Indo-American News: March 20, 2020

Friday, March 20, 2020 | Vol. 39, No. 12

Indo American News

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March 20, 2020

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Leaders Respond

P3 Local Virus Testing

P4, P6 Udipi Reopening

CoronAvirus in CONTROL Authorities in Mumbai are stamping the hands of people suspected of coming into contact with Coronavirus patients for home quarantine.

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COMMUNITY

March 20, 2020

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Hindu Leaders Host Conference Call to Discuss Coronavirus Response Manu Shah Houston: On 15th March, over 20 concerned Board of Advisors and Trustees of Hindus of Greater Houston (HGH) participated in an hour long conference call to discuss ways and means to help the Indo American community weather the coronavirus pandemic sweeping the nation. This initiative, taken by Board Advisor Rasesh Dalal, was praised because “the community must be united in times of both celebrations and crisis.”

Sewa International, which displayed an admirable level of leadership during Hurricane Harvey, emerged as the organization that would direct all aid efforts. Sewa’s leaders Nikhil Jain and Gitesh Desai spoke of their endeavors to mobilize internal and external resources. Their helpline 281-909-7392 is open 24 hours and can help callers with information and resources.

Sewa has put together a team of 30 doctors who can help callers with medical advice. Senior citizens or visitors from India can connect with a doctor who can converse with them in their language. The organization is reaching out to motels/hotels to accommodate international students who have been asked to vacate their dorms. Their leaders also emphasized that their services are for the greater community and not just for Indo Americans.

It was unanimously agreed that a fund raising drive would be carried out and all donations would be made

Conference of HGH leaders (Filephoto)

to Sewa International, which is trained in crisis situations, so it can mobilize more aid and help more people.

Hindu Swayamsevak USA Vice President Ramesh Bhutada kick started the fundraising by donating $5,000 dollars. He also urged the leaders to encourage their members “not to panic but as the same time not to take this crisis lightly.” Ramesh Bhutada’s company Star Pipes, among other protective measures, has banned all air travel for its employees and has also been handing out bottles of Turmeric (haldi) to its employees. Turmeric is well known in traditional Ayurvedic medicine

for its antimicrobial and antibacterial properties.

Past President of the Indo American Chamber of Commerce of Greater Houston Swapan Dhairyawan, a CPA by profession, will share details of how affected small businesses can avail federal aid as soon as they become available.

All temple events, the leaders shared, have been cancelled/postponed.

However, the temples are open for darshan during certain timings and priests will perform the daily prayers.

Arya Samaj Greater Houston has suspended the Sunday congregation, but will conduct the havan at 10:30am and pravachan at 11am to be broadcast

via webinar. Pathshalas and Shakas have switched to online classes.

HGH President Krishnaswamy Parthasarthy and Durga Bari Past President Partha Sarathi Chatterjee appealed to people to postpone weddings and other celebrations that are scheduled in the temple premises and stated that they would honor the payment commitments.

Members of the conference call also shared additional valuable information. Dr. Hansa Medley from ISKCON revealed the city’s 24 hour helpline number – 832-3935080. The staff can walk callers through the process of how to get tested. Those stocking up on Indian

groceries can rest easy. Niranjan Patel from VPSS spoke to several Indian grocery store owners who assured him that there is plenty of stock and shipments are coming from India.

There will be no shortages of Indian groceries.

Patanjali Yogpeeth USA President ShekharAgrawalsuggestedpracticing Pranayam such as deep breathing, kapalabhati and anulom vilom to strengthen the lungs and consume a decoction of tulsi (basil), giloy, ginger, turmeric and black pepper to boost the immune system.

Community leader Vijay Pallod called for reverting to the traditional “Namaste” instead of a handshake – a form of greeting that’s been adopted

by President Trump himself and many other world leaders. Of course, the still most effective way to protect against coronavirus is social distancing and frequently cleaning hands with an alcohol-based hand rub or washing them with soap and water.

Host of Sanatan Hindu Radio Geetha Ravula offered to air any announcements from the temple organizations on her radio show.

Even though the Indo-American community has not been directly affected by the virus as of now, they are being proactive They will continue to monitor the situation and plan on holding a conference call every Sunday or earlier if necessary.

As HGH Board Advisor Dev Mahajan remarked: “It is a blessing that we are united and are there for each other.”

Indo-American News • Friday, March 20, 2020 • Online Edition: www.indoamerican-news.com

4 March 20, 2020 HOUSTON Free Coronavirus Testing to be Available in North Houston March 3, 1:50 p.m. to 11:45 a.m.

She was not hospitalized but is quarantined at home where officials believe she will recover.

On Sunday night, Harris County Public Health announced an additional presumptive positive case of coronavirus in Harris County.

The individual, described as a female between 60-70 years old from unincorporated northwest Harris County, is in stable condition, has been quarantined and is continuously being monitored by the HCPH, per the release. Her test results were processed at the Houston Health Department and are considered presumptive positive until it is re-tested and confirmed by the CDC in Atlanta.

This travel-related exposure is related to the known group from the M.S. A’sara cruise traveling to and from Aswan, Egypt. All of the coronavirus cases in the Greater Houston area are related to the cruise.

“The immediate risk to Harris County residents remains low as cases in Harris County are all travel-related and there is no evidence

of community spread at this time,” per the release.

Thursday afternoon, Harris County officials announced that a man and a woman were confirmed

to have coronavirus. They are currently hospitalized. The female patient is a staff member of Rice University, officials said. -- Click2 Houston

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to a 40-year-old man who lives in southwest Harris County.

Officials said these two new cases appear to be community spread; there is no travel history and officials said they do not know the source of transmission. Community spread makes it harder to identify and contain the virus since anyone can become infected, officials said.

Harris County officials confirmed three more positive cases of COVID-19 Tuesday.

Officials said two people are men from northwest Harris County, and one person is a southwest Harris County woman. All of them are between the ages of 40 and 50, officials said.

Harris County also confirmed Sunday two more presumptive positive cases of COVID-19.

One individual is a 40 to 50 year old woman who had contact with another person who has COVID-19 and lives in northwest Harris County, according to a release. The second new case was a man between 50 and 60 years of age who lives in northwest Harris County. Epidemiologists are investigating the man’s travel history, the release stated. The two new cases were not related to one another, according to officials.

Both individuals are stable and in isolation.

Harris County Public Health Department announced that a middleaged man is the fourth presumptive positive case of the virus in the county.

The man is between the ages of 40 and 50 and lives in the northwest quadrant of Harris County, officials said. The patient was discharged and is in isolation at his home where officials say he is recovering.

“HCPH is working with the Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (16833 Jester Blvd.) to identify those who potentially were exposed to COVID-19,” officials wrote.

The church is aware and is contacted people who could potentially be at risk.

The Harris County Public Health Department announced Tuesday that a woman tested positive for coronavirus and was the third presumptive positive case in the county. She is not connected to the group that traveled to Egypt.

The woman is between the ages of 20 and 30 years old and lives in southwest Harris County. She was on two flights in business and firstclass. Officials are asking anyone who traveled on these flights to isolate themselves and contact their health care provider and local health department for additional guidance.

Here are the flights she traveled on: Flight No. 1: Lufthansa (LH309), Florence to Frankfurt, March 3, 10:05 a.m. to 11:45 a.m.

