Saathee Charlotte May 2017

saathee.com

May 2017

19th Anniversary Issue

In this issue:

Gender Equality in India Nepal's Pollution Melting Glaciers

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May 2017 Issue # 228 Editor

Samir Shukla

(Samir@Saathee.com)

Pakistan and Afghan Refugees page 10

Gender Equality in India page 18

HEllo READERS!

Pakistan wants millions of Afghan refugees gone. It's a humanitarian crisis waiting to happen. See story on page 10.

Achieving gender equality in India.

What works and what doesn't. The analysis is on page 18.

Read the interview with the director of the Indian documentary film Shivani on page 28.

The story on page 32 investigates how Nepal's air pollution threatens humans and glaciers.

Go to page 36 for our new column "House Call" for an analysis on whether dental insurance is really "insurance" or a glorified coupon.

Catch up on the all the activities of the regional community organizations beginning on page 102.

The AstroScope, our exclusive monthly horoscope is on page 136.

Get daily updates about the community, local and national news, latest movie releases, analysis and videos at our website www.Saathee.com. We wecome all comments and suggestions.

QuotE:

"Keep your face to the sunshine and you cannot see a shadow.”

- Helen Keller

Full Frame Can you Spot Film Festival the Differences Review in these images? page 28

page 68

In tHIS ISSuE

Pakistan and Afghan Refugees . . . . . .pg. 10 Teatime in the City . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . pg. 14 India and Gender Equality . . . . . . . . . pg. 18 Upcoming Movie Releases . . . . . . . . . pg. 22 Film Clips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . pg. 26 Full Frame Documentary Festival . . . pg. 28 Nepal Pollution and Glaciers . . . . . . . pg. 32 House Call . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . pg. 36 Namaskar Y’all . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . pg. 40 The Chai Table . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . pg. 44 Mastering Meaning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . pg. 46 Personal Finances . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . pg. 50 Dances of India . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . pg. 52 Thinking About Thinking . . . . . . . . . . pg. 56 Success Within . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . pg. 60 Test Your India Knowledge . . . . . . . . pg. 64 Youth Corner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg. 66 Marketing Turnaround . . . . . . . . . . . . pg. 68 Sangeet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg. 70 Nutrition for Life . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . pg. 76 News Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . pg. 80 Eye On The Markets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . pg. 84 Nepali Mountain Runner . . . . . . . . . . pg. 88 Spot the Differences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . pg. 90 Heart to Heart . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . pg. 92 Community Focus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . pg. 94 Community Organizations . . . . . . . . pg. 102 Pop’s Puzzles and Jokes . . . . . . . . . . pg. 130 Festivals and Holidays . . . . . . . . . . . pg. 134 Puzzle Solutions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . pg. 134 AstroScope . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . pg. 136 Classifieds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . pg. 138 Index of Advertisers . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg. 140

Cover: Elephant riders

Amber Fort near Jaipur is famous for providing elephant rides for tourists, reliving the days when the Rajput royalty rode elephants up the ramparts.

Photo: © Mazzzur | Dreamstime.com - Elephant Riders In The Amber Fort Near Jaipur

Publisher & Advertising Divakar Shukla

(rakavid@aol.com)

Ad Design / Layout Nathan C. Andrews

Digital Media & Marketing Assistant Jennifer W. Allen

Contributors:

Kirit Shukla, Judith L. Bergman, Parul Kharod, Dr. Maha Gingrich, Shyama Parui, Ketu Desai, Dilip Barman, Mo Vidwans, Vatsal Suthar, Payal Nanjiani Gail Martin, Dr. Sankaran Ramanathan, Balaji Prasad, and Jalendu Vaidya.

All contents

© 2017 Shukla Entertainment, Inc.

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

Please contact us prior to submitting articles or photographs.

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

For a free subscription, visit Saathee.com and click the “about” button.

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 -

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

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

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

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Hindu Center Of Charlotte Expansion Project Part of proceeds will go HC

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Pakistan Wants Millions of Afghan Refugees Gone.

It’s a Humanitarian Crisis Waiting to Happen

By Valerie Plesch and Naila Inayat, GlobalPost

displaced Afghans. Rights groups and aid organizations have criticized Pakistan’s decision. Human Rights Watch has reported that the supposedly “voluntary” repatriation process is coercive and violates international law. The United Nations refugee agency warned that the mass forced return of Afghans could “develop into a major humanitarian crisis.”

More than 2 million registered and undocumented Afghan refugees remain in Pakistan, and Pakistan officials argue it’s become too expensive and too risky for them to stay.

“In recent terrorist attacks in Peshawar and Lahore, it has been established that Afghan refugees have been used as facilitators,” said Interior Minister of Pakistan Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan at an Islamabad press conference late last month. “The Pakistani nation has been hosting Afghan refugees for the last 30 years and has looked after them despite its own problems.”

Taliban fighters in Afghanistan and Pakistan have long crisscrossed the porous, mountainous frontier between the two countries to elude authorities. Pakistan has begun constructing fences along parts of the border and plans other measures to prevent illegal crossings. This month, the Pakistani government

In the bustling border town of Peshawar, Pakistan, the lines form early these days at this government office that processes residence permits.

That’s because Afghan refugees now live in constant fear of officials separating them from their loved ones or deporting them to their war-torn native country that many no longer consider home.

“The government of Pakistan has already deported my husband and my eldest son to Afghanistan,” said Afghan refugee Laiba Zeb, 27, who waited in line for hours at the registration office with her other remaining children.

Zeb was born in a refugee camp in Pakistan. She’s never set foot in Afghanistan. And like many others waiting here, she doesn’t want to go to her so-called home.

Last summer, Pakistan announced that more than 3 million Afghan refugees — some in the country since the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in 1979 — needed to go home.

Since then, about 600,000 registered and undocumented Afghans refugees have been repatriated to an unstable nation where there are currently more than a million internally Saathee.com

continued on page 92

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May 2017

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TEATIME IN THE CITY Notes from the Editor’s Desk

By Samir Shukla

Music Reviews:

Vandana Vishwas Parallels

Red Baraat Bhangra Pirates

Red Baraat is a rollicking dhol ‘n’ brass band that can get the sleepiest crowd shaking their booty and moving their feet with leader Sunny Jain’s first beats on his dhol. The band’s interaction with the audience when performing live, including jumping in the middle of the dancing mass and leading them around like pied pipers, only fuses that connection further. The diverse musicians combine their individual specialties into the Red Baraat alchemy, constantly experimenting and expanding the possibilities of their sound.

Red Baraat is back with their third recording Bhangra Pirates.

The album is bhangra (that unmistakable beat of the dhol), New Orleans brass, rock, jazz improv, Bollywood kitsch, and hints of hip hop all rolled into Red Baraat’s wholly original sound.

This time around there is the added layer of a guitarist while Jain also infuses effects into his dhol beats for an occasional whirling sound. The brass section is tighter than ever as are the percussionists.

The fluid instrumental “Horizon Line” kicks off the album while the title track “Bhangra Pirates” begins with the dhol and guitar leading the horn section to kick open the dance doors goaded on by a mix of Hindi and English lyrics. It’s too infectious to sit still through. “Bhangale” (feat. Delicate Steve) is a scat-filled number while “Se Hace Camino” is a Latin and bhangra blend. The songs can wander and skitter off into all sorts of angular sounds.

There are two rockers on the album that benefit with the added guitar including “Zindabad,” a skewed wedding marchlike song that turns into a jazz scorcher and returns home halfway through with a decidedly Punjabi twist. The other is “Gaadi of Truth,” clearly the most rocking song on the record with guitar riffs sparring with the horns and percussion.

“Tunak Tunak Tun” is a scats-laden take on Daler Mehndi’s hit song.

“Rang Barse” is the Red Baraat version of the classic Amitabh Bachchan song. It begins as a jazz and Indian classical swirl that dives into a percussive instrumental mélange. The cut is interspersed with the horns going in and out of the mix, turning it into a long jam.

“Akhiyan Udeek Diyan” is a lingering showcase for the musicians as individual players do their solo bits and melt back into the groove.

“Layers” is an experimental track that flows on its own accord and nicely wraps up the record.

Saathee.com

Parallels, the new recording by Indian-Canadian singer Vandana Vishwas is a study in genre-bending. She has woven five songs each recorded in two distinct styles - think two parallel tracks each colored differently yet moving in the same musical direction.

She brings Canadian and Indian musicians into the fold that enhance her voice that is embedded into varied genres. The album kicks off with the tropical flamenco track “Mai Bequaid” where one feels the lilting guitar and dreams of soft sand between toes standing on sunny beach, a lovely Bollywood actress in a sari swaying along. The same song is later given a country treatment that makes the listeners feel like they are strolling in the foothills of Appalachia. “Piya na Mose Bole” is sung along to a new age version and also in a traditional Indian version, both showcasing the longings of a woman as if on different days or in different moods. “Dhula Dhula” is a feisty number first sung with African beats and later treated to AfroIndian beats. Vishwas’s voice fully blooms singing the ghazal “Fiqr E Manzil” with the musicians taking the composition into higher elevations with traditional instrumentation. The track also gets a rock treatment with an amped electric guitar in the second version. The closing track on the album, “Hum Gum Huye (Unplugged)” is a sparse, haunting number that really showcases her voice. The ballad version of the same song fills in the lines with thicker musical accents. In Parallels, Vishwas shows her range and adaptability in multiple musical genres.

Track listing: Mai Beqaid (Flamenco) Piya Na Mose Bole (New Age) Dhula Dhula (African Beats) Fiqr E Manzil (Ghazal) Hum Gum Huye (Ballad) Mai Beqaid (Country) Piya Na Mose Bole (Traditional Indian) Dhula Dhula (Afro-Indian) Fiqr E Manzil (Rock-E-Zal) Hum Gum Huye (Unplugged)

Samir Shukla

is the editor of Saathee magazine. contact - samir@Saathee.com

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May 2017

Achieving Gender Equality in India: What Works, and What Doesn’t

By Smriti Sharma

Discrimination against women and girls is a pervasive and long-running phenomenon that characterizes Indian society at every level.

India’s progress towards gender equality, measured by its position on rankings such as the Gender Development Index has been disappointing, despite fairly rapid rates of economic growth.

In the past decade, while Indian GDP has grown by around 6%, there has been a large decline in female labor force participation from 34% to 27%. The male-female wage gap has been stagnant at 50% (a recent survey finds a 27% gender pay gap in white-collar jobs).

Crimes against women show an upward trend, in particular brutal crimes such as rapes, dowry deaths, and honor killings.

These trends are disturbing as a natural prediction would be that with growth come education and prosperity, and a possible decline in adherence to traditional institutions and socially prescribed gender roles that hold women back.

A preference for sons Cultural institutions in India, particularly those of patrilineality (inheritance through male descendants) and patrilocality (married couples living with or near the husband’s parents), play a central role in perpetuating gender inequality and ideas about gender-appropriate behavior.

A culturally ingrained parental preference for sons emanating from their importance as caregivers for parents in old age - is linked to poorer consequences for daughters.

The dowry system, involving a cash or in-kind payment from the bride’s family to the groom’s at the time of marriage, is another institution that disempowers women. The incidence of dowry payment, which is often a substantial part of a household’s income, has been steadily rising over time across all regions and socioeconomic classes.

Saathee.com

This often results in dowry-related violence against women by their husbands and in-laws if the dowry is considered insufficient or as a way to demand more payments.

These practices create incentives for parents not to have girl children or to invest less in girls’ health and education. Such parental preferences are reflected in increasingly masculine sex ratios in India. In 2011, there were 919 girls under age six per 1000 boys, despite sex determination being outlawed in India.

This reinforces the inferior status of Indian women and puts them at risk of violence in their marital households. According to the National Family and Health Survey of 2005-06, 37% of married women have been victims of physical or sexual violence perpetrated by their spouse.

Affirmative action There is clearly a need for policy initiatives to empower women as gender disparities in India persist even against the backdrop of economic growth.

Current literature provides pointers from policy changes that have worked so far. One unique policy experiment in village-level governance that mandated one-third representation for women in positions of local leadership has shown promising results.

Evaluations of this affirmative action policy have found that in villages led by women, the preferences of female residents are better represented, and women are more confident in reporting crimes that earlier they may have considered too stigmatizing to bring to attention.

Female leaders also serve as role models and raise educational and career aspirations for adolescent girls and their parents.

Behavioral studies find that while in the short run there is backlash by men as traditional gender roles are being challenged, the negative stereotype eventually disappears. This

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continued on page 128

May 2017

UPCOMING MOVIE RELEASES May 5

Half Girlfriend (Director: Mohit Suri) Cast: Arjun Kapoor, Shraddha Kapoor, Rhea Chakraborty, Vikrant Massey, and Seema Biswas

Muzaffarnagar 2013 (Director: Harish Kumar) Cast: Aishsarya Devan, Mursaleem Qureshi, Ekansh Bhardwaj, and Dev Sharma

May 26

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (Director: James Gunn) Cast: Chris Pratt, Vin Diesel, and Sylvester Stallone

Sachin – A Billion Dreams (Director: James Erskine) Cast: Sachin Tendulkar

the Dinner (Director: Oren Moverman) Cast: Richard Gere, Laura Linney, Steve Coogan, and Rebecca Hall

Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men tell no tales (Director: Espen Sandberg) Cast: Johnny Depp, Geoffrey Rush, Javier Bardem, and Orlando Bloom

May 12

thodi thodi Si Manmaaniyan (Director: Aditya Sarpotdar) Cast: Arsh Sehrawat, Shrenu Parekh, Shilpa Tulaskar, and Mukesh Tiwari

Behen Hogi teri (Director: Ajay K Pannalal) Cast: Rajkummar Rao, Shruti Haasan, Gautam Gulati, Herry Tangri, and Gulshan Grover

Baywatch (Director: Seth Gordon) Cast: Priayanka Chopra, Dwayne Johnson, Zac Efron, and Alexandra Daddario

King Arthur: legend of the Sword (Director: Guy Ritchie) Cast: Annabelle Wallis, Charlie Hunnam, and Hermione Corfield

June 2

Meri Pyaari Bindu (Director: Akshay Roy) Cast: Ayushmann Khurrana and Parineeti Chopra

Atithii iin london (Director: Ashwni Dhir) Cast: Kartik Aaryan, Kriti Kharbanda, Paresh Rawal, Tanvi Azmi, and Sanjay Mishra

Hindi Medium (Director: Saket Chaudhary) Cast: Irrfan Khan, Saba Qamar, Amrita Singh, and Deepak Dobriyal

Wonder Woman (Dir: Patty Jenkins) Cast: Gal Gadot, Robin Wright, Connie Nielsen, and Chris Pine

June 9

Sarkar 3 (Director: Ram Gopal Varma) Cast: Amitabh Bachchan and Manoj Bajpayee

Raabta (Director: Dinesh Vijan) Cast: Sushant Singh Rajput and Kriti Sanon

Hanuman Da Damdaar (Director: Ruchi Narain) Cast: Salman Khan (voice) and Raveena Tandon (voice)

Bank Chor (Director: Bumpy) Cast: Riteish Deshmukh, Rhea Chakraborty, Vivek Oberoi, and Baba Sehgal

May 19

June 16

Alien: Covenant (Director: Ridley Scott) Cast: Katherine Waterston, Michael Fassbender, James Franco, and Noomi Rapace

Cars 3 (Director: Brian Lee) Cast: Armie Hammer, Nathan Fillion, Owen Wilson, and Kerry Washington

Rough night (Director: Lucia Aniello) Cast: Scarlett Johansson, Zoe Kravitz, Kate Mckimmon, and Demi Moore

Dobaara – See Your Evil (Director: Prawaal Raman) Cast: Huma Qureshi, Saqib Saleem, Lisa Ray, and Adil Hussain Saathee.com

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May 2017

Come to Mount Soma, Mount Kailash of the West!

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May 2017

FILM CLIPS Charlotte Asian Film Festival

Creative Yatra, in association with Charlotte Asian Heritage Association (CAHA) is launching a new film festival in Charlotte.

CAFF will be a joint effort of the local AsianAmerican community and others who see value in this addition to Charlotte’s cultural landscape. The Festival will be held on May 26-27 at UNC Charlotte Center City in Uptown (320 E. 9th St.) as part of Asian Heritage Month celebration. The screenings will include full-length feature films, shorts and documentaries that provide a window on various facets of Asian society, culture and history both in the native lands and in the diaspora. This showcase for film-making as an art form will provide a unique opportunity for film connoisseurs to enjoy international films with an Asian focus right here in Charlotte. CAFF will be organized in partnership with UNC Charlotte, SEAC (Southeast Asian Coalition), Light Factory and Charlotte Film Society.

Here’s the final list of full-length films. Some short films are yet to be finalized.

Soul on a String (China/Tibetan) – The film depicts a trip through Tibetan folk and magical traditions recounting the tale of a Tibetan brought back from death by a Buddhist Lama who embarks upon a journey to carry a magical stone to a sacred land.

Hindi Medium

The upcoming Bollywood film Hindi Medium is a remake of 2015 Malayalam movie Salt Mango Tree. The new version is written by Zeenat Lakhani and directed by Saket Chaudhary.

The film stars Irrfan Khan and Saba Qamar as a couple from Chandni Chowk who aspires to be a part of and accepted by the elite of Delhi. Hindi Medium, which also stars Amrita Singh and Deepak Dobriyal, opens in cinemas on May 12.

Half Girlfriend

Right now, Wrong then (South Korea/Korean) - Quite by accident, a film director arrives in town a day early.

With time to kill before his lecture the next day, he stops by a restored, old palace and meets an artist.

Samir (India/Hindi) – Action-packed film about chasing real culprits of terrorist attack in Ahmedabad, India. The drama unfolds the delicate balance of religious groups living in suspicion and despair.

The festival is free to attend, donations are welcome.

For more details visit: charlotteasianfilmfestival.org

Saathee.com

The second annual Define American Film Festival comes to Charlotte on May 11-13, 2017, in partnership with the Harvey B. Gantt Center for African-American Arts + Culture. All festival events will be held at the Gantt Center. The Festival will focus on the intersectionality of interrelated communities, including stories of immigration, women, LGBTQ communities, and racial identity. Films highlighted include Dolores, about civil rights activist and icon Dolores Huerta; Meet the Patels, a romantic comedy/documentary about the family of Charlottean Ravi Patel; White People, which Define American Co-Founder & CEO Jose Antonio Vargas directed and hosted for MTV; Am I: Too African to be American or Too American to be African? which explores how African women here and in West Africa wrestle with concepts like race, complexion, gender, and heritage; and Forbidden: Undocumented & Queer in Rural America. The festival will also highlight short films.

For full details visit, www.levinecenterarts.org/defineamerican-film-festival.

Wonder Woman

White Sun (Nepal/Nepalese) - A former Maoist rebel struggles to reintegrate with his unwelcoming community and move beyond a painful past. It shows how the scars of decade-long civil-war never quite heal, even long after the conflict has officially ended.

Holy (Un)holy River (India/English) - Documentary examines the paradox of this sacred river - the intricacies of a waterway that is divine and defiled, revered and reviled - and asks the essential question: Can the Ganges survive? The filmmakers travel from the origin of the river in Himalayan glaciers to Bay of Bengal along 2500 kilometers touching the social, religious, spiritual and political aspects that affect the lives of 500 million people.

Define American Film Festival

Once upon a time, there was a Bihari boy Madhav. He fell in love with a girl from Delhi Riya.

Madhav didn’t speak English well.

Riya did. Madhav wanted a relationship. Riya didn’t. Riya just wanted friendship. Madhav didn’t.

Riya suggested a compromise. She agreed to be his half girlfriend. The film is directed by Mohit Suri and is based on the novel by Chetan Bhagat. The cast includes Arjun Kapoor, Shraddha Kapoor, Rhea Chakraborty, Vikrant Massey, and Seema Biswas. The film opens on May 19.

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while suggesting a number of questions about family structure, mythology, modernity, and isolation. It reminded me of the classic 1925 film Grass about Persian nomads.

Full Frame Documentary Festival 2017

• My friend, Chapel Hill filmmaker, Olympia Stone had a fun and engaging film about an artist that all of us should know about. In 2015 her Curious Worlds: The Art & Imagination of David Beck led me to seek out the Smithsonian exhibit of the artist she portrayed. In The Original Richard McMahan, she uses her particular gift of revealing both an artist’s creations and her/his psyche in revealing a man who creates miniature replicas of famous works of art.

By Dilip Barman

The Full Frame Documentary Film Festival wrapped up on April 9 in Durham. I had the chance to view many films and interview several filmmakers. Some favorites are below.

• The Botanist set in gorgeous scenery of Tajikistan, relates the story of a humble man, accomplished in many areas such as cataloging and understanding local botanical medicines, as well as hydroelectric power. I saw this short twice, admiring both the biography and the filming.

• Finally, I can’t recommend enough The Music of Strangers: YoYo Ma and the Silk Road Ensemble. This film tantalizes the senses as it weaves the story of renowned cellist Yo-Yo Ma and the ensemble of musicians that he seeks out from many corners of the world. It charts their musical and personal journeys, edited together to form an at times explosively joyful and at other times meditatively deep experience. It was a highlight of the 2016 Festival for me.

• The Last Pig is a sensitive portrait of a pig farmer who has very strong misgivings about his profession. His strong empathy for the pigs runs drastically counter to the objective, bringing his animals to slaughter. Though the inevitable demise comes (in spite of the filmmaker’s attempt to abstract this, as a vegan I had significant discomfort and had to avert my attention here, as well as in an earlier segment with a limping pig who won’t make it), the ending is hopeful.

As I mentioned, there were two films set in India. Below, I present below an interview with Director/ Producer of one of the two films, Shivani, a 21-minute film about a precocious 3year-old girl in South India who excels at archery and is helping her two deaf parents in negotiating the world.

Shivani describes the highly improbably story of an elderly couple in India who have a 3-year-old daughter Shivani (or Dolly). Like her peers, she is still figuring out basics like social interaction, communication, and such.

Yet, she excels at archery and her parents have Olympic visions. She had an older brother named Lenin, who did seem to have Olympic possibilities in his archery, but tragically passed away in a car accident.

It’s hard to believe that the film is a short, as it seems to have such a history and trajectory of a sweet and talented young girl.

The cinematography, natural editing, and soundtrack take a fascinating story and immerse the viewer to take it all in.

• There were a number of films about social justice, and one that drew me because of recently teaching my eight-year-old daughter about immigration and refugees, was Zaatari Djinn. I saw the film with her to amplify on our lessons. Rather than being a glum and depressing film, it describes a Syrian refugee camp in Jordan from the perspective of the large number of children there who persist and make a life with some joy out of the situation. In email exchanges with Catherine van Campen, the filmmaker, she confirmed my daughter’s intuitions about several aspects of the film, notably a “mysterious” character who often appears in silhouette as, as my daughter correctly guessed, a symbol of a “jinni”. The serious aspects of the film lie not in the refugee crisis itself, but rather in considerations of male privilege, family dynamics, and, indeed, transcendence.

• Austerlitz took a grim but well-worn theme, that of concentration camps, and gave it a surprising – and disturbing – twist, that of silently witnessing the masses of tourists visiting two camps. I’ve been to Dachau and have studied these unspeakable and unimaginable horrors. For me, and I would think most, it was a sobering and utterly serious undertaking.

Yet, in long scenes with the camera not moving or not moving much, we witness casual and, dare I say, disrespectful actions of levity, “selfies” in front of a thankfully extinguished crematorium, and attitudes of families and individuals on a tourist trek checking off one more notable site.

Here is an excerpt of an interview with Director Jamie Dobie.

Jamie, how did you find out about the story?

I saw an image of Dolly setting the record when she was two years old. It went around the internet for about a day and it was around the same time as Hunger Games was out, so I think the idea of a real-life Katniss Everdeen was appealing. When I saw the image of this little girl with this intense look of concentration on her face, surrounded by all of these adults (in particular, all these men), I wondered what was happening. I forwarded the story to a few friends and said this would make a great subject for a documentary. But then I thought, wait, maybe I’m the one who’s supposed to do this.

• On a much lighter note, I enjoyed Donkeyote, about an elderly man who loves to walk in his native Spain along with his dogs and his constant companion, a donkey. The filmmaking is enchanting with beautiful scenes that linger in the mind. The man decides that he wants to walk across the U.S.A. Can he overcome challenges in having the donkey transported to America, his cardiologist’s cautions, and his family’s concerns?

• Anybody enjoying ethnography will likely want to see Socotra, the Island of the Djinns. Strikingly presented in black and white, the photography itself is remarkable in depicting nomadic herders on the Arabian Sea island of Socotra in Yemen. The filmmaker, Jordi Esteva, is also a subject matter expert, having written a book about these people. His film brings them to life Saathee.com

What drew you to the story?

My attraction was instinctive so I didn’t really get to think about it until later when we actually started shooting. That probably sounds a little crazy, but it’s true! I think for a lot of filmmakers the subjects choose you. There’s a moment of crystallization

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continued on page 132

May 2017

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Nepal’s Air Pollution Threatens Humans and Glaciers

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At one of the busiest intersections in Kathmandu, business is good for 64-year-old Nucche Khadka. He says he’s been working this spot for 40 years, selling crackers, candy and cigarettes. A steady stream of customers buy cigarette boxes decorated with grotesque pictures of cancerous lungs, meant to warn customers of the danger of their contents.

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Air quality monitors installed last August are revealing what residents have long suspected: Kathmandu has some of Saathee.com

the most toxic air on Earth. In the dead of winter, pollution was at its peak, with the Air Quality Index daily soaring above 200.

To make matters worse, most of the streets have been torn up to lay pipe for a water expansion project, sending dust into the air. Like many of the city’s residents, Khadka wears a black cloth mask, but it doesn’t stop the most harmful particles, which are smaller than 2.5 microns (pm) wide.

He complains he has a cough and sore throat that keeps returning.

“It’s too expensive to go to the doctor, I take medicine from continued on page 128

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May 2017

HOUSE CALL Analysis from medical professionals Is My Dental Insurance really “Insurance”?

By Vatsal Suthar

Every year, more than a million people go to emergency rooms with dental problems, which often turn out to be a cavity causing a toothache. It’s not like they’ve had a car accident, but the kind of problem you could treat in a dental office. Since few hospitals want to pay to keep a dentist or oral surgeon on hand, a prescription and a referral back to their dentist is the only “treatment.” These visits end up costing our health care system more than a billion dollars a year where the problem wasn’t solved for the patient and infection spreads.

