Friday, August 29 2014 | Vol. 33, No. 35
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Indo American erican News
www.indoamerican-news.com Published weekly from Houston, TX
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HGH’s Board of Advisors: Sharad Amin (HGH President), Dr. Hansa Medley, Dr. Ravi Tamerisa, Gaurang Nanavati, Dev Mahajan, Saurabh Raj Jain (Sri Krishna of Mahabharata), Consul General P. Harish, Ramesh Parikh, Jugal Malani, Dr. Venugopal Menon, Vijay Pallod (HGH Public relations); Ramesh Bhutada and Prabhat Sharma missing in the picture.
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Celebrating Krishna Janm at Radha Madhav Dham, Austin
Pot dance
Krishna and Sudama leela
Laddoo Gopal
AUSTIN: On the eigth day of Krishna Paksh in the month of Bhadrapad (August-September) as dark clouds enveloped the sky, the stillness in the air conveyed that something very spectacular was about to happen. At midnight, while everyone was fast asleep, Lord Krishna chose to descend in a prison house, making his own arrangements for a seemingly fortuitous escape with his father Vasudev to Nandbaba’s home in Gokul. Unlike all previous Avatars of Lord Vishnu, Lord Krishna’s descension is perhaps the most intriguing affair of all, and maybe that is why it is celebrated with so much joy and de-
votional exuberance. In Austin, Radha Madhav Dham bustled with joyous activities and the temple grounds echoed with the sounds of melodious chants, as over 3,000 people came to celebrate the festival of Krishna Janmashtami. People, poured into the temple premises, with little babies and young children dressed up in Krishna and Radha costumes, in great excitement to participate in the Janmashtmi program and rejoice in Krishna’s birthday celebrations. After partaking the Mahaprasad, people rushed to the temple hall to join the session of beautiful kirtans
Free Lassi
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and listen to Sushree Gopeshwari Devi who gave an enthralling discourse, revealing how Lord Krishna during his pastimes in Vrindavan, subsided his almightiness and succumbed to the power of unconditional love of the Gopis and Gwalbals of Braj. Outdoors, children and parents listened to stories about baby Krishna, and later, over 90 kids, standing in a long line with their parents, made their way boldly onto the stage to show off their costumes and take part in the contest for best-dressed Krishna. It was a wonderful sight to see so many beautifully dressed Baby Krishna’s and Radha’s. It filled
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everyone’s hearts with joy and got the crowd into the festive mood of Janmashtmi. The highlight of the occasion for many was darshan and abhishek of baby Krishna and a chance to push the flower decorated swing where Ladoo Gopal was so adoringly seated. This was followed by a beautiful cultural performance starting with the Janm scene where Baby Krishna is delighting the hearts of Maiya Yashoda and Nandbaba. Candies and toys were hurled from the stage onto the delighted audience, as the Janm leela of Lord Krishna culiminated, followed immediately by a sequence of devotional dances bringing to life the love of Yashoda Maiya, the teasings of the gopis to naughty Lala, and showcasing
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the pastimes of Krishna such as the Govardhan and Kaaliya Daman leelas, by a group of youth from Nrutyashakti Dance School of Dallas. The program concluded with a leela enactment performed by Radha Madhav Dham devotees showing the heart-warming friendship between Krishna and his childhood friend Sudama and sharing the importance of loving God selflessly. Teaching us the lesson that God’s causeless Grace showers only on those devotees who wish to simply love him, selflessly, desiring nothing in return but his love. After the cultural program, a traditional prasad of makhan mishri and panjeeri was handed out. Devotees then streamed towards the food court outside where delicacies like dosa, bhel puri, samosa, chai and mango lassi were being served. Inside, chanting continued until midnight. The prayer hall reverberated with dhol and chants of ‘Jai Kanhaiyya lal ki’ until its midnight climax, celebrating the auspicious arrival of Baby Krishna. The devotionally charged celebrations of Krishna Janmashtami at Radha Madhav Dham is an experience not to be missed. Check out the videos and photos of the event at www.radhamadhavdham.org or on the Facebook page at www.facebook.com/ RadhaMadhavDham.
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A Quarter Century of Houston’s Hindu Heritage Meld Together in Janamashtami Celebrations
From left: Consul General Harish, Saurabh Raj Jain, Lifetime Achievement Awards recipients, Dr. S. G. Appan and Raj K. Syal, Sharad Amin, and event chair Partha Krishnaswami.
Akhil Chopra Memorial Award Winners: Dr. Rahul Pandit (second from left), Radha Dixit and Rishi Bhutada (extreme right) with Saurabh Raj Jain (extreme left), and Consul General Harish (center).
Mayapuris, a Hindu dance and kirtan and chant singing group
Bhism Pitamaha Jhanki
BY JAWAHAR MALHOTRA HOUSTON: It was a jumble of colors and commotion in the air that overtook the senses as you entered the George Brown Convention Center downtown, across from Discovery Green. A youth group greeted you and placed a vermillion tilak (forehead mark of reverence) at the entrance arch, just a few steps away from the in the large, 25 foot diameter rangoli (multicolored floor design) floor pattern designed again this year as in the past five years by Sangita Bhutada, in the center of which was a six foot tall ice sculpture of Lord Krishna, playing his bansuri (flute), standing on one foot, resting against a beloved cow, which even the local daily, the Houston Chronicle took notice of the sculpture in the previous day’s edition. To the other side, as in past years, a large contingent of volunteer teenagers and some older people took the shoes you removed -
for the entire hall was sanctified as a holy place for the duration of the evening’s festivities, placed them in a clear plastic bag with a number in it and handed you the duplicate number to retrieve them later. The shoes went into an alpha-numeric matrix that conveniently served another purpose too. “We are able to tell by the shoe deposits,” explained Vijay Pallod, one of the key organizers of the event, “just how many people actually attend.” And this year, attendance at the premier, non-profit event marking the birth of Lord Krishna – on 17 August, 3228 BC, according to the Bhagvata Purana – was at an all-time high of 8,000, reversing a decline over the past few years that had concerned the organizing group, the Hindus of Greater Houston. This year, the HGH had pulled out all the stops, it seemed, and made some fundamental changes that generated the enthusiasm among area Hindus to attend in large
Photos: Bijay Dixit, Vijay Pallod and Vanshika Vipin
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HOUSTON: The Arya Samaj Greater Houston (ASGH) celebrated its 23rd Foundation Day during the weekend of August 16 and 17, with great enthusiasm and fervor. The program started on Saturday, August 16, at 9:45 am with the Indian flag hosting ceremony to celebrate India’s Independence Day. A group of DAVSS students lead by Smriti Srivastava sang a patriotic song and the national anthem. It was followed by Yajna with selected Vedic mantras, Bhajans and a spiritual discourse, which concluded at 12 pm with Aarti, Shanti Path and Prasad. The same pattern was repeated in the following three sessions, with a music program added in each evening. The highlight of the celebration was the Chatur Veda Yajna (Yajna reciting mantras from all the four Vedas, the Rig Veda, Yajur Veda, Sama Veda and Atharva Veda) spread over four sessions on Saturday and Sunday. About 70 families participated in the Yajna as Yajmaans. This required enormous coordination and planning, and it is to the credit of ASGH volunteers who executed this effort perfectly, leading to smooth and uninterrupted proceedings. The Yajnas were led by the ASGH resident priest, Acharya Dr. Suryanarayan Nanda who made a special effort to explain the meaning of the mantras by presenting slides with English translations of the mantras. His explanation and messages were highly inspiring and appreciated by the audience. The annual Foundation Day celebrations commemorate the founding of ASGH by veteran Vedic missionary Shri Ram Chand Mahajan in 1991. The Samaj started in the building facilities on Highway 6, graciously provided by Rita and Sunil Mehta. In August 1997, Arya Samaj Greater Houston started functioning from its current campus on Schiller Road, which includes the main Temple building and Dining Hall, the recently expanded DAV School building, the beautiful outdoor Yagyashala and surrounding lawns. A special feature of this year’s celebration was the series of Pravachans, or lectures, by Acharya Ashish Darshnacharya, a visiting Vedic scholar from India. The discourses covered in the two sessions on Saturday related to the
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Arya Samaj Greater Houston Celebrates Foundation Day
Vedas, their divinity (Why are the Vedas divine?) and their importance (Vedas: Source of Science, Spirituality and Healthy Living). These topics, and the interactive and interesting presentations of ideas, kept the audience engaged. On Sunday, which was also the day of Janmashtami, special messages were delivered to commemorate the birth and virtues of Sri Krishna. The other topic of discourse was Vedic Views on Science of Creation of Universe by Arya Samaj’s own Acharya Surya Nanda. Here again, the audience was spellbound to perceive the wealth and depth of scientific knowledge contained in the Vedas. Variety was added to the program by including a music segment during the evening sessions on Saturday and Sunday. On Saturday ASGH’s Bhajan group lead the musical proceedings. Also Smriti Srivastava, DAV music teacher, presented a music program with her students and performed a variety of bhajans and patriotic songs. On Sunday evening, ASGH’s other music teacher and volunteer, Vinita Arora and her students entertained the audience with melodious bhajans and songs. Each session ended with the distribution of prasad and a sumptuous meal, allowing the attendees to mingle with their friends, engage in discussion with the Acharyas and make plans for the following sessions. By Sunday evening the satisfaction of a job well done was writ large on the faces of the numerous ASGH volunteers. Plans are being made to surpass this performance next year, when this occasion will coincide with the 25th Arya Maha Sammelan (an annual
conference of all Arya Samajs in North America) to be held at ASGH. Following the Foundation Day celebrations, a two-day workshop was conducted by Acharya Ashish Darshnacharya at ASGH on four practical aspects of application and practice of Vedic philosophy. The workshop topics were: Importance and Practice of Prayer/ Yajna/Yog/Pranayam in daily life, Concept of God, How to prepare our children to practice and defend our values with pride, and Basics of Vedic Scriptures. These sessions were interactive, well attended and generated a lot of interest among the audience. Arya Samaj Greater Houston is located at 14375 Schiller Road, Houston, TX 77082, (www.aryasamajhouston.org or Tel. 281752-0100) and conducts Satsang
every Sunday from 10 AM to 12 Noon. The DAV Sanskriti School is held every Sunday during the Satsang hours. The DAV Montessori School offers pre-school and elementary education for children from 2 to 7 years. Yoga, Sanskrit and Upanishads classes are held twice a week at ASGH. Arya Samaj has highly qualified priests
who can conduct all Vedic Sanskars at Arya Samaj premises, your home or place of your business. Contact Dev Mahajan (713-4684339), Shekhar Agrawal (281-2428280) or Bhushan Verma (713504-2707) for any information regarding ASGH or its schools and services.
