February 2013 Northern California Edition by India Currents

First Strains of a Raga

Fast Gun Nation: Time for a Diet?

Street Seasonings

IndiaCurrents Celebrating 26 Years of Excellence

Flames of

Outrage

The brutal gang rape in Delhi shook the global community. Do crimes against women in the United States get the same attention?

february 2013 â&#x20AC;˘ vol. 26 , no .10 â&#x20AC;˘ www.

The Shadows of Twelve Million facebook.com/IndiaCurrents twitter.com/IndiaCurrents 1885 Lundy Ave, Suite 220, San Jose, CA 95131 Phone: (408) 324-0488 (714) 523-8788 Fax: (408) 324-0477 Email: info@indiacurrents.com www.indiacurrents.com Publisher & Editor: Vandana Kumar publisher@indiacurrents.com (408) 324-0488 x 225 Advertising Manager: Derek Nunes ads@indiacurrents.com Northern California: (408) 324-0488 x 222 Southern California: (714) 523-8788 x 222 Marketing Associate: Raj Singh marketing@indiacurrents.com (408) 324-0488 x221 Graphic Designer: Nghia Vuong EDITORIAL BOARD Managing Editor: Jaya Padmanabhan editor@indiacurrents.com (408) 324-0488 x 226 Events Editor: Mona Shah events@indiacurrents.com (408) 324-0488 x 224 COLUMNISTS Dear Doctor: Alzak Amlani Films: Aniruddh Chawda Forum: Rameysh Ramdas On Inglish: Kalpana Mohan The Last Word: Sarita Sarvate Uncubed: Krishna Sadasivam Zeitgeist: Ragini Tharoor Srinivasan Contributors: Jasbina Ahluwalia, Madan Ahluwalia, Peeyush Bhargava, Khorshed Alam, Dilnavaz Bamboat, Gayatri Chakravarthy, Anita Felicelli, Kanniks Kannikeswaran, Kannan Kasturi, Ritu Marwah, Mimm Patterson, Vidya Pradhan, Roopa Ramamoorthi, Shanta Sacharoff, Atul Singh, C.J. Singh, Mani Subramani Cover Design: Nghia Vuong. INDIA CURRENTS® (ISSN 0896-095X) is published monthly (except Dec/Jan, which is a combined issue) for $19.95 per year by India Currents, 1885 Lundy Ave., Ste 220, San Jose, CA 95131. Periodicals postage paid at San Jose, CA, and at additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to INDIA CURRENTS, 1885 LUNDY AVE, STE. 220, SAN JOSE, CA 95131 Information provided is accurate as of the date of going to press; India Currents is not responsible for errors or omissions. Opinions expressed are those of individual authors. Advertising copy, logos, and artwork are the sole responsibility of individual advertisers, not of India Currents.

There are 12 million shadows in America. They live, eat and work in this immigrant nation, yet they leave no documented record of their existence. Their presence is acknowledged, but not substantiated. They, like me, came to the United States in search of prosperity. They, like me, stayed because they found a way to support themselves and their families, the ones they brought along and the ones they left behind. They, unlike me, stay in the shadows, remain unaccounted for, and live with the constant fear of deportation. At my mother’s citizenship interview recently I realized the enormity of the issue. I looked around at the other faces in the waiting room at the Department of Homeland Security. The shadow immigrants were conspicuous by their absence. These immigrants live and work among us just below the radar of official notice. Their children attend our public schools, their health care needs are attended to by our community hospitals and they pay sales tax on the food and clothes that are bought with their cash only transactions. These are the people who labor quietly in our fields, in our factories, in our homes, and on our cars for less than we would be willing. The answer is not to ship these 12 million people out of the country, Arizona style. The ethical and economic graph of this country will plummet calamitously if that were to happen. Industries will decline, profit margins will dip

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and American society will have to bear the emotional burden of seeing families destroyed and torn apart. The immigration reform issue, the third rail of American politics, has reminded legal immigrants, more so than others, of what is at stake. Florida Republican Senator Marco Rubio is in the process of defining his grand vision for undocumented workers. As one immigrant to another, Senator, you need to start with getting rid of the existing pejorative titles: “alien,” and “illegal.” They serve no real purpose other than to criminalize immigrants who came to this country for the same reasons you and I did. Yes, it is necessary to enforce our borders. But, border security only serves to contain the problem to its current size. What should we do with the 12 million currently living among us? The only ethical solution lies in providing a quicker pathway to legalization. With the legitimization of 12 million, there will be an infusion of tax revenue into our much-needed coffers; we will not be burdened with the cost of education; and our doctors and hospitals will get compensated for the care that they give. Isn’t it better to have people in our society grateful for what they’ve been given rather than resentful for what they were denied?

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india currents • february 2013 • 1

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Northern California Edition

Flames of Outrage Is America willing yet to march, protest and light a candle for a victim of rape?

LIFESTYLE 34

EDUCATION: Is Rote Learning Really the Answer? By Gayathri Chakravarthy

BOOKS: The Roots of Rushdie’s Secular Humanism. By C.J. Singh

TAX TALK: 2012 Tax Saving Guidelines. By Khorshed Alam

EDITORIAL: The Shadows of Twelve Million. By Jaya Padmanabhan

RECIPES: Love Your Heart. By Shanta Sacharoff

FORUM: Was the Fiscal Cliff Deal Good for America? By Rameysh Ramdas and Mani Subramani

RELATIONSHIP DIVA: Primed for Attachment. By Jasbina Ahluwalia

ZEITGEIST: Grandpa’s Table. By Ragini Tharoor Srinivasan

MUSIC: Remembering Ravi Shankar. By Kanniks Kannikeswaran

PERSPECTIVE: Viewing Feminism from a Place of Strength. By Dilnavaz Bamboat

OPINION: Fast Gun Nation: Time For a Diet? By Atul Singh

102

REFLECTIONS: Naked Yogis and Toe Socks. By Mimm Patterson

ANALYSIS: Sliced Pi. By R. Benedito Ferrao

COMMENTARY: What is Osama bin Laden Doing on American Idol? By Sandip Roy

DESI VOICE: Street Seasonings. By Roopa Ramamoorthi

FEATURE: Manufacturing Optimism. By Vidya Pradhan

138

ON INGLISH: The First Strains of a Raga. By Kalpana Mohan

144

THE LAST WORD BY SARITA SARVATE: Senora Butterfly.

110

HEALTHY LIFE: Obesity, Metabolic Fire and Ayurveda. By Peeyush Bhargava

125

DEAR DOCTOR: Reconciling with Parental Loss. By Alzak Amlani

TRAVEL Trekking to the Hanging Valley of Gods—Har ki Doon

PERSPECTIVES

FILMS

By Kannan Kasturi

IN FOCUS Kamasutra Wine

A Review of Table No. 21 and Talaash

By Ritu Marwah

By Aniruddh Chawda, Geetika Pathania Jain

DEPARTMENTS 5 Voices 40 Popular Articles

WHAT’S CURRENT 32 Ask a Lawyer 33 Visa Dates

126 Classifieds 140 Uncubed

88 Cultural Calendar 103 Spiritual Calendar india currents • february 2013 • 3

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voices

A Tribute to the Indian Minstrel: Ravi Shankar

An internationally renowned artist who continued to perform and perfect on the sitar, for well over six decades, Pandit Ravi Shankar, after giving a full concert in Long Beach, CA, as recently as November 4, 2012, has passed on. But the musical bridge he built between the East and the West stands firm and well traveled. Because of Shankar, the raga, a formalized melodic base on a rigorous scale, is now part of world music. Mark Swed, the music critic for the Los Angeles Times, in his appreciation of Ravi Shankar, generously adopts poetic imagery as he compares the raga from Shankar’s sitar to the elementary particles, like charge, mass, spin and charm that make up the Universe. But Shankar’s particles have one more character—soul, according to Swed. Shankar was a musician to be approached in a state of reverence and awe. There is a perception among many that Ravi Shankar had at least passively, contributed to the delinquency of the youth of America and in particular to the hippy culture of the 1960s. This segment of the restless and stoned were fascinated by the Indian artist, his instrument and style. Let me anecdotally refute this insinuation. Late in the 1960s, Shankar gave a concert at the University of California, Irvine. The audience included a few of us from the Indian community, many from the local majority community, and a liberal mix of the young and the restless. As Shankar built up the tempo of his performance, we, in the audience noticed that several of the hippy group in the audience had decided to “ let it be” so to say. This was an uncalled for distraction. The artist abruptly stopped playing and rebuked a young woman sitting in front with just two words: “Sit properly!” The stern message was to her directly and indirectly to the many. Order was quickly restored and he picked up the tempo from where he left off. In the passing of Ravi Shankar, Indian minstrel, I remember the famous ode by William Wordsworth, “Ethereal minstrel, pilgrim of the sky, Dost thou despise the earth where cares abound?” P. Mahadevan, Fullerton, CA

The Republican Point of View

While Sarita Sarvate makes a few substantive points in her recent article (India Currents, December 2012, “It’s Morning in America Again”) about the policies crafted by the Obama adminstration, I think she is plain wrong about the GOP. As a Republican and an Indian-American, I am proud of the fact that while the people elected Obama, they also returned several Republican gover-

nors to power. These elected representatives had been doing the tough job of balancing the budget and working on tough bipartisan issues to move their states forward. I have worked at the grassroots level and served as a precinct officer in the last elections so I know that even with the registration advantage of Democrats, the Republican majority can still be mobilized if we Republicans introspect and address the imbalances.“Morning in America” was a promise that President Reagan delivered. Republicans need to address women voters and telling a young woman what to do is not the job of government. Conservatism is alive and thriving and that encompasses the Indian-American community who want lower taxes on their businesses, a free-enterprise system and do not ever ever want to get back to a failed socialistic system like India which they left in the first place for economic oportunites in the United States. Our pews and churches and temples and gurdwaras are filled with Republicans who want to practice their faith freely and who reaffirm the central place of God in our lives. The recent senseless violence in Connecticut shows Republicans that we need to do a better job of building cohesive communities with better funding for mental health. Sarita’s message may play well in liberal bastions such as San Francisco but not in rural California. Gopal Chakravarthy, CA Sarita Sarvate’s article (India Currents, October 2012, “Obama Is Our Only Option”) reeks of the typical intolerance for diverging points of view that has become the hallmark of current day “liberalism.” This is revealed when the author resorts to phrases like “... the stupidity of a large segment of the American public;” “the choice is a no-brainer even for the mentally challenged.” Using these derogatory phrases is reprehensible. After these sweeping characterizations, Sarvate goes into an imaginary world describing what a Romney administration could have looked like. What she portrays is a figment of her imagination, because the reality is that Romney was a fairly centrist Governor. The article is full of misinformation, but I will point out only a couple in this letter. First, the wars were approved by the Congress (of which Democrats are a part) and Obama’s “tax cuts for the rich” include tax cuts for the “middle class.” Second, the reason behind the financial crisis was the repeal of the Glass-Steagall Act that separated regular banking services from trading activities by President Clinton. The lending standards were diluted to accommodate risky mortgages to push the democratic agenda of home ownership for all during Clinton’s term. This created the housing bubble and when it burst it resulted in the financial crisis. Yes, it happened at the end of the Bush presidency, but the seeds were sown during the Clinton era. The point is the effects of

a policy are typically not immediately visible and may take decades before its effects are realized by the public. It is important to analyze the policies that lead to a crisis in order to help us learn from past mistakes. Finally, the title, “Obama Is Our Only Option” is reminiscent of dictatorship. I am not sure what the author wants: a single-party single-person rule? Arpita Chattopadhyay, Daly City, CA

A Royal Lineage

Kalpana Mohan’s article (India Currents, November 2012, “A Maharani in the Next Avatar, Perhaps?”) made me nostalgic. Being that I am a cricketer and a golfer, I was well connected with the royal Gaekwads, starting with the late Maharaja Fatehsinhrao Gaekwad, to his younger brothers, the late Ranjitsinh (husband of Shubhangini Devi) and the youngest Sangramsinh Gaekwad. The article references the Delhi Darbar incident and states that Prince Sayajirao Gaekwad III of Baroda refused to dress in full regalia at the Durbar. I believe that that was not a deliberate affront to the Crown, but a lack of knowledge of protocol. Though it is true that Prince Sayajirao was a great nationalist. Interestingly, quite a few eminent scholars, pursuing Indian Civil Service in England, including India’s first President, S.P. Radhakishnan, Sri Aurobindo and Dr. Ambedkar, did not want to return to India to serve the British Raj, and hence took up positions in Baroda that helped them hide from the eyes of the Raj. Atul Mehta, Saratoga, CA

Handling Aging Parents

Kalpana Mohan’s article on handling her aging/disabled parent (India Currents, December 2012, “Starched, Crisp, White and Made in India: Dhoti”) touches a chord since it is something many of us are dealing with. Such inspirations help ease our minds, so keep ‘em coming. Nice writing. Ram and Kavita, online Very touching and nicely written. I have made the United States my home for 27 years and have a similar story about my dad always smiling at any time of the night or day waiting for us at the Bangalore airport. Poornima Chitnis, online

SPEAK YOUR MIND!

Have a thought or opinion to share? Send us an original letter of up to 300 words, and include your name, address, and phone number. Letters are edited for clarity and brevity. Write India Currents Letters, 1885 Lundy Ave. Suite 220, San Jose 95131 or email letters@indiacurrents.com. india currents • february 2013 • 5

forum

Was the Fiscal Cliff Deal Good for America? Rameysh Ramdas

Mani Subramani

No, the fiscal cliff deal just postponed the inevitable

Yes, the fiscal cliff deal prevented a crisis

resident Obama declared electoral victory and promptly increased taxes on the wealthy on the first day of 2013. This was by way of the agreement that prevented the “fiscal cliff,” a series of spending cuts and tax increases that were due to kick in on January 1, 2013. Left unsaid was that the fiscal cliff deal was really only a band-aid, a short sighted temporary relief, and really did nothing to address our structural, underlying fiscal problems. Furthermore, Obama ignored the recommendations of the Simpson-Bowles commission, a commission that he appointed to suggest ways to bring about long term fiscal balance, tax certainty and economic growth. Senator Alan Simpson succinctly stated his opinion of the fiscal cliff deal in an NBC appearance: “The mountain roared and gave birth to a mouse.” It could have been a great opportunity for Obama to seize middle ground and implement long lasting financial strategies to avert disaster. But he played politics instead. Contrast this with the comprehensive bargain that President Clinton struck with a hostile Republican Congress in 1996, which raised taxes on top earners, but also curtailed spending, waste and reformed welfare while preserving essential safety nets and investments in Medicare, Medicaid, Education, and the Environment. The nation not only balanced its budget for the first time but also produced a surplus. The economy rebounded since there was tax and regulatory certainty. President Obama unfortunately has been unwilling, and worse, unable to provide leadership that the country can rally behind and provide needed reassurance to global markets, investors and creditors. Our nation has already reached the debt limit without a grand bargain now, the fight simply spills over to voting on increasing the debt ceiling in Congress. While Obama is correct that we cannot renege on our commitment to pay for bills that were approved by Congress, expecting an automatic increase in the debt limit is unrealistic and unwise. We need a vigorous debate on what our spending priorities should be, including reducing waste in defense spending, and calling for a shared sacrifice from all of us. It is only the President who can provide the leadership to enact a grand compromise, especially now that he is not fettered by the need to ever face another election in his life. Obama simply needs to take a page from the Clinton playbook. The nation cannot afford this political brinkmanship. Thomas Freidman said it best in The New York Times recently, “It’s time for the president to do some risk-taking—to stop just hammering the wealthy, which is so easy, and to start selling the country on a strategy to multiply them. We need to tax more millionaires, but we also need more millionaires and middle classes to tax. The president was elected to grow our national pie, not just re-divide it.” n

n June 2011, during the first debt ceiling crisis, President Obama had detailed negotiations with the Speaker of the House, John Boehner. He proposed a grand bargain that had 100 billion in tax increases per year and 300 billion in spending cuts including Social Security and Medicare spending. In other words $3 in spending cuts for every $1 of tax increase. This was a very reasonable plan and weighted heavily towards spending cuts. For any reasonable Congress seeking to cut spending it would have seemed like an excellent deal. But Boehner rejected the deal and walked away from the talks because he could not round up enough Republican support. Now fast forward to January 2013. The same Boehner was narrowly re-elected to Speaker of the House because the newer Republican entrants considered Boehner too moderate. So this is the cadre of Republicans who are part of Congress today. The result of this impasse on the debt ceiling in 2011 caused a downgrade of the U.S. bond credit rating. The downgrade precipitated a weakening of the economy and slower job creation. Having gone through this experience it is understandable that Obama proposed a modest package to avoid the fiscal cliff to avert a repeat of 2011. In his press conference following the deal Obama clearly stated the modest nature of the deal and expressed disappointment at not being able to achieve more. As the old NFL adage goes you take what the defense gives you. Therefore it is ludicrous to blame Obama and not blame Boehner’s role in the bargaining. Since 2009 the United States has faced an unprecedented number of economic obstacles. Pulling out of the worst financial crisis since the great depression. Recovering from the worst recession and the worst housing crisis ever. Unwinding from an avoidable $3 trillion war in Iraq and the war in Afghanistan. All of this was legislated with no help from the Republicans. The 112th congress passed just 69 bills of which 30 were instrumented to repeal Obamacare. This is rated by USA Today as the least productive ever or at least since records began to be kept in 1947. The Senate Republicans for their part have obstructed legislation with a record number of filibusters. Past congresses have not been so extreme. So disappointment at the modest nature of the cliff deal is justified only if one is first disgusted by the do nothing and obstructionist tactics of Republicans. The fiscal cliff deal averted near disaster with massive tax hikes and spending cuts. The deal is designed to begin reducing deficit. Under the fiscal cliff bargain, after the first year, government spending will be about 22.7% of GDP and revenues about 16.6% of GDP. But after the first year, revenues will rise and spending fall because the economy is estimated to improve, according to the Congressional Budget Office. So while there is not going to be a rapid turnaround, the cliff deal did avert a near disaster and it is the best from a fractured Congress. n

Rameysh Ramdas, an SF Bay Area professional, writes as a hobby.

Mani Subramani works in the semi-conductor industry in Silicon Valley.

It is only the President who can provide the leadership to enact a grand compromise, especially now that he is not fettered by the need to ever face another election in his life.

6 • india currents • february 2013

So, disappointment at the modest nature of the cliff deal is justified only if one is first disgusted by the do nothing obstructionist tactics of Republicans.

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zeitgeist

Ragini Tharoor Srinivasan

Grandpa’s Table Experiencing a moment of kinship at an eighty-fifth birthday celebration

y grandfather-in-law turned 85 last year. His is a spritely 85: plays daily golf, entertains girlfriends in three time zones, drives his own car, lives in his own, manicured, two-story house in Arizona. For his birthday, his adult children gathered with their spouses and kids in a beachfront San Diego villa for a week of patio lunches, Mexican Train games, seafood feasts, reminiscing, and general family time. I am the newest addition to the family, and the only “in-law” in the third generation. Still, I’ve known my husband’s family for a number of years and so, for the most part, felt right at home. But it is a curious thing: to become part of a family (in this case, called to celebrate a particularly significant family event) that is at first only technically “yours.” Marriage is one, but not the only, way to effect this initially forced inclusion. Only after years of shared meals and games and phone calls does the technical give way to what seems to have always been—the organic transformation of in-laws-into-family to which most of us aspire. During this time, before you are naturalized into your chosen family, you might miss a few inside jokes; your spouse may feel the need to translate family humor; you haven’t yet heard the stories they’ve been groaning over for years. You learn too late which cousin is allergic to nuts. You make an autumn salad for Thanksgiving only to find that half the group won’t eats greens. You come down painfully from a sugar high, after a week with a family that subsists on sweets. You are a tourist, a traveler, an anthropologist who must grow too close to her informants. You are here to close gaps—not to assert them. At Grandpa’s dinner table sat his two sons and his daughter, their two wives and husband, four of his five grandchildren, and me, the grand-daughter-in-law. His wife passed away a decade ago, but we saw her in the photos of his birthday slideshow and the faces of their children. As we ate dinner and clinked glasses, as my father-in-law roasted his father in four pages of verse, it seemed like Grandpa was with everyone he loved—everyone he could want to be with. His offspring told tales of childhood trips to Atlantic City; his grand-

8 • india currents • february 2013

sons teased him for telling yet another corny joke. Blessed, Grandpa sat to a full table with all his children and theirs, at 85 years, with grateful expectation of other happy times to come. There were twelve people at Grandpa’s table, and I was one of them. As I sat there, pleased to have heard certain stories before, proud of myself for catching the old laugh lines, I nevertheless felt that mine was a remarkable, audacious entry into that most intimate of territories: the family reunion. Grandpa didn’t make or choose me; one of his grandsons did. And as I looked around, contemplating the familiar and less familiar faces around, the little cousin who looks just like my brother-in-law, the aunt who shares her brother’s eyes, it dawned on me that I could not yet, and for years would not be able, to construct my 85th table. As a Keralite, mine would of course be an 84th table, for we celebrate the 84th birthday as the point at which one has lived through 1,000 full moons. Called the sathabhishekam, it is a particularly auspicious birthday. Neither of my grandfathers lived to see their 1000th moon. My grandmothers still have years to go. It is impossible to say if I or anyone else will get there. But if I do, I wonder, who will come to dinner? Grandpa’s wife wasn’t there. He didn’t have his siblings at the table. He didn’t have aunts or uncles, cousins, nieces, nephews. He didn’t have his grandparents. He didn’t have his parents. As I looked around the table, I realized that I wasn’t the only one to have made a “sudden” entry. For the first three decades of his life, Grandpa didn’t know any of these people, not a single one of these people who, decades later, would comprise his closest circle, his nearest and dearest, the loved ones who would celebrate his greatest milestones. I tried to imagine my 84th table, with children I don’t yet know, and grandchildren I can hardly contemplate, and spouses of theirs whose origins are as unknown to me now as the origins of the universe. I visualized myself sitting to a family table without my mother and father, my brother, my grandparents, my husband, my aunt, my cousin brothers, and the word “family” faltered.

Only after years of shared meals and games and phone calls does the technical give way to what seems to have always been—the organic transformation of in-lawsinto-family to which most of us aspire. Grandpa’s life, like many of ours, has been lived in thirds: a third for his parents and siblings; a third for his wife and children; a third for his grandchildren and the greatgrand-children he will soon have. There is necessarily some overlap, but those in the final third can only come on stage when the first act is long over. There are certain people we are never to meet, except in the eyes of those who, one day long in the future, can conjure them for us in a word or smile. After Grandpa’s birthday celebrations, I took my husband to India for our version of a family reunion (something closer to a pilgrimage than a vacation). He fit right in with my parents and brother, endeared himself again to my grandmother, whose groceries he carried and chai he shared over morning newspaper, and smiled sweetly during extended conversations in Malayalam, not a word of which he could understand. One morning, I came down the stairs of my ancestral tharavadu to find him sitting to breakfast with my ninety-six-year-old great-grandmother. Wordlessly they dipped into the same bowl of coconut chutney, and I watched her press a butter-soft idli into his hand. Biting my tongue, I tried to slip away—to give them the moment. Who could say when this table would sit together again? n Ragini Tharoor Srinivasan is a doctoral candidate in Rhetoric at the University of California, Berkeley.

india currents • february 2013 • 9

perspective

Dilnavaz Bamboat

Viewing Feminism from a Place of Strength

ecently, I had a conversation with a fellow writer who categorically stated she wasn’t a feminist. Intrigued, I asked her why she took that stand. Her reply was that she did not support the causes feminists seemed to espouse and claimed they all spoke from a place of disadvantage, which she did not agree with. I attempted to gauge what her definition of feminism was, but was met with the same spiel about “feminist causes and life viewed through a disenfranchised lens.” An effort to engage her in further conversation in this vein bore no fruit as she repeatedly insisted she was not a feminist, and since we were at a social gathering, we moved on to other topics. Obviously, I didn’t really move on. Or else I wouldn’t be revisiting the scenario today. Her stance struck me as poorly informed, dismissive of changes in the field, and representative of a narrow lens. Anybody with access to a dictionary will know that feminism, n., is: a doctrine or movement that advocates equal rights for women Equally, it is: feminism, n. Belief in the social, political, and economic equality of the sexes But what struck me most was her statement that feminists uniformly speak from a place of disadvantage. Feminism, in its earliest days, was certainly a movement that spoke for a disadvantaged population, viz., women, and it is clear that impressions of suffrage marches in very Victorian bustles and bra-burning scenes from the 1960s and ‘70s are still seared in our historical memories. But how much of feminism is still about getting up on that soap box and carrying on about what we don’t have? Do women who continue to live in a patriarchal world, albeit with shrinking disparities in gender rights, still view the opportunity for social, political, and economic equality as an issue to rage about, or has their perspective changed with the times and they now acknowledge their relative privilege as a tool for continued work in the field? I choose to see the world through the lat10 • india currents • february 2013

has long moved beyond gender, to a more inclusive, class-friendly space, where people, men, women, and transgenders, use their individual and societal strengths to reach out to those who have yet to emerge from their position of disadvantage. Feminism is certainly about turning disenfranchisement and a lack of access to patriarchal resources into a system that shares its bounty with all people, regardless of gender, age, or sexual orientation. Equally, it is about a belief in parity, even for men who are at the receiving end of abuse, illPhoto Credit: A Creative Commons Image treatment or powerlessness. In her book Feminism is for Everyone, author, feminist ter lens. For starters, the fact that feminism is and social activist, Gloria Jean Watkins, betdiscussed, reviewed and organized by educatter known by her pen name bell hooks, says ed men and women across a number of media feminism is “a movement to end sexism, makes this an emerging portal of strength. sexist exploitation, and oppression.” Without The fact that this position of relative men, feminism would not exist. Without power is used to access underprivileged and men, feminism SHOULD not exist. under-represented women speaks to me of If we are to live feminism in its truest feminism as an agent of power and positive form, cut away the pop culture tangles, clear change. Modern-day feminists discuss everyaway the misconceptions and frequentlything from the liberty to take the Mommy blared stereotypical images, we will find that Career Track to whether women should confeminism has long ceased to be a sorority tinue to be upholders of religious ideologies if party high on outrage, and wears its rainbow they choose not to. colors proudly. It has a sense of humor. It has As our sisters in villages, towns and cities an army of millions of diverse people, who apacross the world quietly ratchet up personal proach it from personal stances, with varied victories and small changes by sending their histories, and a range of experiences, and it is children to school on a single parent salary, from this new version of an old ideology that being holders of their very own bank account, feminism finds its position of strength. Now and learning income-generating skills in later may those of us who have long dismissed it life, I see these not as stories of disadvantage, as foaming at the mouth find the strength to but as triumphs of strength. That I can sit reassess our views, broaden our horizons and on my couch at 2 p.m. on a Monday to type embrace this supposed monster with greater this article because I can choose not to have understanding. a full-time job and not cook dinner tonight, Like I told my acquaintance during our if I please, is my feminism of strength. That conversation, “Most everybody is a feminist. you’re reading this post because you’re eduSome of us just don’t know it yet.” n cated in a global language is your feminism of strength. That mommy bloggers exist as supDilnavaz Bamboat is the editor of the Femiport networks for each other is their feminism nism & Diaspora section of UltraViolet.in. Her of strength. And that my spouse will read this poems were most recently published in Muse and respect my point of view, is his feminism India Literary Journal. Dilnavaz enjoys history, of strength. singing, and red velvet cupcakes. Feminism as an ideology and movement

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Flames of Outrage

Photo Credit: Anupma Sud

By Anita Felicelli

The harmful illusion that good girls don’t get raped was destroyed in New Delhi, India’s capital, on December 16, 2012. As the world knows now, due to the brutality she suffered on that day, a twenty-three year old physiotherapy student lost her life sixteen days later. It is sadly fitting that her first name was revealed to be Jyoti, meaning light. Jyoti has come to stand for all of India’s women. Delhi culture has come to stand in for all of India.

n family trips to Chennai, India over the course of thirty-some years, one of the most annoying aspects of my packing ritual has been figuring out what clothes to bring to India. Even as an adult female, I run my clothing selections past my mother, who is old-school Indian, quick to veto certain items like tank tops, which would be commonplace at American schools and workplaces, as “too revealing.” The purpose of dramatically curbing my clothing choices while in India was to cut down the leering that I’ve always seen as a mild form of sexual harassment that is pervasive in Chennai and common enough in America. I followed my mother’s opinion about 12 • india currents • february 2013

clothing to reduce the leers. How I dressed bolstered my feeling, and my mother’s, that I could make myself safer from the threat of sexual violence. I was a good girl and if the rest of the world knew that, nothing bad could happen to me. Wrong. Jyoti Singh Pandey and her male friend left a screening of the blockbuster Life Of Pi and boarded a charter bus in New Delhi that night. A gang of five men and a boy harassed Jyoti, asking her what she was doing out at nine at night. Both Jyoti and her friend were beaten with an iron bar and Jyoti was raped for forty-five minutes. Jyoti, and her friend were “dumped naked”

in the street. Jyoti’s friend carried her into the police vehicle himself because the New Delhi police claimed she was bleeding too much. At the hospital, they waited to be seen and Jyoti’s friend had to beg for clothes. Doctors discovered damage to Jyoti’s internal organs so savage her intestines had to be removed. She died sixteen days after the rape. Protests and rallies began and they continued daily for weeks. Police blasted protestors with water cannons and fire tear gas, but the people kept protesting. Many Indian politicians responded callously, both to the crime and the subsequent protests. President Pranab Mukherjee’s son, Abhijeet Mukherjee called the brave women

who had come out to protest in Delhi “highly dented-painted.” The rest of the world expressed shock and outrage.

Why Did This Rape Get So Much Attention?

Fareed Zakaria, an Indian-American journalist born in Mumbai, has called the protests “India’s Arab Spring,” a claim that seems both catchy yet short on objectivity and real insight. These were unusually big protests, noteworthy for cutting across class and gender lines, but India has a history of protest. Zakaria did not respond to my request for a comment. Why has this particular rape engendered such frenzy? According to Western media coverage, Jyoti’s rape happened because India is a “rape culture,” a culture in which rape and sexual violence are common, a patriarchal culture in which misogyny runs rampant. In this story, the victimized women in India have suddenly woken up to this fact. I don’t believe that this is a useful interpretation of what’s happened. Jyoti’s rape has caught our attention because it was brutal. In its brutality, it is an exception, not a rule. Rape may be common in India, but rapes with this degree of savagery are not. We can all identify with Jyoti, a student coming home from a movie. Many of us can identify with a father who encourages his daughter’s ambition and spirit. What happened to her challenges the story that Indians have been able to tell themselves about rape. India can’t blame this victim. The cultural myth has been that sexual violence doesn’t happen to good girls, that if women follow certain social rules, they will be safe. Jyoti’s rape exposes this myth, one that’s so pervasive it influences how I pack clothes in America, as a lie. An Israeli study of rape myths, by Yael Idisis, Sarah Ben-David, and Efrat Ben-Nachum titled “Attribution of Blame to Rape Victims among Therapists and Non-therapists” and published in Behavioral Sciences and the Law in February 2007 found that, “attribution of blame helps to reinforce the casual observer’s belief that the world is a safe, protected place, and that occurrences such as rape can be controlled.” The insensitive remarks that follow a rape have more to do with self-defense than callous misogyny. Believing that victims did not take precautions against attacker’s sexual impulses lets you differentiate yourself from them; it allows you to feel safer.