Flight No. 2: United Airlines (UA47), Frankfurt to Houston,

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Houston: Free coronavirus testing will be available starting Thursday morning for anyone who has symptoms.

The free testing was made possible after President Donald Trump approved a coronavirus relief package and signed it into law Wednesday evening.

The testing will be conducted in the parking lot of United Memorial Medical Center located at 510 West Tidwell in north Houston.

Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, the Chair of the Congressional Coronavirus taskforce, announced the free testing center Wednesday night. She is a Democrat from Houston, representing Texas’ 18th Congressional District.

Lee says the testing center will be equipped with 2,000 tests and is urging anyone with symptoms related to coronavirus — fever, cough and shortness of breath — to get tested.

Testing will be free but you will only be tested if you are showing symptoms.

“We’re looking forward to this being a smooth process, where it will be drive-thru,” Lee said.

“Very orderly process of assessing the individual and onto a process and finally testing. They’ve indicated that they can have the test back in under 24 hours.”

Free testing will begin at the location at 10 a.m. Thursday and will continue till 8 p.m.

On Friday, testing will be conducted from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Next week, testing will continue from Monday through Friday between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m.

The Harris County Health Department announced five new cases of coronavirus on Wednesday, March 18. Officials said that three of the five new cases appear to be community spread with no travel history. Officials don’t know the source of transmission.

Here’s a breakdown of the new cases: A 30-40 year-old woman, who lives in the Northeast quadrant of Harris County- (Known contact with a positive COVID-19 individual) A 30-40 year-old man, who lives in the Northwest quadrant of Harris County- (Still under investigation) A 80-90 year-old man, who lives in the Northwest quadrant of Harris County- (Community spread) A 20-30 year-old man, who lives in the Northwest quadrant of Harris County- (Community spread) A 40-50 year-old woman, who lives in the Southwest quadrant of Harris County- (Community spread) Health officials have reported two new COVID-19 cases in Harris County Wednesday. Officials said one patient is a 60 to a 70-year-old man who lives in northeast Harris County, and another patient is a 30

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USA

March 20, 2020

5

Explained: What’s in the US Coronavirus Bid Bill that Just Passed?

Washington DC: The US Senate passed a more than $100 billion coronavirus aid package on Wednesday, sending it on to President Donald Trump who is expected to sign it into law. Lawmakers are already working on another stimulus effort in response to the widening outbreak in the country.

Here are major elements of the legislation, which passed the House of Representatives on Saturday.

Free coronavirus testing The bill would provide free coronavirus testing for those who need it. The Trump administration has struggled to make such tests available.

The legislation would require private healthcare insurers to pay for all testing costs for beneficiaries with medical coverage. It also would cover testing costs for people who receive health care through government-run programs

such as Medicare and Medicaid.

It provides $1 billion to the National Disaster Medical System, a coordinated healthcare system and partnership involving several federal agencies, to cover costs for people without medical insurance.

Paid sick leave and emergency leave for some workers Roughly a third of US employ-

ees, predominantly lower-paid workers, currently do not get paid when they stay home due to illness. Health officials have said the coronavirus could spread more quickly if infected workers feel like they cannot afford to stay home without pay.

The bill would require governments and private businesses with fewer than 500 employees to provide up to two weeks of paid sick leave for those who miss work due to coronavirus or for Competitive compensation, benefits and mutual support. To apply, contact: those who have to Lalit Jallan, CLTC, LUTCF take care of family Sales Manager members affected 713-545-9269 by the outbreak.

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The US Labor Department could exempt companies with fewer than 50 workers if they risk going out of business.

The bill would not apply to large employers like McDonald’s Corp that do not provide paid sick leave.

Some large employers, including Walmart Inc and Darden Restaurants, have announced they will do so voluntarily.

The bill would only apply to coronavirus-related illnesses and would last only through the end of 2020.

Enhanced benefits The bill would cover costs for states that extend unemployment payments for six months beyond the usual six-month time limit.

The benefit would apply only to states that see their unemployment rates rise by at least 10%. They would get interest-free loans, if needed, to cover benefit costs under the bill.

It also would encourage employers to avoid layoffs by reducing employees’ hours instead. Affected employees would get unemployment benefits to offset those lost wages.

Food assistance The bill would strengthen several programs that help feed low-income Americans. It would provide $250 million for home-delivery meals to seniors, $400 million for food banks, and $500 million to help feed mothers and young children.

It would allow schools that provide free breakfasts and lunches to low-income students to distribute those meals to go, rather than requiring them to be eaten in a cafeteria.

The bill would suspend work requirements for the “food stamp” program that helps low-income people buy groceries. That would override a new Trump administration restriction, due to kick in on April 1, that would have cut off benefits for 700,000 childless, able-bodied adults who are not working.

Increase funding for Medicaid program for the poor The package would increase federal funding for Medicaid, the healthcare program for the poor, which typically experiences increased enrollment during economic downturns.

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Indo-American News • Friday, March 20, 2020 • Online Edition: www.indoamerican-news.com

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HOUSTON

March 20, 2020

Legacy Opens 4 Virus Testing Centers

Houston: Many people and places all over the community have been doing their part to help mitigate the spread of COVID-19.

Legacy Community Health is now joining the list by opening four satellite clinics to help keep people potentially infected with the new coronavirus separate from other patients.

According to a news release, the clinics are physically separate from the main clinics and will be used only to test those who meet specific qualifications.

“We knew it was a matter of time before community spread affected our patient population, so we took the necessary steps to help address the needs of anyone who may need to be tested as well as educate the public through phone banks, social media videos and website,” said Legacy’s Chief Medical Officer Vian Nguyen, MD. “Our personnel is trained to handle this situation, and we aim to help as many people as we can.”

In order to be tested at one of the new

locations, a person must: Be experiencing symptoms of fever, cough, shortness of breath, or other respiratory conditions AND have either: Traveled recently, domestic or international OR had contact with anyone diagnosed with or suspected of having COVID-19.

There will be three locations in the Houston area and one in Beaumont.

Houston Legacy Fifth Ward, 3811 Lyons Ave. Legacy Montrose, 1415 California St. Legacy Southwest, 6441 High Star Dr. Beaumont Legacy Central Beaumont, 450 North 11th St. Anyone, patient or not, who has questions about testing for COVID-19 can call the Legacy contact center in Houston at 832-548-5000 or in Beaumont at 409242-2525.

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Indo-American News • Friday, MARCH 20, 2020 • Online Edition: www.indoamerican-news.com

COMMUNITY

March 20, 2020

Explained: How Long Can Virus Live on Surfaces or in Air?

Boston: The coronavirus can live for three days on some surfaces, like plastic and steel, new research suggests. Experts say the risk of consumers getting infected from touching those materials is still low, although they offered additional warnings about how long the virus survives in air, which may have important implications for medical workers.

The new study, published Tuesday in the New England Journal of Medicine, also suggests that the virus disintegrates over the course of a day on cardboard, lessening the worry among consumers that deliveries will spread the virus during this period of staying and working from home.

When the virus becomes suspended in droplets smaller than 5 micrometers — known as aerosols — it can stay suspended for about a half-hour, researchers said, before drifting down and settling on surfaces where it can linger for hours. The finding on aerosol in particular is inconsistent with the World Health Organization’s position that the virus is not transported by air.

