Saathee Charlotte April 2019

Bridging America and the Indian Subcontinent

Saathee.com

April 2019

IN THIS ISSUE

India Gears Up for World’s Largest Election In ConCert Javed Ali Arijit Singh Sonu Nigam & Neha Sukhwinder Singh

Mothers

be Prepared to be Spoiled!

Indian Expressions LLC Presents

pm) 0 3 : 8 , y a d i r 9 (F NC April 26, 201 e t t o l r a h C , orium Ovens Audit

TKAR O B M A J A H IS N & MA

April 26, 2019 (Friday, 8:30 pm) Ovens Auditorium, Charlotte NC

Book early for the best seats in the house!

Tickets: VIP, $129, $99, $79, $69, $59, $49

Purchase Tickets: TicketMaster.com or Bojangles Coliseum Ticket Booth General Information: 704-666-3217; Rajni Patel 704-488-8145; Rajiv Saddy rsaddy@yahoo.com; Delia Patel 843-814-4538 Babita Bhargava babitausa@gmail.com

April 2019 Issue # 251 Editor

Samir Shukla

(Samir@Saathee.com)

page 14 India’s Election Looms Large

page 18 Upcoming Events in the Region

Hello ReadeRs!

India is set to conduct the world’s largest election beginning in April. See the story on page 14.

Is public shaming the new Scarlet Letter of the 21st century? Read our column on page 36.

Read about India’s WhatsApp election.

Are political parties risking undermining democracy with technology? See page page 46.

Do election results affect stock market returns? Read our analysis on page 80.

The North Carolina Science Festival covers the whole month of April. It is where the entire state joins in the fun of discovery. See page 94.

Pop’s world famous puzzles and jokes are on page 118.

The AstroScope, our exclusive monthly horoscope is on page 122.

There are many new classifieds in our section on page 124, find everything from nannies to a new job or business opportunities.

As always, we welcome your comments.

Quote:

"I think the first duty of society is justice."

- Alexander Hamilton

page 28

Film Clips and Movie News

page 50 Spot the Differences in these Images

In tHIs Issue

The Editor’s Desk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg. 12 India’s Election Looms Large . . . . . .pg. 14 Community Events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg. 18 Upcoming Movie Releases . . . . . . . .pg. 24 Film Clips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg. 28 Subcontinental Divide . . . . . . . . . . . .pg. 32 Mirror Mirror . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg. 36 Namaskar Y’all . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg. 40 Full Frame Preview . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg. 44 India’s WhatsApp Election . . . . . . . .pg. 46 Spot the Differences . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg. 50 College Admissions Insider . . . . . . .pg. 52 Increase Your India Knowledge . . . .pg. 54 Raajeev’s Corner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg. 58 Thinking About Thinking . . . . . . . . .pg. 62 Kismuth and the Way . . . . . . . . . . . .pg. 64 Dances of India . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg. 70 Nutrition for Life . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg. 72 Personal Finances . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg. 76 Buy Right, Sit Tight . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg. 80 Immigration Matters . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg. 82 Made in Heaven Review . . . . . . . . . .pg. 86 News Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg. 88 NC Science Festival . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg. 94 American Dance Festival . . . . . . . . . .pg. 96 Community Organizations . . . . . . .pg. 100 Youth Corner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg. 116 Pop’s Puzzles and Jokes . . . . . . . . .pg. 118 Festivals and Holidays . . . . . . . . . . .pg. 120 Puzzle Solutions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg. 120 AstroScope . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg. 122 Classifieds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg. 124 Index of Advertisers . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg. 128

Cover: The valleys of Kashmir

A young girl walks through a field of flowers in a valley in Kashmir.

Photo: Shutterstock

Publisher & Advertising Divakar Shukla

(rakavid@aol.com)

Ad Design / Layout Nageshwar Andrews

Digital Media & Marketing

Jennifer W. Allen & Dhruv Pathak

Contributors for this issue:

Kirit Shukla, Shivani Tripathi, Parul Kharod, Rishi P. Oza, Dipika Kohli, Kristen Moon, Mo Vidwans, Balaji Prasad, Amit Rupani, Ahsen Jillani, Dr. Maha Gingrich, Dilip Barman and Jalendu Vaidya.

All content

© 2019 Shukla Entertainment, Inc.

Opinions expressed herein are those of the writers and advertisers and not necessarily of the publisher or editor.

Please contact us prior to submitting articles or photographs.

Saathee is published monthly. Deadlines for advertisement, submissions and events information is 15th of the month.

For a free Saathee subscription, visit saathee.com/subscription Mission: Our goal is to be a valuable source of information for the South Asian community and to be a vital advertising tool for businesses.

- Founded 1998 -

Saathee Magazine

P.O. Box 11468 Charlotte, NC 28220 704.527.7570 Fax: 704.527.7590

saatheemag@hotmail.com Saathee.com

“Bridging America and the Indian Subcontinent.”

Saathee (USPS 021-116) (ISSN: 1543-8147) is published monthly by:

Shukla Entertainment Inc. 655 Pressley Rd., Ste G, Charlotte, NC 28217 Periodicals postage paid at Charlotte, NC and additional mailing offices.

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to

Saathee, P.O. Box 11468, Charlotte, NC 28220-1468

IPAAC: April event

Vocal Recital by Dr. Ashwini Bhide Deshpande Tate Recital Hall, CPCC on April 20, 2019 (6 PM) Membership at IPAAC.org.

For more info call

Chaula Jain: 704-248-1515 or Jyoti Kulkarn: at 704-804-1275

Indian Performing Arts Association of Charlotte. Promoting Indian Classical Art since 2005.

Saathee.com

11

April 2019

The Editor’s Desk

By Samir Shukla

I have said this and will continue to say that, in the end, the Democrats need a close-to-center candidate to beat Trump. I can hear the howls of left-wing Dems giving me an evil eye already.

Let me put it this way, all the talk of reparations, taxing the wealthy, Medicare for all, increasing social security taxes, New Green Deal, may fire up the progressive base, but unless they are spelled out in fiscal detail, they are just talk. Primarily, even if the money is worked out, they require massive changes in people’s habits, behavior, and status quo. There’s a substantial number of Republicans and Conservatives looking for someone to vote for that’s not named Trump. They are not going to look at the increasingly hard left turn of Democrats, just as they are turned off by the hard right turn of the Republicans.

Also, Republicans have become masters of simplifying their message where the average Joe can grab onto it. Simple words, simple concepts. I know the primaries are where the hard-progressives and hard-conservatives lurk.

The Democratic candidate that can learn to balance the activists with a message of workable policy, longterm views, specific incremental changes, and, yes, fiscal responsibility, will emerge ahead of the pack, even victorious.

Imagine a Democrat talking about fiscal responsibility when the current crop of Republicans and so-called conservatives are spending money like drunken gamblers.

A simple advice to all the progressives duking it out with other progressives on social media, it’s way too early, don’t eat your own, it will sort out.

It’s funny how we are becoming more tribal in the political sphere, but at the same time during events such as sports and music, we untangle our usual tribalism and weave a different community. A couple of Carolina or NC State fans high-fiving each other every time their team scores maybe politically polar opposite, but in that one moment, after a slam dunk, or during a soaring guitar solo in a concert, the tribes merge into a whole.

Candidates that understand these commonalities will prevail.

The Democratic National Convention 2020 will be held in Milwaukee. That’s a smart move as Trump flipped Wisconsin, along with Michigan and Pennsylvania (three states Hillary Clinton was expected to win) in 2016.

The decision by Democratic National Committee to not do any debates on Fox News shows a sign of weakness and, more importantly, a missed opportunity. If you want to win back independents and soft Republicans, don’t preach to the choir.

Go into the lion’s den and defend your beliefs.

The current crops of politicians are admirable in that they want to do something big. Big economic policies and social policies. Slow down folks. You can talk of going as big as you want, but in the long-term, incremental changes tend to stick and do the greater good. Big economic changes tend to help a certain segment while screwing another segment. There is never a win-win. Social change doesn’t do big and quick. It is naturally slow. That’s where a stroll is better than a road race.

India’s election Gearing up

India’s national election is just around the corner. The numbers are mind boggling. There are nearly 900 million eligible voters. Think about that. It is an exercise in democracy unprecedented in human history. The closest cousin in numbers is of course the United States.

India’s Election Commission has announced the elections will be held in seven phases, between April 11 and May 19, 2019.

The results will be declared on May 23.

The big battle is set. Narendra Modi is running for reelection while Rahul Gandhi challenges him for the seat of Prime Minister.

Social media played a large part in Modi’s rise in 2014. Now, five years later, social media, especially WhatsApp, will have a huge effect on the elections.

There’s no way to conduct India’s election in a single day. India’s Parliamentary system has myriad political parties that must form coalitions to win and survive. United States’ two-party system is not going anywhere for a while.

The world’s biggest democracy and the world’s most powerful democracy are brothers in arms and natural economic partners, not to mention the most diverse countries in the world.

If America’s upcoming presidential election is a rumbling road race, India’s national elections are a double-barreled locomotive, fully-loaded and brimming with people hanging on to every corner, compartment, doorway and rooftop, while careening toward the horizon. The awaiting future.

Road Rage 2020

Volume 2: nC 9 district and the road gets further clogged th

Ok, so the 2018 American election is still not over, at least in a neck of the North Carolina woods. The debacle of North Carolina 9th Congressional District shows how fraud can undermine the voting process. An investigation into possible election fraud is under way. Republican Mark Harris looked as though he won in the 2018 election in November, defeating Democrat Dan McCready by 905 votes. Not so fast. After reviewing the numbers, the NC State Board of Elections has ordered a new election, citing irregularities among mail-in absentee ballots.

We are off to a redo. The NC State Board decided to first hold a primary election on May 14. After that, September 10 will either be the date of the runoff primary election, if it’s necessary, or the general election. If a runoff primary is needed, the general election will be held November 5. The sad part is that the winner will be seated in the House of Representatives for about a year; in essence the winner will start working for reelection just as soon as being seated.

McCready is running again, unopposed in the Democratic primary, while 10 Republicans are going to fight it out in the Republican primary to get a chance to take on McCready.

Turning to the mushrooming numbers of Democrats running for president, now Beto O’Rourke has tossed his name into the ring. Joe Biden is pretty much going to run, he’s just taking his time to announce. He is still a landline kind of guy.

Saathee.com

Samir Shukla

Editor of Saathee magazine contact - Samir@Saathee.com

12

April 2019

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India is Set to Conduct

World’s Largest Election

Setting the stage for a nearly two-month-long political battle, India’s Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sunil Arora has announced the 17th Lok Sabha elections will be held in seven phases, between April 11 and May 19, 2019.

The results will be declared on May 23, ten days before the term of the current House expires. There are nearly 900 million eligible voters.

The battle is on for Narendra Modi’s first re-election bid as prime minister and Rahul Gandhi’s first national challenge as Congress president looking to unseat Modi.

Assembly elections for Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Odisha and Sikkim will also be held simultaneously.

The Election Commission (EC) decided against holding the Jammu & Kashmir state polls at the same time for security reasons.

“We need a sizeable number of security personnel for the protection of every candidate contesting Assembly elections in the state (J&K). This was also a demand put forth by representatives of political parties we met during our visit there. Availability of security forces is a constraint,” Arora said.

For the Lok Sabha polls, Bihar, UP and West Bengal will have the longest voting schedule across seven phases. This is followed by J&K in five phases; Jharkhand, MP, Maharashtra and Odisha in four; Assam and Chhattisgarh in three; and, Karnataka, Manipur, Rajasthan and Tripura in two. The remaining states will go to poll on a single day.

The first phase of elections on April 11 covers the maximum number of states — 91 constituencies across 20 states. The second phase on April 18 will cover 97 constituencies across 13 states. The third phase is scheduled for April 23, covering 115 Saathee.com

constituencies in 14 states, followed by 71 seats in nine states on April 29. In the fifth phase, 51 seats in seven states will vote on May 6. The sixth phase will take place in 59 seats in seven states on May 12 and the seventh in 59 seats across eight states on May 19.

According to the Election Commission, “This is the first general election where there will be 100 per deployment of voter-verified paper audit trail (VVPAT) units. A VVPAT produces a printout of the vote cast using an Electronic Voting Machine (EVM), which can be shown to the voter to dispel doubts.”

The Election Commission said during a press conference that it will be working closely with social media companies like Twitter, Facebook, and Google to uphold the integrity of the elections. The companies have committed to only carry political advertisement pre-certified by the EC. Prime Minister Modi tweeted: “Wishing all political parties and candidates the very best for the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

We may belong to different parties but our aim must be the same — the development of India and empowerment of every Indian!”

The Congress sent out a battle call. “The bugle has sounded, it’s the turn of the people. We are preparing to fight the lies with full force. We will fight this regime of lies. We are prepared, victory is ours,” the party posted on its Twitter handle.

For more information: Election Commission of India Website: www.eci.gov.in.

14

National Voters’ Service Portal. Includes link to apply online for registration of overseas voter. www.nvsp.in.

April 2019

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Community Events nuv Yug India Fest: Charlotte, nC (April 6-7, 2019)

The Nuv Yug Cultural Organization presents the 16th annual Nuv Yug India Fest. The fest celebrates Indian culture with fashion, arts & crafts, exhibitions, and cuisine.

The fest will also host over 1000 local dance and music performers and a fashion show. The fest will be held at Marvin Ridge High School in Waxhaw on April 6-7, 2019.

Admission is $6 for both days. To learn more, visit nuvyug.net.

the Great Celestial Cow Play: raleigh, nC (April 11 - 28, 2019)

Burning Coal Theatre presents the play The Great Celestial Cow from April 11 - 28, 2019 at 224 Polk St., Raleigh, NC. Sita's family is immigrating to the West. So, why does her heart want to stay behind? The story is written by Sue Townsend and the play is directed by Sonia Desai. For more details, call 919-834-4001 or visit www.burningcoal.org

Heritage India Festival: Morrisville, nC (April 13, 2019)

The Heritage India Association of North Carolina presents Heritage India Festival on Saturday, April 13, 2019 (2:30 - 8:30 pm) at HSNC Cultural Hall, Morrisville, NC. This year’s event features ribbon-cutting ceremony, proclamation presentation, lamp lighting, keynote speech, free eye camp, heritage awards and recognition ceremony. Also on hand will be special performances, art sessions for children, Bollywood dance competitions, classical and Bollywood dance performances and food. Tickets are $7 for adults and $3 for students and seniors. All participants and volunteers are free. For more details, visit www.facebook.com/HeritageIndiaNC.

Championships of Bhangra: raleigh, nC (April 13, 2019)

Championships of Bhangra dance competition, hosted by Carolina Indian Arts, will be held on Saturday, April 13, 2019 (5:15pm) at Dorton Arena 1025 Blue Ridge Blvd, Raleigh, NC. There will be 12 bhangra teams competing along with over 100 CIA Dance Academy students.

For full details on the event, visit www.ChampionshipsofBhangra.com.

Great Grapes Wine & Food Festival: Cary, nC (April 13, 2019)

The 16th annual Great Grapes Wine and Music Festival will be held on April 13, 2019. The Booth Amphitheater in Cary, NC will host an array of NC wineries offering more than 200 wines for sampling. In addition, there will be live music, free kid’s area, arts and crafts, gourmet food and more. VIP admission starts at 11am and General admission starts at noon.

Tickets for both are available at www.uncorkthefun.com/cary-nc/show-info

Spoken Sanskrit Workshop: Charlotte, nC (April 13, 2019)

There will be a free introductory Spoken Samskritam (Sanskrit) workshop on Saturday, April 13, 2019 (8:30am-4:00pm) at 5210 Camp Verde Ln, Charlotte, NC. No previous knowledge needed. Lunch, snacks, and drinks will be provided. At the end of the workshop, participants will be able to carry on simple conversations in Samskritam. The workshop is followed by weekly, live or on-line class to build on the skills. Samskrita Bharati is dedicated to bringing Samskritam back to daily life by organizing camps, courses, and other activities. Experienced volunteer-instructors use an effective and natural technique similar to a child learning its native language by observing and listening to parents and siblings. For more details, call 513967-4775. For info about Samskrita Bharati USA, visit: www.sbusa.org.

Saathee.com

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rockyfest 2019: Hiddenite, nC (April 13, 2019)

The 7th annual RockyFest is a family-friendly event that features live music, food, arts & crafts vendors, children’s activities, free rock climbing sessions, trail races and more on Saturday, April 13, 2019 at the Rocky Face Mountain Area in Hiddenite, NC. The RockyFest Trail Race begins at 8am with distances of 4.5, 9, or 13.5 miles. All emergency service personnel, military and teachers can participate for free. There will be free rock climbing and rappelling sessions offered from 9am to 6pm. The rest of the festivities run from 10am to 4pm with live music as well. See more information at rockyfacepark.com

Southern Women’s Show: raleigh, nC (April 12-14, 2019)

The Southern Women’s Show in Raleigh will be held on April 12-14, 2019 at the North Carolina State Fairgrounds with hundreds of boutiques and vendors showcasing the latest fashions, trendy jewelry, gourmet treats, health and beauty. There will be fashion shows, entertainment, health and wellness activities, contest, prizes, top chefs, celebrity guests, and food. See all information including exhibitors and ticket prices at southernshows.com/wra

Hindi Play, Meri Parchayee: Durham, nC (April 14, 2019)

“Meri Parchayee” tells the story of a blind writer and her challenges of day to day life and love. Even after losing her eyesight, she continues to write, so she can enlighten others with her knowledge. This is a sensitive story that makes you think about how people react in unique situations and are tempted to use others to fulfill their own ambitions in life.

The play also brings out the undeniable love that is the root of all relationships; a story that weaves the threads of humanity and friendship. Meri Parchayee, directed by Nileena Dash, will be performed on Sunday, April 14, 2019 (4pm) at Durham Arts Council, 120 Morris St., Durham, NC. For more details, www.eventbrite.com/e/hindiplay-meri-parchayee-tic.

Queen Charlotte Fair (thru April 14, 2019)

The Queen Charlotte Fair is a major semi-annual event hosted in Charlotte every spring and fall offering family-friendly entertainment, carnival rides and food. The Spring Fair will be held through April 14, 2019 at the Route 29 Pavilion in Concord, NC. For further information including daily events and Tickets, visit www.queencharlottefair.com.

April 2019

nC Comedy Festival: Greensboro, nC (April 17-27, 2019)

the easter Beagle express train: Bryson City (April 19-20, 2019)

The NC Comedy Festival is one of the largest comedy festivals in the country. The festival brings a diverse group of improv, sketch and stand-up comedians to help further the NC comedy scene in four different venues. There will also be a variety of workshops available to help hone your comedic chops. The festival will be held for 10 days between April 17 & 27, 2019.

See more information including performers and workshop schedules at nccomedyfestival.com

Train passengers will join Snoopy, Lucy, Charlie Brown and Easter Bunnies for old fashioned Easter fun.

Festivities include an on-going Easter egg hunt, crafts, coloring sheets, temporary tattoos, and snacks with Snoopy, photos and more. The ride includes a 1.5 hour layover in Dillsboro with activities for the kids. There will also be plenty of opportunities for pictures, so do not forget your camera! The train ride will run on both April 19 & 20, 2019 starting in the historic Bryson City Depot around 11am. See more information including ticket prices at www.gsmr.com

Sonu nigam & neha Kakkar in Concert: Atlanta, GA (April 19, 2019)

Paracha Entertainment and Anand Entertainment present “Klose to My Life” - a live concert performance with Sonu Nigam, Neha Kakkar and special guest Manish Paul.

The concert will be held at the Infinite Energy Arena in Duluth, GA on Friday, April 19, 2019.

Tickets are on sale now at www.axs.com. For more information, visit parachaentertainment.com

Colleton County rice Festival: Walterboro, SC (April 26-27, 2019)

The 44th annual Colleton County Rice Festival will be held on April 26-27, 2019 in downtown Walterboro, SC. Enjoy a week of family activities in the warm Carolina sun. Central to the festival is an arts and crafts area with a wide array of handcrafted items.

The queen of the Rice Festival is crowned in a special pageant and she takes her rightful place of honor in the Rice Festival Parade as it meanders through downtown as a kickoff event to the festival. A 5K run is another signature event for the festival.

Also on hand will be a food court, fireworks, music and other entertainment. Learn more at ricefestival.org

Vijay Prakash Concert: Concord, nC (April 20, 2019)

Enjoy a multilingual musical evening with Vijay Prakash and Anuradha Bhat, along with a live orchestra on Saturday, April 20, 2019 beginning at 5:30pm. The venue is Cox Mill H.S., 1355 Cox Mill Rd., Concord, NC. For more details call, 980-288-7674.

Saathee.com

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April 2019

Community Events Fayetteville Dogwood Festival (April 26-28, 2019)

The Fayetteville Dogwood Festival was founded in 1982 and has become a community tradition. The Festival features entertainment of all genres, arts and craft vendors, street performances, and delicious food and beer. The 2019 festival will offer even more free entertainment and classic community favorites to Downtown Fayetteville.

Learn more at www.faydogwoodfestival.com.

Central railroad Festival (April 27, 2019)

Fire on the Mountain: Spruce Pine, nC (April 26-27, 2019)

Fire on the Mountain is an annual celebration for the art of the Blacksmith, which will be held between April 26 & 27, 2019 in downtown Spruce Pine, NC. The festival includes a featured Master Blacksmith who demonstrates multiple times at the festival, presents a lecture at Penland School, and conducts a Master Demonstration workshop the Friday before the festival, vendor blacksmiths selling their wares, and demonstrating techniques in their booths, a free hands-on tent, where the public can sign up to try their hands at blacksmithing, assisted by blacksmith volunteers. Find out more info at downtownsprucepine.com/Festivals

Javed Ali in Concert: Charlotte, nC (April 26, 2019)

Indian Expressions, LLC presents Javed Ali live in concert on Friday, April 26, 2019 starting at 8:30pm at Ovens Auditorium in Charlotte. Javed Ali’s playback singing career spans nearly 20 years with appearances as a judge for shows such as Indian Idol 2018, Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Lil Champs 2011 & 2017, and host for Sa Re Ga Ma Pa 2012. He will be joined by special guest Manisha Jambotkar. Call 704-666-3217 for General Information. Tickets: ticketmaster.com/javed-ali-tickets/

Kinetic Derby Day: West Columbia, SC (April 27, 2019)

This unique celebration, held on April 27, 2019, will include a parade of kinetic sculptures (human-powered, handmade floats that highlight the community’s pride and creativity). The parade is followed by an afternoon of adult and child soapbox derby racing. Cheer on design ingenuity during the parade and at the soapbox derby as they careen into a giant, messy grits finishing zone. Then, browse the booths featuring local artists and vendors selling and displaying various arts and crafts. Food trucks will be on site. Details: www.kineticderbyday.com.

Art on the Green: Davidson, nC (April 27-28, 2019)

Greater Cleveland Strawberry Festival: Garner, nC (April 27, 2019)

The 2019 Greater Cleveland Strawberry Festival will take place on Saturday, April 27, 2019 from 9am - 7pm along Technology Drive in Garner, NC. Events will include arts & crafts, family oriented activities, entertainment and assorted food vendors, plus wine & beer garden. See more information at www.greaterclevelandchamber.com/strawberry-festival1.html

Spring Fest & Basant Mela: Charlotte, nC (April 27, 2019)

Hindu Center of Charlotte presents the annual Spring Festival and Basant Mela celebrating Holi, Ugadi, Gudi Padva and Baisakhi on Saturday, April 27, 2019 from 11am - 7pm at Vihar Hall, 7400 City View Dr., Charlotte.

There will be a cultural program with music, dance and also food available.

Entry is $5 per person, kids under 5 free. For more details call 704-258-3588 or visit www.hcclt.org.

Saathee.com

The Central Railroad Festival pulls into historic downtown Central, SC on Saturday, April 27, 2019 with music, food and festivities for all ages.

The Railroad Festival celebrates the rich heritage of Central, so named because the town is situated at the “central” point of the railroad line between Atlanta and Charlotte. The festival runs between 10am & 5pm featuring entertainment, food, music and arts and crafts vendors. On the Kids Stage will be clogging, a Karate demonstration and Buffalo Barfield Kids Show.

Also open for free tours will be the Central Railway Museum. More info is available at centralrrfestival.org.

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This event features art, live music, and food. This juried art festival features booths filled with topquality art works from artists throughout the region. The weekend will include musical performances by a variety of local talents and a host of food choices from both on-site vendors and area restaurants. Join the festivities in downtown Davison the weekend of April 27-28, 2019.! Learn more at nc-davidson2.civicplus.com/657/Art-onthe-Green

Pakistani-American Anjuman Picnic: Cary, nC (April, 28, 2019)

The annual picnic will be held on Sunday, April 28, 2019 (11am - 5pm) at Apex Community Park, 2200 Laura Duncan Rd, Cary, NC. There will be vendors, food, games and activities for all, a walk, volleyball, basketball, tennis and more. For more details, visit www.ncpaa.org/events/event/36family-day-picnic-2019.

