E newspaper10232015 by Indo American News

Friday, October 23 2015 | Vol. 34, No. 43

Indo American erican News

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COMMUNITY

October 23, 2015

Dusserah Mela Celebrated with Devotion, Pomp, Parade and Patake!!

BY JAWAHAR MALHOTRA SUGAR LAND: The bright rays of the Sun were still grazing over the western rim of the Skeeters Stadium when tiny tots and other children of all ages lined up besides the stage, waiting for their names to be called to get in front of the crowd. They were dressed in their costumes, so carefully pieced together by their adoring parents, depicting some character from the Rama Leela, and escorted on stage by their moms, as the emcee, San-

geeta Dua, called them out. “Who are you supposed to be?’ prompted Dua, “Can you give me a clue?’ And a few muttered their names or made a growl, roar or other sound to signify their character; some even sang or pantomimed. Numbers taped to their chests, they stood on stage, then paraded before the judges – Rahul Aggarwal, 14; well-known recipe writer Shakuntla Malhotra, 87 and Dr. Virendra K. Mathur, noted cardiologist – who graded the creativity of their costume and presentation. When it was done, three

stood out of the field of 20 getting the first, second and third prizes. “But It was very hard to decide,” the judges said, declaring that all of them were winners and giving consolation prizes to all the rest. As the Sun glided down even with the stadium rim last Saturday, October 17, the crowds started swelling up and became

engrossed in the bazaar like ambiance created by the stalls that lined the concourse on either side of the main entrance, which was anchored, as it was last year, by a huge idol of Ganesha, behind a beautiful colored rice rangoli of Shiva and Parvati, courtesy of Shiva Shakti Mandir. The outside of the

Stadium was festooned with yellow and red flurrying drapes, the façade lit in brilliant LED lights and the music and commentary from the inside activities piped to speakers for the incoming crowd to hear. It was clear that the crowds were eager to sample of the first large scale, family-oriented mela (or fair) of the Fall season, but especially so as it coincided with the days of navrattri, Durga puja and Dusserah, the victory of good over evil, which this event was commemorating and falls on October 22. By the time night had fallen and the main events were played out on stage, there was a capacity crowd of over 8,000, just as last year, seating in the bleachers watching the show. The organizers, Shri Sita Ram Foundation, had promised that the 7-hour long event would offer something for the entire family and held true to their word. Booths lined either side of the aisle, festooned with their business names and draped with LED lights; in the clearings at the end, food booths offered a wide variety of hot snacks and quick meals and down the ramps around the back rides and slides kept the really young and their parents busy. But the spectacle was all in center field where 30-foot tall effigies of the demons Meghanath, Kumbhakaran and Ravana were set out on one side of the stage, just behind an even taller, inflatable effigy of Hanuman that lorded over them. To the other far side, smaller 17-foot effigies of the demons stood ready to be burned to commemorate the final victory of Rama, Sita and Lakshman and their final return to their ancestral home Ayodhya on Diwali. It was a packed show on stage, led by a team of emcees: Sangeeta Dua, the perennial Nik Nikam, and first-timers Shweta Arora, Lalita Srivastava, dance director Kiron Kumar and radio host Shoba Joshi. The show began with a bjhajan and kirtan, followed by the costume contest, folk dances, a scene from the Rama Leela which will be enacted this coming Sunday, October 25 at the Stafford Civic Center on Cash Road (another Shri Sita Ram Foundation event) and a puja held offstage by the priests of several participating area temples. The culmination of the event was the eagerly anticipated parade

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CONTINUED ON PAGE

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COMMUNITY Vibrant Ramleela 2015

BY RUNMEE BARBARA HOUSTON: On October 18, a visually opulent, hot-blooded melodramatic entertainer with exquisite dance sequences, special effects and power packed performances stole the hearts of hundreds of Indians. The 11th Ramleela production by Kusum Sharma’s “Shri Natraj School of Dance” (www.shrinatraj.com) was done in association with “Kalakriti Performing Arts” (www.kalakritiusa.org) and choreographed and directed by the multi-talented Kusum Sharma. Many new elements were added into this year performance. In the first half, Narayan Dashavatar scene was eye catcher with Lord Vishnu at the centre and the ten Dashavatars of Vishnu entered from each side of the stage making it a beautiful visual treat to the eyes while Narayana song played in the background. Two

swayamvar scenes were enacted. The Swayamvar of Ram and Sita and the swayamvar of Vishnu and Vishwamohini. The Swayavar scene is always very grand and colourful with garba dancers, confettis, fire works, flower petals and a festive mood set on stage. It’s a moment of jubilant climax and the audience enjoyed it too. In 2nd half, Ram’s journey from Ayodhya to Vanvas life is filled with a variety of significant incidents and situations. Several scenes are played out to explain their deeper significance. The scene with the boatsman Kewat helping the exiles cross the Ganga was well played, as was the scene when Ravan (Hari Sriram) dances in indignation and anger after he learns from his sister Surpanakha of the indignity Lakshmana(Prashant Kumar) has bestowed upon her. Naagpash was a rare sight as we saw some real snakes crawling on the actors. The sight of Hanuman Sena lead by

Hanuman (Dharminder Dargan) with a group of children dressed as monkeys of different sizes looked overwhelming. Ravan’s death by Ram’s arrow is suitably strong and agonizing. The show ended when the royal couple Ram and Sita together appeared on the stage for the “Ram Rajyaabhishek”, the coronation of Ram as the King of Ayodhya. All the performers along with

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volunteers were on stage and the exhilarating audience applauded to the happy ending. Like every year, Kusum got delightful visual splendours that left the audience spellbound. The show was characterized by extravagant set decors and each of the characters was brought to life by brilliant performances and powerful dialogues. The audience were constantly engaged in the narration. What made

the play enjoyable throughout was the beautiful choreography with colorful compositions and compilation of each scene with detailed set design, props and highlighted story lines. The lead characters were played by Vipin Sharma as Ram and Kusum Sharma as Sita. Their gestures were fascinating ,pure, deliberate and real. Alpana Khanna managed the stage, orchestrating the performers and curtain operations with brilliant coordination. Rajpal Hodekar did a wonderful job handling stunt and pyro technicians. Ketan Mistry from Mandap Creations managed the production team and on stage set ups. In today’s lifestyle, the growth of the mass media is leading to a reduction in the normal audience for the Ramleela plays. Kusum Sharma has kept this tradition alive in a foreign land for the past 11 years with a hope to educate and enlighten the young generation. She is supported by numerous generous sponsors , community leaders & 100+ local talented artists who take out valuable time from their busy everyday lives for over three months to present this grand Ramleela to keep our culture and heritage alive in Houston. We must feel proud to be a part of it and enjoy our rich culture at a distant land. Photos: Anusha Rajagopalan

For photo collage, see page 10

Rama Leela Explores the Subtleties of the Tales Behind the Epic Story BY JAWAHAR MALHOTRA HOUSTON: Although the central story of Rama, Sita, Lakshman and Hanuman have been told and retold over the mellenia to countless number of people, and the Rama Leela performed on stages worldwide by the faithful, the tales behind the characters are often left untouched except for the truly curious and devout. They often add a deeper significance to actions of the central characters in the story. It is just these subtleties that

were explored by the production of Tulsidas’ Ramacharitmanas as the Rama Leela that Kusum Sharma’s Natraj School of Dance and Kalakriti Performing Arts presented onstage this past Sunday afternoon, October 18 at the VPSS Haveli in southwest Houston. Always eager to experiment with new ideas each year – this being Sharma’s eleventh year in producing the Rama Leela in the Bayou City - this year’s Rama Leela began with Shiva and Parvati revealing the events that were to unfold for Vishnu and his consort Lakshmi as they are reincarnated on Earth as the mortals

Rama and Sita. These novel theatrics begin with Shiva and Parvati speaking off left stage, marveling at the deeds that were to unfold, and then they appear again midway through the play. A scene that is not often told is the birth of Sita - the reincarnation of Lakshmi when she is found coming out of Mother Earth by Raja Janak while walking in a field with his Queen, and claimed as his daughter. Then later as the tale is told of Raja Dasarath killing Sharavan as he goes to fetch water for his blind, elderly parents. Sharma re-

enacts how the outraged and devastated parents then react by cursing Dasarath with a similar death after losing his son, and the scene of Rama leaving for exile causing Dasarath to die is played out. And another worthy scene is one where the sage Narad falls in love with Vishvamohini and turns to Vishnu for help in seeking her hand. Vishnu tricks Narad by turning his face into that of a monkey and later when Narad finds out, he curses Vishnu to have to need monkeys to help him in time of dire need, inferring Hanuman’s monkey army in the quest for Sita in Lanka.

Sharma explores these subtleties to illustrate the themes central to the Rama Leela: love, devotion, duty. deception, promises, valor – that are the cornerstones of the personalities depicted in the epic tale. She does so with the use of a giant LED digital display that projected stunning backdrops appropriate for the scenes, rather than rely of homemade props - which she has done in her past productions at the Cullen Auditorium at the University of Houston - and the results are truly amazing.