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Krishna Janmashtami Celebrated by Meenakshi Temple of celebration is the ritual puja, chanting of mantra and offering prasadam to all the devotees. Sri Meenakshi Temple participated with the Hindus of Greater Houston in their annual Janmashtami celebration at the George R Brown center. MTS had a beautiful booth with the Kolu display. The proceedings of the GRB event started with the procession led by the MTS with the Chenda melam group leading it and the resplendent deity on the Garuda Vahana (vehicle of Lord Vishnu) being accompanied to the sounds of the drums and conch with very enthusiastic audience in celebratory mood. The MTS booth also proved popular with
over thousand devotees stopping to get the darshan of the Lord Vishnu (Srinivasa permual with Sridevi and Bhoodevi) on the Garuda Vahana. Theertham and Sweets were distributed to all. The evening was topped with the Life time achievement awarded to one of our foremost exemplary MTS team member Dr. Appan who was present to receive the award with his wife Mrs. Rajam Appan. We thank the Priests, Staff, Board members and Volunteers who had organized and participated in these celebrations of Sri Krishna Janmashtami celebrations in different ways to make it memorable to all.
Dr S.G. Appan (Life time achievement award recipient) and Rajam Appan (left) in front of the Sri MTbooth at GRB Janmashtami.
BY MALA GOPAL
PEARLAND: Krishna Janmashtami, also known as Gokulashtami, is an annual celebration of the birth of Sri Krishna, the eighth avatar of Vishnu. Vishnu is said to descend in this avatar form to restore cosmic order. Of all the avatars, Krishna avatar appeals to all as the God is most approachable as a little child playing with all, as the object of love and devotion by the Gopis and as the wise counsel to Arjuna in teaching
the essence of Vedas through the divine Bhagavad Gita in Mahabharata. Sri Meenakshi temple, provided opportunity to celebrate the Krishna Janmashtami in different ways. First of the inception of this grand celebration was the special worship in the morning, “uriyadi” (breaking of pots containing gifts), the smearing of colors and children dressed as Lord Krishna. The breaking of the “pot” was artfully carried out with the modern day
candy-filled piñata. Later, many children showcased their Krishna and Radha costumes as they excited the Ganesh Temple singing slokas, and bhajans. The parents were very enthusiastic with the costume displays and the wonderful time. A special puja with Abhishekam was conducted on the Sri Jayanthi evening by Priests Sridharan Raghavan and Pavan Kumar Bhasyam, attended by number of devotees in the Main Sannadhi of Meenakshi Temple. The focus
Children in Fancy dress in front of Ganesh Sannadhi On Gokulashtami getting ready for Uriadi at Meenakshi temple Photos: Koushik Govindararajan
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August 29, 2014
IIT Bombay Celebrates Prof. N.R. Kamath’s Hundredth Birth Anniversary
ber 6, at the IITB campus. Prof. Kamath had a profound impact on the lives of so many of his students at University Department of Chemical Te c h n o l o g y (UDCT), and at IIT Bombay. To honor Prof. Kamath, IITB alumni have collaborated to set up a named chair professorship. This endowment will enable to supplement the stipends for visiting professors, especially those from USA and PROF. N R KAMATH Western EuIIT Bombay 1958 to 1974 rope. According to Alumni Dean, Chair HOUSTON: IIT Bombay (IITB) alumni and staff will be of the Chemical Engineering Decelebrating their beloved late partment, and other key members Professor and Deputy Director’s of IITB, one of the biggest needs Hundredth Birthday on Septem- to maintain IIT Bombay’s position
amongst global premier engineering colleges is have such visiting professors. Additionally, according to Dipak Himatsingka, (aka Glinka 1967, Hostel 6), who is chairing the endowment efforts, an estimated Rs 6 crore (US$1Million) will be needed. He recently mentioned that Rs 1.5 crore has already been raised. The target date for completion of this endowment is August 31, 2015. For information on Prof. Kamath’s Birth Centenary celebrations, visit: http://www.che.iitb.ac.in/online/node/5111 For information on Prof. N.R. Kamath Chair Professorship, please see: www.iitbombay.org/ chapters-and-events/reunions/nrkamath-chair-professorship/fundraising-1 In the US, several alumni are coordinating these efforts. These are: Ravi Singhania (1967, rsinghania@comcast.net ); Sudhir Golikeri (1968, sgolikeri@gmail.com); Shiv Mathur (1967, shivmathur@ ix.netcom.com); Dwarika Agarwal (1965,dagarwal@comcast.net); Arun Dravid (1966, arundravid1@ gmail.com); and Naren Manocha ( 1967, nkmanoch@gmail.com) Contact them for further information.
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numbers as the Janamashtami event was held this past evening Saturday, August 23. Sharad Amin, the outgoing President of HGH was elated as were other sponsors and supporters by the turnout. “We are very happy to have recognition from the Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi with his best wishes for Happy Janamashtami to all in Houston community”, he said of the letter of felicitation that Modi had sent earlier in the day. Added Ravi Sharma who coordinated and edited the excellent 25th year event souvenir which was unveiled on stage by the visiting Swami Mukundananda, “The turn out by Houstonians Hindus in such large numbers was an endorsement of the faith and the vigor with which the whole HGH team concentrated their efforts”. Since its inception in 1990 as a venue for bringing the celebration of life and wisdom of one of the two major divinities in Hinduism, Lord Krishna, the Janamashtami festival has sought to bring together all the temples and other Hindu organizations under one roof to show not only the unity among these groups in the metropolitan area but also bring the culture and beauty of Hinduism - and by extension, India - to the Houston community. Each year HGH has sought to bring expand its concept of the celebration, with pledges from donors – and especially the largest coming from Ramesh and Kiran Bhutada and Raj and Jugal Malani – to support the event, held each of the 25 years at the GRB Convention Center. “My wife Raj and I were very impressed with the organization of this year’s Janamashtami celebrations”, Malani said, “We would love for this tradition to continue in Houston, grow and evolve each year by blessings of All Mighty Krishna.”
