FRIDAY, MAY 23, 2014 FRIDAY, MAY 23, 2014
242
MIDWEST EDITION
COMMUNITY NEWS
SONU NIGAM WEAVES A SPELL IN CHICAGO
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BY A STAFF WRITER
HICAGO (IL) -- Sonu Nigam Live in Concert “Klose To My Soul “ rocked Sears Centre Arena, 5333 Prairie Stone Parkway, Hoffman Estates, IL on May 16. The magnificent Sears Centre Arena was packed with a phenomenal number--8,000--of people who attended this sold-out show which was the biggest Sonu Nigam concert ever In Chicago. Sonu Nigam, the heart-beat of Bollywood music and cinema, who is an actor as well as a playback singer, mesmerized the enthusiastic crowd for about three and ahalf hours. The national promoter of this tour is Balaji Entertainment and the Chicago show was organized by Babubhai Patel, Bhavesh Patel from Sahil and Nick Patel and Mayur Patel from L.A. TAN. “Klose To My Soul” had 24 skilled musicians who also looked stylish and very remarkable. The orchestra included violinists, keyboard players, drum, dholak and tabla players, congo players, octapad players, guitarists, and one each of saxophone player, trumpet player and flute player. Sahil and LA TAN are pioneer in USA
Eye On India fete from June 5
(L-R) Babu Patel, Bhavesh Patel (Sahil), Sonu Nigam, Nick Patel & Mayur Patel (L.A.TAN)
for organizing big shows of Bollywood stars in the Chicagoland area. Explaining the reasons for success in show business, Bhavesh, CEO of Sahil, said that it could be because of much bigger group with more musicians and sophisticated equipment. Soni Nigam said he was happy to be back with “my brothers Nick and Bhavesh”, whom, he said,he had met 20 yeasr ago and were “Klose To My Soul”.. Chicago music lovers were treated to
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HICAGO – The Eye on India festival, a unique and colorful extravaganza of Indian culture, returns to Chicago from June 5. The fourth annual festival honors the wealth of India’s cultural heritage by showcasing the best of traditional and contemporary Indian art, literature, theater, film, music and dance. The festival 2014 opens on June 5, with a gala event at Open Secrets Studio, 401 N. Racine, Chicago. The absorbing events includes a South Asian community event at the Field Museum, author conversations at The Dance Center of Columbia College Chicago, a fashion exhibit at Willis Tower, music performances by Sonam Kalra and the Sufi Gospel Project at the Chicago Temple and a theatrical production of “Hamlet – The Clown Prince” featuring leading Indian theater personalities at The Dance Center of Columbia College, Chicago. The programs will take place throughout the city and suburbs in venues including the Field Museum, The Dance Center of Columbia College Chicago, Chicago Temple, Chicago Cultural Center, Reva and David Logan Center at the University of Chicago, Old Town School of Folk Music, Evanston S.P.A.C.E. and the Chicago Park District. Many of the events are free.
industry with too many awards to his credit. His work has been well recognized in India and the world over, having bagged three International Indian Film Academy (IIFA) Awards, four Screen Awards, three Zee Cine Awards, two Lions Gold Award, and three Annual Central European Bollywood Awards for his Hindi songs. Bhavesh Patel thanked his sponsors and supporters.
Amma’s programs in 10 US cities
S BY A STAFF WRITER
an evening of extraordinary music by the versatile singer Sonu Nigam and his band of musicians who are currently on a 90-day world tour covering 17 shows in Trinidad, Guyana , Washington D.C, New Jersey, Toronto, Chicago (6th show), New York, Atlanta, Houston, Vancouver, San Jose, Seattle, Los Angeles, Dallas, Orlando, Detroit with the last show on June 8 in Montreal. Nigam is a major force in the music
Sonu Nigam wows audience with his velvet voice
BY A STAFF WRITER
piritual leader Sri Mata Amritanandamayi Devi (Amma) has begun her 28th annual summer tour of North America on May 23 from Seattle and will conclude the same on July 13 at Toronto. Apart from Seattle (Bellevue), the world-renowned humanitarian is visiting nine other cities during the tour--Bay Area (San Ramon), Los Angeles, Santa Fe, Dallas, Chicago (Elburn), Boston (Marlborough), Washington D.C. (Arlington), New York, and Toronto. The programs include guided meditation, devotional singing, and a spiritual talk by Amma offering practical solutions for personal fulfillment as well as the most pressing challenges now facing the world. Attendees will get an opportunity to receive Amma’s darshan—a spiritual blessing in the form of a physical motherly embrace. The tour also includes six private retreats: Seattle [May 24-26], San Ramon [June 4-6], Los Angeles [June 10-12], Santa Fe [June 16-18], and Toronto [July 11-13]. Amma’s programs are run entirely by volunteers. Funds raised from retreats as well as from the sale of food, books, and gifts--available at the programs--directly
support the humanitarian projects of “Embracing the World”, Amma’s global network of charitable activities. ‘Embracing
the World’ projects include orphanages, homes for the homeless, scholarships for poor children, hospitals, disaster relief, and microfinance-powered initiatives for women. Amma has been conducting spiritual programs in her home country of India since the mid-1970s. At the request of people in Europe and the United States, she began giving similar programs outside India from 1987. Amma says that her life is dedicated to trying to awaken love and compassion within individuals all over the world. Amma feels these qualities are essential for world peace and harmony. “In today’s world, people experience two types of poverty: the poverty caused by lack of food, clothing, and shelter, and the poverty caused by lack of love and compassion,” Amma says. “Of these two, the second type needs to be considered first because if we have love and compassion in our hearts, then we will wholeheartedly serve those who suffer from lack of food, clothing and shelter,” she says. The Chicago programs--free for public--will be held from June 23 to 25 at MA Center Chicago, 41W501 Keslinger Rd, Elburn, IL 60119.
Vaishnav Samaj’s free health fair soon BY A STAFF WRITER
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aishnav Samaj of Midwest Temple, in association with Global Organization of Peoples of Indian Origin (GOPIO, is organizing a free health fair on June 15 and June 22--both Sundays--on its premises at 440 West Fullerton Ave, Addison, IL 60101. This is the third health fair at the temple and the 34th organized by Jayantibhai Thakkar in Chicagoland, and is open to
all requiring no pre-registration. This year, the health fair is in two parts. First, blood test and other tests will be carried out on June 15 2014. The tests include height/weight, blood pressure, blood testing, , EKG, urine analysis, bone density and social services and senior benefits. In the second part on June 22, all the blood test results will be given to people who came on June 15. They will then see the physician who will review their blood
test results and advise them for other health screening tests as needed. In addition, there will be ENT exam, chiropractic consultation, physical therapy, dental examination, hearing test, eye screening, foot exam and physical examination. There will be a short presentation (lecture) on diabetes and heart disease. A total of 25 doctors and 70 health care professionals will offer their services gratis for the event.