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COMMUNITY

October 23, 2015

Houstonian Seniors’ Club 65 Picnic

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Club 65 members enjoying a game at the Rockport Beachfront Pavilion

BY JASEEM PASHA MD HOUSTON: The Houstonian Seniors’ prestigious Club 65 is well known for its hospitality, including good food, educational seminars, delightful outings, picnics and great entertainment. The well-planned superb quality of all the fun programs for the seniors provides an experience of a lifetime. The success of the programs would be impossible without the Club 65’s team of trusted pros, like Club 65’s leaders Paru McGuire, Rahat Kalle, Latafath Hussain and Fateh Ali, who are well versed in invigorating and inspiring the seniors. This also explains why more and more seniors of the Greater Houston Area are seeking to join the Club 65 to be included in the regular picnics and entertainment put together by the Club volunteers. A group picnic is always a great fun and therapeutic too. Such picnics provide not only opportunities to relax andunwind, but also humor, laughter, poetry, and singalong, which strengthen immune system, boost energy, diminish pain, and protect the seniors from the damaging effects of stress, and keeps them focused and alert. And that’s what happened when the Club arranged a picnic on October 4, at the Beach Front Pavilion in Rockport, TX. The beach is about three miles bus ride. A two and a half hour bus ride brought the Club 65 members to this beautiful location. It was a custom ordered day with the warm sand, blue sky and an air-conditioned room with a beautiful patioset with Picnic Tables and

a view of the ocean. One had to just walk down the steps to the sand. The Club 65 volunteers greeted the 85 plus individuals with a cold glass of chaas, perfect for the Texas heat. People wandered off to take a walk on the beach and sink their feet in the cold waters, while others played Frisbee in the sand and yet some of them just relaxed on the picnic benches socializing and admiring the beautiful view. There was plenty of entertainment in both the buses, including a game of Trivial Pursuit, sing-along. Some sang with an international flair, sung in Swahili, Gujarati, English and Hindi as well as jokes, and shayaris. In the other bus members watched an all time favorite Bollywood movie. Seniors participated in various games. Lunch was sumptuous with Pav Bhaji, garma garam pooris that were fried right there in the kitchen with chole, chicken, salad, and sooji halva for desert. In addition to Paru McGuire, Rahat Kalle, Parvin Saiyed, Rozina Jafferali, Farida Jinnah, other Club 65 Committee members and Volunteers, Noor Pasha, Antakshari,Diamond and Zarina Mohamed, Taiyeb Shipchandler, Nasir Ali, N.G Daredia,, Jamil Chunawala, Rashida Abdullabhoy, Omaina Tambawala also helped rock the day. Club 65 is a non-profit organization under the umbrella of IMAGH (Indian Muslims of Greater Houston). To find out more about Club 65 or to become a member, please visit, www.imagh.org or call Paru Mcguire at 440-390-1763.

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COMMUNITY

October 23, 2015

Sachin Tendulkar Hopes to Set Cricket Ablaze in the USA

BY JAWAHAR MALHOTRA HOUSTON: It is a lament that most people hear from those who have just retired, but not one that you expected coming from Sachin Tendulkar. “I never thought my life would be so hectic after retirement!” he said from Mumbai in an exclusive telephone interview with Indo American News this past Tuesday night, October 19. But busy is exactly what the former batsman for the Indian cricket squad has been since he decided to put away his bat in 2012 after playing for 24 years. Crowned the “God of Cricket” by millions of fans worldwide for his unwavering, endless runs that rose to over 34,000 in international cricket, Tendulkar has stepped into what he terms his “second innings” in retirement. In the past two years, Tendulkar has become a Member of Parliament of the Rajya Sabha (Upper House); adopted a village Puttamraju Kandriga in Nellore district for significant development and enhancement of quality of life of the villagers; co-promoted the Kerala Blasters, a football team which is part of the Indian Super League; been selected by

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to promote the cause of Swaach Bharat; become the Regional Goodwill Ambassador of the UNICEF; become involved in an initiative called Spreading Happiness in association with Schneider Electric to bring solar lighting to remote villages and is involved in an initiative called Sports for All to encourage people to be engaged in active sports. No wonder Tendulkar thinks his life is hectic! And as if that wasn’t enough, he has begun an initiative to bring the game he loves and has been the key to his fame to the masses in the US. Tendulkar and a squad of 27 other layers will be barnstorming through three cities in the US in November to play in the All-Star T20 (Twenty20 cricket, a shorter version of the games that lasts three hours) exhibition matches at New York’s Citi Field (7 November), Minute Maid Park in Houston (11 November) and Dodgers Stadium in Los Angeles (14 November). “It all started last year after

we played an exhibition match at Lord’s in London,” recalled Tendulkar. “The other players said ‘Why don’t we do this again elsewhere?’ It was so much fun with no stress and everyone was excited. In fact, some asked ‘What took you so long?!” he added and the old passion for the sport came through over the phone line. “I love anything to do with sports and want to do my part to promote them.” Since the games to be played out in baseball stadiums, some of the fielders will be very close to the spectators and Tendulkar thinks that would be a good thing, allowing the players to interact with them and even joke around. He believes that the time is right for cricket to take off in the US “since there are sports fanatics in America and our Indian people will be a significant force in building cricket up here.” His friends in the US – some are helping to organize these matches – encouraged him to come with the 27 other retired cricketers from around the world. The draw will be held on November 2 in New York at a media event. The tour has been organized by the New York based marketing firm Leverage Agency whose chief executive Ben Sturner expects to turn a profit in the first year if the stadiums fill up. The three locations were picked for their sizable South Asian populations and the keen interest in cricket there. “People have often seen cricket on the television, but here they will be able to see live action at the stadium which many have not seen before in the US,” said Tendulkar. In doing so, he hopes to convert even some mainstreamers to put down their baseball bats and pick up a cricket bat. In addition, in each city, the organizers will hold cricket clinics and hand out a Cricket 101 booklet. The teams will arrive in Hous-

ton on Monday, November 9. Tickets are on sale now from $50 to 350 and can be bought on-line at ticket-center.com. Indo American News will also be raffling

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COMMUNITY

October 23, 2015

Neil Bush Speaks on the Literacy Crisis in Houston at IACCGH Event

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IACCGH leadership and special invitees with Keynote Speaker Neil Bush

Neil Bush

BY MANU SHAH HOUSTON: A packed room of 140 members and guests welcomed Keynote Speaker Neil Bush at the Distinguished Lecture organized by the IACCGH on October 13th at the Hess Club. Executive Director Jagdip Ahluwalia welcomed the gathering and drew attention to an IACCGH Educational Initiative to be launched next year. The initiative would enable deserving students in Houston to intern at a Company that has a base in India and the US to get an overview on how business is conducted in two different cultures. The Executive Director also acknowledged the leaders in the room representing different organizations. President Ashok Garg, in his introduction, stated that as a society as well as a migrant community, we prize education. However on joining the Literary Advance of America, he was shocked to learn that there is “a literacy crisis” in Houston among both children and adults. He lauded the Keynote Speaker for his “championship of literacy” and continuing the legacy of service that the Bush family is noted for and congratulated him for being the recipient of the prestigious 2015 Impact Award presented by Volunteer Houston recently. Neil Bush and his wife Maria founded and co-Chair the Bar-

bara Bush Houston Literacy Foundation which is dedicated to increasing literacy rates of Houstonians of all ages. He is also the Chairman of Points of Light, an organization that is trying to change lives through the power of volunteerism. Neil Bush commenced his address by speaking of the “darkness that’s flying under the radar.” He was referring to the number of people who are stuck in poverty and live in conditions where there’s injustice, higher levels of crime and teenage pregnancies with little hope for self-improvement. According to the Keynote Speaker, this “darkness was weighing on our society in a big way.” Literacy, he continued, is an issue that was first championed by his mother, the Former First Lady Barbara Bush because she believed that a person who could not read could not realize their fullest potential and would always “be chained to the cycle of poverty.” Citing some “overwhelming” statistics, Neil Bush stated that there’s one book at home for every 300 children living in poverty, 60% of kindergarten kids enter school ill prepared to learn, 24% of third graders failed the STAAR Reading Test and 20% adults in Houston are functionally illiterate which means they cannot even fill out a job application form. Describing this bleak assessment of the city’s literacy levels as a “human rights issue,” he stated that this affects not only the individual but all of us as it leads to higher crime rates and higher costs related to healthcare, welfare and education. On a brighter note, the Keynote

