1. I am in UK as mentioned in my earlier mail, and there are very few 
      SriVaishnavas here, and virtually none in my place...what do I do for 
      Yajur Upakarma? Also...when will it be the time for Upakarma in this paart 
      of the world? 
       
      Due to family circumstances adiyaen had a very late upanayanam 
      (thankfully, due to Acharyan's love and kripa, had my Samashrayanam in 
      SriPerumpudur, Udaiyavar's birthplace immediately after my 
      upanayanam)...and this will be my 'Thalai Avani Avittam'. 
       
      The details of the 
      Yajur UpAkarma Performance and some special aspects of observances 
      for
      Talai AavaNi avittam 
      are coverd in a 27 [age e-book released last year . Pictures from 
      Vaideekam
      group is also included 
      there . The URL for access and  Printing is:
       
      
       
      Yajur Veda UpAkarma 
      for UK and USA is Monday , Aug 27
      Gayathri Japam day is 
      Tuesday, Aug 28 . 
       
      2. adiyaen has been observing aahaara niyamam for the last four 
      years, and with Sriman Narayana's grace, I find it okay to manage here 
      where food of a Saatiwka nature is not easy to prepare. What would you 
      advise in this regard?
       
      I do not know where you 
      are located . Most of the Towns/Cities have ingredients for 
      cooking 
      Saathvika Food. Salads 
      , Fruits , Lentils , Rice and Home prepared curry powders for 
      Kuzhambu,
      Rasam( Saathamudhu) , 
      butter Milk, Yogurt , Idly , Dosai powders will easily fill up the menu 
      .
      SvaympAkam would be 
      necessary . Occasional shopping forays to cities near you with 
      
      Indian ingredients for 
      cooking ( Lentils of different kinds etc) backed up by material sent 
      from
      home would address 
      needs in this area. There are a few VaishNavites in London , 
      Cambridge
      areas , who are members 
       of Vaideekam ( Sri Rajan) , Ponnappan and SaraNAgathi as well 
      as
      Malolan groups , who 
      can help you .By copy of this note , I am requesting them to 
      contact you
      to form a network 
      .  
       
      3. The sunrise and sunset patterns here are weird...sunrise is early 
      enough, but sunset seems to be taking a long time...nowadays at 9.45 
      P.M...so when should I perform saayam sandhya? 
      Adiyaen will not consume food or water before Sandhyavandhanam and as 
      the evening stretches on, I am finding it difficult to stay awake after my 
      Sandhyavandhanam for my research work. Please help me with these questions 
      and I will take it that Srirangan himself has guided me through you. 
       
      Saayam Sandhya times 
      are started just before Sunset and concluded at Sunset 
      . 
      The sun 
      rise,sun set dawn and dusk times are derivable for any location from 
      gaisma.com/
      for London 
      :
       
      
       
      for Sydney 
      :
       
      
       
      On June 23 
      , 2007  the Sunrise at London is at 4.43 AM 
      and 
      the Sun set 
      is at 9.22 PM ; the length of the day is 16.39 Hours 
      ;
       
      for this 
      day , Dawn at London is at 3.55 AM and the dusk is at 22.10 
      PM;
      the length 
      of the day ( day light ) is 18.14 
      Hours .
       
      With this kind of 
      Sunrise (4.43 AM) and office times ( 9 AM to 5 PM) , 
      You can not 
      observe the 
      suggested times for PrAtha: SandhyA or Saayam 
      SandhyA . 
      If you wake 
      up at 7 AM , you can offer an additional arghyam and 
      that
      takes care of not 
      being able to perform Praatha: Sandhyaa at a time 
      just
      before Sunrise , 
      when the stars can be seen . 
       
      It is 
      not practical to do Saayam Sandhyaa at 9.22 PM , eat after , 
      
      go to bed with a full 
      stomach and get ready for next dy's work . If your 
      peformance
      of research work 
      is affected by these late Sunsets , you can make a 
      disconnect 
      between evening 
      meals and performance of Saayam sandhyaa at local sun 
      set
      ( an hour or so 
      before Sunset ) . PalahAram /Tiifin can be also had in the 
      evening
      and 
      regular meal after Saayam sandhyaa  , although it is not healthy 
      to eat that late . 
      The thought that 
      you wish to perform SandhyA Vandhanam regularly is more 
      important than abandoning it like many do . You may or may not stay in 
      these Northern hemispheres permanently . You can 
      regularize on return home at the end of your current stay 
      overseas .
       
      Our Compassionate 
      Rishis and AchAryAs have given us additional arghyam 
      for delays and also 
      sankalpam for missed saayam sandhyaa Vandhanam ,
      when it is performed 
      next day so that there is no discontinuity /lapse .
       
      When in doubt , Your 
      AchAryan is naturally the best guide . 
       
      Hope these comments 
      help ,
       
      Oppiliappan Koil 
      V.Sadagopan
      ( Camp) New York 
      .
       
       
      Adiyaen Ramanuja Dasan
       
      SARVAM 
    SRIKRISHNAARPANAMASTHU!