Also since its inception, entrance to the event has been free to the public, with their only cost being the parking across the street and the money they may have spent at the food booths or the triple-wide Unique Touch booth which sells framed pictures of divinity and other art objects at major events like this every year. The four food booths Mirch Masala, Madras Pavilion, Maharaja Bhog and Vishala - had not a moment to rest with long lines stretched out in front as people had decided to have their dinner while the evening’s program went on, concluding with the dandiya ras-garba which is always one of the highlights of the event. This year nearly 70 booths displayed their
products and services, including the area restaurants, and for the first time, 15 commercial booths were allowed to locate to the other side of the booths with religious affiliations, which still formed the colorful majority of the booths towards the center and right of the elevated stage in the back of the cavernous hall. “Hindus of the greater Houston area celebrated the birth
COMMUNITY
A Quarter Century of Houston’s Hindu Heritage Meld Together in Janamashtami Celebrations of Lord Krishna in a truly grand style at this Silver Jubilee celebration,” said Thara Narasimhan, a Board member and longtime supporter of HGH. “True to tradition, it was a celebration of many accolades, celebrities and achievements of the past and present community Hindu leaders.” Also in a departure from previous years, the HGH moved the event to the first floor rather than the more difficult to reach third floor which had stadium seating to the sides. Instead, floor seating was laid out on the
Laddha). Other children who won were for the Ashirwad A Blessing’s “Xpress Urself 2014” art contest and for the Aarthi Thali decoration competition, won by Sroothi Chittory and Priya Ravi. A musical interlude was provided with bhajans by the Hum A Capella group from the University of Texas, Austin and by dances themed around Krishna by local performers. The energetic touring group affiliated with ISKCON, the Mayapuris, brought the crowd to their feet in inspired dance with
sides and the ones in the center (which were quickly disassembled after the stage events and taken away by GRB staff to make way for the circling garba dancers). Dharshak Thakkar of Krishna Sounds oversaw the excellent sound system put together especially for the event and Bijay Dixit of Unique Photo Images covered the entire stage show and event photography. There were other changes too. A record twelve area temples took part in the event, each booth beautifully decorated and laid out to show the magnificence of their buildings and programs. The large stage was set with a more powerful and clearer sound system and two separate performers were the special guests for the evening – the well-known Mayapuris, a Hindu dance and kirtan and chant singing group and Saurabh Raj Jain, the actor who plays Lord Krishna in the current television serial, Mahabharat (the channel it is on, Star Plus had a booth that took pictures of people superimposed on a poster of the Krishna character: the lines were non-stop and long!). Setting the event off was the Meenakshi temple Society’s rath (chariot), which was pulled from Discovery Green to the GRB by the faithful and led by a procession from devotees of the ISKCON temple followed by a pooja. The ever popular Krishna-the-child costume contest which has brought in many young children dressed in look-alike clothes and head dresses in years past was expanded to the Dasavatar contest which featured over 110 contestants dressed between the ages of 9 months to 12 years in the costumes and make-up of a variety of Hindu Gods and Goddesses and was met with huge applause. The contest winners were: Group A: Alesha Jariwala, Aananthan Nair, Saumya Gupta and Avika Agarwal; Group B: Arunima Para, Kalyan Nair, Ridit Gupta and Anjali Polance and Group C: Keshav Ravi, Sukanth Shankar, Surabhi Subash. Additionally, a prize was given for the best Jhanki (scene from the period) to the Krishna Leela and Bhism Pitamaha Zahaki (by kids from the Maheshwari Mahasabah of North America; team leaders were Madhuri Mantri, Deepti Biyani and Deepali
fast-paced rhythm, dholuk and cymbal playing and carefully choreographed foot work. Their lead singer, Visvambhar kept the kirtans flowing as his wife, Vrinda Devi Sheth kept tune on the cymbals and dholuk players Krishna Kishora and Balarama Tirtha did leaps across the stage (see the video on IAN’s website). An aarti with leaders of the community raising thalis on stage followed as the entire hall stood and participated in the prayer. Saurabh Raj Jain made his way to the stage on the chariot but though the audience and the promoters were keen to see him dressed as he is seen as Lord Krishna on TV, he disappointed them by appearing in a plain pajama-kurta with a sleeveless Nehru jacket. He was uncharacteristically speechless when addressing the crowd, leaving moments of silence that had the audience longing to hear more. Jain did however, with the help of the Indian Consul General Parvathaneni Harish, present the Lifetime Achievement Awards plaques to Raj K. Syal who conceived of the Janamashtami event 25 years ago and to Dr. S. G. Appan, both for their outstanding service to the area Hindu community. They also gave out the Akhil Chopra Community Service Awards (named after the slain Star Pipe Products employee and Hindu activist) to Radha Dixit, Dr. Rahul Pandit and Rishi Bhutada. Advisory Board members of the HGH were also recognized for their service. Finally, as the chairs in the middle of the hall were cleared away, the Indian musical group Man Pasand, which tours the US for a few months every year and has been here during various celebrations in the past, most recently at the ICC Independence Day IFest; took to the stage and played some lilting music that the eager crowd could dance the dandiya ras-garba to, in small and then ever-widening circles. The dance has become a Houston tradition at many occasions and brings out the young and the young-at-heart crowd wishing to indulge in some carefree merry making. They certainly did so until midnight, when a maha aarti heralded the birth of Lord Krishna.
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COMMUNITY
August 29, 2014
Dr. Shirley Telles Aligns Science and Yoga
Dr. Shirley Telles
BY MANU SHAH HOUSTON: In her calm measured manner, Dr. Shirley Telles speaks of plasma cytokines and yoga in the same breath, explains the concepts of dhayana (meditation) and dharana (concentration) to an extremely interested Dalai Lama and shares an interesting study at a yoga camp which found the side effects of chemotherapy for cancer patients reduced by chanting OM during the treatment! One of the most prominent researchers of yoga, Dr. Shirley’s credentials is of the highest order. She holds an MBBS and PhD in Neurophysiology and is the Director of Research at Patanjali Yogpeeth, Haridwar. A much sought after speaker at national and international conferences, she has been the recipient of several awards such as the John Templeton Foundation Award and a Fulbright Fellowship to study “Functional magnetic resonance imaging in meditators” at the Department of Radiology, University of Florida. She has also published many papers and books and is the principal investigator on several funded projects such as the Indian Army Project which found that yoga and meditation improved “skilled activities requiring coordination and concentration as well as muscular strength and endurance.” Dr. Telles stumbled upon yoga quite by chance. She took up a yoga course and was pleasantly surprised to find that her hypertension stopped. Analytical in her approach, she decided to conduct more research on yoga and meditation to see if she could clinically prove that it had a positive impact on cognitive and physical changes in her body. During this time, a yoga revolution was sweeping across India and the world. A simple, saffron clad, plain speaking Swami was singlehandedly teaching an entire nation to stretch, bend and breathe correctly through
yoga camps and curing blood pressure, diabetes and a host of other diseases. Within a short time people realized the benefits of yoga and began to take to it in a serious way. Dr. Telles could not have found a better ally and mentor for her studies than Swami Ramdev who has constantly emphasized the need for scientific research on Yoga to prove its effectiveness in the cure of diseases. As Director of the Patanjali Research Foundation, Dr. Telles was able to align science with yoga. Having spent her growing years outside India, she learnt Hindi and in the words of Swami Ramdev “dedicated her life to the research of yoga.” Using the most modern equipment, she directs research and scientifically documents the physiological effects of yoga, different types of yogic breathing, yoga for rehabilitation and health, and higher states of consciousness induced by meditation. At a yoga camp with Swami Ramdev, she spoke of her research stating that clinical studies done on students and senior citizens proved that if safely practiced, breathing exercises such as Kapalbhati and Anuloma Viloma could improve memory and attention and reduce obesity and blood pressure. What’s more, it can even reduce snoring! The Patanjali Research Institute is also working with top universities and medical institutes such as Harvard and MD Anderson Cancer Center to authenticate the benefits of yoga. Patanjali Yogpeeth, USA has invited Dr. Shirley Telles to talk about her research on yoga and meditation and its benefits. She will be in Houston on Sunday, August 31, at 3 pm at India House, O.P. Jindal Center and Thursday, September 4, at 6:30 pm at the Museum of Fine Arts. For additional information, visit www. pyptusa.org or call Shekhar Agrawal @ 281-242-5000.
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14 August 29, 2014
INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, AUGUST 29, 2014 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
August 29, 2014
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Kismat 2014, Naach’s Superhit Magnum Opus
BY VANSHIKA VIPIN HOUSTON: “Dreams are like stars you may never touch them but if you follow them they will lead you to your destiny” Khalil Gibran’s quote inspired Naach Houston to create their destiny in their second home production, a Magnum Opus- Kismat an adventure. Kismat is a multi media production weaving film, sound and live performances - uniquely NAACH. Synonymous with Bollywood, Mahesh Mahbubani is an artist of international repute and as the founder of Naach Houston Inc, he has realized his vision of a Professional Community based Bollywood Dance Company. Mahesh, along with the Naach team has taken the company from 65 students in 2013 to 150 students in 2014, institutionalizing Naach as one of the best Dance education in Houston. In a span of less than 2 years, Naach under the Artistic Direction of visionary, Mahesh Mahbubani , has achieved a milestone by performing with Bollywood superstars as Richa Sharma, Bappi Lahiri, Mika Singh, Farhan Akhtar and Raghav. He has created collaborations with leading non-profit organizations as Pratham, Daya, Texana, Centre for Hearing and Speech, India House, Rice University and HCC conducting Bollywood workshops and performances raising funds for educational causes. Mahesh Mahbubani’s artistic vision shared with his protégé, super talented Hasina Sadiwala in her premier year as Dance Director, along with the gifted instructors of Naach shaped this theatrical adventure- KISMAT. A modern yet classic storyline revealing human condition in current times, addressing the vital question “does Technology bridge the gap for human relationships, discerning what is Real and what is Virtual.” Mahesh and Naach’s benchmark of thematic shows adorned with graphic backdrops results in a visual treat for the audience. The Show opens to 5 year old on stage logging into a game, username: ‘NAACH’ and password: ‘KISMAT’ to enter a spectacular and magical world - The show goes back and forth between the virtual and real worlds blurring the lines in between. The opening act was the foot tapping ‘Dhoom 3’ title track with 25 dancers in boots stomping rhythmically as the stage reverberated in sync. The applause continued as the credits rolled in with amazing Visuals and soundtrack compiled of world music. Naach creates meaningful yet amazingly entertaining performances. Kismat was written to address how our choices affect our destiny. We are the creators of the success and failure in our life. The themes explored the use of Technology to find a life partner- story of Bunty and Babli convincingly played by Shah Ahmed and Ma-
lika Ghei indicating that life mirrors our unconscious desires and gives us exactly what we send out. Babydoll’s story concerns the colorful life of a celebrity pop star played brilliantly by Simran Thakkar and Bhavit Dave, demystifying the synthetic and transient world of show business revealing fake egos, insecurities, money and fame. The message here is we are our work not our Title. In the Texting and Driving story , the characters Tina(Amita Batra), Anjali( Alyyah Malick) and Rahul( Christopher Rangel) played sensitively bringing tears to the audience, revealing the consequences of texting and driving dealing with loss, grief and a sense of helplessness. Thus conveying that we learn from the loss of our loved ones and live in the present with the ones left behind. The last story is about how two old friends reconnect through a Facebook event rekindling their love, characterized charmingly by Amit ( Sanjiv Khanna) and Chandni ( Sejal Shan). The antagonist Hacker ( Jubin Shah) and the protagonist Enchantress (Priyanshi Kanobar) played to the T, shows that wherever there is darkness, light prevails. Their teams played by Naach’s super talented juniors stole the show with their mesmerizing performance. Stellar performances by the leads and supporting dancers that kept the audience in rapture nonstop for 2 and a half hours– with a magnificent display of diverse dance styles, costume changes, and stupendous lighting designed by Mahesh Mahbubani supported by an unique global soundtrack that just took the audience’s breath away. The Awesome Naach Management Team headed by Star Gilani the communications Director, Malay Vyas the Stage Director and Business Consultant, Anita Vyas the Graphics Director did an awesome job of all the posters, brochures and screen shots for the production. The entire team of Naach would like to thank everyone for all the support they received, especially from students, parents and sponsors including Masala Radio, Indo-American News, Allergy Clinic, Bay Area Gastroenterology, Avis Rent A Car of Pearland, Global Imaging & Praana, Ashok Dhingra and Vinod Bhuchar. Naach’s got KISMAT and more importantly Houston’s Got NAACH.