Photos: Bijay Dixit

Speaker also spoke about the positive work that was being done to combat this issue by the 1000’s of nonprofit organizations and the millions of volunteers that act selflessly to lift others. He offered some concrete examples of organizations that are “serving on the frontlines of the literacy crisis,” such at Books between Kids, Literacy Advance of Houston, Read Houston Read and CYCLE. Stressing the idea that “we need to think and act more strategically, collectively and urgently”, he cited progress in Houston through the area wide Early Matters Coalition and neighborhood coalitions like the one in Independence Heights. He also urged the gathering to volunteer and “join the army to combat illiteracy” by going to www.connect4literacy.org to sign up with a qualified organization. Shell’s VP Fred Whipple proposed the vote of thanks where he expressed his appreciation for the service that the Bush family is doing for communities everywhere and stated that the lecture had “truly inspired him to become a better person.” IACCGH will be hosting a Women’s Mentoring Event featuring Francene Young, former VP Shell and current Pastor on October 28th. For more information, visit iaccgh.com

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13 Student Appreciation Day by Surangan School of Music

COMMUNITY

October 23, 2015

BY SANCHALI BASU HOUSTON: Another year has rolled by and Surangan has grown in size, maturity and professionalism. Their annual student appreciation day was held at the Maharaja Banquet Hall on October 10 with tremendous enthusiasm and passion. The school in its 5th year dedicated to keeping the cultural heritage of Bengal alive among the immigrant and specially the 2nd generation Bengalis growing up in the US is surely keeping its promise. The efforts of founder director Rupa Ghosh have definitely not gone in vain and got reflected in the outcome of the production and the unconditional outpouring of love from the students and others. The school trains students in the classical, semi classical, Rabindra and Nazrul songs, and has recently started a Skype based training program for some to accommodate their busy schedules. It also takes pride in conducting periodic workshops with eminent artists from Bangladesh, India and the US and participates in several live stage shows, some in collaboration with other performing cultural organizations of the diverse, vibrant city of Houston. This year, another feather was added to their cap with the performance of Tagore's, “Jodi tor daak shune,” by a non Bengali student Sonia, proving once again that music surpasses the barrier of language. Rupa, started her musical training at the tender age of five under Sri Nirmalendu Chowdhury who was instrumental in bringing Bengali folk songs into the limelight in the sixties and seventies. She then trained in classical music and Rabindra Sangeet under renowned Gurus and has won several accolades throughout her singing career. She brought this passion along with her to Houston to enable the next generation to continue with the tradition and connect with their roots. An audio album of hers featuring 10 Tagore songs will be released soon. The evening started with a slide show of the Surangan school by Kiron, bringing back memories. Rupa thanked everyone with her welcome speech and Razu presented his slide show. The evening was very effectively guided by master of ceremonies Sriti. Group songs, recitations and solo songs by students ranging in age from 5 to adult all resonated sincerity and diligent execution. This year's theme was to honor and pay tribute to the five great poets and composers of Bengal, Rabindranath Tagore, Atul Prasad Sen, Rajanikanta Sen, Dwijendralal Roy and Kazi Nazrul Islam. Befittingly they paid respect to the Pancha Kabi by representing compositions of all 5 poets. Bengal's rich tradition in the field of poetry and music was very well portrayed. Gronti, Priyanti, Purnata, Samien, Naiza, Shyon, Smita, Seeryn, Vanini, Sharoni, Puspita, Tinni, Dipika, Rafid, Dona, Sreya, Tithi, Sheena and Arun Islam were all very deserving in their own right in highlighting each of the 5 poets. What made it even more interesting was the picture slide of the artist that accompanied each individual's performance. Rupa's immense emphasis on perfect Bengali pronunciation and diction among the young budding next generation performers is highly remarkable and made the renditions more pleasant to the ears. Raja Banga, director of the Prana School of Music, an eminent music school of Katy along with a few of his disciples delighted

the audience with a Tabla concert. He, Biplab Samadder and Bidyut Ghosh on the tabla, violin and mandira respectively pro-

vided able accompaniment to all the vocal renditions. Appreciation certificates were handed out to students and the program

Photos: Apu

ended with Rupa's personal tribute to the 5 poets and cake cutting. Please visit www. surangan.org for further information.

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COMMUNITY

Sri Meenakshi Temple Celebrates the Navarathri Festival with Highlight of Suvasini Pooja Meenakshi giving the Nectar of

BY BHARGAVI GOLLA HOUSTON: Navaratri is a Hindu festival of nine nights dedicated to the worship of the goddess Shakti, as the emanating power, the essence and the creative manifestation of the Supreme Being. The tenth day is commonly referred to as Vijayadashami or Dasera. It was the day on which evil was finally destroyed by good. During these nine nights, the mother goddess is being worshipped in nine different forms. The spectacular display of Golu (kolu) is an essential feature during Navarathri in south Indian tradition. The MTS Navarathri Cultural Event commenced on the first day with an exciting and enthusiastic

performance by the students of the Vedic Heritage School. The bhajans flowed gently under the guidance of Bhavani Iyer. The performance was coordinated by Mahesh Iyer, the MTS Vedic School director as he took the effort of assembling and creating this delightful exhibition. A very special guest appearance of Vidwan Erode Nagaraj (a very talented mridangist and a disciple of Palladam V. Ramachandran and Umayalpuram K. Sivaraman). The cultural programs were off to a successful start of the Navarathri festival. At Sri Meenakshi Temple, in the midst of an expansion construction, Navarathri was celebrated during October 13 through 22, with beautiful alankarams every day and the

Golu is beautifully displayed. The goddess is being worshipped in nine different alankarams for Sri Meenakshi and Sundareswara on oneside and Sri Padmavathy and Sri Venkateswara on the other; the elaborate alankara’s include on day1 of navarathri Tuesday the Oct 13, the Alankaram was Sri Raja Rajeswari and Sri Vaikunta Nathan, on day2 Anna Purani Devi and Sri Lakshmi Narayana, on day3 Sri Dakshinamoorthy and Sri Venugopalan, on day4 Sri Meenakshi Pattabhishekam and Sri Kalinga Narthana, on day5 Sri Meenakshi Digvijayam and Sri Navaneetha Krishna, on day6 Sri Meenakshi Thirukalyanam and Sri Nachiyar Thirukolam, on day7 Sri

Wisdom to Thirugyana Sambandar and Sri Rama Pattabhishekam, on day 8 Sri Mahisasura Marthini and Sri Vamana Avatharam and day 9 Sri Meenakshi Performing Siva Puja and Sri Saraswathi. On Friday, October 16th, the Suvasini Puja was conducted beautifully inside the main temple by the eminent priests of MTS. This Puja for women is performed on a Navarathri Friday every year by MTS. The program included Abhishekam and Lalitha sahasranama Archana for Sri Meenakshi and special Alankarams for Utsavamurthis followed by Manjal Kumkum distribution to ladies. The main temple was packed with devotees chanting Lalitha sahasranamam. The major attraction for the evening was 300 colorful sarees, which were given to the Puja sponsors. Prasadam was distributed at the end of the puja and a light dinner was provided by MTS. The Navarathri cultural program show casing local talent was put together by the cultural director Mala Gopal; Sasi Pillai coordinated the daily Navarathri Poojas on behalf of RAC. As the devotees pray to the Goddess in all three forms Durga, Lakshmi and Saraswathi, we wish the readers a Happy Navarathri. (Contribution to article by Adhi Gopal).

Dusserah Mela CONTINUED FROM PAGE

around the inside perimeter of the field, like last year, but only bigger, with more than 40 floats depicting scenes and Gods and Goddesses that are central to the Ramanaya. Interspersed with them were marching bands from the Ismaili Girl and Boy Scouts, the Ismaili Bagpipers, a high school band and cheerleaders, Miss Bollywood USA winners, Bollywood Shake dancers, temple drumming bands, the University of Houston and endin with the iconic Wells Fargo (a major sponsor) Stagecoach. Heading it all as the Parade Marshall were the Indian Consul General Parvathaneni Harish and his wife Nandita and an enthusiastic Arun Verma, overjoyed by the turnout. And of course, the moment that all had been waiting for came at 10pm, when the main organizer and visionary of the event, Dr. Arun Verma, himself announced that “the field should be cleared immediately per the Fire Marshall’s directions” to start the fireworks. With three loud pops, the stuffed effigies burst into flames and then from behind them and to the left, bands of fireworks lit up the air in a crescendo to celebrate the victory of Good over Evil. It was even more spectacular than the Fourth of July!

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18 October 23, 2015 We’ll Miss the Swish of His Blade

EDITORIAL/COMMENTARY Why Would Netaji Hide?

