Saraswati Puja 2010 Annual Magazine
Somerset Bengali Association Bridgewater, New Jersey
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Somerset Bengali
Welcome to the 2010 Saraswati Puja of the Somerset Bengali Association.
Association A Non-Profit New Jersey Corporation www.somersetbengalis.org Email: somersetbengalis@gmail.com Annual magazine published in conjunction with the 2010 Saraswati Puja EDITORS Rounak Mukhopadhyay Aparajita Ray CONTENTS SBA Welcome ………………………... 1 Letter from the Editor …….……...
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What is Saraswati Puja …………...
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Night & Day ….………………………... 3 Snow ……………………………………... 3 Stray Feelings ………………………...
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My Trip to the Bahamas ….……...
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India at Home …...…………………...
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The Moon …….………………………...
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My Trip to Orlando ….……………... 7 Avatar or Obotar ………….………...
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Outside with Snow ….………...…….. 8 Holiday Trip …......…………………...
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Culture Conflict ……...……………... 10
We started this Puja with a few families from in and around Somerset County, NJ in 2008. Over the past 3 years we have seen increased attendance, participation and enthusiasm for the Puja. In addition to this Puja, we have successfully held two other events every year - Bijoya Sammelani and Summer Picnic. As a result of the success of these events we initiated discussions in 2009 to register the organization in order to better manage and provide continuance to these events. We are very happy to announce that on January 4, 2010 we registered Somerset Bengali Association as a non-profit corporation in New Jersey. As is customary with non-profit organizations, we have created a set of bylaws that define the objectives of the organization and provide guidance on the operations. Although we created an interim Board of Trustees for the purposes of registration, we plan to nominate or elect office bearers to run the organization on a longer term basis. As stated in our bylaws, the purpose of Somerset Bengali Association is to organize cultural and educational events in New Jersey. This organization has been and will continue to provide a platform for our children through which they can demonstrate their talents and learn new ones. Hopefully, they will also gain an appreciation of Bengali and Indian culture. During the registration process, we decided to register Somerset Bengali Association as a membership-based organization. Therefore, after the Puja, you will receive an email inviting membership to Somerset Bengali Association. While guests are welcome to be part of all the annual events, our hope is that by being a member you not only participate but also help grow this nascent organization in every way.
Poems: Flowers & My Parents .... 11 Bengali Renaissance ….……...…... 12
Thank you for your continued support and hope you enjoy this year’s Saraswati Puja.
Oh Calcutta …......…..………………... 14 Bengali Poem ……...………………... 15 Cultural Program …......…………... 16 How Many Bengalis ……….……... 18
Members, Board of Trustees Somesh Choudhury Kallol Ghosh
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Sanchoy Das Sudip Chakraborty
Saurav Ghosh
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Letter From the Editor: So here we are, three years of celebrations, drama, arguments, rehearsals, disappointments, success, and emotions. Our houses are being raided by the dance crews and drama practices, our plans are being cancelled by last minute calls and emails, our alone time has completely been banished from our lives. This happens every winter, and I have come to love it. Now, why would I enjoy such a disaster in some people's eyes? Well I believe there is always a rainbow after the storm, or more it has taken me three years to come to believe this. The first year I performed two pieces on my violin, the second year I participated in a drama that was directed by family friends, and this year I am in another drama, in a band that is playing the two national anthems, and editing this magazine. The perils have been increasing every year, and along with the difficulties of entering high school; it seems impossible to keep up with the speed of life, but somehow I've pulled through. Even now as I sit here writing this in the hopes that someone out there will know my story, I am being pressured by all the work that is being expected of me. In the end of these preparations comes the big night. The prayers are made, the food is cooked, the stage is set, the curtains are opened and it all comes down to this last minute. An amazing collage of artists come together to create a night that is being dedicated to the Goddess of Knowledge, and in the grand picture it is a night to remember every year past, and every year to come. I hope you appreciate all the work that has gone into this night, and also the works of art that have been created to showcase our communities talent and dedication. The smiles and congratulations that I receive ever year make me feel incredible about myself, and I am sure the same goes for all the performers. And to know that it was all for the amusement of our fellow friends and family is enough to bring a smile upon our faces and push us to do our best every year. - Rounak “Tito� Mukhopadhyay
Ma Saraswati by Trina Sanyal, Age 11 4
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What is Saraswati Puja? Esha Ray and Aparajita Ray We come. We eat. We enjoy cultural entertainment. We gossip with other family friends. But then what makes Saraswati Puja different from any other festivities? In fact, what do you really do during Saraswati Puja? The goddess Saraswati, is known to be the goddess of the knowledge and arts, and the mother of the Vedas. Her four arms represent the different aspects of human learning and knowledge; mind, intellect, alertness and ego. On goddess Saraswati’s birthday, also known as Vasant Panchami—or Saraswati Puja— Hindus celebrate with much activity and excitement. The color yellow is given great importance on this day, and Saraswati is dressed in yellow. Sweets are given out, as always, and many perform different types of worship. Many believe that the most significant aspect of this day, is teaching a child their first words, as it is considered an auspicious day to begin to learn to read and write. Hinduism has also found a way to weave in the changing seasons with this Puja, since during this time, spring is approaching, signaling the birth of new life. There are many important aspects to this wonderful event. So there is a reason why we dance, sing, and socialize on this day. But let’s not forget the true reason we celebrate our goddess, amidst the singing and dancing. Because knowledge is so important, and highly respected. Of course, it is also a time to show off that new sari you were dying to wear.
