India Herald 112719

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VOL. 25 • NO. 87 • WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 2019 • P.O. BOX 623, SUGAR LAND, TX 77487 • PERIODICAL PERMIT USPS 017699 • 25 cents

HGH recognizes 2019 Hindu Youth Award recipients

Anisha Potnis, left, Sindhuja Sridharan , Nilamani Venisetty, Dhruv Patel, Aatreya Tewary, Muktha Nair, Jay Chakraborti, Yesh Dhruva, Kanika Talwar, Devangshu Goswami , Surabhi Kartick, Devesh Kasireddy; Radha Mulani is not in the picture. Photo by BIJAY DIXIT.

By SESHADRI KUMAR Thirteen nominees from the Houston area Hindu organizations were recognized at the ninth annual Hindu Youth Awards gala, hosted by Hindus of Greater Houston (HGH), at the Houston Durgabari Society on Nov. 16.

Houston Durgabari Society hosted this year’s Hindu Youth Awards gala.

HGH founded in 1989 to unite all Hindu organizations, also celebrates the future leaders of the society by conferring Hindu Youth awards

on deserving candidates.

The award winners in their brief remarks revealed their inherent qualifications and credential to earn the recognition and made the sponsoring organizations proud.

The 2019 Hindu Youth Award recipients were: Aatreya TewarySewa International Aatreya Tewary is currently a senior at Cinco Ranch High School. He has been an active part of Sewa International since he was 8 years old. His

key initiatives with Sewa include his work with ASPIRE tutorials where he started his own program of Debate-ItForward: to help ESL students grasp the language in a fun way.

He also has consistently helped in the rebuild of Houston post Harvey, specifically in the Rosharon community. Here he spent many weekends to help rebuild homes and greenhouses. Outside of Sewa he is the president of his high school debate team and has won many national tournaments.

See AWARDS, PAGE 2.

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Story on Page 4.

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COMMUNITY

Limited edition of Lladro porcelain figurines unveiled at Karat 22 Jewelers

A popular scene from the Bhagavad Gita.

Little Avyay, sitting on the lap of artist Ana Aguilar, watches her paint the Radhakrishna figurine, with his father Anant Patel, left, and grandfather Aku Patel, right, at Karat 22 on Nov. 21.

An interesting sculpting demonstration of the world famous Lladro porcelain figurines at Karat 22 Jewelers in Houston brought to light the latest Radhakrishna figurine and one of the recent Geetopadesa, depicting a specific verse in the Bhagavad Gita – “Yada yada hi dharmasya glanirbhavati bharata…”

The demonstration on Thursday, Nov. 21 by Ana Aguilar, Lladro’s artist of 25 years was witnessed by invited patrons of Karat 22, one of the oldest jewelers in Houston.

Karat 22 is among the few authorized dealers of Lladro in the Houston area. The store has several limited edition figurines of Hindu gods and goddesses, including Ganesha, Shiva, and Radha-Krishna.

Anant Patel of Karat 22 Jewelers stated that only 299 pieces of the Radhakrishna and

the Bhagavad Gita figurines are made by Lladro. The Radhakrishna figurine, the 34th piece, is with Karat 22 and its listed price is $8,800. The Bhagavad Gita figurine’s listed price is $29,000.

Figurines of Hindu gods and goddesses involve painstaking research and working with experts in India.

Every Lladro creation begins with an artistic inspiration. The sculptor then makes the first sketch of the new figure in clay, which is examined and approved by the Creativity Committee, made up of many members, one of whom comes from the Lladró family. The sketch, in clay, is reproduced in plaster to provide the first mold, which will in turn become the definitive mold for the porcelain figurine.

A mid-sized figurine may need between 15 and 20 molds

and up to 300 for complex pieces. The fragments coming from these molds are joined by liquid porcelain paste to obtain an exact reproduction of the original model.

Once the figurine is reconstructed, the decoration process starts. In compliance with the sculptor’s instructions, and the surface of the piece, so far smooth, it is carved with delicate motifs that will give it its final appearance.

It is at this point that the face on the sculpture gets its expression and the tiniest details are delicately crafted. In addition, the figurine is painted and if it requires a glossy finish, is later covered with a coat of varnish, which grants it that crystalline look that is so characteristic of Lladró.

Many Lladró sculptures display one of the most valued and differentiating features of

The richly-decorated Balaji the brand: flowers. Each one is A world leader in the defully made, petal by petal, fol- sign, manufacture and distrilowing a very delicate process bution of porcelain art crein order to obtain unique, un- ations, Lladró is a unique mix repeatable creations. of talent, audacity and meticuFinally, the sculpture is put lousness in the quest for excelto the test of fire: it remains for lence. Lladró was established approximately 24 hours in a by the Lladro brothers Juan, kiln at over 1300º C. Porcelain José and Vicente in 1953 in vitrifies, varnish crystallizes Valencia, Spain. Since then, and Lladró’s true colors, so far the brand has undergone an hidden, come to the surface. amazing metamorphosis from Once the crafting process is an artisan workshop to a huge completed, the sculpture goes firm that holds a presence in through several quality con- over 120 countries and is at trols. Most pieces make their the forefront of contemporary way successfully to the end of porcelain design. the process, and those that do All Lladró pieces are the not comply with Lladró’s qual- fruit of a painstaking handity standards are destroyed. made process of creation, A large team of craftsmen still carried out entirely in the such as painters, ornamental- workshops of the City of Porists and painters contribute to celain, in Valencia. The highdeveloping Lladró sculptures, est artistic and technical qualmaking each of them unique. ity is achieved in each phase All of them pool their knowl- of this process. edge and expertise to create a piece with the highest artistic —SESHADRI KUMAR and technical quality.

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PAGE 4 • INDIA HERALD • WEDNESDAY, NOVEMER 27, 2019

NEWS

HGH Board of Directors and volunteers. Vijay Pallod, left, Gopal Aggarwal, Raj Shah, Bhagwan Bhutada, Hemant Jadhav, Past president Shard Amin, President Thara Narasimhan, Tupil Narasiman, Immediate Past President Partha Krishnaswamy, Rajesh Bakshi, Sanjay Jain, Sreemathy Ranga, Bhawna Luthra, Vinod Mantri, Sanjay Jajoo and Girish Naik. Photos by BIJAY DIXIT.

Keynote speaker Rishi Bhutada is felicitated by Dev Mahajan; Sushma Mahajan, left, and Thara Naraimhan, right.

Award From Page 1 Devesh KasireddyISKCONHare Krsna Temple Devesh Kasireddy, also known by his spiritual name Damodara Sarana Dasa, is a youth leader from ISKCON of Houston.

He has been home schooled and trained in scriptures of Sanatana Dharma. He has been active in community service on behalf of ISKCON for many years and represented ISKCON Houston in Interfaith Ministries Leadership programs. He is one of the youngest devotees in ISKCON US formally initiated into the Gaudiya Vaisnava lineage and practices his spiritual vows alongside

his academic responsibilities.

He is currently a junior at the University of Houston pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Biochemical & Biophysical Sciences.

Dhruv PatelBAPS Swaminarayan Temple Dhruv is in the 10th grade.

He attends the BAPS Mandir in Stafford on a regular basis. He volunteers and takes a lead role in Youth program activities.

Some of his hobbies include playing basketball, studying, and going to the Mandir.

Nilamani Venisetty- Hindu Yuva Nilamani Venisetty holds a Master’s degree in Immunology from King’s College London and is now a PhD student in Biochemistry at University of Houston. She is the President of Hindu YUVA, a registered

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student organization at the University of Houston. She is also a trained Kuchipudi dancer/ teacher. She has also trained in Carnatic music for 8 years.

Her goal is to stay connected to her roots and promote Hindu culture by performing as well as teaching Kuchipudi to young and aspiring children and also be connected to the local Hindu community by actively participating in Hindu YUVA. Devengshu GoswamiHouston Durga Bari Society Devangshu Goswami is currently a freshman in the Electrical Engineering Honors program at the University of Texas, Austin where he received a four-year full Honors scholarship. Devangshu has been associated with various activities at Houston Durgabari Temple including playing dhak, participating and organizing camps for children, serving food to the elderly, managing the children’s corner during large festivals, and participating in musical programs and dramas.

Devangshu has over 10 years of training in Hindustani Classical Music and is a Black Belt in Karate.

Sindhuja SrinathanMeenakshi Temple Sindhuja is studying at the Robert Turner College and career high school. She

volunteers at the temple during festivals by making garlands for deities and cooking. She attended Vedic Heritage School in her early years and is currently helping with the school. She plans to study Psychology and Computer science.

Kanika Talwar- Arya Samaj of Greater Houston Kanika Talwar is a senior in high school and is associated with the Arya Samaj of Greater Houston. She has earned a silver award for Girls Scouts for working on temple projects.

She is a youth lead with UNICEF Unite and works with government agencies.

She holds an officer position for several Honor societies at school and writes articles for the temple newsletter and for fundraising events. She has a passion for Kathak dance.

Muktha Nair – Global Organization of Divinity Muktha is a 4th year student at the Houston Premedical Academy program, a partnership between the Honors College at the University of Houston and the Baylor College of Medicine.

She is majoring in Religious Studies and double minoring in Medicine & Society and Phronesis (Political Theory & Philosophy). Aside from nerding over philosophical analyses and religious exegeses, she enjoys expending her excessive creative energy on fashion, interior decorating and music. For the past decade, she has been able to continue the family tradition of community service, under the loving guidance of her beloved Master: His Holiness Sri Sri Muralidhara Swamiji.

Jay Chakraborti – Char Dham Temple Jay is a sophomore at The Woodlands College Park High School. His favorite subjects are math and computer science, and during his free time, he loves to watch both cricket and basketball.

