March 2016

Ich Bin ein Berliner

by Riz Mithani

Delhi Coolie

by Kalpana Mohan

In Defense of a Nine Lettered Name

by Sandhya Acharya

INDIA CURRENTS Celebrating 29 Years of Excellence

march 2016 • vol. 29 , no .11 • www. indiacurrents.com

The theory behind lucky charms and evil omens

by Kamala Thiagarajan

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It’s the Race Card, People!

hen Meryl Streep announced that after all, we’re all from Africa, in response to the lack of color in the Oscar nominating panel, she was being completely accurate, but not entirely truthful.

When it comes to questions of race, the best strategy often is to quibble, split hairs or dissemble. Streep was pushed to a corner to justify an all-white cast that picked an all-white cast for the Oscars.

There can be no comfortable truth in that.

Meanwhile, #OscarsSoWhite 2016 goes down in history as another racist experiment.

Therefore, I tell Meryl Streep that we might still be Africans if a group of intrepid people hadn’t decided to go exploring to far away lands for better game.

We might still be Africans if the gentler sun hadn’t blanched our ancestors’ skins.

We might still be Africans if our ancestors hadn’t created boundaries and walls and religions to keep neighbors away from their resources.

In a perfectly homogenous world of us people from Africa, we would be migrating in and out of countries, utterly confident in our ability to blend into one people, choosing the shine of the sun and its golden rays of opportunity as the reasons for our homesteading.

But that’s not how it is. We are now a people of divisions and classes.

And so it reminded me of the 2001 voter registration card on which South Carolina governor Nikki Haley checked “white” for her race classification. She’s been in the news lately, endorsing Marco Rubio, and giving the Republican response to the State of the Union. True, it’s a sleeping ghost and it’s about fifteen years since the incident, yet it still brings up important questions of how we see ourselves.

As much as Meryl Streep was right about us being black, so was Nikki Haley of being white.

It’s an if-then-else tautology. First, let’s understand the voter registration categories. There’s white, there’s black, there’s Asian/Pacific Islander, Hispanic, and Native American and there’s the catchall “other.” The first two are color groupings and the next three are immigrant divisions.

So does “other” fall under color or immigrant or both? Since it is unclear, let’s allot

it to the immigrant bucket.

If Nikki Haley is not an immediate immigrant, in the way her parents were, she couldn’t check any of the categories of immigrant heritage specified. And so she was left with color groupings. She could well have chosen black and this editorial would have been very different. Instead, she chose the color of privilege. Was she wrong? No, not really.

Sir William Flower, a 19th century anatomist and surgeon, once explained that “physical characters are the best, if not the only, true tests of race,” and Haley’s Indo-Aryan characters, on the spectrum, have more in common with Caucasoidal traits than with Mongoloid or Negroid.

Hence, Nikki Haley is white, by default, just as we are all Africans by default.

Confused? I am too, and that’s the point. Race, as we know it, is socially constructed and works for and against us in different ways.

While Streep and Haley would probably like to believe that they are beyond the categorizations of race, it determines much of our behavior and how we relate

to each other. It certainly did in their cases. Streep became the face and voice of Oscar's all white panel. Nikki Haley, aka Namrata Randhawa, carefully crafted a white description just so she would have a seat at the chosen table at a crucial time in her life.

Race assigns possibilities to our future.

The possibility of being noticed by the police, of finding a job, of getting a promotion, and of being “on the finish line,” to quote actress Charlotte Rampling, who suggested that non-white movie professionals perhaps didn’t deserve the Oscar nod this year.

There’s just no indisputably correct answer to who we are, and how we see ourselves, racially. It’s a dilemma that often surfaces at key moments in our lives. I believe that it’s a question of being comfortable in the colors of our past and having the patience to wait it out. For sooner or later, things will change. It did for our African ancestors.

Jaya Padmanabhan, Editor

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INDIA CURRENTS March 2016 • vol 29 • no 11

PERSPECTIVES 3 | EDITORIAL It’s the Race Card, People!

By Jaya Padmanabhan

West Coast Edition

LIFESTYLE

www.indiacurrents.com

26 | RELATIONSHIP DIVA How to Break the Ice on a First Date

By Jasbina Ahluwalia

Find us on

8 | WORDS AND THINGS To My Uncle Shashi Tharoor on his 60th Birthday

By Ragini Tharoor Srinivasan 14 | VIEWPOINT In Defense of a Nine Lettered Name

By Sandhya Acharya 22 | EDUCATION Degrees Without Jobs

By Shail Kumar

36 | TAX TALK Tax Implications of the Health Care Law

By Rita Bhayani 43 | RECIPES Gluten Free Green Chapaties

By Shanta Sacharoff

16 | Of Taboos and Talismans Do superstitions work as guiding tools for negotiating our complex world?