Night and Day
Snow
Ria Mukhopadhyay Age: 7
Shruti Roy Age: 6
It was night. I was sitting outside.
I love snow Snow can glow. It is bright Even in the night. I can sled till I go to bed. I can have a snowball fight in the day or in the night. I like to make a snowman with raisins, pretzels & bran. Hot cocoa is lot of fun after I play with snow in the sun.
I looked around and saw the moonlight dancing all around me. I fell asleep and dreamt about me walking on the moon. I woke up with the sun shining on me. It was really bright. It was a wonderful day. 5
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Stray Feelings Leena Roy, Age: 12 It was hot. Terribly hot, on that Indian, summer day. And groaning the whole way there didn’t make my parents any happier. We were going to the city of Durgapur, a small suburban city that isn’t very well known, but has some of the best modern shopping centers…though I was never thinking about that. The car ride to the airport was lively. I blabbered on about what I might see since it was only the second or third time I’d been to India. But not to my parents or my little sister, but to my taxi driver! He didn’t mind, so I blabbered on. He asked me questions and said things like, “Yo girl, that is so awesome!” or “Really? Well you some lucky one!” And the whole time we talked, we didn’t even catch each others names, so all I can say is that he was totally hip! After I said good-bye, we went inside. It was a short wait for everything, so soon we were on the plane. It was simple on the plane though: read, sleep, watch Finding Nemo five times-seriously, I can never get tired of it-and just view the vast world that lay beneath me. When we got to the Indian airport, I was surprisingly alert, even though it was about 3:30 in the morning there. When my dad and I finally retrieved our cases, we headed toward the gleaming yellow taxi that my mom and sister were in. In fact, our taxi stood out completely! While ours was like a waxed sun in the night, the others were barely visible in their deep purple-ish color. That’s an awkward color for a taxi, isn’t it? I thought. Ah well. And I slipped into the moonlit car. The cities we passed by all seemed quiet, except for the workers that roused early. At about six AM, we stopped for a break. “It’s going to be a long time till we get there Leena, and we haven’t even eaten breakfast yet!” my mother exclaimed. She continued with a speech on how breakfast is soooo incredibly important until my sister finally spat out that she needed to go to the bathroom. With that, I headed to the vendors to get some food. I was hungry, and everything smelled so enticing. I scowled, remembering how the airlines gave us dinner at six PM the other day, so I ordered plenty using the big wad of money I kept in my pocket. Just as I plopped down to eat, I saw around the corner, eyeing me, a pair of stray dogs. They were Akita’s, both were terribly weak and hungry and one’s paw was badly injured. I felt terrible with all that food on my lap. So I let out a deep, deep sigh. My parents have always said to stay away from stray dogs, how they are rabid and not friendly. But I have seen barely any like that, all of them just staring at me with pitiful eyes and hollowed out stomachs. Some whimpering as they run and limp away from a person who has badly injured them, but others just trot happily after a kind boy or old woman has given them a smile and a meal. And as I stare into the eyes of the two dogs, I see fear and love, no hatred at all. So, fully disobeying my mothers warning, I inch toward them, my eyes always focused on theirs. No one seemed to notice, my mom and sister in the bathroom, and my father on the other side of the building having a reunion with some of his college friends. When I was just 3 feet away, they made a slight whining sound and backed away. “No, no, it’s okay,” I said softly, and tossed a piece of bread to their feet. They stopped, stared at it, and then looked back at me. “Go on, it’s good,” I assured them. They seemed to understand and then tore it to shreds thankfully. As they did, I gave them the rest of the bread, which they started at immediately. I squirmed my way to their side in the couple seconds I had and placed my trembling hand on the injured Akita. He stopped eating and trembled with me. 6
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My Trip To The Bahamas Trisha Ghosh,
Age: 7
When we went to the airport we missed our plane to the Bahamas. We took a plane to Florida and then a tiny plane which took us to the Bahamas. Each seat in the tiny plane was single. My sister got sick in the tiny plane. It took a long time to take-off. When we got there it was hot. Then we looked around ourselves to find the bus to take us to the hotel. Next day we got a tour around Nassau then we looked around the hotel it was a nice resort to stay. There was a pool with a water slide and tables and chair inside the pool that you can actually sit and drink in the pool. We had fun in the pool and water slide. Right across the road there was stand that sold fresh fruit juice. I think the strawberry is the best. My cousins from Atlanta joined us the next day. We took the Number 10 bus to the Straw Market and had ice-cream together. I and my little sister Trina got beads in our hair. We had food at the fish fry. Next day we went to see dolphins. We touched and danced with the dolphins and took pictures. I love the dolphins. We came back before Christmas just in time for all the Santa Gifts.