Yesh Dhruva- VPSS Yesh is a senior at Clements High School in Sugar Land.

He aspires to become a physician. He conducts clinical research in the hope of making cardiovascular intervention

more wide-spread and is also a long-standing volunteer at the Texas Children’s Hospital. He hopes to spread Hindu cultural values and beliefs through the medical field with a specific interest in ancient Ayurvedic medicine.

Surabhi Kartick - Sringeri Vidya Bharati Foundation Surabhi is a senior at Travis High School. At the age of 4, she was initiated into the study and memorization of Srimad Bhagavad Gita by her guru Dharmatma D r . Ye g a n s u b r a m a n i a m , Chairman- Sringeri Vidya Bharati Foundation.

She had the honor of reciting the entire Gita at the Dharma and Yoga Fest at the George R Brown Convention Center to commemorate the 150th birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda.

While she continued her studies in Texas, she formally did a Guru Samarpanam in 2017 shortly after which she was given the opportunity to meet with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Washington D.C and was recognized as a Hindu Youth Achiever representing Texas. She has also been an active volunteer for various social service/nonprofit organizations like Hindu Swayam Sevak Sangh and Sewa International. She aspires to be a Wild Life Veterinarian and work with the Steve Irwin Wildlife Conservation in Australia. In her free time, she loves to sing and help with raising animals in her FFA chapter at her school and also looks forward for opportunities to give back to the Greater Houston Hindu Community that has helped her reach where she is today.

Anishaa Potnis Anishaa Potnis, originally from Fort Worth, received an undergraduate degree from Texas A&M University in Biomedical Sciences with an Art minor and a graduate degree from Rice University in Bioengineering in the track of Global Medical Innovation.

She currently works for Biotex, Inc, a medical device consulting firm in Houston. If

See AWARD, Page 6

INDIA HERALD • WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 2019 • PAGE 5

NEWS

Ekal schools set to cross 100,000 mark

Ekal team displays a pledge check for $3.1 million. Houstonian Subhash Gupta is holding the check, left, Mohan Wanchoo in the middle and executive director Ranjani Saigal, right.

Vivek Oberoi NEW YORK Ekal Vidyalaya Foundation crossed its 100,000 schools mark at a fundraising gala held in New York recently.

On November 9, when the “Future of India” gala opened, gala chair Mohan Wanchoo, announced that Ekal had established 99, 200 schools so far and the magic number of 100,000 would be reached soon. Excitement filled the floor and pledges began to pour in. Ekal reached the 100,000 school milestone within minutes.

Mohan Wanchoo himself pledged $1 million over a period of 5 years, reducing the target to 800 schools to reach the magical figure of 100,000. These additional schools will benefit 25,000 children bringing the literacy total to 2.7 million children.

With Mohan Wanchoo’s announcement, the evening raised $3.1 million. Earlier, Ekal had raised $2 million at the Los Angeles Gala.

The New York gala at the majestic ‘Gotham Hall’ featured Bollywood actor Vivek Oberoi as the keynote speaker. In addition, distinguished speakers included Raju Reddy, a successful entrepreneur. Ranjani Saigal, executive director of Ekal, traced the 32-year history of the organization, including its transition into a nation building movement.

Vivek Oberoi stole the show with his pledge to put all his entrepreneurial might behind rural issues and spearhead small-scale solar power solutions for the energy requirements of villages. He said, “I have already received a commitment of over half a million dollars for this initiative”.

At the conclusion of his brilliant speech, he applauded Ekal for receiving the iconic “Gandhi Peace Prize” from the government of India for its social work in rural-tribal areas with gender equality.

For the benefit of the people assembled, the ‘Peace Prize’ itself was ushered on the stage by a select group of people and presented to the gathering by Prakash Waghmare, a member of the PR national committee and Suresh Iyer, President of Ekal-USA. There was a brief panel discussion, moderated by Amrita Saigal, a young entrepreneur, to highlight various aspects of Ekal. Ragy Thomas pledged his strong support to education and pledged $100,000 to accelerate its pace.

Raju Reddy, partnering with Ekal, expressed his desire to bring a transformation to rural Telangana. The ‘Sarva Mangal Family Trust’ and the ‘Keshap Group’ confirmed their intention to match technological intervention in education in ‘digital-tablets’ format.

Several dignitaries were honored, including India’s Consul General of New York, Sandeep Chakravorty and New York Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney. Ekal also recognized several supporters for their distinctive projects.

Among them were Dr. Kavita Navani of ‘Sankalp’ for aiding 625 Ekal schools; Himanshu Shah of ‘Shah Capital’ for supporting ‘Gramothan Resource Ctr’; Adish & Asha Jain and Vandana & Vivek Sharma for corroborating in integral village development; and Subra & Anu Dravida for promoting digital literacy through the ‘Ekal-on-Wheels’ project.

At the end of the evening, Perfection of Man Foundation announced support for the planting of one million trees in Ekal villages. Pradeep Goyal, Chairman of Ekal Abhiyan Trust and S.K. Jindal, a trustee, had specially flown in from India to attend and boost the morale of everyone to make the gala a success.

Bollywood singer Shibani Kashyap entertained the gathering with her singing and enticed them to dance to her tunes. Unlike most such events, the remarkable thing about this event was the participation of young professionals in large numbers. This is an indication that Ekal’s future is on a rock-solid foundation.

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PAGE 6 • INDIA HERALD • WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 2019

COMMUNITY ritual parts of Hinduism to Award children, and in India for From Page 4 she is not running animal studies or building prototypes, she is either painting, trying new restaurants with friends and family, staying active, or keeping up with her sadhana.

She has been a member of Chinmaya Mission Houston for the past 4 years and has enjoyed teaching Balavihar classes, organizing young adult retreats and activities, and attending satsang.

Among the awardees was also Radha Mulani from the Gocindji Gaudia Math.

Chinmaya Mission Acharyas Gaurang and Darshana Nanavaty were also conferred with the Lifetime Achievement Award by the HGH at this event.

Rishi Bhutada, director on the board of the Hindu American Foundation, was the keynote speaker. Rishi Bhutada is the vice-president of Finance at Star Pipe Products in Houston and coordinates HAF’s Houston chapter. He received India House’s “Young Leader of the Year” Award in 2013.

Rishi Bhutada spoke about why he got involved with Hindu activities, and what drove him to stay engaged.

“I attended Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh shakhas on a regular basis, and I was a dedicated attendee of the Hindu Heritage Youth Camp.

In fact, I only missed one year of camp growing up, and that was because a hurricane came that year and forced the camp to postpone to a different week where I was in India. I still regret missing that one camp,” Bhutada said.

Bhutada credited his parents with playing a big role “in giving me the room to explore and formulate my own understanding of Hinduism, while supplying me the guidance and material I needed in order to do that. What they focused on was making sure that I had a strong understanding of Hindu philosophy, so that I incorporated it into my values and beliefs.”

It is easier to transmit the

certain, that is what happens by osmosis since it’s incorporated into daily life. However, without a strong philosophical understanding, Hindu young adults have a tough time relying on Hindu beliefs to navigate modern daily life here, Bhutada said.

Bhutada said he had two goals he felt were extremely important, and those goals guided the activities he would engage in as an adult.

“The first goal that I have is that no Hindu child should be made to feel ashamed of being Hindu by external influences in American society. It’s why I continued with the Hindu Heritage Youth Camp, working as a counselor, volunteer, and director, because I felt the camp provided something unique to Hindu children in the Houston area – the chance to bond with other Hindu children and teenagers in a format that is universally recognized as fun and enjoyable, while providing education at the same time. It’s why I got engaged with Hindu Students Council, because I recognized that college life is a turning point for every young adult. And it’s why one of the first projects I took on when I joined the Hindu American Foundation was assisting in the correction of how Hinduism is portrayed in school textbooks, because too often Hindu kids were coming back home ashamed of what they had read and learned. I feel that we as a community have made serious and real progress on this front, but there’s still more work to do.”

His second goal is to make sure that Hindus are seen as a respected and valuable part of American society.

If you were to ask an average American on the street about what they know about Hinduism, you’d probably get a blank stare, Bhutada said.

Even with lawmakers, there isn’t that much knowledge.

He narrated an anecdote when the HAF first started engaging with members of the Congress and after one of the meetings, the Congressman

asked whether they were “Hindu Sunni” or “Hindu Shia.”

“You can see how much work we had to do. So this goal is something I work on a lot, especially in the political arena – in this polarized political environment, it’s not an easy task,” Bhutada said.

In this context, Bhutada felt that Hindu parents generally discouraged their children from pursuing liberal arts or other subjects, but forced them toward professional careers like doctors, engineers or lawyers.

“So if a young Hindu adult wants to become a journalist, work at a nonprofit organization or in government, or some other career path, many times, we try to

dissuade them. If it comes on too strong, and they rebel, that act of rebellion can end up pushing them away from their culture as well,” Bhutada said.

So be it teaching journalism or politics, the youth should be free to pursue the career of their choice, he said.

Bhutada urged the teenagers and young adults “to make sure you stay connected with the Hindu community, no matter where you go and no matter what you do in life.

Make the same commitment I did – figure out a way to serve our Hindu community with whatever goal you feel is important.”

Thara Narasimhan, president of HGH, made a presentation on various activities of the organization

over 39 years of its existence.

Brief presentations were made on the Hindu Heritage Youth Camp and Young Hindus of Greater Houston.

The cultural program included devotional songs by young Hindu voices under the guidance of Rajarajeshwari Bhat of the Krishna Gana Sudha School of Music, and music and dance from the students of the Durgabari Society’s music and dance faculties.

Bhawna Luthra coordinated the program, with Akash Dhingra and Uma Zingde, serving as emcees for the awards segment.