The virus lives longest on plastic and steel, surviving for up to 72 hours. But the amount of viable virus decreases sharply over this time. It does poorly on copper, surviving four hours. On cardboard, it survives up to 24 hours, which suggests packages that ar-

rive in the mail should have only low levels of the virus — unless the delivery person has coughed or sneezed on it or has handled it with contaminated hands.

That’s true in general. Unless the people who handle any of these materials are sick, the actual risk of getting infected from any of these materials is low, experts said.

“Everything at the grocery store and restaurant takeout containers and bags could in theory have infectious virus on them,” said Dr. Linsey Marr, who was not a member of the research team but is an expert in the transmission of viruses by aerosol at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg. “We could go crazy discussing these ‘what-ifs’ because everyone is a potential source, so we have to focus on the biggest risks.”

If people are concerned about the risk, they could wipe down packages with disinfectant wipes and wash their hands, she said.

It is unclear why cardboard should be a less hospitable envi-

ronment for the virus than plastic or steel, but it may be explained by the absorbency or fibrous quality of the packaging compared with the other surfaces.

That the virus can survive and stay infectious in aerosols is also important for health care workers.

For weeks experts have maintained that the virus is not airborne. But in fact, it can travel through the air and stay suspended for about a half-hour.

The virus does not linger in the air at high enough levels to be a risk to most people who are not physically near an infected person. But the procedures health care workers use to care for infected patients are likely to generate aerosols.

“Once you get a patient in with severe pneumonia, the patients need to be intubated,” said Dr. Vincent Munster, a virologist at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases who led the study. “All these handlings might generate aerosols and droplets.”

Travellers wearing masks arrive amid growing global numbers of coronavirus cases at the international lounge at Pearson Airport in Toronto, Ontario, Canada March 15, 2020. (Reuters) Health care workers might also collect those tiny droplets and larger ones on their protective gear when working with infected patients. They might resuspend these big and small droplets into the air when they take off this protective gear and become exposed to the virus then, Marr cautioned.

A study that is being reviewed by experts bears out this fear. And another study, published March 4 in JAMA, also indicates that the virus is transported by air. That study, based in Singapore, found the virus on a ventilator in the hospital room of an infected patient, where it could only have reached via the air.

Marr said that the World Health Organization has so far referred to

the virus as not airborne but that health care workers should wear gear, including respirator masks, assuming that it is.

“Based on aerosol science and recent findings on flu virus,” she said, “surgical masks are probably insufficient.”

Marr said an aerosol released at a height of about 6 feet would fall to the ground after 34 minutes.

The findings should not cause the general public to panic, however, because the virus disperses quickly in the air.

“It sounds scary,” she said, “but unless you’re close to someone, the amount you’ve been exposed to is very low.” Marr compared this to cigarette smoke or a foggy breath on a frosty day. The closer and sooner another person is to the exhaled smoke or breath, the more of a whiff they might catch; for anyone farther than a few feet away, there is too little of the virus in the air to be any danger.

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ALL PROGRAMS & SERVICES AT INDIA HOUSE ARE CANCELED TILL FURTHER NOTICE PLEASE NOTE: SAREEN HARRIS HEALTH CLINIC AT INDIA HOUSE WILL REMAIN OPEN For more information: 713-929-1900 | vipin@indiahouseinc.org | www.indiahouseinc.org 8888 West Bellfort Ave., Houston, TX 77031 Indo-American News • Friday, March 20, 2020 • Online Edition: www.indoamerican-news.com

8 March 20, 2020 TECHNOLOGY Explained: How to Detect Coronavirus (Covid-19) in Five Steps is positive, negative control is negative, and the sample does not show any PCR positive result, the sample is declared negative for the SARS-CoV-2 virus RNA. If the PCR result is positive, the patient has COVID-19. -- Indian Express

By Prabha Raghavan New Delhi: Dr V Ravi, Senior Professor and Head, Department of Neurovirology, NIMHANS, explains the process of detecting the coronavirus to The Indian Express.

Here are the five steps: 1. Collection and transport Testing centre takes swabs from nasal cavities and back of the throat (pharynx), and puts samples in a “virus transport medium”, which contains balanced salts and albumin to prevent the virus from disintegrating. Sample is then transported in cold storage to the testing lab.

2. Extraction of viral RNA Coronaviruses such as the SARSCoV (which emerged in China in 2002-03), MERS-CoV (which appeared in Saudi Arabia in 2012), or the current SARS-CoV-2 which has caused the COVID-19 pandemic, have large, single-stranded RNA genomes. Testing lab extracts the RNA from the samples, using commercially available kits (such as those made by companies like QIAGEN.) 3. Putting THE RNA in THE PCR mix Extracted RNA is added to a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) mix. This includes the ‘master mix’, which contains a ‘reverse transcriptase’ enzyme that converts the RNA into DNA. Master

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Pune, India: India generates more than 25,000 tons of plastic waste every day, 40 per cent of which remains uncollected. In 60 major cities of India, an estimated 4,059 tons per day ofindoamerican-news.com plastic waste is generated every day, data obtained from the Central Pollution Serving South-Asians Since 1982 Control Board states.

Three scientists from Pune University have identified fungi which can potentially help degrade polythene and emerge as an answer Yto th EAR the plastic pollution crisis.

India generates more than 25,000 tons of plastic waste every day, 40 per cent of which remains uncollected. In 60 major cities indoamerican-news.com of India, an estimated 4,059 tons per day of plastic waste is generated every day, data obtained from Serving South-Asians 1982 the CPCB states.Since According to various researchers, it takes about 1,000 years to decompose a PET bottle in natural environmental conditions.

The Indo American community is the most lucrative Researchers, led by Avinash and influential ethnic group in the US with the highest Ade atper-capita Savitribai Pune Uniincome Phule and education level. versity, haveNewspublished a with paper Indo American reaches this group local and global newsReports, pertaining to the community. in Scientific identifying fungi that can potentially degrade Indo-American helps was your business polythene.

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mix contains Taq polymerase, the enzyme that creates copies of the DNA, nucleotides, as well as other elements such as magnesium — an ion of which is needed to amplify the DNA. The PCR mix also contains ‘reagents’ such as ‘primers’ and ‘probes’. Primers are particular strands of DNA that are designed to bind with the DNA that is to be copied; probes are used to detect the specific sequence in the DNA sample. WHO has recommended specific primers and probes for testing for COVID-19.

Finally, the PCR mix consists of a “housekeeping” gene — a normal human gene (RNase P) that is used to ensure that samples were properly collected, and RNA ex-

tracted.

5. AmpLification of the viral DNA Sample, in its PCR mix, is put into tubes or plates, which are then put in a thermal cycler machine that is used to conduct the PCR process.

First, the RNA is converted into DNA. Then the process of copying the genes starts. The thermal cycler heats and cools the mixture with the sample, alternating between three temperatures — for melting the DNA to separate the two strands, for the primer to bind to the DNA, and for synthesising a new strand — all within one cycle that lasts a minute. The thermal cycler runs 30-40 such cycles in order to amplify the DNA to check

for the virus.

