Saathee Charlotte November 2020

Bridging America and the Indian Subcontinent

Saathee.com

November 2020

IN THIS ISSUE

Book Review: Life and Culture in Northeast India: pg 22 Test Your India Knowledge Banyan Tree: pg 34 Recipe: Creamy Spiced Corn: pg 72

Updated Jobs Listings: pg 92

The Aggarwal Group at Morgan Stanley

Triangle Area Wealth Managers / Advisors

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Hello Readers!

When you are holding this magazine, America will be in the final days leading to election, or maybe just after. Whomever you support, there will be a big sigh or relief from all the election madness. Let's hope there is a definitive winner on election day or at the very least in the next few days, by which most of the votes will have been counted.

The huge amount of mailed ballots will take time to count. Sadly, in this digital age, patience has become a lost virtue. We carry on.

Enjoy the festive season in your own manner and safety.

“Bridging America and the Indian Subcontinent.”

November 2020 Issue # 270 - Saathee.com Editor Samir Shukla

Comments and Suggestions always welcome.

Email saathee@saathee.com

(Samir@Saathee.com)

Publisher & Advertising Divakar Shukla (rakavid@aol.com)

Ad Design / Layout Nathan C. Andrews

"I measure the progress of a community by the degree of progress which women have achieved."

- B. R. Ambedkar

Cover: Rangoli Rangoli is an art form, originating in the Indian subcontinent, where intricate patterns or designs are created on the floor or the ground using materials such as colored rice, colored sand, powder or flower petals.

It is generally created during Diwali, Onam, Pongal and other Hindu festivals in the Indian subcontinent.

Digital Media & Marketing Jennifer W. Allen

Contributors for this issue: Kirit Shukla, Ahsen Jillani, Taige Shukla Parul Kharod, Shyama Parui, Mo Vidwans Raajeev Aggerwhil, Balaji Prasad, Dr. Maha Gingrich, Rishi P. Oza, 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

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november 2020

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11

november 2020

In This Issue

Page 62 Competition Shrank in Majority of Health Insurance Markets, Where it is the Scarcest.

Page 28 Read About Aamir Khan’s Upcoming Film Laal Singh Chaddha.

Content

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

Community Events . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg. 18

Page 42 Reality Show Imitating Art, or Something Scary Like That

Page 34 Increase your India Knowledge: Banyan

Subcontinental Divide . . . . . . . . . .pg. 42

Dances of India . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg. 46

Read Watch Listen . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg. 22

Raajeev’s Corner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg. 48

Film Clips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg. 28

Personal Finances . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg. 60

upcoming Movie Releases . . . . . . .pg. 26

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

Thinking About Thinking . . . . . . .pg. 54 Health Insurance Markets . . . . . . .pg. 62

Increase India Knowledge . . . . . . .pg. 34

news notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg. 64

nutrition for Life . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg. 40

Recipe: Creamy Spiced Corn . . . . .pg. 72

Increase uSA Knowledge . . . . . . . .pg. 38

Saathee.com

namaskar Y’all . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg. 66

12

Immigration Matters . . . . . . . . . . . .pg. 74

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

november 2020

We welcome Dr. Sudipta Mazumder, MD. She is a board- certified Internal Medicine Physician practicing for over 14 years. She provides the best possible healthcare to our community with a personal touch.

She treats every individual in a respectful and compassionate manner. She recognizes the importance of women’s physical and mental health.

She is trained in Botox and fillers which enhance the natural beauty and improve self-confidence by decreasing wrinkles and worry lines.

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She is fluent in English, Hindi, Bengali and Urdu.

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Along with our current practice model, we are introducing the new direction in primary care, "Direct Primary Care".

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Accepting New patients! Same day appointment available!

We accept all insurances. Cash pay per visit options are also available.

Monday & Thursday : 8 AM - 5 PM • Tuesday & Wednesdays : 7:30 AM - 5 PM • Friday : 8 AM - 2 PM

Saathee.com

13

november 2020

Trekkie. Not a Techie Hit the Pause. Maybe Even Backup a Bit

The Editor’s Desk

by Samir Shukla

It’s a Monday night. I’m fumbling through a desk drawer looking for a pen and a sheet of paper.

I just want to put some thoughts down on paper. Sure, I can open the notepad on my phone and start speaking and presto, it’s there, typed, misunderstood word typos and all. But I want to use my fingers and feel the pen do its magic on paper. There’s a sense of clarity when you see your own thoughts on paper in your own handwriting.

You own that thought, no one else.

There’s a level of freedom writing on paper rather than writing on a laptop. It’s not saved on a hard drive or the cloud; it’s folded and tucked away in a personal space somewhere. When pen meets paper, there’s also the challenge of accessing your own memory to get the spelling and grammar correct, you know the stuff of grade school. That’s a good thing. It holds more meaning.

On this Monday night, Star Trek and myriad other sci-fi flicks and shows are doing wormhole maneuvers in my brain, as I scribble my bad handwriting on a sheet of paper. I’ve always loved science fiction. In youth I dreamt of owning the gadgets used in Star Trek. How cool would it be to transport oneself with ease anywhere the transporters are connected? Go have lunch in Amdavad and dinner in Bali. Breakfast in Austin.

Ah, the seduction of all those gadgets and technology. The communicators. Warp drives. The long-range scanners. Tricorders. Androids.

Some of these are of course becoming reality.

They are no longer science fiction, but science fact.

Case in point, the communicators that we carry around all day, fitted with access to the world, the good the bad and the evil of Planet Earth, all at our Saathee.com

fingertips at all times. Today’s long-range scanners are essentially our orbiting satellites and cell phone towers, without which GPS or streaming and much communication would not be possible.

Alas, the more we now advance technologically, the more I want to hit the pause, maybe even back up a bit, at least as far as gadgets are concerned.

I would have loved to have had C3PO as a companion in the past, now I’m not so sure. Artificial intelligence will ease our lives further, but I prefer human connection more, its warm breath, its beauty and warts and its emotional roller coasters.

Of course, AI (Artificial Intelligence) cannot exist without HI (Human Intelligence), but the devil is in the word “artificial.” I don’t need my cell phone to tell me to get up and move around because I’ve been sedentary for a while. The hell with you little device, I can count my daily steps myself, thank you very much. I’m nowhere as excited about gadgets, robots and artificial intelligence as I was decades ago. Even though now we are living in that age.

The GPS narrator guides every turn and twist when you drive that you follow subconsciously, which of course saves time and keeps you from getting lost, but it’s also controlled and self-limiting. The instinctive human ability of direction and exploration guided by millennia of movement and migration is being scrubbed down to a smooth surface of numbness via reliance on gadgets. If you are out exploring, sometimes it’s good to get lost and find your way back. Do it on your own. Guide yourself by your directional instinct, the location of the sun and the stars, if you will. Stop and ask for directions. You just may discover something new, maybe even some long-lost abilities in yourself.

We think we are doing more with tech; the devices, outside of convenience and productivity (yeah, ok I get it, but that’s not the point here), are snatching more of our precious time. Besides, we traveled, partied, communicated, ran businesses, made love, and changed the world just as much, with minimal tech, in the past. now, instead of dreaming of taking off on a starship, I’m thinking about my next car, an American classic roadster that has minimal technology except maybe an old school radio. I’ll stash paper maps in the glove compartment and hit the road. Yeah, go ahead and laugh. I’ll use my sense of direction, channeling the spirit of ancient explorers, and will see you, out there, that way, somewhere, on the other side of the trek, less a techie, but an avowed trekkie.

Samir Shukla Editor of Saathee Magazine Contact: Samir@Saathee.com Twitter: @ShuklaWrites // Newsletter: ShuklaWrites.Substack.com 14

november 2020

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Community Events Saathee Readers

Hello Readers. All events are subject to postponement or cancellation due to continuing restrictions posed by the pandemic. Please check with the organizers before planning to attend. Get up to date information as well as new events and easy links to the event information websites at Saathee.com/events.asp.

Diwali Celebrations (November 8-15, 2020)

Verse & Vino Broadcast: (November 5, 2020)

The annual fundraiser for the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library Foundation has transformed Verse & Vino 2020 into a 90minute broadcast starting at 7pm. The november 5, 2020 event will retain the essential elements of Verse & Vino: five new York Times best-selling authors, stories of the library’s impact in the community, and a celebration of reading and writing – repackaged in an entertaining production. The new format will allow Verse & Vino to be more accessible, and to incorporate new interactive features a digital platform.

Info: Foundation.cmlibrary.org.

Charlotte: Diwali will be celebrated at the Hindu Center of Charlotte from november 13 - 15, 2020. The festivities will begin with Dhanteras Laxmi Pujan and conclude with annakut and evening bhajans. All current social distancing and masking protocols will be observed. The temple is located at 7400 City View Dr., Charlotte. For more details call 704-5353440 or visit www.Hcclt.org.

Morrisville, nC: Diwali events will take Fall Festival & Market: Simpsonville, SC (November 7, 2020) place at Hindu Society of nC, 309 The Greenville Classical Academy presents Aviation Parkway, Morrisville, nC from the 11th annual Fall Festival and Holiday november 13 - 15, 2020. The weekend will Market on Saturday, november 7, 2020 from be filled with Diwali events as per date 10am to 3pm at 2519 Woodruff Road in appropriate. The temple is following Simpsonville, SC. Events include a Food masking and distancing protocols. For court, KidZone, face painting, pony rides, and more details, call 919-481-2574 or visit over 85 artisans & vendors. The first 150 www.Hsnconline.org. families will receive Goodie Bags.! Admission BAPS Temples: Diwali celebrations will is free, with a $5 charge for kids to enjoy the take place virtually for all BAPS temples KidZone. To learn more, check out this year. Family Diwali Program will Greenvillefallfestival.com.i happen on Sunday, november 8, 2020 from 5 - 6:30pm. There are also programs for college Diwali, Kids’ Diwali and Battleship NC Half Marathon: Wilmington, NC (November 8, 2020) Mahila Diwali happening on nov 5 - 7, Get ready for the trek through downtown Historic Wilmington with a Half Marathon, 10k or 5k on Sunday, november 8, 2020. Started in 1998, The Battleship 2020. For more details, visit nA.BAPS.org nC Half Marathon is one of the oldest uSTA certified Half Marathons in the South.

Mythical & Medieval Fest: Myrtle Runners traverse charming Historic Downtown, go around the Battleship north Carolina, cross two bridges and through picturesque Greenfield Lake Park and Beach, SC (November 14-15, 2020) Gardens. Join the run or cheer on the racers as they travel through some beautiful The Mythical & Medieval Fest is a scenery. To learn more, visit Battleshiphalfmarathon.com.

Renaissance themed fundraiser. It will take place from november 14-15, 2020.

Cucalorus Festival: Wilmington, NC (November 11-25, 2020) Journey to a whimsical realm filled with a The 26th annual Cucalorus Festival will take place from november 11-25, 2020 in fairy forest, medieval combat, princesses, downtown Wilmington, nC. The non-competitive festival will showcase more than artisan’s village area, fire show and more.

150 films from all over the world and attracts an All shows and live music are included audience of 19,000 cultural travelers who come to with your admission. Sit on a hay bale and celebrate the art-form and connect with peers. The listen to musicians strum their guitars or festival’s celebration has been recognized as a breeding play their flutes or watch blacksmiths ground for young artists, ideas and collaborations. form a bracelet from hard steel and glass Festival programs focus on dance, music videos, blowers melt glass into a beautiful emerging artists, social justice, works-in-progress, and pendant. For additonal information, check international cinema. Info: Cucalorus.org. out Mythicalmedievalfest.com.

Saathee.com

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november 2020

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Community Events Kayhan Kalhor Virtual Performance: Durham, NC (November 14, 2020)

Chinese Lantern Festival: Belmont, NC (Through January 3, 2021)

Duke Performances presents a virtual performance with Iranian kamancheh (Persian bowed stringed instrument) virtuoso, Kayhan Kalhor, on Saturday, november 14, 2020, at 8pm. Kalhor has been melding traditional Persian arrangements with improvisational through lines, lending his sound and experimental vision, with Yo-Yo Ma’s Silk Road Ensemble, the new York Philharmonic, Kronos Quartet, and string quartet Brooklyn Rider. General admission tickets are $10 per presentation and Duke Student tickets are free. For more details: DukePerformances.duke.edu.

The Chinese Lantern Festival features new lanterns with vibrant flora and fauna. Each handmade lantern is constructed by masters of the craft in Zigong, the originator of the festival.

Illuminated mythical creatures, flowers, trees, insects, and critters will glow throughout the Garden and interactive light displays and colorful archways will captivate all. Marvel at acrobatic shows, browse the authentic Chinese folk arts and crafts, and explore the lush Asian-inspired garden displays. The festival will take through January 3, 2021 at the Daniel Stowe Botanical Gardens in Belmont, nC. Details: Dsbg.org.

Triangle Vegetarian Thanksgiving: Durham, NC (November 26, 2020)

The annual Triangle Vegetarian Society Thanksgiving feast will happen this year, but will be limited to take-out orders. Every year this event is one of the biggest vegan and vegetarian thanksgiving feasts in the country. This year, the event will take place at the usual venue, Cafe Parizade in Durham, nC, but will be on a take-out basis. Reservations for food must be made in advance. More details and reservation requests can be found at Trianglevegsociety.org.

Saathee has been serving the South Asian Community for 22 Years!

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Saathee.com

21

november 2020

Read Watch Listen Reviews

by Samir Shukla

Life and Culture in Northeast India

Authors: Dipti Bhalla Verma and Shiv Kunal Verma (Abbeville Press - Hardcover 260 pages)

Baluji Shrivastav

India’s northeast region comprises of the famous “seven sisters” states - Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Tripura, Manipur, nagaland, Mizoram, and Meghalaya. The authors also include the state of Sikkim in the book Life and Culture in Northeast India, giving historical information about each state along with the region’s myriad religions, tribal, and geographical significance.

The region is a small sliver of land, compared to the otherwise vastness of India, and is snuggled between the Himalayas, Bangladesh and Myanmar.

This oversized book is filled with informative passages on the region’s cultures, along with more than 300 photographs and several detailed maps. The colorful images give a sense of place and bio-diversity of this intriguing area.

The northeastern region is a small percentage of India’s land mass, about eight percent, but there are nearly 140 indigenous tribes living in the area. Each has its own culture that’s intertwined with the rest of the region. Multiple native religions as well as Hinduism, Buddhism, Christianity and Islam are practiced here.

