Multifunctional Hindu Cultural Centre / Shree Raam Mandir Wijchen Address: Stationslaan 18 6602 BP Wijchen
Phone / fax: (024) 64 25 883 / (024) 7 851 841
Mobile: 06 2143 7817
Legal: Jai Hanuman Foundation Wijchen
Registration: Number Chamber of Commerce 41057659
Bank: Rabobank account 10.87.04.637
c/o Jai Hanuman Foundation Wijchen


Activities at the MHCC centre
The Shree Raam Mandir



Daily:
The Mandir is open daily from 19.00-20.00 hours for meditation, mantra- and kirtan chants and Darshan. In addition, on regular basis a topic is studied in depth in weekly meetings. Examples include interactive Bhagavad Geeta Satsang on Thursday and Hanuman Chalisa explanation on Tuesday. During these meetings, Dutch and Hindi are spoken.

Weekly:

Every Sunday from 13.00 - 15.00 hours a great service takes place with mantra- and kirtan chants, a lecture and Aarti. From 15:00 hours a satvic (vegetarian and free of spicy herbs) meal is severed for the visitors. The lectures are based on the Srimad Bhagwatam and Ramayana and deal about the application of ancient wisdom in contemporary society.

Occasional:

In the Mandir and MHCC also additional meetings are organized on the occasion of religious and cultural holidays.

The Hindu Cultural Centre

The Cultural Centre has a multifunctional character. There are various activities organized on social-cultural, social/societal, artistic and educational. In addition to these general activities, there are also activities for specific audience/groups such as youth, elderly, women/ girls and children. Examples include inter-cultural activities and music and language. In addition, the centre is also a place for documentation and knowledge of the Hindu culture, art and philosophy. This area is also regularly rented to third parties for meetings, conferences, training, etc. In all cases within the framework of the house rules of MHCC.
The meeting point on the ground-floor has the function of easy to access community centre. It is open daily from 18:00. Here the local people and immigrants come together, and can enjoy a non-alcoholic drink in a relaxed atmosphere.

Last update of the activities History

With the establishment of large Surinamese Hindu groups in the South East of the Netherlands in the second half of the seventies, soon the need came up in several municipalities as Boxmeer, Nijmegen, Arnhem and Den Bosch for an own social and cultural centre for activities and celebrate Hindu holidays. The phenomenon with the start of local organisation started. Very often these were informal groups that on an ad hoc basis rented places for the organization of the above activities. Later these local organizations, partly by the policies of the local government, were formalized. In this way in 1989 the Foundation Jai Hanuman Wijchen came to life. Asides of the various socio-cultural activities of the organization, Jai Hanuman Foundation became a focal point for a wide range of care in the vicinity of the town Wijchen, mainly for the provinces of North Brabant and Gelderland.
From the start the objective was the integration and participation of Hindu settlers in the Dutch society. At that time the idea for a multifunctional centre was born. And also at that time a change of perception was made in the Foundation Jai Hanuman Wijchen to make the transition from a local Hindu organization to grow to a national organization with a diverse range of activities for a wider audience, including both immigrants and natives from the region. In December 2005, the brand new Multifunctional Hindu Cultural Centre (MHCC) was opened. This was a milestone in the history of Hindus in the Netherlands.

Objective

The MHCC is an initiative of the Hindu communities in the East of the Netherlands and has its headquarters in Wijchen. The MHCC is a centre where one can find cultural heritage for dance, drama, music, folklore, culture, dialogue, sharing, spirituality and peace. It offers young and old citizens from all traditions the opportunity to exchange knowledge and experience in social, cultural, spiritual and social matters. The Mandir (= Hindu) is located on the second floor and is an ideal platform for prayer, spirituality, reflection and experience of traditional Hindu holidays. Even traditional wedding take place in the Mandir. In addition, inter-religious activities and celebration take place. To conclude, the MHCC is for young and old from any religious background, whether you are Hindu or not, whether you are foreigner or citizens, a centre and meeting place for cultural exchange and overture. In this way, the MHCC contributes to reduce the distance between citizens and stimulates their participation and involvement in society.

The Accommodation

The accommodation is built according to a design by architect Mr Jagdies TETAR, commissioned by Foundation Jai Hanuman in Wijchen and is a two story building. Three floors, each 18 by 20 meters on a plot of 2200 m˛. The building accommodates two organizations: - The Shree Raam Mandir (located on the second floor) - The Hindu Cultural Centre (HCC) (located on the first floor) The ground floor is organized in such a way that it is a functional meeting-point. For the total complex, both in and outside the building, the house-rules do not allow the use of alcoholic beverages, smoking and non-vegetarian products. Moreover, for entering the Mandir and other meditation spaces is only allowed without shoes.

Financial Statement

The construction cost of the MHCC complex was around € 1.3 million. Most of the capital was raised by the Hindu citizens, supporters and private sponsors. For the remaining part is a loan was taken at a Dutch bank. Operating costs are as much as possible covered by the monthly income of the dedicated donators. To ensure the continuity of activities and to grow, both organizations are dependent on financial contributions from donors. Recruitment of new donors and sponsors is still a structural and continued issue. Since the opening of the Mandir and the MHCC the range of activities has increased, as well as the number of donors. The organization is very pleased with this development. For most of the activities the entrance to this complex is free. A voluntary contribution for activities is certainly appreciated. Sometimes for some activities a contribution requested, because of the work involved and the financial situation of the foundation.

Internet

All activities and communications from the Shree Raam Mandir and MHCC are also available on their own websites. Also our periodic newsletter is available on the websites. From these sites, it is also possible to communicate with us by e-mail.

Staff / Volunteers

The special part of this project is that there are no paid employees. With pride we can say that this is rather unique. All activities on management and exploitation, as well as the organization of various activities are done by volunteers. The Board of the Foundation, together with the supporters of the foundation (key-people) has developed a specific policy to find and bind volunteers. This policy is based on mutual interest, the so-called win-win principle. The use of volunteers in activities is based on professionalism. The policy and the commitment of these employees are equivalent to other similar private professional organizations. Motivation and commitment as well as personal skills and preferences of the volunteers are key-values that are considered when they are used.

Friends of the Shree Raam Mandir

The Shree Raam Mandir also has a club of dedicated friends, the “Friends of the Shree Raam Mandir”. A society of friends that by virtue of their social position and social networks act as "ambassadors" of the Shree Raam Mandir. In addition to interest and moral support from these friends in their networks for the organization to help sponsoring and various other forms of fundraising activities. Anyone who wants to become an Ambassador for the Shree Raam Mandir is most welcome and is asked to contact us in the informal way or through our telephone, e-mail or websites.

Organogram

Each institution within this organization has an own decision-making structure and is authorized by the statutory board in delegated duties and qualifications. Where needed, there is both structural and ad hoc consultations between working-groups and/or other parties. The agencies encourage and support each other for the organization. All work is done on a voluntary basis. The organization has no paid staff. A unique project from and through volunteers with a high professional attitude, both in organization and results.

Your support and cooperation are warmly welcome

In case you support the objective of the organization and want to contribute, in whatever form, to the MHCC and/or the Shree Raam Mandir, please contact one of our staff or send an e-mail to us. We also like to welcome you as a donor/ sponsor.