Earlier this year in February, a young father in Utah died after an infection in his tooth went to his lungs. Vadim Anatoliyevich, 26, waited two weeks before he saw a dentist about a neglected toothache. It takes months for a cavity to develop on the outer shell of teeth but once it gets through to the nerve, the symptoms of pain signal that treatment is ...dental benefits are required quickly.

If enough time passes, the designed like a glorified tooth pain goes away and can coupon and store gift card. cause you to believe the problem has too; this is not true. The nerve inside the tooth has died and now the bacteria have moved onto the jawbone to wreak more infectious havoc. This pain can take another few months to come back— if you are lucky. By following the recommendation of getting a dental exam twice a year, almost every condition (cavities, gum disease, sinus issues, oral cancer) can be caught early and treated before it becomes costlier, time consuming or even fatal.

Health insurance companies have plans for everything including dental but it’s all separate. These powerful companies, that have millionaire CEOs, know that having a separate policy for medical and dental will make them more money. On top of that, selling policies in mass quantities to big employers like our state government, Amazon, or DAK can yield massive profit.

Dental work and oral hygiene programs were always on a pay-for-service basis until 1954 when California introduced the first actual dental insurance plans. They became more popular and more widespread during the 1960s. What became known as Delta Dental Plans began the concept of pre-payment. As these plans became more widely available during the 1970s, the maximum annual coverage was about $1000.

Fast forward 50 years to our modern world and a lot has changed. The maximum annual coverage of a thousand bucks, however, has not. A person in 1970 could get a lot of dentistry done for a thousand dollars but that could get you a couple fillings in 2017. Why has the cost of dentistry gone up so much?

Greedy dentists wanting to fund their fancy cars, vacations, and luxurious lifestyle? Not exactly.

The evolution of government organizations, programs and laws like OSHA, FDA, Department of Labor, HIPAA laws, the IRS, Medicare, American Disability Act, and now Affordable Saathee.com

Care Act, have all caused the cost to run and operate an independent health care facility to skyrocket. On top of this, the costs to implement and update technology like computers, dental equipment, x-ray machines is a never-ending hamster wheel of bills.

Even if you are lucky enough to have an employer offer a dental plan that offers a thousand bucks worth of treatment, you’d want to sign up to take advantage right? Get a detailed copy of your policy to review all the obstacles that the insurance companies have set up for them not to pay for any dental treatment: co-pays, age restrictions, exam frequency rules, waiting periods, no coverage, clauses that state it won’t replace missing teeth, and the list goes on for dozens of pages in the policy manual. Insurance companies are smart and know how to make money by using tactics like this. So many layers of red tape and delays by an insurance company to pay out on claims is why only 5% of policies ever reach their max.

A common misconception is that you have to have dental insurance to see a dentist. This is absolutely false. Paying for preventive services like cleanings, exams, and x-rays out of pocket can come out to be the same price as paying for a dental insurance policy you have deducted from your pay. If you have $25 come out your paycheck every two weeks, that’s $650 dollars a year. Any dental office in the Southeast will charge less than that if you are looking to only take advantage of preventive services.

Many dental offices are beginning to offer an in-house membership program or discount plan to the uninsured patient. Depending on how it is set up by the office, a person with no dental insurance can pay a monthly or yearly fee to receive a discount off the cost of treatment with that dentist.

This helps a person get the treatment they want without the middle layer of a dental insurance company trying to hinder treatment with a mountain of rules all in their quest to post more profit for their shareholders. Many dentistry owners are willing to give senior, cash, and prepay discounts.

Dental insurance, in many ways, is a misnomer. Traditional insurance in any other industry is designed to protect you for worst case scenarios: auto collision, house fire, and death.

Dental insurance plans do nothing to help if you fell and broke your front tooth and needed a replacement. Instead, dental benefits are designed like a glorified coupon and store gift card.

You get a little discount for using in network providers but you only have a certain amount they will cover before they expire at the end of the year.

So if you want a $3000 big screen TV but you only have a $1000 gift card, you will have to pay the remaining balance after using the card. If you don’t want to pay anything out of pocket, you will likely need to settle for a less expensive, smaller, off brand TV.

36

Vatsal Suthar

is a private practice general dentist in Columbia, SC aiming to increase dental awareness for the South Asian Community.

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May 2017

NAMASKAR Y’ALL Reflections and a few confessions as an Indian American in the Carolinas the Joys of not Being a Pet owner

to mind when I think of them. For these reasons, I wonder if it is even fair to limit a pet from reaching its potential by domesticating it or making it our favorite playmate. How far would the fish swim if it was out of the tank? How high would the parakeet fly? How exciting would the hamster’s life be out of its cage and endless wheel? Did your sweet puppy really ask to be separated from its family? Is the trade of exotic animals worthwhile just so we can be a little entertained? Is all the love and affection they shower on their human caretakers even genuine? Perhaps we humans are simply projecting our feelings on them. I don’t really know but I think it is worth raising these questions.

It is easy to be infatuated by a beautiful dog staring at you and wanting your attention, but puppy love vanishes at the thought of midnight barks and emergency walks in the early hours of a winter morning to say nothing of all the pooperscooper duties.

Even if the kids vow to care for the pets, I know I will be the one who gets saddled with all the work. With my everexpanding to-do list, the duties of owning a pet are not a top priority. Selfishly, I want to do things that feed my soul, enrich my mind and allow me to be more frivolous from time to time.

Nevertheless, I am in the minority. Most people prefer to own pets ranging from tiny fish in a bowl to sleepy snakes in a tank. Tremendous amount of interest is placed in news about pets owned by celebrities, especially the eccentric ones with unusual pets such as tigers, monkeys, and tarantulas.

The numbers of pet stores, animal hospitals, doggy daycares and other related businesses have sprouted everywhere. It is not surprising that market researchers predict a rise in the pet industry and one expert projects that by 2019 the pet industry will hit $91.72 billion in sales. So, it seems like we not only want to bring home pets but we also want to pamper them. This is great news for pets except in cases where an excess of food leads to obesity.

The growing market for pets has also given rise to breeding animals in poor conditions, such as puppy mills. It’s almost as if our obsession is destroying the very object of our affection. I have great admiration for individuals who rescue animals from cruel situations and adopt them.

Biologists, wildlife rescue and rehabilitation experts, and volunteers work tirelessly to study living creatures around us in the hope of supporting their survival, which is ultimately tied to ours.

In the words of Benjamin Hoff, “Lots of people talk to animals.... Not very many listen, though.... That’s the problem.”

If you consider yourself to be a true animal lover, I hope you will.

By Shyma Parui

What do you long for when you return home from a trip, a long day at work or from a boring routine of running errands?

If I close my eyes and picture it, I see myself walking in the door and hugging my kids, relishing a hot, steaming plate of “khichri” and no laundry to do.

My friend on the other hand looks forward to seeing her dogs come running to her. She is not alone, as a lot of people adore their pets and consider them to be just as precious as their close family members or best friends. For some, the unconditional love and attention that a pet offers makes them even more valuable than their significant others.

I’ve often wondered about the reasons behind this close bond between pets and their owners. Was it forged way back in time when humans lived in closer proximity to wildlife?

Does it have something to do with the benefits of having a pet?

According to an article on WebMD, having a pet can help reduce high blood pressure, anxiety, and can even increase your chances of getting a date.

I am, however, not sold on it and I have so far not been My friends are usually persuaded to adopt a pet. amused when they see how Believe me it hasn’t been uneasy I am around any easy as my children have tried every argument and non-human creature. emotional tactic in the book to convince me to get a dog.

They even have a list of names for future pets. Honestly, it is not in the dog’s best interest to have me as their guardian because I don’t know the first thing about caring for dogs or any other furry friend that my kids want to bring home.

My friends are usually amused when they see how uneasy I am around any non-human creature. As a city girl, I jump at the sight of the tiniest bugs.

The flat in which I grew up in was just enough for all the family members and having a pet there was neither practical nor fair to the poor animal. In smaller towns or more rural areas, pets are more common mainly because they can roam a little more freely and do not have to be restricted to smaller living spaces or put on a tight leash.

My husband often recalls how as a kid, he was a pet owner for only three days. The poor dog had to be returned because it unknowingly made its way in to my mother-in-law’s “mandir” ruining her place of worship.

So, it’s not surprising that we as adults we have kept our distance from both domestic and wild animals. You won’t find us trying to capture close up photographs of bears in the woods or alligators in the water. Common sense and not fear drives that decision because numerous incidents have shown that getting too close to wildlife risks the safety of both humans and animals. Our way of showing respect to nature is by avoiding interference.

Don’t get me wrong, I don’t detest animals, as a matter of fact, fascination, amazement and awe are the words that come Saathee.com

Shyama Parui

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

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THE CHAI TABLE Saathee Readers’ Forum

Will the Mystery of MH370 be solved?

An analysis of media reporting and presentation

• April 2014 to June 2015: Despite an intensive search by an international flotilla of ships and airplanes, there were no confirmed sightings of wreckage.

• July 29 2015: A piece of wreckage was spotted off Reunion Island; forensic analysis confirmed it to be part of the right flap.

• May 10, 2016: Second confirmed plane part (left outboard flap) found in Reunion Island.

• June 16, 2016: Left outboard flap found on Pemba Island (third confirmed piece) • March 9, 2017: Three years on, all that has been found jet are 18 pieces of debris (3 confirmed, 7 almost certain, 6 highly likely and 2 likely) , washed up on beaches stretching from the southern tip of South Africa to the east coast of Tanzania, 3,000 miles further north.

• March 9, 2017: Australia calls off the search after having scoured 12,000 miles of seabed in the Indian Ocean. Since no technology currently exists that can locate where the plane is, this means the most expensive and complex search in aviation history is over.

By Dr. Sankaran Ramanathan

More than three years ago, Malaysian Airlines Flight MH370 disappeared from radar screens shortly after take-off from Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) enroute to Beijing in the wee hours of March 9, 2014. Despite an intensive international search lasting three years, the fate of this Boeing 777 jet airliner (including its 239 occupants) and its exact whereabouts are still unknown.

Following this tragedy, Malaysia, a successful, multi-racial, peace-loving and little-known country at the tip of the Asian continent, became the cynosure of the world for the wrong reasons - i.e. an airline disaster that grabbed the attention of international media. Negative perceptions of Malaysia have intensified after two more airline disasters in 2014/15, one involving another Malaysia Airlines flight (MH17) in December 2014 and the other involving the popular low-cost carrier Air Asia (QZ8501) in January 2015. The first two disasters accounted for more than half of the world-wide total fatalities in airline accidents (537 out of 986) in the year 2014.

A study I undertook analysed various nuances in reporting of negative news as exhibited by international news channels, specifically CNN and BBC, in covering the MH370 disaster. My findings show that Western media are quick to jump to conclusions as most journalists have a “parachute mentality” and need to get the news out fast to their viewers, based on the perception that “no news is good news.” Contrarily, local (national) media are more restrained in their reporting, taking into consideration the needs and sensitivities of their multicultural audiences.

Before I return to this issue, it would be useful to provide readers with a quick recap of events pertaining to the disappearance of MH370. The timeline in the box below summarizes key events:

MH370 tIMElInES • Sunday March 10, 2014, 0041 a.m.: MH370 took off from KLIA for Beijing, China. The Boeing 777-200ER had 12 crew members and 227 passengers from 14 nationalities on board, including two infants.

• Sunday March 10, 0130 a.m.: Subang Air Traffic Control lost contact with the plane, which disappeared off the radar. The last recorded words were “All right, good night Malaysia 370.”

• March 17, 2014: According to subsequent radar detections (based on analysis of six “pings”), the plane had turned back, crossed the Malay Peninsula and headed southwards.

• March 10 – 24, 2014: Initial Search and Rescue (SAR) efforts were concentrated in the South China Sea; they shifted to the northern and southern arcs of the Indian Ocean after nearly a week.

• March 24, 2014, 10 p.m.: Malaysian Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak (Najib) made a televised announcement that “MH370 has ended in the Indian Ocean.”

Saathee.com

Conspiracy theories As the mystery deepened, many conspiracy theories have sprouted and have been publicized in both traditional and online media. Here I would like to enter a personal caveat, i.e.

I do not subscribe to any of these theories but am merely reporting them, based on the research I undertook. Further, all these theories are linked to some kind of conspiracy that rules out the plane’s hijacking by terrorist groups.

• The pilot and/or co-pilot were responsible; the theory is that the pilot who is known to have supported a leading opposition politician took the plane down into the deepest part of the Indian Ocean as an act of protest and revenge against the Malaysian government.

• Americans were behind it; this theory holds that the plane was carrying some kind of highly-sophisticated equipment (believed to be a drone) smuggled by some foreign entities and bound for China. Not wanting the Chinese to get hold of this equipment, the Americans conspired with the pilot to land the plane in the Indian Ocean island of Diego Garcia.

• Russians were behind it; same presumptions as above, except that the theory holds the plane was landed in a remote part of Russia.

• Chinese were behind it; again, the same presumptions, except that the plane was landed in a remote part of China and that the Chinese wanted the safe delivery of this equipment.

Those who subscribe to the first theory point out that the pilot had been practising mock flights in the Indian Ocean area on his flight simulator at home prior to the actual flight.

Supporters of the second, third and fourth theories believe that the perpetrators are releasing the plane parts bit by bit. As for the bodies, they speculate that they are either in a mass grave or have been cremated. continued on page 128 44

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May 2017

MASTERING MEANING

Harnessing the Power of American English

By Judith L. Bergman

Saathee.com

Suggested strategies to increase your mastery of meaning this month: Read the editorials and business news in your daily and Sunday newspaper or in digital format and look for idiomatic uses of wind, breeze and blew. Notice whether any or the expressions in this article are used by your colleagues and pay attention to the setting and the context.

References: 1, http://www.idioms.thefreedictionary.com/ Answers: 1-h, 2-b, 3-k, 4-m, 5-d, 6-p, 7-a 8-o 9-f 10-i, 11-s, 12-l, 13-c 14-q 15-g, 16-r 17-e, 18-t, 19-n 20-j.

May is the month when I hope my car and front steps and deck will no longer be dusted with green pollen. I can take the plastic covers off the patio furniture and enjoy meals outside. I can breathe the spring air and create my container and front gardens.

Last year’s May column included a quiz about the multiple meanings of water, rain and showers. Another basic element of the outdoors is the wind and, on lovely Spring days, the gentle breeze that carries the perfume of flowering trees and shrubs.

Can you match the meanings (“a” to “t”) below to these expressions that use wind, breeze and blew? 1 [Note: “wind” with the vowel pronounced “eye” is a verb that means “to wrap something around a center” like winding a string around a spool. “Wind” as we are using it, is a noun with the vowel sounding like the “ih” in “win” and “pin.”]

1. Ben got his second wind halfway through the race and finished second. _____ 2. He didn’t want his boss to get wind of his plans to leave so he didn’t tell many people. _____ 3. When our competitor won the contract, it took the wind out of our sails. _____ 4. Come on, folks, we have to go like the wind or else we’ll be late for the game! _____ 5. I think it would be wise for me to see which way the wind blows before I invest in that company. _____ 6. Some young people seem always ready to throw caution to the wind. _____ 7. His uncle drank too much at the wedding and was three sheets to the wind. _____ 8. We’ll have to be flexible and adapt as the wind blows. _____ 9. After the flood many families in the neighborhood were scattered to the four winds! _____ 10. From our conversations I get the feeling that big changes are in the wind. _____ 11. That speaker is an old windbag who just goes on and on and doesn’t know anything. _____ 12. I plan to be as inconspicuous as possible while the new management reorganizes the office. The reed before the wind lives on, while mighty oaks fall. _____ 13. Can we please slow down? I’m out of wind. _______ 14. John and I spent a lovely afternoon in the park just shooting the breeze. _____ 15. The home team won the soccer match in a breeze. ______ 16. She breezed into the conference room ten minutes late. _____ 17. He breezed through his math assignment in no time at all. _____ 18. It was my last chance and I blew it. _____ 19. He finally had enough of the loud noise coming from his neighbor’s party and he blew. _____ 20. The evidence blew a hole in the defense’s arguments at the trial. ______ a. Drunk, inebriated. b. To hear information that someone else was trying to keep secret c. Out of breath.

d. See how a situation develops before taking any decisive action e. Completed the task quickly and easily f. Had to move to different places far away from each other. g. Easily, without much effort h. A burst of renewed energy and strength after feeling tired or weak i. Coming in the future. j. Proved that something was not true or right. k. Discouraged us, put us at a disadvantage. l. A quiet and flexible person is less likely to get hurt in a crisis than a prominent and rigid person. m. Move very, very fast. n. To become very angry o. Take what life gives us as it comes. p. Become careless and take risks. q. Chatting casually and without purpose r. Entered quickly in a happy and carefree manner. s. A person who speaks too long on any topic with an air of pretentious authority. t. To fail or ruin an opportunity

Judith L. Bergman M.A CCC

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May 2017

PERSONAL FINANCES IRAs – Your Questions Answered – Part I

My wife is still working even though I retired recently. Is it possible for me to open a Roth IRA and treat it as a spousal contribution?

By Mo Vidwans Assuming that your wife has earned enough to cover the Last month we discussed the general nature of ideas behind total contributions for you and her ($13,000 if you are both over the Individual Retirement Account (IRA) philosophy; this 50) and your combined income is within the limit you can open month I will try to answer some of the most frequent questions a spousal Roth IRA for yourself. The limit to contribute to Roth IRA starts to phase out at $184,000 in 2016 ($186,000 for 2017). that get asked.

I turned 70 this year. Am I still allowed to convert assets from a regular IRA to a Roth IRA? There is no age limit for converting to Roth. Of course, you end up paying income taxes on the amount that you convert.

On Traditional IRAs, you are required to take required minimum distributions (RMD) when you turn 70.5 and you must take your RMD first before you convert any amount to a Roth. Both the RMD and the converted amount will add to your income for that year which might push you into higher income tax bracket. Conversions should be reviewed very carefully and over many years to make sure that you are not paying unnecessarily higher taxes.

I need to take money out of my IRA but I am not 59.5 yet. Is it possible at all for me to withdraw some money from my IRA if I do not have any other choices?

Yes, of course, it is always possible to withdraw money from your IRA; in the worst case you would pay a penalty. What you are really asking is if you can withdraw without paying the 10% penalty.

IRS rules and regulations have kept some provision just for such occasions. There are several ways depending on how much money you need and what you need it for.

The law waives the penalty under the following circumstances: • If you arrange to take out at any age ‘substantially equal and periodic payments’ (SEPP) based on your life expectancy. You must take the withdrawals for five years or until you turn 59.5 whichever comes later. For example, if you are 52 you will have to withdraw a specific amount for at least 7.5 years. If you are 57 then you will have to withdraw at least till you are 62. This mandatory withdrawal locks you up for at least five years.

Unfortunately, you can’t make new contributions to the IRA or take additional withdrawals during that time.

• If you are unemployed, then withdrawals to pay for health insurance.

• Withdrawal to make medical expenses that exceed 10% of your adjusted gross income.

• Withdrawal for college tuition and fees for self and the family.

• First-time homebuyer can withdraw up to $10,000.

Since congress has made the charitable contribution (directly from an IRA) a permanent fixture of the tax law, I can plan it carefully now. But am I limited to a single charity or can I make gifts to more than one?

This rule applies to any IRA owner over 70.5 and permits gifts, up to a maximum of $100,000 of your IRA money to any number of charities. And it is a tax-free transfer. It is best to check with your favorite charities and your IRA custodian for any paperwork that you will need to establish the donations.

When you do that, you do not have to take a RMD that year but you also cannot claim the donation on the itemized deductions.

Years ago, I was making after-tax contributions to my traditional IRA but now I can’t find the 8606 forms. How do I avoid getting taxed on this money again?

As the question suggests, it is possible for anybody that has “earned” income to contribute to non-traditional IRA. Since this is a non-traditional contribution it is from your money after taxes because you are not claiming the deduction on your tax return for that year. As part of the filing procedure, you had filed the form 8606 each year you had non-traditional IRA; the form reports your basis so you avoid taxes when the money is withdrawn. Search your records for form 5498 which your IRA administrator sends to report contributions or you can also look for contributions on your brokerage statements. Try to use that information to compare with your tax returns to determine what you deducted.

If you don’t have those records, you can request a transcript

No matter what strategy you use, tapping an IRA early could put a permanent dent in your retirement savings. Even though penalty is waived you still have to pay the income taxes on withdrawals. All other options need to be carefully explored before I would recommend this route to follow.

Are my IRA choices for investments limited just like they are for 401k?

Not at all, especially if you are self-managing your IRA accounts via a custodian. As you know you have to have a custodian, by law, to hold your account. They make sure that you are following all the laws that are in place today. But you can make your investment choices. For whatever reasons the 401k choices are very limited, generally a maximum of 25 different options you can choose from. Where as in a selfdirected IRA you have literally thousands of choices to choose from over a wide and large spectrum of stocks, mutual funds and many others; all choices, of course, have to be within the limits established by IRS. Saathee.com

continued on page 100

Mo Vidwans

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

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May 2017

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51

May 2017

DANCES OF INDIA

By Dr. Maha Gingrich

Dancing with Drums

India is a land of ancient culture and traditions, in which dance, music, art, literature, architecture and handicraft play a very important role.

In music and dance, drums have always played an essential role. In any dance form, from any country, when you add drums to the orchestra, it sets the stage for presentation of energy. They are used to invoke spirits, create rhythmic patterns or describe the intensity of cosmic dances.

In Hindu religion, I think it all started with the dances with Dhamaru drum performed by Lord Shiva. A small drum shaped like an hourglass is known as a Dhamaru. This is one of the attributes of Lord Shiva in his famous dancing representation, known as Nataraj, the King of Dances. A specific hand gesture called Dhamaru-hasta is used to hold the drum while dancing. The Dhamaru in His left hand represents the Shabda or cosmic sounds. According to scriptures, it represents “OM” from which all languages are formed.

In ancient Hindu sculpture, painting, and mythology, the Mridangam, a South Indian Drum, is often depicted as the instrument of choice for a number of deities to play and to dance with, including Ganesha (the remover of obstacles) and Nandi, who is the vehicle of Lord Shiva. Nandi is said to have played the Mridangam during Shiva’s ancient Tandava dance, causing a divine rhythm to resound across the heavens.

The Pung cholom is a Manipuri dance, also known as Mrindanga Kirtan or Dhumal dance. This dance is performed by only males either as integral part of Nata Sankirtan or independently in front of social gatherings. In this style, dressed in white, dancers need to be graceful and acrobatic at the same time. They use these acrobatic effects without breaking the rhythm or flow of music created with drums. The dance is marked by a gentle rhythm, which gradually builds up to a thunderous climax. Pung cholom borrows many elements from the Manipuri martial arts.

When it is a part of Nata, two players participate in its performance, but as an independent dance performance at least 14 players follow the sequence of Nata Sankirtan. In this series with more than 40 complicated talas/rhythms that represent particular compositions are presented. The number of drummers may increase at times up to 100. The performance is full of various types of body movements that are executed with great artistic skills and excitement.

Then there is a professional Drum-Dance from Jalore. Five men with huge drums around their necks, some with huge cymbals, accompany a dancer who holds a sword in his mouth Saathee.com

and performs vigorously by twirling three painted sticks. By no means are these drums small in size. Let alone playing and holding them around the neck, I can’t imagine dancing with them.

Another fine example of drum dance is the festive dance of Ghumra, mostly prevalent in Orissa, especially in the districts of Sambalpur, Balangir and Kalahandi. The name of the dance is derived from the pitcher that looks like a drum. Its body is made from terracotta (mud). The neck of the drum is like a hollow cylinder. On its mouth they tie the skin of Godhi, a lizard like reptile. The drum is slung from the neck of the dancers like in Pung Cholam, but they also tie it to the back so that the face of the drum is close to their chest. The dancers play on the face of the drum with both their hands while dancing. This dance is also performed only by men.

Unlike Pung Cholam, the dancers wear colored Dhotis and jackets. They wear beautiful turbans decorated with peacock feathers, while their belts and ankles have several bells or ghungroo. It gets complicated as one dancer without the Ghumra drum holds two bunches of long peacock feathers in both hands.

He then dances with the group making funny movements and sounds that add a humorous element to the performance. Although this dance is performed during some festive occasions, customarily it is danced on the day of Gamba Purnima that falls on the full moon day of the lunar month of Shravan which is around the months of July and August.

Then there is Dhol drum which refers to any one of a number of similar types of double-headed drum widely used, with regional variations, throughout the Indian subcontinent.

Its range of distribution in India, Bangladesh and Pakistan primarily includes northern areas such as the Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, Kashmir, Sindh, Assam Valley, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Konkan, Goa, Karnataka, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and many more places. The range stretches westward as far as eastern Afghanistan. The Punjabi dhol is perhaps best known here in the USA due to its prominent place in the rhythm of popular Punjabi bhangra music and dance. A Bhangra dance is not complete without a live Dhol music and sometimes, the dancers sing and dance while playing the drum.

Many African countries have drum dances as well. Even Native Americans use the drums to call upon the spirits of nature. However, in my opinion, perhaps no country can surpass India in the range and variety of drums and drum dances.

Dr. Maha Gingrich

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

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May 2017

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55

May 2017

THINKING ABOUT THINKING

By Balaji Prasad

for me to achieve something in math, and that it is going to be hard to achieve whatever it is that I believe I need to achieve.

Belief is easy when one has imagination. And, if one lacks imagination, there are others who are willing and eager to help!

I cannot count the number of times I have heard parents, teachers and others characterize children as having or not having certain abilities, e.g. in math. It is also easy to fall into the trap of characterizing oneself. The expressions, “I am not good at math” or “I have an artistic bent of mind” are two sides of the same coin: a desire to characterize and label oneself, and feel things that are both irrelevant and perhaps even detrimental. Why call a spade a spade, when it may not even be a spade at all?

the Fear of Math … and of Everything Else

“If you know the enemy, and know yourself, you need not fear the results of a hundred battles.” ― Sun Tzu

Strangely, there are many people who are afraid of mathematics! At least of parts of it. It is not as common to find people who are afraid of, say, biology, or history. This is a very interesting phenomenon.

