Indo-American News: September 29, 2023

Grand Inauguration of the BAPS Swaminarayan Akshardham

Robbinsville, new JeRsey, recently has become the epicenter of profound spiritual fervor as the BAPS Swaminarayan Akshardham hosted the threemonth-long “Festival of Inspirations.” Uniting various events under its umbrella, the festival was a clarion call for unity, spirituality, and community service, echoing Pramukh Swami Maharaj’s life motto, “In the joy of others lies our own.”

In the last week, on September 23, 2023, the Indian Community day celebration brought dozens of organizations to celebrate the spirit of selfless service. Pujya Gnanvatsaldas Swami initiated the evening, emphasizing the profound meaning behind the motto, “In the Joy of Others,” showcased by Pramukh Swami Maharaj and carried forward by His Holiness Mahant Swami Maharaj. Highlights included powerful addresses from Mr. Anurag Kumar, President of the Bihar Jharkhand Association of North America, Mr. Syam Kosigi, Vice President of Seva International USA, and other notable figures who echoed the ideals of unity, spirituality, and the essence of community service. Mr. Shrikanth Datta, a member of the Shri Ganapathy Sachchidananda Gita Foundation, summed up the evening’s sentiments quite eloquently when he said “Bhagwan Shri Krishna says whatever you see which is powerful and magnificent, understand that to be a splendor of mine. We are witnessing the glory of our sanatan dharma, the glory of the Bhagwan, and the powerful vision of Pramukh Swami Maharaj in the form of Akshardham. Take this as a valuable treasure for generations; this is a temple built by volunteers.”

Another pivotal event took place on September 16, 2023, focused on “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam: The World Is One Family.” Through mesmerizing stage performances, guest addresses, and personal narratives, the attendees were urged to look beyond superficial differences, embracing the universal family’s essence. Esteemed guests like City of Edison Mayor Sam Joshi, Bawa Jain, Secretary-General for the World Council of Religious Leaders, and others shared insights and experiences that showcased Akshardham’s mission in upholding timeless values.

One of the most touching moments was a recount of an incident involving His Holiness Mahant Swami Maharaj and Steven, a young man from Africa, underscoring the depth of selfless connection beyond cultural boundaries.

His Holiness Mahant Swami Maharaj, in his addresses across the events, consistently emphasized unity and universal brotherhood. He beautifully summed up, “Our scriptures profess ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam - the world is one family. We’re all God’s children.’ This is an unalterable truth. As long as our actions reflect morality and our character remains pure, we are esteemed in the eyes of God.”

The Festival of Inspirations united attendees from varied backgrounds under shared ideals, it illustrated the magnificent vision of Pramukh Swami Maharaj, illuminating the path for present and future generations to tread upon.

The final phase of the festival is the inauguration of the BAPS Swaminarayan Akshardham. His Holiness Pramukh Swami Maharaj, the fifth spiritual successor of Bhagwan Swaminarayan, envisioned a majestic Hindu mandir and campus in the United States that would integrate and consolidate thousands of years of inspiring Hindu culture and architecture.

BAPS Swaminarayan Akshardham, a campus spread over 185 acres, has been built by 12,500 volunteers who devoted millions of hours of selfless service. The breathtaking BAPS Swaminarayan Akshardham, carved from 1.9 million cubic feet of stone will be inaugurated by His Holiness Mahant Swami Maharaj.

The inaugural festivities will begin on September 30, culminating in a grand dedication ceremony on October 8, 2023. Experience a once in a once-in-amillennium cultural program for the dedication ceremony of the BAPS Swaminarayan Akshardham on October 8, 2023, from 4:45 pm ET to 8:00 pm ET on https://usa.akshardham.org/. BAPS Swaminarayan Akshardham will be open to visitors from October 18th onwards.

Pujya Gnanvatsaldas Swami initiated the evening, emphasizing the profound meaning behind the motto, “In the Joy of Others,” showcased by Pramukh Swami Maharaj

Mr. Shrikanth Datta expressed, “Witness the glory of our sanatan dharma and Pramukh Swami Maharaj’s vision in Akshardham: a temple built by volunteers.”