Are the Protests Meaningful?

Of note, Professor Raka Ray of the UC Berkeley sociology department, an expert on the women’s movement and the history of protest in India, connects these protests not to the women’s rights movement, but to the urban middle class driven by rage at the overall

Photo Credit: Anupma Sud

A rape occurs in the United States every 2 minutes, and 97 percent of rapists never spend a day in jail. A rape occurs in India, a country with a population four times the size of the United States, every twenty-two minutes. failure of governance “that emerged in Delhi in the wake of the Jessica murder case and even more so, the Anna Hazare anti-corruption movement.” Ray explains her more cautious interpretation of the protests, noting two disturbing features of them. First, many protestors treat “rape as a crime worse than death,” which is not the diminished stigma that the women’s movement in India fought for. Second, many of the protestors seem motivated by a lust for revenge. “Nooses abound,” she says. In spite of her misgivings she also said, “I do think something has been pried open, and young girls in towns and cities across India are questioning their lack of safety and the equation between appropriate behavior and protection. For the first time, the [Indian] media is coming out as clearly rejecting the stance that in order to be safe girls must be indoors or not out at night. This is a very important development.” Journalist Sonia Faleiro who grew up in New Delhi and wrote the critically acclaimed book about Bombay sex bars “Beautiful Thing,” was also pessimistic about the long-term effects of the protests. However, she agreed with me about the hope they offer and the astonishing effect of social media, saying, “Social media was big in organizing groups of protests, but also in warning protestors of where police were getting aggressive, which roads were closed, subway stations shut down and so forth. It served to inspire, to mobilize, but also to protect those it brought together.

We’ve never seen anything like it.” Like other Indians I’ve spoken to, she believes that this will bring about “specific, much needed changes in how the law looks at rape and how cops react to and address reports of rape.” While some sources dismiss the impact of the protests, noting that protesters are by and large urban, educated middle-class Indians, when you look at the images, it seems like these protests cut across class lines. Notably, men are protesting, too. The older politicians are not necessarily representative of the direction India is going, only where it has been. There is a real opportunity here if young Indians who make up 2/3 of India’s population take up this cause over a sustained period. It seems unlikely that will happen if they look to the West for answers. The impulse towards self-protection, the desire to distinguish ourselves from a victim and her rapists, is so strong cross-culturally, that even progressive magazines like Salon or Alternet, are quick to run op-eds that suggest what happened is unique to India. IndianAmericans have joined in, writing pieces about how India needs to change that suggest these kinds of events are commonplace in India but not in the United States. The implication is that Jyoti’s rape could never happen anywhere but India. This is again a kind of victimblaming, a way for Americans to feel safer that doesn’t produce real, lasting, positive change.

A Comparison of American and Indian Rape Culture

To see America’s rape culture on display, you need only know about the Steubenville rape. Last August, a sixteen-year-old girl was sexually assaulted by two players on a Steubenville, Ohio high school football team known as Big Red. Boys urinated on her and dragged her around by her wrists and ankles. Rather than stop these appalling proceedings, viewers tweeted and posted using words like “rape” and “drunk girl” and “dead girl.” It took the work of a crime blogger, who got sued for her troubles, and the hacker “Anonymous” to bring this crime to America’s attention early this year. Are Americans as willing as Indians are to identify with a victim of rape, to call her their daughter, to march for her? Four months after the crime, the New York Times covered it. The video of her rape has gone viral, but the “Occupy Steubenville” rally has gotten only a little attention and has not become an issue of the middle-class across America the way Jyoti’s rape has become an issue for the middle-class of India. According to the FBI, there were an estimated at 84,767 forcible rapes reported to law enforcement in the United States in 2010 (54.2 forcible rapes per 100,000 female inhabitants). A rape occurs in the United States every 2 minutes, and 97 percent of rapists never spend a day in jail. A rape occurs in India, a india currents • february 2013 • 13

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country with a population four times the size of the United States, every twenty-two minutes. A comparison of numbers might be reassuring to Indians and might produce incredulity on the part of defensive Americans, but it shouldn’t fool either India or America. The impossibility of persuasively comparing the two statistics lies in the enormous differences between the two cultures not just in matters of gender, but every other aspect of daily life except the frightening prevalence of negative attitudes towards women. These negative attitudes are especially on display toward women who dare to believe they are equal. Reporting rapes is stigmatized in both countries. However, America has been a democracy for more than two centuries and a well-organized superpower for years. India has been a democracy for less than a century, has a much more open culture of misogyny, and seems to just be getting its sea legs. It’s clear that either rape or reporting rape or both are on the rise: rape cases in India have jumped almost 875% over the past forty years from 2,487 in 1971 to 24,206 in 2011. India’s legal system is frankly a corrupt mess for all crimes, not just rape. Professor Ray says that the “rape laws in India are not bad. The problem is lack of access, insensitive police, and a still dominant narrative about the kind of person who gets raped. Thus, while the protestors are demanding that these cases be fast tracked, it is more important that the

narrative be changed so that acquittals are more rare. In short, there is clearly an opportunity here.”

Creating a Better Society for Women

Based on statistics at least, there is no truly solid model for India to follow in the West; rather than eradicate victim blaming, the path in America and the U.K. has been mixed at best. In spite of the bluster of U.S. and British news organizations, just over two decades ago before rape shield laws were enacted, America, too, openly blamed victims. India must forge its own path at making life better for women. Jyoti was somebody’s daughter, but these men are somebodies’ sons, too. Supposedly they were upwardly mobile rural men, but their class was irrelevant; in the Kolkata, Park Street rape, the rapists were smart, affluent men. At least one of the men that was charged in Jyoti’s rape was somebody’s husband: a woman who told a New York Times blogger she can’t believe he would rape someone. Regardless of race or class, this is exactly what we would all say about our husbands, sons, brothers, and fathers if asked. In the West, research has found that rape is not about sex. While there is no one explanation for sexual violence, the Nicholas Groth typology offers three motivations for rape: anger, power, and sadism. He also notes that gang rape is sometimes seen as a punishment to women, where the perpetrators (like the ones in this case) do not believe what

they have done is a crime at all. They think the women are asking to be punished by pursuing the same equal opportunities as men. Parents, regardless of the discomfort it creates, need to talk to their sons. They need to make sure that their sons know regardless of class or clothing or behavior, women are equal in every respect, deserving of empathy, respect, and power over their bodies. While this reeducation starts at home, it needs to be reinforced in education, in police training, in expedient rape trials, and in what kind of defense attorneys are able to present at trials. No attorney should be able to present the legal argument with its embedded narrative that a woman “asked for it,” regardless of race, class, or prior behavior. Save for the candlelight vigils of the Take Back the Night Movement that you can catch today on a rerun of the dated teen soap Beverly Hills 90210, the United States mainstream is relatively silent about American rape culture today, just as most of India usually is. Yet every second of every minute of every day in the world, women both similar to Jyoti Singh Pandey and nothing like her are getting raped. Bravo to the heroic protesters in India for expressing outrage at this terrifyingly ordinary fact about our world. n Anita Felicelli is a writer and attorney who lives in the Bay Area. She is the author of the novel “Sparks Off You” and other books.

india currents • february 2013 • 15

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opinion

Fast Gun Nation: Time for a Diet? Atul Singh

American society itself will have to change for school killings to decrease.

shootings. Children are spared the fighting that adults engage in.

ayne LaPierre, the executive vice president of the National Rifle Association (NRA), one of the most powerful lobbies in the United States, described federal agents as “jack-booted thugs,” after the Oklahoma City bombing in 1995. This led former President, George H.W. Bush, to resign his NRA membership. This time LaPierre has surpassed himself. He has called for armed security in every school as a means to make the children of America safe. Even Fox News, hardly a lily livered liberal organization, questioned whether such a measure would be possible or wise. It estimated the cost of stationing a cop in every school to be around $5 billion excluding pension and benefits.

Photo Credit: A Creative Commons Image

The Right to Bear Arms

Amendment II of the Bill of Rights as passed by the Congress states that “A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.” The Amendment was intended to keep a check on the potentially autocratic tendencies of the government at a time when the United States was a lonely democracy in a world dominated by monarchies. An armed citizenry was seen as “necessary to the security of a free State” and male citizens were supposed to form the backbone of a militia that was to defend the young nation against British redcoats or any other potential invaders. Whilst guaranteeing the right to bear arms, Amendment II called for a “well regulated Militia.” Simply put, the framers of the U.S. Constitution guaranteed the right to own guns in a certain context that took into account both the liberty of the individual and the security of the state.

Leave Our Guns Alone

The opposition to any kind of gun control is premised around three arguments. First, gun control is a violation of a fundamental constitutional right and an encroachment on individual liberty. Even the Federal Assault Weapons Ban of 1994 was unacceptable because who is the government to decide what kind of weapons a citizen can own? Second, control will be ineffective because “guns don’t kill people, people kill people.” Besides, people who wanted to kill others will be able to get guns illegally on the black market. Third, gun control deflects attention from the real malaise that afflicts American society. The reason for the violence in Ameri-

he United States certainly needs to tighten its gun control laws. The Federal Assault Weapons Ban of 1994 that expired in 2004 needs to be reinstated. Just as the United States does not allow citizens to own tanks or fighter jets, it cannot allow for assault weapons either. They are combat weapons that pose too much a risk to fellow citizens. Gun licenses for hunting and sporting weapons should only be obtainable only after police and medical review. Tough police action is needed to mop up guns floating around in the United States. Stricter laws are needed not only for the safety for American citizens but also for those who live south of the U.S. border. In due course, a constitutional amendment might even be needed but that is a long way off.

can society is a collapse of faith, individual isolation and glamorization of violence in the media. Weaned on violent video games, young people imagine and implement killings for glamor and attention.

No Wait, Let Us Get Rid of Guns

Opposition to guns is growing. A visibly pained Obama captured the mood of the nation when he declared that the United States has “endured too many of these tragedies in the past few years.” They believe that there has to be some form of gun control. People should not be allowed to buy assault weapons at the very least so that the scale of massacres is not the same. In an urban setting with people living in close proximity, there is no longer the need for people to own guns. The constitution needs to change with the times to create a more safe society.

There is More to it than Guns

Israel and Switzerland are societies with widespread gun ownership but have lower rates of homicide than the United States. Both societies are military societies with a population trained to use arms and well aware of its dangers. Both of them also have strong licensing laws with stronger background checks than in the United States. However, many tribal societies with widespread gun ownership and no licensing laws rarely see school

ontrolling guns is not enough. There is something fundamentally flawed in American society and education. In places like Oakland, Detroit and Washington D.C., children in inner city neighborhoods see widespread bullying, drive by shootings and gratuitous violence. They lose their innocence too early. Society has become fragmented and many children spend more time playing video games instead of playing with other children. Even the NRA has a point when it criticizes the gratuitous media culture with its obsession with sensationalism, celebrities and violence. Many of these problems are too big for the government to solve but it could start with controlling guns and improving schools. n Atul Singh is the Founder and Editor-in-Chief of Fair Observer. He describes Fair Observer as a global conversation with space for leading narratives, ideas and insights from diverse sources. This article was first published on fairobserver.com in December 2012. india currents • february 2013 • 17

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analysis

R. Benedito Ferrao

Sliced Pi

Of India and Globalization at the 2013 Oscars

ased on a novel written by a French Canadian and directed by a Taiwanese American, it is a story about the fantastical pairing of a Frenchnamed Indian boy and a Bengal tiger with a British moniker, lost at sea upon the sinking of their ship—a Japanese vessel headed for North America. This Indian child’s ability to commune with animals occurs in international terrain rather than being confined to Rudyard Kipling’s colonial wilderness. Is Life of Pi simply Jungle Book for the globalization era? Scrutinizing the Oscar nods of this and past years, in their connection to India and multiculturalism, helps pick up the crumbs on the trail to cinema’s globalization. The film adaptation of Yann Martel’s 2001 novel, picked out from a slew of books by South Asians that are unlikely to make the leap to screen, generated award buzz almost immediately upon its release, not least because of its director. In recent years, Ang Lee’s name has become a fixture with the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. On February 24, 2013, Life of Pi will vie for 11 Academy Awards, including Lee’s nomination in the category of Best Director. The Taiwan-born filmmaker has proven himself to be a cultural broker, whose offerings seem to push the boundaries of what mainstream American audiences watch. It is also not the first time that Lee has had a film that involves a tiger, symbolic or otherwise, in the Oscar contest. In 2001, Lee’s Chinese period piece Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon took the prize for Best Foreign Language Film. However, it was to be an American story about a love affair between two Caucasian cowboys which would win the transnational Asian American an Oscar for Best Director in 2006. Controversially, despite Lee’s win, Brokeback Mountain lost out in the Best Picture race to Crash. That film was directed by Paul Haggis, a white Canadian who also wrote the screenplay which deals with racial fault lines and intersections in Los Angeles. The irony that the two films, both about minorities, should contend against one another is telling. Even as Lee, an ethnic minority, won for his representation of sexual minori-

22 • india currents • february 2013

ties, the award for direction arguably allowed the conservative Academy to allay contention while still appearing to be mindful of diversity, by honoring Lee and Crash but not Brokeback Mountain. At the same time the controversy still eschews the possibility that minorities can be both queer and of color. Such issues of diversity in film, or the lack thereof, are further compounded by the current moment of globalization wherein commerce and technology blur international boundaries as quickly as the cuts between locations in movies. Nonetheless, though awards like the Oscars, to some extent, measure the growing diversity of what Americans watch, a more critical eye needs to be turned to how diversity is being recognized and to what end. Note that while Life of Pi has 11 nominations this year, not one of them is for the South Asian actors. Similarly, in 2009, Slumdog Millionaire which gathered eight of the ten awards it was up for, saw none of those prizes go to its actors, for the simple reason that the film had no acting nominees. The pattern of exclusion extends to Lee’s other tiger: Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon had additionally been nominated for Best Film, which it did not win. None of its actors received nominations, either. The previously mentioned Asian-themed pictures have had Academy recognition of the musicians who contributed to their soundtracks, it should be said. Of the South Asian-centric films, A. R. Rahman famously won two Oscars for the music of Slumdog Millionaire and this year Bombay Jayashri has been nominated for the song “Pi’s Lul-

laby.” Yet, it almost goes without saying that in an award show about the movies, the absence of nominations for actors is extremely conspicuous. Historically, it is true for Best Picture nominees that they tend to collect cast nominations in their sweep. It is striking, therefore, that it has been not the actors but the non-South Asian directors, who have garnered Oscar attention alongside their India-based films—Danny Boyle’s Slumdog Millionaire victory a case in point. In the meantime, most of the South Asian creative labor associated with these high profile Oscar films has been relegated to a supporting role. Well known Indian actor Anupam Kher, who plays a doctor in Silver Linings Playbook, up for eight Oscars this year, had this to say to the Indian press upon the Academy’s announcement: “As an Indian actor, I feel rewarded for my 30 years of contribution to cinema.” It appears to be immaterial to Kher that none of the nominations were for him personally. Although Kher may be pleased that a Hollywood film he is in has been so well received, it would seem to pale in comparison to his own decades-long legacy. That legacy, belonging primarily as it does to Indian cinema which is still the largest dream factory in the world, celebrates its centenary this year. But such “provincial” heritage pales in comparison to the juggernaut of expansive globalization. Life of Pi is not the only 2013 Oscar contender with an Indian association. Lincoln, with one more nomination than Lee’s movie, was bankrolled by RelianceDreamWorks, an Indian-allied multinational corporation. So also, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon may have won in the Foreign Language category, but the Chinese feature was partially American funded. Like Boyle, Lee and Martel’s ability to purvey regional stories to a global audience, makes that quality an ideal one for the kind of cultural consumption that now matches a borderless marketplace with free-moving capital. Unlike Mowgli, the story of Pi and his cat is set adrift from India, if ever it came from there in the first place. n R. Benedito Ferrao splits his time between North Goa, North London, and Northern California. He might have once owned a cat. Find his blog at thenightchild.blogspot.com

india currents • february 2013 • 23

in focus

Ritu Marwah

Kamasutra Wine

“W

hite wine goes with white meat like chicken and fish, and red wine goes with red meats. So what do you drink the Rose with?” I asked Rene who was from France and now lived in the valley. We were both watching the soccer ball being chased by our sons. “No,” he shrugged. “Pardon,” I said in my clipped convent school English accent. “No, we don’t drink white wine with white meat and red with red meat,” he explained. With one proverbial gallic shrug of the shoulders, the principle I had followed religiously for years was tossed out. “It depends on the flavor of the food. Sometimes we ‘ave thiz wine sometimes zat.” Surely there must be some identifiable, well defined principle or clearly stated rule that one can follow? I pursued. “Well it depends on the sauce. If it is too creamy then … if it is light then white wine will complement it. Depends on z sauce you know.” A sigh of what I can only take as relief escaped the vegetarian dad seated beside us. So it is not the meat but the taste swirling around your mouth that dictates which wine will complement which food. Indian food with its blend of spices and its complexity of flavors, its layers of sweet salty

24 • india currents • february 2013

and spicy needed some serious sorting and matching. Could there be one bottle of wine we could order when dining out that would go with every dish? Coconut milk based curries, yogurt and cream based curries, tangy tomato and tamarind laced curries, fresh ginger garlic and onion heavy curries, or tandoori—each needed to be matched up. Or am I destined to order wine by the glass when I am at an Indian restaurant? The other option, according to Rene, is to pick the wine you want to drink and then adjust your meal so that certain dishes and tastes predominate. The meal could also be served Western style, with one or two dishes at a time. Thus making it easier to coordinate the wine. Salil, a budding wine aficionado, shared the wisdom he had gathered over many nights of trial and error, “To calm down the spice you can try a sweet wine. Highly tannic wines taste bitter when confronted with chilies and seasonings; the curries strip the fruit flavors from the wine, leaving it too astringent. A low-tannin wine with generous fruit is the ticket with Indian food in general. Additionally alcohol magnifies the heat. So less than 14 % alcohol or thereabouts should be ideal.” This was the nugget of information that Neeta and Kunal Mittal experimented with when they opened their yet to be launched

Rhone-style blend of red wine to accompany their mother’s Bhuna Gosht and cumin, coriander laced vegetable kebabs. The wine helmed by winemaker, Amy Butler, from grapes grown on their vineyard in Paso Robles was a blend of Grenache, Syrah and Tempranillo, a flavor characteristic of the wines of the Westside of “Sideways” country, Paseo Robles. Pleasantly surprised that the garnet red liquid dancing in their glasses matched the spiciness of the food note for note they named their red wine “Rising Tempo.” “‘Rising Tempo’ is inspired by Nritya (Art of Dance), the third art of KamaSutra”, Neeta, the owner of the vineyard and an accomplished dancer and filmmaker explains. She goes on to explain, “The rich history of KamaSutra unfolds back into the Third century A.D. when an Indian sage, Vatsyayana, composed KamaSutra for the greater purpose of making art and love complement each other. The aim of the Sixty Four Arts of the KamaSutra is to enhance sensual moods and intimacy. Sensuality involved more than the use of the five traditional senses; with awareness and intuition, it went beyond just sensing. Our approach re-frames the entire wine experience as a novel Indian series of events that sequentially awaken the full range of senses to more keenly appreciate wine,

A wine in the kamasutra tradition promises an arousingly pleasurable experience. frame, and ambiance, all strategically designed for an arousingly pleasurable experience.” With this enticing invitation I uncorked the first in the series of LXV wines and decanted it waiting for the X factor in LXV to unfold. Ten minutes later “Rising Tempo” was twirling in my glass. The rich garnet color did a jewel dance releasing a “sweet floral and caramel” bouquet. The pleasant smooth taste slipped into my mouth coating my tongue with its promised “fruity texture.” The wine’s medium notes played on my tongue. The label on the front of the bottle featuring a picture of a sensuous dancer was meant to titillate my senses and told me what the dancer whispered: “I crave the rawness of my bare feet against the earth; my hair, wild and tangled in the music. I become immersed in the space where my human and spiritual world play with one another. For once, I get to indulge in my true self.” And indulge I did. With a buffet of Indian dishes I dipped and sipped, chewed and slurped, sighed and savored. My taste buds frolicked to the different notes.The wine comple-

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Ritu Marwah is a resident of the Bay Area where she has pursued theater, writing, nonprofit marketing, high-tech marketing, startup management, raising children, coaching debate, and hiking. Ritu graduated from Delhi with masters in business, joined the Tata Administrative Service and worked in London for ten years before moving to the Bay Area.

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commentary

Sandip Roy

. New America Media

What is Osama bin Laden doing on American Idol?

hat about sums up the Twitter reaction to Gurpreet Singh Sarin, the 22-year old turbaned Sikh American in the new season of American Idol. Sarin aka The Turbanator has done exactly what American Idol executive producer hoped for the show—break the WGWG (white guys with guitars) curse. As Marnie Broderson blogs on WetPaint: (S)o how about a dude playing a tabula solo? Yeah, we haven’t heard of it either, but it’s a pretty cool Indian drum that looks like the bongos. Oh, tabla! Right. Yeah, we think it’s pretty cool too. Who knew American Idol would turn out to be Discovery of India? Anyway, so this Turbanator showed up on American Idol and the tweets flew fast and furious, none of them half as imaginative as his nickname. @Tay_Rougher_9 chortled “Osama Bin Laden’s twin sang on American Idol. And ‘killed it!’ Hahahaaha. Get it?? Killed? Too Soon. Okay. Yes I know. Lame.” @OozyOoze32 was more indignant. “Osama bin Laden cannot win AMERICAN idol. #ThatsUnamerican.” @AmbarBh was remarkably measured in his response. “On American Idol tonight, a Sikh performed wa gimmcky stage name ‘The Turbanator.’ Now Osama is trending ... we can do better America.” Sarin himself was the most measured. “I’m a Sikh American and I’m proud! #turbanator @AmericanIdol,” he tweeted. Obviously the bitter lessons of the recent horrific massacre in the gurdwara in Wisconsin that left six dead have not trickled down to some American Idol viewers. The Osama-Sikh conflation started soon after 9/11 and it has had deadly consequences. At the same time it’s also energized Sikh Americans into being more visible, more out there, more vocal. What could be more visible, more out there and more vocal than being on Amreekan Idol? With his long black beard and lavender turban, Sarin might have caused some television viewers to choke on their Coca Cola but he has a predecessor. The hilarious indie film Loins of Punjab Presents by the late Manish Acharya was a mockumentary about a desi Idol show in New Jersey. In an all-you-canlaugh buffet of colorful characters on that show, the most out there was probably the rapper Turbanotorious BDG played by Ajay Naidu. He was neither Sikh nor Black but pretended to be both in a sort of very serious people-of-color-must-unite way. In actuality he 28 • india currents • february 2013

was a closeted gay guy named Balraj Deepak Gupta whose motto was “Bhangra is the next hip-hop.” Now it turns out reality show is stranger than fiction— a real Sikh Turbanator on the real American Idol. “It’s heart-warming and prophetic,” quips Anuvab Pal who co-wrote Loins. “I wish Manish and I could meet him to see if he’s anything like the guy we wrote about in 2004. I hope Ajay Naidu, our Turbanotorious makes peace with him.” It is sweet irony indeed because the Turbanator actually turns all the turban-bashing on its head. Chances are had Sarin been just another WGWG with a “light pretty voice” he wouldn’t have made it into the show. It was the turban that made the critical difference. Sarin almost did not make it through his audition. The judges were divided. They thought his voice was nice but too light. “Pretty but not standout” said Nicky Minaj even though she loved his looks. In the final count it was all down to Minaj. Seeing her wavering, Sarin piled on the butter. “Please, we are both very vibrant people. I actually have a marigold turban like your hair in addition to all the other colors” he pleaded. Apparently the guy has 40-50 turbans to match every outfit he wears. He says he wants to bring that “creativity and colorfulness” to American Idol. Minaj succumbed to his rainbow charms. “Turb, you are going to Hollywood,” she declared to whoops of joy. And the special effects team at American Idol digitally changed the color of the deliriously happy Sarin’s turban as he jumped up and down with joy—red, green, blue, yellow. I couldn’t help but remember an old friend and former colleague, a very soft-spoken gentle Sikh man who lived in the San Francisco Bay Area. He had never been able to shake that memory of the massacre of Sikhs in India in 1984. It was a betrayal he could never come to terms with. America had been a sort

Photo Credit: AccessAtlanta.com

of refuge until 9/11 changed that. Many Sikhs abandoned their turbans and shaved off their beards. My friend did neither. But he only ever wore black turbans after that. It’s closest to the color of hair, he explained. It did not stand out too much. I hope he was watching Sarin that night as he rode his lavender turban into American Idol. In the end talent will win out and the Turbanator will have to show his vocal chops, not just a color-coordinated turban. But for now, more power to Gurpreet Singh Sarin and his Amazing Technicolor DreamTurban. n Sandip Roy is the Culture Editor for Firstpost. com. He is on leave as editor with New America Media and host of its radio show New America Media Now, on KALW 91.7 FM. This article was first published in First Post.

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desi voice

Roopa Ramamoorthi

Street Seasonings Tracing her past with the foods that she grew up with

s a kid of three or four, going to Casa Montessori in Bombay (now Mumbai), I would come home in the afternoon and wait eagerly for my lunch, which had to include tomato soup. This soup differed from the thick creamy tomato soup that I relished in my later years. The tomato soup of my childhood had only tomatoes, peeled, boiled and mashed, creating a semi-solid consistency sweetened with a little bit of sugar. But oh! How I enjoyed that soup placed by my mother’s careful hands in a stainless steel katori (cup) from which I could easily sip, spoon after spoon. Casa Montessori, my nursery school, was just around the corner from our apartment building. As I sat in the second floor balcony eating lunch, I could see the cars on the street, the crows perched in a line on the wires and once in a while, a candy-floss-maker on the pavement below. He stood spinning warm pink sugar into fluffy cotton like delicacies. Submissions notour following these We would troop down with change and Entrants be sponge-like notified. stuff our mouths withwill the not warm sugar. My other requirement for lunch was what I called glass parappu, yellow lentils cooked in a pressure cooker in a steel davra (container). To the budding poet in me, the top crust appeared like a glass window-pane and so I nicknamed it glass parappu. As a teenager, the favorite food I never had was ganna ras or sugarcane juice. The guy at the street corner store would crank long sugar cane stalks in a hand operated machine and pour out glasses of sugarcane juice that thirsty office workers, clerks, peons and manual laborers would gulp down. But my mother forbade me saying, “Look how many flies are sitting on the juice glasses.” The sugarcane juice stand being close enough to be visible from our apartment building, I felt that I would be caught if I indulged. How much I craved that thick, green, frothy, sweet fruit juice! However, bhel puri in Kudere Park—with those horse rides for little kids—was another story. My friends and I sneaked there to eat the delicious spicy bhel. The street vendor added tamarind and coriander chutneys. I refused to consider how dirty the water may have been that was used in the preparing of the chutneys. But the memory of those spicy sauces, blended with the puffed rice and crisp mini puris and served in the recycled newspaper conical bowls, still makes me salivate. I was scared my mother would find out and 30 • india currents • february 2013

Photo Credit: A Creative Commons Image

guidelines will be automatically disqualified from the contest. Disqualified that I would get jaundice. But the pull of the bhel was strong. Looking back, maybe that had been my one small act of teenage rebellion. I still yearn for the foods my mother prepared especially now when she is no longer with me. My mind journeys back to her pearl onion sambar, and tomato and Amul cheese grilled sandwiches, and the way she made those sandwiches on the gas stove, filling the kitchen with the aroma of fried bread and melting cheese. I picture the somases (made with maida flower and similar to samosas, though not quite) she crafted, filling those with dates and cashews and then braiding the flour puffs at the edges like plaits before frying them. And, of course I recall the badam kheer that I had enjoyed with my maternal grandparents at Woodlands hotel on Marina beach in Madras (now Chennai). My mouth also waters remembering the kozhakattes, the rice flour and jaggery dumplings that my paternal grandmother used to make. But most of all I long for my mother’s everyday cooking, including minor mishaps like her broken dosas. Whenever she made dosas for me—the lentil and rice flour crepes—the first one would invariably tear and break while I distracted her by telling her about my

friends, my classes at college or complaining about how someone had treated me unfairly. As I write this, I am transported back to that 12th floor kitchen, my mother lighting the gas with a matchstick and putting the tava on the stove to start making the dosa while I chatted about my day. Time slowed for both of us then. It did not matter that the kitchen felt hot or I had homework, or she needed to send clothes for ironing or cover my brother’s books with brown paper. Those were our private moments, the memory of those moments I cherish more today than the meal itself. Since my husband left me, I cook for one and do not prepare more than a handful of the delicacies my grandmother and my mother taught me. But I still have the tattered black notebook with their recipes and I turn the pages over sometimes and read the recipes, recalling the taste and the emotions that accompanied each of the foods. n Roopa Ramamoorthi is a biotech scientist working in global health, and a poet. Her essays poetry and short stories have been published in various venues including a perspective piece on NPR, an essay in the book “She is Such a Geek,” in India Currents, Berkeley Daily Planet, Khabar and Konch.

katha

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E-MAIL YOUR STORY as a Word File Attachment to: katha@indiacurrents.com In the Word file, include only the title and the story itself. In the body of your e-mail, Write this statement: Here is my submission for Katha: Desi Fiction Contest 2013. Title of Story: Word Count: Name: Address: Email Address: Payment Method: (Check or Paypal) Payment Transaction ID: (Check Number and Date or Paypal transaction code) Brief Biographical Statement: (Include publication or award history if applicable) I warrant that I am the sole author of, and have exclusive rights to the enclosed material. I hereby release full rights for the enclosed material or any segment or portion thereof to Katha and its sponsors, and authorize Katha to use my name and work in any publicity or promotions for Katha. I also understand that if my story is not shortlisted for publication by the Katha sponsors, the rights will revert back to me on March 30, 2013. —(your full name) DEADLINE: MARCH 30, 2013 Submissions not following the guidelines will be automatically disqualified from the contest. Disqualified Entrants will not be notified. All entrants will be notified of the results by e-mail by June 30, 2013. Winning entries will be considered for publication in upcoming issues of India Currents and Khabar.

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I C ask a lawyer

Don’t Kidnap Your Own Child! Q

All I want is custody of my children. Can I give up everything, take my children back to India and live with my parents or family?