April 2019

Artfields: Lake City, SC (April 26-May 4, 2019)

Bandhan, an eternal Bond Dance recital: Charlotte, nC (May 4, 2019)

An annual, nine-day art competition and exhibition in Lake City, SC, ArtFields awards more than $140,000 in cash prizes to artists from across the Southeast. Running from April 26 through May 4, 2019 the event also has infused new energy, creativity, and growth into Lake City and its surrounding communities. ArtFields is the flagship art event in a town where an abundance of high-quality art is on view all year long. Learn more at www.artfieldssc.org

Nrityangan Dance Academy presents its annual dance recital “Bandhan, An Eternal Bond” on Saturday, May 4, 2019 (4pm) at Ovens Auditorium, Charlotte. The theme this year is sisterhood.

“A sister is a gift to the heart, a friend to the spirit, a golden thread to the meaning of life.”

The recital celebrates eternal and magical bond of sisterhood and experience the various emotions that come with it. It will be a performance with the richness of Indian culture, woven into a dance drama poignant and touching while exploring the many facets of this complex relationship. There will be over two hundred dancers, jewelry, clothing vendors and food options. This is a fundraiser for Maiti Nepal and The Tree House Children’s Advocacy Center. For more details, call 704-840-5495 or write to ritusdance@gmail.com.

Greensboro Food truck Festival (April 28, 2019)

Come see over 50 food trucks from 3-9pm on Sunday, April 28, 2019 in downtown Greensboro. The trucks will be lined up along Greene Street, Market Street, and Elm Street. There will also be live music, craft beer, vendors, kid’s activities and more. Admission is free. For more info, visit www.greensborofoodtruckfestivals.com

Charlotte Jazz Festival: (April 29-May 4, 2019)

The Charlotte Jazz Festival returns to Uptown Charlotte from April 29 to May 4, 2019 featuring Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis, Broadway songstress Patina Miller with a tribute to Nina Simone, dynamic performances at The Jazz Garden Tent at Romare Bearden Park and free jazz concerts all week long. All artists, performance information, and ticket information can be found at www.blumenthalarts.org/charlottejazz-festival/

Arijit Singh Live: Atlanta, GA (May 4, 2019)

north Charleston Arts Fest (May 1-5, 2019)

The North Charleston Arts Fest features more than 100 national, regional and local artists and performers in the areas of Dance, Music, Theater, Visual Arts, Crafts, Photography, Media Arts and Literature. Residents and visitors from throughout the Southeast and beyond are invited to experience a variety of free and modestly priced performances, workshops, exhibitions, and activities in venues throughout the city, including libraries, businesses, community centers, and parks. This event will be held between May 1-5, 2019. See more info including guests and venues at northcharlestonartsfest.com

Asheville Spring Herb Festival (May 3-5, 2019)

The 30th annual Spring Herb Festival will be held on May 3-5, 2019 at the WNC Farmers Market in Asheville, NC. You’ll find a diverse collection of some of the best herbs, herb plants, and herb products including herbal salves, balms, teas, lotions, ointments, herbal soaps, shampoos, medicines, herbal baked goods, crafts, gifts, books and more. Also shop how-to books on cooking with herbs, herbal healing, and herb gardening. For further info, visit www.ashevilleherbfestival.org

Singer Arijit Singh will perform live with a full orchestra of world musicians on Saturday, May 4, 2019 (8pm) at Infinite Center, Atlanta. Tickets begin at $30. For more details, visit www.glitzzentertainment.com.

Art & Craft exhibition: Charlotte, nC (May 18-19, 2019)

The Hindu Center of Charlotte presents its 6th annual Art & Craft Exhibition on May 18 - 19, 2019 (12 - 5pm) at the Vihar Hall, 7400 City View Drive. There will be exhibits of paintings, sculpture, crafts, textile art, jewelry, and more. There will be art, henna, and rangoli contests as well. Children’s art and activities will also be on hand. For more details, call 704-620-4503 or visit www.hcclt.org.

Spartanburg earth Day Festival (May 4, 2019)

The 3rd annual Earth Day Festival will be held on Saturday, May 4, 2019 from 10am to 3pm. Attend the educational workshops, demos, and enjoy children’s activities, live entertainment, performances, dance, singing, short informational films and plenty of great food. There will also be exhibitors and vendors selling green themed products and a variety of other items. Further info can be found at www.spartanburgearthday.org Saathee.com

ramakrishnan Murthy Vocal Concert: Charlotte, nC (May 19, 2019)

Classical Music Association of Charlotte presents a Carnatic vocal concert by Ramakrishnan Murthy and Party on Sunday May 19, 2019 beginning at 3:30pm at Hindu Center Gandhi Bhavan, Charlotte. Tickets are $30. For more details, call 704814-9355 or visit www.onlinecmac.org.

22

April 2019

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April 5

PM narendra Modi (Director: Omung Kumar) Cast: Vivek Oberoi, Boman Irani, Darshan Kumar, Manoj Joshi, and Zarina Wahab

Missing link (Director: Chris Butler) Cast: Zach GaliďŹ anakis, Zoe Saldana, Stephen Fry, Hugh Jackman, Timothy Olyphant, and Emma Thompson

shazam!

(Director: David F. Sandberg) Cast: Zachary Levi, Asher Angel, Grace Fulton, Jack Dylan Grazer, and Mark Strong

Marudhar express (Director: Vishal Mishra) Cast: Kunaal Roy Kapur and Tara Alisha Berry

the tashkent Files (Director: Vivek Agnihotri) Cast: Mithun Chakraborty, Naseeruddin Shah, Shweta Basu Prasad, Pankaj Tripathi, Mandira Bedi, and Vinay Pathak

Pet semetary (Directors: Kevin Kolsch and Dennis Widmyer) Cast: Jason Clarke, Amy Seimetz, and John Lithgow

April 17

Romeo akbar Walker (Director: Robbie Grewal) Cast: John Abraham, Mouni Roy, Jackie Shro, Suchitra Krishnamoorthi, & Sikander Kher

Kalank (Director: Abhishek Varmana) Cast: Madhuri Dixit, Sonakshi Sinha, Alia Bhatt, Varun Dhawan, Aditya Roy Kapur, & Sanjay Dutt

Majili (Director: Siva Nirvana) Cast: Naga Chaitanya, Samantha Akkineni, Divyansha Kaushik, Rao Ramesh, and Posani Krishna Murali

April 19

the Best of enemies (Director: Robin Bissell) Cast: Taraji P Henson, Anne Heche, Wes Bentley, Bruce McGill, and Sam Rockwell

little Woods (Director: Nia DaCosta) Cast: Tessa Thompson, Lily James, Luke Kirby, and Lance Reddick

annaganaga dakshadhilo (Director: Chaitanya Dantuluri) Cast: Nara Rohit

Red Joan (Director: Trevor Nunn) Cast: Judi Dench, Sophie Cookson, and Stephen Campbell Moore

April 12

April 26

avengers: endgame (Directors: Anthony & Joe Russo) Cast: Too many to list. See IMDB page

Game over (Director: Ashwin Saravanan) Cast: Taapsee Pannu

May 3

setters (Director: Ashwini Chaudhary) Cast: Shreyas Talpade, Aftab Shivdasani, Sonnalli Seygal, Ishita Dutta, Pawan Malhotra, & Vijay Raaz

arjun Patiala (Director: Jugraj Rohit) Cast: Diljit Dosanjh, Kriti Sanon, Varun Sharma, and Sunny Leone

Hellboy (Director: Neil Marshall) Cast: David Harbour, Daniel Dae Kim, Milla Jovovich, and Ian McShane Saathee.com

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April 2019

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April 2019

Film Clips Kalank

Kalank is a romantic drama of six enigmatic, esoteric and wistful characters entangled in search of love but separated by the dichotomy between the two worlds of Husnabad, a town in North India. The elite, opulent and solemn world of the Chaudhry family, and the wild, mysterious and musical underbelly of the town, Hira Mandi, clash when Roop Chaudhry encounters Zafar, a daredevil from Hira Mandi, unleashing deepburied truths, secrets of betrayal and affairs that threaten to bring the both worlds crashing down. Set in 1945, in Pre-Independent India, Kalank is the story of a vivid and ethereal world, lost when the fire of Partition engulfs the city and the country. The film is directed by Abhishek Varman and stars Varun Dhawan, Alia Bhatt, Madhuri Dixit, Sanjay Dutt, Sonakshi Sinha, and Aditya Roy Kapur. Kalank releases worldwide on April 17.

Danny Boyle Tackles a What If? Scenario in Yesterday

Can you imagine a world where you’ve never heard of The Beatles? Director Danny Boyle’s new film manages to attempt just that. The film is set in a parallel universe where no one in the world has experienced Beatlemania.

Everyone, that is, except Jack Malik (played by newcomer Himesh Patel). He’s a musician who’s decided to turn his back on his craft, until one day he’s hit by a bus. He wakes up not only missing two teeth but also learning that none of his friends have ever heard some of the most iconic songs in rock n’ roll history. Jack then decides to revitalize his music career by performing some of The Beatles most memorable songs and claiming they are his own. The film also stars Lily James, Kate McKinnon, and Ed Sheeran. It is slated for release on June 28, 2019.

Akshay Kumar to Make Digital Streaming Debut

Amazon Prime Video has announced Akshay Kumar as lead actor in an upcoming actionpacked series, The End (working title). The multi-season series will be released exclusively on Amazon Prime Video. Kumar said, “I have always believed in bringing innovation to my work and throughout my career, have tried to tell unique stories, work with break-through talent and be part of disruptive and high quality story-telling. The digital world excited me and I am delighted to make my streaming debut with this show. And if I were to make a small confession here, it was my son Aarav who suggested that I make my digital debut as that’s what the youth is hooked onto.”

There is no confirmed release date.

Arjun Patiala

Director Jugraj Rohit will direct the cast including Punjabi films star Diljit Dosanjh, Kriti Sanon, Varun Sharma, and Sunny Leone for the comedy drama Arjun Patiala. The Hindi film is scheduled for release on May 3.

John Wick: Chapter 3 Parabellum

Setters

Brahmastra

One of the most anticipated Bollywood epics of 2019, Brahmastra, became the first film ever to unveil its logo at Kumbh Mela in India and stars Alia Bhatt and Ranbir Kapoor. Director Ayan Mukerji was also on hand for the exclusive reveal. 150 drones lit up the night sky to premiere the logo for the magnum opus which also stars Amitabh Bachchan and releases in theaters across North America this Christmas.

Saathee.com

SETTERS is an edge-of-the-seat thriller directed by Ashwini Chaudhary and Produced by Vikash Mani. Set in Banaras, Jaipur, Mumbai and Delhi, the film stars Shreyas Talpade, Aftab Shivdasani, Sonnalli Seygal, Ishita Dutta, Pawan Malhotra, and Vijay Raaz. It is based on true incidents and is slated for release on May 3.

28

Super-Assassin John Wick is on the run after killing a member of the international assassin’s guild, and with a $14 million price tag on his head - he is the target of hit men and women everywhere.

Director Chad Stahelski guides the cast, including Keanu Reeves, Ian McShane, Halle Berry, and Jerome Flynn while the release date is set for May 17.

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April 2019

Subcontinental Divide An Indian Subcontinent & America Dialogue

By Ahsen Jillani

meeting fellow travelers in the diabetes journey. Once the introductions ended, I noticed that half the people on the planet may be diabetic—they are just on the fistful of pills and heading the Information age diet and to Golden Corral. My mistake was thinking that there was a My sugar levels science to medicine, and all these patients were probably well educated in the fine points of living with a chronic illness. Er, Last August I got diagnosed with diabetes—by my not true.

Starting with a 350 lb nurse at the doctor’s office handing Mercedes mechanic. There, standing between a Porsche me “Portion Control” and diet booklet, my butcher, my starter and a dripping BMW transmission, he flashed the grocer, my plumber, my neighbor, and of course, my glucometer in front of my face and said: “Go to the ER.” I mechanic all had advice. The problem is that none of it is the was confused. “What does 573 mean?” I asked. same. “Bananas, they are sheer poison. Meat, eggs, cheese, Over the prior two years, things had happened that were only,” one guy said. Like an American-diet soldier showing way weird even for someone like me. My feet were dry and his war wound, one 285 lb guy raised his shirt while biting cracking. My hands were always tingling. I could not see to into a greasy pizza slice. “Just get this insulin pump. I just drive at night. For a person who had hardly slept in a dozen give it a couple of whacks before eating for 50-75 units of years, I was getting about less than zero sleep because I was insulin.” constantly drinking water and then constantly getting up to He was already in a wheelchair, but he seemed happy. go to the bathroom. Around August, I had also lost 63 lbs in All the pills were working. less than 8 months, and was a lean mean skin and bones Desperate, I hit the internet—and that’s where the machine lighter than I was in high school over 40 broiled salmon really hit the fan. Even on so-called years ago. prestigious medical sites, there was zero consensus on what to do when you entered the kitchen starving e.R. travails while on portion control. From the glycemic index of The dozen years preceding this hi-tech apples, to the 10 teaspoons of sugar in each slice of diagnostic in a car shop, I had been to several ERs white bread, to the complex math of separating and and many doctors. I was under every scanner subtracting carbs from fiber, multiplying everything available in the county. I was pumped full of dye by its own value, into 5/9. Or wait, is that the Celsius and rotated like a pile of worn blue jeans in strange to Fahrenheit temperature conversion? “Eat two eggs tomography machines to create 3D images of my each meal,” a 5’3” 266 lb guy had told me. “Three or heart. I was made to drink some uranium cocktail more eggs/week greatly increases your risk of heart and put under some magnetic tube that felt like my attack and death,” another study has just declared. brain cells were being yanked out by pliers. I think they also sent me to the airport in an ambulance to then came the subcontinent contingent. put me through the luggage scanner to make sure I One roti has five teaspoons of sugar. Rice is wasn’t carrying liquids. pure poison. Drink one cup of hot ghee for The end result was about $100,000 worth breakfast with a tablespoon of raw garlic. of nonsense, because they either didn’t Do one hour of yoga three times a day. The check my blood or didn’t check it over a blogs, the YouTube videos, the responses period of 24 hours to note spikes. So, my A1C reading under WebMD articles, and hard news stories from in August was over 12, which means I was generally such high-quality outlets like Fox News and MSNBC living my life in the 400-600 range. And probably for sent me into a major dietary panic. Six months out, a dozen years, my medical records over that long I have learned this much. Diabetics should eat period have terms like “scan results only hunks of meat and cheese with two unremarkable,” and “patient may need spinach leaves as garnish on the side of the neurological evaluation for neuropathy,” or plate (isn’t this what every American eats “likely an anxiety-related disorder.” Of course, daily?). Of course, that will make you morbidly what they should have said is: “Skipped 50 cents worth of glucose test strips and put patient under $7 million scanner.” obese, destroy your liver, kidneys and clog up your arteries.

But no worries, there are about five pills every morning to But anyway, I am okay and improving with medication.

Going deeper into the bloodwork, doctors are now proudly keep you cutting into the chicken smothered with onion and reporting that I have probably suffered permanent damage to continued on page 112 many organs, and of course may always limp now because the damage to my feet is permanent. Like street drug pushers, they Ahsen Jillani look around both ways in the brightly-lit corridors of their offices, and try to push prescription sheets for anything I a former editor and publisher, is originally from Islamabad , Pakistan , and now lives in Mint complain about. Cholesterol? Blood pressure? Leg and foot pain? Breathing issues? Here is a fistful of pills before you go Hill. He owns Must Media, a PR company focusing on both political and corporate clients. to the Golden Corral and enjoy life like the rest of America.

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Mirror, Mirror

A Conversation From the Outside Looking in...

By Jennifer Allen

Public shaming: the scarlet letter of the 21st Century Thanks to the internet it’s never been easier to pile onto a public shaming. In fact it’s now one of America’s favorite pastimes. ~ John Oliver

If you’re like me, part of our standard high school English curriculum was to experience Nathanial Hawthorne’s 1850 novel, The Scarlet Letter. We all had to read along with Hester Prynne as she’s accused of adultery (to which she did commit willingly), gets caught because she became pregnant from the experience, and is then basically branded with a giant red A on her chest when she refuses to give the name of her “fellow sinner”.

In the book, the A initially symbolizes Hester’s adultery, but later on it symbolizes her ability to help people, in spite of it.

Over the course of the story she begins to embellish the A with embroidery and wear it proudly on all of her dresses. She may live her life as a criminal, yet We are now in a new Hester never ceases to do as world where the internet much good as she can. In helping the needy people grabs onto just about any within the selfsame society scandal and takes the that once shunned her, her volume up to max. image is somewhat restored as time goes on.

Fast forward to the mid 1990’s. A young woman of 22 receives the chance of a lifetime as an intern in the White House. Within two years, she was not only working in the White House as part of the Department of Legislative Affairs, but she was also intimately involved (somewhat) with one of the most powerful men in the world.

That young woman was Monica Lewinsky.

After the word broke of her relationship with Bill Clinton, the world essentially gave Lewinsky a pop culture status, and not in a good way. She need didn’t wear a Scarlet Letter on her chest as Hester did, her name alone became that. While Clinton was impeached over the whole fiasco, he eventually finished out his term and walked away mostly unscathed. Lewinsky was not so lucky. Most of the jokes that emerged (and I use the term “Joke” loosely) were either saying that she was a slut or were ridiculing her physical appearance. Truth be told, this was in a world before social media or where curvy women are more accepted. It’s taken 20 years for the world to finally have people who hear her name and don’t immediately know who she is.

I’m actually the same age as Monica, and I remember being a young twenty-something hearing about what happened. I kind of shrugged it off at first because I knew my history.

Clinton is not the first or last man of power who would use that power for sex. Having a paramour (man or woman) has been a concept for ages. Granted with the changing social climate at the tail end of the 20th century, being a mistress was seen in the same light as being a prostitute. Whether the affair was between two consenting adults or not, the non-married party would be Saathee.com

considered a “homewrecker” at best and much more explicit labels at worst.

We are now in a new world where the internet grabs onto just about any scandal and takes the volume up to max. Social media has created its own Scarlet Letter in the form of saving anything that anyone places online. We as the anonymous “Mob” collectively see someone who’s done something (whether good or bad) and suddenly just about every person with a keyboard, microphone or camera must make a comment about it. Words like “gone viral” and “making the rounds on social media” are now common parts of our daily speech.

We’re basically goldfish except instead of discovering a new castle in our bowl every 9 seconds, we find something new to be outraged about online. ~ John Oliver

While most online outrage has been negative, occasionally it does have some positive outcomes as well. Sometimes bringing to light some inappropriate societal behavior can make the world we live in a better place. Some people who have said or done less than admirable things I think should be shamed and made to wear their own Scarlet Letter in the form of internet searches. All I ask is that people should at least have all the facts in place before suddenly labeling someone and potentially ruining his or her life.

Case and point: Monica Lewinsky. In her own words, she was “… patient zero of losing a personal reputation on a global scale almost instantaneously.” She was one of the first who felt just how humiliating it can be when “The Mob” cast their own Scarlet Letter upon her in the early days of the internet and media outlets tossing around about every derogatory thing they could about her situation. If those self-same jokes were made now, I think the online outrage would probably flow in a different direction.

When somebody sees you and acknowledges your humanity in the smallest way, it really can make a world of difference. You don’t know, it could even save someone’s life. ~ Monica Lewinsky

For some they say, what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger. In the years since the Clinton-Lewinsky scandal broke,

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continued on page 112

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April 2019

Namaskar Y’all

Reflections and a few confessions as an Indian American in the Carolinas

By Shyama Parui

swept under the Rug

Changes in Mass Behavior Can Reduce Poverty

The environment was brimming with pathos, the setting was filthy, yet the story was uplifting. I am talking about a recent Hindi movie titled, Gully Boy that follows the life of a young man with a talent for rap. Set in Mumbai, it peeks into the slum life led by the protagonist, Murad. The characters are plausible as are the tiny shanties and social problems portrayed. Hurdles linked to poverty repeatedly barge into the lives of the characters, but this film doesn’t veer into the dark side even though there are uglier alleys.

As the audience you find yourself rooting for the underdog who maintains his optimism and demonstrates sincere compassion through his poetry. To your delight, there is a happy ending which is not impossible, but there’s more.

Let me put on my analytical hat, which I am known to do from time to time. This movie felt believable and it hushed the cynic in me. Although the environment depicted onscreen predicted failure, it was offset by the presence of equalizers like the internet that led to opportunities. Murad illustrates this by creating a graffiti that reads roti, kapda, makan & internet (food, clothing, shelter & the internet) indicating that they are the main necessities of this century. Class or socioeconomic status was also shown to be irrelevant to music.

The sad reality is that only a small percentage of people born in the lowest income group move up to a significantly higher socio-economic status. Poverty has too many tentacles; it is not a single problem. Compare it to the nature of diabetes, which is not one but a group of diseases that affects how In countries where the the body uses blood sugar poverty levels are high, its also known as glucose. Left symbols are unconcealed. unchecked or if it continues for long, it increases the risk of complications that can range from nerve damage to depression. It threatens the quality of life as well as life itself.

In countries where the poverty levels are high, its symbols are unconcealed. Even if each person sincerely does his or her part, the paucity is perceived as impossible to eradicate due to its sheer size. According to AzadIndia.org, an estimated 38 percent of India’s population lives in poverty. Too often, people turn away their faces when they come across outstretched palms, because the average person does not have enough to feed all the hungry mouths or worse, they may be inadvertently encouraging exploitative practices. It’s convenient to ignore.

Often visitors from so called “first world countries” visit luxurious resorts in the Caribbean and deliberately avoid local points of interest, because they do not wish to encounter evidence of destitution. Looking away permits you to ignore a problem that is currently not in your backyard. Social problems, however, tend to be insidious and have a way of creeping up in ways that eventually affect you. For example, an entire town Saathee.com

benefits from good schools with adequate resources, effective teachers, and a society that encourages education. On the flip side, schools deprived of needed resources, underpaid teachers negatively affect not only the student’s academic outcomes, but also creates a pool of citizens unprepared to serve the local community or improve their standard of living.

One might think that in an arguably classless society like the USA, where there are numerous rags to riches stories and where free market rules, people are the writers of their destiny.

If you didn’t make it big, it is conjectured that you didn’t try hard enough. Unfortunately, hard data paints a very different picture. In 2014, National Public Radio covered the results of a study conducted by Harvard University’s Raj Chetty & Nathaniel Hendren. “An American born at the bottom has about an eight percent chance of rising to the top, it found; the odds are twice that in Denmark” it was quoted. It is well known by now that these chances are even lower in Charlotte, NC at four to five percent. Although the study does not outline why the upward mobility opportunities vary from place to place, it found a strong correlation between advancement and social factors namely; the quality of schools, the degree of racial segregation, and whether you grew up in a two-parent household.

Destitution in so called first world countries are veiled, but not absent. The latest report from the US Census Bureau indicates that 12.3 percent of the US population is living in poverty, which has been defined as earning $25,100 or less annually, whereas the median income is $57,652. One of the most alarming findings is that women between the ages of 1824 are the poorest in the Charlotte area.

This statistic begs attention, because these women are perhaps losing the opportunity to get higher education which would likely improve their job opportunities. At childbearing ages, lack of money also translates into poor health for the mothers and their children. It also puts these women in a vulnerable situation and their problems are likely to be exacerbated by the dangers of human trafficking and drug related problems.

I don’t have the answers or a plan to end poverty, but a realization that we all need to be more than passive bystanders.

An individual’s actions may amount to merely a drop in the bucket, but mass behavior change can lead to large scale improvement. My optimism and observations make me believe that people want to make a difference. In fact, businesses have noticed that the new a generation of customers favor companies with a conscience. Many employers encourage their employees to use some of their paid time to volunteer for a good cause. It is imperative that we level the playing field in the interest of a continued on page 114

Shyama Parui

Shyama is a long time North Carolina resident and an ardent writer. You can reach her at: shyamashree_parui@hotmail.com

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April 2019

Saathee.com

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April 2019

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Scene from The Watson’s Hotel

inevitably the nineteenth century heritage structure today is falling apart; the film describes balconies falling to the ground and, in one case, a desk and its occupant falling through the floor.