Next year’s Hindu youth Awards gala will be hosted by Vallabh Priti Seva Samaj.

Students of Rajarajeshwary Bhatt singing a devotional song. devesh pathak cpa OL AD 11-2-15.pdf

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INDIA HERALD • WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 2019 • PAGE 7

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PAGE 8 • INDIA HERALD • WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 2019

COMMUNITY

Hindu monastics at Harvard

By Emily Farnsworth Just like any student at Harvard, Swami Sarvapriyananda had dreams about what he would do when he grew up.

As he sits in a classroom in Rockefeller Hall on Harvard Divinity School’s (HDS) campus wearing his distinctive orange robes, he recalls what he wrote down as his top two choices while at school in his hometown of Bhubaneswar, in the eastern part of India.

“No. 1, be a pilot, and No. 2, find God,” he said, smiling at the recognition that this is perhaps where his story begins to depart from others’.

Swami Sarvapriyananda, who goes by just “Swami” when there aren’t other swamis around, describes himself as a bookworm, and attributes his early interest in the spiritual life to a childhood without cable television or internet.

He could keep himself busy with the books his parents had around instead — books on the Bhagavad Gita or Swami Vivekananda.

“As I grew up, being a pilot became No. 2 and find God became No. 1, until only No. 1 remained.”

Now a monk of more than 25 years in the Ramakrishna Order, Sarvapriyananda is the current minister and spiritual leader of the Vedanta Society of New York and one of three Hindu monastics in residence at HDS this school year. They are the first to participate in a new program made possible by a generous gift from Vibhu and Ajit Nagral out of their interest in strengthening the Hindu presence on campus.

Francis X. Clooney, S.J., Parkman Professor of Divinity and professor of comparative theology, explains that this new program will be similar to the Buddhist Ministry Initiative, which began in 2012 and has provided scholarships for monks to come from Asia for a year of study at HDS. The Hindu monastics move across campus with ease, albeit they do stand out. “We dress quite loudly”, said Brahmacharini Shweta Chaitanya. Sadhak Akshar, who wears an all-white uniform, wondered how people in the U.S. would receive him.

The new program at HDS has two main objectives: to enrich the HDS community, and to enable the participating monastics to return to their communities with expanded horizons. Two months into the semester, these aims are already flourishing — in both formal and informal ways.

The three monastics are easy to spot on campus. As Brahmacharini Shweta Chaitanya of Houston’s Chinmaya Mission quipped, “We dress quite loudly.” Her bright yellow robes indicate that she is, in her words, “a monastic in training.” Her

Nike trainers and cardigan sweaters, however, signal that she and the other monastics don’t shy away from the modern world.

Sarvapriyananda says he is open to taking questions from the curious.

“I’d be delighted to talk about monastic life, Vedanta, or Hinduism — whatever they’re interested in,” he added. “It’s one of the reasons we’re on campus, actually — to be available.”

Before coming to Harvard, Sadhak Akshar, an aspiring Bochasanwasi Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS) Swaminarayan sadhu from Gujarat, India, who wears an all-white uniform, wondered how people in the U.S. would receive him.

“But from the very first day,” he said, “this hasn’t been a question for me. People accept you as you are and respect you.”

He has felt more than welcome, in fact, with many people asking whether he has the necessary clothing to survive a New England winter, and some even offering to take him shopping. He appreciates the kindness he has encountered, recognizing that as a resident of the Center for the Study of World Religions (CSWR) on the HDS campus, he lives in “a bubble inside a bubble.”

Sadhak Akshar practices a devotional puja for his gurus and Hindu gods during Hindu New Year at the Center for the Study of World Religions.

The grounds around the CSWR provide a quiet place for meditation and study and remind Akshar of Sarangpur, India, where he spent three years with guru Pramukh Swami Maharaj and was inspired to begin his monastic journey. Akshar’s eagerness to learn, easy-going demeanor, and generosity with his Gujarati cooking helped him make friends easily, and he’s thrilled to already have forged “strong bonds” with people from Jewish, Muslim, Buddhist, Christian, and other Hindu traditions.

This is a priority for Akshar both because of his guru Mahant Swami Maharaj’s teachings on unity and fraternity, and because of a teaching from the Vedas he can quote: “Let noble thoughts come from all the directions.”

He interprets this to mean that “whatever is good anywhere, in any religion, we accept it.”

In addition to these kinds of informal interactions, Akshar and the others, who have devoted years to studying their own traditions, are enrolled in courses to learn about new methodologies and traditions.

While Akshar and Chaitanya are taking classes on Bud-

Brahmacharini Shweta Chaitanya (from left), Swami Sarvapriyananda, and Sadhak Akshar are Hindu monastics in residence at Harvard Divinity School. Photo by Kris Snibbe/ Harvard Staff Photographer. (The Harvard Gazette.) dhism and Christianity, Sarvapriyananda is enrolled in a number of philosophy courses — both Eastern and Western.

All three are taking Clooney’s “Introduction to the Upanishads,” which are “some of the oldest and most famous primary texts of Vedic and Hindu India, ranging from before 700 B.C. to 200 B.C. and later.”

Daniel Sanders, a first-year M.T.S. candidate also in the class, said he was “excited by the opportunity to study these texts with those who have made it their life’s focus to absorb, contemplate, and practice the wisdom found there.”

He added that their in-class Sanskrit recitations of the text and insights into interpretation have added “a joyful new dimension to my classroom experience.”

In addition to enriching group discussions, the three monastics have given class presentations about how the Upanishads are studied in each of their traditions. Chaitanya’s two-year residential Vedanta course in Mumbai, India, for example, was entirely different from the kind of objective, academic approaches she

was exposed to while pursuing degrees in Sanskrit at the University of Texas, Austin, and at Columbia University.

Her experience in India was totally immersive: “There was a lot of lifestyle change that was considered necessary to imbibing the teaching of the Upanishads,” she said, like what time you wake up and what kind of food you eat. “It was almost like being able to take what we studied and to relate it to your every moment.

I thoroughly appreciated that style of learning and teaching.

It was very inspiring.”

Despite years of studying the Upanishads, the monastics also feel they have much to learn from their professor and classmates. Parsana said he is enjoying encountering new perspectives. The students from different religious backgrounds, he said, bring questions to the text that he’s never considered. This kind of exchange is exactly why Chaitanya pursued the opportunity to come to HDS. “I thought it was nice to bring in the theologian’s perspective along with the academic perspective and work

collaboratively to think about Hinduism,” she said. “I wanted to be a part of that to whatever extent I could.”

Chaitanya hopes to be able to bring some of this perspective back to her community, and Sarvapriyananda is also eager to share how things are done at HDS with the acharyas in India who run the monastic training centers.

“They want to know what it’s like, what are the teaching methods, how do the students respond to the material,” he explained. “I’m sure when I go back to India, I’ll probably be asked to give talks on my Harvard experience.”

For Akshar, who has never had the chance to engage in much interreligious dialogue, the lesson he hopes to take home is the community experience itself.

“At Harvard, everyone can have dialogue across the table,” he said. “And this is a nice thing. And now when I go back, I will be more confident in continuing this dialogue, because it is coming from experience.”

(The Harvard Gazette.)

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COMMUNITY

Cricket Officials help train coaches to fulfill growing interest in sport

New Certified level 2 coaches poses with Michael Chambers , CEO, USA Cricket Hall of Fame & Violette Haldane, President – The West Indian Foundation after the event. Photo courtesy of Lawrence Jaggon

By Lawrence Jaggon The interest in Youth cricket is rapidly increasing and the demand for qualified coaches is on the rise.

The lack of certified coaches in Connecticut has severely impacted the development of the game and many parents are taking notice. Michael Chambers President of the Cricket Hall of Fame and Lawrence Jaggon President of the Connecticut Premier Cricket league decided to do something about this dire situation.

Chambers reached out to the President of the West Indian foundation Violette Haldane and Jatin Patel of the American Cricket Federation for assistance. Patel is the ACF Director of coaching and his program has conducted clinics in 26 states and has trained and certified over 197 level 2 coaches since 2014, & that’s before this clinic in Windsor, CT. Last weekend The Windsor Cricket Club and the Connecticut Premier Cricket league (CPCL)hosted one of Patel’s coaching clinic at the L P Wilson center in Windsor Connecticut.

The West Indian Foundation was the major sponsor of the event which attracted over 20 participants of men and women.

Successful participants were awarded certificates of completion and are now certified Cricket coaches.

Participants are now assigned to the towns of Windsor, Bloomfield, West Hartford, South Windsor and Rocky Hill. They will impart this new found knowledge to enhance the game.

During the closing ceremony President Chambers reminded the coaches to read the book Winning Strokes and complete the mindfulness training challenge which would help in their day to day activities and it would teach them to be more alert and calm when coaching.

The town of Windsor Recreation and Leisure Services led by Director Paul Norris played a very important role in the success of the event. All the participants commended the accommodations.

Mr. Errol Archer a long time Windsor resident is now a certified level 2 coach and he was very excited about the accomplishment. Archer told the Windsor Journal that he will use this knowledge to help as many youngsters in the town of Windsor to improve their cricket skills.

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PAGE 12 • INDIA HERALD • WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 2019

NEWS

India Inc. Poll sends stark message to all UK political parties

The first-ever India Inc. survey of voter intentions confirms the obvious dealignment of British Indians from the UK’s Labour Party; what is less obvious is where these votes will finally go, writes India Inc. Founder and CEO Manoj Ladwa.

Winston Churchill famously described politics as the ability to foretell what is going to happen tomorrow, next week, next month and next year; and then to have the ability afterwards to explain why it didn’t happen.