This is a very common question posed to divorce attorneys by Indian female clients. The term “international child abduction” is generally synonymous with international parental kidnapping. The term legally applies when a parent is considered to have illegally removed a child or children from a place of habitual residence in violation of custodial rights of the other parents. At the outset, note that Summons issued in a California Divorce—as part of standard restraining orders—prohibit a party from removing child(ren) from the state. A violation of such standard restraining orders is punishable by law. Simply put, if you have been served with divorce documents, it is too late to ask the fore-mentioned question. You must stay in California and comply with the law. Many people living in the United States also wonder if they are subject to the divorce

32 • india currents • february 2013

laws of California. The answer is very simple: if you live in California, or any state for that matter, you are bound by its law. If one breaks the law and removes the child(ren) without court permission, the Office of Children's Issues at the State Department assists in cases of international parental child abduction. International parental child abduction is a crime in every state and the District of Columbia. In some cases, the parent involved may be charged with a crime. However, if the child is removed by the parent from California before the divorce petition is filed, then it could be a different story; especially if the child is not a United States citizen. One can file a divorce petition in the home country, serve the other spouse in the United States first and also request the court in the foreign country to decide on the issue of child custody. As luck would have it, the laws regarding service of process in California are more cumbersome and lengthy compared to such laws of a similar topic in India. If you and your child are citizens of India, you could beat the other spouse by filing for a

Madan Ahluwalia

divorce in India first. In this case, the person who has “abducted” the child may have a “home court” advantage if the proceedings take place in India, and if the home country has a gender-based cultural bias—which in my opinion, India does have. In India, a spouse has to show grounds for divorce whereas California is a no-fault state. India is also not signatory to The Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction (the Hague Convention) which provides that a child who is habitually resident in a country, and has been removed to or retained in another country in violation of the left-behind parent's custodial rights, the child(ren) should be promptly returned to the country of habitual residence. So, tread carefully, and get advice from a good lawyer. n Madan Ahluwalia is a California attorney who practices law in San Jose, CA. His website is www.attorneyonradio.com. He can be reached at (408) 416-3149.

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February 2013

his column carries priority dates and other transitional information as taken from the U.S. State Department’s Visa Bulletin. The information below is from the Visa Bulletin for February 2013. In the tables below, the listing of a date for any class indicates that the class is oversubscribed. “Current” means that numbers are available for all qualified applicants. “Unavailable” means no numbers are available.

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india currents • february 2013 • 33

education

Gayathri Chakravarthy

Is Rote Learning Really the Answer? Does Kumon stifle creativity and intuition?

hen you struggle to find parking in my neighborhood shopping lot, which is otherwise seldom busy, you know it must be Monday or Thursday afternoons, the time when Indian kids stream into the tiny Kumon center wedged between a taco shop and a used-clothes store. What attracts so many of our parents to the Kumon philosophy? Is it because the learning-by-rote method reminds us of our own schooling in India, which we perceive as “more academic” than the self-learning process encouraged in American schools, which we disdain as not academically rigorous enough? Whatever the reason, adding to this reasoning is the constant barrage of media reports decrying that the American public school system has failed our kids. We are told that our kids perform dismally on international tests and consistently rank well below kids in other countries. Suddenly, everyone is talking abut “Singapore Math” and “Korean methodology.” It seems strange then that all those graduates in Singapore have contributed very little to the knowledge base of the world, but some of our graduates and even school drop-outs have gone on to start companies that have changed the world! Recently, a friend’s son, a level-headed smart young kid, who had barely turned 19 announced that he was dropping out of school to start his own company. The interesting aspect about this conversation was that the announcement was actually received with admiration and respect, instead of a brusque admonition to be practical and stop pipedreaming. We in the valley know the value of creativity and risk-taking. In a world which is becoming more competitive by the day, standing out by doing something different is a valued attribute. The ability to constantly reinvent ourselves is almost a job requirement these days. As an educator, I’ve witnessed the gradual shift in pedagogical focus from merely acquiring knowledge to learning how to apply it successfully. Now our kids are not so much required to know how many wives the apparently insatiable King Henry had, as in theorizing how that could have set the stage for the women’s rights movement later. Recent research has shown that original thinking is not just something that happens out of the blue to a select few, but is actually 34 • india currents • february 2013

Suddenly, everyone is talk-

ing abut “Singapore Math” and “Korean methodology.” It seems strange then that all those graduates in Singapore have contributed very little to the knowledge base of the world, but some of our graduates and even school dropouts have gone on to start companies that have changed the world! a trait that can be acquired. According to this research, knowledge has two components, rational thinking and intuition. The first can be compared to textbook knowledge, with sequential, logical thinking resulting in a flowchart of the thought process. The other component, intuition (or what we call instinct), is a cognitive capability, a sudden burst of understanding that offers an immediate solution, which is actually our subconscious instantly weighing things we aren’t even aware of. Taking an example close to home, the power of intuition has been amply borne out by Steve Jobs’ stupendous success. Apple’s innovative products have been attributed to his intuitive ability to instantly perceive the value of an idea and help bring it to fruition. In his opinion, the snap decisions subconsciously made were better than a conclusion reached after hours of analysis. After a trip to India, Steve Jobs observed, “The people in the Indian countryside don’t use their intellect like we do, they use their intuition instead, and the intuition is far more developed than in the rest of the world … Intuition is a very powerful thing, more powerful than intellect, in my opinion. That’s had a big impact on my work.” Perhaps we should just go back to our roots! While these two components of knowledge actually complement each other, it is believed that too much of the former actually

inhibits the latter. This is where Kumon and other rote-based learning methods come in. While memorization and practice undoubtedly have their place in the learning pyramid, treating them as a major learning component on a long-term basis can actually stifle intuition and hinder the acquisition of knowledge. To give a mathematical example, memorizing the quadratic formula gives kids a failsafe method to solve the quadratic equation, but total understanding can only result when kids solve it graphically as well, giving rise to innumerable real-life applications and literally making the equation come alive before their eyes, and the realization of why some equations don’t have real solutions slowly dawns upon them. That is self-learning at its best. As a teacher, I’ve concluded that rotelearning leads parents to think that it is more valuable merely because it is more timeintensive, but it actually makes you lazy because you’ve been presented with ready facts, with no extended thinking for your brain to grapple with. This idea may strike a chord with parents of high school kids who sign up for another Indian favorite, the AP (Advanced Placement)/Honors courses. One parent I know lamented that her kid had done very well in middle school, and had therefore signed up for several advanced courses, but now felt overwhelmed and unable to cope. One reason could be that these college-level courses typically taken during the sophomore or junior years at high school, focus not on memorizing facts and figures, but on conceptual thinking. Original thinking may be hard for the student who has rarely had the opportunity to do so. Students in honors classes engage in intense discussions, solve problems collaboratively, and learn to write clearly and persuasively. Clearly, the student who possesses high degrees of both knowledge components will exhibit better problem-solving abilities, a core requirement in successfully completing these courses. So parents, do answer your child’s whats, wheres, and whens, but encourage them to ask the whys and hows as well! n Gayathri Chakravarthy lives in Cupertino, CA and has been teaching Math for over 12 years in public schools in California, Australia, and India.

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books

C.J. Singh

The Roots of Rushdie’s Secular Humanism JOSEPH ANTON: A Memoir by Salman Rushdie. Random House, 2012. 636 pages. Hardcover $18.31

n his 636-page memoir, Salman Rushdie writes about his years of hiding under repeated death threats issued against him by fundamentalist Muslims that began in the late 1980s, upon the publication of his novel “ The Satanic Verses.” The memoir ’s title, “Joseph Anton,” is the pseudonym he adopted during his years of hiding. It combines the first names of two of his favorite authors Joesph Conrad and Anton Chekov. The memoir details his schooling in India and in England (Rugby and Cambridge), the ups and downs in his four marriages, and the publication of his many books. This brief review focuses on the sources of his secular humanism. There is no chapter with the title secular humanism in the book; indeed, the phrase occurs nowhere in it. The roots go back his father, Anis, who adopted the family name, Rushdie, after the 12th century Aristotelian, Abdul Walid Muhammad ibn Ahmad ibn Rushd. Anis, a Cambridgeeducated Muslim lawyer in Bombay, preferred to raise his children in an “atmosphere of open inquiry ... Everything, even holy writ, could be investigated and just, possibly, improved.” Salman’s mother, Negin, hired a maulvi, to impart the basics of the faith, but the children ridiculed him, and when the parents joined in the laughter, the maulvi quit, cursing the infidel family. At Cambridge, Salman Rushdie studied history and chose as one of his special subjects Muhammad and the rise of Islam. Salman learned that at Mecca at the city gates stood the statues of three goddesses al-Lat, al-Manat, and al-Uzza. To secure their blessings, the trading caravans paid tribute to them. In Kaaba, there were statues of hundreds of gods, including a statue, al-Lah. Muhammad plucked “al-Lah from near obscurity” and became his Prophet. Although at first the prophet worshipped the three goddesses, at “a later point, he came down to state that he had been deceived on his previous visit; the Devil had appeared to him in the guise of the Archangel, and the verses he had been given were therefore not divine, but Satanic, and should be expunged from the Qur’an at once.” Clearly in Rushdie’s interpretation, the issue was the gender of these 36 • india currents • february 2013

divine beings. Several years after the extraordinary success of his secular novel “Midnight’s Children,” Rushdie drafted a new novel incorporating some of the above themes and submitted the completed manuscript to Viking Penguin. The publishing house consulted the legendary Indian journalist, short-story writer, and novelist Khushwant Singh (now 98 years old and actively publishing columns and books). He wisely counseled against publishing the manuscript, anticipating the offense it would provoke among Muslims worldwide. Evidently, the publishing house did not communicate Singh’s advice to Rushdie. “The Satanic Verses” was published; the publisher, no doubt counting on banking huge profits as from “Midnight’s Children.” Khushwant Singh’s prediction of offense was spot-on: bloody riots erupted in India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Indonesia, and elsewhere, resulting

in the loss of many lives. The government of India was the very first to ban “ The Satanic Verses;” the government no doubt counting on banking Muslim votes in the n ex t e l e c t i o n . I n February 1989, the Ayatollah Khomeini of Iran issued a fatwa f o r t h e exe c u t i o n of Rushdie. When Rushdie first heard the term fatwa on St. Valentine’s day, it was new to him. In Afghanistan, the ancient giant statues of the Buddha in Bamian were demolished. In Tokyo, the Japanese translator of the novel w a s m u rd e re d . I n Oslo, his Norwegian publisher was grievously wounded. Rushdie’s defense all along has been that in his novel, “The Prophet was not called Muhammad, lived in a city not called Mecca, and created a religion not (or not quite) called Islam. And he appeared only in the dream sequences of a man being driven insane by his loss of faith. These many distancing devices were, in their creator’s opinion, indicators of the fictive nature of his project.” After the fatwa was announced, Rushdie received immediate support from eminent writers like Norman Mailer, Paul Auster, Kurt Vonnegut, Don DeLillo, Gunter Grass, Amis Martin, Ian McEwan, and Mario Vargas Llosa. Later, more than a hundred Muslim writers from Morocco, Algeria, Egypt, Syria, Lebanon, and elsewhere published a book of short essays, “For Rushdie,” strongly supporting his right for free speech. With the intercession of Norman Mailer, William Styron, and other eminent American writers, Rushdie met POTUS Bill Clinton.

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Rushdie said to him, “Mr. President, when I leave the White House I have to go to the Press Club and there will be a lot of journalists waiting to find out what you had to say. I’d like to be able to tell them that the United States is joining the campaign against the Iranian ‘fatwa’ and supports progressive voices around the world.” Rushdie writes that Clinton nodded and grinned. “Yes, you can say that because it is true. It should send a message around the world. It’s intended to be a demonstration of American support for free speech and of our desire that First Amendment-style rights should grow all around the world.” At an NPR talk-in literary program a few years ago, a caller asked Rushdie, “Are you a Muslim?” Rushdie responded firmly, “No sir, I am not.” The memoir makes it clear that he would not agree that he is “Islamophobic.” In fact, Rushdie contests the neologism “Islamophobia” itself. “A new word has been created to help the blind remain blind: ‘Islamophobia.’” Compared to one of Rushdie’s closest friends, Christopher Hitchens, Rushdie’s view is restrained. Hitchens, of Jewish heritage, called Judaism, Christianity, Islam—the three Abrahamic religions “the Axis of Evil.” Tempted to create a fresh neologism? Abrahamophobia? The memoir is written in third person and as a literary technique, this viewpoint that Rushdie adopts in “Joseph Anton” was a good choice. The “I” pronoun in thousands of paragraphs would have been annoying to read. The excessive details about his marital rifts and his self-exonerations in them make the memoir drag in places. But his intellectual honesty and his level of detail in tracing the roots of his secular humanism were riveting. Unlike some other reviewers who accuse him of name-dropping, I don’t find that valid; Rushdie narrates his interactions with his writer friends, many of whom are famous. There’s no crime in that. Eleven years ago, secular humanist V. S. Naipaul’s books, “Among the Believers: An Islamic Journey” (1982) and “Beyond Belief: Islamic Excursions Among the Converted Peoples” (1999), based on his extensive interviews with Muslims in Iran, Pakistan, and Indonesia, led to his winning the Nobel prize in 2001. Will Salman Rushdie’s brilliant memoir that unpacks the secular humanistic critique of Islam his winning the Nobel in 2013? He deserves it, in my opinion, not for “The Satanic Verses,” but for his Booker-of-Booker-winning novel “Midnight’s Children.” n

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feature

Vidya Pradhan

Manufacturing Optimism Ro Khanna discusses how manufacturing is still the key to America’s future

n September, 2012, five panelists met at the Commonwealth Club to discuss the future of California. Moderator Ross DeVol, Chief Research Officer at the Milken Institute, went around the table asking the panelists their opinion and prognosis of the state’s economy. One by one the guests trotted out their grim visions of a broken California, with abject poverty along many of the state’s central highways, a dysfunctional government, a progressively unaffordable education system, and dwindling hope for the middle class. Finally the moderator turned to his last panelist. “Ro,” he pleaded, “I think we need a shot of good news now.” Indeed, Ro Khanna, erstwhile Deputy Assistant Secretary of Commerce in the Obama Administration, stands out as a voice of cheery optimism in a state and nation struggling to recover from one of the worst economic downturns in six decades. In his new book, Entrepreneurial Nation: Why Manufacturing Is Still Key to America’s Future, he insists that the ingredients for American success are present and ready to be crafted into an opportunity to restore the country’s reputation as the seat of not just technological, but all-round industrial innovation.

o Khanna first came to national prominence in 2009 when he was tapped by the new president to join the Department of Commerce. He had been working as counsel in the firm of O’Melveny as a member of the Antitrust and Competitive Practice Department, and was also active in the firm’s pro bono program, working with the Mississippi Center for Justice on several contractor fraud cases on behalf of Hurricane Katrina victims, at the time. Khanna’s travels around the country as part of his Commerce department role left him with a healthy respect for the determination of American manufacturers, many of whom compete in a global market against cheaper goods from China. “These companies have succeeded by being innovative and by being at the higher end of the value chain,” he says. In his book he insists, “Despite cheaper labor abroad, currency manipulation, intellectual property theft, and subsidies to foreign competitors, [these] American manu38 • india currents • february 2013

success stories in his book were also of companies that did not have unions, but the common thread contributing to their success was a willingness to treat employees well, pay them well, and encourage them to be a part of the success of the firm. Khanna echoes the cautious optimism of the CEOs he has met on the field. “They say the creativity and resolve is there. They just need the right policies in Washington—right loans, right tax credits, right infrastructure, right trade policies.”

facturers are winning.” He cites the example of the Globe Manufacturing Company, which has the largest factory in the world for making protective clothing for firefighters. The company manages to manufacture in the United States and beat competitors in China by producing high-value products that are also customized. “Our nation must retain a threshold of manufacturing capacity if it is to continue to invent new products,” he writes in his book, adding the surprising, counter-intuitive statistic that “the weekly wage in manufacturing is currently more than 20 percent higher than the weekly wage in the service sector.” I asked him about the declining role of unions and their vilification in the current political climate. “Unions help with worker productivity and training,” he pointed out, adding that some of the successful companies mentioned in his book, like the aerospace and steel industries, were unionized. Many of the

oesn’t that optimism get dented by the partisan politics on the national stage? Khanna points to one of the programs that he has seen have a positive effect in the encouragement of manufacturing in the United States is the Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP), a program that works with small and mid-sized U.S. manufacturers to help them create and retain jobs, increase profits, and save time and money. The MEP was a bipartisan effort passed by then-President Reagan with the support of a bipartisan group of Democrats and Republicans. “The current crop of extremists on the right wants to cut this program because they believe any kind of government intervention is wrong.” He believes this rightward shift is because of the recent influx of extremely ideological representatives in Congress in the 2010 midterms. “I think there is still a moderate group that believes in a practical approach to government/private sector collaboration. I hope the threat of being economic competition by countries like China is enough for these factions to recognize that they need to do that.” Noticing my skeptical expression, he adds, “You have to make the case to the American people who are very smart when they are engaged. When America faced competition from the Soviet Union in the 1950s and 60s we needed a strong government to invest in defense, to invest in the space race and technology. The modern American faces com-

petition from China and we need an equally smart collaboration between the private sector and the government if we want to remain the world’s greatest economy. If we frame it as a case for American exceptionalism and American greatness then people of both sides of the aisle can come together to work on smart, common-sense government.” Commenting on the current abysmal reputation of government he says, “I think we have to do a better job of telling the public what the government can do for the private sector. One of the reasons I wrote the book is to show that there is a role for government in economic growth. The feeling in the last couple of decades that government has no role is not consistent with American history.” Khanna’s time spent learning about American manufacturing have convinced him that the skills required in modern manufacturing are of a higher order than previous generations. “How do we educate more people in math and science and programming and have community colleges that train people here to do the job?” he wonders. “We need to prioritize academics in this country and hold up the idea of people excelling in math and science as something worthy. We need to celebrate the nerd.” I gently probe if he is advocating a Singaporean emphasis on drill- and memoryoriented learning. He demurs. “I think the American emphasis on freedom and creativity and individuality is preferable to a hierarchical system of education where you are just encouraged to memorize.” But he is unequivocal about the need for technology in classrooms and is a fan of the Khan Academy’s online lessons. He sees a role for government and the private sector to actively collaborate in the growth of the American economy, with a special emphasis on making local manufacturing the crowning jewel of American recovery and prosperity. With the publication of his upbeat book that is a paean to American manufacturing greatness, it is impossible not to ask the question—does he think this country will have an Indian American president one day? He takes a while to craft a careful reply. “This country has no test of ethnicity or religion for higher office and this president’s election shows that we have come a long way….my sense is sure, it will happen one day, but whether it will be in our lifetime I don’t know.” n ENTREPRENEURIAL NATION: Why Manufacturing Is Still Key to America’s future by Ro Khanna. 272 Pages. Available on Amazon.com. Hardcover $16.08. Vidya Pradhan is a freelance writer who hosts the weekly radio show Parent Talk on KZDG 1550 AM. She also runs the community blog Water, No Ice and was the editor of India Currents from June 2009 to February 2012.

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tax talk

Khorshed Alam

2012 Tax Saving Guidelines Simple strategies to keep in mind during tax season

ow that the holidays are over, it’s time to get an early start on your tax return filing. Maintaining good records can make filing your tax return easier, and help you not miss any taxable transactions you made during the year, which will help you to reduce your tax liability. Here are a just few steps to ensure good recordkeeping.

Good Recordkeeping

• You should keep any and all documents that may have an impact on your tax returns, leading to more legitimate deductions and less tax liability. • Keep your records in a safe place. You may like to organize them by year and type of income or expense, or keep all records related to a particular item in a designated envelope or folder. • Keeping organized records ensures you can answer question if your return is selected for examination or prepare a response if you receive a notice from the taxing authorities. • You should normally keep records relating to property until at least seven years after you sell or otherwise dispose of the property. • If you are a small business owner, you should keep all your employment related tax records for at least eight years after the tax becomes due or is paid, whichever is later. Examples of important documents a business owner should keep include: Gross receipts: Cash register tapes, bank deposits slips, receipts books, invoices, credit card charge slips and Form 1099-MISC. Proof of purchases: Canceled checks, cash register tape receipts, credit card sales slips and invoices. Expense documents: Canceled checks, cash register tapes, accounting statements, credit card sales slips, invoices and petty cash slips for small petty cash payments. Documents to verify your assets: Purchase and sales invoices, real estate closing statements and can44 • india currents • february 2013

celled checks. • Keep all the documents in a folder with the label “2012-Tax Return Filing.”

Gather Tax Documents As You Receive Them By Mail

Save all documents you receive by mail or from employers as they contain information that you will need for tax return preparation. Take a moment to review each document as it comes in so that your tax preparer can correct discrepancies well before he/she starts preparing your tax return. If there is a mistake, getting a corrected W-2 or 1099 form can take time, so don’t wait until the last minute. Typical forms you will receive may include: • W-2s from your employers • 1099-MISC forms for self-employed income • 1099-INT (interest) and 1099-DIV (dividend) forms • 1099-G Tax refunds and unemployment compensation • 1099-B forms showing brokerage trades in stocks and bonds, along with statements showing when you bought and sold your investments • K-1 Income and deductions from partnerships, S corporations, trusts, and estates • 1099-SA form showing Social Security received • 1099-R Distributions from pensions,

annuities, retirement or profit-sharing plans, IRAs, insurance contracts, etc. • Proof of jury duty pay • Proof of alimony you received • Records of income and expenses for your rental property • Records of income and expenses for your self-employment • Scholarships and fellowships • Prizes and awards • Gambling and lottery winnings

Income From Sources Outside the United States

List all income received from foreign banks/financial institutions to report interest income. You will have to complete the Report of Foreign Bank and Financial Accounts (FBAR) (Form TDF 90.22.1) for individuals having a combined balance over $10,000 at anytime during the year. In addition, single taxpayers with financial assets of $50,000 and over in one year need to complete Form 8938 to be in compliance with the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA). For those that are Married Filing Jointly the requirement of financial assets is $100,000 and over in one year. Additionally, all other income sourced outside the United States (e.g. rental, dividends, interest, etc.) are required to be reported as world income. Recently, the taxing authorities have become very diligent in ensuring that the taxpayer is in compliance with reporting of income from outside the United States and financial assets held overseas.

Itemize Deductions

The personal exemptions and itemized deductions phase-out is reinstated for 2012 at a higher threshold of $250,000 for single taxpayers, $275,000 for heads of household, and $300,000 for married taxpayers filing jointly. To get all the possible legitimate deductions, go through all your check-

books, credit card statements and receipts for cash purchases. Itemize expenses into medical, union dues, mortgage interest, real estate taxes, charitable donations, unreimbursed work related expenses, personal property taxes (i.e. D.M.V. license fee), and any other expense which might be applicable in your case. These documents may include: • Health care expenses (doctors, dentists, health insurance, eye care, medicine) • Real estate taxes • Motor vehicle registration (Vehicle License Fee—VLF) • Mortgage interest paid (1098) • Home equity loan interest • Gifts to charities and churches (monetary and other) • Last year’s tax preparation fees • Unreimbursed job related expenses (union dues, job education, uniforms) • Loss of property due to casualty or theft • Gambling losses (to the extent of winnings) • Contributions to your traditional or SEP-IRA • Qualified moving expenses • College expenses (Student loan interest 1098-E) • Daycare, childcare, or adult daycare costs • Rental property expenses • Alimony paid • Adoption expenses • Job-hunting expenses • Investment expenses • Unreimbursed business or volunteer work expenses If you paid estimated taxes, keep a summary of your federal and state estimated payments and canceled checks. Other documents that may be helpful are: • HUD-1 Escrow statement for property you bought or sold • Summary of educational expenses (college tuition) • IRA contributions (traditional, SEP, or rollovers)

Schedule Your Tax Appointment Early

Try to schedule your tax appointment as soon as you get most of the documents in the mail. Afterwards, you may need to chase down missing records or resolve other problems before the April 15th filling deadline. n The above information is of a general nature and should be treated as such and should not be acted upon in your specific situation without professional assistance or advice. Khorshed Alam is a practicing CPA and business valuation analyst. He is the President and CEO of Alam Accountancy Corporation. Check out http://alamcpatax.com or call (408) 445-1120.

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recipes

Shanta Nimbark Sacharoff

Love Your Heart! Have a healthy Valentine’s Day!

a heart-healthy diet, this is only partly true. Even a meatless diet can be unhealthy if it is high in saturated fat, refined foods and trans fats. Here is a partial list of foods that are good and those that are bad for the heart. Illustration: Serena Sacharoff

here are various legends about the origin of Valentine’s Day. One such story goes: There was a Roman Emperor who thought that single men made better soldiers than married. men, so he outlawed marriage. Valentine was a priest who thought that this law was unfair and so married young couples secretly. The Emperor discovered what Valentine was doing, and had him put to death. Since then, Valentine has been made immortal by lovers all over the world. Valentine’s Day is about love, not about gifts or rich food. In the United States, heart disease, including coronary artery disease, arteriosclerosis and stroke, is the major cause of death. Many factors contribute to cardiovascular disease including genetics and family history, and diets rich in saturated fat, cholesterol and refined foods. Genetically linked factors are difficult to control, but one can choose a healthy diet. The saturated fat and dietary cholesterol found in animal products are harmful, while whole grains, vegetables and fruits, and seeds and their oils provide anti-oxidants that are beneficial to your cardiac health. Although this would suggest that most Indian people who are vegetarians must have

Heart-Friendly Foods

*All fresh fruits particularly citrus fruits, berries and pomegranates *Leafy green vegetables such as spinach, chard, collard and parsley *Fresh garlic and onion *Whole grains, their bran and other foods with soluble fibers *Beans and lentils (also daals) *Nuts and seeds containing good fatty oils *Unsaturated fats, olive and sunflower seed oils *Oils rich in omega 3 fatty acids such as flax seed and hemp seed oils

The Villains

*Eggs, red meats, cream, cheese, butter, ice cream *Saturated fats from milk, eggs, and most meats *Trans fats hidden in many snacks and in hydrogenated margarines (read the label!)

*Deep fried foods *Refined sugars, refined grains (such as white flour, white bread and white rice) *Refined juices, sodas Nothing is lovelier than making a hearthealthy meal for your loved one on Valentine’s Day. n Shanta Nimbark Sacharoff, author of Flavors of India: Vegetarian Indian Cuisine, lives in San Francisco, where she is manager and coowner of Other Avenues, a health-food store.

Malabari Beet Curry Ingredients 3 medium sized red beets 1 cup of beet greens or any leafy greens such as spinach or chard 1 big or two small red potatoes, scrubbed cleaned and cut in half 2 carrots, cleaned and cut into thin slices 3 tablespoons freshly made tamarind sauce using three pods of tamarind or juice of ½ lemon combined with a table spoon of water and a teaspoon of sugar 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 small red onion, finely chopped 2 or 3 cloves of garlic, minced 1 tablespoon of minced or shredded fresh ginger root 1 fresh green chili, chopped small ½ teaspoon cumin seeds ½ cup coconut milk, fresh or canned ½ teaspoon turmeric powder Salt and cayenne pepper to taste Fresh cilantro leaves for garnish 52 • india currents •february 2013

Method Cut the stems from the beets, reserving one cup of beet greens. Rinse, drain and chop the greens, and set them aside. Discard the stems and the rest of the greens, or save them for soup stock. Rinse the beets and scrub them to remove any dirt but not too much of the exterior. Cut the beets in half. Clean and cut the potatoes as described above. Place the beets in a saucepan with 2 quarts of water. Boil them for 15 minutes and then add the potatoes. Boiling them together for another 10 to 15 minutes until cooked but not too soft. Add the sliced carrots and boil for 5 more minutes. Drain and set aside on a platter. While the roots are boiling, prepare the tamarind sauce (also available in your local grocery store). Remove and discard the crackly skin of the tamarind and the inner strings. Soak the pods in ½ cup of hot water for 15 minutes. Rubbing with your fingers, extract the meat and grit into the water. Strain the mixture using a colander with large holes or a

vegetable steamer basket. The seeds and the membranes will remain in the sieve, and can be discarded. Set the tamarind sauce aside. If you do not have tamarind, simply mix the lemon juice with sugar and set aside. Cut the beets and potatoes into bite size chunks. Heat the olive oil in a shallow pan or wok over a moderate flame and sauté the onion for five minutes. Add the garlic and ginger and sauté for another minute until fragrant. Add the chili and stir fry for 2 minutes more. Then sprinkle the cumin seeds over the mixture and roast them for a minute. Next add the chopped beet greens and stir-fry for another minute or two until wilted. Now add the boiled roots, lower the heat, and stir-fry the mixture for five minutes. Add the coconut milk, the tamarind sauce (or lemon juice mixture), turmeric and salt. Gently stir all the ingredients while they simmer. Taste and adjust for saltiness and spiciness. Garnish with fresh cilantro and serve with red rice.

Himalayan Red Rice

Ingredients 2½ cups of water 1 cup raw Himalayan (or Bhutanese) red rice, rinsed and thoroughly drained 1 teaspoon cooking oil ½ teaspoon salt Method In a heavy saucepan, bring the water to a boil and add the rice. When the mixture returns to boiling, add the oil and salt and turn the heat down to medium. Cover and cook for 20 minutes. Then remove the lid and test to see if the rice is done by pressing a single grain

drained 4 cups of baby spinach leaves, washed and drained 1 cup shredded carrots

between your fingers. The grains should be soft and the water evaporated. If not, cover the pot again and cook for five more minutes, adding a few tablespoons of water if necessary. When the rice appears done, turn off the heat and keep the pot covered for a few minutes before serving.

Arugula, Baby Spinach and Carrot Salad with Pomegranate Vinaigrette Both arugula and spinach are nutritious, with an abundance of vitamin A and iron. In addition, arugula leaves have a pungent, spicy flavor which complements this tart dressing. Ingredients 2 cups of arugula leaves, rinsed and

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Method Prepare the dressing by first extracting the juice from both fruits. Cut the pomegranate in half and using a manual citrus juicer, juice it in same way as you would an orange. You will obtain only a few tablespoons of juice as much of the crushed pits will remain on top, but you only need a few tablespoons. Juice the orange. Place all dressing ingredients in a covered jar and shake well. Toss the salad greens with the carrots. Drizzle the desired amount of dressing onto the salad just before serving. The rest of the dressing can be refrigerated for future use.

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For dressing 3 tablespoons pomegranate juice (prefer ably freshly squeezed) 3 tablespoons orange juice (freshly squeezed preferred) 6 tablespoons olive oil 1 teaspoon minced fresh herbs such as oregano and/or marjoram Salt and pepper to taste

Happy Valentine’s day

Many unusual varieties of rice, other than the usual white or brown, are available in health food stores. One such rice that is getting attention is Red Himalayan rice which contains proanthocyanidins, antioxidants which have been shown to reduce cholesterol and hyperglycemia in animals. Red rice contains fair amount of protein, zinc, iron, magnesium, and phosphorus which are all important nutrients for good health. Red rice is a whole grain that contains germ and bran. The germ has vitamin E good for the cardiovascular health and the bran is a good source of dietary fiber which is essential for healthy digestion. In addition to its high nutritional profile, red rice has become popular for its nutty texture and fragrant aroma.