Full Frame 2019 Preview

By Dilip Barman

The 22nd annual Full Frame Documentary Film Festival returns to Durham, NC on Thursday, April 4 through Sunday, April 8, 2019. It is the country’s largest documentary film festival with over 80 films, along with many parties and other events. To date, they have shown over 2000 documentary films here in North Carolina.

If you’ve never been to a documentary film festival, try it out – it will likely keep you coming back every year. Sometimes true stories are more fascinating than fictional ones. Some of the topics that will be presented this year include an Aretha Franklin concert; an animal hospice; the dreams of a French ambassador’s wife in Burkina Faso of singing opera; Beto O’Rourke’s 2018 congressional campaign; rangers in Sudan guarding the world’s last male northern white rhinoceros; and biopics on a variety of subjects, including Miles Davis, two stray dogs in a Chilean skate park, and 90-year-old Holocaust survivor Dr. Ruth Westheimer who gained fame for her “frank and exuberant advice” on intimacy. One of my favorite films, Godfrey Reggio’s Koyaanisqatsi (Hope for “life out of balance”) will be shown – seeing this cinematic tour de force critique of modern development on the big screen will be a treat!

The list of films and schedule was released shortly before Saathee went to press. I was only able to see one film that takes place in India, The Watson’s Hotel (2019, thewatsonshotel.movie), as well as a film, Giants and the Morning After (2018, facebook.com/GiantsandtheMorningAfter), about a small village in rural Sweden.

Filmmakers Ragunath Vasudevan, Nathaniel Knop, Peter Rippl have produced a film, The Watson’s Hotel, enjoying its world premiere here at Full Frame, about a historic building in Mumbai, Watson’s Esplanade Hotel. Completed in 1863 and the oldest surviving cast iron building, this once grand Europeansonly hotel is now called the Esplanade Mansion. All of its materials, down to the nails and screws, were imported from England and assembled on site 1860-1863.

Located in the Kala Ghoda arts district of downtown Mumbai, it now has about a hundred commercial offices, mainly of lawyers serving the neighboring courts, as well as houses of dozens of families. Though expense wasn’t spared, Saathee.com

The building has a colorful history. Jinnah, Pakistan’s founder, frequented the hotel and Mark Twain wrote about Mumbai in his Following the Equator when he was a guest. In 1895, the French Lumière Brothers made history when, with their Cinematographe device, they gave the first public screening of a film; just a year later in 1896, their employee Maurice Sestier came to Mumbai on his way to Australia to host, at Watson’s Hotel, the first film screening in the subcontinent.

The film is a glimpse into the building from sunrise to nighttime and is notably accompanied by Elgar’s The Crown of India, written for a 1912 theatrical show in honor of King George V and Queen Mary’s visit for coronation as Emperor and Empress of India. The choice of music, with its gorgeous sitar, composed for the film by Ketevan Scheipner, intermingled with orchestra, is perfect in reinterpreting the imperial music and looking back at Colonial India in this impressionistic serenade of the building.

In interviews with resident-workers like the elevator operator and his brother and the night watchman, as well as restaurant owners and lawyers in the building, a spectrum of historical and contemporary experiences are superimposed with the goings on outside the “mansion”. Residents bring artifacts, like early newspaper articles about events at the Hotel and a historic book that struggles in its dilapidation, as well as continued on page 98

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April 2019

India’s WhatsApp Election: Political Parties Risk Undermining Democracy with Technology

The recent conflict with Pakistan over Kashmir, which is Analysis by Philippa Williams and Lipika Kamra, the likely to play an influential role in the election, has led to the spread of viral content that has stoked public tension, as well Conversation as a reported flood of misinformation.

In some cases, when more sinister forms of misinformation India’s 2019 national elections are widely anticipated to be the “WhatsApp elections”. Against a backdrop of rapidly have gone viral, the impact on everyday social life in India has improving internet connectivity and rising smartphone use, the been lethal. The misuse of WhatsApp has been connected with number of people using private messaging service WhatsApp at least 30 incidents of murder and lynching, for example has soared since its India launch in mid-2010 to more than 200m following the circulation of children abduction rumors.

Anxious about the inadvertent dark side of its product, – more users than in any other democracy. And now the country’s political parties are moving to capitalize on this mass particularly within one of its biggest markets, WhatsApp has already launched its own public education campaign in India communication channel.

But given WhatsApp has already been used to misinform persuading its users to “spread joy not rumors”. It has also voters in other elections and spread damaging “fake news” that made simple alterations to its product design to encourage has led to serious violence in India, there’s a danger this could users to pause before forwarding messages and limited the number of people you can send a message to at once and the also pose a threat to the democratic process.

Keen to extend the power of social media mobilized in the number of times you can forward it, which has since been rolled 2014 election, India’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is out globally. And it has banned more than six million trying to target smartphone-owning voters at the grass roots. apparently automated and potentially harmful accounts in the More than 900,000 volunteer “cell phone pramukhs” are past three months.

These steps are a starting point but may not be enough. For creating neighborhood-based WhatsApp groups to disseminate information about the BJP’s development achievements and one thing, despite the forwarding limits, you can still send prime minister Narendra Modi’s campaign activities. messages to 256 people at once and forward them five times – Meanwhile, the opposition Indian National Congress party is which means you can share something with 1,280 people in playing catch up with the launch of its “Digital Sathi” app and seconds. the appointment of their own volunteers to coordinate local Another challenge is that research suggests people care less digital campaigns. about the validity of a message’s source and content, and more But there’s good reason to think the widespread popularity about the sender and its potential to entertain or reinforce a of WhatsApp in India could have a damaging effect on the sense of identity. So, journalistic efforts to fact check reports election. For one thing, the 2018 Brazilian elections and recent circulating on WhatsApp will likely have a limited effect on state-level elections in India exposed how WhatsApp is being media literacy and the detrimental impact of fake news. used to rapidly share messages intended to misinform voters for political gain.

Blaming each other But India also has specific conditions related to the use of Part of the problem is that the question over who is at fault WhatsApp. While parties across India’s political spectrum – as for the spread of misinformation is contentious and politically well as globally – increasingly seek to gain from fake news by charged. Politicians have blamed WhatsApp and called on it to manipulating public opinion, the right has been far more trace and stop the source of hostile messaging. The company is successful at mobilizing a common socio-political identity resolute that it can’t access the encrypted messages sent via its through media like WhatsApp. In particular, invitation-only app and, even if it could, sharing them with the government groups have spread virulent and vitriolic messages that have continued on page 114 played a role in cultivating a strong nationalist identity.

Saathee.com

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April 2019

Saathee.com

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April 2019

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April 2019

Spot the Differences See if you can spot the 10 dierences between the original photo on top and modiďŹ ed one on bottom. Answers are on pg 120.

Saathee.com

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April 2019

College Admissions Insider

By Kristen Moon

visits to your top choices for the summer. Make sure those colleges fit the most important qualifications to you - size, location, cost, majors, or any special programs that are of interest.

Junior Year Checklist

letter of Recommendations Most schools require you to submit at least one or two Letters of Recommendations (LOR) from a teacher or guidance counselor. Additional letters can be written by a manager, a club leader, coach, or anyone you have formed a close relationship with recently. Begin to gather the material you will give each person to help them write the best LOR possible.

sat subject tests Start to do more research about what they require for admission, such as SAT Subject Tests (collegereadiness.collegeboard.org/satsubject-tests). There are four policies regarding Subject Tests: required, recommended, considered, and alternative. If it is financially feasible for you to take the SAT Subject Tests, and schools on your list either require or recommend it, you can sign up and prepare for them in the spring and summer.

A small number of colleges have the policy that Subject Tests can act as an alternative to standardized testing; they allow an applicant to submit Subject Test scores in lieu of ACT and SAT scores.

FaFsa Once you narrow down your college list, go to their websites to find out how much it costs per year to go there. Get to know the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA - studentaid.ed.gov/sa/fafsa). Even though you can’t fill out the FAFSA until October 1 of your senior year, you can start to Junior year is a turning point for many families because it gather the necessary materials. marks the year when college planning activities begin to consume your free time. It helps to go into your senior year the summer after Your Junior Year The summer should be your time to get a head start on your with a plan, so start now to ensure that you are not falling application process. Check out the Common Application behind. (commonapp.org) to see their selection of essays and begin working on them as soon as possible. spring of Your Junior Year

Meet With Your Counselor Make sure you will complete all the requisites for your diploma. Take full advantage of the classes offered by your high school and schedule a rigorous course load.

Check on your class rank and your current GPA. If you haven’t performed as well as you had hoped the first two years of high school, it is not too late to change that. An upward trend in grades is something colleges like to see.

Resume and linkedIn The Common Application has a limited character count for extracurricular descriptions; therefore, your resume can be used to expand on your accomplishments.

Your LinkedIn profile should be your online portfolio that adds another dimension to your application. You want to include videos, pictures, research papers, and anything else that can help to humanize you to the admissions staff.

The second semester of your junior year is an essential time standardized tests During the beginning of the semester, look up testing dates for preparing for college. By starting early, you can put together and locations for the SAT (collegereadiness.collegeboard.org/sat) a stronger application that might help you get into your dream and or ACT (act.org/content/act/en/products-and-services/the- college. act/registration.html). The tests are typically offered about once Kristen Moon a month during the school year. Signing up for both can give you an advantage because you can decide which one highlights is an independent college counselor and founder of MoonPrep.com. She specializes in Ivy League, your strengths.

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Increase Your 1

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India is the second most populated country in the world, just behind China.

According to the 2017 revision of the World Population Prospects, the population stood at over 1.3 billion. India is projected to be the world’s most populous country by 2024.

3

Knowledge

The Akshardham temple complex in New Delhi was awarded “World’s Largest Comprehensive Hindu Temple” in 2007 by Guinness World Records. There are several temples in South India that dispute the claim.

4

Peacock is India’s national bird.

5

The Thar Desert is in the northwestern part of India that covers an area of 77,000 sq miles and forms a natural boundary between India and Pakistan.

Jawaharlal Nehru, father of Indira Gandhi, was India’s first Prime Minister.

Stepwells are examples of the many types of storage and irrigation tanks that were developed in India, mainly to cope with seasonal fluctuations in water availability. A basic difference between stepwells over tanks and traditional wells is to make it easier for people to reach the groundwater and to maintain well. The first rock-cut stepwells in India date from 200-400 AD.

India overtook the European Union as the world’s largest producer of milk, with production reaching over 132.4 million tons, in 2014.

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April 2019

direct hit to my wallet. National tragedy or not, the catering company wasn’t offering a refund.

The day after my son’s birth, I was in the hospital elevator with three other Indian friends. Two of my friends were Sikhs, with turbans and beards. Another friend just had a beard. So altogether, we were four brown people, three with beards, two with turbans.

As the elevator stopped on the second floor, an older white lady walked in. We could see the shock and fear on her face.

There was silence. The flight from the second floor to the fourth floor felt like an eternity. At that time, I had not started comedy yet. In any case, I am not that good at coming up with witty punch lines at the spur of the moment after a terrorist attack. I didn’t say anything and the tension dissolved naturally as the lady walked out of the elevator. She must have praised the Lord from saving her from the clutches of “barbaric Middle Eastern men.” In retrospect, I should have waved my hands in the air and said, “La la la la…” That would have been fun but may have caused her a heart attack. However, I am sure she would have survived it because we were already at the hospital!

The stereotypical view of Indian Americans as smart and good in mathematics and science has continued to evolve also.

One of my American friends once jokingly asked me, “Can every Uber driver on the streets of Bengaluru do differential calculus?” Such comments may be innocuous and may even make us feel proud.

A few years back, when Neil was in 6th grade, he said, “Dad, I can recite Pi till 45 digits.” I am kind of competitive so I told him, “Son, I can do till 200.” He didn’t believe me, so I did. He was so impressed. He said, “Do it again, Dad!” I said, “Sure. But it may sound different this time.” I use this incident in my stand-up comedy in the US and the joke always gets a huge laugh. When I share with the audience that this joke got no response, not even a pity chuckle, at a packed comedy club in New Delhi, they get really surprised. However, they always laugh when I tell them, “Give it up for yourself. You guys are so smart. Make America smart again!”

Stand up comics and humorists thrive on stereotypes. We develop new material using the stereotypes as the premise for a joke. Here is an example of one of my jokes based on the stereotype that all Indians are smart. “Most Indians lack a sense of humor. The only time I saw my Uncle laughing was when his kid tried to divide a number by zero.” Another perception of Indian parents as “too caring” serves as the premise of this joke.

“Indian parents are overprotective of their children. Last week I found out that my 16-year-old is taller than me. We decided that as soon as he’s six feet, we’ll take him off the breast milk.”

How we judge others or how others judge us is a complex equation. Sometimes we have to take actions, like canceling a baby shower, so we are not judged by others in a negative way even though we have something beautiful to celebrate.

Sometimes we just succumb to the inevitable outcome of being judged, by remaining silent in an elevator and not arousing further fear. Whatever we do, judging based on stereotypes is a fact of life and how we act and react has to be handled very carefully, even as a comic.

RAAJEEV’S CORNER Equally offensive to all

By Raajeev Aggerwhil

Make america smart again

As an Indian American comic, I know my audience judges me as soon as I get on stage. We judge other people and other people form their own perceptions about us. That is why in these divisive times, we have to be cognizant of the stereotypical views of Indian Americans. I remember when Neil, my youngest son, was born. He was born on September 15, four days after September 11, 2001. We knew the date ahead of time because the doctor had advised a C-section delivery. In a way, it was convenient from a planning perspective because we didn’t have to deal with the uncertainty.

As a last minute thought, I decided to throw a surprise baby shower for my wife. September 10th was not convenient so we planned it for September 11th. Yes, out of all the dates in the year, we chose September 11, 2001 for the baby shower! Just as a side note, all of our kids were born with a bang, like this one.

As the events that morning started unfolding, we were debating canceling the baby shower. I was forced to share the secret with my wife and get her opinion. We knew we wanted to cancel because we were all devastated but Neil was kicking inside wanting a party for his arrival.

Our house was in a cul-de-sac in an affluent, predominantly white neighborhood in Fairfax, Virginia. I thought it would be awkward for our neighbors to see Indians dressed in traditional attire, women in fancy saris, partying and dancing.

Even worse would be seeing a van bearing an unpronounceable name of an Indian restaurant parked on the driveway. We decided to cancel the party fairly quickly. As a Bania, my sense of national grief was compounded by the Saathee.com

Raajeev Aggerwhil

LA-based comedian Raajeev Aggerwhil has starred in Nickelodeon’s TV show 100 Things to Do Before High School and also acted in the film based on the television series. Follow him on Instagram and Twitter @raajeevcomedy 58

April 2019

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April 2019

Thinking About Thinking

By Balaji Prasad

the law of “Joyancy”

“As a singer, you have to bring the soul to the song.” ~ Lata Mangeshkar

Can you hear the song as the sound waves carry gently through the air, to your ear? Do you really hear it? Is it exactly as it was sung by the singer? And, are you then able to reproduce the song, note for note, as it was sung?

If the answer to the above is “no” then the question is whether you can trust your ears. Then beyond that, if you say you can trust your ears, there is the question of whether you can trust your mind and memory, and the notes that they influence you to sing. Finally, is your voice up to the task of delivering what your mind cues up on your internal record player? And, if you cannot, and do not, when you hear the corrupted version emanate from your mouth multiple times, as you go on a singing spree, can you keep your rendition separated in your mind from the original rendition by the singer? Or will your memory be forever corrupted by the reality that you heard a few times overridden by the many, many times you heard your own self?

the unheard song Perhaps much of life goes by, unheard. Or, even if you hear it, perhaps you hear your own voice rather than that of the universe. At some point, it becomes unclear where you end, and the universe begins.

I am it, and it is me. If you put The world is always a bit your imprint upon out of reach, because you everything that happens to come between yourself and come in contact with you, then do you see things as the universe. they are, or do you see a reflection of yourself in those things?

The world is always a bit out of reach, because you come between yourself and the universe. Every single time. Maybe just a little sometimes, maybe a lot at other times. But everytime, nevertheless.

If you see this, you might say, “It’s not you, it’s me!” You might begin to see that you cannot see without altering what you see, without corrupting the pristine state of whatever there was, before your eyes alighted on it. “Oh, horror of horrors!

Must I be in all I see and touch?” you say to yourself, in dismay.

Archimedes Principle comes to mind. As you sit in the tub of water, you displace a volume of water equivalent to the volume you occupy in space. How much of reality is left in the tub depends on how heavy an object you are. And, if you are particularly weighty, and jump into the water with a huge splash, then all that may be left is you, and very little water.

Only the mind and its infinite fantasies, and no reality. And, you hear no songs, at least not in the way the universe sings it. the law of “Joyancy” “Eureka,” you scream, running around madly, as Archimedes supposedly did, when he discovered the Law of Buoyancy. “I have it!” you say, excitedly. “If there’s less of me, there’s more of the universe. And, I can hear the music as it plays!”

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There is a deep sense of joy when you really hear the music.

When there is less of you, there is more of the song of life. There is more joy. Perhaps, it would be okay to call it “The Law of Joyancy”?

But why is there joy in the truth? After all, isn’t the truth sometimes ugly? Even Bitter? Aren’t the ups better than the downs, in the roller coaster of life that we all hurtle through, having been put there by some unseen hand that surely didn’t need to do that?

It all depends on what you mean by “joy”, of course. If the word is synonymous with pleasure, with highs, then, yes, the truth is anything but joy. However, if you would prefer to live a life in which you sing in tune with life as it comes, wherever it flows, then there is a certain joy in that. You flow with the flow, and go where it goes, where the wind blows. Because the wind and the water are more powerful than you are, and if they choose to carry you somewhere, then they will. And, if you are able to enjoy the ride, isn’t there some joy in that?

How to sing, rather than sink Archimedes didn’t run around excitedly just because of his discovery. Hieron, the King of Syracuse, who was dubious about his goldsmith’s integrity, probably paid him handsomely to put the goldsmith under a microscope; the King wasn’t sure that the crown was made of real gold. Archimedes, as many of us are, was more inspired at bath-time than otherwise. And, the rest is history – a law that endures to today.

However, let’s get a little deeper into the water, to get a little more insight out of buoyancy – Archimedes’ concern – so that we may understand joyancy, our primary concern. The key in both instances is mass. If an object is heavier than the water it displaces, it sinks; otherwise, it floats. It all comes down to the volume of the object and its density. A very dense object will be heavier than a less dense object. Or, two objects with the same mass may have different densities, if they are made of different materials.

This is how Archimedes struck gold! Literally. (There is no record, though, of the fate that befell the integrity-challenged goldsmith, the unfortunate object of Archimedes’ attention.)

So, if we prefer not to sink into the quicksand of reality, we need to displace a heavier amount of the reality fluid than our own mass. How do we do that? We increase our volume, as we keep our mass constant. We spread ourself out across the universe. This results in less mass per unit volume. Or, less density, according to the laws of physics.

In short, we need to become less dense to avoid sinking. We need to engage more with things, and have less of ourselves weighing down everything. This allows us to float on the surface of the ocean of reality, and get carried along, singing, rather than sinking.

So, think about Archimedes, think about gold and be joyant.

Above all, sing well, and sing with soul! You’ll sound good. And … you may feel good too!

Balaji Prasad

is an IIT/IIM graduate, a published author, SAT/ACT Online and Offline Coach, interview, resume, and career coach at NewCranium.

Contact: 704.746.9779 balaji.prasad@newcranium.com April 2019

Kismuth and the Way

By Dipika Kohli

new Currents

I’m in Hà Nội. Short-term living in a borrowed flat, in a part of town south of Hoàn Kiếm Lake, right off the street that is called Lò Đúc. I got to the city three weeks ago, on a night train up from Huế. It’s Tuesday, at the time of this writing. It is late afternoon, ten before four. On Thursday, I fly to Japan.

The sound of a sad song–a sole voice, a male voice–is spiraling up the stairwell and into the flat’s open window. My door’s not open yet, but it will be in a minute, and when that happens there will be a good set of new currents with the crossflow. Ventilation.

I’ve been hesitating because the open door also means the unwelcome sound of the nearby neighbors’ children’s questions and the patter of their feet. (I will just finish this, first.) Ages four, six, and maybe ten or eleven, they don’t bother with words, but simply give me a wide-eyed look that says it all. Them: wondrous, standing or hopping or skipping or jumping beneath a canopy of four families’ worth of rotating hanging laundry, their potted jade plants, someone’s aquarium project, orchids, or otherwise tangled great green leaves.

All afternoon I’ve been home, ruffling through boxes of toted-about-for-six-years-now papers. File folders, books, old client projects that I really have no need of anymore, sentimental things like notebooks, and diaries, too. I must reduce this volume. Paper is heavy. Now that I have to get on an international flight, instead of just trains and buses (Phnom Penh to Saigon by bus. More buses to the center of the country, then to the coast, then a night train to come here) weight has a limiting factor. Probably a good thing: I’ve been meaning to go through these bits for some time, now. Clutter gets in the way of seeing a story. These last few days, especially, I’ve made good progress on winnowing it down: now I see the things that matter. Outlines: a new story emerging. Its bones and arteries.

Is there something important or truly noteworthy here that I ought to write, in a formal way? Surely I can’t cart these about forever, but is their content worth sharing, with others, I wonder, in the form of small books or mini-magazines? If yes, I should get to it. Fold my time into this work. Instead of just holding onto slowly decomposing things. And yet… it’s tough.

These little piles on the floor, (downsized from last week’s kitchen counter collection pictured above), are now organized into two rows of six. These are sets of ‘things’ that seem linked, in my mind, to certain themes. It’s tough for me to toss any of Saathee.com

them, or any of the items within each. Reflecting, I see that to me, what might look like scraps signify moments. Of human connection. I travel a lot, and people talk to me. I talk to them, and we go into it. A lot of sharing. It’s really, um. You have to kind of be there. But… it gets deep. Really good, sometimes.

And when it’s like that, I like to keep a few notes from those conversations, and try to see where they fit in with other ones, from before, like items gathered while reading, or going to plays, or hearing lines in songs that I like a lot.

Once I wrote something on a piece of paper that I found in a very old textbook, on a shelf at Paññāsāstra University’s library in Phnom Penh. A dusty street, always new construction on Norodom so you got lost if you were distracted.

I put that paper in the back pocket of my jeans, fishing it out because whatever was on it made sense in one exact moment to read, out loud, over the phone with a friend in a different timezone whom I knew would really appreciate it.

Then I replaced it somewhere–maybe another pocket? I do not know–and shortly lost it. In a garden, I think, moments after that call. So this would have been, if I recall it right, at the Embassy of Bulgaria, a place I got to host a little conversation party called ‘Origin,’ where strangers I found and invited got together for tea and philosophy: my friend and I had been discussing long-distance how to best one might arrange that kind of dialogue.

The paper? I don’t know where it went, or the subjects of our conversations, or even the guests who had taken part. (I do recall, though, the scent of the flowers, the very white ones in Cambodia, with deep yellow at their centers... I had placed one in front of each guest’s spot at a simple wooden outdoor table, along with a cup awaiting tea, and by the end of the night each of us had placed our flowers behind an ear... Seasons. Memory.)

Whatever was on the original slip, however, probably wasn’t important, nor, now that I think about it, was our pre-planning.

But the fact that I had shared it, that counted. How to best now convey so as to connect what I still have, with me, now? This is why I’ve kept things, I suppose. To work them out so they go on a page in a way that, I hope, will land. With you there, reading perhaps. Even now, chance encounters and the magic moments–these are what then, now that I am writing this all out here, yes, these are what I feel that it is that the small papers are documenting. Order and shape. Clarity. A writer must also find this.

‘I like what you were writing before, Dipika, but you know, sometimes, I just have no idea what it is you’re even talking about. Say it, and say it directly.’ A very wise person said this to me, in order to help me learn to write more clearly. ‘Maybe even write it straight through, in one sitting. That way, you won’t overthink it.’

‘I can try that.’

‘Good.’ continued on page 114

Dipika Kohli

is the author of Kanishka, The Elopement, and Breakfast in Cambodia.

See kismuth.com.

