News 8 AustinYour News NowYour News NowAn Exclusive Service of Time Warner Cable
News 8 Austin


TOP STORIES


HEADLINES


LOCAL NEWS


Central Texas


Hays County


• San Marcos


Bastrop County


Bell County


Caldwell County


McLennan County


Willliamson County


YOUR NEWS


WEATHER


SPORTS


HORNS STAMPEDE


LIVING


NEWS 8 EXPLORES


SPECIAL COVERAGE


COMMUNITY


COMMENTARY


ABOUT US


SEARCH


NEWS8CAST VIDEO




Buy your tickets online today.

Submit your summer camp for our free online listing.

Contact News 8 through the IVC.

LOCAL NEWS
TuesdayFebruary92010



x44
Barsana Dham Center houses evacuees
9/15/2008 7:56 AM
By: Brandi Powell

It's safe to say the temple was more than simply a shelter.  
Shelters for Hurricane Ike evacuees have come in all forms -- schools, the Convention Center, homes of friends and relatives. Another one is the Barsana Dham Center in Hays County.

It may look like a simple room , but it’s just one part of the Barsana Dham

The Center has stretched its resources to be as accommodating as possible, including games for kids to play and plenty of space for some Hurricane Ike evacuees.

“We do create this atmosphere like this, to feel like they are on some kind of a vacation, so they don’t miss their houses, so they don’t feel as much of the grieving or whatever pains they are going through,” temple committee member Harish Parikh said.

Sanjay and Kamla Joshi drove from League City to Hays County Friday to seek shelter for them and their three sons.
 

It's safe to say the temple was more than simply a shelter.

“I don’t know what heaven looks like,” evacuee Kamla Joshi said. “But this is heaven to me. It’s very relaxing.”

For some, it’s been a blessing to keep up their prayer schedule and specific diet. The Joshi family said it’s given them the chance to embrace it even more, all in the midst of a natural disaster.

“I don’t have to worry about a lot of stuff, it’s like God’s place and everything,” evacuee Sanjay Joshi said. “You get to love, have emotion, it’s just great.”

The Joshi’s are just five of the 200 evacuees who have spent the weekend at the Barsana Dham Temple. Whether it’s arts and crafts or prayer, the children say their time at the temple helped them deal with Hurricane Ike.
 WATCH THE VIDEO
More Information
Temple shelter

Shelter for hurricane evacuees come in all forms. One of those is a Hindu temple in Hays County.





“Being here you just forget about everything,” 11-year-old evacuee Ajay Joshi said. “There are so many things to do here … they teach you a lot of things here.”

They said it’s a soothing environment to help keep evacuees calm.

While the Joshis aren’t looking forward to another hurricane, but if there is they know where they’ll be seeking shelter.

Center leaders said most of the evacuees have been people of the Hindu faith and of Indian descent but says it’s opening its doors to anyone who needs shelter during the hurricane aftermath.



Email this Story to a Friend
Printer Friendly Version
Search LOCAL NEWS

Weather Center
evening
2/9/2010
Near 40
overnight
2/10/2010
Mid 30s
morning
2/10/2010
Near 30

Voters' Guide

For Central Texas Election Information, including a list of statewide candidates and links to county voting locations, click the link.

Primary election day is March 2. The general election is Nov. 2.

Enter to win free tickets to the show.
Online Poll

Tuesday morning, a judge agreed to hear a divorce case between a same-sex couple. This is the second case heard in Texas. Do you agree with his decision to hear the case?
No, gay marriage is illegal in Texas
Yes, there was no other way to solve the matter
Unsure, this is a complicated legal matter
Other – your comments

VoteView Results
Neighborhood Calendar
COMMUNITY CALENDAR
Jan FEBRUARY 2010 Mar
S M T W Th F S
Week Of 2/1/2010-2/6/2010 1 2 3 4 5 6
Week Of 2/7/2010-2/13/2010 7 8 9 10 11 12 13
Week Of 2/14/2010-2/20/2010 14 15 16 17 18 19 20
Week Of 2/21/2010-2/27/2010 21 22 23 24 25 26 27
Week Of 2/28/2010-3/6/2010 28





Baby Products





Home | Terms of Use | Privacy Policy | Contact Information | Site Map | Click for RSS information
Copyright ©2010TWEAN News Channel of Austin, L.P. d.b.a. News 8 Austin

Web production by Tipit


Digital Cable offers the latest in home-viewing entertainment.
Talk as long as you want to anyone in Texas and the United States for one low monthly price.
Time Warner Cable now offers you more choices in High Speed Internet service.
Time Warner Digital Cable offers a wide variety of commercial products designed to accelerate the gr
Video On Demand lets you instantly choose from a wide selection of great movies and award- winning p
Digital Cable channel lineups.
Time Warner Cable of Austin offers 15 HDTV channels on digital cable.
TV listings for your service area.
Take a look at the special offers and promotions available now through Time Warner Cable Austin.
Record two shows at once. Plus fast-forward, rewind, and even pause LIVE TV to get a snack, answer t

On the go? Follow us on Twitter and we'll keep you current.

Sponsored Links

Nearly 1 in 5 Central Texans is food insecure. Donate online today.