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Kannan Kasturi

Trekking to the Hanging Valley of Gods Exploring the Har Ki Doon trek in the Garhwal Himalayas of Uttarakhand

t is not yet 6 a.m., but the over-bridge at New Delhi Railway Station is already chock-a-bloc with people. I make my way to the far platform and locate the board with the passenger lists. My torch comes in handy in the darkness and I am able to locate my coach and seat in the Dehradun Shatabdi train. We are soon on our way and passing through the towns of Meerut and Muzzafarpur. Staring out of the large windows, I see golden fields of wheat with patches of sugarcane and occasional groves of mango. Innumerable brick kilns line the track, emitting black smoke drifting slowly west from their tall chimneys. I think of my journey ahead. From Dehradun, I plan to take the bus to Purola and thence to Sankri from which point the trek begins, through Taluka, Osla and then Har Ki Doon. I will be traversing close to 25 miles and ascending about 8,000 feet.

Getting to Purola

At Dehradun, I make my way to the bus stand just outside the railway station and confirm that the Purola bus will come in at 1:30 p.m. There is time enough for a dal-rotisabji lunch at a nearby restaurant. Later, at the bus ticket counter I learn that tickets are available only inside the bus. The bus arrives and there is a crowd of people trying to get in. There are also a large number of people trying to get out. The conductor advises me to load my backpack on top of the bus. Looking unsuccessfully for help to get my bag on top of the bus, I lose my place in the queue to

54 • india currents •february 2013

get in and all chance of getting a seat on the bus. And then I learn that a seat is essential and that to ensure a seat, passengers (or their proxies) board the bus at the workshop where it is parked before coming to the bus stand. This is the last bus to Purola or anywhere nearby. So I am summarily stranded. I team up with another passenger, R.S. Rana, and we take a bus to Vikas Nagar with the idea of looking for shared taxis from there to Purola. In case nothing works out, Rana says he will put up at Vikas Nagar for the night—that place being much cheaper than Dehradun. I decide to take my chances with him. At Vikas Nagar, we chance upon a bus to Purola and quickly board. The large 40 seater bus makes its way up along the Yamuna on a road that remains in a precarious condition after last year’s heavy rains. A couple of Gaddi (valley) shepherds disembark at a camp site crowded with buffaloes, goats and a few pack horses. They are in their traditional dress— skull caps and long kurta-pyjamas—and sport distinct beards and goatees. I figure that this is their seasonal summer migration with cattle from the plains to the pastures in the hills. We stop for dinner where my friend Rana gets his glass of the local brew after a hush-hush exchange with the waiter. I reach Purola just after 10 p.m. and make my way to the hotel previously arranged by Rana who had got off the bus at Barkot. On the short walk to the hotel, I get a call from Rana who is checking to see if I have found the hotel. The main street of Purola has a busy look at 6.30 a.m. The sky is clear and the air crisp.

I board the bus to Sankri. The bus carrying mainly daily commuters slowly makes its way up the valley of the Kamal river. The ever solicitous Rana calls to check that I have made the bus.

To Sankri

It is a remarkably wide and beautiful valley dotted with neat villages. The gentle slopes near the river—the Kamal—are covered with the green of wheat and jowar (sorghum). The steeper slopes are covered with pine trees and rhododendrons in full bloom. The tall peaks in the distance are blanketed with snow. My neighbor in the bus is a gentle and soft spoken pahadi(hill-dweller). The bus hugs the curving road at a gentle speed. The driver plays Garhwali music—melodious with slow beats—and I can imagine a slow rhythmic harvest dance to go with it. The comfortable ride, expansive scenery and lilting song lifts me into a joyous mood. I wonder if these simple pahadi songs will sound as good in metropolitan Delhi. We stop at a small town, Mori, for breakfast and I have a huge aloo paratha served with dahi and achar. The paratha is shallow fried in mustard oil and tastes really good. A couple of Israeli backpackers climb in and I get absorbed in conversation with them. We stop briefly at the Forest Department checkpost at Netwar to pay the Govind National Park entrance fees. A few miles before Sankri, a little short of 11 a.m., the bus grinds to a halt—the road is blocked by a huge dumper clearing a landslide. When the

daughter pair are cooking and serving. I later find out that they are actually a grandmothergranddaughter pair. The Biharis joke with the attractive looking younger woman about the small helpings she serves. The rain has started picking up and that means it will be snowing in Har Ki Doon. Perhaps my journey is slated to end sooner than expected. An old man in uniform is also taking shelter in the dhaba from the rain. He turns out to be the chowkidar (guard) of the Forest Rest House (FRH) at Taluka. I find out that the FRH has two rooms with water, electricity and a wireless set. The guard is willing to let me have a room on my return journey provided there are no prior reservations. My haversack has begun to weigh heavily on me after the 8 miles I have walked today. I decide to take a porter for the rest of the trip and ask for one at the dhaba. Kamal Thakur, (whose mother cooks at the dhaba) volunteers for the job and we arrange that he will carry my bag for Rs. 300 ($5.47) per day and food.

View of a Saur village, just off Sankri

Saur Village, just off Sankri

dumper finally gives way, the bus is unable to clear the stretch as its wheels cannot find enough purchase in the loose mud. We are dropped unceremoniously and the trek begins earlier than I anticipated.

Sankri to Taluka

I walk to Sankri and after a relaxed lunch, set out for Taluka—the jeeps are not running because the road has been blocked by landslides. My newly acquired Israeli friends— Arnon and David—decide to accompany me part of the way, just to limber up for their trek which begins the next day. On the way, I meet the caretakers of the Taluka and Har Ki Doon Garhwal Mandal Vikas Nigam (GMVN) guesthouses heading for Sankri. They assure me that there will be somebody to open up when I reach the guest house. I later learn that these men are heading to Sankri to collect their salaries which have arrived after a gap of six months! Soon we are brought to a stop due to a

fast flowing stream that has flooded the jeep track. I part with the Israelis here, remove my shoes and walk slowly through the icy water, testing each step carefully, fearful of taking a fall. The icy water and the sharp stones over which I walk really hurt. As it turns out, this is just the first of the tests I must undergo today. There are more streams requiring a similar treatment. Later in the afternoon, there is a thunderstorm with hail. The only possible shelter near the path—pine trees—turn out to be useless in shielding me from the hailstones. Wet and soaking inspite of a jacket, I reach Taluka just before dusk. The guest house at Taluka is a dilapidated building. There is no electricity and no water in the bathrooms. I get a bed in the “deluxe” room which has little to recommend it. I have dinner at the Thakur dhaba at the end of the village along with a couple of Bihari workers who are temporarily in the village for a painting job. A Nepalese family runs the dhaba. Two women, who look like a mother-

The Upward Trek Begins

I set out at 7:30 a.m. with my guide and porter Kamal carrying my haversack which weighs about 10 kg (22 lbs). I carry a small knapsack weighing 2-3 kg (6 lbs) with water, some food, a jacket and rain gear. We set out along the left bank of the Har Ki Doon Gad, a stream which we will follow for the next two days right up to Har Ki Doon. As we leave Taluka, Kamal points out a micro hydro-power station that supplies power to the village. The GMVN guest house remains without power for reasons other than a lack of supply to the area. Some distance on, the trail bifurcates, the upper path leading to Dhatmir village while the lower path heads more directly towards Osla. In a while, we see Dhatmir village perched precariously high up on the hillside. The slopes are terraced with fields of wheat and mustard—adding dashes of brilliant yellow and green to the brown and grey of the mountainside. The fields extend to impossible slopes and dizzying heights. The trail moves along the stream, climbing up when the gorge becomes narrow and descending down to the level of the water when the geography allows. We pass the village of Gangad, where the valley has widened to allow the mustard and wheat fields to descend to its floor. Turning a blind corner at a height above the river , we spot the village of Osla perched on the sheer hill slope on the other side. From a distance, the village almost merges with the the hillside. No easy access is visible to the village. Below the village, the hillside slopes steeply to the river, while above it is a sheer vertical cliff capped with snow.

Houses near Taluka village india currents • february 2013 • 55

I wonder why the villages in this area are located high up on fairly inaccessible slopes rather than near the river bank. Is it the fear of floods? Kamal opines that it could be because the village founders were trying to hide from the rulers in secure locations.

To Har Ki Doon

We reach Seema—located on the left bank of the Har Ki Doon Gad just across but at a lower height than Osla. After depositing my bags and changing, I settle down at the dhaba opposite the GMVN guest house to spend a long afternoon and evening in the amiable company of the dhaba owner, Jainder Singh, sitting on a raised platform beside his chullah. Jainder is one of six brothers and two sisters. He tells me that his is a very old family of Osla. One sister is married and lives in the neighboring village. A brother works in Delhi. The other five siblings are younger and go to school. Jainder has studied till the 9th grade (the nearest high school is at Sankri) and now

miles that includes a height gain of over 1,969 feet. After the experience of the last two days I have dumped my polythene jacket and picked up a local plastic poncho with Kamal’s help. We take the bridge and cross over to the right bank of the Har Ki Doon Gad for the first time during this trip. Snow clad peaks can be seen in the far distance. The path rapidly gains height and branches into two—the left fork leading to the ancient Osla village. A young pahadi woman Har ki Doon Gad points me towards the right fork and then asks me for a toffee! We walk past fields being readied for the next crop— phafra, a local grain whose flour is used to make roti. More women than men are seen working in the fields. At half past nine, we stop at a tea stall just at the Har ki Doon Gad beginning of a steep climb. The youth spreads his time between running the canteen running it knows that it is the perfect spot for at the GMVN guest house and helping with a mid-morning tea break for trekkers to Har the farming of the 50 nalis (2.5 acres) of land Ki Doon. his family possesses. As the path levels out of The evening passes pleasantly enough. A the climb, Kala Nag and the young group, also from Delhi are also head- peaks of the Banderpoonch ing the same way as me. They are poorly range become visible. Lookequipped, having no heavy woolens and walk- ing back, I can see the Har Ki ing in office footwear. But what they lack in Doon Gad meandering down equipment, they make up in spirit. They are seemingly towards the snow determined to get to Har Ki Doon the next capped Kedarkantha peak. day despite the reports we hear from return- Following the river upstream ing trekkers of the heavy snow in Har Ki one sees the Ruinsara Gad Doon. After a simple meal which tastes deli- whose confluence with the cious under the conditions, we retire early for Har Ki Doon Gad is not vistomorrow is going to be a testing day. ible from the path we are on. On a crisp and cloudless morning we set We can see a wooden bridge out from Seema for Har Ki Doon, a trek of 7.5 over the Ruinsara Gad. 56 • india currents •february 2013

Bridge over Ruinsara Gad

It is noon and we stop for our packed lunch near a pretty little waterfall. I fill up my water bottle from the mountain stream. Clouds are starting to gather and we have already had a few drops of rain—it is time to hurry. We enter a valley dominated by two peaks—Hata Peak and Har Ki Doon peak. The valley floor is covered with snow in patches, the consequence of the wet weather that has prevailed over the past week. I spot the FRH building in the shadow of a huge rock. It has a fairy tale look. The GMVN guest house is further ahead at the head of the valley and the snow must be negotiated carefully to avoid losing step and rolling into the Har Ki Doon Gad. We reach the GMVN guest house exhausted a little after noon. We must have been plodding through snow for the past hour or so. It starts snowing and turns bitterly cold. Pavani, the canteen contractor at Har Ki Doon has reached only a few minutes earlier and is busy trying to get a fire going to heat water. I look out to see a blanket of snow covering everything other than a few large rocks. For the rest of the evening, I am obsessed with trying to keep myself warm. Women working in the fields

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a relaxed affair. Nearing Osla, we see mostly women in colorful dresses, out hoeing the fields in preparation for planting the next crop.

Osla Temple

A Multi-Storied House in Osla

The Village of Osla

By the next morning, there is an amazing turnaround. I look out to see a clear blue sky and the Swargarohini peak (20,505 feet) standing above us. Legend has it that Yudhishtar, the eldest of the Pandavas, climbs the Swargarohini peak on his way to heaven. I hear some raucous crows around and ask Pavani about birds here. He answers that but for the unseasonal snow, it would have been impossible to sleep this late in the morning because of the chatter of birds with as he puts it, their “108 boli.” The clear weather has put me in a better frame of mind to appreciate the beauty of Har Ki Doon. A stream meanders down gently and along its sides is a green border of Fir trees. Looking closer at the grassy slopes, I can see brown grass giving way to green and numerous flowers, yellow dandelions, marsh marigolds and blue gentian making an appearance in anticipation of spring. But I cannot tarry here any longer, for I must reach Osla the nearest village while the weather holds. The clear weather and the descending trail make the return trek from Har Ki Doon

Around noon, we reach the ancient village of Osla just as it starts drizzling. We head for the satellite phone center from where I make a call home paying Rs. 10 (about 18 c) for a two minute phone call. The charges are the same for any place in India. We learn that the government has provided such phones in each (large?) village. Curious village children gather around us and pose for a photograph. The village is empty except for the little children and an occasional woman working inside. The older children and adults have gone grazing their cattle or have gone to their farms. There is no shop in the entire village and nowhere for us to get some tea. Our next stop is the temple which occupies a prominent place in the village. The temple is empty for the idol has been taken for a festival to another village. The walls of the temple are made of alternate layers of stone and wood—a design that apparently allows the structure to withstand earthquakes. The roofs are made of slate. The wood of the pillars and the front door are intricately carved. We descend from the main street to a lower level to see a house which people point out to be one of the older structures in Osla. All the houses are multi-storied. The lowest Village Children

floors are used for keeping the cattle and sheep. The floor with the overhanging balcony is the family residence and above it, the lofts are used for storing wood. Families have separate housing for grain silos where they stock enough grain and other rations to last through the harsh winter. Osla has a school teaches up to class 8. For high school, rations and medicines, the villagers have to go up to Sankri. The rain now comes down in a steady drizzle and it is time to make our way to the GMVN guest house in Seema across the river.

A Bird Watcher’s Paradise

The return journey from Seema to Taluka turns out to be the best walk I have had in this trip. It is a beautiful day and I have all the time in the world as I plan to get only as far as Sankri today. The walk is along the left bank of the Har Ki Doon Gad. We again pass the beautiful fields of green and yellow. It is early in the morning and the ideal time to see birds. The area is a veritable birdwatcher’s paradise. I get beautiful shots of several Drongos sitting totally absorbed in their own company. Juvenile Dippers squat on the rocks in the middle of the stream; every now and then, they dip into the water and return with their catch. Redstarts throng the banks. An elegant white capped Redstart flits and performs acrobatics in the air, showing off its brilliant plumage. A clear mountain stream invites me to brush my teeth—something I could not bring myself to do with the water of the GMVN guest house. A Lammergeir flies low over the river following it downstream leaving me mesmerized. A blue sky, warm sun, the beautiful river and birds of different hues to be discovered at each step. It is a perfect day. Reaching Taluka, I find a jeep waiting to go back down to Sankri. I am now suddenly in a hurry to get back home. I sit in the Sankri jeep with a goat that has been stuffed into the leg space of the rear seat, keeping me close company. Thus ends my memorable trip. n

Kannan Kasturi is a travel writer based in India. More pictures available online. 58 • india currents •february 2013

india currents • february 2013 • 59

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I have been dating a guy for almost a year. When I suggest spending more time together (we rarely spend more than one day of the weekend and one evening during the work week together despite the fact that we live less than 20 minutes apart), he accuses me of suffocating him. His distant behavior scares me and I find myself saying things I later regret, which seems to push him further away. We broke up once because of all this, and then got back together. But now we seem to be falling into the same pattern and it’s making it hard for me to keep up with my work and friends— what should I do?

A “secure” attachment style, as described in Amir Levine and Rachel Heller’s book, Attached, is characterized by effectively communicating one’s needs and feelings; reading one’s partner’s emotional cues and responding to them; enjoying intimacy and taking relationship issues in stride without becoming overly worried about the relationship. The following are a few interrelated ways through which you can attain a “secure” attachment style: • Priming. While avoidant tendencies are difficult for an “anxious” partner to reconcile, studies have found that “priming” (reminding people of security-enhancing experiences they’ve had) can actually help “anxious” people create their own greater sense of security unilaterally. One way of priming for security is to identify and role-model people who exhibit the “secure” attachment style. You can role-model “secure” people by observing and adopting the ways they act in different situations. • Inventory your own relationship history from an attachment perspective in order to identify debilitating patterns of thoughts,

My previous column partially addressed this situation. From the girlfriend’s descriptions, her boyfriend’s behavior appeared to be consistent with the “avoidant” attachment style; while she herself appeared to have an “anxious” style. This month we look at how partners with “anxious” and/or “avoidant” attachment styles who wish to stay together can mitigate the naturally-occurring vicious-cycle by moving toward a “secure” attachment style.

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feelings and actions which serve as road blocks to becoming more secure. • Implement “secure” conflict resolution principles. Attached sets forth the following five different principles to use during a disagreement with a partner: a. Uphold the premise that your partner’s well-being is as important as your own by showing concern for his/her well-being; b. Maintain your focus on the issue at hand, as opposed to veering off topic, for example making personal accusations; c. Avoid making hurtful generalizations; d. Remain willing to engage, as opposed to withdrawing or digging in your heels; e. Effectively communicate your feelings and needs, as opposed to expecting your partner to read your mind. n Jasbina is the founder and president of Intersections Match, the only personalized matchmaking and dating coaching firm serving singles of South Asian descent in the United States. She is also the host of Intersections Talk Radio, a monthly lifestyle show. www.IntersectionsMatch.com. Jasbina@intersectionsmatch.com.

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music

Kanniks Kannikeswaran

Remembering Ravi Shankar Interactions with the musical genius

ery few meetings have been etched as firmly in my mind as our family’s visit to the Ravi Shankar home in the summer of 2009. I had worked very closely with Lakshmi Shankar and it was while learning music from her that I got to know more about Ravi ji. I knew that Ravi Shankar was almost synonymous with the sitar, the instrument that he had singlehandedly made a global musical phenomenon. I had heard compositions from the film Anuradha. But, my first exposure to his large scale orchestral work was through the film Gandhi that I saw in Chennai in 1983. I had gotten to admire the spirit of his orchestral works even during my Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) days. I had later listened to his symphonic works on National Public Radio (NPR) in the 1980s and had been fascinated by recordings of his breathtaking ensemble performances at the Kremlin, his collaboration with Phillip Glass and had paid a great deal of attention to his works such as “Ghanshyam.” It was therefore with great anticipation that our family of four pulled up onto his driveway and knocked on the door of his home in San Diego. We were escorted in and warmly welcomed by Sukanya Shankar; a few minutes later, the maestro himself walked in with his hands in the namaste gesture and welcomed us warmly. What was to be a 20 minute appointment stretched to more than three hours and spanned through discussions of his earlier works. He spoke at length about his experience with ensembles, his accompanists, his recordings, his travels and more. His memory was sharp and his attention to detail was amazing. Above all, his warmth and affection towards us (total strangers) were completely disarming. We sat with him to have an unscheduled lunch. He even seemed to gauge my sweet tooth and served me an extra piece of “sweet” and called for chai at the very moment that I felt like having some. He listened to my archival recording of the nottusvara sahityas of Dikshitar and recordings of my symphonic works and complimented me. He listened to my daughters sing and happily watched them play with his dog Sukhi. The whole meeting seems surreal now. Ravi Shankar was a pioneer. He saw 76 • india currents • february 2013

possibilities that no one thought of. He forged unimaginable alliances. He went to places where no world musician had been, yet. He took Indian shastriya sangeet and musical ideas from Banaras and Madhya Pradesh and shared them unabashedly with musicians and audiences in North America and the rest of the world in a manner similar to Swami Vivekananda who spoke Vedanta at the conference of World Religions in Chicago—again in unchartered territory. We see a lot of musical collaborations today in a world where the Internet has brought unprecedented access to music; desktop recording facilities have also brought in a tremendous degree of flexibility for composers; giving them the ability to visualize music and hear it before presenting it to an audience. However in Ravi Shankar’s times, his musical ideas were just memorized or written down in ink. “His compositions and visualizations were absolutely magical,” says Lakshmi Shankar, recalling the days when Uday Shankar, Ravi Shankar, Rajendra Shankar and herself would sit together after dinner and conceptualize the musical presentation of Jawaharlal Nehru’s “Discovery of India,” presenting the various stages of India’s history on stage. Ravi Shankar who passed away in December 2012 was a living representation of a bygone era. He spoke of his guru Baba Allauddin Khan (1862-1972) with reverence. During our meeting with him, he discussed ragas such as “Adi Basant” which are no more in vogue. (His large scale project “Music Festival from India” from 1974 contains a dhamar in this raga sung by Lakshmi Shankar, Vijayashree Subramanian, T.V. Gopalakrishnan and others). A Bengali speaking global citizen born in Banaras, he bears no parochial feelings of “the other” when talking about

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Karnatik music or Hindustani music. It is clear that he looked at Indian music from a holistic perspective; he is a musician that has transcended the boundaries of the two systems perceived today. He speaks very highly of the pedagogy and the rigor of laya in the South Indian tradition. Indeed he was the first to adopt some of the scalar ragas from the South Indian system and render them popular in his inimitable style. Yes, he was a bold pioneer and now ragas such as Kirvani, Charukesi and Vachaspati are common place amongst practicing musicians; even scalar ragas like Rasikapriya have rightfully gotten adapted and rendered in the alap/jor/jhala format by other musicians. The recording “Music festival from India”—one of whose pieces I had rehearsed with my friends at IIT Kharagpur back in early 1980s—features the who’s who of Indian music. It was Ravi Shankar’s leadership along with George Harrison that paved the way for a galaxy of stars such as Hariprasad Chaurasia, Shivkumar Sharma, Alla Rakha, T.V. Gopalakrishnan, L. Subramanian, Lakshmi Shankar and others. There is an unpublished piece from this project—a short khyal in Kedar sung by Lakshmi Shankar and T.V. Gopalakrishnan that I heard at Lakshmi Shankar’s place that is captivating. So is the chaturang in Yaman Kalyan. Ravi Shankar was the first person to see the possibilities of collaboration, and

Kanniks Kannikeswaran is an internationally renowned musician, composer and music educator, whose award winning research on the Indo-colonial music of Dikshitar is beginning to influence Indian music pedagogy. Kanniks is considered to be a pioneer of the Indian American choral movement. He teaches Indian classical music at the University of Cincinnati. www.kanniks.com

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that too, on his own terms. His partnerships saw geniuses such as Yehudi Menuhin play compositions based on ragas Gunkal, Tilang and others. His work for the flute and harp (“Enchanted Dawn”) in raga Miyan ki Todi has been performed by many a western musician. Of course, his collaboration with George Harrison is well known to all. He has created concertos for sitar and orchestra, has collaborated with the London Symphony Orchestra, the New York Symphony Orchestra on one hand, and on the other created a feeling of vastness when he builds a musical soundscape with minimal instruments in the background against Gandhi’s touring India on steam engine pulled trains, soon after his return to India from South Africa. Equally moving is the music that accompanies the final titles in the film. Few living musicians command the widespread awe and inspiration that Ravi Shankar did, particularly from people of non Indian origin. My students at the University where I teach have consistently expressed their admiration for him. They have expressed the desire to study his life story; they speak of him in awe. A post graduate student even analyzed one of his works as part of her doctoral research. Kudos to Sukanya Shankar for the initiatives taken by her during the past few years that would go a long way in preserving his musical legacy. The documentary “Between the Two Worlds” made in 2002 is a must see for anyone interested in Indian music. The Ravi Shankar Institute for Music and Performing Arts (RIMPA) located in New Delhi is the center for Ravi Shankar Archives and more. Here was a man whose one facet of life involved Uday Shankar’s traveling dance company; another involved a gharana immersion with Baba Allauddin Khan in the old-world beenkar tradition and a literal connection with Tansen of the 16th century. Then you have the creator of fine musical scores in films such as Anuradha and the Apu trilogy (by Satyajit Ray). Then you have the path breaking work that he did in the west, bringing Indian music to the west, collaborating extensively and influencing the likes of Coltrane and others. I do believe that the greatness of Ravi Shankar shines even more as he sits next to you at the dining table and serves you an extra serving of mishti, completely oblivious of what he has created and the number of people that he has touched. n

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372, Turquoise Street, Milpitas, CA 95035 Entry Fee: VIP $30, $20 Children under 5 years free Seats are limited RSVP Pradeep Joshi, pradjoshi@gmail.com (408) 733-7442 to reserve your seat For Tickets & more info, contact info@Indtvusa.com or call (408) 935-8779 Read More - Alif Laila - www.aliflailasitar.com Madhuvanti Bhide - www.madhuvantibhide.com

india currents • february 2013 • 77

films

Aniruddh Chawda

Bit ter, Party of Two

haven't quite understood that what they have stumbled upon will test their fidelity, their marriage and ultimately, even their lives in this fast-paced morality play. Rawal plays Khan with subtle maniacal zeal. Khandelwal, who made a splash as a doctor accused of terrorism in Raj Kumar Gupta’s Aamir (2005), along with Desae hold their own ground. The interplay between the carefree, attractive couple and the shrewd overlord forms the basis for a catch-me-ifyou-can battle of wits and brawn. The use of culturally diverse and beautiful Fiji is an apt added metaphor. Not only is the remote island nation a rare destination for Hindi movies, but what gorgeous secrets island life awaits to reveal adds situational charm to the story. Underlying this vast, truth-be-told gimmick, there is a highly potent anti-bullying outcry bounced off of contemporary headlines. This somber undertone is enough to set a hush over an otherwise crowded island. Bullying, known as “ragging” in India, has been a hot button topic all across the globe. Aditya Datt may be best known for the lowbudget semi-successful Aashiq Banaya Aapne (2005). That may be about to change. Given its plot twists, low budget, a come-hither cinematography and boatloads of word-ofmouth, Table No. 21 has been declared the first Hindi box office sleeper hit of 2013. With a sensational turn-the-tables-on-yourtormenter gamble most like Kanika Verma’s Dansh (2005), Table No. 21 is a tropic junket definitely worth signing up for. n EQ: B+

TABLE NO. 21. Director: Aditya Datt. Players: Rajeev Khandelwal, Tena Desae, Paresh Rawal. Music: Neeraj Shrivastava, Gajendra Verma. Theatrical release (EROS)

fter the over-the-top excesses of Salman Khan’s 2012 releases, it is a breath of fresh air to return to a small budget, near-independent movie that boasts a modest budget and less than A-list actors and yet manages to corner a satisfying viewing. Hitting the right balance between good writing, a catchy lottery-hinting title and action while imparting a contemporary theme, Table No. 21 is a winner. For struggling newlywed Mumbai couple Vivaan Agasthi (Khandelwal) and his wife Siya (Desae), winning an exotic trip to Fiji in a lottery is chance to reenergize their spirits before settling into middle-class lives back home. Arriving at the lavish tropical resort owned by the mysterious Khan (Rawal), Vivaan and Siya are scooped up for luxe treatment by Khan’s minions. To take their newfound luck to even bigger heights and riches, Khan offers the couple a fortune—provided they succeed in a series of increasingly chal78 • india currents • february 2013

lenging tasks. Khan's questions—a dare here, a mid-traffic-mid-day kiss there—get more daring and uncomfortable with each round. By the time the couple realizes that Khan appears to know much more about their history than he is letting on, Khan already has them boxed into a surreal nightmare in the making. If onscreen antagonists personify mortal frailties magnified to morbidly exponential powers, Table No 21’s script does a mindboggling twist on this motif. Khan cunningly cajoles Vivaan and Siya into accepting his now-serious challenges even as Khan appears strangely detached from the maze he sets out for the couple. Why does he appear to be making it his life's mission to make sure that his prey, er, guests lucidly live through horrifying split second torments and sometimes sexual debauchery? Director Datt manipulates the viewer and so clever is his ruse that we are powerless to look away! Khan is purposeful and methodical. Khan appears as if he is living in a parallel universe—he sees Vivaan and Siya and yet his eyes are elsewhere. That perhaps is the hallmark of a true antagonist. Against Khan's allknowing, all-powerful puppeteer, Vivaan and Siya are merely two fun-loving newbies who

Globe trekker, aesthete, photographer, ski bum, film buff, and commentator, Aniruddh Chawda writes from Milwaukee.

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Geetika Pathania Jain

A Noir Tale

TALAASH. Director: Reema Kagti. Players: Aamir Khan, Rani Mukherji, Kareena Kapoor. Theatrical release: Reliance Entertainment, Excel Entertainment and Aamir Khan Productions.

bird’s eye shot of the splayed, lifeless body of Tehmur (Nawazuddin Siddiqui) is an important shot in this film. Tehmur, a lowly factotum of Mumbai’s red light district, son of a sex worker himself, is named after the feared invader from the north, Tehmur Lang (the lame). Noir humor, Bollywood ishtyle. Tehmur’s t-shirt bears an image of Humphrey Bogart, complete with rakishly tilted fedora, straight out of the Hollywood noir film The Golden Falcon, seemingly mocking the thwarted aspirations of this small-time crook. Welcome to Bollywood noir country. A femme fatale. A dangerous woman. Smoldering Kareena Kapoor is Rosie, a sex worker with the best come-hither look in town. She will lead our protagonist, insomniac, alienated Inspector Surjan Singh Shekhawat (Aamir Khan) where he probably ought not to go. Her promise is to be a salve to his pain, and he seeks her out in the raw underbelly of a city where sin is the dhanda (profession), traded by pimps and madams. We see the Inspector step into the hotel elevator, and walk into the room. And as he sinks into a bed, so far from his marital bed, the sleep 80 • india currents • february 2013

that has eluded him for so long comes, finally, mercifully, in a hotel room on the wrong side of Mumbai. Things have not been going well for Inspector Shekhawat. His investigation of a film star’s murder is going nowhere. His marriage to Roshni, played by Rani Mukherji, is in serious trouble. A tragic event has shaken the foundations of their matrimonial life. The couple have reached an impasse whereupon they have retreated into a brooding numbness. The audience yearns for them to cross the divide, to reach out and embrace each other, but they are tired now, and neither can make the effort. Things were not always this way, and we see vignettes of moments from happier times. There was love then, and laughter, and not just a spreading silence. Will the siren call of a street-walker in high heels serve as a final blow to the tottering edifice of this marriage? And then there are the tragic drownings. How will the intrepid Inspector solve the case, heal the rifts in his marriage, resist the temptress, keep away the psychic neighbor, and reset his nocturnal circadian rhythms? As the title tag says—the answer lies within. The film is shot on location, and Mumbaikars will recognize their city, with all its extremes. The privileged lives of film stars appear in sharp contrast to those who subsist on the margins, bringing to mind Dhobi Ghat. The lives of the rich and poor intersect in ways that reveal power asymmetries, but

cowardice and callousness are found on both sides of the class divide. The characters are well-inhabited. Aamir Khan’s handlebar moustache is a bit distracting, though it, no doubt, accentuates his machismo. Rani Mukherji manages to look rather comely in her simple saris. Her marked lack of makeup contrasts with the (overly?) glamorous lady of the night, Kareena Kapoor, who looks, well, simply deadly. Writer-director Reema Kagti along with script buddy Zoya Akhtar, fresh from the commercial success of Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara, have given the ever versatile Aamir Khan the theatrical range to explore a character that is complex, contradictory and angst ridden and the studied peformer that he is, Khan digs a little deeper into the dark side of his mind and presents a portrait of despair with admirable restraint and subtlety. A dark, brooding, sensibility pervades the film. The camerawork is jittery and tense. Unreliable narrators abound. The fast-paced plot twists and turns with entertaining regularity, with thrills and suspense galore, and the ending is unexpected and climactic. With such excellent ingredients, it is safe to announce Talaash as a cinematographic triumph. n Geetika Pathania Jain is a Bay Area resident who saw Talaash with her friends in an AMC theater within ten minutes from her home. She is amazed that Bollywood films can be seen in mainstream theaters with such ease.