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April 2019

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Cheti Chand 2019 Sindhi New Year

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Please bring fruits and Dry fruits for the Kalyanam

For Details Call: Priests Lakshmikanth Bhattar: 980-254-1022 Balaji Bhattar: 704-906-2109 or Hindu Center: 704-535-3440

Hanuman Jayanti Celebrations

April 19, (Friday) Reciting 108 Hanuman Chalisa Pooja: 9:30 AM Recitation: 10AM-5:30PM

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SPONSORS WELCOME Mukhya Yajman: $251 Mahaprasad: $151 Archana Sponsor $31 Contacts

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Lord Mahavir Jayanti Celebration april 21, 2019 (sunday)

9 aM to 2 PM in Vihar Hall

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Hindu Center of Charlotte celebrates Spring Festival / Basant Mela encompassing

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Cultural Program Contacts email: hc_cultural@yahoo.com Anitha Gowtam 704-206-9348 Sarika Milhoutra 201-696-1877 Amulya Deepak 704-589-4033 riya Annesha 980-349-9476 Sponsorships Call: 704-206-9348 or email: hc_cultural@yahoo.com

Food Stalls

Community Entertainment

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Special Musical

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WHERE: Vihar Hall Hindu Center ENTRY: $5/person (FREE for kids under 5)

Mahaprabhuji Shrimad Vallabhacharya 540th Mahaprabhuji’s Pragatyotsav saturday May 11, 2019 (4 to 7 PM) Hindu Center - Vihar Hall

The celebration will begin with reciting Patth, followed by Kirtans, Bhajans, Discourse, cultural program, and Arti followed by Mahaprasadam For details call: Kshitish Mehta 704-560-5459, Rita shah 704-321-0740 or shruti shah 704-364-9120

Dances of India

By Dr. Maha Gingrich

Perhaps, we as teachers can strive to become gurus and replace the sameness of today with the individuality of past.

As I teach individual students, I do not want to end up with a production of clones. I just do not want to see the individual identity being submerged in an urge to develop uniformity. We need to connect with our disciples at a deeper level to help them find their identities in this multi-cultural environment. We may not be able to replace those great gurus, but we can at least reincarnate the spirit of those great gurus.

dancing Back in time

I just attended the dance performance of Mallika Sarabhai.

When I saw her on the stage, it took me back in time. As a young teenager, here I was standing at the doorsteps of Darpana Academy of Performing Arts located in Ahmedabad, owned by Sarabhai family. My dream guruji, Bharathacharya, Guru Sri. C. R. Acharyulu was there teaching Kuchipudi to both Mrinalini Sarabhai (Mother of Mallika) and Mallika Sarabhai.

He was also helping Mrinalini Sarabhai write a book on Kuchipudi dance style and its history.

I was very nervous as I met Guruji. I told him I learned Kuchipudi from his disciple Smt. Sumathy Kaushal since I was 5 years old and that I aspire to learn directly from him. As a teenager, I was not mature enough to verbalize my feelings nor did I have the guts to scream about my enthusiasm to learn from him. I remember clearly those days of my learning, yearning, connecting, and striving to be a little like him. He had a treasure of knowledge. He had a special and rare repertoire of temple dances, and has written several books describing its history and evolution. However, these dances are no longer performed in today’s modern world. He never held back in his teachings. He wanted to share as if he was doing a succession plan. As I did not have any connections in that city, I stayed at his house. Guru Acharyulu has inspired me to learn and share our history with others. He made me write my very first article in World of Dances. Without his influence, I will not be writing these Dances of India articles.

So why am I sharing this story? I always come back to this crucial query about what is our role as a guru or should I say teacher? What is the difference between the gurus and the teachers? This difference is very clear when learning or practicing Yoga. I have written a lot about how yoga and classical dances are stemming from the same source. However, we do not have the same clarity when it comes to dance gurus and dance teachers. In my opinion, Guru is not a teacher. While teachers teach the methodology of dance and its techniques, Gurus’ are repositories of centuries of accumulated knowledge and experience. It is a heritage of a practical methodology and wisdom.

Ask any of the disciples of these great gurus, and they will say it starts with the Gurus being treasure troves of knowledge, not just book learned or theoretical. They had the ability to be intuitive in their teachings. They were deeply connected with the inner beings of their disciples. They taught more than dancing. They helped us to recognize our inner and outer selves. They taught their disciples, as much by what they said as by what they did not say. They allowed us to nurture and develop our own epistemologies. It is this harmonious blend of relationship between the guru and the disciple that renders the transcendent experience in dancing.

Even in the 21st century, I continue to yearn to find more Gurus in my life to rekindle that indispensable spirit of learning in me. By no means am I questioning the ability of current teachers. We are fortunate to have many dance teachers at different levels making an effort to propagate all dance forms.

There are dance teachers in every corner of Indian cities and now even in the U.S. Saathee.com

photo courtesy of Dr. Maha Gingrich

That spirit of Guru-Shishya (Disciple) relationship adds to the spirit of dancing. Many of us have gurus in our lives who were our mentors, spiritual guides and those who unleashed that hidden spirit within us. Similarly, traditional dancing cannot be learned by watching a video or a movie. It could be copied or duplicated but cannot be nurtured to hopes of perfection by a Guru.

Technology and modernity is a great blessing to reach outside world. Gurus are a great blessing to reach our inside world. In humility, I dedicate this article to all my gurus, who inspire me regularly to continue this dedication to these beautiful dance styles and our culture and encouraging me to dance like there is no tomorrow!

Dr. Maha Gingrich

For questions or comments contact via e-mail at: Gingrichmaha@gmail.com

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April 2019

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April 2019

Nutrition for Life

By Parul Kharod

Throughout the millennia and across different cultures, people have long appreciated close connection between the brain and gut. People speak of “gut feelings” and “gut instincts.” Anxiety may give someone “butterflies in the stomach,” and “having guts” is a way to describe courage.

Our physical and mental health is dependent upon the health of our gut. Unfortunately, most of the people today have inadequate beneficial (good) bacteria, excessive damaging (bad) bacteria, and a lack of bacterial diversity.

This is due to multiple factors:

Gut Feelings

Hippocrates, the father of medicine, said that “All Disease Begins in the Gut”.

Hippocrates was a Greek physician who is considered one of the most outstanding figures in the history of medicine. He is often referred to as the “Father of Medicine” in recognition of his lasting contributions to the field, and as the founder of the Hippocratic medical system developed in Greece around 300 BCE. How did he get this knowledge? It is proposed that majority of the recommendations in the Greek medical system were influenced by the earlier civilizations such an ancient Sumerian and Egyptian civilizations. There is also a strong influence from the Ayurvedic medical system dating back 5000 years. The Suśruta-samhitā is one of the most important surviving ancient treatises on medicine and is considered a foundational text of Ayurveda.

There are theories that a Greek physician named Ectasias took the knowledge of Susruta, and likely handed it to Hippocrates. The book was probably in the library of Alexandria, and, the worlds of Persia, Arabia, and Egypt knew the medical literature of the Vedas from the trading ships that sailed from India and China.

There are differences among Ayurveda and the medical system developed by Hippocrates, but the one major commonality is establishing the importance of the gut as the seat of health.

Ayurveda categorizes three doshas as substances that flow or circulate within the body, bringing disease through excess or deficiency.

• Poor diet – a diet high in processed foods and lacking in good fiber • Excessive use of medications (pain medicines, antacids, antidepressants and anti-biotics) • Chronic stress (which can alter digestive secretion, gut permeability, blood flow, sensitivity, and even change bacterial composition) • Environmental toxins (pesticides, toxins, preservatives, artificial colors, artificial sweeteners, herbicides, and hormones & anti-biotics given to animals) • Birth and Childhood History (mother’s gut health; natural birth vs. C-section; breastfed or formula-fed; first foods while weaning, use of anti-biotics during childhood)

All these factors ultimately lead to unbalanced gut flora (dysbiosis), and an increased susceptibility to intestinal permeability (leaky gut). For some people this may cause symptoms like bloating, heartburn, IBS, and excess gas, while for others it may lead to more chronic conditions such as obesity, diabetes, heart disease, and cancer.

Evidence from multiple research studies leads us to believe that these problems originate in the gut, and healing the gut can lead to significant improvement in mental and physical health.

With so much information now available bout the connection between our gut and our health, there’s no reason why you shouldn’t be doing everything you can to improve the integrity of your gut lining, encourage a positive bacterial environment, and optimize the overall function of your gastrointestinal system.

So what does that mean in practical terms?

“Vata, pitta and kapha are waste products (malas) of digestion taking place in the stomach and in the body components with an essential Here are some steps to take to support the gut and improve role in maintaining body functions. But they are mala-dhatus only your overall health: • Get adequate sleep – respect your internal clock (circadian when they remain in normal range; as soon as they become deficient rhythm) or excessive, they become doshas capable of upsetting the functions of • Exercise frequently – be physically active the other dhatus.” (Valiathan, Introduction to Ayurveda, p 29) • Drink 2-3 liters of water (unless otherwise advised) Thus the Ayurvedic medical system and the Hippocratic • Eat a wide variety of plant foods medical system both place a great emphasis on improving continued on page 114 digestion and having a healthy gut to prevent disease.

Majority of our immune system is in our gut. Our Parul Kharod, MS, RD, LDN gastrointestinal system contains 100 million neurons and 10-100 is a registered dietitian and licensed nutritionist trillion different microbes. We have more microbes than cells in and works as a Clinical Dietitian with Outpatient our body. The quantity and variety of these bacteria determine Nutrition Services at WakeMed Hospital in Cary our health, protect us from infection, support metabolism, and and Raleigh. She can be reached at promote digestion and elimination. parulkharod@gmail.com Saathee.com

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April 2019

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April 2019

Personal Finances

By Mo Vidwans

guardian’s tax rate which could have been as high as 39.6 percent cascading through the various tax steps.

According to the Internal Revenue Service Data, which is available for 2015 now, about 343,000 children paid a total of $1 billion in kiddie tax; this was calculated by the old rules, of course.

Starting in 2018, with the new TCJA law in place, a simplified but different kiddie tax structure is in place. In the new form, the kiddie tax stays the same for the first $2,100 of unearned income. But after that IRS will tax the unearned income amounts at the rates associated with the different income brackets as opposed to associated with the parents’ tax rate. The rates range with anything up to $2,500 taxed at 10 percent, from $2,551 to $9,150 at 24 percent, $9,151 to $12,500 at 35 percent and anything over $12,501 at 37 percent. This means that children in the top bracket whose parents make less than $600,000 when filing jointly, are going to be subject to higher tax rates than their parents. The Kiddie Tax does not apply to child’s earned income like from mowing lawns, designing websites or fixing cell phones; these are just a few of the myriad of things children do which will be classified as earned income.

For earned income they will have to file their own tax returns like everyone else does.

These rates mentioned above suggest that a child’s unearned income will be subject to something similar to Trust Tax rates. As mentioned before, this income was usually taxed at the parents’ rate.

It is worth noting here that it does not matter in what kinds of vehicles the investments for the child are placed. It can be inside a child’s UGMA (uniform gift to minor’s account), regular investment account (broker/dealer) or a simple savings account, inherited traditional IRAs, or 401Ks, a taxable legal settlement or even social security survivor benefits in some cases; you get the picture. It makes sense to think that it is often better to leave a child a ROTH IRA, which can make tax-free payouts, rather than a traditional IRA if the child would owe kiddie tax on the payouts.

Parents, or the child, have to choose investments carefully.

The $2,100 total can go a long way. It could essentially shelter the current annual dividends from say, $100,000 invested in an S&P 500 index fund. The dividends from a high growth stock in a single company could also be less than $2,100 a year. But be aware if the company undergoes a taxable merger, like Medtronic and Johnson Controls did a few years ago, there is almost certainly a large capital gain in such situations which would trigger kiddie tax.

As you may have guessed age makes a big difference. The kiddie tax does not apply to children older than 24 or who are married. Some part-time students also don’t get affected by it and there are other exceptions. Perhaps the best thing is not to sell a gift of stock immediately. Check your dollar needs, the time frame and, for sure, tax situation.

KIddIe tax 2019

Be aware of the Changes

The term Kiddie tax was coined back during Reagan Administration era in 1986 when a special tax law was created dealing with unearned income of essentially kids under 14 years of age. Children under 14 legally cannot work which means any income the child receives usually comes from dividends and interests and other indirect means; certainly not earned by the children. It was determined that many wealthy families were using a tactic of transferring some of their assets to their children in order to avoid high income taxes (or at least reduce them substantially) on the income from these assets which they would have to pay if these assets were still on the parents’ own name.

Back then the tax structure was quite different than today and highest tax bracket was much higher for adult individuals who would have normally owned these assets. The tax structure for unearned income of children has evolved a few times since then; the last one being when TCJA was passed in December 2017 making it effective for 2018 and onwards.

So today, kiddie Tax is a tax imposed on individuals under 19 years of age (24 for full-time students) whose unearned income exceeds an annually pre-determined threshold. Before 2018, the IRS taxed any income exceeding the pre-determined threshold at the rate of the income tax rate of the child’s guardian or parents; in effect making the transfer of assets to children a fruitless exercise. Under the old law it also created some strange situations; for two children who made the exact same amount of income in their portfolio, their unearned income could be taxed differently depending on what income bracket their parents fell into. A child whose parents made $75,000 that year, for example, would be taxed at a significantly lower rate that a child whose parents made, say $200,000.

The TCJA of 2017 greatly changed the thought process behind the kiddie tax. Now, with the new law in place, when a child’s income exceeds a certain threshold the kiddie tax uses a taxation structure where the amount of unearned income dictates the tax rate rather than the tax rate of the child’s parents. Now it is completely independent of the parents’ tax rate; the new rules totally disregard the income of the parents.

In the old Law (till 2017), the tax-free income threshold was set-up at $1,050. What it meant was there would be no income tax the child has to pay on the first $1,050 of his/her unearned income. After that IRS taxed the second tier of $1,050 of unearned income at the child’s tax rate, which would be generally very low, sometimes even at zero percent. Any income exceeding $2,100 ($1,050+$1,050) was taxed at the Saathee.com

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Vidwans is an independent, board certified financial planner. For details visit www.vidwansfinancial.com, call 984-888-0355 or write to mpvidwans@yahoo.com.

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April 2019

Buy Right, Sit Tight Rational side of the investing pendulum

By Amit Rupani

do elections affect stock Market Returns?

India is heading for Lok Sabha election in April 2019 – the world’s largest democratic election exercise. Indian General Election 2019 schedule is out and the national election will be held in seven rounds from April 11 and the results will be announced on May 23.

Will the Indian stock market crash if Narendra Modi led NDA government doesn’t come back to power? There is a lot of noise and confusion among investors in Indian stock market about how the election outcome will impact their portfolios. A lot of investors are just too scared of the election outcome and waiting on the sidelines.

I recently came across a very interesting table which showed performance of the BSE Sensex index over last 39 years during 13 different government tenures. Below is the table which provides the details.

Just notice the Market Returns (%) column on the right side.

Surprisingly, it does not have a single negative return number.

If an investor had remained invested during the entire tenure of the government in power, the investor has never lost money.

The markets have performed better when the ruling government has stayed in power for full-term, regardless of which party was at the helm. Above table proves that a majority or a minority government may impact the political fortunes of the leaders or impact the tenure of the government, but they do not affect market returns in a big way.

From 1980-2018, India’s annual GDP growth rate has been at least 5.5 percent. In fact, from 2003-15 it grew at annual growth rate of almost 8 percent. The resiliency of Indian economy is so strong that even in the most difficult year like 2008, GDP grew by 3.9 percent. Every year India’s GDP has grown consistently despite which party was at the helm. This happened despite P V Narsimha Rao led minority Congress government with coalition partners led by the Left parties, who are often considered not good for the market. Political parties of India may be die-hard enemies, but their thinking on economic reforms is not very different and their ideologies are growth oriented.

Good things have happened post unexpected election outcome.

2004 Indian General elections: BJP/NDA conceded defeat to Congress in 2004 general elections. Congress came back to power with support from Bahujan Samaj Party, Samajwadi Party, Kerala Congress and the Left Front. This was the worst possible outcome of 2004 elections for the stock market. Sensex crashed by 842 points on result day May 17th, 2004. This was the worst collapse in history (until then). But still Nifty rallied from 1292 to 3671 until 2009 elections happened. Best rally that one could imagine while ruling party had support from Left Front.

That is 23.22 percent CAGR just for index without dividends in less than 5 years.

2016 us elections: Hillary Clinton was expected to win 2016 US elections and market was expecting to rally with this Saathee.com

outcome. Experts believed that a Trump win would sow uncertainty and cause a sell-off. But as we saw, the US markets rallied after Trump won the elections, providing big gains for the US stock indices.

As we see in the above table, there isn’t much correlation between election outcomes and Indian stock market returns.

Ruling political parties will come and go but it is the capitalism, increasing population, increasing employment, productivity gains, and innovation which will keep corporate profits growing and thriving. People will still need home, food, cars, medicines, insurance, bank loans, internet, cell phones, and many other countless things and services regardless of the election outcome.

Investors should not invest based on anticipated political outcomes. It is actually important to the see the big picture and invest in fundamentally sound companies which are available at reasonable valuation.

Happy investing!

Amit Rupani, CFA

is an Independent Investor, practices Value Investing principles, manages money for longterm wealth creation through Equities asset class. Email: rupaniamit@yahoo.com

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81

April 2019

Immigration Matters

By Rishi P Oza

From “Wait in Mexico” to “Remain in Mexico”:

The Trump Administration’s Evolving Immigration Policies at the Southern Border

The Trump Administration is implementing yet another immigration policy meant to address what it believes to be a “migration crisis along our southern border.” In a memo dated December 20, 2018, Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen announced the rollout of the “Migrant Protection Protocols,” (MPP) referred to as the “Remain in Mexico” policy by both administration officials and critics alike. The MPP would require certain asylum-seekers arriving at the border to remain in Mexico while U.S. immigration courts process their cases. The policy will not apply to unaccompanied minors or to asylum-seekers from Mexico, according to government documents. Traditionally, migrants arriving at the southern border, or at any port of entry, have a legal right to seek asylum once they set foot on U.S. soil. In fact, an individual can only seek asylum if they are already in the United States. It is this aspect of asylum, physical presence in the United States, that the Trump administration continues to try to prevent, delay, or limit at the southern border.

The MPP is the successor to another more “unofficial” policy known as “metering.” The “metering” of asylum-seekers essentially amounted to officials at the border telling arriving migrants that there is no more room for them on the other side of the border, forcing them to wait in Mexico for an indeterminate amount of time. These asylum-seekers were waiting days, weeks, and even months, just for the opportunity to apply for asylum. This arbitrary system of allowing certain people in and keeping others out led to even more chaos at the border, with thousands waiting at ports of entry in Mexico.

The administration’s solution was to introduce the MPP, a new, official policy, with an apparent statutory basis in the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA). More specifically, in the December 20, 2018 memo, Secretary Nielsen announced that DHS, “consistent with the Migrant Protection Protocols (MPP),” would begin implementation of Section 235(b)(2)(C) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) on a large-scale in order to “address the migration crisis along our southern border.”

Secretary Nielsen stressed that the administration would “undertake these steps consistent with all domestic and international legal obligations, including our humanitarian commitments.”

So how well is the Trump administration adhering to these obligations and commitments? First, there is a question as to whether DHS even possesses the authority to implement such a policy under the INA. This is one of the central issues in the ACLU’s lawsuit filed on February 14, 2019. The INA section DHS cites to, 235(b)(2)(C), authorizes DHS to return to Mexico certain aliens arriving on land from Mexico, pending the outcome of their removal proceedings. However, this “return authority” does not appear to cover those migrants the policy is meant for – asylum-seekers. Migrants who arrive at the border without valid entry documents – a group that includes most asylum-seekers from Central America – are generally Saathee.com

subject to expedited removal. Therefore, on its face it does appear that most of the asylum-seekers arriving at the border would fall within DHS’s return authority under Section 235(b)(2)(C).

The ACLU complaint also alleges that the MPP violates the INA protections for establishing a right to apply for asylum and blocking the removal of individuals to a country where they would face persecution. Although the MPP does not apply to Mexican asylum-seekers, Central Americans can fear persecution in Mexico as well. The fundamental principle of international asylum law is that you can’t return a migrant to a country where they are in danger of being persecuted, known as non-refoulement. It has been reported that migrants are not being asked during initial processing whether they are afraid of being returned to Mexico and instead they are required to volunteer that information on their own. If a migrant happens to bring up a fear of persecution in Mexico, agents are supposed to refer them to a USCIS asylum officer for an interview.

Typically, during this initial assessment in the asylum process, a migrant has to only establish a “credible fear” of persecution in their home country, a generous standard. Under the MPP, however, a migrant has to establish that they are “more likely than not” to be persecuted if they’re sent back to Mexico, a much tougher bar to meet.

The rollout of the MPP just began in late January of this year at the San Ysidro border crossing. So far, only 240 migrants have been returned to Mexico, but the administration is currently expanding the policy to other ports of entry. The fate of the MPP remains to be seen. Will it die in the courts or live to evolve yet again? Stay tuned.

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Rishi P. Oza

is the Partner at Robert Brown LLC, a firm that focuses solely on immigration law; he practices in Durham. roza@rbrownllc.com April 2019

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Read • Watch • Listen

By Shivani Tripathi

Made in Heaven Review: all that Glitters Is not Gold

Co-created by Zoya Akhtar and Reema Kagti

Outlandish weddings, social climbing and scandalous trysts are only few of the ingredients in Amazon Prime’s latest original Indian series, Made in Heaven. Released on March 8, Made in Heaven is the third series produced by Excel Entertainment for the streaming service after Inside Edge and Mirzapur. The production house has long had the reputation of being obsessed with ‘rich people’s problems’ with Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara and Dil Dhadakne Do being prominent cases in point, but Talaash and the recent Gully Boy are excellent examples of Excel deftly handling stories related to the aam admi (common man).

Gully Boy’s roaring success at the box office has been attributed to the younger, urban demographic which will likely stream Made in Heaven.

Comprised of nine episodes, Made in Heaven’s debut season is a look into the world of present-day wedding planners in India’s capital, New Delhi. Together, Karan Mehra (Arjun Mathur) and Tara Khanna (Sobhita Dhulipala) lead a wedding planning business named Made in Heaven which caters to upper crust Delhiites. Supporting characters include Adil Khanna (Jim Sarbh) as Tara’s powerful industrialist husband and Faiza Naqvi (Kalki Koechlin) as Tara’s confidant and Khanna family friend.

If one is familiar with Excel Entertainment’s filmography, on the outside Made in Heaven looks like a sibling of Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara and Dil Dhadakne Do with wealthy friends and family resolving their issues, but from the first episode class and social status become a central focus as seen in Gully Boy. Saathee.com

Most of the weddings featured in the series are “love marriages” and the opening credits showcase real life couples during ceremonies, when romance and the promise of unconditional, undying love are celebrated. Although what viewers quickly notice episode after episode is that more than love, it’s the question and answer of “What’s in it for me?” that dictates whether a person finds their prospective mate suitable for an alliance, with the ‘it’ often times being wealth, privilege and/or power.

The over-the-top festivities and the incredible array of colors and sparkle associated with Indian weddings entices viewers but the examination of double standards and often regressive back dealings of seemingly progressive people makes us interested in seeing more. And a caveat to those who enjoyed watching the aforementioned films with family: this series has plenty of sex, profanity and drug use making Made in Heaven perhaps more suitable to view alongside friends than family.

Zoya Akhtar and Reema Kagti, who together have written Gully Boy, Dil Dhadakne Do, Talaash and Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara, with Kagti directing Talaash and Akhtar directing the remaining, are the creators of the series and have written all nine episodes with Alankrita Shrivastava, who has directed feature films Turning 30!!! and Lipstick Under My Burkha.

Akhtar, Shrivastava and Prashant Nair (Umrika) have directed two episodes each and Nitya Mehra, who has assisted in such films as Don and Little Zizou, has directed three. continued on page 112

Shivani Tripathi

Shivani Tripathi cannot remember a time she wasn’t madly in love with Indian cinema and writing. She spends time in New York, North Carolina and Twitterpur at @Shivani510.

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News Notes Charlotte transit Marks one-Year Anniversary of Blue Line

leadership, professional development, member benefits, and community engagement.

The 30th anniversary convention and trade show will be held from April 24-27, 2019 in San Diego at the San Diego Convention Center.

The multi-day event will feature a trade show, convention, vendors, networking and more. Entertainers for the conference include Atif Aslam, Jonita Gandhi, Ayushmann Khurrana, and Monali Thakur.

Keynote speakers include Salman Khan (founder of Khan Academy) Carly Fiorina, former presidential candidate.

For more details, visit www.aahoacon.streampoint.com.

AAHoA Joins Georgia Statewide Human trafficking taskforce

The Charlotte Area Transit System (CATS) marked the oneyear anniversary of the opening of the extension of the LYNX Blue Line. Dubbed the “Blue Line Extension (BLE),” the expanded light rail service began revenue service on March 16, 2018, after five years of construction. It was one of the largest infrastructure projects in Charlotte history. CATS commemorated the anniversary occasion with several appreciation events, including celebrating its 58-millionth LYNX Blue Line rider during a special event today at the LYNX 3rd Street Station. CATS CEO John Lewis was on hand to deliver a token of CATS’ appreciation to winner Mark Helotie and thank other riders for their continued support.