Since math is particularly important in schools and colleges, as well as in many industries, it makes sense to try and understand the bases of this fear of math. If we understand I spin the universe these, maybe we can do something about it. Maybe we can make Clearly, the universe spins on its own, without my help? Or it go away. Or, at least manage it, perhaps even capitalize on it? does it? Am I sure that I know where my beliefs end, and where the reality begins? Unless, I don’t have any beliefs at all, of Fear of anything course. I can be belief-free only if I have “perfect knowledge”. If Why are we afraid of anything at all? If we get a better grasp that is a thing, at all! That, itself, is a belief that can be held, only of fear, in general, it may give us insight into specific fears, such because it is possible to express such an idea. Not everything as those of math. And, is not living more important than math, expressible is true. So perhaps things are not what meet the eye, which is only a part of living? So, exploring the nature of fear as it would seem? Maybe things are what meet the “I”? has the potential to illuminate the way to not just better math Maybe I do spin the universe after all, even more than it grades and scores, but also to better ones in the practice of the spins itself. most important discipline: living.

Fear is a force – an emotional one – that plays inside all of us What does spin have to do with math!? to varying degrees in varied situations. There are many books When I make the universe spin, my head spins with the and papers on the subject. Psychiatrists get rich because of fear, beliefs that I spin. If I spin that I am not good at math, and repeat as do religious gurus, godmen, swamis, astrologers and such. it to myself a thousand times, the universe will spin in a way Fear is a much studied, and much experienced force. that makes my belief so. And, every time I and math have a date, there is a deer in the headlights. The deer is me. The headlights there is an “I” in fear are what I spun.

When I look outside and see the tree shed its leaves for the Why does fear matter? It would not, if my brainpower were fall, I feel no fear, no concern whatsoever. There are many such infinite. Then, fear could consume part of my brain, but leave things that go on in the world, but we remain relatively enough capacity to apply to a math (or other) problem. But untouched by events that have little bearing on the things that when real estate is scarce, I have to decide whether to build an really matter to us. Despite earnest proclamations of the outrage edifice of fear, or one of performance. If my brain is sweating at atrocities in various parts of the world such as Syria and feverishly over the importance of my grade in math and whether North Korea, we do not feel the same fear as the people living I can solve the particular problem I am working on, there is less there. But fear is not so absent, when things matter. To me. If it bandwidth for the actual task of applying what I know to the is important for me to stay employed, and there is suddenly problem at hand. The problem suffers, while my fear thrives. some threat to this state of employment, the adrenaline rushes Would it not be nice to flip this around? in, fear makes its appearance, and what I feel and do begins to shift.

So, it is only when things matter that fear rears its head. Respect the brain’s capacity Matter to whom? To me, obviously! So, I matter, and something Knowing one’s limits is important. Resources are not always else matters to what I think of as me. infinite. Our brains are certainly limited. Ironically, they may be less limited, if we see that the human brain’s capacity is limited. there is imagination in fear Then, perhaps, I would try to treat it with more respect, with an attitude of frugality. I work with my students on some of these I fear, I fear, I fear so much, things too, besides the subject matter, whether it is high-school when something from me is torn away, math or the SAT/ACT sections.

I’m thing that teeters without its crutch, Never mind it’s only the words I say, Balaji Prasad and never a thing that’s real to my touch

Mathematics does not have to be hard. I only need to believe that it is hard. For me. If I sign on to this belief, I am in the right state of mind to feel fear. I only need to feel that it is important Saathee.com

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

Contact: 704.746.9779 balaji.prasad@newcranium.com

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May 2017

new column Payal

SUCCESS WITHIN

Create Successful Motivation at Work

By Payal Nanjiani

A couple of days back a client of mine invited me over for tea to coach her in team motivation. She had been promoted as a leader of a team of ten members reporting directly to her.

During our conversation I asked her, “How’s the leader doing?”

Without any shine in her eyes she said “it’s going OK. The work is nice and I am excited for this project but…..”

There was a long pause. She felt her team members are disinterested and demotivated. The result being her department would start going downhill and this may mean her replacement. I asked her to relax and suggested her to go in for two simple and inexpensive strategies to be successful with her team.

Give them Vitamin M for Motivation Give MBW a try

She quickly interrupted and said, “I think you mean BMW, and how is that Incentives are not always connected with my Success? monetary. Employees look And which pharmacy am I for recognition, growth, etc. going to get the Vitamin M from?”

Like my client, many of you may be wondering what Vitamin M and MBW are about?

For any of us who have staff reporting to us, we need to have these two strategies with us.

The Vitamin M, I explained to her, is a Motivation Vitamin, made up of the following ingredients: Value - Each employee you have hired is an individual human being before being your employee. If every employee is the other employee’s strength and is valued for their skills, you can make magic with them. They are your most important assets.

Innovation: Everyone gets bored with routine tasks.

Encourage your employees to think and come up with ideas.

This will keep them active in their minds. training: Every employee who joins you wants to be successful. Providing ample training opportunities helps them derive a growth plan for themselves. Once upon a time, a very strong woodcutter asked a timber merchant for a job and he got it. The pay and work conditions were very good. The woodcutter was determined to do his best. He had his axe with him and on the first day the woodcutter cut 18 trees. The boss was happy. The woodcutter tried harder the following days, but could bring only 15 trees the next day and 10 trees the following day. Feeling dejected, he went to his boss. His boss asked him, “When was the last time you sharpened your axe?”

“Sharpen? I had no time to sharpen my axe. I have been busy trying to cut trees….”

Accentuate the positive: Put your attention on all the right things your employee is doing. What you focus on will grow.

Put a lot of attention when your employee does what you ask them to do and performs the task well.

Motivate yourself first: Now here is where Karma takes a Saathee.com

role. As you sow, so shall you reap. If you feel happy, positive, enthusiastic about a project, the team will follow.

There was a farmer who sold a pound of butter to the baker.

One day the baker decided to weigh the butter to see if he was getting a pound and he found that he was not. This angered him and he took the farmer to court. The judge asked the farmer if he was using any measure. The farmer replied, “I am primitive. I don’t have a proper measure, but I do have a scale.”

The judge asked, “Then how do you weigh the butter?” The farmer replied “Your Honor, long before the baker started buying butter from me, I have been buying a pound loaf of bread from him. Every day when the baker brings the bread, I put it on the scale and give him the same weight in butter. If anyone is to be blamed, it is the baker.” Moral of the story- We get back in life what we give to others. Motivate yourself to keep your team motivated.

Incentives: Incentives are not always monetary. Employees look for recognition, growth, etc. news sharing: Keep your employees well informed about the company happenings.

Many of us in reality are doing some or most of the above.

But it’s not what we do but how we do that has the effect. Most of us take care of this vitamin, sit back and relax. We forget the same medicine will not work for all illnesses. Analyzing the symptoms of an illness and treating accordingly is the key towards its success.

Look around for symptoms in your team and then use the vitamin dosage accordingly. For this, one needs to proceed with MBW- Management by Wandering.

A manager/leader has to do things effectively and efficiently. One of the important tools for this is what I call – “Management by Wandering.” If you do not wander around, you will be left wondering around.

Remember your team will not approach you. If you are sitting in a cozy cubicle, with your eyes on the computer, you will surely succeed in warming up the chair. Problems are where people are, your cubicle does not have people.

MBW is a powerful motivation technique as it allows you to be with your team at their level, know their concerns and suggestions, and connect with them. It’s the start of two-way communication.

Though in this new millennium these techniques will be successful, be alert for Gen Z. The Gen Z employee will be more relaxed and carefree, will be more loyal to self than company, and their needs will rise above the stock market and insurance.

All the other motivation techniques may fade out but vitamin and MBW will remain also effective with Gen Z. Because it’s only through MBW that you will always be aware of the changing needs of your team.

As is said in Bhagwat Gita, “Because, whatever noble persons do, others follow. Whatever standard they set up, the world follows.” (3.21)

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Payal Nanjiani

is a buiness and life coach and leadership consultant. Contact her at learninginsightful@gmail.com or www.PayalNanjiani.com May 2017

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May 2017

test Your

Knowledge Cities of India

1

3

2

This coastal city in Gujarat is the birthplace of Mahatma Gandhi.

This best friend of Lord Krishna was born in Porbandar, Gujarat.

5

4

Porbandar is located in this region of Gujarat.

This temple was inspired and built

by Bhaishri Rameshbhai Oza in Porbandar.

Porbandar is located near what body of water?

7

6

This palace was built by the last ruler of the princely state of Porbandar Rana Natwarsinhji.

8

This famous Gujarati film and TV actor was born in Porbandar.

9

Porbandar is also part of this subregion of Saurashtra, Gujarat.

This cluster of wetlands in and around Porbandar hosts a variety of birds and wildlife.

Answers: 1. Porbandar 2. Sudama 3. Shri Hari Mandir 4. Saurashtra 5. Arabian Sea 6. Huzoor Palace 7. Dilip Joshi 8. Kathiawar 9. Mokarsagar wetland.

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May 2017

YOUTH CORNER Word World

By Kirit Shukla

2. The music director of 2006 film “UMRĀO JĀN” (a) A.R. Rehman (b) Pritam (c) Khayyam (d) Anu Malik

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) 21+ words = Excellent; 15 to 20 words = Good; 14 or less = keep looking.

Words we found are in solutions below.

3. How many basic positions of feet are there in a classical ballet? (a) 3 (b) 5 (c) 7 (d) 10

4. The 2017 NCAA men’s basketball champs. (a) Oregon (b) USC (c) UNC Chapel Hill (d) Gonzaga

Brain train

Hi Kids. Here is a simple quiz. See if you can solve it.

5. Who was the first Governor of Gujarat? (a) M. Navaz Zang (b) P.N. Bhagavati (c) B.K. Nehru (d) R.K. Trivedi

Match the name of the cartoon animal characters on the left column with that on the right column.

1. MINNIE 1. GREEN DINOSAUR 2. TRIXIE 2. DOG 3. PORKY 3. BIRD 4. TOM 4. FEMALE MOUSE. 5. JERRY 5. DUCK 6. DAFFY 6. HAPPY DRAGON 7. TWEETY 7. HOUSE CAT 8. DINO 8. MOUSE 9. SNOOPY 9. PIG 10. REX 10. BOUNCING DOG

6. Buddha’s first sermon (Teachings) were in (a) Nalanda (b) Taxila (c) Sarnath (d) Vaishali

7. Each inside angle of an equilateral triangle is = (a) 120° (b) 90° (c) 60° (d) 45°

8. The fear of heights is called (a) Acrophobia (c) Astraphobia

The answer given on the bottom of this page (no peeking).

Saathee.com

10. The formula of table sugar molecule is (a) C12H11O22 (b) C12H22O11 (c) C11H22O12 (d) C22H12O11

Answers are below. No Peeking.

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

Answer for brain train: 1=4. 2=10, 3=9, 4=7, 5=8, 6=5, 7=3, 8=1, 9=2, 10=6.

Moral: Do not give a promise without proper thinking. There are people out there who can outsmart you!

9. The telephone STD code of Mumbai, India is (a) 011 (b) 022 (c) 033 (d) 044

4.c 5.a 6.c

Dadaji’s moral short stories Once, a king in India who was an expert chess player announced that whoever plays chess with him and wins, he would give the winner anything he wants. A scholar accepted the challenge and won. We know that a chess board has 8x8 = 64 squares. He said to the king: “Many people in my town are very poor and don't eat well. So, I want grains for them using the chess board. You put one grain in first square, two grains in second square, four grains on third... that is double the grains in the subsequent (next) squares. When you put the grains on all the 64 squares of the chess board then deliver them to my town." You know, it was impossible for the king to complete all the squares! How?!

Let us do the math. For the first line of 8 squares it will be 1+2+4+8+16+32+64+128 = 255 grains (Say = 1/4 lb.) Go to 2nd line.

1/4+1/2+1+2+4+8+16+32 = say 63 lbs. I bag = 63 lbs. In next line 1+2+4+8+16+32+64+128 = 255 bags. Say 255 lbs. = 1truck.

Next line -1+2+4+8+16+32+64+128 = 255 trucks. Say 255 trucks. = 1 Train. Next Line: 1+2+4+8+16+32+64+128 = 255 trains. We completed 5 lines = 40 squares only. You may continue like this, adding up each line and see!

(b) Agoraphobia (d) Aqua phobia

66

Word World (Solution): ANTE, ANTHER, ANTRE, EARN, EARTH, ENRAPT, ENTRAP, HARE, HATE, HEAP, HEAR, HEART, HEAT, NEAP, NEAR, NEAT, PANE, PANTHER, PARE, PARENT, PEAR, PEART, PEAT, PENT, PERT, PRATE, RATE, REAP, RENT, RHEA, TAPE, TAPER, TARE, TEAR, THEN

H

T

3.b

n

E

R

2.d

P

1. Arrange these largest lakes of USA and Canada, from smaller area to larger area. (a) Lake Superior (b) Lake Huron (c) Lake Michigan (d) Great Bear Lake

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

A

Who wants to be a Scholar?!

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

There is only one correct answer.

May 2017

MARKETING TURNAROUND Virtual and Reality: How Social Media Changed the World

By Gail Z. Martin

Without social media, today’s world would be a very different place.

Smart phones, 4G bandwidth, widespread public WiFi and adoption of social media across all age groups have made a whole new, instantaneous level of communication and connection possible with game-changing results. Social media showed us a new realm of possibilities, and in exchange, we’ve changed in what we want, need and expect from social media.

Why should you care? Social media’s impact on the world changed the business environment forever, presenting unparalleled opportunities and permanently shifting customer expectations. It’s no longer a question of ‘whether’ you need to use social media in business; if you expect to remain profitable, what you really need to know is ‘how’ to keep up with the changes in social media strategy and use these dynamic, constantly evolving platforms to maximize your brand, influence and credibility.

Let’s start out by taking a look at some of the key ways social media altered the world in which we do business, because you’ll need to understand the shifts so you can take full advantage of the strategies you’ll learn as we move forward.

Immediacy Forget postcards, letters and email. Forget the six o’clock news or the morning newspaper or this month’s magazine.

Social media enables us to live in the now. We are “in the moment” more than ever, in ways never before possible. We see what a friend across the country or across the world is having for dinner a moment after the plate arrives on the table.

We watch streaming video from a cell phone user in another country and we see what that person sees, in real time.

Not too terribly long ago, phone calls were the only immediate form of communication. Live video feeds required expensive, complex equipment and the resources of a major TV news channel, along with crews of trained personnel.

Now, whether it’s the Arab Spring or the tsunami in Sri Lanka or an altercation at a traffic stop anywhere in the country, someone will post video, maybe even livestream. We see history and tragedy as they unfold, in real time, without the buffer of news anchors or TV networks editing or censoring.

We go online to find breaking news instead of turning on the TV. Even in our personal lives, we check out someone’s Facebook page to see how they are doing, where they’re going on their vacation, what they did today.

We have grown accustomed to living our lives played out for the world to see on a scale beyond what even the celebrities of yesteryear could have imagined. Not only are we used to the immediacy of sharing our lives moment-by-moment and getting instantaneous feedback, but it’s easy to become addicted to the rush of validation that comments, shares, liked and retweets provide. We are all stars of our very own reality show.

Use the immediacy of the internet and social media to your advantage by inviting your audience at live events to post video, live-tweet or upload photos to Facebook. Recognize that via social media, you can engage with people who could not attend your event in person but who can participate virtually by responding to the in-the-moment content you and other Saathee.com

attendees post as the event unfolds. Take advantage of the immediacy inherent in video by making use of the everexpanding range of apps that make web video easy. You’re limited only by your imagination.

Disintermediation and Decentralized Information Flow All hail the rise of the citizen journalist. Gone are the days when the network news teams of the broadcast TV channels curated the information, images and opinions that reached the public. Social media, the internet and cell phones have made everyone a reporter, commentator and broadcaster.

On one hand, this new decentralized information flow and its lack of institutional filters, censors and controls frees us to digest information raw. We can find a nearly endless amount of information on every topic, posted by all kinds of sources.

To the extent that this makes it much more difficult to suppress information or carry out disinformation campaigns, disintermediation is a good effect of social media.

No wealthy individual, no powerful government, no feared criminal is powerful enough to gag the internet. WikiLeaks, Edward Snowden, and many other whistleblowers and informants have proven time and again that secrets will leak out. And when a media hoax is perpetrated or an urban legend goes viral, it falls as quickly as it rose to prominence, exposed by bloggers, fact-checkers and sites like Snopes.com.

On the other hand, not all news sources are created equal.

While some may strive to be unbiased or to at least honestly admit their bias, many others take a “caveat emptor” approach.

Astroturf organizations—groups with earnestly populist sounding names that are actually funded by political or business organization with a definite agenda—can be difficult for the average reader to quickly identify. We can now report and retrieve our own news, but we must also authenticate the information provided to us by others.

Social media has also changed the concept of “expert.”

Subject matter experts can reach niche audiences easier than ever before, without the need for travel or speaking engagements. Blogs, videos, webinars and social media share a subject matter expert’s insights and connect directly with the intended recipients.

At the same time, it’s now up to the individual to determine whose expertise is authentic. Although experts have proliferated on social media, validating expertise has become a thorny proposition. Before social media, the experts who gained fame held some kind of hierarchical power. They worked for a large corporation, for the government, or for a non-profit or religious organization, which functioned as a level of vetting. Expertise was also determined by earned degrees, such as MD, Ph.D., etc. or professional membership, which served as an endorsement from the organizations granting the degrees or accepting qualifications for membership.

Social media makes it possible for people with subject matter knowledge, computer skills and an engaging personality continued on page 128

Gail Z. Martin

owns DreamSpinner Communications.

Contact her at Gail@GailMartinMarketing.com

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May 2017

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SANGEET Popular Music of India

By Kirit Shukla

come close to me and entered in my heart. How do I tell you what have I got. Some. Flowers started blooming in my way.

Then I felt even the earth looks new, the sky has become new in the affection of you and me. The air is playing some symphony. River is flowing like telling us a story. When my eyes met with yours, my love, I have lost all my senses.

tribute to living legends of Bollywood

Anmol Malik (1990– Present) Born: Feb. 5, 1990, in Mumbai, India.

Father: Anu Malik, Music director (1980lyrics in Hindi: Present) Grandfather: Sardar Malik, Music director (1950-60) Films include: Biwi No. 1 (1999) to Houseful 3 (2016) Years active as a singer: (1995 - Present) Here is a quote from an interview in Times of India: “I was always on the set with my dad. I’m the most comfortable in a recording studio, also as an escape from school. I am not classically trained. I have enough knowledge of ragas though, which I learned from my father and Dadaji Sardar Mallik. I’ve been composing and writing romantic numbers since I was 10. Every song has its own destiny...“ You can visit her website for more details Awards: Best playback female singer Films: Umrao Jān, Ugly-aur-pagli, Tanu weds Manu...

Her lyrics to the famous award-winning Hindi song “Agle janam mohe bitiyā nā keejo …” from the film Umrao Jan are given on this page.

Evergreen and Classic lyrics

Sānvariyā sānvariyā, main to hui bānvariyān Song: Agle janam mohe bitiyā nā keejo …

Film: Umrāo Jān Year: 2006 Music: Anu Malik Singer: Anmol Malik Lyricist: Jāved Akhtar Based on Indian Classical Rāgā: Yaman Kalyān Tāl/Rhythm: Kaharavā Starring: Aishvarya Rai, Abhishek Bachchan, Shābāna Āzmi

Note: The contents of this article are compiled from the news, books, internet and my knowledge and love for Indian music.

Kirit Shukla

Contact him at kiritsshukla@hotmail.com

lyrics in English: Hamare sajanavā hamarā dil aisā todanWoh ghar basāyan humakā rasatā mā chhodanJaise ki lallā koi khilaunā jo pāveDo chāra din to khele phir bhul jāveRobhi nā pāve aisi gudiyā nā ki joAgale janam mohe bitiyā nā ki jo (2) Jo ab kiye ho dātā aisā nā ki jo, Agale janam mohe bitiyā nā ki jo Aisi bidāi bolo dekhi kahi haiMaiyā nā bābul bhaiyā kono nahi haiĀnsu ke gehane hai aur dukh ki hai doliBanda kiwariyā more ghar ki ye boliIs aur sapanome bhi āyā nā ki jo, Agale janam mohe bitiyā nā ki jo Jo ab kiye ho dātā aisā nā ki jo, janam mohe bitiyā nā ki jo (2)

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May 2017

HINDU CENTER Support Hindu Center Expansion

Leave a Lasting Memory on HC Wall.

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

Grading, Parking Lot and foundation completed.

Building work in progress, stone work 90% complete and outside stonework started!!

2017 MEMBERSHIP DRIVE

Annual Membership: $101, Students & Seniors $31 Donate Brick and Become life member for $1001!

Upcoming Hindu Center Events & Activities: Art Exhibition: May 6 & 7 (Sat & Sun) Gayatri Jayanti: June 3 (Sat) Rath Yatra: June 25 (Sun)

Hindu Center’s 35th Anniversary: Katha/General Body Meeting / Mela / Health fair July 23rd Sunday to July 29th Saturday Independence day: August 19 (Sat) Janmastami: August 15 (Tues) Balaji’s Brahmotatsava: Aug 11 Fri thru Aug 13 Sun HINDU CENTER OF CHARLOTTE

7400 City View Drive, Charlotte, NC 28212 Ph. 704.535.3440 Fax. 704.535.6923 email: administrator@hcclt.org

OF CHARLOTTE

Food Stalls

Sat., June 3rd, 2017 (4pm to 7) at Vihar Hall-Hindu Center Maha Prasad will be served With Blessings from Gayatri Mata and Parampujya Gurudev Pt. Shri Ram Sharma Aacharyaji, Gayatri Pariwar Charlotte & Hindu Center have organized a Gayatri Mahadeep Yagna on the auspicious occasion of “Gayatri Jayanti” & “Ganga Dashera”. All are invited to take part in this Yagna with friends and family. Parijans taking part in the Yagna are requested to arrive at 3.00pm. For More Information or questions, please contact Gayatri Pariwar Charlotte.

HINDU CENTER OF CHARLOTTE IS ORGANIZING AN

Art Exhibition 2017 6th and 7th May, 12pm to 5 pm (both days)

This is a FREE event. Various local Artists are presenting their artwork. There will be Showcase of all kind of arts like Visual Art/Painting, Crafts, 3D art, Pottery, Handmade jewelry etc. Please join us and soothe your eyes and feed your inner self.

Your attendance will be an encouragement to many professional and amateur artists.

Bhavna Patel 704.825.1803 Dwarkadas Shah 704.545.3100 Raksha Patel 803.810.5114 Ankur Patel 704.604.8062

Ratha Yatra

June 25, 2017 (Sun)

HINDU CENTER New Vedanta Bhavan

OF CHARLOTTE

July 23 (Sun) to July 29 (Sat)

Hindu Center 35th Anniversary!

Lunch/ Anand Bazaar 2 PM- 6 PM Vihar Hall Foyer To sponsor a food stand or for more information contact:

Sunder Mirchandani: 704-691-2974 or 828-327-7766 Loku Hemnani: 704-231-3056 Surendra Patel: 704-564-9436 Dinesh Shah: 704-502-9094 Ashok Shah: 704-460-5569

Saturday, July 29th Cultural Program 3 PM - 6 PM Vihar Hall Participate in the cultural program or come enjoy the show!!

To participate in the cultural program contact:

Anu Shenoy: 704-466-0455 Rashmika Patel: 704-596-7188 Ritu Mukherji: 704-840-5495

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

Health Fair Noon - 4 PM Gandhi Bhavan

Learn about your health and how to improve it.

blood work on July 10, Sun. (10 am - 2 pm)

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

35th Anniversary celebration week July 23 - July 29

For donations / sponsors contact: Pujari, Bal Gupta, Ravi Patel or Hemant Amin. To Volunteer Please contact Ashok Shah Hemant Amin, or anyone above.

NUTRITION FOR LIFE

By Parul Kharod

One of the liver’s primary functions is to metabolize stored fat into energy. The kidneys are responsible for filtering toxins, wastes, ingested water, and salts out of the bloodstream. If you are dehydrated, the kidneys cannot function properly, and the liver must work overtime to compensate. As a result, it metabolizes less fat. Therefore, if you have diabetes or are trying to lose weight, it is even more important to drink adequate amount of water.

It is important to hydrate our body with water rather than other sugary beverages or diet drinks.

Water: the Essence of life

As we approach the hot days of summer, let us think about the importance of proper hydration.

Drinking an adequate amount of water is necessary for many reasons. Water is one of the body’s most essential nutrients. We may be able to survive six weeks without food, but it is not possible to survive more than a week without water.

Sports Drinks: We don’t need Gatorade if we go to the gym!

Even the kids don’t need it after every practice. The guidelines for athletes suggest that for games and sports events outdoors lasting 1 hour, water is sufficient. For events lasting longer than 60 min, and/or taking place in hot, humid weather, sports drinks containing 6% carbohydrates and 20 mEq/L to 30 mEq/L of sodium chloride are recommended to replace energy stores and fluid or electrolyte losses.

Functions of water in the body • Water helps maintain blood volume and helps regulate blood pressure.

• It helps lubricate joints and body tissues such as those in the mouth, eyes and nose, and helps cushion organs.

• It helps keep body temperature constant at about 98.6 degrees.

• It helps metabolize fat.

• It helps with proper digestion and absorption of nutrients.

• It transports nutrients and oxygen to all cells.

• It helps flush and carry out toxins and waste products .

• The average human body is 75 percent water, blood is 92 percent water, bones are 22 percent water, and muscles are 75 percent water, so it is not surprising that our immune system depends on our water intake.

A study published in the June 2016 issue of the American Journal of Public Health reveals that more than half of all children and adolescents in the U.S. are not getting hydrated properly—probably because they’re not drinking enough water. This could have a major impact on their physical health and their cognitive and emotional functioning.

Another study showed that the average American gets 21 percent of his or her calories from beverages. The majority of these beverages are soft drinks and fruit drinks with added sugars. In general, there has been a large increase in consumption of sugar-sweetened drinks over the last several decades, leading to an increase in obesity and diabetes.

Although excessive dehydration is associated with serious health problems, even mild dehydration can cause issues such as irritability, fatigue, and lack of focus.

If you are not getting enough water, your body will react by pulling it from other places, including your blood. This causes the closing of some smaller vessels (capillaries), making your blood thicker, more susceptible to clotting, and harder to pump through your system. This can have serious consequences such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and heart disease.

Did you know that one of the most common causes for headaches is dehydration? Recent studies have also linked the lack of water to arthritis and heartburn.

Water contributes to energy storage along with glycogen.

Without water, extra amounts of glucose remain in the bloodstream until reaching the liver, the extra glucose is stored as fat. Your body takes water from inside cells in an effort to compensate for a dehydrated state, including fat cells. Less water in your fat cells means less mobilization of fat for energy.