4. Testing against controls Amplified DNA is tested against a positive control, which usually consists of genes of the virus cloned into plasmid, and a negative control, which is a ‘known’ sample that has tested negative for the virus earlier.

“RNase P should show amplification, positive control should be positive, negative control should be negative, and then whatever result you get for the specimen, is the correct result,” said neurovirologist Dr V Ravi. In order for a test to be valid before the result is released, certain ‘validity criteria’ have to be met.

If the housekeeping gene (RNase P) is positive, positive control

Reach more than 22,000 readers every week More than 52,000 website hits every week Reach 3,000 eblast subscribers every Thursday

The Indo American community is the most lucrative and influential ethnic group in the of USlocal with businesses the highest Most comprehensive coverage per-capita&income eventsand ineducation Texas level.

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9 Indian Embassy Issues FAQs for Travel To and From India

COMMUNITY

Washington DC: Embassy of India has issued the following FAQ for restrictions regarding travel to India.

A. INDIAN NATIONALS WHO WANTTO RETURN TO INDIA 1. Who are not allowed?

No airline will bring any passenger from Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germanv. Greece, Iceland, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, United Kingdom effective 12.00 GMT on March 18,2020 at Port of Departure.

No airline will bring any passenger from Philippines, Malaysia and Afghanistan effective 15.00 1ST on March 17, 2020 (Port of Departure).

2. Whether passengers transiting through the restricted countries will be allowed?

There will be no transit through these countries as no aircraft will board passengers for India in these countries.

3. Whether they will be quarantined upon arrival in India (quarantined for 14 days)?

1. All passengers coming from/ transiting through UAE, Qatar, Oman and Kuwait after 12.00 GMT on March 18, 2020 (Port of Departure) will be quarantined.

2. Those who have visited China, Republic of Korea, Iran, Italy,

Spain, France and Germany on or after Feb 15, 2020 will be quarantined.

4. Is COVID-19 Negative Certificate mandatory for Indians?

Only for those who are coming from Repub lic of Korea or Italy.

Passengers from Italy shall not be allowed effective 12.00 GMT on March 18, 2020 (Port of Departure).

5. Whether Indians transiting through China, Republic of Korea, Iran, Italy, Spain, France and Germany be quarantined on arrival in India?

YES 6. Whether Indians transiting through UAE, Qatar, Oman and Kuwait be quarantined on arrival March 18,2020 (Port of Departure) in India?

YES. With effect from 12.00 GMT on March 18, 2020 (Port of Departure).

B. lNDIAN NATIONALS WHO WANT TO GO ABROAD 1. Whether Indians are allowed to go abroad?

Indians are strongly advised to avoid nonessential travel to Corona Virus affected countries. However as per latest notification passengers from certain countries shall not be allowed to enter India. Please refer to list of countries in Section A.1.

2. Whether they will be quarantined upon arrival in India (quarantined for 14 days)?

1. All passengers coming from/ transiting through UAE, Qatar, Oman and Kuwait (quarantined for 14 days after 12.00 GMT on March 18, 2020 (Port of Depar-

March 20, 2020

ture) will be quarantined.

2. Those who have visited China, Republic of Korea, Iran, Italy, Spain, France and Germany on or after Feb 15, 2020 will be quarantined.

C. FOREIGNERS WHO ARE PRESENTLY IN INDIA 1. Whether they can extend their Indian visas before expiry?

Yes, they should approach their jurisdictional FRRO/FROs through e-FRRO (https://indianfr ro.gov.in/frro/) 2. Whether they can go out of India and return back?

Yes they can go out of India.

However, they can return to India with fresh visa issued from Mission/Post only.

D. FOREIGNERS WHO WANT TO COME TO INDIA 1. Who are not allowed?

Restricted Countries: All passengers coming from Austria, Belgium, Bulgar ia, Croat ia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany. Greece, Iceland, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, United Kingdom effective 12.00 GMT on March 18, 2020 (Port of Departure) and passengers coming from Philippines, Malaysia and Afghanistan effective 15.00 IST on March 17, 2020 (Port of De arture).

2. Whether Employment and project visa holders allowed from restricted countries?

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Yes. 3. Which visa categories are allowed to enter India for travellers from non-restricted countries?

Only Employment and Project visas are allowed.

Other categories of visas including visa-free travel facility granted to OCI Card holders stands suspended till April 15, 2020.

4. Are dependents of exempted category visa allowed?

No. 5. Are infants/children who hold foreign passports but with an Indian parent allowed?

No. They are required to get a fresh visa from an Indian Mission/ Post.

6. Are Nepal, Bhutan and Maldives passport holders allowed?

Nepal and Bhutan nationals are allowed. Maldives nationals would require a visa.

7. Are foreign nationals with RC/RP/Stay Visa allowed to enter?

Only those foreigners who have RC/RP/Stay Visa w.r.t. Employment/Project Visas.

8. Is COVID-19 Negative Certificate mandatory?

Please see website of Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Govt. of India.

9. Who is the competent authority to issue Covid-19 Negative Certificates in Italy and Republic of Korea?

Please see website of Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Govt. of India.

10. Whether foreigners transit-

ing passengers from restricted countries allowed to enter India?

Flights have been barred from taking passengers from restricted countries.

E.OCI CARD HOLDERS 1. Are OCI Card holders allowed?

No. OCI Card holders are required to obtain fresh Indian visa from Mission/Post and allowed in India except from restricted countries.

Restricted Countries All passengers coming from Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France.

Germany, Greece, Iceland, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, United Kingdom effective 12.00 GMT on March 18, 2020 (Port of Departure) and passengers coming from Philippines, Malaysia and Afghanistan effective 15:00 IST March 17, 2020 (Port of Departure).

2. Are infants/children who hold foreign passports with OCI cards but parents is Indian allowed?

No. Infants/Children are required to get a fresh visa from Indian Mission/Post.

3. Whether OCI Card holders after obtaining fresh visa coming from/visited Republic of Korea or Italy require COVID-19 Negative Certificates?

Yes.

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10

March 20, 2020

COMMUNITY

Udipi Cafe Sugar Land’s Masala Style Grand Opening Attracts Loyal Fans Sugar Land: While the rest of the world was going through a pandemic, in a quiet tucked corner of Sugar Land, nearly three hundred fans of Satish’s Rao’s Udipi Café came to celebrate the Masala Style Grand Opening of their moved location.

Some have been regulars since they first opened in Sugar land in 2002, like the one non-Indian couple who joked, “wouldn’t miss this even if all hell breaks loose, which it sort of has (chuckle).”

While the turnout would have easily been double if a county lockdown wasn’t looming, Satish Rao still flashed his iconic smile, bowed in Namaste, and elbowpunched every single guest, serving a heavenly grand buffet of Hydrabadi Baigan, Shahi Paneer, Cabbage Poriyal, Hakka Noodles, Puri, Hyderabadi Biryani, and Signature Udipi Idlis, Vadas Chutney Sambhar and hot-offthe-grill Dosas.

The Pineapple Sheera – with the perfect balance of sweetness, saffron, and fresh pineapples – deserved a solo mention. Masala Radio blasted the Grand Opening for three weeks, which Rao attributed for the amazing turnout, exciting décor, and entertaining atmosphere.

Rao came to the US in 1982, and worked in restaurants to support his engineering education.