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NEW SHIVA MURUGAN TEMPLE PUJAS & FESTIVALS

Happy Valentine’s Day!

Temple Benefits at Cubberley Theater

Feb. 10 - Murugan Puja Devotional Music Kalpagam Kausik & Students.

2013

Jan. 20 - Devoitional Music. Preetha Seshadri & Students.

Feb. 24 - Masi Magam Devotional Music Aruna Krishna & Friends Mar. 9 - 6 pm to 6 am Mahashivarathri Puja Bharathanatyam Shreelata Suresh

Jan. 26 - Carnatic Music Concert Malavika Sriram Feb. 9 - Bharathanatyam Nirupama Vaidyanathan & Students Mar. 16 - Carnatic Music Concert Latha Sriram & Students Apr. 7 - Bharathanatyam Shreelata Suresh & Students Apr. 14 - Carnatic Music Concert Sindhu Natarajan May 1st week - Bharatha Natyam Guru Vishal Ramani & Students McAfee, Santa Clara

PHOTO: VIGGY MOKKARALA

Feb. 17 - Krithigai Puja Devotional Songs Sruthi Sarathy

SHIVA MURUGAN TEMPLE / SAIVA SIDDHANTA ASHRAM 1803 Second Street, Concord, CA 94519

Other Artists have also accepted to do a program for the New temple.

B B B B B B B B B B B B B B B B B B B B B B B B B B B B B B B B B B B B B B B B B B B B B B B B B

• Weekdays: 10am - Noon & 6pm - 9pm • Weekends: 10am - 9pm Voice Mail (925) 827-0127 • • Fax (925) 827-0209 • www.temple.org

SHIVA MURUGAN TEMPLE Presents

Shanmukha

Thirupugazh and Krithis of the 6 Stalams of Karthikeya by PHOTO: VIGGY MOKKARALA

Students of Sri Lalitha Gana Vidyalaya (Artistic Director- Smt Latha Sriram) With Live Accompaniment

B B B B B B B B B B B B B B B B B B B B B B B B B B B B B B B B B B B B B B B B B B B B B B B B B

Venue: Cubberley Theater, Palo Alto, CA` Date: Saturday, March 16, 2013 Time : 4:00 PM Donations are Welcome Ticket: $10, $15 Contact Kausalya Hart (510) 525-1793

india currents • february 2013 • 83

84 • india currents • february 2013

india currents • february 2013 • 85

GANDHI

The role of Gandhi played by Artistic Director Mythili Kumar Choreography by Mythili Kumar and Rasika Kumar

Sunday, March 31, 2013 Ohlone College, Fremont, CA Saturday, April 6, 2013 Cabrillo College, Aptos, CA

Sunday, May 12, 2013 - Spring Recital School of Arts & Culture at the Mexican Heritage Plaza, San Jose www.abhinaya.org or call (408) 871-5959 • abdanceco@gmail.com

Sri Lalitha Gana Vidyalaya Presents

Carnatic Vocal Arangetram (Solo Debut Concert)

Alekya Rajanala Disciple of Smt. Latha Sriram

(Artistic Director, Sri Lalitha Gana Vidyalaya) Accompanied by Sri Susheela Narasimhan on the Violin & Sri Balaji Mahadevan on the Mridangam

March 2, 2013 at 4:30PM

Gary Soren Smith Center, Ohlone College 43600 Mission Blvd., Fremont CA 94539

ALL ARE WELCOME 86 • india currents • february 2013

Bharathakala Kutiram presents

Bharatanatyam Arangetram of

Sowmya Sridharan Disciple of Smt. Jayanthi Sridharan (Artistic Director, Bharathakala Kutiram)

Saturday, March 30, 2013 • 4:00 PM McAfee Performing Arts Center Saratoga High School 20300 Herriman Ave., Saratoga, CA 95070 For information call:

(408) 251-3438 ADMISSION IS FREE — ALL ARE WELCOME

india currents • february 2013 • 87

Edited by: Mona

Shah

List your event for FREE!

MARCH issue deadline: Wednesday, February 20 To list your event in the Calendar, go to www.indiacurrents.com/submit-event and fill out the Web form

Check us out on Facebook and Twitter!

special dates Ash Wednesday

Feb. 13

Sarasvati Puja

Feb. 15

Vasanta Panchami

Feb. 15

President’s Day

Feb. 18

Maha Shivratri

March 10

IC February

cultural calendar

1 Friday

ICC Preschool Annual Session. An

integrated learning style. Indian traditions are reinforced through festival celebrations and activities including songs, arts and crafts, music, cooking and dramatic interpretation of Indian tales and mythology. Ends May 31. Organized by India Community Center. 9 a.m.-3 p.m. ICC Playcare, 525 Los Coches St., Milpitas. $99 per week. (408) 934-1130. indiaccevents@yahoo.com. www.indiacc.org/ preschool.

Women Immigrants Fellowship. New America Media launch’s their call for applications for the 2013 NAM Women Immigrants Fellowship Program, for journalists to report on the intersection of immigration and gender. This year 10 new journalists 88 • india currents • february 2013

Panel Discussion on Gender Discrimination and Violence in our South Asian Communities, Feb. 7

will be selected from U.S. ethnic media and mainstream media outlets. The fellowship includes a two-day training in Washington, D.C., on April 25-26; and the publication/ broadcast of an in-depth, substantive story (or series) focusing on the challenges and/or triumphs of immigrant women in the United States, before August 30, 2013. Fellows will receive a $2,000 stipend following publication/broadcast of their stories. Organized by New America Media. Applications must

be received by Tuesday, Feb 12, 5:00 pm Pacific Time. eshore@newamericamedia. org. newamericamedia.org/2013-nam-womenimmigrants-fellowship.php.

February

2 Saturday

Bharatnatyam and Kuchipudi Recital.

By Ganesh Vasudeva, Tejaswi Kondapalli and Sweta Ravi Sankar. Accompanied by a live

recommends

Michelle Baird

Upaj: Improvise

“T

wo cameras, five weeks, and 100 hours of footage. But where was the story?” is the conundrum that Producer Antara Bhardwaj, Producer of Upaj: Improvise, began with. She and her crew filmed Indian kathak master Pandit Chitresh Das and rising tap star Jason Samuels Smith on tour in India for India Jazz Suites, an east-west dance collaboration. The result is a 50-minute documentary of an unlikely but electrifying collaboration between a master steeped in the Indian classical tradition and a 28-year-old tap dancer from a streetwise American art form. “Guru-ji is 68 and has had a plethora of experience. Trying to encapsulate his life within 50 minutes? It was a little challenging, and it was a little challenging for him to realize this film is only about one part of his life,” explains Bhardwaj. Pandit Das is widely recognized as a virtuoso, and was awarded the National Heritage Fellowship by the U.S. government in 2009 for his work choreographing, composing, and directing. Das is committed to the concept of “innovation within tradition,” striving to create contemporary works rooted within the kathak tradition while running one of the largest Indian classical dance institutions in the world. Das has also served as an unlikely mentor for Jason Samuels Smith. Smith is an artist who has risen rapidly in the dance field over the past decade, receiving an Emmy and American Choreography Award in 2009. African-American tap and kathak are both percussive, and deeply rooted in improvisation, yet very different. Das brought Samuels to India for his first visit during the documentary, and the film documents this transformational experience. “India always changes people… and this is the story of the unlikely friendship of two people who’ve come together through an art form,” says Bhardwaj. For Bhardwaj, the documentary presented a personal challenge at an important period in her life. She had directed her own feature film and produced Jag Mundhra’s Shoot on Sight, featuring Naseeruddin Shah and Om Puri. Yet Bhardwaj found herself at a turning point with her work in filmmaking. “I didn’t want to live out of two suitcases anymore,” and she missed dancing while working on films, having trained with Das since childhood. Upaj gave her the opportunity to tour with Das while working on the film simultaneously, an in-

tensive process. “I was totally immersed,” she says. Bhardwaj first stumbled into the project when she saw sample scenes Rina Mehta, the Executive Producer of Upaj, had put together. Impressed by Hoku Uchiyama’s work as the film’s Director, Bhardwaj thought, “What is this project? Tap star Jason Samuels with Pandit Chitresh Das It was so near and dear to me. says Bhardwaj. Upaj, although a film about And I was blown away by Hoku’s artistry.” artistic improvisation, is also a film about Yet working on a documentary about one’s cultural improvisation as well. Uchiyama, teacher is a complicated proposition. “It’s a as well as crewman Shaun Jefford, had tough line to walk. I realized I shouldn’t try never been to India before. While filming to direct; there needs to be some distance the unique collaboration of two men from from the subject.” Knowing your subject is very different backgrounds on stage, the crucial for a documentary filmmaker, but so documentary crew was also bridging some is preserving objectivity. “At times I would important cultural divides of their own. watch scenes and cringe. Maybe this shows Yet it’s the personal reactions to her work my guru in a vulnerable way? I had to step that Bhardwaj finds most compelling. She back and realize how this was important to watches the audience react to the docuthe story… you don’t want to sensationmentary, “whether that’s being inspired, alize, and you don’t want to exploit” says intrigued by a subject they didn’t even Bhardwaj. know existed, touched by the passion” Working in a documentary format for and knows her process has facilitated a the first time was a transition for both proconnection between the audience and the ducer and director. “It was a rude awakenstory of the two artists on screen. ing. We both come from a narrative backUpaj will be screened at the anground” and working on a documentary nual Chitresh Das Dance Company and while filming in India proved to be a very Chhandam School of Kathak’s annual different experience. Moving from highly gala. A performance by the Chhandam scripted scenes to following a story as it Youth Dance Company will start the eveevolved in real time was initially an adjustning, followed by a screening of the film, ment for Bhardwaj. The process of produca performance by Das and Smith, and a tion also turned out to be a marathon. “I question and answer session with the had to let go and let this film take its time.” dancers, director, and producer. Dinner And the challenge of showing your film to will follow.n your subjects at the end and awaiting their reaction? “It was nerve-racking, showing Saturday, March 2, 5:30 reception, 6:30 the final cut. Everyone was watching in showing and performance. Computer Hisdifferent places. What would they think? tory Museum. 1401 North Shoreline BouleBut in the end they said, ‘Let’s go with it.’” vard, Mountain View. Tickets start at $250. “I’m proud of the unique insight I was Traditional attire. www.kathak.org. julie@ able to bring to a multi-ethnic team, some kathak.org. (415) 333-9000. of whom had never been to India before,” india currents • february 2013 • 89

its 12th year, Bollywood Berkeley showcases artistic and technical features of Bollywood dancing and the incredible talent of the top teams from around the nation. Teams representing different universities compete to win thousands of dollars in prizes and a bid to the Best of the Best Dance Competition in the spring to prove themselves as the premier dance team in the United States. Organized by Indus. 5:30 p.m. Paramount Theater, 2025 Broadway, Oakland. $27, $22. ucberkeleyindus.com/wordpress/events/bollywood-berkeley/.

February

3 Sunday

Kite-making Event for Kids. For kids

4 and above. One Parent must be present. Please RSVP (limited stock of raw materials). Organized by Hindu Swayam Sevak Sangh. 10-11:30 a.m. Creekside Park, Miller Ave., Cupertino. Free. hssDOTcupertino@gmail.com.

February

7 Thursday

Panel Discussion on Gender Discrimination and Violence in our South Asian Communities. The December 16th brutal Bharatanatyam performance by Nirupama Vaidhyanathan, Feb. 9

orchestra, Snigdha Venkatramani (vocal), Jayanti Sridharan (nattuvangam), Suriya Subramanyam (mridangam), Susheela Narasimhan (violin). Organized by Yuva Bharati. 4 p.m. Cubberley Theater, 4000 Middlefield Road, Palo Alto. Free. (650) 565-8859. yuva_ bharati@yahoo.com. www.yuvabharati.org.

Karnatik Vocal Concerts-Double Header. 5-5:30 p.m. Priyanka Parthasarathi (vocal),

rape and death of a young student in Delhi has rocked the Indian and global community. While this horrible act has us in shock, it has also opened up dialogue on why violence against women is so prevalent and accepted in our communities. With a specific focus on India, the panel discussion will address the environment and social fabric that allow heinous crimes against women to be committed in South Asia. It is also important to explore how those same values or biases affect our immigrant experiences in the US and impact future generations. 7 p.m. India Community

Center, 525 Los Coches St., Milpitas. (408) 934-1130. info@indiacc.org. www.indiacc.org.

February

Valentine Bash 2013. Dinner and

dance with singing segments by Raj Sohal, Mandeep Singh, Moonmita Gosh. Fashion Show by Sonali Closet, dances by Elena, bhangara dances by Bhangra Knightz ,. Organized by Peter Sahjani. 7 p.m.-12:30 a.m. Chandni Restaurant, 5748 Mowry School Road, Newark. $40. (510) 673-0153.

Traffic Light Themed Valentine Party.

You will get glow in the dark bracelets at the door. Red- No Chance, Yellow - Maybe?, Green - Your Place or Mine? Mingle mix, eat, drink, and dance to the latest Bollywood hits. Organized by Janta Connection. 9 p.m. Bamboo Lounge, 1355 N 4th St., San Jose. $10. (408) 569-2417.

February

Temple. 4 p.m. Cubberley Theatre, 4000 Middlefield Road, Palo Alto. $20, $35, $50, $75, $100. (510) 573-4787. mnallakumar@ yahoo.com.

Sarod Recital by Alam Khan. Organized

by Basant Bahar. 4:30-8 p.m. Shirdi Sai Parivar Auditorium, 1221 California Circle, Milpitas. Free for members; $25, non members. (510) 870-2244. contact@basantbahar.org. www.basantbahar.org.

Dil Se. Hindi geet-ghazals concert of

popular hits of Gulam Ali, Pankaj Udha, Jagjit Singh, Anup Jalota, Asha Bhonsle. Featuring Dimple Patel with Aanal-Anjaria, Hetal Brahmbhatt, Jaya Satish accompanied by Nilesh Dhomse (keyboard), Bawa Surjit (tabla) and Mike Nathaniel (guitar). Organized by Saptak Music Club. 7 p.m. Jain Temple Auditorium, 722 S. Main St., Milpitas. $15. (408) 646-0330. www.dimplepatel.com.

90 • india currents • february 2013

9 Saturday

Bharatanatyam Performance by Nirupama Vaidhyanathan and Senior Students. Fundraiser to benefit Shiva Murugan

Geeta Shankar (veena), Ajay Gopi (mridangam), 5:30-8 p.m. Anirudh Venkatesh (vocal), violin (TBA) Vignesh Venkataraman (mridangam), kanjira (TBA). Organized by Sri Ranga Ramanuja Maha Desikan Fine Arts (SR Fine Arts/SRFA). 5-8 p.m. Divine Science Community Center, 1540 Hick’s Av., San Jose . First concert is free. Second concert-TBA. (408) 569-0860. srfinearts2012@gmail.com. www. srfinearts.info.

Bollywood Berkeley. The largest intercollegiate Hindi Film Dance competition in

8 Friday

Bollywood Berkeley an intercollegiate hindi film dance competition, Feb. 2

india currents • february 2013 • 91

An Affair of the Heart. A Valentine ball

for the people who are in love. Featuring wine tasting, dinner, cocktails and a live DJ. Organized by WomenNow. 7 p.m. San Jose Airport Garden Hotel, 1740 North First St., San Jose. Singles, $39, Couples, $75. (408) 718-8707, (408) 881-5006.

February

10 Sunday

Gujjubhai Ni Golmaal-—A Gujarati Play. Organized by AAA Entertainments. 6

p.m. Carrington Hall. Sequoia High School, 1201 Brewster Ave., Redwood City. $45, $35, $25. (510) 304-2903, (510) 371-9999. www. aaaentertainments.com.

February

13 Wednesday

Night of January 16th—A courtroom drama presented by Naatak, Feb. 23, 24, March, 1,2.

Valentine’s Day Henna Evening. Get

ready for Valentine’s day with special henna. Jewellery and Indian dresses on display. Organized by BeautyShilp. 4 p.m. BeautShilp My Fair Lady Salon, 1072 Shell Blvd, Foster City. (650) 212-4274.

February

15 Friday

Vocal Music Concert. Nachiketa Yakkaundi (vocal), Ravi Gutala (tabla), vivek

Datar (harmonium). Student performance by Anupa Chakravoty (vocal). 7:30 p.m. Sangeetangali Kaksha, 39701 Logan Drive, Fremont. (510) 651-9149. www.sangeetaanjali. org.

February

22 Friday

Give Kids a Smile. February is National Children’s Dental Health Month. Uninsured children (ages 4-14 yrs) can get free dental cleaning and exam. Organized by Sikka Dental Corp. 8 a.m.-1 p.m. 150 N. Jackson Ave Suite 203, San Jose. Free. (408) 259-1280. info@sikkadental.com. www.DrSikka.com.

February

23 Saturday

Bharatanatyam Arangetram of Namratha Somayajula. Student of Indumathy

Ganesh, Artistic Director of Nrithyollasa Dance Academy. Accompanied by Indumathy Ganesh (choreography and nattuvangam), Asha Ramesh (vocal), N.Narayan (mridangam), Shanthi Narayan (violin). Organized by Nrithyollasa Dance Academy. 4-7 p.m. Jackson Theater, Ohlone College, 43600 Mission Blvd., Fremont. Free. (925) 469-1255. namrathasdance@gmail.com, info@nldance. com. www.nldance.com.

Musical Extravaganza—Hindustani Vocal and Sitar Concert. Featuring vocalist

Bharatanatyam Arangetram of Namratha Somayajula, Feb. 23 92 • india currents • february 2013

Madhuvanti Bhide, accompanied by Ravi Gutala (tabla), Anand Karve (harmonium). Sitarist Alif Laila of Washington DC, accompanied by Ustad Surinder Mann on tabla. Organized by Sangeet Dhwani and IND TV USA. 4-7 p.m. IND TV USA, 372 Turquoise St., Milpitas. General $20, VIP $30. (408) 935-8779. info@Indtvusa.com.

(408) 905-6831. tickets@naatak.org.

March

1 Friday

Night of January 16th—A Courtroom Drama. Featuring a sensational murder trial,

where the ravishing Radhika Roy stands trial for the murder of her boss and paramour, the financier Jai Walia. Witnesses for the prosecution and defense paint her alternately as shrewd and hapless, murderer and victim, schemer and pawn. At the end of the play, the verdict—guilty or not guilty—is rendered by the audience. First produced in 1934, Ayn Rand’s play was made into a Hollywood film and has been staged countless times. While Ayn Rand thought of the play as an expression of her Objectivist philosophy (which has been both admired and ridiculed), critics focused more on its complex plot, its melodrama, its gimmick of seating jurors from the audience on stage, and what they called “great entertainment.” Originally set in New York, the play has been adapted by Naatak. Organized by Naatak. 8 p.m. Cubberly Theater, 4000 Middlefield Road, Palo Alto. $15, Regular; $25 VIP, till February 3. (408) 9056831. tickets@naatak.org.

March

2 Saturday

Upanyasam- Karnatik Music Concerts. 2:15-3:15p.m.-Upanyasam In Tamizh Vocalist Madhuvanti Bhide performs, Feb. 23

Night of January 16th-A Courtroom Drama. Featuring a sensational murder trial,

where the ravishing Radhika Roy stands trial for the murder of her boss and paramour, the financier Jai Walia. Witnesses for the prosecution and defense paint her alternately as shrewd and hapless, murderer and victim, schemer and pawn. At the end of the play, the verdict—guilty or not guilty—is rendered by the audience. First produced in 1934, Ayn Rand’s play was made into a Hollywood film and has been staged countless times. While Ayn Rand thought of the play as an expression of her Objectivist philosophy (which has been both admired and ridiculed), critics focused more on its complex plot, its melodrama, its gimmick of seating jurors from the audience on stage, and what they called “great entertainment.” Originally set in New York, the play has been adapted by Naatak. Organized by Naatak. 6 p.m. Cubberley Theatre, 4000 Middlefield Road, Palo Alto. $15, Regular; $25 VIP, till February 3. (408) 905-6831. tickets@ naatak.org.

February

24 Sunday

Night of January 16th—A Courtroom Drama. Featuring a sensational murder trial, where the ravishing Radhika Roy stands trial for the murder of her boss and paramour, the financier Jai Walia. Witnesses for the prosecution and defense paint her alternately as shrewd and hapless, murderer and victim, schemer and pawn. At the end of the play, the verdict—guilty or not guilty—is rendered by the audience. First produced in 1934, Ayn Rand’s play was made into a Hollywood film and has been staged countless times. While Ayn Rand thought of the play as an expression of her Objectivist philosophy (which has been both admired and ridiculed), critics focused more on its complex plot, its melodrama, its gimmick of seating jurors from the audience on stage, and what they called “great entertainment.” Originally set in New York, the play has been adapted by Naatak. Organized by Naatak. 3 p.m. Cubberly Theater, 4000 Middlefield Road, Palo Alto. $15, Regular; $25 VIP, till February 3.

(Krishna Leela) Pat Krishnan and Sarathy Padmanabhan 3:30PM-5 p.m.-Vocal Concert featuring Pratibha Jagannathan (vocal), Priyanka Chary (veena), Amit Ranganathan (mridangam) 5 p.m.-Flute Concert featuring Mohan Rangan Govindaraj (flute), Hemmige V Srivatsan (violin), Karthik Gopalratnam (mridangam). Organized by Sri Ranga Ramanuja Maha Desikan Fine Arts (SR Fine Arts/SRFA). 2:15-8 p.m. Divine Science Community Center, 1540 Hick’s Ave., San Jose. Upanyasam (free), Pratibha Jagannathan (free), Flute- $10, General, $5 students/seniors. (408) 569-0860. srfinearts2012@gmail.com. www.srfinearts.info.

Karnatik Vocal Arangetram of Alekya Rajanala. Disciple of Latha Sriram, Artistic

Director, Sri Lalitha Gana Vidyalaya. Accompanied by Susheela Narasimhan (violin) and Balaji Mahadevan (mridangam). 4:30 p.m. Gary Soren Smith Center, Ohlone College, 43600 Mission Blvd., Fremont. Free. (510) 4683099, (510) 468-3100. arajanala@yahoo.com, rajanalak@yahoo.com.

Ek Bijane Nadta Rahiye—A Gujarati Play. A light hearted comedy about two

people who are both in need of companion india currents • february 2013 • 93

Hatti Hamlin

An Evening of Choice S

heena Iyengar, a Columbia Business School professor and researcher, will be the keynote speaker at the “Scarlet Night” fundraiser for the South Asian Heart Center. She will talk about her research on the subject of how people make choices. Bay Area NBC TV news anchor Raj Mathai will emcee the event, that features a hearthealthy banquet, live auction and entertainment by the Mona Khan Company. New this year is an exclusive “Scarlet Choice Reception” where Premier and VIP table holders can meet Dr. Iyengar, Raj Mathai, and other distinguished guests. “Combating heart disease in our South Asian community is all about ‘choice’,” explains Poornima Kumar, now in her second year as Scarlet Night co-chair. “That’s why Iyengar’s research should resonate with all of us. Even though our genetic predisposition and lifestyles make us four times more susceptible to heart disease and diabetes, we have the choice to adopt healthy habits that level the genetic playing field.” Iyengar agrees. “People often see their lives in terms of fate, but each of us has the power to choose what we’ll do with what we’ve been given. Making a few careful choices each day can make the difference in your life,” she says. Born in Toronto, Canada, Iyengar’s family emigrated to the U.S. when she was a young girl. At a very young age she was diagnosed with a rare inherited form of retinal degeneration and had lost her sight entirely by the 11th grade. When she was just 13, her father died of a heart attack, an all-too frequent occurrence in the South Asian community. In her book, The Art of Choosing, she says these apparently random misfortunes

Poornima Kumar and Rita Sharma, organizers 94 • india currents • february 2013

NBC-TV News anchor, Raj Mathai

were what led to her fascination with how people make choices. She writes: “For a blind Sikh girl otherwise subject to so many restrictions, [choice] was a very powerful idea. I could have thought of my life as already written, which would have been more in line with my parents’ views. Or I could have thought of it as a series of accidents beyond my control, which was one way to account for my blindness and my father’s death. However, it seemed much more promising to think of it in terms of choice, in terms of what was still possible and what I could make happen.” After graduating from the University of Pennsylvania, Iyengar earned a Ph.D. in social psychology at Stanford University, writing a powerful, award-winning dissertation, “Choice and its Discontents,” that asks whether there are circumstances in which people are better off when they have their choice limited or entirely removed. “Iyengar’s achievements were facilitated by her own choice to see life’s potential rather than its inherent limitations,” says Nimish Mehta, gala co-chairman and CEO/ Co-Founder of Lumen Data. “Her life can inspire all South Asians-we can either sit back and wait for our genes and unhealthy lifestyles take over, or choose to take charge and prevent heart disease and diabetes.” The annual Scarlet Night gala raises much-needed funds for the South Asian Heart Center’s annual operations. Over 60 percent of the funding is spent on prevention with the remainder going to outreach, research and education. Less than 10 percent is spent for general and administrative

operations and fundraising. The Center has screened over 4,000 participants, casemanaged 1,600 high risk individuals for a year or more, created a Bay Area network of over 300 referring physicians, and trained 800 physicians on practice methods for early diagnosis, comprehensive evaluation and lifestyle changes.n Saturday, March 9, 6 to 11:30 p.m. Mission Ballroom, Santa Clara Convention Center, 5001 Great America Parkway, Santa Clara. (650) 940-7242. www.southasianheartcenter.org/scarlet. scarlet@southasianheartcenter.org.

Sheela Iyengar, keynote speaker

presents

Bharatanatyam Arangetram of

Namratha Somayajula Disciple of Guru Smt. Indumathy Ganesh, Artistic Director

Saturday, February 23, 2013 • 4:00 PM Jackson Theater, Ohlone College 43600 Mission Blvd., Fremont, CA 94539 Choreography & Nattuvangam: Vocal: Mridangam: Violin:

Indumathy Ganesh Asha Ramesh N. Narayanan Shanthi Narayan

For more information email:

ADMISSION IS FREE — ALL ARE WELCOME

namrathasdance@gmail.com Nrithyollasa: (510) 623-8230 • info@nldance.com

Palmdale Estates We specialize in Indian Ceremonies & Receptions

INDIA CURRENTS GRAPHICS (408) 324-0488

• Two built-in mandaps in the garden

• Indian Cuisine (Punjabi, South-Indian, Gujarati) For further information please call (925) 462-1783 e-mail: Veenaatpalmdale@mac.com • www.palmdaleestates.com 159 Washington Blvd., Fremont, CA 94539 PICTURE COURTESY

WEDDINGDOCUMENTARY.COM

india currents • february 2013 • 95

96 • india currents • february 2013

with screen presence and poise, and have always wanted to be on Television, then this is the break you have been looking for. Organized by Rennu Dhillon, India Pageants and NRI Global Pageants. 3-6 p.m. Ohlone College, 43600 Mission Blvd., Fremont. www. facebook.com/events/117251158447124/.

March

9 Saturday

Scarlet Night Gala— A Fundraiser for South Asian Heart Center. Annual gala

to raise funds for community awareness, primary prevention, physician education, and clinical research of the heart disease epidemic amongst South Asians. Organized by South Asian Heart Center. 6 p.m. Santa Clara Convention Center, Mission Ballroom, 5001 Great America Pkwy., Santa Clara. $150, $250. (650) 940-7242. info@southasianheartcenter.org. www.southasianheartcenter.org/index.php.

March

Karkatik vocal arangetram of Alekya Rajanala, March 2

ship. Both agree to get married and are ready to face the consequences. But they were not aware that their main opposition would come in the face of their own family members, Mukesh`s mother and Menaka`s daughter. Organized by AAA Entertainments. 6 p.m. Carrington Hall, Sequoia High School, 1201 Brewstwe Ave., Redwood City. $75-$25. (510) 565-9518.

Night of January 16th—A Courtroom Drama. Featuring a sensational murder trial,

Palo Alto. $15, Regular; $25 VIP, till February 3. (408) 905-6831. tickets@naatak.org.

10 Sunday

Walk/Run Kiran Anjali Project. 5K/10K walk/run in Walnut Creek to benefit education for disadvantaged girls in India. Organized by Kiran-Anjali Project. 8 a.m. Rancho San Miguel Swim Club, 2727 San Carlos Drive, Walnut Creek . $25 early registration, $40 on-site registration. (925) 330-0645, (925) 954-7881. s_hoye@yahoo. com, uvjb@yahoo.com. www.kapimpactrun. com, kaproject.org/events.

UPAJ (Improvise). Be the first to go behind the scenes in a collaboration featuring kathak icon Pandit Chitresh Das and tap sensation Jason Samuels Smith. As the two join forces, an unlikely friendship develops that bridges continents, generations, cultures and communities. As part of an annual gala with fine dining and live performance by Pandit Das and Jason Samuels Smith. Organized by Chitresh Das Dance Company. 5:30 p.m. Computer History Museum, 1401 North Shoreline Blvd., Mountain View. (415) 333-9000. julie@kathak.org. www. kathak.org.

March

3 Sunday

The Face and Voice of Tomorrow. A competition in search for the Face and Voice of Tomorrow. The winner(s) of this event will have the opportunity to become presenters for one or more of the following media companies: Andaaz TV, Diya TV, Sitaarre TV and TV Asia. If you love talking, are opinionated, passionate, and charming,

Sarod recital by Alam Khan, Feb. 9 india currents • february 2013 • 97

Have you had an inspirational experience? Share it with the readers of India Currents! India Currents runs monthly spiritual essays written by members of the community. We accept spiritual or religious-themed essays from any religion, denomination, or lack thereof. Sitarist Alif Laila performs, Feb. 23

March

13 Wednesday

Krishna, the Beloved—A Play. The

Bhagavad Gita is a guide to the spiritual life in the form of a conversation between Krishna and his closest disciple, Arjuna. Living Wisdom School performs this is a

full-scale production. Ends March 16. 10 a.m. Ananda Church, 2171 El Camino Real, Palo Alto. $12 adults, $7 children. (650) 462-8150. www.anandapaloalto.org. © Copyright 2012 India Currents. All rights reserved. Reproduction for commercial use strictly prohibited.

Sankalpa Dance Foundation

India Currents looks for pieces that are written from a personal standpoint, rather than academic. If interested, please send your 600-800-word submissions to Mona Shah at events@indiacurrents.com.

