Saathee Raleigh March 2014

March 2014

The colors of Holi

In this issue: India’s Invisible Maids Pakistan’s vaccination dilemma

Hello Readers!

Pakistan is a country where conspiracy theories can cost a child's life. American parents may have the luxury of being able to buy into odd ideas about vaccines — their children are protected by others’ immunity. But elsewhere, the results are tragic. Story on pg. 8.

Read a review of the new film The Lunchbox on pg. 14.

Sangeeta Richard stood up to her employer, but she is rare among Indian domestic servants. Read about India's invisible maids on pg. 30.

Both Pakistan and India sent skiers to the olympics in Sochi thanks to soldiers' training at high altitudes during conflict. pg.

40.

What to expect when you are expecting an H-1B visa. See the immigration column on pg. 48.

Catch up on what all the local and regional community organizations are up to as well as their upcoming events in our Community Organizations section on pg. 90.

The ever popular Pop’s puzzles and jokes are on pg. 116.

Find your astrological predictions for the month in the AstroScope on pg. 120.

Get daily updates about our community as well as news and videos at our website: Saathee.com.

Quote: "The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place.”

- George Bernard Shaw

March 2014 – Issue # 191 Editor: Samir Shukla (saatheemag@hotmail.com) Publisher: Divakar Shukla (rakavid@aol.com) Ad Design / Layout: Nageshwar “Nate” Andrews Executive Assistant: Suzie Tanis Contributors: Kirit Shukla, Judith L. Bergman, Gail Z. Martin, Smitha Prasad, Dr. Maha Gingrich, Dilip Barman, Anjana Agarwal, Anita Kulkarni, Dipika Kohli, Balaji Prasad, Sumeet Shah, Krutika Chheda, Chetan Deshmukh, Lakshmi Challa, Ananya Mallavarapu, Neal Patel and Jalendu Vaidya.

All contents © 2014 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.

In This Issue Pakistan and vaccines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg. 08 Full Frame and NCSAIFF . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg. 14 Upcoming Movie Releases . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg. 18 Film Clips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg. 20 Sangeet and Evergreen Film Lyrics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg. 24 Indian Classical Music . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg. 26 India’s Invisible Maids . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg. 30 Dances of India . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg. 32 The Chai Table . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg. 36 Peace Through Sport . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg. 40 Behind the Congressional Curtain . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg. 42 Children’s Corner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg. 44 Mastering Meaning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg. 46 Immigration Matters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg. 48 It Takes a Village . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg. 52 Thinking About Thinking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg. 54 Business Matters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg. 58 Test Your India Knowledge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg. 60 Tax Matters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg. 62 Marketing Turnaround . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg. 68 Swami Vivekananda . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg. 70 Healthwise . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg. 74 Nutrition for Life . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg. 76 Edit Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg. 78 News Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg. 82 Community Focus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg. 86 Community Organizations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg. 90 Pop’s Puzzles and Jokes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg. 116 Festivals and Holidays . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg. 118 Puzzle Solutions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg. 118 AstroScope . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg. 120 Classifieds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg. 122 Index of Advertisers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg. 124 Saathee.com

A features magazine for the South Asian Community of the Carolinas

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

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Saathee.com Cover: The Colors of Holi

Indians all over the world celebrate Holi, the arrival of spring, with colors, food, and dancing. This year Holi is on March 16.

photo: dreamstime.com

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March 2014

Pakistan

Where conspiracy theories can cost a

child’s life Laden, the theories gained even more prominence in Pakistan.

Since then, militants and religious leaders alike have warned people against the polio vaccine and targeted health workers like Zarmina for participating in the immunization campaign.

The problem isn’t confined to Pakistan. In Nigeria, Ibrahim Datti Ahmed, a physician and the president of Nigeria’s Supreme Council for Sharia Law accused Americans of lacing the vaccination with an anti-fertility agent that sterilized children.

It took years for international organizations to combat the rumor and Polio is still endemic to Nigeria. India, too, battled conspiracy theories about sterilization and poisoning, however unlike Pakistan, India has a stronger local government program, which has aided the World Health Organization’s efforts to eradicate the disease.

“In Pakistan, conspiracy theories are almost an Olympic sport,” explained C. Christine Fair, a Pakistan scholar and assistant professor at Georgetown University. While Fair is quick to clarify that conspiracy theories aren’t unique to Pakistan, “the effects of [conspiracy theories] are more pernicious in Pakistan than they might be elsewhere because the stakes are so high.”

It’s not just vaccination campaigns that inspire bizarre rumors. Many people believe that the CIA planted the Taliban to weaken the Pakistani state and that Malala Yusufzai was a CIA agent. Four days after Osama bin Laden’s death was announced, a YouGov/University of Cambridge poll found that 66 percent of Pakistanis did not believe he had really been killed.

The Pakistani media often magnifies disinformation rather than debunking it. In 2010, The Washington Post chronicled the frustration of the US embassy in the country, confronted, for example, with reports in the media that all Pakistanis are stripped naked at American airports.

Fair isn’t one to mince words: “Part of the problem is that in Pakistan, lies are built into the very fabric of the educational system,” she said, referring to reports that state textbooks often have factual inaccuracies about Pakistan’s national history, along with a great deal of anti-minority and anti-Western language.

However, unlike other popular conspiracy theories, the polio conspiracy theories are easily rejected by educated people in Pakistan. “Since their children were born they’ve known that you give them shots for MMR [Measles Mumps and Rubella] and DPT [Diptheria, Pertussis, and Tetanus],” said one WHO official of the more privileged and educated parents. “They’ve heard about the Expanded Program on Immunization, they’ve seen countries where polio isn’t really a problem anymore.”

American parents may have the luxury of being able to buy into odd ideas about vaccines — their children are protected by others’ immunity. But elsewhere, the results are tragic.

By Mariya Karimjee, GlobalPost.com KARACHI, Pakistan — When health workers approached Zulfikar Quaid about inoculating his three children against polio, Quaid picked up an old cricket bat inside his home and waved it at them. “Get out of my house,” he yelled. “My children are Muslim and we don’t need your dirty Hindu drugs.”

The health workers he was yelling at were stunned — though they’d become accustomed to hearing some Karachi residents’ resistance to vaccines, they’d never heard it linked to a Hindu conspiracy before.

Zarmina, the lead health worker, asked Quaid’s wife, who was standing beside her husband, why they were refusing the drugs. “The Hindus are lacing it with pig’s blood to send us all to hell,” she explained. Quaid was still holding the bat and waving it menacingly, and Zarmina, by now familiar with antivaccine fervor, decided that a quick retreat was the safest option for her.

She motioned to her partner that they should leave immediately. In the past 18 months, 34 health workers had been killed for attempting to administer the polio vaccine.

Since 1978, when the World Health Organization’s Expanded Program for Immunization was launched in Pakistan, conspiracy theories about polio have been rampant.

While the supposed conspirators change frequently, the myth is usually the same and involves someone attempting to rid the world of Muslims — Zarmina and her fellow health workers have heard that the polio vaccine is part of a Western (or US or Jewish) conspiracy to sterilize all Muslims, or that Mossad or the CIA is orchestrating the campaign to kill Muslims outright.

“When the polio vaccination program was initially launched, international organizations didn’t take into account that there was very little engagement with the local government,” said a senior World Health Organization official, speaking on the condition of anonymity. “Because the drugs and information was all coming from another country, people became very suspicious of vaccine programs.”

The immunization effort in Pakistan took a major hit when in 2007, Maulana Fazlullah, the current chief of the Pakistani Taliban, announced a ban on polio vaccinations in Swat. After news broke that a CIA had launched a fake hepatitis B vaccination program to obtain information about Osama Bin Saathee.com

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prides herself on convincing reluctant parents to vaccinate their children.

Quaid’s particular conspiracy theory was new to Zarmina, so she was especially taken aback by the claims. She was working in a neighborhood on the outskirts of Karachi. Usually Zarmina works in the same neighborhood that she lives in, and has worked to foster connections with the community there.

But on National Immunization Days, Lady Health Workers are deployed to go door to door and vaccinate children in areas where they may have little experience. She said that she’d never been to this area of the city before, and that’s why she was especially hesitant to engage Quaid in further debate.

A few hours later, she heard that shots had been fired elsewhere in the city and that three people had died administering the vaccine. She’s not sure that she’ll participate in the next drive.

She’s not the only one. Polio workers are terrified that if they participate in another vaccination drive, they won’t come home.

The consequences have ripple effects across the globe. Last year Pakistan saw an uptick in confirmed cases of polio — the two other countries where polio is endemic, Afghanistan and Nigeria, managed to reduce their number of cases.

Late last year, a polio outbreak in Syria was linked to a strain from Peshawar. With both Nigeria and Afghanistan reducing the number of polio cases in 2013, health experts warn that Pakistan may become the only exporter of the polio virus in the world.

“I used to think that by talking individually with the families in my neighborhood, I could help stop this crippling disease,” Zarmina said. “Now, I’m not so sure.”

Acceptance of the benefits of vaccination tends to go hand in hand with general knowledge about the scientific benefits of medicine, he added.

“These are the same people that will go to a licensed doctor instead of a faith healer when problems first arise,” he said.

“However, if you don’t know all of this, if your child isn’t even getting a first tetanus shot, much less a booster, you’re not really going to know that the polio vaccine isn’t an evil western import.”

In fact, many of the falsities about polio are spread by religious leaders, who often don’t have a formal education, but can disseminate information to a large number of people in their local language. Pakistan’s educational system is vastly unregulated — ghost schools pepper the official records, even lower-income children prefer to study at cheaper private institutions than public schools, and madrassas, religious schools run out of a local mosque, are free alternatives adopted by many families.

Though in past decades the religious clergy in Pakistan would have studied Islam along with other sciences and subjects, now they’ve usually only graduated from the local madrassas with little to no time in a secular school.

Religious leaders in Pakistan are highly influential, and micropolitics incentivize the spreading of anti-polio vaccine rumors. “They’re competing for congregations,” Fair said. “As the clerics are tied to [religious political parties], even if they know what they’re saying is a dangerous pack of lies, they have no incentive to say it.”

Earlier this month, Maulana Sami-ul-Haq, a religious scholar and leader of a faction of the conservative political party Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam, came out in support of the polio vaccine, issuing a fatwa against polio. Though not many local-clerics followed suit, his announcement was viewed as a major victory in the fight against polio. But the rumors are so pervasive, and the suspicion of officials so great, that in some Karachi neighborhoods, residents aren’t swayed even by the fatwa urging them to vaccinate their children.

“Why is the government giving me polio drops for free?” asked one resident of Orangi town, who wondered why this would be an initiative the government would take when education, basic healthcare, and access to water wasn’t something that they provided for her.

Though community-based health workers like Zarmina say that they’ve tried to engage people in conversations about the misconceptions surrounding polio, she and international aid workers are too frightened to openly talk about the vaccine.

In July 2012, a WHO doctor, Constant Dedo, was shot during a visit to Gadap Town, Karachi. Last year, a Rotary International volunteer who headed a polio center in the SITE area was shot dead.

For Zarmina the battle is personal. She became a community health worker — part of the WHO funded Lady Health Worker program — in 2002 after her eldest daughter died after contracting measles.

“Until my daughter was lying dead in the hospital, I didn’t even know that there was a disease called measles, or that I could have gotten all of my children vaccinated,” Zarmina said.

“The lady who talked to me told me about the Lady Health Worker program and after she helped vaccinate my other children, I went to see if I could work with her.”

After six months of intensive training she began acting as a liaison between the ministry of health and her community. She Saathee.com

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NCSAIFF and Full Frame Film Festivals The Lunchbox - A Review

The Lunchbox Mumbai’s Dabbawallahs number 5000 and for 120 years they have been delivering hot meals in metal tiffins to office workers. They pick up the color-coded tiffins and deliver them to a local railway station, where they are manually sorted to the destination station, and then finally sorted again to be dropped off at the desk of the recipient. After lunch, the tiffins are picked up and returned.

In spite of the low-tech approach, the overcrowded trains, and the chaos and complexity of the city, according to writerdirector Ritesh Batra, “Harvard University analyzed their delivery system, and concluded that just one in a million lunchboxes is ever delivered to the wrong address. The Lunchbox is the story of that one lunchbox.”

The Lunchbox is a beautiful, slightly and wonderfully quirky, subtly produced, nuanced film with a masterful performance

by Irrfan Khan. Ila (Nimrat Kaur) is a young, sweet wife with a gift of culinary prowess who spends her days in housework, tending to her elementary school daughter’s needs, and trying to revive a loveless marriage. The husband Rajiv (Nakul Vaid) seems to never be present, absently watching television while the family quietly eats dinner.

Saajan Fernandez (Irrfan Khan) is a senior clerk who keeps to himself, still in grief over the passing some time ago of his wife. The one in a million mistake brings Ila’s tasty cooking to his desk, and he relishes every bit of the food at lunchtime.

After a few days, Ila realizes that her “licked clean”

By Dilip Barman The seventeenth annual Full Frame Documentary Film Festival (fullframefest.org) returns to Durham, NC April 3-6, 2014. It is the country’s largest documentary film festival and typically features about a hundred films shown on parallel screens within four blocks in downtown Durham ThursdaySunday, morning to night. Some filmmakers attend and lead a question and answer discussion after their film screening. There always seems to be quite a few South Asian films to choose from but film selections for this year won’t be announced until March 13th.

I encourage you to watch the Full Frame website for details of films and other events. Passes are already on sale; two categories (the 10-pass and the student pass) sold out within hours on the first day they were available, but there are still other passes available.

Having a pass is really the best way to see the Festival as a pass allows one to obtain a certain number of tickets to screenings, as well as to stand in line for “last minute tickets” at no additional charge. If one wants to see just a few films, then purchasing individual tickets would be the way to go. They go on sale March 27.

I was delighted to be part of the 2nd annual NC South Asian International Film Festival (NCISAFF, ncisaff.org), cosponsored by Duke University’s Arts of the Moving Image. It was held at Duke Friday evening January 24 and all day Saturday January 25, 2014. About 160 people of diverse ages attended.

Documentaries Blood Brother (Dir. Steve Hoover, 2013; see my review in the April 2013 issue of Saathee) and Hair India (Dirs. Raffaele Brunetti & Marco Leopardi, 2008; see my review in the April 2009 issue of Saathee and my interview with the director at dilip.info/audio/hairindia) were the feature films, each of which elicited interesting audience discussion and questions.

Other films included short humorous films Singhing Bee (Aby Rao, 2011) about a Cary, NC family that pushes their son to compete in a spelling bee and Samosa (Jyoti Singh, 2013) about an unusual roommate in Queens, NY; a Telugu film Enthenthadooram (Distant Dreams; Venu Nakshathram, 2013) about rural Indian attitudes toward education; Ekhon Nedekha Nodir Xhipare (As a River Flows; Bidyut Kotoky, 2013) about the search for an activist who disappeared in Assam; and more.

The goal of the NCISAFF is to promote and celebrate filmmakers and actors of all backgrounds who bring forth films of South Asian Themes or South Asian Filmmakers who bring films of any themes. All forms, including documentary, drama, comedy, action, animation, and shorts, were solicited.

Hopefully, the Festival will continue to be held annually in Durham, NC. Watch their website for news.

Saathee.com

appreciation is not coming from her husband, and includes a note in the tiffin, which leads to a back-and-forth correspondence that brings the anonymous chef and diner together in spirit.

When Ila reveals in a note that she has evidence that Rajiv is having an extramarital affair, Saajan is tempted by her offer to pack up and move to Bhutan, where she says happiness abounds. Has the time come to at least meet?

I found the understated presentation to be delightful. The dialog is minimal with substance seen through the notes passed in the lunchbox and implied through body language, reminiscent of Satyajit Ray, as well as New Wave Iranian filmmakers like Abbas Kiarostami, where documentary and fiction blur together.

I have been impressed with the realistic emotionallyattached method acting of Irrfan Khan. In many ways, his performance in The Lunchbox was very much like his depiction of the father Ashoke Ganguli in Mira Nair’s 2007 The Namesake (which I reviewed in the March 2007 issue of Saathee). The introverted and thoughtful father could easily have stepped out of the one film and into this one as an office worker. He played 14

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a not dissimilar role as the adult Pi Patel relating the story in the 2012 Life of Pi (Ang Lee).

Yet this is an ensemble piece where Irrfan Khan’s role fits in nicely with that of the others, from the quiet but askance stares of his office neighbor on early lunch inspection, to the epistolary relationship with the wife, and the wonderful dialog between the wife and her upstairs neighbor.

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Nimrat Kaur comes from a theater background, and portrays her role as the wife well. She has to care for her immediate family, her ailing father, her mother struggling to pay medical bills of the father, and the utter loneliness of being in a marriage where she is barely noticed.

Each of the main characters, the detached office worker, the lonely housewife, and the upstairs neighbor “Aunty” Mrs. Deshpande (Bharati Achrekar), is imprisoned in one way or another in this huge city of cities in the relentless pulse of modern urban life. The neighbor is stuck in her apartment caring for her husband, who has been comatose for years. Ila can barely elicit even an acknowledgement from her errant husband.

Saajan is living in the past missing his wife, and quite adequately performing at work, but really just going through the motions waiting for retirement. Ila and Saajan live in very different Mumbai neighborhoods and probably would not have met except for the unusual circumstances of the mistaken deliveries.

The film was released in India in September 2013 and met with immediate box office success and critical acclaim, so much so that it was expected to be India’s selection for the foreign film category in the Academy Awards. However, the Gujarati film The Good Road (Gyan Correa, 2013) that weaves three stories together on a highway in rural Gujarat was chosen by the Film Federation of India.

I was not familiar with Ritesh Batra, The Lunchbox being his first feature film, and am quite impressed with the seeming immediate maturity of his style. While researching for a documentary that he was planning on the Dabbawallahs, he learned about the many interesting personal stories that they would hear while picking up food, and decided instead to write the script that became the screenplay of The Lunchbox. He is now working on a script, Photograph about the relationship between a Mumbai photographer and his supporter, and has completed filming the short Master Chef, commissioned by the Bill Gates Foundation and the Sundance Institute, about a boot polisher who wishes to become an accomplished chef.

The Lunchbox is scheduled to open in Los Angeles and New York on February 28, 2014, with a wider release starting in March. I highly recommend this touching film.

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Note: Images from film festivals are courtesy of the respective festivals; The Lunchbox images are by Michael Simmonds, courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics. All images are used with permission.

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Upcoming Movie Releases Lateef (Director: Israr Ahmed) Cast: Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Murli Sharma, and Mukesh Tiwari

Lakshmi (Director: Nagesh Kukunoor) Cast: Monali Thakur, Shifaali Shah, Ram Kapoor, and Satish Kaushik

Gulaab Gang (Director: Soumik Sen) Cast: Madhuri Dixit, Juhi Chawla, Sumitra Devi, Priyanka Bose, Vinitha Menon, and Tanvi Rao

O Teri (Director: Umesh Bist) Cast: Pulkit Samrat, Bilal Amrohi, Sarah Jane Dias, and Anupam Kher Dishkiyaoon (Director: Sanamjit Talwar) Cast: Sunny Deol, Harman Baweja, Aditya Pancholi, Prashant Narayanan, and Anand Tiwari

Kya Dilli Kya Lahore (Director: Vijay Raaz) Cast: Vijay Raaz, Manu Rishi, Raj Zutshi, and Vishwajeet Pradhan Queen (Director: Vikas Bahl) Cast: Kangna Ranaut, Rajkummar Rao, and Lisa Haydon

Bhoothnath Returns (Director: Nitesh Tiwari) Cast: Amitabh Bachchan, Boman Irani, Anurag Kashyap, and Usha Jadhav

Traffic (Director: Rajesh Pillai) Cast: Manoj Bajpayee, Jimmy Sheirgill, Prosenjit Chatterjee, Parambrata Chattopadhyay, and Divya Dutta

Jal (Director: Girish Malik) Cast: Purab Kohli, Tannishtha Chatterjee, Kirti Kulhari, Saidah Jules, and Mukul Dev

Total Siyapaa (Director: E Niwas) Cast: Ali Zafar, Yaami Gautam, Anupam Kher, Kirron Kher, and Sarah Khan

Kochadaiiyaan (Director: Soundarya Rajnikanth) Cast: Rajinikanth, Deepika Padukone, Shobana, Nasser, and Jackie Shroff

Bewakoofiyaan (Director: Nupur Ashtana) Cast: Ayushmann Khurrana, Sonam Kapoor, and Rishi Kapoor

Youngistaan (Director: Syed Ahmad Afzal) Cast: Jackky Bhagnani, Neha Sharma, Farooq Sheikh, and Boman Irani

Kolkata Junction (Director: Anjan Dutt) Cast: Naseeruddin Shah, Kay Kay Menon, Jimmy Sheirgill, and Sonali Kulkarni

P Se PM Tak (Director: Kundan Shah) Cast: Meenakshi Dixit Main Tera Hero (Director: David Dhawan) Cast: Varun Dhawan, Ileana DCruz, Nargis Fakhri, and Anupam Kher

W (Director: Tarun Madan Chopra) Cast: Leeza Mangaldas, Raaj Singh Arora, Lezlie Tripathy, Danish Pandor, and Sonal Giani Ragini MMS - 2 (Director: Bhushan Patel) Cast: Sunny Leone, Parvin Dabas, Sandhya Mridul, Anita Hasnandani, and Divya Dutta

Mango (Director: Abbas Tyrewala) Cast: Rannvijay Singh, Monali Thakur, Chandan Roy Sanyal, and Swara Bhaskar Kaanchi... (Director: Subhash Ghai) Cast: Rishi Kapoor, Mithun Chakraborty, Kartik Tiwari, and Mishti

Ankhon Dekhi (Director: Rajat Kapoor) Cast: Sanjay Mishra, Rajat Kapoor, Seema Bhargava, Namit Das, and Manu Rishi Chadha

2 States (Director: Abhishek Varman) Cast: Arjun Kapoor, Alia Bhatt, and Ronit Roy

Gang of Ghosts (Director: Satish Kaushik) Cast: Sharman Joshi, Mahie Gill, Anupam Kher, Meera Chopra, Saurabh Shukla, and Chunky Pandey

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Kuku Mathur Ki Jhand Ho Gayi (Director: Bejoy Nambiar) Cast: Siddharth Gupta and Simran Kaur Mundi 18

March 2014

programs, while also encouraging national and state level policymakers to continue making the cost-effective investment in NTD programs. The seven most common NTDs— hookworm, ascariasis (roundworm), trichuriasis (whipworm), schistosomiasis (snail fever), lymphatic filariasis (elephantiasis), onchocerciasis (river blindness) and trachoma—infect more than 1 in 6 people worldwide. They cause blindness, massive swelling in appendages and limbs, disfigurement, severe malnutrition and anemia. For more details visit www.end7.org and www.globalnetwork.org.

Film Clips Million Dollar Arm

Soha Ali Khan in Film Based on Delhi riots

Disney will release the baseball film Million Dollar Arm on May 16. The movie stars Jon Hamm as real-life sports agent Jeff Bernstein who discovered professional pitchers Rinku Singh and Dinesh Patel through a reality show he staged in India by auditioning roughly 40,000 cricket players. Lake Bell, Alan Arkin, Aasif Mandvi, Suraj Sharma, and Madhur Mittal also star. “These kids are my last best shot,” Hamm’s character says at one point.

Bernstein’s goal was to get the boys signed to a major league US baseball team which eventually pans out with the Pittsburg Pirates picking up both of them. Singh became the first Indian to appear in a professional baseball game in the US on July 4, 2009. He pitched the seventh inning, while Patel pitched the eighth inning. Mayhem Pictures and Roth Films are producing with shooting in Mumbai and Atlanta. The music is composed by double Academy Award winner AR Rahman and the film is directed by Craig Gillespie.

Unlike, her brother Saif, Soha Ali Khan has opted for an unconventional path in Bollywood. She will be seen playing the lead in a suspense thriller which will be based on Delhi riots. Tentatively titled October 31, the date of Indira Gandhi’s assassination, the film will be based on the backdrop of the 1984 Delhi riots. Soha revealed that the film will focus on the 24 hours post the assassination of the former Prime Minister and is inspired by a real life incident. She will be playing the role of a Sikh mother of two children. The film will be directed

by National Award winner Shivaji Patil.

Subhash Ghai Gives Ok for Hero Remake When filmmaker Nikhil Advani met Subhash Ghai to narrate his interpretation of Ghai’s 1983 blockbuster film Hero, he never imagined Ghai would respond so warmly to the new version.

Apparently, Advani has completely re-written Hero, giving a new-age twist to every character and situation in the original.

According to Bollywood Hungama, “Salman Khan who will produce the Hero remake wanted every character and situation from the original to be changed. While Jackie Shroff was a softhearted criminal in Ghai’s Hero, Sooraj Pancholi would be a hardened criminal in the remake.” Advani told an interviewer, “I considered it a moral duty to narrate my interpretation of Hero to Mr. Subhash Ghai. I went to do the needful on Saturday. He not only gave his full approval he even signed my script with a warm message. I am overwhelmed. Normally filmmakers do not respond kindly to remakes.” Gahi responded in IndiaFM, “Yes, I heard the script of Nikhil Advani’s Hero written by Umesh Bist and Nikhil Advani. I think they’ve done a fantastic job of contemporizing my script to suit today’s tastes while keeping the essence spirit and soul of the original intact.

I am happy to co-produce the Hero remake with Salman Khan.

It’s a sure-shot ‘potboiler’ script and promises to be a big blockbuster. I am sure Nikhil Advani will do full justice to it.”

Abhishek Bachchan Named Ambassador for END7 Campaign The Global Network for Neglected Tropical Diseases (Global Network) has named Abhishek Bachchan, Bollywood superstar and humanitarian, as its first official END7 campaign ambassador in India to help raise awareness of neglected tropical diseases (NTDs). Bachchan joins the END7 campaign at a crucial time, with India at the tipping point of achieving control and elimination of five NTDs affecting 500 million people by 2020. “India represents 35 percent of the total global burden for NTDs, causing massive suffering among our poorest citizens. As a parent, I am deeply moved by the devastating toll of NTDs on children, and I want to ensure that no Indian child has to suffer needlessly,” said Bachchan.

“I am proud to serve as the END7 campaign’s ambassador in India and hope that others will join me in ridding our country of these preventable diseases.” Bachchan will play a key role in drawing attention to NTDs as an achievable health priority for India, educating the public about the impact of NTDs and the importance of complying with free NTD treatment Saathee.com

Naseeruddin Shah Writes Autobiography Naseeruddin Shah has written his life-story, but kept it under wraps for nearly four years as penned down his thoughts and observations. Confirming the publication of his autobiography, Naseeruddin Shah says, “Yes, I’ve written my autobiography.