BY RAJIV SHUKLA

A cricketer’s retirement is a perfect time to assess his greatness and place in the overall scheme of things. The numbers he stacked up through his career and technical virtuosity are as much the yardsticks as his contribution that made the difference for his team on major occasions. However, it stayed refreshingly different for Virender Sehwag, who announced his retirement on his 37th birthday on Tuesday. Among the finest batsmen India has ever produced, it was the irreverence with which he made an impact, again and again, that defined the ‘Nawab of Najafgarh’. While fans respectfully followed a Sachin Tendulkar or Rahul Dravid, there was gay abandon when it came to Sehwag. If he smashed the opposing bowlers all day, that was considered par for the course. If he fell cheaply, well, Sehwag was too rash! At one level, the Special One among India’s golden generation of batsmen had himself to blame for he made batting look so simple. While he had an amazing connect with the fans, and cocked a snook at anything resembling erudition in the game, he brilliantly couched his cricketing intelligence with comments that made it convenient to paint him as a maverick. Thus, he would play down the upper cut for six as a “lottery” delivery outside off-stump while everyone gushed about the audacity, the deliberate misses outside the off-stump to ensure a captain did not take an average bowler off the attack would rarely register. The whistling and singing while batting though added to the persona. Sehwag owed his grand success as much to his clarity of thinking — to him every shot he hit was off a bad delivery — as to his hand-eye co-ordination. The only Indian batsman to score a Test triple century — he did it twice — he was part of two World Cup-winning sides and is one of three Indian batsmen to score a double century in ODIs. With eye-sight and reflexes on the wane, his Test average (49.34) fractionally dipped under 50, the hallmark of great batsmen. But fractions would be the last concern for a man who dealt in fours and sixes, and remained the ultimate entertainer for millions of fans. Hindustan Times

I think it is obscurant to believe that Subhas Chandra Bose was in India, or anywhere else in the world for that matter, impersonating someone for 20 years. Nurturing such a notion will be a great insult to a revolutionary leader like Bose. Why would a fearless and valiant personality like Netaji impersonate someone to stay in his own motherland — and that too after Independence? Those who are advocating such theories are unaware of his character and indomitable courage. Much is being made of the meeting between Netaji’s family members and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. It is good that the prime minister has decided to declassify the ﬁles on Netaji in January next year. But, I feel that there was only one objective of Bose’s family meeting the prime minister: To know whether Netaji indeed died in the plane crash, and if not, then to know what happened to him. It is legitimate on the part of any family to want to know about their ancestor. My problem is with those who are giving wild interviews in the guise of authentic information. For instance, it has been claimed that a certain sadhu in Ayodhya or a particular man from Tashkent in Russia was actually Netaji in disguise. Someone says that he was in Ayodhya for 30 years; someone else that he stayed in Punjab; another that he lived in Bihar. One person says that he stayed in Germany. The wildness of the claims can be gauged from an episode in which

The myth of Subhas Chandra Bose living incognito is just that — a myth. the supporters of Baba Jai Gurudev created a drama by declaring that he was Bose at Phoolbag Ground in Kanpur. Lakhs of people had gathered there, and, after the lie was exposed, thrashed the baba’s supporters. Claims about Bose must be supported with evidence. The former RSS sarsanghchalak, K. Sudarshan, believed that Netaji lived in Noida. Ironically, even some Bengali families in West Bengal believe that Netaji is still alive — at the age of 118 — and that the government is hiding him — intentionally.

What can be done to dispel such wild dreams? Those who believe that Netaji has been impersonating someone and staying in India since Independence are also of the view that since he was against the Allied Forces in World War II, he had been declared a war criminal in accordance with the conduct and rules of warfare, and was liable to be arrested by the British authorities. This is an insulting proposition. Bose never feared British jails when India was under British rule. Why would he fear them after India had become independent? Moreover, the British government would never have made any demand for Netaji’s surrender because it would have known that this would be impractical and impossible. People should refrain from propagating such illogical ideas. In the recent past, there has been a campaign claiming that Gumnami Baba of Faizabad was actually Bose. Many letters and correspondences have been cited but nothing has been proved. But why would Netaji hide in Faizabad? Further, why would he not have met his family and relatives in Kolkata. Or why did he not establish contact with his wife and daughter in Germany? I feel that the country should rise above such controversies and salute Netaji’s courage, valour and patriotism. We should take inspiration from him and his ideals and try to create many more Netajis in India. The writer, a former Union minister, is a Congress Rajya Sabha MP

An Interview with a Pioneering Protester

BY JUG SURAIYA

In the wake of a spate of writers returning their awards to protest against growing intolerance in Indian society, a hitherto unknown literary personage, Kavi Kaviraji, made news by being the first such person to return awards he had not received. Second Opinion interviewed this pioneering protester. SO: You’ve returned in protest a Sahitya Akademi award which you never got? KK: I’ve not only returned

in protest the Sahitya Akademi award which I never got, but now I’m in the process of also returning in protest the Man Booker Prize, the Commonwealth Writers’ Prize, the Pulitzer, and the Nobel Prize for Literature, all of which I never got. SO: Don’t you actually have to have something before you can return it? KK: Not at all. Haven’t you heard of the old saying that it is better to return than to receive?

SO: I suppose that’s one way of looking at it. So you’re returning all these awards, which were never given to you, in protest against the growing intolerance in our society towards intellectuals, rationalists and freethinkers? KK: Of course not. Who cares about such altu-phaltu types? I’m returning the awards in protest that I was never given them. That’s what I’m protesting. Times of India

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October 23, 2015

JVB Preksha Meditation Center Celebrates 16 Years in Houston with Grand Annual Day Event

BY SEEMA JAIN HOUSTON: "The efforts of the past become the fate of the present and the future." -Acharya Shri Mahashraman 16 years ago in Houston, JVB Preksha Meditation Center opened its doors to envision the untiring efforts of Acharya Shri Tulsi & Acharya Shri Mahapragyaji to spread Preksha Meditation among masses of all religions. Today, JVB is proudly pioneering in serving the entire community with weekly classes, programs and special events to fulﬁll this dream and growing by leaps and bounds. To celebrate JVB’s 16th Anniversary of presence in Houston & 6th Anniversary at the current Center located @ 14102 Schiller Rd, JVB patrons once again graced the occasion by actively participating in the 2 day festivities which started on Saturday, October 10 and concluded on Sunday, October 11. The Annual 2- day event started with the cultural program on Saturday evening under auspicious guidance of Samani Parimal Pragyaji & Samani Maryada Pragyaji. They recited the Navakar Mahamantra and JVB's Vice-president, Seema Jain welcomed the community members. The highlight of the celebration was two drama skits aptly crafted and directed by Samani Maryada Pragyaji along with the parent volunteers. Young & Talented kids of JVB Gyanshala ages 4-14 stormed the stage with their performances and won the accolades from the audience. A short video tribute of the exemplary achievements and contribu-

tions of 25 years of JVBI Deemed University, based in Ladnu, India was also showcased to the audience. This one of a kind, University is serving as a beacon of commitment to provide highest quality of educational services to the utmost satisfaction of the students and give them an opportunity to cultivate an integrated personality backed by spirituality and moral values. The practice of pragmatic principles such as anekant, non-violence, tolerance and peaceful co-existence are the noble ideals of this Institute. Samani Parimal Pragyaji did the "Udbodhan" and addressed the audience with her powerful message. She emphasized the importance of progress in life and how it has less to do with the speed and more to do with the direction. She also explained that JVB is a Journey, a place for exploring spiritual progress of Life. JVB is the inspiration to develop moral conduct & equanimity. If one stays detached from material possessions, then he/ she becomes the part of natural system (law of nature) where only Prosperity, Success, Honor and Solutions prevail. Samanijis too recognized the precious efforts of each & every community member associated with JVB since its inception. Later, JVB Chairman, Shri Swatantraji Jain delivered a "Thank you" speech and appreciated the tireless efforts of JVB President, Nikhil Jain, all the members of the Executive Committee and the volunteers for all the events throughout the year. He acknowledged the enthusiasm with which JVB Gyanshala kids & parents performed. He also broke the news of buying the adjacent property to

accommodate the future expansion plans of JVB premises. The climax of the cultural program was a much awaited Bhajan program where the star team of 7 local singers and musicians performed. Ayush Kanhare, One of the youngest star performer was the cynosure of all eyes as he kicked off the musical evening with his Tabla skills. Hemantji & Daksha Bhavsar, Prernaji shah, Surenderji Talwar, Diptiji Kanhere mesmerized the audience with their soulful Bhajans supported ably by Nishadji Kanhere on Tabla & Narendraji Sanghavi on Harmonium. No effort was spared and the result spoke for itself. The Sunday morning started early with Adhar Abhishek Pooja of Bhagwan Mahavir by Reverend Shri Jayesh Khona (from California) followed by Aarti. Adhar Abhishek is a very sacred ritual ceremony of offering 18 different types of Abhishek with holy water (mixed with various sacred substances). Several devotees took the labh of this special, once a year Pooja. Once again, humble & dedicated volunteers won the heart of several by serving delicious lunch thereafter. JVB Preksha Meditation Center envisions a blissful and peaceful society through Preksha Meditation, Yoga and education of Non-violence. It conducts weekly Mediation, Yoga and Swadhyay sessions and runs special events and programs like iChoose & Meditation Camps. Its open to all and every session or event is free to its attendees. For more information visit www. jvbhouston.org or call them at 281.596.9642.