It is also one of wettest areas of India, mostly hilly, from the mighty snow-capped Himalayas to tropical rain forests cradled within its boundaries. The region has also faced isolation as Bangladesh nearly cuts it off from the rest of India with only a thin land area, known as the “chicken’s neck,” physically connecting the region to rest of India.

Rice farms, national parks and the famous tea plantations of Assam are just some of the aspects this region, which are also marred by internal and international border conflicts.

Authors and filmmakers Dipti Bhalla Verma and Shiv Kunal Verma unfold an introduction to this part of India for the rest of the world. Many Indians are also unaware of the diverse denizens of the region as it is not part of the more famous and touristy areas of India.

This book is a wonderful addition to home libraries and those interested in further exploring India and peoples of the world in general.

Indian Classical Interactions (Arc Music)

The sitar evokes tradition and timelessness. The instrument also lends itself to conversations with other musical expressions of the world.

Baluji Shrivastav is a multi-instrumentalist, composer and sitar player guiding the instrument’s familiar drone into innovative and evolved musical territories. He loosens boundaries to expand the possibilities of Indian classical music with original compositions.

The opening track from his new recording Indian Classical Interactions is “A Dream of Andalucia,” which weaves Indian melodies and Spanish flamenco guitar, featuring Shrivastav and Ignacio Monteverde on their respective instruments. It’s a perfect example of Indian classical music and the sitar’s innate openness to melting musical borders.

The track “Antardrishti - Inner Vision” is based on Chapter 11 of the Bhagavad Gita and features the Inner Vision Orchestra, the uK’s only ensemble of professional blind musicians. It is presented in nine segments, each with its own story and aura. Each track stands its ground individually, but when played in sequence is nothing short of revelatory.

“Sohini’s Aria” is a mini-opera sung in urdu. It features Baluji on the instruments dilruba and tanpura accompanied by Linda Shanson’s vocals.

The recording’s final track “Sitar Guitar Suites” is presented in three parts and the performance features Indonesian musician Boo Boo Sianturi. It evokes musical travels between India and Indonesia, where both countries share a connected past while gazing at a bright future. The interaction between sitar and guitar sounds so natural.

Shrivastav, blind since early childhood, creates compositions that are poetic and inviting. Born in uttar Pradesh, Shrivastav undertook his first musical training on sitar, dilruba, surbahar, pakhavaj and tabla at Ajmer’s Blind School.

He has released several recordings. His compositions have been featured in a wide range of films, theatre and television.

Find this recording on CD or on a streaming service.

Saathee.com

Samir Shukla Editor of Saathee Magazine Contact: Samir@Saathee.com Twitter: @ShuklaWrites // Newsletter: ShuklaWrites.Substack.com 22

november 2020

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november 2020

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The importance of education today is undeniable.

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It takes planning to fund the cost of an education considering that between 2006-07 and 2016-17, published in-state tuition and fees at public four-year institutions increased at an average rate of 3.5% per year beyond inflation1. While tuition will be the largest expense, don't forget about these additional costs that may be incurred: Pre-College Costs • Standardized test fees • Test prep courses and materials • Campus visits • Moving costs Additional College Costs • Room & Board • Books & Supplies 1 College Board (Trends in Higher Education) 2017 • Transportation

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49

485 november 2020

Upcoming Movie Releases All Dates Subject to Change - Visit Saathee.com/Movies for updates

Raat Baaki Hai (Streaming) (Director: Avinash Das) Cast: Anup Soni, Paoli Dam, Rahul Dev, and Aakash Dahiya

November 6

Let Him Go (Director: Thomas Bezucha) Cast: Diane Lane, Lesley Manville, and Kevin Costner

Middle Class Melodies (Streaming) (Director: Vinod Anantoju) Cast: Anand Deverakonda and Varsha Bollamma

November 9

Manne Number 13 (Streaming) (Director: Vivy Kathiresan) Cast: Varsha Bollamma, Aiswarya Gowda, Chetan Gandharva, Ramana and Sanjeiv

November 25

The Croods: A New Age (Director: Joel Crawford) Cast: nicolas Cage, Emma Stone, Ryan Reynolds, Peter Dinklage, and Cloris Leachman

Voyagers (Director: neil Burger) Cast: Tye Sheridan, Lily-Rose Depp, Viveik Kalra, Isaac Hempstead Wright, and Colin Farrell

Laxmmi Bomb (Streaming) (Director: Raghava Lawrence) Cast: Akshay Kumar, Kiara Advani, Tusshar Kapoor, Sharad Kelkar, Tarun Arora, and Ashwini Kalsekar

November 13

The Comeback Trail (Director: George Gallo) Cast: Robert Deniro, Tommy Lee Jones, Zach Bra, and Morgan Freeman

Chhalaang (Streaming) (Director: Hansal Mehta) Cast: Rajkummar Rao and nushratt Baruchaa

Uncle Frank (Director: Alan Ball) Cast: Paul Bettany, Sophia Lillis, Steve Zahn, Judy Greer, and Stephen Root

Ammonite (Director: Francis Lee) Cast: Kate Winslet, Saoirse Ronan, Gemma Jones, & Fiona Shaw

December 11

Free Guy (Director: Shawn Levy) Cast: Ryan Reynolds, Lil Rel Howery, utkarsh Ambudkar, Camile Kostek, and Taika Waititi

Aankh Micholi (Director: umesh Shukla) Cast: Abhimanyu Dassani, Mrunal Thakur, Paresh Rawal, Sharman Joshi, and Vijay Raaz

Durgavati (Streaming) (Director: Ashok) Cast: Bhumi Pednekar, Arshad Warsi, Mahie Gill, and Karan Kapadia

Suraj Pe Mangal Bhari (Streaming) (Director: Abhishek Sharma) Cast: Manoj Bajpayee, Diljit Dosanjh, Annu Kapoor, Supriya Pilgaonkar, and Vijay Raaz

The Prom (Streaming) (Director: Ryan Murphy) Cast: Meryl Streep, James Corden, nicole Kidman, and Kerry Washington

November 20

Sound of Metal (Director: Darius Marder) Cast: Riz Ahmed, Olivia Cooke, Paul Raci, Lauren Ridlo, and Mathieu Amalric Saathee.com

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november 2020

Film Clips Durgavati

Writer and director Ashok G. spins a tale of a bureaucrat imprisoned in a haunted house for interrogation. Of course things take an unexpected turn when she gets possessed by a spirit. The cast includes Bhumi Pednekar, Arshad Warsi, Mahie Gill, and Karan Kapadia. Look for the film beginning streaming on December 11, 2020.

The Immortal Ashwatthama

After the success of Uri - The Surgical Strike, Vicky Kaushal is collaborating with Ronnie Screwvala and Aditya Dhar for the upcoming action film The Immortal Ashwatthama. He will also learn archery and fighting with swords and spears. The three-part modernday superhero film has its roots in the classic Mahabharata. The film is scheduled to begin filming in April 2021. Kaushal has undergone the necessary rigorous training for the film that will be shot in India as well as locations in Europe. no release date has been announced.

Laal Singh Chaddha

Sound of Metal

A heavy-metal drummer’s life is thrown into freefall when he begins to lose his hearing. Riz Ahmed, also known by his stage name Riz MC and Rizwan Ahmed, is a British Pakistani actor, rapper, and activist. He portrays the protagonist along with the cast that includes Olivia Cooke, Paul Raci, Lauren Ridloff, and Mathieu Amalric. Director Darius Marder’s film opens on november 20, 2020.

The Croods: A New Age

Aamir Khan and Kareena Kapoor Khan spent time in Delhi recently for the shooting schedule of Laal Singh Chaddha. The locations included a college and the Centaur Hotel at Delhi Airport. The team and crew of the film, a production of Aamir Khan’s film company, are taking all the necessary precautions the current time requires. Vijay Sethupathi and Mona Singh also star in this Advait Chandan directed film that is reportedly loosely based on Tom Hanks’ Forrest Gump. The film, which has almost wrapped production, will wait until Christmas 2021 to release.

Coming 2 America The animated film is about the prehistoric family the Croods, who are challenged by a rival family the Bettermans, who claim to be better and more evolved.

Director Joel Crawford guides the cast, who lend their voices, including nicolas Cage, Emma Stone, Ryan Reynolds, Peter Dinklage, Leslie Mann, Kelly Marie Tran, Catherine Keener, Cloris Leachman. Look for the film to release in theaters on november 25, 2020.

Saathee.com

Eddie Murphy and Arsenio Hall return in the sequel to the 1988 comedy Coming to America. In this 28

film, Akeem (Murphy) learns he has a long-lost son in the united States and must return to America to meet the unlikely heir to the throne of Zamunda. Craig Brewer directs this outing that also features in the cast Jermaine Fowler and Leslie Jones. The film opens on December 18, 2020.

Unfair & Lovely

Sony Pictures Films India has announced their next film, Unfair & Lovely, a comedy that grapples with India’s unrelenting obsession with fair skin. Set in the backdrop of Haryana, the film chronicles the story of a dusky girl tamed by prejudices and biases held by the Indian society against dark skin.

The film stars Ileana D’Cruz and Randeep Hooda. Marking the directorial debut of Balwinder Singh Janjua, the film comes at a time when women are being encouraged towards empowerment and the society aims to stand firmly against ideas that promote lighter skin. The film is slated for a 2021 release and will be shot in various locations across India.

News of the World

A Civil War veteran agrees to deliver a girl, taken by the Kiowa people years ago, to her aunt and uncle, against her will. They travel hundreds of miles and face grave dangers as they search for a place that either can call home. Directed

by Paul Greengrass, the film stars Tom Hanks, Mare Winningham.

Release date is December 25. november 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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november 2020

Our curriculum combines learning through play-based activities, nature inspired lessons and outdoor adventures.

We encourage our children to grow to their fullest potential through emotional, social and creative outlets.

Contact me TODAY for a FREE home evaluation!

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november 2020

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!

Coming Soon - Maplecrest

Lovely townhome with two large Bedrooms, each with its own bathroom. Perfectly updated with new hardwood floors, fixtures, granite counters, tile backsplash. New SS appliances in the kitchen and freshly painted throughout.

Private, fenced courtyard with outside storage.

Enjoy living in this great Ballantyne location.

Coming Soon - Stone Creek Ranch

Spacious 5 Bedroom / 3 Bath home on corner lot.

Open floor plan with main level guest room. Beautifully updated with new tile backsplash in bathrooms and new SS appliances in the Kitchen. New fixtures, granite counters, and hardwood floors. Freshly painted throughout! Wonderful Ballantyne community with pool, playground, clubhouse and recreation.

Coming Soon – Basement Home Ballantyne Country Club

Gorg eous custom home on cul-de-sac overlooking the #11 f a i r w a y.

Circular drive, stately doubledoor entry, and beautiful brick/stone exterior. Covered porches, elegant wide stairway, columned entryways, deep trey ceilings, and a dream Kitchen. Amazing basement with generous bar, wine cellar, and flexible recreation areas. Abundant walk-in storage, wonderful curb appeal. Simply exquisite!

Coming Soon - Ballantyne Country Club

Golf Course View / Basement Home. Spectacular brick home with finished basement on the golf course in Ballantyne Country Club!!

Wonderful Kitchen with granite counters & maple cabinetry. Beautiful Great room with fireplace and builtins. Barreled ceiling foyer, beautiful hardwoods, plantation shutters, coffered ceilings, tray ceilings, beamed ceilings and vaulted ceilings are among the many wonderful details in this exquisite home. Beautiful curb appeal and excellent walk-in storage. Main level terrace and lower level covered terrace overlook a pristine rear yard and the golf course.

Coming Soon - Ballantyne Townhome

Completely updated!! Beautiful 2 Bed / 2.5 Bath townhome in Ballantyne.

Large Bedrooms, each with its own bathroom, walk-in closet and vaulted ceiling. Spacious Kitchen with center island. Private, fenced courtyard with outside storage. Amazing opportunity!

Lot – Longbrooke

Here is your amazing opportunity to become a part of the one-of-a-kind gated Longbrooke community! This premiere address offers elegance, privacy and low SC taxes. Longbrooke features custom Old World style estates, rolling topography, the soft lighting of gas lantern lining each street and a fountain garden which serves as a serene focal point for the wooded neighborhood home. Bring your builder and build the home of your dreams here!! $124,000

New Listing - Ballantyne Country Club

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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!! ....xpansive Built-ins, Lots of Storage. Shows pride of ownership throughout! This home is truly a pleasure to see! $1,399,000

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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.

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Beautiful, brand new construction with stone exterior, covered front porch and attached 1-car garage. Graceful open floor plan, Kitchen with stainless steel appliances and granite counters, spacious Master Suite and walk-in closet.

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Increase Your

Knowledge

Banyan Banyan, also called Indian banyan or banyan fig, is an unusually shaped tree of the mulberry family native to the Indian subcontinent.

Banyan is India’s national tree.

Older banyan trees are characterized by aerial prop roots that mature into thick, woody trunks, which can become indistinguishable from the primary trunk over time.

The banyan can reach heights up to 100 feet and spread laterally indefinitely. Aerial roots that develop from its branches descend and take root in the soil to become new trunks. One tree may in time assume the appearance of a very dense thicket as a result of the tangle of roots and trunks.

One tree, known as Thimmamma Marrimanu, in Andhra Pradesh, India, is thought to have the broadest canopy of any tree in the world. It is estimated to be over 550 years old.

The leaves of the banyan tree are large, leathery, glossy, green, and elliptical.

The name was originally thought to have been given by travelers who saw that the shade of the tree was frequented by Banyans (a corruption of the word Baniyas, who are a community of Indian traders).

The Economist magazine features an opinion column covering topics pertaining to Asia named “Banyan”.

During India’s struggle for independence from Britain, the British hung hundreds of rebels to their deaths from banyan trees.

Hindus say a banyan tree at Jyotisar is the one Krishna stood near when he delivered the sermon of the Bhagavad Gita.

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november 2020

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B I P I N PA R E K H R E A LT Y, L L C LICENSED IN NORTH CAROLINA & SOUTH CAROLINA Bipin Parekh

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Owner / Broker / Realtor.