Bahamas by Trina Ghosh, Age 5
Stray Feelings—continued: “I-It’s okay,” I stammered, and stroked his back. I had given them all of the dry food, and all I had left was the bowl of curry and the dishes of meat. I gave them all of it. And they took it, their eyes full of glee. As they were devouring it, I took the injured paw and looked at it sadly. I didn’t know exactly what to do, so I ripped two pieces of cloth off my cotton shorts. I wiped his bleeding paw, withdrawing it of germs with the first piece, and then wrapped it neatly with the other. Just as I finished, I looked up and saw two brilliant dogs, their tails furiously wagging back and forth. The uninjured Akita looked to his friend, who curiously looked at his new, bright green paw. I laughed, and then was thanked with a happy bark and two rough tongues on my face. I stood up, scratched both of their heads, and smiled again. My stomach was filled with not food, but a delightful feeling, which was as good as anything could get. “Go on now, there are still good years to come.” And so they went, trotting happily after I’ve given them a smile and a meal, turning back only once to show how grateful they were before turning the corner and vanishing from sight. Once back in the taxi, the usual chatter went on. And me, well I just stared out my window into the vast world that lay ahead, thinking of the good I’ve done. The good that no one will know, but me and the two joyful Akita’s. The good that gave me a big smile and a warm heart. 7
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India At Home Sompurna Choudhury, Age 10 Having been born in an Indian family, I am forced to attend many events without even knowing their importance. It is not convenient to follow my dad’s instruction to make up a routine for the weekend, and then throw the whole plan out of the window, because we have to attend some unnecessary party. I wish my parents would tell me ahead of time. My parents are very social and always have too many occasions to attend. And since I am the youngest one, and can not be left alone at home, so I must be dragged along to each one of them. To make matters worse, my dad started an Indian association in our neighborhood. As if we did not have enough places to be, this added fifty more families to share our weekends with. There is always a birthday, anniversary or an ‘I’m-not-busy-so-let’s-have-a-party’ to go to. Back to the association, we named it Somerset Bengali Association (SBA). Since most of the attendees are from a particular area of India, named Bengal and most of them live in Somerset County now. The purpose of the association is to bond with families in a cultural way. Since the association only started 3 years ago, we only have a tradition of organizing 3 annual events. First one is Saraswati Puja. As you might know, in India Hindus worships many gods and goddesses. There are different days for different Gods. In our association, we celebrate the day for Goddess Saraswati. She is the goddess of knowledge, and music. We do this either at the end of January or beginning of February. It is more fun than religious. We only pray in the morning for few minutes so that we can reach our ultimate goal – partying. Another event when we all meet is our annual picnic, in Duke Island park. We play games, take walks on the nature trail, but most of our time is spent creating personalized shish kabobs. We eat tons of delicious food until we desperately need to use the port-a-potty. The last gathering of the year we have is called Bijoya. After India’s biggest event, Diwali, we wish each other Bijoya, with the hope of a good, healthy upcoming year. It is Indian’s New Year. As you can guess, we quickly greet each other, and then rush over to be the first in the food line. After dinner, we enjoy the night with music and dance. None of us can really dance, but all insist on doing it anyway. Finally, we end the night with a deliciously, unhealthy Indian dessert.
The Moon Susmita Ghose
Resting in the sky Spreading light To everyone Guiding people On the paths Taking a midnight stroll The darkness sheds In its presence Illuminates the world 8
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My Trip to Orlando Parama Das, Age: 12 I looked out the window and saw long roads and palm trees surrounding the roads. This is what I saw when I was going to my hotel room in Orlando, Florida. We were staying at the Rozen Plaza, my brother, my mom, my dad, and I. This was my and my brother’s first trip to Orlando, Florida. On the second day of our trip to Orlando we went to Disney World’s Magic Kingdom. We went on many rides in Magic Kingdom’s Tomorrowland such as l Astro Builder and Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin. Space Mountain was also very fun and the ride we had to wait the most for, we waited one hour and forty minutes. Even if you kept your eyes closed during the ride I am sure you would see the same thing, that’s how dark the ride was. We also went to Magic Kingdom’s Adventureland and went on the Magic Carpets of Aladdin ride and the Pirates of the Caribbean ride. But my favorite was the Jungle Cruise, this is when you would go on a boat and take a tour. My favorite part of Magic Kingdom was the fireworks and the parades. We watched the Spectro Magic Parade and saw the fireworks right behind Cinderella’s Castle. The next day we went to Disney’s Animal Kingdom. The first section that we approached was Animal Kingdom’s Asia. In Asia we visited Flights of Wonder where we saw amazing birds, Kali River Rapids where we got wet as we went white water rafting, and Maharajah Jungle Trek where we saw real tigers, komodo dragons, and bats. Next we entered the section Africa. Where we went on a Kilimanjaro Safari on a journey on a safari vehicle to an African savannah where we saw giraffes, elephants, gazelles, rhinos, and lions roam freely. After that we moved to DinoLand U.S.A. When we were at DinoLand U.S.A., we went on Primeval Whirl a spinning roller coaster and DINOSAUR a journey to dinosaur time to rescue one dinosaur and bring the dinosaur back to our time. My favorite part was how there were real animals and how close they were to us. The next couple of days we went to Universal Studios. The first day we went to Universal Studios Florida. We saw Shrek 4-D Terminator 2 3-D, which was cool because the characters would come to life, and Disaster a major motion picture where you are in the movie! We went on E.T Adventure where we helped save E.T. dying planet, Men In Black Alien Attack where we zapped aliens, and the Simpson’s Ride where we visited Krustyland. After that, the next day we went to Universal Studio’s Island of Adventure. When we visited there we went on The Amazing Adventures of Spider Man that was a very fun ride where we were soaring above the streets in 4-D, Popeye & Bluto’s Bilge- Rat Barges where we got soaked going on this river rapids ride, Jurassic Park River Adventure a water ride based on the movie where we got soaked from the ride and rain that poured on us while we were on the ride, Pteranodon Flyers a roller coaster that flies over Camp Jurassic, and The Lost Continent’s Poseidon's Fury. In conclusion, my trip to Orlando, Florida involved a lot of walking and a lot of waiting. But overall I had a good time. Also I can’t wait to go next year! Especially for the new Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Studio’s Islands of Adventure.
