Hum Magazine January 2015 by Hum Magazine

JANUARY 2015

14K STRAWBERRY GOLD® OCEAN WAVE™ GLADIATOR®

. . .Makes . MakesJewelry Jewelrywith with Chocolate ChocolateDiamonds Diamonds 速

速

速速 VANILLA VANILLA DIAMONDS DIAMONDS TM TM 14K14K HONEY HONEY GOLD GOLD

available at

Kohinoor Diamonds

5901 Hillcroft Street, Suite C1, Houston, TX 77036

713-334-8700

877-KOHINOOR www.kohinoordiamonds.net

CONTENT JANUARY 2015

AND 12 NIKHIL NAINAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S WEDDING

LOOK AGAIN

Says artist Gopaal Seyn

SOWMYA NANDAKUMAR

indotcomInc

a concept-to-completion, every stage in between - and beyond - enterprise

SRI AYYAPPA

Ritualistic pilgrimage to His abode conceptualizes the journey to attain Moksha CHITTOOR RAMACHANDRAN

Thriving in

TURBULENT MARKETS PRADEEP ANAND

7457 Harwin Dr #250, Houston, TX 77036 Tel: 281-888-4552 email:info@hummagazine.com www.hummagazine.com HUM Magazine assumes no responsibility for the content of articles or advertisements, in that the views expressed therein may not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher or any magazine employee or contributor. This publication and all of its contents are copyrighted.

MARY, DID YOU KNOW? YASHODHA, ARE YOU AWARE?

SACRED INDIA

Symbolism in Hinduism ROBERT ARNETT

V. KALIDAS

Krishna Chaat House

l a i c e p s

ALL CHAAT ITEMS Tuesday-Sunday 11:00am-10:00pm 5959 Hillcroft, Houston, TX-77036

832-251-9000

AERIAL MASTERS FROM BATTLEFIELDS TO IMPERIAL PALACES. Classical Chinese dance has a history of thousands of years, sharing a common ancestry with martial arts. Over the centuries, this ancient dance system was enriched with each dynasty’s wisdom and aesthetic principles. Its dramatic jumping, spinning, and tumbling techniques are just a part of the vast repertoire of movements that make up classical Chinese dance. It is one of the most demanding and expressive art forms in the world.

30 THE SEASON SEETHA RATNAKAR

SHEN YUN

Dancing Diversity

The show moves quickly from one story, region, and dynasty to the next. Dancers fly across the stage in an array of flips, spins, jumps, and aerials. Ride with Mongolians across vast grasslands. Recall the grandeur of an ancient Tang Dynasty palace. Resounding drums awaken the yellow plateaus of the Middle Kingdom. With the more than 20 dynasties and 50 ethnic groups across China to draw upon, Shen Yun’s dances display a vibrant array of cultural diversity and richness.

Stories and Spirit Beyond its beauty, Shen Yun’s uniqueness is in its ability to capture the spirit of traditional Chinese culture. Ancient stories

PRAVEENA LAKSHMANAN

Art Director Saqib Rana Correspondents

AN EXTRAORDINARY JOURNEY ACROSS 5,000 YEARS OF CIVILIZATION

a sense of wonder, magic, and the divine. To audiences who have seen it, they recall the experience of a lifetime—a moment so powerfully beautiful it touches the soul.

SHEN YUN PERFORMING ARTS, the world’s premier classical Chinese dance and music company will return to Jones Hall this December on its ninth world tour. With mesmerizing choreography, stirring music, gorgeous costumes, and vividly animated backdrops, Shen Yun takes you on a journey across millennia of civilization.

Global Universality

come to life on stage to celebrate a wide range of virtues—loyalty, filial piety, compassion, benevolence. Experience the courage of Mulan, cheer on the Monkey King’s wisdom, marvel at the loyalty of Song Dynasty famed general Yue Fei, thrill at Shaolin monks’ righteousness. For Chinese, the words Shen Yun evoke

DEC 28, 2014-JAN 7, 2015 JONES HALL

Mag-9X11.indd 2

Founder Krishna Giri

An Extraordinary Journey Across Dr. Arjune Rama 5,000 Years Of Civilization Ken Chitwood

SHEN YUN TO TAKE THE STAGE AT JONES HALL

38 REMEMBERING 2014

team HUM

615 Louisiana St., Houston, Texas

The show speaks a universal language that all can understand. It is so mesmerizing that it transcends nationalities, so inspiring that it touches upon something shared by all cultures, and so fundamentally human, audiences of all backgrounds easily connect with it. In 2006, Shen Yun was founded by a group of top Chinese artists dreaming of a renaissance for mankind’s most ancient heritage. Within several seasons, their wish has become an international phenomenon. Audience members watch with tears in their eyes, touched by the show’s message of truth and hope. Incredibly, stories that have stirred people for thousands of years are still touching today.

TICKETS & INFO: 800.380.8165 | ShenYun.com

KING KHANS RULE BOLLYWOOD 2014

10/22/2014 12:16:35 PM

Lisa Brooks Nalini Sadagopan Priya M. James Tajana Mesic Helen Buntting Langton Contributors CHITTOOR RAMACHANDRAN PRADEEP ANAND PRAVEENA LAKSHMANAN ROBERT ARNETT SEETHA RATNAKAR SOWMYA NANDAKUMAR V. KALIDAS HUM Magazine January 2015 JANUARY 2015

OF HOUSTON 44 RUSSELL PETERS 46 PORTS AND MUMBAI Launches His Almost Famous World Tour Stops In Houston

Ganesha:

Sign Memorandum of Friendship Lord of Auspicious Beginnings and Trade Cooperation by Gopaal Seyn

Photo: Krishna Giri

LOOK

AGAIN BY SOWMYA NANDAKUMAR On a muggy Sunday afternoon, as I walked into Houston based artist and painter, Gopaal Seyn’s condo, I was taken in by its ‘artistic orderliness’ - organized artistic interiors, aesthetic symmetry in the decor, vibrant placidity of color, an ambient tranquility, culminating into a resounding aura of harmonious calm and peace. As I got more acquainted with Gopaal I realized those tranquil and artistic traits are inherent components of his personality as an artist, tastefully resonating in his paintings. Gopaal’s paintings are an endless spiral web of stories- primarily happy and peaceful, with a few exceptions. Bold color schemes bring to life, icons, stories and themes from the Hindu religion; Hindu deities including Lord Shiva, Lord Krishna and Goddess Durga, find novel and remarkably fine representations on Gopaal’s open canvas. Powerful and stark, they completely draw the viewer into their spatial and emotional spheres - the emotional sphere of romance, the orb of unconditional love given by a mother to her child, the vortex of love represented by a complete family unit, all encompassed in the spatial geometric circle. This circle is a connecting thread in his paintings. He said, “I believe in the circle of life. There is no real beginning or end; there is an infiniteness to the circle, as espoused by the Hindu religious philosophy. The circle is the

eternal origin and end of everything!” Gopaal is originally from the land of the Mother Goddess in India, Kolkata, renown for the fervent worship of Goddess Durga. His paintings, themed on ‘motherhood’, ‘nurturing’, and other ‘women-centric’ themes emerge from this ethnic background. His romantic paintings are based on the universally acclaimed romance of Lord Krishna and Radha. One other theme that resonates with him (non-conforming to his generally “happy” paintings), is the ‘woman waiting to break free of her shackles’ - the feminine, despite its boundless power, feeling tied down, waiting to liberate itself (drawn from the social status of women in India, where many a time Indian society fails to give women their due freedom and respect). Contrary to the vibrant colors in his other paintings, these hold an air of melancholy, graciously represented by tones of gray and light blue. However, Gopaal says, “Stories of unconditional love”, particularly mother’s love for her child, is his main focus. Growing up in a family where every sibling pursued a career in the higher echelons of management or administration, Gopaal was the only child with a different outlook. But his mother never chided him for it. She showed immense faith in his ability to discover himself, which Gopaal believes is the reason he was able to reach out to his inner artist.

Love and Art

Relationship

www.hummagazine.com

January 2015

Lullaby

Photo: Krishna Giri

Gopaal Seyn with wife Sanjukta

Bringing this artist to the forefront has been his journey of self discovery and realization. He never formally trained or studied art. He actually works in the tough, competitive and challenging corporate world, traveling almost 200 days a year. Somewhere deep inside he always lamented that he wasn’t able to fully understand and nurture his artistic potential. He says, “I kept looking outside of myself to uncover my talent and creativity, but once I looked within myself I was able to clearly identify it and give it the outburst it always needed.” He then decided to pursue art whole heartedly without compromising his corporate responsibilities. His art idols are Matisse, Monet, Picasso and Dali, whose life stories inspire him to achieve greater heights as an artist. While life, art idols, and spiritual roots have played their part, from a technical standpoint, Gopaal’s works project an artful influence of cubism and fauvism. His paintings and sketches have defined geometric structures and patterns within which take form specific objects and subjects of the painting. A vivid plethora of colors, bright, strongly contrasting, and blending aptly is another prominent feature of his works. Gopaal paints! He fills his blank canvas with thoughts and emotions, feelings and states of being, all coming to life in specific patterns, designs and colors. He takes a step back, finds meanings, stories and life perspectives coming through from the finished painting, then he titles the work. He wants to tell the viewer a definite story instead of assuming that the lay art patron will find meanings. This is refreshing since the viewer now engages more keenly with the language of the design, emotions of the colors and the subliminal philosophy resonating in the work of art. Gopaal says, “If I can lead, they will enjoy my work more”. He works through the day, sleeps a meagre 3-4 hours and finds time to paint everyday in the wee hours of the morning. It is a discipline. Gopaal says, “My passion energizes me relentlessly”. He does not wait for inspiration to start filling his canvas. As he fills it, inspiration

gradually manifests, enabling him to paint with all the colors of the mood and the moment. Gopaal does oil and acrylic paintings, charcoal and water color sketches. He seeks to add qualitative value to life through art, rather than just a salable value. He is a philanthropist and makes several charitable contributions from the sale of his paintings, towards causes including the empowerment of women in third world countries. He is working towards keeping the charitable aspect of his work a constant. He also teaches art classes for children, guiding them to ﬁnd their creative expression, which gives him a chance to see and learn from a child’s perspective. In Dec 2014 Gopaal featured in the Milan Art Gallery Magazine. One of his works won the Art and Beyond Magazine cover from Chicago, IL. His work has also been featured in the International Contemporary Artists Publication in Athens, Greece. For 2015, his work has been been chosen for publication in the Hidden Treasures Art Journal of London. Deﬁning the underlying purpose of his works he said, “look again”. He explains that he has a deep connection with his works.