While pursuing a career in the airline industry, he constantly remembered his childhood of watching everyone in his family, from his great-grandfather to his own mother, create amazing dishes from the family restaurant’s kitchens. Rao opened his first

Udipi Café in 1987 in New York City, then moved to Houston and opened in upper Kirby district in 1999, Hilcroft in 2003.

For a while Rao dabbled in Pearland and Katy expansion, then realized that the pull of so many restaurants and wedding and convention caterings was overwhelming, and decided to maintain 2 locations, and devote more time to his wife Sangeeta and two sons Sai Raj and Sai Dev. Rao remains as down-to-earth, hands-on restaurateur, even while serving dozens of Celebrities like AR Rehman, Sonu Nigham, Yesudas, Asha Bhosle and even Indian president Abdul Kalam!

The new Sugar Land is now more open, spacious, light and bright with a wide line of ceiling to floor windows. The eclectic collection of Indian Art, warm hues of mustard, saffron, and chili combined with Rao’s personal photos with Bollywood Stars, create a positive, happening vibe.

Rao is determined to stay open and serve his customers throughout the crisis.

The restaurant has been professionally sanitized for the grand opening, and staff continues to disinfect all surfaces, from the front doorknob to the service spoon handles. All food is being served in disposables.

While due to the COVID-19 crisis menu and promotions are being updated daily, the latest is a $8.99 Lunch Box at both Hilcroft and Sugar Land locations. Contact them for updates at Udipi Café Hilcroft 713-334-5555 or Sugar Land 281-313-2700.

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Indo-American News • Friday, MARCH 20, 2020 • Online Edition: www.indoamerican-news.com

EDITORIAL/COMMENTARY

Editorial Corona: No Human Face, No Race

Multiple factors contribute to creating an atmosphere which can either reassure or stoke fear-based reactions to pandemics. Irresponsible comments and actions by prominent politicians, public figures, leaders and media personalities are some such factors. President Donald Trump’s lacklustre, ill-informed response and speeches have been widely criticised for being unprepared to tackle a major crisis and for shirking the responsibility when a coherent response is needed, since the virus has now potentially spread to large swathes of the US. Trump has further stoked the rhetoric by declaring that measures like the wall on the border of Mexico are now an even more urgent necessity, whereas there were no reported cases in Mexico when the statement was made.

Xenophobic responses to epidemics are not a new phenomenon per se. Previous instances of viral outbreaks across different countries saw familiar discriminatory responses. For instance, European immigrants in the southern states of United States had faced discrimination during the yellow fever epidemic in the late 19th century. Even the 2014 Ebola outbreak saw extreme discriminatory reactions such as denial of admission to students from countries with confirmed Ebola cases.

The contribution of social media in othering the people of Asian ethnicity and in normalising racism and xenophobia in times of Corona pandemic cannot be ignored.

Pandemics, especially when their visible health impact is not widely known, often create what psychologist Steven Taylor calls a ‘psychological immune response’. Simple, mundane actions such as sneezing, coughing and showing signs of being ill among someone who can be misconstrued to be originating from the epicentre of the disease can trigger an immediate panic response and result in hate speech, racial bullying or even physical attacks. More troublingly, such behaviour can be normalised by law enforcers and persons in positions of authority.

In Delhi, the police dismissed the bullying of the Northeastern students as a routine phenomenon during Holi, and senior Republican officials in the United States declared that China should be disconnected from the ‘civilised world’ for spreading diseases like these through abnormal food behaviors like eating live bats and other exotic animals.

The phenomenon of ‘othering’ certain communities is often manifested in such public reactions where customs, practices and divergent food habits and preferences are easily blamed for triggering pandemics. In the current climate, when populist sentiment and a pervasive atmosphere of suspicion is already prevalent in many major nations including the United States, India, Brazil and many others, such sentiments can often be sharpened by the arrival of a pandemic and can falsely bolster leaders’ arguments of having stronger border controls and isolation from the rest of the world. -- Sagar Atre and Mukta Gundi in Indian Express

March 20, 2020

11

Other Side of Coronavirus Story

By G. Sampath I’ve been thinking: What if all that the coronavirus wants is harmonious coexistence? Before you bite my head off and burn my house down, hear me out. I have no wish to defend the coronavirus.

I’m as terrified of it as you are. Like you, I also follow a three-step process of washing my hands: I first wash them with soap, then with Dettol, and then with gau mutra.

Like you, I also have cow dung smoothies every morning to build my immunity against coronavirus.

And the most important thing that I try to do, and which I encourage all of you to do, is to follow the recommendation of honourable Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Shri Yogi Adityanath-ji. His advice is simple: overcome mental stress to overcome coronavirus.

Easier said than done, I know. It could be rather difficult not to get mentally stressed when you know that your very survival depends on not getting mentally stressed. The knowledge that even a little bit of mental stress can make you susceptible to the dreaded coronavirus can be a most stress-inducing thing. And constant awareness of the fact that your stress levels are rising because of your rising stress levels, can further raise your stress levels, until you’re on a self-reinforcing spiral of ever-escalating mental stress that leaves you almost wishing for a coronaviruscarrier to just drop by and say ‘achoo’.

Anyway, my point is that I don’t belong to any political party that supports the coronavirus. But we are a democracy, I am a liberal, and I believe it is the duty of every journalist to present both sides of every story. Which is why I’m devastated by the failure of my peer members to retain even a semblance of neutrality, objectivity, and balance in their coverage of the coronavirus disease, or COVID-19, as it’s called. Don’t ask me who came up with that name, because who did come up with that name.

I know that, as a species, we currently occupy the position once occupied by the dinosaurs. We are the apex predators. The power

elite that oppresses every other life form on planet Earth. But does that mean the only perspective that exists is the human perspective? Isn’t it this very mindset that’s responsible for the massive loss of biodiversity and the whole mess of climate change? And yet, I haven’t seen a single news report or editorial or column where the writer takes into account the virus’s point of view as well.

Again, let me emphasise that I don’t endorse violence by viruses, be it against humans or other viruses. That’s the reason I’ve always condemned the well-known computer virus Agent Smith’s anti-national statements against human beings. If you’ve seen the famous three-part documentary, The Matrix, you’d know what I’m talking about. If you haven’t, you should. It’s the only extant documentation of the virus’s perspective on humanity.

For the benefit of those who haven’t seen the Matrix trilogy, this is what the A.I.-created virus Agent Smith says about humans: “When I tried to classify your species, I realised that you’re not actually mammals. Every mammal on this planet instinctively develops a natural equilibrium with the surrounding environment but you humans do not. You move to an area and you multiply and multiply until every natural resource is consumed and the only way you can survive is to spread to another area. There is another organism on this planet that follows the same pattern. Do you know what it is? A virus. Human beings are a disease,

a cancer of this planet. You’re a plague and we are the cure.”

Revolutionary vanguard What if this was actually the case? Can anyone deny that our entire economic model is geared towards depleting every planetary resource? Also, ask any biologist of your choice. She’ll tell you that viruses are one of the earliest inhabitants of this planet. They were here long before the first human appeared. Not surprisingly, viruses are convinced that human beings are migrants – from another planet, and in all likelihood a planet that used to be beautiful and habitable until they gutted it, prompting the move to earth. According to my sources, as of March 2020, all non-human life forms are convinced that if humans continue to run amok — decimating forests, murdering rivers, polluting oceans — it won’t be long before either they and/ or the planet are liquidated.