Photos: Navin Mediwala and Murali Santhana
For photo collage, see page 14
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18 August 29, 2014 What to Make of Byelection Flip? Greek storyteller Aesop cautioned against prematurely seeing larger patterns in single occurrences, arguing, “A single swallow does not a summer make, nor does one fine day.” Similarly, reading an indictment of the Modi government’s first months in the 10-8 byelection scoreline between Congress and allies on one hand, and BJP and allies on the other, would be hasty. Yet, the verdict has certainly opened up the possibility of new twists and plotlines emerging in the national theatre of politics. In an era of greater awareness and consumer choice, politicians can no longer take their support bases for granted. BJP ally Shiv Sena is already arguing that its five-party Mahayuti alliance in Maharashtra needs to “pull up its socks” and cannot rely “only on a Modi wave” to win power in the upcoming state elections. This is BJP’s first post-election knock on the head and the impact in Delhi will be felt on several terrains. First, it will puncture some of the ruling party’s euphoria and may dissipate the catatonic stupor that engulfed many opposition parties after the BJP’s sweeping May verdict. Second, if BJP is the new Congress then its counter may lie in the past: in the way the old Janata coalition brought together all elements of the anti-Congress camp under one umbrella. The JD(U)-RJD alliance gamble still has to prove it has a coherent governance narrative beyond cynical caste arithmetic but its Bihar show has pushed the envelope. Can a Mayawati hobnob with a bitter rival like Mulayam? Probably not, but stranger things have occurred in politics. For a prostrate Congress the answer may lie in re-embracing its 2003 Shimla formula of alliance politics at the state level, even as it will have to empower regional satraps. For BJP it makes sense to exploit yawning divisions among its opponents and try to win allies among them. A necessary condition for this is that BJP must drop majoritarian and communal agendas. In UP it must stop brewing such strange and polarising potions as ‘love jihad’, especially since the SP government’s poor record affords enough opportunity to attack it legitimately. Any direct impact of bypoll results on upcoming polls in Maharashtra, Haryana and Jharkhand and J&K is unlikely but UP byelections in 11 assembly constituencies and one Lok Sabha seat next month will be closely watched. Politics may just get interesting again.
The Lalu-Nitish alliance has given a jolt to the BJP.
EDITORIAL/COMMENTARY Connoisseurs of the Stalemate
BY KHALED AHMED
Law is usually perceived as “unbending”, and to prevent it from reshaping itself to accommodate reality, it is usually shown as blindfolded. States deal with one another on the basis of law, pretending that this law between states is identical to municipal or national law. The truth is, international law is very different from the internal legal order of a sovereign state, and the reason is embedded in the concept of sovereignty itself. International law has jelled around bilateral and multilateral treaties signed by states, but its greatest flaw is the lack of an all-powerful prosecuting authority. Of course, it can be enforced through the UN Security Council, but the justice that comes from there is political rather than strictly legal. This in itself is not a flaw. It simply means states have to be pragmatic and flexible rather than literalist. India and Pakistan are fighting an epochal war for over half a century. Because of this war they don’t have “normal” relations. A process of normalisation has been in place, but bilateral diplomacy has failed to achieve it on the basis of what the two sides think it means. Pakistan makes normalisation conditional to “meaningful progress” on the resolution of outstanding disputes. India thinks normalisation of relations through free trade under WTO and free movement of people across borders will facilitate the resolution of disputes later. The world is on the side of India; so are most intellectually inclined Pakistanis, including the prime minister of Pakistan. Both are hardline and both lean on textbook “nationalism” and “national consensus” to scare the elected leaders off. They are known as “connoisseurs of the stalemate”, addicted to deadlocks. Indian diplomats don’t fear arbitrary dismissals or punishment posts but Pakistani diplomats do, yet their opposition to innovative statesmanship is the same. They even look alike and have the same costive style of blocking the flexible response diplomacy has been known for over centuries. India and Pakistan suffer from the permanent “enmity of the civilisationally related”, which Freud
The change of mind in Pakistan vis-a-vis India is real. The serving diplomat, scared of arbitrary punitive action of the ruling government, should normally be obedient, but he is not. He lines up behind the army’s entrenched and understandable antiIndian orientation and is able to even be defiant and obstructive. put so neatly in his phrase “the narcissism of small differences”, and their diplomats best represent it. But today, the change of mind in Pakistan vis-a-vis India is real. The serving diplomat, scared of arbitrary punitive action of the ruling government, should normally be obedient, but he is not. He lines up behind the army’s entrenched and understandable anti-Indian orientation and is able to even be defiant and obstructive. Ex-foreign minister Sartaj Aziz, in his book Between Dreams and Realities: Some Milestones in Pakistan’s History (2009), reported a similar revolt against Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif within his foreign office. But the world is cruelly opposed to the textbook revisionist stance of the weak state and wants Pakistan to stop its deniable asymmetric war called jihad against India. But in Pakistan, even foreign ministers walk out of the party — as one did in the PPP government — opposing pathbreaking initiatives in policy towards the US and India. But the signs in Pakistan today are hopeful in the face of terrorism arising out of the state’s asymmetric jihad. An influential publication in IslamaThinking in Pakistan on the Kashmir dispute is changing even though policies may not have. Broadly speaking there are three points of view on the subject — two on the fringes and
one in the middle. One [view] keeps insisting that the Kashmir cause is winnable. I used to subscribe to this when I was a young diplomat. With time and further reflection I changed, as did Pakistan. I realised that it is not enough to say that something is winnable as one must also consider the costs involved. So I abandoned this approach which is now confined to a few of the retired ambassadors, generals, and jihadists.” This observation betrays a new sign — that a retired diplomat has finally decided not to divorce his “logosphere” of Kashmir-centric casebuilding from what is going on inside Pakistan. Despite claiming sovereign exception, no state can clinically separate foreign policy from internal developments. Pakistani diplomats don’t even take the cue from the country’s prime minister trying to establish this connection and, in fact, challenge his point of view as unforgivable heresy. Wisdom, called “hikmat” in Urdu, is defined in many ways, but one consistent quality of the wise man is flexibility of response to circumstances. Left alone, man is subject to nature, which is more powerful than he is. Man consequently has been “shaped” and “reshaped” by nature because he is flexible. However, man also aspires to conquering nature. This binary has produced warrior and non-warrior types: in other words, the soldier and the trader. Tragically, for Pakistan and its jihadi warriors, the world is heavily into becoming traders, being flexible and avoiding conflict. This is the wrong time for Muslims to start fighting when their masses are impoverished. On August 12, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi went to Srinagar and said “more people died due to terrorism than war”. In Pakistan, too, over 50,000 have been killed by its own terrorists than in any of the several wars with India. Pakistan condemned Modi’s reference to “proxy war” and protested about Indian firing on the semi-hot Line of Control on the Indo-Pak border. Flexibility is still being equated to cowardice. The writer is consulting editor, ‘Newsweek Pakistan’
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COMMUNITY
August 29, 2014
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Radhastami: Appearance of Srimati Radharani