He loves his finished works and is happy to sell them. But he is attached to his creation and selling it is having to let go of it. Between the paradoxical moments of feeling attached and letting go, he finally lets go. To honor and respect this profound connection between the work of art and the artist, perhaps the finest thing we can do as art appreciators is to take the time to stop and look again! And rejoice in the resulting euphoria of life in all of its splendid colors. Gopaal Seyn can be contacted @ neilsen65@gmail.com Visit www.redbluearts.com to view his work Sowmya Nandakumar holds a Masters in Mass Communications, University of Houston, and is an alumnus of Stella Maris College, and the Asian College of Journalism, Chennai. She has worked as assistant director for three feature films including “Vaaranam Aayiram” with Gautham Menon. She is a certified Yoga instructor teaching in the Houston area, learns ballet at Hope Stone Dance Studio, and is studying Carnatic music on the violin. She enjoys writing and free lances for The Hindu occasionally. sowmya1310@gmail.com

Photo: Krishna Giri

www.hummagazine.com

January 2015

Suffering to Ecstasy

Maharaja

Jewelers

Bulding Relationship and Trust one Customer at a Time.

Expertly designed for you in mind. Our jewelry is set with VVS-VS

quality certified diamonds in unique, exotic and fusion styles. Custom designs are beautifully fashioned to your specifications. 18 KARAT DIAMOND JEWELERY GIA & EGL CERTIFIED LOOSE DIAMONDS IN ALL, COLOR SHAPES AND SIZES 22 KARAT GOLD JEWELRY CUSTOM DESIGNS WE BUY GOLD AND SILVER

ON-SITE REPAIR

Building Relationship and Trust, one Customer at a Time... 5821 HILLCROFT HOUSTON TX, 77036 713.784.5673 WWW.MAHARAJAJEWELERS.COM

Nikhil & Naina 12

e g a i r r Made in Heaven a M By the friends of Kiran and Pradeep Gupta

Celebrated on Earth

In their characteristic classy style, Kiran and Pradeep Gupta hosted their guests at the luxurious ITC Windsor Hotel Bangaluru which exudes old world colonial charm and lavish hospitality. From the extravagant décor to the variety of sumptuous delicacies, every aspect of the wedding was beyond perfection. The Guptas had provided for everything. Right from the pick-up of guests at the airport, to the fabulous accommodation and incredible food, everything was arranged by them in minute detail. The amazing part was the warmth with which the Guptas welcomed each guest. The women were welcomed with an exquisitely ornate key ornament for their sarees while the men were garlanded with a bead necklace and tilak, and then escorted to their beautiful rooms. This warmth and love for each guest was on full display throughout the two day festivity. Kiran and Pradeep had ensured that every guest was going to be treated like royalty. On the morning of the first day, guests gathered for the groom’s haldi ceremony on an elegant outdoor terrace decorated with canopies of fresh marigolds. With good humor, Nikhil’s relatives and friends smeared him with a specially prepared haldi paste. Nikhil reciprocated by smearing each one too. It turned out to be a very joyful and spirited function. Simultaneously, in a separate room, mehendi artists brought in from Hyderabad, were expertly adorning the hands of the female guests with intricate artistry. An elaborate and delicious South Indian lunch followed. Soon after, guests relaxed and socialized over high tea in preparation for an exciting night ahead. The sangeet event was held at the Grand Ballroom at the Windsor. The stage and the backdrop were stunningly decorated. The event started with a social hour, during which the guests were treated to delectable delicacies and dizzying drinks as they mingled. The entertainment began with a humorous play about how the bridal couple met was enacted by the Gupta family’s close friends from Houston. It portrayed Nikhil’s transforma-

tion from a boisterous teenager in India to a spiritual aspirant in Houston. More entertainment by way of melodious singing alternated with colorful dances, with those performed by Kiran and Naina the most memorable. Nikhil spoke from his heart and had the guests in tears. He beautifully expressed his love and gratitude, first for his Guru Sri Sathya Sai Baba and then for his family and friends. It was wonderful to see this young man speak with such love and force of conviction. The festivity was followed by a fabulous Delhi-style chaat dinner. Bright and early the following day, after a hearty breakfast buffet, the men were invited to the hotel patio where artisans tied traditional turbans on them. Bedecked in their turbans and bead necklaces, the men joined in the noisy baraat with Nikhil resplendent in his wedding attire and looking like a dashing prince as he rode on his horse along with his adorable little nephew perched in front of him. The baraatees danced energetically to the mesmerizing beat of the dhol as the procession wound its way from the hotel to the buses that would carry them to the wedding auditorium. This beautiful and serene auditorium, known as Sri Sathya Sai Samskruta Sadanam, was inaugurated by Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba in January 2001. The bride’s family received the baraat at the front of the wedding hall where members of the groom’s family were enthusiastically welcomed with flower garlands in a milni ceremony. From there, the groom was lovingly accompanied to an aesthetically flower-bedecked mandap by the bride’s parents. The wedding ceremony was conducted with a blend of North and South Indian rituals to include the traditions of both the bride and the groom’s family heritages. The lavish wedding lunch that was served on silver thalis featured an incredible variety of items prepared by Bangaluru’s leading caterer. The celebrations continued that evening with a poolside dinner party hosted by the Guptas. The venue was tastefully decorated with Naina and Nikhil’s wedding logo that was

www.hummagazine.com

January 2015

projected on to the wall making a stunning focal point. An extremely talented band entertained guests as they mingled with the bridal couple and their families and sampled food at various stations offering an international cuisine. After the fabulous platinum style wedding in Bangaluru, Kiran and Pradeep Gupta hosted an even grander reception for Nikhil and Naina at the Marriott Hotel Sugar Land over the last weekend of December. Over 650 guests attended the perfectly planned and exquisite events that bore all the hallmarks of a Gupta event The celebrations started on Saturday afternoon with a mehndi event and was followed by a welcome dinner at the Magnolia room in the hotel. The incredible Rajasthani style dinner was a culinary masterpiece catered by Satish Rao’s Udipi Cafe. Of course, Kiran and Pradeep don’t believe in offering only one cuisine. So, they also hosted a full Italian dinner catered from the hotel to please discriminating palates. The two day celebration was one big culinary experience, especially for those that enjoy ﬁne cuisines. After the Rajasthani and Italian delicacies on Saturday, Sunday was a Chinese lunch at PF Changs and was followed by high tea. The reception in one word was grand. In the foyer, aromas from rows and rows of food stations vied with each other in inviting guests to partake in their offerings. One station had Asian delicacies such as vegetable

sushi, cilantro tofu and steamed spring rolls. Another served Mediterranean foods such as falafel sandwiches and bell pepper humus. Yet another had Mexican fusion dishes such as quesadilla kulcha and Frisco burritos. Of course, not to be outdone, desi delights such as broccoli spinach spheres, bhel on vada, tandoori paneer bell peppers and rice cake in spiced spinach held their own ground handsomely. An open bar at one end added momentum to the camaraderie and merry making. Alpa and Mahesh Shah of Madras Pavilion did a commendable job of planning and coordinating the world cuisines. After the appetizers and the usual socializing, guests were welcomed to an elegant ballroom tastefully decorated with artistic ﬂower and candle arrangements. The program started with grand family entrances into the ballroom. Pradeep and Kiran’s Spanish dance entry was appreciated by all with rapturous applause. Nikhil and Naina were welcomed with a standing ovation. The speeches were short and sweet and were followed by an energetic dance by group Atma from New York Not to be outdone, Nikhil and Naina’s friends performed a lively dance too. The emcee duo of Nishi and Rohan were funny and entertaining and did an outstanding job of coordinating the evening. Nikhil’s friend Prasad spoke eloquently and from the heart of his association with Nikhil. The groom’s brother Raghav delivered a humorous toast with some insightful advice

www.hummagazine.com

January 2015

Himalaya Restaurant & Catering Bridal couple Naina and Nikhil with, standing (L-R) Pradeep Gupta, Kiran Gupta, Nikhil’s sister Aditi Agarwal, Naina’s brother Nikhil Prakash, and parents Usha and Jay Prakash

to the couple. In his turn, Nikhil spoke of the selfless love he received in his life from his family and friends. As befitting such a magnificent reception, the dinner was an immense culinary experience. It was a delightful fare of moghlai, tandoori and pakwan. There were over 15 different dishes to choose from with highlights among them being gulab jamun sabji, dal bukhara, naramdil pistachio kofta and khadey masala ke tomatar paneer. To top all this, there were 10 varieties of deserts. paan barfi stood out with distinction in this section. Madras Pavilion had put their collective heart and soul into the celebration.

Another item that became a crowd favorite was the masala milk that was prepared with a lot of love and care by Naresh Mittal, a family friend of the Guptas. The exquisite decor by Pramal of Prashe, event planning by Terese Kohl, videography by Farhan Khokkar of A&A, and the overall supervision by Maria and Gladys of the Marriott were noteworthy. With amazing grace, Kiran and Pradeep Gupta hosted a exquisite wedding in Bangaluru and an extraordinary reception for Nikhil and Naina that will remain talk of the town for years to come.

Pakistani & Indian Cuisines

Our innovative menu offers something to please every palate

Chef Kaiser Lashkari

r, e n n i D , h Lunc B O Y B , t u O Takeg n i n i D l a u Cas e r e h p s o m At The best in its class, now with a little more class

Fearless Critic restaurant review

Hours TUESDAY – THURSDAY: 11:30am – 10:30pm FRIDAY – SUNDAY : 11:30am – 11:30pm 6652 Southwest Freeway Houston, TX, 77074

himalayarestuarnt@sbcglobal.net himalayarestauranthouston.com From left, Pradeep Gupta, Kiran Gupta, bridal couple Nikhil and Naina, Raj Malani and Jugal Malani (Pradeep Gupta’s business partner)

713-532-2837

CALL

Ramesh Cherivirala, Ph.D, LUTCF Financial Adviser For all your insurance and financial needs Life Insurance Long term care insurance Disability insurance* Annuities

Health Insurance* Managed Accounts IRA, 401k, 403b, 529 plans Roll over of 401k, 403b, TRS, TSA 13135 Dairy Ashford Rd, # 550 Sugar Land, TX 77478

Defined Benefit plans

Bus: (281) 295-2726; Cell: (713) 875-4336 E-mail: rcherivirala@ft.newyorklife.com

Planning Services:

Life Insurance Planning

Estate Planning

Business Planning

Retirement Planning

Investment Planning

Education Planning

Net worth Analysis

Financial Adviser offers advisory services through Eagle Strategies LLC, A Registered Investment Adviser; Registered representative offers securities through NYLIFE Securities, LLC, Member FINRA, SIPC, A licensed insurance agency, 3200 Southwest Freeway, # 1900, Houston, TX 77027; 713-961-4545. * Products offered through one or more carriers not affiliated with New York Life or its subsidiaries. Offers health insurance through affordable care

Makaravilakku is the most important devotional view in Sabarimala Ayyappa temple, Kerala. Makaravilakku and Makarajyothi festival is observed on the ďŹ rst day of the Makara Masam as per traditional Malayalam calendar followed

