Saathee Charlotte June 2020

Bridging America and the Indian Subcontinent

Saathee.com

June 2020

IN THIS ISSUE

Domestic Violence on the Rise During Pandemic: pg 22 Recipe for Indori Patties: pg 46 Remembering Rishi Kapoor and Irrfan Khan: pg 72 Jobs Classifieds: pg 92

In This Issue

Page 64 Review of new Netfilx series co-created by Page 72 Remembering Rishi Mindy Kaling: Never Have I Ever…

Kapoor and Irrfan Khan

Page 28 Spelling the Dream, Documentary film will stream in June. See Film Clips.

Content

The Editor’s Desk . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg. 14

Community Events . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg. 18 Domestic Violence on the Rise . . .pg. 22

Page 34 Increase your India Knowledge: Kerala Backwaters

Recipe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg. 46

Namaskar Y’all . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg. 48 Mirror Mirror . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg. 50

Upcoming Movie Releases . . . . . . .pg. 26

Thinking About Thinking . . . . . . .pg. 54

Spot the Differences . . . . . . . . . . . .pg. 30

Immigration Matters . . . . . . . . . . . .pg. 58

Film Clips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg. 28 Increase India Knowledge . . . . . . .pg. 34

Music Review . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg. 56 Personal Finances . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg. 60

Increase USA Knowledge . . . . . . . .pg. 38

Buy Right . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg. 62

Raajeev’s Corner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg. 42

News Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg. 66

Nutrition for Life . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg. 40 Saathee.com

Read Watch Listen . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg. 64 8

Remembering Rishi and Irrfan . . .pg. 72

College Admissions . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg. 76

Youth Corner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg. 84

Pop’s Puzzles and Jokes . . . . . . . . .pg. 86

Festivals and Holidays . . . . . . . . . .pg. 88

Puzzle Solutions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg. 88

AstroScope . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg. 90

Classifieds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg. 92

Index of Advertisers . . . . . . . . . . . .pg. 96 June 2020

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June 2020

Hello Readers!

So, some daylight is now peering through the curtains.

States are losening distancing and stay at home orders. People are venturing out and doing things in their own mannners while following personal safety precautions. Warm summer days are full of promise and adventure. This year some of those adventures will be a bit more tempered. We hope you and your family are in good health and planning for the future. We continue on our journey with fellow readers and travelers. Saathee means friend or companion in several Indian languages. We hope our work has brought you a sense of companionship over the years.

Happy Summer!

Comments and Suggestions always welcome.

“Bridging America and the Indian Subcontinent.”

June 2020 Issue # 265 - Saathee.com Editor Samir Shukla (Samir@Saathee.com)

Publisher & Advertising

“Summer afternoon, summer afternoon; to me those have always been the two most beautiful words in the English language.” - Henry James

Divakar Shukla (rakavid@aol.com)

Ad Design / Layout Nathan C. Andrews

Digital Media & Marketing Jennifer W. Allen & Dhruv Pathak

Contributors for this issue: Kirit Shukla, Amit Rupani, Parul Kharod, Shivani Tripathi, Raajeev Aggerwhil, Rishi P. Oza, Mo Vidwans, Balaji Prasad, Charu Tiwari, Shyama Parui and Jalendu Vaidya.

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

Cover: Kerala Backwaters

The backwaters of the southern Indian state of Kerala are a big tourist destination. See our Increase Your India Knowldege on page 34 for more information on this unique area.

Photo: Shutterstock

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 Saathee.com

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704.527.7570 Fax: 704.527.7590

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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

All content © 2020 Shukla Entertainment, Inc

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Road Rage 2020: Volume 9

Music. Silenced.

Navigating the madness of American politics

By Samir Shukla

Convention Junction. What’s Your Function?

The organizers for both Democratic National Convention and the Republican National Convention are gearing up for their upcoming extravaganzas. The matter of a little pandemic is being seen by both parties in different lights. Democrats are thinking they may have to do a smaller convention or possibly even a virtual one. The Republicans are going full steam ahead to hold a convention with thousands of participants.

Both conventions are now slated for August, DNC in Milwaukee and RNC in my hometown Charlotte. I will be covering both, either virtually or in person. Let’s see what pans out. More on this as it develops.

The punishment is too much to bear. When you breathe music, you can only hold your breath so long when the music has been silenced. one of my prime enjoyments in life is live music. Yes, we can listen to music anytime, especially in the contemporary era where phones also serve as music players.

Music enhances life. Music is not the only thing that can do this, of course, but it is the only true universal language.

Music performed live is a slice of life itself. The pandemic has postponed or cancelled live music events, small and large.

All of them. In a sense, music has been pushed silent.

We can watch recorded live concerts. Many musicians are also doing virtual gigs, sitting in front of their laptops or phones and transmitting via various channels. It is a valiant effort, and I watch them and try to support them, but it just isn’t the same as live shows in front of an audience. The gathered crowd becoming one while music permeates the air.

This distancing madness began with a drip and then the deluge of postponements and cancellations arrived, raging through the floodgates. Small venues to stadiums, home concerts to SXSW and Coachella, all dropped the news that they were cancelling or postponing events to either later in the year or next year. Summer festivals are in limbo. This also happened with sporting events.

I await the opening, ever so small at first, of bands, orchestras and musicians straddling stages, making music, making life. That is the effort now, to crack open the stages and live performance venues while dealing with the bug.

I have some hope for the warm summer sun, giving opportunities for outdoor concerts, with controlled, small crowds taking necessary precautions. Funds generated can support musicians, sound tech people, even venues that are currently shuttered, awaiting the possibility to reopen.

In summer, there is nothing like an outdoor concert on a warm, clear evening.

Clubs, theaters, stadiums, and other venues are hopeful and have booked concerts later in the summer and onwards. But no one knows if any outbursts of the bug may shut them down again for a while.

I understand the common sense approach, the only solution we have now, in banning large gatherings to get the bug under control. Ah, but we crave connections. That is the challenge of the moment.

In the meantime, I await the strum of the guitar, the scats of drums, the sensuality of a saxophone, the caress of a human voice. Presented live, the gathered brethren swaying in unison.

See you at a show, in a near sunny future.

Saathee.com

Dear Libertarians Stop it. Please. Stop fielding candidates for president. You are not going to win the office anytime soon. Maybe forget the Senate as well. Put all your marbles, money, and political infrastructure into the House of Representatives. Create a block of Libertarian representatives and then forge a power voice.

Also, fine tune your message. It is overtly individualistic and just sounds kooky to the average voter. It simply doesn’t resonate with lots of people. Your message of fiscal and military spending responsibility and progressive social agenda fits with most Americans’ thinking. But you are lousy in propagating this message. If there is ever going to be a major third party, you can be it, but not the way you currently do things.

So, sit down at your next meetings and organizing events, national convention and heed my advice. Three words you should concentrate on to help make the party a national power.

House of Representatives. of course, make runs for mayors or city councils and state legislatures around the country, but the real prize for you is the House. This year there are numerous people running for the Libertarian Party’s nomination for president. Most are oddballs and total unknowns who won’t get anywhere. A well-known candidate, former Republican Justin Amash, threw his hat into the ring for the Libertarian continued on page 56

The Editor’s Desk Samir Shukla Editor of Saathee magazine contact - Samir@Saathee.com follow me on Twitter: @ShuklaWrites Newsletter: ShuklaWrites.Substack.com

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June 2020

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June 2020

Community Events Saathee Readers

Please double check below events for postponements or cancellations before planning to attend.

Here we are listing the upcoming events as announced. Everyone is social distancing, but it may help to see what is coming up ahead to regain some sense of normalcy.

Symphony in the Park: Cornelius. NC (June 20, 2020)

Holi Fusion Dance: Morrisville, NC (June 6, 2020) New Date Sept 12.

The NC Triangle Gujarati Association presents Holi Fusion Dance on Saturday, June 6, 2020 beginning at 5pm. It will be a cultural program with over 400 participants performing. Tickets start at $8. It will take place at HSNC, 309 Aviation Pkwy, Morrisville, NC. For more details, visit Nctga.org.

Raleigh Mind Body Spirit Expo: (June 13-14, 2020)

It will host more than 200 juried psychics, readers, healers, and exhibitors. The show will also include wonderful exhibits, seminars, free presentations, in-depth workshops and more. Explore natural health, personal growth, psychics and readers in the finest holistic expo. The event will be held at the North Carolina State Fairgrounds, Kerr Scott Building on June 13-14, 2020. Admission is $12 for both days. Learn more at Bmse.net.

OM Squad Summer Camp: Morrisville, NC (June 15-Aug 7, 2020)

The Hindu Society of North Carolina will be hosting 4 oM Squad summer camp sessions for children aged 5-12 years (as of August 1, 2018, i.e. born between 8/1/2005 and 8/1/2012.)

Each 5 days session will be held between June 15-19, 2020, July 6-10, 2020, July 20-24, 2020, and August 3-7, 2020 between 8:30am and 5pm each day. During the camp, children will learn Arts/Crafts, Yoga, Dance, Music, and more. Breakfast, lunch and snacks will also be served each day. Fees (per session): First Child $250 (HSNC member) / $300 (Non-member); each additional Child – $200 (member) / $250 (non-member), registering for the same camp session. More information including online registration and payment options can be found at Hsnconline.org/hsnc-summer-camp.

Francis Rogallo was a NASA scientist and the inventor of the flexible wing. His inventions started the sport of hang gliding and his designs have carried over into the development of the stunt kites, power kites, and hang gliders. Join in and fly a kite at the 38th Annual Rogallo Kite Festival between June 19 & 21, 2020 from 10am to 4pm each day and celebrate Francis Rogallo along with his many accomplishments. The festival will be held at Jockey’s Ridge State Park and Jockey’s Ridge Crossing (both in Nags Head, NC). Kitty Hawk Kites and friends will display 30-100-foot kites on top of Jockey’s Ridge State Park. Fly a kite of your own, take part in stunt kite lessons, kite coloring for the kids, or just enjoy the show. The event is free. See information at Kittyhawk.com/event/rogallo-kite-festival.

Rogallo Kite Festival: Nags Head, NC (June 19-21, 2020)

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Bring your picnic baskets, blankets and chairs and join in for an evening with the Charlotte Symphony orchestra at the Bailey Road Park Bandshell in Cornelius, NC on Saturday, June 20, 2020 from 6-10pm.

KidsZone provided by Journey Church.

Concessions will also be available. Wine and local/craft beer proceeds will benefit Lake Norman Wildlife Conservationists. You may bring your own coolers/food/beverages, but no glass bottles or containers, pets, smoking, tobacco products, tents or open flames.

Fireworks will immediately follow performances. Admission is free. Learn more at Cornelius.org/388/Symphony-inthe-Park-Fireworks.

Wright Kite Festival: Kill Devil Hills, NC (July 11-12, 2020)

Take flight where flight first began with Kitty Hawk Kites and the Wright Brothers National Memorial in Kill Devil Hills, NC between July 11 & 12, 2020 from 10am to 4pm. Large kites will be flying high on display. Come fly kites of your own, take free stunt and power kite flying lessons, and bring the kiddos on over to the kite making station. Admission to the park is $10 for ages 16+, but participation in the kite festival is free. To learn more, visit Kittyhawk.com/event/wright-kite-festival.

The Big Crafty Art Show: Asheville, NC (July 12, 2020)

The Big Crafty returns to Asheville for a day of hand-to-heart art & craft on Sunday July 12, 2020 from 12-6pm at Pack Square Park. Join in for a trip through the creative landscape, with 150 creative ventures and total art stars, craft-infused good times, hugs and high fives. The Big Crafty highlights the work of carefully-selected artists, makers and craft innovators who embody the heart and the dynamism of the independent creative community. Learn more at Thebigcrafty.com.

June 2020

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June 2020

Community Events SC Comicon: Greenville, SC (July 18-19, 2020)

Charlotte Water Lantern Festival: (August 8, 2020)

Hosted by Borderlands Comics and Games, SC Comicon is the Upstate’s premier comics and pop culture convention. This family-friendly event in Greenville, SC has something for fans of all ages—from the top creators in comics and celebrity guests, to games, toys and collectibles, and cosplayers... plus plenty of events and contests for the kids. The convention will be at the Greenville Convention Center on July 18-19, 2020. Tickets, guests and other info are available at Sccomicon.com.

Midlands Women’s Fair: Columbia, SC (July 25, 2020)

The Midlands Women’s Fair returns to Columbia at the Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center on Saturday, July 25, 2020 from 10am-4pm to get pampered, do some shopping, and have fun with the women in your life. This Free event features over 80 vendors with products, services, and information for women plus chair massages, photo booth, makeovers, airbrush & henna tattoos, self-defense classes, health screenings and lots of shopping. Ticket registration can be found at Eventbrite.com/e/midlandswomens-fair-tickets-69763082257.

The Charlotte Water Lantern Festival will be held on Saturday, August 8, 2020 starting at 5:30pm at Symphony Park at South Park on 4400 Sharon Road in Charlotte. The Festival is filled with fun, happiness, hope, and great memories that you’ll cherish for a lifetime. This is a family friendly event bringing friends, families, neighbors, and lots of people that you haven’t met together to create a peaceful, memorable experience. Tickets and other information can be found at Ticket.ticketspice.com/charlotte.

Classic Summer Art & Craft Festival: Myrtle Beach, SC (August 7-9, 2020)

New World Festival of the Arts: Manteo, NC (August 12-13, 2020)

Aarohan Dastoor Recital: Charlotte, NC (August 15, 2020)

The Aarohan School of Music presents its annual recital “Dastoor: A melodious flow of Indian Heritage” on Saturday, August 15, 2020 beginning at 4pm at the Sandra Levine Theatre, Queens University, 1900 Selwyn Ave. in Charlotte, NC. All proceeds will be donated to CRY America. Tickets range from $25 - $100.

Gracing the occasion will be vocalist Padmashree Pt. Ajoy Chakraborty. For more details call 704-701-6235 or write to: Aarohan.music@gmail.com.

The New World Festival of the Arts is an annual juried outdoor festival featuring fine arts and crafts. Hosted by Dare County Arts Council and the Town of Manteo, the Festival provides local and regional artists an opportunity to display and sell their creative work.

The Festival has been a Manteo tradition for decades, providing awareness of current trends in the visual arts. This year, world-class artists will travel to the waterfront between August 12-13, 2020. The free, outdoor show will feature art from exhibitors including watercolors, oil & acrylic, drawings, photography, jewelry, sculpture, and pottery. Details: Darearts.org/newworldfestivalofthearts.

Greer Family Fest: (August 14-15, 2020)

The 38th Annual Craftsmen’s Classics Summer Art & Craft Festival features original designs and work from hundreds of talented artists and craftspeople from across America. See the creative process in action as many exhibitors demonstrate throughout the weekend. The Festival will be held at the Myrtle Beach Convention Center from August 7-9, 2020.

Admission is $8 for adults and $1 for Kids aged 6-12.

Discounts are available for groups of 15 or more. Parking will be $5. See more info at Craftshow.com.

With a rich history of providing family fun for all ages, the annual Pelham Medical Center Greer Family Fest promises to be better than ever for its 36th anniversary. This year's event will feature the best of the old and add exciting new activities with the goal of being the Upstate's favorite family festival. This twoday event between August 14 & 15, 2020 at Greer City Park will feature live music on the main stage, KidsZone, restaurant row, & over 150 vendors. Admission is free. Learn more at Greerchamber.com/greer-family-fest/

Saathee.com

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June 2020

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485 June 2020

Domestic Violence on the Increase in Coronavirus Era Domestic Violence is a serious, yet preventable issue that affects all socio-economic, religious, and cultural groups. Some members of South Asian communities in the United States face additional barriers to safety based on their immigration status.

South Asians include people from: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Burma (Myanmar), India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka.

For South Asians, stigma, societal pressures, and shame are associated with discussing domestic violence. The inherently patriarchal culture and value system leads to women’s financial dependence and pressure to uphold family values and honor.

Covid19 has drastically changed the way many people function with their day to day lives. For South Asian victims, cultural stigma, language access barriers, legal barriers and financial issues are creating a vacuum where the abuser is using the pandemic as a tool of control. Another tool of control is a victim’s immigration status—abusers are using threats of deportation to keep victims from seeking help. Affordable housing and access to transportation are also issues many South Asians are facing as social service agencies are strained during this time. South Asian victims are also impacted by family violence, which means there may be more than one abuser in the house. According to UN Women, the lockdowns and stay at home orders that came as a response to curb infection rates of coronavirus has created a shadow pandemic where many communities are isolated and confined with their abuser and can’t seek help.