I haven’t spoken about it to anyone. I wanted to complete before talking about it.” He reveals that it covers the first 32 years of his life. “That’s as far as I’d like to take my life in the autobiography without the narration getting too lengthy to hold my readers.” He promised a second volume in the future.

“This year I complete 40 years of acting. So it seemed like the right time to talk about the first-half of my life. I’ve tried to be as honest in my book as possible. I’ve told the truth about my life without hurting the dignity of those whom I came into contact with.” The title still to be decided.

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March 2014

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March 2014

EvERgREEN CLAssIC

Sangeet

Film Lyrics

POPULAR MUsIC OF INDIA

By Kirit Shukla Song: Bābul morā, naihara chhuto hi jāe ...

Film: āvishkār Year: 1973 Music: Kanu Roy Singers: Jagjit & Chitra Singh Lyric: Nawab Wajid Ali Shah Based on Indian Classical Rāgā: Bhairavi Thumri Tāl/Rhythm: Kaharavā Starring: Rajesh Khanna, Sharmilā Tagore

Bābul morā, naihara chhuto hi jāe Lyrics in English: Bābul morā, naihara chhuto hi jāe –2 Chār kahār mil, mori doliyā sajāven re Morā apanā begānā chhuto jāe, bābul morā ... ānganā to parbat bhayo aur dehari bhayi bidesha Je bābul ghar āpanā main chali piyā ke desh, bābul morā ...

Bābul morā, naihara chhuto hi jāe –2 Meaning (Summary): O my father! I'm leaving my home.

The four bearers decorate (and lift) my palanquin (here it can also mean the four coffin bearers).

I'm leaving those who were my own.

My courtyard now feels like a mountain, and the threshold, a foreign country.

I leave my house, father, I am going to my beloved's country.

O my father! I'm leaving my home.

Tribute to Hindustani Music Directors Kanu Roy (1920 – 1981) Kanu Roy was a music director for films and he also acted in several Hindi and Bengali movies. He was born on December 10, 1920. Although Roy didn’t achieve popularity like many of his contemporaries, he did create several gems for films. His music used minimal orchestration and was subtle, and sparse.

He composed music for most of director Basu Bhattacharya’s films. Roy’s sister was noted Bollywood playback singer Geeta Dutt. He wrote compositions which she sang in films Aaj Ki Kaalighata and Uski Kahani. Jagjit and Chitra Singh’s rendition of “Babul Mora Naihar Chhooto Jaye” for the film Avishkaar (1973) is also quite well known. Roy passed away in obscurity on December 20, 1981.

His debut in films: As an actor: Kismet, Mahal, Jāgriti, Munimji, Ham sab chor hain, Tumsā nahi dekhā, Bandini, Kissi se na kehnā and so on.

As a music director: Uski kahāni, Anubhav, āvishkār, Sparsh, Shyāmlā, and so on.

Here is a listing of some of his works: Kismet (1943) – Actor Mahal (1949) – Actor Jagriti (1954) – Actor Munimji (1955) – Actor Ham Sab Chor Hain (1956) – Actor Tumsa Nahin Dekha (1957) - Actor Bandini (1963) - Actor Uski Kahani (1966) - Music Anubhav (1971) - Music Avishkaar (1973) - Music Tumhara Kalloo (1975) - Music Griha Pravesh (1979) – Music Sparsh (1980) - Music Shyamla (1980s)- Music Kissi Se Na Kehna (1983) - Actor His famous Hindi song’s lyrics, “Bābul morā, naihara chhuto hi jāe ...” is given in this issue of Saathee magazine in the column on this page.

(Note: The contents of this article are compiled from news, books, internet and my knowledge and love of Hindustani music.)

Kirit Shukla Contact him at kiritsshukla@hotmail.com

You can watch and hear this song along with other songs on YouTube.

Our special thanks to Siddharth Shukla for always assisting in identifying the classical Raga & Tal/Rhythm of evergreen classical songs in the past.

Saathee.com

24

March 2014

HIndustani Music: Raga and Rasa (mood)

Indian Classical Music Sahitya in Carnatic music- Part I

By Smitha K. Prasad Dear readers, in this issue I would like to elaborate on the importance of the written word or sahitya in Carnatic music. As the times change, the importance, as well as the relevance of sahitya, in Carnatic music is often under intense debate.

Earlier this year, I had the opportunity to give a demonstration on Carnatic music for music majors at Meredith College. One of the questions asked was whether there were pieces in Carnatic music that had been composed without any lyrics i.e. a purely instrumental piece. I thought that sharing this question would be a wonderful way to open a discussion on sahitya, its importance in Carnatic music, as well as its relevance in modern times.

Most of the Carnatic compositions are in the South Indian languages of Telugu, Tamil and Kannada as well as Sanskrit.

Typically, Carnatic compositions have always contained lyrics (sahitya); these compositions are set to a particular raga and tala, usually by the composer. This is true for Carnatic compositions (krithis) composed by the Trinity (Sri Thyagaraja, Sri Dikshitar, Sri Shyama Shastry) as well as other prolific composers such as Mysore Vasudevacharya and Sri. Muttiah Bhagavatar.

In fact, a lot of attention and detail is given by the composer to the sahitya, incorporating features such as dwitiyakshara prasa (consonance in the 2nd letter of the opening word in each line of the composition), alliterations, etc. Krithis, while utilizing sahitya, also emphasize the musicality in a composition, highlighting salient aspects of the raga that is used for the composition.

The compositions by the Haridasas (e.g. Purandara Dasa), Bhakti activists (e.g. Akkamaha Devi), called keerthanas, propagated the idea of Bhakti (simple devotion) among the masses. These compositions were not set to specific ragas and hence can be tuned in various ways by different singers since the emphasis is more on the lyrics- music is used as a vehicle to share the message.

Both the types of compositions described above demonstrate the role of sahitya in Carnatic music. In recent times, there are examples of pieces composed specifically for instrumental interpretation; however these are few and far between and again, a product of more recent times as people explore the idea of decoupling Carnatic music and its traditional emphasis on sahitya.

Next month, I will continue the discussion of the importance and the relevance of sahitya, as it stands, in Carnatic music. Till we meet next time, do keep the questions coming. I look forward to sharing my thoughts and hearing your opinions.

By Anita Kulkarni Raga - In Sanskrit a Raga literally means “color” or “mood”; similar to rasa but involving specific musical rules or guidelines.

In Sanskrit “ra”; like ranj, which means to color with emotion.

Raga involves many features beyond skaldic classification, including purpose and intention. In Indian classical music, a raga is performed at a set time of day or season with the intention of evoking specific moods within the listener and self; very much like theatre and paintings, which were closely related mediums of communication. In theory, I could research 1,000’s of unique ragas with different names and purposes; but in practice only fifty of these are often used.

A series of five notes or more are used to classify the melodic line of a raga. Soloists then used these notes as well as grace notes and shruti (micro-tones) to create solos. A raga may also be just melody, created from a ragam, which are melodic modes of Indian classical music. Matanga, (2007) in the Brihaddesi, describes the nature of raga as, “That which is a special dhvani, is bedecked with swara (notes) and varna and is colorful or delightful to the minds of the people, is said to be a raga.”

Each different raga holds its own set of rules upon which the melody relies and respects. There are rules for upward directions of the scale, “aaroh,” and downward movements, “aavroh”; rules that specify phrases to use and to avoid and which notes to use sparingly and often. The character of the raga is defined by the order and sequence of these notes and, just as importantly, subtle grace-notes called gamakas. But even though there are strict limitations, a raga can last for hours on just a handful of pitches before the next one begins. Stories are passed on about legends playing Yaman, a simpler raga taught to beginners, lasting for several days without repeating a musical idea. It can take a lifetime or lifetimes to become a master of even the simpler Ragas.

Rasa - Rasa is an ancient Indian Sanskrit word that is better experienced then read to clearly understand. “It is difficult to communicate through words.”(Diamond, J. 2007). It is what’s felt when entering into bhava-jagat, the emotional world, through arts, particularly poetry, drama, sculpture or painting. A musician feels it when they enter the realm of their raga and the listener enjoys rasa through witnessing the drama. It is a universal sense of emotion achieved through arts, derived from the Sanskrit word meaning “living liquids like juice or sap,” and is “the essence, flavor, or something with great emotional effect,” being “the core of Indian aesthetic thought.” (Wikipedia, 2007) Bharat believed the “world of emotions” consisted of eight inherent emotions or sentiments, which were established in the fourth century CE although this time frame is somewhat disputed amongst resources. The 9 Rasa in Ragas are: 1. Karuna – sadness, pathos 2. Shringar – love, joy 3. Vira – heroism, valour 4. Hasya – laughter, comedy 5. Raudra – anger

6. Bhayanaka – fear 7. Vibhatsa – disgust 8. Adbhuta – surprise 9. Bhakti – devotion

Smitha Prasad

Anita Kulkarni

is a Carnatic vocalist based in Cary, NC Email: smithakprasad@outlook.com www.smithakprasad.com

is a Hindustani music vocalist and teacher based in Raleigh, NC Email:anitakul@gmail.com

Saathee.com

26

March 2014

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27

March 2014

India’s

Invisible Maids Maids typically earn 6,000 rupees per month (about $100).

Sangeeta Richard stood up to her employer, but Some ask for as little as 2,500 rupees when they advertise their she is rare among Indian domestic servants.

services on DomesticHelpInIndia.com.

Some servants have their own homes, but many live in “quarters” — tiny rooms in an annex, often with a single shared toilet.

Many Indian professionals believe they treat their staff well.

Khobragade’s comment that she treated Richard “like a member of the family” is a common refrain. Khobragade’s family cited a letter she wrote to her family in December 2012, saying she would soon be able to talk on Facebook “when master gives me a new SIM. Some families pay for servants to take cooking or computing courses. Others encourage their young children to mix and even pay for servants’ children to attend private school.

Domestic workers often ask sympathetic employers for a loan to help pay for a wedding, or to build a house in their home village. Others ask advice about pensions or problems dealing with authorities.

But there is an unspoken reason for these perks — families are nervous their servants will leave, creating the headache of finding a replacement.

By James Tapper, GlobalPost.com She is only a footnote in one of the biggest diplomatic rows between India and the US in recent memory.

But for Agnes Samuel, the high-profile dispute between her daughter-in-law and diplomat Devyani Khobragade had terrifying consequences.

The dispute involves Khobragade, a 39-year-old consular official in New York, who was recently arrested on charges of falsifying visa documents to get her housekeeper, Sangeeta Richard, into the country. Khobragade said she paid Richard $4,500 a month, while being accused of actually paying her around $3 an hour.

It was Richard who, with the help of an NGO, went to the State Department with the allegations. Khobragade’s subsequent arrest sparked outrage in India. There were protests in both countries.

Agnes Samuel, a domestic servant herself, was Richard’s only known relative in India. As such, the media targeted her as someone well placed to comment on the case.

It may have been a long shot to expect Samuel to stand up to the establishment, which has backed Khobragade all along.

But Samuel was more worried about her employer, a US embassy official in Delhi.

What would he think when a stream of journalists arrived at his large, gated house, asking for the servants’ quarters?

“I am worried I lose my job,” she said, in tears. “This is all so much trouble. My master will not like this, I lose my job. ...

Can you please tell them I don’t know anything?”

Samuel need not have worried — the US embassy sent four burly security guards to disperse the press pack — but Samuel’s fear is a common one among Indian domestic workers.

They believe, often rightly, that they will be sacked if they cause a problem for their employers, even if it isn’t their fault.

Sangeeta Richard’s decision to exercise her rights and demand better pay from her employer is rare in a country where domestic servants are regularly exploited and abused.

While the personal affection between families and staff may in many cases be real, there are implicit boundaries.

Bangladeshi photographer Jannatul Mawa studied housewives and housemaids in Dhaka for an exhibition called “Close Distance.”

“Every day, maidservants take care of the bed and sofa with their hand but they are neither allowed to sit nor to sleep on them,” she said. “With their domestic roles, they are ‘close’ to the housewives and ‘distant’ at the same time.”

Some maids even take on servants in their own homes. In a 2011 interview, Santhona Das said she planned to find someone to help after she gave birth to her first child.

Santhona survived on the 3,000 rupees her husband Pulin earned as a cleaner in Gurgaon, and after labor she struggled to make the 10-minute walk to the village pump several times a day.

“We may take someone in and give them food and clothes in return for fetching water,” she said.

Middle-class India runs on servants Government estimates put the total number of domestic Not all employers are high-minded There are plenty of employers who abuse the relationship. workers in India around 90 million, and growing.

When a 19-year-old university student allegedly killed two Few professional families in Indian cities are prepared to live without a cook, cleaner and nanny or ‘ayah’ to look after continued on page 50 the children.

Saathee.com

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March 2014

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Dances of India

By Dr. Maha Gingrich

• Rhythmic display of the techniques of wielding weapons in a skillful manner; • Mock combat in pairs or a group divided into two and when one group attacks the other defends and vice versa; • Incorporation of acrobatic elements; • Domination of drums as the primary music to invigorate the energy.

Martial Arts in a dance form – Part II

All these dances require great athletic ability and the dedication As I mentioned in my previous month’s column, I would like to keep these dance styles alive in this age of Bollywood. to write about a few more martial arts dance forms.

Dances of India The 12th anniversary Dances of India, featuring Dr. Maha Chholia The Chholia martial dance is prevalent in the Kumaon region Gingrich and group, will take place on Sat, April 26, 2014 at of Uttar Pradesh. Although it is unmistakably a martial dance, 4pm at the Halton Theater, Charlotte. Experience traditional now it is performed usually as part of marriage procession, Indian classical and folk dances, rhythmic movements that tell especially of the Rajputs. They dance in pairs holding sword the story of ancient India through costumes, dance dramas, and and shield, like other martial arts dances. With complicated music. The event features the signature dance “University in footwork and steps, the dancers perform a mock combat of Diversity,” which will be set to a live international orchestra attack and defense. It requires great skill and practice to and features an array of international dances. Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for children. For further details call perform the dance with proficiency.

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The dancers are all male, but when it is performed at the time of Kirji-Kumbh festival, women also participate in the dance.

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Drumming is the main accompanying music embellished with the sounding of Trurhi, the U-shaped trumpet and Ransignha, a kind of horn.

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Teri Chha The Rengma Naga tribal community of Kohima district in Nagaland performs the martial arts dance called Teri Chha.

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The dance has three phases. In the first phase - the dancers depict the war preparations. In the second phase - the techniques of attack and defense are executed. The third phase - depicts victory over the enemy and the dance ends with a ritual ceremony.

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hopefully I’d have new friends. My teacher was a young college graduate who had taught for two years in Singapore on a Fulbright Scholarship. He was everything that my third grade teacher wasn’t. He helped me and another girl - an immigrant girl from Egypt - learn the American culture, be able to find and make friends, and finally come to terms with the fact that I could be Indian in an American classroom. If I saw him today, I’d thank him, he helped me understand that being who I was does not mean I was different in a bad way, but unique. I learned what it was like to be a smart student and a friendly student. I learned that I liked North Carolina for all that it had to offer me. I found friends and I was happy for the first time in a year.

Fifth grade was much the same and it was only in sixth grade that I learned what it was like to be different once again.

My mother tried her hardest to raise my sister and me in an environment that she herself was trying to understand. She taught me everything she knew and while back then, I didn’t heed her words today, I am glad to do so. She never taught me to shave my legs. In gym class, as I dressed out for gym all the girls would look at me like I was an abomination- a hairy one at that. I didn’t know how to tell my mother that I wanted blond hair, or white skin, that I hated my black hair because it showed so clearly.

I didn’t know how to tell my mother that I wanted to shave because I was too ashamed to admit to her that I was being made fun of for it. But I navigated the waters somehow and endured it. I participated in track, always conscious of what I looked like at track meets and always dreading the one question that all the girls at the track meet asked: Does your religion not allow you to shave your legs?

It was hard to answer- here I was thirteen and I had no idea what to say because I didn’t know what was happening to me.

So I answered with “I just don’t shave.” It garnered me odd looks but I brushed them off and tried to reinvent myself. I changed my clothing style, only wearing dress pants and shirts because jeans felt weird. No, jeans weren’t weird - I was just using my clothing to hide. I was emulating the clothing my teachers and other office professionals wore because I was pretending to be a mature woman, instead of embracing who I was. It wasn’t because I didn’t have good friends. No, my friends accepted me as who I was, they oohed and ahhed over my salwar kameez which I wore to the Eighth Grade Social, they liked my long hair, they admired my intelligence. I was happy, I was accepted, but I still tried to be American - bringing my purse to school like the American girls and begging my mother for lipstick because the other girls in my class wore it. And I continued to be that for a while, trying to shed my Indian identity or mask it in some way.

In high school, I learned to push myself in my studies and I learned what it was I liked. I enjoyed high school because I was smart - I had something on the other kids. So what if my friends were in the band or orchestra, what if I enjoyed history and loathed my math and science classes. My parents let me enjoy my time - they encouraged me to pursue a language I loved, apply to the colleges I wanted, and participate in all the club activities I wanted. It was at this time that I finally felt I understood who I was and what I was. I was an Indian American who had a lot more American friends, whether white or black, and fewer Indian friends. I practiced Hinduism and for those who asked about my forehead - no I wasn’t bleeding - it was paint that easily washed away with water. By the time I left high school, I was happy to be Indian American and felt like I belonged somewhere.

The Chai Table On Being an Indian and American Girl

By Ananya Mallavarapu In December, we had guests over for Christmas. They were from New Jersey, the Edison area to be exact, and the uncle was my dad’s good friend from his days in India. My sister and I were a little unsure of what to expect. We knew they had grown kids but we had no idea what their boys were like. Could we hang out with them or would it be awkward because the kids would come to our house and see our Indianess. Well, at least for me it felt that way. This constant questioning of myself isn’t new- it’s been something that I have struggled with and have finally come to terms with. But it’s something worth talking about- something for parents to understand. It’s something that I’d like to share.

Growing up, I doubt my parents realized it, but I resented my Indian heritage and I hated the fact that my mother refused to let me blend into white America. I didn’t understand it in Florida, when we first moved, because I had friends there who were used to seeing people of different races. But when we moved to Ohio, I learned to resent the third grade and dreaded going to school. In Ohio, I had to navigate the waters of being an immigrant child in a very new American setting. Third grade is a hard time for girls- it’s when some of them start developing their first crushes, and when the line between boys and girls becomes a little more blurry after the cooties epidemics of the years before.

It was hard for me because I was the only immigrant kid in the class and the other girls - all of them white - didn’t necessarily want to be friends with me. There was an AsianAmerican, Lindsay Tsao I remember, and she had lots of white friends because she had been raised American, playing with Barbie dolls, and not having an accent. I was so jealous of her for it. I wanted to be her and I wanted to be white and have an American name just so I could have friends too. In third grade, I learned what it was like to be different, what it was like to be Indian not American and it was the time when I decided to hide myself in studies, because there I was powerful.

I suppose I can’t fault my third grade teacher too much- she was young, inexperienced, and she had no idea how to take care of a kid who wasn’t white. I remember eating with girls outside my class during cafeteria lunches because no one would eat with me. My food always smelled weird because my parents gave me idlis, dosas, upma, and Maggi. I didn’t eat peanut butter sandwiches or cheese strings. My mother didn’t know what they were; she didn’t let me eat them. Looking back on that period in my life, I realize that if I had a friend, someone who was able to talk to me about what it was being an immigrant kid, I could have been much happier. If I had just had someone to tell the teacher that I was finding it hard to fit in, if someone had explained to her that the reason I flocked to the other classrooms was because there the girls would talk with me, eat lunch with me, not discriminate against me for being different, I wouldn’t have cried. I would have embraced who I was instead of what I wasn’t.

In the summer of 2000 my family moved to North Carolina.

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Of course, I should have known better. With each new environment, times and things change. When I first got to UNC, I had a Chinese-American roommate. At first, neither of us was sure we could be friends but over time we began to bond over our awkward but similar experiences growing up as immigrant kids in predominantly white America. But that wasn’t all.

I remember walking down the sidewalk one day after class my freshman year only to see a group of Indian kids walk in my direction. They weren’t wearing bindis like I was and were dressed in the latest fashions compared to my sneakers and jeans. And then suddenly one of them looked at me and smiled - a fake smile that hurt because it was obvious that the person didn’t care. And then another nudged her friend and began to giggle while looking at me. I have no idea if it was me they were laughing at or something else but the fact that I was being laughed for doing something so simple as embracing who I was hurt more than I could ever imagine. I wanted to yell at them, ask them if they knew slokas, if they ate their mother’s cooking, if they were privileged to be more Indian than I was simply because they looked more Americanized. Once again, I had no idea who I was or what I was. I questioned myself, I wanted to get rid of my American identity and embrace my Indian one; I wanted to be Indian not Indian-American because suddenly I felt like I had no idea who I was anymore.

And then I took a class that encouraged communication and intercultural diversity. I took classes in my major that talked about African American voices in literature and the marginalized sections of society. And suddenly, I realized that all this fighting between the two portions of myself was unnecessary. It was time that I decided to forge a new identity - one that didn’t reflect only my Indian heritage or only my American one. I wanted to be me. I participated in organizations encouraging cultural interaction: one where I helped foreign Teaching Assistants practice English conversation skills with undergraduates and another, where international students from all over UNC could get together with undergraduate volunteers and practice speaking English while learning about American culture. I never wanted someone to go through the pain and identity crisis I felt growing up.

I wanted to encourage open dialogue and communication because I knew what it was like to be ostracized when you didn’t listen to The Beatles or The Rolling Stones while you were growing up. I learned to accept that I was raised Indian but my parents encouraged me to accept my American upbringing as well.

Today, I am still astonished when my parents’ friends call them for advice regarding college applications because they want their kids to be like me and my sister. I am shocked when I hear back from people who care more about the fact that I got a degree from Carolina rather than the fact that I am an Indian getting a degree from Carolina. And I have learned to accept the fact that when I hear people, people like the kids of my father’s friends tell me that “Indians can only have Indian friends,” I get incensed and point out to them that it’s not who your friends are but how you make them and keep them that matters.

I’m a Hindu, South Indian girl, who grew up in Suburban America. I have more friends who are white and black than I do who are brown. And yes, I’m okay with that. I’ve learned that for so long I struggled to get others to see me for who I was, not what I represented, that somewhere along the line I never noticed when people stopped caring about that difference that Saathee.com

I couldn’t ignore. True, there are some to this day who speak slowly to me in English when they see my bindi and who shut up, shamefaced, when they hear my American accent. But more than that, there are people who see me as a strong, Indian woman, who one day wants to make an impact on the world.

So what does this have to do with the kids visiting from New Jersey you wonder? A lot actually. Having grown up in schools where I was one of a handful of Indian students, when I visited my cousin in New York I was shocked.

I’ve kept my identities separate, merging them into one that I admire so for me to see them all mixed up in a jumble was odd. And yet, I don’t judge the people who grew up there (up north), much as I don’t judge the teenager who told me I can’t have non-Indian friends. Instead, I’m happy to be who I am and what I am.

I owe a wonderful thank you to my parents for letting me know my identity, for sending me back over and over again to get to know my roots, for teaching me to be proud to be from India. And I also owe thanks to the friends who I cherish, who have helped me understand that it gives me immense joy when I’m able to stare someone down in the face and tell them that I am proud to wear a bindi but that I have a slight Southern American accent. I have two hometowns but one true identity and I sincerely hope that one day, girls like me will proudly wear their bindi and speak American English, will dress in scarves and boots, while wearing gold jewelry, and will make biryani to go along with French fries. Don’t be ashamed of being who you are. And you don’t have to entirely American or entirely Indian - I mean look at me. I turned out just fine didn’t I?

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ThE OLYMPIC MOTTO:

Peace through Sport But in South Asia, it’s about

wAR

Both Pakistan and India sent skiers to Sochi thanks to high-altitude conflict.

By James Tapper, GlobalPost.com NEW DELHI, India — India and Pakistan would be hardpressed to boast of many benefits from their decades-long conflict.

Up to one million people died in Hindu-Muslim clashes when British India was divided to create both countries in 1947. The nuclear arms race that followed would end human civilization, experts say if even a handful of the region’s 200 warheads were used.

Bleak as that prospect is, the upside of the strife is undeniable for Nadeem Iqbal.

A havaldar (or sergeant) in the Jammu and Kashmir Light Infantry, Nadeem would never have been at the Sochi 2014 Winter Games without India’s huge military investment in the Himalaya and Hindu Kush mountains.

The mountains form part of the Line of Control that marks the effective border in Kashmir, the Muslim-dominated state which is the focus of the nations’ dispute and was once described

by Mughal emperor Jahangir as “Heaven on Earth.”

A year after completing their first successful nuclear test, Pakistan attacked the Indian-held Siachen glacier in the Kashmiri district of Kargil in 1999.

The three-month Kargil conflict produced grim fighting at altitudes of 18,000 feet, where temperatures drop to -90 degrees Fahrenheit.

Although Indian soldiers eventually pushed the Pakistanis off the glacier, it cost nearly 1,000 lives and 2,000 casualties.

Afterward, India increased its defense budget by $3 billion to $13.4 billion, and decided to keep a permanent presence on the Siachen glacier.

Thousands of soldiers are trained every year at the High Altitude Warfare School (HAWS) in Gulmarg, a village in Kashmir that’s a hub of India’s snow sports industry.

Nadeem, 30, is a native of Kashmir, but he had never tried on skis before joining the Jammu and Kashmir Light Infantry in 2004.

“It was a very new feeling for me. It felt good,” he told GlobalPost through a translator. “First we do alpine skiing. After that its long-distance training.”

He is the third Indian to compete in Olympic cross-country ski events. His two predecessors were also trained at HAWS: Tashi Lundup, who finished 83rd in the 15km race in 2010, and Bahadur Gupta, who came in 78th in the men’s sprint in 2006 and is Nadeem’s coach in Sochi.

India’s mountainous north has some of the world’s most rugged terrain, and HAWS is highly-regarded by other countries’ armed forces. The seven-week basic training and four-week advanced courses are attended by soldiers from all over the world, including US forces fighting in the mountains of Afghanistan and Russians about to be deployed in Chechnya.

“Quite a few foreigners have been visiting us,” Nadeem said.