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The Icons of Cricket Play on American Soil For First Time

Cricket Legends Sachin Tendulkar and Shane Warne Headline Historic “Cricket All-Stars” at Major League Baseball Stadiums in November

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NEW YORK: Global cricket icons Sachin Tendulkar and Shane Warne will headline a star-studded lineup of renowned cricket players from around the world in the inaugural “Cricket All-Stars,” a three-game series in New York City, Houston and Los Angeles. The historic tour marks the first time these legends have played in the U.S., and also renews the famous rivalry between “Master Blaster” Tendulkar and “King of Spin” Warne. The “Cricket All-Stars” kicks off on November 7 at Citi Field in New York City with a special opening ceremony prior to the match as well as other functions and galas. The second match will be on November 11 at Minute Maid Park in Houston. The final match in the series will be on November 14 at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, followed by a special trophy presentation to the winning team. The format will be T20, a much shorter and boisterous form of cricket with the games taking around three hours instead of multiple days. Indian batsman Sachin Tendulkar and Australian spinner Shane Warne will each captain a hand-picked team. “Sachin's Blasters” and “Warne’s Warriors” will feature some of the best players to ever play cricket hailing from eight different countries including Ricky Ponting (Australia), Brian Lara (West Indies), Muttiah Muralitharan (Sri Lanka), Wasim Akram (Pakistan), Jonty Rhodes (South Africa) and Michael Vaughan (England), among others. “Americans are so passionate about sports, and I think there’s a huge potential for cricket to take off,” said Sachin Tendulkar. “This is also the first time that international cricket will be played in these beautiful baseball stadiums in New York City, Houston and Los Angeles, which will be a lot of fun. We’re also planning some other events and festivities in each

city so we can reach as many fans as possible. It would be great someday to see cricket bats right alongside the baseball bats, basketballs and soccer balls in America.” "We've signed all the top players you'd ever want to see,” said Shane Warne. “I’m excited for cricket fans in the United States to be able to see these amazing players for the ﬁrst time, and I also think that the T20 format will appeal to new audiences who have never seen or played cricket before. I’m really looking forward to the matches in November, and helping to grow the sport of cricket in America.” As a sponsor of “Cricket All-Stars,” MasterCard will provide its cardholders exclusive access to event tickets and Priceless experiences throughout the series. A few lucky cardholders will even have the opportunity to meet some of the players. The pre-sale for MasterCard holders will began on October 6. Tickets went on sale to the general public on October 8. Tickets are available through the following: Citi Field (NYC): Mets.com/ cricket Minute Maid Park (Hous-

ton): Ti c k e t m a s t e r. c o m / event/3A004F3195293147 Dodger Stadium (Los Angeles): Dodgers.com/cricket “Cricket All-Stars” is being produced by NYC-based Leverage Agency, a full-service sports and entertainment marketing company. Leverage will also handle the marketing and promotion for the event. Sponsors for “Cricket All-Stars” include MasterCard, State Farm® and Uber. “It’s been a dream of mine to help bring the best of cricket to America,” said Ben Sturner, CEO of Leverage Agency. “Cricket is the second most popular sport in the world and we couldn’t ask for better partners than Sachin and Shane on this exciting venture.” For information on Cricket AllStars, visit: CricketAllStarsLeague. com. Facebook.com/cricketallstars For Sachin Tendulkar, visit: Facebook.com/SachinTendulkar. Twitter.com/sachin_rt (@Sachin_rt) ForShaneWarne,visit: Facebook. com/ofﬁcialshanewarne. Twitter. com/shanewarne (@ShaneWarne)

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October 23, 2015

Unique Dal-Baati Picnic Hosted by MP Mitra Mandal at Bear Creek Park

HOUSTON: Madhya Pradesh Mitra Mandal (MPMM) organized its 16th Annual Dal-Baati Picnic on Sunday, Oct. 18 at Bear Creek Park, in Houston, Texas. It was attended by 225+ people who enjoyed delicious Dal-Baati prepared by several families. Day started with Indori favorite Poha-Sev-Jalebi. Everyone enjoyed charcoal grill cooked dal-baati – a specialty dish, prepared by attendees, the event ended with Masala Chai. Everyone enjoyed performances from attendees and playing housie (Tambola) during this daylong event. The feeling of being at home, the bonding between families & friends and the cordial atmosphere made this gathering fun & entertaining. The show started with a bang including dance performance by UH students, solo and duet songs by Shishir Dutta and many more. After introduction of new families, there were performances by kids and adults which captured one and all. Attendees played games on the stage and

winners were awarded. Gifts were sponsored by Jhanvi Thakar. Surprise package for audience was performance by Rockstar Chintan Bakiwala, runner up from K-for Kishore show. K For Kishore is an Indian television popular singing contest that was broadcast on Sony TV in 2007-2008. Chintan sang many songs to mesmerize the audience with Kishore Kumar’s voice and related his experience with Indore, MP and thanked everyone for keeping the community alive in the USA. His famous “O Hansini” made audience sing along and left them asking for more. Sholay’s famous “Ye Dosti Hum Nahi todenge” was then sung by Chintan and Shishir. Chintan reminded everyone that Kishore Kumar was also from MP (Khandwa) and that he was honored to sing Kishore da songs in MPMM event. An impromptu Jaykara of Maa Durga that lasted over 5 minutes also added the festive mood and colors of spirituality to the event.

Photos: Navin Mediwala

Along with all mauj-masti and food, everyone played Cricket, volleyball and other games too. Kids, youth and adults, equally enjoyed the picnic in a beautiful outdoor weather. Enjoying the sips of hot masala chai, and wishing everyone happy Navratri, Dusshera and a festive seasons, MPMM members parted with plans to meet again for Holi in March 2016. This event was organized by Gagan

Pandey, Ashish & Pallavi Jain, Ashish & Mukul Kudaria, Pradeep Jain, Manish Sharma, Devendra Sharma, Nikhil & Ritu Jain, Ashish & Jyoti Bhandari and several other volunteers who pitched in with their work on picnic day. Their planning, hard work and execution made it the best ever MPMM picnic by far. Big thank you to all the volunteers and to Navin Mediwala for capturing stunning images of this picnic.

For the past few years, response to MPMM picnic has been so overwhelming that RSVP had to be closed 2 weeks before the event, to ensure that picnic is managed well by the volunteers. MP Mitra Mandal is an informal community group made up of people whohavecomefromMadhyaPradesh or Chhattisgarh to Texas. These states reﬂect “unity in diversity” in true sense which is visible amongst the people who attend MPMM events in Houston. This group was started in Houston in the year 2001 by Ashish Bhandari & Nikhil Jain and has grown to over 250+ families belonging to various cities like Indore, Bhopal, Jabalpur, Bilaspur, Raipur, Gwalior, Bhilai etc., who are registered on the group’s website http:// www.mp.abindore.com . Its events have been covered by various media groups in Houston as well as in leading news media in Madhya Pradesh in the past.

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STOCKS • FINANCE • SOUTH ASIAN MARKETS • TECHNOLOGY

Maggi Noodles Cleared: What’s Next for Nestle?

The labs may have found its noodles kosher, but consumers will be the final judges in this matter BY RAVI ANANTHANARAYANAN The Maggi noodles controversy is nearing conclusion, barring further legal challenges, and the financial impact, if any, from the government’s ongoing class action suit. Investors marked up Nestle India Ltd’s share by 6.1% on Friday, on news that lab tests mandated by the Bombay high court had cleared the noodles. The share has already gained significant ground from the fall since end-May, when this controversy erupted, and is now just 7% short of its 28 May price. So, what’s next for Nestle?

Regaining lost sales will be the ﬁrst objective. A clear legal victory gives it the moral high ground, but there is a battle of perception left to be fought. This battle is not just for consumers but also the trade, which plays a crucial part in the sales process. So,

expect a sustained marketing campaign to precede and accompany the re-launch. Next will be the re-launch itself. Initially, there will be a surge in sales as the company refills shelves. But repeat consumption is what matters, and noodles don’t just sit on the shelves. Sales need to go back to earlier levels, even after the promotions end. And, then, there is the financial impact. Noodles contributed to about one-fifth of Nestle’s sales, but are zero at present. Initially, the re-launch will see a significant initial jump in sales growth. There will be a sharp jump in costs as well as the company is likely

to spend much more on advertising and promotions, than earlier. The key point to watch is if this sustains through subsequent quarters, especially once the marketing push comes back to a steady state. The litmus test will be when Nestle declares that noodles consumption is back to earlier levels, and the controversy has done no permanent damage to sales. Note that the competition has stepped up in this period. The existing competitors are attempting to capitalize on Maggi’s loss and Baba Ramdev’s Patanjali Ayurved Ltd is planning to launch its own brand of instant noodles. But Nestle is no stranger to com-

petition. It had a giant ﬁrst-mover advantage in instant noodles, where it became synonymous with the product. And, there is no evidence to suggest that Nestlé’s lost sales have gone to its competitors. The market for instant noodles has declined in this period. The next six months to one year should give a clear picture of whether that loss is a temporary one. The labs may have found its noodles kosher, but consumers will be the ﬁnal judges in this matter. Investors may do well to wait for that decision, before they take the celebrations to the next level. -Livemint.com

Tips to Help Your Student Become a Better Learner kinesthetic. Below are examples from Indiana University’s Bepko Learning Center to determine which kind of learner your child is, and the best ways to help your student succeed.