Sri Ayyappa

Ritualistic pilgrimage to His abode conceptualizes the journey to attain Moksha BY CHITTOOR RAMACHANDRAN In the Hindu belief, Lord Ayyappa or Dharma Shastha symbolizes a combination of divine pre-eminence represented by Sriman Narayana (Mahavishnu), the power that protects the universe; and Lord Shiva, the power that periodically re-absorbs the expressions in reality. Lord Ayyappa combines both of these aspects of Brahman. Sri Dharma Shastha has been mentioned in the ancient texts as the authority of righteousness. He is believed to have taken birth in this world as Sri Ayyappa as a protector of His devotees in the present Kali Yuga. Lord Many thousands of devotees undertake a pilgrimage to Sabarimala every Ayyappa reinstates the moral year carrying their offerings to Sri Ayyappa (erumudi) on their heads values in the society that are degraded during Kali Yuga. When the purpose of his incarnato the devotees for this ritual.

tion was over, Sri Ayyappa merged with Sri Dharma Shastha. Sri Ayyappa is worshiped by the Hindus worldwide. All legends associated with Sri Ayyappa center around His abode at Sabarimala (Kerala, in the Western Ghats). Millions of devotees take pilgrimage to the holy shrine of Ayyappa at Sabarimala annually. Enacting the ritualistic pilgrimage to Sabarimala is also practiced by the devotees living in far-off places. In the Greater Houston metropolitan area, Sri Ayyappa shrine in Sri Meenakshi Temple and Sri Guruvayurappan Temple provide facilities

The Legend of Sri Ayyappa The ancient Sanskrit scripture Skanda Purana refers to Sri Dhrama Shastha as an avatar to preserve dharma (moral law to be followed) on the face of earth. The son (Dharma Shasta) born from the minds of Lord Shiva and Mahavishnu (manasa putra) took the human birth to preserve dharma by destroying the evil Mahishi who was perpetrating atrocities in this world. Mahishi is the female buffalo form of evil force who had the boon that she could only be killed by the powers of Shiva-Vishnu. In the celestial plan, Lord Shiva and Parvathi left the baby near the banks of the river Pampa, in the valley of Sahyadri. King Rajasekhara of Pandalam, an ardent devotee of Shiva during a hunting trip near the banks of the river, found the baby. Overwhelmed with joy, the king brought the baby home and named him Manikantan. The boy was brought up in a manner befitting a prince. Extraordinarily brilliant Manikantan mastered all at an early age. His guru observed many divine qualities in him. While the king decided to pass the throne to Manikantan, the queen was inclined to her own biological son. In a plot planned by her with the help of the crooked chief of the army, she decided to discreetly thwart the kingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s decision and get rid of Manikantan.

Photo: Krishna Giri

A devotee lights oil lamps during Ayyappa mandala pooja at Sri Meenakshi Temple, Pearland www.hummagazine.com

January 2015

Sri Ayyappa is taken in procession (above) around Sri Meenakshi Temple accompanied by the thunderous beating of chenda drums (below) and the blowing of metal horns

That was the time Mahishasura’s cousin, Mahishi was creating atrocities all over the world. Mahishi had acquired a boon that she could be killed only by a brahmachari (celibate). Manikantan made the dangerous journey to a remote mountain called Sabari Giri, where he confronted Mahishi and killed her. She was released from her curse and was ordained to remain in Sabari Giri to protect the people who pay her respect as Malikapurath Amma. Since the purpose of his avathara was over, Manikantan returned east towards the forest. Before he returned, he promised his father that he will remain there as Sri Ayyappa to safeguard the people irrespective of their faith. Sri Ayyappa merged with Sri Dharmashastha as the purpose of his avatharam ended. Lord Ayyappa reinstates the moral values in the society that are degraded during Kali Yuga.

Pilgrimage to Sabarimala It is a tradition that the devotees who intend to visit Sabarimala to pay respect to Sri Ayyappa at His abode follow stringent vrutham (austerities - self-control). During the astrologically auspicious mandalam season which lasts for 41 days (begins by the middle of November), the dedicated devotees take up the life style of an ascetic with strict adherence of austerity (Ayyappa Deeksha). Many devotees who take up the pledge of Ayyappa Deeksha concentrate their minds in prayer both at dawn and dusk at a temple or at home. A strictly controlled vegetarian diet, special care for personal hygiene, reading of devotional materials, abandoning basic luxuries, practising charity, minimizing unnecessary conversation, and anger control are all a few of the outward habits the devotees practice during the vrutham. During the vrutham, each devotee address each other as “ Swami or Ayyappa”, a gesture to convey a Vedic principle ‘ Tat Twam Asi ‘ in an interestingly simplified tradition. The meaning of these words is “That art thou,” which refers to our experience of identity with Brahman. In other words, what it says is that we see Brahman in all things and individuals. The basis for our love of others is that they also are one with Brahman. The characteristics of Ayyappa worship are distinct from any typical Hindu pooja sessions. The term coined ‘padi pooja’ symbolizes a significant message of Hinduism in a simplified way. Interestingly, one will notice a row of 18 steps in front of the idol of Sri Ayyappa. The symbolism of the steps in front of the idol is a replica of the steps at Sabarimala built in front of the temple. They represent

Photos: Krishna Giri

Sri Ayyappa mandala pooja at Sri Guruvayurappan Temple, Houston

the five human senses (panchendriyas), the eight emotions (ashtaragas), the three Gunas (Satvik/Rajasik/Tamasik), Vidya (knowledge) and Avidya (ignorance). Symbolically, a devotee has to be above the influence of all these to attain the Lord. The symbolic message that it represents is that one has to conquer all these before approaching the Lord who is considered the Brahman. The devotees climb Sabarimala and submit themselves before the Lord as the vaishnavite tradition of saranagathi promulgates. The term “Ayyappa Deeksha” is commonly used to indicate the austerity and solemn discipline brought in one’s life during Ayyappa vrutham. The real meaning of deeksha is ‘a training’ to concentrate the mind on divinity and work towards inner purification by controlling the temptations and lust for material pleasure. A noteworthy principle is revealed from one of the several traditions being followed in the journey to Sri Ayyappa temple at Sabarimala. Before beginning the journey, each devotee ceremoniously fills a coconut with clarified butter (ghee). This process is called the mudra and the sealed coconuts are carried along with other auspicious materials to be offered to the Lord. The coconut is broken to collect the ghee which will be used to anoint (abhishekam) the Lord. The

pieces of coconut are thrown in the pyre. The mudra represents human body with all the vulnerabilities associated with it. This is carried to the destination. The ghee that is filled symbolizes the soul. Somewhat similar to the cumbersome steps to obtain the ghee out of milk, it is with great penance that our soul is born as a human body. Filling the mudra symbolizes the human body with the soul and at the end of our journey we break the mudra to signify death of the body. Throwing the empty coconut shell into the agni (pyre) is like the vulnerable physical remains that would disappear one day. The ghee that is used in abhishekam ultimately is the representation of our soul wanting to reach Paramathma who is Sri Ayyappa. It is noteworthy that the shrine at Sabarimala is a symbol of religious harmony, as extolled by legendary tales of Lord Ayyappa being befriended by a Muslim warrior ‘Vavar’ and by ‘Kochu Thoma’ a Christian. One could reasonably speculate that the word ‘Saranam’ of the fervent Ayyappa devotees’ call ‘Saranam Ayyappa’, probably was derived from the Buddhist faith, which had acceptance during the period. For more information, please visit http://houstonayyappas.com

Chittoor K. Ramachandran Ph.D. is a medical research scientist by profession. He currently resides in Pearland, TX. During the four decades of his stay in the US, he has been actively involved in promoting the artistic and cultural heritage of India

www.hummagazine.com

January 2015

Thriving in

Turbulent Markets BY PRADEEP ANAND

Here we go again! Oil prices have dropped precipitously, like it did back in 1986, and folks are running around like Chicken Little, crying, “The sky is falling! The sky is falling!” However, this is not the time for panic to set in. Instead, it is time to absorb some of the low blows that the situation may land on us, be strong enough to be resilient and respond in a manner that shows mastery over what the future may hold. In other words: Withstand Pain, Generate Gain.

I moved to Houston in 1978 and joined the oil and gas industry at its “OPEC Oil Shock” peak in 1981. In January 1981, the Real Price of Oil was about $106 in today’s dollars. The US Energy Information Agency forecasts that in January 2015, the Real Price of Oil will be $59.41 per barrel. I have been a student of industry dynamics for more than three decades. Here are some lessons from history. Assumption: This time it will not be different. When oil prices fall as sharply as it has in the last six months, businesses and people will be affected. Cash ﬂow and net worth are exposed. Sponsors who funded projects that were based on oil price growth assumptions from six months ago should be nervous. There will be many shakeouts in the industry. The stronger players, especially the ones with bulk and a war chest of cash, will survive and thrive, when the competitive dust has settled. The survivors will grow stronger. The oil industry is crucial to delivering better quality of life to humankind, globally.

Despite conservation efforts and development of alternate energy sources, over the next twenty-five years, the demand for oil and gas will increase by about 35%. The industry has to work intensely to fill this growing consumption. The survivors will have greater share of future demand. The oil & gas industry is a knowledge-intensive industry that lives on the cutting edge technology. Houston, with its expertise and infrastructures, will continue to be at the core of global oil & gas transactions and movement. This is yet another phase in the city’s turbulent history. To live and fight another day, Houston businesses and citizens have to focus efforts on two fronts: Withstand Pain and Generate Gain. Withstand Pain. The obvious solution to business threats is to reduce expenses but that may not be right answer. The first step is to step back and focus on what constitutes your core strengths. Employees and business owners have the same objec-

tive — to keep good jobs and good customers. For businesses, it’s time to focus on locking-in your core customers and segments; increasing their switching costs also helps. For individuals, it’s time to do some personal analysis to discover strengths — a combination of aptitude and interest — and see how much they would be in demand in the new business environment. Firms will be shifting resources to areas of promise and you want to be where the puck is going to be, not where it was. You cannot rely on a rising tide to keep your boat afloat. You need to take actions backed by intelligence — both market and operational. Businesses and individuals need to be agile, to avoid blows and take advantage of opportunities. For starters they need to be on top of real-time market intelligence and diagnostics for fast decision-making in this treacherous market, which demands new rules of engagement, many unwritten. Individuals, especially those who are in back offices, far removed from customer interactions are exposed. They need to polish their networking skills to gain market intelligence for opportunities that can protect them and their families. Generate Gain. In this industry, new businesses are created through new, promising technologies. The most significant technologies that altered the economics of finding and producing oil & gas during the last two decades were born during the 1980s. Through 1986, oil companies’ employees did not have good reasons to try new processes and technologies because risks of failure were perceived to be higher than potential rewards. After 1986, operators discovered that OPEC-driven oil

price growth was not the economic reality. In order to replace consumed oil and to find new oil, firms needed to rely on new, promising technologies. I was the first Marketing Manager for Logging-while Drilling (LWD) at Sperry Sun Drilling Services and Vice President, Marketing, at Landmark Graphics Corporation (3D Seismic Visualization/Interpretation). I was a witness to how these technologies (and Fracking, later) significantly altered the economics of finding and producing oil & gas. Yes. The industry is slow in adopting new technologies. However, nothing spurs trying new products and services like the failure of old practices to deliver in new, threatening environments. Big Data solutions, new materials, new processes and a host of other services and technologies are now on the verge of explosive growth in this industry. All they have to do is prove that they can reduce costs and/or increase revenues and margins for operators and their service companies. Additionally, existing players need to build awareness and promote the firm/yourself in target markets. It is time to increase market share, which, in turn will increase your income, cash flow and net worth. In summary, to thrive during turbulent times, keep your eye on the environment, be pragmatic, protect your war chest, be nimble and agile to change directions, try new solutions, and be different in important ways. Good luck.