Kiran is a statewide, community based organization, nonprofit organization. Kiran’s mission is to end the cycle of abuse and to serve and empower South Asian victims of domestic violence in the state by providing culturally specific services and comprehensive economic, social, and community resources.

Services offered by Kiran directly address the aforementioned barriers due to the fact that mainstream agencies are often not able to provide culturally appropriate responses to South Asian victims. Kiran offers a range of direct and indirect services that include a 24/7 crisis line, intensive case management, interpretation, shelter referrals, financial assistance, legal referrals and mental health services. In 2019, Kiran served as many as 401 clients and received 2,915 crisis management calls.

During the coronavirus pandemic, Kiran clients have been dealing with mounting challenges that get worse day by day.

Saathee.com

• 90 percent of Kiran clients have had work hours reduced or lost their job; • 8 in 10 families say they need food assistance; • Nearly 50 percent are not able to avail tele-therapy sessions due to the abuser being present in the home • The public charge rule has kept many immigrant survivors from reaching out for help.

Kiran is at the forefront of ensuring that the critical needs of our clients with respect to safe shelter and food security are addressed in a proactive manner.

The Kiran team is comprised of an executive board, four full time employees, an advisory committee and volunteers, all currently based in Raleigh, NC. over the years the team has observed an increase in calls from South Asian victims of domestic violence from the Charlotte area. To serve this population more effectively, the Kiran Charlotte Volunteer Chapter was established in December, 2018. This team has given the organization a firm footing for outreach and client services in Charlotte and surrounding areas.

• The Kiran Team continue to provide families with one-onone support via our crisis line, phone calls, texting and emails • Emergency rent and grocery assistance • Virtual yoga support groups • Mindfulness and self-care workshops • Legal advocacy and resource referrals • Volunteers have been making masks for the Kiran team, clients and essential workers

Kiran accepts donations to continue its work. Donations to Kiran can be mailed to: 1012 oberlin Road Raleigh NC 27605 or made online at www.kiraninc.org/donate.

If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, there are various ways in which you can reach the Kiran team as follows: • 24/7 crisis hotline: 1-877-625-4726 • Kiran office: 919-831-4203 • Raleigh office email: kiran@kiraninc.org • Charlotte team email: kiranclt@kiraninc.org

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June 2020

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June 2020

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June 2020

Upcoming Movie Releases June 12

Gulabo Sitabo (Streaming) (Director: Shoojit Sircar) Cast: Amitabh Bachchan and Ayushmann Khurrana

artemis Fowl (Streaming) (Director: Kenneth Branagh) Cast: Ferdia Shaw, Lara McDonnell, Josh Gad, Tamara Smart, Nonso Anozie, Colin Farrell, and Judi Dench

unhinged (Director: Derrick Borte) Cast: Russell Crowe, Jimmi Simpson, and Gabriel Bateman

June 19

July 10

Sadak 2 (Director: Mahesh Bhatt) Cast: Sanjay Dutt, Pooja Bhatt, Aditya Roy Kapur, and Alia Bhatt

July 17

kajillionaire (Director: Miranda July) Cast: Evan Rachel Wood, Richard Jenkins, Gina Rodriguez, Mark Ivanir, and Debra Winger

Stardog and Turbocat (Director: Ben Smith) Cast: Luke Evans, Nick Frost, Gemma Arterton, and Bill Nighy

Penguin (Streaming) (Director: Eshavar Karthic) Cast: Keerthy Suresh

Chehre (Director: Rumi Jaffrey) Cast: Amitabh Bachchan, Emraan Hashmi, Krystle D’Souza, Rhea Chakraborty, Siddhanth Kapoor, and Dhritiman Chatterjee

June 26

Law (Streaming) (Director: Raghu Samarth) Cast: Ragini Chandran, Siri Prahlad and Mukhyamantri Chandru

Tenet (Director: Christopher Nolan) Cast: John David Washington, Robert Pattinson, Elizabeth Debicki, Himesh Patel, Dimple Kapadia, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Michael Caine, and Kenneth Branagh

July 3

Shershaah (Director: Vishnuvardhan) Cast: Sidharth Malhotra and Kiara Advani

The Truth (Director: Hirokazu Kore-eda) Cast: Catherine Deneuve, Juliette Binoche, Ludivine Sagnier, Clémentine Grenier, Manon Clavel, Alain Libolt, and Ethan Hawke Saathee.com

July 24

French Biryani (Streaming) (Director: Pannaga Bharana) Cast: Danish Sait, Sal Yusuf and Pitobash 26

June 2020

Film Clips Spelling the Dream

An Indian-American has won the prestigious Scripps National Spelling Bee for the past 12 years straight.

This documentary follows four Indian-American contestants as they compete and examines what this impressive winning streak means to the culture.

Directed by Sam Rega, the film Spelling the Dream will begin streaming on Netflix on June 3, 2020.

Shershaah

Shershaah is a biographical war action film directed by Vishnuvardhan and co-produced

by Karan Johar. Tracing the life journey of Param Vir Chakra awardee and army captain Vikram Batra, it stars Sidharth Malhotra in a double role, as Batra and his identical twin brother Vishal. Kiara Advani plays the female lead. The film, shot at locations in Chandigarh, Palampur, Ladakh and Kashmir will be released on July 3, 2020.

Chehre

on 1947 India-Pakistan war hero Brigadier Mohammad Usman.

Zayed Khan will be seen in the title role. The film depicts the Indian Army’s bravery and how they fought despite not being armed with sufficient artillery and equipment.

Salman Khan Set to Launch Iulia Vantur in Bollywood

According to film industry reports, when Salman Khan’s girlfriend Iulia Vantur’s debut film was shelved, he stepped in to launch her in Bollywood. According to Bollywood Hungama, a source close to Khan said, “Abhi toh lockdown hai. Bhai will make an announcement about her (Iulia) later during the year when things return to normal.” It is possible he will cast her in his next production Kabhi Eid Kabhi Diwali.

Several Bollywood Films Headed to Streaming

Gulabo Sitabo

The Hindi film Gulabo Sitabo, originally slated for theatrical release, will now stream on Amazon Prime.

Directed by Shoojit Sircar, the film stars Amitabh Bachchan and Ayushmann Khurrana in the lead. The movie will premiere on June 12, 2020.

“Gulabo Sitabo is a slice of life, dramedy that is a must watch for families at home,” said actor Amitabh Bachchan, “I was excited about my role since the first time Shoojit showed me the character’s look.

It took me almost three hours each day to get into character with its different look. I had a wonderful time working with my very talented co-star Ayushmann Khurrana.

Even though we are constantly bantering in the film, it has been a pleasure working with him for the first time.” Gulabo Sitabo is the quirky tale of two slimy scheming foxes in a game of one upmanship, each one attracting other members to their clan and each one with an agenda of his own.

Saathee.com

The evergreen actor Amitabh Bachchan and Emraan Hashmi star in director Rumi Jaffrey’s Chehre (Faces). The mystery thriller also stars Krystle D’Souza, Rhea Chakraborty, Siddhanth Kapoor and Annu Kapoor in pivotal roles.

Bachchan will reportedly play the role of a lawyer opposite Hashmi portraying a business tycoon. Look for the film in theaters beginning July 17, 2020.

Zayed Khan to be Relaunched by Sanjay Khan

According to Bollywood Hungama, actor Zayed Khan is set to make a comeback as father Sanjay Khan will be relaunching him in a biopic 28

Due to the lockdown in India and the uncertainty of movie theaters reopening, many films that were originally slated for theatrical releases are now set to go to streaming. Amitabh Bachchan’s Gulabo Sitabo was the first one.

Now an additional six Indian films will premiere directly on the Amazon Prime streaming service.

Spanning five Indian languages, the films are Anu Menon’s Shakuntala Devi with Vidya Balan, legal drama Ponmagal Vandhal starring Jyothika and Keerthy Suresh starrer Penguin (Tamil and Telugu), Sufiyum Sujatayum (Malayalam), Law (Kannada) and French Biryani (Kannada). The films will be shown over the next few months.

June 2020

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Spot the Differences See if you can spot the 15 dierences between the original photo on top and modiďŹ ed one on bottom.

Answers are on pg 88.

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June 2020

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Large Selection of Indian Groceries

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increase Your

Knowledge

Kerala Backwaters The Kerala Backwaters is the name given to the palm-lined network of lagoons, lakes, rivers, and canals that run parallel to the coast of the Arabian Sea from Kochi to Kollam in the southern Indian state of Kerala. The main entry point is Alappuzha (Alleppey). Alappuzha is especially popular for its houseboat cruises.

The kettuvallams (Kerala houseboats) in the backwaters are one of the prominent tourist attractions in Kerala. More than 2000 kettuvallams ply the backwaters.

Houseboats offer the unique opportunity to cruise the Kerala backwaters and spend a night sleeping out on the water. Service and meals are included on board. This unique experience is a renowned travel destination in India.

October to late February or early March is the best time to visit the Kerala backwaters.

Traditionally, the backwaters are used by locals for transport, fishing, and agriculture.

Annual snake boat races, held along the backwaters in August-September, also provide a source of entertainment for the locals and tourists.

The Kerala State Water Transport Department operates ferries for passengers as well as tourists. It is the cheapest mode of transport through the backwaters.

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June 2020

increase Your

USA Knowledge Intracoastal Waterway The Intracoastal Waterway (ICW) is a series of bays, lagoons, rivers, natural inlets, bays, sounds and canals broken into two sections, one along the Atlantic. The Atlantic Intracoastal runs from Boston, Massachusetts, to Key West, Florida. Another section is the Gulf Intracoastal, which runs from Florida to Brownsville, Texas. It is about 3000 miles long.

The Dismal Swamp Canal is located along the eastern edge of the Great Dismal Swamp in Virginia and North Carolina. It is the oldest continually operating man-made canal in the United States, opened in 1805. It is part of the Intracoastal Waterway. The canal is the oldest operating artificial waterway in America.

The Waterway is maintained by a fleet of dredges and is marked with boards, buoys, and range markers, making it a mode of travel and recreation.

There are several cruise companies in several different states that offer excursions over a portion of the waterway.

The ICW can be enjoyed by boat and also by driving along it. One popular section is the Outer Banks drive in North Carolina, where drivers can see marinas, shops and restaurants, as well as nature preserves, such as the Mattamuskeet National Wildlife Refuge or the Emily and Richardson Preyer Buckridge Coastal Reserve.

Travelers on boats will need the latest Intra-coastal Waterway maps nautical charts. It will have notes of marinas on the route, fuel docks locations and cruising guides along with places for groceries and necessary supplies.

The ICW has been called “America’s oldest highway,” where commercial ships have used it for nearly three centuries. Even though the official beginning of the waterway is at Norfolk there are unofficial segments of it north all the way to Boston.

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June 2020

Eat Right for Healthy Skin

The skin accounts for about 16 percent of total body weight in an adult

by Parul kharod

pumpkin seeds, ginger, pecan nuts, Brazil nuts and oats.

• Selenium: This is another essential trace mineral needed for maintaining the elasticity and suppleness of our skins.

Just two Brazil nuts supply enough selenium for the day. other good sources include garlic and brown rice.

• Omega-3 fats are needed for the repair of our skin, to maintain healthy moisture content, and for general flexibility. Healthy fats are important for the structure of each and every cell wall in our body. Good sources include walnuts, chia seeds, hemp seeds, and ground flax seeds • Vitamin a – is needed for the maintenance and repair of the skin, and without sufficient amounts, the complexion can become dry, flaky and dull. Best vitamin A foods include sweet potatoes, leafy greens such as kale & spinach, melon, carrots, butternut squash, apricots and mangoes.

• Vitamin E is another important antioxidant that also reduces damage done to the skin by sun exposure,

We often talk about health of important organs such as the heart, brain, liver, and kidneys. But did you know that the skin is the body’s largest organ? our skin is part of the integumentary system which acts as a protective barrier between the outside and the inside of the body.

The skin accounts for about 16 percent of total body weight in an adult, and covers a surface area of approximately 22 square feet. There are different thicknesses and textures of skin on different parts of the body. For example, skin is paper-thin underneath the eyes, but is thick on the soles of the feet and palms of the hand.

It is important that we pay attention to keep our skin healthy. older cells are constantly shed and replaced by younger ones, and a steady supply of key nutrients is essential to support this rapid growth. Food is the fuel for the body but especially for the skin. There are various vitamins, minerals and antioxidants which our skin needs to help nourish and lubricate it from the inside out. Eat the correct balance of foods and feed your skin the vital nutrients it needs.

Nutrients important for healthy skin • Vitamin C is a super antioxidant. It is needed to support the immune system and helps with skin health. Best sources of vitamin C include red and green bell peppers, strawberries, kiwi, oranges, kale, parsley, spinach and broccoli.

• Zinc: This essential trace mineral is important for healing skin. Best sources include foods such as almonds, Saathee.com

continued on page 82

Nutrition for Life Parul Kharod, MS, RD, LDN is a registered dietitian and licensed nutritionist and works as a Clinical Dietitian with Outpatient Nutrition Services at WakeMed Hospital in Cary and Raleigh.

She can be reached at parulkharod@gmail.com.

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June 2020

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41

June 2020

Lessons from

Corona

At a macro level, we can view this response by nature to make some changes in our society

By Raajeev aggerwhil

Sitting in this lockdown can be depressing. Most of us who thrive on human interaction find ourselves increasingly deprived of it. At times like these, I am beginning to miss the telemarketers. Last year, I used to get calls every week from fake IRS agents asking for money. Their accent used to be so thick even I didn’t understand them. “I am calling from the IRS. You owe us 10,000 rupees, sorry dollars.” I would always wonder why they are bent upon taking money out of my bank account. Why couldn’t they be a harbinger of some good news from back home that my long-lost uncle left me a few million rupees!

I have been trying to keep myself motivated. Meditation is certainly keeping me grounded. My Spiritual Guru, Tarneiv Ji, has encouraged me to use mindfulness in my daily chores. He told us that this quarantine is a perfect time to spend 45 minutes over a meal. Usually, our meals last 10-15 minutes but I have been trying to make them last longer. I also am finding solace in doing the dishes and emptying the dishwasher. I am actually finding it relaxing because it gives me a sense of accomplishment – a kind of instant gratification that I get from doing comedy. Most of IT-related work is esoteric and sometimes it can be months before we see results. Doing the dishes not only gives me happiness, it brings a smile on my wife’s face resulting in conjugal harmony and bliss!

I am also involved in Toastmasters International and we have been meeting over Zoom. At one of our Zoom club meetings in Los Angeles, we had visitors from North Carolina and London. I thought it would be fun to join virtual meetings of other organizations. one of my items on my bucket list is to be a victim of a racial hate crime – not a serious one but one that just involves verbal abuse. After moving to Southern California from Virginia 10 years ago, I thought this item would go unfulfilled because I find myself surrounded by raciallytolerant, culturally-sensitive, and diversified individuals.

However, now I can search for KKK meetings in Idaho, South Dakota or Arkansas and attend over Zoom and be subject to racial epithets without any real physical threat to me or my family. I could cover my face with a white sheet and pretend to fake a southern accent. I have thick skin so I can live with their Saathee.com

verbal graffiti and metaphorical punches. Regardless of the outcome, it will enrich my comedy with some powerful premises and funny stories. I might even become a living legend for being the only brown guy to survive the most KKK meetings across the country. or I might end up being the agent helping them outsource their hate at 80 percent of the cost!

We can apply a similar kind of creativity to our careers, too. over the last two decades, I have had the opportunity to mentor many professionals and young adults to explore their options in Information Technology. over the last two centuries, the US economy has transformed from an agricultural economy to an industrial economy to a knowledge economy. I believe if someone is laid off or their job is in jeopardy, they should take a step back to see if they can “reinvent” themselves. Perhaps that minimum wage job would not lead to any career growth and would end in a cul-de-sac. Perhaps, it is time to take a fresh approach by taking some courses online from sites such as Udemy, Coursera or community colleges. Sometimes we need a metaphorical kick by destiny to advance.

Mahatma Gandhi faced that in South Africa when he was thrown out of a train compartment designated for whites. He was able to find his true calling after that incident. Maybe this Covid-19 situation can help some people find their true calling and align themselves with a job that not only pays much better but is suited to their real interests.