24 | COMMENTARY Looking for Phoenicia Street, 1969

By R. Benedito Ferrao 27 | BOOKS A Review of Goddess of Fire, Ticket to India

By Hemlata Vasavada, Tara Menon 62 | MUSIC No Ryan in Bollywood Arabia

By Priya Das

By Kamala Thiagarajan

39 | Lives Rani Laxmibai of Jhansi

By Aarti Johri

4 | INDIA CURRENTS | West Coast Edition | March 2016

90 | DEAR DOCTOR Multiple Personas, One Person

By Alzak Amlani

DEPARTMENTS 6 | Letters to the Editor 29 | Popular Articles 30 | Ask a Lawyer 31 | Visa Dates

47 | Travel Ich Bin ein Berliner

By Riz Mithani

94 | ON INGLISH Delhi Coolie

By Kalpana Mohan 102 | THE LAST WORD My Hillary Dilemma

By Sarita Sarvate

88 | HEALTHY LIFE Trimming the Fat

By Nina Radcliff

64 | Films Reviews of Airlift and Neerja

By Aniruddh Chawda

WHAT’S CURRENT Southern California: 70 | Cultural Calendar 91 | Spiritual Calendar Northern California: 74 | Cultural Calendar 82 | Spiritual Calendar

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letters to the editor Don’t Follow the Herd

I enjoyed reading Ranjani Iyer Mohanty’s opinion piece “No Country for Gray People,” (India Currents, February 2016).

Perhaps it could have been more aptly titled “No Country for Gray Women.”

In my opinion, while a large majority of women do dye their hair in the United States, only a small minority of men do. A similar gender differential exists in India too. I often see group pictures of Indian couples where all the wives have completely black hair and none of the husbands do.

Why the gender difference? Perhaps men are less vain. Perhaps dyeing hair— and beard—is not worth their time. Perhaps men are more concerned about a balding head than a graying head!

In any case, there are definitely some advantages to sporting gray hair, at least in India. On our last trip to India, my wife and I frequently traveled by Delhi Metro.

Even in a crowded coach, we could easily claim the senior seats, thanks to our gray hair. Sometimes young travelers even offered their own (regular) seats to us.

Similarly, at a railway station, we could use the much shorter senior line to book hardto-get tickets. Gray hair provided a simple and sure proof of age in a culture where age is still respected.

Incidentally, we mustn’t overlook the fact that some of the nearly 5,000 chemicals used in hair dyes may be quite harmful. For example, some studies have shown an association between long-term use of hair dyes and the risk of leukemia and non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Moreover, since dyes come in close contact with the skin, they can also cause allergic reactions, skin irritation, and even hair loss.

So if you have gray hair, you have some pretty good reasons to go au naturel.

Don’t just follow the herd; let the herd follow you. Why? Because you are worth it!

Vijay Gupta, Cupertino, CA

Social Media Distraction

I very much enjoyed and identified with Sarita’s column on the hazards of social media in relation to interpersonal communications(“Unfriended,” India Currents, February 2016). I am 60 years old, Ph.D. educated, computer-savvy, but I avoid social media as much as possible, 6 | INDIA CURRENTS | West Coast Edition | March 2016

not because I do not know how to use it, but because I think it is having too many negative consequences on the abilities of the human mind to concentrate and reflect deeply, which is so needed to grow and learn from experience, and to form meaningful relationships with others. To that, I would like to recommend the book The Shallows: What the Internet is doing to our Brains by Nick Carr (2011, Pulitzer Prize finalist).

Kate Hendon, Campbell, CA I think it has become fashionable to bash social media in the same way that many people profess not to watch or own a television. We all brand ourselves, with or without the aid of social media. When a casual friend asks how I’m doing, I’m not going to give her the full rundown of all the highs and lows in my life; just the basics, and probably only the good stuff.

Meanwhile, I’m relieved to get a heads up when stuff is going on in my community.

At 54, I have many people who were active in earlier phases of my life that I would not know about; there are many others that I know just a little, but become intrigued by their sense of humor or touched by their struggle and I reach out of the virtual world and into the real one to know them better. And, I have unfriended people, who I still care about in real life. Complicated subject, and some got re-friended after some consideration. In the end, social media is just one communication tool among many; it is not the only tool in the shed.

Mary Lindemuth Arulanantham, online

A Place and Time for Indian Rituals

The article by Swathi Ramprasad (“Embarassed by My Indianness,” India Currents, February 2016) brought tears to my eyes. We left behind a lot to come to America, and the very marks that show our

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subservience to the lord are the first ones to go away. Often I worry that I am teaching my children only that which is material and pleases the external body, but not what is desired for the soul. My daughter is the same age as Swathi was when she asked her thatha to remove the thiruman. I’m afraid that my children will not wear the thiruman when they grow up as adults or will shun it as something to be adorned only when going to the temples or for religious events.

Vidya Raghavan, online The article by Swathi Ramprasad (“Embarassed by My Indianness,” India Currents, February 2016) is a good writeup on what younger generation kids go through not only in America but even in India. Being a very religious person, I believe there is a place and time for everything. It is not necessary to wear/represent your tradition when you go to a professional/casual place such as the office or a party or a sporting event where the focus is not God or your traditional practice.

At the same time it is important for these youngsters to know about our traditions, culture, daily rituals/actions that need to be taken to lead a good life and realize God. I believe in practising religion/rituals in our own personal place and not in public where people from different backgrounds exist. Striking a balance is very important.

Adharsh Mukundan, online This happens everywhere. Even in Bangalore, India. I often see people trying to conceal their cultural heritage, be it Tamil girls not wearing the vibhuti and dressed in the western style or beautiful girls from Kerala who straighten their hair.

Ultimately our cultural identity is what makes us who we are.

Shalini KM, online I love Swathi Ramprasad’s article! As a child, I clearly remember being insulted for coming to school with mehndi on.

As a nine year old, not having the opportunity to play 4-square really hurt me.

As you grow, you’ll realize that there is a fondness for our culture, outside of the constraining-bubble. Can’t wait to see how Swathi discovers both sides in college and beyond!