Presents A fundraiser on behalf of the expansion of the Shiva Murugan Temple, Concord

“Drishta Kaavya: Visual Poetry” A full-length production by Nirupama Vaidyanathan & her students

Saturday, February 9, 2013 • 4 pm Cubberley Theater 4000 Middlefield Road, Palo Alto, CA Donation: $20, $35, $50, $75 & $100 Contact: sankalpadance@yahoo.com Kausalya Hart (510) 525-1793 98 • india currents • february 2013

india currents • february 2013 • 99

100 • india currents • february 2013

Om Sri Mathre Namaha

Vaidica Vidhya Ganapathi Center

SRI LAKSHMI GANAPATHI TEMPLE 32B Rancho Drive, San Jose, CA 95111

(Capitol Expressway West and Montrey Road Junction, Opposite and 1 Block from Capitol Cal Train Station)

(408) 226-3600

• www.vvgc.org or siliconvalleyhindutemple.com

APPEAL TO THE DEVOTEES SRI LAKSHMI GANAPATHI TEMPLE (VVGC) 11355 MONTEREY HWY., SAN MARTIN, CA 95046

NEW SITE PROJECT (12.7 ACRES OF LAND) OUR APPEAL TO THE BAY AREA COMMUNITY • PLEASE SUPPORT Dear Devotees, VVGC sincerely appreciates the continued support over the years. It has not only outgrown its capacity to accommodate the increasing number of devotees from many faiths, but has also been facing challenges such as inadequate parking. VVGC is in the process of acquiring a much larger plot of land, about 12.7 acres, at 11355 Monterey Road in San Martin, CA (About 18 miles from the present location). We are currently working with Santa Clara County to obtain the necessary permits, and will start offering regular services at the new site as soon as we get the use permit. We hope to move to the new location gradually within the next 9 months. The estimated cost of the land is about $1.5 million. VVGC has embarked on an ambitious fund raising campaign for the first time, and requests the devotees to come forward to either make a donation, for which a receipt will be mailed OR make a pledge (loan) payable to VVGC. We will mail you the promissory note. All donations are tax deductible, to the extent allowed under the Law. Please make the check payable to VVGC with a memo at the bottom to read "San Martin Site” Mail to: VVGC, 32 Rancho Drive, San Jose, CA 95111 YOUR CAN DONATE ONLINE FROM THE WWW.VVGC.ORG WEBSITE BY USING CREDIT/DEBIT CARD OR PAYPAL ACCOUNT BY CLICKING ON THE PAYPAL DONATE BUTTON

Your support is absolutely essential for this ambitious plan. VVGC is committed to provide the excellent traditional services that the Hindu community in the Bay Area has enjoyed over the past few years. In addition we plan to conduct Yoga, Meditation, Music and Language classes as well as facilities such as an Auditorium and a Library.

Thanks VVGC

Please feel free to contact any of the volunteers listed below. Subramaniam Y. Dixit (408) 628-9166 • RamKumar (503) 997-5368 Sarangapani (408) 332-9894 • Sriram (650) 438-5477 FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE GO THE WWW.VVGC.ORG WEB SITE india currents • february 2013 • 101

reflections

Mimm Patterson

Naked Yogis and Toe Socks: Where is the Heart in American Yoga

live in a corner of the world that celebrates all things young, beautiful and thin. I work here, too, in an industry that equates lean, muscular physiques with depth of knowledge and fine spiritual pursuits. It’s a competitive and sometimes elitist industry that generates close to six billion dollars each year in the sale of clothes, accessories, props, fees and memberships. I am a yoga teacher. I am not lean and muscular. I’m a curvy yoga teacher with size 12 hips trying to push back against the industry’s trend toward exclusivity. I’m a yoga teacher who doesn’t fit in. “Yoga is meeting with that which you already are.” If what Bay Area teacher Anirudh Shastri says is true then the sexing-up of modern American yoga with featured ads of Kathryn Budig naked but for a pair of toeless socks shouldn’t bother me. If yoga has introduced me to my basic and perfect nature, as Shastri suggests, then what else do I need? Who else do I need to be except my beautiful, round self? I am all that. We are all that: heart, mind and spirit no matter our shape. Embracing yoga as a personal practice, therefore, requires nothing more than right intention, comfortable clothes and empty space. But what is right intention? To awaken the body or to awaken Kundalini? Perhaps both. Can my clothes be torn sweats and a tee shirt or do they have to be fashioned from the latest sweat wicking micro-fiber tailored to lift and mold the sagging bits? Let’s face it. The pressure is on to be pretty. Likewise, should the space in which we practice be four raw walls and a dirt floor? Or must it be a state-of-the-art computer guided environment capable of producing through controlled lighting and pristine acoustics any atmosphere the yogi desires? As one who practices yoga, I should be able to move beyond the blinding reflection of airbrushed bodies, pretty clothes, perfect lighting and hip hopped chanting. But can I? I sat down with Shastri and John Berg for coffee on a bright and blustery afternoon in Midtown, Palo Alto. We were a short walk away from the newly opened Samyama Yoga Center (SYC). I would describe Samyama as jaw-dropping. John is the owner and director. He would describe Samyama as being a direct result of 102 • india currents • february 2013

his teaching philosophy; how he likes to teach and what he likes to see in a yoga studio. John’s journey to yoga began in 1999 towards the end of his treatment for non-Hodgkins lymphoma. “I didn’t find yoga.” He pauses. “Yoga found me.” After two years of intense practice he attended a training course where Shastri was teaching philosophy. In the tradition of all great partnerships, John says of meeting his close friend, “It was as if Yoga teacher Kathryn Budig, photo by Jasper Johal we had always known one citrus fruit. Sometimes I envy teachers caanother.” pable of setting their humility aside in order Anirudh Shastri describes himself as “a to contribute something they believe is new. fat kid from an orthodox Brahmin family.” The teachers who, as John says, “grab hold of His parents enrolled him in a yoga class as a a tradition, overlay a new language and then child in order for him to lose weight. He dename it after themselves.” scribes the experience: “Ashram in the mornBut I’m still learning. I’ll always be learning at 4:30, then school, then ashram, school ing. and home.” His training included thouI don’t try to hide my flaws. If anything sands of hours of difficult mentorship with a I embrace them. I think I hope that if I love teacher he both feared and loved, including the envy that vexes me enough it will someone full year of Suryanamaskar and in-depth how melt away so that I can see the truth. study of the Bhagavad Gita and Patanjali’s And maybe the truth is that the quesSutras. Shastri is a Senior Instructor and the tion, “is the commercialization of yoga in Co-Director of Teacher Education at SYC. America good or bad” is moot. The moment I discovered yoga during a 1974 high Swami Vivekananda stepped on the stage school gym class. When our teacher asked us at the Chicago World’s Fair in 1893 yoga in to sit quietly and close our eyes I felt someAmerica became a business. And how does a thing happen inside me that I can’t explain business succeed? Commercial advertising. and have sometimes doubted but have never Commercialization, therefore, is not the forgotten. Ten years later I walked into my shiny, blinding impenetrable evil wall my first yoga class and ten years after that, in envy wanted to make me believe it is. Rather, 1994, began to teach. One of the places I it’s like a theatre scrim. Illuminate it from teach is Samyama. the front and that’s all we’ll see—the smiling Despite our varied backgrounds Shastri, models, the fancy clothes. Illuminate a scrim John and I tend to agree on most things. And from behind and all those things will still so I had expectations for our coffee klatch. be there, but we’ll see through them to the But the conversation took an unexpected heart of yoga. We’ll see what Shastri calls, turn when they said, “the richness of the teachings.” “Commercialization of yoga is good.” And if that’s the truth—the real truth — It wasn’t what I wanted to hear. It was then maybe I do fit in after all. n something I needed to hear. Their conviction that commercialism brought people to the For the better part of two decades Mimm has practice gave me pause. I had some thinking been a yoga teacher, massage therapist, reflexto do. ologist and writer. When she’s not balancing To be honest, envy clouds my judgement. in Ardha Chandrasana or wrestling with a I envy graceful magazine models taking a sentence, she’s either playing her guitar or challenging asana with a bright smile and doing homework. This year she begins work no sweat. I envy anyone who can afford let toward her master’s degree in transpersonal alone fit into cute yoga ensembles from the psychology at Sofia University. shop named after a cartoon character and a

spirituality and health

February

1 Friday

Saraswati Durga Pooja. 6:30 p.m. Balaji Temple, 5004 N. First St, San Jose. (408) 2031036, (408) 956-9050. balajitemple1@gmail. com. www.balajitemple.net, www.balajimatha. org.

February

2 Saturday

Avoiding Reincarnation. Too often our

habitual responses, desires, and attachments result in a sense of anguishing monotony. How do we get beyond our limiting habits, to remember our true, creative nature of Divine Joy?. 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Ananda Church, 2171 El Camino Real, Palo Alto. $30. (650) 323-3363. www.anandapaloalto.org.

Sri Sundarakanda Ramayana by Gowswami Tulsidas. Group singing of Shri

Sundarakanda of the Ramayana. Followed by aarati and mahaprasad. 2:30 p.m. Badarikashrama, 15602 Maubert Ave., San Leandro. Free. (510) 278-2444. badarik@pacbell.net. www. badarikashrama.org.

February

3 Sunday

Uniting Your Will With God’s Infinite Powe. Organized by Self-Realization Fellowship. SRF Center Sacramento, 4513 North Ave., Sacramento. (916) 483-9644. SRF Center Los Gatos, 303 E. Main St., Los Gatos. (408) 252-5299. Richmond Temple, 6401 Bernhard Ave., Richmond. (510) 232-6652. www. yogananda-srf.org. Contact temples for times.

The Essence of Civilization. Sunday lecture by Swami Tattwamayananda. Organized by Vednata Society. 11 a.m. Vedanta Society of Northern California, 2323 Vallejo Street, San Francisco. (415) 922-2323. temple@sfvedanta.org. www.sfvedanta.org Sri Ramanama Sankirtana and Meditation. Singing of Ramayana slokas. Followed

by aarati and mahaprasad. 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Badarikashrama, 15602 Maubert Ave., San Leandro. Free. (510) 278-2444. badarik@pacbell.net. www.badarikashrama.org.

Lalitha Sahasranama Stotram. 7 p.m. Balaji Temple, 5004 N. First St, San Jose. (408) 203-1036, (408) 956-9050. balajitemple1@ gmail.com. www.balajitemple.net, www.balajimatha.org.

Swami Vivekananda’s 150th anniversary, various events

February

6 Wednesday

Ekadesi Vishnu Sahasranama Strotram.

7 p.m. Balaji Temple, 5004 N. First St, San Jose. (408) 203-1036, (408) 956-9050. balajitemple1@gmail.com. www.balajitemple.net, www.balajimatha.org.

February

7 Thursday

Pradosham Rudraabhishekam. 5:30 p.m. Balaji Temple, 5004 N. First St, San Jose. (408) 203-1036, (408) 956-9050. balajitemple1@gmail.com. www.balajitemple.net, www. balajimatha.org. Learn to Meditate. Meditation is one of

the most natural and rewarding of all human activities. It gives direct, intuitive experience of higher realities, and is the cornerstone of true spirituality. Ends Feb. 28. 7:30-9 p.m. Ananda Church, 2171 El Camino Real, Palo Alto. $60. (650) 323-3363. www.anandapaloalto.org.

February

8 Friday

Boundless Wisdom. Delve deeply into the knowledge expounded in Advaita Vedanta texts. Verses are read aloud, commentary is offered, and dialogues usually follow. T. 8-9:30 p.m. Society of Abidance in Truth (SAT), 1834 Ocean St., Santa Cruz. Free. (831) 425-7287. sat@cruzio.com. www.SATRamana.org.

February

2 Saturday

2-Day Meditation Training Program For Young Aspirants. An effective meditation

method to understand the meaning of existence and to realize their full potential. The course provides an overview of the Natural Path, also known as Pranahuti, aided meditation, a new system of raja-yoga for Self Realization. Ends Feb. 10. 9:30 a.m.-6 p.m. Private Residence, Heathrow Terrace, Fremont. Free. (510) 405-1630. shishir.joshi@sriramchandra. org. www.sriramchandra.org.

india currents • february 2013 • 103

February

9 Saturday

Amavasya Siva Abhishekam. 9:30 a.m. Ba-

laji Temple, 5004 N. First St, San Jose. (408) 203-1036, (408) 956-9050. balajitemple1@ gmail.com. www.balajitemple.net, www.balajimatha.org.

Free 2-Day Meditation Training Program For Young Aspirants. An effec-

tive meditation method to understand the meaning of existence and to realize their full potential. The course provides an overview of the Natural Path, also known as Pranahuti, aided meditation, a new system of raja-yoga for Self Realization. Ends Feb. 10. 9:30 a.m.6 p.m. Mission St., and 10th, Downtown San Francisco. Free. (510) 468-8181. sastry@sriramchandra.org. www.sriramchandra.org.

February

10 Sunday

Does Satan Really Exist? Organized by

Self-Realization Fellowship. SRF Center Sacramento, 4513 North Ave., Sacramento. (916) 483-9644. SRF Center Los Gatos, 303 E. Main St., Los Gatos. (408) 252-5299. Richmond Temple, 6401 Bernhard Ave., Richmond. (510) 232-6652. www.yogananda-srf.org. Contact temples for times.

Haridasa Celebration. An annual func-

tion honoring the saints and poets of the Haridasa Movement, also called the Bhakti Movement in Karnatik from the 13th to the 16th centuries, still sung today. Participants include Asha Prabha, students of Shakuntala Murthy, students of Jayashree Varadarajan, Susheel Narisimhan and students, Padmaja Kishore and students. Followed by aarati and mahaprasad. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Badarikashrama, 15602 Maubert Ave., San Leandro. Free. (510) 278-2444. badarik@pacbell.net. www.badarikashrama.org.

Lalitha Sahasranama Stotram. 7 p.m. Balaji Temple, 5004 N. First St, San Jose. (408) 203-1036, (408) 956-9050. balajitemple1@ gmail.com. www.balajitemple.net, www.balajimatha.org.

February

14 Thursday

Vasanta Panchami Saraswati Pooja. 9

a.m. Balaji Temple, 5004 N. First St, San Jose. (408) 203-1036, (408) 956-9050. balajitemple1@gmail.com. www.balajitemple.net, www. balajimatha.org.

February

16 Saturday

104 • india currents • february 2013

Ratha Sapthami Balaji Suprabhatam and Abhishekam. 8:30 a.m. Balaji Temple,

5004 N. First St, San Jose. (408) 203-1036, (408) 956-9050. balajitemple1@gmail.com. www.balajitemple.net, www.balajimatha.org.

February

17 Sunday

The True Meaning of Self Realization.

Organized by Self-Realization Fellowship. SRF Center Sacramento, 4513 North Ave., Sacramento. (916) 483-9644. SRF Center Los Gatos, 303 E. Main St., Los Gatos. (408) 2525299. Richmond Temple, 6401 Bernhard Ave., Richmond. (510) 232-6652. www.yoganandasrf.org. Contact temples for times.

Swami Vivekananda’s Contribution to Religious Thought. Sunday lecture

by Swami Tattwamayananda. Organized by Vednata Society. 11 a.m. Vedanta Society of Northern California, 2323 Vallejo Street, San Francisco. (415) 922-2323. temple@sfvedanta. org. www.sfvedanta.org.

Yoga and Chakra awareness, Feb. 23

Pradosham Rudrabhishekam. 5:30 p.m. Kirtan and talk on Sri Bhagavad Gita.

Group kirtan followed by a talk on the Bhagavad Gita by Shashidar Karnad. Followed by aarati and mahaprasad. 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Badarikashrama, 15602 Maubert Ave., San Leandro. Free. (510) 278-2444. badarik@ pacbell.net. www.badarikashrama.org.

Vasavi Devi Abhishekam. Pooja, bhajans

and potluck prasadam. 4 p.m. Balaji Temple, 5004 N. First St, San Jose. (408) 203-1036, (408) 956-9050. balajitemple1@gmail.com. www.balajitemple.net, www.balajimatha.org.

Krithika Subramanya Swami Abhishekam. 6:30 p.m. Balaji Temple, 5004 N. First

St, San Jose. (408) 203-1036, (408) 956-9050. balajitemple1@gmail.com. www.balajitemple. net, www.balajimatha.org.

February

18 Monday

Rohini Madhwa Navami Vishnu Sahasra Nama Stotram. Noon. Balaji Temple, 5004 N. First St, San Jose. (408) 203-1036, (408) 956-9050. balajitemple1@gmail.com. www.balajitemple.net, www.balajimatha.org.

February

21 Thursday

Ekadasi Vishnu Sahasra Nama Stotram. Shirdi Sai Baba aarti. 7 p.m. Balaji Temple, 5004 N. First St, San Jose. (408) 203-1036, (408) 956-9050. balajitemple1@gmail.com. www.balajitemple.net, www.balajimatha.org.

February

22 Friday

Balaji Temple, 5004 N. First St, San Jose. (408) 203-1036, (408) 956-9050. balajitemple1@gmail.com. www.balajitemple.net, www. balajimatha.org.

Ramana Darshanam. Passages are read aloud, and their meanings are explained in detail. Dialogues occur in which aspirants raise questions from their own practices and receive answers so to provide better absorption and a deeper, extensive understanding of the Knowledge. 8-9:30 p.m. Society of Abidance in Truth (SAT), 1834 Ocean St., Santa Cruz. Free. (831) 425-7287. sat@cruzio.com. www.SATRamana.org.

February

23 Saturday

Yoga and Chakra Awareness. Experience

a gentle routine designed for chakra awareness, followed by a short meditation. You’ll be guided through a series of yoga postures combined with affirmations, visualizations of colors, attitudes, elements and sounds related to your inner energy system. 9:30 a.m.12:30 p.m. Ananda Church, 2171 El Camino Real, Palo Alto. $30. (650) 323-3363. www. anandapaloalto.org.

Swami Vivekananda’s 150th Anniversary Celebration. The morning program

starts with a panel discussion about “Yoga and the American Quest for Freedom.” Speakers include Michael Krasny (host of KQED’s Forum), Jacob Needleman (professor of Philosophy, San Francisco State University), Ann Louise Bardach (writer-at-large for Newsweek Global/The Daily

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Beast, currently writing a book about Swami Vivekananda) and Swami Tattwamayananda (vedic scholar and teacher). The afternoon program features a multimedia presentation, “Freedom: The Song of the Soul.” Discover the fascinating and inspiring life and teachings of Swami Vivekananda in a presentation weaving together his words, photos and live music. Organized by Vedanta Society of Northern California. 10:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Palace of Fine Arts Theatre, 3301 Lyon St., San Francisco . Free. (415) 922-2323. sfvedanta. org, vedanta.eventbrite.com.

Hanuman Abhishekam. Sundar khanda

and potluck prasadam. 5:30 p.m. Balaji Temple, 5004 N. First St, San Jose. (408) 2031036, (408) 956-9050. balajitemple1@gmail. com. www.balajitemple.net, www.balajimatha. org.

February

24 Sunday

The Way to Mental Freedom. Organized

by Self-Realization Fellowship. SRF Center Sacramento, 4513 North Ave., Sacramento. (916) 483-9644. SRF Center Los Gatos, 303 E. Main St., Los Gatos. (408) 252-5299. Richmond Temple, 6401 Bernhard Ave., Richmond. (510) 232-6652. www.yogananda-srf.org. Contact temples for times.

Swami Vivekananda’s Contribution to Religious Thought. Sunday lecture

by Swami Tattwamayananda. Organized by Vedanata Society. 11 a.m. Vedanta Society of Northern California, 2323 Vallejo Street, San Francisco. (415) 922-2323. temple@sfvedanta. org. www.sfvedanta.org.

Sri Satyanarayana Swami Puja and Kirtan. Followed by aarati and mahaprasad. 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Badarikashrama, 15602 Maubert Ave., San Leandro. Free. (510) 278-2444. badarik@pacbell.net. badarikashrama.org.

Poornima Sri Satyanarayana Pooja. 6:30 p.m. Balaji Temple, 5004 N. First St, San Jose. (408) 203-1036, (408) 956-9050. balajitemple1@gmail.com. www.balajitemple.net, www. balajimatha.org.

February

25 Monday

Pradosham Sri Rudrabhishekam. 7 p.m. Balaji Temple, 5004 N. First St, San Jose. (408) 203-1036, (408) 956-9050. balajitemple1@gmail.com. www.balajitemple.net, www. balajimatha.org.

February

28 Thursday

Sankata Hara Chaturthi. 7 p.m. Balaji 106 • india currents • february 2013

Micheal Krasny speaks on a panel for Swami Vivekananda’s Anniversary celebration, Feb. 23

Temple, 5004 N. First St, San Jose. (408) 2031036, (408) 956-9050. balajitemple1@gmail. com. www.balajitemple.net, www.balajimatha. org.

March

3 Sunday

The Eternal Blessings of a True Guru.

March

8 Friday

Special Kirtan Celebrating Shivaratri. 7:30 p.m. Ananda Church, 2171 El Camino Real, Palo Alto. Free. (650) 323-3363. www. anandapaloalto.org.

Boundless Wisdom. Delve deeply into the

Knowledge expounded in Advaita Vedanta texts by sages such as Ribhu and Adi Sankara. The verses or passages are read aloud, commentary is offered, and dialogues usually follow. 8-9:30 p.m. Society of Abidance in Truth (SAT), 1834 Ocean St., Santa Cruz. Free. (831) 425-7287. sat@cruzio.com. www. SATRamana.org.

March

10 Sunday

Kriya Yoga: Universal Science of GodRelalization. Organized by Self-Realization

Fellowship. SRF Center Sacramento, 4513 North Ave., Sacramento. (916) 483-9644. SRF Center Los Gatos, 303 E. Main St., Los Gatos. (408) 252-5299. Richmond Temple, 6401

Bernhard Ave., Richmond. (510) 232-6652. www.yogananda-srf.org. Contact temples for times.

Mahasivaratri. Meditation, readings, recitations, and puja to Siva and Sri Ramana Maharshi. Ends March 11. 7:30 p.m.-6 a.m. Society of Abidance in Truth (SAT), 1834 Ocean St., Santa Cruz. Free. (831) 425-7287. sat@cruzio.com. satramana.org/html/mahasivaratri.htm.

March

14 Thursday

Learn to Meditate. Meditation is one of

the most natural and rewarding of all human activities. It gives direct, intuitive experience of higher realities, and is the cornerstone of true spirituality. Ends March 28. 7:30-9 p.m. Ananda Church, 2171 El Camino Real, Palo Alto. $45. (650) 323-3363. www.anandapaloalto.org.

Maarch

15 Friday

The Nondual Self-Inquiry Retreat. Fo-

cuses on the nature of the Self, the natural state of Self-Realization, the introspective inquiry that results in this Realization, the nature of happiness, the nature of Being, the nature of Consciousness, and transcendence of the body, mind, and ego. Provides time for silent meditation. Ends March 17. 10 a.m. Society of Abidance in Truth (SAT), 1834 Ocean St., Santa Cruz. Registration Required. (831) 425-7287. sat@cruzio.com. www.satramana.org/html/nonduality_and_ self-inquiry_re.htm. © Copyright 2012 India Currents. All rights reserved. Reproduction for commercial use strictly prohibited.

spiritual growth

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All kinds of Hindu traditional Pujas and homas Ganapathi, Navagraha, Vasthu, Ayushya Homas, Marriages, Seemantham, Nama-karnam, Upanayanam, Sathyanarayana Puja, Lakshmi Puja, Durga Sapthasathi Yanthra Puja. Hiranya Sradha and last rites. American born children’s horoscopes.

Pt. Ganesh Sasthry

5639 Kimberly Street, San Jose, CA 95129

Home (408) 245-5443 Cell (925) 209-7637

Kabalikarpaga@hotmail.com

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VEDIC SAMPRADAYA RITUALS ALL TRADITIONAL HINDU PUJAS & HOMAS LIKE:

• Ganapati, Navagraha Homas • Upanayana, Seemantham, Marriages • Sradha, Funeral Services Classes in Puja Vidhi & Veda Chanting

PANDIT RAVICHANDRAN

Veda Pandit • Sahitya Siromani 1193 Bluebell Drive, Livermore, CA 94550

(925) 449-0620

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108 • india currents • february 2013

Daily Schedule Temple Timings: Monday - Friday: 7:30 AM to 1:00 PM and 4:00 PM to 8:30 PM Weekends & Holidays: 7:30 AM to 8:30 PM Every Day Morning Abhisheka, Pooja & Aarti 07:30 – 08:00 AM Every Day Afternoon Vishnu Sahasranama Stotram 12:00 -- 12:30 PM Every Day Evening Abhisheka, Pooja & Aarti 07:00 – 08:00 PM Weekdays Every Monday Rudrabhishekam (Lord Shiva Pooja) 07:00 – 08:00 PM Every Tuesday Hanuman, Durga and Subramanya Pooja 07:30 – 08:00 PM Every Wednesday Vishnu Sahasranama Stotram 07:30 – 08:00 PM Every Thursday Shirdi Sai Bajans 07:30 – 08:00 PM Every Friday Durga, Lalitha Stotram, Santoshi, Saraswati Pooja 07:30 – 08:00 PM Every Saturday Sri Venkateshwara Suprabhatam Seva & Vishnu Stotram 08:00 AM Every Sunday Childrens Class, Bhajans Pooja and Aarti 11.00 AM and 07:00 PM Monthly Activities Every Purnima Satyanarayana Pooja 6.30 PM Every Sankastha Chaturth Sri Ganesha Pooja 07:00 PM Every Amavasya Sri Rudrabhishekam 07:00 PM

Gurur gurutamo dhama satyah satya-parakramah | Nimisho animishah sragvi vachaspatir udaradhih ||

The guru is the teacher of all forms of knowledge. He also gives knowledge of the Lord. He is the brilliance that embodies the virtue of truth and unfailing valor. Even if his eyelids are closed, he is ever awake. He is the master of knowledge and his intellect perceives everything.

Balaji temple in San Jose is a non-profit organization, formed to promote the universal truth of the Vedas and Upanishads of India, namely that god is omnipotent, omniscient and omnipresent. Swami Anandanatha, who has dedicated his life to the Balaji temple, has been helping devotees in their spiritual quest in the form of worship, prayer and discourses on spiritual subjects and life histories of great saints. We the temple management solicits your earnest support and generosity to contribute liberally for the successful completion of temple. All Donations are tax deductable as allowable under the law. EIN 202575264

5004 N. First St, San Jose, CA 95002 • www.balajitemple.net • www.balajimatha.org balajitemple1@gmail.com • (408) 203-1036 • (408) 956-9050 • www.balajitemple.net • www.balajimatha.org

india currents • february 2013 • 109

the healthy life

Peeyush Bhargava

Obesity, Metabolic Fire, and Ayurveda In today’s society obesity is an epidemic. It is a risk factor for many chronic diseases and is increasing to widespread proportions globally. There are more than 1.5 billion overweight adults worldwide, of which 400 million are clinically obese. Once considered an affliction of affluent societies, overweight and obesity are now dramatically on the rise in low- and middle-income countries, especially in urban areas. Obesity-related conditions include heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes and certain types of cancer, some of the leading causes of preventable death. Most available methods to treat obesity are unnatural, may have serious adverse effects, and fail to address the lifestyle choices which lead to weight gain in the first place. Body Mass Index (BMI) is an accurate representation of body’s fat content as it takes height into account. BMI of 25 of more is considered overweight and BMI of 30 or more is considered obese. Find out your BMI using an online calculator at: http://nhlbisupport. com/bmi/. According to recent estimates, about 33.3% of U.S. adults are overweight and 35.9% are obese. That means only about 30.8% adults have normal body weight in the U.S. To some extent, we can generalize that the difference between intake (as in calories from food) and output (as in energy spent in physical activity) is directly proportional to weight gain. So, as we put

Trikatu, herbs to stimulate the metabolic fire 110 • india currents • february 2013

this in an equation we find: [Intake - Output = (1/k) x Weight Gained]. Where “k” represents the person’s rate of metabolism. It is related to the observation that there are people who do not eat much, but still gain weight (likely from slow rate of metabolism) and then there are people who don’t put on weight irrespective of eating frequent heavy meals (likely from a faster rate of metabolism). Ayurvedic philosophy describes this rate of metabolism (k) as the metabolic fire, called Agni, the fire of digestion. People with a strong metabolic fire, have a stronger digestive capacity and are not likely to become overweight or obese, and people with weak digestive fires have a slow and weak digestion, and are likely to gain weight easily. Unhealthy lifestyle habits, continued over years, lead to excess body fat accumulation. According to Ayurveda, people with predominant kapha constitutions are predisposed to accumulate excess body fat. The metabolic fire can be rekindled with yoga (specifically Surya Namaskar or Sun Salutation) lifestyle changes, and herbal supplements. Sun is the primary source of all energy on our planet. It is considered the ultimate source of fire in Ayurveda and the source of body’s metabolic fire, which is said to be located at the umbilicus, the site of Manipur chakra, the fire element, and corresponding to the endocrine organ pancreas. The pancreas plays a key role in metabolism. It is both an endocrine gland producing several important hormones (insulin, glucagon, somatostatin, and pancreatic polypeptide), and a digestive organ, secreting pancreatic juice containing digestive enzymes, in the small intestine. Some suggest that after sunset the body’s metabolic fire weakens so we should not eat after sunset as that food is inadequately digested and leads to weight gain. It is a common observation that the later we eat at night and closer to sleeping, more is the weight gain. Surya Namaskar is a classic yoga exercise consisting of 12 asanas preformed sequentially, and synchronized with breathing. It is considered a comprehensive and ideal practice for physical and spiritual wellbeing. Surya Namaskar is performed as a prayer to the Sun, ideally at sunrise and in open air, facing east. It has aerobic and dynamic components, and has been shown to improve strength, body composition, and general body endurance. Performing 6-8

rounds will achieve the energy expenditure of light exercise intensity, and a 10 minute practice may improve cardio-respiratory fitness in unfit or sedentary individuals. The herbs used to stimulate metabolic fire include a classic combination of three herbs called Trikatu, which includes black pepper (Piper nigrum), long pepper (Piper longum), and ginger (Zingiber officinale) powders. Since the recommendation of herbs is based on a patient’s individual body constitution, (their unique balance of the three energies: Vata (air), Pitta (fire), and Kapha (earth)), the dose and frequency of intake of this herbal supplement cannot be generalized. It is typically recommended only after careful evaluation of a patient’s constitution, lifestyle, and medical issues. In general, people trying to lose weight should prefer: small frequent meals, eating slowly and mindfully, consuming more fresh fruits, salads, sprouts, vegetable soups, mild green or black tea, whole wheat pasta or tortilla, mung beans, and lentils. They should use ginger, garlic, black pepper, cumin, coriander, and turmeric for cooking. They should avoid: overeating, fasting, alcohol, cheese and dairy products, meat, white bread, banana, rice, processed and canned food, fried foods, desserts, and artificial sweeteners. Other Ayurveda based lifestyle recommendations to control weight by strengthening the metabolic fire can be found at: http://www. vedic-healing.com/web/weight-loss-healingprogram/. Remember that balance and moderation is the key and your BMI is the most important indicator of health.n Dr. Peeyush Bhargava is originally from India and lives in Houston. He is trained in both Modern Medicine and Ayurveda. He has been practicing Medicine for more than 15 yrs and is a Diplomate of the American Board of Integrative Holistic Medicine. www.vedic-healing. com.