At a macro level, we can view this response by nature to make some changes in our society. The growing population of homelessness in Los Angeles reminds me of one of my favorite continued on page 80

Raajeev’s Corner Equally offensive to all

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 42

June 2020

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Saathee

Indori Patties

RECIPES

Indori Patties are a delicious and unique street food from Indore (Madhya Pradesh). The city is known for its rich foods and snack varieties. Don’t confuse these patties with the usual veg-puffs which are available in most places and also maybe called patties.

Indori Patties are completely different in the way they look, how they are made and of course, the taste. If you want to surprise your family and friends with an uncommon but awesome dish, then try Indori Patties and add this recipe to your collection.

Good luck and happy cooking!

Recipe courtesy: CharuTiwari.

Visit her food blog at www.CharuTiwari.com.

Ingredients 2 medium sized boiled potatoes (Ubale huye Aloo) 1 tablespoon corn flour (Makke ka atta) or all-purpose flour (Maida)

Directions 1

1 slice of bread 3 tablespoons grated coconut or coconut powder (Khopre ka Boora) 1 tablespoon – Roasted peanut powder (Bhuni huyi Moongfali ka powder)

2

1 teaspoon ginger and green chili (Adrak aur hari Mirch ka paste) 2 teaspoons lemon juice (Nimboo ka ras) ½ teaspoon red chili powder (Lal Mirch powder) 1 tablespoon chopped raisins (Barik kati hui kishmish) 1 tablespoon chopped cashew nuts (Barik kate hue Kaju) Salt (to taste) Oil for frying

Saathee.com

3

The entire cooking process is divided into following three steps.

Patties Dough:

Take boiled potatoes, remove the skin and mash/grate finely.

Add corn flour, crumbled bread slice and salt (as per taste) into mashed potatoes and knead into smooth dough.

Note: You can use 1 tablespoon of breadcrumbs instead of slice of bread if your boiled potatoes are too sticky.

Patties Filling:

Take dry coconut powder in a bowl and add lemon juice, ginger green chili paste, peanut powder, red chili powder, cashew nuts, raisins and salt into it and mix all ingredients well.

Stuffing and Frying Patties:

Now take small ball of potato dough, flatten it softly with your fingertips.

Place coconut mixture in it and enclose all sides and make round ball out of it.

Repeat this process with remaining mixture.

Heat oil in a frying pan. Deep fry these balls in batches on low-medium heat until they become golden brown.

Take out these balls and place on an absorbent paper/kitchen towel to remove excess oil and serve hot with date-tamarind chutney and green chutney.

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June 2020

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June 2020

Defining My

New Normal

our collective experiences from today beg us to reinspect and reconfigure our notions of fairness as we define tomorrow’s normal.

by Shyama Parui

The fundamental ingredients are love and affection, fancy ballrooms are optional. This week, I am scratching my head trying to figure out how to make my children’s birthdays a little special which is important too as the lockdown has ensured their fair share of mundane, uneventful days.

Living through the pandemic has forced us to redefine and reprioritize. In my house, the definition of “clean” has changed drastically. My hand washing is bordering on obsessive Compulsive Disorder (oCD) and I spend more time rinsing and wiping the food items purchased than I did shopping for them.

With passing days, our past associations are slowly being eroded. Gossiping with neighbors just across the fence provided entertainment, hearing a coworker cough was reason to check on them, and a hug from a friend was always comforting. Now, these actions are perceived threats to our well-being with the potential to set off a second wave of CoVID-19 cases.

Grab key. Start car. Go! It used to be easy to accomplish simple goals like filling gas in the car, grabbing a bite to eat, and buying bug spray to protect from mosquitoes. These actions did not require a complex decision tree or advance planning. Now, the average person wears the hat of a project manager who must meticulously plan every move, its predecessors, contingencies, dependencies, and consequences all within the carefully allotted timeframe for a trip to the nearest store. If it is any consolation, such a tedious implementation might end midnight cravings for a bag of chips or ice cream.

By the time I had realized the need for masks and gloves, they were hard to find in the market, delaying our grocery shopping expedition. Devoid of sewing skills, I welcomed the impetus to learn. It was particularly rewarding when it also offered the opportunity to donate face masks to frontline workers. Masks and other face coverings will probably become Boredom and disappointment can kindle creativity an important, if not glamorous accessory for a while.

Fueled by care, concern and confusion, our family’s Advertisements for “trendy” and personalized face masks are challenge for June is to rescue ourselves from the “Summer of making an appearance on social media. If you ask me, some of Boredom” by rethinking how, when, where, and most those masks belonged to Halloween costume sets, but hey to importantly what will we do until schools reopen. our list of each his own. Speaking of Halloween, the tradition of going continued on page 94 door to door for trick or treating in 2020 sounds like a frightening virus spreading exercise. I wonder how it will be observed this year along with other festivals.

My family in India may not get together for Raksha Reflections and a few confessions as an Indian American in the Carolinas bandhan or visit a temple fearing that worst is still to come. our Shyama Parui local Bengali association is in a quandary about Durga Puja, Shyama is a long time North Carolina resident which is a major celebration involving large gatherings, and an ardent writer. You can reach her at: exchanging mishti (sweets) and going overboard with sindoor to shyamashree_parui@hotmail.com color everyone in sight.

The desire to honor a family member’s birthday has generated a wave of new ideas like “drive-by visits,” “honk if you want to say Happy Birthday” and of course Zoom parties.

Namaskar, Y’all

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June 2020

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June 2020

Pride Month 50 years of LGBTQ+ Celebration

By Jennifer allen

Every June, communities across the world celebrate Pride, also known as “Gay Pride” or “LGBTQ+ Pride.” For many it’s a celebration of self-identity, representing each person’s freedom of expression and from social oppression. For others, Pride becomes a time to observe those who live their lives “out and proud”.

The whole concept of Pride began as part of the Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s-1960s — in which Black communities fought for the same legal and civil rights of their white counterparts. The catalyst seems to have started with the Stonewall Riots which took place in 1969.

Back in the 1960s, the Stonewall Inn, now a historic landmark thanks to former President Barack obama, was a popular hangout for LGBTQ+ folks in New York City. It represented that safe haven for those with varying sexual and gender identities to be open and not have to hide who they are from the outside world. While New York has always been one of those metropolitan areas that “misfits” tend to flock to, it was still difficult to be part of the LGBTQ+ community at that time. on June 28, 1969, police raided the Stonewall Inn. In response to the raid, bar patrons, staff and local residents protested and engaged in violent confrontations with law enforcement for six days. These riots would go on to spark the gay rights movement in the United States and eventually in other countries as well.

A year later in 1970, the first New York Pride Parade occurred in remembrance of the riots… and since then the entire month of June has become a festive time to embrace your sexual and gender identity. It has also become a popular time for those who have not “come out” yet to have a chance to do so with (hopefully) as little shame as possible to follow.

Honestly, I still think that being openly gay, bi, trans, or whichever a person may identify as while also living in a society that constantly puts your identity (and sometimes your Saathee.com

50

life) at risk is extremely brave. The fact that in 2020 we’re seeing more and more people living openly and honestly despite these challenges is nothing short of a miracle.

It’s still legal in some US states for employers to fire people on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity. only 22 states and the District of Columbia prohibit employment discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity, and unfortunately as of May 2020 North and South Carolina are not included on that list.

Another terrifying fact is that until 1973 in the US, being gay or bisexual was classified as a mental disorder and typically “cured” through conversion therapy. In fact as of May 2020, conversion therapy is still legal for use on minors in 30 states, though bills are currently pending to ban it in North Carolina and Georgia.

NC Governor Roy Cooper banned state funding for the therapy in 2019, but that does not stop private funding for it for the time being. While I feel this should be handled at a federal level, we are moving more in the right direction because honestly whether you’re gay, lesbian, trans, queer, non-binary or whatever you identify as… it’s not a sickness. It’s simply one of many things that make us all unique and ultimately… human. continued on page 82

Mirror, Mirror A Conversation From the Outside Looking in...

Jennifer Allen works at Saathee and is also a Podcaster, Blogger, Photographer, Graphic Artist, Martial Arts Practitioner, and all around Pop Culture Geek.

June 2020

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June 2020

Logic!

Don’t Play With Knives

by Balaji Prasad

“A mind all logic is like a knife all blade.

It makes the hand bleed that uses it.”

- Rabindranath Tagore

Many things sound more logical than they should, especially when you are as skilled at “logic” as most human beings are. Anything – anything at all – can be made to sound logical. Just look around and see your politicians: those that sit within government buildings, those that sit in and around you in your workplace, and those that hover around you at home, and, dare I say this … look at your own self, and the tales you weave.

Everything sounds logical. Somehow, though, things never feel as logical as they sound, if you really allow yourself to feel something deeper than the evanescent wisps of smoke that are the words you speak.

had written about him. I might then continue to be annoying, and point out that you, of course, have no first-hand knowledge of this, and that there are people who write because they have the ability to write and because they enjoy inciting emotions in others.

Not everything we act upon can have the benefit of firsthand knowledge, of course, but it is helpful to be aware that many images conjured up in our minds come from a combination of what others have incited and the zesty things that already teem with wild abandon inside our heads. And, most importantly, that some of these things may exist nowhere other than inside our fertile minds.

The point of the somewhat contrived Buddha example is that even things that seem very real have imaginary dimensions to them, let alone things that don’t even have a modicum of reality to them, of which there are many – far too many to enumerate. Suffice it to say that we can fall prey to illusions based on how our brains engage with whatever is out there.

What can be a bit more troublesome though is that whatever is “out there” falls prey to our brains that want those things to be something other than what they really are.

Where words stop, the world begins Words are beauteous creatures. We can ride them and take them where we wish them to go. They are loyal steeds, our Rosinantes to the Don Quixotes we breathe back to life into Who needs magic when you have logic? ourselves. We can make our words sing, we can make them We are creatures of copious logic and infinite creativity. If zing, and we might even fancy a fling with a thing with a bling continued on page 94 that we bring when we think with a wink. our ability to think coupled with our facility with words makes life an interesting mix of reality and illusion. “No,” you assert, indignantly, “I’ll have you know that I’m a real realist.

Balaji Prasad How dare you suggest that I might be mixing up hairy tails and is an IIT/IIM graduate, a published author, SAT/ACT fairy tales!?” I persist though and ask, “Tell me who the Buddha Online and in-person Coach, and K-12 Math Tutor at was.” To which, of course, you might say, “That’s simple. He NewCranium. balaji.prasad@newcranium.com was a really really wise man who lived a couple of thousand years or so back.” To which, and much to your chagrin, I might say “And, how do you know this?” to which you might retort by saying that you had, of course, read about what someone

Thinking About Thinking

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June 2020

“Bhaagi” means rebel and talks about the 100 plus years of South Asian migration to the USA. Sung by Adiyta Prakash, the song has some wicked percussion and horns built in. It sounds like a Red Baraat song.

Wild Wild East “Blackwell” is a floating instrumental piece featuring Alam Khan on sarod with soft bansuri (flute), guitar and percussion.

Another flashback to Bollywood is a version of “Hai Apna Dil to Awara” with female vocals, strolling guitar and percussion. The song was first heard in the 1950s film Solva Saal.

The classic bhajan “Tumse Lagi Lagan” gets a mood-altering treatment here. The most spiritual song on the album, it is performed simply with bansuri, soft guitars and percussion.

The cut puts you in an immediate trance.

“Maitri Bhavanu” is another spiritual number that Jain further evolves musically into something 21st century while retaining its traditional aura.

“Brooklyn Dhamal” closes out the recording and is a mix of American West and Punjabi folk music. The song blooms into distorted guitar and booming percussion as it returns to earth with an abrupt end.

The album’s multi-musicality, given an open ear, converges

By Samir Shukla into a whole. Its interconnectedness has a musical language all Sunny Jain, bandleader of Red Baraat, recently released his its own. new solo album, Wild Wild East. Jain is a Brooklyn-based rock and jazz drummer, composer and a master dhol player, ably straddling jazz, bhangra, Punjabi folk and Indian rhythms. His new recording is a mix of instrumentals, dissonant hip hop Samir Shukla tracks and spirituals, touched with reflections on immigrants Editor of Saathee magazine and minority communities. In the liner notes he writes about contact - Samir@Saathee.com follow me on Twitter: @ShuklaWrites his visits to India, Jain was born to Indian American parents in Rochester, NY, and recalls his heritage while tapping into the current immigration ethos of America, as well as larger global community. on this album Jain’s focus is on the myths of the American West, where people traveled to from other parts of the country The Editor’s Desk to start new lives, and the travails of immigrants coming to the continued from page 14 States to start new lives and beginnings. It’s about adaptation, making new surroundings, with all its ills and charms, your Party nomination for president and quickly realized it wasn’t own. worth the effort. He is a former congressman who voted to “The idea of the American cowboy is this romanticized idea impeach Donald trump and is a vocal critic. He may have that’s just false,” Jain says. “The immigrant is the current-day unhinged both political parties when he announced interest, cowboy or cowgirl. The idea was to address the cowboy but let’s face it, he wouldn’t have made much of a dent. mentality that we people of color — whether you’re red, brown, The Libertarian National Convention will take place from or black — face. The cowboy is this sheriff that you witness July 8 - 12 in orlando. This is where they will pick their throughout American history, from the Wild West to the cops President and VP candidates. It will be an exercise in futility. today, but if I were the native, if I were the African American, All that money and effort can be spent on nurturing Libertarian it’s like, ‘This cowboy is coming to shoot me down.’ This is not candidates running for the House. romantic to me at all.”

“Immigrant Warrior” is a mélange of rock, jazz, desi beats, Notable upcoming Dates: throwing the curtains open and announcing that this is going July 8 - 12: Libertarian National Convention, orlando. to be an exploratory recording. Musical diversity inlaid to full August 17-20: DNC convention, Milwaukee effect.

August 24-27: RNC Convention, Charlotte The expansive title track “Wild Wild East“ pulses with a September 29: First presidential debate, Notre Dame, Ind. range of melodies, percussion and female vocalizing.

(University of Notre Dame) “osian” begins as if an Indian wedding is in progress with october 7: Vice presidential debate, Salt Lake City (University its shehnai-influenced melody and then travels further into of Utah) jazzy alleys. october 15: Second presidential debate, Ann Arbor, MI In the hip hop back beat of “Red, Brown, Black” Rapper (University of Michigan) Haseeb raps about travails of minorities. The song is a fusion october 22: Third presidential debate, Nashville, TN (Belmont of hip hop beats with dhol and drums chugging along. It is the University) funkiest track on the album.

“Aye Mere Dil Kahin Aur Chal” is a rocking version of the Road Rage 2020 are a series of essays covering the election Bollywood classic song from the 1950’s film Daag reinterpreted that I will write through November 2020. To read earlier with surf guitars and dhol.

Music Review: Sunny Jain

Read • Watch • Listen

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volumes, visit saathee.com/samir.

June 2020

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simply unable to afford to continue to pay H-1B workers for months on end. If an H-1B worker is laid off or furloughed, that worker is given a 60-day grace period in which to find a new H-1B employer, after which time, the worker is considered to be out of lawful nonimmigrant status. While being out of stats can result in the institution of removal proceedings, in most cases, this is relatively uncommon; however, being out of status could have serious long-term consequences on an individual’s overall immigration history in the United States and can have consequences that can last for years.

Unfortunately, the costs associated with loss of a worker’s lawful status are not limited only to that individual alone – quite contrarily, significant costs are born by society at-large.

Companies bear an enormous burden in losing technical and specialized skills from their workers. Critics allege that these companies can simply hire US workers without the need to hire foreign talent. While reasonable on its face, this assertion falls apart when having to take into account the huge cost associated with finding a qualified candidate and training new workers while remaining in business, not to mention the inherent loss of expertise with every departing H-1B employee.

COVID-19’s Impact on H-1B Visa Holders

Funds to return back to home country

When magnified across a single company’s engineering or IT department, the loss of such brainpower can be crushing to a company’s long-term prospects and competitiveness.

Compounding the problem, any H-1B that is terminated or laid off prior to the expiration of his/her H-1B status must be provided with ample funds to return back to their home country. Should the company recover financially and want to rehire the laid off worker, thousands of dollars in legal and government filings fees would be necessary to obtain a new approval. When these costs are multiplied by losses faced through defaulted mortgaged, unfulfilled lease agreements, reduced tax bases and the derivative impact upon H-4 dependents (i.e. children having to leave school and spouses possibly losing their own employment positions), the downstream effect of the loss of a single worker are staggering.