Licensed in nC / SC 704.841.9318 (H) 704.608.8469 (cell) E-Mail: Bipinparekh45@gmail.com

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Sisir Penugonda 704.724.2312 psisir@gmail.com

Sowmya Reddy Godi 862.754.8325 Godi.ncsc@gmail.com

karunaker Donuru 609.721.1977 k.donuru@yahoo.com

Sudhakar Reddy Meenige 704.706.5174 Relator.Sudhakar17@gmail.com

Nagapadmavathi kalidindi 980.833.2939 360.786.1239 padmak.realtor@gmail.com

Balaji Tatineni 803.280.4809 tatinenib@yahoo.com

Manjesh Gorajala 704.303.1021 408.256.2659 manjesh.realtor@outlook.com

Sreedhar Perla 980.465.9695

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Amith Satheesh 704.763.0088 amithkidu@gmail.com

Sudhakar Chegireddy 862.754.8326 Chegireddy@gmail.com

Sri Anish Varma Pinnamaraju 980.680.7369 srisaihomes369@gmail.com

kavitha Maroju 704.524.4431 aikyarealtors@gmail.com

Vikas kumar jhamb 980.245.2500 vikasjhamb.realtor@gmail.com

Rutu Viroja 704.771.0669 rhviroja@gmail.com

Mohan Guttula 980.298.0747 mohan.guttula.realtor@gmail.com

Venkata (Bala) Mekala 803.370.6337 balavm4re@gmail.com

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Shailesh H Chhatrala 980.253.3504 realtor.sam@outlook.com

Avni Pambhar 704.750.1202 Avni.Pambhar@gmail.com

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Hare Krishna Temple Sandy Ridge, NC

Crown

Sudarshan Chakra

Hare Krishna Temple - The Temple Of The Holy Name in Sandy Ridge, North Carolina This is your opportunity to take part in finishing the Shikar, the Crown, and installing the Chakra on the Crown!

This temple project was started in 1996, and is nearly completed.

The Temple of the Holy Name here in Prabhupada Village has been having Sunday Kirtan and Hare Krishna Sunday Feasts (distribution of Krishna Prasadam free of charge) since 1992.

Although the current pandemic has slowed down participation from the general public, we have been using the time to work on the temple. What we need to finish is as follows: 1) The Crown $4,500 2) Gold-electroplating of the Chakra (we already have the Solid Copper Chakra) About $5,000 3) Installing the Crown and Chakra, crane rental etc. $1,500 Total cost (items 1, 2 and 3 above) for installing the Crown and Chakra--$11,000 (Once in a lifetime opportunity-leave your legacy on this temple) 4) TPO roofing $34,875 5) Wrought Iron balcony and stair railings, and security gates to protect the Altar $9,200

Total cost for the above items is $55,075! Your gift now--will be doubled! In order to complete the temple construction promptly, one of the temple's principal supporters has committed to match every gift the temple receives for construction up to $30,000! All gifts, large or small will be graciously accepted and names of the donors will be posted in the temple, unless anonymity is requested. Now is the time to get some special mercy, Krishna's Mercy! Please send your tax-deductible gift today and come and chant the Holy Names with us--Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare

FOR YOUR DONATION, VISIT

iskconpv.org/donate.html CHOOSE YOUR AMOUNT AND CLICK DONATE NOW. Some of the Services the Temple Of The Holy Name Provides: Free Sunday Feast- Kirtan, Gita discussion, and distribution of Krishna Prasadam-Every Sunday at 3 pm Vaisnava Priest available to do Agnihotra Yajna; Havan; Vivaha Yajna Weddings; Griha Pravesh; New Car Puja; and other Samskaras etc at the temple or in your home Daily classes on Bhagavad Gita and Srimad Bhagavatam

Temple of The Holy Name, Inspired by: A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Founder-Acarya of ISKCON and the greatest exponent of Krishna Consciousness in the western world.

Temple of The Holy Name, ISKCON of Sandy Ridge 1283 Prabhupada Village, Sandy Ridge, NC 27046 Tax exempt EIN: 56-1858067. Contributions can be mailed to 'Temple Of The Holy Name' and mailed to the above address.

For information on sponsorship & grants email : madhuhadasa@gmail.com or call: 336-558-7340

Increase Your

USA  Knowledge Magnolia Few trees in the United States are considered as quintessentially Southern as the magnolia.

Their big, waxy, glossy leaves and big, fragrant flowers are familiar sights in the south.

Magnolias bloom in white, pink, red, purple, or yellow, and while some species flower in the heat of summer, others bloom in late winter giving hints of incoming spring.

Magnolias are deciduous like evergreen trees and shrubs.

Magnolia growing zones vary by species, but most all of them thrive in full sun or partial shade with regular water. Some are grown for use as foliage plants. Some even grow big and thick enough to be used as privacy plantings.

Steel Magnolias is a 1989 American comedydrama film about the bond among a group of women from Louisiana. The gist of the story is they can be as beautiful as magnolias and also tough as steel. The ladies argue about a specific magnolia tree in the beginning of the film, which is based on the 1987 play of the same name by Robert Harling.

Magnolias are somewhat unique among flowering trees and shrubs in their tolerance for shady conditions, but the trees don’t do well with wet boggy soil.

Magnolias are believed to be the earliest known flowering plants, with their fossils dating back over 100 million years. Magnolia trees are thought to have been around before bees evolved, so they rely on beetles for pollination.

The oldest trees on the grounds of the White House are two southern magnolias planted between 1829 and 1837 by President Andrew Jackson.

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november 2020

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Desai & Desai LLP www.desaillp.com Anup Desai or Parag Patel 1000 Bearcat Way, Suite 105, Unit 3 Morrisville, NC 27560

520-252-5271 eFax: 704-973-7935 parag@desaillp.com

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704-845-0918 or 704-845-0915 eFax: 704-973-7935 anup@desaillp.com or bhishma@desaillp.com

november 2020

Feel the Burn?

Acid Blocking Medications Many chronic heartburn sufferers turn to antacids or other medications for relief. Some medications, known as Proton Pump Inhibitors (PPIs), work to reduce the amount of acid in the stomach. These medications treat the symptoms of GERD but not the disease.

PPIs are overprescribed and although long-term use of PPIs daily may reduce or eliminate symptoms, they do not stop the flow of stomach contents into the esophagus.

Consequently, GERD can progress and potentially lead to complications such as Barrett’s esophagus or esophageal cancer.

PPIs also seriously impact the composition of intestinal bacteria. When the quantity of beneficial bacteria is reduced in the gut, there is an opportunity for pathogenic bacteria to grow. numerous research studies have shown that chronic PPI users had less gut bacterial diversity, making them more prone to intestinal infections.

Chronic use of acid blockers can cause Achlorhydria (no acid) or Hypochlorhydria (low acid). These conditions can cause damage to the gastrointestinal (GI) system, increased infections, and a number of chronic health issues such as Thyroid disorders and anemia.

Nutrition for Life

by Parul Kharod

Stomach Acid To understand acidity, let’s understand what this acid is and why we have it. Our stomach makes hydrochloric acid (HCl) and other enzymes that are important for digestion.

Approximately two liters of HCl is produced daily.

Hydrochloric acid helps your body to break down, digest, and absorb nutrients. It also eliminates bacteria and viruses in the stomach, protecting your body from infection. The most important thing to understand is that we need that stomach acid!

GeRD/Acid Reflux/Heartburn GERD stands for Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease, and it affects approximately 20 percent of the population. GERD, acid reflux and heartburn are terms used interchangeably but they have slightly different meanings.

Acid reflux is the backward flow of acid from the stomach back into the esophagus and throat.

• Heartburn is a symptom of acid reflux. During an episode of acid reflux, you might feel a burning sensation in your chest.

• GeRD is the chronic, more severe form of acid reflux, which may cause frequent heartburn —two or more times a week. You may not always experience heartburn when you have GERD.

Ayurvedic Principles of Digestion According to Ayurveda, the root of all diseases lies within the digestive tract. The strength and weaknesses of digestion are dependent upon the power of Agni (fire). Agni is present within saliva, stomach acids, bile, and enzymes of the pancreatic and small intestine. When there is Sama Agni, everything is in balance. The digestive fire is strong, and supports a healthy appetite, optimal digestion, energy, satiety, and overall health.

When Agni is slow (Manda Agni), there are symptoms such as low appetite, slow digestion, heaviness in the stomach, acid reflux, and irregular bowel movements. When there is Tikshna Agni, there are symptoms such as large appetite, low blood sugar, hyperacidity, gastric or bile reflux and inflammatory digestive disorders. Vishama Agni is when things are haphazard. Sometimes there may be good digestion and sometimes there may be symptoms such as gas, bloating, abdominal discomfort, constipation and lower bowel disorders. Another traditional classification of indigestion is known as Ajirna where the normal state of Agni is disturbed, and can lead to a negative effect on physical and emotional health.

Common GeRD symptoms: Heartburn Difficulty swallowing Excessive salivation Regurgitation Gas and bloating Pain or discomfort in the chest Intolerance of certain foods and liquids Bad breath or a sour taste in the mouth

Atypical or other less common GeRD symptoms: Hoarseness or laryngitis Frequent swallowing Asthma or asthma-like symptoms Excessive clearing of the throat Chronic dry, irritated, or sore throat Persistent cough Burning in the mouth or throat (acid taste in the mouth) Teeth and gum disease or inflammation Discomfort in the ears and nose Trouble sleeping

Digestive Imbalance may be caused by: Eating or drinking too much, too little or the wrong types of foods for our constitutional needs Eating on the go Erratic meal times not chewing food well Eating too late at night or too close to bedtime Drinking too much liquid at or close to mealtimes

Causes There is no known single cause of GERD. Reflux can be caused by poor clearance of food or acid from the esophagus, too much acid in the stomach, or delayed stomach emptying.

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Reality Show Imitating Art Or Something Scary Like That Subcontinental Divide

by Ahsen Jillani

Writing this heading into the elections, the last thing I want to write about is elections. Actually, just hours ago, I finished my last political project and got in my pajamas and sprayed an organic screen cleaner on the dusty little TV in front of the camping cot in my office; I was ready for some chilled action.

This thing called Amazon popped up, followed by netflix and HBO and all this visual clutter.

Trailers started playing without me asking anything and in a panic I pressed the button on the remote that had a voice symbol and said Hello Siri and nothing happened. Hello Sarah. Hello Ashley.

Hello Jessica. nothing.

Over the last few months, I had been thinking about movies that influenced me way back when I saw movies, and I kept thinking about The Big Chill from 1983. It wasn’t a romcom like Sleepless in Seattle, but it was quiet. I mean, nobody died. I mean, yeah, somebody died; that’s what the movie was about – the funeral – but you know what I mean: it was stylish. All these search functions and Saathee.com

I never found the movie; and I was prepared to even spend up to 10 bucks purchasing it just to celebrate the end of American politics (or the American experiment; however you want to see the current train wreck).

I turned it all off and looked for the movie on my phone, and opted to see the original 2-minute trailer from 1983 on YouTube. That was about all I needed. Deeper into that night, drinking some kind of kombucha tea my daughter had gotten and staring at my neighbor’s five million candlepower security light pointing right at my face in this dead-end cul-de-sac in suburbia, I started to wonder – and bad things happen when I wonder.

When I saw The Big Chill in a theater in 1983, I was dating a girl who was a rich private school upper middle class princess. Hers was a world of country clubs and yachts, and she smelled of Pendleton wool and freshly baked apple pies. It was always a Southern Thanksgiving in the life she lived – beautiful fall weather, the political conversations, the smell of turkey, the abject dysfunctionality of America. I just loved being invisible in that world, because it was like I was nothing more than an invisible camera snooping on a culture that billions on this planet fantasize about. now I know things. now I know things 41 years out, looking at the underbelly of the angst-ridden beast that corporate entities have created on a global level. This day in 2020, fresh from watching the trailer of a movie, I was wondering why Americans are always dancing in kitchens. I have been in the kitchens of some of the richest homes in this state, of mill homes, and of trailers, but I have never seen Americans dancing to “I Heard it Through the Grapevine” while loading plates in the dishwasher.

This is a pandemic virus – life imitating art. Watching celebrities dancing and singing makes us think that is some sort of normal behavior that we lowly folks just were never party too. We need to crank up the music. These actors worth $200 million dollars like to celebrate … because they are worth $200 million. Time was that no subcontinent bride would dare raise even her eyes during the wedding. now, well, they shed the clothing and go into a line dancing routine that has been pre-rehearsed a hundred times before the wedding. The celebrity culture, the reality show culture, they now are continued on page 94 42

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Dance Festivals and COVID-19

Dances of India

by Dr. Maha Gingrich

Festivals are the most important part of our cultural fabric and an opportunity to learn about our own culture or cultures of our co-existing communities. It would have been the time to celebrate major Indian festivals such as Dasara and Diwali or Vijaya Dashami and Deepavali or however you want to spell it or name it depending on the regions. It is also time for fun and family gatherings for Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas and many major community events.

Going to these festivals is about the excitement of planning the times with your families and friends, with the anticipation and excitement building for months before the start of festivals. We can’t forget the fun of picking out the perfect outfits and jewelry. Once you get there, spending time with your old and new friends, or meeting family and cousins certainly becomes a joyful event that keeps you energized and happy. It brings us all together, giving us an opportunity to forget about our problems.

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This Pandemic put a halt to these joyful experiences. Many festivals in 2020 have been canceled or postponed. For dance lovers, it is “Garba” time. It would have been the time to just enjoy dancing until past midnight with pouring sweat and blisters on your feet for nine days or just enjoy watching others dance to the lively music.

In the past, many of these festivals were celebrated outdoors, a perfect setting for the current pandemic. I will share some information on a few of these dances and festivals. These were dedicated outdoor events to fit the crowds as large theaters are a newer concept in both social and dancing world.

The name Dasara is derived from Sanskrit Dasha-hara referring to Lord Rama’s victory over the ten-headed demon king Ravana. In most of northern India and some parts of Maharashtra, Dasha-Hara is celebrated in honor of Lord Rama known as Ram Lilas. Most of these dances are the outdoor dance dramas attracting thousands of people, which would be a perfect setting now with the pandemic crisis.

In South India, same outdoor dance dramas are called Pagati Veshalu.

Kathakali dance style from Kerala also features Valmiki Ramayana with amazing costumes, props and make up using the temporarily built stages. Folk Dance of Karnataka State Yakshaganam is performed widely depicting the story of Lord Rama’s victory over evil Ravana. In these unique dance dramas, the dancers must have a lot of stamina as they are also reciting dialogues and singing and dancing at the same time. I see it as an outdoor version of the Broadway show.

In Telangana, a joyful dance called Bathukamma is performed by all women.

In Telugu, Bathukamma means “Mother Goddess come Alive.” Bathukamma is a beautiful flower stack, arranged with different unique seasonal flowers, most of them with medicinal values, in seven concentric layers in the shape of a peak of a temple called Gopuram. As a young child in India, I remember creating my own artwork with flowers and dancing around the flowers joining elders in their singing and clapping while going around the Bathukammas in a huge circle blocking the neighborhood roads. continued on page 56 46

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Comedians at War Rajeev’s Corner

by Rajeev Aggerwhil

My wife and I have been married for 30 years. That’s a long time. People want to know if we ever fight and need marriage counseling. I tell them we hired a surrogate couple in India to outsource our arguments.