Saathee.com

“There was recently a group from Norway” — the historic cradle of Nordic skiing. “There are lots of new techniques that the instructors taught them.”

In addition to skiing — part of the “ice craft” curriculum that teaches soldiers how to travel through snow — HAWS also covers rock climbing and tests the soldiers’ ability to cope with the physical challenge of operating at high altitude.

Naturally, HAWS has some competition.

The Pakistan Army set up its own Army High Altitude School in Rattu, which has a similar training program, but also offers James Bond-style “combat skiing” and target practice while rappelling down a cliff face.

The snow arms race between the two countries is unlikely to escalate further, according to Dr. Smruti Pattanaik, a research fellow at the Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses in New Delhi.

Although there are sporadic outbreaks of firing across the Line of Control — the “ceasefire” border between Indian and Pakistani forces in Kashmir — the hostilities between the two countries have changed, she said.

“I don’t see a direct conflict as likely to happen. The tension between India and Pakistan is now more about terrorism,” she said, referring to the Mumbai terror attacks of 2008 and several dozen other incidents around India. “There is a strong belief in India that terrorist activities are sponsored by Pakistan, and this is now no longer confined to Kashmir only. So tension yes, war no.”

Yet there is no sign that India is likely to withdraw significant numbers of troops from Siachen, either.

“At the Kargil conflict, India was taken by surprise because in the winter generally nobody occupied Siachen,” Pattanaik explained. “India would not want to be taken by surprise again.

Kargil showed that it is very difficult to dislodge troops from the peaks. And Siachen is strategically very important because it is also close to the Chinese border.”

What may help is continuing cultural contact between the two countries, Pattanaik said. Pakistani actors work in Bollywood, and the national teams meet on the cricket and hockey fields.

In fact, the next installment of the Indo-Pak conflict may come in Sochi.

The giant slalom ski race will feature India’s only alpine skier, Himanshu Thakur, a 20-year-old student from Manali in Himachal Pradesh.

He will ski against Muhammad Karim, a 19-year-old from a small village in the Gilgit-Baltistan region, who is backed by the Pakistan Air Force.

Neither is a favorite to win a medal, but the two young men have met regularly during qualification races.

The last time around, at Shemshak in Iran on Jan. 15, Karim came in tenth, two places higher than Himanshu.

The rivalry continued, in Sochi.

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March 2014

BEhIND ThE

Congressional Curtain Social Media: Only 140 Characters Separate You from the President

By Neal Patel I am a big fan of the National Basketball Association. Part of my love for the game stems from the fact it was one of the few sports where an unathletic, lanky, Indian kid with a decent jump shot could not only participate but actually contribute to the team’s success.

Recently, I was watching the NBA’s All-Star Weekend festivities hosted by “Inside the NBA” on TNT and thoroughly enjoyed the colorful commentary and banter between the hosts.

If you are not a sports fan and have never watched this show, hands down, it provides the best comedy on television. The hosts are Ernie Johnson, Kenny Smith (UNC family, class of ‘87), Charles Barkley, and Shaquille O’ Neal. All except for Ernie played in the NBA. Every single one of the four brings a unique skillset to the table as they all have different perspectives, insights, and senses of humor. Some nights, even if I’m not watching the game, I’ll be sure to catch the halftime show just to listen to the commentary. That’s how good and funny the show is.

So during the All-Star Weekend, Charles Barkley interviewed President Barack Obama at the White House. The substance of the interview centered on basketball, politics, and policy initiatives. It was a solid interview but the one key takeaway I received from the interview was how normal President Obama seemed to be in real life. He answered questions in a manner that reflected his love and deep knowledge of the game when comparing Stephen Curry’s jump shot to that of his father’s, Charlotte Hornets legend, Dell Curry.

He talked about being a proud parent as he watched his daughter play organized basketball. The President was so at ease and turned the interview into a frank barbershop-style discussion. It was great to witness a world leader connecting with so many people over something as simple as basketball.

But, wait, isn’t this the new normal? Isn’t this what politicos want?

Throughout the history of the United States, many of our leaders have been elevated to a status few others have shared.

Politicos like George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, and Thomas Jefferson have been dubbed “The Founding Fathers.”

If you are in an elite class, you are simply known by your initials: FDR, JFK, LBJ, W. Many details surrounding the lives of some of history’s greatest leaders remain private. For instance, many Americans to this day have no idea President Franklin D. Roosevelt was wheelchair bound as a result of contracting polio long before winning the Presidency. FDR was very meticulous about projecting his image to the masses and went to great lengths to protect it. This is the reason only two photos exist showing FDR sitting in a wheelchair.

Lately, the walls between our elected leaders and voters have begun to disappear. I attribute that to one thing: social media. As of October 2013, Facebook has over 500 million registered users. Twitter has over 645 million users. I am one of those 645 million (follow me @nealpatel22). Back in 2008, the Obama campaign was one of the first to fully embrace social Saathee.com

42

media as a way to mobilize volunteers and to reach voters. It held gatherings where initial invites to campaign events were sent on Facebook and soon spread like wildfire across supporting audiences. Since then, the Obama campaign has “mined data” by developing targeted e-mails that track everything from specific buzz words included in a subject line, to figuring out what time on what day people are likely to open and read the email, to soliciting distinct amounts of funding ($3) for small donors through both social media and email. With all the inundation of information and accessibility coming at you the voter, you can see why the wall between politico and voter is slowly disappearing. This has also contributed to voters gaining direct access to leaders like never before. This is not just happening in the United States, it is happening across the world. For instance, BJP leader Narendra Modi of India has over 3 million followers on Twitter with an additional 10.5 million likes on Facebook.

Now, every major politician has a variety of social media platforms to promote any message. Take your pick: Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, Instagram, Flickr. There are more options than those and many more are being created as we speak. Each contributes to the brand and creates a distinct echo chamber unique to its leader.

On the flip side, social media has also buried the careers of some politicians, just ask Anthony Weiner.

What our generation continues to experience in the technology age is somewhat uncharted territory. Words like “selfie” and “Snapchat” are entering the vernacular and delivering memories the “Founding Fathers” could not fathom.

These new advancements are also contributing to the accessibility and availability of leaders with the general public.

Everyone is now a fan and can memorialize a single moment in their lives with the snap of a camera phone in their pocket.

We saw this late last year when Denmark’s Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt had to defend her selfie with President Obama and British Prime Minister David Cameron during the memorial service for Nelson Mandela. Even world leaders capture snapshots of events they deem important, just like the Average Joe. As the number of users of social media continues to grow, we will begin to see communication barriers being broken down. From Beyoncé to Obama, now fans and supporters are only 140 characters from directly contacting their leader of choice.

These platforms are game changers in the world of politics.

In the next 8-10 years, more barriers will be removed. I also feel the connection between our elected leaders and the people electing them will be stronger. Before, data had to be researched, compiled, examined, tested again, and finally an end result was concluded over many days. Now that process occurs in real time with the resulting message crafted, tailored, delivered, and digested much more easily. Best of all, it allows for our elected leaders to better relate to the people that put them in office. It also gives those leaders a chance to show just how much like us they really are.

Neal Patel Neal Patel is the Communications Director for Congressman Charles Boustany, Jr., M.D. neal.patel@mail.house.gov

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March 2014

What do witches put on their bagels?

Scream cheese.

Children’s Corner

What do snowmen like to eat for breakfast?

Frosted Flakes.

Word World

Why did Superman cross the road?

To get to the supermarket.

By Kirit Shukla

K R

P

A E

What day do potatoes hate the most?

Fry-day.

C

Why did the cookie go to the doctor?

Because it was feeling crummy.

S

Why was the cookie sad?

Because her mom was a-wafer so long.

What was the most popular candy on the Titanic?

A life saver.

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

Use all letters for the subject word (underlined in solutions below) 31+ words = Excellent; 21 to 30 words = Good; 20 or less = keep looking. Words we found are in solutions below.

What’s orange and sounds like a parrot?

A carrot.

What did a pirate pay for his corn?

A buccaneer.

What did the mamma tomato say to the baby tomato?

Catch up.

Aesop’s Fables The Dove and the Ant An ant, going to a river to drink, fell in, and was carried along in the moving stream. A Dove pitied her condition and threw into the river a small branch; the ant held on to the branch and reached shore. Later in the day, the ant saw a man pointing a bow and arrow at the dove. It stung the man in the foot and made him miss his aim and so he returned the favor and saved the dove’s life. Moral: “Little friends may prove great friends.”

What do you call 150 strawberries bunched together?

A strawberry jam.

Why was the strawberry sad?

Because her mom was in a jam.

Why did the kid throw the butter out the window?

To see the butter fly.

The Lion and the Eagle An eagle stayed his flight and entreated a lion to make an alliance with him to their mutual advantage. The Lion replied, “I have no objection, but you must excuse me for requiring you to find surety for your good faith, for how can I trust anyone as a friend who is able to fly away from his bargain whenever he pleases?” Moral: “Try before you trust.”

What do ghosts like for dessert?

I scream.

What is a math teacher’s favorite dessert?

Pi. What do you get if you divide the circumference of a jack-olantern by its diameter?

Pumpkin pi.

Riddles Riddles Riddles What kind of plates do they use in space?

Flying saucers!

What’s the worst vegetable to serve on a boat?

Leeks.

Why did the clock in the cafeteria run slow?

It always went back four seconds.

What’s a penguin’s favorite salad?

Iceberg lettuce.

What vegetables do librarians like?

Quiet peas.

What do you call a monkey with a banana in each ear?

Anything you want, it can’t hear you.

What is a scarecrow’s favorite fruit?

Straw-berries.

Saathee.com

Word World (Solution): ACES, ADRE, APES, ARES, ARSE, ASPER, CAKE, CAPE, CAPER, CARE, CARS, CASE, CASK, CRAKE, CRAP, CRAPE, CREAK, EARS, ERAS, ERASE, ESCARP, ESKAR, PACE, PACER, PACK, PACKERS, PARCE, PARE, PEAK, PEAR, PEAS, PRASE, RACE, RACK, RAKE, RAPE, REAP, RECAP, SACK, SAKE, SCAPE, SCAR, SCARE, SCARP, SEAR, SERA, SPACE, SPAKE, SPEAK

What did the computer do at lunchtime?

It had a byte.

How does a penguin make pancakes?

With its flippers.

44

March 2014

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syllable quickly pronounced “cn” with hardly any vowel sound and the stress on the second syllable) means “to talk” or “to have a conversation.” “He enjoyed having a chance to converse with friends in his native language.”

Mastering Meaning hARNEssINg ThE POwER OF AMERICAN ENgLIsh

SUBJECT: The noun “subject” with the first syllable stressed and the word pronounced SUBjihkt” has several meanings including the topic being discussed or featured in a painting or what student is studying in school as in, “His favorite subject is science.” The verb subJECT, means to force someone to endure something difficult or unpleasant. “He subJECted the audience to a long and boring speech.”

By Judith L. Bergman M.A. CCC If your goal is to achieve greater “mastery of meaning” leading to more effective, even powerful use of American English, then you must understand two realities: First, the sound patterns of a spoken language (any language) carry the meaning. Secondly, speech is the most powerful and the most common form of communication.

Your listening and sound discrimination and awareness skills are finely tuned...but only to your native language. You can tell immediately if someone speaking your “mother tongue” is not a native speaker, or even if he is from a different region of your native country.

I have learned from my clients that they “assume” that because they are very clear as to what they are saying, even being able to see the printed words in their mind, that their listeners should be able to understand them. “But,” I jokingly remind them, “you don’t have captions marching across your forehead; your listeners can’t read your mind. All they know is what sound patterns they are hearing.”

RECORD: The noun “record” with the first syllable stressed and the word pronounced “REHcord” means a print or digital document. “He has an extensive medical record.” The verb “record” with the second syllable stressed and pronounced “reeCORD” means to write something down, to store information on tapes or discs or to measure the size or other features of something.

PERMIT: The noun “permit” with the first syllable stressed and the word pronounced “PERmit” means an official written document giving permission to someone to do something, such as a “building permit.” The verb, “permit” with the second syllable stressed and pronounced “perMIT,” means to allow or make it possible for something to happen. Remember to pronounce the stressed syllable louder, longer and with a higher pitch which then falls if it is the final syllable of the word.

The Meaning is In the Music1 “Word pairs,” are two words spelled identically but with different meanings depending completely on how they are pronounced. For at least 29 word pairs in American English, if the first syllable is stressed, the word is a noun or an adjective.

If the second syllable is stressed, the word is a verb. Here are some very common two-syllable word pairs, nouns first and then verbs.2

Suggested strategies to increase your word power this month: Resist the impulse to ignore words whose meanings you really aren’t certain about. Never guess how to pronounce a word.

Ask a native speaker and listen carefully. Consult a dictionary and practice using new vocabulary in your conversation.

References: 1 Judith L. Bergman, Mastering Meaning: Harnessing the Power of American English, lulu.com, Amazon.com. 2011, 2012, Chapter 28, “The Meaning is in the Music, “ p. 115 – 117.

2 Lorna D.Sikorski, “The Intonation Patterns of American English,” Mastering Effective English Communication MEEC CD Series, 5th Edition, 4th Imprint, (Tulsa, CA: LDS Assoc. LLC, 2008).

Address (a location) vs. aDDRESS (to speak to) with the unstressed syllable in the second words reduced to a quiet “uh.”

DEfect (a flaw) vs. deFECT (to desert or leave) with the unstressed “de” reduced to a quick “duh.”

OBject (an item, a thing) vs. obJECT (to protest or oppose) pronounced “ubJECT.”

Judith L. Bergman M.A CCC is the director of Triangle Speech Services specializing in foreign accent modification.

Contact: jlbergman@mindspring.com or 919-489-5464 www.trianglespeech.com

So, to summarize: With word pairs, the same spelling + different pronunciation = a different meaning. Ideally, nonnative speakers acquire the knowledge of these differences primarily through exposure although, in my experience, many whose native languages are not stress or intonation based, never really pick up this distinction without explicit teaching.

Here are a few more commonly used word pairs.

THREADING JOB

PROJECT: “Can you project the time it will take to complete this project? These words are spelled identically but have very different meanings dependent upon which syllable is stressed and how the vowels are pronounced. The first, a verb that means “to calculate what will happen in the future, using current information,” is pronounced “pruhJECT.” The stressed second syllable is spoken louder, longer and with a higher pitch that quickly falls. The second “project” is a noun meaning a carefully planned piece of work and is pronounced “PRAHject.”

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CONVERSE: The noun “CONverse” with the first syllable stressed means the “opposite.” “The converse can also be true in some instances.” As a verb, to conVERSE (with the first Saathee.com

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the employee’s wages or job locations. The Public Access File must be kept by the employer for one year after the later of (1) the expiration of the LCA; or (2) the termination of the foreign national’s employment.

It takes seven days for the LCA to be certified. Once the LCA has been certified, the Employer should print a copy of the LCA and sign it. That signed LCA has to be submitted with the H1B application.

Immigration Matters What to Expect When You’re Expecting (an H-1B)

By Lakshmi Challa

The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services While the DOL is responsible for ensuring that the employer complies with the wage and location requirements, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is responsible for ensuring that the other category requirements are met. When the application is filed, USCIS reviews it to make sure that (1) the employer is real and operating; (2) that the job offer is real; (3) that the position offered requires a bachelor’s degree; and (4) that the beneficiary qualifies for the position offered.

To meet the evidentiary burden, the employer and employee should be prepared to submit evidence on all these points. The amount of evidence needed often surprises employers—it is not unusual to require federal tax returns, audited financial statements, leases, employee handbooks, and client contracts, in addition to the employment contract with the foreign national employee. The employee should be prepared to provide a copy of their degree(s), transcripts, resume, even letters from former employers. If the employee’s degree is from a foreign country, they need to obtain credentials equivalency evaluation which references the AACRAO Edge database—the same database on which USCIS relies when determining whether a foreign degree is equivalent to a U.S. bachelor’s degree.

The H-1B application itself requires three separate forms— the Form I-129, the H Classification Supplement, and the H-1B Data Collection Supplement. H-1B applications are submitted by the employer, so a representative of the employer is responsible for signing all the petition forms. The H-1B petition must also include the signed Certified LCA. USCIS also requires several fees for the filing and processing of an H-1B application, which exceed $1,500. These filing fees must be paid in full to USCIS at the time the application is filed, or the application will be rejected. Employers should also exercise caution when seeking reimbursement from employees for these fees. Certain fees can only be paid by the employer; and other costs and fees can only be reimbursed depending on the wage offered to the employee.

Once filed with USCIS and accepted for processing, the application will be placed in initial review. Once the immigration officer reviews the petition, they have three options. The officer can approve the petition, deny the petition, or issue a Request for Additional Evidence (RFE). RFEs are becoming more common, especially in situations where the employer is a small business or the employee will be working at a remote location. When an RFE is issued, the employer will be given a period of up to 84 days to gather the requested evidence and submit the response. Once the response is submitted, the officer will review the additional evidence and either approve or deny the petition. The notice of decision will be sent to the employer. If approved, the employer will receive an I-797 Approval Notice which contains the relevant approval information. Approvals are issued for a period of up to three years; with the possibility of three years’ extension. A foreign national can work in the U.S. on an H-1B visa for a maximum

A Multi-Step Process Preparing and filing a cap-subject H-1B petition is a multistep process which begins well before April 1st—it begins the second an Employer considers offering a position to a foreign national employee. Before making an offer, an Employer needs to make sure that they can legally employ that foreign national, whether in H-1B or any other category. All U.S. immigration is category-based, meaning that the foreign individual must qualify for a certain category to receive that category’s benefits.

In many cases, the foreign national is already employed by the Employer through work authorization granted as a condition of OPT—optional practical training. OPT is available for foreign nationals who are students at U.S. universities on an F-1 student visa. OPT allows students to obtain employment authorization in the U.S. for between 12 and 27 months after earning their degrees. Since hiring an employee with work authorization through OPT is relatively straightforward, many employers are surprised by the increased demands of transitioning an employee from OPT to H-1B status.

Employers and employees should know and understand the H-1B application process, as well as the benefits and restrictions of the H-1B category, before undertaking the process. What follows is a brief overview of the steps involved in a cap-subject H-1B application; it is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for competent legal advice.

The U.S. Department of Labor Once the job offer has been made, the Employer must secure certification from the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) before proceeding with the visa application. The Employer must certify to the DOL that it will pay the foreign employee at least as much as it pays any U.S. worker in the same position. The wage the Employer offers must also meet or exceed the federallyestablished wage for the position. This wage requirement is known as the “prevailing wage.”

The application for certification from the DOL is known as a Labor Conditions Application (LCA). The LCA requires that the Employer list the position title, proposed job location, and offered wage. The LCA also requires that the Employer enter the federally established prevailing wage. The offered wage must meet or exceed the prevailing wage in order for the LCA to be certified. Prior to filing the LCA, the employer has to post a notice at the worksite, notifying other employees that it is filing the LCA on behalf of a foreign national. The notice has to list the worksite address, job title, and offered wage; and it must be posted in a public location.

The employer must also keep certain records for the DOL in connection with this LCA. These records are collectively known as the Public Access File. Required records include a copy of the prevailing wage information; documentation of the wage offered to the employee as well as any benefits offered; and documentation establishing that the wage meets or exceeds wages offered to similarly-situated U.S. workers. The Public Access File must be updated periodically with any changes in Saathee.com

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of six years, after which the foreign national must spend at least one full year outside the U.S. before being able to hold another H-1B visa.

India’s Invisible Maids continued from page 30

people in a hit-and-run car crash in 2012, including a pregnant woman, the family’s driver was sent to make a “confession” to police.

Unfortunately for Delhi student Suraj Sehrawat, the driver’s statement was so implausible that police rejected it and he was arrested.

Cases of abuse are a regular feature in Indian media. In October 2013, the communications director for French engineering firm Alstom was arrested for allegedly torturing her 15-year-old maid.

Vandana Dhir was accused of keeping the girl naked so she could not run away, and police reportedly discovered multiple cuts and bruises on the girl’s body.

In a case the previous year, doctors Sanjay and Sumita Verma allegedly locked their 13-year-old maid in their apartment while they went on holiday to Thailand. Gangotri Kumari was rescued after neighbors heard her crying for food on the balcony of the apartment block.

These are extreme cases but young girls are often trafficked from rural areas to be exploited by rich or middle-class families in the cities, according to National Domestic Workers Movement co-ordinator Christin Mary.

“Sometimes their own parents are sending their own children to be domestic workers in the cities,” she said. “This is a problem in the tribal and rural areas.”

Rural families are often lured into “selling” their daughters because salaries for domestic workers — although low by Western standards — are still a hard-to-find source of income.

Delhi has around 20,000 placement agencies — less than a sixth of these are thought to be legitimate — and many tour the Indian villages promising enormous salaries that never come.

Labor laws are meant to cap working time at eight hours per day but often domestic workers are told to work up to 17 hours a day for seven days a week.

The Indian government has been considering legislation that would introduce specific rights for domestic workers. It would set a minimum wage in each state, regulate the hours they work, ensure employers provide them with social security such as health insurance and create a mechanism for them to make complaints about their bosses.

A decent minimum wage for a domestic worker in a large city like Delhi or Mumbai should be around 6,000 to 7,000 rupees ($100-$155), Mary of the National Domestic Workers Movement said. Those in rural areas should get a minimum of 5,000 rupees.

In the case of Sangeeta Richard, she said the wage should be much higher as she was traveling overseas to a country where goods and services are much more expensive than India.

“Our organization’s view is that contract between the diplomat and domestic worker was not a fair and just wage, of 25,000 rupees and 5,000 rupees overtime,” Mary said.

Visas, Status, and Cap-Gap A general understanding of the difference between a visa and status in the U.S. is necessary for any employer with foreign national employees. Understanding the difference between the two will help keep employees in the U.S. legally, and facilitate any international travel. In addition, employers of F-1 OPT students should be familiar with the term “Cap Gap”, as it is a critical provision which affects many cap-subject H-1B petitions every year.

Visa: Nonimmigrant Visas are entry documents, affixed in a foreign national’s passport, which allow the foreign national to enter the U.S. Visas are issued by the U.S. Department of State and are required for any foreign national entering the U.S. to work. At the port of entry, a Customs official will inspect the visa and admit the foreign national to the U.S. by placing an entry stamp in the passport. The entry information is also logged electronically, in a form called the I-94. The foreign national can later access the I-94 on a secure web site, and print a copy for their records.

Status: Both the stamp in the passport and the electronic I-94 govern the foreign national’s status in the U.S.—by identifying the foreign national’s category (H-1B worker, F-1 student, etc.) and the length of time they are permitted to remain in the U.S. in that category. Once in the U.S. in a valid status, a foreign national can change to another status—like an F-1 to H-1B change of status—without having to leave the U.S. and obtain another visa. When a change of status is approved, the foreign national is issued an I-797 Approval Notice, which contains a new I-94, listing their new category and validity dates.

A change of status is convenient for a foreign national because it avoids an unnecessary trip outside the U.S. However, even if a change of status is approved, the next time the foreign national travels abroad they will have to get a visa issued for their new category in order to reenter the U.S. This is because status is only relevant while the foreign national is actually in the U.S.— once abroad, a visa is required to reenter the U.S. Obtaining such a visa is a simple process, but does require a trip to an Embassy or Consulate. Foreign nationals who change status in the U.S. should always verify whether or not they will need to obtain a new visa prior to departing the U.S. Cap Gap: “Cap Gap” is a special provision just for F-1 students who are beneficiaries of cap-subject H-1B petitions. These petitions are, by definition, change of status petitions since the foreign national will be changing from student (F-1) status to temporary worker (H-1B) status. Cap Gap allows F-1 students to remain in the U.S. while their change of status petition is pending, even if their F-1 status expires before the application is approved. Some F-1 OPT students will also be able to maintain work authorization as well, as long as their work authorization is valid on the date the H-1B petition is filed.

Travel abroad during Cap Gap coverage can jeopardize the foreign national’s ability to return to the U.S., so students should always seek advice before traveling outside the U.S. if they are potentially covered under Cap Gap provisions.

“The high-level authorities in India are taking the side of the diplomat because they are the employer class. They don’t understand the pressures and stress of the domestic workers.

“Often domestic workers do not have proper papers to cross borders and sometimes their papers are taken away. Sangeeta Richard was lucky to get the support of a NGO in America.

Most domestic workers do not get that support.

“They often have to stay inside the house, they do not have any money, they do not have any papers — their problems are invisible.”

Contact Lakshmi Challa at info@challalaw.com Saathee.com

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white, mostly Jewish, too. We got on well. But blending into American culture, no matter what my passport says, never came easily. Not with skin that’s brown and eyes and hair as black as anyone’s in far-off Asia. Which is part of the reason I came out this way. To see just how much of me is “Asian” and how much of it is that stuff of media programming about what it means to be thirtysomething with a kid in everyday America.

How much of it is us, and how much of it is brainwashing?

You start to get a picture of what’s what when you detach, don’t you? Away from the American edge of coastal North Carolina, away from the other side, too, up in the Northwest, where I’ve spent a chunk of time, things are clearing. I’m starting to put things together, a little bit at a time. The quiet space is especially engaging. More than ever, the simple white space and the interstitial stillness is where the real learning is starting. Nevermind everything else they taught me in engineering school: quantum stuff, that was interesting. And independent readings, too. But I really think the trip we take to find our truth is our own, and that’s what I’m sticking with, at least for now.

Or? I’ll tell you what, though. Nothing has been so bright a spectacle to see as the thing in Nepal. That day, a bluegrey day in November when we were in Nagarkot for a couple days, traveling with a friend we’d met in Pohkara, the whole trip made absolute, perfect sense. Eight o’clock, the sky dark, no one around for the elections in Kathmandu that season, the feeling was deathly still. Cosmically quiet.

And then, behold.

A bright white luminescence, like you’d imagine some spotlights were going on for some expensive, ticketed event.

Except, this was Nepal. There weren’t any big cities that way.

Not even behind, in Kathmandu, the lights there were like the smattering of oranges and yellows and whites that I recall from a long time ago when I landed in Dubai at night, heading to a hotel for a special three-day package that you could opt into for $60 if you were flying Emirates. The start of a wanderlust, for new and different places.

The city, behind, and the low valley around. The Himalaya, darkened, but so present you could hear them breathing. Then the white peal of a pearly aura, then the realization, then the first clustering in the tear ducts.

You can’t stop the world from breathing new life into you, if it wants.

You can’t relax the body if you can’t entertain phenomenal, real brilliance.

A billow of new color, a sharp crescent, edging up, and over, and up and over still.