The landmark India Inc. Optimus Poll released this week on British Indian voter intentions could well go down in the annals of the December 2019 General Election history as a timely foretelling, up for Britain’s political parties to grab in time or then struggle to explain why they failed later.

The poll, conducted by YouGov of eligible voters from the UK’s 1.5-million strong Indian diaspora, makes it loud and clear that this electorate cannot be taken for granted as a block vote. They may have traditionally identified with the Labour Party but that vote-share is in freefall, registering a 12 point drop since the last election in 2017. This, however, is not immediate good news for the Conservative Party either, which is currently down four points from 2017 and doesn’t seem to be successfully attracting the floundering Labour voters, many of whom seem to be attracted towards the antiBrexit Liberal Democrats.

Living Bridge

The Indian diaspora, as the UK’s largest and often referred to as the “Living Bridge” since Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi coined that phrase in November 2015, punches well above its weight in its contribution to Britain’s socio-economic landscape.

There are a documented 842 Indian companies doing business in the UK, a number that would have gone up since the ‘India Meets Britain Tracker 2019’ was released earlier this year. These companies between them have a combined turnover of £48 billion.

Between them, they employ over 105,000 people across the country and, most significantly, have shown great resilience through the uncertainties of Brexit so far. These figures do not take into account diaspora-owned businesses, which represent 2 per cent of the UK a population but a staggering 6 per cent of its GDP. Against the backdrop of a looming exit from the European Union (EU) and ambitions of a Global Britain, keen to enhance trade and investment ties with India, this heavyweight group will have a crucial role to play. They may also have some influence on the direction of any future trade deal between the two countries.

Voting trends However, the actions from the two main parties don’t seem to reflect that they have grasped this no-brainer. The Labour Party fares much worse, given the traditionally strong base it was starting with

among diaspora voters. Its illconceived and partisan emergency motion on Kashmir is a sign of just how out of touch it has become with Indian diaspora sentiments. The further reference to Kashmir in its election manifesto will only serve to rub salt into the already strained relationship.

The India Inc. Optimus Poll, however, makes it quite apparent that British Indian voters are not inclined to vote solely on the basis of sub-continent issues, but how a party frames its relationship with the country of their origin – one of the fastest growing economies of the world – undoubtedly has some influence over their voting behaviour.

According to the poll, regardless of who is in power, a plurality of British Indians (47 per cent) agree that the UK should be doing more to increase trade and investment between the United Kingdom

and India, compared to only 19 per cent who say the UK is doing enough or too much.

All is not lost With nearly a fifth of British Indians still undecided, and 15 constituencies in which Asians, including Indians, constitute over 40 per cent of the population, 46 constituencies in which they constitute over 20 per cent, and 122 constituencies in which they constitute over 10 per cent, a continued shift towards the Conservative party among British Indian voters could be decisive in many seats.

However, the findings also indicate that the Liberal Democrats have registered the most statistical hike among Indianorigin voters, of 10 percentage points (jumping from 8 per cent in 2017 to 18 per cent in 2019), reflective of Brexit as an important factor behind their ballot in line with the wider national sentiment.

With just over a fortnight in the campaign, it is perhaps time for all the parties to reassess and realign because an 18 per cent undecided set of British Indian voters, higher than the national average of undecided voters, is a massive chunk of votes (especially where winning margins are tight) up for grabs in an election that has confounded political pundits even more so than any in the past.

Explaining away such a big missed opportunity will prove impossible even for a politician as astute as Winston Churchill.

Manoj Ladwa is the Founder and CEO of India Inc. publishers of India Global Business magazine. indiaincgroup.com

INDIA HERALD • WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 2019 • PAGE 13

COMMUNITY

Tamil Nadu Foundation celebrates Children’s Day

The Tamil Nadu Foundation’s (TNF) - Houston Chapter celebrated this year’s Children’s Day event on November 16th 2019 at Sri Meenakshi Temple in Pearland.

The TNF office bearers and members of Advisory Board along with their families arrived early at 4pm and started the function arrangements.

The celebration started with a

Magician show performed by Mr. Paul David Carpenter with various unbelievable tricks and quite interestingly captivating not only the children but also the adult audience. The magician involved adults as well by calling out volunteers in performing certain magic events in a humorous manner.

Houston’s mimicry king Mr. Kumaran humorously performed voices of different actors, along

with Mr.Nandhu. The program followed by Adalum Padalum for children ages 4 to 8 years, Skit performance for children ages 9 to 12 years, and Houston Youth Karaoke for children ages 19 to 22 years.

Prior to today’s celebration TNF Houston Chapter also conducted Sema Singer program for children ages 12 to 18 years.

All the children sang popular Tamil songs so well that it would have been extremely hard for Singer Sai Saran chose the ultimate ‘Sema Singer’ winner. His video was payed appreciating TNF Houston Chapter’s efforts towards a noble cause. He also appreciated and commended the efforts of our various young singers who participated in the competition. did an awesome job. He got a great applause from the audience.

Abhinav, a speciallly challenged child, was among the singers.

President of the Houston Chapte Mala Gopal did the welcome address and gave a brief introduction of the TNF- Chapter activities and introduced the officers namely Secretary Dr. Nalini Balachandran and Treasurer Mrs. Punitha Thangaraj.

Secretary Dr. Nalini Balachandran mentioned the importance of Houston Chapter’s initiatives and activities and encouraging everyone to help in accomplishing the tasks.

Treasurer Punitha Thangaraj presented the budget info of the chapter Children Selfie pictures were taken by TNF Board and Committee members.

Secretary Dr. Nalini Balachan-

dran and Treasurer Punitha Thangaraj thanked all the attendees and offered vote of thanks. Sumptuous dinner was catered by Bawarchi Biryani Point Indian restaurant.

President Mala Gopal thanked all the office bearers, advisory board members and other participants of the event for their involvement and making the celebration enjoyable and fully entertainable for all age groups. A lot of coordination existed between different committee members/officers and sincere volunteers made the function a grand success. This event is one of the many events that were conducted by the TNF Houston Chapter and is making all out efforts in promoting the importance of this charity organization.

— Bala J Balachandran

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and Counting, Providing Services Email: 1970-2019 1970 - 2014 To Generations editor@india-herald.com of Businesses and Professionals Around The World”

PAGE 14 • INDIA HERALD • WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 2019

COMMUNITY

Nritya Dance School’s annual aradhana

“Aradhana”, the annual day by the Nritya Dance school was held at the Jewish Community Center on Saturday 16 November 2019.

Aradhana means worship in Sanskrit, and this aptly captures the worship of the divine art of BharataNatyam that was witnessed on stage through the riveting performance of the dancers.

The auditorium was packed with eager parents, friends and dance lovers.

The students dressed in beautiful traditional dance costumes were literally an ocean of color.

The intoxicating energy in the room was exciting and one eagerly looked forward to the performance to begin.

Having been raised in Chennai, the Kalashetrabani, which is taught at this school, is very close to home and heart. This style is known for its stupendous footwork,creativity and structured learning. Students go through years of vigorous training learning the basic steps called adavus, and simultaneously, building their stamina to perform gracefully into more advanced choreographed items.

The annual day is typically viewed as the pinnacle of the students’ education for that year, and allows the students to showcase the hard work they have put into this art form, build confidence on stage, and provide the audience with a true visual treat through the progress they have made in this creative journey.

Aradhana, with 25 items on its program list, was thoughtfully planned to give multiple opportunities to these budding dancers to immerse themselves in the magical world of Bharatham and display their talent.

Aditi, the Master of Ceremony for the evening, eloquently opened the event and passed the floor to Guru Padmini Chari for her opening remarks.

Guru Padmini Chari, after sharing her opening words, started the event on time – a trademark of hers for the past

37 years.

As the curtains opened, all students were standing confidently on stage decked in their finery. It was inspiring to see the diversity on stage, different ages, girls, boys, mothers, daughters, brothers and sisters all connected by this divine form of art. They started the event with four different prayers.

After the prayer, the students took the stage to perform Bhoomanjali, which pays obeisance to Bhoomi Devi, praises her virtues and prays for forgiveness for treading and stamping on her.

After this, the students from various batches danced Natyarambam, he beginning of the dance, GanapathiVandanam, greeting of Lord Ganapathi, remover of obstacles.

Followed by Thodayamangalam, a traditional song welcoming God with auspiciousness, and Puja Angikam, the puja with body.

A combination of beginner and intermediate students then took the stage with Natesa Kautvam, which is historically performed in temples, Thodaya Mangalam, Pushpanjali, Jathiswaram, Kannan Madhura Geetham, Mallari and Ranganjali followed in a sequence.

The students elegantly performed these primary items with clear footwork, highlighting the focus Guru Padmini Chari gives in building their fundamental skills and following the manodharmam, which are critical to the progress of a student’s artistic achievements.

I had the opportunity of sneaking into the backstage area where I was moved by the dynamics between Guru Padmini Chari and her students.

She was the cheerleader and coach who motivated and encouraged the students entering the stage to perform passionately, and received the students who had finished their performance with warmth, a big cheer and the compassion of a mother.

As the evening progressed, the pieces got increasingly complex.

Bho Shambo, Thillana and

Aadinaye Kanna were performed by the intermediate students, and the amazement of the audience kept growing at the visual spectacle and mastery of skill.

The senior students danced Paraashakthi Natanam, Govardhana Giridhara, Thillana in the melodious raga Brindavana Saranga and Shambu Natanam.

Performing these fast paced items requires years of hard work, discipline and dedication and the dancers performed these pieces with effortless grace, leaving the audience in a trance.

After this, some of the eager parents took the stage to perform a Garbha, showing their commitment to dance and close relationship with Guru Padmini Chari and the Nritya Dance School.

The advanced senior students then showed off their years of training and dedication by performing three stunning pieces.