HOUSTON: The divine counterpart of Sri Krishna is known as Sri Radha. Together, according to the ancient Vaishnava tradition, this dual-gendered divinity is God-male and female dimensions of the Absolute Truth. Sri Radha is the complete energy, and Sri Krishna is the complete energetic source. They are nondifferent from each other, just as musk and its scent are forever merged, or as fire and heat are inseparable. Radha and Krishna are one, yet They have assumed two separate forms to enjoy loving pastimes. Numerous theological texts explain how this is so, but most thorough are the writings of Krishnadasa Kaviraja Gosvami and Rupa Gosvami, great masters in the Vaishnava tradition whose books have been translated and commented upon by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. To understand Sri Radha, then, English readers would do well to turn to Srila Prabhupada’s books. Of the many, many prayers offered to Srimati Radharani, the eternal consort of the Supreme Lord Sri Krishna, one goes thus: tapta-kancana-gaurangi radhe vrndavanesvari vrsabhanu-sute devi pranamami hari-priye I offer my respects to Radharani, whose bodily complexion is like molten gold and who is the Queen of Vrndavana. You are the daughter of King Vrsabhanu, and You are very dear to Lord Krsna.Srimati Radharani (or Radha, as most people affectionately call her) has a unique position: She is actually the controller of Krishna (who is in fact the Supreme Controller and who cannot be controlled by anyone) because of Her absolute and unalloyed love, devotion, service, and surrender to Him. Being His closest and most intimate companion She has the ability to recommend the most fallen souls for liberation at His merciful feet. Lord Krishna is generally hard to approach directly even by the most accomplished of sages, as evidenced by verse 7.3 in the Bhagavad Gita, where Lord Krishna says Out of many thousands among men, one may endeavor for perfection, and of those who have achieved perfection, hardly one knows Me in truth. Luckily for us Srimati Radharani makes it very easy because Her infinite capacity for compassion for the worst of sinners helps ease the path. Therefore, it is sometimes said that Radharani is even more merciful than the Lord Himself. In this age of kali Lord Krishna’s eternal wish to understand Radha’s love for Him came true when He appeared as Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, who is none other than Krishna Himself but in the mood of Radharani. Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu exemplified love of Godhead by always being in the service of Lord Krishna by acting in the spirit of Radha’s service mood. He also preached the most impor-
tant mantra – the Hare Krishna Mahamantra: Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare! Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare! The Mahamantra is to be understood as follows: My dear Lord, and the spiritual energy of the Lord (Radha), kindly engage me in Your service. I am now embarrassed with this material world and the
material service. Please engage me in Your service. Here the devotee is crying out helplessly to the Supreme Lord Sri Krishna and His internal energy Srimati Radharani to help release him from the mire and the wasteland that is this material world. Instead of chasing after wealth and other trappings of this maya-controlled world, which is full of misery and where everything is temporary, devotees of Radha-Krishna seek to serve eternally at Their sheltering and welcoming abode in Goloka-Vrindavana in the Spiritual Sky, where the sheer bliss of service cannot be matched by anything else, anywhere else in the entire Creation. It is our duty to fall at Her lotus feet and seek the mercy of Her sublime and healing gaze. It also happens to be the only day of the year where
Srimati Radharani’s feet are visible (all other days they are completely covered). This makes it all the more important that devotees make the trip to the temple and sing Her glories and enjoy the ecstasy that comes with worshipping the feet of the most munificent form of the Lord’s internal potency. On this auspicious Radhastami occation, Join in celebrating, meditating on, and trying to understand the significance of this extraordinary day at Hare Krishna Dham (1320 W 34th Street, Houston TX – 77018. www.iskconhouston.org , 713-686-4482) on the auspicious occasion of Radhastami on Tuesday, September 2. The festivities start at 6:30pm and include an ecstatic bhajans, Abhishek, Maha arati, discourse on Radharani’s glories and sumptuous prasadam feast.
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20 August 29, 2014
FESTIVAL Ganesh Chaturthi Ganesha Chaturthi, the great Ganesha festival, also known as ‘Vinayak Chaturthi’ or ‘Vinayaka Chavithi’ is celebrated by Hindus around the world as the birthday of Lord Ganesha. It is observed during the Hindu month of Bhadra (mid-August to mid-September) and the grandest and most elaborate of them, especially in the western India state of Maharashtra, lasts for 10 days, ending on the day of ‘Ananta Chaturdashi’. A life-like clay model of Lord Ganesha is made 2-3 months prior to the day of Ganesh Chaturthi. The size of this idol may vary from 3/4th of an inch to over 25 feet. On the day of the festival, it is placed on raised platforms in homes or in elaborately decorated outdoor tents for people to view and pay their homage. The priest, usually clad in red silk dhoti and shawl, then invokes life into the idol amidst the chanting ofmantras.Thisritualiscalled ‘pranapratishhtha’. After this the ‘shhodashopachara’ (16 ways of paying tribute) follows. Coconut, jaggery, 21 ‘modakas’ (rice flour preparation), 21 ‘durva’ (trefoil) blades and red flowers are offered. The idol is
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anointed with red unguent or sandal paste (rakta chandan). Throughout the ceremony, Vedic hymns from the Rig Veda and Ganapati Atharva Shirsha Upanishad, and Ganesha stotra from the Narada Purana are chanted. For 10 days, from Bhadrapad Shudh Chaturthi to the Ananta Chaturdashi, Ganesha is worshipped. On the 11th day, the image is taken through the streets in a procession accompanied with dancing, singing, to be immersed in a river or the sea symbolizing a ritual see-off of the Lord in his journey towards his abode in Kailash while taking away with him the misfortunes of all man. All join in this final procession shouting “Ganapathi Bappa Morya, Purchya Varshi Laukariya” (O father Ganesha, come again early next year). After the final offering of coconuts, flowers and camphor is made, people carry the idol to the river to immerse it. Swami Sivananda Recommends On the Ganesh
Chaturthi day, medit a t e on the stories c o n nected
with Lord Ganesha early in the morning, during the Brahmamuhurta period. Then, after taking a bath, go to the temple and do the prayers of Lord Ganesha. Offer Him some coconut and sweet pudding. Pray with faith and devotion that He may remove all the obstacles that you experience on the spiritual path. Worship Him at home, too. You can get the assistance of a pundit. Have an image of Lord Ganesha in your house. Feel His Presence in it. Don’t forget not to look at the moon on that day; remember that it behaved unbecomingly towards the Lord. This really means avoid the company of all those who have no faith in God, and who deride God, your Guru and religion, from this very day. Take fresh spiritual resolves and pray to Lord Ganesha for inner spiritual strength to attain success in all your undertakings. -hinduism.about.com
May the blessings of Sri Ganesha be upon you all! May He remove all the obstacles that stand in your spiritual path! May He bestow on you all material prosperity as well as liberation!
Festival Special Recipe Ingredients for the outer covering or shell: • • • •
2 cups whole wheat flour ½ tsp salt 2 tsp warm oil water to knead the dough
for the inner filling: • 1.5 cups grated or powdered jaggery • 1.5 cups fresh grated fresh coconut or unsweetened dessicated coconut • 1 or 2 tbsp roasted sesame seeds • 1 or 1.5 tsp cardamom powder or crushed cardamom • a pinch or two of grated nutmeg (optional) • ½ or ¾ cup water
Directions preparing the covering • with the ingredients mentioned for the outer covering, make a smooth dough. • cover and keep the dough aside for 20-30 minutes.
•
preparing the filling: • mix all the filling ingredients. • cook and stir on a low or medium flame till the mixture is dry and cooked. • keep aside to cool.
•
preparing & shaping the modaks: • take a small ball from the dough. • roll thinly in to a circle of about 3-4 inches diameter. • gently take this circle on your palm.
INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, AUGUST 29, 2014 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
• • •
now add the filling in the center. pinch the edges one by one. bring together all the pinched folds in the center. shallow or deep fry the modaks in medium hot oil till golden browned. drain on kitchen tissues. w w w. v e g recipe-
HEALTH
August 29, 2014
Lifestyle Changes to a Healthy You
BY ZEENIA F BARIA It is never too late (or early) to go down the healthy route. And you don’t have to overhaul your entire life to do that. Just a few simple lifestyle changes are enough to put you on the right track. Eat healthy: You may have heard the importance of healthy eating a million times but do you actually follow it? A nutritious diet is one
which comprises fruits, vegetables, poultry, dairy, legumes and limited non vegetarian options. Fresh fruits and vegetables are packed with essential nutrients that your body requires on a daily basis. Eat smaller meals throughout the day and make healthy snacking choices. In the long run, your body will be grateful. Be active: You don’t have to visit the gym daily to get a workout.