Priyanka Bhagat, online

Call me today:

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words and things

To My Uncle Shashi Tharoor on his 60th Birhday

I

By Ragini Tharoor Srinivasan

’m sorry I shut the window on they see and hear what it is you give of Now you are sixty. And what your fingers, curved around the yourself every day—these artifacts of frame of the steel car door. It your publicity might matter. But to the I want to tell you in honor of was an accident; I didn’t know how extent that they don’t see or hear you, to your birthday is that I hear quickly the automatic glass would the extent that they don’t know who you close. We were driving around Durare, they matter not at all. you and I see you, descending ham, and it was the first time I reNow you are sixty. And what I want the escalator, ascending the ally had you to myself. You were at to tell you in honor of your birthday is Duke to give a series of talks that I, that I hear you and I see you, descendstage ... then a college senior, had helped to ing the escalator, ascending the stage, organize: a reading in the Rare Book boarding the plane, answering those Room, a lecture in the school of public policy, a dinner at that tony thousands of emails, responding with unmatched largesse to the and remote place that only university big-wigs could go. The great questions of the world.

Chilean playwright Ariel Dorfman was there to break bread with When you moved from the United Nations to the private you. Among others. sector, I began to edit a magazine, this one. You encouraged me, I walked you through the gardens and drove you around as you always have, to give it my all. Then, when you went back campus, and it was then, during one of those drives, as we were to India in 2009, I went back to school to pursue a doctorate, discussing your imminent departure from the United Nations after as you had done so many years before. You went back to India a celebrated career and its premature end in October 2006 at the and I went back to school, where I would begin the research vetoing hand of George W. Bush’s John Bolton, that your hand that would become a dissertation about going back to India, got slammed. about the narrative registration of repatriation. That’s part of it, I remember how you winced. And I remember taking you anyway. to the airport later, after that exhausting couple days of events, And you are an absent present in this ongoing work of mine. throughout which you were, as always, exceptionally generous You are the returnee-repatriate who was once an expatriate writwith your responses to even the least inspired questions. You heard er. You are the old Indian Anglophone—with an accent “more the best version of each question, its inner and unthought potenBritish than the Brits’” and that too born in London—faced with tial, and you inverted it and returned it with the full force of your the entrepreneurial aspiration and pent-up desire of the New Increativity and intellect. dia. And you, unlike so many in your position, have embraced it, You gave a lot of yourself during that trip, and I was tired just proverbial warts and all. You have married into the New India; watching you and walking with you between events, and I thought you are laboring for it; you are allowing it to make its claim on about how this was what you did all the time, day after day, travelyou as you make your mark on it. ing here and there to appear before new audiences, to eat and drink You made a tremendous leap of faith in returning to India, with covetous strangers, to just be available, really. I remember the but it was not your first leap. From the French you learned in sadness and affection I felt for you then, as I watched you descend a summer, to the Malayalam and Hindi you have honed. From the escalator, your black roll-aboard in tow.

Boston to Singapore to Geneva to New York to Dubai to TrivanSince that afternoon in March 2007, you have worked in the drum. Linguistic leaps, global leaps, leaps of faith: you travel and private sector, you have been based in three countries, you have write and speak because there is more of the world to know and twice stood for elected office in India and won, spectacularly. You to which to give. have been married twice. You have accomplished much. You have I admire you deeply for this, for the optimism that undergirds come under fire. You have become even more famous (in some all of your movements, and for the obstinacy with which you quarters, infamous) than you were then, more celebrated, ever refuse to capitulate to the cynicism that seems so often to the more public. You have gone viral on YouTube. You have published rest of us like the only reasonable response to a beautiful but ugly dozens of articles and half a dozen books. You have traveled and world. Happy 60th birthday, Shashi Mama. May you be seen and tweeted, a lot. heard. Or, to paraphrase the American novelist John E. Williams, These are the things that the world sees and the chattering may you be yourself, and know, ultimately, classes chat about, which appear on your Wikipedia page in occawhat you have been. n sionally suspect form, which provide cartoonists the ammunition to draw you up, and ignominious economist-politicians the gall Ragini Tharoor Srinivasan is a doctoral candidate to mention you at all. To the extent that they get you right—that in Rhetoric at UC Berkeley.

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viewpoint

In Defense of a Nine Lettered Name

By Sandhya Acharya

I

shifted uncomfortably in the little toddler seat feeling like Goliath at Lilliput’s dinner table. My 3-year old’s teacher spread out a sheaf of papers displaying his work—art, writing, craft.

She went through his grades for performance—social skills, fine motor skills, fine arts, math.

I felt my complacent self move aside to make way for a hassled competitive mother of a toddler. I squirmed at all the 2s and 3s and beamed at the 5s. I wanted to jump out of my chair, grab all the other files piled in the folders and take a look at which kid stood where.

The teacher showed me a piece of paper with incoherent scribblings. That was my son writing his name. While there were interesting shapes, there was nothing in there that resembled any English letter.

If I had shown it to my son, he would have pleaded with me to concoct a story with all the sticks and stones that he had sketched on the paper. I stifled my giggle when the teacher announced that kids were supposed to write their names by now.