At night we give them a Hollywood-like script, our character descriptions and our conflicts. They fight all night and report the results in the morning. I am still waiting for a twist ending on one of these reports where I come out being right. I don’t have much hope because I know Hollywood’s secrets. If one thing works, you just make sequel after sequel.

“She is right. She is right again. She is right all the time.”

I thought we could capitalize on the idea of a surrogate couple and make a web series. If one thing definitely makes money, it is YouTube videos featuring middle-aged people. I wrote a script where her character calls my character an SOB but she refused to say it. I said, “Say it.” She said, “I’d never Saathee.com

say that.” “You say it all the time. You’re not afraid of saying it, you are afraid of me having proof on camera.”

When I talk to my American friends, they don’t know anything about Indians. They always assume I am like Gandhi. I do have a lot of similarities with Gandhi. Gandhi wanted peace. I want peace and quiet.

Gandhi went on a hunger strike to protest the war. I went on a hunger strike to protest my having to take the garbage out. Once an argument got so bad, I went on a hunger strike again. It only lasted two days because she started cooking all the dishes I love. Tikka masala. Palak Paneer.

Chole Bhuture. She knows the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach.

Every time my wife and I have a fight, I lose weight because I am too lazy to cook. After three days of not having breakfast and only having spinach salad for lunch and dinner, I shed a few pounds. So, in other words, my weight loss plan is to keep telling my wife she needs to lose weight!

When some people have a fight with their spouse, they really fall into their vices like drinking or drugs. My vice is pizza. “I can’t believe you called me a cheap selfish bastard! I am ordering a large pizza with mushrooms, pineapple and jalapeno.” Sometimes I pick a fight, just so I can order a pizza. I have to be careful, though. Last time, the pizza arrived before the fight even started. Some people have comfort food. I have conflict food.

I got my wife into comedy. At first, she didn’t want to do it. She was finally convinced when I told her that if she heard people laughing it meant she was right. Lately, she has gotten too much into comedy. If I talk too long, she starts shining the light at me. “Wrap it up. One minute.

Wrap up your part of the argument.” Then she points to herself, “Time continued on page 56 48

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Life:

Heads or

Tails?

poor bodies are stretched, twisted and pulled asunder, as our heads and tails negotiate furiously with each other, seeking a reasonable out-of-court settlement that would keep both parties somewhat appeased.

Thinking About Thinking

by Balaji Prasad

“There are three sides to every coin (Heads, Tails, and the Edge).

Your ability to understand contrasting points of view and your ability to glean what information you believe to be valuable from each side is a crucial skill.”

Devious heads The tails have no choice. They have to live on planet earth.

The heads, on the other hand, have an abundance of choices.

They can completely ignore what’s happening on terra firma and invent their own utopian dreams, complete with enchanted castles, beneficent angels and vanquishable demons. Or they may choose to be a little more indulgent with the tails, peeking below the clouds every once in a while and seeking to understand what actually happens where the rubber meets the road. And, maybe even shuffling the deck in the head every now and then, so that the voodoo works just a tad bit better. Some rare self-deprecating heads are even more gracious – they respect the tails, and bow to their infinite wisdom and perceptive grasp of reality gained painfully in the school of hard knocks.

But things are muddier than this. You may actually be thinking with your head when it appears as if it’s the tail that’s dominating. The head is pretty persuasive and it has a way of being the real leader while displaying an exaggerated but entirely feigned deference to the tail’s experience. And then there’s emotion! There’s nothing that knocks a tail off its trajectory than some well-placed emotion. Tears can tear the fabric of reality with the polished fierceness of a finely honed knife.

All this paints the heads in a dark light, as if they are malevolent, ruthless and devious monsters. That may be a bit harsher than warranted. The heads are equal citizens with the tails, of course, and we should accord them that status. They are the seats of intelligence after all. And imagination.

Intelligence and imagination are not all negative, even though they might have a habituated tendency to veer into a parallel universe all their own. However, if grounded by the experience of the tails, heads can add to – even, temper - the tails.

- Robert Kiyosaki

It is what it is!

However, it doesn’t matter one whit what it is. It is what it appears to be. There are only appearances! All matter in the world has to get crushed and squeezed into the gray matter whose definition of matter is the only matter that matters. We can call these distorted things “appearances” – even “illusions” – but it doesn’t really matter. In the end, that’s the only currency that our bank deals in.

Hexes and voodoo If you see X when it’s a Y in reality, does it matter that this distortion exists? Of course, it does. unless, for all practical purposes, X is close enough to Y. So if you do your math and logic with X, you can get close enough to the reality that Y is a part of. You can put your hexes on your X’s and the voodoo will play out on the Y’s, and no one will be any the wiser for it.

But what if the X is an X, and the Y is a Y, and the two live in completely parallel universes? Then you can stick all the pins and needles into your X’s, and nothing will happen to the Y’s in the way you wanted it to. All you’ll be left with are some twisted and tangled X’s and whatever damage they ended up causing to Y and the rest of the real world in the process. For, there is always voodoo. Always!

Our heads live up in the clouds of appearances but our tails scrape along on the rough terrains of reality. And, our Saathee.com

continued on page 56 54

november 2020

Two sides of the same coin So, heads can be devious and tails can be nasty. On the other hand, heads can be a calming restraint on those ornery tails, while grounded tails can keep vaporous heads from floating off into the stratosphere like so many balloons filled with helium.

For better or for worse, this coin has both heads and tails.

And it will be so until death do them part. until then ... Know when you need a head, and see when you need the tails, to keep you alive - not dead, and catch blowing wind in sails.

Raajeev Corner

continued from page 48

for the headliner to go on.” Comedy has really changed things at home for us. now she says she is not nagging. She is heckling me. When I complain, she says, “You don’t understand. I am trying to make you a better comic; while you take out the trash.”

People ask us if we perform together. We tried it once. We decided that we would split up the jokes. I said, “OK, you make fun of my father, my brother and his wife. I’ll make fun of your mother.” She was a bit surprised. She asked, “Do you need more relatives?” I said, “no, your mom alone gives me enough material!”

It is strange reviewing my wife’s comedy material with her because I am really just helping her make fun of myself. I end up telling her, “So at this point, call me a jerk. Like really talk about what a terrible guy I am. You’re right; I am a cheap absentminded guy. Bring that up. Talk about Valentine’s Day when instead of flowers, I got you a potted plant.” The more material I help her discover, the more I end up in the doghouse. But a pizza keeps me company.

After our last argument, I said, “You know that fight wasn’t that good. That was like a Wednesday off-night fight. For our prime-time Friday night show, you really need to bring your Agame.” Since she started doing comedy, our fights have also become much more efficient. We were arguing the other day and she started laying out some very logical, calm reasons why I was wrong. I was like, “Get to the punchline. Call me an idiot or something.”

Comedy has got into our lives. now when we argue, we approach it just like we would approach a comedy set. We argue for five minutes. When that time is up, we are done. Then we spend few hours thinking of what we should have said. “That line would have been so much better if I would have said this.”

When I reflect back on our marriage, I am glad my wife and I are able to bring creativity into our lives through comedy. A lot of marriages fail because couples stagnate. In order to add a spark to their lives, they subconsciously bring drama into their lives. We are lucky. Comedy allows us to channel our creativity and create drama where it really belongs. On stage!

Balaji Prasad is an IIT/IIM graduate, a published author, SAT/ACT Online and in-person Coach, and K-12 Math Tutor at NewCranium. balaji.prasad@newcranium.com.

Dances of India

continued from page 46

I do not want to miss mentioning Durga Puja and the ceremonial processional dances in Kolkata. I will never forget my trip to Kolkata as a young girl and then getting stuck in the traffic due to Vijaya Dashami celebrations. One can only say that Durga puja is the largest outdoor art festival on earth. The music, dancing, and art displayed and performed during the puja played an integral part in connecting the community in Bengal, and eventually across India and the world. I was so mesmerized by the size of celebration filled with live music, colorful clothing and impromptu high energy dance moves, that I never felt the two hours of being stuck in the car.

In Kuchipudi dance style repertoire, one of the most famous outdoor dance dramas is the Mahishasura Mardhini, the killing of the buffalo demon Mahishasura. Goddess fought with evil demon for nine nights and ten days. The name Vijayadashami is also derived from the Sanskrit words “Vijaya-Dashami” literally meaning the victory on the tenth day.

This is the unstoppable beauty of our Indian classical and folk dances. We figured out outdoor events and festivals thousands of years ago. You can use your devices and applications such as Zoom, Facetime, and Skype, but the festival feeling is inevitably missing when watching or participating in the events via our electronic devices. The energy we gain from social interaction is an essential part of being human. Enjoy your festivals, dance until your feet can’t move and cherish your relationships by staying safe and healthy. Just remember to follow our ancient outdoor practices, now called social distancing.

Raajeev Aggerwhil LA-based comedian has starred in Nickelodeon’s 100 Things to Do Before High School. Follow him on Instagram and Twitter @raajeevcomedy.

Thinking

continued from page 54

Dr. Maha Gingrich Ill-tempered tails Tails need to be tempered, because they are not as docile For questions or comments contact via e-mail at Gingrichmaha@gmail.com. as it would appear. They have their own dark animal side too.

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estimates that a couple with expensive medications may need nearly $400,000. In the worst case scenarios, it could conceivably go higher. This just goes to show how much we need to be prepared in our golden years for such out of pocket expenses.

To contribute to the plan, especially for an HSA established by the self-employed, the contribution does not have to come from your earned money; anybody in your family can contribute to it. It is in fact an attractive way of filling up the need for making up your annual contributions.

HSA can be used as a checking account to cover current medical costs and/or as an investment account to save for future costs. And this investment part of the account will take you way past your age of 65 when you can start paying the medical expenses from this account including your long term care insurance (LTCI) premiums but Medicare health insurance premiums aren’t typically considered qualified health expenses for a HSA. But your other authorized out of pocket health medical expenses are.

So this creates another interesting scene about your investment philosophy if you have 401k and HSA with your employer. It is wise to fully invest in your 401k at least to a point where you get full participation from your employer which is around 4 percent (generally between 3 and 6 percent). This is free money that you cannot just afford to leave on the table. I would strongly suggest that you should go beyond that and fully participate in the 401k plan which takes you up to $19,500 for 2020. If HSA is available then you should go for it too and get the full participation from the corporation for their contribution besides your own. So far everything you have done is all pre-tax money and full contribution in both from the employer. If it is not possible then I would suggest that 401k should be cut back a bit but make sure that you maintain full contribution from your employer; that is the free money I was talking about earlier.

HSAs are triple tax advantaged. Investors can fund the account with pre-tax dollars, interest earned or growth in the account isn’t taxed and the distributions aren’t taxed when they are used on qualified medical expenses and actually after a certain age, the 20 percent penalty for using HSA funds on nonqualified expenses goes away. At age 65, HSA is a 401k on steroids. If you use it for qualified medical expenses then it is tax free. If you use it for something other than that you are just paying ordinary tax on it. If you are using additional money from your 401k for your medical expenses in retirement, you actually end up paying more taxes on Medicare part B & D because that premium is based on your modified adjusted income. As against that if you use HSA you avoid paying more for your Medicare premiums.

Have You Explored Them Yet?

HSA (Health Savings Accounts) Personal Finances

by Mo Vidwans

Many companies these days offer Health Savings Accounts as feasible health insurance plans where you have a very high deductible and a low premium to go with it. Young families, with not too many occasions to get ill, can get attracted to it and for them it actually can work well. When the plan is offered, you can open HSA where you and the company both contribute pretax money into that account and you use it to satisfy the medical expenses from this high deductible amount if the need arises. There are just so many advantages offered by this plan that it will be a mistake not to look at it seriously.

The annual contribution limits for HSA in 2020 increased to $3,550 for individual accounts and $7,100 for family accounts. This is how much total contribution can be made to the account from your pretax income per year. The company you work for will/could contribute their own money also. These assets can be invested properly and can grow substantially by the time you retire. In the meantime when the medical expenses arise you pay them out from this account, once approved, and pay directly to the provider. no taxes involved for approved distributions; you just have to keep records and file form 8889 at the time of doing tax returns.

It seems all straight forward so far; so where are all the real benefits coming from? The benefits come from how the plan details are handled.

HSA account is treated like a 401k or your own IRA account.

That should ring many bells immediately. Your IRA account is your retirement money and it stays with you all the way. So does HSA. Even if you are working for a company and the company encourages you to open an account for a HDHP and most of them contribute to it, it is your account and you take it with you when you leave and use the money for all future legal medical expenses, tax free.

After the age of 65, even though you cannot contribute to it at that point because now you are eligible for Medicare, you can still continue to let it grow and use that money for all the future approved medical expenses; this has to be one of the biggest hidden advantages of having such an account. Health care is among the biggest expenses we will face in our retirement and the wildly disparate estimates, that I am going to quote below, make it hard to plan for. Fidelity estimates that a couple who retires today would need $285,000 to cover medical expenses in their lifetime under ordinary circumstances. The employee benefit research institute (EBRI) Saathee.com

Mo Vidwans is an independent, board certified financial planner. For details visit, VidwansFinancial.com, call 984-888-0355 or write to: mpvidwans@yahoo.com 60

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Competition Shrank in Majority of Health Insurance Markets Where it is the Scarcest

Competition and choice continue to fade away for many patients as most highly concentrated markets for commercial health insurance have grown even more concentrated than they were five years ago, according to the recent release of the American Medical Association’s annual analysis: Competition in Health Insurance: A Comprehensive Study of u.S. Markets.

Between 2014 and 2019, the share of markets that were highly concentrated increased from 71 percent to 74 percent.

Moreover, more than half (52 percent) of the markets that were highly concentrated in 2014 grew even more concentrated by 2019.

“For many of the 70 million Americans who live in highly concentrated health insurance markets, a lack of competition is a problem that keeps getting worse as consumers have more limited health insurance options to choose,” said AMA President Susan R. Bailey, M.D. “The AMA strongly encourages a dialogue among regulators, policymakers, lawmakers, and others about the need for a better, more open and competitive marketplace to benefit patients and the physicians who care for them.”