What if viruses are the revolutionary vanguard of the planet’s non-human beings? What if they are the guerrilla army of Nature, battling the biggest threat to the biosphere? And what if ‘quarantine’ is just the coronavirus sending humans to detention camp?

Answer this question objectively: which of the two represents a bigger threat to the greatest number of species on earth? Homo sapiens or Sars-CoV2? Now tell me: are there or are there not two sides to the COVID-19 story? Of course there are: the virus’s side, and the Sars-CoV2’s side.

-- The Hindu

Indo American News Founder: Dr. K.L. Sindwani Publisher: Jawahar Malhotra Editor: Pramod Kulkarni Correspondent: Sanchali Basu ®All rights reserved. No material herein or portions thereof may be published without the written consent of the publisher. Deadline for advertising and articles is 4 pm on Monday of each week. Please include self-addressed, stamped envelope for return of all unsolicited material. Published at 7457 Harwin Drive, Suite 212, Houston, Texas 77036.Tel:713-789-6397, email: indoamericannews@yahoo.com, website: www. indoamerican-news.com

Indo-American News • Friday, March 20, 2020 • Online Edition: www.indoamerican-news.com

12

BUSINESS SUDOKU/RECIPE

March 20, 2020

SUDOKU

Place a Number in the empty boxes in such a way that each row across, each column down and each 9-box square contains all of the numbers from one to nine.

Send us the correct answer before before March 25, 2020.

Email us at indoamericannews@yahoo.com or mail to 7457 Harwin Drive, Suite 212, Houston, TX 77036. Please send us your solved Sudoku for your name to be published

Solution Next Week

Mama’s Punjabi Recipes By popular demand, here is a reprint of Mama’s Tamater te Piyaaz da Raita recipe, which is a tasty recipe for the summer months to eat with rice biryani, sabzi (vegetables) or simply with paranthas (crispy flatbreads). It is reprinted with some additional information and directions.

Tamater te Piyaaz da Raita (Tomato & Onion Yogurt Dip) Yogurt (dahin) has a special significance in Indian culture and religion. It is considered sacred and a purifying agent because of the relationship of cowmilk with many Hindu rituals and because yogurt, or curds as many Indian call it, were eaten up by the baby Lord Krishna.

Fresh clay praats (flat saucers) of yogurt with a thick layer of congealed cream on top are readily available at the halwai’s (sweet maker’s) shop all across most Indian cities though modern diaries now sell yogurt in white plastic pouches at kiosks. The taste of fresh halwai yogurt is very similar to the Greek yogurt that is so popular these days.

Last Week’s SUDOKU Solution

Yogurt has medicinal value too: it is quickly soothing in the blazing Indian summers, easily digested when eaten at lunchtime and should be avoided at night time. It is considered a good cure for severe diarrhea, especially when eaten with khichri (runny rice and lentils). Yogurt provides high protein content to a vegetarian diet.

Directions: 1. Peel the onion and then chop into small pieces. Wash the tomato and likewise chop into small pieces. Set aside.

Raita or yogurt dip or sauce is a byproduct of yogurt and is eaten all over India to complement and soften the taste - and sometimes the spiciness - of many Indian dishes. Raita must have the right consistency so that it doesn’t run all over the plate and can be eaten with roti, paranthas or chawal (rice).

3. Roast some jeera seeds on a tava (flat plate), grind them and sprinkle on the raita.

Raita is a quick and simple dish to make with vegetables can take the place of a salad, which, for most Punjabi meals, is a very simple arrangement of tamater (tomatoes), piyaaz (onions) and hari mirch (green peppers) – all very basic and healthy condiments to make the raita.

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Ingredients: • 500gm saddi dahin (plain yogurt) • ½ medium piyaaz (onion) •1 medium tamater (tomato) • ½ cup doodh (milk) • 10 leaves pudina (mint) (cut in halves) • ½ teaspoon jeera (cumin) – optional if you like the taste • Spices to taste: namak (salt), lal mirch (red pepper)

2. Place the dahin in a bowl and stir it thoroughly adding the milk to it.

Add the salt and pepper to taste and mix in the mint leaves.

4. Throw in the chopped tomato and onion and mix well but gently.

5. Chill for 10 minutes and serve.

Shakuntla Malhotra is a skilled cook of Punjabi dishes made in theold-fashioned style that she learnt as a young woman in her ancestral home in Lyallpur, India (since renamed Faisalabad) 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 late-eighties, she continues to cook daily and agreed to share her delectable Punjabi recipes for future generations.

MAMA’S TIP O F THE

WEEK

BOILING POTATO ES IN THE PRESSURE COO KER LEAVES STA INS Some cooks swea r th

cookers, using them at they can’t live without their pressure potatoes and othe to make daals (lentils), channe (chi r items. But my ex ckpeas), perience is that th cooker is overused e pressure by be less than satisfa people in a hurry and the results can often ctory. If left overdo become too soft an ne, the daals and potatoes d mushy, become soups or mashed instead.

One thing to be ca reful about is that co cookers will usua lly leave a residue oking potatoes in pressure and stain the insid to wash the vessel es. Be sure thoroughly so that it is clean and has from the starch or no for best results us e steel wool scrubb stain ers like

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713-789-6397 Indo-American News • Friday, MARCH 20, 2020 • Online Edition: www.indoamerican-news.com

ENTERTAINMENT

March 20, 2020

13

“Motichoor Chaknachoor”Review: Genuinely Funny Moments

With Bollywood in hiatus due to the Coronavirus, Indo-American News will publish reviews of movies on streaming sites such as Netflix, Sling and Hotstar.

Story: Anita aka Annie, a young girl from Bhopal, decides she will only marry an NRI. In the neighboring house, Pushpinder Tyagi who works in Dubai and is a 36-year-old bachelor on the lookout for a bride, is visiting his family. So will a romance brew between both of them?

Review: Annie (Athiya Shetty) has rejected a long list of suitors arranged by her parents on the condition that she will only marry someone settled abroad. So she can not only live there but also post photos on social media to make her friends jealous. Pushpinder (Nawazuddin) on the other hand is so desperate to marry now that he is willing to settle for anybody. His mother (Vibha Chibber) however is hoping to marry her

Available on Netflix.

son off only against a fat dowry. In due course, Annie’s aunt (Karuna Pandey) convinces her to consider Pushpinder as an option to marry,

because he fits the bill of living abroad. But does he?

Motichoor Chaknachoor tries to capitalize on the small town mi-

lieu and the usual mix of quirky characters that we have often seen in movies set in Northern India. So you have two sets of joint families

and conceit. But what is one of the most compelling things about this show is that it stands as a metaphor to life as we know it. Read our take on the show here.

The Two Popes: Netflix This 2019 Oscar-nominated movie is a biographical drama of well, two popes -- Pope Benedict and Pope Francis. While one is more orthodox and conventional in his ways, the latter likes to take life with a pinch of salt. A story of succession, power, peace and belief --The Two Popes features Anthony Hopkins and Jonathan Pryce in the lead. It has been helmed by Fernando Meirelles.