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Soda: Soda contains a lot of sugar. Soda has many questionable ingredients that have been linked to heart disease, kidney disease, bone loss, loss of teeth enamel, gout, arthritis, and many other health problems. Numerous studies have shown the negative effects of soda. To learn more about the dangers of soda, read this detailed article: https://foodrevolution.org/blog/foodand-health/soda-health-risks/

Diet drinks: Diet sodas and other beverages containing artificial sweeteners have no connection to weight loss. Several studies have shown that drinking diet beverages does not help you lose weight.

In fact, the body may compensate and make you gain weight! The sweet taste of the artificial sweeteners may trigger a false alarm for the body to start making insulin thus causing insulin resistance and an increased risk of diabetes and weight gain. A recent study has linked consumption of diet drinks to increased belly fat.

100% juice/Fruit Punch: All such beverages are 100% sugar. It is better to eat a whole fruit than drink juice. Moreover, the artificial colors in some of these beverages are being researched for links between attention deficit and autism. The artificial food colors and dyes are said to increase risk of cancer.

Flavor your water with natural ingredients if you need to.

Use lime, lemon, ginger, fresh mint leaves, or small pieces of citrus fruits or berries or cucumber. Avoid artificial flavor packets.

The bottom line is that it’s best to hydrate your body with water. Experts advise not to depend on thirst as a guide. By the time you feel thirsty, you are already dehydrated. So do not think of water as a drink with your meal. We need water all day long. Get into the habit of sipping water at regular intervals. We need a minimum of 64 ounces of water per day, more when we exercise or when we are outside in the heat for a long period.

Parul Kharod, MS, RD, LDN

is a registered dietitian and licensed nutritionist and works as a Clinical Dietitian with Outpatient Nutrition Services at WakeMed Hospital in Cary and Raleigh. She can be reached at parulkharod@gmail.com 76

May 2017

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New Price! - BASEMENT - Firethorne

Stunning Custom Built Renaissance Villa with 3 levels of indoor/outdoor living. Totally updated. Grand central hall staircase with flanking balconies overlooking the foyer. Formal living areas, open Family Room, and fantastic views from all three Terraces. Magnificent Kitchen with custom finishes, prep sink, oversized Island, and much more. Luxurious Master Suite, finished basement with Wet Bar, and spectacular tee-to-green view of 12th hole. A wonderful opportunity. $999,000

New Listing - Bellington

This former model home has it all! Home office uniquely situated off of the dramatic Foyer. Wellappointed Kitchen and an oversized Family room.

Upstairs are four Bedrooms plus a huge Bonus room with a closet which can serve as your 5th bedroom. Luxury Master suite with sitting area. Spacious 3-car garage. Lovely neighborhood. Don't miss this one! $479,900

New Price - Wyndham Hall

Gorgeous estate home located in the heart of Marvin. Grand Kitchen with large island and a commercial gas stove.

Luxurious main level Master Bedroom.

Extra spacious Bonus Room with full bath on upper level. Screened Porch and adjacent Patio with flagstone flooring. Beautiful circular driveway, 3-car backload garage and large level lot. Brand new landscaping. Freshly painted inside and out. Exquisite details throughout! $799,900

New Listing - BASEMENT - Canterbury Place Amazing 5 Bedroom home with finished basement. Over 6000 square feet of living space, perfect for entertaining and lots of room for your growing family. Open, gourmet kitchen with fantastic amenities for the family chef. Two Sunrooms and a finished Basement complete with Bedroom and Bath!! Gleaming hardwood floors, updated light fixtures, freshly painted throughout. Roomy deck and 3-car garage. This is a beautiful home. Call today. $619,000

New Listing - Sun City

This one is a must see! Beautiful 3 bedroom home with spacious finished basement on a private wooded lot! Well appointed kitchen with gas stove, granite counters, stainless steel appliances. Spacious Sunroom, Master Bedroom with trey ceiling and luxury bath. Tons of curb appeal in wonderful community featuring pool, tennis, walking trails, recreation and lake. Shows like a dream. $429,900

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New Listing - BASEMENT - Piper Glen

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Beautifully remodeled golf course home on the 11th green. New granite counters in kitchen and bathrooms, NEW appliances. brand new floors, and more!

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Nandi Daniels Executive Assistant Cell: 704-737-2384

15235 John J. Delaney Dr. Charlotte, NC 28277

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NEWS NOTES Akshay Kumar Launches New App for Martyred Soldiers Indian film megastar Akshay Kumar is known for his patriotism not only on screen but off, as he regularly lends his voice in support of martyred soldiers and their families, contributing towards their family’s financial aid. Kumar, along with Union Minister of India Rajnath Singh, has launched an app and website called “Bharat Ke Veer,” which enables people to contribute financially towards the families of martyrs. After initially appealing to the public on the eve of Republic Day 2017 in India, the actor had proposed an app to enable people who wanted to support the families of martyred jawans (soldiers) financially. He had posted a video where he requested his fans to support the cause, with permissions from the Indian Army and support from the Government of India.

Three months after launching the drive, the Government of India launched the app and the website Bharat Ke Veer.

Speaking at the launch of the app and website, Akshay Kumar said, “This website has been made exactly in two and a half months. About three months, this idea came in my mind, while watching a documentary film on terrorists, which showed how terror leaders financially support the families of the terrorist who carry out terror acts.

“Everybody wants to connect to people in uniform in their pain. It was a small dream and to fulfill this dream, our government really helped us. I want to thank everybody with my folded hands. My father was in Army and I am here as his son. Thank-you everyone,” he added.

For more details, visit, https://bharatkeveer.gov.in/

To interest low-caste Indians in Christianity, evangelicals add Hindu traditions

By Mobeen Azhar, PRI’s The World

It’s Sunday morning in the Indian city of Banaras. In a humble concrete and sheet-metal church, worshippers gather for the weekly service.

But this is no regular church. There is no spire. There are no ringing bells. The regular vocabulary of praise for Christ is tailored to this Hindu-Indian congregation.

Jesus is depicted not on the cross, but sitting in the lotus position with the palm of his hand outstretched, just like Krishna. Members of the congregation sit not in pews, but cross-legged on the ground. The hymns are set to tabla and harmonium, just like Hindu Vedas.

India has for a long time prided itself on being a multi-faith, secular nation. But in many parts of the country, there is a battle for souls taking place. In a nation that has seen Hindu nationalism popularized through the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Hindu conversions to Christianity are forcing a discussion on the role of caste and religion in modern India.

Conversions to Christianity among the Hindu population is an especially contentious trend.

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Almost this entire congregation in the Banaras church once identified as Hindu Dalits, or untouchables. The untouchable caste is traditionally perceived as being at the very bottom of the pecking order of Hindu society. In the minds of many Hindus, menial jobs and cleaning are still reserved for Dalits.

The priest, Father Joseph, says Christianity offers an escape from the trappings of the caste system. “The gospel teaches that redemption is through Christ. We are all created equally and we are judged not according to the family we are born into, but for our deeds.”

The church encourages a brand of faith you could call Christianity-lite. The congregation is told that belief in Jesus can sit alongside belief in Hindu deities such as Krishna and Shiva.

Many of the churchgoers identify as Christ-believing Hindus.

Father Joseph explains: “This Church is funded by Christians in America who want to see the gospel of Christ spread through India. We are offering welfare programs. If people gain comfort from believing in Christ alongside the Hindu Gods that are known to them, what is wrong with that?

If they want to become fully baptized Christians later, we will facilitate that.”

But class norms here are stubborn, and the conversions have, for the most part, created a Christian underclass. Converts are still perceived as Dalits by much of Indian society, and therefore continue to be stigmatized.

There are no reliable figures for the number of conversions to Christianity, but the issue is gaining traction across India and sparking a response.

In March this year, the BJP won a landslide victory in Uttar Pradesh, India’s most populous state. The appointment of Yogi Adityanath, a firebrand Hindu priest, as chief minister of the state has been perceived by many as an example of the rise of an explicitly Hindu-Indian identity, an identity that many Hindus say is being threatened by the conversion of Dalits.

Hindu nationalist organizations such as the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh or RSS have organized a program of “Ghar-Vapsi,” or “Homecoming,” reminding Hindu converts to Christianity of their religious heritage and encouraging them to return to the faith they were born into.

Mobeen Azhar reported from Uttar Pradesh, India.

PM Narendra Modi and PM of Australia Malcolm Turnbull Visit Swaminarayan Akshardham, New Delhi On Monday, April 10, 2017, the Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi took the visiting Prime Minister of Australia Malcolm Turnbull to the Swaminarayan Akshardham in New Delhi, a grand mandir showcasing and celebrating Indian art, culture, traditions, and values through its breathtaking stone carvings and exhibitions.

Swamis from BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha welcomed the dignitaries with a garland on behalf of His Holiness Mahant Swami Maharaj, the current spiritual leader of BAPS, the creator of the mandir.

Both dignitaries first visited the Akshardham Mandir and paid respects to Bhagwan Swaminarayan by offering flowers.

They then marveled at the Gajendra Pithika surrounding the

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May 2017

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main mandir. They also offered ‘abhishek’ to the murti of visits nationwide. These site visits are not meant to target Nilkanth Varni (the teenage form of Bhagwan Swaminarayan), nonimmigrant employees for any kind of criminal or administrative action but rather to identify employers who are offering prayers for world peace. abusing the system.

Employers who abuse the H-1B visa program negatively affect U.S. workers, decreasing wages and job opportunities as they import more foreign workers. To further deter and detect abuse, USCIS has established an email address which will allow individuals (including both American workers and H-1B workers who suspect they or others may be the victim of H-1B fraud or abuse) to submit tips, alleged violations and other relevant information about potential H-1B fraud or abuse. Information submitted to the email address will be used for investigations and referrals to law enforcement agencies for potential prosecution.

Existing H-1B Fraud Measures Since 2009, USCIS has conducted random administrative site visits to ensure that employers and foreign workers are complying with requirements of the H-1B nonimmigrant classification. USCIS refers many cases of suspected fraud or Pujya Brahmavihari Swami explained how Swaminarayan abuse to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for Akshardham is a modern-day wonder created by the synergy further investigation.

Additionally, individuals can report allegations of employer of tradition, technology, science, and spirituality. They also learned how the late His Holiness Pramukh Swami Maharaj, fraud or abuse by submitting Form WH-4 to the Department of the former spiritual leader of BAPS, inspired thousands of Labor’s (DOL) Wage and Hour Division or by completing ICE’s volunteers and artisans to create the mandir to share the HSI Tip Form.

For more information about the new H-1B visa fraud and message of love, peace, tolerance, non-violence, co-existence abuse detection initiative, visit the Combating Fraud and Abuse and global harmony.

Both Prime Ministers also visited the 14-minute boat ride in the H-1B Visa Program web page.

For information about H-1B petition requirements, visit exhibition called Sanskruti Vihar, which showcases 10,000 years of India’s glorious culture. Completing the visit, PM Malcolm https://www.uscis.gov/node/47603.

Turnbull wrote in the visitor’s book, “This has been a very Courtesy of USCIS.gov special insight into India’s history, but above all its future.

Thank you so much, PM Modi.” More details at baps.org.

Putting American Workers First

USCIS Announces Further Measures to Detect H-1B Visa Fraud and Abuse

The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced in April that multiple measures to further deter and detect H-1B visa fraud and abuse. The H-1B visa program should help U.S. companies recruit highly-skilled foreign nationals when there is a shortage of qualified workers in the country. Yet, too many American workers who are as qualified, willing, and deserving to work in these fields have been ignored or unfairly disadvantaged. Protecting American workers by combating fraud in the employment-based immigration programs is a priority for USCIS. USCIS will take a more targeted approach when making site visits across the country to H-1B petitioners and the worksites of H-1B employees. USCIS will focus on: Cases where USCIS cannot validate the employer’s basic business information through commercially available data; H-1B-dependent employers (those who have a high ratio of H-1B workers as compared to U.S. workers, as defined by statute); and Employers petitioning for H-1B workers who work off-site at another company or organization’s location.

Targeted site visits will allow USCIS to focus resources where fraud and abuse of the H-1B program may be more likely to occur, and determine whether H-1B dependent employers are evading their obligation to make a good faith effort to recruit U.S. workers. USCIS will continue random and unannounced Saathee.com

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EYE ON THE MARKETS Trends and Commentary Diversification is Key to Investment Portfolio

By Ketu Desai

Diversification is an important aspect to building your investment portfolio. Diversification is the idea that you should not put all your eggs in one basket, but rather spread them across various asset classes. I will provide an overview of diversification, and then use real-life examples as a benefit of diversification. Lastly, we will speak about the risks of diversification.

Simply, diversification allows you to reduce your risk. More specifically, the concept of diversification is that investors can improve their return relative to the amount of risk they are taking by investing in multiple investments versus concentrating the balance in a single investment. Diversification can simply mean adding stocks spread across many different sectors to a portfolio. I will A thought exercise might use the portfolio in the be, what can cause my context of diversifying across industry to face hard times asset classes and overall and thus affect my financial life. earnings stream?

A good place to start to think about diversifying is of your earnings stream. Many people earn income in industries that are subject to certain economic or business cycles. A thought exercise might be, what can cause my industry to face hard times and thus affect my earnings stream? Further, during those hard times what are other sectors that could do well, and how do you gain exposure to them? This could help stabilize your earnings stream throughout the economic cycle, as well as reduce risk from the economic cycle.

The concept is similar in managing your portfolio. The portfolio should consist of various asset classes that can fit together in a way that helps reach your financial goals. Luckily, with exchange-traded funds (ETFs), you can gain exposure to various sectors, asset classes, and geographies at very little cost.

An S&P 500 index tracker is a good starting point for your equity portfolio, it will give you exposure to 500 of the top U.S. traded companies. You can mix that with exposure to some bond products, and you are on your way!

The year 2008 is the prime example of the benefit of diversification. In 2008, the equity markets were down approximately 40%. A simply diversified portfolio as described above, would have saved you more than half of that loss! As a reminder, it takes a 33% gain to make up a 25% loss.

Of course, 2008 may be an extreme example, so let’s focus on this year. To start the year after the inauguration of the new President Trump, the “Trump trade” was the key theme in financial markets. To summarize, the “Trump trade” means to focus on asset classes and sectors that will do well with higher growth, inflation, and interest rates.

Let’s fast forward a couple of months to March, the month highlighted how quickly market dynamics and the narrative can change. At the end of February, President Trump delivered a speech that many investors considered his most “Presidential.” On March 1, the day after, saw a significant Saathee.com

market rally, with most domestic equity indices hitting all-time highs. The days following, the market lost steam, as the market was concerned about the Federal Reserve raising interest rates perhaps four times this year. When the market got a more dovish after the Fed press conference, it was off to the races again. The market quickly brushed off the Fed, and focused on healthcare. This caused an eight-day losing streak for the Dow, the longest streak since 2011.

Months like March highlight the importance of diversification. Nearly all aspects of the “Trump trade” lost money or underperformed. A portfolio positioned with that single theme, and undiversified, would have suffered meaningful losses. Meanwhile, seemingly all market participants were expecting interest rates to go higher this year, and that just has not been the case so far. Further, most people expected that oil prices would increase to north of $60/barrel, instead fell into the $40s during March. While a short period, running a diversified portfolio would have stabilized your portfolio. If done right, it can not only reduce the risk in your portfolio, but can also increase the return.

The legendary investor Warren Buffett said, “diversification is protection against ignorance. It makes little sense if you know what you are doing.” In Buffett’s view, one should study in detail each investment, and make a concentrated bet.

Diversification will have an array of investments, often times off-setting each other, which can result in limited gains. That is one of the biggest risks to diversification. It is important to note that timeframe is an important consideration. Warren Buffett has a holding period or a timeframe of decades, therefore, he has time to wait if his investments suffer losses. Most of us do not have this luxury, and diversification helps prevent large losses in a time-period where you may need that capital.

Diversification, like most things, has its pros and cons, and there is certainly such a thing as over-diversification. However, when done right, it can reduce the risk of your portfolio, while allowing you to participate in market gains.

84

Ketu Desai

Ketu Desai is the Principal of i-squared Wealth Management Inc. (www.isquaredwealth.com), an investment management firm based in New Jersey ketu@isquaredwealth.com.

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“I went there not because I understood their intentions or policies but because I wanted to do something,” she says.

Rai saw it as a way to help her siblings — and as a way out for herself.

“In my village, girls weren’t a priority. But the Maoists

By Anne Bailey, PRI’s The World always talked about equality, which was something I wanted Three years ago, Mira Rai didn’t know mountain trail in my own life. So I left my education and joined them because I thought I could become something through the training. And running was a sport.

I did end up learning many new skills.”

Now, this former child soldier from rural Nepal is one of Like how to shoot assault weapons. She also became a black the top long-distance, high-elevation mountain runners in the belt in karate and excelled at running. world.

Rai told her mother when she left that she’d be gone for a And she’s just getting started.

Rai pulls trophies from a glass case at her house in Kathmandu. I ask her to show me the one from her first trailrunning race in Nepal, the one that launched her career three years ago, but she says there wasn’t an award for that one.

“No trophy,” she laughs.

The day Rai showed up for that 50-kilometer (about 31 miles) mountain trail race outside Kathmandu, she had no idea what she was getting into.

“I went there thinking it was a training run,” explains Rai. “I didn’t know it was a race. I just had a T-shirt and pants on.

Other runners had backpacks and food and I went with nothing, but I just ran and ran.”

How ‘Adventurer of the Year’ Mira Rai Went From Child Soldier to Ultrarunner

A young black belt leads Rai through a kata at the karate dojo where she trains daily in Kathmandu. Credit: Anne Bailey

week. It was more like two years. Her father and uncles searched for her. Her mother even tried to commit suicide.

“When I remember that moment, I feel like crying,” she says. “It’s very difficult. I never wanted my mother to go through that because of me.”

When the armed conflict ended in 2006 under an UNbrokered peace agreement, Rai was 17. She thought she’d continue as a soldier in the Nepali army, but she was considered too young. So she returned to her village, devastated. She stayed in touch with her karate instructor from the Maoist camp, however, and focused on keeping herself physically fit.

He eventually invited her to live with his family in Kathmandu. And now, every morning at 6 a.m., she stretches and practices at his dojo.

She calls her karate instructor her “guru” and says he pushes and inspires her. A few miles away, a group of Nepali girls say the same thing about Mira Rai. At a local running club, girls here take turns telling me why they like running, and what Rai told them the day she visited their club.

“She said ‘never give up,’” one girl reports. “And she told us that running is also good for our health.”

I ask the running club if it’s easy to do sports as a girl in Nepal. They all shake their heads: No. Rai knows that sports alone won’t change things in Nepal’s conservative society — especially in the rural areas.

“We are considered backward just because we are women,” Rai explains. “But we’re not backward. We should be involved in sports, and we should make our country known for that.”

Unfortunately, Nepal’s government has barely acknowledged Rai’s success and doesn’t view mountain racing as a sport.

“It’s sad that everybody says mountain racing is a sport, but in my own country, the government doesn’t recognize it,” she says.

But as usual, Rai isn’t giving up.

“I want to transfer the chance I got to my little sisters in Nepal. I want to help them learn what I learned and reach where I am today,” she says. “I want them to have as big a name as mine someday.”

When Maoist rebels came to Rai’s village looking for recruits in 2002, Rai was only 14. But she joined up in hopes of finding a better life for her and her siblings.

Credit: Anne Bailey

Hours later, Rai became the first and only woman to cross the finish line. “I just continued to run and then, I didn’t know, but I won!”

A month later she entered the 180-kilometer Mustang Trail Race in Nepal — that’s nearly 112 miles — and won again. Then she took first place in races in Hong Kong, Italy and France. A year later, she had an endorsement deal with Salomon and became the subject of an award-winning documentary simply titled “Mira.”

In January, she was voted National Geographic’s Adventurer of the Year. And she’s just 29.

It’s not a life she imagined for herself.

Like many rural Nepalis, Rai grew up poor. She quit school when she was just 12 years old to help support her family. She would carry heavy bags of rice across miles of rugged trails to the local market.

“The work was difficult there,” says Rai. “The slopes were steep so there wasn’t much cultivation. For six months we had food to eat, and for six months we had nothing.”

In the mountains all around her, a Maoist rebellion had been raging for years. Armed rebels were fighting to overthrow the Nepali monarchy and establish a people’s republic.

So when the Maoists came to her village in 2002 looking for recruits, Rai joined up. She was 14.

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Afghan Refugees continued from page 10

have sprouted up beside the highway to Jalalabad to the east.

The Afghan government doesn’t have the resources to accommodate them.

“It is something unexpected and, obviously if it’s unexpected, the government, even the international organizations, are not ready,” said Edris Lutfi, who oversees refugees for Afghan Chief Executive Officer Abdullah Abdullah. “They are trying to do everything with the resources, although limited, that they have.”

Many families in the settlement live in mud homes. Schools are nonexistent. Men usually earn a few dollars a week working in temporary manual labor — a big change from their lives in Pakistan where many ran successful small shops and other businesses.

Mohammad Rasul, in his early 60s, lives in the settlement.

After living in Abbottabad in northeastern Pakistan for 25 years, he and his family returned around five months ago.

“We left Pakistan because the police and army were harassing and insulting us constantly,” said Rasul. “They were asking for money — if you didn’t give it to them, then they would forcefully put us in the jail. Then we had no option but to bribe them in order to get out of the jail.”

Pakistani police regularly raided his house at night.

“We would show them our refugees cards but they would not accept them, saying ‘We don’t recognize these cards, the cards are expired, you guys should leave Pakistan and go to your own country,’” Rasul recounted.

Back in Pakistan, Khadim Khan, a 22-year-old Afghan engineering student at the University of Engineering and Technology in Peshawar, is bitter about the situation.

“Suddenly the Pakistanis are calling the refugees terrorists, after carrying on the policy of ‘good Taliban’ and ‘bad Taliban’ now they have coined terms of ‘good Afghan’ and ‘bad Afghan,’” he said.

“Which terrorist activity have we the Afghan refugees been involved in? Has any refugee ever carried out a suicide attack?” he asked. “We are only paying the price of Pakistan’s own botched policies. It cannot curb extremism and the deportation is only being used as tool to settle issues with Afghanistan.

There is no difference between Trump and the Pakistanis, in fact what they are doing to us is worse than [what] Trump [is doing].”

Pakistani law student Muhammad Hasnain, 23, says he’s uncomfortable with the Afghans in his country.

“The government is justified in its actions against the Afghan refugees,” said Hasnain, who lives in Islamabad. “The country has suffered a lot at their hands. We should send them back where they belong. In every country there are laws. Would anyone without proper documentation be allowed to stay in America?”

It’s that sentiment from their neighbors that some Afghans say hurts the most.

Ullah, the private school teacher in Kabul, says that while he is sad to have left Pakistan, he is somewhat happy to be in Afghanistan. He does not want to be considered an Afghan refugee anymore.

“I consider myself as an Afghan citizen,” he said. “I don’t want people to call me an Afghan refugee, I want people to call me Afghan … I am Afghan and I am proud to be Afghan. And I want to serve my country. We are rebuilding our country.”

reopened the border with Afghanistan after sealing it last month following Taliban bombing attacks in the southern Pakistani city of Sehwan and other Pakistani cities.

Afghan refugees crossing the border face a grim future back in Afghanistan. Security has deteriorated amid the rise of ISIS in the country’s east and the increasing gains of the Taliban around the country. Meanwhile, unemployment stands at 40 percent.

“Many of them return to unemployment and destitution,” said Ahmad Shuja, an Afghan political analyst. “Many of the returnees become internally displaced because they cannot return to areas they left originally. This means that opportunities for education, reskilling and employment are extremely limited, as are any form of shelter and social or city services.”

For many younger refugees, especially those like Zeb who have never lived in Afghanistan, the adjustment is especially challenging. Some need to learn a new language, and many mourn leaving behind the lives they built in Pakistan — the only ones they know.

“Why are we being forced to leave the country where we were born, our kids were born?” Zeb asked. “Life will be complicated for us in Afghanistan. My husband had a decent electronics business here in Peshawar. Now we are unsure of our future in that country. No one cares about our ordeal.”

Ehsan Ullah, 28, is one of the luckier ones. Born and collegeeducated in Pakistan, he moved to Kabul with his family in September — the day after his father was released from jail after the Pakistani police seized him from a local mosque, detained him for one day, never explained the arrest and failed to inform his family.

“We were comfortable in Pakistan but the Pakistan government did not allow us to spend our lives any further in Pakistan, so that’s why we came back,” Ullah said. “I was born in Pakistan, [our family] spent 35 years in Pakistan. But it was becoming really uncertain for us ... my life was [becoming] worse than a refugee’s life. So after giving 35 years and not being able to get identity papers and having the police create problem for us — this was really painful for us — so that’s why on the very next day we came back. When we crossed the border, I felt so relaxed, for the first time in my life.”

Because Ullah speaks English, he landed a teaching job at a private university in Kabul and a management position at a government-run bank. Though he must improve his Dari — one of Afghanistan’s two official languages — he feels fortunate.

“The Afghan refugees are really in a painful situation in Pakistan,” he said. “They don’t have a chance. If they go back to Afghanistan, they don’t have jobs. I am educated so that’s why I got a job. Not everyone is educated.”

In Kabul, the Afghan government and aid organizations are working hard to reintegrate refugees but face a huge challenge, said Laurence Hart, who leads the UN’s International Organization for Migration in Afghanistan.

“We have to be careful not just to look at now, not just the flow of people coming back,” Hart said, “but how their host communities will actually manage to reintegrate and how to support them and also entice them to work with these returnees.”

Valerie Plesch reported from Pristina, Kosovo. Naila Inayat reported On the eastern outskirts of Kabul, makeshift camps from Lahore, Pakistan. occupied by recently returned Afghan refugees from Pakistan Saathee.com

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COMMUNITY FOCUS Events of Note

dragon boat racing originated over 2,300 years ago on the lifesustaining rivers of southern China. The Charlotte race is an Art Exhibition - May 6-7 (Charlotte) open competition to anyone 15 years of age or older. The races The Hindu Center of Charlotte is organizing an Art Exhibition begin on Saturday, May 13 at 9am and run through 4pm along on May 6 - 7, 12pm - 5pm both days. This is a free event Lake Norman in Cornelius. For more information visit featuring various local and regional artists are presenting their www.charlottedragonboat.com artwork. There will be Showcase of all kind of arts including visual art, paintings, crafts, 3D art, handmade jewelry and Charlotte Asian Film Festival - May 26-27 more. Much of the artwork will be for sale as well. For more Creative Yatra, in association with Charlotte Asian Heritage details call 704-620-4503 or write to Santvanajain@gmail.com.