Prudent regulatory policy would allow for unique flexibility in the face of an unprecedented global occurrence. Sadly, USCIS has remained silent throughout the pandemic and economic shutdown and whispers of clampdowns on the H-1B approvals have percolated with immigration hawks clamoring for reduced immigration numbers. This short-term thinking, while potentially helpful in rally votes for an upcoming election, does little to outfit the economy for the serious challenges that will need to be collectively addressed if America is going to pick herself up from this global calamity.

The hope remains that sensible immigration policy will ensure the availability of these highly skilled to continue to be drivers of the economic recovery ahead, but also be the soccer moms, ballet dads and Friday night moviegoers that our “normal” lives once knew.

By Rishi P. Oza

As has been subtly evident over the past three months, the novel Coronavirus has impacted every facet of the way that we live our daily lives. Friday nights of dinner and a movie have been replaced with takeout and Netflix; children are being homeschooled, while parents find a way to balance work, caretaking, and substitute teaching, all at once. Much has been written about the impact upon American workers with unemployment applications spiking to levels previously unseen since the 1930s. Lost in the shuffle has been the impact upon nonimmigrant workers in the United States, many of whom have been living in the United States for years and many of whom have been patiently waiting for green cards. While US workers may hope for a quick economic rebound and the ability to start working immediately, H-1B and other nonimmigrant visa holders have been confined to a regulatory framework that works imperfectly in the best of times and is a downright disaster in the midst of a pandemic.

H-1Bs as a category are rather rigid visas, as they are employer-, location- and job-specific. When any of these factors change, the US Citizenship and Immigration Service typically requires an update to the underlying application, complete with the submission of new government filings fees and supporting documents. Some exceptions do apply – for example, individuals moving locations within the same general area can largely avoid resubmissions, as can individuals that may be assuming progressive jobs in their field (i.e. going from a Software Engineer II position to Level III position). However, regulations are exceedingly clear that H-1B workers cannot be “benched” during their period of employment, meaning that they are not permitted to remain in the country and be unpaid only to be onboarded at a later time of need; in short, if an employer wants an H-1B worker, that worker must be paid for the entirety of his/her H-1B visa validity period.

Immigration Matters Rishi P. Oza Partner at Brown Immigration Law LLC, a firm that focuses on immigration law; he practices in Durham. roza@rbrownllc.com

if an H1-B worker is laid off or furloughed...

With the impact of CoVID-19 resulting in mass layoffs due to employers hemorrhaging capital, these same employers are Saathee.com

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June 2020

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in one year when you can actually itemize because you could exceed the standard deduction and for the other years take the standard deduction. This is just one example and it alone may not help but if you are able to do similar moves for some of your medical expenses, property taxes and mortgage payments, they will add up to help you cross over the threshold of your standard deduction for every alternate year.

Now the point I was making earlier was that if you indeed wish to do something like this then you have to plan ahead and that planning would not be possible in January of next year or for that matter in December of this year but it should be done just about now.

Don’t Put Away all that Tax Material Yet

Much planning to be done now for next year

By Mo Vidwans

Yes, I know; if you could help it you probably do not even want to think about taxes again till early next year. I would not blame you: a majority would feel the same way and I am no exception to that.

But you have to recognize the opportunity and this one is time sensitive. In the sense that whatever changes you wish to make to your income and/or deductions you have to think, plan and make them while possible, which is in this calendar year. once we get close to the end of the year, and definitely once the ball drops in Times Square, it is too late and is an opportunity lost. So, while your tax brain is still percolating, ideas are fresh and you have the energy, get it done and put it out of the way.

I am talking about tax planning, thoughts on how to get our taxes lowered legally and pay only what we have to.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with that as long as we stay within the framework already established by the tax laws and IRS’s guidelines. The new tax laws of 2017 (TCJA) and 2019 (SECURE) have forced us to take a second look and it behooves us to consider what is still possible and what is not.

if you do RMDs I am sure you are aware of the fact that you can donate part of your RMD directly to authorized agencies like UNICEF, Red Cross etc. and reduce your RMD income on your taxes accordingly; this is called QCD (Qualified Charitable Donations). What it does is that if you are donating money anyway then donate it via this vehicle and it reduces your AGI (Adjusted Gross Income) and hence affects your taxes directly. If AGI is lower then it affects many other calculations as well. When this is done then of course that donation cannot be claimed again in itemized deductions; hence it works out really well when you cannot itemize.

Other credits and deductions Congress has recently enacted a bevy of tax credits and deductions for nonitemizers. one of the reasons to review it now is that you get enough time to not only put your thoughts together but you also get plenty of time to put all actions necessary in place and work on it before the year is over. If you became a parent you will be eligible for a $2,000 tax credit. If your children are younger than 13, you are eligible for a credit of between 20 percent and 35 percent in child care for a max of $6,000.

There are several “above the line” deductions for nonitemizers. In contrast to the earlier ones, which were tax credits, these reduce your adjusted gross income. A contribution to an IRA is the most popular tax break. Relief for taxpayers with student loans is another one. Contributions to health savings account (HSA) are deductible too but you must have an HSAeligible health insurance policy to take that.

itemizing Courtesy of the 2017 law, we all have begun to realize that using the itemizing option in preparing tax returns is increasingly difficult. If you felt that way you are not alone; millions of tax payers felt that way because they had to abandon the itemizing part and go for the standard deduction. It is nice that the standard deduction has gone up, almost doubled in fact, but for some that still does not make up for the extra taxes they had to pay.

What can we do? We can indeed do something. The itemizing with the law of 2017, consists of medical expenses, State income taxes and property taxes, mortgage interests, donations and nothing else. So, what can we do with that? We could definitely try to move some of these expenses around so that most of which can be bunched in one year. Easiest example is with donations. Let us say you donate cash worth $5,000 to your favorite charity every year. Generally, most of the donations happen in the last few months of the year. If you can push your donations for 2020 in Jan 2021 and do the same for donations for 2022, which means bring the donations for 2022 forward into Dec. of 2021. So what happened here? You have no donation in 2020, large donation of $15,000 in 2021 and no donation in 2022 again as shown in the table below.

2020 2021 2022

Normal

$5,000 $5,000 $5,000

There is no substitute for advance planning and it is never too early. You will be surprised how many different ways you can save on taxes if you just don’t rush at the last minute and keep working on it methodically. Now is a good time to start.

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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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June 2020

Takeaways from the 2020 Berkshire Hathaway Annual Meeting By amit Rupani

Usually more than 40,000 people from all over the world come to the city of omaha, Nebraska, to attend Berkshire Hathaway’s annual general meeting (AGM), otherwise known as the Woodstock of Capitalism. But this year due to the CoVID-19 pandemic, the AGM was conducted virtually on May 2, 2020 and was live streamed by Yahoo Finance. Warren Buffett decided to not allow shareholders to physically attend the general meeting. Even his 96 year old partner, Berkshire Hathaway’s Vice President, Charlie Munger did not accompany Buffett on the center stage as Buffett thought it would not be worthwhile to have Munger travel to omaha from his hometown Los Angeles during the ongoing pandemic.

Buffett still kept the meeting going by answering questions compiled by well-known financial journalists and addressing some of the most important issues that Buffett’s followers have had on their minds lately. Below are three key takeaways from the AGM.

coronavirus pandemic on the US. He doesn’t know anything that general people don’t already know. He is also trying to understand the magnitude of CoVID-19 impact by talking with other experts. It may take many years for the full impact to play out, including its effect on people’s psyches. However, he remains very bullish about the US as a country and its economic prospects.

If one could pick a time and place to be born, Buffett believes that the best choice would be in America today. “This is an extraordinarily young country” at 231 years (since the 1789 inauguration of George Washington as president), Buffett stated, “but what we have accomplished is miraculous.” He later asserted, “Never bet against America.”

Buffett has no illusions that he can predict where stocks will be tomorrow, next week, next month, or even next year. But he thinks America in 2020 is in better shape than it’s been at any other time in its history, and he believes that investors who put money in stocks for the long run now will be amply rewarded.

‘Never Bet against america’

Buffett has been an eternal bull on the US as a nation. He gave an extended history lesson about the US, right from its birth as a country in 1776. He said that America has faced greater problems than coronavirus in the past but American Miracles, American Magic has always prevailed, and it will do so again.

Among many examples, he shared the Civil War, during which 6 percent of the prime workforce, males aged 18 to 60, died, a mortality rate much higher than ongoing pandemic.

Buffett said that the range of possibilities on the economic side is still very wide regarding the impact of the CoVID-19 Saathee.com

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continued on page 80

Buy Right, Sit Tight Rational side of the investing pendulum

Amit Rupani, CFA is an Independent Investor, practices Value Investing principles, manages money for long-term wealth creation through Equities asset class. Email: rupaniamit@yahoo.com

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holiday celebrations she’d rather skip, and it shows the stark contrast of how Devi and her mother deal with grief.

The only episode that made me both laugh and kind of cringe simultaneously is the one where Devi and her family celebrate Ganesh Puja. As much as the show tried to break South Asian stereotypes, I felt that this one delved right back into a few without even apologizing for it. There’s the typical over-protective conservative parents, talk of arranged marriages with wealthy matches, patronizing aunties who are all about family gossip, and Indian-American kids who come to Hindu celebrations out of obligation rather than enjoyment. one particular sore point was the talk about one woman who is seen eating alone. Apparently according to the aunties, she’s been ostracized by the Indian community because she married an American-Muslim against her parents’ wishes, only to end up getting a divorce anyways. Kamala, who’s also recently been set up in an arranged marriage, finds herself in a conversation with the woman. The conversation takes a left turn when instead of a ‘you should live your life on your own terms’ speech, Kamala is told that she ought to do what her family wants in order to sidestep a lifetime of being socially boycotted. I was more floored by the apparent Islamaphobia rather than that arranged marriage is just “what Indian women do”. Considering the current political climate between Pakistan and India I felt this was a bit insensitive.

Regardless, the overall show gives a lot of depth to the entire main cast. The show draws you into the lives of Devi and her best friends Eleanor and Fabiola - who have interesting storylines of their own. The other two supporting characters – the school heart throb and Devi’s crush, Paxton along with her arch nemesis, the lonely nerd Ben – are extremely watchable as well. An odd, yet surprisingly welcome choice was to have the show narrated (mostly) by tennis legend John McEnroe who turns out was a big hero for Devi’s father. The choice to have a 60+ year-old sports celebrity talk about a 15 year-old girl’s insane life could have gone horribly wrong, but somehow it works. McEnroe’s narration is funny, self-deprecating, unapologetically weird, and I loved every moment of it.

The show does have some twists on the usual high school rom-com formula, and despite the above flaws is very enjoyable to watch. The beauty is that while the show does centralize on Indian-American society, it is extremely accessible and enjoyable for everyone. I was especially drawn in to Devi’s struggles after losing her father (my mother passed away when I was also 15) and every flashback scene with Sendhil Ramamurthy’s smiling face just seemed to make the whole world light up with him.

You may also laugh, cry, and other things in response to major parts of this first season, but I think if we watch this with a calm attitude like Pandit Raj (CoolHinDude.com is a totally cute website name, btw) then I think we can all find the enjoyment we need during this stressful time.

Never Have I Ever, Season 1 is now streaming on Netflix.

Series Review: Never Have I Ever…

A Teenage Girl Balancing Love, Life, and Culture

By Jennifer allen

So I’ll admit that I’m a sucker for High School rom-coms. I grew up worshiping John Hughes and his undeniable understanding of teen angst (at least until he wrote the Home Alone films). My So Called Life with Claire Danes & Jared Leto is still a great TV show that ended way too soon. I thought that Netflix was pretty much done with high school shows after they cancelled Everything Sucks! after only 1 season (ironically inspired by My So Called Life but with a few twists) but I guess they decided to try this concept again with Never Have I Ever.

The series was created by Mindy Kaling and Lang Fisher, partially based on Kaling’s own childhood. I’m also a fan of Kaling ever since her breakthrough work on The Mindy Project, The Office, and recent films, Oceans 8 and Late Night. Hearing that she was involved got me interested and so I sat down to watch all 10 episodes on Netflix… and didn’t get up until it was over almost five hours later. It made me laugh, cry, and occasionally roll my eyes but it was worth it.

Never Have I Ever is about 15 year-old Tamil IndianAmerican teen Devi Vishwakumar (newcomer Maitreyi Ramakrishnan) and her struggles during her sophomore year after the tragic death of her father (played in flashbacks by Sendhil Ramamurthy). She lives with her mother Nalini (Poorna Jagannathan) and cousin Kamala (Richa Moorjani) in Southern California. Along with Devi’s two best friends Fabiola Torres (Lee Rodriguez) and Eleanor Wong (Ramona Young), they decide they want to break free from being social outcasts at school. Along the way Devi struggles with her grief, Indian identity, school life, her family, her crush on popular jock Paxton (Darren Barnet), and her rivalry with fellow intellectual Ben (Jaren Lewison). It seems like a lot for one girl to go through during the single year of high school, and you’re right.

Devi wants a boyfriend. She wants to get invited to parties where there’s a lot of drugs and alcohol — not so she can get wasted, but because she wants the opportunity to say no. She wants to go to Princeton. She also wants to not be embarrassed by her mother and cousin because they’re just “so Indian”. In actuality, Devi’s Indianness is part of what makes the show so endearing. Being Indian affects almost every aspect of Devi’s life. It fuels her mother’s expectations, it’s why Kamala lives in their house, it means Devi has to attend long, boring Indian Saathee.com

Read • Watch • Listen Jennifer Allen works at Saathee and is also a Podcaster, Blogger, Photographer, Graphic Artist, Martial Arts Practitioner, and all around Pop Culture Geek.

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June 2020

News Notes SV Temple Rajagopuram Bhoomi Pooja Conducted in May

Sri Venkateswara Temple of North Carolina held a Bhoomi Puja for the construction of Rajagopuram.

The pooja was held on May 16, 2020 for the beginning of the construction of the temple.

The event was closed to the public and broadcast live to devotees due to restrictions.

The Rajagopuram will be the tallest in the United States and will be contstructed over the next year. The temple will hold a grand event when it is safe for the community to participate in large numbers. Look for a date in the near future. The temple is located at 121 Balaji Place in the town of Cary, NC. For more details, visit SVtemplenc.org.

AAPI 38th Annual Convention to be Held in Chicago

The American Association of Physicians of Indian origin (AAPI) will hold its 38th annual convention from June 24 - 28, 2020 in Chicago. The convention offers a venue to interact with leading physicians, health professionals, academicians, and scientists of Indian origin. The physicians and healthcare professionals from across the country will convene and participate in the scholarly exchange of medical advances, to develop health policy agendas, and to encourage legislative priorities in the coming year. Founded in 1982, the American Association of Physicians of Indian origin represents a conglomeration of more than 80,000 practicing physicians in the United States.

In addition, it also serves as a platform for more than 40,000 medical students, residents and fellows of Indian origin in this country. The AAPI YPS/MSRF (Young Physicians Section/Medical Students, Residents and Fellows Section) runs under the main AAPI umbrella to give representation to them. one in every seven people in the USA is touched by the care of a physician of Indian origin at any given time.

AAPI also has a Charitable Foundation (AAPI-CF) that spearheads free clinics and health fairs in India. To date, more than 19 such clinics are being actively run in various states of India under the AAPI flagship.

For more details, visit Aapiconvention.org.

Sharon Gaber Named Fifth Chancellor of UNC Charlotte

Left to Right, Winners for Princess, Mrs, Miss & Teen Hansika, Kavitha, Amelia & Simrun

Miss India NC Pageant Held in Raleigh

Photo Courtesy Amrit Photography Spark Entertainment held its Miss India (also Princess, Teen, and Mrs.) competitions on February 29, 2020 at Stewart Theater in Raleigh, NC. There were 63 contestants and over 600 attendees. The annual pageant is an empowering platform for young girls and women to showcase their personalities.

Registrations for the upcoming 2021 pageant will be open soon.

Visit www.missindianc.com for more details.

Saathee.com

University of North Carolina System has named Dr. Sharon L. Gaber as the fifth chancellor of the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. Dr. Gaber currently serves as president of The University of Toledo in Toledo, ohio and is recognized nationally for her efforts to increase enrollment, improve graduation and retention rates, keep education affordable, and make the campus environment diverse and environment. Education Dive named her one of five higher education leaders to watch in 2018 and beyond. Dr. Gaber was selected by Dr. Roper for approval by the Board of Governors from a group of finalists.