Pradeep Anand is the President of Seeta Resources (www.seeta. com), a strategy consulting ﬁrm that focuses on accelerating revenue and margin growth of its client ﬁrms.

www.hummagazine.com

January 2015

MARY, DID YOU KNOW? YASHODHA, ARE YOU AWARE? BY V. KALIDAS Thanks to the Yuletide spirit permeating Houston, it is the moment of display of X’mas trees, enchanting cribs and glittering decorations, make-believe yule-logs burning brightly in parks and public places, the portly ﬁgure of Santa Claus handing out goodies to wide-eyed children in shops and the ubiquitous Star of David banners shining benignly in shopping malls and from illuminated house-tops. And ﬁnally, to re-create the spirit of Noel in its entirety, is the resonance of Christmas songs and carols beamed at people from lifts and lounges to restaurants and departmental stores! Singers, both known, celebrated and anonymous, release CDs churning out with pride and humility such golden tracks as Silent Night, White Christmas, O’ Come All Ye Faithful, Abide With Me, Little Town of Bethlehem, O God Our Help in Ages Past, etc. Hearing them year after year without fail in public places and church does not cloy; on the contrary it serves to further reinforce the faith in the sublime! This year, the Xmas song that is making waves is an acapella version from Pentatonix of Mary, Do You Know composed by Mark Lowry/Buddy Green and originally released in 1991 by singer Kathy Mattea. Over 200 versions of this popular song have since been recorded but three versions that have made a huge impact this season are those by Kenny Rogers and Wynonna Judd , Kathy Mattea, and Pentatonix. Repeated hearing of the song, strangely enough, struck a rather familiar and yet oblique chord in me. In this song, Mary as the innocent mother, not in the know of what is to become of her great son in his later years, is being repeatedly asked – rather rhetorically – about the unique stature of her son through the following lines: Mary, did you know that your Baby Boy is Lord of all creation? Mary, did you know that your Baby Boy would one day rule the nations? Did you know that your Baby Boy is heaven’s perfect Lamb? The sleeping Child you’re holding is the Great, I Am. At a different plane of existence, so to speak, a few hours prior to listening to this Xmas song, I had been treated to a

heavenly experience of wallowing in an extraordinary neraval on the popular lines, “Kaalinil Shilambu Konja….” from the Thodi kriti, Thaye Yashoda by the ebullient Madurai Mani Iyer. The composer of this great song, Oothukadu Venkata Subbaier, who filled the wide gap in the annals of Carnatic Music between Purandara Dasa, the pitamaha and the advent of the Carnatic Trinity comprising Thyagarja, Dikshithar and Shyama Sastry, appears to have revelled in making the Gopikas complain plaintively to a distraught Yashoda about the mischievous exploits of her young son, Gopalakrishna. To quote from the song: The gopis together exclaim: Oh Mother Yashoda, listen to the antics of your Gopalakrishna who created the Universe with his Maya (illusion). Playing on the confused sentiments of the mother, Venkata Kavi finally drives home the truth with one of the Gopikas breaking the news to her that her son was no ordinary child but the Great Lord Himself in this Avatar! The lines run as follows when translated from Tamil but lose much of their intense flavor and the fragrance of “double entendre” in the execution: Since he is a young child, I pulled him near me and took him on my lap. I also admired his beautiful face, as though he was my own son. At that moment, he opened his mouth and lo! and behold, I saw all the three worlds. Oh! What a sight! O, Yashodha, that Vasudevan is this person standing here! Hey, you are blessed! Though all the seven charanams of the song harp on the rib-splitting antics of Krishna, they subtly communicate the fact that He is unique and beyond the ken of human understanding. And yet to Yashoda he is her fond child, “tender and mild” (to cite a similar expression from the X’mas song). After hearing both the songs once again, back to back, I could not help chuckling at the great fun that both Mark Lowry and Oothukadu Venkata Kavi would have derived from portraying the two “divine” beings in such innocent situations much to the blissful ignorance of their mothers! That two great creative minds, separated by over two hundred years and about nine thousand miles, could churn out two delightful songs with a near identical concept in two radically different languages, left me in a state of wonder!

V. Kalidas, Retd. Vice-President (Advt), THE HINDU group, Chennai, India, has been a regular contributor to all the group publications. During his four-decade association with THE HINDU, he was elected Media Man of the Year in Mumbai in 1994 and later conferred THE HALL OF FAME Award, instituted by the Public Relations Society of India. His article on Paris in FRONTLINE magazine many years ago was selected by Sources Information Research Services, La Boca Raton, Florida for an updation on Paris in their electronic edition meant for educational purposes. He is currently on a holiday with his wife in Houston.

Kick Off this new year with the confidence of knowing

that you can now join the many other businesses in the Houston area that depend on our Mass Email Blast system to more than 300,000 potential new customers.

For the first time ever in the Houston Market, the small-medium size businesses can now take advantage of using an email blast network that produces a visual BRAND IMAGE of your business, product or service and places that ad directly into the email box of more than 300,000 potential new custopmers that have asked to receive emails about a business just like yours.

The new art book quality, greatly expanded and revised, larger formatted sixth edition of India Unveiled: Spirit, Tradition, People by Robert Arnett and edited by Houston area resident Smita Turakhia is being acclaimed as the best book of its type on India. The new volume contains 318 pages with 307 color photographs and seven color maps, printed on gloss art, acid-free paper. Arnett and Turakhia’s stunning photographs and penetrating text reveal an India of which all can be proud and pleased to share. Most of the following article is excerpted from the new sixth edition.

SACRED INDIA

Symbolism in Hinduism BY ROBERT ARNETT

Hinduism, India’s majority religion, is greatly misunderstood in the West. Most occidentals do not realize that Hinduism is a monotheistic religion, in which God is beyond time, space, and physical form. The entire pantheon of gods and goddesses are symbolic representations of God’s numerous qualities and His intelligence functioning in every aspect of creation. The One Unmanifested Supreme God is called Brahman (not to be confused with Brahma, the ﬁrst part of the Hindu Trinity, or with Brahmin, a Hindu priest). The Rig Veda, a Hindu scripture, clearly states: “Though men call it by many names, it is really One.” Hinduism created a different deity for each of God’s numerous qualities or intelligences to make the impersonal God seem more real and approachable. Just as love, wisdom, compassion, or humility has no form in the ultimate sense, that quality become more real to us when we give it a personal form. In a similar manner, many Christians prefer to worship God as the beautiful and inspiring life of Jesus, rather than God the Father beyond creation without form. In the villages, many women prefer to worship Lord Krishna in the form of a baby rather than that of an adult, probably because it makes it easier for them to share their maternal feelings for the Lord. Because most people do not have the intellectual capacity or the calmness of mind to comprehend the vastness, power, and intelligence of the Creator, giving a physical form to each of God’s Divine Intelligences manifesting in creation helps us to become more cognizant of God’s omnipresence, omnipotence, and omniscience. Seeing God in everything gradually enables us to come to the realization that God is the Doer not us, thereby enabling us to ﬁnally overcome the bondage of the human ego and to attain freedom. Mother Teresa (1910-97) of Kolkata (Calcutta) taught her nuns the same principle of seeing God in everything. Handwritten on a piece of paper placed on the wall in her Home for the Dying and Destitute were the simple instructions: “Do the work for Christ, through Christ, to Christ.

Hanuman

The above picture tells a story from the Hindu epic, the Ramayana. Hanuman, a human-like monkey with supernatural powers (a vanara), is the embodiment of devotion, loyalty, service, humility, strength, and wisdom. He has revealed that there is nothing in his heart except the thought of Rama and Sita, who in Hinduism represent wisdom and purity of God. Hanuman is the perfect devotee of God. He represents what Jesus said was one of the two most important commandments in the Bible: “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind….” Once we understand the principle that a symbol represents, we see that many of the world’s sacred symbols reveal underlying universal principles shared by all religions. Another gross misconception about Hinduism that probably dates back to early European missionaries is that Hindus worship “idols.” The Sanskrit word for the statue Hindus pray before is murti. To the Hindu the murti, usually made of stone, metal, or wood, is a representation of a deity that serves as a means to focus one’s thoughts and devotion when worshipping divinity. “Murti” should be translated as “embodiment” or “manifestation” of the deity to whom one is praying. The murti is not the object of wor-

ship and is more than an inert image. The object of worship is the divine whose presence is not limited to the image.

Student placing text books and notebooks next to Sarasvati asking the goddess to bless her studies. Sarasvati Shrine. Puri, West Bengal The Sarasvati Festival is held in early February and marks the start of spring. Hindus worship Sarasvati as the goddess of learning, wisdom, knowledge, music, art, and culture. In her hand she holds a musical instrument the vina, symbolizing the music of the cosmos, the cosmic sound of Aum (Om) from which the universe was created.

Elephant representing Lord Ganesh blessing a girl with his trunk, symbolizing Lord Ganesh removing the spiritual obstacles from the girlâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s life.Â Ekambareshwara Temple. Kanchipuram. From the beginning of time, man has used fire, flames, or the sun to symbolize God beyond form that cannot be put into form. Gradually, as religion became codified, fire became a universal symbol for the One, Unmanifested beyond form that cannot be put into form.

Pilgrims observing a priest performing arati with a flaming lamp. The images of the deities have been removed from the temple and placed on a swing. Tirumala, Andhra Pradesh.

A yajna ceremony. Priests offering grains into a sacred fire, symbolizing the surrender ofÂ the self (ego) to God. Nuns are wearing red saris. Swaminarayan Temple. Bhuj, Gujarat. A Hindu ceremonial rite of purification, yajna is described in the Vedas and other ancient Hindu scriptures. The ritual is accompanied by Sanskrit chants and prayers as ghee (clarified butter), and other offerings such as grains, flowers, and incense are offered into a sacred fire. Little understood by the non-Hindu observer, yajna symbolizes the surrender of the self (ego) to God. Performance of the fire ceremony without understanding the symbolism of the offerings is of little value, because the mind cannot be purified of wrong thoughts and desires by outer rites. One interpretation of the ceremonial rite is that the articles used represent the five senses that must be purified in man by trials (fire) and then given back to God. Flowers, with their beautiful colors and textures, represent the senses of sight and touch. Fruit and clarified butter represent taste, incense is the symbol of the sense of smell, and the conch shell symbolizes sound.

www.hummagazine.com

January 2015

Offering ghee into the ﬁre also symbolizes uniting man’s puriﬁed mind with God’s universal intelligence. However, very few persons of any faith can perform the ritual at that level, other than yogis who have mastered life force control (pranayama) and can free their life force from the lower regions of their body and spine and direct it to the highest centers of consciousness in their brain. Few have attained that blessed state.