Association (CAHA) is launching a new film festival in

Charlotte. The Charlotte Asian Film Festival (CAFF) will be a joint effort of the local AsianAmerican community and others who see value in this addition to Charlotte’s cultural landscape. The Festival will be held on May 2627 at UNC Charlotte Center City in Uptown as part of Asian Heritage Month celebration. The screenings will include full-length feature films, shorts and documentaries that provide a window on various facets of Asian society, culture and history both in the native lands and in the diaspora. This showcase for filmmaking as an art form will provide a unique opportunity for film connoisseurs to enjoy international films with an Asian BAPS Walk Green - May 7 (Matthews) focus right here in Charlotte. CAFF will be organized in The BAPS Charities’ annual walk will take place on Sunday, partnership with UNC Charlotte, SEAC (Southeast Asian May 7 beginning at 10 with registration and 12pm with Coalition), Light Factory and Charlotte Film Society. For more walkathon. This year’s focus in on supporting The Nature details write to charlotteasianfilms@gmail.com.

Conservancy’s efforts to plant and restore 1.6 million acres of land by planting one billion trees by 2025 through their plant a Classical Dance Performance - May 6 (Chapel Hill) billion trees initiative. BAPS walkathon hope support planting Suvithra Music presents a classical dance performance of 100,000 trees in 2017. The event takes place at 200 W. featuring Srividya Angara Sinha (Kuchipudi) and Shubha McDowell St., Matthews, NC. For more details visit, Nagarajan (Odissi) on Saturday, May 6 starting at 6pm in the www.BAPScharities.org/Walk17Charlotte.

Hanes Auditorium, Chapel Hill High School. Tickets begin at Bappi lahiri in Concert - May 19 (Charlotte) Legendary singer, composer and musician Bappi Lahiri will perform live in concert with Garima Khiste (Voice India fame) along with a live orchestra. Catch tons of hits and lively melodies in this concert that will support Charlotte’s Hindu Center’s Expansion project.

The concert will take place on Friday, May 19 at Grady Cole Center, 310 N. Kings Dr., Charlotte with dinner from 6 - 7:30pm and show beginning at 8:15pm. General admission is $25, while tickets with dinner begin at $50. For more details call 704-207-5672 or 704-488-8145. You can also write to rsaddy@yahoo.com.

$10. For more details write to music@suvithra.com or visit www.SuvithraMusic.org.

Capital Cricket Classic - May 6 (Raleigh) Cricket will take over the Halifax Mall in Downtown Raleigh on Saturday, May 6 as 8 teams in their formal whites compete for the Capital Cricket Classic Cup. There will be 7 matches played starting at 9am, with the Championship game at approximately 4pm. Food will be available so come to the matches and enjoy some classic cricket at this family-friendly event. The event is free to spectators and all proceeds from team registrations will go to support local children’s charitiesSAFEChild and Interfaith Food Shuttle School Pantry Program.

To learn more visit www.trianglecricketleague.org or contact Mark Stohlman at 919-949-1403.

Gujarati natak Joke Samrat, thu May 18 (Morrisville, nC) The Gujarati natak “Joke Samrat” by Sanjay Goradia will be presented by NC Triangle Gujarati Association on Thursday, May 18 at 6:30pm at HSNC Main Hall, 309 Aviation Pkwy, Morrisville, NC. Enjoy lots of belly laughs with friends and family. Tickets range from $10 - $40. For full details visit www.nctga.org.

Health Fair, Sat June 17 (Morrisville, nC) Triangle area Hindu temples and Triangle Indian Physicians Society (TIPS) present the Health Fair 2017 Saturday, June 17 from 9am - 1pm. The blood draw day is on Sat, June 3 from 8am - 11am. Physicians will be on hand to answer questions on a range of health issues. There is also a blood drive on the health fair. Register at www.tahts.org. The fair will take place at HSNC, 309 Aviation Pkwy, Morrisville, NC. The fair is free but a $10 donation per person is suggested to offset expenses.

Charlotte Asian Festival & Dragon Boat Race - May 13 (Cornelius) The festival celebrates Asian cultures, diversity, ethnicity, roots and history. A large part of the festival is the exciting team competition of the Dragon Boat Festival Race.

An important part of the Chinese traditional calendar,

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ISSo Murti Pratistha - May 27-28 (Cary) The International Shree Swaminarayan Hindu Temple of Cary will celebrate Murti Pratisha on Memorial Day Weekend (May 27-28, 2017) with deities Radha Krishna Dev, Swaminarayan Bhagan, NarNaryan Dev, Laxmi Narayan Dev, Siddhi Vinayak, Shiv, Parvati, Siddheshwar Mahadev, and Hanumanji. The festivities will take place at the Temple at 500 SE Maynard Road in Cary. For more information contact: 919964-1008, issonc@issousa.org, or visit issonc.org

Kiran Walk-a-thon: Heroes for Hope - May 7 (Cary) Come out and enjoy Cary’s beautiful Bond Park at the Kiran Walkathon 2017: Heroes for Hope! This year’s superhero theme is to honor not only the heroic qualities present in all victims and survivors of abuse, but to also honor the heroism present in YOU - our supporters - who make it possible for Kiran to do what we do best. This event will take place on Sunday, May 7 from 10am-12pm, so come dressed up as your favorite superhero or even get creative and invent your own!* Tickets are $10. For more information check out www.kiraninc.org.

is on Saturday, May 20 beginning at 6pm at CPCC Central campus. Tickets range from $15 - $35 and India Performing Arts Association of Charlotte (Ipaac) members attend for free. For more details visit, www.Ipaac.org.

Roots of love Yoga Festival - May 20 (Surf City, nC) The Roots of Love Yoga Festival is a celebration that brings together the very best world class yoga instructors, wellness experts and healthy living guides in a celebration of the spirit of the island. By coming together to explore ways to find a happier, healthier more peaceful way of living we can begin to affect positive change in our community and ultimately in the world around us. A variety of yoga classes and meditations will be offered throughout the day for all abilities to participate in.

Highlights include international teachers, workshops, vendor market, and a grand finale lantern release. This festival will be on Saturday, May 20 from 9am-9pm in Surf City, NC. For more information visit www.rootsofloveyogafestival.com or email RootsofLoveYogaFest@gmail.com.

Multicultural Festival - May 6 (lexington, nC) The 21st annual Multicultural Festival includes activities such as a children’s international stage with a variety of entertainment, magic, face painting, and fun. Located throughout Finch Park in Lexington, NC will be African American, Asian, European, Jamaican, Latino, and Native American cultural villages. Come experience activities, exhibits, displays and demonstrations by artisans as well as the cuisine of each of these groups. The festivities begin on Saturday, May 6 at 10am. For more information visit www.lexingtonnc.net or call 336-248-3960.

north Carolina Wine Festival - May 27 (Clemmons, nC) Enjoy tasting more than 100 different varieties of North Carolina wines from sweet to dry with the 17th Annual Wine Festival. Once your glass is filled groove to the music from live bands, grab a bite from our food vendors and enjoy browsing the exhibitors’ tents for treasures. Gates open and tastings will be from 12pm-6pm on Saturday, May 27. No pets or coolers allowed. For more information call 919-882-3733 or visit www.ncwinefestival.com

Shankar Mahadevan Concert - May 5 (Raleigh) Veteran singer Shankar Mahadevan will perform live on Friday, May 5 at Duke Energy Center, Memorial Hall Auditorium, Raleigh beginning at 7:30pm. He will be supported by Siddharth Mahadevan and Shivam Mahadevan. The concert is a fundraiser for Aim for Seva. Tickets range from $25 - $199. For tickets and more details visit, www.aimforsevausa.org.

Speed Street May 25 - 27, Charlotte The annual Speed Street festival will be rocking the streets of Charlotte May 25-27 with live entertainment, access to racing’s brightest stars, giveaways and interactive displays. Each day starting at noon, festival attendees will gather on Tryon Street in Uptown Charlotte to enjoy vendor displays, kid’s activities, racing-related fun and more until 8 p.m. Then local, regional and national headliners will take the Coca-Cola stage starting at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are $15 for Friday and Saturday night headliners and $10 for Thursday night entertainment. All other activities are free. For more details visit www.600Festival.com.

om Squad Summer Camps, June - August (Morrisville, nC) The youth group of the Hindu Society of North Carolina presents its annual summer camp program. There are four sessions: June 12 - June 16; June 26 - June 30; July 17 - 21; August 14 - 18. Breakfast, lunch and snacks are served. There are many activities lined-up for these summer camps. Prices range from $250/session for members and $300/session for non-members.

HSNC is located at 309 Aviation Pkwy, Morrisville, NC. For more details write to: summer.camp@hsnconline.org or visit www.hsnconline.org.

Pandit Vishwa Mohan Bhatt Concert - May 20 (Charlotte) Spoleto Festival uSA May 26 - June 11 (Charleston) Pandit Vishwa Mohan Bhatt performs on the Mohan Veena, a modified guitar that sounds like the veena. He performs with For 17 days and nights each spring, Spoleto Festival USA fills pure yet delicate Indian classical music. He will be Charleston, South Carolina’s historic theaters, churches, and accompanied by Pandit Subhen Chatterjee on tabla. The concert outdoor spaces with performances by renowned artists as well Saathee.com

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been carefully selected for not only being masters of their craft, but for standing firm as way-showers with powerful messages of hope, freedom, and inspiration. In addition, this Spring LEAF features an NEA Grant funded “Legends of Africa” series, welcoming Artists representing 13 countries from the Mother Continent. Head on down to Black Mountain College in Black Mountain, NC from May 11 -14 and enjoy the Lake Eden grounds with music, art and culture. For tickets and other information visit www.theleaf.org

as emerging performers in opera; theater; dance; and chamber, symphonic, choral, and jazz music. Now approaching its 41st season, Spoleto is internationally recognized as America’s premier performing arts festival. The Festival’s mission is to present programs of the highest artistic caliber while maintaining a dedication to young artists, a commitment to all forms of the performing arts, a passion for contemporary innovation, and an enthusiasm for providing unusual performance opportunities for established artists. For full details visit www.Spoletousa.org.

unkahee: An untold love Story - May 6 (Charlotte) Unkahee– or “unspoken” is based on the mysterious relationship between one of India’s most prolific poets – Rabindranath Tagore and his sister-in-law Kadambari Devi.

Starting when they first met as just young children, the story will explore the evolution of this bond between the two – from tender young friendship, to the classic “artist and muse” relationship, to something much more: soul mates torn between ardent longing and scarring guilt. Nrityangan will present this performance on May 6 beginning at 4pm at Ovens Auditorium in charlotte. The performance is a fundraiser for Maiti Nepal and The Tree House Children’s Advocacy Center. Tickets begin at $15. For tickets and more information contact ritusdance@gmail.com or 704-840-5495.

Syana Sikh Youth Speech Symposium - May 13 (Charlotte) The SYANA Youth Speech Symposium will be held at 10am on Saturday, May 13 at the Charlotte Gurdwara Sahib. The Symposium is a speech competition for Sikh youth ages 6-22 years old. Local winners will complete in a regional competition with winners from NC and SC. Regional winners will compete in an International competition - this year held in Duncan, SC Gurdwara (estimated 250 participants and family members from all over the US as well as Canada will attend). To learn more about this event and how to register, visit sikhyouthalliance.org/symposium/ the Big Spring Clean - May 13 (Charlotte)

Community News

oak City Revolution The annual dance competition Oak City Revolution 2017 took place in Stewart Theatre at NC State University in April. The event raised around $4800 in total for two charities, Pratham USA and Teaching for Tomorrow! Both of these charities focus on improving the education system for children in India and Nepal so children across the world will receive much needed new school supplies and resources. OCR has a huge presence on NC State’s campus and creates more awareness for South Asian culture through dance. The winning teams this year: 3rd place - Temple Agni; 2nd place - UAB Rangeela; 1st place UNC Chapel Hill Chalkaa. For more information, visit oakcityrevolution.ektaa.org.

Duplicate Bridge tournament

Help clean up streams and lakes by participating in a one day called The Big Spring Clean! Volunteers register for one of several stream or lake locations sponsored across Mecklenburg County. They gather on a Saturday morning to spend a few hours working together to collect trash out of streams and lakes. All supplies are provided. Each year, about 500 volunteers clean up an average of 10 tons of trash! Volunteers have fun, make a big difference, and learn the importance of taking care of our local waterways. Another successful duplicate bridge tournament was held at Be a part of the solution to water pollution on Saturday, May 13 the Hindu Center Vihar Hall on Saturday, April 8. The event from 9am - 1pm. To learn more visit StormWater.CharMeck.org. generated over $400 for charity along with a special donation of $101 by Chandrakant Patel. Proceeds will be donated to the Charlotte Hindu Center for temple expansion project. The the leaf Festival - May 11-14 (Black Mountain, nC) The spring LEAF Festival will ignite your imagination and results of the tournament: Champions: Pravin Shah and inspire your spirit to take hold of your creative dreams and Ramesh Khatri; Runners Up: Basant and Neelum Tariyal; 3rd allow them to soar. Each artist featured over the weekend have Place Winners: Om Puri and Vinod Sud. Saathee.com

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continued from page 44

These speculations will continue to hold sway especially in social media, now that the search has been called off. In all likelihood, the fate of MH370 and its occupants will remain the biggest airline mystery in history.

Mika Singh

take-Aways There are some positive takeaways from this episode, as follows: • Malaysian aviation safety standards have been reviewed and strengthened. Despite the recent airport scare involving the murder of the half-brother of North Korea’s leader (and perhaps because of it), KLIA has become one of the safest airports in Asia. Further, although there was a slight drop in the number of tourists in 2015, the Malaysian tourism industry has picked up.

• According to recent media reports, Australian scientists created 3-D maps of more than 10,000 sq. miles of sea floor in the Indian Ocean while looking for the wreckage.

As the search dragged on and sonar swept the Indian Ocean, data also piled up. Surveyors found volcanoes, valleys and scars on the sea floor from tectonic plates pulling apart. This part of the Indian Ocean, delineated by calculations based on the plane’s last satellite pings, has become one of the most thoroughly mapped regions of the ocean floor, and this will lead to advancements in scientific knowledge.

Mika Singh performed live in Charlotte on April 7 at Ovens An analysis of reporting of the MH370 episode and other Auditorium with a live band and supporting singers. disasters provides further support for the view that there is a dichotomy arising from the way in which news is presented as taj Express Bollywood Musical Revue an organizational and cultural product, based on deep-rooted cultural differences. Western media (as represented by Western news channels) concentrate on bizarre, tragic and occult news at the expense of positive news. National (local) media tend to downplay the sensational and bizarre elements and are careful in their reporting, seeking to report the event in a meaningful and societal context. I hope this article has given some insights into the need for balanced, meaningful and accurate reporting.

Note: The full version of this article appeared in Media Asia, Vol. 43 No. 1, 2016. (http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/01296612.2016.1169692)

Personal Finances continued from page 50

of the old returns from IRS. You can go online to do that. If you need a full return, then you may have to pay for it. An enrolled agent or other tax specialists can access IRS e-services and get those numbers for you.

This only points to one thing; it is essential to keep good records of your returns and other important paperwork. Since a majority of us file electronically, those records are always available in the cyberspace but we have to know how to access them.

I will continue with a question/answer session next issue.

The event took place on March 12 in Greenville, SC at the Peace Center. The show was nearly sold out and was one of over 40 performances in the US. Saathee.com

I welcome any questions on this article or the previous ones, also the suggestions for any future financial subjects of your interest that you would like to know more about.

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COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS Charlotte

Agaram tamil Palli Agaram Tamil Palli serves the Tamil speaking community in Greater Charlotte area by conducting Tamil language classes at CPCC, central campus.

For Further Details: Megalai Ezhilarasan agaramtp.coord@gmail.com 704.456.9881 http://agaramtamilpalli.wordpress.com

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

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

Association for India’s Development (Charlotte) A volunteer movement committed to promoting sustainable, equitable and just development. AID Charlotte supports grassroots organizations in India and initiates efforts in various interconnected spheres such as education, livelihoods, natural resources, health, women’s empowerment and social justice.

For Further Details: Kiran Uppalapati - 704.307.6450 Venkata Ramana Duddu - 662.231.2350

BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir (Charlotte) A spiritual, volunteer-driven organization dedicated to improving society through individual growth by fostering the Hindu ideals of faith, unity, and selfless service. Activities include: Daily Arti - 6:30 am & 6:30 pm; Weekly Satsang Sabha held every Sunday which includes Bhajans and spiritual discourses: Adults: 4pm, Young Men (Ages 23-36) - 3pm, Young Women (Ages 23-36) - 4pm, Teens - 4:30pm, and Children - 5pm.

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

Bethel Christian Fellowship BCF was founded to “Raise Up the Next Generation for Jesus Christ.” The Fellowship offers services in various Indian languages (Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam) with a Sunday School from 9 - 9:55 am and Sunday Worship from 10 - 11:45 am. The Fellowship is located at 7604 New Town Road, Waxhaw, NC 28173 For Further Details: 803.792.7223 Pastor Rajan Samuel - pastorofbcf@gmail.com www.bethelchristianfellowship.org Saathee.com

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

For Further Details: carolinakhadayatasamaj@yahoo.com Jaswant Mehta - 704.839.1965 Rita Shah - 704.321.0740

Carolinas Christian Assembly Carolinas Christian Assembly located on 12601 Idlewild Road in Matthews, NC, offers worship, fellowship and community assistance to all South Asians living in the Charlotte area.

Pastor, Dr. Shibu Cherian, offers free counseling services to married couples and is a licensed premarital counselor.

For Further Details: 404.840.6745 (Mobile) www.carolinaschristianassembly.org

Charlotte Gita Study Group Beginners and advanced students of the Gita are welcome. The group meets the second and fourth Sunday from 3 - 5pm. This course is based on the Home Study Course of the Arsha Vidya Gurukulam. Each session starts with meditation followed by a recorded lecture in English and discussion For Further Details: rishi@solveron.com - 513.518.5300 skdave@hotmail.com - 704.844.9567

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

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

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

For Further Details: www.saathee.com/charlotte-marathi-mandal

Charlotte Sahaj Marg Center Sahaj Marg which means Simple or Natural path, is a Raja Yoga system of spiritual training based on the heart centered meditation. The features of this meditation include transmission of divine energy into the heart of the practitioner and cleaning of deep impressions, thereby regulating the mind.

Regular meditation integrates the physical, mental and spiritual aspects of human being, while still encouraging people to maintain a normal family and working life. A group meditation is held at the Unity of Charlotte on Wednesdays.

For Further Details: Srikanth Katakam - 704.496.4411 www.sahajmarg.org www.meetup.com/Balanced-Life-Meditation/

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Charlotte telangana Association This association was formed to promote Telangana cultural activities within greater Charlotte area. It brings together all the Telangana people living in the area to discuss, plan, and take action around the development of Telangana focusing both on rural and urban areas.

For Further Details: President: Devender Reddy Gudepu - 702.510.8355 charlottetelanganaassociation@gmail.com www.charlottetelangana.com

Charlotte Vipassana Meditation Group Vipassana, which means to see things as they really are, is one of India’s most ancient techniques of meditation. It was taught in India more than 2500 years ago as a remedy for universal ills. The Charlotte Vipassana Meditation Group holds weekly group sits and monthly all-day sits for established students.

Ten-day courses are also available for all students. Never a charge for a course.

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

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

Upcoming Events: For Further Details: Lakshmi & Muthukrishnan - 704.814.9355 Jayashree & Panduranga - 704.442.1186 memberservices@onlinecmac.org www.onlinecmac.org

Gurdwara Sahib (Charlotte) The Gurdwara works to enrich the lives of the Sikh & Punjabi communities of Charlotte and surrounding areas. Regular Program: Every Sunday: 10 - 11am, Asa Di War by Bhai Satnam Singh Jee, 11am - 12pm, Keertan by Children, 12 - 1:15pm, Keertan by Bhai Satnam Singh Jee, 1:15 - 1:30pm, Ardaas, followed by Guru Ka Langar. Located at 1760 Stoney Creek Lane, Charlotte, NC 28262 Upcoming Events: Sat, May 13: SYANA Speech Symposium at 10am For Further Details: www.charlottegurdwara.org

Hindu Center of Charlotte The Hindu Center of Charlotte holds many regular events and religious ceremonies. The temple library is stocked with books, CDs, DVDs and other materials on varied genres such as religion, culture, history, philosophy, yoga and health. The temple is located at 7400 City View Dr., Charlotte, NC 28212.

Upcoming Events: May 6-7: Art Exhibition For Further Details: 704.535.3440 / 704.607.8412 (facility manager) admin@hcclt.org www.hcclt.org Saathee.com

India Association of Charlotte The organization works to foster better understanding of the rich diversity of Indian culture by the larger community in and around Charlotte. The annual Festival of India is held every September in downtown Charlotte.

For Further Details: Toni Sawhney - 704.604.2133 Lal Vishin - 704.545.3727 www.indiafestival.net

Indian American Muslim Council (IMAC) of Charlotte IAMC is committed to promoting peace, pluralism and social justice through advocacy. The organization is also committed to promote and protect human rights and dignity in India as they are the foundation of freedom and justice. IAMCCharlotte seeks to reach out to Indian Muslims living in Charlotte to strive for Inter-Community understanding with focus on Indian Diaspora.

For Further Details: Ashfaq Mehdi - 704.904.5778 Afzal Syed - 704.770.1103 iamc-charlotte@yahoogroups.com

Indian Performing Arts Association of Charlotte (IPAAC) IPAAC promotes classical Hindustani music by inviting wellknown artists from India and offers music classes at various locations in Charlotte.

Upcoming Events: Sat, May 20: Pandit Vishwa Mohan Bhatt For Further Details: Jyoti Kulkarni: 704.804.1275 Chaula Jain: 704.248.1515 contact@ipaac.org www.ipaac.org

Jain Center of Greater Charlotte (JCGC) JCGC serves the spiritual, cultural, and social needs of Jain families around metro Charlotte area. It is dedicated to the practice, understanding, promotion, and preservation of the Jain faith. Members meet regularly for worship, ceremonies, and festivals throughout the year. These activities include celebrating major religious festivals such as Mahavir Jayanti, Paryushan, and Diwali, and programs like Swadhyay, Poojas and children’s Pathshaala. Located at 7631 Malliard Creek Road, Charlotte, NC 28262.

Regular events: Weekdays: 9:30am - Prakshal and Puja; —- 7:30pm - Aarti and Mangal Divo Weekends: 10:30am - Prakshal and Puja —- 7:30pm - Aarti and Mangal Divo For Further Details: JCGC President Vipul Shah - 704.705.0314 info@jaincenterus.org www.jaincenterus.org JEt uSA (Charlotte) Jeeyar Educational Trust (JET) Charlotte chapter is a non-profit running under the guidance of Sri Jeeyar Swamiji.

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COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS

needs. Sangamithra works collectively towards its vision.

For Further Details: info@sangamithra.org www.sangamithra.org www.facebook.com/SangamithraFoundation

chinnajeeyar.org/jet_usa/localchapters/charlotte/ jetnc@jetusa.org 704.847.1574 / 248.495.4590 www.Facebook.com/JETUSA.Charlotte

Kriya Yoga (Charlotte) The group promotes Kriya Yoga Meditation as taught by the lineage of realized masters such as Mahaavatar Baba Ji, Lahri Mahasaya, Sri Yukteshwar Giri, Paramahamsa Yogananda, Hariharananda, and Prajanananada. A sincere seeker who follows the path of Kriya Yoga with love and devotion and a desire for spiritual growth can attain Self-realization. The center hosts two annual initiation programs and a weekly Sunday meditation for initiates.

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

Shanti niketan Senior Center of Carolinas The Center values diversity, holistic health, peaceful living, civic and community engagement, especially for under-served populations including Refugees, Immigrants, and Minorities (RIM). Efforts are made to support a rapidly diversifying population with the understanding that a vibrant diverse population adds to the strength and well-being of the whole community. Located at Midwood International & Cultural Center, 1817 Central Ave., Room 208, Charlotte, NC. For Further Details: http://uisac.org/

Shri Rang Avadhut Parivar (Parspar Devo Bhav) Devotees of Guru Dattatraya Rang Avadhut and Shri Prem Avadhut meet on Thurs from 6-8pm in Charlotte for recital of “Datta-Bavani,” singing devotional Dattatraya Bhajans and reading “Guru-Lilamrut.” Info about meetings, literature, Videos, as well as biographies of Nareshwar Ashram and Shri Avadhut’s lives are available.

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

Pratham - Charlotte Pratham organizes grassroots programs in the area of primary education and has made an impact on the learning levels of several million children through its Read India campaign. With nearly half the children in India who attend schools not learning to read and write at the required level, Pratham is trying to fill an important gap in the area of primary education.

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

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

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

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

For Further Details: Ramesh Dhanani - 704.392.4488 admin@issvcharlotte.org issvcharlotte.org

Sahaja Yoga Meditation Sahaja Yoga Meditation classes are free to attend and meant for all age groups who desire to find his or her true self, which is full of peace, joy of life and love for others. Sahaja Yoga was founded and developed by Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi and teaches very simple techniques of meditation. Sessions are conducted weekly or biweekly at 5935 Hickory Grove Rd, Charlotte.

For Further Details: www.meetup.com/SYCharoletteNC/

Sangamithra Foundation A Charlotte-based charity organization formed by a group of people who strive to make a difference in society. The team has taken the path of identifying the needs of underprivileged communities in India and provides support to meet those Saathee.com

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

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

For Further Details: sindhiassociationcarolinas@gmail.com 704.779.2396

South Park Cricket Club (SPCC) The South Park Cricket Club is a group of gentlemen who play competitive cricket for fun. SPCC is based in Charlotte and has been a part of the Carolina Cricket League since 2010. The Club practices every Wednesday at 5:30pm at Kilborne District Park in Charlotte.

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

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May 2017

COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS

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

For Further Details: Santanu & Bhabani Sarkar - santanu_kumar@yahoo.com committee@srishticharlotte.org www.srishticharlotte.org

telugu Association of Greater Charlotte Area (tAGCA) TAGCA was formed with an intention of preserving and promoting the Telugu cultural heritage and traditions among the Telugu speaking people residing in Greater Charlotte area.

The association organizes social and cultural events and festivals that reflect the Telugu people culture from India.

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

trimurti temple Devasthanam The temple grounds offer many areas to explore including 14 sanathis with traditional Mandabams for various Hindu deities. Open daily with a Morning Puja at 10am and Evening Puja at 7pm. Sunday Abhisekhams at 11am as well as other special pujas. The temple is located at 6519 Beatties Ford Road, Charlotte, NC, 28216.