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Avatar or Obotar? Shekhar Das “Dad it is not ‘Obotar’ but ‘Av-a-tar’!” I exclaim for the ninth time. My dad still sticks to “Obotar” instead of “Avatar”, however. According to him no matter how you pronounce it, the meaning is still the same. All I understand from his explanation of “Obotar” is it means incarnation. My dad’s Wikipedia says that “God descends to earth and manifests himself as an ‘‘avatar’’ or incarnation whenever “adharma” (injustice, chaos) rises and “dharma” (justice, order) declines.” Apparently, whenever earth is in danger, the Hindu gods descend to earth in human form to make things right. And it all happened in ancient times. This is different from my definition of “avatar”. There are absolutely no gods involved here. It is we humans who change ourselves to supermen-like people and solve the world’s problems. And it is something that may well happen in the future. Also, to me Avatar is about “ascending” or defying earth’s gravity, about escaping from planet earth to another planet in the year 2154. The climate change forces the ‘fly people’ or the earth whites to escape from the perhaps destroyed Planet Earth. They land on the far-away moon of Pandora to dig for the mineral, unobatainium. This can be done only by demolishing huge conifer- like trees similar to Sequoias. However, these trees, unlike the Sequoias, have the magical ability to contact one another through their roots. And there is another problem. The trees are sacred to the natives known as Na’vi. The Na’vi appear to be human, but are built differently in face and color (blue) and have lion-like tails. Finally, in the year 2154, the whites (fly people) are ready for war with the Na’vi with huge war machines. The Na’vi are assisted in their battle by dinosaur-like creatures, some of which fly and are used like airplanes. The Na’vi, of course, are wonderful people while the earth whites, or the fly people, are vicious. After listening to my story of Avatar, my dad is still not willing to adopt my definition.
Outside with Snow Souvik Ganguly
The clean light blue sky drip out little white flakes on the flashing Christmas trees. My friends yelling as we sled down the clear white snow and throwing pieces of cotton. The minty pin tree stench prowls around the neighborhood. The ice, watery, and white puffs of snow slither down my throat. The Freezing white snow as it goes of my hand on to somebody else’s body. 10
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Holiday Trip Spreeha Choudhury As I set foot out of the plane, a sense of pride washed through me followed closely by a feeling of lightheadedness. The pride was from finally reaching the place I had waited so long to get to. The lightheadedness was from holding my breath for so long because of the smell. I was finally in Calcutta, India, my second home and also one of the most polluted cities in the world. I clutched my two handbags to my side and climbed down the precariously placed flight of stairs to the bus waiting below. The system here was so different than the one back home. In America, you would not be allowed to set foot on American soil until after you passed through Immigration. Here, you were put onto the Indian land the second you got off the plane. Was this because Americans were more apprehensive than Indians or because Indians were less concerned about security, I wondered. The bus began through the runways of the airport, taking almost three rounds about the airplane we had just disembarked from before it set off toward the terminal. I noticed how the smooth the asphalt was, a strange and rare commodity for India. Usually, the roads were so riddled with potholes they looked like black Swiss cheese from the airplane. Either you were dodging the potholes, or you were dodging the massive frenzy of cars that was coming straight at you. Whatever the reason, a car ride in India was no walk in the park and for some reason, that’s exactly why I loved it. There was just something strangely exhilarating about waving in and around the traffic while speeding along. However, now, we were going at a nice slow pace on unblocked, smooth roads, not exciting at all. All the while, thousands of questions were running through my head. What were my parents doing? What time was it back home? Would people here be happy to see me? Was that stray dog in the airport? I could not wait to get to my house in Jadavpur and take a nice hot shower and finally sleep on a soft bed. That’s when I remembered that I wouldn’t actually be able to take a real shower. Rather, I would have to pour mugs of limited lukewarm water onto myself from a bucket. And, I wouldn’t actually have a soft bed to sleep on because Indian mattresses were just about as comfy and cozy as the potholed concrete outside. Oh well, I thought as I stepped off the bus, it was all part of the experience. The primitive manual shower was unique to India and so were the mattresses. The doorway into the airport was framed by streams of cold air. Although they would have been welcome in the summer, in the winter they made my teeth chatter. “The luggage for passengers on Jet Airways flight number 9W0226 from Delhi to Kolkata is on carousel number 3,” a voice said in a thick Bengali accent from overhead. The announcement was repeated in Hindi and Bengali. I followed the crowd to carousel number 3 and waited for it to begin. It took a really long time, too. I was still thinking about my days to come. What would I eat? I am sure that there is a Bengali Food Bible somewhere that states that all Bengalis must love to eat rice, fish, and mishti (sweets). I am also sure that I am adopted because I hate all of those things. As I pondered my diet, the carousel started. My suitcases, of course, were the last to show up. It took quite a bit of muscle to heave them off the moving conveyor belt and onto the cart, but I managed to get them to the doors. The sunlight was pouring through an infinite number of windows at the front of the airport and boy was I ready to finally get a breath of fresh air. A final glimmer of excitement danced across my mind as I took a deep breath and strolled into the sun. The light blinded me after being inside for so long, but as soon as I could see again, I saw my uncle’s face. Next to him, I saw another uncle, standing next to another uncle, three cousins and a crowd of aunts. They all wore huge happy smiles and some even held flowers in their hands. Looking at their kind, loving, familiar faces, I realized something. All the doubt and apprehensions, all the fears and worries had disappeared. I was surrounded by people who loved me enough to brave the streets of Kolkata just to greet me. Now, I realized how much I had missed this place and why I called it home.