In Hinduism, Shiva as an instrument of Cosmic Intelligence brings all things into physical creation and dissolves all things back into the One. In his upper right hand he holds a damaru, a hand drum, which made the first sound of creation. In his upper left hand he holds agni, the fire that will dissolve the universe back into the One Unmanifested Spirit. The dwarflike figure trampled by his right foot represents illusion (maya

Shiva as Nataraja (Lord of Dance). Bronze. Art Gallery. Thanjavur (Tanjore). Chola dynasty, 11th–12th century. Priest distributing prasad (sanctiﬁed food) at a shrine with Aum symbol. Worshippers are wearing traditional Assamese red and white woven cotton scarves (gamosa) over their shoulders. Aaithan Temple. Dibrugarh vicinity, Assam. Aum (Om) is a sacred symbol to Hindus. Hindus worship the Aum symbol as representing God’s intelligent unseen cosmic energy in every particle of creation. Patanjali, the great sage of ancient India and India’s foremost exponent of yoga, referred to Aum as the symbol (manifestation) of Ishvara (God) — the creative power by which the entire cosmos of matter and energy is brought into being (Yoga Sutras 1:27). Thus to the Hindus, the holy vibration (word) of Aum (Amen, Amin) is the link or bridge between God and creation.

or Satan), which leads humankind astray. The iconography is identical to the words of Christ: “I am alpha and omega, the beginning and the end, the ﬁrst and the last” (Revelation 22:13). To order a copy of India Unveiled or other books by Robert Arnett and Smita Turakhia, or to learn more about how you can donate books to your schools or libraries through the Indian American Education Foundation-Atman Press School Library Project, visit www.AtmanPress.com or phone 706-323-6377.

Robert Arnett is the author and photographer of internationally acclaimed India Unveiled and multi-award-winning children’s book Finders Keepers?. For more information about Robert Arnett and his work visit www.AtmanPress.com

Wishing HUM and its readers a Happy, Healthy, and Successful New Year! With Best Wishes, Robert Arnett, Author and Photographer Smita Turakhia, Editor and Contributing Photographer

Acclaimed as the best book of its type on India

Over 40,000 Copies Sold

In over 10,000 school and public libraries • Newly released Expanded and Revised Edition in larger format • 308 pages, 9.5” x 12.5”, Hardcover • Organized by regions into six chapters with seven color maps • 307 color photographs on 170 gram Garda gloss art, acid-free paper • ISBN: 979-0965290098

India Unveiled may be ordered from Amazon.com, other online retailers, or autographed and personalized copies direct from AtmanPress.com or by calling 706-323-6377.

Delegates at the 1931 Music Conference at the Music Academy, Chennai

The Season BY SEETHA RATNAKAR

It’s that time of the year again when Chennai is enjoying the spell of the ﬁfth season. While people in most parts of the world have only four seasons, the people of Chennai are blessed with an extra season! The annual festival of classical music and dance which takes place in this South Indian city is

Eminent Mohiniattam exponent Kalamandalam Kshemavathy being honored at the 34th Natya Kala Conference of Sri Krishna Gana Sabha

called the “Season”. The December Music Season is supposed to have started when the Music Academy held its annual conference in 1929 and conducted a weeklong music festival to coincide with the Christmas holiday week. The timing was perfect since the local leaders were relatively free while their British bosses were merrymaking with their families. It also made sense because Chennai, the city that is reputed to have only three seasons — namely, hot, hotter and hottest — actually enjoys extremely pleasant weather in the month of December. The December Music Season, as it became popularly known, came like a breath of fresh air and became a much awaited annual event. It was initially called the Music Season as it featured only music concerts. But dance programs were introduced a few years later when the social stigma attached to it was removed. The number of concerts has increased over the years, and the Season now starts as early as November and extends up to the end of January. Gradually, people started referring to the December Music Season simply as “The Season“. Classical music and dance play an integral role in most traditional South Indian households. Most children are taught music and dance from a young age. Though not all of them become performers, many do become connoisseurs. That knowledge gives them a deeper understanding of the culture

Shakuntalai Dance Drama choreographed by Smt. Radhika Shurajit with Krithika Shurajit in the title role

to make them patrons or arts and organize festivals. Many who have been nurtured on these arts take their annual vacation in December and come to Chennai just to catch some of their favorite artistes every year. There is so much choice this cultural hub offers like music and dance programmes, lecture demonstrations, symposiums, seminars, discussions, art exhibitions, album launches and interaction with artists all happening simultaneously at various concert halls. The Hindu and most other newspapers carry a special supplement listing all the programs on the 1st of December every year. There are also ready reckoners of program schedules available at all venues and markets. For the more tech savvy, information is available at their fingertips through a mobile app titled Music Season which can be downloaded on Apple and Android phones. Chennai wears a festive look during the Season with artists and the locals adorned in colorful Conjeevaram silks, and bedecked with strands of sweet smelling jasmine flowers. In concert parlance, the concert is called a “kutcheri”, the organizing body is known as the “sabha’ and the audience is referred to as a “rasika” which means one who enjoys. The number of organizations conducting annual festivals has grown dramatically over the years and the current December Season 2014 features 65 organizations with over 1000 artists performing. Some of the oldest organizations that have been conducting these festivals for a record number of years are the Sri Parthasarathy Swami Sabha celebrating its 114th year, the Music Academy its 88th, the Mylapore Fine Arts, 63rd and Sri Krishna Gana Sabha, its 59th. There are some which, in recent years, have created a platform exclusively for the NRI artists. The best performances take place during the Tamil month of Margazhi which falls from 15th December to 15th January. It is a month devoted to prayer and reflection and culminates on the 14th of January with the harvest festival, Pongal on Makara Sankranthi day. The people offer prayers to the Sun God for blessing them with plenty and feast on delicacies made from freshly harvested paddy which is the staple food of South India. The next day, they offer thanks through prayer to the animals like cows and oxen that helped in tilling the fields. It is a time of celebration when man is in total harmony with nature. What better time can there be to sit back, relax and enjoy uplifting music and enlightening dance!

www.hummagazine.com

January 2015

Vocal recital by the upcoming artist Abhinav Shankar at the Kalyana Nagar Association

Chennai is considered to be the Mecca of South Indian classical arts. The who is who of music and dance deem it an honor to perform during the season every year. Some artists start preparing for a new season almost after the end of the previous season. Many expatriate Indians and non-Chennai based artistes and scholars ďŹ&#x201A;ock like homing pigeons every December, to perform, participate or simply enjoy the Chennai Season. Nadaswaram is a wind instrument that is performed at temple rituals and weddings and is accompanied by a percussion instrument called the thavil. As it is considered to be auspicious, most of the sabhas inaugurate their festival with a nadaswaram kutcheri. There are 5 or 6 concerts on most days that will typically include classical vocal and instrumental music played by reputed soloists and groups, and dance solos and thematic presentations by individual artists and groups. A majority of the music concerts belong to the south Indian Carnatic genre but there is always some inclusion of the north Indian Hindustani style. A more recent trend is the introduction of fusion music by ensembles that include Indian and western instruments like the piano, saxophone,

mandolin, guitar, keyboard and drums. The December Season also attracts tourists and it is quite common to see foreigners dressed in traditional Indian clothes attending these concerts. All art is meant to elevate the senses and the rasikas come with an open mind to enjoy the vast variety that is offered. A typical day in the season starts with devotional music or a lecture demonstration at 8.00am followed by a music or dance concert by an upcoming artist around 10.00am. A more experienced artist will perform in the 1.30 or 2.00pm slot. After a few years of proving their mettle before discerning audiences, artists progress to the 4.00pm timing and only the most popular artists get to perform in the 6:00 or 7:00pm prime time slot. An upcoming artist who does well in the debut year, will naturally progress to the next slot in the coming year. The professional growth of an artist usually depends on both performance and audience response. Many debutantes of yesteryears have become leading performers today and most of the regular rasikas have been fortunate to observe this progression. Hence, they take keen interest in attending the morning concerts and take immense pleasure in predict-

Kudiyattam by Margi Madhu Chakyar at the Krishna Gana Sabha

Lec dem by Shaswati Garai Ghosh in the Odissi style

Malladi Brothers Carnatic vocal concert at Bharath Kalachar

Sudha Raghunathan vocal concert at the Music Academy

ing and watching the artistic growth of many a budding artist. There are hardcore art aﬁcionados who go sabha hopping everyday and spend time attending as many concerts as possible. They grab a bite between concerts at the special canteens that are set up for the season. They provide the perfect setting for enjoying delicious SKC (sweet, karam or savory and coffee) at affordable prices while sharing news, views and reviews. If you overhear a Chennaiite asking a dancer or a musician if they will be visiting for the Season, you can stop wondering whether they mean winter, spring, summer or fall. All artists and rasikas mark their calendar year and wait in eager anticipation for the Season to start.

Bharata Natyam dance recital by Radica Giri, California at the Narada Gana Sabha

There has been a phenomenal growth in recent years and the season has transformed into a mega cultural extravaganza. In his play, the Twelfth Night, Shakespeare wrote, “If music be the food of love, play on, give me excess of it that surfeiting the appetite may sicken and so die”. But the enthusiasm of our art aﬁcionados never wanes as they return year after year with a deeper thirst for knowledge and enlightenment. Global warming may have messed with seasons and weather conditions in many parts of the world, but the Season in Chennai is here to stay.

Seetha Ratnakar is a media person who has been associated with Doordarshan, the official Indian television channel, for over 37 years. She recently retired as the Assistant Station Director of the Chennai Kendra. Her area of specialization has been directing programs on dance, music and documentaries on subjects related to Indian culture. She now lives in Chennai, India and works as a freelance ﬁlm director and artistic director for major dance productions. She also writes articles on media and travel.

seetharatnakar@gmail.com

www.hummagazine.com

January 2015

AERIAL MASTERS FROM BATTLEFIELDS TO IMPERIAL PALACES. Classical Chinese dance has a history of thousands of years, sharing a common ancestry with martial arts. Over the centuries, this ancient dance system was enriched with each dynastyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s wisdom and aesthetic principles. Its dramatic jumping, spinning, and tumbling techniques are just a part of the vast repertoire of movements that make up classical Chinese dance. It is one of the most demanding and expressive art forms in the world.

JONES HALL

DEC 28, 2014 - JAN 7, 2015

www.hummagazine.com

January 2015

“It is so magical and colorful. This is so inspiring and very spiritual. As you’re sitting there watching, you get this amazing energy transmission. I meditate a lot so I could feel it was very energetic and powerful. It’s very healing actually. “It is so magical and colorful. This is so Come and experience and youAswill inspiring and veryitspiritual. you’re feel thesitting energythere moving throughyou you.” watching, get this

AN EXTRAORDINARY JOURNEY ACROSS 5,000 YEARS OF CIVILIZATION SHEN YUN PERFORMING ARTS, the world’s premier classical Chinese dance and music company will return to Jones Hall this December on its ninth world tour. With mesmerizing choreography, stirring music, gorgeous costumes, and vividly animated backdrops, Shen Yun takes you on a journey across millennia of civilization.