“Really!” I heard myself say aloud. She pulled out another promising child’s paper and showed me an example of how a child should be writing at that point. “After all he would be going to kindergarten soon,” she added emphatically. I ruefully looked at the prized paper belonging to some other proud parent with a name splashed across playfully but fully legible. Four full letters put together calling out a sweet little girl’s name. “Oh!” I managed to say after an awkward pause. And then internally I grimaced at the tough time my son probably would face with his nine lettered name—S I D D H A R T H. It was a beautiful name—one that had

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pith, substance and meaning. It means one who has attained all his goals. It is also the name of Gautama Buddha, the seer who attained Nirvana. One of my favorite books authored by Hermann Hesse on the spiritual meaning of life and inspired by Buddha is also named Siddhartha.

And when we had to decide on a name, it was the one name that managed to withstand criticism from both sides of the family too. Yes, like many others, we went through the list of hundreds of names, some had felt too terse, some too raw, some reminded us of someone unpleasant. “Siddharth” on the other hand felt just right.

No, it was no Bob or Tom or Raj. It didn’t easily roll off the tongue and it was not so easy to remember. But neither do Hermione Granger or Daenerys Targaryen. And yet they have high recall value so much so that parents are apparently naming their kids after these famous characters.

Then again we live in the Bay Area where names like Wochiski, Blecharczysk, Srinivasan, Thirunavukkarasu, are common parlance. Sure they will be shortened, examined for hidden meanings, given some flavor and zest, go through several avatars for the benefit of the various circle of friends and acquaintances that they tra-

verse through.

Yet, a name represents the culture we come from, our roots. It is a promise of our own unique offering to the world. It is the first manifestation of the love, as well as the aspirations and dreams we as parents see for our children.

A name becomes a part of our identities. A name is a beautiful thing. And really, if we expect our kids to be writing legibly before they are four, thrive at Russian math school, top the spelling bee, score a 4.0 and also win a sports scholarship, be valedictorian, and respect our elders, invent a flying car or fly to Mars—surely, a nine lettered name is not going to create much of a ruffle.

As if reading my thoughts, the teacher assuaged me, “Oh don’t worry, he will be writing his full name by the end of the year.” I smiled at my ambitious, all embracing Californian teacher.

I took a few more notes, collected the papers and hurriedly headed to the door.

Was that Mrs. Guilmeneau next in line? n Sandhya Acharya worked in the area of corporate finance and is now actively pursuing her passion for words. She is a mother of two boys and a dance enthusiast living in Santa Clara. A version of this article was read out on KQED’s “Perspectives” program.

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cover

Of Taboos and Talismans

By Kamala Thiagarajan

A family does more than pass on its fine silver or precious heirlooms to the generations that follow. It also transfers much of its inherent wisdom, its irrational fears and inexplicable traditions. For many Indian Americans, living a life in the world’s most modern cities hasn’t prevented them from placing their faith in the ancient customs and beliefs that once colored their childhood.

A feng shui plant with blossoms and thorns

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Masks hung outside a home to keep away the “evil eye”

W

hen North Carolina based Aradhana Aggarwal, CEO of the online enterprise globalpointmall.com, moved to America she found herself growing more alert and paying attention to minor details whenever she left the house, a fallback on the days when her mother would analyze omens and advise caution whenever they left their homes in India.

President Obama displaying a statuette of Hanuman

The Restless Cat

Being wary of premonitions, while going and coming is an age-old Indian belief and there was a time when Aradhana feels it could have well saved her life. “We had a cat back home in India,” she says. “She stayed with us for about 11 years, but in all this time, she never crossed our way except once when we were just about to leave the house. My mother asked us to sit on the couch for a minute to avoid the bad omen. We sat, waited for a minute and left. As soon as we left the house, we saw that the neighbor’s house had crashed just about a minute ago. It was an old building and we would have been under it had we not waited. A fraction of a minute that made all the difference.” Since then, Aradhana isn’t as quick to dismiss any superstition. “I did always believe that animals have some special instinct and can sense when something bad is imminent. It’s important to be aware when they’re restless and sometimes even blind superstition is just a way to remind us of that,” she says.

So, Why?

A sense of security and confidence are perhaps the greatest benefits we get emotionally from superstitious behavior,” says Meena Rajendran, staff psychiatrist at UC Hastings College of the Law, San Francisco. “Not all rituals or beliefs are superstitions though. The division lies in whether you give some magical significance to a ritual.”

Often, despite what our rational minds say, regardless of how educated we are or where we live, we tend to do just that— embracing with gusto talismans and lucky charms of every kind to ward away unknown dangers and to contend with forces that may be beyond our control.

The Merriam Webster defines superstition as “a belief or practice resulting from ignorance, fear of the unknown, trust in magic or chance, or a false conception of

causation.”

In other words, superstition is what we rely on when we have no way of predicting what is to follow. It is an adaptive technique to deal with what we do not know or cannot know. It is a way to calm our worries about the future. So perhaps that’s the reason we wear our lucky socks for job interviews or dangle a Ganesha from our rearview mirrors.

The problem arises when we let superstitions control behavior. For example if that lucky pair of socks disappears in the wash (yes, it’s irrational but my socks have often disappeared in the washer), then what? Do you cancel the interview?

Subsitute another pair of socks and call it lucky? If you fail to get the job, do you blame the socks?

What Obama Carries in His Pocket

In an Associated Press interview in January 2016, President Obama talked about the things he carries around with him.

“Ever since I started running for office,” President Obama declared, “people started handing me things, when I’d like speak to a crowd, like lucky charms or keepsakes or things that meant something to them, and so now ... I’ll pick out a few things that I just put in my pocket to remind me of all the people I’ve met along the way, and the stories they told me. And this is what I have in my pocket today.”