These three true pièces de résistance were Kali Kavithuvam, Ardhanareeswara Ashtakam and Maatha Paraashakthi, and all embodied Nritta, Nritya, and Abhinaya and were the culmination of the dancers’ discipline.

The dancers’ elegant choice of costumes stood out, and showed their level of maturity and individuality.

Kali Kavithuvam, composed

by Gangai Muttu Nattuvanar, is dedicated to Kali. Kavithuvams have a unique structure, and start with rhythmic recitation of sollukattus, followed by lyric recitation in the same santham as the sollus and the later a melodic rendering of the lyrics and ends with a sollukattu.

The students’ skill and maturity levels were evident as they combined heavy footwork with emotive rendering to personify Kali.

The Ardhanareeswara Ashtakam, composed by Adi Shankara, extols the unity of Siva and Parvati, and this beautifully choreographed item showed dancers depicting Siva’s masculinity on the right side of the stage, and Parvati’s femininity on the other side.

The dancers on left and right moved effortlessly in unison on their respective roles.

The dancer at the center gracefully depicted Ardhanareeswara, and the union of both deities.

The last piece, Maatha Paraashakthi, composed by Bharathiar, was a production style performance that enchanted the audience and was an apt reminder of the qualities of the Divine Mother that Guru Padmini Chari has imbibed in her students.

This piece glorified Maatha Saraswathi, Lakshmi and Durga, and the dancers with their poised expression brought the various divinities to stage.

Paraashakti, who is the combination of all these three divinities, is the pure cosmic energy in the form of Parvati Devi, and consort of Lord Parameshwara.

Maatha Paraashakti’s energy was felt in the auditorium as the dancers invoked her limitless energy.

The divine sound of Lord Nandi’s Mridingam, skillfully played by one of the dancers when Nandi engaged in a rhythmic dance conversation with Devi, reverberated in the auditorium and set the beat to the exquisite footwork.

Devi’s conversation took place through skilled footwork accompanied by playful expressions to match the spirit.

Guru Padmini’s eloquent choreography combined with the effortless execution by the performers made the audience feel like they had entered heaven to observe the Devatas and is a true tribute to her capability.

Every item at Aradhana was carefully choreographed, following the traditions, and brought out the best in the student to match their level of proficiency.

Over seventy students performed on the annual day with ample stage time to demonstrate their skills.

At the end, the students were presented with trophies and certificates by Guru Padmini Chari, and she also took the time to thank the students, parents, board and committee

Photo by NAVIN MEDIWALA members : senior student Surabi Veeraragavan for the back end support, and Adithi for being the master of ceremony.

Surabi then spoke about her relationship with her Guru, and really showed how Guru Padmini Chari is an illuminating light who is always there for her students, and ready to support them to explore the depths in this divine art form. She has imparted her energy to the students, and her students continue to return to dance for the pure joy of it.

As the event ended, the students and parents waited to hug and take photographs with their Guru, emphasizing the strong Guru-Sishya relationship that has been cultivated, which is as strong asa Mother-daughter or Mother-son relationship.

As we know, Lord Nataraja, Lord of the dance, passed on the ancient art through Rishi Bharata, in an Adi Guru-Parampara. Rishi Bharata authored Natya Shastra which forms the foundation of Bharata Natyam.

The Guru-Parampara continues through great Gurus such as Guru Padmini Chari, and her students. These Guru-Parampara form the beads in the anklet of Lord Shiva, and ensures that the cycle continues and forms the creative impulses which move as waves through the universe.

Houston is fortunate to have such institutions that promote the age old art of Bharata Natyam.

—By Ayshwarya Srinivasan

INDIA HERALD • WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 2019 • PAGE 15

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PAGE 16 • INDIA HERALD • WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 2019

NEWS In City of Joy, Viswanathan Anand eyes Magnus Carlsen’s number

Sourav Ganguly, Viswanathan Anand and Magnus Carlsen.

KOLKATA: It cannot get bigger than this. The penultimate leg of the Grand Chess Tour (GCT), a rapid and blitz meet, begins at the Bhasha Bhawan auditorium of the iconic National Library on Friday with eight of the world’s top 15 Grandmasters in the fray.

In terms of quality and pedigree, India hasn’t staged a finer global event. In a way, it was long overdue. India as a chessplaying nation has grown in leaps and bounds over the years. But while Indian youngsters have continued to amaze the chess world by their sheer talent, big chess events missed the country.

English GM Nigel Short welcomed the development. “I

am delighted that such an important event will take place in Kolkata. Indeed, I would like to see India host more events of this magnitude, given the immense strength and depth of chess in the country,” he told ToI. Three world champions — two current and one former — will showcase their skills over the next five days. Leading the pack is none other than World champion , who will be challenged by India No. 1 and five-time former World champ Viswanathan Anand and world Random Fischer winner Wesley So. The other GMs who will be vying for honours are China’s Ding Liren, Russian Ian Nepomniachtchi, Armenia’s Levon Aronian, Anish Giri of the Netherlands and Hikaru Nakamura of USA, along with two wild-card entrants — India No. 2 Pentala Harikrishna and No. 3 Vidit Gujrathi.

The GCT, inspired by the legendary Garry Kasparov and launched in 2015, comprises of two classical and five rapid and blitz tournaments, followed by a grand finale which will feature the top four players from the previous seven legs played across four continents (Africa, Asia, Europe and America).

Kolkata is hosting the crucial seventh leg, which will finalize the four qualifiers for the London finale (from December 2).

Going by the current standings, Carlsen has already booked his London ticket, as he sits on top of the table way above the rest with 54.5 points.

Chinese No. 1 Liren lies second with 37.8 points and has all but made the cut. Although Levon Aronian is tied fourth with Russian Sergey Karjakin on 36.5 each and behind Maxime Vachier-Lagrave of France (36.8), the Armenian GM is likely to secure a berth since both Karjakin and Vachier-Lagrave have already featured in five legs — maximum a player can compete in.

Anand (32) is in the reckoning to earn the fourth berth.

India’s first GM will look to make a good start in the event — which will see nine rounds of rapid over the first three days and then 18 rounds of blitz in two days — and get into the groove early.

Anand had won the blitz tournament held in the city last year and has done reasonably well in this year’s GCT legs, finishing second in Paris and third in Romania. He will also look to get the record straight against Carlsen in his own country after having lost the World championship match to the Norwegian in Chennai in 2013.

INDIA HERALD • WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 2019 • PAGE 17

NEWS Sena-NCP-Cong combine to ‘parade’ 162 MLAs in Mumbai hotel BJP claims support of MLAs

This wasn’t a “political fashion show” but certainly one unlike any other Maharashtra has seen.

The luxury hotel in suburban Mumbai, host to many fashion shows, including the biggest one in the country, on Monday saw the “parade” of Shiv SenaNCP and Congress MLAs. The event came a day before the Supreme Court passes an order on the issue of floor test for the Maharashtra government led by Devendra Fadnavis whose swearing-in has been challenged by Shiv SenaNCP-Congress combine.

NCP chief Sharad Pawar, Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray and senior Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge were among those present during the show of strength aimed at making a public statement

that the three parties hold the real mandate to govern the state.

The Sena and Congress MLAs arrived at the hotel shortly before 7 pm by various buses arranged by their parties.

NCP MLAs were shifted there earlier from another hotel.

Even as the “parade” of MLAs was in progress in the hotel, supporters of these parties gathered outside shouted slogans against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah.

The Shiv Sena, the NCP and the Congress will “parade” 162 MLAs in a five-star hotel in Mumbai on Monday evening as a proof of their combined strength in the 288-member Assembly, senior Sena leader Sanjay Raut said.

Announcing the move on his

CHECKUPS ARE GOOD FOR YOUR FINANCIAL HEALTH.

tweeter handle, Raut appealed to state Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari to witness the “parading” of the legislators of the three parties.

“We are all one and together, watch our 162 together for the first time at grand Hyatt at 7 pm, come and watch yourself @maha_governor.

He tagged the official twitter handle @maha_governor of the Governor.

“The idea is to turn the public perception towards us. Once we parade 162 MLAs in one hall, entire nation will come to know that BJP is playing a dirty game in Maharashtra by misusing office of the governor,” said an NCP leader.

The MLAs of the Sena, the NCP and the Congress are currently staying at different hotels in Mumbai.

Maintaining that the BJP had the support of all 54 NCP MLAs to form a government in Maharashtra, the Centre on Monday asked the Supreme Court for two to three days to file a reply to the plea against the governor’s decision to invite Devendra Fadnavis to become chief minister.

The Shiv Sena-CongressNCP has filed a plea against Governor Bhagat Singh Koshiyari’s decision to swear in BJP leader Fadnavis as chief minister and NCP’s Ajit Pawar as deputy chief minister.

The Centre told a bench comprising Justices N V Ramana, Ashok Bhushan and Sanjiv Khanna that the governor had in absolute discretion invited the largest party to form government on November 23.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta told the top court the Maharashtra governor is not supposed to conduct a roving and fishing inquiry to ascertain which party has numbers to form government.

The question is, he said, can a party come and seek the court’s intervention to hold floor test within 24 hours.

Mehta said the governor was cognizant of the facts and the situation after poll results

that had led to President’s rule being invoked in the state.

The apex court, after perusing Koshiyari’s letter inviting Fadnavis, said it has to be decided whether or not the chief minister enjoys support on the floor of house.

The solicitor general explained that the governor had invited Shiv Sena, BJP and NCP for government formation and President’s rule was imposed only after they failed.

As the hearing began on Monday morning, Mehta submitted letters of the governor and Fadnavis as asked by the bench on Sunday.

The apex court said it is not considering the Shiv SenaNCP-Congress’ combine’s plea that they be invited to form government in Maharashtra.

Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Monday accused the BJP of disregarding the Constitution in Maharashtra and repeating the “game” it played in Karnataka.

The Congress had accused the BJP of poaching MLAs to form the government in Karnataka earlier this year.

“Have we reached the stage of open kidnapping of the mandate?” Priyanka Gandhi said in a tweet in Hindi.

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PAGE 8 • INDIA HERALD • WEDNESDAY, JULY 1, 2015 PAGE 8 • INDIA HERALD • WEDNESDAY, JULY 1, 2015 PAGE INDIAHERALD HERALD• •WEDNESDAY, WEDNESDAY,MARCH NOVEMBER 27, 2019 PAGE 18 8 • •INDIA 30, 2016

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Panthaki himself boastsand a distinguished 30-yearon military A prayer house where the Hare PM Ramcharit Manas Tue. Rama Hare Krishna Maha-man11620 Ormandy St. (77035) Tel: Vedanta Society Free Yoga Classes every Sat/Sun and 5:00 PM 8:00 PM. For com.

Cell: 713-929-0040 Brigadier Panthaki himself boasts a distinguished 30-year military career that earned him 12 military honors.

Zenobia Panthaki accomRama Hare Krishna Maha-man7:30–8:30 p.m. info@sggm.org tra is continuously chanted.

Week713-729-8994 email: temple@ Vedanta Society of GreaterMD) Hous- more attoArya 8 am toaccom9:30 Contact 281- honors.

(Ragini Prakash Miryala careerinformation that earned him 12 military Zenobia Panthaki panied her husband on his postings manySamaj smallfrom cantonment towntra isVSGH continuously chanted.

Weekor 281-499-3347. ends: 8-11 AM & Classes 4-7 PM, Weekguruvayur.us ton, (official Branch Cen- 568-1690 a.m.

Call Anil 281-579-9433.

For or Jay Deshmukh at Heritage panied husband on his postings to many small cantonment ships allher over India and became involved with running welfaretownproends: 8-11 AM 4-7 PM,Weekly Weekdays: 7-8 AM &&6-7 PM. Hindu Temple of Preksha Meditation ter of Ramakrishna Math, Belur), other free classes, call Indra 281or visit www.sauAshirwad’s Heritage Classes in 832-541-0059 ships all over India and became involved with running welfare programs for soldiers’ wives and children; she has run the Army School, days: 7-8 AM & 6-7 PM. Weekly “Gopa Kuteeram” children’s heriNew facilities of JVB Preksha 14809 Lindita Dr. (77083), has myakasi.org 537-0018.

For Yoga/Herbal prodthe Woodlands Katy, Cypress and Sugar Land grams for soldiers’ wives and children; she has run the Army School, and worked for the World Bank for 28 years until retirement in 2012.

“Gopa children’s heri- Meditation tage classes Srimad Center.

Classes for foructs, lectures & talks every Sunday call Shekhar Gauri Siddhivinayak Temple 7601 S.reviews.

Forest Gate Dr, in“From for kidsKuteeram” 4 to 18 on yrsand - meditation, and worked for the World Bank 28 years until retirement 2012.

The book has received over 60 positive To281-242-5000. quote: tage classes and Srimad Bhagavatam classes.

Call 281Yoga and Meditation under guid11 am -slokas, 12 pm,stories followed by scripArati Darshan www.pyptusa.org; www.Divyafrom 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

The Woodlands, TX 77382 Yoga, from The book has received over 60 positive reviews.

To quote: “From beginning to end this delightful narrative simply races along, providing Bhagavatam classes.

CallClass 281- daily.

402-6585; visit www.godivinity.org ance byAllSamani and discours& Prasad; Bhagwad Gita Products.com. major festivals as wellnarrative Temple tures, Vishnu Sahasranam, bhabeginning towitty endjis this races along, providing an intimate, anddelightful scintillating storysimply ofHours a superhero “ Sam’s hu402-6585; visit www.godivinity.org (Global Organization for Divinity). es.

At 14102 Schiller Road (off on Tuesdays, 7:30 pm 8:30 pm; as Hindu Temple ofSam’s birthdays, naam karan, engageWeekdays: jans, competitions and-fun activian intimate, witty and scintillating story of a superhero “ humanism, his notations on official files, his colorful language and his (Global Organization for Divinity).

Hwy 6and betother Bellaire and Westpark and Gospel of meditation Sri Ramakrishna on ment Woodlands ceremonies.

Call files, 7:30 his AMThe - 9:30 AM ties.

Adult classes. manism, his notations on official colorful language and his doodling”.

- doodling”.

77082).

Tel 281-596-9642.

Thursdays, 11 - 12 pm. Rev. Pandit 7601 S. is Forest Pandya 5:30 PM -dedicated 8.30Gate PM Dr, Register at amwww.ashirwadaSaumyakasi Sivalaya ThisPradip book, with over832-466200 photographs, to the men in Patanjali Yogpeeth Sw. Atmarupanandaji, the ResiThe Woodlands, TXcountry 77382 9868 for puja and other ceremoAarti @ 7:30 PM Saumyakasi Sivalaya blessing.org or Sri Ravula 281This book, withlaid over 200 their photographs, is dedicated to the men in Sri Saumyakasi Sivalaya is lo- uniform who have down lives defending their and to Free Yoga Classes every Sat/Sun dent Monk, gives all classes, lecTemple Hours, Weekdays: At 5645 Hillcroft Ste Saturday and The Sunday 995-0930.

Sri Sivalaya is lo- nies. uniform who have laid down their lives defending their country to cated atSaumyakasi Chinmaya Prabha, 10353 their widows who have also701, sacrificed so much. book will and be on attheir Arya Samaj fromhave 8 amalso to 9:30 7:30 tures &attalks.

Ramnaam SankirAM -- 9:30 AM 77036.

8:30autographed AM 1:30 PM Hare Krishna Dham cated Chinmaya Prabha, 10353 who so much.

The will be on Synott Road, Sugar Land, TX Houston, sale atwidows theTX discounted price ofsacrificed $35, and bybook the authors.

A Call Anil 281-579-9433. tan is on 1st Saturdays 6 temple, pm -TX 7to a.m.

5:30 PM - 8.30 Veerashaiva Samaja Aarti at 12:00 PM Houston’s original Vedic Synott Road, Sugar Land, sale at the discounted price of $35, and autographed byWar the authors.

77478.

Temple timings: Monday major portion of the royalty will be donated to the WoundedA For other free classes, call Indra pm.

Please visit www.houstonveAarti @ 7:30 PM VSNA Houston is a group of 5:30 PM 8:30 PMAssn.

ISKCON of Houston.

At 1320 W 77478. 9:00 Temple to Foundation major portion the and royalty donated to the War Wounded Friday: AMtimings: - 12:00Monday Noon and of of India the will Warbe Widows Welfare of India.

281-537-0018.

For Yoga/Herbal danta.org orPM call 281988-7211. and Sunday who of believe inand VeerasAarti @ 7:30 PM; Assn. of India.

34th (77018).

Darshan Friday: 9:00 AM - Daily 12:00 Noon and families Foundation India the WarSaturday Widows Welfare 5:00 -St. 8:00 Saturday and Sunproducts, call Shekhar Jain Society AM832-585--0001 - 1:30 PM dharma (Basava 281-242dharma). 8:30 Contact & Arati Times: 4.30 7-a.m, 5:00 - 8:00 PMPM Saturday and Sun- haiva day: 8:30-2:00 anda.m, 5:00 8:00 familiesWeb: who believe in Veerashaiva dharma (Basava dharma). Monthly 5000. www.pyptusa.org Jain Society of Houston, JSH, is Aarti at 12:00 PM Monthly Mahamane program for or temple@myhtw.net 8.30 a.m, 12 noon, 4.30 p.m, 7 day:Call 8:30-2:00 and 5:00 - 8:00 Mahamane PM. BhartiPM Sutaria 281-568families whoprogram believe infor Veerashaiva (Basava prayer anddharma discussion on dharma).

Vachana Monthly Sahitya and www.DivyaProducts.com. located at 3905 Arc Street Hous5:30 PM 8:30 prayer and discussion on Vachap.m, 9 p.m.

Sunday Festival: Temple PM. Call Bharti Sutaria832-541281-568- followed 1690 or Jay Deshmukh Mahamane programContact: for prayer andSwaminarayan discussion onPM Vachana Sahitya by Prasada. vsnahous ton@gmail.com or Jagadeesh Sathya Sai centers ton Key832-541tenets na Aarti @Satsang 7:30 PM; Sahitya Prasada.

5.30 pm to 77063.

7.30 Weekly Hindu at Shree Swami1690Texas oror Jay Deshmukh 0059 visit p.m. www.saum followed byfollowed Prasada.by Contact: vsnahous ton@gmail.com or Jagadeesh Halyal 832-744-4166.

Sunday program heldton@gmail. at two lo- Contact of Jainism Non-violence vsnahous Gita classes for adults; call 281-- Contact: narayan832-585--0001 Hindu Temple, under 0059 or are: visit www.saum yakasi.org.

Halyal 832-744-4166. cations (North Houston: 12127 Ahimsa, Philanthropy with mulor temple@myhtw.net com or Jagadeesh Halyal 832433-1635 or harekrishnadham @ Shree NarNarayan Dev Gadi kayakasi.org.

Mar Thoma Church Louetta Rd, Houston; South lupur. ticity in views – Anekantvad, No 744-4166.

Sathya Sai centers gmail.com Opens daily from 7 a.m.

Gandhi Library Mar Thoma Church Trinity Thoma ChurchDr, every Sunday at 5810held Almeda 246 Fluor Daniel possessiveness - Aparigrah, Right Houston: Sunday program at two4Genoa locaMarMar Thoma Church Houston Namadwaar to 12:30 p.m. and from p.m.