I cried, there, in Nagarkot.

Awe and wonder and enchantment.

I cried at moonrise, there.

It Takes a Village

By Dipika Kohli I Cried at Moonrise – Nagarkot

Some people call this “mindfulness.”

Going inward, into the quiet space.

Easier to do indoors. It’s hot here in Chiang Mai. I hear the temperature’s about to boil over, but for the moment, it’s still like a summer in Seattle, and that’s plenty fine.

Some new forgetting is happening. Releasing a clutter of old feelings and ideas about how things are or might have been.

I’m trying to reprogram. Pay attention to the square new, the close-up here, the now. It’s a change.

But maybe this is just part of the process of getting older. A Scandinavian friend, Rolf, would say at the end of a declarative sentence, “Or?” I recently asked him what that was about, tacking on that extra bit, as though there wasn’t one fixed and certain idea about a thing but all was open question, or at least ready for further conversation.

Like a door left just slightly open. You walk around in a world full of slammed-shut doors, the kind we deal with when we have dogma and some idea of how stuff “ought” to be (that is especially nagging amongst people I’ve met who hail from India, just sayin’.)

Or? Reading Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance got me started on this adventure, if you want to call it that, which started last April in Vietnam and appears to be moving towards a one-year anniversary in that same country. Pirsig’s book about philosophy and poetry and how you just have to reach into your own back pocket to find your map, the one you write yourself, that was the start of the launching into a vastly opposite vector to the one I believe people who care about me but have no idea who I am, inside, may have imagined as my course.

“When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change,” spoke Max Planck, the father of quantum physics. Came up with the equation relating energy, the speed of light, wavelength and his beautiful constant, h. Couldn’t have come up with such a neat relationship, it’s all in such a clean equation, E=hc/l, without borrowing from Boltzmann’s ideas for his thermodynamics work about uncertainties.

Probabilities. Things not quite being known, actually, if you really stop and think about it. Or not think. Just go with it. Be present, be mindful, of all the thousand zillion possible endings a book could possibly have.

Which book? The book of life, of course.

Getting clear of the rooms with no outlets is the first step to Dipika Kohli writes at Kismuth. See kismuth.com. its preface.

After Planck’s and Pirsig’s works came across my desk in Durham in quick succession, I got my tickets to Vietnam. I got myself to clear the plate, clear the page, and get used to getting lost, at least for a while, for seventy-six days on my own with Dipika Kohli my small son, Kush, then four. Now he’s five and halfway to Contact email: dipika@designkompany.com six and thinks that you “check in” and “check out” to places the same way I used to think of popping over to day care. So much different things were, for me, growing up outside Detroit and mostly hanging around with other American kids, mostly Saathee.com

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along these lines: “Who am I?” “What is my purpose?” “How do I fit into the overall scheme of things?” The preponderance of the first person pronoun, “I”, in these anxious queries suggests the possibility that “The Truth” may be a means to an end: just a proxy to something else that is the real object of desire. Sociologists, psychologists and evolutionary biologists often explain many of our physical and mental attributes by taking us back to the savannahs and the jungles where we learned to fight to survive against the tremendous odds against us. Perhaps we can explain our search for “The Truth” similarly – as driven by a primeval instinct for safety and security that provides us at least an illusion of control over forces that feel uncomfortable. As the “I” of the storm that swirls around us, we are desperate for answers to our plaintive questions – questions that are really about our own selves rather than about any “truth”.

ThINKINg

About Thinking

By Balaji Prasad Thinking Truthfully YOURS TRUTHLESSLY - A Poem Two feet on me ...

But twenty shoes are probably a tad obtuse?

I want one truth, but have a ton It’s so uncouth, and just no fun

The Merchant of Veris “Ita enim finitima sunt falsa veris, ut tam in praecipitem locum non debeat se sapiens committere.” (The Truth is so close to the precipice of falsehood, that it would be wise not to trust it.) ― Cicero Do tell me, friend ...

Whenever there are eager buyers, there are many willing If I walk East, merchants. And so it is, with the business of The Truth. Some will it, me, mend ... are men and women of science who practice their occupation or keep me beast? with a religious fervor that belies their ostensible devotion to The Scientific Method and the notion that science merely seeks I’ve searched blue skies, likely theories rather than unvarnished truths. And some the stars, and moon, dispense their truths from within the hallowed halls of but still those sighs ... spirituality and religion, brandishing sparkling syllogistic tools still tasteless tune and inductive logic with a competence that would put a Socrates to shame. So when we ask “Why” and are willing to The truth, the truth! compensate vendors of “The Truth” in cash or in kind, the I yearn to see, business of “The Truth” booms.

Tho’ long in tooth ...

And speaking of Socrates, the classical Greeks started the Yours Truthlessly millennia-long mindset that Mathematics is synonymous with The Truth. The motivation may have been transcendental: An Eternal Search The Truth! For perhaps as long as man has walked the earth, aesthetics over self. the pursuit of “The Truth” has occupied countless people who have hunted this will-o’-the-wisp with a dogged devotion that The Mathematics of Truth Plato viewed the abstractions of mathematics as constituting has sometimes bordered on maniacal obsession. And … the the real universe – one that is merely instantiated in an search continues, unabated and unfulfilled. “apparent universe” that our coarse senses assert. In the centuries that followed the enlightened Greeks, organized But What is The Truth?

What if “The Truth” is a mere accident of language and logic? religion all but destroyed the work of these men who What if we think these thoughts, simply because we think? worshipped Mathematics as a religion unto itself. After the Because we can. Or could it be that we persevere so, in this task Dark Ages, a new genre of mathematicians emerged to bridge of combating imaginary windmills, as the fearless man of La the political divide between religion and mathematics, Mancha did, because we believe with fervor that we must? emphasizing the purity they saw in both. But, as Morris Kline Perhaps there is something deep within us that yearns for argues eloquently in his book, Mathematics – The Loss of something. Something that seduces us with the sweetness of Certainty, mathematics is neither pure not certain. It has been the logic that we have become addicted to – a habituation, that very effective and has served as well, but it is not “The Truth”. could itself be an accident of history, culture and nurture rather than an inherent, organic part of our being. This addiction could Truth be told, “The Truth” may lie inside us … in more ways than one. be what motivates us to ask “Why?” The Truth is a Red Herring Why do we ask “Why” with a level of anxiety that seems quite disproportionate to what can otherwise be more simply explained away as the innocence of curiosity? There may well be alternative explanations for the degree of importance we assign this task. So we need to look a bit closer; if we examine the nature of the questions that accompany this endless quest, we may find some clues. Quite often, the questions tend to be Saathee.com

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Balaji Prasad is an IIT/IIM graduate, a published author, SAT/ACT Online and Offline Coach, Math instructor and essay, resume, & career coach at NewCranium.

Contact: 704.746.9779 balaji.prasad@newcranium.com March 2014

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Heritage India Assoc. of NC (501(c)(3) Non-Profit Org.) PRESENTS

2014 HeritAge indiA FestiVAL

A Joyous celebration of indian Heritage APRIL 12, 2014, 5:00-9:30 P.M. at HSNC CULTURAL HALL

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GENERAL PROGARM ENTRIES: Enter Dance and Music entries from all age groups. & Email to: Yashcgarg@gmail.com; or angupatel1907@gmail.com FOLLOWED BY RECOGNITION CEREMONY. MUSIC for ENTRIES MUST BE SENT in mp3 FORMAT by deadline: suruchidave@gmail.com

SPECIAL DANCE PERFORMANCE BY AWARD-WINNING ARTIST RINKU BHATTACHARYA. “HERITAGE DANCE DHAMAKA” -- DANCE COMPETITON: In this category SEND ALL MUSIC FOR DANCE COMPETITION in mp3 Format to: Aruna Machavarapu Arunam1401@yahoo.com 1. FOLK DANCES OF INDIA - Participation Open to Adult Performers– Heritage Trophy & $100.00 Cash award for the best group dance. Email to: harsha.p.shah@gmail.com 2. FOLK –FUSION DANCE - TEENS (13 & Above) Heritage Trophy & $50.00 Cash award for the Best Dance; Send Email to: Jabhirajan@gmail.com 3. BOLLYWOOD / FOLK-FUSION DANCE COMPETITION (9-12 yrs. Children) Heritage Trophy and $40.00 Cash Award for the Best dance. Email to: arunam1401@yahoo.com HERITAGE COSTUMES /FASHION SHOW (CATEGORIES as below), Please inquire about Registration & Form for Fashion Show by sending an email to: Jabhirajan@gmail.com) 1. COUPLES ON THE RAMP-- Adult Participants. HERITAGE TROPHY as Award for the Best Dressed couple / Best Costume. Send Email to: jabhirajan@gmail.com 2. AMAZING RAMP WALK BY 4-12 yrs. KIDS WITH Mother or both Parents. Heritage Trophy as Award for the Best Dressed Parents & kids. Send email to: harsha.p.shah@gmail.com 3. TEENS: 13 yrs. and up in Stylish Indian Outfits Teamed with Awesome Accessories. Heritage Trophy as Award.

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SPECIAL CATWALK EXTENSION & LIGHTING BY SHIVA RAGHUNANAN; MUSIC FOR FASHION SHOW Compiled by SURUCHI DAVE, STAGE DECORATION AND HOSPITALITY Chair: VIDYA ARVAPALLI For any other Information regarding the Festival, Show & Sponsorship, Contact: nangarg@yahoo.com, pdevala@gmail.com or yashcgarg@gmail.com OTHER SPECIAL FEATURES: 1. CHILDREN’S ART SESSION ; 2. EYE CAMP FOR FREE EYE SCREENING BY SPECIALIST PHYSICIANS FROM DUKE EYE CENTER. PLEASE SEND AN EMAIL TO REGISTER. Media Support: Saathee Magazine and Saathee.com

Business Matters Should You File a Lawsuit?

By Sumeet P. Shah In last month’s article, we discussed the basics of filing a lawsuit. Understanding this process and procedure no doubt educates you on what all is involved. However, do not just go out and file that lawsuit just yet! This article is a follow up to last month’s article and asks one more very important question—should you file a lawsuit in the first place? It is good to learn the process which will help you in your decision making but also digging a little deeper in your analysis to decide whether you should is the next step.

There are some fundamental questions you should ask yourself before deciding if it is in your best interest to bring forth a lawsuit. Among many questions you need to consider here are some questions you should consider before moving forward with a lawsuit: 1. Is there an alternative way of resolving the issue such as compromising through a settlement, going through mediation or arbitration of the issue before filing a lawsuit?

2. Do you even have a legal case worth filing a lawsuit over?

3. Even if you were to win the lawsuit and obtain a judgment, can you collect on that judgment against the other party?

Let’s go through each of these questions to help you make that final analysis:

Did the party perform as agreed to according to the contract? Was there a breach of the agreement such as the contractor who was hired to perform some work failed to do what you two had agreed to per the contract? Did you suffer damages because of this breach?

Questions like the above would help in determining whether you have the elements necessary to form a contract that could have been breached. Consult with an attorney to make sure the legal elements necessary for the issue at hand were met before moving forward with the lawsuit.

Can you collect?

This is something that people quite often do not consider in their analysis for filing a lawsuit. If the party is not going to have the means to pay if they lose, there may not be the need to file the lawsuit in the first place. Also, one misconception people have is that the court will help you collect on the judgment if you win. The court will not help you collect. You have to do the research to see what assets they have, where their bank accounts are, etc. to help you in the collection process. You then have to file the garnishment actions in court or liens against property they may own. And just because you file a lien does not mean you will ever collect on that lien.

If the other party is well off such as they have real property, a business, cars, other sources of collection that you know about, then you may be able to collect. However, if you are going to be dealing with someone that is insolvent, say someone who is going to be filing for bankruptcy or does not have much in assets, you may want to seriously reconsider filing a lawsuit and figure out another alternative to help resolve the issue.

In conclusion, take the time to make this further analysis and ask yourself these types of questions to help you make an informed decision. You know the steps in the legal process and you know the facts surrounding your situation and the other party you are dealing with to determine whether you should file a lawsuit.

Alternatives to a Lawsuit Have you tried to reach out to the other party and negotiate a mutually beneficial compromise? Have you used an Disclaimer: The information presented in this article is for general intermediary to help you discuss this with the other party? information only, and does not constitute legal, tax or other Have you thought about utilizing a mediator, which is a neutral professional advice. third party who can help you and the other party evaluate the issue at hand to help resolve it and find a compromise point Sumeet P. Shah that will appease both sides? is Principal Attorney at Shah Legal Group, LLC in Atlanta, Georgia. His areas of practice include If there was a written contract in place, does it say the case franchise, corporate, real estate, and estate may need to first be resolved through arbitration? This is planning and business litigation. He can be similar to mediation but typically the arbitrator makes a reached at sumeet.shah@shahlegalgroup.com or (678) 274-9335. decision that is binding on the parties where as the mediation may not be binding. Again, getting third parties to help resolve the issue before filing a lawsuit may help bring a resolution to Welcome To The Wonderful World Of Travel At keep you from filing a lawsuit and getting into court.

Ttravel Guru Shakoon Panjwani

Do you even have a case?

Let’s take for example a potential lawsuit matter over a breach of contract. You may not even have a legally binding agreement that you could file a lawsuit over in the first place.

Have you even met the elements needed to have a contract in place that could have been breached? You may have a contract in place through a written agreement or an oral agreement or understanding. Was there an offer and acceptance to actually form a contract? Was there consideration to form this contract, meaning was there something of value promised in exchange for the specified performance? For example, were you to give consideration such as money to a contractor for that contractor to perform a specified job for you?

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Test Your

Knowledge

1

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This item is filled with hot embers and used to keep warm during Kashmir’s winters.

3

This game has been played in India since ancient times.

4

Name the state capital of Kerala.

This legendary actor, producer and director was born in Peshawar.

5

This is a painting by one of India’s most famous painters.

7

6

What dance style does this photo portray?

8

Identify this famous monument and where it is located.

9

India’s first satellite was named after this mathematician and astronomer of classical India.

What musical instrument is this?

Answers: 1. Kanger or Kangri 2. Pachisi 3. Raj Kapooor 4. Thiruvananthapuram 5. Raja Ravi Varma 6. Sattriya 7. Mahabodhi Temple, Bihar 8.

Aryabhata 9. Santoor Saathee.com

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2. Household goods. You may be able to deduct the cost of packing, crating and transporting your household goods and personal property, including the cost of shipping household pets. You may also be able to include the cost of storing and insuring these items while in transit.

3. Utilities. You can deduct the costs of connecting or disconnecting utilities.

Tax Matters

By Krutika Chheda

Non Deductible Expenses You cannot deduct the following moving-related expenses: Home. You cannot deduct any part of the purchase price of your new home, costs of buying or selling a home, expenses of entering into or breaking a lease, or security deposits.

Vehicle. You may not be able to deduct any expenses you may have made towards car tags, driver license renewal.

Storage. You may not be able to deduct any long term storage charges, except those incurred in transit and for foreign moves.

In general, you can deduct only those expenses that are considered reasonable for the circumstances of your move.

Moved to Carolinas this year?

Helpful tax tips to help pay for your move

Thousands of people relocate every year within the United States and from abroad. If you recently moved to the Carolinas, or are planning to move this year to start a new job, the IRS makes it a little easier for you to pay for it. The tax code allows you to deduct certain expenses related to your relocation on your tax return. You may be able to deduct some of the relocation expenses even if you kept the same job but moved to a different location.

Here are some tips that may help you plan for your tax Reimbursed Expenses return if you relocated this year for a new job or an existing job.

If you are reimbursed by your employer for the costs of the move, your deductions will be limited. If you choose to take a Test to see if you qualify: deduction, the reimbursement from your employer may have to 1. Distance Test. You are allowed to take moving expenses only be included as income on your tax return. If your employer if your move meets the distance test. The distance from your provided you a relocation package, it may probably get included former home to the new job location must be at least 50 miles in your W2 at the end of the year and reported to IRS. more than the distance from your former home to the old job Remember you will pay regular income tax on the amount of location. For example, if your old main job location was 10 relocation assistance that your employer provides you. So make miles from your former home, your new main job location sure you negotiate with your employer accordingly for the must be at least 60 miles from that former home. relocation amount in case of a cash award.

2. Time Test. In order to take the moving expenses deduction, you need to pass the time test. You must work full-time for at Don’t hesitate to call your tax adviser if you need help figuring least 39 weeks during the first year at your new job location, out the amount of your deduction for moving expenses. once you have arrived in the general area of the new location.

So clearly IRS does not allow you to take moving expenses for Keep in mind this column is only meant to provide you with high level information about tax and business matters and in no way should you consider short term assignments and relocation; although, there is a this as tax, financial or legal advice. Consult your tax accountant, financial different deduction that you may qualify for this scenario. advisor and legal advisor regarding your specific individual tax and financial 3. Time Limit. Moving expenses have to be generally incurred situation. This Article provides only an overview to the complex Tax Laws. It within one year of the date you first report to work at a new is not exhaustive nor a substitute for Independent Tax Advice provided by a job location. For example if you started your new job on June Tax Accountant or a Tax Attorney familiar with your case.

15, 2013, you have until following June to incur moving expenses. In some cases this time limit may be extended.

Krutika Chheda Self-Employed Self-employed individuals also qualify for moving expense deductions. However, they must also meet the above distance and time test. The time test criteria are slightly different for selfemployed individuals. They must work full time for a total of at least 78 weeks during the first two years after they arrive in the area of their new job location.

If your income tax return is due before you have satisfied the above requirements, you can still deduct your allowable moving expenses if you expect to meet the time test. There are some special rules and exceptions to these general rules.

Deductible Expenses You may be able to deduct the following eligible expenses for the moving deduction: 1. Travel. You may be able to deduct travel expenses including airfare and hotel for yourself and household members while moving from your former home to your new home. You may also deduct other transportation expenses, including vehicle mileage, parking fees and tolls you pay, but you can only deduct one trip per person.

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Marketing Turnaround

By Gail Z. Martin Creating Results Envy with Compelling Case Studies Results Envy occurs when your prospect sees the outcome you have delivered to your customer and wants it so badly it makes his/her teeth hurt.

Compelling case studies deliver Results Envy when you tell a story that draws the prospect in, evokes emotions and delivers a story that engages emotion.

See, Results Envy works because as human beings, we’re wired for stories. Since the first cavemen crouched around a campfire and shared ghost stories or hunting stories or myths of how the world came to be, we have learned that stories are important for survival.

You see, we are wired for stories. It’s how we learn. It’s how we come to understand the world around us, who we are, where we belong, and what’s possible. The stories we tell—in our families, our communities, our houses of worship, our countries—they give us a sense of identity and they give us our sense of how the world works.

That’s why it’s so risky to decide that you don’t need to tell stories. See facts are good, there’s a place for a list of features and benefits, but that’s not where the big hurdle is to bring people to ‘yes’. It doesn’t happen in the frontal lobes, where the logical thinking occurs. It happens in the lizard brain, the old brain, the amygdala, where everything is driven by emotion. Fight or flight. Friend of enemy. Food or predator.

Mate or threat. That’s the old brain, and it still plays a big part in how we made decisions. It’s the shadow brain, the one that tells us what to be afraid of, and the part of our brain that worries in the middle of the night. Satisfy the lizard brain, and you make the sale.

Case studies can evoke Results Envy better than testimonials.

Testimonials are about the ending. That’s all. They talk about the outcome, but not the journey. They’re short, and we don’t get to know the person giving the testimonial. They could be anyone. We don’t know what they’ve gone through, why the outcome mattered, what was on the line. It’s like reading the last page of a book or watching the last scene of a movie.

There’s a place for testimonials. But testimonials serve as post-purchase reinforcement or pre-purchase encouragement, they don’t make the sale. Case studies—stories—make the sale.

Case studies also overcome the ego/budget factor to create Results Envy.

I want you to realize that you don’t sell services. You don’t sell products. You sell solutions to problems.

If you’re a consultant, you help people figure out what they can’t figure out on their own. If you sell a product, you provide a tool to people to do something they can’t do without your tool. And that’s the problem. Your customer has to admit to being a failure before they are willing to buy your product or services.

Most people won’t buy a solution to their problem until they have tried to fix it themselves. Either they don’t want to spend the money (budget) or they don’t want to admit they can’t do it alone (ego). Think about the last time something Saathee.com

broke at your house. Whether it was a clogged drain or a glitch garage door, I bet you tried at least once—maybe more—to fix it yourself before you called in a professional or went out to Lowe’s or Home Depot to buy a replacement.

Why? Because you didn’t want to spend the money, and you figured ‘it can’t be that hard.’ Am I right? You know that’s how we do things.

But the truth is we try to fix it ourselves. We duct tape things together for as long as we can. We work around the broken part until we can’t stand it anymore, or until it doesn’t work at all, or until someone else refuses to put up with it and makes us do something about it.

We have to fail before we’re ready to buy—and we have to admit to ourselves that we have failed. That hurts. We don’t like that. In fact, we’ll try really hard not to come to that conclusion.

And that’s why people put off buying your products and services.

They’re not ready to fail. They’re not ready to admit that they can’t do it themselves if they try a little harder or a little longer. They’re not ready to put away the duct tape and admit it’s really broken.

Case studies—stories—make it easier for them to get past the ego/budget factor by showing them what happened to someone else. Someone who had a problem just like theirs.

Someone just like them. Someone with the same fears and hopes, who was in a lot of trouble, like them, until they saw the light. Someone who trusted you and your product or service to help, and then got the jackpot, got the solution and peace of mind and money and good night’s sleep and no more acid reflux.

When they get to that point in the story, they’ve got Results Envy and they want what you’ve got more than they want their pride and more than they want their money. And you’ve got a customer.

Now the fourth reason you want Results Envy is because it helps to validate Return on Investment.

For 99% of us, money is finite. There isn’t enough to do everything, so it’s a constant series of trade-offs. Do I buy this because if I do, I can’t buy that. Invest here? If so, can’t invest there. Always an opportunity cost, something you miss out on because you did something else and you can’t do both.

So if you want a customer to spend money with you, that’s money they can’t spend on something else. So not only do you have to get them past that ego/sticker-price issue, you’ve also get them to want what you’ve got to offer more than what they’re passing up to get it.

How do you do that? With Results Envy.

When your prospect wants the outcome so much that he or she can taste it, touch it, smell it, feel it, and imagine themselves living with the solution to their problem, he will validate the ROI to himself. You won’t have to do it. Your prospect will argue themselves into the purchase. She’ll talk herself out of her objections, because she is already sold on the outcome.

Results Envy will make the ROI argument for you.

Write your case studies with Results Envy in mind, and see the difference it makes turning prospects into customers!

Gail Z. Martin owns DreamSpinner Communications.

Contact her at Gail@GailMartinMarketing.com

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March 2014

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Swami Vivekananda:

yoga therapy which is widely practiced in all over USA and the world today.

It is ironic that a century later and more, we live in a world today where sectarian violence and wars between world’s dominant religions inter-mingled with political demonism continue to cause bloodshed, destroy lives, disenfranchise communities and bring unbearable miseries to human beings.

Worldwide, the gender discrimination and unbearable poverty are ubiquitous. The world today needs to follow what he said 120 years ago for a universal brotherhood and global citizenry that could live in peace and harmony through tolerance and acceptance.

Last year the world celebrated the 150th birth anniversary of Vivekananda. The Ramkrishna Vedanta Society of North Carolina will present an innovative and multimedia show called Swamiji, to retell his vision and life story in an evocative manner. The show is designed to show what he stood for and how potent his message still rings today for self and spiritual development, and for a world that is riddled with conflict and above all to promote universal brotherhood, equality, freedom from bondage and justice for all mankind.

19th Century Monk and a Visionary World Leader

By Kalyan K. Ghosh Swami Vivekananda, an ardent disciple of incarnate Shree Ram Krishna, unknown to the West, suddenly at age 30 became a legend after delivering a memorable and bold speech in the Parliament of Religions in Chicago in 1893. Unlike other religious leaders who spoke before him and in their speeches promoted the supremacy of their respective religions while denouncing others, Vivekananda proclaimed the validity of every great religion of the world merely as pathways to God and forcefully denounced against all forms of faith-based intolerance.

“Sectarianism, bigotry, and its horrible descendant, fanaticism, have long possessed this beautiful earth,” he said.

“They have filled the earth with violence, drenched it often and often with human blood, destroyed civilization and sent whole nations to despair. Had it not been for these horrible demons, human society would be far more advanced than it is now.”

His penetrating and insightful speech on religious harmony and tolerance was cited by Sir Mark Tulley of BBC as the greatest of all speeches ever made. But that was just the beginning; being persuaded by numerous enthusiastic and highly impressed amongst American public, over next several years, he would go on to preach his doctrine of universal brotherhood, religious unity and harmony and spiritual realization all over America, England and India, captivating audiences everywhere.

Vivekananda preached eloquently and yet simplistically the fundamental approaches to spiritual as well as practical daily life, presenting Vedanta as a universal framework for understanding religion and a universal system for unfolding our innate human and spiritual potential.

He initiated Ramkrishna Missions in America, to teach and propagate the teachings of Vedanta, and to help individuals become free from all bondages by realizing the divine within.

To Vivekananda religion was not about talk or doctrine, or dogma or theory, but is about realization, as he said, “it is being and becoming, not hearing or acknowledging; it is the whole soul becoming changed into what it believes. Also, to preach unto mankind their divinity and how to make it manifest in every movement of life,” our daily life that is.

Like few other immortal icons in human history, Vivekananda truly was a man for all ages and all virtues. Based upon Vedantic philosophical doctrines, he articulated his views on education, character building, on womanhood and treatment of women and minorities, on service to community and above all the importance of faith in one’s self. He argued that since God lives in every soul, and since soul does not have gender or wealth, so one must treat every human being, man or woman, rich or poor equally.

This is why he stressed on Shiva Jnane Jiva Seva, man is potentially Divine, so, service to man is indeed service to God. His pronouncements on these subjects are as relevant in sociocultural fabric, economic and political discourse in all societies today as they were when he proclaimed them more than a century ago. He believed that human mind could be a source of immense power only when it is controlled and concentrated and so he preached people to practice intense meditation and Saathee.com

About the Show and the Artist: The show mixes cuttingedge laser animation, three-dimensional visual effects, as well as stagecraft and performance art in a journey through Vivekananda’s inspirational life. The show commences with rare, black and white original images that take the audience to the 1893 Columbian Exposition before arriving at Columbus Hall in the Chicago Art Institute. There, Swami Vivekananda gives his famous speech at the Parliament of Religions, where the opening line produced a standing ovation that lasted over two minutes.