The finalists for the position were chosen by a 16-member chancellor search committee and the UNC Charlotte Board of Trustees. The search committee included faculty, staff, students, alumni and other community members. A career educator with a background in city and regional planning, Dr. Gaber became the first female president at UToledo following six years as provost and vice chancellor for academic affairs at the University of Arkansas.

Dr. Gaber will succeed Philip L. Dubois, who will retire on June 30, after 15 years of distinguished service. She will be the second woman to lead the institution, following in the footsteps of university founder and philanthropist Bonnie Cone.

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y Happ ’s r F athe !

Day

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We Sp e Hindi ak & Gujar ati

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June 2020

HINDU CENTER Support Hindu Center Expansion

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Sponsor a BRICK $1001 $5,001 for 5 X 7 Marble Plaque $10,001 for 8 X 11 Marble Plaque Expansion project update:

Grading, Parking Lot and foundation completed.

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Upcoming Hindu Center Events & Activities: Temple Open for Worship Daily Gayatri Jayanti Havan: June 13, Saturday Rath Yatra: June 27, Saturday Hindu Center’s 38th Anniversary: General Body Meeting / Mela / Health Fair - August 1, Saturday Janmastami: August 12, Wednesday Independence Day: August 15, Saturday Balaji’s Brahmotatsava: August 14 - 16, Friday-Sunday Mahavir Das Lakshan Parv: August 23 - September 5, Sunday-Satuday Ganesh Chaturthi Celebrations: August 22 - 26, Saturday-Wednesday Ganesh Visarjan: August 26, Wednesday

HINDU CENTER OF CHARLOTTE

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OF CHARLOTTE

Saturday, June 13th, 2020

Ratha Yatra

Saturday, June 27, 2020

HINDU CENTER New Vedanta Bhavan

OF CHARLOTTE

Hindu Center 38th Anniversary!

Lunch/ Anand Bazaar 2 PM- 6 PM Vihar Hall Foyer

Saturday, Aug 1, 2020

Sunder Mirchandani:

To sponsor a food stand or for more information contact:

704-691-2974 or 704-718-8522 Nilesh Chuadhry: 704-307-6979 Narain and Deepa: 704-307-0942 Surendra Patel: 704-564-9436 Dinesh Shah: 704-502-9094

Cultural Program 3 PM - 6 PM Vihar Hall Participate in the cultural program or come enjoy the show!!

To participate in the cultural program contact:

Rashmikaben: 704-596-7188 Anitha Gowtam: 704-206-9348 Amulya Deepak: 704-589-4033 Riya Annesha: 980-349-9476 Sarika Milhoutra: 201-696-1877

General Body Meeting 1:30 PM - 2:30 PM

Health Fair

Noon - 4 PM Gandhi Bhavan

Learn about your health and how to improve it.

For more information contact: Rajeev Puri: 704-649-2165 Vipul Mistry: 704-392-8789 Dr. Anoop Kalia: 704-674-3632

For donations / sponsors contact: Pujari, Bal Gupta, Ravi Patel or Hemant Amin.

To sponsor food for stall or volunteer, contact Hemant Amin, or anyone above.

38th Anniversary Celebration and Anand Bazaar Cultural Program Contacts: Email: hc_cultural@yahoo.com Rashmikaben: 704-596-7188 Anitha Gowtam: 704-206-9348 Amulya Deepak: 704-589-4033 Riya Annesha: 980-349-9476 Sarika Milhoutra: 201-696-1877

Saturday, Aug 1, 2020 3 pm - 6 pm

Sponsorships: 704-206-9348 Email: hc_cultural@yahoo.com

: reena.roy@hcclt.org;

Immortalized in Celluloid: Remembering Rishi Kapoor and Irrfan Khan

by Shivani Tripathi

Cinema recently witnessed the devastating losses of two iconic and beloved actors, Rishi Kapoor and Irrfan Khan. Rishi Kapoor belonged to the Kapoor dynasty, often described as the First Family of Hindi films, and was best known for his roles in commercial classics. Irrfan Khan came from a family that ran a small business in Rajasthan, with no connections to moviemaking, and was famous for offbeat roles in Hindi movies and American blockbusters. While their backgrounds were different, they were alike in that they entertained and moved millions of moviegoers with their performances.

Khan’s feature film journey began in 1988 with Salaam Bombay but he was noticed by a greater audience when he played lead roles in the early 2000s. He was legitimately lauded for the title roles of Maqbool and Paan Singh Tomar, as Ashok Ganguly from The Namesake and as Roohdaar from Haider, but Khan also worked in numerous masala potboilers from the Bollywood kitchen such as Kasoor, Hisss and Thank You, to name a few. Many of the commercial films he starred in, including Hollywood hits such as Jurassic World, were no masterpieces but Khan’s work was more than paisa vasool or money’s worth.

Khan also effortlessly balanced being an actor in Indian and American cinema with his work, rather than a public relations team, speak for him. He carried his fame as if it was Saathee.com

inconsequential, perhaps because he gave it no weight. Tall and self-assured on screen and perceived as approachable in real life made Khan an unlikely sex symbol as he didn’t have the love ballads or biceps often associated with the modern Bollywood hero. He would always shine and provide a glimmer of hope that world-class acting talent exists in the “leave your brain at home” Hindi movies popular during first decade of the 2000s. Khan was also witnessing box office success like never before. His 2017 release Hindi Medium was praised by critics and eventually became one of Indian cinema’s most commercially successful films by performing especially well in China. For me, the passing of Irrfan Khan meant losing precious opportunities to be in awe of watching nothing short of onscreen sorcery. How can someone change continued on page 94

My Voice 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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June 2020

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June 2020

We are celebrating our 22nd year. We have been bringing this community resource to you via our print magazine, Saathee.com and weekly e-newsletter. We strive to connect the community unlike any other resource and completely free of charge. We will continue to bring Saathee to you in the coming years. Readers have asked us in the past how they can help Saathee with its work.

Here are two simple ways.

Support our advertisers When you speak with one of our advertisers, please tell them you saw their ad in Saathee. Ask businesses you work with or do business with to advertise with us. Recommend us. If you are launching a new business venture, Saathee is a perfect vehicle to get the word out.

Buy a personal announcement advertisement We are creating announcement pages for our readers beginning with our next issue. You can purchase a business card size, quarter page, half or even full page ad announcing personal remembrances, birthdays, anniversaries, achievements or obituaries. You can use the space to congratulate a family member, give thanks to someone, or announce a family milestone. Please touch base with the Saathee team if you wish to include a personal announcement in a future issue of Saathee Magazine or on Saathee.com. As always, reach out if we can be of assistance to you, your organization or business.

For details, call 704-527-7570 or email Saathee@Saathee.com.

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June 2020

Free Courses for High School Students

Get Ahead During the Pandemic

more courses are available for free, but even during normal times, students can take self-paced courses for free. A few courses students can take include Engineering Statics and Introduction to Programming in Java.

Learn more: https://oli.cmu.edu/

apple’s “Everyone Can Code” “Everyone Can Code” helps teach an essential skill through an app created by Apple. Learners solve puzzles as they apply As school has moved online, students might find they have their new coding skills. To learn coding through this platform, more free time. Students can take advantage of this time by students have to use an iPhone or iPad to download the app. enrolling in online courses. It can be an ideal way for students Learn more: www.apple.com/everyone-can-code/ to challenge themselves, increase their knowledge, and help their application stand out from a crowded field. Taking an For all the websites listed here, go to Saathee.com and scroll online course can allow a student to challenge themselves to Content, and College Admissions Insider for the links. beyond what their school is offering at this time.

By learning online, it can allow students to learn more about their future major, add a new skill, or explore a possible career path. All of the options listed are available for free and through accredited universities. By taking advantage of college-level courses, students can impress the college admission staff that they are ready to tackle more challenging material. Here are the top free courses for high school students to get ahead during the coronavirus pandemic. For all the links below, see note at the end of the article.

By Lindsey Conger

Free College application Prep Courses It isn’t too early to start preparing for your college applications. The Common Application personal statement prompts have already been released for the 2020-21 cycle, and students can get started on the 650-word personal statement.

“How to Write a Winning Personal Statement” is a free online course that covers brainstorming techniques, opening paragraph strategies, common mistakes, and real-world essay examples and why they worked.

Younger students can take advantage of “College Planning: High School Students.” The free online class teaches students essential skills and how to start planning for college.

Learn more: moon-prep-school-l-bb41.thinkific.com/bundles/freecourses

MiT OpenCourseWare The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) boasts one of the largest collections of free openCourseWare (oCW).

Students can choose between classes in fine arts, engineering, mathematics, business, psychology, and many more.

“Introduction to Computer Science and Programming in Python” and “Mathematics for Computer Science” are two of their most popular courses. With the oCW’s classes, there are no deadlines or schedules; students can learn on their own time.

Learn more: https://ocw.mit.edu

Open Learning at Harvard Students can learn from professors at a prestigious university for free through the Harvard Extension School. There are a wide variety of subject matters covered online, including literature, mathematics, history, computer science, and more.

A few of the courses students can take The Health Effects of Climate Change and Abstract Algebra.

Learn more: www.extension.harvard.edu/open-learning-initiative

Carnegie Mellon university: Open Learning initiative Carnegie Mellon University’s open Learning Initiative (oPI) offers a variety of classes. Because of the pandemic, many Saathee.com

College Admissions Insider Lindsey Conger

Lindsey is a College Counselor and tutor at Moon Prep. She helps students create memorable personal statements and tutors students to increase their academic profile to universities. www.moonprep.com 76

June 2020

SUP

E

G AT E

ERB IND IA N

ISIN

WA

TO

CU

Y

The Carolinas’ Premier Restaurant & Caterer

INDIAN CUISINE open 7 Days a week for Buffet Lunch & Dinner A La Carte Now offering delivery during dinner!

Sunday thru Friday, 5:30pm-9pm, call 704.542.3933 (12 mile radius)

• Full Service Catering in North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, & Virginia

• Business / Corporate Functions, Weddings, Birthdays, Holidays, Community Gatherings, etc.

• Preferred Caterers for Hyatt, Sheraton, Marriott, Embassy Suites, Westin Hotels, Ritz-Carlton, Columbia Convention Center, Ballantyne Hotel and more.

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Place your Catering Order or make Reservations Online!

Tower Place

8706 Pineville-Matthews Rd Charlotte, NC 28226

Tel: 704.542.3933 Established 1989

ANIS H S H A H www.RealtorAnish.com

Broker

Licensed in NC & SC

I AM IN NEED OF NEW LISTINGS! If you are thinking of selling, please contact me!

New Listing – Providence Woods

Multi-g enerational home.

Builder's personal home. Highend, fully renovated/remodeled home & brand new 1544 sqft 2nd living quarters/apartment & additional 2 car garage with its own entrance. Porte-cochere entrance leads to beautiful breezeway w/ gorgeous wood front door, shutters & ceiling with fans. Enter through the open dining room w/ architectural ceiling.

The chef's kitchen has new cabinets and appliances. You will love cooking & entertaining here. The large family room has a wall of windows. The Master bedroom on main has sitting area and 2 large walk-in closets. The main floor has its own wing w/ office, conference room & separate entrance. The gorgeous brand new sweeping staircase with night lights leads you to the 2nd floor with 3 additional bedrooms and an exercise room/or bonus. The apartment has 1 bedroom, large open kitchen, breakfast area, hearth room, family room and study, 2nd floor terrace. This home has 4 garages & plenty of parking. $949,000

New Price! - Ladera

Better Than New! Exquisite custom home in Gated community on one of the best Flat Lots. This home offers quality living at its best!

Tons of upgrades and fine details throughout.

Open main level plan with hardwoods all the way through.

Amazing gourmet Kitchen and Breakfast area leads into a spacious 2 Story Great Room, which opens to a large Screened Porch. The main level features a well-appointed Master Suite and a Guest Bedroom with Ensuite Bath. It also offers a beautiful Study, convenient drop-zone cubby area, spacious Laundry, gorgeous moldings and accents. The second floor includes bedrooms 3, 4 and 5, with 2 baths and a huge open loft/bonus area. Simply beautiful! $799,900

SOLD

New Listing - Kimbrell Crossing

SOLD

Graceful 5 bedroom / 4 bath home with cascading double stairs to welcome you in. Features a Library, Dining Room, gourmet Kitchen with Morning Room, Great Room and main level Bedroom and ensuite Bath. A luxurious Master Suite, Bonus Room and Secondary Bedrooms complete the 2nd level.

New Listing - Ballantyne Country Club

Beautiful Hard Coat Stucco and Stone Home with stunning Golf Course views of the 15th Fairway. Almost 7,200 sqft of luxury living. Completely updated!! Gourmet Kitchen with Viking and Bosch appliances including two Dishwashers and a Pot Filler, Large Island, Double Oven with Warming Drawer and Custom Cabinetry. Gleaming American Cherry 5’’ Hardwood and Travertine Flooring! Double Iron Front Door! Master Bedroom w Sitting Area and pristine Golf Course views. Luxuriate in Master Bath that features heated floors and Steamed Shower. 3 Fireplaces, Home Office, Gym, Home Theater, Desk Area off of the Kitchen, two Laundry Rooms, Play Room, Bonus Room, Pool Table Room, Cards/Game Room, Screened-In Porch. Amazing Walk-out Basement with High Ceilings just perfect for family gatherings and entertaining. Heated Salt Water Pool with the Beach Entry. 6-Person Hot Tub. Fenced Yard. Expansive Built-ins, Lots of Storage. Shows pride of ownership throughout! This home is truly a pleasure to see! $1,399,000

SOLDAY!

IN

1D

Millwood Plantation

SOLDEEK

If you are looking for lots of square footage, this is the home for you! 5 bedrooms / 4 bath home with formal Living and Dining rooms, large gourmet Kitchen with work island, amazing Master Suite and spacious family room with gas log fireplace. Office on main floor can easily be used as a bedroom. The third floor can be used as an entertainment area or home theater. Convenient to restaurants, shopping, and easy interstate access.

IN

1W

www.RealtorAnish.com I hope you are well and safe! I am here to help and navigate you through these difficult and challenging times with any of your real estate needs. Please call anytime to discuss your situation. We will get through this together! anks for 20 years of business.

Serving the Carolinas’ Real Estate needs since 2000

New Listing - BASEMENT HOME - Glen Laurel Amazing 4 Bedroom cul-de-sac home in Indian Land. Beautiful landscaping, spacious interior and well appointed. Gourmet kitchen, gorgeous new hardwood floors throughout main level and Lhuge PRICE L U F unfinished basement with tons of potential. Only five minutes from Ballantyne. Fantastic opportunity

SOLD !

New Listing - Southampton

SOLD

Gorgeous End-unit townhome backing up to wooded area for privacy.

3 bedrooms and 3 full baths plus one car attached garage. Gleaming hardwood floors on the main level, new granite counters in the Kitchen, new appliances, new paint, new carpet a 2-story Great room with gas fireplace, an inviting Loft area upstairs and a 2nd Master suite downstairs. Pristine, great location! $264,900

Recipient of the President’s Cup for Overall Company Sales Leader 2008-2019 Awards: Ranked #1 at Ballantyne Office 2008 - 2019

Overall Office Sales Leader 2008 - 2019

Most Units Sold 2008 - 2019

Platinum Customer Service Recipient 2008 - 2019

Anish Shah, B.S.E.E

Nandi Daniels • Executive Assistant Cell: 704-737-2384

15235 John J. Delaney Dr. Charlotte, NC 28277

Broker NC & SC

Cell: 704-449-LIST (5478)

FAX: 704-749-9558

ashah@helenadamsrealty.com

www.RealtorAnish.com

Community Organizations With low expenses, index funds can give investors exposure to a wide swath of the businesses that have been responsible for America’s economic success over the decades.

Indeed, investing in an index fund isn’t just a bet on the success of America. With so many multinational companies in the S&P 500, index funds give you ownership in the companies that are finding success around the globe.

According to Warren, the overriding question for an equities investor should be “how are American businesses going to do over your investing lifetime?” one can ask this same question for any country that is being considered for equities investment.

But if one puts money in consistently over the years (systematic investment like 401k) in an index fund here in the US, there is just no comparison with owning something that doesn’t produce anything. And there is no comparison with trying to jump in and out of the stocks and pay hefty transaction costs.