Om Sri Mathre Namaha

Vaidica Vidhya Ganapathi Center

SRI LAKSHMI GANAPATHI TEMPLE 32B Rancho Drive, San Jose, CA 95111

(Capitol Expressway West and Montrey Road Junction, Opposite and 1 Block from Capitol Cal Train Station)

(408) 226-3600

Thursday, February 7, 2013 At 6.00 pm Pradosham Shiva Sri Rudra Abhisheka Aarati and Manthra Pushpa

Saturday, February 9, 2013 - Thai Amavasya Thursday, February 14, 2013 Vasantha Panchami For Akshrabhyasam please contact the temple for further details.

• www.vvgc.org or siliconvalleyhindutemple.com

Monday, February 18, 2013 - President’s Day Friday, March 1, 2013 Beeshma Ashtami At 4.00 pm Sri Bhuwaneswari/Sri Lalitha Devi Abhisheka continued with Sri Lalitha Tuesday, February 19, 2013 Sahasranama chanting Sri Madhwa Navami At 5.00 pm Sankata Hara Chathurthi Sri Lakshmi Ganapathi Homa/Sri Lakshmi Thursday, February 21, 2013 Ganapathi Abhisheka Aarati and Manthra Sarva Beeshma Ekadasi Pushpa

Saturday, February 16, 2013 Sukla Sashti Vratha At 8.30 pm Sri Valli Deva Sena Sametha Sri Subramanya Sahasra Nama Archana

Saturday, February 23, 2013 At 4.00 pm Sani Pradosham Sri Venkateswara Abhisheka/Sri Shiva Abhisheka continued with Sri Vishnu Sahasra Nama Chanting Aarati and Manthra Pushpa

Sunday, February 17, 2013 Ratha Sapthami Suryanarayana Pooja At 4.00 pm Kritika Vratha Sri Valli Deva Sena Sametha Sri Subramanaya Abhisheka , Sri Lakshmi Ganapathi Abhisheka, Sri Shiva Abhisheka Aarati and Manthra Pushpa

Monday, February 25, 2013 - Masi Makham At 5.00 pm Shiva Abhisheka Aarati and Manthra Pushpa At 6.00 pm Sri Pournami Vratha Srisathaynarayana Swamypooja/Vratha Aarati and Manthra Pushpa

Appeal to the devotees for the support Sri Lakshmi Ganapathi Temple VVGC, San Martin Project (12.7 acres) Important announcement for Sri Lakshmi Ganapathi Temple Devotees (Vaidica Vidhya Ganapathi Center). We proudly announce that we are working with the process with Santa Clara County to obtain use permit for performing religious and community services in the place - 11355 Monterey Hwy, San Martin, CA 95046. It is about 12.7 acres of land, 18 miles away on th South of Monterey Road from our presnet location. As soon as we get the use permit we start regular pooja and yoga meditational services at the new site. Total cost is about $1.5 million. We request the devotees to please come forward to either make a donation for which receipt will be mailed or make a pledge (loan); promissory note will be given from the VVGC. Please contact the temple for giving donations - payable to VVGC. All donations are Tax Dedcutible to the extent allowed under the law.

Please Make A Note:: Temple Address: 32 Rancho Drive, San Jose CA 95111 Temple Timings: Week Days Morning 10.00 Am To 12 Noon, Evening At 6.00 pm To 8.00 pm - Week Ends And Holidays 10.00 am To 8.00 pm FOR BHAJAN'S RELIGIOUS DISCOURSES, MUSIC AND DANCE PERFORMANCES, PRIVATE POOJAS PLEASE CONTACT TEMPLE FOR FURTHER DETAILS MANGALANI BHAVANTHU,SUBHAM BHUYATH,LOKA SAMASTHA SUKINO BHAVANTHU, LOVEALL SERVE ALL LOVE ISALL

For Pujas & Rituals Contact: PANDIT GANESH SHASTHRY 245-5443 / Cell: (925) 209-7637 E-mail: srikalahatheeswara@yahoo.com

5639 Kimberly Street, San Jose, CA 95129 — Home: (408)

AD PROOF Contact: GANESH SHASHTRY

Client: LAKSHMI GANAPATI TEMPLE Fax: PDF srikalahatheeswara@yahoo.com Please indicate any changes or corrections needed on this proof, and e-mail/fax it back to us. India Currents Fax: (408) 324-0477 Initials

Date

Ad is Correct Needs Changes

DEREK NUNES 1885 Lundy Ave., Suite 220 San Jose, CA 95131 (408) 324-0488 / (714) 523-8788 FAX: (408) 324-0477 india currents • february 2013 • 111

Ongoing yoga events

Sunday Yoga Classes for all. Organized by Yoga

Bharati. Fremont Hindu Temple, 3676 Delaware Dr., Fremont. Sundays, 7:30 a.m. Free. (510) 386-3315. venkat@yogabharati.org.

Yoga Class. Iyengar Yoga Institute, 2404

27th Ave., San Francisco. Sundays, 9-10:30 a.m. level 1-3 with Allan Nett, $20. 9:15-11 a.m. level 3-5 with Nora Burnett, $15. 10:30 a.m.-12 p.m. level 2-4 with Allan Nett, $20. 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. level 1-3 with Nora Burnett, $15. 5-6:30 p.m. level 1-3 with Jill Keltner, $15. (415) 753-0909. www.iyisf.org.

Gentle Yoga for the Mind, Body, and Spirit, taught by Jerry Bezaire and Padma

Jennings is especially for someone who is presurgery, post-surgery, recuperating, a senior, or wants a slow-paced class. San Francisco Integral Yoga Institute, 770 Dolores St., San Francisco. Sundays, 9:30-11 a.m.; Tuesdays, 4:30-6 p.m. $11. (415) 821-1117. www.integralyogasf.org.

Hatha Yoga In this advanced class, students experience cardiovascular, muscle conditioning, weight training, with yoga asanas and controlled breathing. Chakra meditation, advanced pranayma, mantra chanting, and deep relaxation are included. Studio 10 Dance, 6190 Bollinger Rd., San Jose. 9:30-11 a.m. (408) 257-8418. vasanthib@aol.com www.vasanthayoga.com. Hatha Yoga In this class for all levels,

Vasanthi Bhatt teaches asana, pranayama, meditation, pranic healing, including cardiovascualr, energizing,a nd weight training exercises. Individual attention is given to help people heal stress-related symptoms. Studio 10 Dance, 6190 Bollinger Rd., San Jose. 11:10 a.m.-12:30 p.m. (408) 257-8418. vasanthib@ aol.com www.vasanthayoga.com.

Yoga for Children taught by Charu Agrawal, accredited yoga instructor from India. Cupertino venue. Sundays, 4:30-5:30 p.m. (408) 446-1741. charu@the-agrawals.com. Beginner Yoga and Meditation Yoga is

youthfulness. Pacific Meditation Center, 590 Castro Street, Mountain View. Sundays, 6 p.m. (650) 279-3610. www.pacificmeditation. com.

Integral Yoga every second and fourth

Sunday. Study the works of Sri Aurobindo in a supportive and informal setting with Rick Lipschutz and Vishnu Eschner. 2-3:30 p.m. Cultural Integration Fellowship, 2650 Fulton St., San Francisco. Free will donation. (415) 668-1559. Yoga Classes for all. Organized by Yoga Bharati. Sunnyvale Hindu Temple Audito-

112 • india currents • february 2013

rium, 440 Persian Drive, Sunnyvale. Sundays, 7:30 a.m. (408) 446-1801. anil@yogabharati. org.

(408) 257-8418. vasanthib@aol.com www. vasanthayoga.com .

Hatha Yoga with Vasanthi Bhat. In this

Yoga Class. Iyengar Yoga Institute, 2404

advanced class, you experience the power of meditation in the asana, pranayma, pranic healing, mantra chanting, and deep relaxation while awakening chakras. Hilton Garden Inn, Cupertino. Mondays, 8-9:15 p.m. (408) 257-8418 vasanthib@aol.com www.vasanthayoga.com .

Hatha Yoga II Intermediate Class. In-

Yoga for Seniors to cure and prevent arthritis, high-blood pressure, diabetes, stress relief, relaxatio with gentle poses, pranayama, pranic healing, and meditation. 6-7 p.m. Dr. Yoga Therapy at 5638 Stratton Way, San Ramon. (925) 803-9196. adibhagya@yahoo.com. www.dr-yogatherapy.com.

Monday 27th Ave., San Francisco. Mondays, 8-10 a.m. level 3-4 with Janet MacLeod, $20. 10-11:30 a.m. level 1-3 with Janet MacLeod, $20. 5-6:30 p.m. level 1-4 with Joe Naudzunas, $20. 6-8 p.m. level 3-5 with Janet MacLeod, $20. (415) 753-0909. www.iyisf.org. tegral Yoga Institute, 770 Dolores St., San Francisco. Mondays and Thursdays, 9:30 a.m. and 6 p.m.; Tuesdays and Wednesdays, 6 p.m.; Saturdays, 9:30 a.m. (415) 821-1117. www. integralyogasf.org.

Hatha Yoga IA Advanced Beginner Class. Integral Yoga Institute, 770 Dolores

St., San Francisco. Mondays and Wednesdays, 9:30 a.m. and 6 p.m.; Tuesdays, 9:30 a.m.; Fridays, 6 p.m.; Saturdays, 8 a.m. and 11 a.m., 6-7:30 p.m. (415) 821-1117. www.integralyogasf.org.

Hatha Yoga pranayama and meditation

classes by Manda Rao. Mountain View venue. Mondays, 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. (650) 694-1468. lotusyoga@hotmail.com.

Noon Meditation and Lunch. Call the kitchen manager by 10 a.m. on the day. Integral Yoga Institute, 770 Dolores St., San Francisco. Monday-Friday, 12 p.m. $6 suggested donation. (415) 821-1117x303. www. integralyogasf.org. Parent-Toddler yoga classes. Yogalayam,

1717 Alcatraz Ave., Berkeley. Mondays, 12-2 p.m. $9 per class. (510) 655-3664. www.yogalayam.org. info@yogalayam.org.

Power Yoga Class by Mahendra Lohmor for all age groups. Organized by the India Community Center. 555 Los Coches St Milpitas. Mondays, 1-2 p.m. $5 day pass. (408) 935-1130. www.indiacc.org.

Evening Yoga Classes led by VYASA or

Yogabharati trained instructors. Sunnyvale Temple, 450 Persian Drive, Sunnyvale. Mondays. 7-8 p.m. sreejit_chakravarty@yahoo.com.

Stress-Release yoga class includes deep

relaxation, pranayama, and meditation. Props used to put student in comfortable poses. Integral Yoga Institute, 770 Dolores St., San Francisco. Mondays, 7:30-9 p.m. $11. (415) 821-1117. www.integralyogasf.org.

Evening Meditation includes 40 minutes

of chanting, pranayama, and silence. Arrive a few minutes early. Integral Yoga Institute, 770 Dolores St., San Francisco. Monday-Thursday, 7:45 p.m. Free. (415) 821-1117. www.integralyogasf.org.

Stress release Mondays by Angie David-

son and Bhaktan Rivera. Weekly Integral Hatha Yoga class that will use pillows and other props to put the student in the most comfortable variation of the poses. Class will include a longer deep relaxation, pranayama and meditation time. 7:30-9 p.m. Organized by Integral Yoga Institute. 770 Dolores St., San Francisco. $11. (415) 821-1117. mail@ IntegralYogaSF.org, www.IntegralYogaSF.org.

Laughteryoga. Laughteryoga uses a blend

Beginning Yoga classes. Yogalayam, 1717 Alcatraz Ave., Berkeley. Mondays, 5:30-7 p.m. $8.50 per class. (510) 655-3664. www.yogalayam.org. info@yogalayam.org.

of playful and stress release laughter exercises, interspersed with gentle breathing and stretching exercises. Instructor is Lydia Gonzales, Certified Laughter Yoga Teacher with Dr. Kataria’s School of LaughterYoga. 7-8 p.m. Dublin Senior Center, 7600 Amador Valley Blvd., Dublin. $5, $3 seniors. Drop-ins allowed. (510) 390-4105, lydiagogo@excite. com for registration information. www.laughteryoga.org.

Hatha Yoga for the entire family with

Yoga Class by Arun Thaker. 7-8 a.m. Fre-

Yoga for Children ages 4-5 years. Yoga-

layam, 1717 Alcatraz Ave., Berkeley. Mondays, 4-5 p.m. $7 per class. (510) 655-3664. www. yogalayam.org. info@yogalayam.org.

Vasanthi Bhat (ages 3 and above). Learn to relax, energize, improve concentration, promote flexibility, relieve allergy, asthma, improve eyesight, and increase self-esteem. Teaches easy meditation techniques, to understand, unite and strenghten family life. Hilton Garden Inn, Cupertino. 6:30-7:30 p.m.

mont Hindu temple, 3676 Delaware Dr., Fremont.

Gently Yoga for Every Body with Julianne Rice. Class begins with centering and meditation and includes gentle stretching,

health

india currents • february 2013 • 113

individualized instruction in basic postures and a time for relaxation. No experience necessary. All are welcome. Special needs accommodated. 12-1 p.m., $13 per class or 10 classes for $110. Center for Spiritual Enlightenment, 1146 University Ave., San Jose. Register: (408) 283-0221; info@CSEcenter.org. www.CSEcenter.org. Yoga Classes for all. Organized by Yoga Bharati. Sunnyvale Hindu Temple Auditorium, 440 Persian Drive, Sunnyvale. Mondays, 7 p.m. (408) 446-1801. anil@yogabharati.org.

Tuesday Yoga for Children ages 3 years. Yogalayam,

1717 Alcatraz Ave., Berkeley. Tuesdays, 9-9:45 a.m. $7 per class. (510) 655-3664. www.yogalayam.org. info@yogalayam.org.

Pre natal Yoga classes by Matra Majmun-

dar a certified perinatal educator and yoga therapist. Presented by Palo Alto-Lucille Packard Children’s hospital, Stanford. 5-6p.m. To register, (650) 723-4600, www.birthclasses. lpch.org.

Yoga For Seniors by Kokila Patel, a physical therapist and certified yoga instructor. Union City locations. Tuesdays, 9-10 a.m. $5. (510) 441-8906. kokila@tricitypt.com. Hatha Yoga with Vasanthi Bhat. In this

class for all levels, Vasanthi Bhatt teaches asana, pranayama, meditation, pranic healing including cardiocascular, energizing, and weight training exercises. Individual attention is given to help people relieve back pain, insomnia, arthritis, depression, headaches, and other stress-related ailments. Studio 10 Dance, 6190 Bollinger Rd. San Jose. Mondays, 9:30-10:30 a.m. (408) 257-8418. vasanthib@ aol.com www.vasanthayoga.com.

Yoga Class. Iyengar Yoga Institute, 2404 27th Ave., San Francisco. Tuesdays, 9:30-11 a.m. level 1-4 with Jaki Nett, $20. 10-11:10 a.m. ageless yoga with Nora Burnett, $12. 11:15 a.m.-12:45 p.m. parent-baby yoga with Anna Kelleher, $14. 5:45-7:45 p.m. level 3-5 with Kathy Alef, $20. 7-8:30 p.m. women’s class with Jill Keltner, $15. 7:45-9:15 p.m. level 1-2 and backcare with Kathy Alef, $20. (415) 7530909. www.iyisf.org.

Classic Yoga classes taught by Manjiri. Palo Alto venue. Tuesdays, 9:30-10:30 a.m. $12/ class, $60/6 classes. (650) 324-0445. www. yoga-marga.com.

Gentle Yoga for the Mind, Body, and Spirit, taught by Jerry Bezaire and Padma Jennings is for someone who is pre-surgery, post-surgery, recuperating, a senior, or wants a slow-paced class. Integral Yoga Institute, 770 Dolores St., San Francisco. Sundays, 9:30-11 a.m.; Tuesdays, 4:30-6 p.m. $11. (415) 821-1117. www. integralyogasf.org. 114 • india currents • february 2013

Hatha Yoga I Beginner Class. Integral Yoga Institute, 770 Dolores St., San Francisco. Tuesdays and Wednesdays, 6 p.m.; Thursdays, 9:30 a.m. and 6 p.m.; Fridays, 9:30 a.m.; Saturdays, 9:30 a.m. and 11 a.m. (415) 821-1117. www. integralyogasf.org. Hatha Yoga II Intermediate Class. Integral Yoga Institute, 770 Dolores St., San Francisco. Mondays and Thursdays, 9:30 a.m. and 6 p.m.; Tuesdays and Wednesdays, 6 p.m.; Saturdays, 9:30 a.m. (415) 821-1117. www.integralyogasf. org. Yoga for Pregnant Women: Prenatal and postnatal yoga in a therapeutic way to regulate mood swings, hormonal imbalance, and to guard against pregnancy related problems. 9-10 a.m. Dr. Yoga Therapy, 5638 Stratton Way, San Ramon. (925) 803-9196. adibhagya@yahoo.com. www.dr-yogatherapy.com. Yoga for Children to improve memory,

reduce allergies and general health and fitness. Individual attention will be given to correct poses from 4:30-5:30 p.m. Dr. Yoga Therapy at 5638 Stratton Way, San Ramon. (925) 803-9196. adibhagya@yahoo.com. www. dr-yogatherapy.com.

Hatha Yoga IA Advanced Beginner Class.

Integral Yoga Institute, 770 Dolores St., San Francisco. Mondays and Wednesdays, 9:30 a.m. and 6 p.m.; Tuesdays, 9:30 a.m.; Fridays, 6 p.m.; Saturdays, 8 a.m. and 11 a.m., 6-7:30 p.m. (415) 821-1117. www.integralyogasf.org

Post-Natal Yoga with infants. Yogalayam, 1717 Alcatraz Ave., Berkeley. Tuesdays, 10 a.m.-12 noon. $10.50. (510) 655-3664. www. yogalayam.org. info@yogalayam.org. Yogic Breathing, pranayama, and meditation conducted by Prema Sastry. Organized by ICC. 555 Los Coches St Milpitas. Tuesdays, 11 a.m.-12 p.m. Members free. $5 day pass. (408) 935-1130. www.indiacc.org.

Guided Yoga Posture Classes Ananda Sangha, 2171 El Camino Real, Palo Alto. Tuesdays, 12:15 p.m.-1:30 p.m. $10 class. (650) 323-3363. www.anandapaloalto.org.

Ki-Yoga classes. Los Altos Hills. Tuesdays 4-5:30 p.m. (408) 799-0590. kiiyoga@yahoo. com www.kiyoga.4t.com. Hatha Yoga classes, aimed at giving par-

ticipants a total body workout. This class is taught by Asha. Organized by ICC. 555 Los Coches St Milpitas. Tuesdays, 6-7 p.m. Members free. $5 day pass. (408) 935-1130. www. indiacc.org.

Pranayama and Meditation with Manda Rao. Dancing Yogi Yoga Studio, Saratoga. Tuesdays, 6:30 p.m. (408) 741-7084. www. dancingyogi.com. Ki-Yoga Classes Los Altos Hills venue. Tues-

days, 7:30-9:45 p.m. (650) 804-9577. kiiyoga@ yahoo.com. www.kiyoga.4t.com.

Gentle Yoga classes for a complete workout. and flexibility. This class is taught by Urmil. Organized by ICC. 555 Los Coches St Milpitas. Tuesdays, 7-8 p.m. Members free. $5 day pass. (408) 935-1130. www.indiacc.org. Evening Meditation includes 40 minutes

of chanting, pranayama, and silence. Integral Yoga Institute, 770 Dolores St., San Francisco. Monday-Thursday, 7:45 p.m. Free. (415) 8211117. www.integralyogasf.org.

Beginner Guided Meditation Pacific Meditation Center, 590 Castro Street, Mountain View. Tuesdays, 9 p.m. (650) 279-3610. www.pacificmeditation.com. Yoga Class by Arun Thaker. 8-9 a.m. Fre-

mont Hindu temple, 3676 Delaware Dr., Fremont. Yoga Classes for all. Organized by Yoga Bharati. Sunnyvale Hindu Temple Auditorium, 440 Persian Drive, Sunnyvale. Tuesdays, 7 p.m. (408) 446-1801. anil@yogabharati.org.

Wednesday Yoga Class. Iyengar Yoga Institute, 2404 27th Ave., San Francisco. Wednesdays, 8-9:30 a.m. level 1-3 with Maria Calabria, $15. 9:30-11:30 a.m. level 3-5 with Janet MacLeod, $20. 4-5:30 p.m. level 1-2 with student teacher, $5. 6:30-8 p.m. level 3-5 with Nora Burnett, $15. 7:30-9 p.m. level 1-4 with Joe Naudzunas, $20. 8-9:30 p.m. level 1-3 with Nora Burnett, $15. (415) 753-0909. www.iyisf.org

Hatha Yoga IA Advanced Beginner Class. Integral Yoga Institute, 770 Dolores St., San Francisco. Mondays and Wednesdays, 9:30 a.m. and 6 p.m.; Tuesdays, 9:30 a.m.; Fridays, 6 p.m.; Saturdays, 8 a.m. and 11 a.m., 6-7:30 p.m. (415) 821-1117. Advanced Mixed Level Class for intermediate and advanced students who are ready to move from IA to II. Integral Yoga Institute, 770 Dolores St., San Francisco. Wednesdays, 9:30 a.m. (415) 821-1117. www.integralyogasf. org.

Yoga for Adults to reduce physical and mental problems such as gastritis, obesity, stress, depress, insomnia, and sinusitis. 6:307:30 p.m. Dr. Yoga Therapy, 5638 Stratton Way, San Ramon. (925) 803-9196. adibhagya@yahoo.com. www.dr-yogatherapy.com. Hatha Yoga I Beginner Class. Integral Yoga Institute, 770 Dolores St., San Francisco. Tuesdays and Wednesdays, 6 p.m.; Thursdays, 9:30 a.m. and 6 p.m.; Fridays, 9:30 a.m.; Saturdays, 9:30 a.m. and 11 a.m. (415) 821-1117. www.integralyogasf.org.

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Hatha Yoga II Intermediate Class. Integral Yoga Institute, 770 Dolores St., San Francisco. Mondays and Thursdays, 9:30 a.m. and 6 p.m.; Tuesdays and Wednesdays, 6 p.m.; Saturdays, 9:30 a.m. (415) 821-1117. www.integralyogasf. org. Viewing of Videos of Sri Swami Satchidananda on practical aspects of living with a spiritual perspective. Followed by questions and noon meditation. Integral Yoga Institute, 770 Dolores St., San Francisco. Wednesdays, 11:30 a.m.-12:40 p.m. (415) 821-1117. www. integralyogasf.org. Ki-Yoga classes. Club House, Ball Room, Stanford University, Palo Alto. Wednesdays, 3:30-5 p.m. Free. (650) 804-9577. kiiyoga@ yahoo.com www.kiyoga.4t.com. Beginners’ Trial Yoga class. Sivananda Yoga

Vedanta Center, 1200 Arguello Blvd, San Francisco. Wednesdays, 5:30 p.m. (415) 681-2731. SanFrancisco@sivananda.org.

Yoga Drop-In trial class for all levels. Siva-

nanda Yoga Vedanta Center, 1200 Arguello Blvd, San Francisco. Wednesdays, 5:30-7 p.m. (415) 681 2731.

Therapeutic Yoga for back care, taught by Kokila Patel, a physical therapist and certified yoga instructor. Fremont and Newark locations. Wednesdays, 6-7 p.m. (510) 441-8906. kokila@tricitypt.com. Yoga for Total Health Hindu Temple, 450

Persian Drive, Sunnyvale. Wednesdays, 7 p.m. (925) 980-0077..

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Evening Yoga Classes led by VYASA

or Yogabharati trained instructors. Sunnyvale Temple, 450 Persian Drive, Sunnyvale. Wednesdays. 7 -8 p.m. sreejit_chakravarty@ yahoo.com.

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Hatha Yoga classes with Anjali Desai. Orga-

nized by ICC. 555 Los Coches St., Milpitas. Wednesdays, 7-8 p.m. Members free. $5 day pass. (408) 935-1130. www.indiacc.org.

Luchakova. Foothill Congregational Church, 461 Orange Ave, Los Altos. Wednesdays, 12:30 p.m.-2 p.m. $15. (510) 869-2611.

Guided Yoga Posture classes. Ananda

Sangha, 2171 El Camino Real, Palo Alto. Wednesdays, 6 p.m.-7:15 p.m. $10. (650) 3233363. www.anandapaloalto.org.

Pre-Natal Yoga for expectant mothers. Yogalayam, 1717 Alcatraz Ave., Berkeley. Wednesdays, 10 a.m.-12 p.m.. $10.50 per class. (510) 655-3664. www.yogalayam.org. info@ yogalayam.org. Yoga for Children ages 6-11 years. Yogalayam, 1717 Alcatraz Ave., Berkeley. Wednesdays, 4:30-5:30 p.m. $7 per class. (510) 655-3664. www.yogalayam.org. info@yogalayam.org.

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Evening Meditation includes 40 minutes

of chanting, pranayama, and silence. Arrive early. Integral Yoga Institute, 770 Dolores St., San Francisco. Monday-Thursday, 7:45 p.m. Free. (415) 821-1117. www.integralyogasf.org.

Hatha Yoga with Vasanthi Bhat. In this

yoga class open to all levels, experience the power of hatha yoga with Vasanthi Bhatt while learning to tone, relax, relieve stress, and heal ailments of many kinds with asana, pranayma, meditation, and pranic healing. Cardiovascular, energizing, and weight training exercises are included. Shri Krupa Dance Company, 3568 Homestead Rd, Santa Clara. 8-9:15 p.m. (408) 257-8418. vasanthib@aol. com www.vasanthayoga.com.

Gentle Yoga classes. Yogalayam, 1717 Al-

catraz Ave., Berkeley. Wednesdays, 6:45-8:45 p.m. $9 per class. (510) 655-3664. www.yogalayam.org. info@yogalayam.org.

Yoga Class by Arun Thaker. 8-9 a.m. Fre-

mont Hindu temple, 3676 Delaware Dr., Fremont.

Teenpath Yoga Classes. 4-5 p.m. Yoga Society of San Francisco, 2872 Folsom St., San Francisco. (415) 235-0245. www.teenpathyoga. org . Beginning Yoga with Debby Edwards.

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Yoga Classes for all. Organized by Yoga Bharati. Sunnyvale Hindu Temple Auditorium, 440 Persian Drive, Sunnyvale. Wednesdays, 7 p.m. (408) 446-1801. anil@ yogabharati.org.

Pre natal Yoga classes by Matra Majmundar a certified perinatal educator and yoga therapist. Presented by Palo Alto-Lucille Packard Children’s hospital, Stanford. 5:306:30 p.m. To register, (650) 723-4600, www. birthclasses.lpch.org. Yoga Class. Iyengar Yoga Institute, 2404

27th Ave., San Francisco. Thursdays, 10-11:30 a.m. level 1-4 with Joe Naudzunas, $20. 1011:10 a.m. ageless yoga with Nora Burnett, $12. 6-7:30 p.m. level 2-4 with Kathy Alef, $20. (415) 753-0909. www.iyisf.org.

Thursday

Classic Yoga classes taught by Manjiri. Palo Alto venue. Thursdays, 9:30-10:30 a.m. $12/class, $60/6 classes. (650) 324-0445. www. yoga-marga.com.

Hatha Yoga II Intermediate Class. Integral

Post-natal Yoga. Eucalyptus Room, Oak

Yoga Institute, 770 Dolores St., San Francisco. Mondays and Thursdays, 9:30 a.m. and 6 p.m.; Tuesdays and Wednesdays, 6 p.m.; Saturdays,

Creek Apartments, 1600 Sand Hill Road. 11a.m.-noon. $80 for 8 classes or $60 for 4 classes or $15 for trial. (650) 723-4600.

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anne Rice. Class begins with centering and meditation and includes gentle stretching, individualized instruction in basic postures and a time for relaxation. No experience necessary. All are welcome. Special needs accommodated. 12-1 p.m., $13 per class or 10 classes for $110. Center for Spiritual Enlightenment, 1146 University Ave., San Jose. Register: (408) 283-0221; info@CSEcenter.org. www.CSEcenter.org.

Becoming Parents program offers Mother and baby yoga class conducted by Matra Majmundar a certified perinatal educator and yoga therapist. Presented by Palo Alto-Lucille Packard Children’s hospital, Stanford. 4-5 p.m. To register, (650) 723-4600, www.birthclasses.lpch.org.

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and includes gentle stretching, individualized instruction in basic postures and a time for relaxation. No experience necessary. All are welcome. Special needs accommodated. 6-7:30 p.m., $13 per class or 10 classes for $110. Center for Spiritual Enlightenment, 1146 University Ave., San Jose. Register: (408) 283- 0221; info@CSEcenter.org. www.CSEcenter.org.

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niors, Vasanthi Bhatt teaches gentle asanas, pranayama, meditation, pranic healing, and nutrition to promote health and happiness. Special techniques are taught to control blood pressure, arthritis, osteoporosis, insomnia, hypertension, eye disorders, and many other health symptoms. Also, teaches chair yoga for people who cannot sit on the floor. Cupertino Senior Center, 21251 Stevens Creek Blvd. Cupertino. 2:30-3:30 p.m. (408)-7773150. vasanthib@aol.com www.vasanthayoga. com.

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Gentle Yoga classes with Urmil Jindia. Or-

ganized by ICC. 555 Los Coches St., Milpitas. Thursdays, 12-1 p.m. and 7-8 p.m. Members free. $5 day pass. (408) 935-1130. www.indiacc.org.

Yoga for seniors taught by Kokila Patel, a

physical therapist and certified yoga instructor. Union City locations. Thursdays, 9-10 a.m. $5. (510) 441-8906. kokila@tricitypt. com.

Yoga Classes taught by Asha Agarwal. Organized by AIF. 647 E. Calaveras Blvd., Milpitas. Thursdays, 12-1 p.m. $5. (408) 9341600 x 4. Introductory Meditation Pacific Meditation Center, 590 Castro Street, Mountain View. Thursdays, 9 p.m. (650) 279-3610. www. pacificmeditation.com. Expanding your Awareness with Rick Bonin, Robert Clark, Greg Dyal. Ananda Sangha, 2171 El Camino Real, Palo Alto. Thursdays, 7:30 p.m.-9:30 p.m. (650) 3233363. www.anandapaloalto.org . Guided Yoga Posture Classes Ananda

Temple, 2171 El Camino Real, Palo Alto. Thursdays, 9-10:30 a.m. $15. Current schedule on website. (650) 323-3363. www.anandapaloalto.org.

Post-Natal Yoga with infants. Yogalayam, 1717 Alcatraz Ave., Berkeley. Thursdays, 2-4 p.m. $10.50. (510) 655-3664. www.yogalayam. org. info@yogalayam.org. Pre-natal Yoga. Eucalyptus Room, Oak Creek Apartments, 1600 Sand Hill Road. Thursdays, 5:30p.m.-6:30 p.m. $80 for 8 classes or $60 for 4 classes or $15 for trial. (650) 723-4600. Beginning Yoga classes. Yogalayam, 1717

Alcatraz Ave., Berkeley. Thursdays, 7:15-9:15 p.m. $9. (510) 655-3664. www.yogalayam.org. info@yogalayam.org.