“It hasn’t felt like a year, but here we are, celebrating a momentous occasion that was the culmination of the hard work and dedication of so many individuals,” said Lewis. “We’ve seen the community benefits of the LYNX Blue Line and other transit projects. While we are certainly reflective, we’re also very enthusiastic for what the future holds.”

The LYNX Blue Line has spurred immense economic development along the alignment. Currently, there has been nearly $800 million in private investment that is completed, permitted or under construction along the extension. Since it opened in November 2007, the original Blue Line has spurred an estimated $2.7 billion in private investment projects.

The entire LYNX Blue Line now covers nearly 19 miles and has 26 stations, including 11 park and rides. Last month, the average weekday ridership was nearly 27,500. The LYNX Blue Line operates every 7.5 minutes during peak hours and averages an on-time performance rate of 98 percent.

For schedule information on the LYNX Blue Line, visit ridetransit.org.

AAHoA Annual Convention and trade Show to be Held in San Diego

Asian American Hotel Owners Association (AAHOA) is the largest hotel owners association in the world. The 18,500+ AAHOA members own nearly one in every two hotels in the United States. With billions of dollars in property assets and hundreds of thousands of employees, AAHOA members are core economic contributors in virtually every community.

AAHOA’s mission is to advance and protect the business interests of hotel owners through advocacy, industry Saathee.com

AAHOA, the nation’s largest hotel owners association, has announced its membership with the Georgia Criminal Justice Coordinating Council’s (CJCC) Human Trafficking Task Force to combat criminal trafficking efforts in the state. AAHOA represents over 18,500 hoteliers nationwide, including over 800 in Georgia. The association is part of the Task Force’s Community Awareness and Education Workgroup.

AAHOA Interim President and CEO Rachel Humphrey said, “AAHOA is proud to bring our knowledge of and expertise in anti-trafficking education and prevention to the CJCC’s Human Trafficking Task Force. Education and cooperation are key to combating the traffickers who exploit the most vulnerable in our society, and we are committed to working with law enforcement and our state’s elected officials to keep these criminals out of our communities. We look forward to continuing the fight against trafficking in Georgia.”

The Task Force’s mission is to protect Georgians from perpetrators and systems of sexual exploitation while working to support victims’ recovery to ensure that they are ready a successful future. The Task Force operates by a targeted, strategic framework which consists of nine Work Groups to address the five elements of the trafficking continuum: Vulnerability - Recruitment -Exploitation - Withdrawal – Reintegration. AAHOA is a member of Work Group 1 which focuses on awareness and education.

AAHOA’s efforts to combat trafficking in the hotel industry include partnerships with the Department of Homeland Security, the Blue Campaign, Polaris, and Businesses Ending Slavery and Trafficking (BEST). The association worked with Polaris and BEST to create two free online and on-demand trainings and certifications for members and their employees that educate them about trafficking, how to identify its signs, and how to respond to potential trafficking situations.

For more information about AAHOA’s Human Trafficking Awareness Training, visit www.aahoa.com/htat.

50th raising Day celebrations of the Central Industrial Security Forces

Prime Minister Narendra Modi attended the 50th Raising Day celebrations of Central Industrial Security Forces (CISF), at Indirapuram in Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh on March 10, 2019.

He reviewed the parade of the CISF personnel and presented the service medals for distinguished and meritorious services. He laid wreath at the Martyr’s Memorial and signed the visitor’s book.

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Addressing the CISF personnel, Modi congratulated the forces for its Golden Jubilee. He praised the role of CISF in safeguarding and protecting the vital institutions of the country.

He added that the responsibility of safeguarding the modern infrastructure built for New India is in the hands of CISF.

graced by the President of India, Ram Nath Kovind as well as Prime Minister Narendra Modi. On behalf of Ekal the award from the President was received by M. L. Jain, a senior trustee of Ekal Abhiyan. This unique Honor carries a grant of Rs 1 Crore, a Citation and a Plaque to commemorate the distinction.

This prize was instituted in 1995 on 125th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi to highlight his concept of “Gram Swaraj Model.” In his laudatory message to “Ekal” Prime Minister Modi commended its efforts to give educational opportunity to children in tribal areas and empowering rural women-folks.

Modi urged the citizens to cooperate with the security personnel. VIP culture creates hurdle in security architecture.

Hence, it’s important that the citizens cooperate with the security personnel, PM said. To create awareness amongst the general public regarding the role and functions of CISF, Prime Minister suggested the idea of starting digital museums at airports and metros, showcasing the work of CISF. Hailing the role of CISF in securing the critical infrastructure of the country, Modi said that the force is also involved in disaster response, ensuring safety of women and many other activities. In this context, Prime Minister spoke about the disaster relief operations of CISF during Kerala floods and also during Nepal and Haiti earthquake Modi said that his government is committed towards ensuring the safety of its security forces. In this context he mentioned about the initiatives of the Government to modernize the forces and the actions taken for their welfare.

Stating that duty is the festival for the armed forces, and Modi stated that that the role of CISF has increased, due to the challenges posted by terrorism.

Modi said the monuments like National War Memorial and National Police Memorial will create awareness amongst the citizens regarding the contributions of security forces and hailed the efforts of CISF in inducting many women soldiers into its force.

Currently, “EVF” has been supporting 82,000 Ekal-schools across Rural-tribal pockets of India and grooming almost 2.2 Million Children – more than half of which are girls. “Ekal” is empowering village folks, not only through adult education classes related to healthcare and environmental-issues, but also, by preparing them for cottage-industries with skilldevelopment training.

Ekal serves people without any credence to caste, creed, religion and regions and has presence even in conflict-ridden patches.

For more information, visit www.ekal.org.

nAto Alliance Marking 70 Years, Looks to Counter threats

By Jim Garamone

ekal Foundation Awarded Gandhi Peace Prize

Ekal Vidyalaya Foundation (EVF), the largest global organization dedicated to integrated village development in rural India was honored with the most prestigious National Award in India for social work. On February 26, 2019 Ekal Abhiyan Trust was bestowed with “Mahatma Gandhi Peace Prize” for the year 2017 for its contributions in providing Education to rural and tribal children and for providing Empowerment with gender social equality in remote parts of India. Generally given annually, the prizes for the years 2015 – 2018 were given at the same time in February. Ekal received the prize for 2017. This prize is conferred by the Govt of India under the Chairmanship of Prime Minister, Chief Justice, leader of the largest opposition party and many others. The ceremony took place at the Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi and was Saathee.com

Vice Admiral Darren Hawco (Military Rep to NATO, Canada) with Harjit Singh Sajjan (Minister of Defence, Canada).

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As NATO prepares to mark its 70th anniversary, Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said the alliance may have changed many times, but it has not compromised its foundational principle: the commitment of its member nations to protect and defend one another.

Stoltenberg spoke on the future of NATO enlargement at an event hosted by the German Marshall Fund think tank today in Brussels.

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On April 4, NATO will mark 70 years since the signing of the North Atlantic Treaty. Other allies are marking significant anniversaries as well, the secretary general said. The Czech Republic, Hungary and Poland joined NATO 20 years ago.

Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia became members 15 years ago. Albania and Croatia joined 10 years ago. And NATO’s newest member, North Macedonia, will complete the accession process later this year.

need for an alliance NATO grew out of the experiences of the early 20th century.

The First and Second World Wars were born out of conflicts that had been nearly constant on the continent for hundreds of years. “For most of Europe’s history, conflict was our constant companion,” Stoltenberg said. “The last 70 years have been the exception. And we should not take peace for granted.”

The alliance was also a response to aggression from the Soviet Union. It banded together like-minded nations in a defensive alliance, with Article 5 being the heart of the treaty: an attack on one-member nation was the same as an attack on all.

Twelve countries signed the North Atlantic Treaty in 1949, but NATO was always open to more joining.

“NATO enlargement is not a provocation,” Stoltenberg said.

“We respect the right of every sovereign nation to decide their own destiny, without force and without interference, whether they decide to join NATO or not. We believe in a world without spheres of influence.”

european transformation The secretary general called 1989 the year when Europe transformed. The Berlin Wall fell, the Soviet Union started to dissolve and the ideals of democracy and free markets taking hold.

“NATO’s open door and the enlargement of the European Union have helped spread freedom, democracy and human rights, and we must continue to work hard every day to uphold those values,” he said.

“Open door” refers to Article 10 of the North Atlantic Treaty, which states that NATO membership is open to any “European state in a position to further the principles of this Treaty and to contribute to the security of the North Atlantic area.”

“Let us remember that alliances do not stand in the way of strong and independent nations,” the secretary general said.

“NATO exists precisely to ensure the freedom and prosperity in which sovereign countries and peoples can thrive.”

The new member nations are full players in the alliance, Stoltenberg said. Their troops are deployed to Afghanistan and Iraq and are helping to ensure peace in the Balkans.

“Many of you lead by example when it comes to burden sharing within our alliance, already investing 2 percent of your [gross domestic product] in defense,” he said. “NATO’s opendoor policy serves both our values and interests. It’s a positive driver for reform. It extends our shared area of peace and stability. And it enriches our alliance with new voices, new experiences, and new capabilities.” nato Growth Since the end of the Cold War, NATO has nearly doubled its membership — from 16 member nations in 1989, to 30 when North Macedonia becomes a full member. “NATO’s door remains open,” the secretary general said. “We continue to work with the three aspirant countries — Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia and Ukraine — to bring them closer.

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“At the same time we cannot be complacent,” he continued.

“We cannot squander the hard-won gains of those who came before us. They knew that history does not just happen. But that it takes courage and conviction to shape our world and defend our values.”

NATO is changing yet again, Stoltenberg said, and is facing a more complex and unpredictable world.

“This is what has made us the most successful alliance in history,” he said. “Faced with the greatest security challenges in a generation, we are increasing the readiness of our forces, investing more in our collective defense and modernizing our alliance. NATO remains both an anchor of stability and a beacon of hope.”

— Defense.gov

IMPACt Announces Aruna Miller as new executive Director

In late February, the Indian American Impact Project and Impact Fund (collectively “IMPACT”) announced the appointment of former Maryland State Delegate and former 2018 Congressional candidate Aruna Miller as Executive Director.

“After conducting a national search, the Boards of IMPACT have selected Aruna Miller to serve as our Executive Director,” said Deepak Raj, co-founder of Impact and chair of the Impact Fund. “Aruna shares our passion for building political power in the Indian American community. With her leadership, will continue building IMPACT into an organization that will be extraordinarily helpful to future generations.”

“IMPACT is positioned to harness the energy, excitement, and success of a historic 2018 election cycle in which an unprecedented number of Indian Americans ran for office across the country. In the coming months, we look forward to recruiting and training candidates, broadening our reach and support, and shaping the 2020 political landscape,” “As a former candidate and elected official who has campaigned, won votes, and served in office, Aruna is the ideal person to lead IMPACT. She has the perfect combination of skills and personal experience to take this organization to the next level,” said Raj Goyle, co-founder of Impact and a former member of the Kansas House of Representatives. “Anyone who has met, worked with, or voted for Aruna knows her future is bright. We are excited to have her at the helm of IMPACT.” An engineer by training, Miller served in the Maryland State House from 2010 to 2018, where she worked to invest in STEM education and streamline the regulatory process for small businesses. In her 2018 bid for Congress, Miller came in second out of eight candidates and earned endorsements from the Impact Fund, EMILY’s List, 314 Action, National Education Association, and the Sierra Club as well as all four Indian American members of the House of Representatives.

“I am honored and excited to work with IMPACT,” Miller said. “I am particularly gratified to be part of an organization dedicated to engaging Indian Americans, one of the fastest growing populations in the United States. I hope to further IMPACT’s mission to develop and support talented individuals have the desire to become influential leaders in our democracy.”

Co-founded by Raj Goyle, CEO of Bodhala and former member of the Kansas State House, and Deepak Raj, Chairman of Pratham USA and founder of the Raj Center on Indian Economic Policies at Columbia University, IMPACT’s mission is to help talented and patriotic Indian Americans run for office, win, and lead.

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north Carolina Science Festival 2019

the whole state joins in the fun of discovery

North Carolina’s biggest celebration of science returns for the ninth year. The NC Science Festival takes place from April 1 - 30, 2019. There are hundreds of events lined up at different venues throughout the state with adventures exploring science, technology, engineering, mathematics, astronomy and more.

Founded in 2010, the North Carolina Science Festival is the first statewide science festival in the United States. Through a series of community-based events each April (hosted by schools, colleges, libraries, museums, parks, businesses and other local organizations), the Festival celebrates the economic, educational, and cultural impact of science in North Carolina.

According to the organizers, “A festival is a period of celebration, for us that means a month long celebration of science in North Carolina. With so much to cover we need an entire month to do our state science celebration justice. Our goal is to help spread science education through exciting, educational and fun, hands-on science events. The educational, cultural and financial impact of science affects all North Carolinians and we want to make sure that continues through our future generations.”

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signature event: star Party One of the popular events is the North Carolina Statewide Star Party. The 2019 festival will feature the Statewide Star Party as a signature event, thanks to generous grant support from the North Carolina Space Grant.

During this 7th annual Statewide Star Party, astronomy clubs, state and local parks, universities, planetariums, science centers, nature centers, and libraries will host public skywatching sessions at more than 50 sites across North Carolina on Friday, April 12, and Saturday, April 13, 2019.

About 5,000 visitors and 200 STEM professionals and volunteers are expected to participate.

This year’s Star Party theme is “The Moon and Beyond” in celebration of the 50th anniversary of the first humans to walk on the moon. Hosts will lead moon observing and hands-on activities from the Star Party kit to help visitors explore all things lunar.

The North Carolina Science Festival is presented by the Biogen Foundation and produced by Morehead Planetarium and Science Center at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

For more information, visit www.ncsciencefestival.org.

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American Dance Festival 2019 Preview

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The 86th annual American Dance Festival (ADF), the oldest and largest festival dedicated to modern dance in the country, runs June 13-July 20, 2019 in Durham, NC. There will be 38 performances in five venues by 25 companies and choreographers from around the world.

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Those who follow dance, and many who don’t, know about the passing in 2018 of one of the most important exponents of modern dance, Paul Taylor. Quite appropriately, ADF is dedicating the 2019 season to him. His company is a regular; this year, as well, Taylor 2, a smaller troupe of Paul Taylor dancers, will be opening the season; veteran dancer Michael Trusnovec will be an artist-in-residence, working with ADF students; rehearsal director Bettie de Jong will receive the 2019 Balasaraswati / Joy Anne Dewey Beinecke Endowed Chair for Distinguished Teaching award; and a photo exhibit of Paul Taylor will be exhibited.

The ADF website has the details of the season, and I will be covering it this summer. I’m particularly excited about Paul Taylor and Taylor 2; Pilobolus’ return to the once cramped and now remodeled Page Auditorium on Duke University’s campus; avant-garde minimalist Eiko’s return to an intimate space that I love in Duke’s Rubenstein Arts Center; and the Malpaso Dance Company from Cuba, also performing in Page.

I’m a Beatles fan (and have been listening to a lot of their music leading up to Paul McCartney’s tour opening concert this Memorial Day in Raleigh!), and am excited about Mark Morris’ Pepperland, a tribute to the 50th anniversary of the group’s Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, and including mixed in arrangements of songs from the album.

ADF and Full Frame are two gems of culture both right in Durham, NC. One of my indicators that it is summer is the ADF season; though we are only getting hints of spring now, it’s not too early to start planning to catch some, many, or all of the upcoming ADF season! It offers something for all tastes and ages, including children and has some excellent value choices in ticketing.

ADF tickets go on sale on April 30. Full details at: AmericanDanceFestival.org.

Malpaso Dance Company image by Rose Eichenbaum.

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boredom, at least for me. It reflects both Ydre’s connection to the past and its careful consideration of where it might want to go. They are well grounded with their mythology and beautiful sylvan landscape. However, in a country with one of the fastest urbanization rates in Europe, Ydre constantly faces being absorbed into a larger municipality. How much and how fast should they try to develop? There are clear benefits to modernity but what cost is paid for it?

The Watson’s Hotel is being shown along with a 10-minute short film on Friday April 5 from 4-6p in Cinema 1 of the Carolina Theatre. The preceding short, All Inclusive (2018, someshorts.com/movies/allinclusive), depicts sometimes bizarre behavior that becomes the norm on a large cruise ship.

Giants and the Morning After is being shown on Saturday April 6 from 1:10-3:05p in Cinema 4.

I always look forward to four solid days of memorable and impactful films. We’re lucky to have this Festival here in the Carolinas; this year, there were almost 1700 new films submitted, from which 67 (from 28 countries!) were selected (in total, there are 83 films, including invited and curated ones).

One of the films that wasn’t selected was my debut as an Executive Producer, code blue (2019, codebluedoc.com) about lifestyle medicine to prevent, manage and possibly reverse chronic diseases; I will present this in a future issue of Saathee.

The best way to attend Full Frame is to purchase a pass, and this year again some classes of passes sold out very quickly.

This year, there is a new “last minute” Rush pass for only $30; tickets will now no longer be sold in the last minute lines. There is again a Sunday 4-pack for $25.

Tickets for individual films can be purchased online, by phone, or at the Duke University Box Office. During Full Frame, sales typically end two hours before show time and cost $16 with a $2 discount available to the Duke community, seniors, students, military, police, firefighters, and teachers.

There are always free events, including some panel discussions and Friday and Saturday night outdoor film screenings of films from the previous year’s Festival. These screenings are often particularly good for families who are welcome to picnic and enjoy the showing at Durham’s Central Park just a few blocks from the Festival.

It’s important to keep in mind that many films do sell out.

If there is a film that you really want to attend but it has “sold out”, there still may be hope. If you have a pass, including the new Rush one, you should plan to go to that film’s “last minute line” at least 30-45 minutes before the film is scheduled to start.

Also, some of the invited films are usually shown at multiple times, and some of the films chosen for awards reprise on Sunday afternoon. The crowds significantly thin after lunch on Sunday, so tickets should be readily available for those encores.

The Festival features over a half dozen venues, mostly in and around the historic Carolina Theatre in downtown Durham at 309 West Morgan Street. Theatres range in size from 50 to 1000.

Because films are shown in parallel, it may not be possible to see all that one may want to see. Some films are ultimately released for a theatrical run or perhaps to be shown on television, but this can be months or even a year or more later.

Many films only play the festival circuit, perhaps only Full Frame.

Insightful film discussions, relaxation at parties and around the venues, and dining at the growing number of good restaurants in downtown Durham are all great draws for the Festival. Full details, including the complete schedule of events and film descriptions, are available at www.fullframefest.org.

Full Frame

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many stories such as how their forebears took up positions that they now have or how Iranian immigrants have contributed to the area’s culinary culture.

I enjoy films like these that help to ground history in real artifacts and experiences. Though I found the film a bit slow at times, it perhaps is worthy of another viewing to absorb more of the tidbits of the quotidian in this vibrant Mumbai quarter, at this once-lavish building. Questions of whether or not the building will be improved and how the lifestyles of those connected to the building will change remain with the viewer.

Ydre, in southern Sweden about 200km from Stockholm to the northeast and Gotenberg to the west, is one of the smallest municipalities in the country. According to Wikipedia, the population as of December 31, 2018 was 3,743 and the three largest cities had populations of 873, 490, and 304 (yes, the three largest!). It’s also the locale of mythological giants, including a goring cow.

Giants and the Morning After gives us a leisurely look at this quiet corner of Sweden. The mayor often frets about the population count, poring over census data with his assistant to find increases by the ones and twos. When a baby is born, he visits the family with a gift and says he hopes that he will be back again many times (to welcome more children). His endearing touch extends to such activities as welcoming a politician from Stockholm and suggesting legislation to make influx more attractive; expressing compassion for Syrian refugees and welcoming them to Ydre; encouraging the arts (we see high school students in audition for and then performing the musical Annie) and few local industries to draw people; and excitedly hand re-lettering the entrance to a new housing development to show that one more house has sold.

We get peeks into the lives of the folks who live here. A newly pregnant woman gets advice from an older sister.

Tourists come on a bus and get an intimate and friendly welcome, including visits to the bus driver’s family members.

A young couple leaves because they want more exciting opportunities. All of this is punctuated with readings about their legendary giants and evocative imagery.

The quiet pace of the film never really gets to the point of Saathee.com

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Community Organizations Charlotte

art of living (Charlotte) Art of Living is dedicated to serving society by strengthening the individual. This is done through self-development programs that recharge the body, mind and spirit and allow people to function at their optimum potential. All are welcome.

For Further Details: 980.216.8732 charlotte@us.artofliving.org www.artofliving.org/charlotte

BaPs shri swaminarayan Mandir (Charlotte) Dedicated to improving society through individual growth by fostering Hindu ideals of faith, unity, and selfless service.

Activities include: Daily Arti - 6:30 am & 6:30 pm; Weekly Satsang Sabha held Sundays with spiritual discourses: Adults: 4pm, Young Men (Ages 23-36) - 3pm, Young Women (Ages 2336) - 4pm, Teens - 4:30pm, and Children - 5pm.

For Further Details: www.saathee.com/baps-charlotte

Bethel Christian Fellowship BCF was founded to “Raise Up the Next Generation for Jesus Christ.” The Fellowship offers services in various Indian languages (Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam) with Sunday School from 9 - 9:55am and Sunday Worship from 10 - 11:45am.

For Further Details: 803.792.7223 Pastor Rajan Samuel - pastorofbcf@gmail.com 7604 New Town Road, Waxhaw, NC www.bcfcog.org

Carolina Khadayata samaj All Khadayata families of NC and SC are welcome to be part of the Carolina Khadayata Samaj.

For Further Details: carolinakhadayatasamaj@yahoo.com Jaswant Mehta - 704.839.1965 (Charlotte) Sharad Mehta - 336.554.5211 (Greensboro) Mukesh Shah - 919.523.0141 (Raleigh)

Carolinas Christian assembly Offers worship, fellowship and community assistance to South Asians in Charlotte. Sunday morning worship services is currently being held at New Heaven Community Church, 8823 Albemarle Road, Charlotte at 9:30am. Pastor Cherian, offers free counseling services to married couples and is a licensed premarital counselor.

For Further Details: Dr. Shibu Cherian (Pastor) 704.208.9099 12601 Idlewild Rd., Matthews, NC www.carolinaschristianassembly.org

Charlotte Gita study Group Beginners and advanced students of the Gita are welcome. The group meets the second and fourth Sunday from 3 - 5pm. Each session starts with meditation followed by a recorded lecture Saathee.com

in English and discussion For Further Details: dshetti@gmail.com - 214.587.7331 skdave@hotmail.com - 704.844.9567

Charlotte Malayalee association The association promotes and facilitates the cultural, educational, social and economic welfare of the Charlotte Malayalee community.

For Further Details: cltma@cltma.org 704.517.5850 www.cltma.org

Charlotte Marathi Mandal The Mandal adds to the vibrancy of Charlotte with various events including the Ganapati Festival which are designed to keep the cultural values and traditions alive. The community is encouraged to participate.

For Further Details: 704.565.9237 committee@charlottemarathimandal.org www.saathee.com/charlotte-marathi-mandal

Charlotte telangana association Association promotes two different aspects, to promote Telangana cultural activities within Charlotte area and also to bring together the Telangana people. Also plans and takes action around the development of Telangana focusing both on rural and urban areas.

For Further Details: Charlotte.telangana@gmail.com www.charlottetelangana.com

Charlotte Vipassana Meditation Group Vipassana, which means to see things as they really are, is one of India’s most ancient meditation techniques, taught more than 2500 years ago as a remedy for universal ills. The group holds weekly group sits and monthly all-day sits for established students. Ten-day courses are also available for all students. There is no charge.

For Further Details: 704.277.5013 - rbddesai@gmail.com 704.807.3933 - madhaviparikh@yahoo.com www.dhamma.org

Classical Music association of Charlotte (CMaC) CMAC sponsors many classical concerts during the year in Charlotte. Membership forms are available at shows.

Upcoming Events: Sun, May 19, 2019: Vocal concert by Ramakrishnan Murthy and party, Hindu center, Gandhi Bhavan, 3:30pm For Further Details: Lakshmi & Muthukrishnan - 704.814.9355 Jayashree & Panduranga - 704.442.1186 memberservices@onlinecmac.org www.onlinecmac.org

dada Bhagwan Foundation (Charlotte) Every living being is in constant pursuit of happiness. This

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Community Organizations search ends only when the source of eternal happiness is found.

It can be attained through realizing your true Self. A path to eternal happiness was discovered by Gnani Purush A. M. Patel (Dada Bhagwan) and it was revealed as Akram Vignan, a spiritual science. Weekly satsang held Every Sunday 1- 3pm & once a month Saturday 2-7pm, which includes watching DVD Satsang with Q & A, Aarti & Mahaprasad.