America has been an investor’s haven and you can’t really fail at it unless you buy the wrong stock or get excited at the wrong time. Happy Investing!

Hello Readers

our Community organizations section guides you through all the organizations in the Carolinas. Nonprofits, social organizations, religious organizations, meditation groups, cricket associations, and many others are listed here and updated regularly. This month, you can find our Community organizations section on line at Saathee.com/community.asp. The section will be back here on these pages in the next issue.

Raajeev Corner

continued from page 42

Contact: Saathee@saathee.com

Buy Right

continued from page 62

‘Equities will outperform Treasuries’

Another reason Buffett likes stocks right now is that the alternatives aren’t very good. U.S. Treasury bonds with 30-year maturities yield just 1.25 percent. Berkshire itself has taken advantage of low interest rates by borrowing money at zero interest rates.

Buffett thinks America’s economic tailwinds will persist. But when all it takes to beat 30-year Treasuries is to match the rate of inflation, it’s even more of a no-brainer in the Berkshire chief’s views to invest in stocks instead.

“If you own equities over a long period of time, the idea that equities produce better results than the 30-year treasury bond which yields one and a quarter percent now. It’s taxable income,” Buffett said.

“Equities are going to outperform ... they’re going to outperform treasury bills. They’re gonna outperform that money you’ve stuck under your mattress I mean they’re an enormously sound investment. As long as they’re an investment, and they’re not a gambling device or something that you think you can safely buy on margin,” he added.

‘S&P 500 index Best Way to invest’

In response to several questions from shareholders, Buffett advised the average investor to buy index funds that hold the S&P 500. He noted that “it’s very unusual” for a money manager to beat the market and that “the money is in selling” people on these slim hopes.

Buffett has famously said that he suggests that a perfectly good way for investors to participate in the gradual rise of the stock market over time is to invest in an S&P 500 index fund.

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quotes: “The difference between communism and capitalism is that in communism, man abuses man. While in capitalism, it is the other way around.” With the recent actions by the federal government, it seems that we are heading to an era of socialism or perhaps a benevolent capitalism. I find it shameful and annoying that many “charities” in the US would exploit desperate and squalid images of India and Africa to raise money. What if with India’s growing opulence, they start running a series of advertisements on Doordarshan or ZeeTV raising money for the homeless population in the US? That will touch upon some nerves and pierce the egotistical “don’t care” veil of the administrators. I am hoping this pandemic will remind the politicians and economists that we are all connected and share a bond of humanity. We have to take the homeless problem seriously and with a new perspective.

Even in Mumbai, home to “Dharavi” - the biggest slum in the world, journalists have pointed out that social distancing is not possible when families with 8-12 members live in a small one-room shanty. Perhaps, politicians with the help of Bollywood stars can raise some money and find some creative solution to this issue. Perhaps there is a way to airdrop some essential supplies and wads of rupees via drones. or there may be a cooperative agreement between the US and India to exchange some Habitat for Humanity volunteers in exchange for reusable masks, Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and Quinine from India.

Whatever difficulties we are facing in our personal lives, professional lives or as a society, if we succumb to the challenges posed by Covid-19 and don’t make the necessary changes, we would have missed a golden opportunity.

However, we can treat this pandemic as a reminder and an urgent call for a change by nature, destiny or God. By doing so, we would be able to bring happiness in our lives, catapult our career to the next level and become a kinder, gentler society that is in harmony with nature. If nothing else, I have certainly become more skilled as a busboy! And I feel really proud of myself!

June 2020

INDIA GROCERS Where Quality Meets Value. Low Prices Every Day!

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Charlotte, NC 28213

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704.889.2210 Fax: 704.889.2211 Contact Pritesh Patel

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We Accept EBT Cards & All Major Credit Cards (Including American Express) Like us on Facebook: India Grocers Charlotte Follow us on Instagram: @Indiagrocersnc

Visit us online at indiagrocersnc.com

Nutrition

continued from page 40

Mirror

environmental toxins and poor food choices. Food sources of vitamin E include sunflower seeds, safflower oil, almonds, spinach, prunes, peaches, hazelnuts, mangos, avocados, asparagus and cabbage. Studies have shown that vitamin E supplements can be harmful so it’s always best to get it from food sources.

• Fiber – Fiber rich foods act as prebiotics that feed probiotic bacteria in the gut, which helps build immunity, reduce inflammation, and helps keep the skin healthy.

Foods to eat: • Eat a rainbow of colorful fruit and vegetables on a daily basis. Fruit and vegetables contain powerful antioxidants that help to protect skin from the cellular damage caused by free radicals.

• Eat healthy fats – nuts, seeds, avocado • Fiber rich foods such as whole grains and pulses • Adequate amount of water – the skin needs moisture to stay flexible. Proper hydration is needed for blood circulation and to provide nutrients to the skin cells.

Aim to drink 6-8 glasses of water daily.

Foods to limit/avoid • Refined sugars and simple starches – white bread, crackers, cookies, high sugar foods such as donuts, pastries, high sugar beverages such as soda, juice, fruit punch, and other sugary foods and drinks • Dairy products – several studies have linked milk consumption to worsening acne and eczema. Data also suggests a link between whey protein powder and acne.

• Fast food – pizza, burgers, nuggets, hot dogs, French fries, sodas and milkshakes • Any foods you are allergic or sensitive to.

Goals: • Eat small balanced meals at regular intervals – every 3-4 hours • Do not skip meals or have long gaps between meals • Eat 1-2 cups of vegetables at lunch and dinner • Eat 1 fruit with breakfast and mid-morning/afternoon snack • Eat 2-3 servings of high fiber carbohydrates such as whole grains and beans • Eat 1-2 servings of nuts/seeds for healthy fat • Include omega-3 rich foods such as walnuts and flax seeds • Limit consumption of salt. Use herbs and spices to season foods • Limit processed and packaged foods • Limit high sugar foods • Cut out all sugary beverages • Avoid/limit dairy – choose unsweetened non-dairy milks (almond milk, soy milk) • Avoid/limit fast food • Drink 64 oz. water- small sips through the day.

• Regular physical activity • Do stress relief activities such as breathing exercises, yoga, meditation or walking Saathee.com

continued from page 50

As far as South Asian culture goes, the line between gay & transgender has always been much more defined. While homosexuality has not been classified as a “sickness” per se, it has been declared a criminal act to engage in homosexual intercourse. India overturned this law in 2018 while Pakistan still has the law in effect. Adversely, due to the khawaja sara subculture of the region, Pakistan appears to be more accepting of trans & intersex peoples and has given transgenders various equal rights since 2009.

Expectedly as with any cultural month-long tribute, there will always be those who ask for days and months (other than “every day is men’s day” or “white history is celebrated every month” or “straight pride is every day”) and honestly the argument is getting old. Did you know that May is South Asian Heritage Month? Unfortunately this is only practiced in Canada so far. If I’m in earshot of these people, I tend to remind them that a person has never lost their job, been denied a place to live, or a place to worship because they’re white or straight in North America.

So when white or straight people ask why there is a need for gay pride or wonder why there aren’t straight pride celebrations, it feels a lot like they are saying contributions by LGBTQ+ people are not worthy of recognition. Furthermore, these same closed-minded people are obviously denying the importance and significance of identifying as LGBTQ+ and achieving so many things when we still live in a world that is only just now starting to understand the hardships involved with being “out”.

Pride Month, with its rainbow flags flying, confetti-fueled parades, and merriment, may be a bit different this year with the Coronavirus still keeping us locked away from larger social gatherings. However, there will be online celebrations and smaller groups holding observances all over the world. I know that the internet has its own share of homophobes out there, but I also know that there’s many more out there that refuse to let anyone or anything dim its light.

Despite the profound emotional and physical abuse that LGBTQ+ individuals have endured the collective decision to unite and declare #LoveWins is the ultimate example of progress. So, celebrate, honor, and commemorate those who have made Pride Month a reality, and if you find out that a friend or loved one decides to come out this year… be proud of their courage and offer them support instead of hate to make this world just a little bit brighter.

Neeta’s Beauty Parlor Near Hindu Center - Charlotte

Open 7 Days A Week

• Bleaching • Threading • Waxing • Facials • Manicure • Pedicure

• Hot Oil treatment for Hair • Mehndi for Hair • Hair coloring • Hair Cuts • Body Scrubs • Massage

Call For Appointment

704.968.0270 82

June 2020

The Chiropractic Doctors at ChiroCarolina have a combined experience of over 50 years. During that time we've helped thousands of patients find relief from debilitating pain.

The secret to our success?

Compassion • Attention • Professionalism

Dr. Ferzaan A. Ali

TREATING CONDITIONS SUCH AS: Low back/Leg pain Neck/Arm pain Headaches Sports Injuries Auto Accident Injuries Arthritis/Fibromyalgia Neck/Low back disc injuries Work Related Injuries

Accepting major insurance: Blue Cross Blue Shield, Aetna, United Health Care, Med Cost, Cigna, Medicare and others.

Dr. Henry E. Rice

Our doctors are fluent in English, Hindi, Urdu and Spanish 537 W. Sugar Creek Rd. • Charlotte, North Carolina 28213 Phone: 704-598-8040 • Fax: 704-509-0915

Saathee.com

www.CharlotteChiropracticClinic.com 83

June 2020

Who wants to be a Scholar?!

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

There is only one correct answer!

1. Arrange these countries of Africa thru which the river Nile flows from South to North. (a) Sudan (b) Tanzania (c) Uganda (d) Egypt

Word World

R

2. Music Director of 1939 Hindi movie Dushman (a) Mir Sahib (b) Pankaj Mullick (c) R. C. Boral (d) Saraswati Devi

By Kirit Shukla

I

G

Y

A

T

3. The languages written from right to left are (a) 3 Nos. (b) 9 Nos. (c) 12 Nos. (d) 18 Nos. 4. “R=V/I” Where R=Resistance, I=Current in Amps and V=Volts in the law of Electricity is (a) Coulomb's Law (b) Faraday’s Law (c) Gauss’s Law (d) Ohm’s Law

A

5. The two brightest stars per Greek mythology's Castor and Pollux are in this constellation. (a) Taurus( b) Gemini (c) Cancer (d) Leo

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) 7+ words = Excellent; 4 to 6 words = Good; 3 or less = keep looking.

Words we found are in solutions below.

6. What is 1÷ 0 equal to? (a) 0 (c) 1

(b) Meaningless (d) Infinity (∞)

7. “Hyperborean” means (a) Tedious (c) Frigid

(b) Sensitive (d) Exaggerated

8. Winner of 2019 Masters Golf tournament? (a) Jack Nicklaus (b) Sonny Singh (c) Tiger Woods (d) Tom Arnold 9.

The birthstone, if you are born in June is (a) Pearl (b) Ruby (c) Peridot (d) Sapphire

10.

The high of waterfall Kunchikal Falls, India is (a) 1293 Ft. high (b) 1393 Ft. high (c) 1493 Ft. high (d) 1593 Ft. high

Brain-Train Here is a simple quiz. See if you can solve it. No peeking!

Match the number in column 1 with letter in column 2 World’s Notable Rivers

1. Mississippi 2. Volga 3. Yangtze 4. Ganga 5. Amazon 6. Nile 7. Mackenzie 8. Tigris 9. Darling 10. Danube

Name of Country

Answers are below. No Peeking.

Scholar: All correct; 1st Class: 9 Correct; 2nd Class: 8 Correct; 3rd Class: 7 Correct; Need to improve: 6 or less

A. Canada B. Egypt C. Australia D. Russia E. USA F. China G. Turkey H. India I. Germany J. Peru

Dadaji’s moral stories for kids A TALE OF THREE FISH

In a lake, there were three fish friends. The first was smart, the second one knew how to get out of trouble, and the third disliked change. The first fish overheard a fisherman saying he was coming back and fishing in the lake. Sensing danger, he cautioned his friends to move out of the lake. The second fish said, “I will stay here and find a way out if I’m caught.” The third fish said, “I do not want to move out. I will remain here, and if I have to get caught, I will.” The first fish moved out and fisherman caught the other two. The second one escaped by pretending to be dead. The third fish did nothing and got caught and died.

Moral: One should always be open to change and adapt.

Brain Train: 1-E, 2-D, 3-F, 4-H, 5-J, 6-B, 7-A, 8-G, 9-C, 10-I

Scholar 1.b, c, a, d 2.b 3.c 4.d 5.b 6.d 7.c 9.a 10.c 7.c 8.a 9.a 10.c

8.c

Word World (Solution): AGYRIA, AIRY, ARTY, GAYA, GAYATRI, GRAY, GYRI, RAIYA, RAYA, TAYRA, TRAY, YAAR, YAGI, YATRA.

Saathee.com

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June 2020

For catering contact: Andy : 704-549-1886 or PassageToIndiaCLT@gmail.com

Lunch Buffet:

Mon- Fri: 11 am - 3 pm Sat & Sun: 11:30 am - 3:30 pm Everyday: Special Lunch Boxes Vegetarian Lunch Box: $5.99 Chicken Lunch Box : $6.99 Weekend Brunch Buffet

Over 30 items including: Pani Poori, Bhel, Chat Papdi, Pav Bhaji, Idli, Medu Wada, Sambar, Vegetable Chowmein, Chilli Chicken, Tandoori Chicken, Veg / Chk Biryani and more!

Dinner

Sun-Thurs: 5 pm - 10 pm Fri & Sat: 5 pm - 11 pm

Take Out Only. Cannot be combined with any other coupons. Other restrictions may apply. Must present coupon. Exp: 8/5/20

Place Your Order Online at www.PassageToIndiaNC.com

Minimum order $20.

Within 5 mile Radius only.

No Coupons or Discounts. Restrictions Apply.

Dine in only. Must purchase 2 entrees (excludes indo-Chinese & South Indian dishes). Cannot be combined with any other offer. Must present coupon. Exp: 8/5/20

Pop’s Puzzles & Jokes By kirit Shukla

Clues Down: 1. Dismissal from employment. (Informal) 2. A falling into obscurity or decline.

3. A Nilo-Saharan language.

4. Father’s sister. (Hindi) 5. The annual chariot procession in Jagannath Puri.(6/29/20) 6. offensive Lineman. (*) (Football).

7. Small openings into body organs or canals.

8. A person with no hair on the head.

9. Army Research office. (*) 10. Corium; the vascular, thick layer of the skin.

12. To pass from physical life.

15. In addition to.

18. Adverse Drug Events. (*) 20. Army. (Hindi) 22. A local ordinance.

23. Small sessile-eyed aquatic crustaceans with body of 7 free thoracic segments each having a pair of legs.

26. A seaside town on the west coast of Sardinia in Italy 28. Department of Fishing and Games. (*) 29. An evil spirit.

32. A town in west central Israel, in the Tel Aviv-Jaffa area.

33. Extension upwards.

34. A unit of inverse electrical inductance. (British English) 36. The poetic name of Ireland.

40. A conciliatory or propitiatory bribe, gift, or gesture.

41. A clearly directed intent or purpose .

43. District Attorney. (*) 45. Thank You. (*) 46. Member of Parliament. (*) (Puzzle solutions are on page 88. NO peeking!)

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

1. Nuclear power plant of Public Service of New Hampshire.

8. of poor quality or a low standard.

11. Physical commodity (Such as gold, oil etc.).

12. Imaginative or vivacious boldness.

13. A strip fastened across something to give strength or hold.

14. A person whose occupation is to make or alter garments.

16. A Polish machine pistol of the Second World War time.

17. Declared enthusiastic approval of; Clapped.

19. The capital city of the province of Misiones, Argentina.

21. Hot Briquetted Iron. (*)

Hee Hee

23. Present tense third-person singular of “Be”.

24. one of the organs of sight.

Jokes From Around The World

25. Follows the orders of.

27. A large planetoid beyond Pluto in the Solar System.

At a Q & A session during an open public briefing.

“Mr. President. You have two lawyers. Which one do you use?”

“I use one for the right law and other one for the loopholes.”

30. Formerly, olympic Airways Greece. (*) (ICAo Code)

31. The third Sunday in June appointed to honor the dads.

35. A pin used as a support or boundary marker.

••••••••••••••

37. An Unincorporated area in Bryan County, oklahoma.

38. World Record. (*)

Boss: “Go to the basement storage closet. Bring the red folder that is marked Research A and take it right away to the research dept. on the 25th floor. It is an emergency.”

Booddhoo reached the 25th floor after 45 minutes with the folder.

He was breathing fast and sweating.

Boss: “What took you so long?”