But don’t get stuck in a routine that doesn’t allow you any time to exercise either. Take the steps instead of the elevator. Walk around for your errands instead of using a vehicle. Go for a brisk walk thrice a week or join a yoga class. Whatever you do, don’t forget to stretch. Make it a habit to stretch your body out every day. It will barely take a few minutes and keep you flexible. Step out more: In the hustle bustle of daily life, we often forget to appreciate nature. If you’re fortunate enough to stay near a park or a garden, take advantage of it and spend some time there at least a couple of times a week. If you can’t do that, try and take off for a weekend getaway every couple of months. Don’t scrimp on sleep: Many people think that sleeping is a waste of time. But your body needs sleep to repair itself both mentally as well as physically and a lack of sleep can cause a number of health problems. Make sure that you get at least seven hours of sleep daily. -Times of India
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COMMUNITY Smoke Shop Clerk Gunned Down in Violent Robbery in NW Harris County
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HOUSTON (KTRK): A gunmanshot and killed a smoke shop clerk while robbing the store on FM 529 near Satsuma in northwest Harris County. Deputies say the suspect began firing as soon as he walked into the store. The clerk, identified as 44-year-old Ziauddien Sharique Khan, was hit multiple times and later died. Investigators have only a vague description of the shooter, but say he could be linked to other smoke shop robberies. He got away with an unknown amount of cash. “I’ve talked to our robbery division. They have had multiple robberies of the smoke shops on the west side of the county within the last several weeks,” said Sgt. Ben Beall with the Harris County Sheriff’s Office. “We’re hoping to get with them and hopefully tomorrow, we can develop a little bit better suspect information.” Authorities will be examining surveillance video as part of their investigation. “Here is this guy, highly qualified technical experience, but support his family, he is still working here and there is this guy who thinks it’s his right to steal from other people,” said
Khan’s friend, Latafath Hussain. Authorities describe the suspect as a Hispanic male in his mid-20s with tattoos on both forearms. Khan leaves behind three children who were to start school Monday. Khan had asked for the day off so he could be there with them as they start their new school year.
Sergio Gil Arrested
Ziauddien Sharique Khan
HOUSTON (Local 2) : A man arrested for capital murder is a prime suspect in at least three other robberies in Houston and Harris County, and that count could increase. The prime suspect, Sergio Gil, 22, was arrested Sunday at an Academy Sports store in Harris County one day
after a smoke shop clerk was robbed and shot to death at the F.M. 529 smoke shop. Gil’s arrest came less than 24 hours after the murder following a bizarre coincidence. A source close to the investigation told Local 2, it appeared one day after the Khan’s murder, Gil was shopping for more ammunition. Gil was spotted, according to the source, at an Academy Sports store by someone who had previously been robbed by the teen. Store security was notified and they contacted Harris County deputies. Gil was arrested and charged with capital murder.
INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, AUGUST 29, 2014 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
COMMUNITY
August 29, 2014
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Goswami Academy Opens its Doors Children are encouraged to think creatively and critically with reason and logic. Innovation, resilience and persistency are essential dispositions cultivated by the Goswami Academy curriculum. Our comprehensive academic plan focuses on proven, time-tested educational practices that nourish academic potential and spiritual growth. We believe in providing a solid foundation to children in learning core skills and subjects. We provide a purposeful, challenging and rigorous learning environment. We motivate
HOUSTON: Goswami Academy a first of it’s kind educational institution in Houston is opening it’s doors on the auspicious occasion of Radhashtami (the appearance day of Srimati Radha Rani – Lord Krishna’s divine consort) - on September 2, starting at 7 PM. Goswami Academy is located in a central location to the Greater Houston community at 1320 West 34th Street in the Heights area in the same premises as ISKCON of Houston (Hare Krishna Dham). ISKCON of Houston temple – a standing tradition now for more than four decades, will be the venue of celebration of this auspicious day with an unparalleled offering to the Greater Houston community. Goswami Education is a non-profit entity whose primary objective is to advance, disseminate, spread and propagate spiritual-based educational programs to children in the Greater Houston community. Goswami Academy will be offering education to children starting from the early childhood years to elementary school and eventually up to high school and be a model for future such schools in other cities across North America. All our educational programs are unique as they are values-based and spirituality from the teachings of Sanathana Dharma is interwoven in the curriculum that will be used in our schools. These values-based educational programs include that the
teachers, policy, school atmosphere and the entire ethos of the organization is centred on that. Goswami Academy offers an inquiry based curriculum with a core mission of inspiring excellence in creative academics through a culture of spiritual values by nurturing relationships. Children are placed at the center of this model where they interact with five themes or contexts: living beings, nature, God, action and time. Through this interaction they encounter various concepts. These concepts are further explored through rich topics of study. The rich topics are mapped to the Texas State learning outcomes. Values are embedded within the curriculum and reflect the spiritual basis of our world view.
children to become individuals who are: Confident, Compassionate, Critical thinkers, Caring and loving and Open minded. Choosing the right school for your child is a crucial decision. Our admissions team is here to welcome you and provide all the information and support you need to determine whether Goswami Academy is the right fit for your family. We are currently accepting applications for Grades Pre-Pre-Kindergarten- Fourth grade (ages 3 – 9 years) for 2014/15. For additional details contact us at Email: info@goswamiacademy.org Website: www.goswamiacademy. org or Phone: 713-714-2250.1320 West 34th St, Houston, Texas – 77019-9923. Ph: 713.714.2250.
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Mama’s Punjabi Recipes Coconut di Burfi (Coconut Milk Squares) Burfi is one of the most common and popular confections in India and is widely available all over India. It’s a favorite of little kids in particular as they can gobble up the burfi pieces which are cut into squares or diamond shapes. When my kids were little, they would call my younger brother burfi bhapa (burfi uncle) since he would always bring burfi when he would come to see them. That name stuck to him till the kids went through high school!! And burfi comes in all varieties too, from the plain condensed milk version to the pista (pistachio), badam (almond) or kajju (cashew). It can be plain with the top coated with a very fine film of real silver or gold, which was the way it was displayed and served in the olden days. Nowadays, the burfi is just as apt to be coated with a layer of dark chocolate which young kids just adore. The old-fashioned way to make burfi is to take whole milk (in India, they use water buffalo milk which is heavy with cream} and then let it boil on a stove till it has evaporated down to a thick cream. It’s a time consuming process that requires patience, a lot of supervision to stir the milk so that it doesn’t stick to the bottom and burn, and the ability to stand over a hot stove for long hours. It many traditional halwai’s (confectioner’s) shops, this is still the way burfi is made. But if you go to the larger franchise stores, it’s more mechanized and some of the hard labor is cut down. This recipe allows the average home cook to cut back the work and still make a tasty burfi that can match the store made ones. It is quick and easy to make - in about 30 minutes – and those who eat it will never know the difference Ingredients: • 1 cup non-fat milk powder • ½ cup bariq narrial (fine coconut) • ¼ cup bariq chinni (fine sugar) • 1 tbsp doodh (milk) – whole or non-fat per your choice
Directions: 1. Pour all the ingredients in a bowl and mix thoroughly. 2. Pour in the milk and mix thoroughly and knead till it forms into a ball. Coat your hands with some vegetable oil so that the ball will not stick. 3. Coat a clean dinner plate with a thin film of vegetable oil so that the burfi will not stick. 4. Take the ball out and place on the dinner plate. 5. Use a velna (rolling pin) to spread the ball on the plate into a ½ thick flat pancake. 6. Cover with some wrapping paper and place the plate in the fridge for an hour.
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 WEAR LATEX GLOVES WHILE CUTTING HOT OR HATCH PEPPERS, GINGER OR GARLIC Lots of onions, ginger, garlic and peppers are used in Indian cooking to bring out the aromatic flavors in the recipes, and many dishes are served with sliced raw onions too. But these garnishes and ingredients can be hard on the hands, especially if you peel and cut a lot of them. The enzymes in them coat the skin and make your hands and fingers sting, burn or itch. This is most evident when you cut red or green peppers or the popular summertime hatch peppers. Even washing your hands with soap or using hand cream sometimes doesn’t take the sting away. And, you could just as easily touch your eyes, nose or ears and transfer the enzyme to those areas. As a precaution against this kind of skin irritation, it is best to use thin latex gloves while cutting these garnishes and this will keep your hands from burning or itching.
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7. Remove from fridge and then cut the pancake into 1.5 inch square or diamond shapes and serve.
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ENTERTAINMENT
August 29, 2014
Movie Review: Mardaani
BY ANUPAMA CHOPRA (HT): Gritty is not the adjective that comes to mind when you think of director Pradeep Sarkar or producer Yash Raj Films. So the first few minutes of Mardaani are startling. Mardaani is about Shivani’s pursuit of a teenage girl abducted by child traffickers. Her investigation leads her to an unusual criminal — an educated teenager named Karan. She calls him ‘Under-19 team ka 12th man’. He addresses her as ‘Ma’am’. The stage is set for a deadly cat-and-mouse game, leading to the
inevitable climactic confrontation. The best thing about Mardaani is the performances, led of course by Rani. She imbues Shivani with steely resolve but also gives her emotional depth. There is a wonderful pre-interval scene in which her family gets caught in the cross-fire. Shivani suffers a body blow but doesn’t give an inch. It’s also exhilarating to watch Shivani clobber goons. At one point in the climax, I clapped. Casting director Shanoo Sharma has found the right supporting play-
ers. Tahir Bhasin as Karan has an unhinged menace, even though Tahir’s adoration of Breaking Bad (he likes to call himself Walt) seems like a desperate bid for coolness. Post-interval, the story derails considerably. By the time we get to the climax, we are fully in avenging angel territory. And, just like in Singham Returns last week, the solutions suggested are problematic. Which is a shame, because this could have been so much better. In the rating above, one star is for Rani who, like fine wine, is only getting better.