Gandhi Library Mahatma Gandhi Library Book Trinity Mar Thoma Church every Sunday at 5810 Almeda Rd. Sunday School at 9:15 a.m.

Malayalam service at 9:30 a.m. Genoa on 1st Suga Land, from Church 3:00 pm to tions Knowledge -- Samyak (North Houston: 12127 MalMar Thoma every A prayer house where theGyan, Hare Trinity to 8:30 p.m.

Daily aarti at 7 a.m.

Mahatma Library Club: Meets–Gandhi 2nd Sunday of Book each 5:30 Rd. Sunday School atBible 9:15 a.m. Malayalam 9:30 a.m. on 1st & 3rd Sunday.

Adult class at 9:30 a.m.service EnglishatHouston; service atSouth 10:30 pm.

Spiritual Education Right comson Road, atSai 5810 Almeda Genoa Rama Path Hare Samyak Krishna Darshan, Maha- Sunday and 7 p.m.

Saturday sabha from Club: Meets 2nd Sunday of each month; 12:30 PM at Arya Samaj & 3rd Sunday.

Adult Bible class at 9:30 a.m.

English service at 10:30 a.m. on 2nd & 4th Sunday.

Call 713-991-1557 or 281-261-4603. classes for children; and Right Conduct – chanted.

Samyak Rd. Fluor Danielby Drive, Sunday School atstudy 9:15circle a.m. Houston: mantra is continuously 5p.m to 7246 p.m. followed aarti month; Houston, 12:30 has PM13475 at Arya Samaj for Greater Schiller a.m.adults. on 2ndservice & 4th Sunday. orfrom 281-261-4603.

Service Charitrya.

Jain Sugar Land) 3:00 to 5:30 atprograms 9:30 Call a.m.-713-991-1557 Weekends:JSH 8-11 AM &Pathshala 4-7 PM, Malayalam at 7 p.m. and Maha-Prasad (free Greater Houston, 13475 Schiller Sri &Guruvayurappan Temple Rd. Join for the discussion the great on food Classed students ofof6-7 all ages - Sai Spiritualwww.issotx.

Education 1stdistribution & 3rd Sunday.

Adultdrives; Bible pm) Weekdays: 7-8 AM & PM. food dinner).

Website Sri Guruvayurappan Temple Rd. Join the discussion of the great man’s autobiography – The Story Hours: Mon to Fri 6 a.m.

-8 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Weeknursing home each Sunday at 10:15 classes for children; Study at 9:30 a.m. visits, Englishtutoring service (SSE) Weekly “Gopastarting Kuteeram” chil- class org, phone (281) 530-2565. man’s autobiography –M-F TheTruth.

Story at of My Experiments Hours: Mon a.m.

-8 a.m. and 5:00 to 8:30 p.m.

Weekends & Holidays: 6Fri a.m. toSanjay noon and 5:00 p.m. to 8:30 Bhajans schools etc.

Contact AM. The center isclasses openwith Circle forp.m. adults &p.m.

Devotional 10:30 a.m. on to 2nd &6 4th Sundren’s heritage andfrom Sri- at Sanatan Dharm of My Experiments with Truth.

Call Manish Wani 713-829-6979. ends & Holidays: 6 a.m. to noon and 5:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

Bhajans Saturdays 7 p.m. to 8 p.m.; Sundays 9 a.m. to 1 a.m.

Special poojas GuptaCall (North) 832-687-6766 or singing for all. Service programs 7:30 to 12 Noon and 4 to 7 day.

713-991-1557 or 281mad AM Bhagavatam classes.

Call Calland Manish 713-829-6979.

Maha Sabha Saturdays 7 p.m. to 8 p.m.; Sundays 9 a.m. to 1 a.m.

Special (weekends and holidays) Choroon (Annaprasam) for poojas kids, Sondip Mathur (South) 832-215PM, Sat, Wani andvisit Sun from 8 AM 261-4603.

- food distribution, canned food 281-402-6585; www.godiWest Indian Religious Organiza(weekends and holidays) Choroon (Annaprasam) for kids, Thulabharam, Vahana Pooja, Nirapara.

Temple is located at 11620 www.sairegion10.org. to 6 PM. Call Jain Center at 713 8675 drives, nursing home visits, tutorTelugu Christian Fellowship Gauri Siddhivinayak vinity.org (Global Organization tion called Sanatan Dharm Maha Thulabharam, Vahana Pooja, Nirapara.

Temple is located at 11620 Ormandy St (77035) Tel: 713-729-8994 email: temple@ guruvayur.us 789 2338 orSiddhivinayak visit www.jainsoci- Telugu ing at schools, etc. Contact Venkat SadhuChristian Vaswani Fellowship Center forGauri Divinity).

Sabha Branch # 377guruvayur.us is located Temple Ormandy Stthird (77035) Tel: email: temple@ etyhouston.org.

(North) - 602-503-2249 or meets every Saturday of the Rao Sadhu Vaswani Center of713-729-8994 HousSaumyakasi Sivalaya Temple at 26100 Tina Lane, TX Darshan from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Preksha Meditation Shiv ShaktiSivalaya Mandir is lo- month 281-451at Triumph Church, on 10555 ton holds regular Satsang 3rd Ranji Raghavan (South)Katy, Sri Saumyakasi 77494.Visit www.sairegion10.org Durga Mata PoojaforisYoga held Darshan from 7Prabha, a.m. toas 86640 p.m. W. Preksha Meditation daily. major festivals well Sanatan Shiv Shakti Mandir, 8238.

Airport Stafford TX Meditation New facilities of JVB Preksha Center.

Classes Thursday of Blvd., the month and daily cated atAll Chinmaya 10353 every Friday from 7 pm to 9.30 daily.

All major festivals as well as birthdays, naam karan, engageHarwin.

Open Sugar daily 7Land, a.m. toTX 8 77477 Vaswani Center facilities ofCall JVB Preksha Center.

Classes for14102 Yoga 6:30p.m. p.m.

Join us for by a Meditation andNew Meditation under guidance SamaniSadhu jis and discourses.

At Arti atat7.30 281-463Synott Road, pm. and Contact Ram @ as birthdays, naam karan,Monday engagement and other ceremonies.

Call time p.m.

All major festivals, as well Sadhu Vaswani Center ofAtHousand Meditation under guidance Samani jis and discourses.

14102 of worship and fel-by Schiller Road ramolaj@aol.com (off Hwy 6 bet Bellaire Westpark - Sharma 77082).

Tel 0379 or praise, e.mail 77478.

Temple timings: 713-412-9985 ment and other ceremonies.

Call Pandit Pradip Pandya 832-466as naam 12 karan, engageton holds regular Satsang on 3rd Schiller Road (offisHwy 6 bet Bellaire and Westpark - 77082).

Tel Worship in English.

281-596-9642. to birthdays, Friday: 9 a.m.Noon and 5 lowship.

Pandit Pandya 832-4669868 for puja and otherand ceremoment otherSaturday ceremonies.

Call For 281-596-9642. information call Chris Gan- Thursday of the month and daily p.m.

-and 8Pradip p.m.

Sun98688:30 for puja and other ceremonies.

At 5645 Hillcroft 701, tela 281-344-0707, orPatanjali Pandit Virat Mehta 713-278-9099 Arti at 7.30 p.m. Call 281-463Rev. Vijay Yogpeeth day: a.m.-2 p.m. andSte 5 p.m.

Exciting Summer Camp nies.

At 5645 Hillcroft Ste 701, Gurrala 281-997-0757.

Houston, TX 77036. or or e.mail Patanjali Yogpeeth - 8 Hardik p.m. CallRaval Bharti361-243-6539 Sutaria 281Free Yoga Classes every Sat/Sun0379 at Arya Samajramolaj@aol.com from 8 am to 9:30 Houston, 77036. for puja orTX other ceremonies.

Math SriFree Guruvayurappan Temple 568-1690 or Jay Deshmukh 832- a.m. every Sat/Sun at Arya Samaj from am to2819:30 CallYoga AnilClasses 281-579-9433.

For other freeGaudiya classes, call8Indra Veerashaiva Samaja Heartfulness Meditation Shri Govindji Gaudiya is a Mon to Fri 6 a.m.

-8 a.m.

541-0059 or visit www.saum Hours: a.m. Call Anil 281-579-9433.

For other free classes, call Matha IndraWeb: 281537-0018.

For Yoga/Herbal products, call Shekhar 281-242-5000.

Veerashaiva Samaja Heartfulness Meditation is a Hindu Vaishnava temple.

Mandir and 5:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

WeekVSNA Houston is a group of 537-0018. For Yoga/Herbal products, call Shekhar 281-242-5000. Web: www.pyptusa.org and www.DivyaProducts.com. yakasi.org. practical & Holidays: 6 and a.m. www.DivyaProducts.com. to noon is open daily from 5.30 AM unVSNAtechnique Houstonofis tuning a groupin-of ends www.pyptusa.org GauritoSiddhivinayak Temple wards experience our higher and 5:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Bha- til 8.30 PM. The services are held Darshan from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. jans Saturdays WANT TO toHOST YOUR SUMMER selves. Meditation with someone from 5.30PM CAMP? to 7.30PM followed 7 p.m.

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All major festivals as well PARTNER WITH US & HOST YOUR SUMMER CAMPEnroll AT INDIA HOUSE who has the capacity of yogic Sundays 9 a.m. to 1 a.m. Special by prashad. your child in as birthdays, naam karan, entransmission can help you explore poojas (weekends and holidays) Sri Govindaji Vedic School. We Instructors or agencies looking amazing space gagement and other ceremonies.