The 2020 edition of Competition in Health Insurance: A Comprehensive Study of u.S. Markets analyzed market concentration in all 384 metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs), the 50 states and the District of Columbia using the HerfindahlHirschman Index (HHI). Markets that exceed an HHI of 2500 points are “highly concentrated” according to federal guidelines. High levels of market concentration result in diminished competitive constraints, which can thereby harm patients by keeping health insurance premiums high.

The commercial health insurance market for ElizabethtownFort Knox, Ky. is an illustrative example of a highly concentrated market that has grown even more concentrated during the last five years. In 2014, this MSA-level market had an HHI of 3534—exceeding the federal threshold for a highly Saathee.com

concentrated market by more than 1000 points. By 2019, increased market concentration resulted in an HHI of 5159, a change of 1625 points.

The substantial change in the HHI for Elizabethtown-Fort Knox reflects a large increase in market share of the dominant health insurer. In this MSA-level market, the dominant health insurer was Anthem with a 45 percent market share in 2014.

Anthem’s market share increased to 70 percent by 2019. High market shares and high concentration levels are concerning because they increase the risk of exercising market power, such as squeezing out competitors, raising prices, reducing output or diminishing innovation without fear of losing business to rival health insurers.

Like the experience of Elizabethtown-Fort Knox, several of the study’s findings point to worsening conditions across most of the MSAs examined by the AMA. The average MSA-level market had an HHI of 3473—exceeding the federal threshold for a highly concentrated market by nearly 1000 points. Market concentration levels increased on net between 2014 and 2019 with the average market HHI rising by 151 points. Fifty-six percent of markets experienced an increase in the HHI, and in 17 percent of markets the HHI increased by at least 500 points.

In markets with a rise in the HHI, the average increase was 481 points.

Widespread market concentration reflects the fact that 92 percent of MSA-level markets had a single insurer with a market share of 30 percent or greater, while 48 percent of MSAlevel markets had a single insurer with a market share of 50 percent or greater.

The prospect of future consolidation in the health insurance industry should be viewed in the context of the low levels of competition in most health insurance markets. For nearly 20 continued on page 82 62

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News Notes november 21-22, 2020 Ragas Live Festival will feature those legends of global music along with Alam Khan, Krishna Mohan Bhatt, Swapan Chauduri and many others for a once-in-alifetime event.

Ragas Live Festival has grown to become a vital element in the cultural landscape of new York City. Since its inception in 2012 when 50 musicians broadcast the theme of “Community, unity, and Harmony" from WKCR, the festival has expanded to become a popular event at several locations around nYC. This year festival goes global and virtual.

Broadcasting video at https://live.pioneerworks.org/ragas beginning november 21, 2020 at 7 pm (EST).stival is slated to be held. For more details, visit Rannutsav.com.

VFS Global to Replace Cox & Kings Global Services

Indian Embassy Changes Outsourcing Service Provider The existing service center of Cox & Kings Global Services (CKGS) in Washington DC for providing outsourcing services for Visa, OCI, Renunciation, Passport and Global Entry Program (GEP) has been shut down and is in the process of switching to VFS Global.

Government of India’s contract with CKGS has expired.

Any further applications will be handled by the Indian Embassy until VFS Global is set to accept them, which should be at the beginning of november. until VFS Global takes over, the Embassy of India will provide direct limited services only in emergencies. Applicants are advised to keep in mind consular jurisdiction as well as the emergency contact information of the Embassy/Consulates in uSA and submit an application to the relevant office. These details are available at Indianembassyusa.gov.in/extra?id=60: Emergency visa to the eligible categories allowed traveling to India as per the advisories issued from time to time by the Government of India. Visa applicants are requested to send an email to: asovisa.washington@mea.gov.in and visa1.washington@mea.gov.in requesting for emergency visa.

On receipt of the documentation checklist, applicants are requested to carefully go through the requirements relating to the different categories of visa before submitting their applications.

The Embassy may request additional documentation in certain cases.

For emergency passport services, applicants are requested to send an email to: attcons1.washington@mea.gov.in explaining the reason. Only after approval from the Embassy, the application process must be initiated by the applicant.

OCI services will remain suspended till the new service provider takes over.

Applicants residing in the consular jurisdictions of Consulates General of India at Atlanta, Chicago, Houston, new York and San Francisco, may visit the websites of respective Consulates for information on the services during the transition period.

The contact details of VFS Global, service fees details, hours will be published on Embass of India website. .

AAHOA’s Charlotte Charity Golf Tournament Raises Over $67,000

Ragas Live Festival 2020 In it's 9th year, Ragas Live Festival 2020 expands to an epic 24-hour free broadcast featuring legends of global music from 13 cities around the world.

The founders of nYC's Ragas Live Festival knew they couldn't have a live Pandit Krishna Mohan Bhatt festival this year.

They decided to live stream the festival, and quickly realized the extent that the internet could break down the barriers of festival logistics. With artists like Terry Riley, Zakir Hussain, Toumani Diabate, Andy Statman, and Betsayda Machado sidelined by the pandemic, they saw an opportunity- and Saathee.com

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AAHOA’s 2020 Charlotte Charity Golf Tournament raised over $67,000 to benefit 11 local and national charities, including Second Harvest Food Bank of Metrolina, uSO of north Carolina, and Jamie Kimble Foundation for Courage. This event was hosted outdoors August 1 – 2, 2020 at the Golf Club at Ballantyne in Charlotte with appropriate social distancing measures, masks, and other health and safety protocols in place.

“The COVID-19 pandemic is inflicting so much hardship on our communities and our nation. With the hospitality sector hit particularly hard, it is heartening to see so many hoteliers coming together to support so many worthy causes in our communities. I attended the tournament in Charlotte, and, after months of virtual events, it was truly a pleasure to see our AAHOA Members and industry partners enjoying a healthy dose of socially-distanced competition,” said AAHOA President & CEO Cecil P. Staton. “Even in difficult times, the generosity of our AAHOA Members shines through.”

AAHOA Chairman Biran Patel said, “As hoteliers, we strive to support the communities and people we serve. AAHOA Members in Charlotte did exceptional work in organizing a successful event that was safe, fun, and a benefit to our community. Throughout the pandemic, countless AAHOA Members donated personal protective equipment, lodging, meals, and more to the members of our communities hit hardest by this crisis. Service is what we do, and I am honored to serve an association of compassionate hoteliers who continue to lift up those around them.”

The event was hosted by Akshat Patel, Jay Trini Patel, Vimal Hardev, and Vinay Patel. november 2020

in the power or Shakti of Goddess Durga, who is Maa to us. The arrival of Durga Puja is the highlight of the Bengali calendar.

The celebration permeates every aspect of a hard-core Bengali’s existence. My childhood in the melting pot called Mumbai also taught me to embrace the diversity of India. We rejoiced during Navratri with equal enthusiasm recognizing that both festivals run in parallel and celebrate the divine powers of Goddess Parvati in her multiple forms. However, during my student life there was a formidable force that usually dampened my spirits and that of other kids during this time of year. That force was called “exams” scheduled when the sounds of garba and dandiya raas were the loudest and the gaiety of Durga Puja was at its peak.

Shopping and pandal hopping for Durga Darshan were restrained to prevent any interference with cramming.

Changing the school or university calendar was beyond my control and complaining at home was usually met with unsympathetic reactions from my parents who believed that studies came first. In essence, the inopportune tests stole some of the merriment, but it could never rob us of our will to celebrate. Consequently, I let bygones be bygones and erased those disappointments to replace them with our Americanized yet lively version of Durga Puja in Charlotte. Paper plates, school auditoriums, DIY backdrops took the place of banana leaves, pandals and professional decorations, respectively. Over the years, what we lacked in scale was compensated by the loving, close knit family environment of our community.

At this moment, it is mid-October and as I stare at the warm glow of the sun my focus changes to the modified celebrations.

Excitement is currently tempered with a dose of anxiety as we make tentative plans to meet with select families within our

Puja in a Pandemic Namaskar, Y’all

by Shyama Parui Every day we are reminded of the new challenges brought on by the new decade. Collectively, our species has succumbed to some of them and surmounted others. The staunchest critics of “work from home” had to bow to the greater need for survival. Whether you are a fashionista or minimalist, you probably went to great lengths to acquire the humblest of paper products a.k.a., toilet paper. And in this scenario, despite grim reports of positive Corona virus cases and deaths, we are trying to survive and be one up on the disease that paralyzed us in spring. It is fall now so, “Hey COVID 19, if you are listening, we will show you that even if we cannot ignore you, we refuse to let you ruin our festive season.”

For a writer, the pandemic has generated multiple opportunities to observe, reflect and to write home about. The bane of Corona: unexpected time on our hands, the struggle to fit into the new normal and an incredibly unique academic experience for students. In all honesty, underneath my calm demeanor lies the frustration that our minds are involuntarily diverted to COVID 19 and much to my surprise, I still have thoughts to pen down. That realization makes me roll my eyes, but the mellow excitement of the Bengali festive season redeems the otherwise desolate situation.

As I have mentioned before in my column, I am a Bengali who grew up in Mumbai and eventually made north Carolina my home. My roots to West Bengal ensure my ingrained belief Saathee.com

continued on page 82 66

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Upcoming Hindu Center Events & Activities: Temple Open for Worship Daily Dhan Teras: Friday, November 13 Kali Chaudas: Saturday, November 14 Diwali / Mahavir Nirvana Day: Saturday, November 14 Annakut / Govardhan Pooja / New Year: Sunday, November 15 Tulsi Vivah: Sunday, November 29 Karthik Poornima Deepotsavam: Sunday, November 29 Balaji Anniversary: Saturday, Dec 19 Gita Jayanti: Sunday, Dec 20 Vaikuntha Ekadasi: Friday, December 25 Lohri: Wednesday, January 13; Pongal / Bhogi Pallu: Saturday, Jan 16; Makar Sankranti: Sunday, Jan 17

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Diwali Celebration 38th Anniversary

November 13th (Fri) to November 15th (Sun) DATE November 13th (Fri)

EVENT Dhanteras Laxmi Puja

TIME 7 pm - 8 pm

AARTI 8 pm

November 14th (Sat)

Kali Chaudas /Diwali Lord Hanumanji’s Abhisekham Lord Ram Sita Kalyanam Diwali Puja Bhajans

2 pm – 4 pm 5 pm - 7 pm 7 pm - 7:30 pm 7:30 pm - 8 pm

8 pm After Bhajans

Annakut New Year’s Day, Temple opens Evening Bhajans

All Day 6 am 7 pm - 8 pm

Morning Aarti 8 am Aarti Noon Evening Aarti 8 pm

Diwali Cultural Program Diwali Dinner and Entertainment

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Tulsi Vivah

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November 29th (Sun)

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After Aarti

Aarti 8 pm

November 15th (Sun)

Humble request from the Diwali Committee: Due to COVID, temple donations are down. Please support as much as you can. We request you to please wear masks, maintain distance and wash your hands. The Temple is open all day during the Diwali days, so please visit any time and get Laxmi Mata, Lord Ram and Lord Hanuman blessing. Day times may be not be busy times.

Volunteer Contacts:

• Decoration & Annakut – Rashmika Patel 980.322.3505, Prerna Amin 704.548.8454, Bharti Patel 704.678.9991 and Varsha and Subodh Patel –704.264.5949 • No Annakut Prasad this year so please give your donations instead • No Fireworks this Year • Volunteer for Traffic control – Nirav Pandya – 570.205.2636 • For more information or to participate in the Puja – Call the Temple at 704.535.3440

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november 2020

Creamy Spiced Corn on the Cob

Saathee RECIPES

Hi Saathee family, Taige here, this month I have a super simple side dish that will be sure to wow at your upcoming Diwali and Thanksgiving celebrations! Maize, makka, makai, corn, it is used all over the world. The simple cereal grain has been dressed up and down for all occasions; from popcorn and tortillas to grits and polenta, this master of disguise never disappoints. In India corn has been seen in sabzis, roti and, as a personal favorite, a street-side snack. In case you’ve never experienced it, Indian Street Corn is simply corn on the cob that has been roasted and covered with lemon, salt and your favorite Indian spices. Always a crowd favorite at any BBQ or cook out.

Here we’re putting a Desi twist on a traditional American favorite, creamed corn, just in time for Thanksgiving. Creamy Spiced Corn on the Cob, or as I like to call it Amma’s Mast Makai, is something my cousins and I always look forward to this time of year! The spiced-curdled sauce paired with the sweet crunch of the corn kernels is a flavor combo that can’t be beat! Even as a kid, when I refused to eat anything but batata nu shak (curried potatoes), Amma’s Mast Makai always made the cut. This side dish uses only a handful of ingredients and always leaves you wanting more. In the recipe below the measurements are for 4 frozen cobs (or 2 large corn cobs halved) but feel free to use as many corn cobs as you’d like, just adjust the measurements accordingly. I hope everyone has a happy, safe, yummy Diwali and Thanksgiving.

Enjoy! Watch the “How-To” video at Saathee.com/Taige.

Ingredients 4 corn on the cob halves (I used frozen) 1 tbsp cooking oil 1 tsp mustard seeds 1-2 cups water ½ tsp salt 1-2 cups whole milk (you will need more if using 2%)

Directions 1 2 3

¼ tsp cayenne pepper ½ tsp sugar Pinch of turmeric Salt to taste

Saathee.com

4

By Taige Shukla

Start with a medium pot or pan with high edges (adjust size according to the amount of corn you use). On medhigh heat, add oil and mustard seeds. Cook for 2-3 minutes. Once seeds are sizzling add the corn.

now pour in water until the corn is halfway submerged.

Bring to a boil, add in salt, and cook until the water is almost completely evaporated. Be sure to rotate the corn occasionally.

Once water has evaporated, add in milk. This time add enough milk to completely submerge the corn; just enough so that you can still see a small part of them. Stir in sugar, cayenne pepper, and turmeric. Let milk boil until it has curdled and almost evaporated. Be sure to stir the milk throughout this process to ensure that it doesn’t burn.

Finally, top the corn with the spiced milk mixture that you are left with. Feel free to add a bit more milk in step 3 if you desire more of the mixture. And there you have it, Creamy Spiced Corn on the Cob.

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OCTOBER SURPRISE for Employment-Based Workers Immigration Matters

by Rishi P. Oza

By Rishi P. Oza

The October Visa Bulletin was welcome good news for an otherwise bleak 2020, as the priority dates moved significantly for EB-1, EB-2 and EB-3 category workers from both India and China. The dramatic jump forward holds the promise of unlocking thousands of foreign workers from their current job positions and giving them flexibility of moving around within the uS economy.

Greater flexibility usually spurs more innovation and ingenuity, which given the current economic conditions, can only be considered a good thing.