Shah Rukh Gets Extra Police Protection Post Underworld Threats
NEW DELHI: Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan has been provided with additional police security after a heightened level of threat perception to his life from the underworld, police said today. “Shah Rukh already has police security. We have now increased the security, going by the increased threat perception,” said a police officer. Police were deployed at his residence in suburban Bandra while the actor is presently not in the country, the officer added. The additional police security de-
ployment comes two days after film producer Ali Morani allegedly received threats from underworld don Ravi Pujari. On Sunday, Bollywood producer Morani registered an FIR at Juhu police station claiming that unidentified bike-borne miscreants fired in the air outside his Juhu residence on Saturday night. Before this, Morani has received extortion calls from a person, who claimed to be underworld don Ravi Pujari. -Indian Express
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Hyundai Looking at a Second Factory in India BY PANKAJ DOVAL NEW DELHI(TOI): Hyundai is “closely” looking at setting up a second factory in India as the Korean car major lines up heavy investments and at least two to three new cars every year, beginning with a compact SUV and a multi-purpose vehicle. The second-biggest car maker in India is facing intense competition from players like Honda, Ford and Maruti Suzuki and has decided to go aggressive on new products, while entering unrepresented segments. “Our existing factory in Chennai still has capacity to keep us going for some time. Currently, it produces
6.8 lakh units annually, and can be stretched to a little over 7 lakh vehicles,” Hyundai India MD & CEO B S Seo told TOI. However, the scope for expansion in the present factory is limited, which has prompted the company to cut down on its export commitments to make place for domestic requirements. This includes doing away with shipments from India to Europe altogether as the Korean company now serves the key region from factories in Czech Republic and Turkey. Asked about a second factory for India, Seo said, “We are looking at it very closely. We are watching very
closely.” The company is understood to be looking at various states for the new plant and this includes Gujarat, which is increasingly turning out to be the next destination for many auto makers that include Tata Motors, Ford and Maruti. Seo, however, declined to confirm any such move. However, he indicated that the company has the capacity to construct a factory at a fast pace once a decision is arrived at. “We are very strong in construction of a new plant.” Speaking about new launches, he said the company has plans to drive
Nifty Continues Retreat from Record High
MUMBAI(T O I): The Nifty edged lower for a second consecutive session on Tuesday as firms including Jindal Steel and Power extended their slump after a Supreme Court ruling on coal allocation, while lenders fell due to concerns over their loan exposure. The Supreme Court ruled on Monday that the allocation of more than 200 coal blocks since 1993 was illegal and analysts warned any mass cancellation could have a wider corporate and economic impact. But broader losses on Nifty were capped as defensive stocks such as ITC Ltd rose as investors cut risk in portfolios amid uncertainty over the
coal allocation ruling and ahead of the expiry of derivatives on Thursday. “The coal block surprise seems discounted now but it will remain as a hangover on markets till the final judgement comes from the Supreme Court,” said G Chokkalingam, founder of Equinomics, a research and fund advisory firm. The broader Nifty fell 0.02 per cent, or 1.55 points, to end at 7,904.75, retreating further from a record high of 7,968.25 hit on Monday. Still, the Nifty managed to close above the psychologically important 7,900 level. The benchmark BSE sensex gained 0.02 per cent, or 5.79 points, to end at 26,442.81. Coal users fell further, following a broad sell-off on Monday after the ruling, which jeopardised projects built around the blocks and threatens to exacerbate a shortage of the fuel. Jindal Steel and Power Ltd fell 6.5 per cent, adding to Monday’s 13.9 per cent slump. Tata Power fell 2.8 per cent after the company said the
Supreme Court ruling includes the Tubed, Mandakini coal blocks allotted to the company. Reliance Power fell 6.9 per cent, while Adani Power (lost 6.4 per cent. Among lenders that have exposure to the power sector, State Bank of India lost 0.4 per cent, Power Finance Corp lost 1.1 per cent and Union Bank lost 3.4 per cent. Oil and Natural Gas Corp ended down 2.5 per cent on equity dilution concerns due to a potential share sale by the government. Maruti Suzuki Ltd fell 1.2 per cent while Mahindra and Mahindra lost 0.8 per cent after the Competition Commission of India imposed penalties on car makers. However, Tata Steel gained 2.5 per cent, recovering after a 4.8 per cent fall on Monday. Analysts said the company would not be hurt by the ruling on coal allocations. Meanwhile, defensive stocks rose, with cigarette maker ITC gaining 0.9 per cent and Sun Pharmaceutical Industries closing up 1.3 per cent.
in at least two to three new cars every year, that may include variants or upgrades. The company has launched the ‘Xcent’ entry sedan, and the nextgeneration versions of ‘Santa Fe’ SUV and the ‘i20’ compact. “We have plans to enter segments where we are not present and these include the compact SUV and the MPV categories,” Seo said. The company’s R&D centre in Hyderabad will also play a part in the development of the models. Seo said it takes almost Rs 1,000 crore to develop a new model and company officials said annual investments for new products will be to the tune of Rs 1,600 crore.
The second-biggest car maker in India is facing intense competition from players like Honda, Ford and Maruti Suzuki and has decided to go aggressive on new products, while entering unrepresented segments.
Hindujas Plan $10 Billion Spend on Stalled Infrastructure MUMBAI(TOI): India Inc has stepped on the gas. Betting big on India, Hinduja Group is planning to invest $10 billion or over Rs 60,000 crore in reviving installed power plants, road and other infrastructure projects. This came on the heels of another big investment decision by Gautam Adani-led Adani Group, which announced that it was putting in $2 billion in setting up a 2500 MW power plant in Orissa. The projects which the Hinduja group wants to invest in are largely sitting on bank books as non-performing assets. “We should invest in such projects so that investment and trade can grow in one or two years. Being a practical person, I like to see something in the short term, medium and long term. Brown projects are the easiest way to show fast results and what the Prime Minister is trying to show rather than go into green field projects,” G P Hinduja said. Hinduja also asked the UK gov-
ernment to give India preferential immigration and investment status over other countries to boost bilateral trade. “David Cameron, the prime minister, should relax immigration restrictions, which have caused great resentment among Indian business leaders,” he said.
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INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, AUGUST 29, 2014 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
28 August 29, 2014 Cook, Dhoni Look for On-field Replies in ODI series
MS Dhoni’s assertion that Fletcher will definitely coach India in that World Cup is not universally shared, and with Joe Dawes and Trevor Penney on gardening leave, confusion abounds. BY DAVID HOPPS
CARDIFF: As countdowns for the World Cup go, neither England nor India can claim to have started in the best shape. While the rain tippled down in Bristol, washing out the first of five contests, there was enough aggravation off the field to occupy both sides. It will not matter how gloomy the weather gets, Duncan Fletcher will be reluctant to remove his shades as he contends with a reshuffle which has seen Ravi Shastri imposed as team director with, it seems, a brief to assess Fletcher’s performance ahead of the World Cup. MS Dhoni’s assertion that Fletcher will definitely coach India in that World Cup is not universally shared, and with Joe Dawes and Trevor Penney on gardening leave, confusion abounds. England have their own issues. Their squad for the ODI series was more conservative than many expected, influenced perhaps by the 3-1 Test series victory against India which removed their appetite for change. They seem determination to plan for the challenge ahead in Australia and New Zealand with the same captain, Alastair Cook, not known for rapid scoring at the top of the order, and a phalanx of fast bowlers to utilise the two white balls. That has brought cries of protest from Graeme Swann, a celebrated England player of recent vintage, and Michael Vaughan, a former captain who is treading the path of another former Yorkshire and England batsman, Geoffrey Boycott, in his appetite for straight talking. Both chimed that Cook should have stood down in favour of younger batsmen with a greater capacity for power hitting. England’s ODI summer has become increasingly dogged by bad weather. The Bristol washout meant that the first ODI of the latter part of the summer was washed out for the third successive year. Headingley and Cardiff have also suffered. Form guide (last five completed