For Further Details: 877.505.3232 x 1027 wccharlotte@us.dadabhagwan.org 7400 City View Dr, Charlotte, NC www.dadabhagwan.org

Gurdwara sahib (Charlotte) The Gurdwara works to enrich the lives of the Sikh & Punjabi communities. Regular Program: Every Sunday: 10 - 11am, Asa Di War by Bhai Satnam Singh Jee, 11am - 12pm, Keertan by Children, 12 - 1:15pm, Keertan by Bhai Satnam Singh Jee, 1:15 - 1:30pm, Ardaas, followed by Guru Ka Langar.

For Further Details: 704.509.2828 1760 Stoney Creek Lane, Charlotte, NC www.charlottegurdwara.org

Hindu Center of Charlotte The Center holds many regular events and religious ceremonies. The temple library is stocked with books, CDs, DVDs and other materials on varied genres such as religion, culture, history, philosophy, yoga and health.

Upcoming Events: April 7: Cheti Chand April 14: Ram Navami April 21: Mahavir Jayanti April 27: Spring Basant Mela For Further Details: 704.534.3440 7400 City View Dr., Charlotte, NC www.saathee.com/hindu-center-charlotte

India association of Charlotte The organization works to foster better understanding of the rich diversity of Indian culture by the larger community in and around Charlotte.

For Further Details: Toni Sawhney - 704.604.2133 Lal Vishin - 704.545.3727 indiafestival.iacofcarolinas.org/

Indian american Muslim Council (IMaC) of Charlotte Committed to promoting peace, pluralism and social justice through advocacy as well as protecting human rights and dignity in India. IAMC-Charlotte seeks to reach out to Indian Muslims in Charlotte to strive for Inter-Community understanding with focus on Indian Diaspora.

For Further Details: Ashfaq Mehdi - 704.904.5778 iamc-charlotte@yahoogroups.com

Indian Performing arts association of Charlotte (IPaaC) IPAAC promotes Classical Hindustani music and is the result Saathee.com

of a shared dream of a small group of music enthusiasts to bring the rich world of classical music and dance from the Indian subcontinent.

For Further Details: Jyoti Kulkarni - 704.804.1275 Chaula Jain - 704.248.1515 contact@ipaac.org www.ipaac.org

IsKCon (Charlotte) There are weekly meetings to learn and practice bhakti-yoga for all ages. Celebration of festivals, prasadam, heartfelt kirtan, spiritual discourses, class for kids, association with visiting monks and teachers, and make friends. Bhagavad-Gita class is held on every Friday at multiple locations.

For Further Details: 980-277-GITA (4482) Iskconofcharlotte@gmail.com

Jain Center of Greater Charlotte (JCGC) Serving the spiritual and community needs of Jain families while understanding and preserving the Jain faith. Members meet for worship, ceremonies, and festivals. Organizes religious activities year-round - including celebrating religious festivals such as Mahavir Jayanti, Paryushan, and Diwali, and programs like Swadhyay, Pujas and children’s Pathshaala.

Regular events: Weekdays: 9:30am - Prakshal & Puja; 7:30pm - Aarti & Mangal Divo Weekends: 10:30am - Prakshal & Puja 7:30pm - Aarti & Mangal Divo For Further Details: JCGC President: Saumya Kothari: 858.382.351 info@jaincenterus.org 7631 Mallard Creek Road, Charlotte, NC www.jaincenterus.org

Jet usa (Charlotte, north Carolina) These organizations are operated across the world to empower communities. Activities include personality development and spiritual activities like discourses / puja / homam etc. VTSeva (Volunteering Together for Service) focusing on various service activities.

For Further Details: charlotte.jetusa.org jetcharlotte@jetusa.org 704-981-1JET

Kriya Yoga (Charlotte) A sincere seeker who follows the path of Kriya Yoga with love and devotion and a desire for spiritual growth can attain Selfrealization. Two annual initiation programs and a weekly Sunday meditation are held.

For Further Details: Adesh Gupta - 704.814.7476 info@charlotte.kriya.org www.kriya.org

Pratham - Charlotte Pratham organizes programs in the area of primary education through its Read India campaign. With nearly half the children

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Community Organizations in India who attend schools not learning to read and write at the required level, Pratham is trying to fill an important gap in this area.

For Further Details: Anju Desai - ajdesai66@gmail.com - 980.622.0125 Shubhra Chakraborty - shubhra.chakraborty1@gmail.com 704.942.4798 www.prathamusa.org

Probasi of Charlotte Probasi’s goal is to organize cultural and educational program related to Bengal in the Charlotte area, to increase Bengali cultural awareness, and to provide community service in the area.

For Further Details: Swapan Nandi - 704.708.5993 Anindita Paul Bhunia - 704.360.2326 welcome@probasi.org www.probasi.org

sahaja Yoga Meditation Classes are free to attend and meant for all age groups who desire to find his or her true self, which is full of peace, joy and love for others. Sahaja Yoga was founded and developed by Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi and teaches simple techniques of meditation. Sessions are conducted weekly or biweekly.

For Further Details: 5935 Hickory Grove Rd, Charlotte www.meetup.com/SYCharoletteNC/

samskrita Bharati sthanam of Charlotte Promotes Samskritam (Sanskrit) as an everyday language and provides access to its rich repository of knowledge. Trained teachers teach Samskritam in spoken and written forms in an interactive environment. Start your journey to speak this ancient foundational language by attending a one-day introductory workshop. No prior knowledge is needed.

Four Further Details: Shreedhar Murthy: murthy90232@gmail.com or 513-967-4775 Joy Vyloppully: vykuntha@gmail.com or 704-906-5665. www.sbusa.org

sangamithra Foundation Formed to make a difference in society, the team has taken the path of identifying the needs of underprivileged communities in India and provides support to meet those needs.

Sangamithra works collectively towards realizing its vision.

For Further Details: info@sangamithra.org www.sangamithra.org

shanti niketan senior Center of Carolinas The Center values diversity, holistic health, peaceful living and community engagement, especially for under-served populations including Refugees, Immigrants, and minorities.

Efforts are made to support a population with the understanding that a diverse population adds to the strength and well-being of the community.

For Further Details: NimishBhatt@bellsouth.net Saathee.com

Located at: 7701 Wallace Ln., Charlotte 704.491.1186 www.uisac.org

shree swaminarayan satsang Mandal Vadtal On every 1st Saturday, Shree Swaminarayan Satsang Mandal Vadtal has kirtans and bhajans at the Hindu Center of Charlotte at 5pm. After the bhajans, there is Aarti and Mahaprasad. In addition, on the 3rd Sunday of every month, an additional Satsang Sabha is held at a sponsor’s house from 3 - 5pm.

For Further Details: Divyesh Chauhan - 704.965.9735 Sanjay Savaliya - 704.779.7574 admin@issvcharlotte.org issvcharlotte.org

shri Rang avadhut Parivar (Parspar devo Bhav) Devotees of Guru Dattatraya Rang Avadhut and Shri Prem Avadhut meet on Thurs from 6-8pm in Charlotte for recital of “Datta-Bavani,” singing devotional Dattatraya Bhajans and reading “Guru-Lilamrut.”

For Further Details: Bharat Shah - 704.724.6247 Nagesh Patel - 704.399.7805

sindhi association of the Carolinas The Sindhi Association of the Carolinas (SAC) organizes religious, cultural, community, and social events in Charlotte.

SAC also sends donations for the needy to the schools in India for Scholarships and for camp refugees in India.

For Further Details: sindhiassociationcarolinas@gmail.com 704.779.2396

south Park Cricket Club (sPCC) The South Park Cricket Club is a group of gentlemen who play competitive cricket for fun. SPCC is based in Charlotte and has been a part of the Carolina Cricket League since 2010.

For Further Details: anishtr@hotmail.com www.southparkcc.org

sparsh of Greater Charlotte Sparsh seeks to build community, preserve our heritage, and showcase the culture of the states of Bihar and Jharkand through cultural, charitable, and social events.

For Further Details: sparshofcharlotte@gmail.com 980-221-9641

srishti of Charlotte Srishti works to fulfill the community’s need for togetherness and the desire to showcase Bengali culture, literature, music and arts. Srishti means an act of creation and brings together people of varied cultures, ethnicity, languages, and backgrounds who are interested in East Indian traditions.

For Further Details: Santanu Sarkar - santanu_kumar@yahoo.com 704. 541.3451 www.srishtiofcharlotte.org

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Community Organizations telugu association of Greater Charlotte area (taGCa) TAGCA was formed with an intention of preserving and promoting the Telugu cultural heritage and traditions among the Telugu speaking people in Charlotte. The association organizes social and cultural events and festivals that reflect the Telugu culture from India.

For Further Details: pr@tagca.org www.tagca.org

trimurti temple devasthanam The temple grounds offer many areas to explore including 14 sanathis with traditional Mandabams for various Hindu deities. Open daily with a Morning Puja at 10am and Evening Puja at 7pm. Sunday Abhisekhams at 11am as well as other special pujas.

For Further Details: 980.219.7556 contact@trimurtitemple.org 6519 Beatties Ford Road, Charlotte, NC www.trimurtitemple.org

Vallabh Pushti samaj of Carolinas (VPsC) VPSC’s objective is to fill devotional needs of Vaishnavs in Carolinas to worship and pray together, celebrate festivals and engage in humanitarian and educational activities. Paath and Bhajan recitations are held on the 2nd Sunday of each month from 4 - 6pm. A VYO Youth (ages 6-14) educational Meet is also scheduled on the 1st & 3rd Saturdays.

For Further Details: 1006 Vickie Lane, Matthews, NC www.saathee.com/vallabh-pushti-vpsc

Greensboro

art of living (Greensboro) Uncover the strength, peace, and joy at the core of every human being. Courses are offered in Chapel Hill, Raleigh, and Greensboro which cover breathing techniques to eliminate stress; skills for improving relationships; practical wisdom; insight into the laws that govern the emotions; low-impact yoga and the breathing-based technique called Sudarshan Kriya, or the healing breath.

For Further Details: Sonal Chhawchharia - sonal.chhawchharia@gmail.com Puja Verma - puja_usa@yahoo.com www.artofliving.org/us-en/greensboro

BaPs shri swaminarayan Mandir Greensboro Features Sunday Sabhas: Shishu (Toddlers) sabha: 4 - 5pm; Bal/Balika sabha: 4:15 - 5:30pm; Kishore sabha: 2 - 3:30pm; Main sabha: 4 - 6pm; Gujarati classes: 2:30 - 3:45pm and Arti at 6pm followed by Mahaprasad. Fresh Shayona snacks available on Sundays.

For Further Details: 336.355.9798 bapsgreensboro@gmail.com 922 Gallimore Dairy Road, High Point, NC www.baps.org/Greensboro Saathee.com

Gujarati Cultural association of Piedmont (GCaP) The Gujarati Cultural Association of Piedmont serves the Asian Indian community through sponsored events, cultural, educational and social programs.

For Further Details: Janak Patel - 919.799.1603 127 Landmark Drive, Greensboro, NC www.gcap.us

India association of the triad (IatnC) Promotes social, cultural and educational interests, develops understanding between members of the Indian community and other residents of the Triad area, and make the latter aware of issues of concern to the Indian community.

For Further Details: committee@iatnc.org www.iatnc.org

Indian association of the Carolinas (IaC) IAC promotes Indian culture by hosting community events, Diwali and Garba and similar celebration and sports events.

Their Center is located in Winston-Salem.

For Further Details: Gopal - 336.509.5943 Hasmukh - 336.971.5594 (Membership Help) indianac14@gmail.com www.indianac.org

Indo-american society of nC (IasnC) Supports Indian and South Asian communities in Greensboro, NC and vicinity and other individuals interested in learning the culture, traditions, and arts of India. Specifically, IASNC promotes Indo-American cultural, arts and sports events and also school-based volunteering activities.

For Further Details: Krishna Balu - balu4428@infionline.net - 336.292.9462 www.iasofnc.org

Indo-us Cultural association of Winston-salem Increase awareness of the cultural heritage of India which is tremendously rich in its diversity and history. Association seeks to reach out to the Indian-American community within the Piedmont and Triad areas to share the vibrant Indian culture and promote cross-cultural understanding.

For Further Details: indouswinston@gmail.com 336.575.5348 www.indouswinston.org

life Mission, usa This ashram has been established to provide physical, mental, emotional and spiritual benefits. All these benefits can be achieved through the natural remedies of yoga therapy, Ayurveda, naturopathy and diet.

For Further Details: 336.421.0690 Dr. Manoj - 848.459.7401 lifemissionusa@gmail.com 8136 NC Highway 119, South Mebane, NC www.lifemissionusa.org

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Community Organizations sri Mata Hindu temple of north Carolina Working to meet the community’s religious, spiritual, and cultural Needs. Panchayatana Puja is the system of worship in the Smarta Sampradaya of Hinduism. It is said to have been introduced by Sri Adi Shankara. Weekdays: 6:30 - 7:30pm; Sat & Sun: 10:30am - 12:30pm.

For Further Details 336.LOK.MATA (565.6282) info@matahindutemple.org 8535 Lasater Road, Clemmons, NC www.matahindutemple.org

sri sathya sai Baba Center (Greensboro) The Sri Sathya Sai Baba Center regularly conducts Sai Bhajans, Study Circles, various service activities and SSE classes (for students) every Sunday from 9:45am - 12:15pm.

For Further Details: Swami Rajendran - 908.875.6964 Dr. Varatharajah - 336.851.9150 www.sathyasaicentergso.org

Winston-Greensboro Cricket Club (WGCC) Everyone from Triad Area in NC are welcome. The goals are fun, fitness, and friendship. WGCC is also a member of the Carolina Cricket League. Practice Sessions during the regular season are held every Wednesday at 5:30pm in Weston Park, Winston-Salem.

For Further Details: www.wgcricketclub.com

Regional

ekal Vidyalaya Foundation of India Ekal was established to help in the development of the remote tribal and rural villages in India. Ekal Vidyalaya Foundation of USA is committed to the cause of eradicating illiteracy from tribal areas. Education is the key to self-esteem, self-sustenance, and economic freedom. The Carolinas Region of the EVFI USA conducts fundraising programs in Raleigh & Columbia.

For Further Details: Southeast Regional President: Chander M. Aggarwal - cmaggarwal44@gmail.com - 407.454.3739 Carolinas Regional President: Janak Dalal - jaydalalcolumbia@gmail.com - 803.665.4050

Hindu society of eastern nC (Greenville, nC) The temple celebrates major festivals and holds regular bhajan seesions and Geeta study.

For Further Details: Temple - 252.752.2670 B.S. Srivatsa - 508.654.0360 Hindutemplenc@gmail.com

IsKCon temple of the Holy name in Prabhupada Village The Temple, situated in a peaceful, rural area, is a member of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON).

Come and take darshan of Sri Sri Parama Karuna Nitai Gaurasundara from 5am-7:30pm, 7 days a week and special program held every Sunday at 3pm with arati and kirtan, Saathee.com

bhajans, discourse on the Bhagavad-gita, As It Is, and a pure vegetarian feast - all free. Festivals are celebrated year-round.

For Further Details: 336.593.2322 / tothn@iskconpv.org 1283 Prabhupada Rd. Sandy Ridge, NC www.iskconpv.org

nithyananda sangha nC (Inner awakening) Inner Awakening works to spread the knowledge of Yoga and meditation by letting people experience the teachings of Vedic Science in its purest form delivered by the enlightened master Paramahamsa Sri Nithyananda. This chapter is part of a movement for meditation and healing. Nithyananda is a leader in the science of enlightenment and an author.

For Further Details: 704.766.1420 / 704.992.6114 innerawakening.org / nithyananda.org

nuv Yug Nuv Yug is a cultural organization with a mission to promote awareness of Indian cultural arts and heritage while striving to create synergy among various cultural groups from the South Asian region.

For Further Details: www.saathee.com/nuv-yug

Prabhupada Village A rural, devotional community, nestled in the foothills of the Blue Ridge. Inspiration and guidance are derived from the books, letters, and lectures of His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, the Founder-Acharya of ISKCON, The International Society for Krishna Consciousness.

Following Srila Prabhupada’s personal example, spiritual values in order to achieve true happiness, prosperity and spiritual fulfillment are taught. Serving Hindu communities, visiting homes for fellowship, worship, scriptural study, and kirtan. Also facilitate spiritual festivals and puja.

For Further Details: 336.593.8108 or 336.593.3031 sarvadrik@gmail.com www.prabhupadavillage.com

sacred River Cow sanctuary The sanctuary is a goshala in the foothills near Iskcon’s Temple of the Holy Name. Connect with nature, discover the joy of cow seva, and introduce your children to the importance of cows in Vedic culture. To arrange a visit or Pooja, call 336-339-3070.

For Further Details: Find Sacred River Cow Sanctuary on Facebook.

sri somesvara temple (asheville) The temple is located in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Western NC. It is a Vedic Shiva temple at the center of Mount Soma, a community commonly referred to as “Mount Kailash of the West.” People travel great distances to experience Sri Somesvara’s powerful Linga, profound silence, and timeless vibrations. The temple is open every day from 9:30am to 6:30pm. Aarti is at 6pm.

For Further Details: 828.476.4073 / www.srisomesvara.org

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April 2019

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April 2019

Community Organizations south Carolina

american south asian Cultural association of Columbia, sC The goal is to increase cultural awareness and develop cultural understanding among American South Asian Community in Columbia, SC area. A lunch meeting will be held on the second Sunday every month between 12:30 - 2:30pm.

For Further Details: 803.233.7042 / 512.547.7077 (Evenings) 1728 Bush River Road, Columbia, SC

Carolina Buddhist Vihara (Greenville, sC) Offering teachings of the Buddha, primarily by bringing Theravada Buddhist nuns and monks. “Theravada” refers to the oldest surviving branch of Buddhism, the highly traditional school found in countries such as Sri Lanka, Burma, Cambodia, and Thailand. The meditation is on Mon & Thur from 6- 8pm & for women only on Friday 9- 10am. Sutta discussion on Sat from 2-4pm.

For Further Details: 864.329.9961 greenvillebv@gmail.com 113 Woodridge Circle, Greenville, SC www.carolinabuddhist.net

dada Bhagwan Foundation (Columbia) Every living being is in pursuit of happiness; no one likes suffering. This search ends only when the source of eternal happiness is found. It can be attained through realizing your true Self. A path to eternal happiness was discovered by Gnani Purush A. M. Patel, also known as Dada Bhagwan and it was revealed to the world as Akram Vignan, a spiritual science.

Based on the foundation of Self Realization. Satsang held Every Sat 5- 7pm with Q & A sessions, aarti, and Mahaprasad.

For Further Details: 877.505.3232 x 1035 wccolumbia@us.dadabhagwan.org Regency Inn,1335 Garner Ln, Columbia, SC www.dadabhagwan.org

Hindu society of Greater spartanburg Satsangs are held from 5-7pm on the second Sunday of each month. The Society also celebrates religious and social festivals based on the Hindu calendar. Though the Balvihar does not meet on a regular basis, the temple is quite active in sponsoring children’s programs, such as Rangoli classes and classical and contemporary dance classes.

For Further Details: 864.599.7048 1130 Fairview Church Road in Spartanburg, SC pluralism.org/profile/hindu-society-of-greater-spartanburg/

Hindu temple and Center (Columbia, sC) The temple is open on weekdays between 8:30am to 12 noon and between 5pm and 8:30pm. On weekends, the temple is open between 8:30am to 1pm and 5pm to 8:30pm. Bal Gokulam (Sunday School) classes are held Sundays from 10:30am to 12 noon. Classes are designed to help children build physical, Saathee.com

mental, cultural, social & spiritual lives.

For Further Details: 803.772.6940 5704 Kiawah Road, Columbia, SC www.hindutemplesc.org

India assoc. of Greater Charleston (IaGC) IAGC fills the need to organize a community of people who were interested in the culture and heritage of India and share the profound beauty of this culture with others. Events are organized through the year including picnics.

For Further Details: Omi Hasija (Chairperson) - 843.766.4661 iagcchs@gmail.com www.indiaassociationofgreatercharleston.com

Kannada association of Greater Greenville (KaGG) Devoted to the awareness and promotion of Kannada culture in the area. KAGG is a primarily run by volunteers and invites Kannadigas living in and around Greenville area to participate in the organization. Kannada classes are also conducted.

For Further Details: 864.430.4973 kaggculturalcommittee@gmail.com www.kagg-sc.org

spartanburg Buddhist Center of sC The Center’s resident monks seek to preserve Theravada Buddhist traditions and welcomes all interested in Buddhism, Southeast Asian culture, or meditation. A regular Englishspeaking group meets at 6pm on Thursdays for meditation, a brief Dhamma talk, and short discussions.

For Further Details: 864.327.8726 770 Bryant Road, Spartanburg, SC www.facebook.com/spartanburgbuddhist2012

telugu association of Greater Greenville TAGG is devoted to the awareness and promotion of Telugu Culture in the Greenville Area. The association caters to the cultural and social needs. TAGG organizes events to celebrate major festivals and organizes a picnic during the summer as scheduled activities. In addition, TAGG screens choice Telugu films throughout the year and organizes cultural events.

For Further Details: www.taggsc.org

Vedic Center of Greenville Daily Aarti is conducted Mon - Fri at 8pm. Bal Vihar classes are conducted Sundays from 11:15am - 12:30pm. Sri Venkateshwara Suprabhatam is held on 2nd Saturday of each month at 9am. Temple is open from 9 to noon and from 5 to 9 pm daily. Various religious services are offered.

For Further Details: President: Janak Desai - 864.884.5183 520 Bethel Road, Mauldin, SC www.vediccenterofgreenville.org

110

For Full Community organizations listings, visit www.saathee.com/community.asp

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Made in Heaven continued from page 86

When an episode is handed over to a different director the changeover isn’t jarring, but treatment can feel uneven and it’s likely the episodes a viewer enjoys more than others will be attached to specific director(s). Cinematography is lovely and at times moody, and same can be said for the gorgeous production design, though sometimes even the mess on an office desk can appear too staged. While viewers are spared from the usual shots of India’s capital whether it is Hanuman statue next to the Delhi metro or India Gate, the city mostly serves as a charming backdrop and not a character. Parts of the metropolis are shown but not felt in an intimate way as experienced in the Hindi feature film Monsoon Wedding.

Sobhita Dhulipala’s mysterious Tara looks absolutely mesmerizing especially when beautifully styled in sharp sarees, which she often is. Dhulipala is a clothes horse and in a large crowd can command all eyes towards her, a quality central to why Adil considers Tara worthy to be on his arm. Tara’s background and how she became Mrs. Khanna is slowly revealed and the intrigue it provides covers for scenes Dhulipala can’t quite conquer as an actor. Much kudos to Akhtar and Kagti for making Karan, a gay character, a pillar in their series and making his sexuality central to his identity. The sad irony of Karan, who plans weddings for a living, is that legally he is cannot have a physical relationship with a man, let alone marry one.

Arjun Mathur acts with confidence but the repetitive washrinse-repeat life Karan has changes towards final episodes, giving Mathur fewer than desired opportunities to explore his acting range. Jim Sarbh’s Adil belongs to a successful Punjabi family but to borrow a memorable Kareena Kapoor Khan quip from a Koffee With Karan episode, why does he have that accent?

Adil is acutely aware of his social status and pedigree and soon enough makes his wife aware of hers and in these quiet, menacing moments Sarbh tends to shine as he did in Raabta and Padmaavat.

Kalki Koechlin lowers the energy in scenes and indulges in play-acting where she tries to convince the audience of her feelings and motivations rather than embodying the necessary emotions. While Tara, Adil, Faiza and even Karan’s lives are gushing with ennui, the supporting characters outside the pool of privilege provide reason to keep viewers engaged. Jaspreet ‘Jazz’ Kaur (Shivani Raghuvanshi) is the starry-eyed intern who devises solutions during workplace emergencies that are initially scoffed at by company seniors because she’s from the dusty lanes of Delhi.

Kabir Basrai (Shashank Arora) is the wedding photographer/videographer and this character, must bear the unfortunate burden given to Pluto the dog in Dil Dhadakne Do which is to spell out the lesson of each episode.

Akhtar and Kagti should give the audience more credit when it comes to appreciating nuance. Furthermore, the deductions made by Kabir can border on the self-indulgent and misguided. Actor Vijay Raaz comes full circle in the series centered on wedding planners, as his ‘Dubey’ in Monsoon Wedding is arguably the first and one of the best-known wedding planners in Hindi cinema. Here he plays Ramesh Jauhari, a dubious business owner investing in Made in Heaven. In the eighth episode and in barely five minutes of screen time Raaz shows the difference between a good performer and a masterful actor, making much of the primary cast of the series belong to the former category.