President Obama then proceeded to take out each item, starting with rosary beads from Pope Francis, because it made him think “about peace and promoting understanding and ethical behavior.” He moved on to a little buddha figurine that a buddhist monk gave him. And then he dis-

played a lucky metal poker chip that a biker gave him in Iowa in 2007. President Obama described the biker, with great relish, as being “bald with a handlebar mustache and a bunch of tats ...” He gave the hopeful Presidential candidate the chip emphasizing that it was his own lucky poker chip. It says volumes that the candidate won the elections and kept the poker chip ever since then. President Obama then moved on to a statuette of Hanuman and after that a coptic cross from Ethiopia.

“I carry these around all the time, and I’m not that superstitious, so it’s not like I think necessarily that I have to have them on me at all times,” the leader of the free world said, going on to add that, “if I feel tired, or if I feel discouraged sometimes, I can kind of reach into my pocket and say yeah, that’s something, that’s something that I can overcome ...”

Evil Eye

In India, drishti, literally meaning gaze, also refers to warding off the evil eye—a superstitious premise that is exploited, marketed and monetized to thriving advantage. The belief rests on the idea that public exposure of success, beauty, victory or good of any sort, will result in people becoming envious and displaying ill will towards the “lucky” one.

In order to deter this kind of covetous behavior, a big black dot is drawn on a beautiful baby’s face, brightly painted demon masks and strung chilies greet visitors from the threshold of brand new homes, and “Feng shui” shrubs are planted, as much for their thorn studded prickly stems

March 2016 | West Coast Edition | www.indiacurrents.com | 17

A Creative Commons Image

A black cat crossing signifying a bad omen

as for the beauty of their blossoms.

Then there is the ritual of “taking arati” to ward off envy and jealousy. Arati is derived from the sanskrit word, aratrika, or something that removes darkness.

Pigeon Mentality

There’s no denying that many superstitions are borne of fear and our need to deal with the unknown. However, as psychologist B.F. Skinner’s famous 1948 experiment with pigeons proves, perhaps there could be a simpler explanation too.

In Skinner’s experiment, pigeons were kept captive in a cage and fed with pellets every 15 seconds. In the short duration of time before the food pellet was dispensed, each pigeon would strike a peculiar pose in the cage—one would turn counter clockwise three times while waiting for it’s feed, the other would thrust its neck out.

Interestingly, Skinner maintained that these behaviors were actually the pigeon’s way of observing superstition. It believed that to strike a certain pose brought it food.

Much like Skinner’s pigeons, we cling to superstitions, beliefs and rituals even without logical explanations, because perhaps, at one time, the behavior may have brought us some kind of joy or was rewarding on some level. In short, we’re practicing repetitive behavior that even pigeons can learn. Indeed, like Obama’s lucky poker chip.

Several psychologists since then have refuted Skinner’s claims and have devised their own experiments to prove that animals are able to exhibit understanding of the relationship between cause and effect.

Peter R. Killeen of Arizona State University found that his pigeons were able to determine if a result was random or due to a specific action that they initiated.

18 | INDIA CURRENTS | West Coast Edition | March 2016

Do the Math

According to psychologists, Kevin Foster of Harvard University and Hanna Kokko of the University of Helsinki, Finland, it’s all in the math. If you add up the cost of being right versus the cost of being wrong, making choices like whether to walk underneath a ladder or run when you hear the wind rustling in sub Saharan Africa become easier. Superstitions give you a basis for prediction.

Foster and Kokko believe that “naturally selected strategies” correlate to superstition. If the performance of certain actions in the past has resulted in benefits, then there is a tendency to keep to that set of actions, much like superstitions.

Exploring the psychology behind magical thinking is important to establish whether following a particular superstition is hurting or helping us, says Dr. Rajendran.

Some beliefs may have a placebo effect—your mind tells you following a sequence of events, or carrying certain things, will help you and often, it may do just that. In such cases, observing such customs can be deeply calming and beneficial, even offering that critical link to one’s roots.

sea of turbulent change, holding onto age-old beliefs even if it doesn’t appeal to your rational sense of self isn’t unusual, say psychologists. “In India, like many other parts of the world, a number of superstitions exist—some that have evolved over the years and others that are created every day.”

That’s why, for first generation immigrants, following rituals can be immensely therapeutic and rife with nostalgia, reminiscent of a past that they’ve left behind.

For Abhinga Patel, who hails from the small town of Navsari in Gujarat, one such ritual has become close to her heart, ever since she immigrated to America in 2008 for her master’s degree. “Whenever we prepared to leave for an important event, my parents and grandparents would feed us a spoonful of curd. It’s Gujarati tradition and they believed that this practice would bring us success and good fortune,” she says.

Patel, who now resides in Dallas, feels that the ritual has been so deeply ingrained in her, even after years of living in the United States. “I’ve never offered curd to American friends,” she says. “But I still

Immigration and Ritualization

In any immigrant’s journey, there is a phase of imbibing the new.

You are barraged with new ideas, explore new tastes from different cuisines, are exposed to new scents, sounds, accents and vocabularies. In the midst of this

A dot on a child’s face to stave off evil eyes

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follow the tradition (myself) as I strongly believe it will bring me good luck.”