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Culture Conflict: Random Thoughts of a Paranoid Mom Paramita Basu Have you ever worried the cultural status of your (American kid born to Indian parents) offspring? You probably have, every time they answered back in pure unadulterated English when you asked a question in Bengali. Or that time, when they just gave you a defiant shrug or a “Gosh, can you give me break” in response to your slightest attempt to foster any kind of discipline in their character. Well, then you definitely know what I am talking about. In my family, it all started when our extrovert, extremely talkative and friendly 4 year old son started refusing to go to “Hindi restaurants” and wanted to go to “English restaurants” instead. That was when his liking for “Luchi and Kosha Mangsho” was being gradually replaced by the likes of chicken nuggets and macaroni and cheese and also when Ananda Mandir became our “church”. My already rising apprehension gave way to full blown terror, when in kindergarten he decided there were 2 kinds of people in this world: the “Bangla people” and the “English people”. Needless to say the “Bangla” people meant us, our Indian-born friends and the Indian parents of his “English” friends. Lo behold!!! We have in our hands a new kind of disparity based on language (actually, accent, to be more precise) which is elementally different from the usual skin color type of racism that we have already learnt to handle. How are we going to sail over this yet another obstacle in our newly adopted homeland, particularly when it’s me against my own? Of course, as always, we turn to our wise professors for advice, since they have been here for almost 40 years now and more importantly, raised their kids here. Apparently, in the 70’s it was easier to get your parents to immigrate here which meant that the kids then spent time with their “Bangla” grandparents eating “Bangla” food after coming home from school rather than spend the rest of the day in an afterschool absorbing more and more of the popular culture from their “English” friends and eating “English” food. Well, no luck there for us in the 2000’s. But wait a minute, don’t despair yet!!! How about we take our kids to meet their “Bangla” family in India every year (never mind the rising costs of international travel)? That’s got to work, surely??? I guess we were in for a not-so-funny surprise there too. My son’s cousins in India decided to look and even talk like the “English” kids (please refer to my son’s definition of “English people” which also includes his English speaking American friends born to parents of Indian origin). All my hopes of teaching my son some good old “shonar bangla” culture comes crashing down when I see that he is greeted by his cousins with a “What’s up, dude?” right in the heart of Ruposhi Bangla!!!! So much for our fond memories of the self proclaimed culturally superior Bengalis that we left back 10 years ago!!!! But again, the world is becoming culturally homogenous, so I should be happy. But I cannot help but wonder if all of the conservatively Bengali norms that we were taught to believe were wrong and if all this seeming uniformity is really making the world a smaller place, a friendlier place. Who knows? I, with my tiny little boundary, am definitely not suited to solve such grave global issues. But again, who is? Have you ever worried the cultural status of your (American kid born to Indian parents) offspring? You probably have, every time they answered back in pure unadulterated English when you asked a question in Bengali. Or that time, when they just gave you a defiant shrug or a “Gosh, can you give me break” in response to your slightest attempt to foster any kind of discipline in their character. Well, then you definitely know what I am talking about. 12
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Poems: Flowers & My Parents Rohit Das Age: 12 Flowers
My Parents
Flowers, so beautiful
I want to let you know, you both are special in every way
With lasting fragrance
You try so hard to make me see
Difference in colors
I never listen, always want to be free
With bees singing in close harmony While gathering nectar
You help me through good and the bad times
Young and old love the flowers
By giving me tools to show me the light.
It’s nature’s gift to mankind.
There is no one who can love me more, than my parents for sure. And wherever I may go, my parents will always be there for me.
Culture Conflict (Continued) So what are we supposed to teach our kids as parents who only want the best for them? Should we ask them to forsake the cultural norms that they have picked from the surroundings they spend a majority of their waking moments, eliminating them from their friends in the process? Or should we ask them to embrace the popular culture with gusto? The middle path as some say which I interpret, as a little bit of both, is much easier said than done and a very elusive concept for my now 7 year old son. And we haven’t even reached the part where he started asking why his face was tan unlike anyone else in his class (I suspect he got that from the other kids in his class, for kids say it as they see it, without the sugar coating of politeness). I cannot help but remember the countless ABCD (read American Born Confused Desi) jokes that we had collected as students both here and in India. But this time I feel their torment more acutely since I am a daily witness to this identity conflict. I stand humbled by the patience and even courage with which our kids face this cultural conflict as well as the added confusion of figuring out where is it that they belong exactly, and trying their best to fit in from the very start (and probably end) of their social life. For now, I fell like all I can do for him is to love him and support him emotionally as much as I can. Really there isn’t much I can do to protect him from this piggy-in-the- middle situation that we have put him in, expecting him to take it in his stride. So I hold him as tight as I can and tell my touchingly affectionate and friendly little boy that it is okay to stand out (read stand alone) for this is his battle, one that he has to fight himself and hopefully, win, one day.