For Further Details: 980.219.7556 contact@trimurtitemple.org www.trimurtitemple.org

Vallabh Pushti Samaj of Carolinas (VPSC) VPSC’s objective is to fill devotional need for hundreds of Vaishnavs in Carolinas to worship and pray together, to observe and celebrate festivals, and to engage in humanitarian and educational activities. Paath and Bhajan recitations are held on the 2nd Sunday of each month from 4 - 6pm. A VYO Youth (ages 6-14) educational Meet is also scheduled on the 1st & 3rd Saturdays of each month. The Shrinath Dham Haveli is located at 1006 Vickie Lane, Matthews, NC 28104. Haveli Grand Opening is July 7 - 10, 2017.

For Further Details: Bhupinbhai Shah - 704.224.6500 Prathmesh Shah - 704.763.3059 Mitesh Gandhi - 704.236.4004 vsccarolinas@gmail.com

Vibha Charlotte Vibha Charlotte is volunteer driven organization dedicated to create a brighter future for underprivileged children. This group came together through a strong belief in Vibha’s mission and resolved to create a positive societal impact in India. The group works to organize social events that spread awareness and raise funds to further the organization’s mission.

For Further Details: Volunteers@charlotte.vibha.org sites.vibha.org/Charlotte Saathee.com

Greensboro

Art of living (Greensboro) The Art of Living Foundation offers programs to uncover the strength, peace, and joy that lie at the core of every human being. Part I courses are offered regularly in Chapel Hill, Raleigh, and Greensboro which cover breathing techniques to eliminate stress & tension; skills for improving relationships at home and at work; practical wisdom to get the most out of life; insight into the laws that govern the mind & emotions; lowimpact yoga and the breathing-based technique called Sudarshan Kriya, or the healing breath.

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

BAPS Greensboro BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir of Greensboro features activities which include Sunday Sabhas: Shishu (Toddlers) sabha: 4 - 5pm; Bal/Balika sabha: 4:15 - 5:30pm; Kishore sabha: 2 - 3:30pm; Main sabha: 4 - 6pm; Gujarati classes: 2:30 - 3:45pm and Arti at 6pm followed by Mahaprasad. Fresh Shayona snacks available on Sundays.

Located at 922 Gallimore Dairy Road, High Point, NC. For Further Details: bapsgreensboro@gmail.com

Greensboro Cricket Club (GCC) There are several teams that play cricket in Greensboro, NC. The goals of GCC are fun, fitness, and friendship.

For Further Details: Venky - venkyhot@hotmail.com

Gujarati Cultural Association of Piedmont (GCAP) The Gujarati Cultural Association of Piedmont serves the Asian Indian community through sponsored events, cultural, educational and social programs. Located at 127 Landmark Drive, Greensboro, NC 27410 For Further Details: Jack Dhekar - 336.254.1727 Manubhai Patel - 336.253.7182 www.gcap.us

India Association of the triad (IAtnC) The objective of the Association is to promote social, cultural and educational interests of its members, develop understanding between members of the Indian community and other residents of the Triad area, and make the latter aware of issues of concern to the Indian community.

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

Indian Association of the Carolinas (IAC) The mission of the IAC is to promote the Indian culture by hosting community events such local picnics, Diwali and Garba

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Desai & Desai LLP

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We thank our Clients for their business and support over the last 20 years

• Bookeeping & Sales Tax Returns We now have a Business location in Cary, NC • Individual / Business Tax Services • Business Financial Statements In addition we have increased important Preparation financial services in addition to Accounting such as: • Personal Financial Statements life Insurance and Annuities We have added very experienced staff to support • Compilations these services. We can work with Various Top • Estate Planning Performing Financial Companies.

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COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS

and similar celebration and sports events. Their Center is located in Winston-Salem.

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

Indo-American Society of nC (IASnC) The objectives of IASNC are to support the Indian, South Asian and American community residing in Greensboro, NC and vicinity and other individuals interested in learning the culture, traditions, and arts of India. Specifically, IASNC promotes Indo-American cultural, arts and sports events and also school based volunteering activities.

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

Indo-uS Cultural Association of Winston-Salem The Indo-US Cultural Association’s primary mission is to increase awareness of the cultural heritage of India which is tremendously rich in its diversity and history. The Association seeks to reach out to the thriving Indian-American community within the Piedmont and Triad areas to share the vibrant Indian culture and promote cross-cultural understanding.

For Further Details: Manish Kumar - kumar.manish1983@gmail.com - 336.565.6427 www.indouswinston.org

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

The ashram is located at 8136 NC Highway 119, South Mebane, NC 27302.

For Further Details: 336.421.0690 Dr. Manoj - 848.459.7401 lifemissionusa@gmail.com www.lifemissionusa.org

Quan Am Buddhist temple All interested in Buddhism are welcome. The temple is located at 1410 Glendale Dr., Greensboro, NC 27407 For Further Details: www.ChuaQuanAm.com

Sri Mata Shakthipeetham of nC The mission of Sri Mata Shakthipeetham is to provide a place of worship for Hindus in Triad Area according to Agama Sastras (in a traditional way) in all religious, charitable and educational dimensions and perform and uphold Hindu religious activities as defined in Vedas. The Temple is located near Winston-Salem, NC. For Further Details: smsofnc@gmail.com www.aumsrimata.org Saathee.com

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

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

Winston-Greensboro Cricket Club (WGCC) Everyone from Triad Area in North Carolina, from the cities of Greensboro, High Point, Winston Salem and all nearby locations are welcome to come and join the club. The goals of the WGCC are fun, fitness, and friendship. WGCC is also a member of the Carolina Cricket League. Practice Sessions during the regular season are held every Wednesday at 5:30pm in Weston Park, Winston-Salem.

For Further Details: www.wgcricketclub.com

Raleigh

Art of living (Raleigh) Art of Living gives practical knowledge and techniques to unlock deepest potential and bring fullness to life. The techniques are effective in reducing stress levels and increase health, physical energy, enthusiasm, self-esteem, awareness, and clarity of mind. Advance courses are also available once every few months. Art of Living Founder Sri Sri Ravishankar’s mission is to create a violence free, stress free society and One World Family. The Center is located at 4000 Bear Cat Way, Suite 102, Morrisville, NC 27560.

For Further Details: 919.659.5939 rdu@us.artofliving.org takeabreathraleigh.org www.artofliving.org/us-en/raleigh

BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir (Raleigh) BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Hindu Mandir of Raleigh invites everyone to the regularly scheduled events: Ravi sabha - every Sunday at 4 - 6pm followed by Aarti and Maha Prasad.

Mahapuja conducted every Purnima at 7pm. Many classes are conducted. Fresh Indian snacks and sweets available at Shayona. Located at 1020 Aviation Parkway, Morrisville, NC 27560.

For Further Details: 919.469.6605 www.swaminarayan.org http://www.baps.org/Global-Network/North-America/Raleigh

Bengali Association of north Carolina (BAnC) The Bengali Association of North Carolina (BANC) seeks to promote Bengali culture, language, music, arts and social activities by offering varieties of programs for members of INDO-American community within North Carolina and adjacent states. The association is organized exclusively for charitable, cultural, social and educational purposes. For

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COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS

further details on BANC contact the following: exec@banc-online.org www.banc-online.org

Bhartiya Senior Citizens of nC (BSCnC) The Organization for senior citizen of Indian origin that are age 60 years and over. BSCNC members meet on the 2nd Saturday of each month at the Cary senior center in Bond Park in Cary, NC from 10 am to 3 pm. The next meeting will be on May 13, for a picnic at Harold Ritter Park, 301 Lochmere Dr., West, Cary.

For Further Details: 919.793.6588

Carolina Rajasthani Association (CRA) The Carolina Rajasthani Association’s mission is to preserve and promote Rajasthani culture, values, heritage and traditions.

CRA’s purpose is to preserve and promote the Rajasthani culture and heritage and promote their rich culture by celebrating traditional festivals.

For Further Details: carolinarajasthanis@gmail.com carolinarajasthanis.org

Chinmaya Mission Raleigh-Durham (CM RDu) Chinmaya Mission was founded by Swami Chinmayananda.

Not satisfied with degrees in literature and law or with other worldly aspirations, he pursued the spiritual path under the guidance of Swami Shivananda and Swami Tapovanam.

Dedicated to spreading the knowledge of Vedanta and other Hindu scriptures and to provide to individuals and the practical means for spiritual growth and happiness. CM RDU conducts weekly discourses (Satsangas) and study groups for adults, and classes for youth (Yuvakendra) and children (Bala Vihar).

For Further Details: www.chinmaya-RDU.org

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

It is based on the foundation of Self Realization. This unique science provides practical day-to-day solutions that lead to harmony and happiness in life. Dada Bhagwan Satsang, Raleigh center invites everyone to the regular events at HSNC, Saturdays 5 - 7pm. General Satsang followed by Aarti and Prasad. Satsang Venue: HSNC, 309 Aviation Pkwy, Rooms 5 & 6, Morrisville, NC. For Further Details: 877.505.3232 x 1003 wcraleigh@us.dadabhagwan.org www.dadabhagwan.org Datta Yoga Center (Raleigh) Mission: Spread the teachings of Sadguru Sri Ganapathi Saathee.com

Sachchidananda Swamiji of Mysore.

Activities: Namasankeertana - Bhajans written, composed and sung by Pujya Sri Swamiji. Kriya yoga classes conducted by Pujya Sri Swamiji-trained teachers from India. The group meets on the first Saturday of every month and every major festival day for Satsang and Namasankeertana (divine singing).

For Further Details: Srinivas & Anita Chittineni srinivasrc@yahoo.com - 919.484.1993 Suresh Kota - info@dycusa.org - 919.461.0843 www.dycusa.org

Duke Diya Diya is a Duke University student organization that committed to providing a forum for interaction through events relating to South Asian Americans and anyone interested in South Asian culture, politics or economics. Duke Diya represents the six major nations of South Asia: India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal, and Sri Lanka. Social events like club mixers and semiformals, especially with other Duke cultural groups and South Asian organizations at UNC and NC State, are also an extremely enjoyable aspect of life with Diya.

For Further Details: diya.duke@gmail.com www.dukediya.com

EKtAA Student organization (nCSu) EKTAA (meaning unity) is the South Asian Student Organization at North Carolina State University (NCSU). The organization was founded in 1970. The motto is “unity within diversity.” EKTAA strives to spread culture and heritage of South Asia all over the campus as well as the local community and the organization works hand-in-hand with many organizations on and off the NCSU campus, as well as South Asian organizations from area universities.

For Further Details: ektaaexec@ektaa.org www.ektaa.org

Geet Bazaar Radio (nCSu) Every Sunday morning from 10am - 12pm on WKNC 88.1 FM, join hosts Afroz Taj and John Caldwell, for a wide variety of music from South Asia, including India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and beyond. They specialize in the music of the Indian film industry, with lots of ghazals, qawwalis, bhajans, and Indi-Pop to round out the mix. Geet Bazaar will also publicize community events free of charge.

For Further Details: Dr. Afroz Taj & John Caldwell - 919.851.1119 geetbazaar@wknc.org

GEM Raleigh Church of God Come and join in every Sunday from 10:45am to 1pm. They have worship services, prayer meetings, Sunday school, and much more. Located at 3331 Blue Ridge Road, Raleigh, NC 27612 For Further Details: Pastor Thankachan Mathai - 919.395.6208 globalem@gmail.com

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COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS

conducts weekly Hindi classes (10:30 - 11:30am on Sundays) at HSNC for children.

For Further Details: https://www.facebook.com/hindivikasmandal/

Gokul Bhajan & Vedic Studies (Raleigh) Weekly satsang of parents and children singing bhajans and glorifying past times of Lord Krishna. Satsang every Friday 7pm - 9pm at the HSNC in Morrisville, NC with a dinner afterwards. Gokulam Learning Center in Durham every 1st & 3rd Saturday from 5pm - 9pm with a dinner afterwards.

Children learn slokas, learn presentation skills, manage and lead various projects such as book distribution, charity for cow protection, food for the poor, and prison seva.

For Further Details: bkdasa@gmail.com 919.491.9536 www.gokulbhajan.com

Hindu Society of north Carolina The Hindu Society of NC temple is open daily from 7am - 9pm.

Morning Aarti: Mon-Fri 10.30am, Sat-Sun 10am. Evening Aarti: Mon-Fri 8pm, Sat-Sun 6pm. There are many other regular events taking place at the temple. All major religious celebrations are observed. Facility rentals are also available.

Activities: Yoga, Hinduism and Meditation classes; Weekend Community Classes: Jain pathshala, Hindi classes, Sanskar Gurkul Classes, Tamil classes, Balmukund classes; Youth Affairs: Ohm Squad is the youth wing of HSNC involved in the youth activities like camp, games, craft and arts. Located at 309 Aviation Parkway, Morrisville, NC and serves the greater Triangle area.

Upcoming Events: Sat, May 13: Sunderkand June 12 - Aug 18: Om Squad Summer camps For Further Details: 919.481.2674 (Temple Office) info@hsnconline.org www.hsnconline.org

Gurdwara Atlantic Coast Sikh Association One of the oldest Sikh associations in the Southeastern US. The association meets every Sunday for Diwans along with Akhand Paths celebrated on appropriate dates. Classes for Punjabi and religious studies are held for children at the same time. Located at 3108 Sparger Road, Durham, NC 27705.

For Further Details: Bhai Dyal Singh Rangila - 919.309.1045 acsagurdwara.tripod.com

Heritage India Association of nC (HIAnC) Heritage India Association of NC aims at providing Indian cultural experience through performing arts, cultural arts, fine arts & crafts of India. Its mission is “to preserve and promote Indian heritage and culture.” During the year, HIANC presents several annual events and also coordinates Indian dances for the main stage performances for the Raleigh International Festival.

For Further Details: www.saathee.com/hianc

Hindi naatak Group The Hindi Naatak group is based in Raleigh-Triangle area. Its motto is to promote Indian culture and heritage by utilizing local talent to stage Hindi Plays. Explore your dream to act on stage in a professional 2/3 act Hindi play. You must meet following criteria: You are male or female of 20 to 50 years of age. You can read and speak Hindi fluently. You have some experience in working on or off stage. You can make 3-4 months of weekend commitment for the project. Also need a team who can work behind the scenes to manage rehearsals, publicity, sales of tickets, and other arrangements.

For Further Details: HindiNaatakNC@gmail.com

Hindi Vikas Mandal of nC Hindi Vikas Mandal (HVM) based in the Raleigh-Triangle area, promotes study and appreciation of Hindi Language, and strives to foster Indian culture and traditions through Hindi.

HVM has special focus on the youth for the preservation of Indian heritage. Every year HVM has been organizing KaviSammelan (Poetry Reading); Independence Day Function with over a dozen other Indian organizations of the RTP area participate in this function where HVM takes the lead; celebrates Dushera Festival and a members’ picnic. HVM also Saathee.com

Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh (HSS) The HSS conducts activities to develop character and leadership skills in participants, emphasizing values such as self-discipline, self-confidence and a spirit of selfless service (seva) for humanity while maintaining Hindu cultural identity in harmony with the larger society. Activities are tailored to include yoga, games, songs, lectures and discussions on Hindu dharma and culture. The HSS also has a Balagokulam forum for children (4-15 years age) to discover and manifest the divinity of Lord Krishna’s magical childhood in Gokulam.

There are Chapters in Cary, Morrisville and Chapel Hill. For Further Details: www.hssus.org www.balagokulam.org

HumSub HumSub is dedicated to sharing the social and cultural traditions of India with the residents of the Research Triangle Park and North Carolina.

For Further Details: www.humsub.net

Immanuel Assembly of God A full Gospel Christian church serving the Indian / South Asian community in the Raleigh area of North Carolina. Service is offered Sundays at 10:30am & Bible Study is Wednesdays at 7pm. The Church is located at 5419 S. Alston Ave, Durham, NC 27713.

For Further Details: Pastor Sam Daniel 919.442.8537 thechurch@immanuelassembly.org www.immanuelassembly.org

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May 2017

COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS

India Development & Relief Fund (IDRF) The Triangle chapter of IDRF supports volunteer-based, honest and highly experienced non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in India in serving their populations’ critical needs around education, childcare, healthcare, women empowerment and tribal welfare, as well as relief and rehabilitation in times of natural disasters.

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

Indian Christian Prayer Fellowship An Indian Christian Prayer Fellowship based in the RTP area that meets every Friday from 7:30 - 9pm. This group is part of the Carolina Christian Fellowship, so you get to be part of a bigger church community while you also have fellowship with like-minded people with similar culture in a smaller group.

Located at Cary Church of God on 107 Quade Drive, Cary, NC. For Further Details: 919.451.9662 919.929.0706 www.carolinachristian.net

Indian Classical Music & Dance Society (ICMDS) ICMDS is dedicated to promoting Indian classical music and dance in the Triangle area by inviting top artists from all over the world to perform.

Upcoming Events: Sun, May 7: Sitar Recital by Pandit Hindol Chattopadhya, 6pm Sat, Aug 12: Sangeet Symphony For Further Details: questions@icmds.org www.icmds.org

Indian talent Discovery Foundation ITDF was established to promote any form of art that has originated in India. The primary objective of the foundation is to encourage local talent to excel in the chosen art to become professionals. The art can be in any form such as Indian Classical and Bollywood dance, Indian music, Astrology, Numerology, Palmistry, traditional medicine, Vaasthu Shasra, and so on.

For Further Details: contactus@itdfoundation.org www.itdfoundation.org

Indo-American Friendship Foundation The foundation works to improve Friendship between the People of India and USA through Cultural and Technological Exchanges. The Center is located at 1413 Boxwood Lane, Apex, NC 27502 For Further Details: Dr. Subhas C. Mohapatra - President 919.362.7653 www.iaff1.org

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in their lives to rise above those challenges and succeed personally and professionally through innovative, genderresponsive training, educational and prevention services.

InStepp welcomes all women from South Asian cultures and can provide services in many South Asian Languages.

For Further Details: 919.680.8000 info@instepp.org www.instepp.org International Community Church ICC is a worship center for people from India and neighboring countries. Church services at Reedy Creek Baptist Church 1524 N. Harrison Avenue Cary, NC 27513 For Further Details: 919.233.2900 Pastor: Joseph B. Jesudason http://www.icc-nc.org/

International Hindi Association IHA promotes Hindi language and literature and has chapters all over the United States. The Raleigh Chapter periodically organizes Kavi Sammelans with local and indigenous talents.

Open to those interested in listening to poetry or in reciting poetry.

For Further Details: Saroj Sharma - 919.460.7830 / 919.851.0225 www.hindi.org

ISKCon new Goloka temple of nC New Goloka temple is a member of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness. Visitors are welcome any day of the week to come have darshan of Sri Sri Radha Golokananda.

Every Sunday at 4pm, there is a special program consisting of arati, kirtan, Bhagavad-gita discourse, and a prasadam feast.

From 4:30 - 5:30pm, there is a Sunday School program for children ages 3-7 and 8-12. Children take part in learning Bhagavad-gita slokas and bhajans, understanding the basic philosophy, reciting and hearing stories from the Vedas. New Goloka also provides educational classes and programs for adults. New Goloka Daily Darshan Times 4:30 - 5am, 7:15am 1pm, 4:15 - 5:45pm, 7 - 8pm. Saturday and Sunday Darshan open from 7:15am - 8pm. The Radha-Krishna temple is in a rural setting at 1032 Dimmocks Mill Rd. Hillsborough, NC. For Further Details: 919.732.6492 newgoloka108@gmail.com www.newgoloka.com

Jain Study Center of north Carolina (JSCnC) The JSCNC was organized to study and understand Jain religion, philosophy, rituals, and literature and to educate the children. Over the years the Center has participated in many activities for youths and adults, where an environment is created making members feel like a part of the family. Jain pathshala and swadhyay are held routinely for children and adults respectively.

For Further Details: jscnc101@gmail.com / jscnc.org

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COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS

Kiran, Inc. Kiran serves and empowers South Asian victims of domestic violence in NC by helping them rebuild their lives and ending the cycle of violence. Although domestic violence is rarely talked about in South Asian communities, it is a rampant and preventable public health problem. Kiran is passionate about promoting healthy family relationships in South Asian communities and raising awareness on the prevalence of domestic violence in South Asian homes through outreach and advocacy. Kiran’s core services comprise of a 24 hour free and confidential hotline, crisis counseling, legal advocacy, translation assistance, resource referrals, skills development and other culturally sensitive support services needed to meet the unique challenges of South Asian victims.

For Further Details: 24 Hour Crisis Hotline: 877.625.4726 Office: 919.831.4203 kiran@kiraninc.org www.kiraninc.org

Krishnadham uSA The mission is to foster the richness of Hindu cultural heritage by imparting the values of love, wisdom and devotion in future generations. Provide a platform for learning and for sharing our experiences and values with the society at large. The time is coming when a new Vedanta inspired sanctuary will manifest. This inspirational experience will be expressed in buildings, pathways, water flows, and connections with the surrounding natural setting at a location not far from Lake Jordan in Chatham County of NC and will be recognized as Krishnadham USA. Current address is at 795 Beaver Creek Road, Apex, NC 27502 For Further Details: info@krishnadhamusa.org bakulparikh11@gmail.com www.krishnadhamusa.org

Maitri (nCSu) A student organization at NC State that aims at unifying various cultures at university. The organization works to help and support Indian students at NC State, but also creates opportunities for them to immerse in the global culture while retaining their rich Indian identity.

For Further Details: maitri.ncsu@gmail.com www.maitrincsu.org

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

For Further Details: www.nuvyug.net

Pakistani American Anjuman The North Carolina Pakistani-American Anjuman (NCPAA) is a non-political, cultural and social organization that strives to promote the presence of the people from Pakistan living in the Triangle area of North Carolina. Their mission is to provide Saathee.com

cultural and social interaction for the families and individuals of the Pakistani community and to offer a variety of programs and services to its members Several events are presented during the year including a family dinner on the second Friday of every month.

For Further Details: www.ncpaa.org

Pratham - triangle Area Pratham is a grass-roots organization that works towards universalizing primary education in India. It is one of the largest NGOs in field of literacy movement in India. Pratham continues to evolve, grow and works to meet the continually changing needs of the children it educates. The NC chapter actively aims to collaborate with individuals, local organizations and community associations and seeks ideas, volunteers and resources to deliver the vision of “Every Child in School and Learning Well.”

For Further Details: Rajeev Thalla - rajeev.thalla@gmail.com Monica Awasthi - awasthimonica@yahoo.com www.prathamusa.org

Professional Indians’ Association PIA is a meetup group is made of Indian professionals and grad students interested in cultural events, socializing and meeting/making friends with like-minded people around the Triangle. Monthly events include meeting at bars/restaurants, Bollywood movie nights, potlucks, Indian concerts, outdoor activities, community service and volunteering. It is an opportunity for professionals to share their thoughts on respective industries, social causes, the economy and politics.

For Further Details: http://www.meetup.com/PIATriangle/

Raleigh Sai Center Parthi Sai devotees of Triangle area meet every Sunday from 4 - 6:15pm in the Mini-Hall of Hindu Bhavan in Morrisville.

There is also a study circle, Bhajan Practice, Veda Chanting etc. between 4 - 5pm depending on the week, followed by bhajans from 5 - 6:15pm. The center carries out several service activities as well, including Human Values Education (SSE) classes for the children of different age groups.

For Further Details: rsc.president@yahoo.com raleighsaicenter.org

Ramakrishna Vedanta Society of nC The Ramakrishna Vedanta Society draws inspiration from the timeless, philosophical wisdom of the Vedanta as practiced and preached in the modern day by Sri Ramakrishna, Sri Sarada Devi and Swami Vivekananda. Practical Vedanta and the message of the harmony of religions and the spiritual oneness are studied. Regardless of background and/or knowledge the organization welcomes participants.

For Further Details: 919.806.5928 vedantanc@gmail.com www.vedantanc.org

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COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS

RtP Maharashtra Mandal The Mandal is a home away from home for Marathi-speaking people. The goal of the Mandal is to advocate the vibrant culture, the rich heritage and the language of Maharashtra. The Mandal is dedicated to showcase the cultural, social and traditional attributes of Maharashtra to the local community through variety of entertaining programs, and events.

For Further Details: mail@rtpmm.org www.rtpmm.org

Sahaj Marg Meditation (triangle) Sahaj Marg translates to “The Natural Path.” It is a simple system of Raja Yoga meditation and spiritual practice that helps one realize the ultimate potential within oneself. Regular spiritual practice under capable guidance enables aspirants to progressively experience the sublime presence of the divine in their daily lives. Sahaj Marg system of meditation is freely offered to seekers worldwide through Shri Ram Chandra Mission. In the Triangle area, group meditations are held on Sunday & Wednesday evenings.

For Further Details: Raj Solanki - raj_solanki@yahoo.com www.srcm.org www.sahajmarg.org

Sahaja Meditation Ongoing meetings, seminars and workshops are available in Raleigh. There is never a charge for Sahaja Meditation instruction. RSVP in meetup: Sahaja-Meditation-TriangleGroup Thursdays at 7:30pm. Located at 9308 Fairbanks Dr, Raleigh, NC. For Further Details: balaram.krishna@gmail.com 919.757.3135 www.sahajamediation.com

Sewa RtP Sewa RTP - a chapter of Sewa International - is a team of volunteers who organize various activities - ranging from local community service to fundraisers for developmental projects in India. Currently Sewa RTP has following activities on monthly basis: Sewa Day, Workshops / Seminars, Assisting Community in Emergency situations, Chapter Meetings - 3rd Thursday of every month. Sewa International USA is a Hindu faith-based humanitarian service organization.

For Further Details: www.sewausa.org/rtp

Shree Swaminarayan Hindu temple (ISSo) ISSO’s primary objective is to advance the Sanatan Dharma in accordance with the principles and teachings of the Original Shree Swaminarayan Sampradaya, founded and ordained by Bhagwan Shree Swaminarayan Himself. Bhoomidaan and Murtipratishtha yajman opportunities are available for a limited time. They organize a weekly “Satsang Sabha,” every Saturday, which includes Kirtan bhakti, Katha, Aarti and Mahaprasad.

The Mandir is located at 500 SE Maynard Road, Cary, NC Saathee.com

27511 For Further Details: 919.964.1008 issonc@issousa.org www.issonc.org

Sky Meditation and Kaya Kalpa Yoga Benefits include longevity, wellness and stress management.