Booddhoo: “The sign near the elevator said: In case of emergency, Use the stairs.”

••••••••••••••

39. oregon. (*)

40. A small town in Panevezys County, in NE Lithuania.

42. Something that is frivolous or showy.

44. Happening only once.

47. Designed to grasp and close into position and fit tightly.

48. Any of various immature insects .

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June 2020

Word Find

Math Magic

Use these numbers only once: (1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9) 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. (solution on page 88)

Find & circle the words in the puzzle.

(Subject: “Vadodara: A city in Gujarat, India”)

ALKAPURI ARTS BANYANTREE BRAHMESHWAR EMETEMPLE GAEKWAD HAZIRA KIRTIMANDIR LEHRIPIRA

MAHALAXMI MSUNIVERSITY NIMETA NYAYAMANDIR PLANETARIUM RAJA RAJMAHAL SURSAGAR TOWER

The unused 11 letters spell “The river in Vadodara.”

EZ-BZ

TEST YoUR IQ The common letters are “AQ” - Fill in the blanks)

1. A country in western Asia. Cap. Baghdad. _ _ AQ 2. The fastest 40-grain .22LR rimfire ammo.

AQ _ _ _ _ 3. A moon of the planet Saturn. _ _ _ _ _ AQ 4. A group hired to applaud at a performance. _ _ AQ _ _ 5. A Chilean perennial shrub used in wine making. _ AQ _ _ 6. A Muslim divorce. (!). _ _ _ AQ 7. A Chinese ethnic person, living in foreign. _ _ AQ _ _ _ 8. A light greenish-blue color; Water.

AQ _ _ 9. A Mexican rolled tortilla with fillings. _ AQ _ _ _ _ 10. Not transparent. _ _ AQ _ _ 11. A glass tank to keep living fish or plants.

AQ _ _ _ _ _ _ 12. National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotation. (*) _ _ _ _ AQ 13. Herdsman, Cowboy. _ AQ _ _ _ _ 14. A village in southwestern Greenland. _ AQ _ AQ 15. Air Quality Index. (*).

AQ _ 16. A commemorative inscribed table _ _ AQ _ _ 17. A Muslim theologian versed in the Islam faith. _ AQ _ _ 18. A Moon of the planet Saturn. _ _ _ _ AQ 19. The central book of the Baha'i Faith.

AQ _ _ _ 20. A cursed tree came out of hell. (Quran) (!) _ AQ _ _ _ _ 21. A city in Syria on Euphrates river. _ _ _ AQ _ _ _ 22. A Muslim religious charitable trust foundation. _ AQ _ 23. Marked by trembling. _ AQ _ _ _ _ 24. A teacher or an expert in Muslim law. (!) _ _ _ AQ _ _ 25. Being God fearing in Islam. (!) _ AQ _ _ Note: (!) Urdu words related to Islamic culture.

(Puzzle solutions are on page 88. NO peeking!)

Kirit Shukla Contact him at kiritsshukla@hotmail.com

Saathee.com

87

June 2020

Festivals & Holidays Spot the Differences Solutions from page 30

June 2020

1. Flag color changed 2. Boat Removed 3. Rope removed 4. Shirt Color changed 5. Window Removed 6. Writing removed 7. Number added to boat 8. Alligator added

Jun. 2 - Gayatri Jayanti / Bhima / Nirjala Ekadashi Jun. 5 - Kabir Jayanti Jun. 5 - Jyeshta Purnima / Lunar Eclipse (Full Moon) Jun. 7 - Trinity Sunday Jun. 11 - Feast of Corpus Christi Jun. 14 - Flag Day Jun. 14 - World Blood Donor Day Jun. 16 - International Day Jun. 16 - Martyrdom of Guru Arjan Dev Jun. 17 - Yogini Ekadashi Jun. 19 - Emancipation Day Jun. 20 - Summer Solstice / Litha Jun. 21 - Darsh Amas / Solar Eclipse (No Moon) Jun. 21 - Father's Day Jun. 23 - Jagannath Ratha Yatra

1

2

7

July 2020

8

Jul. 1 - Independence Day (Canada) Jul. 1 - Dev Shayani Ekadashi Jul. 3 - Jaya Parvati Vrat Begins Jul. 4 - Independence Day (US) Jul. 4 - Asalha Puj Jul. 5 - Guru Purnima (Full Moon) Jul. 8 - Jaya Parvati Vrat ends Jul. 15 - Income Tax Day Jul. 16 - Kāmikā Ekadashi Jul. 20 - Darsh / Shravan Amas (No Moon) Jul. 23 - Haritākā Teej Jul. 25 - Kalki Jayanti Jul. 27 - Tulsidas Jayanti Jul. 30 - Putradā Ekadashi / Tisha B’Av Jul. 31 - Bakri Eid / Eid Al-Ādhā

3

14

11

9. Bird added

10. Man on chair added 11. Chair on boat removed 12. Man jumping off of boat removed 13. Color Changed 14. Building Removed 15. Man added

6 12 5 13

4

15

9

10

Puzzle Solutions from page 86-87

Math Magic from page 87

Saathee.com

88

June 2020

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Astroscope

Libra (September 23 – October 22) Life should fly this month. It’s very important that you keep up the pace and make quick decisions. Your creativity should be on par. You may enjoy very happy marriage life. Travelling should also be very enjoyable. Your sixth sense should guide you towards money making activities. You may see a minor setback during the last days of the month. Avoid any involvement of your family in your ventures. A rise in status or change in career is clearly indicated. It is strongly recommended to look for changes and accept them.

June 2020

Aries (March 21 – April 19) Now is the time to take care of your health. You may see minor ups and downs this month due to unexpected circumstantial changes. A dispute with your partner is also possible. The month should start with success but failures in the middle of the month may disturb your overall outlook. If you make intelligent decisions, the month should end with great achievements. You will regain your confidence and your sixth sense will start working again during last week of the month. Try to control your sentiments and anger to avoid any social problems.

Scorpio (October 23 – November 21) Avoid making any major moves this month at all costs. Act very cautiously as any mistake may end up creating a big disaster. You may survive through it, but life could turn rough for you. Your workload may increase during the second half of the month. Keep working with cleverness and sincerity. You could enjoy both good health and a comfortable family life. The time is good for selling investment properties.

You may get involved in religious activities and your faith may bring good luck for you. Don’t rush for results.

Taurus (April 20 – May 20) If you can compromise your dreams and focus on your education, you may enjoy both achievement and success this month. You may need to move aggressively, ignore other minor issues and focus on your long term goal. Try to utilize the maximum benefit of favors from the stars. Do not wait till last week of the month, as things will take a turn. Be prepared for business-related travel. Gambling and taking risks in business may bring unbelievably good results for you.

However, it may damage your relations with loved ones.

Sagittarius (November 22 – December 21) Now is the time to relax and enjoy family life. Your partner may achieve good success this month and you both should be able to control the situation with confidence. Money may flow your way from multiple directions. You may, however, compromise with your morals to gain more easy money. The period is perfect for a dream vacation. It is advisable to check your diet as you may gain some weight this month. Keep away from large bodies of water. Get ready to spend money and enjoy life.

Gemini (May 21 – June 20) You may need to control yourself this month. Responsibilities and entertainment both should keep you very busy. You should finish your work assignment during first half of the month so that second half of the month is open for fun and celebration. If your health is not an issue, the stars will be very positive for success and celebration. Major changes in your religious beliefs are on the way, so be prepared. A rise in income and good cooperation from family members may make you comfortable and happy.

Capricorn (December 22 – January 19) Life may start moving forward with a new approach. Unexpected financial gain or a new opportunity may come your way, so be sure to keep moving with self-confidence. Don’t wait or look for any support or help and work hard this month. Try to curb your expenses and focus on earning extra revenue. Avoid making any investments in real estate.

Don’t forget to take care of your health. Your stubborn attitude may put you in hot water, so learn to compromise for now.

Cancer (June 21 – July 22)

Aquarius (January 20 – February 18)

Your life may start moving forward with a new approach. You should get a lifetime opportunity this month and you should grab it. Unexpected financial gain or a new opportunity may come your way. Keep moving with self-confidence and don’t wait for any support or help. Beware of peers in the same age group as you, as for no reason they may lead you in a bad direction. Try to curb your expenses and focus on earning extra revenue. Avoid making any investments in the stock market. Don’t forget to take care of your health. Egoistical comments may put you in hot water.

You need to clear any misunderstandings at your place of work to protect your career. A long distance journey with family may bring good results for you. Watch your health for a stomach virus. Your income may rise slowly throughout the month. The stars should protect you through any mistakes you may make this month. Don’t forget to keep working hard and don’t expect any major rewards. The time is not good for love and romance. Avoid making any major decisions.

Leo (July 23 – August 22)

Pisces (February 19 – March 20)

An unexpected heavy workload during the first half of the month may cause disappointment. Try to be patient, work slowly through it and ask for help immediately. You may lose a very important opportunity during last week of the month. You may also damage your eyesight by putting too many hours in front of the computer. Your sincerity may gain you a good deal of appreciation during the middle of the month.

A dispute with a family member may build unnecessary stress. Avoid spending money on real estate.

This month is full of confusion as uncertainty is in the air. Plan plenty of outings and parties this month. A rise in savings is clearly indicated. You should enjoy a very comfortable family life. Students may not get desired results right now. A change in your work place status is also possible. Your partner may create minor problems by making poor comments. You will enjoy a good state of health this month. Your child may bring good news for you. Be prepared for surprising news.

Virgo (August 23 – September 22) You may experience a mixed life this month. Time should move at a relatively slow speed. Uncertainty at your workplace may affect your confidence. Your associates may not cooperate with you. You must keep working hard to achieve desired results. Don’t rush for success.

Unexpected major financial returns are possible during last week of the month. A significant improvement in health may help you feel better this month. You may need some moral support during the start of the month. Avoid cheating.

Saathee.com

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June 2020

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PNC can help with solutions like Payroll, Treasury Managements, Payables & Receivables, Merchant Services, and Checking & Savings accounts.

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20 years of Banking Experience

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June 2020

CLASSIFIEDS

WOW Brows Threading and Beauty is hiring in the Triad area. opportunities Convenience Store w/ Gas for Lease in for facial threading, brow tinting, Shelby, NC. Neighborhood location with waxing, facials, & lash extensions. walk-in clients. Grocery Sales $60k-65k Experience preferred but willing to train. plus other income. Lottery/Check High commissions oR wage + tips! Pay Cashing $3500 per month. Asking price commensurate with skill. Send text to or email $100k. Rent $3000 per month. Contact AJ 248-721-3255 info@wowbrows.me at 864-490-1858.

BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES

For Lease: 32-unit Franchise hotel Rock Hill/Richburg, SC. Call 803-230-4402.

Housekeeping wanted (single or couple) for Hotel in Rocky Mount, NC. Accommodations provided. Contact 443-538-3997.

High Volume Gas Station/C-Store for Sale or Lease in the heart of Gaffney, SC. Neighborhood store on busy st with Restaurant Help wanted: Single or brand new pumps! Call 704-726-7544.

Couple to manage Subway in Kinston, NC. Convenience Stores: Morganton, NC Legal status, fluent English & computer $849,000 + Inv, Prop Incl.,Inside Sales skills required. Call 252-521-5656.

1,140,000, Fuel Gallons 180,000; Wake Jobs: Front Desk and Cty, NC $60,000 + Inv, Annual Sales Hotel Housekeeping in Max Meadows, VA (2 $875,000, Fuel Gallons 132,000; Avery Cty, NC $79,000 + Inv.,($369,000 w/prop), hours from Charlotte). Accommodations Annual Sales $438,597, Fuel Gal 312,000; provided with competitive pay. Call County South: 704-440-4433 or visit Amit 704-488-4171. www.Countysouth.biz immediate opening for experienced Manager for 50-room Convenience Store Property for Sale or live-in Lease with no Gas in Gaffney, SC. Call independent motel in Charlotte.

Attractive salary plus bonus and 980-250-4995. complimentary 2 bedroom apartment.

For Sale or Lease: Gas Station w/ C-Store Please call 704-906-9170 or send resume to & Restaurant in Pollocksville, NC. hoteljob214@yahoo.com.

Corner location, ATM and jukebox also included (extra income). With 3 bedroom Looking for Part-Time Nanny (hours negotiable) to start immediately in accommodations. Call 252-521-5656.

Raleigh, NC (near NC State). Position C-store with Property for Sale or Lease becomes Full-Time August 15th 45 miles from Columbia, SC along with (Monday-Friday 7:30am-4:30pm). Live-in displays for fresh produce & frozen option available. Must have your own items. Gross income $55K / Lotto transportation. Call Bela 252-955-3365 or $25K/month. Call 904-307-4770.

Monica 252-955-6294.

EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES

Couple needed for franchise hotel 1.5 hours from Charlotte. Must be Fluent in English. Accommodations provided.

Text / Call 704-701-9975.

Sales Person & Cell Phone repair technician wanted for Cellular Phone store in Fayetteville, NC. No experience required.

Recruiting in-Home usage Testers Free Accommodations & Good salary (plus (IHUT) in several US cities to fulfill commission). Call 910-317-7411. contracts w/ national & international Gas Station / C-store Help Wanted in companies.

Guaranteed 15-20 Charlotte NC. Legal status required. hours/week, $25-$45 per hour. No Must speak English.

Salary experience required.

Email commensurate per experience. Please call javierferran@tuta.io.

704-733-0553.

Motel Help Needed: Front Desk & GMs Gujarati speaking Nanny needed (live- for franchise motels in South Carolina. in or live-out) in Durham, NC. Gujarati Fluent English & legal status a must. vegetarian cooking and housekeeping. Accommodations provided. Contact 803Please call 919-444-1597.

230-4402.

Housekeeping help wanted (single or couple) for Motel near Richmond, VA Airport. Accommodations provided.

Contact 804-475-5895, 804-998-0799 or syedsalman055@gmail.com Saathee.com

Nanny Needed for 3 month old baby girl in Charlotte Steele Creek (South Charlotte Area). Contact 646-209-6311 or email resume to tabz0305@gmail.com 92

Looking for Excel Pro Back Office employee with experience for office in Concord, NC. Manage reports for Boost Mobile. Call 704-701-8302 or apply at forms.gle/CsEWngFnS7KhqQQW8

Experienced Manager and Housekeeping (single or couple) needed for franchise motels in North & South Carolina.

Accommodations provided. Call 704-737-0363 or 704-4658089 or email cpandoria@gmail.com.

Gas Station Help Wanted (single or couple) in North Carolina 30 min from Greensboro. Call or Text 336-684-5421.

Looking for home help for cooking & some cleaning in Greenville, NC. 2-3 hours every day. Call 252-565-3563.

Housekeeping Couple & Resident Manager needed for motel in Florence, SC. Must be honest & have legal status. Accommodations provided. Call 843-992-8424.

Gas Station/C-store Help Wanted in North Carolina 30 mins from Greensboro. Legal status required. Must speak English and have basic computer skills. Experience preferred. Please call 336-509-4054.

Nanny needed for 17 month-old in Indian Land (close to Ballantyne). Please contact 410-350-5541.

Looking for Energetic Employee (Fulltime/Part-time, single or couple) for Tropical Smoothie Cafe franchise store in Columbia, SC. Weekend availability preferred. Some English required. Call Yogi Patel 410-708-8475.

Front Desk / Housekeeping couple needed for motel in Richmond, VA (Airport area). Legal status required.

Accommodations provided. Call 804-5127810 or email airportbw@gmail.com

Nanny needed for 9-month-old baby in Harrisburg (University area near Charlotte). Contact 980-263-9621.

7-11 Convenience Store Help Wanted: All 3 shifts in South Charlotte (Indian Land/Ballantyne area) and near Northlake Mall. Experience preferred.

Fluent English & legal status a must. Parttime or full-time including weekends. $12/hour for 3rd shift. Contact 856-2665059 or store10700@gmail.com.

Saathee Classified ads: Sell your business, or property. Find the perfect job, hire the perfect employee. Get more customers. Get great adversting results with Saathee Magazine or saathee.com. Call 704.527.7570 or email info@saathee.com.

June 2020

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.

Restaurant Help Needed (team members and managers) for two fast-casual restaurants in Raleigh / Durham.

Experience NoT required. Full-time or Part-time.

Very flexible schedules.

Excellent growth opportunity. Contact 919-523-6670.

