WISDOM (VHS) Year-end Program at Meenakshi Temple in Pearland

By Vidya Madabushi

Vidya Madabushi & Venkat Prasad – WISDOM Coordinators

PEARLAND: As the summer sun reaches its peak and the Gulf breeze drifts westward, the heart of Madurai quietly emerges in the New World. Nestled in Pearland, Texas, the Sri Meenakshi Devasthanam stands as a testament to the
devotion and effort of Hindu immigrants across Greater Houston.

Over decades, a barren five-acre plot has transformed into a stunning replica of Tamil Nadu’s Arulmigu Meenakshi Amman Temple. Through the dedicated hands, hearts, and minds of Hindu immigrants across Greater Houston, the Sri Meenakshi Devasthanam has become an intricate work of Dravidian architecture, home to a vibrant community of devotees, volunteers, and learners.

This May marked the completion of the 25th year of WISDOM (Ways to Implement Sanatana Dharma: Our Mission), the temple’s youth education program, formerly known as VHS. Every year, hundreds of children gather at the temple on Sundays to study yoga, shloka, chess, and a structured sequence of religious classes. Each student begins their journey with learning short tales regaling the divinities and moves onto sequentially more complex stories, including our most famous epics such as the Ramayana and Mahabharata. They then conclude with multiple years of guided exploration of values, culture, and spirituality, culminating with the study of the Bhagavad Gita. At the end of each year, students step out of the classroom and onto the stage, unveiling the knowledge and experiences they accumulated to an audience of their peers, family, and community. Thanks to the efforts of volunteer teachers, eager children, and caring parents, a very successful 2025 Year-End-Program (YEP) was celebrated on May 18th, 2025, with students showcasing what they had learnt over the years –Demonstration of Yoga, Sloka Recitations, and presentation of elaborate skits from the Ramayana and Mahabharata, with creative costumes and inventive props.

This year also marks a new chapter for the Gita class graduates, who launched the inaugural SEVA project—an initiative that encourages students to identify a need within the temple, plan a solution, and implement it. These projects bring to life the theoretical lessons of compassion, duty, and service. Upon completion, students receive the President’s Volunteer Service Award, as Sri Meenakshi Temple is recognized by AmeriCorps as an official Certifying
Organization.

Much has changed since the temple’s founding nearly fifty years ago. Houston has grown into a vast metropolis, its population doubling, with waves of new immigrants arriving each year, bringing fresh memories of India. The Hindu community has expanded too—dynamic, diverse, and deeply rooted. As younger generations take on the responsibility of preserving these traditions, it is our hope that they view this as a joyful act of Dharma. At Meenakshi
Temple, we aim to guide and nurture our youth so that even as individual memories may fade, the culture and values of our heritage will remain strong.

Fall classes begin on August 17, 2025. Registration is now open. For more information, please contact Sri Meenakshi Temple at 281-489-0358.