For purposes of background, foreign workers in the united States must go through a two or three step process to obtain permanent residency status, depending upon their expertise and type of job. This process requires capturing a “priority date” and thereafter applying to adjust status to that of a lawful permanent resident.

A priority date is captured by either filing a Labor Certification Application with the uS Department of Labor or an I-140 Immigrant Petition for Alien Worker with uSCIS. The priority date is essentially one’s place in line when waiting for a green card, with some lines stretching to be in excess of 10 years. How long the line is depends upon a person’s country of birth, as well as the type of job they work.

Those with the most sophisticated jobs are considered priority workers (EB-1), which includes individuals of extraordinary ability, outstanding researchers/professors or intra-company executives/managers. Individuals whose jobs require an advanced degree or whose presence in the united States is in the national interest are in the EB-2 category. Finally, professional, skilled or unskilled workers are categorized as EB3 individuals.

Each specific EB category has different processing times, which are dictated by the Visa Bulletin, a chart issued by the uS Department of State that guides applicants as to when they can file for the adjustment of status to their green card status. If an individual’s date is not current according to the Visa Bulletin’s Dates for Filing chart, he/she must wait to file for their Adjustment of Status and continue to remain in nonimmigrant status. This means that all travel can only be done once a visa Saathee.com

is secured and that employees are often compelled to remain with the employer that sponsored them. As a result, individuals that may want to move jobs are restricted from doing so out of fear asking a new employer to restart the sponsorship process, which can be time-consuming and costly. Moreover, should that new process fail, the employee is left without any real options and may have to contemplate returning to his/her own country.

The benefit of a changing Visa Bulletin is that it provides employees with flexibility without having to beg a new employer for sponsorship. For example, the September Visa Bulletin only allowed EB-3 workers from India to apply for their Adjustment of Status if they had a priority date of February 1, 2010 or earlier – this means that an Indian citizen must have started his/her green card sponsorship process in February 2010 in order to apply for their green card in September 2020. By all accounts, waiting 10 ½ years to simply apply for a green card is absurd; however, the October Visa Bulletin shows that the dates for filing the green card application are jumping forward from February 1, 2010 to January 1, 2015 for EB-3 workers. Similarly, EB-1 and EB-2 workers from India and China are also seeing a jump in almost two years for their respective categories. While the processing of these cases will likely still take years, the ability to file the I485 is of significant importance.

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continued on page 82 november 2020

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

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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: 12/5/20

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: 12/5/20

Community Organizations Hello Readers

Our Community Organizations section guides you through all the organizations in the Carolinas. non-profits, 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 near future.

Contact: Saathee@saathee.com

Nutrition

continued from page 40

Steps for optimal digestion • Eat small and balanced meals at regular intervals • Do not skip meals or have long gaps between meals • Have a routine for eating and sleeping • Do not eat too late at night – eat dinner before 8 pm • Make a habit of drinking water regularly throughout the day. Take small sips and do not gulp.

• Do not lie down after eating • Avoid vigorous exercise soon after eating • Eat a wide variety of plant foods to get enough fiber – whole grains, pulses/legumes, nuts, seeds, fruits, and plenty of vegetables • Avoid smoking and alcohol • Avoid overuse of medications

Foods to Limit/Avoid: • High-fat foods (fast food, fried foods, processed meats, cream, cheese, whole milk, heavy desserts) • Concentrated tomato products (pasta sauce, tomato paste, tomato juice) • Coffee and tea (in excess amounts and/or on an empty stomach) • Orange juice • Carbonated beverages • Excess animal proteins • Simple starches and sugars

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november 2020

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Dr. Keshav Bhat Optometrist

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www.CharlotteChiropracticClinic.com 81

november 2020

same job position and maintaining their priority date. The benefit of doing so includes all of those advantages discussed above, along with having two visa petitions upon which to adjust. Should the EB-2s leap over EB-3s in the future, an applicant can again file for adjustment on that basis. Moreover, as I-140s for EB-2 and EB-3 category filings can be submitted via premium processing, getting all of this done in the month of October is achievable.

Most importantly, the move in priority dates gives hope to thousands of immigrants who have been waiting years to finally assimilate into American culture. The idea that an individual with a Masters degree working in highly-skilled professional jobs is required to wait a decade for a green card not only evidences the outdated nature of our immigration system, but lays bare the dysfunction that exists in Congress in failing to address the problem. What benefit does the united States gain by keeping such skilled individuals stuck in jobs they have, in all likelihood, surpassed in terms of expertise?

Although voting may be the only means of resolving the larger systemic issues associated with the uS immigration system, the change in the October Visa Bulletin means that at the very least, the month is shaping up to be a busy one for law firms and immigrant households alike around the country.

Health Insurance

continued from page 62

years, the AMA study has been a helpful resource to researchers, lawmakers, policymakers, and regulators as they work to identify markets where future consolidation among health insurers may cause competitive harm to patients.

The AMA’s latest study of competition in the health insurance industry shows:

• The 10 states with the least competitive commercial health insurance markets were: 1. Alabama, 2. Hawaii, 3. Michigan, 4. Delaware, 5. South Carolina, 6. Kentucky, 7. Alaska, 8.

Louisiana, 9. Illinois, 10. north Carolina. See the 10 states with the least competitive PPO, or exchange markets.

• Fifteen states had a single health insurer with a state-wide market share of 50 percent or greater: 1. Alabama (86 percent), 2. Michigan (67 percent), 3. Hawaii (66 percent), 4.

South Carolina (64 percent), 5. Delaware (64 percent), 6.

Kentucky (64 percent), 7. Louisiana (62 percent), 8. Illinois (59 percent), 9. Indiana (56 percent), 10. Mississippi (55 percent), 11. north Carolina (55 percent), 12. Oklahoma (55 percent), 13. north Dakota (54 percent), 14. Vermont (53 percent), and 15. Alaska (51 percent).

• The five health insurers with the highest market share in Rishi P. Oza the most MSA-level markets were: 1. Anthem (75 MSAs), 2. is a partner at Brown Immigration Law, a firm that focuses solely on immigration Health Care Service Corp. (43 MSAs), 3. unitedHealth law; he practices in Durham. roza@rbrownllc.com Group (28 MSAs), 4. Florida Blue (22 MSAs), and 5.

Namaskar Highmark (21 MSAs). continued from page 66

Competition in Health Insurance: A Comprehensive Study of u.S. Markets is a vital element of AMA’s continued antitrust advocacy to protect patients and physicians from competitive harm. Health insurance market concentration will continue to be a vital issue of public policy for the AMA, the federation of medicine, and the nation’s physicians and patients. The 2020 study is available for download from the AMA’s Competition in Health Insurance website.

COVID bubble. And I say tentative, because our belief that things will occur just as we imagine them has been shattered.

My faith has been shaken too but not destroyed. Even though our bubble is a tad leaky, our mood signals cautious optimism.

Digital streaming of a simplified puja promises that our traditions will continue and online shopping for the occasion reflects consumer confidence that was missing in previous months. Muslin kurtas, traditional silverware, bronze platters, and mithai boxes represent just a few of the array of choices that are available at the tip of your fingers, if the overloaded internet connection at home holds up. Innovative entrepreneurs are offering masks that match sarees. I am curious to see the life saving face covering in Baluchuri, Jamdani and Banarasi styles that complement the gleam of the Bengali woman’s resplendent ensemble.

The current environment also provides shubh mahurat for the merger of ancient traditions with modern technology. This unlikely partnership has produced a new phenomenon termed, “phygital”. Yes, you read that right. This may not be an elegant or lyrical term, but I am told that in the context of a puja, the concept aims at virtually uniting friends and families who are distanced and balancing it with physical in-person interactions that meet north Carolina’s Phase 3 requirements. So, what happens when you get a bunch of IT professionals around a table? You got it, mostly good things.

The culmination of these efforts remains to be seen and I wish I could peer into a crystal ball that assures me that the autumn of 2020 will be auspicious. Perhaps, a united plea to our protective Mother Goddess will lead to divine intervention and ultimately result in the victory of humans over COVID. Wishing all my readers a very happy Dassera and Diwali.

Article courtesy of AMAssociation (Info: Ama-assn.org)

Immigration

continued from page 74

Foremost, by filing the I-485 Application to Adjust Status and allowing it to process for 180 days, employees can move or “port” the entirety of their green card process from their sponsoring employer to any new employer provided that the new position is “substantially similar” to the job position for which the employee was originally sponsored; while determining whether any new position meets this substantial similarity test is often done by argument, most employees moving into new roles with new companies tend to stay within their respective fields of expertise. Moreover, filing the I-485 for a principal applicant allows all of that principal’s derivative beneficiaries (spouses and under 21 year old children) to also apply for their green cards, opening up the possibility of securing work authorization for an entire family – spouses can finally get to work; children can try to secure part-time jobs after school to help pay for their first car; families can start maximizing their productivity.

Because the EB-3 category moved forward significantly, EB3 workers have the advantage of being able to apply for a green card sooner than their EB-2 counterparts. However, EB-2 workers can resubmit an I-140 petition to uSCIS requesting that they be recategorized as an EB-3 worker while keeping the Saathee.com

Shyama Parui is a longtime North Carolina resident and an ardent writer. You can reach her at: Shyamashree_parui@hotmail.com 82

november 2020

Two Convenient Charlotte Locations! arlotte h C h t u o S ille) (Pinev

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Who wants to be a Scholar?!

There is only one correct answer!

1. Arrange these rivers of North Carolina by longest to shortest in length. (a) French Broad (b) Neuse (c) Catawba (d) Alligator

Word World

R

2. This 1944 Hindi film has a famous Diwali song. (a) Dost (b) Rattan (c) Meri Bahan (d) Bharathari

By Kirit Shukla

N E

V

A

3. Halley's Comet returns to the area around the Earth every __ years. (a) 70 (b) 75 (c) 80 (d) 85

T

4. The Mass Number in an element is the number of? (a) Protons (b) Electrons (c) Neutrons (d) a + c

E

5. When will Halley’s Comet next be visible from Earth? (a) 2056 (b) 2061 (c) 2066 (d) 2071 6. 1-0=1; 1+0=1; 1X0=0; 0÷1=0; 1÷0=? (a) 0 (b) 1 (c) Undefined (d) -1 7. Fear and hatred of strangers or foreigners is (a) Autophobia (b) Social phobia (c) Neophobia (d) Xenophobia

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)

8. How many points is a conversion kick worth in a game of rugby? (a) 1 (b) 2 (c) 3 (d) 4

15+ words = Excellent; 11 to 14 words = Good; 10 or less = keep looking.

Words we found are in solutions below.

9. The birth stone, if you are born in November is (a) Topaz (b) Pearl (c) Peridot (d) Sapphire

Brain-Train

10. What year did the Spanish Civil War end? (a) 1937 (b) 1938 (c) 1939 (d) 1940

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

Match the number in column 1 with letter in column 2 Actor or Actress

1. Marylin Monroe 2. Judy Garland 3. Yul Brynner 4. Alec Guinness 5. Rod Taylor 6. John Wayne 7. Humphrey Bogart 8. Charlie Chaplin 9. Fay Wray 10. Clark Gable

Acted in Classic Movie

Answers are on bottom left. No Peeking.

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

A. Casablanca - 1942 B. Hatari - 1962 C. King Kong -1933 D. Wizard of Oz - 1939 E. niagara - 1953 F. The Ten Commandments -1956 G. Modern Times - 1936 H. The Bridge on the River Kwai - 1957 I. Gone with the Wind -1939 J. The Time Machine - 1960

Dadaji’s moral stories for kids THE BIRD’S GOLDEN DROPPINGS

A poor hunter resting under a tree saw a bird’s droppings turn into gold. So, he set a trap and caught the bird. On his way home he decided to gift the bird to the king and take whatever the king offered him. But the king’s ministers said that it was impossible for a bird’s droppings to turn into gold and advised the king to free the bird and punish the hunter.

The king agreed and set the bird free. The bird flew up and perched on a tree nearby and discharged some droppings, which turned into gold. The king and the ministers were shocked. They couldn’t catch the bird again.

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

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

Word World (Solution): AVER, AVERT, EAVE, EVEn, VEnT, EVER, EVERT, nAVE, nERVATE, nEVE, nEVER, RAVE, RAVEn, REAVE, REVET, TAVERn, TRAVE, VAnE, VEEnA, VEER, VEnA, VERA, VERT, VETERAn

Saathee.com

Moral: Sometimes things that seem impossible can be true. It is important to put in some effort and test the theory rather than give up without trying.

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november 2020

Ballantyne Village 14815 Ballantyne Village Way, Suite 170 Charlotte, NC 28277

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We hope you and your family are staying safe in these trying times. We will make it through, together!

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85

november 2020

By kirit Shukla

PUZZLES AND JOKES

Clues Down: 1. Affected with or expressive of grief or unhappiness.

2. Fertile; abundant. (Archaic) 3. Crocodile. (Sanskrit word).

4. European Community. (*) 5. The long-wave extreme of the visible spectrum color.

6. The first days of a calendar year.

7. A rubber used to remove written or drawn marks.

8. Without stopping.

9. Rehabilitation Council of India. (*) 10. The interjection used to indicate negation.

13. A frequent usually unconscious quirk of speech.

15. A swift-running Australian ratite bird with undeveloped wings that is smaller than the ostrich.

18. A state of nW Brazil on the Atlantic; cap. Maceio.

20. upward movement of water under hydrostatic pressure in rocks beneath the earth's surface .

21. A supporter of President Donald Trump.

22. Antipersonnel. (*) 24. To picture to oneself.

27. A soft uncured Indian cheese.

29. Frozen water.

30. near. (*) 34. The absolute MKS unit of Elec. power = ¹/₇₄₆ HP. (Plural) 35. VEGAn: unscrambled.

37. To produce a pattern or design on a hard material by eating into the material's surface (acid or laser beam).

39. A light weight portable outdoor wood-fired pizza oven.

42.A peninsula of northeast Massachusetts projecting northeast from Gloucester into the Atlantic Ocean.

43. Large-scale integration. (*) 45. Basaltic lava forming very rough, jagged masses with a light frothy texture.

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

1. South Carolina Elec. & gas Co.’s nuclear power plant.

6. “Jawaharlal ___”, the first PM of India.

11. A fabric woven from the hair of camels or goats.

12. A small European scale fern.

14. To fake (an opponent) out of position (as in ice hockey.)

16. The celebration of festival of lights. (nov. 14, 2020) 17. “Hare ____ Hare Krishna”.

19. The air bladder of certain algae, such as rockweed.

21. A fungi that are typically the acid formers.

23. A fisherman who catches slender snake-like fishes.

25. Rice university. (*) 26. Clear or manifest to the understanding.

28. Putting into action or service.

31. Arkansas. (*) 32. Susanville Municipal Airport . (*) (IATA airport code) 33. A royal or imperial headdress or cap of sovereignty.