Between Common Core and the new SATs, the education landscape is changing. It can be just as daunting of a task for the parent to tackle a hard subject as it can be for the child. Deciphering what type of learner your child is can help him or her succeed if they are having difﬁculties learning. Knowing this is helpful for tackling the toughest subjects for your student, whether it is English, math, or science. Below, you can familiarize yourself with three generally recognized learning styles: visual, auditory and

Types of learners: Visual • Uses visual objects such as graphs, charts and pictures. • Reads body language well and has a good perception of aesthetics. • Able to memorize and recall various information. • Tends to remember things that are written down. • Learns better in lectures by watching them. Auditory • Retains information through hearing and speaking. • Often prefers to be told how to do things and then summarizes the main points out loud to help with

memorization. • Notices different aspects of speaking. • Often has talents in music and may concentrate better with soft music playing in the background. Kinesthetic • Likes to use a hands-on approach to learn new material. • Is generally good in math and science. • Would rather demonstrate how to do something rather than verbally explain it. • Usually prefers group work more than others.

Helpful tips for your student’s learning habits: Visual • Turn notes into pictures, charts or maps. • Avoid distractions (windows, etc.). • Learn the big picture ﬁrst and then focus on the details.

• Make mind and concept maps instead of outlines. • Color code parts of new concepts in all notes. • Use ﬂash cards when trying to study vocabulary. Auditory • Record lectures and then listen to them. • Repeat material out loud and in your own words. • Discuss materials in a study group. • Read textbooks out loud. • Listen to wordless background music while studying. Kinesthetic • Take study breaks often. • Learn new material while doing something active (e.g., read a textbook while on a treadmill). • Chew gum while studying. • Work while standing. • Try to take classes with instructors who encourage demonstrations and ﬁeldwork.

To help your student exceed his or her academics goals, a local resource, Best in Class, offers a variety of customized, supplemental enrichment courses and tutoring options to ensure your students are equipped with the tools they need this school year. For more information about Best in Class services for your student, or about current franchising opportunities, visit www. bestinclasseducation.com or call toll free at 1.888.683.8108 Best in Class is targeting the addition of 20 more units in 2014. The state of Texas has been identiﬁed as a key state for growth. The current team behind Best in Class is looking for passionate and dedicated individuals to join this premier franchise family and ensure our youth will excel academically.

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COMMUNITY

Celebrate Diwali Masala Style this Weekend of Lights 2015 on Saturday, October 24, between 5pm to 11pm at the Skeeters Stadium. Rain Date is set to Sunday October 25, from 4PM10PM. Masala Radio will be making radio announcements and posts to HoustonDiwali.com, facebook/ Houston Diwali and Masala Radio updating about possible switch to the Rain Date on Sunday. Get ready to be mesmerized by breathtaking dance performances, daunting ﬁre dancers and seek blessings by the Indian Gods and Goddesses. Every hour explore a new

dimension of the Mela. 5pm Britannia Grand Bazaar. 6pm Food Court by Chowpatty Chat Co. Hilcroft, Hyderabad House, Kurrywalah, Kwality Ice Cream, Vishala Restaurant, Madhuram Mirch Masala, Maharaja Bhog, 7pm Tara Energized DancesandStageEntertainmenthosted by Sunil T. 8pmAling's Hakka Fire Dancers, Hindus of Greater Houston Maha Arti and SKAI Foundation Deities Procession. 9pm Exclusive Furniture high-energy concert featuring India's RAWSTAR Jefferey Iqbal and Dhol Guru Jomy George.

10pm Spectacular Mercedes-Benz Fireworks. Ramji and Associates presents $1001 to the winners of the Rangoli competition and Riverstone invites everyone to enjoy Kids' Rides. Join Omi Vaidya better known as “Chatur” from 3 Idiots, as he shares his hysterical 'Chamatkaar' speech. This will be a sold out event. We urge you to buy your tickets at the earliest on www.houstondiwali.com or at Leading Grocery Stores. Limited tickets may be available at the door for higher price.

Bathukamma Festival in Houston a Grand Success

BY SUGHANDA MALHOTRA SUGAR LAND: It's that time of the year when families get together, friends exchange gifts, diyas and rangolis adorn our homes and aroma of good food ﬁlls our kitchens. It's Diwali, signifying the victory of light over darkness. The end of all troubles and the beginning of

an auspicious year. The triumph of good over evil and the anticipation of a better future, lights a hope in our mind and that's exactly what Diwali is all about. Celebrating the same hope and triumph, Masala Radio's Sunil and Sandhya Thakkar and the crazy Masala crew, along with Grand Sponsors &TV and Tara Energy bring together Houston Diwali: Festival

HOUSTON: Bathukamma, “ﬂowerful”festivalofDassera,wascelebrated by record crowds at Sri Ashtalakshmi Temple on October 17. This year’s festivities, organized by the Telangana Association of Greater Houston (TAGH) Bathukamma committee, attracted over 2,000 people. The TAGH, a USA registered non-proﬁt organization, was formed last year by the Telangana Non Resident Indians in greater Houston area, to preserve the cultural identity and contribute to its development. Bathukamma, the state festival of Telangana, has gained widespread prominence among Telugu people because of their sociocultural and religious importance. Bathuku in Telugu means life and amma means mother. This celebration of life festival honors Goddess Gauri, the life

giver, for societal prosperity and good wishes. The festival begins on the 1st day of Aswayuja (Ashwin) and ends on 9th day - Durgashtami. Families come together and prepare Bathukamma - a beautiful ﬂower stack, arranged with seasonal ﬂowers on a plate like base, in several concentric

layers, of potter’s clay like a cone. The popular ﬂowers used in the preparation of bathukamma include Gunugu, Tangedu, Lotus, Alli, Katla, Teku, and other local blooming ﬂowers. This year over 100 Bathukammas were specially made for the occasion

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CONTINUED ON PAGE

October 23, 2015

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30 October 23, 2015

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October 23, 2015

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32 October 23, 2015

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34 October 23, 2015

SUDOKU

Place a Number in the empty boxes in such a way that each row across, each column down and each 9-box square contains all of the numbers from one to nine. Send us the correct answer before October 28, 2015. Email us at indoamericannews@yahoo.com or mail to 7457 Harwin Drive, Suite 262, Houston, TX 77036.

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PUZZLES/RECIPES

Mama’s Punjabi Recipes

Safayd CholeTuri Wale (White Chickpea Curry) Punjabi-style chole are a staple dish in many gurdwaras and mandirs in North India as they are both nutritious and ﬁlling and you can easily make a huge pot full of them to feed the faithful. But they are also very popular in parties if you need a dish with plenty of curry and of course restaurants, mostly because their taste goes well with many types of breads – roti, puri, naan, kulcha or parantha – although some people prefer rice. Just the smell of chole can be mouthwatering! The main differences in Punjabi chole and the chole dishes from other parts of India are the thickness of the curry and the spices used. To be authentic, the Punjabi chole must be plump and soft, with a yellow tinge due to the use of haldi (turmeric) and should ﬂoat in a red curry. And the softness should come from actual cooking time, not by using baking soda which can leave a slight chalky taste in the mouth. The traditional way to making chole is to soften the hard dry bean either by boiling them in a pressure cooker or by soaking the chola bean overnight in a bowl of water and then boil them in a pot the next day. This is the usual way you make chole if you expect a lot of people, and requires more preparation and cooking time, but they are virtually impossible to mess up. If it’s just for a small family, it’s more convenient to use the canned chickpeas and the ten-minute recipe which I gave earlier. This recipe makes chole with a deep yellow-red color and becomes more satisfying with some garam masala. You can sprinkle it with chopped coriander leaves and serve it with plenty of garnishes like raw onions and with long, spicy green Indian mirchen (chilli peppers). Ingredients : 400 gm chole (chickpeas) 1 large piyaaz (onion) 1 medium clump of adrak (ginger root) 1 medium kernel of lasan (garlic) 1 tablespoon of vegetable or olive oil Tomato paste to taste 5 cups of pani (water) Spices (to taste): namak (salt), mirch (red pepper), garam masala Garnishes (to taste): dhania (coriander) – chopped leaves

Directions: 1.Pour the dry chole in a pot and let them soak overnight. Boil them in a full pot of water for 45 minutes under medium low heat. 2.If you don’t have the time, you can boil them in a pressure cooker and wait you get 5 or 6 whistles before opening the cooker up. Pour through a sieve and save the water to make the curry. 3.Finely chop the ginger, onions and garlic. Throw them in a saucepan and brown them in the oil. 4.Add half a tablespoon of tomato paste, to enhance the taste, texture and add red color and stir in. 5.Throw in the boiled chole (make sure they are nice and soft) and then mix well with the masala over medium heat for 5 minutes to roast them and let the masala seep in, making sure that the chole do not stick or burn. 6.Now pour in ¾ of the saved water and bring the chole to a boil. Save

the rest of the water in case it looks like there isn’t enough after the chole have cooked for 5 minutes and add if needed. 7.Turn the heat to low for 5 minutes to let the curry soak into the chole. When it has cooled down a little, add the garam masala and dhania and mix well. 8.Turn the heat off, cover the pot and let it sit for 5 minutes. Eat with roti, naan or rice. Shakuntla Malhotra is a skilled cook of Punjabi dishes made in the old-fashioned style that she learnt as a young woman in her ancestral home in Lyallpur, India before it became part of Pakistan after the Partition in 1947. People have often admired her cooking for its simplicity and taste that comes with each mouthful. Even in her mid-eighties, she continues to cook daily and agreed to share some of her delectable Punjabi recipes.