Triangle Sky Meditation group holds weekly group meditation and simplified physical exercises every Friday in Cary for those who have attended Shri Vethathiri Maharishi’s Kaya Kalpa Yoga course. Kaya Kalpa Yoga Courses are held several times a year for anyone 14 years and above.

For Further Details: Rajendran Kailasam - 919.824.8429 sky.cary@yahoo.com www.vethathiri.edu.in

South Indian Fine Arts Academy (SIFAA) SIFAA is a non-profit organization that works to arrange and promote concerts and performances in the Triangle and Triad areas, concentrating on Carnatic music.

Upcoming Events: Fri, May 19: Vocal concert with Amritha Murali For Further Details: 919.773.1580 www.sifaa.org

SV temple of north Carolina The temple is built on nine acres of centrally connected triangle area. This tribute to Lord Venkateswara and his consorts is designed to exacting standards of shilpa shasthra and features the only shrine in N.America to incorporate abodes to Lord Viswaksena & Lord Sudarshana/Lord Narasimha as part of Srinivasa Parivaram. The temple rituals are performed in accordance with Pancharathra Agama Shastra.

For Further Details: 919.468.0040 comm@svtemplenc.org www.svtemplenc.org

tamil Cultural Association of north Carolina (tCA nC) TCA NC was formed for the purpose of providing youths with exposure to Tamil culture. Everyone is invited to join TCA and become part of the organization promoting Tamil culture in the Triangle area.

For Further Details: tca_nc@yahoo.com www.tcanc.org

triangle Area telugu Association (tAtA) TATA is committed to building a vibrant Telugu Community and promoting Telugu culture and language in the Triangle area of North Carolina.

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

triangle Bangladesh Society (tBSnC) TBSNC strives to arrange musical programs by artists who

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COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS

have captured the hearts and minds of millions of Bengali, Urdu and Hindi-speaking music fans all around the globe.

For Further Details: Ishtiaquem@gmail.com www.tbsnc.org

triangle Gujarati Association (tGA) TGA’s mission is to promote and serve Gujarati culture in the Triangle area by organizing various events and programs throughout the year and impart Gujarati culture and language on the youth.

For Further Details: nctga00@gmail.com www.nctga.org

triangle Rang Mandal Devotees of Pujya Sri Rang Avdhoot Maharaj meet every Saturday in Cary or Raleigh from 8:30 - 10:30pm to sing devotional Dattatreya Bhajans and Datta-Bavani in a spiritual atmosphere. Special programs are organized on Guru Purnima and Rang Jayanti and on the occasion of Pujya Sri Prem Avdhoot Bapji’s annual visit to the US. For Further Details: rangmandal@gmail.com

triangle Vegetarian Society (tVS) The mission of TVS is to build a sense of community between current vegetarians and people who are interested in vegetarianism and have a forum for a discussion of issues.

For Further Details: barman@cs.unc.edu www.trianglevegsociety.org

triangle Vipassana Meditation Vipassana, which means to see things as they are, is one of India’s most ancient techniques and was taught 2500 years ago as a universal remedy for universal ills. The Triangle Vipassana Meditation group holds weekly group sittings in Cary and Raleigh on Thursday, Saturday, and Monday, a 3-hour sitting on the 3rd Sunday each month, and one full-day sitting once every few months for established students (those who have taken at least one ten-day course).

For Further Details: Hitesh & Vaibhavi Parekh - 732.213.9660 / 919.601.3555 carync.sittings@gmail.com www.dhamma.org

urdu Majlis Urdu Majlis, the Triangle’s Urdu Literary Society, meets monthly in the FedEx Global Education Center on the campus of UNC: Chapel Hill. Meetings include discussions of the life and works of major South Asian poets as well as opportunities to share original poetry and other writing. Urdu Majlis is cosponsored by the Carolina Asia Center and the South Asia Section of the UNC Department of Asian Studies. It is an intellectual endeavor with no political or religious affiliations.

For Further Details: Afroz Taj - taj@unc.edu - 919.851.1119 Seema & Ashraf Faruqi - pasbaan@hotmail.com - 919.596.4792 Saathee.com

Vaishnav Samaj of triangle Area A group of like-minded devotees who meet for religious worship and understand Pushti Marg Principles at large.

Regular Bhajan recitations are held 2nd Sunday of the month from 4-6pm and Seniors are requested to encourage youngsters to participate in the activities.

For Further Details: Arvindbhai Shah - 919.233.7677 Vithalbhai Shah - 919.803.9027

Vibha Raleigh Vibha is dedicated to creating a brighter future for underprivileged children. The Raleigh Action Center has a group of energetic and enthusiastic volunteers from varied backgrounds, including working professionals and students.

This group came together through a strong belief in Vibha’s mission and resolved to create a positive societal impact in India. The group works to organize social events that spread awareness and raise funds to further the organization’s mission.

For Further Details: volunteer@raleigh.vibha.org sites.vibha.org/nc

Vraj Education Raleigh Kendra The Vraj Education Raleigh Kendra is conducting comprehensive weekly teaching of Hinduism and Pushtibhakti Marg backed by Vraj Temple Pennsylvania. Raleigh Vaishnav children will get an opportunity to recognize, learn, and exercise Pushtimarg guidelines and leverage rich Shri Vallabh Mahaprabhuji heritage to improve individual life style.

For Further Details: vraj.raleigh@gmail.com for timing and location information. www.facebook.com/VrajEducationCenter/

Regional

Ekal Vidyalaya Foundation of India Ekal Vidyalaya Foundation of India (EVFI) was established to help in the overall development of the remote tribal and rural villages in India. Ekal Vidyalaya Foundation of USA along with EVFI is committed to the cause of eradicating illiteracy from tribal areas. Education is the key to self-esteem, self-sustenance, and economic freedom.

The Carolinas Region of the EVFI USA conducts fundraising and awareness programs in Raleigh & Columbia.

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

Grihastha Family Institute The Grihastha Family Institute has a mission of preparing everyone with the basics and nuances of marriage and family management, and to compensate for the loss of traditional structures, norms and methods that used to support the family structure. Three Day workshop camps and private

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COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS

consultations are available.

For Further Details: krishna@grihastha.org www.grihastha.org

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

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

ISKCon temple of the Holy name in Prabhupada Village The Temple of the Holy Name, situated in Prabhupada Village, a rural community, is a member of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness. Prabhupada Village is also home to the Bhaktivedanta Archives and the Festival of India. Everyone is welcome to take darshan of Sri Sri Parama Karuna Nitai Gaurasundara from 5am-7:30pm, 7 days a week. Special program every Sunday at 3pm with arati and kirtan, bhajans, discourse on the Bhagavad-gita As It Is and a pure, vegetarian feast. Festivals celebrated year round. Temple is located at 1283 Prabhupada Rd. Sandy Ridge, NC 27046 For Further Details: 336.593.2322 tothn@iskconpv.org www.iskconpv.org

nithyananda Sangha north Carolina (Inner Awakening) Inner Awakening works to spread the knowledge of Yoga and meditation by letting people experience the teachings of Vedic Science in its purest form delivered by the enlightened master Paramahamsa Sri Nithyananda. The Nithyananda Sangha North Carolina is part of a worldwide movement for meditation and healing. Paramahamsa Nithyananda is a global leader in the science of enlightenment and the author of more than 300 books published in 27 languages.

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

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

For Further Details: www.nuvyug.net

Rural Yoga Community at Prabhupada Village Situated in the beautiful foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, gathers its inspiration and guidance from the books, letters, lectures, and example of His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada For Further Details: 336.593-8108 / 336.558-7340 madhuhadasa@gmail.com www.prabhupadavillage.com 1310 Prabhupada Rd, Sandy Ridge, NC 27046 Saathee.com

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

For Further Details: 828.476.4073 www.srisomesvara.org

South Carolina

American South Asian Cultural Association of Columbia, SC The American South Asian Cultural association of Columbia’s fundamental goal is to increase cultural awareness and develop cultural understanding among American South Asian Community in Columbia, SC area. A lunch meeting will be held on the second Sunday every month between 12:30 2:30pm at Persis Biryani & Indian Grill, 1728 Bush River Road, Columbia, SC 29210. Cost is $11 per person.

For Further Details: Contact in the evenings: 803.233.7042 / 512.547.7077

Carolina Buddhist Vihara (Greenville, SC) Carolina Buddhist Vihara is a temple and monastery in South Carolina, USA. It is a non-profit organization dedicated to offering teachings of the Buddha, primarily by bringing Theravada Buddhist nuns and monks to Greenville.

“Theravada” refers to the oldest surviving branch of Buddhism, the highly traditional school found in countries such as Sri Lanka, Burma, Cambodia, and Thailand. Activities are held Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday evenings: 6:30pm (puja), 7pm (meditation), and 8pm (“Dhamma” talk or discussion). A youth program is also held once a month. The Temple is located at 113 Woodridge Circle, Greenville, SC 29607 For Further Details: 864.329.9961 greenvillebv@gmail.com www.carolinabuddhist.net

Hanahan table-tennis training Center The primary focus & mission of the HTTTC is creating a professional image for the “sport” of “table-tennis” in the United States. The center is open on Wednesdays & Thursdays from 7 - 10pm and Saturdays & Sundays from 2 - 6pm. No partner needed but athletic attire is required. The center is located at City of Hanahan Gym on 1253 Yeamans Hall Road., Hanahan, SC 29410.

For Further Details: 843.256.3949 tthanahan@hotmail.com www.tthanahan.com 124

May 2017

COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS

Hindu Society of Greater Spartanburg A daily Aarti is conducted at 7pm, Balvihar classes are from 10-11:45am on scheduled Sundays, and Satsang is on second Sunday of every month from 5-7pm. Temple is located on 1130 Fairview Church Road in Boiling Springs, SC 29303.

For Further Details: 864.599.7048

Hindu temple and Center (Columbia, SC) The temple is open on weekdays between 8:30am to 12 noon and between 5pm and 8:30pm. On weekends, the temple is open between 8:30am to 1pm and 5pm to 8:30pm. Bal Gokulam (Sunday School) classes are held every Sunday from 10:30am to 12 noon. Classes are designed to help children build physical, mental, cultural, social & spiritual lives. It is located at 5704 Kiawah Road, Columbia, SC 29212.

For Further Details: 803.772.6940 www.hindutemplesc.org

India Assoc. of Greater Charleston (IAGC) The India Association of Greater Charleston (IAGC) was incorporated when the residents of Indian origin in Charleston felt the need to organize a community of people who were interested in the culture and heritage of India and share the profound beauty of this culture with others. They celebrate various events throughout the year including Diwali & various Picnic gatherings.

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

Indian upstate Fellowship Service The Indian Upstate Fellowship holds weekly service on Sundays, 5:30 - 7:30pm, followed by dinner, in Greenville, SC. For Further Details: Pastor Suresh Jonnalagadda - 864.561.1016 www.indainupstatefellowship.org

Kannada Association of Greater Greenville (KAGG) An organization devoted to the awareness and promotion of Kannada culture in the Greater Greenville area of SC. KAGG is a primarily run by volunteers and invites Kannadigas living in and around Greenville area to participate in the organization. Kannada classes for children are also conducted.

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

Masjid noor-ul-Huda (MnH) The Mosque is open for five daily prayers in congregation every day of the year. On the first and third Saturday of every month from 6pm - 8 pm, an Islamic session is held by Hafiz Mohammed Basheer. Quran reading classes for children are also conducted daily. The Mosque is located at 517 Winmet Drive, Columbia, SC. For Further Details: Saathee.com

Masjid main number - 803.754.2632 info@noorulhuda.org www.noorulhuda.org

Spartanburg Buddhist Center of SC The Center’s resident monks seek to preserve Theravada Buddhist traditions and welcomes all who are interested in Buddhism, Southeast Asian culture, or meditation. Since the center opened in 2010, a regular English-speaking group meets at 6pm on Thursdays for meditation, a brief Dhamma talk, and short discussions. The Center is located at 770 Bryant Road, Spartanburg, SC 29303.

For Further Details: 864.327.8726 https://www.facebook.com/spartanburgbuddhist2012

telugu Association of Greater Greenville Telugu Association of Greater Greenville (TAGG) is a nonprofit organization devoted to the awareness and promotion of Telugu Culture in the Greater Greenville Area. The association caters to the cultural and social needs of the Telugu people living in and around Greater Greenville Area. TAGG organizes events to celebrate major festivals and organizes a picnic during the summer as scheduled activities. In addition, TAGG screens choice Telugu Movies mostly throughout the year and organizes special cultural events from time to time, usually performed by artists from USA and visiting from India.

For Further Details: www.taggsc.org

Vedic Center of Greenville Daily Aarti is conducted Monday - Friday at 8pm. Bal Vihar classes are conducted Sundays from 11:15am - 12:30pm. Sri Venkateshwara Suprabhatam is held on 2nd Saturday of each month at 9am. The Center is located at 520 Bethel Road, Mauldin, SC 29662.

For Further Details: President: Geera Desai - 864.451.4305 864.967.2852 www.vediccenterofgreenville.org

Send your organization's updates and events to us by the 15th of the month for inclusion: info@Saathee.com

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Find many more interesting stories, articles and community news at 126

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May 2017

Nepal Air Pollution continued from page 32

Gender Equality

the pharmacy,” he says.

Nepal’s air quality is the fourth-worst in the world, according to Yale’s 2016 Environmental Performance Index. The nation’s capital Kathmandu is also one of the fastest-growing metropolitan areas in South Asia and contains a burgeoning middle class, who’ve funded a boom in construction and auto sales. Until the government recently slowed the rate of lending, residents could get an auto loan with only a 10 percent down payment.

But people here are becoming increasingly aware and concerned with the air pollution. Student protests and a constant stream of articles in local newspapers are pressuring the government to clean up the air. In March, the police began enforcing a law made two years ago that outlaws public transportation vehicles more than 20 years old.

Sabin Pradhan, the deputy superintendent for the Metropolitan Traffic Police Division, said last month they issued tickets to 1,000 overage vehicles in just 10 days.

“In Nepal, if we want to implement something that is forward-thinking, then there is a lot of resistance. But once we catch the vehicles, they’ve been cooperative,” he said.

The pollution comes from many sources besides vehicles, though. Some of the worst air in Nepal is not in Kathmandu, but in the southern plains, where brush fires, brick kilns and cooking stoves produce a haze of smoke.

The pollution could have far-reaching consequences as it floats north into the Himalayas. Smoke from fires and emissions from vehicles produce soot containing black carbon. Black carbon absorbs lots of solar energy. It settles on glaciers and snow, and its dark color causes the snow and ice to absorb more of the sun’s radiation. It also warms up the air, changing rainfall patterns.

For the mountains that are called the “water towers of Asia,” this could have serious impacts. Over a billion people depend on the monsoon rains and snow melt of the Himalayas for their source of water.

Last week, an Indian court granted “living entity” status to the Gangotri and Yamunotri glaciers, which feed the Hindu holy rivers Ganga and Yamuna. The judges said the glaciers are shrinking at an alarming rate. The Ganga river is also fed by glaciers in the Nepali part of the Himalayas.

Researchers are still studying how much black carbon itself causes glacier melt, and how much is caused by rising global temperatures. So far, scientists haven’t been able to pinpoint to what extent the glaciers have melted since there’s a lack of historical data and the glaciers themselves can be difficult and expensive to reach. However, a recent paper in The Cryosphere suggested that glaciers in the Everest region could lose 70 to 99 percent of their mass by 2100 due to climate change.

Greenhouse gases are the leading cause of the warming atmosphere, but black carbon is also a major contributor to shrinking glaciers, especially when the sources of the soot are so close to them.

“The closer you are to a glacier, of course, the greater the impact on that glacier,” said Dr. Arnico Panday, a researcher at Nepal’s International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development.

Kathmandu is only 43 miles away from the closest glaciers, and its black carbon is within striking distance of thousands more.

Stephen Groves reported from Kathmandu, Nepal.

Saathee.com

continued from page 18

underscores the importance of sustained affirmative action as a way to reduce gender bias.

Another policy change aimed at equalizing land inheritance rights between sons and daughters has been met with a more mixed response. While on the one hand, it led to an increase in educational attainment and age at marriage for daughters, on the other hand, it increased spousal conflict leading to more domestic violence.

Improvements in labor market prospects also have the potential to empower women. An influential randomization study found that job recruiter visits to villages to provide information to young women led to positive effects on their labor market participation and enrolment in professional training.

This also led to an increase in age at marriage and childbearing, a drop in desired number of children, and an increase in school enrolment of younger girls not exposed to the program.

Recent initiatives on training and recruiting young women from rural areas for factory-based jobs in cities provide economic independence and social autonomy that they were unaccustomed to in their parental homes.

Getting to parity For India to maintain its position as a global growth leader, more concerted efforts at local and national levels, and by the private sector are needed to bring women to parity with men.

While increasing representation of women in the public spheres is important and can potentially be attained through some form of affirmative action, an attitudinal shift is essential for women to be considered as equal within their homes and in broader society.

Educating Indian children from an early age about the importance of gender equality could be a meaningful start in that direction.

Smriti Sharma is a Research fellow at United Nations University.

This article originally appeared in TheConversation.com.

Marketing Turnaround continued from page 68

to reach millions without needing to obtain the approval of gatekeepers. This opens tremendous possibilities for knowledgeable people with an entrepreneurial spirit, and has built the fame and fortune of many internet gurus. Yet it can also be difficult to vet internet experts, since their information and platform is often entirely self-reported and their validation relies on anecdotal evidence and testimonials.

What does this mean for you? Social media presents you with a golden opportunity to establish yourself as an expert in your field of expertise and to reach the world with your information. Establish your credibility and build your brand through the valuable insights you share on social media, and use the connections you make to expand your influence.

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May 2017

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POP’S PUZZLES & JOKES

By Kirit Shukla

Note: * denotes abbreviation of the word or phrase

Clues Across: 1. The basic monetary unit of Bhutan.

8. The seventh letter of Greek alphabet.(η) 11. The buttocks.

12. A student or former student at Eaton college.

14. A club used in finishing handmade linen; a mallet.

16. A colorless liquor distilled from rye, wheat etc.

17. A person who mixes and serves alcoholic drinks at a bar.

19. Illinois. (*) 20. Eastern Time. (*) 21. An organic compound comparable to inorganic salt.

22. Some, no matter how much or how little; without limit.

23. A group of people in the Soviet Union, working collectively and sharing the income and liability.

24. Earned Run. (*) (Baseball).

25. To look.

26. To ask or express a wish or desire for, in a polite way.

29. Gritty, shifting etc.

31. Gives circular motion to.

32. African Methodist Episcopal. (*) (Church) 33. Chemical substances with various metabolic effects including adrenal hormones and cholesterol.

36. To reach vaporizing stage.

37. Quick to learn or understand.

38. International Subscriber Dialing. (*) (Telecommunication) 39. The early settlers or scientists doing exploratory works.

42. North America. (*) 43. A slight wetness; moisture.

43. Specialized information Services. (*).

Saathee.com

Clues Down:

1. Seized suddenly; snatched.

2. Very impressive; large in number.

3. Addict.

4. The process of putting the alphabets on something.

5. To go in again.

6. Utah (*) 7. A person whose work is loading and transporting goods.

8. The Islamic holiday, like end of Ramadan.

9. A type gnu goat found in Eastern Himalayas.

10. A detail examiner.

13. The second part of negation: ‘Neither - ___’.

15. For fear that; in case.

18. Cross out; erase.

22. Sandstones made by sand grains .

23. A Latin epic poem about Aeneas & his adventures.

24. A continent between Asia and Atlantic Ocean.

25. Indian spicy fried turnover, filled with potatoes & peas.

27. The sacred book of Islam.

28. Solid-state drive. (*) 29. “Albert B. ___”, Russian born, U. S. bacteriologist, who developed a vaccine to prevent poliomyelitis.

30. Yours Sincerely. (*) 34. To cut down (something) to the required size or shape.

35. To figure out as a result of investigation. (Slang: British) 39. Pennsylvania. (*) 40. Rhode Island. (*) (Puzzle solutions are on page 134. NO peeking!)

Hee Hee

Booddhoo: “Doctor. You have got to help me. I just can’t stop my hands from shaking.”

Doctor: “Do you drink a lot?”

Booddhoo: “Not really. I spill most of it!”

•••••••••••••• Candidate: “You elected me four years ago. I had promised to bring gas pipe line in your state, and I did it.”

Voter: “Yes, but there no gas in it.”

Candidate: “Exactly. You are right. So, if you reelect me this time, I promise that the gas will be flowing thru it.”

•••••••••••••• “Why did you and your husband get a divorce?”

“We got divorced over our religious differences. He thought he was God and I didn’t.”

•••••••••••••• Mafatlal: “Doc, I just dropped in to tell you how much your treatments helped me.”

Doctor: “But you are not my patient!”

Mafatlal: “I know, but my uncle was, and I am his heir.”

••••••••••••••

130

May 2017

Word Find (Created By Kirit Shukla)

Find & circle the words in the puzzle.

(Subject: “Dessert Items”)

ADA BAKLAVA BARFI BISCUIT CAKE CARAMEL CHOCOLATE COFFEE COOKIE DOUGHNUT FRUIT GULABJAMUN ICECREAM JALEBI

JAM KAJUKATLI KHIR LEMONTART MILK PAK PAN PASTRY PIE PUDDING RABADI RASMALAI SORBET TEA

The unused 9 letters spell that is ”The sweet ball made of sugar, coconut, semolina (Rava) and ghee.”

Math Magic Use these numbers only once: ( 2, 3, 4, 5, 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 134)

EZ-BZ

TEST YOUR IQ

The common letters are “IE” - Fill in the blanks)

1. A fabric strip used to tie curtains to one side. _ IE _ _ _ _ 2. An old joke, song, saying, film etc. _ _ _ IE 3. A village in Movileni Commune, in Romania. IE _ _ _ _ _ _ 4. A satellite of Uranus. _ _ IE _ 5. Devotion to religious duties and practices. _ IE _ _ 6. Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers.

IE _ _ 7. Acute sorrow or distress. _ _ IE _ _ 8. Changed or altered. _ _ _ IE _ 9. To give a false impression. _ IE 10. Ahead of an opponent by many holes. (Golf) _ _ _ _ IE 11. Institute of European Union Studies at SUNY.(*) IE _ _ _ 12. Intimate associate. _ _ IE _ _ 13. To have trust or confidence. _ _ _ IE _ _ 14. A special or limited selection of food & drink. _ IE _ 15. An obstacle. _ _ _ _ IE _ 16. International Energy Agency. (*) IE _ 17. A substance added to paint to make dry fast. _ _ IE _ 18. A small bar made of rich chocolate, nuts etc. _ _ _ _ _ IE 19. Land for raising crops. _ IE _ _ 20. The keyboard of an organ or piano. _ _ _ _IE _ 21. Indian Environmental Radiation Monitoring Network. (*) IE _ _ _ _ 22. A ripened soft, white cheese made in France. _ _ IE 23. A brief nap taken after noon meal esp. in Spain. _ IE _ _ _ 24. One mission by a single military plane. _ _ _ _ IE 25. A fuel oil used in locomotives, trucks etc. _ IE _ _ _

(Puzzle solutions are on page 134. NO peeking!)

Kirit Shukla Contact him at kiritsshukla@hotmail.com

Saathee.com

131

May 2017

camera drone was brought to that tournament by Dolly’s father’s former partner in Volga Archery Productions. My understanding is that they were working on a TV serial about where you see an image that makes you think that it would be Dolly at the time, and the drone footage was going to be used in worth the effort to actually try to make a film. And in the that. inevitable moments during a project when you lose faith in it, it’s important to remember that that first image compelled you, I liked the subtly beautiful music - classical with a bit of and to trust in that. I also was struck by the very black and white fusion, and then abrupt and reasonable transitions as the coverage of her during her viral, online moment. And how eager story’s narration progresses. I’d like to know more about the people were in the articles that were published, and the music. comments, to make her a symbol of girls’ empowerment or Because the dialogue is so sparse in the film, the music becomes parents’ expectations. She’s clearly being offered as a symbol by really important to guide you through the story. The score was the coverage and, to some degree, by her family and the archery composed by Jonathan Meiburg (frontman of the acclaimed academy, but everything is, of course, more complex. I wanted indie rock band Shearwater) and Emily Cross and Dan to see what was underneath that veneer.

Duszynski of the ensemble CrossRecord. We were all aware of not being Indian musicians so didn’t want to pretend that we the main character is sometimes called Dolly and sometimes were. All the same, we thought it would be appropriate to use called Shivani. What is her proper name? Is Dolly a nickname? some sounds and textures that evoked India for us, and She is called both “Dolly” and “Shivani” and sometimes “Dolly melodies that reflected the contrast between Dolly’s childhood Shivani.” (Her last name is Cherukuri). Her mother explained and the depth and grandeur (and pressure) of her parents’ that the name Dolly was decided from her zodiac star, and then dream for her. The textures that you hear in the foreground are later their spiritual guru asked that she be named Shivani, since a hammered dulcimer, a small upright piano (with a few strips she was born on the Ekadashi (eleventh lunar day) and on of masking tape placed across the strings where they’re struck Tuesday. by the hammers which gives it a bell or harp-like quality), a clarinet, and a 12-string guitar. In the background, there are a Why “lenin”? Is there a Communist connection? wide variety of tonal and percussive instruments, including cast Dolly’s father was a former member of the Communist party. iron skillets, a pump organ, and an old Arp Solina string They also had a daughter named Volga, whom Lenin named the synthesizer. One great gift is that the theme song of Dolly that archery academy for (Volga Archery Academy). you hear at the end of the film already existed; it was produced

by Dolly’s father as a sort of anthem for her. We introduced the After lenin’s death, the parents seem very interested in having theme in a different arrangement earlier in the film, and we like another child to continue in lenin’s footsteps. the film the childlike music-box quality of it that seems to suit Dolly. mentions that they become surrogate parents; how old are they?

I enjoyed your editing to calm the ethos of India. It reminded They’re both around 60. me of a calmly curious observer, sticking with what’s going on and then cutting quickly to scene to scene to learn more.

Getting back to 3-year-old Dolly, where does she get the I knew that I wanted to make a quiet, subtle film about a very patience and discipline, working with others who appear to chaotic place and situation. It was important to me to show and be 10-20 years or more her elder? She appears otherwise to be not tell, and to let life play out in the frame - to linger over shots a shy little 3-year-old. She also doesn’t seem to have neuroses just a little longer than was comfortable. At the time of filming, from parental pressure to perform.