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Five Greats of the Bengali Renaissance Sudakshina Chattopadhyay The Bengal Renaissance refers to a social reform movement during the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, which was during the period of British rule in India. Calcutta was the capital of British India and Bengali society was evolving rapidly. While many individuals contributed to this age of growth and prosperity in Bengal, the following five represent significant thinkers in diverse fields. Nineteenth century Bengal was a unique blend of religious and social reformers, scholars, literary giants, journalists, patriotic orators and scientists, all merging to form the image of a renaissance, and marked the transition from the 'medieval' to the 'modern'. Their contributions to the social and scientific change in India is also significant, and we should all be proud of this glorious period in our heritage.
1. RAJA RAM MOHAN ROY (1774-1833)
2. SWAMI VIVEKANANDA
s n
Born on August 14, 1774, Raja Ram Mohan Roy is often referred to as “The Father of the Bengal Renaissance.” Known well for his great socio-political reforms, Roy’s vision for a modified Hinduism allowed for tradition to prevail in a modernizing world. Roy’s worldly perspective paved the way for other philosophers, authors, and prominent figures to usher in a new Bengali era filled with social and intellectual enlightenment. He is best known for his efforts to abolish the practice of sati, the Hindu funeral practice in which the widow was compelled to sacrifice herself on her husband’s funeral pyre. It was he who first introduced the word "Hinduism" into the English language in 1816. He was a founder with Dwarkanath Tagore of the Brahma Samaj in 1828, an influential Indian socio-religious reform movement.
(1863-1902)
A man of countless achievements, Vivekananda, born Narendranath Dutta, is valued as one of the greatest thinkers and philosophers of all time. As the chief disciple of Sri Ramkrishna , Vivekananda founded the Ramkrishna Mission on May 1, 1897 to continue promoting his mentor’s spiritual and philanthropic way of life. Vivekananda’s teachings and presence throughout the world brought Hinduism into the modern global arena. Accommodating his philosophy to the developing world while balancing traditional values, he is considered to be a major force in the revival of Hinduism in modern India. Vivekananda is best known for his inspiring speech beginning with "sisters and brothers of America", through which he introduced Hinduism at the Parliament of the 14
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Bose-Einstein condensate. He is honored as the namesake of the boson. Although more than one Nobel Prize was awarded for research related to the concepts of the boson, BoseEinstein statistics and Bose-Einstein condensate—the latest being the 2001 Nobel Prize in Physics, which was given for advancing the theory of Bose-Einstein condensates. Bose's ideas were afterwards well received in the world of physics, and he was granted leave from the University of Dhaka to travel to Europe in 1924. He spent a year in France and worked with Marie Curie.
3. BANKIM CHANDRA CHATTERJEE
nd
(1838-
1894) An integral part of the Bengal Renaissance, literature quickly flourished into one of the most beloved aspects of our Bengali society. An author, poet, and essayist, Bankim Chandra Chatterjee is revered as one of the greatest literary figures of all time. Most famous for authoring n m, or Vande Mataram, India’s National Song, Chatterjee’s legacy remains secure. Often heard throughout the Indian Independence Movement, Chatterjee’s inspiring nationalistic lyrics guided and
4. SATYENDRANATH BOSE
nd
(1894-1974)
During the Bengal Renaissance science was also advanced by several Bengali scientists such as Satyendra Nath Bose. Bose was a physicist, specializing in mathematical physics. He is best known for his work on quantum mechanics in the early 1920s, providing the foundation for
5. RABINDRANATH TAGORE
nd k
(1861-1941)
Rabindranath Tagore is one of best known Bengalis worldwide. As a poet, novelist, musician, and playwright, he reshaped Bengali literature and music in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. As author of Gitanjali and its "profoundly sensitive, fresh and beautiful verse", he won the 1913 Nobel Prize in Literature. Tagore modernized Bengali art by spurning rigid classical forms. His novels, stories, songs, dance dramas, and essays spoke to political and personal topics. Gitanjali (Song Offerings), Gora (Fair-Faced), and Ghare-Baire (The Home and the World) are his best-known works, and his verse, short stories, and novels were acclaimed for their lyricism, colloquialism, naturalism, and contemplation. Tagore penned the anthems of Bangladesh and India: Amar Shonar Bangla and Jana Gana Mana. Tagore denounced the British Raj and supported independence. His efforts endure in his vast canon and in the institution he 15
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Oh Calcutta ! Sanchoy Das Oh Calcutta ! to visit you why do I so desire? Perched on a quixotic river, no beauty, no scenery, nor harmony you provide. Steamy summers, crazy rains, smoggy winters you torture me no matter when I come. Oh Calcutta ! to visit you why do I so desire? Your people flow like melting cream through rocky roads and shiny pools The melody of your maddening sounds mix with idle talk and lazy song Plain vanilla you certainly are not, no rules, no routines, no norms nor repeating style To break the ennui of daily life, Oh Calcutta ! that’s why I come. Roots they say define us all. Mama, Kaka, Pishi, Mashi, Dadu, Dida, Didi, Dada. A beehive of relatives you do provide. Each with a memory, a sorrow, a story, a happiness or a joy. To taste the sweetness of these succulent roots, Oh Calcutta ! that’s why I come. When all is gotten and savored, then memories seem worthy of a princely sum. Your streets and corners rejoice the colors of an early life. Glimpses of a forbidden love and the joys of an everlasting friend. Flickers of a future dream and the whiffs of an intoxicating snack. To cherish again these seductive pleasures, Oh Calcutta ! that’s why I come.
