Welcome to Veerashaiva Samaja of Houston Chapter. VSAN STC is a proud member chapter of Veerashaiva Samaja of North America (VSNA). It is a non-profit, tax-exempt, religious organization in Houston, Texas. We are pleased to serve our community in Houston Texas.
Our Mission: “To Practice, Preserve and spread Basava and Veerashaiva/Lingayath Principles”
Over time, the organization has grown to a size of more than 250 active family members. The chapter hosts 5 standard events annually (Maha Shivaratri, Ugadi, Basava Jayanti, Picnic and Deepavali) where both adults and youth participate actively in Linga Pooje, knowledge sharing along with cultural performances along with Dasoha (Serving in Houston Food Bank).
The Veerashaiva Samaja of North America, affectionately called the VSNA or the Samaja, is a Non-profit Religious Organization; incorporated legally as a corporation operated by its Bylaws, with IRS Tax Exempt status (EIN 51-0245255). It is the largest Veerashaiva-Lingayat organization outside Karnataka with more than thirty chapters in various states representing more than 12,000 families in North America.
The goals and objectives of the VSNA shall be preservation, promotion, and propagation of the Veerashaiva-Lingayat way of life and philosophy and to incorporate and inculcate the Veerashaiva-Lingayat values of life and living in the day-to-day life of its members.
The mission of the VSNA shall be to preserve, to protect and to propagate for the present and posterity and to instill, to imbibe and to impart the Veerashaiva-Lingayat heritage, legacy and way of living and its universal values as exemplified in the pronouncements (Vachanas) of the Basavadi-Sharanas and to popularize, to practice the exalted principles of Dasoha and Kayaka through service to humanity at large.
VSNA is a democratic organization open to all who subscribe to its goals, objectives, mission and Bylaws. It is administered by the duly elected Officers along with Board of Directors and guided by the Board of Trustees. The Veerashaiva-Lingayat International Center (VIRC) is another service and spiritual arm of the Samaja. Its cherished objective is to serve as the source of information (Virtual Library) on Veerashaiva-Lingayat Philosophy and way of life along with responsible to conduct long-term program and activities for the members (visit www.virc.vsna.org for more information). VIRC will continue exploring ways to establish a close working relationship with other international organization around the world including from India.
VSNA was founded in 1978 by our pioneers who wanted their identity, faith, values and way of life to be preserved for the benefit of their children and future generations in our adopted land. In other words, they did not wish their children and theirs to lose their identity along with their cultural values while growing up and adopting to American Mainstream Values. To this end and to facilitate fellowship and friendship among the Veerashaiva-Lingayats living in North America, the VSNA along with VIRC organizes the many common programs and celebrations for all our chapters along with a Convention. Religious scholars from India and North America along with Swamijis are often invited to participate in the programs, celebrations and conventions. To motivate our children and youths, vachana recital and essay writing competitions are also held every year in VSNA Children Talent Festival and in conventions. During Convention, Anubhava Ghosti, Community Ishtalinga Pooje, Yoga, Women, Health, Business sessions and workshops are organized. All these activities along with other programs are captured in the Convention Souvenir and published on our website www.virc.vsna.org.