Dolly had just turned three years old. Obviously, three-year-olds This is a good question! It’s hard to say. There’s not much to have very little agency in their own lives. She did a lot of compare it to. Part of the reason that she is able to set records is watching and absorbing, and I wanted to create that feeling with that she is all alone in her category in archery. That’s going to the film. I wanted to tell the story as much as I could from what change as she gr ows older, and it will be interesting to see what I thought Dolly’s perspective might be. It’s also why there are happens. I will say that her focus and concentration struck me so many shots that are at her eye-level. Our DP [Director of as extraordinary. There is a presence about her … that makes Photography] had the camera quite close to the ground most of you feel like you’re witnessing something very unusual. Her the time. father wants to qualify her for the 2020 Olympics, which I think is impossible under the current age restrictions. But I think it’s Has her family seen the film? not impossible that that’s a possible future for Dolly.

I hope to show it to them in person soon. They’ve seen clips.

Full Frame

continued from page 28

Is Dolly’s father retired? Her coach? the family appears to have money - e.g., there is a scene of drone photography.

Dolly’s father owns and runs the archery academy. It was started by Lenin, and when Lenin died his father and mother moved onto the academy grounds to keep it going. There are dozens of students who train there throughout the week and compete throughout India, and there are a handful of students who live on the grounds, as well. Dolly’s dad also runs Volga Archery Productions, which makes primarily promotional videos for the academy. Dolly’s father does coach many of the kids, but he’s not Dolly’s personal coach. Her Coach is a really lovely guy named Chandrashekar Lagori who lives on the grounds, and who you see working with Dolly in the film. The Saathee.com

What are your plans with the film? Will it be widely shown in India?

The plan is to follow her story through childhood and release a second and third installment, and then re-cut them all into a feature, but that will depend on more than just what I want.

How could the story of a 3-year old be anything but unfinished?

As far as this first film goes, right now I’m focused on the premiere at Full Frame, which has been very exciting. I think it’s the perfect festival for this film. I’ve submitted to a number of other international festivals, including a few in India. After the festival run, I hope to have a U.S. and international broadcast, followed by community screenings and VOD and digital. I definitely hope that it will be widely shown in India!

132

May 2017

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Spot the Differences Solutions from page 90

FESTIVALS & HOLIDAYS

1. Window Removed 2. Art Removed 3. Seagull Added 4. Window Removed 5. Person Removed May 2017 May 1 - Gujarat– Maharashtra Day / Beltaine May 2 - Yom Ha'atzmaut May 5 - Cinco de Mayo May 6 - Mohini Ekādashi May 7 - Tagore Jayanti May 9 - Narasimha Jayanti May 10 - Karma Jayanti/Buddha Purnima (Full Moon) May 11 - Nārad Jayanti / Lailat Al Bara'ah May 14 - Mother’s Day / Lag B'omer May 20 - Armed Forces Day May 22 - Aparā Ekādashi May 25 - Darsha Amās / Vat-Savitri Vrat (No Moon) May 27 - Ramadan starts May 28 - Maharaja Pratāp Jayanti May 29 - Guru Arjundav Shahid Day May 29 - Memorial Day May 31 - Shavout

10

4

8

6. Color Changed 7. Color Changed 8. Color Changed 9. Hat Added 10. People Removed

1

6

5 7

2

9

3

Puzzle solutions

from page 130

June 2017 Jun. 3 - Ganga Dussehra Jun. 5 - Bhim/Nirjalā Ekādashi/ Gāyatri Jayanti Jun. 9 - Kabir Jayanti/Akshar Purnima (Full Moon) Jun. 10 - Guru Hargovindsingh Jayanti Jun. 14 - Flag Day Jun. 18 - Father’s Day Jun. 19 - Emancipation Day Jun. 20 - Yogini Ekādashi Jun. 21 - Lailat al-Qadr / Summer Solstice Jun. 23 - Darsha Amās (No Moon) Jun. 25 - Jagannāth Rathyātrā Jun. 26 - Eid al-fitr Jun. 28 - Dwarkādhish Pātotsava

Math Magic

from page 130

Saathee.com

134

May 2017

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ARIES (Mar 20 - Apr 20) After a hopeful start, your financial picture will become ugly by the end of the month. Aggressively try to curb expenses and avoid any risk-taking tendencies. You may, however, come across good money making opportunities in the middle of the month. Try to grab them, but be cautious. Do not overact in any matter. Take advantage of your reputation to protect yourself against any awkward situations. Avoid travel.

tAuRuS (Apr 20 - May 21) Compromising is better than stubbornness. You will find better prospects for a rise in income at your present job or business. Time is not favorable for making any changes. You may get benefit due to an outside change in a government policy or political actions. A misunderstanding may spoil family environment. Aggressive and quick actions will help you more than prayers. Postpone long distance journey.

GEMInI (May 21 - Jun 21) Politics will help you more than the moral or religious activities. You may achieve status and become famous amongst your peers. Try not to get into disputes with your spouse or family. Self-confidence and boldness is very important during this period. A change in strategy will help you achieve success in your goal. Any business-related short distance journeys might prove very fruitful.

CAnCER (Jun 21 - Jul 22) An unexpected rise in income will delight you and cover your expenses. You will feel relaxed in the middle of the month. If you ignore your health, then a health-related problem may take a serious turn. Avoid any kind of speculation during middle of the month. You may get good news regarding your family matters. Keep away from the court or legal matters.

lEo (Jul 22 - Aug 23) Don’t try to act on your instincts during this month otherwise you may be in dire trouble. There will be temptation to indulge in sinful acts. Health problems may disturb your peace of mind. You may also tap into in some type of occultism. A memorable journey is also possible. Your family and associates will help you in making a favorable financial deal.

VIRGo (Aug 23 - Sep 23) You may have to change your ideology twice during this month, so it is advised not to take any quick action. You may recoup a lost opportunity so don’t lose hope.

The period is good for financial gains, although job or business conditions will deteriorate from long term effects. A fast and busy journey will prove beneficial. A minor health ailment is also possible.

lIBRA (Sep 23 - oct 23) Ventures that you undertake during this month may be fruitful, if they link with government agencies. There may be a rise in status and position. Avoid any type of journey or travel this month. Your enemy will try to tarnish your image,

Saathee.com

General Predictions for MAY 2017

but will fail. You might get a very good piece of news through communications. A small accident is also possible.

SCoRPIo (oct 23 - nov 22) During this month you may be attracted and fascinated by the opposite sex. Unexpected favorable events are likely to take place. A family member’s attitude will be quite uncertain. You will develop an interest in the occult or parapsychology. A positive experience in either of these fields is possible. A sudden monetary gain could be there. Your friends may not keep their promises.

SAGIttARIuS (nov 22 - Dec 21) Even though the time is improving, it will take a while to get back on track. The period is very good for financial gains. Your expenses will be under control and bank balance will go up, but a sense of insecurity and fear won’t let you enjoy it. A long distance journey may prove tiring. Speculation is also good during this month. Keep an eye on your health.

CAPRICoRn (Dec 21 - Jan 20) This month will relieve you of your tensions and anxiety. On the domestic front you will feel happy. Don’t plan any travel during the month. There are chances of getting a promotion if employed. Your mind will bend toward romantic and realistic higher philosophies. There is a possibility of a prolonged illness, so keep a watch on your health and don’t work long hours.

AQuARIuS (Jan 20 - Feb 19) A lack of confidence may create some problems for you. Try to develop your self-confidence and flexibility. Do not indulge in immoral deeds. Do not cheat on your partner. Underhanded dealings must be avoided. It is better to go for business trips. Meeting with old friends or an ex is quite possible. Try to curb expenses on luxury items. Don’t get involved in minor disputes with your family.

PISCES (Feb 19 - Mar 20) Wait and watch. Adopt this slogan at least for this month. A very good period is on the way, but don’t take any forward steps in this month. An illusion may create a big problem for you. Try to control your imagination and dreams. Keep yourself active and busy, but don’t go for any change. Travel must be avoided. You may have to depend upon undesirable people. Take it easy.

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Vegetarian Cook wanted for home in Harrisburg, NC. Call 612-408-3332.

Housekeeping needed (single or couple) for Franchise motel in Charlotte, NC. Accommodations provided Contact Alex from 10am-6pm, Mon- Fri at 704-443-1016 or 704-277-8224.

lab Assistant - cum - Delivery / Pick - up person needed for Dental Lab, 7 miles from UNCC. No prior experience needed. Must have valid US driving license. Call 704-493-8221.

Assistant General Manager needed for two Franchise Hotels in Columbia, SC. English fluency and rapid revenue growth experience. Great Housing available. Call 803-665-1100.

Housekeeping & Front Desk Help needed for Hotel in Mooresville, NC (Exit 36 I-77).

Fluent English & legal status required. $10+ per hour and up.

Contact champ52@hotmail.com.

Restaurant Help needed: Indian fast food restaurant near UNCC area looking for front desk & manager. Call 704-909-7783 or email to shree_kailash@yahoo.com.

Couple needed to manage Motel in Charlotte (University area). Computer skills, fluent English and legal status a must.

Email resume to mars803@gmail.com.

Convenience store help wanted in Concord area. Part-time or full-time. Call 704-787-1567.

Help wanted for nC & SC franchise Hotels/Motels. Customer Service skills preferred. Accommodations provided if needed. Please contact PM at 704-502-2444 or hotels@pm-hotels.com

Housekeeping Couple needed for Franchise motel in west Columbia, SC. Accommodations provided. Please call Umesh Patel 803-361-1013.

Assistant Manager/Shift leader needed for a popular, full-service restaurant in Cary/Morrisville, NC. Excellent Pay opportunity.

Email resume to raleighbg@gmail.com or call 919-523-6670.

Front Desk help needed for motel in Charlotte (University Area). First Shift.

Computer skills, fluent English, and legal status a must. Email resume to mars803@gmail.com.

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Housekeeping couple needed for Hotel in Cleveland / Akron, Ohio. Accommodations provided. No English necessary. Call 919673-7623 or ram@omdevelopmentcorp.com. looking for Child Care Help for toddler on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Weekends in the Ballantyne area of Charlotte. Gujarati speaking preferred. Contact 617-835-0909.

7-11 Convenience Store Help Wanted: All 3 shifts in north Charlotte / University area.

Retail experience preferred. Fluent English & legal status a must. Part-time or full-time.

Contact 856-266-5059 or store10700@gmail.com. looking for Babysitter (live-out) for infant in Concord, NC. Weekdays 9am-5pm or 8am-4pm. Contact 804-501-9629.

Full-time/live-in Babysitter needed in Matthews, NC starting July 2017. Food & accommodations provided.

Rates negotiable. Contact Anu Jacob 646-509-7937.

Hotel Help Wanted: Housekeeping and Front Desk Night Auditor needed for a franchise Hotel in Rock Hill, SC. Contact Hojorockhillsc@gmail.com or 850-218-8579. nanny needed for 5 month-old at home in Concord, NC start beginning of May. Fulltime (8:30am-4:30pm). Call 352-672-3312.

Motel Help Wanted: non-franchise Motel in Charlotte, NC looking for front desk and housekeeping. Accommodations provided.

Legal status & fluent English a must. Call 626-241-2902.

Manager needed for limited service property in South Carolina. Please call 803517-4662.

Housekeeping needed (single or couple) for Franchise motel in Winston Salem.

Accommodations provided. Legal status required. Call Jay 423-544-6834.

Sales & Marketing Manager needed for Amerifab International, Drapery & Bedding manufacturing company. Minimum 5 Years’ experience in Sales & Marketing is required. Visit Amerifabintl.com look under employment opportunity or Email resume to: Rajm@amerifabintl.com.

Gas Station Help Wanted Immediately: Multiple stores in Greensboro area with full-time & part-time positions. Must have prior experience and be able to work flexible hours. Great pay! 336-509-4054.

Housekeeping Couple needed for motel in North Carolina.

Excellent pay.

Accommodations provided. Call 910-8174313 or 910-995-1707.

Experienced threading Practitioners or licensed Esthetician in Charlotte & Raleigh. New locations now open. Full or part-time. Great pay and flexibility.

Experience required. Good English skills.

Please call 980-322-1110 (M-F 9-5) May 2017

Kitchen Help needed for Hindu Center of Charlotte. Part-time cooking assistant for Maha Prasad. Call Ashok Shah 704-460-5569.

Convenience store/gas station help wanted in Rock Hill, SC. Single or Couple.

Full-time or part-time. Good pay. Legal status required. Call 803-792-4452.

Housekeeping Couple needed for independent Motel near Charlotte, NC. Accommodations provided. Legal status required. Call 864-384-6900 only between 9am-5pm.

Restaurant Servers and Hosts needed for full-service restaurant in Morrisville/Cary, NC. Excellent Pay opportunity. Email resume to raleighbg@gmail.com or call 919523-6670.

Hotel Help Wanted in Charlotte.

Competitive salary & accommodations provided.

Front desk - all shifts (experience a plus) & housekeeper. Must be fluent in English. Call 704-464-4427 or email 123nash@gmail.com.

Motel Help Wanted: Housekeeping, Managers & Night Auditors for Independent & Franchise Motels in South Carolina. Accommodations provided. Call 803-387-6715.

Front Desk Clerk needed for Motel in Durham, NC. Must have front desk experience, computer literate, fluent in English, and legal status.Call 919-452-3131 or Email kenco00@hotmail.com.

Hotel Management Firm now Hiring: Housekeepers, front desk (must speak fluent English), and General Manager of franchise hotels. Experience required. Email resumes to abcone@abcinns.com or call 704-649-6833 (M-F, 9AM-5PM).

Retail Sales Associate needed for Clothing & Sports Store in Columbia, SC. Must have legal status and speak fluent English.

Opportunity to advance quickly to management. Contact 706-877-0315.

Gas Station Assistant Manager wanted in Rock Hill, SC. Full-time. Must speak fluent English & have legal status. Call 704-737-7230.

looking for work? Check Saathee.com daily for additional help wanted classified ads visit Saathee.com/employment-opportunities

MATRIMONIAL Gujarati Patel woman, 34 divorcee, uS citizen, working in nC looking for alliance from a guy (33 to 38). Well educated and settled is preferred. Email with bio-data and pictures to patels8300@gmail.com.

Gujarati Brahmin girl, MD Physician, 29 working in NC looking for alliance from a boy (US citizen or PR) in the field of Medicine / IT / Management. Email with bio-data to sender1940@gmail.com.

Saathee.com

PROPERTY FOR SALE

tESA Electric locks for motel doors.

Silver. HD 24. $55 per lock or $50 per lock for 2 or more (plus shipping). Contact 803417-0063 or punampatel970@gmail.com

Gorgeous Home for Sale. 2200 sqft. 3br/2.5 bath. Freshly painted w/ new carpet throughout. Winchester neighborhood in Charlotte, NC. MLS #3257836. Call 704649-9095.

Fully furnished Medical office for lease in prime area, across from hospital in Cary, NC. Available immediately. 919-649-1485.

lAnD FoR SAlE:

learn about land in the Apex, nC area (named the #1 place to live by Money Magazine). the landman, Bob Atkinson can help! Call 919-362-6999 or visit www.learnaboutland.com SERVICES

Alyssa’s Garlands: Unique fresh flower garlands. Boutonnieres, bouquets, flower ornaments, Exotic Flowers available on special Request. We ship nationwide.

Contact Ila Amin: 803-627-4239 or email: ilaamin49@gmail.com

Fitting, Repair and Alteration of Indian Dresses -- Punjabi, Chania Choli, Sari Fols, Pants (Lengths) and more. Good quality work and reasonable cost. Call Taraben Rana at 864-578-9450. Traveller's Inn: 820 Hospitality Drive, Spartanburg, SC 29303.

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

Garland Design Studio By: GP. Flower shop for all occasions.

E-mail Ghanshyam.patel53@gmail.com or call 704548-2852 / 704-779-0277. Facebook.com/ GarlandDesignStudioByGp/

Journalism Professor with four decades experience in academic writing offers editorial and writing services in arts, humanities, social sciences, business and marketing. Contact Prof. Sankaran Ramanathan Tel: 919-641-3545, E-mail: sankaran_ramanathan@hotmail.com.

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

live Band for Garba / Raas, Wedding songs, bhajans. Advanced booking required. Call 704-568-8206.

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Beauty Parlor in Columbia and Charlotte area: Waxing, Threading, Bridal Henna & Makeup, Facials. Call for appointment: 704-526-8707.

looking for a multilingual Priest to perform Hindu Rituals at your home?

Contact Sastriji 704-231-0751 or 704-6257578; Email: sastrigal2007@gmail.com

Pretty Face - Indian beauty parlour.

Threading, facials, waxing, etc conveniently located in the Ballantyne /South Charlotte area.

Call for appointment 704-726-8928.

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.

Pari Beauty In Matthews: Threading, Waxing, Facials, Massage for newborn and mom & other services. 27 years of experience. Special Deals & Great Service.

Call: 704-846-7912.

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

Certified Henna/Mehndi Artist available in NC and other states. For all occasions (corporate, birthday parties, weddings, etc). For free consultation: 832-290-0059 or email: arpna001@gmail.com; Facebook.com/Nikki-Aggarwal-HennaArtist-1673373292919497/. Will work closely with you to meet your needs.

Priest Available for the following 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.

Gujarati Families: I am interested in learning everything Gujarati, culture, food, language, etc .If willing to help, please call Nik 803-579-1405.

Saathee Classifieds Business ads are $25 Personal ads are $15 Upgrade to color or add a box for additional $10 Saathee.com ads posted daily (call for rates) We accept all credit cards and checks. Ads up to 25 words. Deadline for print is the 20th. Web ads daily.

How do I Submit classifieds?

1. on-line: saathee.com (classified section) 2. e-mail: info@saathee.com 3. Fax: 704.527.7590 4. For more info call 704.527.7570 May 2017

Advertisers Index Accella Residential Range Hood............................... 27

Devam Jewelers.........................................................7

Patel, Tony (Real Estate)............................................85

Accounting Solutions (Muhammad Kamran Awan)...51

Devi S. Laskar, Book Of Poems Gas & Food, No Lodging) 27

Pathak, Atul (Real Estate)..........................................16

Akruti Collections....................................................105

DJ Desi (Amit Vasi)................................................... 53

Payal Groceries...................................................... 113

Ali & Sons Car Care ................................................87

DJ Lalit (Lalit Hemnani).............................................57

Piedmont Health Care (Gastroenterologist V. Trivedi, MD) .77

Anand, Versha (Real Estate) ...................................113

Embassy National Bank..............................................5

Pramukh Mandapam............................................... 53

Anil Bedi & Associates PC (CPA & Consultants)........ 53

Eye Level..................................................................47

Puja Boutique (Charlotte)..........................................59

Aroma Indian Cuisine (Charlotte)...............................34

Fashion and Jewelery...............................................87

Raghu Mothukuri Allstate Agent................................25

Around The World Market (Charlotte)........................58

Gandhi International Market......................................91

Rajbhog Foods....................................................... 115

Ashwini Kathak Dance Academy..............................49

Geological Resources, Inc.........................................63

Rajdeep Video & Photography (Ramesh Panjabi)....137

Asiana Fusion.Sushi................................................. 55

Global Mall / Legacy Jewels ..................................143

Raj's Photography.................................................... 59

Aspect Commerical Realty (Prashant Parmar)........141

GNC (Komal Deliwala - Health & Wellness Coach)....31

Ram Realty (Ram Kalagara)......................................46

Austin Village Eye Care (Dr. Keshav Bhat)..................97

Godavari (Truly South Indian - Charlotte)...................81

Regal Oaks Dental .................................................123

Avani's Creations......................................................99

Great Smiles Dental Group (Matthews, NC).............. 97

Religious Ceremonies (Swminath Sastrigal)..............57

Ballantyne Tech Academy.........................................29

Gujarati Natak (Rang Rangeela)................................13

Ribald Floral and Events......................................... 111

Bappi Lahiri & Garima Khiste Concert (Charlotte, NC). 8

H2 Laser & Skin.....................................................105

Ritu Selects - India Inspired Couture.........................39

BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir (Charlotte)............61

Health Markets (Medicare, Health, Life, Supplemental)..65

Robert Brown LLC (Oza, Rishi: Immigration Law)....115

Barot, Tushar (State Farm)......................................141

Hindu Center of Charlotte (Events)...................... 72-75

Roop Beauty (Pooja Patel).........................................17

Bashyam, Spiro & Coats, LLP (Immigration Law)....103

Hull & Chandler, P.A. (Ketan Soni - Legal)..................31

Rose Mun Realty (Businesses For Sale)....................65

Battineni, Sekhar (Real Estate)..................................69

Illume MD (Laser Hair Removal)................................35

S S Event Services (Event planning, Photo, Video)...115

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

India Grocers (Charlotte)........................................... 54

Saffron Restaurant and Catering...............................85

Bhowmik Dave Photography.................................... 69

International Community Church ...........................127

Shah & Trivedi CPA, PLLC...................................... 107

Bipin Parekh Realty, LLC.........................................135

IPAAC (Pt. Vishwa Mohan Bhatt - Concert)............... 33

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

Blooming Buds.........................................................95

ISSO - NC (International Swaminarayan Satsan Org)19-21

Shah, Kirti (CPA - Sepa Consulting) .........................27

Bollywood Photo Booth / DJ Hangama.....................65

K & M Accounting.................................................... 31

Shining Stars Academy.......................................... 117

Bombay Grille (Charlotte)........................................101

Kabab-Je................................................................. 17

Shreya Ghoshal Concert (Paracha Entertainment).... 11

Brijal Shah (Keller Williams - Real Estate)..................55

Kasarla, Gopal & Veena (Real Estate & Mortgage).....45

Shukla, Kirit (Music Lession & Band).........................70

British International School of Charlotte.....................83

KB Zaveree.................................................................4

Shyama Beauty Parlour..........................................113

Carolina Horse & Carriage........................................89

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

Singh Tutoring.......................................................... 49

Carolina Law Group (Monty Desai)......................... 129

Khanna & Sons Jewelers......................................... 15

Sithara (South Indian Restaurant - Charlotte)............45

Carolina NeuroSurgery & Spine Associates.............. 37

Krut Systems (LED, Signs, Solar)...............................24

SJ Iyer Realty............................................................93

Carolina Wedding Belle (Event Design & DĂŠcor)......137

Kumar, Kokila (Real Estate - Allen Tate).....................59

Sonal Furniture (Atlanta)........................................... 30

Carolinas Christian Assembly....................................71

LED Lights (Smart Energy Solutions).......................142

South Charlotte Endocrinology (K. Narasimhan, MD) 42

CaroMont Medical Group (Dr. Manu Patel)................97

Maadhurya Photography........................................141

Southern Oncology Specialists (Dr. Swetha Gujja).....89

Charlotte Chess Club ............................................105

Maharani Indian Cuisine (Charlotte).......................... 25

Sri Somesvara Temple (Mt. Soma, North Carolina)....23

Charlotte Eye Ear Nose & Throat ............................125

Malani Jewelers.....................................................144

Tang Lin (Gastonia)...................................................51

Charlotte Music School.............................................93

Mathur, Gitanjali (Allen Tate Realtors)........................ 33

Thakkar, Beena (Realty)............................................ 37

Chaupatti (Casual Indina Kitchen - Charlotte)............39

Matthews Family Dentistry ...................................... 86

The Blue Taj............................................................119

Chiro-Carolina

.................................................... 86

Maxim Tours.............................................................23

Travel Universe......................................................... 62

Concha, David (Immigration Attorney).......................77

Meritage Homes.......................................................38

Travelinks...............................................................137

Copper Restaurant (Charlotte)................................ 119

MyTripFare (Travel agent)..........................................82

Ttravel Guru..............................................................27

County South Realty & Business Brokers............... 127

Nagpal, Sunil MassMutual Financial Group)..............12

Tyagi, Rita (Real Estate)...........................................107

CPCC - Registration..................................................41

Nationwide Ins. (Maqsood Khan).............................. 65

Uni World Travel......................................................111

Curry n' Cakes (Charlotte).........................................77

Neeta's Beauty Parlor...............................................93

Vallabh Pushti Samaj of Carolinas (VPSC).................67

Darji, Iyer, Joshi & Patel (Accounting & Tax Services).63

North American Bancard .......................................... 9

Vyas Travels..............................................................84

Delhi Palace / Spices of India (Columbia)..................71

OM Tech Training .....................................................17

Woodlands Vegetarian Cuisine (Charlotte).............. 121

Dentist (Dr. Prashant Rao-Cedar Walk Dentistry).......89

Panache by Jia.........................................................35

Worldwide Travels ....................................................57

Dentist (Pineville Dentistry - Lina V. Mistry, DDS)....... 42

Passage To India - Fine Indian Cuisine......................48

Yafa Halal Market & CafĂŠ..........................................29

Desai & Desai LLP (CPA & Financial Services)........109

Patel Brothers (Charlotte)........................................133

Yogiraj Swami (Hindu Religious Ceremonies)............31

Desai, Rajarshi (CPA, PLLC)......................................95

Patel, Champa (Real Estate)......................................97

Zafran Kabab Palace (Charlotte / Pineville)................99

Desi Raj Photography................................................. 3

Patel, Mrugesh (Law Offices)..................................111

Saathee.com

140

May 2017

Buying or Selling a Business?

Let our experts assist you!

OVER 50 LISTINGS FOR SALE

Tushar Barot, Agent 110 Osterville Drive Holly Springs, NC 27540

• Convenience Stores • Gas Stations • Motels • Dry Cleaners

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If you are considering buying or selling a business or real estate, please contact us.

Prashant Parmar 704.517.6698

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We Provide Live Streaming Video Service Member of professional photographers of America (PPA) Wedding & Portrait photographers International (WPPI) and Wedding photographic society (WPS) in good standing Nikon Professional Service

Saathee.com

• Investment Properties • Land • Restaurants • Automotive

141

• Arangetrams & Ballerina • Portraits and Graduation • Baby Showers • Baby Pictures

For further information on booking and rates contact

Ravinder at 919-523-4254

Email: maadhuryaphotography@gmail.com

www.MaadhuryaPhotography.com

Facebook.com/MaadhuryaPhotography

May 2017

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ENERGY EFFICIENT LED LIGHTING (LED Bulbs, Tubes, Sport, Flood Lights, etc.)

LED Area Light

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LED CANOPY LIGHTS

Duke Energy Rebate available 130W 13,000LM

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PAR 20 - 8W PAR 30 - 11W PAR 38 - 20W & 26W BR 30 - 11W

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Open: M-F 9am to 6pm, Sat 10 to 5 (1/2 Mile from Patel Brothers & same shopping center as India Grocers) Rebates Available with Duke Energy and other small utility companies in small towns. Call for details