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Written By: Kallol Ghosh Sr.
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Saraswati Puja 2010 Cultural Program Schedule Time: 3:30 pm to 8:00 pm Middle School, Green Brook, NJ 3:30 Welcome Announcement
Archan Misra
3:35 Opening Remarks
Principal, Green Brook Middle School
3:45 Children’s Team Instrumental “Jana Gana Mana” “Star Spangled Banner”
Conductors: Suparna Das & Amit Ray Rohit Das (Piano); Leena Roy (Violin/Piano); Sushmita Ghose (Viola); Parama Das (Clarinet); Rounak Mukhopadhyay (Violin); Sourabh Chakraborty (Saxophone); Dhruv Kathuria (Trumpet); Souvik Ganguly (Guitar); Nina Ray (Viola); Sompurna Choudhury (Flute); Kushal Das (Guitar); Deblina Mukherjee (Trumpet)
4:00 Children’s Dance “Krishna Nivedan”
Choreography and Direction: Sunrita Mitra Anushka Purakyastha, Diya Pal, Tanya Banerjee, Shohini Bhattacharya, Khushi Ray, Piyal Ganguly, Anoosha Banerjee, Ramyani Mitra
4:10 Children’s Songs “Nanna Munna Rahi”
Conductor: Sudip Chakraborty Soham Sen, Rishav Das, Sunit Chakraborty, Shreyan Das, Kushaan Misra, Ricky Das
“Ladki ke Kathi”
4:25 Individual Performances Rabindrasangeet: “More Beena Othe ..”
Rhea Sarkar, Rishika Roy, Trina Ghosh, Atreyee Ghosh, Shruti Roy, Sunit Chakraborty, Soham Sen, Ria Mukhopadhyay, Adit Royi, Trisha Ghosh
Trina Sanyal
Guitar: My Heart Will Go On (Titanic) Let it Be (Beatles)
Deblina Mukerji
Piano
Sandeep Mukerji
Bengali Song : “Amar Naam Anthony”
Pratik Home Chowdhury
4:50 Children’s Dance “Made in India”
Choreography and Direction: Sunrita Mitra Shreya Ghosh, Rishika Roy, Aditi Roy, Atreyee Ghosh, Trina Ghosh, Shruti Roy, Trisha Ghosh, Shivani Ghatak, Ria Mukhopadhyay, Aneeka Kathuria, Nishka Abraham, Katrina Kosnik, Kimaya Bajpai, Rishav Das, Rohit Das, Arko Pal, Souvik Ganguly 18
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“De Mati”
Anushka Purakyastha, Titli Bhattacharya, Tanya Banerjee, Runi Sanyal
“Monomoy”
Dipshika Roy, Parama Das, Trina Sanyal, Leena Roy, Tanuja Kosnik
“Om Nomo Shivay”
Anasua Banerjee, Ramyani Mitra, Mohona Chowdhury, Ria Banerjee
5:15 Individual Performances Bengali Song Vocal: “Tung Tang Piano”
5:35
Pritish Mukherjee
Violin: “Simple Syncopation”, “Feelin' Blue”, “Broadway or Bust”
Trisha Mukhopadhyay
Piano- “The Elevator”, “The Harpsichord Player”
Raaka Mukhopadhyay
SBA Incorporation Announcement
Saurav Ghosh, Sudip Chakraborty
5:45 Children’s Drama “Jhalpala”
Director: Sharmistha Sen Music: Amit Ray Cast - Pondit: Ankush Rakshit; Ghoti: Kushal Das; Kesta: Sourabh Chakraborty; Duli: Souvik Ganguly; Khetu: Nina Ray; Dhanga: Rounak Mukhopadhyay; Kebol: Sompurna Chowdhury; Ramka nai : Rohit Das; Jomidar : Arka Ghose; Jomidar's Uncle : Joheen Chakraborty; Jury'r Gaan: Arijit, Rahul, Soham Sen, Shreyan Das, Sunit Chakraborty, Kushaan Misra, Ricky Das
6:40 Adult Dances “Mai Vari Vari”
Choreography and Direction: Sunrita Mitra Suparna Bkakshi, Nabanita Chakraborty, Soma Chowdhury
“Chalka Re”
Prasanthi Ramarapu, Sangeeta Bhattacharya, Parijat Ghatak, Maushumi Majumdar, Hemani Kathuria, Moumita Bajpai
“Music of Ananda Shankar (Dancing Drums)” Subhechha Pal, Manjari Chowdhury, Sunrita Mitra “Mind Blowing Mahiya”
Aparajita Ray, Parna Ghosh, Molly Chowdhury, Sharmila Ghosh
“Liquid Dance”
Esha Ray, Anjali Mitra, Romoli Bakshi, Spreeha Chowdhury
7:15 Adhunik Songs
Koushik Chakraborty, Manjari Chowdhury
7:55 Closing Remarks
Thank you and Recognition to Directors and Guest Artists.
