HASLETT - The Hindu prayers members of the Bharatiya Temple of Lansing offered Thursday may have been unfamiliar to some, but the message of peace was not.

"We don't handle our disputes by war. People should follow this path," said Jai Jaglan, who organized this year's prayer for peace at the Hindu temple on Haslett Road. "It's not just for our side; it's for everybody."

Nearly 100 people gathered during the Temple's 13th annual peace prayer. The goal was to set a positive tone for the new year.

Several participants gathered around a fire, sprinkling wood chips and herbs while everyone else chanted in unison.

Toward the end of the ceremony, the Hindu priest sprinkled water on the participants as a sign of God's blessings.

With turmoil raging on the India-Pakistan border and in Israel, Former Bharatiya Temple President Ved Gossain said prayer during these tough times "gives us satisfaction because there's nothing else we can do."

"We pray for world peace and for our own peace and happiness," Gossain said. "If the message spreads in our own community, that's enough. The best thing we can hope for is a peaceful community."

Lifelong Bharatiya Temple member Gian Taneja said prayers can go a long way.

"The prayers give us a feeling of peace and happiness for the world. We're looking for a better year than we had in 2008," said Taneja, of Haslett. "We've seen many things go on in this world and peace is the ultimate answer. We have hope there will be peace in this world."

Jaglan said the temple can set an example for the community by spreading Hindu's peaceful principles.

"(The prayer) brings awareness. It talks to the whole world who is watching us," he said.