35. To the same degree or amount.

36. urine.

38. Arteritic Anterior Ischemic Optic neuropathy. (*) 40. International System of units. (*) 41. A crucial or climactic point.

42. A star-shaped cell supporting the nervous system.

44. To pass over in the formation of an image.

46. neptune XIII, the outermost known Moon of neptune.

47. Annual national holiday in uSA and Canada celebrating the harvest and blessings of the past year.

Saathee.com

(solution on page 88)

Hee Hee

Jokes From Around The World

Jack: “It’s recession when your neighbor loses his job.”

Jill: “It’s depression when you lose your job.” ********* Booddhoo got many Happy Birthday messages on WhatsApp. “How old are U?” was his father’s same question each year.

Booddhoo soon replied: “I am 33. Give me your blessings.”

Father: “That's what you have told me for the last ten years!”

Booddhoo: “As you have taught me, I’m not one to say one thing today and another thing tomorrow.” ********* I have a head much smaller than my long neck. People who play with me pick at me and that’s fine. What am I? Answer: A guitar ********* 86

november 2020

WordFind

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: “Hurricane names in uSA 2020) ARTHUR BERTHA CHRISTOBAL DOLLY EDOUARD FAY GONZALO HANNA ISAIAS JOSEPHINE KYLE LAURA MARCO NANA

OMAR PAULETTE POLO RENE SALLY SIMON TEDDY VANCE VICKY WILFERD ZEKE BETA

The remaining 24 letters spell “THE SuBJECT.”

EZ-BZ

TEST YOuR IQ The common letters are “JI” - Fill in the blanks)

Note: * denotes abbreviation of the word or phrase

1. One that brings bad luck.

JI _ _ 2. A member of an American Indian people of the region around Lake Superior and westward. _ JI _ _ _ 3. Shri “Mahatma —”, India’s freedom fighter. _ _ _ _ _ _ JI 4. To cast off or reject (someone, such as a lover).

JI _ _ 5. China’s largest admin. unit; Cap. urumqi. _ _ _ JI _ _ _ 6. One who has made a pilgrimage to Mecca. _ _ _ JI 7. Art of weaponless fighting employing holds, throws and paralyzing blows to disable an opponent.

JI _ JI _ _ _ 8. A cocktail of rum, sugar, lime juice and soda. _ _ JI _ _ 9. A very short period of time.

JI _ _ _ 10. A building for worship by Muslims. Mosque. _ _ _ JI _ 11. A Japanese bead used to secure cords in place. _ JI _ _ 12. A dish of soft bread & thick hot veg. curry. _ _ _- _ _ _ JI 13. To refuse to proceed further.

JI _ 14. The Japanese god of storms. _ _ _ JI _ 15. An island in Melanesia, in the South Pacific Ocean. _ _ JI 16. A coastal city in n China on the Bohai Sea. _ _ _ _ JI _ 17. Elder sister’s husband. (Hindi word) JI _ _ JI 18. “ ___ Rahman”- The first PM of Bangladesh. _ _ JI _ _ _ 19. A spiritual leader in Hinduism & Buddhism. _ _ _ _ JI 20. A fight against the enemies of Islam. (Arabic) JI _ _ _ 21. A Chinese ethnic, living in the Wuling Mountains. _ _ JI _ 22. “ __ naidu”, the nightingale of India. _ _ _ _ JI _ _ 23. A light clinking or tinkling sound.

JI _ _ _ _ 24. A chili pepper cultivated in South America. _ JI 25. The Festival of Osaka is Japan's top festival. _ _ _ JI _ (Puzzle solutions are on page 88. NO peeking!)

Kirit Shukla

kiritsshukla@gmail.com Saathee.com

87

november 2020

Festivals & Holidays November 2020

Spot the Differences Solutions from page 30

nov. 1 - Daylight Saving Time Ends nov. 1 - All Saints Day nov. 2 - Día de los Muertos nov. 3 - Election Day nov. 4 - Karwā Chaturthi nov. 11 - Veterans Day nov. 11 - Ramā Ekadashi nov. 12 - Vāgh Bāras nov. 13 - Dhan Teras nov. 14 - Kāli Chaudas / Diwali (no Moon) nov. 14 - nehru Jayanti nov. 15 - new Year (Vikram Samvat 2077 starts) nov. 16 - Bhāi Bij nov. 19 - Lābh Pancham nov. 24 - Martyrdom of Guru Tegh Bahadur nov. 26 - Dev Oothi / Prabodhini Ekadashi / Tulsi Vivah nov. 26 - Thanksgiving Day (uS) nov. 30 - Guru nanak Dev Sahib Jayanti

1. Spire removed 2. Color changed 3. Dot removed 4. Post removed 5. Tower added 6. Window added 7. Tree Taller 8. Person added

9. Clouds added 10. Purse added 11. Hat added 12. Window removed 13. Spire removed 14. Deck removed 15. Door removed 9

14

December 2020

13

12

4

Dec. 1 - World AIDS Day Dec. 8 - Bodhi Day Dec. 10 - Hanukkah Begins Dec. 14 - Somavati Amas / Sun Eclipse (no Moon) Dec. 18 - Hanukkah Ends Dec. 21 - Winter Solsitce / Yule Dec. 22 - Pr. Swami Maharaj Birthday / utpatti Ekadashi Dec. 24 - Christmas Eve Dec. 25 - Christmas Day Dec. 25 - Moksha Ekadashi Dec. 25 - Gita Jayanti Dec. 26 - Kwanzaa Begins Dec. 29 - Dattatray Jayanti Dec. 30 - Akshara Purnima (Full moon) Dec. 31 - new Year’s Eve/ Year 2020 ends

6

15

2

8

1

11

5

3

7

10

Puzzle Solutions from page 86-87

Math Magic from page 87

Saathee.com

88

november 2020

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Astroscope

Libra (September 23 – October 22) This is a period of achievement and celebration. Your friends and seniors will support your tremendous success. You will also enjoy love and respect from higher authorities. You should invest some money in business or home affairs. The time is changing to be more positive for students. Your enemies won’t even dare harm you. Don’t lose your self-confidence. Destiny may favor you greatly this month.

November 2020

Aries (March 21 – April 19) Don’t get involved in any new ventures this month. A heavy workload and outside activities could develop frustration. Your subordinates will extend their full support. You will see a steady rise in income, and your dedication will reward you with a bonus as well. Your partner will achieve success in the second half of the month. The period is also good for family happiness.

Scorpio (October 23 – November 21) You will experience a minor downfall this month. You may lose your confidence and make bad decisions. Try to maintain an easy temperament and keep working hard. Don’t overthink things as destiny is not on your side. Traveling could be the best activity and bring some extra income as well. A strong para-psychic experience may bring major change to your circle of friends and relations with family.

Taurus (April 20 – May 20) Try to be practical this month. Concentrate on enjoying both your family and social life. A long term career-related decision might be made this month. The time is good for students. If working, chances for a promotion are there. In either case, there will be a rise in income. Be aware of surreptitious enemies as they could destroy your plans and take away happiness. A long distance journey may prove to be very fruitful.

Sagittarius (November 22 – December 21) You will be very active this month. You may gain success from your business or profession. Friends and family will offer whatever assistance you need. You will be relieved from financial worries.

Attraction and new relations with someone of the opposite gender will help you feel relaxed. A change of residence or an investment in business is also indicated.

Gemini (May 21 – June 20) This period will make you very comfortable. You should come in contact with some influential people. A rise in status as well as income is possible. You might enter into profitable deals.

Travel will prove to be very relaxing. Your associates will appreciate your social and religious efforts. Overall, this month will be very pleasant for you.

Capricorn (December 22 – January 19) This month will relieve you from tension and anxiety. On the domestic front you should be happy as long-cherished desires will be fulfilled. Travel this month will bring good results. You may receive good news about benefits or monetary gains. You will be able to defeat your enemy. Watch your health and don’t dispute with your partner. You may struggle to maintain confidence.

Cancer (June 21 – July 22) Your income and expenses will balance each other out this month. You may experience a delay in pursuits due to fluctuations in education or business. Wise decisions may spare you from spending money wastefully. An investment in long-term savings will prove beneficial. The time is good for a change in profession or field of study. A dispute with family is likely possible. Be sure to listen to your parents this month.

Aquarius (January 20 – February 18) Your hard work will provide dividends. Good news from a far off place is possible. You will enjoy the power of artistic expression and interpretation. Emotional actions will offer great rewards. A pleasant journey or change in workplace may occur. A relaxed state of mind is also indicated. You will have an edge over your competitors. Relations with your partner may also shift this month.

Leo (July 23 – August 22) You will achieve mixed results this month. There will be a few opportunities coming your way, but you may not be able to utilize them. A health problem may disrupt your peace of mind. The time is not good for heart patients. There may be a rise in status as well as your professional position, but without the expected financial benefits. A very positive change is possible during the last week of the month.

Pisces (February 19 – March 20) Now is the time when your plans in regards to property investment will materialize. You should be successful due to your active lifestyle and aggressive actions. Friends and siblings will offer whatever assistance you need. Your opponents will dare not face you. Don’t get involved in any love affair. Students will gain unexpected yet positive results. Try to control your speech and egoistical thoughts.

Virgo (August 23 – September 22) During this month you will feel spent due to a lack of vitality. A family member’s ill health might disturb your peace of mind.

You may have to live in an undesirable place. It is better to keep yourself busy and work very hard. You may act hyper during this month. Try to control your speech. As far as income is concerned, there no big change. Travel may prove to be rewarding.

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CLASSIFIEDS BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES

C-store with Property for Sale or Lease 45 miles from Columbia, SC along with displays for fresh produce & frozen items.

Gross %55K / Lotto $25K/month. Daily income not included. Call 904-307-4770.

Lakeview 12-unit Motel for Sale on Lake near Florence, SC. Call 843-332-8145. .

Convenience store (No Gas) for Sale in Gaffney, SC. Inside sales $40K/month, lotto sales $4500, ATM $900. Rent $2300/month.

Asking $89K. Call 862-754-9990.

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

Growing Liquor / Wine Store for Sale in the lucrative Fort Mill, SC area. Gross sales $240k+. Great time for quick ROI with holiday season approaching! Asking $50k + inventory. Call 646-477-4654 for details.

High Volume Gas Station with Convenience Store for Sale/Lease in Iredell County, nC (25 minutes north of Charlotte). Inside Sales $55k + Lotto $2500.

Asking price $85K + inventory. Contact Avin 704-909-0478 or email sp1249061@gmail.com.

For Sale or Lease: Gas Station w/ C-Store & Restaurant in Pollocksville, nC. Corner location, ATM and jukebox also included (extra income). With 3 bedroom accommodations. Call 252-521-5656.

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

Convenience Stores for Sale: Greenville, SC $539,000 + Inv., Prop incl. Annual $945,000, Fuel Gals 300,000; Henderson, nC $350,000+ Inv., Prop incl. Annual $700,000, Fuel Gals 150,000; High Point, nC $1,600,000 + Inv., w / prop. Inside $881,032, Fuel Gals 1,047,914; County South: 704-4404433 or visit www.Countysouth.biz.

EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES

Servers and Table Bussers needed for Indian Restaurant north of Charlotte, nC. Part-time/Full-time. With or without experience. Accommodations provided for full-time employees. Contact Kumar 704819-0556.

Luxe eyebrow is hiring eyebrow threaders for their South Carolina outlets. Knowledge of facials, waxing, etc preferred. Good Pay/Tips/commission. Call 843-766-5156.

Housekeeping couple needed immediately for 36-Room franchise motel in north Carolina. Accommodations with Indian TV channels provided. Call Bipin Patel at 910916-3288.

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Live-in/Live-out House help for north Indian family of four in Wake Forest, nC. Vegetarian cooking and light housekeeping.

Call 631-873-5260.

Live-in Caretaker needed in Charlotte, nC. Duties include cooking, light housekeeping and companionship. Gujarati preferred.

Call or text Anu at 919-624-3190.

Nanny needed for 3.5 year old boy in Fort Mill, SC. Part-time for 4 to 5 hours per week.

Please call 803-504-1222.

energetic Front Desk Help needed (single or couple) for franchise hotel near Carowinds (South Charlotte area). Must have basic computer skills, fluent English and legal status.

Email to bwhospitality78@gmail.com.

Front Desk & Housekeeping needed for Motel in Durham, nC. $4 per room. Legal status required.

Accommodations provided. Call 919-452-3131 or email kenco00@gmail.com.

Gas Station Help Wanted ASAP in & around Greensboro, nC. Full-time/Parttime. Multiple positions, from cashier to manager, good pay. Must speak English & have basic computer skills. Experience preferred. Please call 336-509-4054.

Need energetic Front Desk Single or Couple for hotel in Charlotte, nC (Carowinds) area. Must have hotel experience, basic computer skills, and legal status. Accommodations provided. Email resume to bwhospitality78@gmail.com or call 704-302-3318.

Motel Help Wanted in Atlanta, GA: Housekeeping Couple. Must have legal status. Accommodations provided. Call neal 404-642-1611.

Warehouse job: Charlotte area (Wingate, nC). Part/Full-time - Monday to Friday, 8am to 4pm.Contact drpipalia2013@gmail.com or 469-579-8600.

Housekeeping Motel Help Wanted in South Carolina. Enjoy excellent weather & work conditions! Legal status required. Call Raj 704-915-1026.

Immediate Opening for Energetic Employee Full-time/ Part-time Sales Associate at Men's Retail Clothing Store in Charlotte nC. Previous retail experience preferred. Contact nick @ 276-618-1166 or email suitcityusa@gmail.com

Motel Help Wanted in Atlanta area: Front Desk Clerk. Must have legal status.

Accommodations provided. Call neal 404642-1611.

Nanny needed for 9-month old boy in Charlotte nC. Preferably to help with house work. Live-out with reliable transportation required. For additional info please call 510789-9541.

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

Gas Station Help Wanted near Columbia, SC. Single or couple. Great pay and friendly atmosphere. Contact 803-807-8875.

92

Front Desk Help & On-Site Maintenance needed for Franchise Hotel in Concord, nC. Legal status required.

Accommodations provided. Call Rick 704772-5554.

Live-in person needed to look after elderly Gujarati mother in Charlotte, nC. Call 704906-9170.