Indeed, many Indian rituals and traditions are richly symbolic, with layers of hidden meaning that may not at once be apparent. They are however designed to provide optimal psychological conditioning. Whether it’s the simple act of lighting a lamp at the first hint of dusk or tying a protective amulet around your wrist to ward off evil spirits, superstition can be a powerful cultural security blanket of sorts and for a first generation immigrant, a bridge to the past.

“We follow rituals as much as possible and make an effort to celebrate Indian festivals (even if they fall on a weekday),” says Laavanya Das, a mother of two, based in Washington DC. Considering that I left home when I was 17 and having missed most festivals since then, I don’t always remember all the details, but I try to find out and discuss my memories with the kids.”

The role that superstition plays in an immigrant’s life is at once engaging and richly complex. And there’s no doubt that it can color their perception of the world.

Youth and Superstition

While Laavanya makes an effort to explain their rituals to her kids, she does realize that there are some rituals for which the meaning is obscure. “My kids are too young to question the reason behind all that we do, so I haven’t gone down that path with them yet,” she says. “For now it’s enough if they glean some knowledge of our traditions and imbibe all they can of India.”

Indeed, for second generation Indian Americans, looking for meaning behind rituals can be a futile and disappointing endeavor, one that leaves them feeling like they’ve been plunged into an alien world.

“I’m always asking questions during family get-togethers,” says Aarthi,* 26, (name changed). “I feel like my American and Indian identities are constantly in conflict at this time. I don’t understand the significance of certain rituals and beliefs and often, there’s no logical explanation at all.”

Aarthi recalls bitter childhood arguments over this, though today, there are some beliefs that she still blindly follows, despite challenging it when she was

younger. “I won’t comb my hair after dusk or use my left hand to receive anything.

When my mother asks me to boil milk over a stove until a little bit spills over when I move into a new home, I’ll do it unquestioningly,” she says.

This suggests the idea that children generally tend to adopt their parents’ superstitious beliefs till they develop their own understanding of cause and effect.

Much of what is learned in childhood and cannot be explained is slotted as superstition. As Andra Cracuin from the University of Bucharest states, superstition nowadays is only an “evolutionary residue.”

Yes, true, but that’s putting complex words within superstitions. At the end of the day, there is little harm in knocking on wood before announcing that our kid thinks “he did well in the math test,” or looking at a rainbow and convincing ourselves that it is a harbinger of a bright and beautiful future. n Kamala Thiagarajan writes on travel, health and lifestyle topics for a global audience. She has been widely published in over ten countries.

Some Superstitions, Omens and Talismans Black Cat: Perhaps it’s the fact that black cats look distinctly eerie, or that the color black is associated with death and ill luck, whatever the case, black cats are shunned and invite suspicion.

Breaking a Coconut: Tacked on to religious rituals, the purpose of breaking a coconut, some believe, is to ward away evil spirits with a sharp satisfying crack.

Others believe that the coconut is richly symbolic. The hard husk often reveals a sweet white kernel and a discovery of what lies within is representative of our own spiritual journey.

Black Dot on Children’s Faces: Warding off the evil eye by deliberately introducing a flaw to mar its own perfection is a common (and rather curious) practice.

Cutting Nails After Dusk: In the times that preceded the invention of electricity, when our homes were lit by lamps, cutting nails after dusk may have posed a serious health hazard.

Not Sitting On Pillows: This could have evolved for reasons of simple hygiene

and the fact that sitting on a pillow can often render it a shapeless mass. Children are often threatened off pillows with the warning that sitting on them will attract financial ruin and bankruptcy!

Not Circling Someone: Indian Hindus circle their loved ones three times when they pass on. Even if a child walks around another person in a circular trajectory, he/she is discouraged from doing so immediately. This is to avoid thoughts and memories of death or to refrain from mimicking (even accidentally) the rituals associated with it.

Not Sweeping After Dusk: Another superstition that stemmed from the basics of hygiene. People were discouraged from sweeping floors after dusk when visability diminished a great deal. Even today, most household cleaning is finished before sunset.

Cash Gifts that End in 1: All cash gifts from elders and well-wishers are never an even number. This is because it is believed that the odd number will cause

your money to grow and flourish, whereas an even number could create stagnation, Sneezing or Being Called Back Just as You Leave the House: When you leave home, it is best to do so without encumberances. In other words, there’s no looking back. For this reason, deeply supersitious people dislike being called as they cross the threshhold. And watch it if you have a cold. If you so much as sneeze while they’re leaving, it’s believed to bring bad luck.

Breaking a Mirror: A bad omen all over the world, mirrors in Indian culture are considered magical thresholds of sorts.

When there is a death in the family, some communities believe in covering mirrors with a cloth in order to prevent the exit of evil spirits.

Handing Spilling Salt or Handing Someone a Safety Pin: It is believed that handing salt to a friend will result in a fight with that person. Safety pins are never transferred by hand, but always left on a ledge for another person to pick up. n

March 2016 | West Coast Edition | www.indiacurrents.com | 21

education

Degrees Without Jobs

Addressing the problems and potential of India’s higher education system

By Shail Kumar

H

ow is India’s higher education system doing? Look no further than the following story.

Pune, 2014: Mukund Kapase recently joined an automobile company as an assembly-line worker after his dreams of joining the IT industry were repeatedly crushed. He was deemed “unemployable”

by IT companies even after receiving several degrees. India’s higher education system has let Mukund and his family down. His story is echoed by millions of India’s youth graduating from colleges and universities across the country.

As the second son of a farmer in a village in Maharashtra, Mukund was the “chosen one” to attend the local college.