Saathee.com

Each episode shows a wedding Made in Heaven is commissioned to work on which gives viewers the opportunity to meet a new couple and their family and friends. Not only does this provide a needed freshness to each episode, as Tara and Karan’s worlds and reactions become increasingly predictable, bringing in seasoned professionals, such as Neena Gupta, and actors we’d like to see more of like Shweta Tripathi, Amrita Puri helps in ensuring the viewer will want to see the next episode wondering which other artists will join the wedding festivities. If Made in Heaven is greenlit for another season, which is likely, giving characters more depth and actors more scope to show their range would indeed be heaven sent.

What ultimately makes Made in Heaven an engaging, mostly enjoyable watch is that it makes viewers ask themselves what they would do at the critical junctures many couples in the series find themselves asking on the eve of their weddings, and in some cases, during the marriage ceremony itself. Would you have the courage to be the person you think you are or aspire to be, or would you succumb to seemingly archaic traditions by justifying them as practical and for the greater good?

Mirror

continued from page 36

Monica now holds her head up high. “Hope” is such a simple word that holds a wide breadth of meaning. Monica has endured so much more than any of us can even dream of, but like Hester Prynne she has embroidered upon her own Scarlet Letter and now uses her experience to help others. She is now huge advocate tackling online shaming issues and antibullying. She has hope and most certainly a tougher skin because of what happened to her just two decades before.

So I say, before you become so quick to judge and toss your own bit of outrage out there onto the web, just keep in mind the damage (and the sheer amount of Scarlet Letters) it could potentially produce. Not many people can say that they can relate to Monica Lewinsky’s life, but many of you can certainly become just as kind and strong as she became instead by accepting that all of us not perfect.

Subcontinental Divide continued from page 32

mushroom gravy with that gluten free avocado cheesecake waiting on you on the side.

I think it was the hard news NY Times that just reported a Duke University study that says that 50 percent of medical protocols have no double-blind randomized trials behind them.

They are simply doctors presenting opinions at conferences and publishing pieces in various specialty journals. Drug companies love that kind of stuff, because they market all that to go global on unconfirmed science, and their PR machinery works overtime to massage the media and write very brief news releases for doctors, who tend not to read much of anything.

Now please excuse me. I have to take three pills to counteract the side effects of the two pills I took for breakfast.

That should be my lunch. I am thawing out salmon for dinner.

I think I am just going to take two giant bites of this hunk of raw salmon like a grizzly bear, and then stick my head into the spinach package like a goat and munch on some leaves. Then I will do yoga.

112

April 2019

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April 2019

Nutrition

Namaskar

continued from page 72

• Eat a variety of whole fruits and vegetables. Avoid juicing.

• Eat a variety of whole grains. Eat intact whole grains and avoid processed foods made from flour (atta or maida).

• Eat a variety of legumes, pulses, peas, beans, and lentils.

Sprout beans to make them digestible and increase other nutrients.

• Eat a variety of fermented foods to get probiotics. Here is a list of foods that have live cultures: • Fermented dairy foods such as yogurt, kefir and aged cheeses • Kimchi and Sauerkraut • Miso and Tempeh • Kombucha • Fermented batter products such as Idli, Dosa, Dhokla • Homemade pickles (in limited amounts) Minimize: • Refined starches and simple sugars • NSAIDs (Ibuprofen, Advil, Motrin, etc) • Alcohol • Antibiotics (unless absolutely necessary) • Packaged processed foods • Excess amounts of protein, especially animal protein • Soda, diet drinks, energy drinks • Exposure to pesticides, preservatives, and artificial chemicals

We are what we eat; and if we don’t feed our microbes well, they will literally start eating us. Therefore follow the above steps to enhance your gut microbiome and enjoy a healthy long life!

continued from page 40

healthy society and economy. We must fiercely protect the impartiality of potential equalizers such as education, healthcare, and internet. Admittedly, these factors are already tainted with a history of segregation, bribery scandals, and the influence of deep pockets, but things don’t have to get worse.

What if every citizen took concerted efforts to support laws or policies that moved us towards a more balanced society? It’s not about extreme measures or spoon-feeding any particular group but creating and guarding equal opportunities. At the end of the day, we can’t sweep all our problems under the rug and it’s better to tackle it sooner rather than later. As ancient wisdom says, “The best time to plant a tree was twenty years ago, the next best time is now.”

Kismuth

Okay, fine. Here it is. The nostalgia. The dreaming it up and wishing it could be the same. Letting things go is really hard when you have a sentimental heart, and many say that I do.

This is the city from which the six-years-and-counting ‘tour’ of Asia had begun. So very different a person I’ve become, naturally, in the years since. Letting go of old programs about ‘how it is,’ and embracing the thing that you need to if you want to grow the gene that you need to become flexible and adapt: space. To listen. To get into a place. To hear it, to let it tell you things. Solitude: for this, and for this afternoon, I am feeling extra grateful. Alright. I’m ready.

It’s ten to five. Let me open the door.

Whatsapp Election continued from page 46

would be tantamount to state surveillance, a position supported

by India’s Supreme Court. The firm has, in turn, blamed Indian political parties for “misusing” the app during election times.

Ultimately, the role of WhatsApp in Indian politics needs to be understood through the interaction of technology with wider social and cultural issues. WhatsApp is a tool that amplifies certain tendencies that already exist in Indian society. For example, incidents of lynching might have much more to do with incitement to violence in a divided society than with an app that potentially facilitates the spread of rumors. Similarly, messages that promote hatred on religious, caste and gender lines rely on prevailing social cleavages.

We need a more well-rounded understanding of the emerging links between digital politics and the public sphere.

How is (mis)information circulated by messaging apps related to more traditional forms of political campaigns, such as door to door canvassing, rallies and speeches? And how do these different spheres influence political participation and allegiance in different ways? This knowledge needs to be the starting point of any intervention to address WhatsApp’s role in misinformation during elections.

Philippa Williams is Senior Lecturer in Human Geography, Queen Mary University of London Lipika Kamra is Assistant Professor, Jindal School of Liberal Arts and Humanities, O.P. Jindal Global University Reprinted from theconversation.com Saathee.com

continued from page 64

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For advertising information or to place a classfied ad call Divakar Shukla: 704-527-7570 or email: info@saathee.com April 2019

*Principal Office

Above Supermercado El Sol

*Principal Office

*Principal Office

Youth Corner Word World

3. The city near the intersection of I-85 & I-75 is (a) Columbia, SC (b) Atlanta, GA (c) Charlotte, NC (d) Charleston, WV

Make words using 4 or more letters. The central letter must be used in each word. Letters cannot be used more than once per word.

Use all letters for the subject word (underlined in solutions below) 11 + = Excellent; 6 to 10 words = Good; 5 or less = keep looking.

Words we found are in solutions below.

4. The chemical element Oxygen was discovered by (a) Davy (b) Curie (c) Crookes (d) Priestley

5. The fear of thunder & lightning is called (a) Acrophobia (b) Astraphobia (c) Aquaphobia (d) Agoraphobia

dadaji’s Moral short stories a tale of two mice

6. How long is a year on Mars in Earth days? (a) 387 (b) 487 (c) 587 (d) 687

A jungle mouse and a city mouse were good friends. One evening, the jungle mouse invited the city mouse over for dinner. The jungle mouse lived in a burrow under a tree. They both ate corn, nuts and fruits, food the jungle mouse has gathered himself. The city mouse said, “What a poor, tasteless meal you have in here. Come with me to my city and have a good, tasty dinner.”

A few days later, the jungle mouse went to city mouse’s home and sat near the mousehole he lived in. The city mouse gave him bits of bread, biscuits and cakes. As they were eating, they heard a cat meow. They quickly ran into the mousehole.

When they came out of the hole, the cat meowed again and so they kept running for their lives. The jungle mouse said, “What a miserable life you live! At least I live peacefully in the jungle.”

7. The area of a hexagon side (a=5 Ft.) is approx. (a) 50 Sq. feet (b) 55 Sq. feet (c) 65 Sq. feet (d) 70 Sq. feet [Hint: A= {3(√3/2)}a² ]

8. The famous “Balaji / Tirupati” temple is located in this Indian state. (a) Tamil Nadu (b) Karnataka (c) Kerala (d) Andhra Pradesh

9. Best cricket team of 2018 in ICC tests was (a) New Zealand (b) India (c) West Indies (d) South Africa

Moral: The life of rich or well to do is not always peaceful.

10. “Domingo” in Spanish is (a) Sunday (b) Monday (c) Tuesday (d) Saturday

In life, never stop learning

Time never stops, so we must continue to grow via learning.

If you are not willing to learn, then no one can help you. If you are determined learn, then no one can stop you. I think the word LIFE stands for various things and possibilities.

Here are some words beginning with each letter of the world LIFE. Can you think of others that can define Life?

Word World (Solution): EASE, EAST, HASTE, HATE, HEAT, HEST, VEDANTA, SATE, SEAT, SETA, SHEA, SHEET, TEASE, THEE, THESE

b 116

.

Saathee.com

3rd Class: 7 Correct; Need to improve: 6 or less

5

L = Learning, Love, Laughter…

I = Inspiration, Inspection...

F = Fragile, Fruitful, Fear, Family, Friendship...

E = Endurance, Experiments, Experiences, Energy...

Answers are below. No Peeking.

Scholar: All correct; 1st Class: 9 Correct; 2nd Class: 8 Correct;

4.d

A

N

2. The Filmfare award of 2018 for best Music director of Bollywood films was given to (a) Pritam (b) Amit Trivedi (c) A. R. Rahman (d) Sanjay Leela Bhansali

3.b

D

E

T

2.a

A

1. Arrange these waterfalls of USA from highest to lowest in height. (a) Niagara (b) Ribbon (Yosemite) (c) Multnomah (d) Lower Yellowstone

Scholar Answers: 1.b, c, d, a 6.d 7.c 8.d 9.b 10.a

V

By Kirit Shukla

Who wants to be a scholar?!

Answer the ones you know and research to answer the rest.

There is only one correct answer.

April 2019

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Regular Activities

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We welcome you to come and receive a blessing through this evangelical, Christ-centered, Bible-based, non-denominational, loving, caring, mission-minded spiritual family church.

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April 2019

Pop’s Puzzles & Jokes

By Kirit Shukla

Clues down:

Note: * denotes abbreviation of the word or phrase Clues across:

1. A Northeastern state in India; Cap. Agartala.

7. The Bird of Paradise constellation at southern celestial pole.

11. The Sun rises in the —.

12. Officially agree to or accept as satisfactory.

14. Television Interference. (*) 15. The city of the (Sikh) Golden Temple, Punjab, India.

16. Deprive of freedom of personal liberty.

18. Crunchy Indian noodles made of chickpea flour. (Hindi) 19. Alabama. (*).

20. Analog. (*) 21. A curved projection of a bodily organ or part.

23. A basin-shaped structure in the skeleton.

26. Made oneself cozy.

28 Light Rare Earth Element. (*) 29. A migratory grasshopper travelling in vast swarms.

31. Past tense of ‘bring’.

33. Clockwise. (*) 35. Having the characteristics of a monkey.

37. Constriction. (*) 38. To travel to a place.

39. A limb of an invertebrate animal..

41. One or another taken at random.

43. A Latin script language of Papua New Guinea.

44. A wooden perennial plant having a stem & branches.

45. A three-handed card bidding game played with 32 cards.

46. A monkey God in Ramayana. (Sanskrit word).

Saathee.com

1. A polyglot book with four texts in parallel columns.

2. Entangler.

3. A divine mother of Pharaoh in ancient Egyptian religion.

4. Portugal. (*) 5. The seventh avatar of Lord Vishnu. (Hinduism) 6. The fourth month of Gregorian calendar.

7. Skill acquired by experience, study or observation.

8. To own.

5. Union of Veterans’ Affairs Employees. (*) (Canada) 10. Prepared and offered (food).

13. A fictional wooden puppet. His nose rises when he lies.

15. Animal Resource Network Inc. (*) 17. The inns where business people spend night and drink.

22. Wrestling or boxing matches.

24. A proposed intermediate group of Bantu languages.

25. To turn, twist or swing about.

27. Etcetera. (*) 30. An island mentioned in Homer’s Odyssey, Book V. 32. Overseas Korean Traders Association. (*) 34. Adult female human beings.

35. A person who lives life in prayers and contemplation.

36. Physical injury.

37. Close Air Support. (*) (Military).

40. Rural Electrification Administration. (*) 43. Relative Humidity. (*) 44. You. (Hindi).

(Puzzle solutions are on page 120. NO peeking!)

Hee Hee

Jokes From Around The World

Booddhoo: “I need Dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane?”

Chemist: “Oh, you need DDT! Why don't you say so?”

Booddhoo: “That’s it. I just do not remember that name.”

••••••••••••••

Student: ”You said that energy travels at the speed of light.

How does the news travel?”

Professor: “Well, the news travels at the speed of sound!”

••••••••••••••

What word begins and ends with an E, but only has one letter?

An Envelope ••••••••••••••

You walk into a room with a match, a kerosene lamp, a candle, and a fireplace. Which do you light first?

The match ••••••••••••••

118

April 2019

Word Find (Created By Kirit Shukla)

Find & circle the words in the puzzle.

(Subject: “Eyes”)

Math Magic Use these numbers only once: (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 0) in empty squares, to get = the final given answers.

Note: Follow the order of operation per basic math rule: ×,÷, +, The multiplication or division is done before addition and subtraction.

AGED AWAKE AXIS BAG BLIND BROWN CATARACT CLEAR CLOSED CORNEA CROSSEYE DRY EXPRESSION EYELID

GLASSES GLAUCOMA OPEN OPTHALMOLOGY PUPIL RED RETINA SEE SENSITIVE SURGERY SWELLING TRACHOMA VISION

The remaining unused 4 letters spell ”Subject of this puzzle.”

(solution on page 120)

eZ-BZ

TEST YOUR IQ The common letters are “DD” - Fill in the blanks) 1. A good friend.

_ _ DD _

2. Father’s father.

3. A baglike organ of mammary glands of a cow.

4. Made of or containing inferior material.

5. Floating weeds in the rivers; obstruct navigation.

6. Fixed firmly in a surrounding solid mass.

7. Don’t Defeat Yourself. (*).

8. A female deity.

9. Move unsteadily from side to side.

10. Equally distant from the extremes.

11. The ‘Stupid’ character of Hee Hee.

12. A list of things to be added to a book.

13. Discrete Digital Output. (*) (NASA) 14. To combine the numbers again.

15. To devote (oneself) to something obsessively.

_ _ _ _ DD _ _ _ DD _ _

_ _ _ DD _

_ _ DD

_ _ _ _ DD _ _ DD _

_ _ DD _ _ _

_ _ _ _ DD

_ _ DD _ _

_ _ _ DD _ _ _

_ DD _ _ _ _ DD _

_ _ _ DD

_ DD _ _ _

16. Material to provide a bed for livestock.

_ _ DD _ _ _

18. A representation of Siddharth Gautam.

_ _ DD _ _

17. Dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane. (*)

19. Not regular, expected or planned.

20. A person who waste time or trifles.

21. To append.

22. Father; Poppa.

23. One that is eccentric.

24. A contrary or circular current.

25. A close embrace.

DD _

_ DD

_ _ DD _ _ _ _ DD

_ _ DD _

_ DD _ _ _ _ _ DD _

_ _ DD _ _

(Puzzle solutions are on page 120. NO peeking!)

Kirit Shukla Contact him at kiritsshukla@hotmail.com

Saathee.com

119

April 2019

Festivals & Holidays

spot the differences solutions from page 42

april 2019 Apr. 1 - April Fool's Day Apr. 3 - Darsha Amās (No Moon) Apr. 3 - Lailat al-Miraj Apr. 6 - Gudi Padvo/Ugādi (Chaitra New Year Shak-1941) Apr. 7 - Cheti Chand / Jhulelal Jayanti Apr. 8 - Matsya Jayanti / Gauri Trij Apr. 9 - Mahavir Jayanti Apr. 14 - Ram Navami / Baisakhi Apr. 14 - Palm Sunday Apr. 15 - Kāmadā Ekadashi Apr. 15 - Patriot Day / Income Tax Day Apr. 19 - Hanuman Jayanti Apr. 19 - Good Friday Apr. 20 - Passover Begins Apr. 21 - Lailat al-Bara’ah Apr. 21 - Easter Sunday Apr. 26 - Arbor Day Apr. 27 - Passover Ends Apr. 30 - Varuthini Ekadashi / Vallabh Acharya Jayanti

1. Alligator added

6. Ropes removed

3. Chimney Added

8. Monkey on roof

2. Bird Added

7. Color Changed

4. Tire added

9. Coke Sign added

5. Name Misspelled

10. TV Added

3

8

4

May 2019 May 1 - Gujarat / Maharashtra Day May 1 - International Workers Day May 1 - Beltaine May 2 - Yom HaShoah May 4 - Darsha Amās (No Moon) May 5 - Cinco de Mayo May 6 - Ramadan Begins May 7 - Akha Trij / Akshaya Tritiya May 7 - Tagore Jayanti / Parshuram Jayanti May 9 - Shankaracharya Jayanti May 9 - Yom Ha'atzmaut May 11 - Ganga Saptami May 12 - Mother’s Day May 12 - Sita Navami May 14 - Mohini Ekadashi May 18 - Narsimha Jayanti/Vaisakha Poonam May 18 - Armed Forces Day May 23 - Lag BaOmer / Declaration of the Bab May 27 - Memorial Day

5 7

10

9

6

2

1

Puzzle Solutions from page 118

Math Magic from page 119

Saathee.com

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April 2019

north Carolina

new York

Charlotte Morrisville

Jackson Heights, Hicksville, Flushing

new Jersey

Georgia

Jersey City, Iselin, Cherryhill

Atlanta

Open 7 Days a Week! rajbhog Cafe of Morrisville

rajbhog of Charlotte, nC

3607 Davis Drive, Suite 111 Morrisville, NC 27560 tel: 919.585.5333 Fax: 866.509.1536 morrisville@rajbhog.com

Pinnacle Point 9539 Pinnacle Drive #100 Charlotte, NC 28262 (3 Miles from Ikea) tel: 704.909.7783 Fax: 704.248.7705 charlotte@rajbhog.com

GIFT IDEAS ALSO AVAILABLE ON THE WEB: WWW.RAJBHOG.COM

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April 2019

Astroscope -

April 2019

aRIes (March 20 – april 20) Your hard work and good morals may not help you this month. Your friends may not be able to help you until the middle of the month. Your health may also deteriorate, so you must remain focused on it. Try to avoid any sort of risk taking, and stay away from speculation. You may regain your confidence during the last days of the month with the support of family. Be brave and act aggressively.

tauRus (april 20 – May 21) The first half of the month could be very positive for you. Your creative work may get recognition. Good health and cooperation of family could boost your confidence.

You may experience a downfall during last week of the month.

Your partner may teach you tactics to handle adverse situations along with other help. If involved in legal matters, the time is not favorable.

GeMInI (May 21 – June 21) Even without confidence and proper views, you should be able to do well. Your reputation and education could come forth to help you out. Don’t compromise, but instead embrace your knowledge and move forward. You may make mistakes and feel lost this month, but luck should protect you with every step. This appreciation of your skills may bring some extra income for you as well.

CanCeR (June 21 – July 22) This will be a very easy period for you. Life should run very smooth, without any major events. A minor health ailment could bother you this month. You should be able to maintain a steady flow of income. Spiritual power may boost your confidence and guide you in the right direction. You may enjoy respect at your place of work during the second half of the month. Enjoy this pleasant time and have fun.

leo (July 22 – august 23) After a slow start, things should take a powerful and positive turn. Be prepared to make quick decisions and an immediate move in an important situation. A partnership is also possible. You may have to take a financial risk as well.

Don’t involve your partner in career / business-related deals.

Minor family problems could be there, but try to avoid them for the time being. Good health and self confidence should help you beat the odds.

VIRGo (august 23 – september 23) You may have to work against your own morals and listen to your competitors. Minor ups and downs are also possible this month. Your partner could be the only support for you. You must learn to compromise and go with the flow. Otherwise, your own wrong decisions may hurt you and badly affect your health as well. You may get a partnership offer, but it’s best to not get involved right now. The best thing to do this month is to take things slow.

positive turn. You may see some competition but will achieve great success with the help of your partner. Avoid listening to friends. Don’t get involved in any legal matters. Also, be prepared for travel. A digestion-related health problem may bother you during middle of the month. Unexpected expenses are also possible. Count on your luck.

sCoRPIo (october 23 – november 22) You should focus on your health this month. Destiny may have a better hold on your life, but your efforts or ideas may not work the way you want. It is advisable to surrender to this destiny otherwise you may end up developing enmity with your peers. You should feel more confident by the end of the month. Travelling should be avoided. Respect your elders and gain their blessing. Drive carefully.

saGIttaRIus (november 22 – december 21) Now is the time to get back to a more routine lifestyle.

You may enjoy good news at your place of business; however your workload will rise along with your status. Your child may achieve respect in society, so take pride in it. If involved in a business, the time is good for expansion. Do not invest in land property. Your family reputation may help you in enjoying your new status in society.

CaPRICoRn (december 21 – January 20) An important and big move will be delayed this month. Act quickly or you may lose out on a very important opportunity. Your mistakes will put you in hot water. You may also need some kind of spiritual help to make it through the month. Financial loss is unavoidable. Try to protect your morals, and any risk taking tendencies must be avoided. However, your regular income should remain undisturbed.

aQuaRIus (January 20 – February 19) A very hectic month is shaping up for you. You may get stuck between a busy schedule and enjoying time with family. Added responsibilities and this very aggressive schedule may cause you to make mistakes. Any big decisions or aggressive tendencies must be avoided this month.

Listen to your partner before making any commitments. You may not enjoy good health. Just slow down and try to control your anger.

PIsCes (February 19 – March 20) The month may start very active but then things should slow down for you. A dispute with friends and associates may disturb your peace of mind. Don’t make any mistakes but instead just try to maintain relations with your friends. You should enjoy a steady flow of income. The time is good to enjoy nature and spend money for spiritual activities.

You may spend the second half of the month travelling.

lIBRa (september 23 – october 23) After a negative start, the month should take a very

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April 2019

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123

April 2019

CLASSIFIEDS BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES

C-store for Rent in Radford, VA. Good location. 4000 sqft. Asking rent $2850 per month. Contact Mr. J Patel 540-629-6318.

For sale or lease: Gas Station and Convenience Store in good neighborhood of Gaffney, SC. Serious inquiries only.

Contact 704-726-7544.

Convenience store Properties for sale in Forest City, NC and Gaffney, SC. Call 980250-4995.

Businesses for sale: Frenchies and independent motels available with finance.

Call 404-903-3362.

Property for sale or lease in Charlotte.

Neighborhood grocery/meat market on Statesville Rd (off exit 39 at I-77/I-85 crossing). In business since 1965 w/ strong client base. Call Mitch 704-576-1371.

Convenience store for sale near Cowpens, SC. No gas. Good location. Contact 704813-2462.

Convenience store for sale inside office building in downtown Charlotte. Same owner for 32 years. Includes 36 vending machines in the building. Low Rent. Open M-F 7AM – 5PM. Closed Saturday & Sunday. Call 704-376-6398.

Businesses for sale: Hotels ($350K to $8.5M), Gas Stations, Profitable Local Indian Restaurants (75K to 825K), & Profitable NC Locations of 7 Firehouse Subs (Combo Package). Call Madhur 919428-9840

Convenience stores for sale /lease in Gastonia area. 2 locations. Serious inquiries only. Call 704-578-2787.

Motel for sale: 18-room independently owned with two bedroom manager apartment on main highway. Tristate (NC,GA,TN.) location in Murphy, NC near Casino. Gross $150K. Asking $415K. For details call Bobby 828-644-3338.

Convenience store for sale: Well established store in Axton, VA near Martinsville. Includes gas pumps and busy deli. Contact 276-638-4276/704-477-2218 or trgelot@gmail.com store for sale in Kingstree, SC (Hwy 52).

Can be used as Convenience Store, Bait/Tackle Shop, Liquor Store, etc. Asking $175k. Owner will finance with good down payment. Includes 3 bedroom apartment.

Call Jerry 843-312-1892.

C-store for sale in Wadesboro NC. Owner Retiring. Perfect Opportunity. Call 336-8254442 for details.