Housekeeping Couple Needed for Franchise Hotel in Rock Hill, SC. Accommodations provided. Contact Yatin Patel at yatinpay@yahoo.com or 850-218-8579.

Urgent: Hiring full-time energetic employee to work at Tropical Smoothie CafĂŠ franchise fast food store in Charlotte, nC. Contact Pravin Patel 803-974-0291.

Hotel Help Wanted: Front Desk couple/staff for two shifts & Housekeeping couple for a franchise hotel in Raleigh. Ideal opportunity for family. Legal status required. Front desk must be fluent in English with good communication & computer skills.

Accommodations provided. Please call 919-720-0991.

Looking for full-time Nanny (live-in or live-out) ASAP in Ballantyne area (South Charlotte). Please call 765-409-9234.

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. Part-time or full-time including weekends. $12/hour for 3rd shift.

Contact 856-266-5059 or store10700@gmail.com.

Independent Motel (120 rooms) in Durham, nC is hiring Front Desk Staff for two shifts. Apartment with Kitchen provided.

Management experience preferred. Please call 609-209-1629.

elder Cared Help Needed: for mother in Charlotte / Fort Mill area. Part-time / fulltime. Personal care, light cleaning & some vegetarian food prep required. Schedule negotiable. Call 803-230-4402.

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. november 2020

Housekeeping Couple and Front desk wanted or Franchise Hotel in Hickory/Conover, nC. Accommodations provided. Legal status required. Good pay!

Call Rick 919-724-6772.

C-store / Gas Station Help Needed in Morrisville, nC (RTP area). 2 full time positions with competitive rate. Legal status is mandatory.

Previous experience preferred. Call 919-439-9424 and leave voice message.

Looking for Nanny to take care of 1 yearold baby in Charlotte, nC. Call 910-4345193 for more details.

eyebrow Threading Position in WinstonSalem, nC. Excellent Pay + Tips & Benefits!

Some Experience & fluent English required. Call 336-422-7582.

Couple needed for franchise hotel 1.5 hours from Charlotte. Must be Fluent in English. Accommodations provided. Text or call 704-701-9975.

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.

Math Tutor Needed in Charlotte for college student on weekdays. Call for 704724-2005 or 704-451-6554.

Nanny needed for 1 month-old at home in Concord, nC starting ASAP. Full-time (8.30am-4.30pm). Call 352-672-3312.

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

Hotel Help Wanted: Front Desk / Manager, Housekeeper for franchise hotels in Hickory, nC. Accommodations provided.

Call nick 336- 327-0651 or email nalishapatel2000@yahoo.com.

Cashiers wanted (single or couple) for Gas Station in Rock Hill, SC (Exit 77). Legal status required. Good pay with experience!

Call 803-792-4452.

Motel Help Needed: Front Desk & GMs for franchise motels in Richburg, SC. Fluent English & legal status required.

Accommodations provided. Call 803-230-4402.

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

Convenience Store help needed immediately in Charlotte, nC. Full-time including weekends and evening shifts.

Call 704-241-4499.

Saathee.com

Gas Station / C-store Help Wanted in north Charlotte (15 minutes from unCC).

Legal status required. Must speak English.

Salary commensurate per experience.

Please call 704-733-0553.

Persons needed for 30-room low maintenance motel in York, SC. Full operation. Living room, bedroom and full kitchen provided. Call Vic at 864-310-1546.

Live-in help needed for elderly lady in Gujarati household. Light cooking and cleaning required. Please call 336-471-1901.

C-store/Gas station help wanted in Rock Hill, SC area. Long hours and excellent pay. Hourly or salary ($3k minimum) based on commensurate experience. Please call 704-907-0524.

Front Desk Help needed for night shift at Franchise hotel in nC. Computer knowledge required. Accommodations provided. Contact 704-465-8129 or lehran19@yahoo.com.

GM needed for Choice brand interior corridor property near Carowinds (Charlotte area). Legal status and fluent English required.

Accommodations provided Please call 803-237-8799.

Manager couple wanted for Independent Motel in Jonesville, nC. Fluent English & computer skills required. Accommodations provided. Call 336-244-4199.

Hotel Help Wanted: Front Desk/Manager, night Auditor and Housekeeper (Single/Couple) for franchise hotels in Charlotte, Gastonia, High Point.

Accommodations provided. Call 704-4600379 between 6- 9pm.

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

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

Front Desk & Housekeeping needed at Rodeway Inn in Winston Salem, nC. Accommodations provided. Good pay!

Contact 423-544-6834.

Convenience store help needed in Havelock, nC. Single or couple. Apartment provided. Call 252-515-4320.

Cashier wanted (single or couple) for Gas Station and Liquor Store in Mobile, AL. Good pay! Call 224-723-3488.

IT, Telecom & Civil engineering service Providers: website design, digital marketing, software products, education, training & certifications with placement assistance. Best quality at a reasonable price. Contact: 704-726-5695; email: gescpl@gmail.com

Dholi For Hire: Plays the Dhol (drum) for any occasion! Barat, Doli, Graduation, Birthdays, Baby Showers & any other festivity. Affordable rates! Call Arpan Bhandari 704-641-4761 or email: arpandholi@yahoo.com

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.

Priest Available for these services: Shree Satya narayan katha, Shanti hawan, Vastu shanty, Weddings, Baby shower, Bhumi pujan, Mata ki chowki pujan, Funeral, all types of karmakand. Please call Viral Bhatt 704-438-6334.

Saree Draping: specializing in draping sarees, dupattas and jewelry for any event.

Weddings, Engagements, Baby showers, Birthdays, etc. Contact Rital Patel at info@bridaldraping.com or www.bridaldraping.com.

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.

PROPERTY WANTED CPA looking to purchase an Accounting/CPA Firm anywhere in the GA/SC/nC/VA/DC areas. Willing to work for seller for a busy season before taking over. Call 704-813-8165 for details/leads.

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

SERVICES

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: 336-4867925 E-Mail: kishor7@juno.com

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

93

To Submit a Classified visit: saathee.com/submit-classified or email: info@saathee.com or call 704.527.7570 Saathee.com ads posted daily Ads up to 25 words. Deadline for print is the 20th. Web ads daily. november 2020

Subcontinental Divide

continued from page 42

our culture. They are setting the tempo, using a viral internet presence, for what we should be, for what we should believe.

America’s greatest contribution to history has been its PR prowess. It is comical now to say it is an art form. It is actually a global disaster (and I include Britain in this). Concepts like “Blahblah Has Talent” are global, and using practically the same winning formula in numerous countries. The “Housewives of Beverly Hills” can now be “Housewives of Saigon.” This is all about money, isn’t it? Cultural shifts have become like Coca-Cola – you just need a cold one, even if you are standing in the middle of nigeria (and pass me the 20-piece KFC fried chicken with the 300 secret spices while you are at it).

Landmark investigative shows dating back to the 1990s had raised alarm over the psychological warfare that entities like MTV and Disney were waging against the teenaged brain. They were actually going out and interviewing the average teen and delivering their wildest fantasies back to them in every frame of the videos, every episode of a sitcom; every movie. It really was about money. Hundreds of billions.

American politics has leaked like sewage into global politics – and it smells pretty bad. not knowing the election results as I write this, I remain very scared. A significant portion of us have teenaged brains – and we love the World Wide Wrestling adrenalin rush; we love to chant slogans, we love the hats, we love to hate. The machinery of PR is like a CPAP device to us – without it, we wake up clutching our chests, struggling to breathe. We need that fix whether we are holding that greasy pizza slice in America, or that ghee-covered chicken leg in

United States Postal Service

Mumbai. We need the show. We need to belong. We need to be tribal. need. no, there is really no need for the bride and groom to do a Bollywood line dance at their own wedding. Shahrukh Khan is worth $600 million. Amitabh is worth $400 million.

They are not like us. They are creating a reality for us working class people. They are dancing in kitchens loading dishes, while real working class people are on Prozac throwing up due to stress. They are like the political elite, creating a reality that will change our lives while not really changing anything.

It’s late. I’m now wide awake.

Ahsen Jillani a former editor and publisher, is originally from Islamabad, Pakistan, and now lives in Mint Hill. He owns Must Media, a PR firm focused on political and corporate clients.

Contact: aj@must-media.com

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Lawrence Amasa Broker-Realtor® NC 704-968-4015

Madhu Kanthamneni Provisional Broker NC 803-397-9985

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Divakar Ganni Broker-Realtor® NC/SC 715-505-5139

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Praveen Gudivada Broker-Realtor® NC 813-469-5198

Bhaskar Kilaru Broker-Realtor® NC 704-460-4704

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Nilay Naik Real Estate Agent SC 704-837-0012

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Advertisers A2Z Health Mart Pharmacy......................................29

Desai, Rajarshi (CPA, PLLC)......................................51

Olsinski Law Firm, PLLC (Viral Mehta) ......................45

Accounting Solutions (Muhammad Kamran Awan)...49

Elev8 Ev3nts.............................................................43

OM Tech Training .....................................................89

Aggarwal Group (Morgan Stanley) ..............................3

Fairview Home Mortgage .........................................53

One2 Entertainment .................................................53

Anand, Versha (Real Estate) .....................................89

Fincare.US (Recession-Proof Your Retirement)..........35

Passage To India - Fine Indian Cuisine......................77

Anil & Anjali Bedi LLC (CPA & Consultants)...............61

Geological Resources, Inc.........................................47

Patel Brothers (Charlotte)..........................................83

Area 51 Fireworks....................................................35

Global Engineering Services (GES)............................39

Patel, Mrugesh (Law Offices)....................................59

Around The World Market (Charlotte)........................79

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

Patel, Tony (Real Estate)............................................73

Aspect Commerical Realty (Prashant Parmar) ..........61

H2 Laser & Skin .......................................................29

Pathak, Atul (Real Estate)..........................................41

Bala Sure (Broker / Realtor, NC & SC)......................11

Hare Krishna Temple ISKON (Temple of the Holy Name) 37

Pizza Twist (Concord)................................................31

BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir (Charlotte)............17

Hindu Center of Charlotte (Events) ......................68-69

Pramukh Mandapam ...............................................41

Bashyam Shah LLP - Immigration Law Group..........50

Hirak Patel (Real Estate)............................................31

Raghu Mothukuri Allstate Agent................................43

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

Home Decorators Of America (Atlanta) .....................44

Raj Jewels (Morrisville, NC) .....................................6-7

Bethel Christian Preschool (Waxhaw)........................31

House Of Fireworks (Fort Mill, SC).............................19

Raja Reslan, CFA®| Financial Advisor (Edward Jones)...23

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

India Grocers (Charlotte) ...........................................24

Rajdeep Video & Photography (Ramesh Panjabi)......47

Bipin Parekh Realty, LLC...........................................36

Insurance - Tushar Barot, Supreme Insurance .........53

Ram Realty (Ram Kalagara)......................................95

Blooming Buds.........................................................49

Insurance Shopping (S. Patel - Independent Agent)..29

Ramana Coaching Center ........................................57

Blooming Smiles Pediatric Dentistry .........................71

Joe Biden and Kamala Harris .....................................5

Ritu Selects - India Inspired Couture.........................10

Blue Federal Credit Union.........................................65

Kaur, Karamjit (New York Life Insurance)...................16

Saffron Restaurant and Catering...............................25

Bombay Grille (Charlotte)..........................................80

KD Financial & KMD Realty.......................................63

Shah & Trivedi CPA, PLLC.........................................47

Brijal Shah (Keller Williams - Real Estate)..................91

Khanna & Sons Jewelers............................................4

Shah, Anish (Real Estate) ...................................32-33

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

Kumar, Kokila (Real Estate - Allen Tate).....................23

Shah, Kirti (CPA - Sepa Consulting) .........................56

Brown Immigration Law (Rishi Oza, Partner).............55

Maharani Indian Cuisine (Charlotte) ..........................71

Shukla, Kirit (Music Lession & Band).........................67

C4D Mortgage (Jubi Chackunkal, P.E.) .....................49

Mahulkumar Makati (Adjuster)..................................97

SLV Realty LLC (Krishna Vemuri)...............................75

Carolina Law Group (Monty Desai)............................70

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

Sona Realty (Venkat Suryadevara) ............................52

Carolina Medical Associates.....................................13

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

Subscription .............................................................78

CaroMont Medical Group (Dr. Manu Patel)................67

Malaya Kitchen.........................................................89

Swetal Patel (Realtor)................................................51

Charlotte Chess Center ............................................91

Mathur, Gitanjali (Allen Tate Realtors) ........................13

The Blue Taj..............................................................85

Charlotte Eye Ear Nose & Throat ..............................76

Matthews Family Dentistry ......................................73

Tyagi, Rita (Real Estate).............................................21

Chiro-Carolina

....................................................81

Monroe Oil Company................................................58

Union Family Eye Associates (Dr. Keshav Bhat).........81

Classifieds................................................................92

Nagpal, Sunil (MassMutual Carolinas).......................39

USPS - Statement of Owership.................................94

Concha, David (Immigration Attorney).......................21

Nawabs Kebabs (Charlotte) ......................................23

Vema Mortgage LLC (Sebastian George) .35/51/61/94

Copper Restaurant (Charlotte)...................................85

Neeta's Beauty Parlor...............................................67

Volkswagen of S Charlotte (Gene Patel - Sales)........21

County South Realty & Business Brokers..................59

Nesha Pai Book (Overcoming Ordinary Obstacles) ...39

Vyas Travels..............................................................94

Dentist (Pineville Dentistry - Lina V. Mistry, DDS) .......75

New York Life Insurance (Rasheed Ulhaq).................25

Windsor Run (Retirement Community)......................98

Desai & Desai LLP (CPA & Financial Services)..........39

North American Bancard ........................................15

Yafa Halal Market & Café..........................................11

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96

november 2020

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If we need to enter your home, We follow all CDC guidelines.

Insurance Denied Your Claim? Don’t Worry! We can reopen the claim.

NATIONAL SERVICE FOR COMMERCIAL AND RESIDENTIAL Fire: Smoke & Soot • Floods, Plumbing Leaks, Lightning, Wind, Rain • Vandalism, Theft • Collapse • & More

Mahulkumar Makati ADJUSTER / RECRUITER

We represent you to receive the highest claim amount possible. If you are unsure whether you’re covered or say to yourself, “there’s not that much damage, I can live with it,” before living with the damage or Now paying for the repairs, call me. hiring!

704-390-6797 mehulmakati73@gmail.com License # 18784318

We Evaluate Your Damage, Maximize Your Settlement, & Represent You as Public Adjuster!