His elder brother was “kept” in the village so he could take over his father’s farm.

His two younger sisters dropped out after eighth grade. His parents did not want them to take a bus to a high school hours away from the village; there were too many instances of physical and emotional harassment to worry about, not to mention the lack of sanitary women-only restrooms.

Mukund completed his twelfth grade at a high school where teachers rarely showed up. Mukund’s father paid for private tutoring so Mukund could pass the state board examinations to pursue a higher education.

After passing the qualifying exams, Mukund enrolled in one of the state’s affiliated colleges. Like the majority of affiliated colleges in Maharashtra and the nation, the college was owned and operated by a politician and his family members. The faculty members were mediocre and poorly paid, the infrastructure was decrepit, and library and computer resources were practically nonexistent.

Unknown to his father, who had taken loans for Mukund’s higher education, there was no incentive for Mukund to attend classes at the college. Everyone passed and got their degrees. Reality struck when he did not get any job offers after completing his three-year degree program. On 22 | INDIA CURRENTS | West Coast Edition | March 2016

a friend’s recommendation, Mukund enrolled in a well-known one-year Information and Communication Technology (ICT) program. His father sold part of his land to finance this program. That did not help either, as no job offers came his way.

Frustrated, he finally joined a manufacturing company as an assembly-line worker.

Ashamed that he had not lived up to his father’s dream, Mukund hardly visits his village. He is saving all he can to pay off his father’s debts.

India’s higher education has come a long way since 1947. Based on 2013 and 2014 information, there were over 700 universities, 37,000 affiliated colleges, 11,400 stand-alone institutions, and several open- and distance-education universities. Online programs are catching on for students and for teachers’ training. In 2011, approximately 27.5 million students were enrolled in the system. Affiliated colleges accounted for approximately 74 percent of student enrollments, open- and distance-education 12 percent, stand-alone institutions 11 percent, and universities just over 2 percent. In the immediate years following independence, large numbers of outstanding faculty members joined the higher education system, especially the newly established institutions, such as the IITs and IIMs, and also led the atomic and space efforts. Compared to many developing nations and where we were in 1947, we have done remarkably well.

However, the higher education system has fallen short of India’s enormous potential—a country of 1.3 billion people and home to great thinkers, spiritual leaders, scientists, writers, and artists. India’s higher education system does not serve the needs and aspirations of its people.

Unfortunately, stories such as the Mehta or Kapase family are unfolding around India in alarming numbers.

Higher education system sits at a critical junction of society and nation. Well prepared professionals and a thriving re-

search, innovation, and entrepreneurship ecosystem have the potential of unleashing the potential of 1.3 billion Indians, addressing India’s mega challenges, and making its environment and economy more vibrant and sustainable. With 20-26 million children born per year in India, which is equal to Australia’s population, it is an important and urgent issue. Transforming the system can unleash India’s vast potential and usher in its new Golden Age. A brighter India, with over one sixth of world’s population, is not just critical for India and its people; it is essential for the world. n This is an excerpt from Building Golden India: How to unleash India’s vast potential and transform its higher education system.

NOW. The book can be purchased at: www. amazon.com/author/shailkumar For more information visit www.shailkumar.com Shail Kumar is Past-President of the IIT Foundation; co-founder of Pan IIT alumni movement in the USA; former administrator at UC Berkeley and UC San Diego; co-founder and CEO of two start-ups; and was an executive in several Fortune 500 and Silicon Valley-based corporations.

OW EYEBR ING D THRE$A 00

5

March 2016 | West Coast Edition | www.indiacurrents.com | 23

commentary

Looking For Phoenicia Street, 1969 Beirut, then and now. A son looks for where his father had lived and finds other histories in a haunted present.

By R. Benedito Ferrão

I

with the street he had called home.

On our left, by the edge of Zaitunay Bay, the once glamorous St. George Hotel, now hollowed out, stands mutely as testament to Beirut’s heyday, its Golden Age. Previously damaged during the civil war, the hotel was the site of the 2005 carbomb blast that killed then-Prime Minister Rafik Hariri. A large banner cuts across its otherwise silent façade like a scream: “Stop Solidere,” it implores, in reference to the company at the helm of redeveloping downtown Beirut, but clearly not without controversy.

As I look for Phoenicia Street, its name recalling this country’s even more distant legendary past, I cannot help but think of that mythical bird reborn of the ashes, and wonder about Beirut’s future, its present so at odds with my father’s recollection of his youthful years in the city.

In the midst of growing political instability—ISIS, the Israeli occupation, and then the November 2015 bombing in southern Beirut that was eclipsed by news of the Paris attacks that same month— Syrians and Palestinians continue to seek refuge in Lebanon, these contemporary crises of displacement layered on already uncertain ground.

Refugee crises have fast become the most apparent political problem of this second decade of the 21st century, especially as many nations, such as Australia, have balked at taking in the world’s homeless.

Yet, ironically, Lebanon has been the shelter of its politically displaced neighbors while dealing with its own instability.

The ruins of St George Hotel which fell victim to a bomb t was the year my parents would marry in Kuwait. In the 1960s, as Goa was annexed by India and the creation of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries, or OPEC, signaled the growth of the oil-based Middle Eastern economy, many Goans made their way to the Gulf states due to the rise of employment opportunities there. The American company my father would be employed by for two decades sent him to Lebanon as a trainee in 1969, shortly before my mother would join him in Kuwait, the country where my sister and I would be born.