5,000 YEARS OF Diversity CIVILIZATION. Dancing The show quickly from one LIVE ONmoves STAGE! 5,000 YEARS

monks’ righteousness. For Chinese, the words Shen Yun evoke a sense of wonder, magic, and the divine. story,ALL-NEW region,SHOW and dynasty to the next. To audiences who have seen it, they recall Dancers y across the stage in an array of WITH LIVE ORCHESTRA the experience of a lifetime—a moment so ips, spins, jumps, and aerials. powerfully beautiful it touches the soul. Ride with Mongolians across ALL-NEW SHOWvast WITHgrandeur LIVE ORCHESTRA Global Universality grasslands. Recall the of an Thee show speaks a universal lanancient Tang Dynasty palace. Resounding guage that all can understand. It is so drums awaken the yellow plateaus of the mesmerizing that it transcends nationMiddle Kingdom. alities, so inspiring that it touches upon With the more than 20 dynasties and 50 something shared by all cultures, and so ethnic groups across China to draw upon, fundamentally human, audiences of all Shen Yun’s dances display a vibrant array backgrounds easily connect with it. of cultural diversity and richness. In 2006, Shen Yun was founded by a Stories and Spirit group of top Chinese artists dreaming of Beyond its beauty, Shen Yun’s uniquea renaissance for mankind’s most ancient ness is in its ability to capture the spirit of heritage. Within several seasons, their traditional Chinese culture. Ancient stories wish has become an international phecome to life on stage to celebrate a wide nomenon. range of virtues—loyalty, lial piety, comAudience members watch with tears in passion, benevolence. their eyes, touched by the show’s message Experience the courage of Mulan, of truth and hope. Incredibly, stories that cheer on the Monkey King’s wisdom, AUTHENTIC CHINESE, MADE IN AMERICA. Based in New York, Shen Yun is have stirred people thousands marvel at the loyalty of Song Dynasty AUTHENTIC CHINESE, MADE IN AMERICA. in Newfor Shen Yun isof years reviving authentic Chinese culture, which has mostly beenBased destroyed inYork, China under reviving authentic Chinese culture, which has mostly been destroyed in are still touching today famed general Yue Fei, thrill at Shaolin communist rule. Today, you can no longer see a show like Shen Yun inside China.China under

OF CIVILIZATION. LIVE ON STAGE!

communist rule. Today, you can no longer see a show like Shen Yun inside China.

amazing energy Miss transmission. I meditate —Preity Uupala, India International a lot so I could feel it was very energetic and powerful. It’s very healing actually. “Exquisitely beautiful! An extraordinary Come and experience it and you will experience forenergy us andmoving the children. The feel the through you.”

level of skill, but also the power of the —Preity Uupala, Miss India International archetypes and the narratives were startling.” “Exquisitely beautiful! An extraordinary

experience for us andAcademy the children. — Cate Blanchett, Award-The level of skill, but also the power of the winning actress archetypes and the narratives were startling.”

“The show was so tastefully done, so Blanchett, Academy Awardcreative, and the— Cate messages are very winning actress strong — a message of spirituality, of finding ourselves, who we are, and “The show was so tastefully done, so where we came from... we need that creative, and the messages are very kind of strong understanding moreofthan ever. A of — a message spirituality, better finding understanding mankind andand ourselves,of who we are, appreciation people.” where for we all came from... we need that kind of understanding more than ever. A — Bernie Anastos, Emmy-award better understanding of mankind winning anchor at FOX 5and appreciation for all people.” — Bernie Anastos, Emmy-award “This is spectacular—absolutely the greatwinning anchor at FOX 5 est of the great! Really out of this world! There is“This no word to describe it… If I had to is spectacular—absolutely the greatdescribeestit,ofthe wordsReally mightoutbeof‘divine,’ the great! this world! ‘reborn’There and is‘hope’. You have to it… seeIfitI had to to no word to describe believe describe it.” it, the words might be ‘divine,’

‘reborn’ and ‘hope’. You have tocellist, see it to — Christine Walevska, master believe it.” renowned as "Goddess of the Cello" — Christine Walevska, master cellist, renowned as "Goddess of the Cello"

“This is the finest thing, the finest event I’ve ever been to in my life... I was in “This is the finest thing, the finest event tears, because thetohuman spirit,I the I’ve ever of been in my life... was in dignity,tears, the power, coming outthe becausethe of love, the human spirit, of those people Thisout dignity, the was power,astounding. the love, coming is the profound, quintessential end ofThis of those people was astounding. is the profound, end of entertainment, there isquintessential nothing beyond entertainment, there is nothing beyond — Jim Crill, producer this, nothing.” this, nothing.”

— Jim Crill, producer

PERFECT HARMONY OFOF PERFECT HARMONY EASTEAST ANDAND WEST WEST

615 Louisiana St., DEC 28, 2014-JAN 7, 2015 JONES615HALL Louisiana St.,Houston, Texas

DEC 28, 2014-JAN 7, 2015 JONES HALL Mag-9X11.indd 3

Mag-9X11.indd 3

Houston, Texas

THE MOMENT the gong is struck, FROM FROM THE MOMENT the gong is struck, youyou know are something in for something memorable. know you areyou in for memorable. TheThe Shen Yun Orchestra masterfully blends of the Shen Yun Orchestra masterfully blends twotwo of the world’s greatest classical music traditions, Chinese world’s greatest classical music traditions, Chinese and Western. Ancient Chinese instruments such and Western. Ancient Chinese instruments as the soul-stirring erhu and the delicatesuch pipa lead as the soul-stirring and theWestern delicateorchestra, pipa lead the melody onerhu top of a full the melody on top of a full Western orchestra, creating an enchanting new sound. creating an enchanting new sound.

TICKETS & INFO: 800.380.8165 | ShenYun.com

10/22/2014 12:17:00 PM

Remembering 2014

BY PRAVEENA LAKSHMANAN Like many, I spent the last few hours of 2014 celebrating with friends and family to welcome the New Year into our lives. A part of me wonders though – what are we celebrating really? Is it much ado about nothing? After all, it’s just another day, isn’t it? As these questions linger I decide to look back at 2014 to find clues to why I should care whether a ‘201’ precedes a ‘4’ or a ‘5’. As I gloss over the events, the tragedies over the year gone by work like a wonder catalyst to my pessimism. The Ebola epidemic and those who suffered, unrest in Ukraine and the annexation of Crimea, the rise of the Islamic state in Iraq, mysterious disappearance of Malaysian Airlines 370 and the downing of yet another Malaysia airlines flight in Ukraine followed by the crash of Indonesian airline more recently. I read about the legends we lost from Hollywood to Bollywood... Robin Williams (Goodwill Hunting, Mrs Doubtfire, Jumanji), Philip Seymour Hoffman (True

West, Charlie Wilson’s War), Deven Verma (Angoor, Golmal, Andaz Apna Apna), Zohra Sehgal (Bend it like Beckham, Cheeni Kum). As I delve into more detail through each tragedy in retrospect, their impact is more profound than when it actually occurred. My own personal tragedy of losing my uncle who meant more to me than words can express now suddenly seems or feel a bit different, like yet another travesty rather than ‘the one single’ travesty. So as I look at 2014, it all sounds a dark dingy place in time. But perhaps there is so much more to it. Have I become more in touch with pain and suffering around me? Has it moved something in me such that next time given any opportunity I would want to do something about it? Do I suddenly care a lot more about who I have around me knowing how uncertain and unpredictable life can be? All this simply because I took a few minutes to look back and reﬂect on the year? Really?

Well, I think so, yes and perhaps that is the answer I seek. Can it be that the importance of 2015 is not in the date but the fact it gives me an opportunity to reflect on the year past and improve on things I did or did not do. So going forward I can only pose myself a few challenges that I can start to work on in 2015. To publicly declare â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Can I take a minute to consider the troubles and tribulations of others? Can I value what I have and who I am and not worry too much about what I do not have or what I want to be? Can I take some time out once in a while to take a breather, look around me, and give back a more than I have in the past? Can I appreciate the lovely moments I spent

watching the FIFA World Cup and the Olympic games with my sports starved friends? Can I laugh at those Facebook buddies who took up the ice water challenge and perhaps do something more to help with donations towards sclerosis research (ALS)? The sun will keep setting and rising (to my knowledge) and there will always be people and shadows with familiar and unfamiliar faces who I will inevitably impact, good or bad. Perhaps more good than bad in 2015 and a little bit more good than bad in 2016 and the rest follows mathematically. Either way Happy New Year and I hope you have a lovely lovely 2015. Shine onâ&#x20AC;Ś. now and always!

Praveena Lakshmanan is a dreamer. She loves travelling, food and music and believes that her life is challenged and reshaped by nature. She is currently a graduate student at the University of Houston and prides herself in taking notice, giving meaning and nurturing little things in life. She can be reached at praveenalakshmaann@gmail.com

www.hummagazine.com

January 2015

King Khans Rule Bollywood 2014 Action and Comedy are Favored Cinematic Emotions of the Year In a year of big ﬁlms starring big names, the three Khans emerged tops, once again. Cinematically, 2014 was packed with comedy, action and emotion - from Shah Rukh Khan’s Happy New Year to Salman Khan’s Kick, Hrithik Roshan’s Bang Bang to Shahid Kapoor’s Haider. Last, but certainly not the least was the third Khan, Aamir, and his year-end offering PK. Let’s take a peek at 2014’s top hits. ew Year Happy N Director Farah Khan’s Happy New Year, starring Shah Rukh Khan, Deepika Padukone, Abhishek Bachchan, Boman Irani, Sonu Sood and Vivaan Shah, was the top grosser this year, minting over Rs 300 crores worldwide. The heist drama was ﬁlled with comedy, dance and music. Happy New Year set a new record for the highest opening weekend collection, making Rs 108.86 crores. Despite being hated by critics, it clinched the maximum number of trophies at the Stardust Awards ceremony held in Mumbai on December 14, including Film of the Year; Dream Director for Farah Khan; Star of The Year - Male and Best Actor - Thriller for Shah Rukh Khan; and Star of The Year - Female for Deepika Padukone. Kick

Superstar Salman Khan’s Eid release Kick is now his biggest blockbuster. It made over Rs 100 crores within four days of its release. Salman’s fans abroad were also taken

care of as the movie released in 42 other countries including non-traditional markets like France, Germany, Morocco and Maldives. Salman was seen opposite Jacqueline Fernandez in Kick and their onscreen chemistry was much appreciated. Songs like Jumme ki Raat and Devil became massive hits. Kick also starred actors Randeep Hooda and Nawazuddin Siddiqui in pivotal roles. ng Bang Ba B Hrithik Roshan and Katrina Kaif starred in the official Bollywood remake of the Tom Cruise-Cameron Diaz blockbuster Knight and Day. Shot in exotic locales, featuring a magnetic star cast and packed with high-octane action sequences, Bang Bang was a complete entertainer. The worldwide box office collection of the movie reached Rs 298 crore gross. The movie also starred Danny Denzongpa, Deepti Naval, Kanwaljit Singh and Jimmy Sheirgill.