MAMA’S TIP OF THE WEEK DRINK THE BOILED WATER OF BLACK CHANNE FOR HEALTH Many sick people who have become weak are often given soups to help build their strength back up. In the US, this is often a meat-based soup, like chicken or vegetable minestrone, mushroom, tomato or other type. In India, we usually give the weak and sickly the water left over from boiling black channe (chickpeas) as it is naturally full of protein, has no starch and is only slightly salty. The water from white chole (chickpeas) does not have the same benefit as is fully of a starchy residue which congeals when it cools down.

Solve Sudoku and Win Free Tickets

INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, OCTOBER 23, 2015 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM

ENTERTAINMENT:REVIEWS/NEWS ENTERTAINMENT:REVIEWS/NEWS

Pyaar Ka Punchnama 2 BY MEENA IYER The makers of Pyaar Ka Punchnama 2 (PKP2) should sue the CBFC for beeping out portions of punchy dialogues because the lines happened to be prefixed or suffixed with cuss words. Five minutes into the film, there are some six be...eps that act as irritants. Come on Censors, the film is certified 'A', then why moral police things further? That apart, there is not much difference between Luv Ranjan's PKP2 and its prequel. The same philosophy -- women nag, which is why men prefer to sh*g -- is flogged. There are several LOL moments in the first half, when the roomies initially find love. Siddharth/Chauka finds himself attracted to Supriya at a wedding in Meerut. She downs her whisky with half soda and half water. But in front of her parents, she pretends that she's a vestal virgin! Anshul/ Gogo falls hook, line and sinker for Ruchika/Chiku. She's a rich bimbette, a la Veronica from Archie comics. But this one whines and wails. Tarun/Thakur ends up loving a shrew called Kusum, who is calculating. So exaggerated is the shrewish aspect of her character, it rankles. What's welcome as far as these bimbettes go is that they have envious figures and they work as

October 23, 2015

Sunidhi Chauhan: “Music is my Passion but I Wish to do my Bit for a Better World”

BY MEENA IYER

terriﬁc eye-candy. However, despite their hot bodies, they lag way behind as actresses. Instead of being ﬂesh-nblood characters they end up being lipstick-n-pancake caricatures. The camaraderie between the boys rings true as does their claustrophobia around their women. The saving grace, in the not-so-sharp second half, is a seven-minute monologue done by Gogo, where he explains, no mat-

ter how hard you try, you can never please a woman! What's sad is that the squabbles between the men and their girlfriends lose steam as they are grossly exaggerated, repititive and puerile. In all fairness, this ﬁlm may resonate with some masochistic sorts who like taking a whipping in love. Or still others, who just enjoy a few laughs at the cinemas each week! -Timesof India

Sunidhi Chauhan has been on top of the Bollywood playback singing game for two decades. Even today music remains her prime calling; but there are other things that the 32-yearold songstress is equally passionate about. She recently represented India at the 2015 Global Citizen Festival in New York, where she took centre stage alongside internationally-renowned talent like Coldplay, Pearl Jam, Beyonce and others. What has stayed with her is their single-mindedness and devotion to give to the underprivileged and their noble attempts to save the globe. Excerpts from a conversation with Sunidhi... It may be a bit dramatic to call it

life changing. But I’ve come back charged. I no longer wish to be a bystander and watch the world go by. I deﬁnitely want to do my bit to change lives, in whatever little way I can. The experience of the global concert was unimaginable. So many people came forward and spoke in one voice to support the various issues that are currently plaguing our world. We had around 65,000 people at Central Park, New York. I was so happy to be associated with such a thing. The causes addressed were women’s education, sanitation, saving the environment, giving back to society and much more. People were just joining the concert online and soon it became a movement. It was very exciting. I was happy to be representing India. -Timesof India

INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, OCTOBER 23, 2015 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM

36 October 23, 2015

Morkel’s Four-for Snuffs out India’s Chase vs. South Africa BY FIRDOSE MOONDA

RAJKOT (ESPN Cricinfo): South Africa 270 for 7 (de Kock 103, Mohit 2-62) beat India 252 for 6 (Kohli 77, Rohit 65, Morkel 4-39) by 18 runs South Africa defended 86 runs off the last ten overs to ensure Quinton de Kock’s first international century of 2015 and fourth in seven innings against India was not in vain. De Kock stood out after the rest of South Africa’s lineup was tied down by spin. India dragged them from 205 for 2 to 270 for 7, and then found themselves in a similar position but with less time to bat and more runs to get. In the 44th over India were 206 for 3 and South Africa’s seamers had the hosts’ middle order firmly in their grip. Unlike India, who used flight to flummox, South Africa stuck to their short-ball strategy and Morne Morkel reaped most of the success. He took two of the next three wickets, of Virat Kohli and Ajinkya Rahane, to reduce India to 216 for 6 and silence their challenge. In energy-sapping heat, de Kock’s performance was made even more impressive as he ushered a new opening partner into some form, struggled through the Indian squeeze and cast aside cramps to anchor the South African effort. He had support from Faf du Plessis, whose third half-century in as many matches helped post the highest partnership of the match 118 runs for the third wicket - to ensure that the late wickets did not stop South Africa from posting a competitive total. India would have believed they could chase it down and were on track with Kohli and MS Dhoni at the crease but lost momentum as the innings wore on. A shuffling of the batting line-up, which saw Rahane come in at No. 6, meant that India ran out of batsmen when they needed them most. South Africa’s ability to adapt has advanced to altering their own gameplans which they did when they promoted David Miller to open the batting in a bid to assist him through his lean patch. The idea seemed to be to shield Miller

Morne Morkel celebrates Shikhar Dhawan’s wicket, India v South Africa, 3rd ODI, Rajkot, October 18, 2015.

from as much spin as possible but it also meant de Kock, who was only recalled to the side at the start of this series, had to operate as the senior partner. He took charge immediately with the first shot of aggression off his blade; a free-flowing drive which became the hallmark of his innings. While India’s seamers adjusted their lengths, de Kock and Miller were able to find the boundary five times in the opening seven overs and forced Dhoni to play his trump card early. Harbhajan Singh was brought on in the eighth over but the openers had settled well. De Kock brought up South Africa’s 50 with backto-back straight drives and Miller grew in confidence, especially with his footwork. But he fell for 33 as he sliced Harbhajan to backward point where Rahane took a tumbling catch. Hashim Amla batted out of position at No. 3, struggled to find fluency and was stumped for the second match in a row. De Kock fought through a boundary drought which extended from the 14th over to the 21st and seemed to show even more patience than his senior partner, du Plessis. Again, the waiting game proved worthwhile for du Plessis, whose 50 came off 52 balls. Dhoni used a fourth spin-

ner in Suresh Raina to try and tie South African down further but the visitors still seemed set for a total over 300, especially with de Kock at the crease. His century came when he charged against Mohit Sharma and smacked a slower ball through the covers to suggest the time had come for acceleration but then India intervened. Du Plessis tried to repeat a scoop shot that had gone over Dhoni’s head for four but skied it to a running short third man, de Kock was run-out trying to meet AB de Villiers’ demand for stealing a single and the captain was trapped lbw at the start of the 41st over. India took three wickets for five runs and South Africa had only one recognised pair left. Both JP Duminy and Farhaan Behardien have been in good form, but India’s spinners did not let them get too far away. De Kock spent the first 30 overs of the Indian reply rehydrating and by the time he got back on the field, the advantage was swinging back towards South Africa after India seemed to be cruising. Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan built a solid start despite both offering chances that South Africa put down off Duminy in the eighth over.