These Texas Lottery Commission Scratch-Off willfor beanclosing soon: the Heartfulness practice more offer Hindi classes for all ages.

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At 5645 Hillcroft Ste Game # Game Name / Odds $ ence the unique benefits of this Ormandy St. (77035) Kieth HarrowDate Blvd HousTel:experience 713- 16628 enriching the kids. offor Game 701, Houston, TXUltimate 77036.Crossword 1651 Overall Odds email: are 1 in 3.27 $10 1/8/16 transmission.

Workshops on - 729-8994 ton7/12/15 77084. Call 832-464-4686. temple@ guru1651 Ultimate Crossword Overall Odds are 1 in 3.27 $10 7/12/15 1/8/16 Veerashaiva Samaja Heartfulness relaxation andFrenzy medivisit our website: http://sggm.org. vayur.us 1690 Cash - Overall Odds are 1 in 4.09 $5 7/30/15 1/26/16 VSNA Houston is a group of tation are held weekly throughout Swaminarayan Temple Preksha Meditation YOU A TALENTED INSTRUCTOR? 1690 Frenzy - Overall Odds are 1 ARE in 4.09 $5 7/30/15 1/26/16 families who believeCash in VeerasHouston.

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For detailedThoma odds and game information, visit txlottery.org or call 1-800-375-6886. Must be 18 or older to purchase a Church a.m,Mar 12 noon, 4.30 p.m, p.m,and9veterans. also special events and pro- and Maha-Prasad (free dinner). ticket.

The Texas Lottery supports Texas 7 education © 2015runs Texas Lottery Commission. rights reserved.

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8888 West Bellfort Ave., Houston, TX 77031 7.30 p.m. Weekly Gita classes

OPPORTUNITIES!

LEGAL LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE

VIEWS BJP’s exacting work in Maha to have overarching effects In many ways the proposed grand alliance involving the NCP-

Congress alliance on the one hand and the Shiv Sena on the other in Maharashtra may have reminded some people — at least those who care to be interested in history — of the infamous (but woefully short-lived) Hitler-Stalin pact of 1939. That pact allowed Germany and the Soviet Union to carve up Poland between themselves and subsequently allowed Hitler the elbow room to launch his blitzkrieg attack on France, Holland and Belgium.

Whether Sharad Pawar’s deft negotiations with Sonia Gandhi to bring the Congress round to accepting a Shiv Sena representative, perhaps Uddhav Thackeray, as Chief Minister of Maharashtra was based on some diabolical political strategy will never be known. There will be speculation that a cash-strapped Congress, having only recently lost control over Karnataka, was only too keen to have a bite of the big pie in Maharashtra — particularly Mumbai. The Congress may have calculated, as some say Stalin did, that replenishing its political and financial capacity in the short-term was imperative to sustain a long battle against the BJP nationally.

Whatever the reality, the BJP was unlikely to sit idle. It is almost certain that accusing fingers are going to be pointed at Union Home Minister Amit Shah for triggering the revolt of Ajit Pawar in the NCP. In short, while Sharad Pawar was winning high praise for taking full advantage of a messy situation resulting from the Shiv Sena breaking the saffron alliance, his own home front turned out to be vulnerable to BJP inducements. Maybe, just maybe, Sharad Pawar’s nephew was attracted to the idea of cutting a deal with the Centre over some of his outstanding issues relating to earlier use of Government resources. Maybe he felt that he, rather than Sharad Pawar’s daughter Supriya Sule should be the designated heir to Pawar’s political empire. The possibilities are endless.

However, with Ajit Pawar throwing a spanner in the works and declaring his support to the BJP, it is almost certain that the process of realignment will not stop at a party that has made a virtue of its electoral flexibility. The process of re-examining political options is certain to be felt inside the Shiv Sena. In a sense Uddhav Thackeray may have anticipated this when he summoned all his MLAs to camp, along with their Aadhar cards and change of clothes, in a Mumbai hotel till the Shiv Sena Minister was sworn in. However, in this age of instant information, it is impossible to keep MLAs in a padded cell, detached from the real world. It is almost certain that there are many MLAs — how many is not known — that feel that the BJP-Shiv Sena alliance was ‘natural’ and that allying with the Congress is ‘unnatural.’

Whether they will reveal their hand in due course is anybody’s guess. All that can be said at this juncture is that Maharashtra seems headed to a spell of political churning. All the parties, with the possible exception of the BJP seem to be have been affected.

I don’t think it is possible at this stage to identify the possible winners and losers or even if the turbulence is going to be restricted to Maharashtra. First, Devendra Fadnavis has to prove his majority. This may be possible but it will be murky.

Secondly, a furious Shiv Sena will take to the streets, particularly in Mumbai. That will have economic consequences for the whole country. Thirdly, the Congress will have to face up to the internal consequences of allying with the Shiv Sena. This may not be as inconsequential as the Congress initially believed. It has reopened the communal-secular debate inside the party. That cannot be too beneficial. Finally, there is a perception all cost to the BJP. Will its determination to win power at all costs prove detrimental to its larger prospects? How will it affect the ongoing session of Parliament, especially with the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill on the anvil? There are questions galore.

On the other hand, it is entirely possible the BJP will somehow or the other manage this difficult situation in Maharashtra and come out triumphant. If audacity is what it takes to succeed in politics, the BJP has set very exacting standards.

— Swapan Dasgupta in The Pioneer.

PM Modi lauds restraint on Ayodhya Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Sunday that the patience, restraint and maturity displayed by people after the Supreme Court delivered its Ayodhya verdict proves that there is nothing bigger than national interest for Indians.

He also said that after the “historic verdict”, the country has moved ahead on a new path, with a new resolve.

“The resolve (is) full of new hopes and aspirations. It is my hope and wish that New India imbibes this feeling and forges ahead in a spirit of peace, unity and goodwill,” Modi said in the latest edition of his monthly Mann ki Baat radio programme. “...When the Supreme Court pronounced its judgment on November 9, 130 crore Indians once again proved that for them national interest is supreme. The values of peace, unity and goodwill are paramount in our country,” he said.

INDIA HERALD • WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 2019 • PAGE 19

Maharashtra alliance lands Kerala leaders in a quandary

The new-found camaraderie and the deal struck by the Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party with the Shiv Sena for sharing power in Maharashtra have virtually put the Kerala leaders of both parties in a quandary.

The Congress-NCP-Shiv Sena alliance virtually rattled the State leaders of both parties and were constrained to search for convincing arguments to assert their secular credentials.

The NCP, a strong ally of the Left Democratic Front led by the Communist Party of India (Marxist) sought to wriggle out of the crisis by reiterating that the Kerala unit will continue to be part of front and doggedly pursue its own course against the hardcore Hindutva agenda of the Sena and the likes.

The Sena is not a force to be reckoned with in Kerala and even the Bharatiya Janata Party has chosen to keep it at bay.

The NCP, with three MLAs and a Minister, shares a long association with the LDF and could ill-afford to tamely toe the national leadership’s line in a bipolar polity where its survival solely depends on its continuation in the front. The NCP stance came as a relief to the CPI(M) that was closely montoring the Maharashtra scenario.

Tidings of the Congress and Sena parting ways offered much relief to the State leaders and Opposition Leader Ramesh Chennithala made it explicit by stating he has been saved of a major embarrassment. He also demanded the CPI(M) to oust NCP from the LDF. But the joy was ephemeral. The thaw in relations delivered a rude jolt to the State Congress leaders and are frantically searching for logical and justifiable reasons for being part of the alliance. The only justifica-

tion they offer is the Congress’ commitment to keep the BJP out of power and also that the alliance has been built up on a common minimum programme in the interest of the State. But it remains to be seen whether that sole premise would be adequate for the Congress to convince its trusted partner, the Indian Union Muslim League, for partnering with the Sena.

For, the IUML leaders had recently expressed their reservations about the soft Hindutva line being pursued by the Congress and also former Congress president Rahul Gandhi managed his face-saving win from Wayanad to the Lok Sabha mostly on the strength of the IUML. The Congress will have to strive hard to maintain its minority base in Kerala in tact and ensure that the Maharashtra alliance is not causing any chinks in its votebase too.

Maharashtra’s politics

Maharashtra politics: Four NCP MLAs ‘rescued’ from Gurugram hotel, flown back to Mumbai Four Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) MLAs from Maharashtra — Narhari Zhirwal, Daulat Daroda, Anil Patil and Nitin Pawar — were “rescued” by the party’s youth wing members from a five-star hotel in Gurugram in the early hours of Monday and flown back to Mumbai.

The four were “misled” and kept at the hotel by BJP workers “against their will”, claimed NCP youth wing national president Dheeraj Sharma.

Speaking to The Hindu over phone, Mr. Sharma claimed that local sources informed them about the presence of four legislators at The Oberoi in Gurugram and they were then “rescued” after a minor clash with the police and the BJP workers.

“The four legislators told us they were kept inside the hotel against their will and were themselves planning to escape. The legislators claimed that they were misled into believing that it was the decision of NCP president Sharad Pawar to support the BJP, but they got to know the truth through media and they wanted to return to the party fold,” said Mr. Sharma.

Earlier, Mr. Daroda had been reported missing.

The four were flown to Mumbai around 2 a.m. “All four are now at Hyatt Hotel in Mumbai. We reached Mumbai at 4 a.m.,” said Mr. Sharma.

Gurugram Shiv Sena president Ritu Raj claimed that his party was also part of the “rescue operation”. The police and bouncers were present at the hotel and the Shiv Sainiks were not allowed inside, he alleged. “Still we managed to sneak inside, but a senior BJP leader identified us and directed the police to throw us out,” Mr. Raj said.

BJP spokesperson Raman Malik refused to comment saying that he was not “aware of the incident”.

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