Returns Singham Ajay Devgn and Kareena Kapoor’s Independence Day release was a story about an honest, dutiful officer. The hit team of filmmaker Rohit Shetty and actor Ajay Devgn delivered another blockbuster after the Golmaal series and the original Singham, hitting the jackpot with its sequel. Singham Returns earned over Rs 100 crore within four days of its release. The music was catchy and Honey Singh’s song Aata Majhi Satakli became an instant hit. Such was the hype around the movie that Hollywood actor Sylvester Stallone wished Ajay Devgn luck ahead of its release. Queen

It was a year of fearless femmes. Kangana Ranaut ruled Bollywood after delivering a power-packed performance in Vikas Bahl’s Queen, the story of a jilted bride

www.hummagazine.com

January 2015

who goes on her honeymoon alone only to rediscover her lost identity in the process. Queen received both commercial success and critical acclaim. The song London Thumakda from the movie ruled the music charts.

His intense and convincing performance won him the Stardust award for Best Actor in a Drama while actress Tabu, who played his adulterous mother, won the Stardust Award for Best Supporting Actress. m

Mary Ko

Haider

Actor Shahid Kapoor’s revenge drama Haider, an adaptation of Shakespeare’s tragedy Hamlet, struck both critical and commercial gold. It became the first Kashmirbased film in many years to click with the audience and has reportedly been declared the fifth highest-rated crime drama of all times. Shahid played the role of a young student in the insurgency-hit Kashmir of the mid-1990s.

Actress Priyanka Chopra’s sports biopic based on boxing champ Mary Kom won her accolades. Priyanka convincingly played the role of a strong-willed young Manipuri woman who faced down all odds to pursue her passion and continued to box even after becoming a wife and a mother of two. Mary Kom released on 1,800 screens in the country and was a hit among the masses.

“Chandra and David’s” Over 30 years experience Specializing in the Music of South Asia State of the art studio Southwest Houston david@chandrakantha.com

713 665 4665

Ek Villain

Sidharth Malhotra and Shraddha Kapoor, shining lights of Bollywood’s newest generation of actors, charmed the audience with their heart-wrenching performances in Ek Villain. The thriller showed actor Riteish Deshmukh in a negative role for the ﬁrst time. Ek Villain joined the much coveted Rs 100 crore club and its songs like Teri Galliyan, Humdard, Zaroorat and Awari were chartbusters. 2 States

2 States, starring Alia Bhatt and Arjun Kapoor, told the story of how a couple from opposite ends of the country bridge the cultural divide, overcoming opposition from their respec-

tive sets of parents. The ﬁlm beautifully captured the intricacies of both Tamil and Punjabi cultures with its fresh story and peppy songs. Said to have been made on a budget of approximately Rs 45 crores, 2 States released on over 2,000 screens in India and minted more than Rs 100 crores. PK

Aamir Khan’s PK was this year’s most awaited ﬁlm and as expected, ended 2014 with the loudest bang possible. With a lot of curiosity generated by Aamir Khan’s infamous transistor-clad poster, Rajkumar Hirani challenged social norms and superstitions related to god and godmen through the worldview of an innocent alien played by Aamir Khan.

Saraswati School of Music Srinivas Komounduri Master Instructor - Concert Musician

For class schedules & locations, call

832-659-4666 or email sitar66@hotmail.com

Russell Peters Launches His Almost Famous World Tour, Stops In Houston

“The Russell Peters Almost Famous World Tour” features all newmaterial, plus Peters’ lightning fast improv with the audience. “I like to interact with the front rows,” says Peters of his signature back and forth with the audience. “I use the interaction to take me from bit to bit. Some guys go on-stage with a script and don’t deviate from it. That’s not my style. I have my set and know what I want to cover; I just use the audience to move me in certain directions. It’s very collaborative and each show is unique.” The Almost Famous World Tour has already taken Peters to New York’s Madison Square Garden as well as Los Angeles’ Nokia Theatre in the November and December of 2014. In February and March 2015, Peters will take the tour to Australia, New Zealand and South Africa, with more international dates to be announced later this year. His last tour took Peters to 26 countries and over 200 performances, with over than 300,000 fans attending his shows globally. Peters was recently seen as a judge on NBC’s Last Comic Standing, alongside Roseanne Barr and Keenen Ivory Wayans. Peters can also be seen in Jon Favreau’s critically acclaimed movie, Chef. The Almost Famous World Tour will also feature Russell’s Official Tour DJ’s; Toronto’s DJ Starting from Scratch and New York City’s DJ Spinbad, as well as video cameras and screens for an up-close and intimate show in an arena setting. Starting in 2008, Peters was one of the first stand-up comedians to self-finance, self-produce and distribute his own comedy specials and DVD’s, with Red, White and Brown and 2011’s, The Green Card Tour LIVE from the O2 Arena. The DVD’s went on to sell over 350,000 units across North America. His last special, Notorious was the first original comedy special for Netflix. Notorious was also supported by a four-part documentary series, Russell Peters Vs The World. Peters currently has over seven hours of content on Netflix. Listed on the Forbes List as one of the top ten Highest Earning Comics in the U.S. since 2009, Russell Peters has spent the past 25 years building a career to become one of the biggest comics in the world. Thanks to YouTube and a global following, Peters has sold-out arenas from Madison Square Garden to the Sydney Opera House. Peters has also performed for the troops in Afghanistan, Iraq and on the USS Eisenhower and HMCS Winnipeg, and appeared on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, Lopez Tonight, Jimmy Kimmel Live, The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson and on HBO, CNN, MTV, BBC and Al Jazeera. Peters 2010 memoir, Call Me Russell was a Globe and Mail number one bestseller in Canada.

DIGITAL SIGNAGE

AR Media design

www.armediadesign.com

Tel:832-361-4353

AR Media Inc. provides a comprehensive and easy to use digital signage software that works on a Media Player / Windows PC connected to a TV (LED / LCD / Plasma / Projection) or Monitor. The Digital Signs software is all-inclusive and does not require any complex hardware or software setup.

Photo: Krishna Giri

C From left John Moseley, Senior Director, Trade Development at Port of Houston Authority; Ellen Goldberg, IFFH Board Member; Janiece M. Longoria Chairman, Port of Houston; Sutapa Ghosh, Founder and Festival Director of Indian Film Festival of Houston; Atul Badwal, IFFH Board Member; John D. Kennedy, Commissioner, Port of Houston

Ports of Houston and Mumbai

Sign Memorandum of Friendship and Trade Cooperation The cities of Houston and Mumbai share a number of commonalities. Among them, they are both world-class ports. Taking a step towards a closer relationship, the Port of Houston Authority (PHA) passed a proposal to sign a Memorandum of Friendship and Trade Cooperation with the Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT). Sutapa Ghosh, accompanied by Ellen Goldberg and Atul Badwal, made the presentation to Chairman Janiece Longoria and Port Commissioners at PHA’s ﬁnal meeting for the year 2014. According to the agreement, the two sides “will work together to develop and expand mutual understanding and cooperation, to share technical and professional expertise regarding port administration and development, and to promote greater economic beneﬁts for both.”

Sutapa Ghosh addressing the Chairman and the Commissioners of the Port of Houston

Photo: Krishna Giri

Lunch Buffet A la carte Dinner Catering for all occasions

Sutapa Ghosh with John Moseley

Preparation for the agreement began in April, 2013, when Ghosh, the Founder and Festival Director of the Indian Film Festival of Houston, led a delegation to JNPT. The delegation included John Mosley from the Port of Houston, along with representatives from KBR, BP, and several other organizations. The Chairman of the JNPT, N.N. Kumar, sent a letter to the PHA in August 2014 and set the Memorandum of Friendship and Trade Cooperation in motion. Jawaharlal Nehru Port (JNP), ccommonly known as the Port of Nhava Sheva, is ranked 31st among the top 100 ports in the world. It is Indiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s #1 container port handling around 60% of Indiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s containerized cargo, with an annual throughput of approximately 4 million TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent unit) and is poised to handle 10 million TEUs by the year 2020-21. The year 2014 marked the 100th anniversary

of the Houston Ship Channel and the 25th anniversary of the JNPTt. Currently, trade between India and the HoustonGalveston district ranked #13 in terms of total tonnage and #3 in import TEUs. The Indian Sub-Continent, Middle East, and the Arabian Gulf area where JNP is located represents the largest growth opportunity for PHA due to the large market potential and lack of direct container services. Today, the only direct service connecting the Port of Houston and India is operated by Bahri Line, the biggest shipping conglomerates in the world. All other services, particularly for containers, are operated via transshipment. Both sides expressed keen optimism in expanding the relationship between PHA and JNPT based on this memorandum of friendship and trade cooperation.

We undertake catering for all occasions across the Greater Houston area

On-site Dosa/Appam, Tandoor/Chaat Parties Our Speciality

19752 SH 249, Houston, TX 77070

Tel: 832-237-8811 www.Dhakshin.com

5 1 20 PANDIT Aries

Cancer

3/21-4/19

6/22-7/22

You are optimistic, independent, adventurous, ambitious, skillful, impetuous, authoritative, courageous, brave and competitive. You work hard but tend to be highly impatient. Your year starts off so hot and high-energy that you may sometimes look in the mirror and wonder who that person is! Your true New Year begins the day after a solar eclipse - March 21, the day the Sun enters your sign - with Uranus and Mars both conjunct the Moon. Feelings may run rampant for a few weeks, but life will settle down to a subdued roar and thunder, leaving you to feel like you could succeed at just about anything. Use that confidence and energy while being wildly creative, social, and happy in August when the Sun meets Jupiter in fiery Leo. The September 13 solar eclipse is a brief but intense moment to look back. Are you staying healthy and on track? In November, be willing to take on more responsibility and authority, and afterward find yourself to be a more matured, refined person. This helps greatly in any career or business situation that might attract you later.

You are intelligent, trustworthy, creative, adaptable and soft-spoken.You may feel a bit like a sea creature out of water this year, with only sensitive Neptune in a fellow Water Sign (Pisces). This will illuminate your instincts, feelings, and intuition compared to all the other signs. Keeping your emotions controlled may be the biggest challenge in late June and July, when the Sun and Saturn move into Water Signs, too. The ﬁrst two months you will be focused more on others, but make sure you also take good care of yourself so you can properly be there for loved ones or friends if they need you. People keep you busy with fun in May and June. Your mind may motor in high gear while your attention zooms in on family, home, and what you love best. Things should calm down after the Sun-Mars conjunction on June 14. With the Moon in Leo square Saturn in Scorpio on the Summer Solstice, you may not feel charming, but everyone will see your charm throughout the rest of the year!