Dhawan succumbed to mounting pressure again when he tried to drive Morkel through the off side but got an edge through to de Villiers, who was keeping in de Kock’s place. Kohli was promoted to No. 3 as India looked to mimic South Africa in giving him enough time to find his way back to form and their move paid off better than South Africa’s. Kohli struck his first ODI fifty since the World Cup and batted with an authority which suggested he would see India though. With Rohit at the other end, India progressed steadily, taking advantage of a South African attack that seemed to be allowing matters to drift. Rohit reached fifty with a massive six off Imran Tahir and India’s 100 came up four balls later. Although their going was laboured, it seemed headed in the right direction until Duminy saw Rohit coming, dropped the ball a touch shorter, and completed the catch in his follow through as the batsman coaxed a gentle dab back to him. Dhoni joined Kohli in the hope of injecting some impetus into the innings. He took on Steyn with some success but was more cautious against Tahir and Kagiso Rabada who managed to tire India down. They conceded 11 runs in five overs from the 32nd over to the 36th, during which Kohli scored fifty, to prompt de Villiers to bring his premier pacers again. Morkel started to make things uncomfortable for India in his second spell but it was in this third that he caused real damage. He had Dhoni caught at short third man, looking to upper cut a short ball to change the course of the chase. Tahir removed Raina, who racked up a second successive duck, with a googly that he sent to long-off and then Morkel finished India off. In two balls, he had both Kohli and Rahane caught at deep midwicket, playing identical slogs. India left the tail too much to do with 55 runs required off the last five overs and found themselves chasing the series, yet again. Firdose Moonda is ESPNcricinfo’s South Africa correspondent

SPORTS V. Sehwag to Retire from Internationals

NEW DELHI: India batsman Virender Sehwag has formally retired from international cricket. On Tuesday, his 37th birthday, Sehwag made the announcement via Twitter, with a crisp message that said he would no longer play the IPL either. On Monday, Sehwag had revealed he would be participating in the Masters Champions League, a UAE-based Twenty20 tournament that requires its participants to have retired from all international formats, and said a formal retirement announcement would follow soon. He indicated that he would continue playing for Haryana till the end of the Ranji Trophy season. “Cricket has been my life and continues to be so. Playing for India was a memorable journey and I tried to make it more memorable for my team-mates and for the Indian cricket fans. I believe I was reasonably successful in doing so. For that, I wish to thank all my teammates over the years some of the greatest players of the game. I would like to thank all my captains, who believed in me and backed me to the hilt. I also thank our greatest partner, the Indian cricket fan for all the love, support and the memories. Sehwag played 104 Tests, 251 ODIs and 19 T20Is, scoring over 17,000 international runs and picking up 136 wickets with his offspin. His greatest moments came in Test cricket, where he made 23 hundreds including the only two triple-centuries by an Indian batsman, while his ODI achievements included the format’s second double-hundred. He was part of India’s victorious campaigns at the 2007 World T20 and the 2011 World Cup.

INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, OCTOBER 23, 2015 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM

COMMUNITY BY DINESH SHAH

HOUSTON: AMERICAN SOCIETY OF INDIAN ENGINEERS & ARCHITECTS (ASIE) consistently strives to promote professional development by organizing monthly technical events. For the first time ever, the skeptical idea of technical tour of a religious structure was a great success. Over 80 visitors including more than fifty architects and engineers were amazed to learn about the ancient architectural and related unique engineering was applied for the construction of this monument. Ashwin Dave and Ketan Inamdar of BAPS welcome the group. ASIE President Raj Basavaraju, thank BAPS for their hospitality and introduce two speakers Dinesh Shah and Jatin Desai, both professional Engineers and Life members of ASIE. Dinesh Shah started the architecture design presentation with slides for the beginning to the completion of the project, and continued that this first traditional Hindu Mandir of 21st century in North America required the perfect combination of state-of-the-art engineering methodology, ancient carving techniques, guidelines outlined in ancient Shilpa-Shastras. This Monument 95’x125’x78’ high and 25,620 square feet of area is built with 33,000 pieces featuring Pinnacles, a Central Dome with 22 ft. in diameter and other small Domes, 70 ceilings with 24 unique designs, 11 Garba Gruha, and 122 Arches. The structure is supported by 136 load bearing Pillars and each pillar is made of six sections and 7 types of unique designs. It has a Mahamandap near idols, Mandap in the middle, Ardha-mandap at front, and outside area open or covered for Pradakshina. He continued that a special team of architects and engineers surveyed the area and weather, and chose Turkish limestone for the exterior and Italian marble from Italy for the interior stone for the Mandir. More than 2000 skilled artisans and craftsmen precisely hand-carved marble slabs and pieces of stone in India. AfCONTINUED FROM PAGE

October 23, 2015

ASIE Held Technical Seminar Tour at BAPS Mandir

ter carving, all the pieces were subsequently numbered and shipped to Houston. All the pieces were organized to begin the process of assembling the Mandir similar to a jigsaw puzzle - piece by piece. So each piece of stone set in place here in Mandir has travelled from Europe to India to Houston, a distance for more than 20,000 miles. In year 2000, the design work in Houston and fabrication of stones in India started parallel. The actual construction commenced on March 25, 2002 and completed only in 28 months. Jatin Desai explained the engineering design concept for Mandir to last thousands of years without using any rebar in the foundation. It is amazing that the entire structure with thousands of hand carved delicate stone pieces is still standing without using any steel framing or any steel anchors. After a large number of soil tests, it was decided to excavate the existing soil in and around the foundation area and replace it with special soil. A special concrete mix with

lesser cement and more ﬂy-ash was developed and tested for all seven phases of the foundation with eleven feet deep and 5000 cubic yards of concrete. A total of 244 piers are supporting this heavy foundation raft and enormous weight of about 60,000 cubic feet of stone. Each pier is 30 ft. deep with diameters ranging from 30 to 54 inches. During Q & A, Dinesh gave additional technical information for Los Angeles Mandir located in Chino Hills, the hotbed for seismic activity. It is protected to last thousands of years by using the base isolation system technology. It consists of steel plates stacked together with viscous liquid to allow for lateral movements in the event of an earthquake. The Mandir is supported by 40 base isolators, which allow the upper portion of the Mandir to remain separate from the foundation. Engineers and architects have deemed it as the “ﬂoating” Mandir. At the end, Ashwin Dave made the spiritual portion of presentation, and added that during

the construction everyone has devoted countless man-hours as their labor of love which has created the beauty and history of this Mandir. The seminar was concluded with lots of appreciation. Then everyone was invited to the assembly hall to enjoy the spiritual and cultural festival celebration. The ASIE group was welcome and Raj Basavaraju, the current President of ASIE was honored on the stage by Pujya Shwetmuni Swami with garland. As a token of appreciation, Raj presented a memento to Swami with a remark, “The Houston BAPS Mandir is a place of Paramount Peace for all, but for ASIE, it is a mind boggling magniﬁcent monument built with 33,000 pieces using Sacred Architecture and Science and Unique Engineering Design without any steel framing and rebar in foundation to last more than 1,000 years.” The program was concluded with dinner of Maha-prasad.

Bathukamma Festival in Houston a Grand Success

by the participating families. This is an arduous task as it requires time and effort to prepare Bathukammas and to transport it to the large stage exclusively made for the occasion at Sri Ashtalakshmi Temple. Houstonians showcased their passion and creativity for the event with their colorful Bathukammas; some were small and cute while others were large and impressive. The event festivities started with families bringing Bathukammas to the temple. Organizers made arrangements to take family portraits by a professional photographer for each family with their Bathukamma. All participants also received a gift as a token of appreciation. The center stage was decorated with ﬂowers and other puja items for Goddess Gauri, the life giver. The Bathukammas were placed on the stage around Goddess Gauri. This stage became the center of the festivities for the evening. The event started at 6:30 pm with a Gauri puja by the resident priest of the Sri Ashtalakshmi temple, by invoking Goddess Gauri, the life giver, for societal prosperity and good wishes. People gathered around the Bathukamma stage

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to participate in this community event to receive the blessing of Goddess Gauri. The festivities picked up gear with prerecorded Bathukamma songs. All women and girls in colorful and festive sarees and dresses danced as a group around the Bathukammas supported by men cheering. As the evening progressed, the circular group dances expanded with synchronized dancing with hand claps.

These dances are similar to Garba dances which are performed during the Navaratri festival but have a typical southern ﬂavor and style. The songs praised Goddess Gauri¸ patron Goddess of womanhood while describing stories of common woman, their dreams and aspirations. The festive songs and lively comments energized the participants over two hours. Hon. Consul General Sri Harish Parvathane-

ni¸ the special guest for the evening, expressed his appreciation to the participating families and organizers for maintaining Indian culture and heritage. The event chairs, Veerender Reddy and Anita Devireddy, thanked the volunteers and team leads for various activities ranging from food to stage set-up. The organizing committee thanked individual donors and participants that contributed immensely to the grand success of this free event. Finally, nimajjanam (water immersion of the Bathukammas) was done at a specially arranged pool at Sri Ashtalakshmi Temple. The evening ended with traditional Mahaprasadam (dinner). It was a delicious ending for a great outdoor event! This is the sixth year in a row that Houston successfully celebrated Bathukamma Sambaralu! The TAGH is reaching out to the community for organizing such wonderful events and festivals. They are actively seeking support and memberships. For further details email at taghgroup@ gmail.com or visit http://www.tagh.org/

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