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Elements of Montessori Education for Young Children

ABSORBENT MIND

Dr. Montessori believed that the brains of young children work in a different way from that of adults. She referred to the time from birth - 6 as the “Absorbent Mind.” During the period of the absorbent mind, young children are capable of absorbing immense amounts of information about the environment through their senses. A child’s mind acts like a sponge, soaking up information.

SENSITIVE PERIOD

During the period of the absorbent mind, the child passes through a succession of well-defined stages or epochs, which are defined as the “Sensitive Periods.” A sensitive period may be compared to a ray of interest – like a searchlight coming from the child’s mind – which lights up certain things in the world around them with a peculiar vividness and fascination. While it is there, it enables them to absorb those things with an astonishing ease and power. But a sensitive period is a transitory phenomenon, lasting just long enough for the child to establish certain acquisitions and skills. Then it passes – never to return – giving place to another, which in its turn is succeeded by the next, and so on.

PREPARED ENVIRONMENT

The important thing is that no matter how absorbent the child’s mind may be, ultimately, it cannot absorb what is not there. Therefore, Montessori education endeavors to develop the “Prepared Environ-

ment” that helps make the fullest use of the absorbent mind of the child. In the Prepared Environment, the child is encouraged to explore Montessori Didactic Materials to meet the needs in each sensitive period at each developmental stage of the child. The Montessori environment is prepared in Practical Life, Sensorial, Language, Mathematics, Culture, and Science areas.

CHARACTERISTICS OF MONTESSORI DIDACTIC MATERIALS

Montessori Didactic Materials, which are unlocked by the well trained Montessori teacher’s presentation to the child, have the following characteristics.

1. HANDS-ON ACTIVITY

In Montessori education, children have plenty of time for opportunities to learn by exploring Montessori’s Didactic Materials through seeing, hearing, touching, feeling, and manipulating with. In the child’s term, NOTHING IN MY HANDS, NOTHING IN MY BRAIN.

2. ISOLATED PROPERTIES

In Montessori education, the property which is intended for the child to learn is isolated so that it helps the child discover it. For example, the Knobbed Cylinders have knobbed cylinder blocks that isolate the concept of diameter. For this, all Knob cylinders have the same shape, height, and texture: only the diameter varies. This principle of property isolation serves to focus the children’s minds on dimensions that vary.

3. CONTROL OF ERROR

Control of error is a method of self-correction that is built into the design of Montessori Didactic materials. Control of error provides children with opportunities to see

for themselves when they need to make a correction which allows them to determine independently what the correction should be. Dr. Montessori believed that if the child is given enough time to fix their errors independently, it can help the child build their self-confidence and self-awareness, which allows the work to become an intrinsic reward.

4. MATERIALIZED ABSTRACTIONS

Although most adults have an understanding of what color is, the idea of color is actually an abstract concept because it is difficult to explain. What Is red? Or blue? Dr. Montessori recognized the need to make abstract concepts more concrete so children could better understand them.

Therefore, Dr. Montessori designed sensory materials that can provide concrete examples of abstract concepts. Montessori called it “Materialized Abstraction.” By manipulating the materials, what was once known only to the brain

is now understood through the kinesthetic movement of the body, which enables the children to clearly recall those abstract impressions (Excerpted from NAMC).

5. HIDDEN LOGICS

When children work with Montessori Materials, they have fun playing with them. Although children are not aware of this, there is a cognitively precise step-by-step logic hidden within their materials, and it is designed to scaffold the child’s future learning.

For example, the Binomial Cube is one of children’s favorite puzzles. Although it may seem to them that they are just playing with puzzles, they are actually forming the basic foundations of algebra.

6. DISCOVERY LEARNING

In Montessori, phonetic alphabet sounds are used instead of the names of alphabets. The child learns how to sound the letters through games using the Sound Pouches. Before a child can use pencil and paper to write words, they use the “Movable Alphabets” to write words. For example, when the child wants to make the word, “cat,” he sounds out each sound such as /k/, /a/, and then they ask the teacher, “Which letter makes /t/ sound?” This is a great time to introduce the child that the letter ‘t’ makes the /t/ sound. Montessori class is where discovery learning occurs, and it is through this discovery that children experience the joys of learning.