Taurus

Leo

4/20-5/20

7/23-8/22

You are an intellect, love to follow principles, have good mental ability and expressive skills and interested in artistic pursuits. 2015 is a great year for Taurus to begin something new and maybe choose a new direction for some part of your life. Mentally, you may have been preparing, and now’s the time. The Sun and Moon are both in Taurus as your year starts, so April and May could be the most agreeable for your plans. Love and relationships in general may take a slight hit in July and August when Venus goes retrograde from July 25 until September 6. Sometimes you need to go extra slow with people and affairs of the heart, that’s all. Be extra creative and you’ll be popular all summer long. The Mercury retrograde in Libra - September 17 to October 9 - might stress relationships, but Venus rules here, too, and Taurus knows how to be sweet. Be healthy, happy, and good to yourself, especially in November and December!

Gemini 5/21-6/21 You are intelligent, creative, enthusiastic and openminded. 2015 is an exciting year when relationships bloom, opportunities for personal growth and maturity abound, and friends and family become more cherished. As blazing and energetic as the year begins, you have plenty of built-in pauses to stay on track and take care of all those people and things you love. Mercury retrograde - all in Air signs - is your friend. Yes, really! January 21 to February 11 - Mercury in Aquarius - is a calmer social period; May 18 to June 11 - in Gemini lets you mentally regroup and rethink what might have been done with too much haste the month before. September 17 to October 9 - in Libra - offers a chance to take a second look at any agreements or commitments you made or that were made to you earlier in the year. Socially, Gemini is running in high gear all year. Eat healthy and get enough rest, and moderate those social indulgences. Friends and family are there to remind you how important you are, especially in July. It is a fun, fabulous year!

You are kind, big-hearted and love to shower love and affection on others. You are also straightforward, optimistic and loyal. However, you are opinionated and tend to become possessive and prone to jealousy. You have a well-balanced year ahead with plenty of passionate Fire, sensitive Water, practical Earth, and diplomatic Air energies at your fingertips. Neptune will offer you illusions and comfortable escapes in February. Uranus will surprise and energize you in April. Mercury and Mars will tug at your heartstrings and family in July. Venus will make daily life more pleasant and comfortable than ever in September. What a year! Jupiter spends the first half of 2015 in your sign, bringing good luck and abundance, but also the temptation to enjoy the good things in life in excess. Try to use moderation in all things, especially eating, spending, and socializing, and simply share the wealth. Energy might sag and minor health concerns could become a concern in November, when the Sun - the ruler of Leo - encounters Saturn. Balance and good sense can fix all. Take good care of yourself and enjoy each day to its fullest!

Virgo 8/23-9/22 You are highly intelligent, creative and sensitive. You are passionate of the arts and literature. Your interest in physical and metaphysical learning often draws you towards spiritual pursuits. 2015 is a year of great luck and abundance. There will also be strong feelings, opinions, and a great drive to succeed. It may be hard to think straight all the time amidst so much activity and bustling daily life, but you’ll do your best. Expect opportunities and congenial people around you from January 1, as your ruling planet Mercury is in Capricorn along with the Sun, Venus, and Pluto. Capricorn is an Earth Sign and very compatible with you, Virgo. Jupiter enters Virgo on August 11. From then on, ampliﬁed good luck and prosperity should blossom. Friends and family, particularly siblings, may be extra generous. It’s a year to bring each other many happy times. Enhanced creativity, good times with groups of people, especially large gatherings, and a trip or two are all smiled upon this year. Be healthy, active, eat and rest well, because it’s a busy year!

Now in Houston

PREDICTIONS Libra 9/23-10/22 You are honest, communicative and intelligent. You are tactful but are not manipulative. Libra born are passionate about beauty, art and most of all, love. You often lack stability snd get easily inﬂuenced by others. 2015 gives you a deeper desire for material security and luxury. This means you’ll have greater motivation and ambition. In your gentle, agreeable Libra way, you’ll accomplish more and attract more compatible people into your camp. You’ll be extremely lucky with people, so network away! Then put social activities on pause during August, rest up and re-energize. Mercury goes retrograde in your sign - September 17 - October 9 - and this is a great thing, too. Consolidate your team of friends and family members now, and see clearly who your truest supporters are. November and December are powerful times for you as well, particularly the last two days of December when your planet Venus moves into glorious Sagittarius.

Scorpio 10/23-11/21 You are fearless, tolerant, generous, ambitious, creative and assertive. Your intelligence, good grasping and analytical skills makes you do well as doctors, engineers, navigators and market analysts. You are also passionate towards music and love to indulge in challenges. Powerful good luck and instant energy are at your ﬁngertips in 2015. Given your natural level of intensity, you’ll need extra effort almost every day to not burn out or frazzle the people around you. Be cool and a bit distant if necessary in February and March when instincts are tested and people become harder to read. Reserve judgment about others but don’t over-idealize them - namely friends and family. When Mars conjuncts Uranus on March 11 and when the Sun conjuncts Uranus on April 6, the Moon will be in Scorpio, affecting you more strongly than most other signs. Be braced for surprises. Respect your physical limits, avoid overexertion, and be healthy and ambitious. Such a ﬁery year can be hard on a Water Sign like you, but 2015 gives you plenty of Earth energy to anchor and get you through!

Sagittarius 11/22-12/21

You are independent, intelleligent, optimistic, philosophical, honest and affectionate. You are also enthusiastic, sincere, methodical, pleasant. You love to study law, philosophy and religion. You will experience mixed results this year. What a great year to be a Sagittarian! With so much admiration, respect, and authority coming your way, it could be hard to remember to be modest. Make the effort, though, be gracious and understated, and people will regard you all the more. Be methodical and then trust your sound, critical judgment. Emotional judgment is strong and true, too, especially in February. Saturn in Sagittarius this year adds to your patience and careful treatment of people and situations. Family and friends will think well of you no matter what, and could lavish extra affection on you in the springtime. Be well, active, and avoid too many extra calories too often, however yummy. This could be an ongoing challenge after early April, when Jupiter’s retrograde ends. It’s quite a delicious year, Sag!

Capricorn 12/22-1/19 You are disciplined, conﬁdent, sensible, and ambitious. You are cautious in your moves will not do something that will not serve your purpose. Make a major new start in 2015, or perhaps several minor ones. Let your heart and passion be your guides. Then be your own best friend rather than your own worst enemy. All unlike you, I know! Trust your gut. A slowly forming Jupiter-Saturn square - not perfected until August - will help keep you from going too far, too fast, or off track. Family supports you in a big way, perhaps wondering what took you so long. You have great ambition and energy for your work this year, and also great compassion. Your Capricorn year actually starts with the Capricorn New Moon (December 21, 2014). The day before, a Mars-Uranus sextile guarantees that you’ll try your best and invent whatever you need, and the Venus-Pluto conjunction makes sure that you’re noticed. Go out there and be amazing!

Aquarius 1/20-2/18 You are Intelligent, friendly, helpful, affectionate, honest and innovative. You love to get involved in social activities, receptive to new ideas and enjoy the company of intelligent people. 2015 sees you ﬁrmly in control of your own world, as well as prominent and lucky in public. Jupiter is at the top of your chart all year. You can keep your private goals and desires private and still shine and work wonders for others. Any nervousness won’t show in your appearance or how you present yourself. Saturn in ﬁery Sagittarius supports you. Friends and family will see how hard you work and won’t slow you down. But if you want help, just ask. Mercury and Venus in Aquarius oppose Jupiter and anchor your chart for the year. Mercury goes retrograde in Aquarius - January 21-February 11 - making you sharper and more cautious. Your health looks strong, but overdoing things will be an ongoing concern. Be safe and avoid silly, careless accidents. It’s a very well-balanced but high energy year, Aquarius!

Pisces 2/19-3/20 You are highly imaginative, polite, generous, intuitive and ambitious. You are also honest, affectionate, emotional and helpful and make good friends. If you’ve ever dreamed of taking a step up and being a bigger, better you, 2015 is your year! Fresh, unexpected opportunities are everywhere, and doors will magically open for you. Be sensible, not giddy. Take all this good luck seriously, and say “thank you” often. Give yourself enough attention and be healthy, especially in January through April. January and February, with the January 19 Mars-Neptune conjunction and the February 21 Venus-Mars conjunction, will keep you busy but happy. Family and friends help you keep a lid on the wild times and offer sanity, harmony, and gentle fun and relaxation close to home. People may have high expectations of you, especially in the summer, and you may overextend yourself trying not to disappoint anyone. Focus as much on yourself as others and become all that you want to be!

Sudarshana Sriman

Venkatesan Swami Vedic scholar capable of giving discourse in 4000 titles / topics in 5 languages Well experienced in organizing spiritual, cultural & social events Traveled widely all over India, Europe & USA Highly experienced in conducting Yagnas, authentic Pujas for various remedies for people all around USA & India Swamiji has dedicated 40 years of his life performing spiritual services in India, Europe and the USA •With the grace and mangalasasanams of Their Holiness’s Acharyas and the active participation of thousands of devotees, he fulﬁlled 9 major accomplishments in 20 years (1992 to 2012) including: •Sri Sudarshana Divyaprabandha Gnana Yagnas of 5 days each at 108 holy places in India and Nepal •Organized Sri Venkatesa Vijaya Sadbhavana Yatra from Tirupathi to Nepal in 1994 •Conducted 1008 Sri Sudarshana Homas all over India, Nepal, Singapore, France, UK and the USA •Conducted Sri Sudarshana Homam and Sri Venkatesa Maha Kratu for a whole year at Thirumala Hills in the year 2003-2004 •Established Sri Bhagawad Ramanuja Divyamangala Vigraha Sthapana at Muktinath, Nepal in 1995 •Organized three Lakshadeepotsavams at Tirupathi, Tiruchanur & Bangalore •Organized Tiruppavai Prachara Yatra from Srirangam to Seattle in USA in 2009 •Organized Sri Andal Vijaya Yatra from Srivilliputtur to Sri Kurmam in 2010 •Organized Sri Maha Vishnu Yagam with 108 Homa Kundams and Koti Deepa Mahotsavam at Tirupathi in 2012

In US: 818-406-2660 In India: 91-984-502-9968 prayerforremedies@gmail.com

coming to your neck of the woods

Richmond Printing Where art and commerce combine to produce dazzling results

Complete Prepress Services Printing Services Bindery Services Fulfillment Services

5825 Schumacher, Houston, Texas 77057

Tel: ( 713) 952-0800 5825 Schumacher, Houston, Texas Fax 77057 : (713) 952-0932

Tel: ( 713) 952-0800 Fax - (713) 952-0932

FENDI MY WAY

Punctually Unpredictable

available at

Kohinoor Diamonds

5901 Hillcroft Street, Suite C1, Houston, TX 77036

713-334-8700

877-KOHINOOR www.kohinoordiamonds.net