Introduction to Meditation. Integral Yoga Institute, 770 Dolores St., San Francisco. Thursdays, 7:30 p.m. (415) 821-1117. www. integralyogasf.org. Evening Meditation includes 40 minutes

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Pregnancy Yoga by Matra Majmundar, a

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Laughteryoga. Laughteryoga uses a blend

of playful and stress release laughter exercises, interspersed with gentle breathing and stretching exercises. Instructor is Lydia Gonzales, Certified Laughter Yoga Teacher with Dr. Kataria’s School of LaughterYoga. 7-8 p.m. Kenneth C. Aitken Senior & Community Center, 17800 Redwood Rd., Castro Valley. $5, $3 seniors. Drop-ins allowed. (510) 3904105, lydiagogo@excite.com for registration information. www.laughteryoga.org.

Hatha Yoga with Vasanthi Bhat. Advanced

class; learn to relax, relieve pain, tone and condition, and expand spirituality. Special attention is given to treat osteoporosis. Studio 10 Dance, 6190 Bollinger Rd., San Jose. 9:3010:30 a.m. (408) 257-8418. vasanthib@aol. com www.vasanthayoga.com.

Hatha Yoga with Vasanthi Bhat. Class for

all levels. Cardiovascular and weight training exercises are included. Shri Krupa Dance Company, 3568 Homestead Rd., Santa Clara. 7-8:15 p.m. (408) 257-8418 vasanthib@aol. com www.vasanthayoga.com.

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Yoga Classes for all. Organized by Yoga Bharati. Sunnyvale Hindu Temple Auditorium, 440 Persian Drive, Sunnyvale. Thursdays, 7 p.m. (408) 446-1801. anil@yogabharati.org.

Friday Mixed Level Class for continuing students. Integral Yoga Institute, 770 Dolores St., San Francisco. Fridays, 9:30 a.m. (415) 821-1117. www.integralyogasf.org.

Hatha Yoga I Beginner Class. Integral Yoga Institute, 770 Dolores St., San Francisco. Tuesdays and Wednesdays, 6 p.m.; Thursdays, 9:30 a.m. and 6 p.m.; Fridays, 9:30 a.m.; Saturdays, 9:30 a.m. and 11 a.m. (415) 821-1117. www.integralyogasf.org. Beginning Yoga. Yogalayam, 1717 Alcatraz Ave., Berkeley. Fridays, 11:45 a.m.-12:45 p.m. $10. (510) 655-3664. www.yogalayam.org. info@yogalayam.org.

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Sri Aurobindo’s Integral Yoga, reading and meditation. Thursdays, 8-9 p.m. 2134 Carmenere St., Danville. Free. (925) 736-7636, braroo@gmail.com.

Guided Yoga Posture Classes Ananda

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Sangha, 2171 El Camino Real, Palo Alto. Fridays, 6 p.m.-7:15 p.m. $10 class. (650) 3233363. www.anandapaloalto.org.

Hatha Yoga IA Advanced Beginner Class.

Hatha-Meditation Connection taught by hatha yoga teachers and Buddhist practitioners. Integral Yoga Institute, 770 Dolores St., San Francisco. Fridays, 6-8 p.m. $11. (415) 821-1117. www.IntegralYogaSF.org.

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Learn gentle, easy-to-do yoga poses. ICC Sunnyvale, 285 N. Wolfe Rd., Ste. 102 Sunnyvale. 12-1 p.m. (408) 257-8418. vasanthib@ aol.com www.vasanthayoga.com.

Yoga Class by Arun Thaker. 8-9 a.m. Fremont Hindu temple, 3676 Delaware Dr., Fremont. Teenpath Yoga Classes. 4-5 p.m. Yoga Society of San Francisco, 2872 Folsom St., San Francisco. (415) 235-0245. www.teenpathyoga. org.

Saturday Hatha Yoga IA Advanced Beginner Class.

Integral Yoga Institute, 770 Dolores St., San Francisco. Mondays and Wednesdays, 9:30 a.m. and 6 p.m.; Tuesdays, 9:30 a.m.; Fridays, 6 p.m.; Saturdays, 8 a.m. and 11 a.m., 6-7:30 p.m. (415) 821-1117.

Yoga Class. Iyengar Yoga Institute, 2404

27th Ave., San Francisco. Saturdays, 8:3010:30 a.m. level 2-4 with Jaki Nett, $25. 9-10:30 a.m. level 3-5 with Joe Naudzunas, $20. 10-11:30 a.m. level 1-2 with Jaki Nett, $20. 10:30 a.m.-12 p.m. level 1-3 with Joe Naudzunas, $20. 5-6:30 p.m. level 1-2 with student teacher, $5. (415) 753-0909. www. iyisf.org.

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ow did an entrepreneur convince Walmart, the world's largest retailer, to partner with a new and relatively unknown beauty salon franchise concept that specializes in the art of brow shaping, facial hair removing and waxing? With hard work, creativity, and attracting more than 1,000 customers a week, Seva founders, Vas and Sonal Maniatis, overcame incredible odds to form an exclusive in store partnership and expand their franchise concept nationwide. In addition to brow shaping and facial hair removal, Seva offers a full range of nail and spa services including body waxing, facials, and eyelash extensions. After years of success in the real estate industry, serial entrepreneur Vas Maniatis and his partner Sonal opened their first eyebrow threading business in 2008 only after a Walmart regional manager needed to fill a vacant retail stall in his new Indianapolis location, days before its grand opening. Vas and Sonal agreed to open their eyebrow threading concept in Walmart, only to grow the business to two additional locations before catching the full attention of Walmart executives and forming an exclusive in-store retail partnership. “Seva offers an opportunity for potential franchisees with and without experience in the beauty industry to fulfill their “American Dream” and get involved in a franchise that offers full support and demonstrates success,” said Vas Maniatis. “Seva is a company that began in the shadows of a retail giant and has continued to thrive and generate profits in a down economy.” Seva currently operates 50 franchise and corporate locations throughout sixteen states, with huge expansion plans in 2013. The company's exclusive partnership with Walmart

120 • india currents • february 2013

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days. (408) 741-7084. www.dancingyogi.com

HIV Hatha Yoga I Class with Jack San-

Heart Opening Kundalini Yoga with Olga Luchakova. Inst of Transpersonal Psych., 744 San Antonio Rd, Palo Alto. Saturdays, 9 a.m. (510) 869-2611.

chez. Integral Yoga Institute, 770 Dolores St., San Francisco. Saturdays, 11 a.m.-1 p.m. $11. (415) 821-1117. www.IntegralYogaSF.org

Raja Yoga. Bay Area venue. 2nd Saturday

Breath for Health powerful breathing exercises. Elderday, 1410 Ocean St, Santa Cruz. Saturdays, 9:30 a.m. Donations. (831) 458-3481.

Yoga Beginner Course: Eight-week in-

Yoga Classes for all. Organized by Yoga Bharati. Sunnyvale Hindu Temple, 440 Persian Dr., Sunnyvale. Saturdays, 7:30-8:30 a.m. Free. (408) 244-9119. info@yogabharati.org

every month. Free. (510) 797-3649, (408) 5328224, (408) 746-9827. www.sriramchandra. org. isrc_ca@yahoo.com troduction to yoga. Vishnu-devananda Yoga Vedanta Center (Sivananda tradition). Berkeley. Saturdays, 11 a.m. 510-273-2447. www. vishnuyoga.org

Yoga for All Ages to relive stress, alleviate health ailments, and reduce weight. 9-10 a.m. Dr. Yoga Therapy, 5638 Stratton Way, San Ramon. (925) 803-9196. adibhagya@ yahoo.com. www.dr-yogatherapy.com

Yoga for Children to improve memory, re-

duce allergies, and general health and fitness. Individual attention will be given to correct poses. 4:30-5:30 p.m. Dr. Yoga Therapy, 5638 Stratton Way, San Ramon. (925) 803-9196. adibhagya@yahoo.com. www.dr-yogatherapy. com

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Pre-Natal Yoga. Yogalayam, 1717 Alcatraz Ave., Berkeley. Saturdays, 10 a.m.-12 p.m. www.yogalayam.org. info@yogalayam.org

Hatha Yoga Level 2 with Julianne Rice. This class is appropriate for students with at least one year of experience or permission of instructor. Class begins with centering, chanting and seated meditation. It includes a thorough asana practice, including backbending and inversions. 8 to 9:30 a.m. Center for Spiritual Enlightenment, 1146 University Ave., San Jose. $15 per class or $130/10 class-

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Hatha Yoga Level 1 with Julianne Rice. This class builds on Gentle Yoga. Class begins with centering, chanting and seated meditation. Sun salutations, incremental instruction of seated poses, balance poses and backbending are included. 9:45 to 11 a.m. Center for Spiritual Enlightenment, 1146 University Ave., San Jose. $15 per class or $130/10 classes. Register: (408) 283-0221. info@CSEcenter.org. www.CSEcenter.org. Tai Chi/Chi Gong with Mike Genzmer.

This combination practice, infused with philosophical principles, is accessible and enjoyable for all levels of fitness. It nurtures internal energy, develops physical strength and inspires an open heart. 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Center for Spiritual Enlightenment, 1146 University Ave. San Jose. $15 per class or $130/10 classes. Register: (408) 283-0221. info@CSEcenter.org. www.CSEcenter.org. Yoga Classes for all. Organized by Yoga Bharati. Sunnyvale Hindu Temple Auditorium, 440 Persian Drive, Sunnyvale. Saturdays, 7:30 a.m. (408) 446-1801. anil@yogabharati. org. © Copyright 2011 India Currents. All rights reserved. Reproduction for commercial use strictly prohibited.

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DEREK NUNES 1885 Lundy Ave., Suite 220 San Jose, CA 95131 (408) 324-0488 / (714) 523-8788 FAX: (408) 324-0477

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In the last six years I have lost both of my parents and a few aunts and uncles. At first it was very painful to lose them. I talked a lot about the feelings I had about not having parents anymore. Throughout my life I have sought mentors and parental figures to help me with major decisions such as college, job, relationships, spiritual practice, travel and other things. They really helped, however, I was still very connected to my parents. Although they couldn’t understand many of my needs, I wanted their approval and support. This year I feel very different. I don’t think of them in the same way and when I visit my living aunts or uncles, I don’t expect as much. I feel freer. However this also feels new and a bit strange. At times I feel guilty that I am not grieving anymore and am actually enjoying some of the freedom and lack of responsibility. I would like to understand more of what is going on with me?

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know yourself. Your inner intuitive guide will start to become stronger without the supporting figures of your parents. As you become more intimate with your own self, you'll start to feel some excitement and experience a sense of possibility. Your unfolding as a creative person will go deeper and have more space at this juncture of your life. You will notice details of your emotional wants. You have been conditioned by your family to think and act a certain way and now you and can choose to rely on that training or find newer ways of being yourself. It’s a time when you can incorporate the emerging values based on your growth and upbringing. As you continue this journey, your inner being will respond to your relationships and you will live life on your own terms and find your inner truth and creativity. n Alzak Amlani, Ph.D. is a counseling psychologist in the Bay Area. (650)325-8393. Visit www.wholenesstherapy.com.

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CLASSES: DANCE CHHANDAM SCHOOL OF KATHAK DANCE. Classes held in Berkeley, Mountain View, San Francisco, San Bruno, San Rafael, and Union City. Beginning classes available in all locations. Call (415) 759-8060 or visit www.chhandam.org. BHARATANATYAM CLASSES in San Jose, Fremont and Santa Clara by Artistic Director Suganda Sreenath. Kalakshetra style including extensive theory. Call (408) 270-9295 or email sugandaiyer@comcast.net. ODISSI DANCE CLASSES with Guru Jyoti Rout. Jyoti Kala Mandir College of Indian Classical Arts. www.JyotiKalaMandir.org.

CLASSES: MUSIC CLASSES OFFERED BY LAKSHMI C. SAXENA in San Jose. North Indian vocal music: classical, semi classical, light music like bhajans, geet, ghazals, film songs, instrumental music: harmonium, tabla. Also Hindi lessons. Available for performances. Call (408) 2683651 or email Lsaxena99@yahoo.com. ALI AKBAR COLLEGE OF MUSIC offers study in North Indian classical music. Four 8-week sessions a year are taught by master musicians. Classes are offered in vocal, instrumental and tabla. All are welcome. For more information please call (415) 454-6264.

CLASSES WEEKEND TUTORING MATH/ENGLISH for students in grade 2-9. After school martial arts taught by a 3rd degree black belt instructor: 4423 Fortran Ct. 95134. (408) 687-8249. BHARATANATYAM CLASSES AT SAN JOSE, Fremont and San Ramon by Sweta Ravisankar. The curriculum will include both Theory and Practical Sessions. Contact: (404) 884-4541/sweta.natyam@gmail.com. Visit www.swetaravisankar.com.

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FABRICS KHOOBSURAT SAREE PALACE. Visit our showroom for a vast selection of ladies, gents, children clothes, shoes, accessories, jewelry etc. (408) 774-1284.

FOR SALE INSTRUMENTS - Greatest selection of North Indian instrumetns in the U.S. Ali Akbar College store sells the finest quality sitars, sarods, tanpuras, harmoniums, tablas, flutes, etc. Complete repair service. We ship anywhere in the U.S. 1554 4th San Rafael, CA 94901. Call (415) 454-0581. www.aac. org/shop.

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INSURANCE AMILA INSURANCE SERVICES - Looking for a better deal on Auto Insurance? Call (408) 723-2100. SEETA BHANDARI - All Solutions Insurance Agency. More than a provider - a partner. (408) 225-4300. INSURANCE SPECIALIST Amar Sehgal. Most Competitive Rates and Friendly Services. (408) 298-2194. DO NOT BURDEN YOUR CHILDERN with burial or cremation expenses. Call Suman Sharma at (510) 483-1413 for free consultation. Email: suman775@gmail.com. FREE living will available.

LEGAL FREE LIVING TRUST SEMINARS. Presented by Attorney Robert P. Bergman. Learn about Living Trusts from an expert. Visit www.lawbob.com to register or call (408) 247-0444. DIVORCE ATTORNEY Madan Ahluwalia. Divorce, Alimony, Child Support, Child Custody, Property Division in Divorce. (888) 861-8436.

LOANS WELLS FARGO HOME MORTGAGE. Call today for complimentary consultation. Neil Sheth (510)818-9536 nsheth@wellsfargo. com.

MATRIMONIAL: FEMALE SEEKING A MATRIMONIAL alliance for your sister, daughter or a loved one? Place your ad here and reach 32,000 households. You may find the right person here in India Currents classifieds. To place your ad call (408) 324-0488.

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ORGANIZATIONS PEOPLE INTERESTED IN CONCERT opportunities to show case their talent in South Indian Classical Music,pls contact SR Fine Arts

REAL ESTATE BRAND NEW FLAT AVAILABLE! 3BHK flat, 1935 sq. ft., newly constructed ready for possession at Rajarhat, Kolkata. Includes extra servant qtr. and one covered parking. Complex with gym, swimming pool, community hall, club, 24/7 security, water and electricity. Contact Tilak at (+91)9830035544 or tismis@yahoo.com. BUYING OR SELLING PROPERTY? Call an expert with over 22 years of experience, Harshad Shah (408) 238-1200. FIRST TIME HOME BUYER’S SPECIALIST. Foreclosures/REOs. Call Sue Bose (408) 835-3330 or email sue@bosehomes.com.

SERVICES WITH OVER 10 YEARS of beauty experience, we bring our service to your doorstep. Every bride wants to look and feel beautiful and radiant on her wedding day. Call (408) 401-9821 to schedule your next event. SERVICES! SERVICES! HAVE A SPECIAL service to offer to India Currents readers? Do you do catering, tailoring, repairs or cleaning? Advertise here in India Currents Classifieds for $10 only. Call (408) 324-0488 today!

AD OF THE MONTH SINGLE LADY BETWEEN 35-50 who is totally unattached (with no childern). Fair complexion mandatory. Any Indian nationality. I am 5’10”, 160 pounds, black hair, brown eyes and handsome. Retired 22 years from Coast Guard Captain. I love traveling. Call me from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m. at (951) 686-2640 or email me at usacaptainray@myexcel.com.

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EAST COAST SPIRITUAL GUIDANCE CENTER: All spiritual needs - books, learning help, practices, counseling. Contact: Ma Yoga Shakti International Yoga Center of New York (718) 641-0402.

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Vasantha Yoga of San Jose, Invites you to A Unique Yoga Experience

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TICKETS/INFORMATION Tickets are available online at www.indolink.com/vasanthayoga For more information contact Vasantha Yoga (408) 257-8418 • (408) 833-4641 • (408) 839-4154 Email: info@vasanthayoga.com For program information, visit: www.vasanthayoga.com

VASANTHI BHAT: * Yoga instructor for over 38 years * Author and publisher of Hatha Yoga books and videos * Guest speaker and session Chair at the International Conference on World Peace, India, 2003 * Recipient of the “Human Relations” award, presented by Santa Clara County, CA, USA - 2002 134 • india currents • february 2013

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Kalpana Mohan

The First Strains of a Raga raga: noun: one of the melodic formulas of Hindu music having the melodic shape, rhythm, and ornamentation prescribed by tradition. Origin: 1780–90; < Sanskrit raga color, tone

’ve been in Chennai for over two months living in the cozy predictability of my father’s home. My life is regimented by rules made by my father and his Man Friday. We keep to permutations and combinations of sleep, food, drink, walk, outing and concert, much in the way a classical raga or “tune” meanders along a path predefined by rules and logic. A typical day begins with my father fussing over his coffee filters and the potence of his coffee decoction. Now that Dad is almost fit, he won’t allow the milk to roll into a virulent boil. He won’t allow aliens such as his sister or myself to touch his stainless steel coffee equipment until he has finished making his own first cup. Dad believes in process and finesse for everything. “This burner is for water, that for coffee. And keep the flame on low,” he says every morning, now that he has resumed poking his nose into kitchen affairs. Out of respect for my father, I will say, in the kindest way possible, that this morning raga of his is so infuriating that I want to fly out by the first available flight on Cathay. I’ll just simmer down, I suppose, and deal with my father’s ragas and those of all the others who troop in and out of our home. The word raga originates from the Sanskrit language in which the word means “mood,” “color” or “musical tone.” In Indian classical music, a raga is simply a pattern of notes having characteristic intervals, rhythms, and embellishments. This note pattern is a basis for improvisation by a musician. Some ragas are predictable: they follow a specific ascending and descending musical scale but some ragas which follow an unexpected pattern in their scale are called vakra ragas. Still some others introduce a note or two that are considered foreign to them. My father’s Man Friday Vinayagam’s ragas also follow a specific pattern; I don’t know much about music theory but I’ll offer this. All his ragas seem to have only dominant notes. So I’m thankful my father knows how to scale him down to size in his unpredictable, inimitable way. A few mornings ago, Vinayagam was humming what seemed like the sketch of a yet-to-be-discovered raga. During this last music season in Chennai, he has been inspired by towing along with us for several magnificent free concerts happening around town. On this particular morning, he was singing while helping my father groom himself before going to work. He was dusting Yardley powder over my dad’s neck and back. I’ve told Vinayagam time and again that he showers so much of it on my father that he may be the first valet in the world to snuff out an old man’s life with scented powder. Vinayagam addresses my father as “saar,” a pidgin version of the respectful “sir” which, while it’s meant to be a term of respect and obsequiousness, really sounds like a “hey” because it’s always uttered as a mild admonition coated in a veneer of jeer. But my father who has lost a substantial bit of hearing makes it clear to all of us, and especially to his impertinent valet, that loss of hearing never equates to a loss of processing power. “Saar, didn’t you just hear me sing? You’re not saying anything?” Vinayagam asked “I don’t want to,” my father said, his soft voice rising over the white jasmine dust. “Why, Saar?” 138 • india currents • february 2013

“You know, I don’t want to interrupt the flow,” my father said in response to Vinayagam. “Just in case something really good should come out of you.” Did you note how smoothly my father transitioned into his ending symphony? This is why I love my dad. The notes that rise from him always catch those of us in the family unawares. He is the unfêted maestro of the non-musical Photo Credit: Kalpana Mohan phrase. He is the mason of cadence. He is the artiste of the crescendo, the master Black Belt of the killer punch line. Since my birth, I’ve been subject to my father’s verbal forte. In the last two months during which I’ve cared for my dad I’ve flown into a rage at several of Dad’s uncalled-for overtures that then propelled us into arguments at the end of which we gave each other glum looks and sat far away from each other for hours until one of us or Vinayagam managed to find a concert for us to attend. Thankfully, we manage to forget our differences whenever we talk about a song or a raga. Like the exposition of a raga in a Indian classical concert, the same notes seem to repeat in our daily lives. The same ragas return every day. But during the course of our day something happens—the cook doesn’t show up, the power goes out or the roof leaks—and my father is out on another of his unplanned performances improvising and surprising us all with a turn of phrase or a sudden observation. His observations seem simple and crude at first sight but they are universal in their implication. It wouldn’t be wrong to say that every day with him is like a ragamalika that, in Sanskrit, means a garland of ragas. “Watch out,” my father said last week to no one in particular as he stepped out gingerly from his bathroom into the dressing area. “The bathroom is slippery. Someone may fall.” Vinayagam who never knows his place laughed aloud. “Saar. Someone may fall?” “Yes, someone may fall,” my father repeated, a little louder this time. “Saar, I’m afraid you may slip and fall. Not someone else, Saar.” “You sing the same raga, you know. Change your tune!” My father’s voice serrated to its finale as he noticed his valet overstep his bounds yet again. And then, probably feeling a little sorry for losing his temper at the man who had become his lifeline, he became gentle again. “You do know about a ragamalika, don’t you?”n This month Kalpana Mohan writes from Chennai, India. To read more about her, go to http://kalpanamohan.org and http://saritorial. com.

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india currents • february 2013 • 139

uncubed

Krishna M. Sadasivam is the cartoonist behind UNcubed, a weekly online auto-bio comic, focusing on life as an Indian guy in the United States. When he’s not creating comics or working as a freelance illustrator, Krishna teaches full-time in the Media Arts and Animation department of the Art Institute of Tampa in Florida. See more of his work at http://www.uncubedthecomic.com/. 140 • india currents • february 2013

india currents • february 2013 • 141

AD INDEX  APPEAL 101 Lakshmi Ganapathi ANNOUNCEMENTS 31 IC Katha Contest 82 PETA APPLIANCES 123 D.S. Neil Enterprises 50 One Vision Surveillance 62 Pacific Range ASTROLOGY 105 Pandit Anil Sharma 105 Pandit Krishna Kumar 105 SK Sharma BEAUTY 25 Shiva Beauty Salon 25 Kashish Threading 27 Rita’s Beauty Salon 27 Angel Hair & Beauty CLASSES: COMPUTERS 20 Amfasoft Corporation 16 Canvas Infotech 20 Silicon Valley Univ. 19 Strategism 143 SCM Data CLASSES: DANCE 105 Kalanjali 81 Bharathakala Kutiram 81 Savitri Hari 81 Xpressions 81 Preetha Sheshadri 81 Jayendra Kalakendra 81 Radhika Dinesh 72 Chhandam School CLASSES: MUSIC 75 Jeff Whittier 75 Habib Khan 75 Peter Block 77 Shruthi Swara Laya 75 Madhuwanti Mirashi 75 Dev Feldman 75 Mousoomi Banerji 79 Sangeetaanjali 75 Rhythmsnet CONSTRUCTION 50 Chana Construction 132 Vipul Adiecha Const. CONTESTS 15 Asian Pacific Fund EDUCATION 84 ICC Summer Camp Ins Bk Cov Challenger 19 Tim Charles 19 Champion School 16 Lekha Publishers 91 US Hindi Foundation 16 Canvas Infotech 14 Caribbean Medical 96 C2 Education ENTERTAINMENT 7 Most Unique 142 • india currents • february 2013

68 Kids Castle EVENTS 73 Chhandam 86 Abhinaya Dance 71 Ali Akbar College Ins Frnt Cov Asian Art 72 Chhandam School 87 Sowmya Shridharan 95 Namratha Samayajula 82 Satya Devi Memorial 85 ICC Youthsava 7 Cancer Institute 77 Sangeet Dhwani 86 Alekya Rajanala FABRICS 26 Preet Fabrics 29 Elegant Drapery 29 Fusion India 21 Pia Ka Ghar GROCERY 18 India Cash & Carry 51 Madras Groceries HEALTH 134 Vasanthi Bhat 115 Alpha Dental Care 115 Mamta Desai, DDS 118 Deborah Olenev 125 Bill Gray, M.D. 119 Prakash Advani, DDS 29 Robert Lowen, M.D. 117 Meenakshi Bhargava 117 Jyoti Sahdev 123 Palo Alto Medical 129 Palo Alto Medical 116 Smilesavers Dental 118 Anjali Tate, MD 113 Archana Gulati, DDS 118 Pacific Homeopathy 116 Sujatha Rajagopalan 118 Lanser Chiropractic 123 Care Indeed 124 Central Dental Group INSURANCE 41 Manjit Singh 42 Amila Insurance 41 Bindu Bhandari 43 Rachel Payne 41 Amar Sehgal 41 Avninder Singh 43 Robert Ju 42 Mann Insurance 41 Global Health Ins Center 41 Seeta Bhandari 42 Visitors Medical 9 Visitors Coverage 14 Dinesh Prasad LEGAL 40 Khorshed Alam, CPA 37 Allan Samson 37 Uma Subramanian 35 Raji Rajan 33 Indu Liladhar-Hathi

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india currents • february 2013 • 143

the last word

Sarita Sarvate

Senora Butterfly

wake up in the morning and wander on to the terrace to watch the fishing boats heading home after a night on the ocean. As I put a pot of tea on, birds start singing in the palms and tamarinds all around me. I lie in my hammock, watching the sunrise and marveling that the only thing I have to worry about today is what to eat and when to go to the beach. I eat a breakfast of a vegetable omelet topped by a fresh avocado so tasty, its California cousin seems like a soggy imitation. Vegetables here have a flavor like vegetables in India do, perhaps because they are not bred on too much water and fertilizer. I think of the bloated and bland things back in the United States, and I am glad I am here. I read and write for a while and then I head to the beach. A few Mexican kids are frolicking in the water, but otherwise, the sand is all mine. I sit at a table under a thatch roof and put sunscreen on. Then, leaving my backpack on a chair, I venture into the water. The senora, who is the proprietor of the restaurant, will keep an eye on my stuff, I am sure. What is surprising is how safe everything is here. We leave our doors and window open all night. We travel from one town to another, through bus stations that are clean and organized, with paid, spotless toilets equipped with paper, soap, and towels. IDs are checked in transit; videos are taken to ensure security. There are no signs of drug cartels or any other crime anywhere. Is the United States media deliberately hyping Mexican violence, I wonder? At this beach on the Michoacan coast, the bay curves gently so the waves are small. Still, I did not venture into the ocean alone at first. But then muscle memory kicked in, from years of living in Hawaii and New Zealand, I suppose, and now I am a mermaid, floating on water. I put my swim cap and goggles on and dunk my head into the water to see a million starfish. The water is so clear that I stretch my arm to grasp them, only to realize that they are far away, resting on the ocean bed. The sea is like a womb, comforting and rollicking. I swim on my stomach and then on my back, feeling the kind of contentment I have not experienced in a long time. I wonder, could I just stay here forever, hiding from the world? So many Americans do just that, some receiving social security checks, others running from the law. Still others, simply running away from life’s demands. The house we are renting is owned by a Mexican woman I will call Delia, a short, stocky, middle aged woman with an attitude. I like Delia precisely because she has an attitude; because she resents us for staying in her palatial house overlooking the ocean while she herself has to live in an adobe hut beside the only laundry in town which she runs. She needs our income and dislikes us for it. What could be more natural? Delia has seven children, of which four are girls. One is married to a tall, French man with a gorgeous face. He is a surfer, I learn, and has been living here for years, producing three children with the young lass. I wonder about the Mexican mystique, which has drawn these white men from France and America to the local women, with whom they have created beautiful, half-breed kids. But then again I am not surprised. They don’t want to put up with a gringa’s demands, I suppose. Or perhaps

I dream of being in their paradise; they dream of being in mine. The only difference, I suppose, is that I have a choice, and they don't.

144 • india currents • february 2013

they relish the simplicity of life here. And who could blame them? I am glad I don’t appear like a gringa; that I blend in among the locals with my brown skin and universal face. That way, I don’t elicit any special attention. I run on the beach in my bikini, and the eyes of the soldiers on guard linger on me only a second longer, perhaps because I am not as heavily built as the locals or perhaps because I am running at all, which Mexican women do not do. But then the soldiers look away, convinced I am a Latina. America is never far away from anyone’s consciousness here; almost everyone has some personal connection to it. One of Delia’s daughters is visiting from Modesto, California, I learn. I wonder if she might be able to help Delia get to the United States until I discover that that she has been staying there illegally. “How will she get back to the United States?” I ask. “Maybe she will not,” Delia says. “But what about her husband?” I say. “Maybe he will come back too,” she replies. Still, Delia is perhaps better off than most Mexicans. She dresses in style. She owns houses. She runs her business. She is perhaps the glue that holds the family together. In a way, I envy her tightly knit clan. On the bus, a young girl sits next to me. She is a mother of two, I soon discover. Her husband went to the United States, she tells me, but within days, returned home. “They captured him and gave him a bus ticket all the way to our village,” she says, confirming a news item I had heard on National Public Radio. Another village woman, Ana, lived illegally in San Mateo for four years, cleaning rooms at a motel. Her rivals in the 1980s were the Japanese. “Japanese are taking over California,” she says. The Japanese threat never quite materialized, I assure her, in fact, it is China that is taking over the world. But she already knows that because everything sold in the store here is made in China. I give a yoga class on the terrace to the local women. They are starved for knowledge, for stimulation, I discover. Ana is a born poet who makes up funny little rhymes about her husband who left her for another woman; Sarah is a natural athlete who dreams of leaving her husband. These women never had the opportunities I had, yet I cannot say that my life is that much happier than theirs. I dream of being in their paradise; they dream of being in mine. The only difference, I suppose, is that I have a choice, and they don’t. But then again, do I really have a choice? Later, as we eat the food they have made, my gringa friend tells us the story of Madame Butterfly. She was a Japanese woman who fell in love with an American in the nineteenth century, she says. The two married and had a son. The American left, promising to return. Madame Butterfly watched the ships sailing in the ocean every day, longing for her American. He did eventually return. But he had an American wife with him. All he wanted was his son back. Grief-stricken, Madame Butterfly committed hara-kiri. “That Madame Butterfly was a fool, my mother always told me,” my friend says. “Get an education instead, she told me.” We all stare at the ships in the distance. Education or not, we all are Madame Butterfly, we realize; we all dream of what we do not have. n Sarita Sarvate writes commentaries for Pacific News Service and KQED. Visit www.saritasarvate.com

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