Franchise Restaurants for sale: 2 locations in Goldsboro, NC Low rent / operating costs. Call 848-219-9427

Saathee.com

C-store for lease in Hudson NC. Great corner location, a block from US HWY-321 between Hickory and Lenoir. Call Barrett Mitchell 828-322-1723 ext. 203.

Retail / Convenience stores: C-Store: Kings Mtn, NC $1,950,000 + Inv, Prop incl., Inside $1,165,000 ~ Reduced; C-Store: High Point, NC $1,650,000 + Inv, Prop Incl., Owner Financing, Inside $881,032; C-Store: Charlotte, NC $699,000, Prop Inc., Owner Financing Available; Call County South at 704-821-8888 or visit www.Countysouth.biz

EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES

Help Wanted: Franchise Motel in Fayetteville, NC for Front Desk and Housekeeping. Accommodations possible.

Good salary. Fluent English a must. Contact Dev 630-253-8860 or devsuper8@gmail.com. need live-in Caregiver for senior mother near Columbia SC. Involves light cooking & household work. Call Khan 864-674-7462.

Housekeeping Couple and Front desk help wanted for motel in Florence, SC. Must be honest and have legal status. Accommodations provided. Call 843-992-8424.

Gas station Help Wanted: Full-time Single or couple in Columbia, SC. Experience Preferred.

Must speak English. Accommodations provided. Call 803-466-5861 or 803-319-9878 experienced manager and Housekeeping (single or couple) needed for franchise motels in North & South Carolina.

Accommodations provided. Contact 704-4658089 or southsidehospitality189@gmail.com elegantbrow threading position available in Waxhaw, NC. Excellent pay+Tips! Some experience and fluent English are required.

Contact 586-536-5360. nanny needed to take care of 6 month-old in Concord, NC. Also some light cleaning, Nanny should be completely dedicated towards their work. Call 717-440-5434. experienced Housekeeping needed (single or couple) for a franchise motel in Ladson (Charleston), SC. Excellent pay.

Accommodations provided. Contact Priya at 843-425-2840.

Convenience store help needed immediately in Charlotte. Full-time & parttime including weekends. Call 704-241-4499.

Motel Help Wanted: Front Desk, Maintenance, and Housekeeping (single/couple) for motel in Asheboro, NC. Accommodations provided. Contact 336-625-1880 or rameshvpatel@gmail.com Front desk/night audit help needed for Motel in Rocky Mount, NC. Experience & fluent English a must. Accommodations provided. Call 443-538-3997.

Housekeeping & laundry Couple needed for Franchise Hotel in Concord, NC. Legal status required.

Accommodations provided. Call Rusab 704-772-5554.

124

eyebrow threading Position available in Winston-Salem, NC. Excellent Pay + Tips & Benefits! Some Experience and fluent English required. Contact 336-422-7582.

Hotel Help needed: Front desk (Single/Couple) and Housekeeping (Couple) needed for Independent Hotel.

Accommodations provided. Legal status, Experience & English required. Contact 301-338-4035.

Caretaker needed for senior female in Cary / Raleigh area, Bathing / Grooming, Exercise / Walking, Light Housekeeping & Cooking.

Must be able to drive and speak basic English. 15-20 hours per week, AM hours.

Email: mycaringperson@gmail.com Manager couple needed for franchise hotel in Fort Mill, SC (Charlotte area near Carowinds). Fluent English and basic computer skills required. Energetic attitude a plus. Accommodations provided. Email resume to bwhospitality78@gmail.com.

Full time nanny needed (Live in / Live out) immediately to take care of 10 month-old near Charlotte. Also cooking and light housekeeping. Contact Rinku at 410-782-5151.

Motel Help needed: Housekeeping Couple and Front Desk needed for Motel in Spartanburg, SC. Accommodations provided. Contact 864-237-0561.

Front desk / night auditor wanted for Continental Inn on Sugar Creek Road in Charlotte. Fluent English, legal status and computer skills a must. Email resume to mars803@gmail.com.

Hiring threading specialist at Jill's iBrow Threading Salon in Fayetteville, NC. Call 336-686-7007.

Hotel Management Firm Hiring: Housekeepers, front desk (must speak fluent English), and General Manager of franchise hotels. Experience required. Email resumes to abcone@abcinns.com or call 704-649-6833 (M-F, 9AM-5PM). looking for live-in/live our nanny to take care of toddler with cooking help. In South Charlotte near Ballantyne.

Good compensation will be offered. Contact 704497-2845. iCare Hospitality llC is looking for Operations Manager/Front desk and GM for multiple Choice Hotels (Comfort Suites in SC & NC). Legal status & Choice Hotel experience required. Contact 704-906-2239 or email resume to icare.nc325@yahoo.com Household help needed 3-4 hours/day, 5 days/week. Duties include: cleaning, making the bed, dishes, laundry, ironing, help with food prep, and other miscellaneous duties. Days and hours are flexible. $15-20 an hour. Call 530-310-1865. looking for Cook for Huddle House Franchise Restaurant in Goldsboro, NC. Call 779-475-1522.

April 2019

Hotel Help Wanted: Front Desk, Laundry & Maintenance for franchise motel in Raleigh, NC. Fluent English required.

Experience preferred. Couples welcome.

Please call 919-659-8897 & leave message if no answer. lab assistant cum delivery/pick-up person for Dental Lab, 7 miles from UNCC. No prior experience needed. Must have valid US driving license. Call 704-493-8221.

Hotel Help Wanted: Housekeeping and Laundry Person needed for a franchise Hotel in Rock Hill, SC. Contact Hojorockhillsc@gmail.com or 850-218-8579. eyebrow threader needed in Charlotte, NC. Previous experience a plus. Some English preferred. Call 704-488-1350 and leave message.

Hotel Help Wanted: Front Desk, Laundry & Maintenance for franchise hotel in Henderson, NC. Fluent English required.

Experience preferred. Couples welcome.

Good pay! Accommodations provided.

Call 919-961-8034. nanny needed (full-time) for 9 month-old baby in Harrisburg NC. Also some light housekeeping help. Call 704-807-8859.

Front desk Clerk needed for Hotel in Raleigh, NC Legal status required. Fluent English and basic computer skills preferred.

Accommodations provided. Call 301-526-6532.

Housekeeping couple needed for hotel near Greenville, SC. Legal status required.

Accommodations provided. Contact Nick at 864-270-8253.

C-store / Gas station Help Wanted in Gaffney, SC. Part-time or Full-time. Single, Couple or Family. Legal status required.

Fluent English & previous experience preferred. Call 704-726-7544 Hotel Help needed: Housekeeping couple and Front desk for Franchise Hotel in near Hickory, NC. Accommodations provided.

Good Pay! Legal status & fluent English required. Call Rick 919-724-6772. nanny needed for 5 month-old in Indian Land (close to Ballantyne). Please contact 410-350-5541.

Front desk / Housekeeping needed for Hotel in Cleveland / Akron, OH. Accommodations provided. Contact Mit Patel 734-776-4371 or Sixsigmahotels@gmail.com

C-store/Gas station help needed.

Multiple positions available in and around Greensboro, NC. Experience preferred.

Must have legal status and speak fluent English. Call/text 336-509-4054.

Hotel Help Wanted: Front Desk/Manager, Night Auditor and Housekeeper (Single/Couple) for franchise hotels in Wilmington, NC. Accommodations provided. Call 910-262-8357 or email ilmhotelemployer@gmail.com Saathee.com

looking for Caring Person to help with everyday cooking and light household work for a vegetarian family in South Charlotte. Please contact 980-474-8002.

Hotel Help Wanted: Looking for all positions (GM/AGM/Front Desk/Housekeeping) for 98-Room property in Charlotte, NC. Contact 704-502-2630 or Gm.nita.shah@gmail.com Cashiers wanted (single or couple) for Gas Station in Rock Hill, SC (Exit 77). Legal status required. Good pay with experience!

Call 803-792-4452.

Motel Help Wanted: Housekeeping, Managers & Night Auditors for Independent & Franchise Motels in South Carolina. Good pay and accommodations provided. Call 803-664-0477. looking for sales Manager: Dynamic and self-motivated for largest furniture retail in Asheville area. Good management & computer skills. Excellent communication skills. Excellent Salary plus sales incentive and benefits package.

Apply at sales@123cfc.com.

Hotel Help Wanted: Front Desk/Manager, Night Auditor and Housekeeper (Single/Couple) for franchise hotel in Charlotte/Gastonia.

Accommodations provided. Call 704-460-0379 between 6- 9pm.

Front desk Clerk/Housekeeping needed for Motel in Durham, NC. Must have front desk experience, computer literate, fluent English, and legal status. Call 919-452-3131 or email kenco00@gmail.com.

Part-time Pakistani/Indian cook needed for household in Gastonia, NC. Also some light cleaning and laundry. Schedule negotiable. Call 919-270-8011.

Manager wanted for 22-room Hotel in Dallas, NC. Accommodations provided.

Call 704-674-8395.

Front desk/ Management Help needed for mid-scale Choice brand interior corridor property in Fort Mill,SC (Carowinds area). Legal status and fluent English required. Please call 803-237-8799. live-in nanny needed immediately for Doctor Couple in Harrisburg, NC. Home is smoke free, pet free & vegetarian. Two kids ages 7 & 2. Cooking and light house work. Call 540-314-6432 or email ajayguptamd@gmail.com

Housekeeping Couple needed for motel in NC. Excellent pay. Accommodations provided. Call 910-817-4313 or 910-995-1707.

Convenience store help needed immediately in Charlotte, NC. Full-time & part-time including weekends. Call Vimal at 704-299-2580. threaders, estheticians & Cosmetologists wanted in Charlotte & Raleigh. Great pay & flexibility. Experience required. Good English skills. Call 704-312-1870 (M-F, 9-5).

125

Front desk couple required for 33-room Independent Motel near Charlotte, NC. Couple should have legal status, fluent English and can manage 24/7.

Accommodations provided with attractive salary package. Call 864-384-6900 during office hours. looking for work? Check Saathee.com daily for additional help wanted classified ads visit Saathee.com/employment-opportunities

PROPERTY & EQUIPMENT FOR SALE

Hotel equipment for sale: 93 rooms of Hotel furniture in mint condition & works well for franchise or independent hotels.

Also Onity T-24 Locks in working condition. Call Rusab at 704-772-5554.

Clothing for sale: Wholesale cost Kurtis, Kurtas, Lawn Kurtas, Leggings, Etc. Cotton, Cotton Silk, Rayon, Chiffon, Pashmina/Georgette work. All Sizes. Call Jay 862-220-1390. used Hotel locks and RFId keys. Onity, Kaba-Ilco, Saflok and Vingcard. Also selling RFID keys for all major hotel brands. Contact Neal 410-349-1967 skhospitality@yahoo.com or Neal@JSKcards.com Home for sale: Investor special. Home in Villa Heights / Noda area. $248,000. Check 1000 Matheson Ave. Charlotte, Realtor.com

leaRn aBout land

We help High networth Cash Buyers in the Carolinas.

Contact Bob atkinson “the land Man” 919-362-6999 or visit www.learnaboutland.com

MATRIMONIAL

seeking match for Hindu Maharastrian boy, 33, 5'10", handsome, IT professional, on work visa. Caste no bar. Send biodata to goldrock1008@gmail.com Parents looking for match for son & daughter. Indian Christian, Caste no bar.

32 year-old son, 5'11", unmarried, doctor / surgeon in Saudi Arabia. 37 year-old daughter, 5'4”, unmarried, PhD in English, professor in India. Send bio-data, pictures to smparmar.299@gmail.com or via WhatsApp +91,8849931465. affluent Hindu-Punjabi parents seek match for us citizen daughter: 27/5’4”, slim, very pretty, fair complexion, family oriented.

Professional health care worker. Financially secure. All serious inquiries will be promptly responded to. Send biodata & photos to nudaak@gmail.com or 520-442-5482. looking for a life partner? Saathee can help you reach hundreds of potential matches. E-mail info@saathee.com.

CLASSIFIEDS CONTINUED NEXT PAGE April 2019

CLASSIFIEDS CONTINUED SERVICES

Child Care service for busy parents.

Certified Baby Sitters in Ballantyne and Matthews. Other services available as well.

References can be provided. Contact shilpavirani43@gmail.com. alyssa’s Garlands: Unique fresh flower garlands. Boutonnieres, bouquets, flower ornaments, Exotic Flowers available on special Request. We ship nationwide.

Contact Ila Amin: 803-627-4239 or email: ilaamin49@gmail.com Gujarati Priest in nC & sC for Ganesh, Randal, Laxmi, Sharda Pujan, Satyanarayan Katha, Wedding, Vastu, Baby Shower, Hawan, Grah Shanti. Kishor Trivedi Home: 336-774-0597 Cell: 336-486-7925 E-Mail: kishor7@juno.com travel Passion: Call for International & Domestic Air tickets. We process India Visa, OCI, Indian Ppt Renewal, Hotel bookings & Tour packages. 509.550.9076 or 509.550.9034 Email: travelpassion24@gmail.com need help with your tax filings? Contact Bhaskar CPA for affordable personal and business tax preparation, bookkeeping and payroll services. Contact 704-770-7125 or lak123cpa@gmail.com. neeta’s Beauty Parlor: Charlotte area open 7 days a week. Full service. Call for appointment. 704-968-0270.

Saathee.com

Gujarati Priest: Devendra Dave Independent priest. Ganesh, Randal, Navratri, Diwali’s Laxmi & Sharda Pujas, Satyanarayan Katha, Weddings, Vastu, Baby Shower, Funeral Seva. Call Daveji 704-780-3563. God Blessings to All. donate your old Indian Clothing & shoes for creative art projects and crafts. Willing to pick up in the Charlotte area. Contact 704-957-1925.

Belmont alterations & designing: Custom alterations or stitching for your Punjabi suits, blouses, sarees, dresses, cholis, and lehengas. Also available for henna/mendhi art. Contact 704-898-5376.

Wedding doli Rental: Customizable /elegant designs. Impeccable service. Based in Chapel Hill with broad travel range.

Add'l info: text 919-824-5144 or visit: www.DulhanDoliRental.com Priest available for these services: Shree Satya narayan katha, Shanti hawan, Vastu shanty, Weddings, Baby shower, Bhumi pujan, Mata ki chowki pujan, Funeral, all types of karmakand. Please call Viral Bhatt 704-438-6334. saree draping: specializing in draping sarees, dupattas and jewelry for any event. Weddings, Engagements, Baby showers, Birthdays, etc.

Contact Rital Patel at info@bridaldraping.com or www.bridaldraping.com

126

Priest specializing in all kinds of Hindu Ceremonies.

Poojas, Vrathas & Homams/Havan, Satyanarayan Pooja, Rudraabhishegam, Gruhapravesam & Japam, Baby Showers and Weddings.

Self- Transportation to Pooja site anywhere. Call Pralad Joshi: 704-500-2210 (home), 704-450-6447 (cell)

need an affordable dJ for Graduation, Birthdays, Baby Showers & any other festivity?

Look no further! Contact DJ Rahul at 980-3197389 or TheRealDJRahul@gmail.com dholi For Hire: Plays the Dhol (drum) for any occasion! Barat, Doli, Graduation, Birthdays, Baby Showers & any other festivity.

Affordable rates! Call Arpan Bhandari 704641-4761 or email: arpandholi@yahoo.com Pari Beauty In Matthews: Threading, Waxing, Facials, Massage for newborn and mom & other services. 29 years of experience. Special Deals & Great Service.

Call: 704-846-7912.

to Submit a Classified visit: Saathee.com/classifieds or email: info@saathee.com or call 704.527.7570

April 2019

Best Rates Best Service (Loan Officer NMLS # 69811)

Maneesh Pathak

www.FairviewHomeMortgage.com

Work: 704-941-3652 Mobile: 704-661-4904

3111 Springbank Lane, Suite I, Charlotte, NC 28226

maneesh@goFHM.com

(Fairview Home Mortgage, LLC NMLS ID: 1705521)

Law Offices of

MRUGESH S. PATEL

Member of American Immigration Lawyers Association

888-549-0030

Family Petition Fiance Visa H-1, L-1, & Student Visa Visitor Visa Labor Certification

Citizenship Removal/Deportation Re-entry Permit Adoption Consular Processing

Call for consultation!

North Carolina Office:*

1913-204 J. N. Pease Place University Ridge Office Center Charlotte, NC 28262

New Jersey Office: 1941 Oak Tree Road Suite 101 Edison, NJ 08820

* Practice in Carolinas limited to immigration only (Office visit by appointment only). Licensed in New Jersey.

Serving your immigration needs in North Carolina & South Carolina

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April 2019

Advertisers Index A2Z Health Mart Pharmacy......................................16

Gilles Law, PLLC (Immigration & Family Law) ...........55

Patel Brothers (Charlotte)..........................................95

Accounting Solutions (Muhammad Kamran Awan)...45

Global Mall / Legacy Jewels ..................................131

Patel, Mrugesh (Law Offices)..................................127

Anand, Versha (Real Estate) .....................................77

H2 Laser & Skin .......................................................77

Patel, Tony (Real Estate)............................................75

Anil & Anjali Bedi LLC (CPA & Consultants).............129

Hawthorne Inn & Conference Center........................73

Pathak, Atul (Real Estate)........................................123

Anupam Realty LLC..................................................37

HelloMyCPA Consulting Inc.......................................31

PNC Bank (Commercial Financing - Reena Ruwala).33

Arijit Singh Concert (Glitzz Ent)..................................21

Hindu Center of Charlotte (Events) ......................66-69

Pramukh Mandapam ...............................................39

Around The World Market (Charlotte)........................87

Home Decorators Of America (Sonal Furniture - Atlanta)38

Raghu Mothukuri Allstate Agent................................39

Aspect Commerical Realty (Prashant Parmar) ..........91

Illume MD (Laser Hair Removal)................................49

Raj D Batra Photography ..........................................45

Austin Village Eye Care (Dr. Keshav Bhat)..................83

Inchin's Bamboo Garden Charlotte...........................27

Raj Jewels (Morrisville, NC) ....................................6&7

Bala Sure (Broker / Realtor, NC & SC)......................35

India Grocers (Charlotte) ...........................................89

Rajbhog Foods .......................................................121

Balance by Touch Massage ...................................107

Indian Grocery (Columbia) ........................................71

Rajdeep Video & Photography (Ramesh Panjabi)......57

BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir (Charlotte)............63

International Community Church ...........................117

Ram Realty (Ram Kalagara)......................................26

Barot, Tushar (Insurance)........................................129

IPAAC (Vocal Recital Dr. Ashwini Bhide Deshpande).11

Ramana Coaching Center ........................................51

Bashyam Shah LLP - Immigration Law Group..........74

Javed Ali Live In Concert (Charlotte)............................3

Red Line Auto Services (Charlotte)............................75

Bawarchi Indian Cuisine (Charlotte) ..........................60

Jay Bale (Real Estate - Commercial & Residential)....53

Richa Sinha Real Estate...........................................55

Bhindi Jewelers ......................................................2

Jyoti's World Cuisine (Vegan & Vegetarian)...............99

Robert Brown LLC (Oza, Rishi: Immigration Law)....129

Bipin Parekh Realty, LLC...........................................56

K & M Accounting ....................................................77

Saffron Restaurant and Catering ............................111

Blooming Buds.........................................................96

K Scott Weddings (Wedding & Event Designer).........73

Sani Designs..........................................................121

Bombay Grille (Charlotte)..........................................85

KB Zaveree.................................................................4

Shah & Trivedi CPA, PLLC ......................................101

Brijal Shah (Keller Williams - Real Estate)..................83

KD Financial & KMD Realty.......................................79

Shah, Anish (Real Estate) ...................................42-43

British International School of Charlotte ..................130

Khanna & Sons Jewelers .........................................13

Shah, Kirti (CPA - Sepa Consulting) .........................57

Businesses for Sale (Madhur Gupta - Real Estate Plus) 73

KMD Realty (Divyesh Chauhan) ................................61

Shining Stars Academy ............................................93

C4D Mortgage (Jubi Chackunkal, P.E.) .....................59

Kumon Math and Reading Center ...........................97

Shukla, Kirit (Music Lession & Band).........................75

Carolina Elite Ventures .............................................41

Life Mission USA ......................................................47

Shyama Beauty Parlour............................................53

Carolina Law Group (Monty Desai) .........................115

Maadhurya Photography........................................101

Singh Tutoring ..........................................................53

Carolina Wedding Belle (Event Design & DĂŠcor)........81

Maharani Indian Cuisine (Charlotte)........................113

Sona Realty (Venkat Suryadevara) ............................30

CaroMont Medical Group (Dr. Manu Patel)................96

Malak Jewelers........................................................25

Sonu Nigam & Neha Kakkar Live In Concert (Atlanta) .5

Charlotte Chess Center .........................................113

Malani Jewelers.....................................................132

Southern Oncology Specialists (Dr. Swetha Gujja).....61

Charlotte Eye Ear Nose & Throat ..............................84

Malaya Kitchen.........................................................37

Subway For Sale ......................................................39

Charlotte Music School.............................................78

Mathur, Gitanjali (Allen Tate Realtors) ........................19

Sukhwinder Singh Concert (GCAPI) ............................9

Chiro-Carolina

....................................................49

Matthews Family Dentistry ....................................111

Thakkar, Beena (Realty) ............................................96

Concha, David (Immigration Attorney).......................61

Mobile Mechanic Services (Auto Repair - Harish Patel)27

The Blue Taj............................................................109

Concord Children's Clinic ......................................37

Monroe Oil Company................................................34

Travel Passion ..........................................................29

Copper Restaurant (Charlotte) ................................109

Mount Soma (Sri Somesvara Temple).......................81

Travelinks .................................................................91

County South Realty & Business Brokers ...............117

Murlidhar Party Supply .............................................29

Triveni Supermarket .................................................35

Dentist (Pineville Dentistry - Lina V. Mistry, DDS).....103

Nagpal, Sunil (MassMutual Carolinas).......................29

Ttravel Guru..............................................................57

Desai & Desai LLP (CPA & Financial Services)..........59

Nationwide Ins. (Maqsood Khan) ............................123

Tyagi, Rita (Real Estate).............................................65

Desai, Rajarshi (CPA, PLLC)....................................103

Nawabs Kebabs (Charlotte) ......................................31

Uni World Travel........................................................45

DJ Desi (Amit Vasi) ...................................................59

Neeta's Beauty Parlor...............................................75

VT Seva (Fundraiser).................................................65

DJ Lalit (Lalit Hemnani).............................................91

New York Life Insurance (Rasheed Ulhaq).................55

Vyas Travels..............................................................73

DJ Murali..................................................................33

North American Bancard ........................................15

Windsor Run (Retirement Community)......................48

Ekal Vidyalaya (Gandhi Peace Prize)..........................10

Nrityangan Cultural Academy presents Bandhan......11

Worldwide Travels ....................................................41

Fairview Home Mortgage .......................................127

OM Tech Training .....................................................83

Yafa Halal Market & CafĂŠ..........................................23

Gem Avenue (Gem & Jewelry)..................................17

One2 Entertainment .................................................29

Zafran Kabab Palace (Charlotte / Pineville)................33

Geological Resources, Inc.......................................126

Passage To India - Fine Indian Cuisine....................105

Zest of the Rest ......................................................57

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April 2019

Supreme Insurance Services Inc. Full Service Independent Insurance Agent

Tushar Barot, Agent

919-629-6199 704-302-1215

tushar@tusharbarot.com Commercial Insurance

Fax Number: 919-629-6166

Auto Insurance

Home Insurance

Property Insurance Life Insurance

Health Insurance

Call us FoR all YouR InsuRanCe needs

We also provide Financial Review

110 Osterville Drive, Holly Springs, NC 27540

Anil & Anjali Bedi LLC CPAs and Business Consultants

STREAMLINE FILING, FBAR & FATCA SPECIALISTS We Specialize in: Individual & Business taxes • Accounting & Payroll • FBAR &

FATCA Filing • New company incorporations • Internal audit & SOX Compliance

• Tax filing for all - including H-1 & L-1 Visa holders W-7's and Tax ID's for IT consultants • Business set-up and support in India • Filing available for All 50 States • Free E-Filing • Financial Projections • SBA Loans • Tax Planning

FREE, no obligation consultation!

C-Corp., S-Corp. & LLCs

ANIL & ANJALI BEDI LLC

25% OFF

(for new clients, mention this ad. Exp: 5.5.19)

Serving Gas-Stations, Motels, Medical offices, Restaurants and all other businesses.

678.779.3475 Anajli Bedi: 678-836-7739 anjali@abacconsulting.com

www.abacconsulting.com

28 Years of Experience. Serving the entire Southeast, including North Carolina & South Carolina

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April 2019

Visit Shreeji Groceries Today!

(located on the Lower Level next to Ashiana Restaurant)