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How Many Indian American – Bengalis are there in New Jersey ? According to the U.S. Census Bureau, in 2008 New Jersey had the fifth-largest Asian population among all the states. NJ’s Asian population had a higher rate of college education and higher household incomes relative to other immigrant groups. More than half (51 percent) of NJ Asian Americans live in three counties: Middlesex, Bergen, and Hudson County. Edison had the largest Indian American community (16,898), followed by Jersey City (12,973), North Brunswick (3,012), East Brunswick (2,587), and Sayreville (2,530). Indian Americans constitute the largest Asian group in NJ, and more than 10% of all Indian Americans in the US live in NJ. While there is no explicit data on the number of Indian American – Bengalis in the U.S. one can guess the number from those reporting Bengali as their native language. If we assume that the ratio of Bengalis among Indian Americans in NJ is the same as the national average, then we can estimate that there are 62500 Indian American – Bengalis in the United States, 6511 in NJ and 473 in Somerset County. The good news is there is enough Hilsa fish and Goat meat for all to enjoy! Source: U.S. Census Bureau – 2008 American Community Survey
2008 POPULATION DATA
United States
Somerset County
New Jersey
Native Language of Indian Americans
%
Total Asian American
13,413,976
663,256
40,066
Hindi
29.2
Indian American
2,495,998
260,421
18,924
Gujarati
15.7
Bangladeshi
88,212
4,208
246
Punjabi
11.0
Cambodian
186,068
121
0
Telugu
10.8
Chinese Mainland
2,998,849
116,170
10,761
Tamil
7.4
Filipino
2,425,697
112,695
4,499
Malayalam
6.8
Hmong
171,316
0
0
Urdu
3.8
51,148
477
46
Marathi
3.4
710,063
15,169
502
Bengali
2.5
Korean
1,344,267
75,633
1,334
Kannada
1.9
Laotian
159,347
848
78
Other
6.0
Malaysian
12,506
363
0
Pakistani
280,726
15,031
829
Sri Lankan
29,607
1,328
169
Taiwanese
78,934
3,670
275
139,208
3,607
91
Vietnamese
1,431,980
29,835
1,380
Other Asian
807,081
23,530
932
Indonesian Japanese
Thai
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Somerset Bengali Association Saraswati Puja—January 2010 Officiating Priest: Satyaprasad Chattopadhyay Event Manager: Sumit Sen Fund Raising: Kallol Ghosh, Somesh Choudhury, Sarbashis Ghosh Cultural Committee: Archan Misra, Sharmila Ghosh, Sunith Roy Food Committee: Suparna Das, Nazneen Rahim, Chanu Das, Saurav Ghosh, Sanchoy Das Light & Sound: Amit Ray, Sunanda Mitra, Subrata Roy Hall Management: Soumyendu Sarkar Bijoya Sammelani Party - November 2009 Event Manager: Nabanita Chakraborty & Rajyasri Das Summer Picnic - June 2009 Event Manager: Saurav Ghosh Thanks to the many volunteers who made these events a success
Grand Patrons
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We would like to thank the following for their sponsorship of the Saraswati Puja
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Deborah A. Lue M.D.
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GENERAL SURGERY BREAST SURGERY
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Somerset Medical Commons 201 Union Avenue, Suite 1A Bridgewater NJ 08807
Somerset Medical Commons 201 Union Avenue, Suite 1A Bridgewater NJ 08807
Tel: (908) 575-0880
Tel: (908) 429-7799
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Contact: Jason Rodriguez (732) 597-3008
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Need a photographer / videographer for your next event? PhotosMadeEz is a complete Photo / Video Production company serving the tri state area. We capture your magical moments of Wedding, Engagement, Tilak, Sangeet, Mehndi, Graduations, Sweet 16, Birthdays, and Parties etc. Tailor made packages for your requirements. No assignment is too small or too big for us. We accept assignments in NY / NJ / PA / DE.
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Anjappar Chettinad Restaurant 2186 US Highway 130, North Brunswick, NJ 08902 Tel: (732) 297-3663 Presenting authentic South Indian cuisine in NJ. The Chettinad cuisine specializes in non-vegetarian food with richly ground spices . Chicken Masala, Mutton Sukka Varuval, Vajram Fish, Crab Masala Grand Lunch Buffet (Tues to Fri) Adult $ 11.95 and Kids $6.95 www.anjapparusa.com
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An Inc. 500 Company, is now Hiring Qualified resources; interested candidates with the following skill sets can apply with their resume ASAP.
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We are conveniently located between Bridgewater Commons Mall and Bridgewater Post Office / Public Library 1331 Prince Rodgers Ave. Bridgewater, NJ 08807 Phone:(908) 722-5999 | Fax: (908) 722-5980
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10 Minutes from Bridgewater Commons Mall