Hotel Housekeeping Needed for Hotel in Cleveland / Akron, oH. $4 per room. Accommodations provided.

Contact Ram: email Ram@omdevelopmentcorp.com or 919-673-7623.

Nanny needed to take care of 1 year-old in Concord, NC. Also some light cleaning, Nanny should be completely dedicated towards work. Call 717-440-5434.

Help Wanted in C-Store/Gas Station in Columbia, SC area. Multiple positions open. Salary commensurate with experience. Call 803-414-4883.

C-Store/Gas Station Help Wanted in Gaston County / Bessemer City (30 min drive from Charlotte). Full-time.

Honesty, consistency, and punctuality a must. Great package with transportation & accommodations. Call 704-408-4920 or 973-207-6798.

Hotel Help Wanted: Front Desk / Manager, Night Auditor & Housekeeper (Single / Couple) for franchise hotels in Wilmington, NC. Accommodations provided. Call 910262-8357 or email ilmhotelemployer@gmail.com

Eyebrow Threading Position in Winston-Salem, NC. Excellent Pay + Tips & Benefits! Some Experience & fluent English required. Call 336-422-7582.

Front Desk Help needed for Franchise Hotel in Concord, NC. Legal status required. Accommodations provided.

Call Rusab 704-772-5554.

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 Wanted: Front Desk/Manager, Night Auditor and Housekeeper (Single/Couple) for franchise hotels in Charlotte, Gastonia, High Point. Accommodations provided.

Call 704-460-0379 between 6- 9pm.

Saathee.com

Cashier wanted for Convenience Store near Charlotte. Must speak English.

Accommodations provided. Text / Call 704-701-9975.

Restaurant Help wanted: Single or Couple to manage Subway in Kinston, NC. Legal status, fluent English and computer skills required. Call 252-521-5656.

Housekeeping help wanted (single or couple) for Motel near Richmond, VA Airport. Accommodations provided.

Contact 804-475-5895, 804-998-0799 or syedsalman055@gmail.com

PROPERTY & EQUIPMENT FOR SALE

LEaRN aBOuT LaND

We specialize in helping groups invest in land. Contact Bob atkinson “The Land Man” 919-362-6999 or visit www.learnaboutland.com

Home for Sale in Troutman, NC. 3-car Garage with workshop, 4 Bedrooms / 2.5 Baths, Screened Porch / Patio, Living Rooms on both levels, Home faces East, $290,000, MLS#3617409. Call 704-488-0988.

Room available for paying guest in Charlotte in large single family home in Ballantyne. one bedroom with full bath. one person only. Vegetarian meals provided. Easy Parking. Call 704-388-1416.

SERVICES

Need help with your tax filings? Contact Bhaskar CPA for affordable personal and business tax preparation, bookkeeping and payroll services. Contact 704-7707125, lak123cpa@gmail.com or visit www.lnbcpa.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.

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

Pari Beauty in Matthews: Threading, Waxing, Facials, Massage for newborn and mom & other services. 30 years of experience. Special Deals & Great Service. Call: 704-846-7912.

Handy Man in Charlotte area: Reasonable Remodel and Repair rates.

Donald 803-459-4699 or handyman.donaldcook@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

Neeta’s Beauty Parlor: Charlotte area open 7 days a week. Full service. Call for appointment. 704-968-0270.

To Submit a Classified visit: saathee.com/submit-classified or email: info@saathee.com or call 704.527.7570 Business ads are $25 Personal ads are $15 Upgrade to color for an additional $10 or add a box for $15 Saathee.com ads posted daily We accept all major credit cards.

Ads up to 25 words. Deadline for print is the 20th. Web ads daily.

Dholi For Hire: Plays the Dhol (drum) for any occasion!

Barat, Doli, Graduation, Birthdays, Baby Showers & any other festivity. Affordable rates! Call Arpan Bhandari 704-641-4761 or email: arpandholi@yahoo.com

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 93

June 2020

Namaskar

My Voice

continued from page 72

the mood of a scene so easily with a simple pause, or a tilt of the head? Who knew measured dialogue delivery with the voice deepening at different junctures could leave an audience spellbound?

Rishi Kapoor’s loss felt very different to me. It felt far more personal. How can someone I’ve known ever since childhood, who has entertained my family while making us feel closer to our roots, pass away so suddenly? His almost half-century long career as a protagonist began in 1970’s Mera Naam Joker and he starred in at least one film almost every year until 2019’s The Body. As a child I remember VHS copies of Nagina, Yeh Vaada Raha, Karz and Coolie provided hours of family time at home and Kapoor continued to be gainfully employed as I was growing up. As long as I can remember I have been familiar with one of the most defining aspects of Rishi Kapoor’s popularity and stardom: his songs.

My family’s vinyl record collection includes Bobby, Laila Majnu, Kabhi Kabhie and Hum Kisisie Kum Nahin which we would enjoy at home, and audio cassettes of Chandni, Henna, Deewana and Bol Radha Bol would play in the family car. And onscreen he would do justice to the tunes he was given. A recent eulogy by his colleague Amitabh Bachchan brought further attention to a talent essential for a leading man in Hindi cinema, but what very few possessed: the ability to naturally lip sync.

With this gift he became the gentleman romancing damsels in wondrous locales. The women in my family didn’t swoon over the young Rishi Kapoor, who with his youthful exuberance and mischievous smile captured hearts of many including the mothers of a few of my friends who named their sons after the actor, but they certainly appreciated how Kapoor was always ready to deliver whatever the scene demanded.

In an industry infamous for making heroines props, Kapoor provided pivotal support in films where the actress was the focus with Prem Rog, Tawaif, Daraar and Damini serving as examples. His acting career can be divided in roughly two chapters, one as a leading man and the other as a character actor. Kapoor himself said his latest innings as a performer was by far his most interesting and fulfilling and audiences couldn’t agree more. He was the thoughtful, mature lover in Pyaar Mein Twist, a zany film producer in Luck By Chance, the callous human trafficker in Agneepath and a delightful wedding planner in Shuddh Desi Romance. A self-professed spontaneous actor, Kapoor relied on his instincts to guide him through the filming process.

Kapoor and Khan shared a scene in the 2013 film D-Day and the two actors from different generations and journeys, with their own styles of acting, played off each other so beautifully during an important sequence. offscreen, both men bravely fought cancer and it seemed they had successfully beaten the disease to return to fair health, as Kapoor was slated to star in the Hindi adaptation of the Hollywood film The Intern and Khan returned to work in Angrezi Medium which released in March of this year.

It appeared both actors achieved in real life what audiences crave to see on the silver screen, which is for the protagonist to overcome an insurmountable obstacle, because that is what film heroes do. And it felt both men still had many more years of cinema ahead, and we as an audience had many more hours to spend with them in theaters or in our living rooms. While they are no longer with us, through their work Rishi Kapoor and Irrfan Khan merged their lives with ours and in turn have left an everlasting legacy.

Saathee.com

continued from page 48

“Can’t Do” is much longer than “Can Do”. Since boredom and disappointment are also known to kindle creativity, I am confident that we will survive. once North Carolina’s schools begin the academic year on August 17, it could also be the start of inventive teaching methods that balance social distance and proximity.

My optimistic conviction arises from personal experiences as an immigrant from India to the US, transitioning from the familiar to the foreign. When my parents moved from West Bengal to Maharashtra in the 1950s, their relocation was similar in scope and change to moving internationally. They had to learn Hindi and Marathi quickly, live in smaller homes and socialize with neighbors who frowned on the consumption of “non-veg” food. My mother recalls taking great pains to mask the smell of fried ilish (hilsa fish) and dumping milk on the wok when an over friendly lady from the same floor arrived unexpectedly.

Anyone who has crossed a major milestone such as becoming an adult with responsibilities, a spouse or parent will know that it comes with significant changes in “how I will spend my day” or “what do I care about the most.” And more often than not, the goal is not to go back to the way things used to be. We learn to adapt and mature because of the friction and shuffling of needs.

For families who were robbed of lives and livelihood, the devastation from the corona virus is unthinkable. our veil of safety has been pulled off and the confidence in our economy has drowned. our collective experiences from today beg us to reinspect and reconfigure our notions of fairness as we define tomorrow’s normal. A novel disease brought the world to its knees and threw us off course. Now, as we rise and limp forward perhaps, we can pave a new path towards a better future for all.

Thinking

continued from page 54

we want something to be so, then poof – it shall be so! If we don’t, then double-poof – it shall not be so! Some of us can put a Houdini to shame in making things mysteriously appear and disappear.

Except, we may not always be aware that we do this thing called “logic” – something that is even more powerful than magic. Magic needs assistants, accessories, venues, costumes, a deep sonorous voice and much more. Logic is much more subtle, nuanced, and persuasive. It is able to hack in through back-door vulnerabilities that the programmer left behind, as we blissfully get compromised and reprogrammed by those who have the motivation to do so. And, one of those “miscreants” is perhaps our own self. After all, if we had wanted to guard the back-door, we might have done so; but we don’t, because, perhaps, we enjoy being hacked in the manner the hacker hacks us. There is collusion in the creation of illusions. Deep collusion! And deep illusions. Who we are, and who they are becomes blurrier and blurrier, as I find my words getting slurrier and slurrier. My words and my world blend into an indistinguishable blob of gray goo, and the whole thing starts to spin round and round.

Perhaps I have indulged too much in my addiction to words and logic? Did I remember to bring a designated driver, or am I going to, as usual, put both myself and everyone else in jeopardy? Stop me!

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June 2020

Advertisers A2Z Health Mart Pharmacy......................................25

Desai, Rajarshi (CPA, PLLC)......................................97

North American Bancard ..........................................3

Accounting Solutions (Muhammad Kamran Awan)...35

DJ Lalit (Lalit Hemnani).............................................47

Olsinski Law Firm, PLLC (Viral Mehta) ......................98

Anil & Anjali Bedi LLC (CPA & Consultants)...............59

DJ Murali..................................................................97

OM Tech Training .....................................................91

Area 51....................................................................65

eXp Realty (Home for Sale) .......................................15

One2 Entertainment .................................................49

Around The World Market (Charlotte)........................32

Fairview Home Mortgage .........................................59

Passage To India - Fine Indian Cuisine......................85

Aspect Commerical Realty (Prashant Parmar) ..........53

Fincare.US (Recession-Proof Your Retirement)..........39

Patel Brothers (Charlotte)..........................................24

Bala Sure (Broker / Realtor, NC & SC)......................23

Geological Resources, Inc.........................................37

Patel, Mrugesh (Law Offices)....................................39

Bashyam Shah LLP - Immigration Law Group............6

Global Mall / Legacy Jewels ....................................99

Patel, Tony (Real Estate)............................................25

Bawarchi Indian Cuisine (Charlotte) ..........................67

H2 Laser & Skin .......................................................75

PNC Bank (Commercial Financing - Reena Ruwala).91

Bhindi Jewelers ......................................................2

Hindu Center of Charlotte (Events) ......................68-71

Ponce D. Moody Funding .........................................49

Bipin Parekh Realty, LLC...........................................51

Home Decorators Of America (Atlanta) .....................52

Pramukh Mandapam ...............................................37

Blooming Buds.........................................................55

India Grocers (Charlotte) ...........................................81

Raghu Mothukuri Allstate Agent................................41

Blooming Smiles Pediatric Dentistry .........................67

Insurance - Tushar Barot, Supreme Insurance .........47

Rajdeep Video & Photography (Ramesh Panjabi)......39

Blue Federal Credit Union ...........................................5

Jay Bale (Real Estate - Commercial & Residential)....83

Ram Realty (Ram Kalagara)......................................89

Bombay Grille (Charlotte)..........................................77

K & M Accounting ....................................................25

Ramana Coaching Center...........................................7

Brijal Shah (Keller Williams - Real Estate)..................11

Kaur, Karamjit (New York Life Insurance)...................33

Richa Sinha Real Estate...........................................31

British International School of Charlotte.......................9

KD Financial & KMD Realty.......................................43

Saathee.com............................................................65

Brown Immigration Law (Rishi Oza, Partner).............10

Khanna & Sons Jewelers .........................................13

Saffron Restaurant and Catering...............................21

C4D Mortgage (Jubi Chackunkal, P.E.) .....................55

Leslie Dale Realtor....................................................57

Second Clinic (Doctor Visits Online)...........................35

Carolina Law Group (Monty Desai)............................95

Life Mission USA (Summer Camp, Training, KGB).....41

Shah & Trivedi CPA, PLLC.........................................61

Carolina Wedding Belle (Event Design & DĂŠcor)........45

LLC Tax Service........................................................47

Shah, Anish (Real Estate) ...................................78-79

CaroMont Medical Group (Dr. Manu Patel)................15

Maharani Indian Cuisine (Charlotte) ..........................23

Shah, Kirti (CPA - Sepa Consulting) .........................49

Charlotte Chess Center ............................................75

Malak Jewelers........................................................27

Shining Stars Academy ............................................16

Charlotte Eye Ear Nose & Throat ................................4

Malani Jewelers.....................................................100

Shukla, Kirit (Music Lession & Band).........................15

Chatpatay Causal Indian Kitchen (Charlotte) .............11

Malaya Kitchen.........................................................31

Sona Realty (Venkat Suryadevara) ............................36

Chiro-Carolina

....................................................83

Mathur, Gitanjali (Allen Tate Realtors) ........................21

The Blue Taj..............................................................73

Concha, David (Immigration Attorney).......................29

Matthews Family Dentistry ......................................29

Ttravel Guru..............................................................53

Concord Children's Clinic ......................................29

Monroe Oil Company................................................44

Tyagi, Rita (Real Estate).............................................19

Copper Restaurant (Charlotte)...................................73

Nawabs Kebabs (Charlotte) ......................................19

Union Family Eye Associates (Dr. Keshav Bhat).........31

County South Realty & Business Brokers..................55

NCMPAA (NC Metro Punjabi Arts Academy) .............97

Vema Mortgage LLC (Sebastian George) ............45/61

Dentist (Pineville Dentistry - Lina V. Mistry, DDS) .......17

Neeta's Beauty Parlor...............................................82

Vyas Travels..............................................................49

Desai & Desai LLP (CPA & Financial Services)..........53

New York Life Insurance (Rasheed Ulhaq).................17

Zafran Kabab Palace (Harrisburg).............................63

Saathee.com

96

June 2020

NCMPAA

North Carolina Metro Punjabi Arts Academy

DJ Murali

...beyond the music...

Audio & Entertainment Services for Weddings, Birthdays and any other occasions

TELUGU, HINDI & POP

203-809-6725

Want to learn Bhangra?

murali.edula@gmail.com

Our academy teaches students of all ages and experience levels. Contact us for more information and class registration.

703.340.4976

info@ncmpaa.com • www.ncmpaa.com

facebook.com/ncmpaa • instagram.com/ncmpaa

Bhangra Classes, Dhol Services, Bhangra Performances & Choreography

COVERING THE CAROLINAS

Rajarshi Desai

• Audit Representation and Tax Resolution to 100% clients satisfaction before federal, state and local tax authorities, including filing past year returns.

• Review for possible Federal or State income tax exposure.

• Monthly Bookkeeping Services.

704.541.9966 or 917.612.1489 (cell)

• Payroll and Sales Tax preparation and Compliance.

I Believe in the Value of Relationships.

I view every client relationship like a partnership and truly believe that my success is a result of your success.

CPA, PLLC

7301 Carmel Executive Park Drive Suite #200 Charlotte, NC 28226 Fax: 877.294.7979

E-mail: rd@rajdesaicpa.com

Member: American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and NYSSCPA

I am committed to providing close, personal attention to my clients. I take pride in giving you the assurance that the personal assistance you receive comes from 15 years of my public accounting experience including several years of Big 4 accounting firm’s advanced training, technical experience and financial acumen. My continual investment of time and resources in professional continuing education and extensive business relationships is indicative of my commitment to excellence.

Saathee.com

97

• Financial reviews and compilation including compliance testing.

• Corporate, partnership, individual, trust and estate tax consulting, planning and compliance.

• Mergers and acquisition reviews including business valuations.

• Comprehensive business services in accounting and auditing.

• Management information systems consulting and technology implementation services.

June 2020

We welcome Viral Mehta to the Olsinski Law Firm Personal Injury Criminal Defense DWI Family Law Immigration Law Workers' Compensation Divorce Matters

216 North McDowell St. Suite 200 • Charlotte, NC 28204 Phone: (704) 405-2580 Fax: (704) 769-2283 www.jcolaw.com