This puja infuses methods and practices from East and West in order to create a sacred space for worship and opening on the path of the bhakta, or devotee of the Divine. What to bring... Offerings for the main altar are welcome. It is customary to bring flowers, fruit, wine, or sweets and to refrain from wearing black to our public rituals. If you wish to wear a special color for Kali, we invite you to don red, a color associated with Her power and the energy of creation. You are also invited to bring an object you would like to have blessed. A sliding scale donation of $11-21 is suggested to cover the cost of the space, puja supplies and prasad (blessed food); however, no one is ever turned away for lack of funds, and any donation is happily accepted. An R.S.V.P. is requested if you would like to participate. All ceremonies begin at 5:30 p.m. No one is admitted after 5:45pm. Ceremony usually ends at 8:00pm. Call for information, including location and directions to events around the Bay Area: (415) 505-6840, or email us at info@sharanya.org. Note: Pujas are preceded by our teaching circle, Daughters of Kali. Subscribe to our Newsletter for updates on open circles and other news! New! Temple Etiquette and Good Things to Know for Puja!

NEW for 2008: If you are not in the Bay Area and/or cannot attend the monthly meetings, please stay tuned for our unveiling of an online series of classes that you can work through independently or with your current worship circle.

Learn Sanskrit!

We are now offering introductory Sanskrit classes/study groups, for those who wish to learn the devotional language of Kali Maa. The focus is on learning vocabulary and grammar in order to facilitate eventual readings of the scriptures in devanagari. Classes meet once a month at 11:00am on the day of puja. Cost is $45 for the hour. For more information, email sanskrit@sharanya.org


Monthly Calendar

All Full and New Moon dates are based on Pacific Standard Time, and festival dates are based on Sha'can tradition observances.

2008 - May

Sunday, May 5 - Akshaya Tritya - One of the most auspicious days of the Hindu calendar, it is believed that any endeavor started on this day will come to fruition. It is the one time of year when the sun and moon are both at their climax of light. Akashaya Tritya also commemorates the birth of Parasurama, an incarnation of Vishnu. It is customary on this day to honor Ganesha and Lakshmi, bathe in sacred waters, and give to charities.

Sunday, May 5, 2008 - New Moon 12:14 am (PDT) 16° Taurus

Tuesday, May 20 - Purnima (Full Moon) - 3:08 pm (PDT) 29° Scorpio

Sunday, May 27 - Community Kali Puja (5:30 p.m.); Daughters of Kali (12:30 p.m.)

2008 - June

Tuesday, June 3 - New Moon - 1:23 AM (PDT) 14° Gemini

Friday, June 14 - Ganga Dusserhra - A celebration of the Ganges River, the Ganges is worshiped as the goddess who washes away all that does not serve. This celebration marks the Ganges' descent to Earth. It is held during a ten-day period during which devotees flock to the sacred river for a cleansing bath, releasing wrong doing and asking to be renewed by the goddess.

Wednesday, June 18 - Purnima (Full Moon) - 3:17 pm (PDT) 28° Sagittarius

Friday, June 21 - Summer Solstice - Known by many names in many cultures, the Summer solstice is the longest day of the year and marks the height of the sun's light. From this day forward, the days become shorter, heralding the return of winter. In Wiccan myth, it is the time with the Sun God begins to weaken as the days become shorter. Celebrate this day by going out and basking in the light and warmth of the summer sun. This day is also the beginning of the festival of the Goddess' menstruation in Assam, called Ambubachi.

Notes * A Blue Moon is the second full moon in a calendar month; a Black Moon is the second new moon in a calendar month. Both are considered particularly auspicious for ritual work in the Craft tradition.