As his message of religious tolerance is carried out and white doves are seen flying from the roof of the Art Institute, the black and white images come to life in colorful laser and 3D visual effects to narrate the “Swamiji” story from the beginning—all through the medium of the state-of-the-art lighting technology.

The venue is Duke Energy Center for performing Arts, Raleigh, NC and the show will be on Saturday, March 8, 2014 at 7pm. The creator/artist/producer Manick Sorcar is an internationally acclaimed award-winning artist in various media who uses his own brand of magic at his fingertips with fine arts, cartoons, animations, laser arts and world-touring stage shows with live action mixed with laser animation. For further details on the show visit www.swamiji.vedantanc.org.

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as decreased venous circulation. It can also be associated with lipedema, a genetic condition that affects mostly women and is identified by abnormal fatty deposits located below the skin of gravity dependent joints.. Individuals with lipedema complain of sensitivity to touch and can bruise easily. They may also note increased swelling as the day goes with prolonged sitting and standing. This may decrease by resting with the arm elevated or during sleep. Lipedema patients often benefit from manual treatment and a focus on reduction of pain.

Healthwise Post-mastectomy and breast cancer: Do you have swelling and pain in the arm?

By Chetan Deshmukh

Why is lymphatic system important to our body and health?

A healthy lymphatic system is critical to maintaining one’s health by removing wastes, infections and organisms. A normal lymphatic system helps maintain a balance of fluids in the body. The lymph vessel system carries excess water, proteins and waste products from the muscle and connective tissue back to the blood. On the way to the heart, the lymph is cleaned and filtered in lymph nodes. Similar to roadways and highways, if there is increase traffic and./or problems along the roadway that slows down the flow of traffic, there is slowing down of lymphatic system. This results in visible swelling in the arm and legs.

Damage to the body tissues from burns, chronic inflammation, ulceration, and hematoma increases the waste products and toxins that must be cleared from the body. The sooner this movement of toxic fluids can happen, the faster recovery of the injured body part.

What is lymph?

Lymph is a colorless fluid containing white blood cells that bathes the tissues and drains through the lymphatic system into the bloodstream.

What is lymphedema?

Lymphedema is an accumulation of protein-rich fluid in the tissue of the skin caused by damage to the lymphatic system.

This condition occurs when there is difficulty the normal flow of lymph. It can be caused by deficiencies in the lymph vessels or nodes in the fetus during pregnancy. This type of lymphedema is called Primary Lymphedema.

Secondary lymphedema can be the result of an external cause such as lymph node surgery, radiation treatment, obstruction, trauma or injury to the lymph vessels. An example of secondary lymphedema would be after treatment for breast cancer when patients experience swelling in the arm, chest wall, and/or trunk after surgery.

Damage, blockage or absence of lymph vessels leads to a reduced transport capacity of the lymph vessel system. Fluid and proteins may not be removed properly and may accumulate in the tissues in the skin and lymph vessels.

Proteins in the tissues attract water from the blood stream into the tissues. There is an imbalance between the inflow and outflow of the fluid causing what we know as “swelling.”

Lymphedema treatment Lymphedema treatment begins with an initial evaluation by a therapist to determine a course of treatment. Therapeutic techniques, including exercise and manual lymph massage, are commonly used to improve lymphatic drainage. Patient education is provided about the long-term management of lymphedema. When the lymphatic flow is not adequate to meet the demands for drainage, it may result in increased swelling, skin changes, discoloration and ulcers and wounds on the involved part of the body.

Lymphedema signs and symptoms include: • Aching limbs / pain and discomfort • Decreased ability to move joints of the upper extremity • Decreased functional mobility • Decreased muscular strength • Disfiguring edema (difficulty finding shoes or clothes) • Fibrosis (thickening of the tissue that causes hardening of the skin) • Impact on quality of life • Limb heaviness • Open skin areas or wounds • Skin changes (redness/purplish discoloration, dryness, increased warmth)

Types of lymphedema treatment Combined Decongestive Therapy (CDT) may include remedial exercise therapy, compression bandaging (or compression garments) and therapeutic skin care. It may also include breathing and pool exercises, and dietary measures.

Treatment also includes education of self-care techniques; selfmassage, self-compression bandaging, home exercise program and skin care. Lymphedema is a chronic condition that can be successfully managed with on-going maintenance.

Combined Decongestive Therapy (CDT) is a successful method of treating lymphedema. It must be adapted to the specific requirements of each patient. Patients should seek treatment from a a fully qualified occupational therapist who understands, not only the pathology, but also the most appropriate treatment for the condition.

What is primary and secondary lymphedima?

• Primary Lymphedema: Lymphedema can occur at any time. Some babies are born with this condition if they do not have a normal lymph system. Teenagers may also lymphedema in growing years.

Adults may also develop lymphedema after age 35.

• Secondary Lymphedema: Lymphedema may develop after trauma, cancer, surgery and/or radiation treatment.

continued on page 118 Chetan Deshmukh, MBA, OTR/L, CPC, CHDA is a Hand Rehabilitation Specialist based in Cary, NC Email: info@theraccess.com Website: www.theraccess.com Twitter: #theraccess

Can lymphedema be associated with other diseases?

Lymphedema can be associated with chronic conditions such Saathee.com

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•Avoid crash diets that restrict your intake to less than 1000 calories a day. Your metabolism slows down and your body conserves energy to use for the vital body functions. Also eat every 3-4 hours to fuel your metabolism and do not forget to exercise.

Nutrition for Life

•It is important to get eight hours of sleep. Research has shown that sleep deprivation can have impact on your ability to lose weight. Lack of sleep results in lower level s of appetite suppressing hormone Leptin and higher level of appetite boosting hormone Ghrelin. Also when you sleep less you have more opportunity to eat late at night.

By Anjana Agarwal

Nutrition Pearls

•All calories are created equal. What matters the most when it comes to weight loss is the balance of calories in versus calories out. If you burn more calories than you consume, you •Fresh foods are the best, but if you are overworked, sleep will lose weight, whether the calories come from balance meal, deprived and to avoid washing, peeling, dicing your or pizza, cookies and soda. But balanced meals are very vegetables, go for frozen vegetables rather than canned. important for your health to get the essential vitamin, minerals Frozen vegetable are picked at their peak. Low-calorie frozen and other nutrients. meals are also convenient, try transferring the frozen meal on •One of the important tools for weight loss success is track the dinner plate and add a serving of salad or vegetable. Spice everything you eat and drink, it gives you the idea where the it up to change the taste and flavor. calories are coming from, what is your downfall and will give a concrete way to review your weight management and Try this healthy and protein-rich tofu and vegetable stir fry: healthy lifestyle goals.

•If you do crave for sweets, be smart about your choices.

Choose fruits, frozen or Greek Yogurt. If you want to indulge in your favorite dessert, keep the portion small so you don’t undo all your healthy eating for that day or week.

You need to enjoy your food, follow rule of “20”, take at least 20 minutes to eat your meal and chew each bite 20 times.

•Go through your pantry, fridge, get rid of unhealthy foods, It is better to waste than all the calories go to your waist. If you have cut-up fruits, vegetable, you have many more chances of eating them.

Ingredients: 1 Tbsp of oil (try sesame oil) 4 garlic cloves crushed 1 Tbsp grated ginger 1 Tbsp soy sauce 2 Tbsp chili sauce 2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar ½ cup spring onion chopped 2 cups any cut up vegetables (can use frozen Chinese vegetables) 1 cup sliced mushrooms 1 8 ounce firm tofu- cut in to small pieces

•Balance meal- Include protein, healthy fats- nuts, olive oil, canola oil, avocado, low fat dairy, whole grains, lentils, fish, Method: Heat the oil in a wok over a high heat. Roast garlic and low fat poultry in most of your meals. Always think of whole ginger for few minutes. Add vegetables and all the ingredients foods rather than processed foods. except tofu. Stir fry 5-7 minutes on high heat, Add tofu, continue to cook another five minutes. Serve with brown rice •Hydration- Make sure you are drinking adequate amount of or cooked soba noodles. water, 8-10 glasses a day. Make a habit to drink a glass of water before any time you eat. Also try to have green tea or Try this high fiber and nutrients rich smoothie: ginger tea with lemon without sugar. Avoid soda as much as you can, one 12 oz can of soda has 10 teaspoons of sugar.

Ingredients: •Surround yourself with family and friends who understand 2 ½ cup fresh or frozen blueberries your goals and values, rather than encourage you to sabotage 2 cups low fat milk 2 tablespoons ground flax meal your goals.

1 tbsp Stevia powder or to taste •Exercise- Physical activity is as important as brushing your teeth. You need both aerobic exercise to keep your heart Method: Blend all the above ingredients in a blender until healthy and weight-bearing exercise to keep your bones and smooth, making 4 servings. Each serving provides 135 calories, muscles strong. The fact is more muscle mass burns more 6 grams of protein, and 3.5 grams of fiber and 17 grams of calories. A personal trainer can design an exercise plan to fit carbohydrates. your need and profile. Always consult your doctor to know your limit. Start slowly and slowly increase the level. Exercise For individual nutrition counseling see a registered dietitian. Many needs to be fun, like dancing or walking when talking on the insurance companies now pay for the consults. phone. Get a buddy to walk with you. Join a gym, swimming, or water aerobics. It also helps to change your workout Anjana Agarwal, MS, RD, LDN, CDE routine.

•Make your food spicy to the tolerance. Add hot sauce, cayenne pepper, jalapenos, hot salsa to your food. Research has shown that you consume 50-60 calories less and burn extra 15-20 calories. It is a small number but it adds up over time.

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Registered Dietitian Phone: 704-890-3162 Carolina Nutrition (Adult & Pediatric) www.carolinanutrition.com

March 2014

Edit Notes

By Samir Shukla The persuasion of polling “One of the penalties for refusing to participate in politics is that you end up being governed by your inferiors.” - Plato The months preceding elections are peppered with polls.

Some are conducted by reputable organizations or academia and are quite non-partisan as well as accurate. Many polls, though, are conducted by partisan operatives in the guise of pollsters. They word their polling questions in a manner that respondents will answer in the operative’s favor. The questions don’t try to get critical or analytical answers, but instead prod the participant into making emotional responses. A few key words in a polling question can determine the bias the polling group is attempting to find. This bias is generally in their favor.

Some of these pre-election polls have become a tool in promoting the views of special interest groups. An issue can be framed on either side of a debate by simply wording a polling question to get a desired response.

Here are two examples of polling questions on spying and phone tapping of American citizens by its own government.

Each is intended to generate opposite response. The first one is intended to generate responses in favor of the government to gain more leverage in spying on citizens.

Do you feel that intercepting phone calls of a few individuals enhances the government’s ability to track international terrorists and to ensure the national security of Americans?

This question is designed to evoke an emotional response on the side of the government because of the words used in the question. By using the key words “few individuals,” “international terrorists,” and “ensure security,” the question will likely receive a greater percentage of answers that are positive toward letting the government intercept phone calls when deemed necessary.

It is easier to answer with “yes” to this question because by answering no, the respondent has to think further and formulate answers to justify why the government should not spy on its own citizens. Also, in this question there is no mention of the civil liberties of Americans and how pervasive is the phone tapping. The way this question is worded, most Americans would think, “I don’t have anything to hide,” therefore they would likely not be negative toward phone tapping. By using the word intercepting instead of tapping in the question, the respondent feels the act may be more of a preemptive measure than loss of personal civil liberties.

The second question, essentially covering the same topic, is written in a manner to generate responses in favor of civil liberties and against government spying of American citizens.

security or fighting terrorism in this question, the emotions are geared toward civil liberties being ransacked by governmental spying. The key words here are “overstepping bounds,” “tapping phone lines,” and “legal warrants.”

This question puts the burden on the government to produce evidence or a policy that would seem fair to the average American. This question presents a scenario of a big brother government, less interested in the civil liberties of its own citizens and more interested in the narrow objectives of a few hawks in the administration. By emphasizing “tapping” of phone lines instead of intercepting, the feeling is created that this is blanket spying and not case-by-case interception that may help in identifying terrorists or their connections.

As the 2014 elections heat up, polls will be appearing all over the place. Some will be legitimate, designed to gauge where voters are leaning on topics or candidates. Other pollsters could be tricksters. Be wary of where or who the poll is conducted by, especially those linked to partisan groups.

Polling is a necessary part of information dissemination, attempting to gauge the public’s views on varied matters and policies. In the contemporary folds of mass information available 24 hours a day thorough many media, there needs to be some marker to work with, some level of comparison, and polling serves one such purpose.

Put polls into perspective, just as one should put politicians, their words, advertisements, connections, views and policies in perspective. Politics requires homework and research; it is easy to be persuaded by emotional words and appeals.

Worth Reading: Return to the Rivers: Recipes and Memories of the Himalayan River Valleys (Lake Isle Press; Author Vikas Khanna with Andrew Blackmore-Dobbyn).

Chef and author Vikas Khanna has worked to bring the foods and peoples of the Himalayan region to the fore in this book, which is as much a travelogue of the region as it is a book of recipes. He explores the foods of Northern India, Bhutan, Nepal, Tibet and western China with over 100 photos of dishes, people and places. His musings and travel writing infuse further seasoning to the recipes he writes about. Recipes include Durbar Square Chaat Piti to the Vaishno Devi Chickpeas, Kashmiri Lamb Rogan Josh to Bhutanese sweets, Tibetan breads and Nepalese pickles. Most recipes are simple and require few ingredients. Recipes include noodles, soups, vegetables, fish, eggs, breads, desserts and beverages. Of course variations of many recipes in the book are common all over the Subcontinent. Khanna also covers many of the basic spices used in the cooking as well as items that would be good to keep in the pantry. Since most of us can’t travel the globe to find recipes or culinary delights, well-researched books like this are gems worthy of adding to personal libraries. Born in India, Khanna learned to cook from his grandmother. He apprenticed and worked with many renowned chefs in India and moved to the US in 2000 and is currently one of NYC’s top-rated chefs.

Do you feel the government is overstepping its bounds by tapping the phones of American citizens without obtaining legal warrants?

This question is effective in getting respondents to answer in a negative manner toward the government because the wording of the question suggests the government is doing something illegal. Also, there is no mention of national security or even terrorism in this question. By not including issues of Saathee.com

Samir Shukla is the editor of Saathee magazine. contact - saatheemag@hotmail.com

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News Notes Engineering Camp Charlotte The College of Engineering at North Carolina State University (NCSU) is bringing its well-established, youth engineering summer program to Charlotte. Engineering Summer Programs has existed in Raleigh since 1999. Known locally as Engineering Camp Charlotte, the program offers four separate week-long day camps to rising grades 3-8 students in July. The program will be held in the newly-constructed James E. and Mary Anne Rogers Science and Health Building at Queens University of Charlotte. The curriculum, designed every summer by NCSU, exposes participants to the engineering design process and the 14 Grandio9 Challenges developed by the National Academy of Engineering. Participants are given engineering design challenges that test their ability to communicate, collaborate and problem solve. The challenges also expose participants to multiple fields of engineering. The program has received hundreds of applications from families who have children that attend over 70 different schools in the region. This response comes as no surprise since last year NCSU received 2,200 applications for 1,084 spots at its other program locations in Raleigh, Hickory and Rocky Mount. Applications for the Camp are due by Friday, March 7, 2014 at 5pm. Info on the program at www.EngineeringCampCharlotte.com.

101 Inventions That Changed the World Discovery Place of Charlotte brings audiences an interactive journey through time to celebrate history, science, creativity and innovation through the multi-sensory experience, 101 Inventions That Changed The World, now through April 21, 2014. The experience brings an immersive experience of sight and sound from more than 6,000 different video files, 40 projectors and floor-to-ceiling walls that display crystal clear images and cinema quality surround sound. From stone tools to the birth of the Internet, this spectacular journey of inventions delivers a multi-sensory presentation like no other.

Each invention is featured with a multimedia display of details - location, inventor, description and date come alive with color, motion graphics, video footage, sound bites and music.

The inventions count down to the one deemed the most influential of all time.

The choices and their sequence are sure to inspire debate and conversation among visitors of all ages.

As visitors walk through the exhibition, they may encounter some of the inventors themselves! Spend time in discussion with Alexander Graham Bell, inventor of the telephone; learn about telescopes and astronomy from Galileo; or draw hieroglyphics with Berenib, queen of the ancient society that created the alphabet. You may even run into Necessity, the Mother of Invention herself, and discover how she continues to inspire and spark creativity. Inventors will vary for each showing, so check the board at Discovery Place Admissions for the Inventor of the Day. In addition to the countdown toward to the number one Saathee.com

development of all time, the Artifact Display features a display of 60 inventions, which are explained and enhanced through the use of touch screens. Layers of facts, diagrams and video are available to dive deeper into the science and genius behind the inventions.

For those inventions that are not practical to display in their physical form, the Augmented Reality 3D Experience allows visitors to interact with inventions such as the Artificial Satellite, virtually walking around the invention to see it from different angles.

After exploring other inventors’ creations, guests will have the opportunity to exercise their own inner innovator in the Inventors Den. Invent and interact with some Discovery Place creations that connect inventions through time. Guests can tinker and create the next technological breakthrough using extraordinary materials including magnetic putty, conductive ink and Makey Makeys invention kits. In addition, see what resident tinkerers have built: • Light and Dark Sensitive Record Player - Remember Grandma’s old record player? Now, instead of playing music, this re-imagined record player reads light and dark images that are placed on its turntable. Visitors can design their own “image record” to create images that play a unique song, composed by you.

• The Sound of Science - Discovery Place is reinventing the rock star with wavelength technology. As visitors strum the guitar, lasers will pulse in conjunction with the wavelength of the chord being played.

• Rewriting History - Reinvent the obsolete with a new use for that old typewriter. Thanks to a digital and mechanical upheaval, visitors will be able to type messages on an oldfashioned typewriter and see their text on a computer screen instead of paper.

• Sonar Pong - Pong was one of the earliest arcade video games. In a technology trade out, Discovery Place educators have swapped out TV knobs with sonar technology to create a brand new Pong game, where visitors are the Pong paddles and walk on the play field to move the paddles.

• 3D Printing - Did you know there is a 3D printer large enough to print a house? While we aren’t building any houses, visitors will be able to watch as parts are manufactured before their eyes using 3D printing technology.

For younger visitors, LEGO bricks, designed in 1958 by Ole Kirk Christianson of Denmark, are available for little inventors to assemble as their imagination directs; yes, LEGOs are one of the 101 inventions.

The inventions, selected by a panel of experts from international science institutions, are historical punctuation points in a story that explores not just the inventions, but also the reasoning behind their development and their consequences on humankind and the course of history.

After touring the exhibition hall, head over to The Stage to play the 101 Inventions Pyramid, a fast-paced game show that tests your knowledge about the inventions in the exhibition.

Audience members will be divided into teams, and each side will have a chance to answer all the questions correctly to be declared invention champions.

For more details visit www.discoveryplace.org.

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Regular Activities Worship Service - Sundays at 8:30 AM Child Care Available 1524, North Harrison Avenue, Cary (Next to SAS Campus) Children’s Sunday School & Adult Bible Study - Sundays at 11 AM 1215 Jones Franklin Rd Suite 204 Prayer Fellowship - Wednesdays at 7:00 PM Meet at Four Zones at host families Raleigh, Durham, Apex, Cary, Morrisville, Holly Springs & Chapel Hill

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Community Focus follows: Friday, March 21, 2014 Dinner will be from 6:30 – 7:30pm and then the show will begin.

The venue is Hindu Bhavan, 309 Aviation parkway, Morrisville, NC. For full details on tickets call 919.460.4305 or 919.724.7300.

Saturday, March 22, 2014 There will be 6 to 7 pm Social hour and the program will start 7.30pm. The venue is Meadow Glenn Middle School 440, Ginny Lane. Lexington SC. For details write to: Janak Dalal / jaydalalcolumbia@gmail.com Sunday, March 23, 2014 Dinner from 6 – 7pm and show will begin at 7:15pm. The venue is Hindu Center Vihar Hall, 7400 City View Dr., Charlotte. For more information call Kamesh Tulasi at 704.787.3349 or write to himadeeps@yahoo.com

Events of Note Local Talent Show 2014 The annual local talent show, sponsored by Indian Classical Music and Dance Society, will take place on Saturday, March 8, 2014 at 1 pm. The venue is North Carolina Museum of Arts, 2110 Blue Ridge Rd, Raleigh, NC. For more details on entry forms and performances visit www.icmds.org.

Basant Bahar 2014 Hum Sub Presents “Basant Bahar 2014” - Panchabhootham – The Five Elements of Nature in Harmony. The annual event will feature a tribute to an Ancient Indian cultural ideology Panchabhootham, which says that all of creation, including the human body, is made up of five essential elements of nature ie.

Water (Jal), Fire (Agni), Earth (Bhoomi), Air (Vaayu) and Space (Aakash) and in the end they dissolve back into these five elements, thereby balancing the cycle of nature. The event takes place on Sunday, March 9, 2014 at Cary Arts Center, 101 Dry Avenue, Cary NC. For further details visit www.humsub.net.

“Masters of Percussion” with Zakir Hussain Tabla maestro Ustad Zakir Hussain brings his “Masters of Percussion” tour to Durham. Hussain is globally known as an innovator as well master and ambassador of traditional Hindustani music. Featuring sitarist: Niladri Kumar, sarangi player: Dilshad Khan. Jazz drummer Steve Smith along with V Selvaganesh (kanjira and ghatam), Vijay S. Chavan (dholki) and Deepak Bhatt (dhol) will also perform. The concert is on Thursday, March 27, 2014 at 8pm at Durham Performance Arts of Center (DPAC), Durham, NC. Tickets and information available at 919-680-2787 or www.dukeperformances.org.

Ladies Night An evening of fun for ladies of all ages will take place on Saturday, March 15, 2014 from 6 – 11pm at Senior Center at Bond Park, 120 Maury Odell Place, Cary, NC. The evening is presented by Pakistani-American Anjuman of NC. The theme of the evening is Bhangra and features best outfit show, competition, and comedy performance. There will be mehndi and food stalls. Tickets are $5 (members) & $7 (non-members).

For more details call 919.949.2080 or visit www.ncpaa.org.

India Fest 2014 Nuv Yug presents the 11th annual India Fest on Saturday & Sunday, March 22-23, 2014 at the Dorton Arena, State Fairgrounds, Raleigh, NC. All programs are indoors and there is free parking. Over the years, India Fest has been an exposition of South Asian culture and an opportunity for the Triangle community to discover Indian cultural arts through an array of dance, music, fashion, crafts and cuisine. The festival includes various performances by local dance groups, vocalists and musicians of all ages, as well as professional performances. For more details visit www.nuvyug.net.

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Rang De Holi Annual Holi dhuleti festival with colors, food, and music will take place on Sunday, March 23 from 11am – 1pm at the Hindu Center of Charlotte, 7400 City View Dr. Sweet ladus will be provided with the help of Active Senior Citizen Group. For more details visit www.hcclt.org.

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Ekal Musical Evenings Ekal Vidyalaya, a non-profit that works to educate rural and tribal children in India, will hold its annual musical showcase in the Carolinas. The shows feature Sunil Menon (winner of Sa Re Ga Ma 2005) and Vibhavari Yadav (Nightingale of Gujarat) along with live musicians presenting old and new Bollywood hits. The shows are scheduled as Saathee.com

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Community Organizations various Indian languages are used in the Sunday services.

Contact for further details Rev. Dr. K.C. Paul (704.771.1414), Rajan Mathew (704.756.4969), Jose Varughese (704.453.6177), Varughese K. Thomas (803.322.9549).

Charlotte Art of Living (Healing with the Breath) 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 come together in service and celebration.

For Further Details: 980-216-8732 charlotte@us.artofliving.org www.artofliving.org or www.artofliving.org/charlotte

Charlotte Gita Study Group Beginners and advanced students of the Gita are welcome. The group meets the second and fourth Sunday of each month from 3 - 5 pm. This course is based on the Home Study Course of the Arsha Vidya Gurukulam, Saylorsburg, PA. Each session starts with a meditation followed by a recorded lecture in English, supplemented by discussion among the group.

For further details: Rishi and Shikha Bhatnagar, rishi@solveron.com, 513.518.5300 Shridhar and Kruti Dave, skdave@hotmail.com, 704.844.9567 Naras and Beena Eechambadi, narasee@gmail.com www.freewebs.com/gitastudy

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.

Charlotte Hindu Center Table Tennis The group meets every Wednesday from 6.30 - 10 pm. New players come after 7.30 pm for orientation. The TT action takes place at the Vihar Hall of Charlotte’s Hindu Center, 7400 City View Drive, Charlotte, NC 28134. All levels and types of play.

Free coaching and lessons. For further details: 704.607.8412.

BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir Regularly scheduled activities include a daily Aarti at 6:30 am and 7 pm. Darshan: Mon-Fri 6:30 am-12:30 pm and 4 - 8:30 pm, Sat/Sun 6:30 am-8:30 pm. Gujarati classes are held every Sunday from 3 - 4 pm and “Satsang Sabha” is held every Sunday at 4:30 p.m. The Swaminarayan Temple is located at 4100 Margaret Wallace Rd, Charlotte, NC, 28105.

For Further Details: 704.573.0805 704.573.0820 (fax)

Charlotte Indian Christian Fellowship We meet on the third Saturday of every month at 6:30 PM for Prayer, Bible Study and Fellowship. Anyone who is interested to spend an evening with us is welcome to come with your family and friends.

For Further Details: Hema at 704.841.7060 hadhopper@hotmail.com Charlotte Indian Karaoke Group CIKG invites karaoke lovers to come and sing Hindi songs on karaoke. It does not matter whether you are a beginner or experienced. The most important thing is to get together and have fun. The event is held once a month, usually on Friday or Saturday. Entry and participation is free.

For Further Details: Dinesh Patel at cikgrocks@yahoo.com

Bethel Christian Fellowship Bethel Christian Fellowship offers services in various Indian languages (i.e. Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, etc.) .Sunday School Time - 11:15 - 11:45 am; Sunday Worship Service time : 11:45 - 1:15 pm. Sunday Service Location: Fort Mill Church of God, Student Life Center Building, 216 Academy Street, Room 102. Fort Mill, South Carolina 29715. Saturday Service Location: Life Builders Church - 730 Oak Dale Rd, Charlotte NC 28216.

For further details: 803.792.7223; pastorofbcf@gmail.com (Pastor: Rajan Samuel).

