Potential contestants over 18 years of age will be automatically disqualified

A Periodical Newsletter Published By ANANDA MANDIR (A Tax-Exempt, Non-Profit Organization) 269 Cedar Grove Lane Somerset, NJ 08873 Ph: 732-873-9821 Website: www.anandamandir.org

Publication Committee of Ananda Mandir

Chairperson: Pronoy Chatterjee, pkc_usa@yahoo.com

Assistant Chairperson: Subrata Bhaumik, Bhaumik.subrata@gmail.com

Editor-in-Chief: Debajyoti Chatterji, Debsmee572@gmail.com

Managing Editor, Ananda Sangbad: Guru Chakravarty, guruchakravarty@yahoo.com

Managing Editor, Anandalipi: Amitabha Bagchi, amitabhanj@gmail.com

Editors: Subrata Bhaumik, bhaumik.subrata@gmail.com Subhodev Das, subhodev.das@gmail.com Sushmita Dutta, sushmitadutt2@gmail.com Amrita Kangle, amritakangle@hotmail.com Nupur Lahiri, nupurlahiri@aol.com

Associate Editor: Ruby Banerjea, r_banerjea@yahoo.com

Members-at-large: Ashok Rakhit

l All queries, articles, news reports and letters should be directed to the Managing Editor Phone: 908-752-3065

E-mail: guruchakravarty@yahoo.com

l For general information, please contact the following executives of Ananda Mandir: Ashok Rakhit, President

Jaiprakash Biswas, Vice President Suprasad Baidyaroy, Vice President Arun Bhowmik, Vice President Sajal Mukherjee, General Secretary Pradip Majumdar Treasurer

After NABC

NABC-2018 at Atlantic City, New Jersey, was a huge success by all measures and the organizers can legitimately claim applause for doing a fine job. Ananda Mandir, in collaboration with CAB, Kallol, GSCA, ICC and other local organizations, worked hard in planning, organizing, and holding the conference, and the result was overwhelmingly positive. Attendance reached a respectable number of over 5000. The location couldn’t be better, with wide open spaces for people to move around. There were stars galore to entertain the Bengalis who flocked from all over USA and Canada. Program venues were set up to easily move from one place to another and attend the selected event you wanted. There were many items to choose from – modern to classical music, folk songs to Rabindrasangeet, dance dramas to full theaters, Kolkata artists vs. indigenous performers that you personally knew. Then, there were seminars with famous writers, movies with actors in attendance, business seminar, medical seminar, and reunions. Food, both in service and quality, was managed well within the arena. Parking fees were reasonable and getting in and out was a breeze. As usual, there is plenty to reminisce and argue about in future, the good and the bad, however, it is a clear “win” for Ananda Mandir.

The Publishing Committee of Ananda Mandir takes special pride in issuing a literary magazine and a commemorative issue of Ananda Sangbad for the conference. Whether they become collector’s items or not, we are gratified to have done a decent job.

And now, it is back to life after NABC. We have seen the vigor and energy of the people to work tirelessly for the success of the conference. At Ananda Sangbad, we will continue to work with the same drive to improve our quality. We have not spared hard work to put up a respectable October issue and we think you will like it. Besides covering NABC-2018 in detail, we have covered everything that is happening at Ananda Mandir. Heritage Day is always a special event for the kids, and pictures are included. We also had our annual FundRaising lunch at the Tagore Hall which was well attended. Rath Yatra, a popular event is also covered. New articles from our band of internal and external writers are included for your reading pleasure. Your comments are always welcome regarding the quality of our paper. Please write to the editor to let us know what you like in the paper, and what changes you would recommend. You are also welcome to write an article of your own and get it published. We want it to be a paper that you would look forward to reading.

There is plenty to look forward to in the coming days at Ananda Mandir. The Octoberfest of pujas is upon us. For the convenience of our readers, the Puja Schedule is printed on Front Page in bold letters. Come to feel the experience of live pre-sunrise rendition of Mahishasurmardini. Enjoy Biswabhai’s pujas of Mother Durga, Mother Lakshmi and Ma Kali to celebrate the Octoberfest at Ananda Mandir.

Dear Members of Ananda Mandir:

We just finished two major milestone events for 2018 – successful celebration of 38th North American Bengali Conference (NABC), held in Atlantic City, NJ from June 29th to July 1st sponsored by Ananda Mandir, and our Annual Fundraiser, held on Sunday, August 19th. Thank you all for your support for these two main events.

NABC was a major challenge because of the year-long preparation needed for this grand event. That required over fifty volunteers to work in close cooperation to plan and manage a seamless three-day event with a budget of over $1.5 million and over 5000 attendees from various parts of North America. I am proud of the professionalism and self-less service of our volunteers in various teams that showed rest of the country that Bengalis of New Jersey are at their best when we are put to such challenge. We received numerous heartwarming emails and notes from attendees that NABC 2018 was one of the best in recent years – excellent program, good food, no long lines in registration to venue decoration! Every volunteer worked hard to make sure we gave the best experience and value for the time and money each family spent attending NABC. Additionally, because this NABC 2018 was sponsored by the non-profit center of Ananda Mandir, we had many generous Donors and Sponsors who helped raise necessary funds for this grand event. At the end, we were able to bring some surplus back to the center. Our heart-felt sincere ‘Thank you’ to all our local volunteers -- and to the attendees from different parts of the country. We made New Jersey Bengalis proud!

Only six weeks after NABC, we were again challenged with our Annual Fundraiser that has been a critical event for the last 10 years. The fund raised in this event traditionally pays more than 50% of our annual budgetary shortfall. Thanks to our donors who attended this event right after NABC and helped raise over $160,000. Although we could not reach our target for annual fundraiser this year, we came close. Fortunately, with Ma’s blessings, the NABC surplus will help meet this shortfall.

No time to rest for AM volunteers as we begin preparations for the upcoming Durga Puja and Kali Puja. We are back to work to celebrate these two major annual festivals with the same energy and spirit as in previous years. We look forward to your visit of the temple on these two joyous occasions. May Ma bless you all.

Ashok Rakhit President, Ananda Mandir

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