Letter from the President

Dear Devotees,

On behalf of the Puja Samithi of Greater Houston (PSGH), I welcome you to our sixth year of Durga and Kali Puja religious ceremonies and cultural celebrations! This year as we struggle to emerge from the COVID-19 situation that has gripped the entire world, we especially look forward to our community Pujas to pray for the health and well-being of us all and to take the blessings of these auspicious Pujas. Houston’s most venerable Dr. Bishnupada Goswami, Chief Priest, renowned around the world for his powerful oration of the Durga and Kali stotras, will conduct these Pujas for the worship of Ma Durga and Ma Kali, and for all of us to receive the blessings. We thank Dr. Goswami for his wonderful service to the community through all the Pujas that he conducts and from which we receive spiritual upliftment.

This year we plan to celebrate in a joyous and Covid safe manner at ISKCON with our beautiful new Murthis, hand crafted in Kolkata and shipped to Houston last year. In addition, delicious hot lunches and dinners will be prepared onsite by the highly rated Govindas restaurant during the Puja days.

We sincerely thank all of our members, volunteers and well-wishers for their ongoing dedication, devotion and tremendous support towards making these Pujas a wonderful success.

Therefore, my humble request to everyone is to please register on our website at the earliest for the Pujas so we can be prepared for the wonderful Pujas. Each evening starting on Thursday October 7th through Sunday October 10th, we will present a wonderful medley of professional artists and performers from the local community who will perform a memorable Mahalaya rendition, cultural songs and dances! As always, your generous contributions are highly appreciated and helps us to be a success.

May Ma Durga and Ma Kali Bless all of us and usher in a new era of health and prosperity!

Best Wishes,
Amit Banerjee
President, PSGH, 2021

COVID-19 Safety Protocols

Due to the current COVID-19 situation, we ask everyone considering attending the Pujas onsite to carefully consider their health status and the risks involved prior to attending. Although we will have some COVID-19 restrictions in place, ultimately it is a personal responsibility to assess the individual health risk along with the decision to attend onsite.

We highly recommend that individuals attending are fully vaccinated for COVID-19 or have negative Covid Test results at least 72 hours prior to the October 7th Puja commencement.

The following COVID-19 safety protocols will be mandatory for onsite attendance:

Check-in at the registration desk for all attendees is mandatory. All registered guests will receive either a wrist band or badge based on the sponsorship/donation level. These wrist bands or badges must be displayed by all guests at all times during the Puja events.
All guests 2 years and older will be required to wear a mask covering their nose and mouth at all times except when eating or drinking in the outdoor tent area.
No eating or drinking is allowed in any other area other than the outdoor tent area.
Everyone must be registered for the Pujas to attend onsite and pre-registration via the website is highly recommended to avoid overcrowding and delays.
There will be a temperature check at the registration desk.
We will have a brief COVID-19 “At Your Own Risk” questionnaire at the registration desk for attendees.
No cut fruits will be offered to guests.
Crowd capacities inside the Hall will be monitored and managed accordingly. We recommend physical social distancing at all times during our event.
Hand sanitizers and masks will be available as needed.
Seating for seniors will be made available near the front area for the Pujas and the front of the Hall near the stage for the cultural programs.

Stay safe and celebrate the Pujas with your family and friends. May Ma Durga and Ma Kali Bless us all!