Charlotte Kriya Yoga Group Charlotte Kriya Yoga Group Promotes Kriya Yoga Meditation practices as taught by 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- even in one lifetime.Center hosts two annual initiation programs and a weekly Sunday meditation for initiates.

For Further Details: Agupta1@Carolina.rr.com www.kriya.org

Carolina Sanskrutik Maharashtra Mandal CSMM promotes Maharashtrian culture and language.

Maharashtra mandal is committed to serve Carolina Marathi community with various cultural, social and traditional Marathi programs and events.

For Further Details: Sangeeta Korde, sangeet_k@yahoo.com, 704.421.4279 Sonali Tamhane, sonali_tamhane21@yahoo.com, 704.364.8605 www.charlottemarathimandal.com

Charlotte Malayalee Association The purpose of this association is to promote and facilitate the cultural, educational, social and economic welfare of the Charlotte and regional Malayalee community. For Further

Carolinas Christian Assembly - Charlotte Everyone is cordially invited to join for Sunday worship, Bible class, Sunday school: Sundays from 9 am - 12 pm. English and Saathee.com

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Community Organizations the EVFUSA conducts fund raising and awareness programs in North and South Carolina.

Upcoming Events: Ekal Annual Fundraiser: March 21-23, Raleigh, Columbia, Charlotte For Further Details: Ekal Charlotte: Kameswar Tulasi / himadeeps@yahoo.com Ekal Columbia: Janak Dalal / jaydalalcolumbia@gmail.com

Details: Sunu Sebastian (sunu@email.com) or www.cltma.org.

Charlotte Tamil Sangam Charlotte Tamil Sangam works to bring together the vibrant Tamil community in the Charlotte area and strives to promote the Tamil language, arts and culture. For Further Details: Lakshmanan Krishnan (lakshmanank@hotmail.com) or visit www.cltts.org

Gurdwara Sahib - Charlotte The Sikh Heritage Society strives to unite and enrich the lives of the Sikh & Punjabi communities of Charlotte and surrounding areas. “Gurdwara” address: 1760 Stoney Creek Lane, Charlotte, NC 28262.

Regular Program: Every Sunday: 10 - 11am, Asa Di War by Bhai Satnam Singh Jee, 11:00 am – 12:00 pm, Keertan by Children, 12:00 pm – 1:15 pm, Keertan by Bhai Satnam Singh Jee, 1:15 pm - 1:30 pm, Ardaas, followed by Guru Ka Langar.

For Further Details: Gurdwara: 704.509.2828 704.541.0350 (Sajjan Dhaliwal), sajjan@carolina.rr.com, 704.948.8091 (Inderjeet Rajpal), irajpal@aol.com

Charlotte Telangana Association Charlotte Telangana Assoc was formed to promote Telangana cultural activities within greater Charlotte area and also bring 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 Telangana areas.

For Further Details: 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 universal remedy for universal ills. The Charlotte Vipassana Meditation Group holds weekly group sits and monthly all day sits for established students (those who have taken at least one ten day course from S. N. Goenka or one of his assistant teachers). Ten-day courses are also available for all students. There is never a charge for a course. To apply for a 10 day retreat visit www.patapa.dhamma.org For Further Details: 704.277.5013, rbddesai@gmail.com 704.563.5440, dspranger@gmail.com www.dhamma.org

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

The Hindu Center is located at 7400 City View Drive, Charlotte, NC 28212.

Upcoming Events: Sun, Mar 16: Holika Dahan, 6:30pm Sat, Mar 22: Holi cultural show, 3 - 5pm Sun, Mar 23: Dhuleti, noon For Further Details: 704.535.3440 or 704.607.8412 (facility manager) admin@hcclt.org or www.hcclt.org

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

For Further Details: 704.541.3361 (Rama Rachakonda), 704.814.9355 (Lakshmi Muthukrishnan) lakshmi7778@yahoo.com cmacmusic@yahoo.com www.onlinecmac.com

IAMC (Indian American Muslim Council) Charlotte Chapter IAMC is an independent organization committed to promoting peace, pluralism and social justice for all through advocacy.

The organization is also committed to promote and protect human rights and human dignity in India as they are the foundation of freedom, justice and peace. IAMC-Charlotte, seeks to reach out to Indian Muslims living in and around Charlotte to join efforts to promote Peace and Social Justice for all, and to strive for Inter-Faith, Inter-Community understanding particular focus on Indian Diaspora.

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

Dada Bhagwan Group What is Gnan Vidhi? It is scientific process of attaining Self Realization in the presence of Atmagnani. It is the gracing of real knowledge that separates the real Self from the non-self.

The benefits of Gnan Vidhi are many like attaining awareness of the soul, getting solution through right understanding, removing wrong beliefs and destroying past sins. For further details contact 877 505 Dada (3232). www.dadabhagwan.org Ekal Vidyalaya Foundation 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, economic wellbeing and happiness. The Carolinas Region of Saathee.com

India Association of Charlotte (Festival of India) The organization works to foster fostering better understanding of the rich diversity of Indian culture by the larger community in and around Charlotte. A key activity is the annual Festival of India, which will be held every September in uptown Charlotte over 2 days. The festival also 92

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Community Organizations and temporary shelter and housing.

For Further Details call or visit website: 24 Hour Crisis Hotline: 1877- NC-KIRAN or 1-877-625-4726 Phone: 919-839-6203 Email: kiran@kiraninc.org www.kiraninc.org

features special events.

For Further Details: Toni Sawhney 704-604-2133 Lal Vishin 704-545-3727 www.indiafestival.net Indian Performing Arts Association of Charlotte (IPAAC) IPAAC (Indian Performing Arts Association of Charlotte) promotes classical Hindustani music by inviting well-known artists from India. IPAAC is offering music classes at various locations in Charlotte. For details send an email to musicschool@ipaac.org.

Upcoming Events: Fri, May 2: Vocal concert by Dr. Ashwini Bhide Deshpande, 8pm, at Tate Recital Hall, CPCC Central Campus, Charlotte.

For Further Details: Chaula Jain 704.364.0984 Jyoti Kulkarni 704.804.1275 contact@ipaac.org www.ipaac.org

Net IP Charlotte NetIP Charlotte is the only official Carolinas chapter of North America’s Largest Network of Indian Professionals. NetIP Charlotte provides a forum for on-going Career Developmental and Professional Networking activities. It arranges various events and maintains deeper ties with Businesses & the community. It provides various effective ways for Carolinas’ Indian Professionals to connect with other successful professionals.

For Further Details: www.netIPnc.org Pratham - Charlotte Area Pratham organizes grassroots programs in the area of primary education. Pratham has made an impact on the learning levels of several million children through its Read India campaign.

Pratham has developed an accelerated learning technique which helps children to read and write in two months. With nearly half the children in India who attend schools are 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 or 980-622-0125) and Shubhra Chakraborty (shubhra.chakraborty1@gmail.com) or 704-942-4798). www.prathamusa.org.

Jain Center of Greater Charlotte (JCGC) The JCGC serves the spiritual, cultural, social, and community needs of Jain families in and around metropolitan Charlotte area. JCGC is dedicated to the practice, understanding, promotion, and preservation of the Jain faith. Members meet regularly for worship, ceremonies, and festivals throughout the year. The Jain Center is located at 7631 Mallard Creek Rd., Charlotte, NC 28262.

Upcoming Events: Sunday, Mar 2, 2014 (Ekam): Snatra Puja @ 10:30 am Sun, Mar 9, 2014 (Aatham): Paathshala for children @ 10:30 am Saturday, Mar 15, 2014 (Chaudas): Pakkhi Pratikraman @ 7 pm Sunday, Mar 23, 2014 (Satam): Monthly Meeting, Paathshala for children @ 4 pm Saturday, Mar 29, 2014 (Chaudas): Pakkhi Pratikraman @ 7 pm All Other Weekdays: 9:30am - Mon-Friday - Prakshal and Pooja, 7:30pm - Chaityavandan, Aarti and Mangal Divo Weekends: 10:30am - Prakshal and Pooja,7:30pm – Chaityavandan, Aarti and Mangal Divo Street Address: 7631 Mallard Creek Road, Charlotte, NC 28262 For Further Details: JCGC President – Suresh Shah: 704.717.8481 info@jaincenter.us www.jaincenter.us

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: www.probasi.org Sahaj Marg Meditation Sahaj Marg, which means Simple or Natural path, is a Raj 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 practice of this system of meditation integrates the physical, mental and spiritual aspects of human being, while still encouraging people to maintain a normal family and working life. In the Charlotte area, group meditation is held at the Unity of Charlotte on Sundays and Wednesdays.

For Further Details: Srikanth Katakam 704.496.4411 naturalpath.nc@gmail.com www.srcm.org

Kiran Kiran, Inc. is a community based South Asian organization promoting self-reliance and empowerment of South Asian women and men who are in domestic violence through crisis counseling and intervention, language assistance and translation and resource referrals in a confidential manner.

Kiran operates a 24/7 hotline service. Services offered at Kiran are confidential and free of charge. The organization spreads awareness about causes and effects of domestic violence in the community and cooperates and collaborates with organizations in the USA and elsewhere with similar objectives. Kiran assists and provides information on referrals to professional and community services regarding legal issues, health care, short-term child care, psychological counseling, Saathee.com

Sangamithra Foundation Sangamithra Foundation is a Charlotte based charity organization formed by a group of people who thrive to make 94

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Community Organizations interested in East Indian traditions.

For Further Details: Samiksha Bose: 704-321-1964 Santanu Sarkar : 704-541-3451 http://srishticharlotte.org/

a difference in the society. The team has taken the path of identifying the needs of underprivileged communities in India and provides support to meet those needs. Sangamithra has made its presence known in the Charlotte community by its participation in the 2013 Festival of India, as part of its fund raising activity. In addition, with liaisons in both the UK and the UAE, Sangamithra is reaching out on a global scale and working collectively towards realizing its vision. If you would like to be a part of this noble cause, please touch base with Sangamithra Foundation. For Further Details: www.sangamithra.org; www.facebook.com/SangamithraFoundation Email: info@sangamithra.org

Telugu Association of Greater Charlotte Area (TAGCA) The organization’s mission is to bring together Telugu speaking people and to promote Telugu Culture. TAGCA organizes regular events and programs.

For Further Details: www.tagca.org Trimurti Temple Charlotte, NC Trimurti Temple is open daily, morning puja (10am) and evening puja (7pm). Sunday abhisekhams (11am) and other special pujas. Temple is located at 6441/6519 Beatties Ford Road, Charlotte, NC 28216.

All Sundays at 11 am Venkateswara Abishekam For Further Details: 980-219-7556 contact@trimurtitemple.org www.trimurtitemple.org

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

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

Vallabh Pushti Samaj of Carolinas (VPSC) VPSC has announced Shrinathji Haveli – “Shrinath Dham” in Charlotte with support of all Vaishnav families of Carolinas.

VPSC is starting construction in the near future of “Shrinath Dham Haveli” for benefit of entire Vaishnav Samaj and Pushtimargiya devotional activities. VPSC is moving forward with objective to fill devotional need for hundreds of Vaishnavs in Carolinas to worship and pray together, perform “seva and rituals” and to observe and celebrate festivals and to perform and engage in humanitarian and educational activities. Regular “Paath and Bhajan” recitations are held on 2nd Sunday of each month from 4-6 pm at Shrinath Dham Haveli Address - 1006 Vickie Lane, Stallings, NC 28104.

For Further Details: vsccarolinas@gmail.com Prathmesh Shah: 704.763.3059

Shri Rang Avadhut Parivar (Parspar Devo Bhav) The group meets Thursdays from 6 - 8 pm in Charlotte. The group recites Datta-Bavani, singing devotional Dattatraya Bhajans and reading Guru-Lilamrut. Detailed information about Charlotte meetings, literature, Videos, Nareshwar Ashram and Shri Avadhut’s life is available.

For Further Details: Bharat Shah - 704.724.6247 Nagesh Patel - 704.399.7805 Sindhi Association of the Carolinas The Sindhi Association of the Carolinas (SAC) is organizes religious, cultural, community, and social events in Charlotte.

SAC also sends donations for the needy to the schools in India for Scholarship and also sends donations to refugees in camps in India. For Further Details: contact, soniahassani1@gmail.com or 704.779.2396.

Greensboro

SouthPark Cricket Club South Park Cricket Club is based in Charlotte, North Carolina and it has been an active member of the Mid Atlantic Cricket Conference since 2002. The club’s home ground is located at the Reedy Creek Park, 2900 Rocky River Road, Charlotte, NC. For Further Details: 847.722.9865 (Baseet Ahmed), baseer_11@yahoo.com www.southparkcc.org

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, Charlotte and now Greensboro. The Part I course covers breathing techniques to eliminate stress & tension; skills for improving relationships at home & at work; practical wisdom to get the most out of life; insight into the laws that govern the mind & emotions; low-impact yoga and the masterpiece of the Art of Living Course is a powerful breathing-based technique called Sudarshan Kriya, or the healing breath.

For Further Details: Nirupama Shankar @ shankar.nirupama@gmail.com Puja Verma @ puja_usa@yahoo.com http://us.artofliving.org/greensboro

Srishti of Charlotte Srishti works to fulfill the NC community’s need for togetherness and the desire to showcase Bengali culture, heritage, literature, theatre, music and popular arts. Literally, the word Srishti means an act of creation. Though established and coordinated by a group of Bengali families, Srishti welcomes and brings together people of varied cultures, ethnicity, languages, background and nationalities who are Saathee.com

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Community Organizations For Further Details: 336.421.0690 848.459.7401 (Dr. Manoj) lifemissionusa@gmail.com www.lifemissionusa.com

BAPS Greensboro BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir is located at 922 Gallimore Dairy Road, High Point, NC 27265.

Every Sunday sabha times: Shishu (Toddlers) sabha: 4 pm to 5 pm Bal/Balika sabha: 4:15 pm to 5:30 pm Kishore sabha: 2 pm to 3:30 pm Main sabha: 4 pm to 6 pm Gujarati classes: 2:30 pm to 3:45 pm Arti at 6 pm followed by Mahaprasad For Further Details contact: bapsgreensboro@gmail.com

Sri Sathya Sai Baba Center of Greensboro, NC The Center regularly conducting Sai Bhajans, Study Circle, various service activities and SSE class (for students) in Greensboro, NC all Sundays â&#x20AC;&#x201D; 9:45 am to 12:15 pm For Further Details: Swami Rajendran 908-875-6964 Dr. Varatharajah 336-851-9150

Greensboro Cricket Club (GCC) Good news for cricket lovers! There are several teams that play cricket in Greensboro. The goals of GCC are fun, fitness, and friendship. For info on play and location contact below players.

For Further Details: 336.501.3566 (9:00 am - 9:00 pm, S&S) Dev, Greensboro Warriors, happy4mehta@yahoo.com; Venky, Triad Tigers, venkyhot@hotmail.com.

Temple of the Holy Name Prabhupada Village is a rural Hare Krishna community situated in the beautiful foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains.

Puja/Worship of Sri Sri Gaura Nitai/Sri Pancha Tattva starts at 5:00 am every day. Every Sunday at 3 pm there is chanting, dancing, feasting and philosophy. The temple is located at 1283 Prabhupada Rd, Sandy Ridge, NC 27046.

For Further Details: 336.593.2322 or 336.793.7138 prabhupadavillage@gmail.com www.prabhupadavillage.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.

GCAP, 127 Landmark Drive, Greensboro, NC 27410 For Further Details: Jack Dhekar: 336.254.1727 Manubhai Patel: 336.253.7182 www.gcap.us

Raleigh AANC - Assamese Association of North Carolina AANC is a Socio Cultural organization with the objective of promoting and providing understanding of Assamese Culture and Language. AANC celebrates Assamese festivals and organizes cultural activities like Bihu Dance, music, songs and social get-togethers with essential touch of Assamese culture.

Everyone from Assam as well as anyone with any connection to or interest in Assam or Assamese culture is most welcomed.

For Further Details: 919.200.4020 assameseassociation.nc@gmail.com

India Association of the Triad (IATNC) Greensboro 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, and make the latter aware of issues of concern to the Indian community.

For Further Details: Kumar Bhardwaj: 336-601-0567, kumar.vansh@gmail.com Ruby Singh: 336.430.9068, rs7227@gmail.com www.iatnc.org

Academic Foundation for International Cultural Exchange (AFICE) Interested in exploring the diverse cultures of the world?

Become a host family for a high school exchange student! All the students will come from various countries around the world, and all students speak fluent English. They are of high school age (15-18) and will attend local high school in their respective communities. Each student will live as member of their American host family, sharing household duties and responsibilities. AFICE is a non-profit educational organization dedicated to bringing cultural gaps by allowing foreign students the opportunity to live as part of an American community.

For Further Details: lathapamarthi@earthlink.net www.afice.org

Indo-US Cultural Association of Winston-Salem The Indo-US Cultural Associationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;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: Manjunath C Shamanna, 336.413.5090 http://indouswinston.org/contact.aspx 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. 8136 NC Highway 119 South Mebane, NC 27302.

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Community Organizations Bengali Association of North Carolina (BANC) 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 Further Details: 919.461.2386 (Ratan Ray), ratanray@hotmail.com 919.510.7943 (Swaty Sen), swaty_sen@yahoo.com banc_members@googlegroups.com www.banc-online.org

tools to better handle the stresses of daily life, to unlock their deepest potential and bring fullness to life. In the Art of Living course participants will learn and experience: Breathing techniques that heal and harmonize the body, mind, and spirit, eliminate stress & tension; Skills for handling negative emotions and situations; Practical wisdom for improving work and relationships; Insight into the laws that govern the mind & emotions; Low-impact yoga. The centerpiece of the Art of Living Course is a powerful breathing-based technique called Sudarshan Kriya, or the healing breath. It incorporates specific natural rhythms of breath to release stress and purify the entire system by releasing toxins at the deepest cellular level.

For Further Details: http://us.artofliving.org

Bharatiya Senior Citizens of NC The Bharatiya Senior Citizens of NC (BSCNC) is organized for folks of Indian origin aged 60 and above. The BSCNC members meet second Saturday of every month from 10am - 3pm. The next meeting will be on Sat, March 8 at Cary Senior Center at Bond Park, Cary, NC. For Further Details: Kusumben Desai (919.677.8513) Raojibhai Patel (252.236.4391)

Association for India’s Development (AID) Duke University Chapter AID’s mission is effect social change in India, by supporting projects with grassroots non-governmental organization in India in the areas of literacy, health care, rural credit, women’s empowerment etc.

For Further Details: http://www.duke.edu/web/aid/

Carolina Rajasthani Association The group organizes several events throughout the year.

For Further Details: Sushma Maheshwari - 919-880-8529, sushmaofnc@yahoo.com Shruti Singhi - 919-412-4819, mshruti@yahoo.com www.carolinarajasthanis.org

Atlantic Coast Sikh Association This is one of the oldest Sikh associations in the Southeastern USA. It meets every Sunday from 11:30 AM to 1:30 PM at its gurdwara, located at 3108 Sparger Road, Durham, NC 27705.

Kirtan is done by Bhai Dyal Singh Jatha. Classes for Punjabi and religious studies are held for children at the same time.

For Further Details: 919.309.1045 - Bhai Dyal Singh www.acsagurdwara.org Balagokulam Gokulam is where Lord Krishna’s magical childhood days were spent. It was here that his divine powers came to light.

Every child has that spark of divinity within. Balagokulam is a forum for children (4-15 years age) to discover and manifest that divinity. It will enable Hindu children in the US to appreciate their cultural roots and learn values. This is done through games, yoga, stories, songs, shlokas, arts/crafts, and Seva (selfless service) in the community. Balagokulam sessions are free for all and are held on Saturdays.

For Further Details: balagokulam.rtp@gmail.com hss.charlotte@hssus.org (Charlotte region) www.balagokulam.org BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir BAPS Shree Swaminarayan Hindu Mandir invites everyone to the regularly scheduled events: Ravi sabha - every Sunday at 4 - 6 pm followed by Aarti and Maha Prasad. Mahapuja – every Purnima at 7 pm. Many classes are conducted. Fresh Indian snacks and sweets available at Shayona. 1020 Aviation Parkway, Morrisville, NC 27560.

For Further Details: 919.469.6605 www.swaminarayan.org

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Chinmaya Mission Chinmaya Mission is a worldwide organization promoting spiritual growth, started by Pujya Gurudev Swami Chinmayananda. The Chinmaya Mission Raleigh Durham (CMRDU) chapter conducts Balavihar classes from 3 year old to youth on Sunday from 10 am to 11:30 am at Reedy Creek Middle School, Cary. The classes are tailored to each age group by special curriculum created by experienced Swamijis and Acharyas exclusively for CM Balavihar. Trained teachers conduct the classes. Curriculum includes learning to chant the Bhagavad-Gita verses, shlokas, singing devotional bhajans, stories from scriptures, family pujas, meditation, and fun activities like overnight lock-ins, picnics, and competitions.

Introduction to Hindi and Sanskrit is also included. All festivals are celebrated. A regular adult study group is conducted for adults on Sunday mornings at Reedy Creek Middle School, as well as other locations in the Triangle.

For Further Details: www.chinmaya-RDU.org Dada Bhagwan Foundation The Foundation was formed with the goal of spreading peace and harmony to the world through the science of Akram Vignan - the science of Self Realization as expounded by the Shree A.M. Patel, known as Dadashri or Dada Bhagwan. DBF organizes Spiritual Satsangs /Gnanvidhi (2 hour scientific process of self-realization) of Pujya Deepakbhai around the world. There are no formal lectures here, but it’s in the format of questions and answers on various topics. This is a practical spiritual science. Dada Bhagwan Satsang on Harmony in Life:

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Community Organizations VCD Satsang of Pujya Deepakbhai and Pujya Dr. Niruma, various character building activities for Kids and Youth. Every 1st, 3rd and 5th Saturday of each month from 5 to 7 pm followed by Prasad at the HSNC Hall, 309 Aviation Pkwy, Morrisville, NC. For Further Details: 877.505.3232 ext 1003 rabhatt@yahoo.com www.dadabhagwan.org | www.kids.dadabhagwan.org Datta Yoga Center - Raleigh Mission: Spread the teachings of Sadguru Sri Sri Sri Ganapathi Sachchidananda Swamiji of Mysore.

Activities: Namasankeertana - Bhajans written, composed and sung by Pujya Sri Swamiji. Future projects: Kriya yoga classes 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). Everyone is invited to attend the satsang with family and friends and receive divine blessings.

For Further Details: 919.484.1993 (Srinivas Chittineni) 919.461.0843 (Suresh Kota) Duke Diya Duke Diya is a Duke University student organization that is committed to providing a forum for interaction through political, cultural, community service, and social events relating to South Asian Americans.

For Further Details: 732.865.3173 www.dukediya.com Ekal Vidyalaya Foundation RTP Chapter 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, economic wellbeing and happiness. The Raleigh Chapter EVFUSA conducts fund raising and awareness programs in the Triangle area.

For further details: Ekal/RTP: raginiusa@yahoo.com EKTAA South Asian Student Organization 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: www.ektaa.org Geet Bazaar Radio Program Every Sunday morning from 10 am - 12 noon on WKNC 88.1 FM, join hosts Afroz Taj and John Caldwell, for a wide variety Saathee.com

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of music from India, Pakistan, and other countries and languages of South Asia. Geet Bazaar will also publicize community events free of charge.

For Further Details: 919.851.1119 (Dr. Afroj Taj) taj@unity.ncsu.edu GEM - Raleigh Church of God Attend worship services, prayer meetings or Sunday School.

For Further Details: 919.395.6208 (Pastor Thankachan M.) globalem@gmail.com Gokul Bhajan and Vedic Studies Weekly meeting of parents and children singing bhajan and glorifying past times of Sri Krishna. The group holds programs every Friday 7 to 9 pm in the Triangle area. Children are assigned with projects like book distribution, charity for cow protection, food for poor, and more. Classes are conducted with two semesters per year with tests and scores.

For Further Details: www.gokulbhajan.com Heritage India Association of North Carolina (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, Heritage India Association of North Carolina presents several events and also coordinates Indian dances for the main stage performances for the Raleigh International Festival.

Upcoming Events: The annual Heritage India Festival, showcasing regional Indian dances, arts, and culture, will be presented on Saturday, April 12, 2014 from 5 – 9pm at HSNC Cultural Hall, Morrisville, NC. There will be varied folk and classical dance performances, musical performances, costume fashion show, food, and more.

For Further Details: yashcgarg@gmail.com Hindi Vikas Mandal of NC Hindi Vikas Mandal (HVM), based in the RTP area, promotes study and appreciation of Hindi language and strives to foster Indian culture and traditions through Hindi. HVM has a special focus on the youths for the preservation of Indian Culture and heritage.

For Further Details: Saroj Sharma 919.851.0225 V.P. Tiwari 919.423.0365 Hindu Society of North Carolina - Morrisville, NC The Hindu Society of NC is located at 309 Aviation Parkway, Morrisville, NC and serves the greater Triangle area. Temple Timings: Sunday to Monday - 7am-9pm (all day open).

Morning Aarti: Mon-Friday-10.30am, Saturday-10am, Sunday 10am. Evening Aarti: Mon-Friday- 8pm, Saturday-Sunday 6pm. Regular religious events: Ramayan recital, Sunderkand, Hanumanchalisa, Shiva abishek, Gayatri Bhajans, Vaishnav Bhajans , Vedic havan, Jain Pooja, Bhagvatam, Vishnu sastranam, Ekadashi Bal Krishna abishek, Lalitha sastrnamam, March 2014

Shivam Indian Spices Anniversary & Holi Sale All Month Long! WIN PRIZES! We'll draw 3 winners at the end of the month who purchased more than $50 in groceries with 1st, 2nd and 3rd prize.

One stop shop for all your South & North Indian Grocery!

We provide kitchen accessories, puja items & phone cards.

Fresh Idli Dosa batter, loose snacks & sweets (Fresh samosas) We carry halal meat & seafood.

Fresh vegetables every Thursday & Sunday.

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Community Organizations Skananda shasti Kavacham, and Sholaka chanting. Facility rentals are also available. Activities: Yoga Classes(twice a week), 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, music, shlokas. Regular pooja services are done in the temple. Priest services are available at your home and/or at the Temple at a nominal charge.