matches, most recent first) Players to watch Alex Hales has three centuries in his last three appearances for Nottinghamshire, to go with a century for England Lions against Sri Lanka A earlier this month. He has played 32 T20 internationals and is the only Englishman to make a hundred in the shortest format, and his rich domestic form will finally persuade England’s selectors to abandon their doubts about Virat Kohli averages 98 in Cardiff which the most by any batsman in ODIs at this his technique against venue. the short ball. Shikhar Dhawan has the chance tional venue, staging an Ashes Ajinkya Rahane has earned his place in the Test to put a miserable Test series be- Test, due to hold another in 2015, side with solid contributions in hind him as he opens with Rohit and selected as a joint host of last South Africa, New Zealand and Sharma. Suresh Raina was out of summer’s Champions Trophy. England. ODIs have been a dif- the ODI squad for a while, but reIndia won the Champions Troferent story so far. He had one turned as captain for the short tour phy in England last summer, but double-digit score in six innings to Bangladesh. He is expected to even allowing for that their record in South Africa and New Zealand, bat No. 5. India do not have Varun outside Asia and the West Indies is although he made runs in Bangla- Aaron’s pace for the ODIs, but unimpressive with eight wins and desh after that. Runs in England Umesh Yadav is a capable replace- 13 defeats since the last World could seal a middle-order spot at ment on that front. Cup. India (probable) 1 Shikhar Dhathe World Cup. On the previous The distance between Bristol tour to England, in 2011, he was wan, 2 Rohit Sharma, 3 Virat and Cardiff is only 44 miles over Kohli, 4 Ajinkya Rahane, 5 Suresh the Severn Bridge (24 miles as the opening the batting. Raina, 6 MS Dhoni (capt & wk), crow flies), which has led some Team news Hales will make his delayed 7 Ravindra Jadeja, 8 R Ashwin, 9 to question the need for Bristol to one-day debut as Cook’s opening Bhuvneshwar Kumar, 10 Moham- have become England’s tenth inpartner with Ian Bell dropping med Shami, 11 Umesh Yadav ternational ground. Pitch and conditions down to No. 3. The main doubt is When the teams met on this Cardiff can provide grouchy bat- ground in 2011, Virat Kohli hit a whether England will field Gary Ballance or Joe Root at No 4, ting surfaces when the weather is century but his thunder was stolen ahead of Eoin Morgan and either unsettled and the forecast, while by Jonny Bairstow’s debut innings Ben Stokes or Moeen Ali, one of not as terminal as Bristol, is none of 41 off 21 balls which secured whom seems bound to play in the too optimistic. The Met Office England a D/L victory. absence of Ravi Bopara. The un- predicts a dry and bright start Quotes settled weather makes an empha- with sunny spells, but winds will “He is paid to give his opinions, strengthen as the day progresses and he is entitled to give those. We sis on seam likely. England (probable) 1 Alastair and rain is anticipated by early know as a side where we are at. Cook (capt), 2 Alex Hales, 3 Ian evening. Disruption to the second We are comfy, ready to go and we Bell, 4 Joe Root, 5 Eoin Morgan, 6 innings cannot be discounted. are really looking forward to this Stats and trivia Moeen Ali/Ben Stokes, 7 Jos Butseries.’’ Cardiff has been well favored tler (wk), 8 Chris Woakes, 9 Chris David Hopps is the UK editor of Jordan, 10 James Anderson, 11 since its elevation to an interna- ESPNcricinfo Harry Gurney
SPORTS
SL Squares ODI Series
HAMBANTOTA: Sri Lanka 310 for 9 (Mathews 93, Jayawardene 67, Thisara 65, Hafeez 3-39) beat Pakistan 233 (Hafeez 62, Shehzad 56, Thisara 3-19) by 77 runs The varying rhythms of the oneday game were on full display in the second ODI in Hambantota, where the spinners thrived and the quicks toiled in a high-scoring encounter. There were bursts of boundaries alternating with periods of lull, with Sri Lanka’s run-rate sharply increasing and decreasing through their innings, till a final blast lifted them beyond 300. The hosts began in a hurry despite losing early wickets, then counterattacked against the spinners before being becalmed through Mahela Jayawardene and Angelo Mathews who put on a big partnership, lost a bunch of wickets to Mohammad Hafeez, and were only bailed out by a brutal onslaught fromThisara Perera in the death overs. No team has ever successfully hunted down more than 300 in Sri Lanka, but Pakistan were bursting with confidence after the backfrom-the-dead chase in the first ODI. Though Pakistan lost Sharjeel Khan in the fourth over, Hafeez hit a dazzling half-century that included six fours in his first 10 deliveries. With Ahmed Shehzad playing the supporting act, Hafeez tore apart the new-ball bowlers to drive Pakistan to 98 for 1 after 12 overs. Then came the big squeeze from the Sri Lankan spinners. Seekkuge Prasanna was playing his first ODI since December and had messed up with the bat after being promoted to No. 6, but he flourished with the ball and was electric in the field. Prasanna and Rangana Herath exploited the help in the surface to string together loads of dot balls to pile the pressure on Pakistan. With only two genuine spinners in the line-up, Sri Lanka turned to the part-time tweakers of Tillakaratne Dilshan. He responded by getting the dangerous Umar Akmal caught behind off his first delivery.
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August 29, 2014
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PM Modi to Neighbours: We Fought the Raj as One, Now Fight Poverty BY INDRANI BAGCHI NEW DELHI(TOI): For the first time in a long time, the Indian prime minister did not indulge in Pakistan bashing from the ramparts of the Red Fort. Given his background as a tough leader promising “zero tolerance” for terrorism, many had expected Modi to take on Islamabad in his first Independence Day speech. Instead the prime minister chose to carry forward his new blueprint for regional integration, at the same time establishing his credentials as a regional leader. Modi exhorted his Saarc counterparts to join the battle against problems that go beyond borders the challenge of poverty and development. The Saarc region had a common history relating to the freedom movement pre-1947. “Our common forefathers fought for freedom together. If without weapons or resources we could defeat a powerful sultanate (British rule), can’t we defeat poverty together?” Modi did not elaborate on how he planned to take his vision forward, but the change of content in his speech could mark a new beginning in India’s relations with its neighbours. Modi’s speech was translated simultaneously for the almost 150 foreign diplomats and ambassadors who attended the Red Fort event. MEA officials said this year, they got requests for passes from 150 missions, which, in other years rarely exceeded 60. In his decade of addressing the nation from the
Red Fort, former PM Manmohan Singh never failed to tick the terrorism box. This time, Modi crafted a new set of themes, all centred on the growth and development of India. Not merely in physical terms, but also trying to create a new paradigm for development. It was only a few days ago that Modi while visiting Jammu & Kashmir, put Pakistan on notice for its ‘proxy war’ against India. “For relations with Pakistan to improve, it is essential that they prevent the use of their territory and territory under their control for any anti-India activity.” The remark provoked an immediate response from Pakistan. But on Friday, Modi’s message found resonance in the region. “It was the right message, and inclusive, because he focused on cooperation on our biggest challenge--poverty,” Tariq Karim, Bangladesh high commissioner told TOI. Abdul Basit, Pakistan high commissioner, said, “Poverty is a common challenge for all the eight Saarc countries and, no doubt, if we work together we are far better placed to fight poverty and other challenges facing the region. We agree there is need to inject energy into Saarc.” Its clear Modi is paying a lot of attention to his message and its context. Though he did not name any country, the PM’s Red Fort speech takes forward his theme of nation-building using foreign policy as a tool to achieve it. In inviting foreign investment into India to boost manufacturing, Modi made it clear that
Come together to fight poverty, Modi to Saarc countries
progress cannot be at the cost of the environment. In other words, India will not welcome polluting industries which want to relocate to a developing country. His slogan of “zero defect, zero effect” links Modi’s vision securely to Japan and Shinzo Abe--the Japanese way is all about high quality, high end manufacturing, with minimum impact on the environment. Interestingly, Modi’s route to making India the next manufacturing hub is very different from
China’s, which achieved its development with a high cost to health and environment. Modi’s vision finds takers in the high-technology, high quality-of-life economies of northern Europe, like Denmark and Sweden. Given that Modi will soon be embarking on high-stakes diplomatic engagement with leaders of Japan, Australia, China and US, his independence day remarks assume a lot of significance.
Pak Suffers Heavy Casualties as Govt Gives Troops Free Hand in the event of unprovoked firing from Pakistan along the Indo-Pak border. The result is that border forces have pulled out all stops and gone for targeted and precision firing which has led to far more casualties on Pakistan side in just 10 days of firing this year than was witnessed in 30 days of skirmishes last year in August. As many as eight people, including solA total of 12 Indian soldiers were killed through 2013 by Pakistan forces. This year there has been only one casualty — of a BSF diers, LeT terrorists and civilians, have jawan — due to sniper firing a month ago. been killed in Pakistan BY DEEPTIMAN TIWARY & BHARTI JAIN and over two dozen injured in the firings that NEW DELHI: Government has given full began onAugust 16 this year. On the Indian side, backing to border forces to go on the offesive however, there have been only two casualties
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— of civilians. All these incidents have taken place on the International Border in Jammu guarded by BSF. A total of 12 Indian soldiers were killed through 2013 by Pakistan forces. This year there has been only one casualty — of a BSF jawan — due to sniper firing a month ago. “Ever since mid-August ceasefire violations, we have gone on complete offensive, firing both guns and area weapons. We are thrice in strength of Pakistan Rangers and thus have as many weapons. This has resulted in heavy casualties on the other side even though Pakistan Rangers are being supported by their Army. We will continue to retaliate fiercely until Pakistan stops firing,” said a senior BSF officer. BSF sources said Islamabad has also deployed Pakistan Army’s 12 Mujahideen Battallion in Charwa sector to help Pakistan Rangers. At a meeting held at home ministry with minister Rajnath Singh, NSA Ajit Doval and BSF DG DK Pathak among others discussed the issue of escalating tension on the Indo-Pak border.
Sources said government is fully backing all action taken by BSF and asked it to ensure safety of civilians in border areas. Pathak said, “We are giving befitting reply to ceasefire violations from Pakistan. At the same time we are trying not to hit civilian areas in Pakistan.” The force has been forcing villagers in border areas out of the range of Pakistan bullets and shells during the night. “We are making them sleep in schools and other government buildings away from their homes. During the day they return to their daily chores in their villages as most of the firing takes place at night,” said a BSF officer. The August offensive of 2013 had begun after Pakistan forces had killed five Indian soldiers patrolling the border. The killing had followed the January beheading of an Indian armyman leading to nationwide outrage. Forces of the two countries exchanged bullets for the whole month before an understanding was reached in September. -Times of India
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