Treachery, Blame Put Frost on Indo-Canadian Relations

by AvinAsH GAvAi, CoRRespondent

Houston: Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s recent assertion in parliament regarding “credible allegations” implicating Indian intelligence in the murder of a Sikh activist in British Columbia has generated significant attention in India. This statement, for various reasons, was met with surprise and anger.

Firstly, Trudeau’s claim clashed with India’s national narrative, which typically portrays the country as a paragon of moral virtue, staunchly opposed to engaging in illicit activities on foreign soil. The suggestion that India might orchestrate such a heinous act contradicted the self-image India upholds.

More significantly, the notion that India could be behind an assassination on Western soil, a charge vehemently denied by India’s foreign ministry, marked a notable escalation in India’s covert operations against dissidents and supporters of separatism abroad. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, known for his commitment to reshape India’s traditionally non-confrontational approach to international affairs, declared his resolve in no uncertain terms. After a 2019 terrorist attack in Kashmir, he articulated a policy of taking aggressive action against extremists living abroad. This declaration was swiftly followed by an audacious air force raid into Pakistani territory, which garnered widespread acclaim and was credited with Modi’s party’s electoral success.

Trudeau’s statement triggered a diverse response on Indian rightwing social media, where public sentiment often foreshadows official narratives. Some embraced the idea of India’s involvement, viewing it as a testament to the nation’s growing power, while others vehemently rejected the allegations, branding Trudeau as dishonest. Some vacillated between these viewpoints.

Within India, some advocated for an Israel-like strategic ambiguity, hoping to maintain international suspicion regarding India’s involvement without concrete evidence. However, this approach may backfire, leading to a perception of guilt rather than plausible

deniability.

The situation represents a diplomatic and intelligence failure. While the victim, Hardeep Singh Nijjar, was far from a saintly figure, a more discreet approach should have been adopted once Canadian officials raised the issue privately.

The meeting between Trudeau and Modi at the G-20 summit in New Delhi only exacerbated the situation. Trudeau personally conveyed the allegations to Modi, and soon after the official Indian readout accused Canada of supporting religious militancy and organized crime. Many aspects of the case remain shrouded in mystery, and the official Indian perspective argues that Canada harbors Sikh separatist sympathizers who have influenced the murder investigation.

The Hindustan Times recently reported that India’s dossier, submitted to Ottawa and Washington, contains extensive documentation spanning multiple pages. It includes ten charges filed against what it states is a terrorist responsible for contract killings targeting Indian citizens. Nijjar began as a plumber in Surrey but later aligned himself with radical elements, eventually becoming the president of Guru Nanak Sikh Gurudwara. This religious institution openly exhibits images of Khalistan terrorists from past decades, including Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale. Nijjar was also affiliated with the banned organization, Babbar Khalsa In-

ternational, and later joined the Khalistan Tiger Force (KTF). Subsequently, he traveled to Pakistan in 2013 and 2014, engaging in meetings with ISI officials to bolster the KTF and orchestrate acts of terrorism in the Indian state of Punjab. The dossier states that his involvement encompassed activities such as identification, networking, training, financing, and operationalizing KTF module members. In other words, India viewed him as a major national security threat. The United States reportedly shared intelligence with Canada, aiding in implicating India. Intercepted communications among

Indian diplomats in Canada hinted at their involvement, according to Canadian officials, without getting into further details.

If the investigation yields enough evidence of state-sponsored involvement, it would signal a significant shift in India’s approach to overseas extremism. Historically, India has targeted militants in exile in Pakistan but refrained from actions against the broader diaspora, even during periods of strained relations with Western countries.

The priority now lies in conducting a transparent investigation in Canada, with proactive cooperation from the Indian government.

So far, Canada has not shared any evidence with India.

The United States for its part now faces a crucial decision, needing to balance its alliance commitments with its partnership with In-

dia, a bulwark against a growing Chinese threat. It would definitely calculate that its partnership with India is more consequential in the long term than some of its obligations to Canada.

Other recent developments in Canada have raised questions about Trudeau’s credibility on the global stage.