Upcoming Events: Sun, March 16: Holi For Further Details: Saroj Sharma at 919.654.5224 Trilok Pillai (manager) at 919.599.9567 hsnc@hsnconline.org www.hsnconline.org Hindu Students Council (HSC) - NC State University HSC-NCSU is a chapter of the national organization Hindu Students Council (HSC). HSC-NCSU is a cultural and religious student organization. It aims to provide opportunities to learn about Hindu philosophy, spirituality and cultural heritage through various activities, events and projects and is dedicated to provide “seva” (service) to the community.

For Further Details: 919.676.0298 (Mrinmoyee Sanyal) msanyal@ncsu.edu www.hsc-ncsu.org Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh (HSS) The HSS conducts weekly 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. HSS is inspired by the idea that the whole world is one family. HSS started in 1989 in the United States and currently has over 100 chapters (shakhas) across the country. The Research Triangle Park chapter meets every Saturday. Activities are tailored to include yoga, games, songs, lectures and discussions on Hindu dharma and culture.

For Further Details: hss.rtp@hssus.org - Triangle area hss.charlotte@hssus.org - Charlotte region.

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

Upcoming Events: Sun, March 9: Basant Bahar. This year's theme is Panchabhootham – The Five Elements of Nature in Harmony.

For Further Details: 919.931.3572 - President (Meena Jeyakumar) 919.757.6666 - Vice President (Sunny Surana) www.humsub.net Immanuel Assembly of God Immanuel Assembly of God is a Full Gospel Christian church serving the Indian / South Asian community in Raleigh and Saathee.com

RTP area of North Carolina. The church is located in Morrisville.

For Further Details: 919.442.8537 Email: thechurch@immanuelassembly.org www.immanuelassembly.org Indian American Forum for Political Education (IAFPE) IAFPE, known as the FORUM, is the oldest and largest Indian American organization for political education in the country.

This is a non-profit organization with numerous chapters throughout the United States. The North Carolina Chapter is in Raleigh and has just established a new committee for a 2year term. IAFPE is excited and motivated to educate the community on political issues and help the community with various services. Support is needed from the community and members to help us grow and provide relevant services and informative events.

For Further Details: Nilesh - 919.656.4361 www.forum-nc.org Indian Classical Music & Dance Society (ICMDS) ICMDS is dedicated to the task of promoting Indian classical music and dance in the Triangle area. ICMDS invites the top artists from all over the world to perform in the Triangle area.

Upcoming Events: Sat, Mar 8: Local Talent Show 2014 at 1 pm, North Carolina Museum of Arts Fri, Apr 25: “A Rare Evening of Classical Ragas” by Padmabhushan Pandits: Rajan & Sajan Mishra - Live in Concert at 7pm. HSNC Cultural Hall (Hindu Bhavan), Morrisville, NC. For Further Details: www.icmds.org Indo-American Friendship Foundation Did you know that about 90 percent of rural orphans are female and most of them are abandoned at birth due to their gender? Not one of them gets the opportunity to become a doctor, engineer, or even receive basic education. Because they cannot live in the orphanage when they turn 18, many of them fall victim to different types of exploitation, including sex trade.

IAFF has created an orphanage education fund to help qualified orphans to rise as high as they can climb in the educational/professional ladder. For Further Details: 919.362.7653 (Dr. Subhas C. Mohapatra) www.iaff1.org InStepp InStepp is located in Durham and its mission is to create a vibrant community by empowering women who’ve come up against some challenges in their lives to rise above those challenges and succeed personally and professionally through innovative, gender-responsive training, educational and prevention services. If you need assistance transitioning into the workforce after losing your primary source of income from a significant other due to divorce, separation, death or disability, ask about eligibility to participate in New Choices, an economic self-sufficiency program for women. Services include employment & career counseling, resume 104

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Community Organizations development, employability skills training, federal and state benefits application, financial and tuition assistance, community and college referrals, computer skills training and more. InStepp welcomes all women from South Asia and understands the differences in customs and religions across South Asia and can provide services in many different South Asian Languages.

For Further Details: 919.680.8000 pmanhas@instepp.org www.instepp.org

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, enacting dramas and other fun activities. New Goloka also provides educational classes, seminars and programs for adults. New Goloka Daily Darshan Times 4:30 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 5 am, 7:15 am1:00 pm, 4:15 - 5:45 pm, 7 - 8 pm. Saturday and Sunday Darshan open from 7:15 am to 8 pm.

For Further Details: 919.593.6827, golokanandapriya@hotmail.com www.newgoloka.com

International Community Church CC is a worship center for people from India and neighboring countries. The pastor is Joseph B. Jesudason and the church office is located at 1215 Franklin Jones Road, Suite #204, Raleigh, NC 27606.

For Further Details: 919.233.2900 www.internationalcommunitychurch.org

Kiran Kiran, Inc. is a community based South Asian organization promoting self-reliance and empowerment of South Asian women and men who are in domestic violence through crisis counseling and intervention, language assistance and translation and resource referrals in a confidential manner.

Kiran operates a 24/7 hotline service. Services offered at Kiran are confidential and free of charge. The organization spreads awareness about causes and effects of domestic violence in the community and cooperates and collaborates with organizations in the USA and elsewhere with similar objectives. Kiran assists and provides information on referrals to professional and community services regarding legal issues, health care, short-term child care, psychological counseling, and temporary shelter and housing.

For Further Details call or visit website: 24 Hour Crisis Hotline: 1877- NC-KIRAN or 1-877-625-4726 Phone: 919-839-6203 Email: kiran@kiraninc.org http://www.kiraninc.org

International Hindi Association 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: 919.656.5224 (Saroj Sharma) 919.678.9056 (Sudha Om Dhingra) www.hindi.org International Swaminarayan Satsang Organization (ISSO) ISSO is a socio-religious organization and its primary objective is to advance the Sanatan Dharma in accordance with the principles and teachings of Shree Swaminarayan Sampradaya, founded and ordained by Bhagwan Shree Swaminarayan Himself. ISSO Raleigh-Durham chapter organizes a regularly scheduled biweekly â&#x20AC;&#x153;Satsang Sabha,â&#x20AC;? every other Saturday, at HSNC Cultural Hall (309 Aviation Pkwy., Morrisville, NC27560), which includes Kirtan bhakti, Katha, Aarti and Mahaprasad. Pujya Santo visit often to impart the divine knowledge of Swaminarayan Bhagwan. Devotees come together to practice their religious duties in harmony. All are welcome.

For Further Details: 919.964.1008 isso.nc@gmail.com http://issonc.org ISKCON New Goloka Temple of North Carolina New Goloka temple is a member of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness, also known as the Hare Krishna Movement. The Radha-Krishna temple is in a rural, peaceful setting at 1032 Dimmocks Mill Rd. Hillsborough, North Carolina 27278. 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 sumptuous prasadam feast. From 4:30-5:30pm, there is a Sunday School program for Saathee.com

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Lakulish Yoga and Health Retreat Lakulish Yoga and Health Retreat is a secluded resort in Caswell County, located at 8136 N.C. Highway 119 South, Mebane, NC 27302. It is a place of natural beauty that stimulates a spirit of detachment and inspires and uplifts visitors. This resort is hallowed by a Yogi, a Sannyasi who ensures that the true practice of Dharm and Yoga flourishes here, offering the North Carolina community and visitors an ongoing program of free Yoga Classes. The classes are offered each Wednesday from 6 - 8 pm, and each Saturday from 11 am - 1 pm.

For Further Details: 336.421.0690 lifemisionusa@gmail.com www.lifemissionusa.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.

Upcoming Event: March 22 - 23, 2014: India Fest, which features food, performances, vendors, arts and more.

For Further Details: www.nuvyug.net

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Community Organizations Pakistani American Association The Pakistani-American Association (NCPAA) is a nonpolitical, non-sectarian, cultural and social organization that promotes Pakistani culture to all the communities in the Triangle Area of NC. Several events are presented during the year including a family dinner on the second Friday of every month.

For Further Details: payamber@ncpaa.org http://ncpaa.org Pratham - Triangle Area Pratham is a grass-roots organization that works towards universalizing primary education in India. With a goal of reaching 20 million children, Pratham 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. Pratham’s North Carolina 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] PIA is a meetup that serves young South Asian professionals in the Triangle Community. The 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/performances, outdoor activities, community service and volunteering. This will also be 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/ Punjabi Unlimited Punjabi Unlimited is dedicated to promotion/creation of a public awareness and education about Punjabi Arts, Culture, Sports, Language, Music, Dance etc. All welcome who are “Punjabi at Heart.” For Further Details: Gurpreet Burmi president@punjabiunlimited,org; Arvinder Singh vicepresident@punjabiunlimited.org www.punjabiunlimited.org Raleigh Sai Center Parthi Sai devotees of Triangle area meet every Sunday from 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm in the Mini-Hall of Hindu Bhavan in Morrisville. There will be Study circle, Bhajan Practice, Veda Chanting etc. during the 4-5 pm slot depending on the week, followed by bhajans from 5:00 - 6:00. The center carries out several service activities as well. The Human Values Education (SSE) classes for the children of different age group will be from 3:30 - 5:00. All are invited to participate in the Satsangh and service activities.

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For Further Details: Rakesh Huria, President, Raleigh Sai Center at 919-244-1263 E-mail rsc.president@yahoo.com.

Ramakrishna Vedanta Society of North Carolina The Ramakrishna Vedanta Society of NC 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. Perhaps you know a great deal about Practical Vedanta and the message of the harmony of religions and the spiritual oneness of Existence or perhaps you are just curious and want to learn more.

Regardless of background and/or knowledge the organization welcomes participants.

For Further Details: www.vedantanc.org RTP Maharashtra Mandal RTP Maharashtra 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 as well as the wellendowed 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, events and get-togethers. All aficionados are warmly invited to join.

For Further Details: Mohana Dighe: 919.378.1947 Sameer Mohile: 919.851.8799 Deepa Kardekar: 201.673.6193 www.rtpmm.org S. V. Temple of North Carolina S.V. Temple of North Carolina is built on over nine acres of centrally connected triangle area. This grand tribute to Lord Venkateswara and his consorts is designed to exacting standards of shilpa shasthra and features the only shrine in North America to incorporate abodes to Lord Viswaksena and 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 Sahaj Marg Meditation - Triangle Area Sahaj Marg translates to “The Natural Path.” It is a natural, 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 Triangle area, group meditations are held on Sundays and Wednesdays.

For Further Details: (919) 303-7447 (Raj Solanki) / (919) 493-6180 (Devi Sekar) raleigh.center@gmail.com> www.srcm.org, www.sahajmarg.org 108

March 2014

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Community Organizations Sahaja Meditation Ongoing meetings, seminars and workshops are available in Raleigh. There is never any charge for Sahaja Meditation instruction or for receiving one’s self-realization which is the birthright of every human being. Anyone can do it. Sahaja Mediation is free and without obligation. RSVP in meetup: Sahaja-Meditation-Triangle-Group Thursdays at 7:30 p.m. 9308 Fairbanks Drive Raleigh, NC, 27613 More information: http://www.sahajamediation.com http:///www.coolcheck.org For Further Details: balaram.krishna@gmail.com 919.757.3135 Sky Meditation and Kaya Kalpa Yoga 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 more details about the course visit www.vethathiri.edu.in For Further Details: 919-830-9764 vikram.renganathan@gmail.com 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.

For Further Details: 919.773.1580 www.sifaa.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 Tamil Sangam of Carolina The Tamil Sangam is an organization that promotes understanding of Tamil culture and provides a medium for people of Tamil culture to get together. The activities include music, drama, lectures, Tamil movies, etc.

For Further Details: 919.461.3057 - Alli Dass (President) www.tamilsangamofcarolina.org Telugu Christian Fellowship of NC (TCFNC) The Telugu Christian Fellowship of North Carolina (TCFNC) is a non-profit organization whose mission is to reach out to Telugu Christians living in North Carolina, to be united and bonded together as a Telugu Christian family of God and encourage and pray for each other. TCFNC provides a place for Telugu Christians for time of worship, prayer and fellowship. They also provide a forum for kids to grow in the Saathee.com

knowledge of the Lord and to equip them to be ambassadors of Jesus Christ. The group organizes, each year, an Annual Telugu Christian Family Conference.

For further details: www.tcfnc.org Phone: 919-43-TCFNC(82362) Triangle Area Telugu Association (TATA) The Triangle Area Telugu Association (TATA) is a non-profit organization (started in 1983) 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 have captured the hearts and minds of millions of Bengali-, Urdu- and Hindi-speaking music fans all around the globe.

For Further Details: 919.741.9343 (Ishtiaque Mohiuddin) Ishtiaquem@gmail.com www.tbsnc.org Triangle Chapter-India Development & Relief Fund (IDRF) IDRF is a registered, tax-exempt non-profit organization that supports volunteer-based, honest and highly experienced nongovernmental 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: www.idrf.org.

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

Upcoming Events: March 15: TGA’s famous Holi Festival at the HSNC hall.

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 organised 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. The

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Community Organizations society sponsors many events throughout the year as well as pot luck gatherings.

For Further Details: barman@cs.unc.edu www.trianglevegsociety.org Triangle Vipassana 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, Raleigh on Thursday, Saturday, and Monday and 3-hour sitting on 3rd Sunday each month, and one day sitting once every few months for established students (those who have taken at least one ten day course from S .N. Goenka or one of his Assistant teachers). Ten day courses are available for all. There is no charge for the course.

To apply for a retreat visit www.patapa.dhamma.org.

For Further Details: 732-213-9660 carync.sittings@gmail.com Hitesh & Vaibhavi Parekh www.dhamma.org Vaishnav Samaj of Triangle Area The Vaishnav Samaj is a group of like-minded devotees who meet for religious worship and understand Pushti Marg Principles at large. Recently, a sub-chapter of Vallabh Youth Organization (VYO) was formed under the leadership of Mrs. Harsha Shah. Regular Bhajan recitations are held 2nd Sunday of the month from 4-6 pm and Seniors are requested to encourage youngsters to participate in the activities.

For Further Details: Arvindbhai Shah 919.233.7677 Vithalbhai Shah 919.467.4254 Vibha Vibha is a volunteer driven non-profit organization 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 a resolve that we can create a positive societal impact in India – even from half way around the world. The group works to organize social events that spread awareness and raise funds to further the organization’s mission.

For Further Details: raleigh@vibha.org http://raleigh.vibha.org.

Regional 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 Saathee.com

Sri Somesvara Temple Sri Somesvara Temple is located near Asheville, NC. Temple hours are 8 am - 7:30pm. Regularly scheduled pujas: Subrabhath Aarti - 8 am, Rudrabhishek Nityapuja - 9 am - 12 noon, Pradoshakala puja and mangala aarti - 6 pm - 7:30pm.

The temple also hosts special events. Contact the temple: 828.476.4073. It is located at 95 Mount Soma Blvd., Clyde, NC 28721 Upcoming Events: Sat, March 15: Satyanarayana Puja (11:30 am) For Further Details: 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 Southeast Asian Community in Columbia area. A monthly Lunch meeting will be held on the Second Sunday of every month between 1 to 3 PM. There will be $7.00 Per Person charge for Lunch (Kids Ages 6-10 pay half price) at Delhi Palace, 542 Saint Andrew Road, Columbia, 29210. Contact in the evenings: (803) 233-7042 OR (803) 233-3995.

Bethel Christian Fellowship Bethel Christian Fellowship offers services in various Indian languages (i.e. Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, etc.) and Sunday Worship services are at 11:30 a.m. Address: Fort Mill Church of God, Student Life Center Building, 216 Academy Street, Room 102. Fort Mill, South Carolina 29715 For Further Details: 803.792.7223 Pastor Rajan Samuel @ pastorofbcf@gmail.com www.bethelchristianfellowship.org Carolina Buddhist Vihara (Greenville, SC) Regular beginner meditation program conducted by a Buddhist Monk. Activities are held Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday evenings: 6:30 pm (puja), 7 pm (meditation), and 8 pm (“Dhamma” talk or discussion). A “youth program” is also held once a month.

For Further Details: dhammasc@hotmail.com Hanahan TableTennis Training Center There are no membership fees of any kind to play at HTTTC. Free open play and training. Free USATT league. Informal free coaching as time permits. Open to all levels of players from recreational to competitive. The center is located at City of Hanahan Gym, 1255 Yeamans Hall Rd., Hanahan, SC 29410 (Adjacent to Police Station).

For Further Details: www.ttHanahan.com Hindu Society of Greater Spartanburg The daily Aarti is at 7:00 p.m., Balvihar classes are conducted from 10 - 11:45 am on scheduled Sundays, and Satsang is on 112

March 2014

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Community Organizations second Sunday every month from 5 - 7 pm. 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 located at 5704 Kiawah Road, Columbia, South Carolina 29212. It is open on weekdays between 8:30 am to 12 noon and between 5 pm and 8:30 pm. On weekends, the temple is open between 8:30 am to 1:00 pm and 5 pm to 8:30 pm. Bal Gokulam (Sunday School) classes are held every Sunday from 10:30 am to 12:00 noon. Classes are designed to help children build physical, mental, cultural, social & spiritual lives.

Contact: 803.772.6940 www.hindutemplesc.org Hindu Temple of South Carolina The Hindu Temple and Cultural Center of South Carolina was established with an objective to fill the need for thousands of Hindus in the State of South Carolina to worship and pray together, perform sacraments and rituals, to observe and celebrate festivals, and to perform and engage in humanitarian and educational activities.

For Further Details: http://www.hindutemplesc.org/index.php India Assoc. of Greater Charleston (IAGC) The IAGC was founded in Charleston to bring together people who were interested in India and to provide a forum to increase the understanding of the heritage of India in US. For Further Details: 803.884.0859 / iagcfolks@yahoo.com International Fellowship Church of Greenville, SC International Fellowship Church offers Sunday worship services and other weekly activities for people of Indian origin.

For Further Details: 864.234.1256 (Pastor Suhas Raiborde) www.internationalfellowshipchurch.org Kannada Association of Greater Greenville (KAGG) An organization devoted to the awareness and promotion of Kannada culture in the Greater Greenville area of South Carolina. KAGG is a primarily run by volunteers and invites Kannadigas living in and around Greater Greenville area to participate in the organization. Kannada classes for children are being organized to meet at the Vedic Center in Mauldin every other Sunday morning.

For Further Details: 864.430.4973 / www.kagg-sc.org Masjid Noor-UL-Huda The Mosque is located at 517 Winmet Dr., Columbia, S.C. On the first and third Saturday of every month from 6 - 8 pm, Islamic session is held by Hafiz Mohammed Basheer. Quranic Reading classes are conducted daily, and everyone is encouraged to send their children to these sessions.

For Further Details: 803.749.0827 (Dr. Shami) 803.740.5127 (Qari Abdul Khader Multani) 803.754.2632 (Mosque main number) Saathee.com

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Telugu Association of Greater Greenville The Telugu Association of Greater Greenville, SC, serves the Telugu community of the Greenville/Spartanburg area of South Carolina. The group sponsors several events throughout the year.

For Further Details: www.taggsc.org Triad Avatar Meher Baba Group The Meher Center is a spiritual retreat/ashram located on SC Highway 17 immediately North of the Highway 22 connection 8 miles from Myrtle Beach, SC. Meher Baba visited this place 3 times and considered it His home in the West. A small brick house built especially for Him is open for â&#x20AC;&#x153;Darshanâ&#x20AC;? on Fridays and Sunday (11:00 am.) / Meher Center: (843) 272-5777.

For Further Details: 336.299.9683 runderwood@webtv.net www.avatarmeherbaba.org Vedic Center of Greenville The Center is located at 499 Bethel Road in Mauldin, S.C. 29662.

Daily Aarti is conducted Monday to Friday at 8 pm. Bal Vihar classes are conducted Sundays from 11:15 am - 12:30 pm. Sri Venkateshwara Suprabhatam is held on 2nd Sat of month at 9 am. For Further Details: 864.967.2852

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Pop’s Puzzles & Jokes

By Kirit Shukla

Note: * denotes abbreviation of the word or phrase Clues Across: 1. NFL Super Bowl winner: 2011, 1997, 1968 & 1967.

6. The flesh of animals used as food.

10. A Hindu spring festival of bonfire of evil versus good at night, and playing with colors. (Mar. 16, 2014) 11. A closed grained hardwood tree with smooth bark that is easily peeled off in sheets: found in Northern climate.

12. Distinguished; eminent.

14. Not disturbed, calm, tranquil, peaceful etc.

15. An open region where goods are offered for sale.

17. Increased in size, volume, extent etc.

19. In position above, but in contact with and supported by.

20. Royal Canadian Air Force. (*) 22. General Secretary. (*) 23. (A sound) used to express impatience or annoyance.

25. Very warm food items served, as at restaurants.

27. An island in the West Indies. Cap. St. John.

29. A gelatin product made from seaweed used as culture.

30. The numbers from thirteen thru nineteen.

31. Barley water.

33. 3rd person singular present indicative of verb ‘BE’.

34. Lead. (*) (A symbol of a Chemical Element) 36. Allure; to attract by offering hope of reward.

38. Happens; takes place.

41. Not yet familiar or accustomed.

42. Homesickness; longing to go back to one's home.

43. The first state, US.(*)

Saathee.com

Clues Down: 1. Coloration in plants and animals.

2. The largest city in the Carolinas.

3. A coastal section of Maharashtra, Goa and Karnataka.

4. Exceeding another in age; senior.

5. Rhode Island. (*) 6. The red giant binary star in constellation Cetus.

7. Straight up; Uplifted.

8. A chronic skin disease in adolescents like pimples on face.

9. That (one) considered outstanding; a participle.

11. A hideous old woman; hag. (Term used in Middle Ages.)

13. Past tense of “Run.” 14. To be an onlooker at home event, esp. an athletic contest.

16. A group engaging in sensitivity training.

18. Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (*) 21. A rich and elaborate meal; banquet.

22. Took a quick look.

24. United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural, Organization. (*) 25. Mercury. (*) (A symbol of a Chemical Element) .

26. Once more; besides.

28. Data or program entered into a computer for processing.

32. Jesus of Nazareth, king of Jews: the inscription placed over Christ’s head during the crucifixion. (Bible) 35. An undergarment worn by women to support the bust.

37. A female sheep.

39. Capital stock. (*) 40. Short length. (*) (Puzzle solutions are on page 118. NO peeking!)

Hee Hee Booddhoo: “Why am I still single?”

Guru: “Because you are destined to remain happy through your whole life.”

•••••••••••••• A woman is sitting in a bar. A man approaches her.

Man: “Hi, honey, want a little company?”

Woman: “Do you have one to sell?”

•••••••••••••• Booddhoo: “For the past few days an unknown girl is disturbing me. I don’t know how she got my phone number!”

Friend: “That is weird. Why is she doing that?”

Booddhoo: “She interrupts me whenever I call somebody from my cell phone and says “please recharge your card.”

•••••••••••••• A farmer was strolling around in the field behind his farm. It was beginning to get dark so he started counting his cows. In the field he counted 196 of them, but when he rounded them up he had 200.

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March 2014

YOUTH CORNER (Created By Kirit Shukla) (Find & circle the words in the puzzle).

(Subject: “Sailing”)

Math Magic Use these numbers only once: [2, 2, 3, 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.

BARGE BOOM CANOE CATAMARAN CREW DINGHY FLOAT FRIGATE GONDOLA JIBE JUNK KAYAK KETCH MAP MARINA MAST

MOORS PADDLES PONTOON PROA RAFT ROW RUDDER SCHOONER SHIP STARBOARD STERN SUBMARINE TRIMARAN VESSEL XEBEC YAWL

The unused 6 letters spell that means “Mariner.”

(solution on next page)

EZ-BZ

TEST YOUR IQ The common letters are “GH” - Fill in the blanks 1. In certain European cities, a section to which Jews were formerly restricted.

GH _ _ _ _ 2. To expel air suddenly and noisily from the lungs thru the glottis (throat) to clear the air passages. _ _ _ GH 3. Military combat between fighter planes. _ _ _ _ _ GH _ 4. Steps leading down to a river & landing. (Hindi) GH _ _ 5. The action indicating amusement. _ _ _ GH _ _ _ 6. Used to express disgust, horror etc. (Echoic) _ GH 7. Butchering. _ _ _ _ GH _ _ _ 8. Cube of number two. _ _ GH _ 9. Part of leg between knee and hip. _ _ _ GH 10. A thick food made by fermentation of milk. _ _ GH _ _ _ 11. Milk butter melted, boiled and strained. (Hindi) GH _ _ 12. A looking forward. _ _ _ _ _ _ GH _ 13. Full of light. _ _ _ GH _ 14. Horrible; haggard.

GH _ _ _ _ _ 15. Be morally right; used to indicate duty. _ _ GH _ 16. Great joy or pleasure. _ _ _ _ GH _ 17. A title of respect in some Muslim countries. _ GH _ 18. Omitting nothing; complete. _ _ _ _ _ _ GH 19. A dead person’s disembodied spirit.

GH _ _ _ 20. A knitted soft shawl or blanket. _ _ GH _ _ 21. The power of conceiving ideas. _ _ _ _ GH _ 22. Lunar illumination. _ _ _ _ _ _ GH _ 23. A cotton or linen cloth, usually in stripes or checks, the yarn of which is dyed before it is woven. _ _ _ GH _ _ 24. Morbid or disgusting; Monstrous.

GH _ _ _ _ _ _ 25. Quantity or amount of heaviness. _ _ _ GH _ (Puzzle solutions are on next page. NO peeking!)

Kirit Shukla Contact him at kiritsshukla@hotmail.com

Saathee.com

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March 2014

Healthwise

continued from page 74

Festivals & Holidays

Is there a cure for lymphedema?

At present there is no documented cure for lymphedema.

Professional compression garment measuring and fitting There are specialty garment manufacturing companies that can be measured and fit to the individual. Additionally, there are separate sleeves and garments for night-time compression.

March 2014 Mar. 1 - Darsha Amās (No Moon) Mar. 3 - Rāmakrishna Paramhans Jayanti Mar. 9 - Daylight savings time begins Mar. 12 - āmalki Ekādasi Mar. 16 - Holi / Akshar Purnimā (Full Moon) Mar. 17 - Dhuleti Mar. 17 - St. Patrick’s Day Mar. 27 - Pāpamochani Ekādasi Mar. 30 - Darsha Amās (No Moon) Mar. 31 - Gudi Padvo April 2014 Apr. 1 - April fool's day Apr. 1 - Chetichand (Sindhi New Year) Apr. 8 - Rama Navami Apr. 8 - Sahajānand Swāmi Jayanti Apr. 11 - Kāmadā Ekādasi Apr. 13 - Mahāvir Jayanti Apr. 15 - Hanumān Jayanti (Full Moon) (Lunar Eclipse) Apr. 15 - File Income tax deadline Apr. 18 - Good Friday Apr. 20 - Easter Apr. 25 - Varuthini Ekādasi Apr. 25 - Vallabhāchārya Jayanti

Puzzle Solutions

Lymphedema caregiver and family education For those who are taking care of someone with lymphedema, or assist in their home management of lymphedema, Lymphedema Specialists are available to help educate caregivers in the manual lymph drainage massage, compression bandaging, donning/doffing compression garments and devices and overall guidance that is often requested or needed in regular home maintenance of their lymphedema.