Killing Eve: Hotstar Both the seasons of this dark crime drama with humourous tones were received well by critics as well as the audience. Need we add that Phoebe Waller Bridge was one of the writers and showrunners of the first season? The series features Jodie Comer and Sandra Oh in the lead. Yes, you read that right -- an all female led detective show, and it’s quite the watch.

Crashing: Netflix Phoebe Waller Bridge to the rescue again. Six Twenty somethings live together in a non-functional hospital. There’s relationship, drama, romance and humour. Written and created by Phoebe Waller Bridge, Crashing is a sweet coming-of-age tale set in the UK. Patriot Act with Hasan Minhaj: Netflix With the help of some incredible graphics and nuanced research and writing, Hasan Minhaj presents his daily take on topical issues of the time. Worth every second. Now this is what they call infotainment.

The show is currently streaming on Netflix.

Modern Family: Hotstar A gay couple adopt an Asian kid, a latino is married to a crazy rich American, oh and there’s also

some teen drama coupled with quite a few serious laughs involved. This is what makes up ‘the modern family.’ Like Friends, this American series is one of those sitcoms you can watch at any given time of the day.

Fleabag: Amazon Prime Phoebe Waller Bridge is increasingly becoming a force to reckon with in the entertainment business. And Fleabag was a show that got her the widespread critical acclaim. Phoebe wrote, directed and acted as the protagonist in the show. The plot of the show might seem simple but it is not at all handled simplistically -- a young woman figuring out life after losing her best friend. More deets on the show, here.

Koffee with Karan: Hotstar In the mood for something fun and frivolous? Then this Karan Johar hosted show is right up your alley. Stars, gossip and glamour form the three key ingredients of the chat show. And everyone from SRK to Big B has graced the notorious coffee couch.

Soni: Netflix A Netflix Original, this movie is not your regular cop affair. It has no over-the-top action and faultless heroes. The characters are humane and imperfect, and the lead heroine gives us a glimpse of what happens to a righteous but somewhat temperamental police officer. Saloni Batra and Geetika Vidya star. Check out our review here.

Pushpavalli: Amazon Prime Sumukhi Suresh and Manish Anand starrer show mainly concerns itself with stalking and an obsessive kind of love (if at all it can be called that). Pushpavalli was supposed to marry a Brahmin man but things fall apart when she unwittingly falls for the charming Nikhil Rao. What follows next is chaos, madness and hilarity.

Once Upon a Time in Hollywood: Amazon Prime Video This Oscar nominated film by Quentin Tarantino is a love letter to the old Hollywood, the one which Tarantino witnessed as a youngster. It has elements of an epic movie, a historical drama and a thriller and packs quite a few moments of dark humour, Tarantino style. It features Leonardo di Caprio, Brad Pitt and Margot Robbie and a host of other well-known names of the industry in special appearances.

Friends: Netflix When you can’t see friends, thanks to social-distancing, what do you do? We recommend watching the very lovable ensemble of American sitcom Friends. Joey, Chandler, Ross, Monica, Rachel and Phoebe to the rescue!

Mulk: ZEE5 Taapsee Pannu starrer and Anubhav Sinha directed Thappad is winning accolades for its story and performances even as we write this. So it seems an apt time to watch the duo’s 2018 hard-hitting drama Mulk. The film revolves around one joint Muslim family whose honour is at stake after a family member takes to terrorism.

and most of their time seems to be divided between eating copious amounts of jalebi and kachoris and trying to find the required bride and bridegroom for their respective off-springs. While it may have been intended as a quirky comedy of a so called misfit couple, the tedious chain of events in the film makes it a tiresome watch after a point. And although it tried to be a social satire, many of the dialogues and scenarios are problematic.

On the up side, there are some genuinely funny moments. Nawazuddin shines in some of the comic and emotional scenes. Athiya Shetty makes a sincere effort and pulls off some scenes impressively. Karuna Pandey as the aunt and Vibha Chibber as the mother make an impact. And film’s soundtrack is pleasant. Overall, Motichoor Chaknachoor comes off as a mixed bag that leaves a lot to be desired in the execution department. -Times of India

What to Watch on Streaming Services: Hotstar, Netflix, Amazon Prime Out of nowhere, web series have become an indispensable part of our daily entertainment. They are available to watch 24×7 unlike films and television shows, which have specific schedules. Apart from global players like Netflix and Amazon Prime Video, several desi streaming platforms have also cropped up. Hotstar is the biggest streamer or OTT platform in India.

You’ve Got Mail: Hotstar Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks star in this Nora Ephron directorial when the internet age was just beginning to make its presence felt.

While Ryan’s character is an independent book shop owner, Hanks owns a big multi-storey store. The two combat each other and somewhere in the middle, predictably fall in love. However, despite those certain forseeable endings and situations, the film is immensely watchable.

Deadpool: Hotstar Deadpool is the quintessential antihero flick with oodles of action, bawdy humour and thrilling sequences. This blockbuster won hearts for its writing and a winning performance by lead star Ryan Reynolds. A perfect watch to take your mind off things.

Schitt’s Creek: Netflix This Dan and Eugene Levy sitcom is a pure delight from start to finish. With six seasons and each episode lasting for about 20-25 minutes, what we have at hand here is a masterful comedy. Things go haywire when Johnny Rose and his eccentric family go broke and are coerced into retiring in one of their previous properties by the name of Schitt’s Creek.

His Dark Materials: Hotstar James McAvoy, Dafne Keen and Ruth Wilson star in this epic fantastical drama series based on the books penned by Philip Pullman.

There is science, magic, power

Set in the Indian heartland, Mulk also features Rishi Kapoor. For more details, read our review.

Last Week Tonight with John Oliver: Hotstar This highly acclaimed variety show and its host, John Oliver, take everything from politics to social issues head on. Witty and brilliant, Last Week Tonight boasts of a very personable host and extremely tight writing. The episodes are also available to stream on YouTube.

Special OPS: Hotstar A crime thriller and a manhunt to nab a notorious terrorist, Hotstar’s latest Special OPS has many things working for it. The show also stars Karan Tacker, Divya Dutta and Vinay Pathak among others. For more deets, check out our first impression of the show here.

War: Amazon Prime Video One of the biggest hits of all time, this Bollywood blockbuster features the good-looking pair of Hrithik Roshan and Tiger Shroff in the lead. Twists, and dramatic turns and impressive action stunts makes this film a total blast to watch. -- Indian Express

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Indo-American News • Friday, March 20, 2020 • Online Edition: www.indoamerican-news.com

14

TRAVEL

March 20, 2020 India Off the Beaten Track

Daulatabad – Ephemeral Capital

Daulatabad fort with Chand Minar in the foreground.

By Shashishekhar Gavai Aurangabad in Maharashtra is home to two great archaeological wonders of ancient India, Ajanta and Ellora, both UNESCO World Heritage sites. These overshadow other monuments in the district which are significant by themselves. The most spectacular of these, and historically important, is the fort of Daulatabad, about 15 kilometres from Aurangabad.