The leader of Canada’s opposition this week criticized the prime minister for honoring a veteran who fought alongside the Nazis during World War II. A major controversy erupted after Yaroslav Hunka, a 98-year-old Ukrainian immigrant, was recognised as a war hero in Canada’s House of Commons during a visit by President Volodymyr Zelensky.

A former Indian ambassador to Canada humorously questioned “whether this act was also based on credible intelligence.”

Hardeep Singh Nijjar

Stunning Multi-generational Home Now Available in West U

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Overall, this home was built with a steel-beam structure, and designed with the finest materials, sourcing the best workmanship available. This gracious and serene home has been meticulously maintained to highest standards, for the most discriminating buyer. This home is nestled in the beautiful city of West University, with its

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This home is zoned to the highly acclaimed West U Elementary School, and just minutes to the West U Library and Senior Services, where you’ll find more activities and programs. And the Little League field is a very short bike ride from home, as well as the Recreation Center with an all-weather indoor pool and exercise room. Here you’ll find more classes that you and your family would enjoy to keep you fit and healthy.

Ranked among the nation’s top 20 universities by US News and World Report, Rice University’s beautiful campus is just five minutes away. Check out all the gratis programs and presentations Rice University offers to local residents. And before you arrive to the University, take a stroll through Rice Village for a sumptuous meal at one of the many delectable restaurants and bistros. So many diverse choices– yum!

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ENTERTAINMENT

by dHAvAl Roy

Story: The crime drama follows the story of a single mother and her daughter, who find themselves entangled in a murder. They find an unexpected ally in their neighbor, a simple but genius teacher while navigating the ongoing police investigation.

Review: A single mother, Maya D’Souza (Kareena Kapoor), finds herself amid a murder investigation when her abusive ex-husband, Ajit Mhatre (Saurabh Sachdeva) dies and she becomes the prime and sole suspect. Her neighbour, Naren (Jaideep Ahlawat), a mathematics genius, helps her as a brilliant and dogged Inspector Karan Anand (Vijay Varma) investigates the crime. Will Maya be saved or caught and separated from her young daughter, Tara (Naisha Khanna)?

An adaptation of the Japanese bestselling novel, Keigo Higashino’s ‘The Devotion of Suspect X,’ Sujoy Ghosh’s crime drama is not a ‘whodunit’ but a ‘howdunit.’ Its intrigue lies not in identifying the killer but in discovering how the culprit outsmarts the cops. Cowriters Sujoy and Raj Vasant build the tension quickly when Ajit is murdered, and Maya becomes a suspect because of her dark past.

As the story progresses, it becomes clear that there’s more to the murder than meets the eye, and the cat-and-mouse game between the characters is engaging. However, although the plot twists are executed well, the film has flaws; for example, Karan suspects Maya too quickly, gets some clues easily, and leaves some things unanswered—which are best left for the viewers to discover to avoid giving spoilers. Besides being a mystery drama, the movie also explores themes of love, sac-

Solution Next Week

rifice, and the fine line between devotion and obsession. Cinematographer Avik Mukhopadhyay captures the gloomy climes of Kalimpong adeptly.

Jaideep Ahlawat is phenomenal as a socially awkward genius and a man madly in love. Whether expressing frustration, helplessness, or determination, the actor’s performance is on point. His character development deserves special mention, and Jaideep handles it with aplomb, especially shining towards the end. Kareena Kapoor owns every scene she appears in and excels even when her emotions transition from fear, mild annoyance, rage to awkwardness, or sass (watch out for her in the karaoke club scene with Vijay Varma, when she sways to Helen’s titular track, Aa jaane jaan). Vijay Varma also exhibits his prowess as a charming and steadfast cop. He has easy chemistry with both his co-actors.

‘Jaane Jaan’ doesn’t fit the mould of an adrenaline-fueled, highspeed thriller; instead, it takes its time to weave its tale. The narra-

tive occasionally loses its tight grip on the audience, but the compelling performances hold your attention during these moments. If you have an affinity for the kind of cinema that exudes a melancholic, enigmatic, and contemplative atmosphere, this film will strike a chord with you. However, the film falls short of keeping up with the grip and fast pace of the book that was unputdownable... -- Times of India

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