Periodic lymphedema self-care assessment A comprehensive assessment of self-care and Activities of Daily Living (ADL) is often necessary to monitor and check for changes in the arm and skin. Regular maintenance is essential for overall management of lymphedema.

What steps should you take to avoid problems from lymphedema?

Consult with your primary care physician and get a referral for Occupational Therapy. You may need specialized care on a temporary basis to maintain and decrease swelling in the upper extremities.

How long does treatment last?

Treatment for Lymphedema is generally over a period of weeks. It is important that patients and families recognize the benefit of early intervention and therapy to reduce the swelling in the arm and hand. Once treatment is started it will likely go on for a couple of weeks. This is a daily treatment and patients may be in the clinic for an hour each visit.

Will insurance cover my visits?

Many insurance companies cover lymphedema therapy offered by a qualified occupational therapist. Ask your primary care/ family physician oncologist to give you a referral for an occupational therapy evaluation and treatment for lymphedema care. If you have any questions you should call an occupational therapist to learn more.

Solutions

Saathee.com

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March 2014

all. You may need to spend some valuable money for your kids. Make sure they are used for appropriate cause. Time is also very good to buy a house. Don’t invest in land property only.

LIBRA (Sep 23 - Oct 23) You must try to control your feelings. Your expenses may exceed your limits. You must listen to your elder siblings. Time is not good if you are an artist or a celebrity. However, medical professionals may achieve excellent goal this month. The time will move fast and will be full of new events. Control your sentiments to avoid problems. Don’t try to fly, just move with a regular pace.

General Predictions for March 2014 ARIES (Mar 20- Apr 20) This is going to be one of the most relaxing months. You will enjoy love and happiness. Your income will go up.

Rise in status is indicated, although a minor dispute with friends could tear down your mood during second half of the month. The time is very good for making positive decisions and starting new business. Watch your health and take immediate medical advice.

SCORPIO (Oct 23 - Nov 22) This is the time when you will waste money on luxury.

Expenses will be out of control. Unexpected travel is also possible. Don’t follow any advice from your friends and spouse, instead listen to your parents and take safe action. As far as possible, postpone any major decision till next month. Try to avoid speculation in the stock market. Minor health ailment could be there.

TAURUS (Apr 20 - May 21) A sudden positive change in life could take place this month and a dispute in family life is also possible. Your friends will grant full support. You may get an opportunity to achieve your dream, but because of a thoughtless act, you may face serious health trouble. Try to control your ego as well as temper. Your mother’s health may deteriorate and worry you. You will be able to maintain normal flow of income.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov 22 - Dec 21) Be prepared to enjoy the good news on the family front.

A little change in your ideology will bring excellent reward. Try to be more happy and active. Long distance travel can also be fruitful. If involved in family business, avoid any misunderstanding. Your spouse will also get benefit of your good luck. Move fast and make positive decision to enjoy the period. Try to take full advantage of the period.

GEMINI (May 21 - Jun 21) Your intelligence will be at par and you will enjoy status in the society. You may be able to publish your creative writing. Don’t wait till last week of the month. A very co-operative support from your spouse and kids will be there. Bad news from far off place regarding your sibling may disturb you. A very important familyrelated decision may get into jeopardy. Use your knowledge to solve any problems.

CAPRICORN (Dec 21 - Jan 20) You must avoid any major change or deal this month.

Just focus on your current activities and flow of money will intensify. In the last week of the month, you will experience mental relief due to encouragement by good thoughts. The work will lessen and will make you feel relaxed. Period is good for spending on social gathering with your friends. A minor dispute with partner is possible this month.

CANCER (Jun 21 - Jul 22) You may start journey towards fulfilling your dreams.

Quick decisions and fast actions are very important.

Follow advice from your siblings. You may have to work hard to regain confidence. It is advisable to follow somebody else’s decisions. A sudden benefit will delight you this month. Try to be positive and enjoy the blessings of the super power. The second and third weeks of the month are more positive.

AQUARIUS (Jan 20 - Feb 19) A major financial loss is possible this month. It could be related to spouse or health. Try to focus in your career and don’t lose your self confidence. Try to be stubborn and strong. Also don’t compromise. You will perform excellent at your place of work. Your income may increase but saving won’t. You may enjoy unexpected favor from your mother or daughter.

Travel could prove relaxing but expensive.

LEO (Jul 22 - Aug 23) Now is the time to slow down and look inwardly. Also try to focus on earning extra money. Unexpected expenses are on the way and your health may also deteriorate. Stay with your old friends and avoid any major changes in life. The second half of the month is more critical. Your kid could also be very good support this month. You may benefit from your sibling.

PISCES (Feb 19 - Mar 20) A long cherished dream may fulfill this month. The destiny may play a very important role in life. Simply surrender to it. A family member’s attitude may develop disturbance. Try not to travel with family. Your enemy may take revenge with you and attain considerable success. Your sibling may delight you with good news in the beginning of the month. Listen to your mother, it may bring good luck.

VIRGO (Aug 23 - Sep 23) You may see many positive changes this month. Your own action will bring big income for you. Don’t wait till last week for any major decisions. The only possible enemy is your own ego. Try to be nice and friendly with Saathee.com

By Jalendu Vaidya Contact: 908-638-6388 / hindusvision.com 120

March 2014

Special Low Fares to India!

Book Now and Save Huge!

Call us today for details.

Call: 919-655-5443 E-mail: apnatravelsnc@gmail.com

-

Serving Buyers and Sellers Since 1989 Our experienced and talented agents can speak English, Hindi & Gujarati Offering Motels, Restaurants, Dry Cleaners, Laundromats, Convenience Stores, Land and more C-STORES:

Let Us Help You Buy or Sell A Business County South Realty & Business Brokers 303 Indian Trail Road South Indian Trail, NC 28079

704-821-8888 www.countysouth.biz

winston-Salem, NC $349K + Inv, GR $1.8M Charlotte, NC $329K + Inv, GR $3.5M Chester, SC $52K + Inv, GR $500K granite Falls, NC $50K + Inv, GR $ 1M greensboro, NC $149K + Inv, GR $3.058M Newton, NC $115K + Inv, GR $750K madison, NC $40K + Inv, GR $750K Motivated Salisbury, NC $125K + Inv, GR $540K No Gas, Ice Cream Shop Trinity, NC $209K + Inv, GR $672K No Fuel, No Beer Charlotte, NC $250K + Inv, GR $2.7M

RETAIL, COMMERCIAL, LANd, dEVELOPMENT, MOTEL: upscale Bar, Restaurant & Event Center: greensboro, NC $399K + Inv, GR $975K Bridal: $29K includes $107K Inventory-Closed Hookah Lounge: Charlotte, NC $250K, GR $432K motel: Smithfield, NC $2.29M, GR $600K Interstate Loc motel: Rutherfordton, NC $299K, GR $60K Motivated, Bring Offer Land: I-85, Salisbury, NC $99K Vacant Commercial Land: Hwy 74, Indian Trail, NC $5.5M 11 acres Lease: gaffney, SC $1,200 Mo. some Rest.Equip more listings available at our website: www.CountySouth.biz Saathee.com

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March 2014

Classifieds Tobacco Store For Sale: Excellent and high visibility. North Carolina. Store Convenience Store with 2 BHK house & volume 25K. Asking price only $40K Plus Big Game Room for sale in Winnsboro, Inv. Please call Jitu Patel 704-743-6719.

SC Neighborhood store. Inside & other Indian Restaurant for Sale in NC. income, lottery, EBT. Contact: Dilip Patel Established customers. Good business.

803-810-5371 dpatel5371@gmail.com Near major university. Selling due to Dry Cleaners for sale: Charlotte (Close family issues. Call 910-262-8379. to downtown). Well established. 1 plant and 1 pickup location. Good equipment.

EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES: Owner retiring. Call 704-277-5013.

BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES:

Indian Restaurant for sale in Charlotte area. For please contact nc8114@gmail.com Tobacco shop for sale: Kannapolis, NC. 75k + inv. or best offer. Tobacco products, smoking accessories, pipes, lottery, chew, beer,drinks, snacks, incense & more.

Room for expansion. 336-997-6542

Gas Station Help Wanted - full time in convenience store in the Concord NC area. Please call 704-737-9696.

Now Hiring: Full or part time Retail Sales Associate in Columbia SC. Male/Female/Couple. Opportunity to advance quickly into management.

Contact 706-877-0315.

Nanny Needed: Nanny needed for baby and preschooler from Mon-Fri 8am-6pm in South Charlotte WaxhawHousehold Help Needed: Need Marvin area. Some light housekeeping Household Help. Live out. Light clean, and cooking. Valid drivers license a laundry, ironing, cooking, etc. Driving must. Please call 704-290-4263.

Help Wanted: Looking for couple for Licence is a plus. Call 980-328-4476.

Experienced Threading Practitioners Housekeeping for franchise motel in NC. Accommodations and Licensed Esthetician in Charlotte, Raleigh provided.

Legal status required. Call Raleigh and Richmond areas. Full or 919-208-3513. part-time with great pay and flexibility.

Motel For Sale: in NC. 50 rooms.

Interstate location. Owner retiring. For Experience required with good English Motel Help wanted: Need couple for front desk. Accommodations provided. skills. Please call 980-322-1110. info call Harry 336-314-4101.

Gas Station/C- Store for Sale: On I-85 Elder Care needed for 81 year old Experience preferred but will train.

North Reduced to $200,000 due to family female. Live in, light cooking and Fluent in English and computer skill Reasons. Great store location with very driving. Female preferred or student. and has legal status. call 919-208-3513.

Call for details on Sat or Sun only. 704- Hotel Management Firm Now Hiring: House keepers, front desk (must speak For Sale or lease: Almost new 763-4203 Convenience store in Winston Salem, Refulgent Technologies Inc.: IT staffing fluent English), and General Manager/s NC on with deli and Gas & diesel. Only company is currently recruiting Java, .Net, of franchise hotels. Experience required. serious inquiry. Owner finance SQL Server and QA candidates. We also E-mail resumes to abcone@abcinns.com do Training & Placement. Contact Anu: OR call 704-649-6833 (M-F, 9AM-5PM).

Available. Please call 704-965-1342.

good income. call 252-767-1635.

C-Stores: Kernersville, NC $99K + Inv, GR $700K Motivated; Monroe, NC $799K + Inv, GR $2M 50% Seller Finance; Fort Mill, SC $98K + Inv, GR $1.8M Motivated 704-821-8888 or www.Countysouth.biz Great hot wrap & sandwiches franchise for sale: Located in heart of Greenville, SC. Call for details: 413-364-2456.

Motels For Sale: Rock Hill, SC (60 Rooms) and (39 Rooms). Motel for sale in Richburg, SC (47 Rooms). Nick Patel 704-905-7945.

Convenience Store for sale: busy highway near Clemson, SC. Inside 35k, gas 15k, 800/month lottery. Potential to add food, EBT, check cashing. Rent 1900/month. 65k +inv. 803-410-0185.

e-mail: recruiter@refulgent-tech.com or Gas Station Help Wanted: Looking for 704-405-4238. a couple or single. Full-Time for Convenience store / Gas Station Help convenience store / gas station near Wanted: Looking for Couples/Single; Charlotte. Accommodations Provided!

Must have legal status; Locations in NC 704-701-9975. & SC; Opportunity to advance and Help Wanted: Looking for Curry Chef grow! Please Call 803-789-3133. and Tandoor/Appetizer cook for Gujarati Speaking live-in Nanny successful Indian restaurant.Please call needed for family in Cary, NC. 252-917-1277.

Vegetarian cooking and Light Elder Care Needed: for Gujarati housekeeping. Call 919-444-1597. speaking mother in Charlotte near Gas Station Help wanted: part time / UNCC, responsibilities includes elder full time. 20 miles from Charlotte in care, light cooking & housekeeping; must Rock Hill SC exit 82b off 77-S. Contact have transportation. Call 704-517-6698.

Hasmukh Patel 704-907-5884.

Nanny Needed: Nanny needed for a 3 Need nanny / babysitter for 2 year old month old in Fort Mill (SC) area from and 8 year old near Ballantyne, NC. Live April. 10 mins from Ballantyne. Please in or Live out. Please call 980-254-6861. call 980-254-8070 Help Wanted: Franchised motel in Kinder Live-in nanny needed to take care of LA looking for housekeepers full time newborn and some household work. frontdesk (fluent English must) Experience Cary NC. 484-459-0684 or email: preferred but will train. Call 910-273-2132. seller2004@gmail.com

Liquor and c-store for Sale: Clover, SC. Gross sales yearly $380,000-$400,000 from both stores, monthly expenses only $1,000 (or less)+ $1600 rent; Asking $85,000 + inv. ($70k-$90K). Owner finance available. Call Rocky 803-810-5105.

Couple needed for 40 unit independant Motel For Sale 45 Units With Managers motel in charlotte, NC. University Area Apt. Augusta, GA. Formerly Days Inn. accomodations provided. Fluent English Owner Finance Available. Local Steady and legal status. 3rd shift night auditor.

Business. Call: 678-665-8376.

Please email mars803@gmail.com.

Saathee.com

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Part-time/Full-time Single or Couple: Needed ASAP for a convenience store in Gaffney, SC. Must speak English and previous experience preferred. Call 704726-7544 or 864-487-4939.

March 2014

HELP WANTED

Eyebrow Threader We are hiring experienced females for Eyebrow Threaders, waxing and facial specialist, eyelashes extension specialist, henna tattoo.

Full time or part-time Cary, NC Raleigh, NC Wilmington, NC Great salary + tips + commission. if you live close to the above locations, please call or e-mail.

(773) 507-8848 (773) 981-8848 Email: apq147@yahoo.com

Gas Station Help Wanted: full-time in McCormick, SC (near Greenwood & Augusta). Must speak fluent English & have legal status. Good pay. Please call 704-299-8535.

Hotel Help Wanted: Charlotte, NC. Competitive salary and accommodations provided. All shifts. Experienced front desk, night auditor & housekeeping. Fulltime positions available. Must be fluent in English. Email 123nash@gmail.com Nanny Needed: Need nanny for 1 year old in Charlotte, NC. Live in or Live out. Please call 336-306-6729.

Manager needed full time for a franchised sandwich restuarant in Charlotte. reliable and flexible. Single or couple must be fluent in English. Good pay. Call 704-604-2391.

MATRIMONIAL Hindu Punjabi Khatri parents invite alliance for U.S. citizen daughter, slim, beautiful, 5'4" working in N. Carolina.

E-mail information including recent photograph to maridaak@ymail.com Class/caste no bar.

Catering: Delicious Home Made Food, made with top quality ingredients, available for Daily or Weekly basis.

Making Fresh Roti's everyday. Catering any kind of Parties. Call Jyoti 919-6103615 / raleighrasoi@gmail.com

Drum Lessons! Professional drummer and teacher, 30+ years performance & teaching experience. Beginner to advanced. Drum set, snare, percussion. Convenient to Hindu Center. Contact Scott 704-451-8908 or martin.scott.brower@gmail.com

Vaibhavi’s Beauty Parlor: Charlotte Ballantyne area. Full service. Please call for appointment. 843-465-6048.

Tax Returns: Federal and state Taxes with e-filing, and Form 1040-NR and W7 Services to Individuals, Self-employed, Small Partnerships and S-corporations.

Call Mahesh Patel, EA at (704) 799-6377, e-mail: masupatel4@yahoo.com

Gujarati Priest in NC & SC for Ganesh, Randal, Laxmi, Sharda Pujan, Satyanarayan Katha, Wedding, Vastu, Baby Shower, Hawan, Grah Shanti.

Kishor Trivedi Home: 336-774-0597 Cell: 336-486-7925 E-Mail: kishor7@juno.com Astrologer With Gold Medals - Jayanti Lad- Contact for Health, Wealth, Relationship, Child, Enemies, Court Cases, Marriage, Job, Business, Vastu Problems, Preparing & Matching Horoscope. Call 919-463-5180 or Jayantinlad@yahoo.com Gujarati Priest: Devendra Dave Independent priest. Ganesh, Randal, Navratri, Diwali’s Laxmi & Sharda Pujas, Satyanarayan Katha, Weddings, Vastu, Baby Shower, Funeral Seva. Call Daveji 704-780-3563. God Blessings to All Neeta’s Beauty Parlor: Charlotte area open 7 days a week. Full service. Please call for appointment. 704-968-0270 South Indian Priest: Sastriji is an independent priest Call for Pujas, Gruhapravesh, Weddings, Multi-lingual, Vedic traditional priestly services, etc.

Call 704-625-7578 or 704-231-0751.

E-mail: sastrigal2003@yahoo.com.

Pretty Face - Indian beauty parlour :Threading, facials, waxing etc conveniently located at Ballantyne /South Charlotte area. Please call for appointment 704-726-8928.

Vedic Astrologer, acupuncturist and Healer: For advice on Career, Finance, Marriage, Health and Healing services "Ask Dr.Ajay", Wellness Guru. visit www.astrouniverse.com. or E-mail: astrouniverseindia@yahoo.com 919342-7169 (6 to 9 PM) or (+91) 9444052660 Hindu Priest: All kinds of puja.

Including: havan, katha, weddings, graha pravesh, funeral services & Shraadh. In Hindi, English & Tamil.

Call Balaji 704-877-6320 or 704-545-7220 or e-mail: priestbalaji@gmail.com English Instruction: Develop strong writing skills and improve your grades.

Get help from an experienced instructor of English. Flexible hours. Dr. Mehta.

609-731-5425

Mehandi (Henna): Award-winning artist in the Chapel Hill/Durham, NC area specializes in Mehandi (Henna) parties. Perfect for weddings, birthdays & get-togethers. Creative & beautiful art! Krishna Priya Dasi Phone: 919-8247734 E-mail: krsnapriyad96@gmail.com Web: www.lotuslyrics.com/henna.html Facebook: Krishna Priya Dasi

Saathee Classifieds

Catering in Charlotte: Having a party, bored or just too tired to cook? Offering tasty, healthy vegetarian homemade food. For questions call 704-802-9987 or email: yourspecialtimes@gmail.com

Ribald Farms Nursery & Florist: Specializes in Indian wedding reception design and floral arrangements. For more info contact Shawna Turner at 803328-2266 or www.rockhillflowers.com

We accept all credit cards and checks.

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

Pari Beauty In Matthews, NC: Threading, Waxing, Facials, Bleaching & Much More! 23 years of experience.

Special Deals & Great Service. For Appointment Call: 704-846-7912.

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

Barat, Doli, Graduation, Birthdays, Baby Showers & any other festivity. Affordable rates! Call Arpan Bhandari 704-843-7202 or email: arpandholi@yahoo.com

1. on-line: saathee.com (classified section) 2. e-mail: Saatheemag@hotmail.com 3. Fax: 704.527.7590 4. For more info call 704.527.7570

SERVICES

Computer Consulting: Assistance with software installation, set-up, formatting, back-up, troubleshooting and more.

Very reasonable rates. 704-619-7072.

Saathee.com

Beauty parlor near South Charlotte/Ballantyne Area. 28277.

Home: 980-225-0656 or 510-936-3334.

123

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)

How do I Submit classifieds?

Saathee Magazine PO Box 11468 Charlotte, NC 28220

March 2014

Advertisers Index 7M Tours ..............................................................9

Fly Worry Free (Travel Agent)...............................21

Qureshi (Eyebrow Threading Help Wanted) .........123

A & V Satellites ....................................................19

Friends Travel ......................................................45

Raaga Restaurant (Chapel Hill, NC).......................13

Accela Range Hood .............................................85

Gandhi, Vandan (Keller Williams Real Estate Consult.)95

Rajbhog Foods ....................................................69

Access Realty & Funding (Chandravadan Shah)....63

Gem Avenue........................................................25

Rajdeep Mandap ...............................................43

Accounting Solutions (Muhammad Kamran Awan)69

Geological Resources, Inc..................................125

Rajdeep Video & Photography (Ramesh Panjabi)...71

AKM Realty (Arvind Mahajan)...............................91

Global Mall / Legacy Jewels ..............................127

RB Realty Group (Ravi Bheemarao) ......................22

Allstate (Ravi Reddy) ..........................................126

Grand India Mart (Groceries) ................................93

Real Triangle Properties (Joe Mathews) ................73

Anand, Versha (Real Estate) .................................75

Greater Triangle Realty (Thomas John) .................93

Robert Brown LLC (Oza, Rishi: Immigration Law) ..21

Anil Bedi & Associates PC (CPA & Consultants) ....75

Greensboro Montessori School ............................95

S&S Accounting & Tax Services, Inc. ....................51

Apna Bazaar (Morrisville)......................................17

Help Wanted (Threading)......................................46

Sai Krishna Bhavan (Restaurant) ..........................51

Apna Travels (Morrisville)....................................121

Heritage India Festival 2014 ................................57

Sangam Mart (Indian Groceries).........................113

Around The World Market ...................................67

Inchin's Bamboo Garden......................................99

Shah, Kirti (CPA - Sepa Consulting) ....................37

Augment Technologies.......................................115

Indian Food & Spices (Fayetteville) .....................105

Shah, Mihir (NY Life) ............................................29

Barot, Tushar (Statefarm) .....................................86

International Community Church .........................83

Shamim Beauty...................................................13

Bashyam & Spiro LLP (Immigration Law)..............77

IT Max Solutions, Inc.

Shivam Indian Spices (Morrisville, NC)................103

...................................61

Bhindi Jewellers ................................................2

K.B. Zaveree..........................................................5

Sitar Indian Cuisine (Durham).............................113

Bipin & Smita Parekh (Real Estate).......................61

Kaya Designs Boutique......................................101

Sleep Inn (Charlotte) ...........................................79

Blooming Buds....................................................37

KD Photographics................................................97

Smart Properties (Real Estate - Smruti Patel)........88

Blue Mango Indian Cuisine .................................88

Khanna & Sons Jewelers.....................................59

Sri Shirdi SaiBaba Mandir of NC (Cary, NC).........105

Bollywood Fashions (Greensboro).........................87

Kirit Shah CPA .....................................................49

Sur-Sumiran School Of Music............................115

CafĂŠ Bombay Promotions (Mohit Chauhan & Mamta

KR Entertainment (DJ Service Kirtan Patel) ..........23

SV Temple (Noothana Sivaalayam Pratistha) .........35

Sharma) ..............................................................15

Lucky Salon & Spa ..............................................99

Taaza (Fresh) Indina Bistro ...................................87

Carolina Wedding Belle (Event Design & DĂŠcor) ....75

Maadhurya Photography....................................109

Taxproact Accouting ..........................................103

Cary Internal Medicine & The Diabetes Center, PA 80

Mahabazar.com Travels Maha Travel ....................97

The Montessori School of Raleigh ........................53

Cary Medical Clinic..............................................56

Malani Jewelers ................................................128

Tower Restauant (Morrisville)................................53

Carymed Primary Care (Bindit Patel, MD) .............72

Maruthi Pediatrics (Dr. Badriprasad R. Donthi).......84

Travel Universe ....................................................47

Chai Pani (Restaurant - Ashville, NC) ....................16

Masala India Halal Restaurant (High Point)..........109

Travelinks ............................................................31

Challa Law Offices, PLC (Immigration)..................37

Mishra Architecture PLLC ....................................70

Triangle Business Law .........................................11

Chandni's Beauty Salon ......................................27

MONTBLANC (Bhindi) ............................................3

Triangle Eye Institute ...........................................72

Choksi, Viral (Northwestern Mutual)......................17

Montessori Children's House of Durham ...41 & 111

Triangle Family Eye Care (Dr. Hiten Prajapati)........84

County South Realty & Business Brokers............121

Nagpal, Sunil (MetLife)...........................................9

Triangle Hearing Services...................................119

Crescent Dental (Dr. Kavita Ghai)..........................80

Nationwide Ins. (Maqsood Khan) ..........................79

Triangle Indian Market (Cary)................................55

Dances Of India...................................................43

Natya Performance Academy (Maniktala) .............28

Triangle Women's Center (Haritha Nadendla, MD

Darji, Iyer, Joshi & Patel (Accounting & Tax Services)85

Nav Ras Dance Academy...................................111

FACOG) .............................................................105

Dawat Indian Restaurant......................................91

Nazaare at NCSU (Bollywood Dance Team).........107

Ttravel Guru ........................................................58

Desai Desai Accounting ......................................63

NC Dermatology Associates .................................64

Tutoring (A+ Tutoring - Nirmala Koripella) .............89

DJ Hangama ....................................................16

Nunna Realty (Shiv Shankar Nunna)...................111

Udupi Cafe (Cary).................................................55

DJ Desi (Amit Vasi) ..............................................32

Nuv Yug - India Fest 2014 .....................................7

Uni World Travel...................................................49

DJ Don (David Pandoria) .....................................63

Palika Bazaar & Jewelers.....................................65

Urogender .........................................................114

DJ Lalit ...............................................................43

Paramount Montessori.........................................10

Vyas Travels.........................................................62

Elegant Designz...................................................38

Patel Brothers (Cary)............................................39

Walker Lambe Rhudy Costley & Gill, PLLC..............6

Eshaan Jewelers .................................................21

Patel, Mrugesh (Law Offices)................................71

West Cary Medicine (Dr. Kareem M.D.) ..............115

Evershine Properties............................................34

Poornima S. Mathur, CPA, PC ..............................41

White Horse Weddings.........................................71

Eye Level Learning Centers..................................49

Prime Internal Medicine (E.N. Reddy, M.D.)...........56

Worldwide travels ...............................................83

Fairview Home Mortgage.....................................45

Proficient Accounting & Tax Services, Inc. ...........27

YuppTV................................................................33

Family Fare Convenience Stores ..........................31

Property Net Reatly (Suku Pandiyattu) ..................12

Zayka Restaurant.................................................23

Fayad Law P.C. ...................................................81

Punita Ahuja CPA,FCA,DIRM................................23

Zounds Hearing Aids............................................66

Saathee.com

124

March 2014