The fort of Devagiri was built by the Yadava king Bhillana V in 1187 CE on a 200 metres high hill. It was captured by the eunuch Malik Kafur, the brilliant general of Sultan Allauddin Khilji (of Padmawat fame) in 1308 CE. In 1325 CE, Muhammad bin Tughlaq ascended the throne of Delhi. He was a mixture of opposites – brilliant, learned and cultured on the one hand and cruel and capricious to the extreme on the other. His radical reforms included incentives for cultivation of fallow land and high-value crops, a token currency to replace gold and silver coins and relocation of the capital of the empire from Delhi to Devagiri (which he renamed Daulatabad). But his unstable character bordering on insanity ensured the failure of them all.

In 1328 CE, Muhammad initiated the moving of the capital, on the face of it a rational decision. Delhi was vulnerable to invasions from the north (as would become evident time and again in the future) whereas Daulatabad around the centre of the empire and reinforced by a formidable fort, was strategically much more secure. But his madness ruined the venture. He forced the citizens of Delhi to move to Daulatabad, a 40 days march , inflicting untold misery upon them, with many dying on the road. According to a story, surely apocryphal, one blind and reluctant gentleman was literally

dragged all the way and all that arrived of him at Daulatabad was a leg. Muhammad’s new capital of Daulatabad is said to have rivalled Delhi in size and population. But the deranged and unpredictable Sultan was incapable of sustaining such a huge undertaking and he moved the capital back to Delhi eight years later. The move from Delhi to Daulatabad did however produce an unintended culinary bonus. Some inventive cooks accompanying Muhammad’s troops created for them a fluffy ‘naan’ brushed with turmeric and jaggery water for a long shelf life together with ‘Qalia’ a slowly cooked, spicy, yoghurt-based, oilrich meat curry as the accompaniment. These signature dishes are even today served by the Muslim community in Aurangabad at weddings and other functions.

His empire disintegrating around him, Muhammad bin Tughlaq died in Sindh in 1351 CE . The medieval historian Badayuni wrote caustically that Muhammad’s death liberated him from his people and his people from him. Could the history of India have been different had Muhammad been more capable and mentally stable and had Daulatabad remained the capital of the empire with strong and competent rulers at the helm? Would Babar in 1526 CE have taken the risk to venture another 1,300 kilometres into the heart of India to take on the Sultanate and its intimidating fort ? If not, the Mughals may never have ruled over India. One can go on speculating endlessly!

Following the decline of the Delhi Sultanate, Daulatabad fell to the Bahamani Sultanate of the Deccan. The latter broke up into five successor principalities and Daulatabad became part of the Nizam Shahi sultanate of Ahmednagar. In the 17th century, during Shah Jahan’s reign, the Mughals captured it. Successive conquer-

Daulatabad fort: sheer cliff rising from the moat.

ors embellished Daulatabad and added to the fortifications according to their requirement or fancy.

A fort is invincible only until the next time it is conquered. And so it was with Daulatabad. Yet it was a formidable fort and I can see why as I make my way through it.

The outer wall of Daulatabad is almost 4.5 kilometres in circumference. Between this and the base of the fort are three defensive walls. Within them are a number of significant structures including the 200-foot Chand Minar erected in 1445 CE by the Bahmani sultan Allauddin to commemorate his capture of the city and the Chini Mahal, once a handsome building but now in ruin. As you go up the hill fort you encounter a complex arrangement of true gates, false gates, a maze, tunnels, curved passages and a moat at the foot of a sheer cliff – all designed to confuse and trap the invader. And near the top an iron grating was placed over an entranceway where a large fire was lit to guarantee a ‘warm’ welcome to the enemy. Cannons were placed at strategic points to bombard enemy positions below.

Daulatabad was unique among Indian forts with its multiple defensive and offensive systems.

After a strenuous climb, I retrace my path downwards, stopping midway to catch my breath. It’s a Saturday and groups of children on a school trip are on their way up.

They stop for a breather too and I strike conversation in Marathi with a girl in school uniform who seats herself on the stone platform near me . She is nine and in class III of primary school. I ask her if she’s enjoying the trip. She shakes her head and says it’s too hot and there are too many steps to climb.

I recall my own childhood visit to Daulatabad with my parents ages ago and empathize with the girl – my mother had kept prodding me to keep climbing much

against my will. I amuse myself with the thought that my feelings then must have been similar to that of the blind man who was dragged from Delhi to Daulatabad on Muhammad bin Tughlaq’s orders.

The school teacher calls out to his flock to reassemble. The girl gets to her feet reluctantly and joins her friends.

Khuldabad is a short drive away, about midway between Daulatabad and Ellora with roadside vendors selling figs and guavas grown in the neighborhood. Khuldabad has several monuments, the most important being Aurangzeb’s tomb.

The emperor had died in Ahmednagar in 1707 CE at the age of 89.

He had wished to be buried, in absolute simplicity, at Khuldabad near the tomb of a muslim saint he revered. Religious zealot though he may have been, Aurangzeb had at least one endearing attribute – his genuine asceticism in life and in death. Despite the unimaginable riches at his disposal his personal expenses were met from the sale of the caps that he stitched and the copies of the Quran that he wrote in his own hand. Yet it is not easy to comprehend that this is indeed the final resting place of the last great Mughal emperor, the richest man in the world of his time. The grave is open to the skies , covered only with soil, a lone ‘sabja’ plant growing on it. It is in a courtyard which until the early 20th century was shorn of any ornamentation.

George Curzon, Viceroy of India and a great patron of its archaeological monuments, felt that Aurangzeb deserved better and had marble flooring laid and carved ‘jaalis’ erected around the tomb.

Adjacent to the emperor’s tomb sits a Muslim vendor of assorted items, antiques and old coins. He shows me coins going back from the Mughal era to the Chalukyan period about a thousand years ago. They have been discovered

around Khuldabad. He names a reasonable price and I am tempted to buy but I am not a numismatist . The vendor complains that visitors are few and business slack due to fears created by NRC (National Register of Citizens, a controversial proposal of the central government which many fear could unfairly target the Muslim community and also cause harassment to the common man). I do not see the connection between decline in the number of tourists and NRC, but the anxiety of the man over the proposed measure is palpable. His family has lived in Khuldabad for generations and surely deserves to be spared the insecurity that NRC has generated.

Aurangzeb had spent the last 26 years of his life, just over half his long reign, in the Deccan fighting a relentless war with the Marathas and other adversaries. His victories were pyrrhic and any territorial gains were offset by losses elsewhere. His wars had drained the finances of the empire, which though larger in area than under any of his predecessors, was crumbling from the inside. Indeed, within just a few years of Aurangzeb’s death the great Mughal empire would be in terminal decline.

A principal cause had been the ruler’s religious intolerance which exacerbated the religious divide, alienating large sections of his subjects and sparking off rebellions impossible to douse. This is indeed a valuable lesson from history which should not be lost on us present-day Indians. A sobering thought as I exit the monument to return to Aurangabad.

A retired Indian Foreign Service Officer, Shashishekhar Gavai’s career has included serving as the Consul General of India in Houston and India’s High Commissioner for Canada. For a full version of this and other travelogs, visit indiaoffthebeatentrack.home.blog.

Indo-American News • Friday, MARCH 20, 2020 • Online Edition: www.indoamerican-news.com

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By Jawahar Malhotra

HOUSTON: Indo America News

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Indo-American News • Friday, MARCH 20, 2020 • Online Edition: www.indoamerican-news.com