Nearly a half-century later, I try to locate the street on which my dad had worked and lived. He had always remembered Beirut fondly, a single twenty-something, then, out in the world on his own for the first time.

As a friend and I make our way past the weekend crowd, enjoying views of the Mediterranean from the Corniche, the January sun glints off the windows of the towering Phoenician Hotel to our right.

“Middle of the road as you start up on the slope,” my dad had instructed on WhatsApp, in response to my query of how far his office building might be in relation to the hotel that shares its name

blast 24 | INDIA CURRENTS | West Coast Edition | March 2016

On another day, a young boy follows me as I walk over to Café Younis in Hamra where I am to meet some friends. When my father lived here, this was one of his haunts. He would frequent its cafes with friends he had made from all over the Middle East and other parts of the globe.

“Syrian, Syrian”, the lad says, attempting to catch my attention. “Hungry,” he whispers, a shoeshine box in one hand.

The vibrant multicultural city was once known as the Paris of the East. Now, its cosmopolitanness is bred from other causes.

It is with these lines that the seminal postcolonial text Orientalism (1978) opens: “On a visit to Beirut during the terrible civil war of 1975-1976 a French journalist wrote regretfully of the gutted downtown that ‘it had once seemed to belong to . . . the Orient of Chateaubriand and Nerval.’ He was right about the place, of course, especially so far as a European was concerned. The Orient was almost a European invention, and had been since antiquity …” Even as he exemplifies the Beirut of the past as the epitome of how the West imagines the East, the late Palestinian American writer Edward Said captures the ephemerality of a city lost, one still immersed in its own pain.

A palestinian camp seen through the ruins of a building in Tyre

A derelict home in Beirut

Of the impossibility of knowing these ghosts in the way only the haunted can, Said goes on to say, “Perhaps it seemed irrelevant that Orientals themselves had something at stake in the process, that even in the time of Chateaubriand and Nerval Orientals had lived there, and that now it was they who were suffering …”

As if in illustration of Said’s observation of the juxtaposition of the fantastic past with the tumultuous present, in the erstwhile Phoenician city of Tyre, millennia-old ruins stand monumentally in South Lebanon, almost rendering invisible the neighboring Palestinian refugee camp of modern provenance.

In Beirut city, amidst the newly rising buildings, there are creative signs of dissent. A stencil of an Anonymous mask on

one wall, flowers bursting out of a rifle held by a gunman on another. As I wonder how long these bold displays of public art might last, I continue to confer with my dad who is in Goa. “There was a coffee shop outside,” he advises via messenger, attempting to orientate me.

But the company building seems to be non-existent. I ask a few locals. No one has heard of it. I look around to see newer buildings, their silhouettes sharply contrasting with the older architecture of the 60s and 70s, invariably pock-marked with the evidence of civil war. A few blocks further, the ravaged Holiday Inn of the infamous “battle of the hotels” looms inhospitably.

“I saw it go up in flames from my balcony,” a Lebanese American friend later finds occasion to convey when we talk about my trip and memories of her childhood.

“My landlady must be dead by now.

She was in her 60s, then,” dad tells me on the phone when we speak.

He had also tried to contact a Lebanese friend he knew to show me around, only to discover that the man and his family were long gone.

Ruins in the erstwhile Phoenician city of Tyre

I had found Phoenicia Street, but it was no longer 1969. n To read more of R. Benedito Ferrão’s writing, visit his blog at thenightchild.blogspot.com or The Nightchild Nexus on Facebook.

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relationship diva

How to Break the Ice on a First Date

By Jasbina Ahluwalia

Q

First dates are very stressful. Little nagging questions in my mind cause me to close up and feel nervous. How do I overcome my jittery nerves?

A

Here are five tips for men to deal with that first date and land a second

one.

1. Prepare Ahead of Time: Choose five topics that interest you ahead of time, so you know you can default to those if organic conversation doesn’t flow right away. Choose at least one that is a national news item. This enhances the chances that your date will likely have something to add to the conversation.

If you found her through online dating sites, look at her profile and learn a bit about what interests your date. Your goal should be to find someone who interests you. One of the best ways to do that is through conversation.

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2. Don’t Do All of the Talking: Let your date talk. Remember that you want to find out “who” she is as a person. This can also make your date relax and enjoy the conversation. A good goal is to use the 40/60 rule. You talk 40 percent of the time and let her talk 60 percent of the time.

3. Be Engaging, not Dismissive: Pay attention to what she says. You want her to feel that what she says is important to you. This will help her be more open and less nervous. A good way to be engaging is to ask questions that are deeper than just surface observation. Don’t edit yourself.

4. Focus on Hobbies and Activities: By talking about hobbies and activities, and why she enjoys them, you get to see more of who she is as a woman and person.

Do something on the first date that she likes. This allows her to feel and be more of an authority. It also allows you

the opportunity to ask many questions.

This leads to stimulating and positive conversation and both of you will have a good time.

5. Share Experiences: Share your experiences where they revolve around common interests. The goal here is to build trust and finding experiences that you may have both shared is a great way to do that.

You can improve your odds of getting a second date through first date conversations that are balanced, humorous and stress-free. 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. Jasbina@intersectionsmatch. com.

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books

Snobbery and Romance

By Hemlata Vasavada GODDESS OF FIRE by Bharti Kirchner; Severn House/First World Publishing; 288 pages; Feb 2016; $17.95 Paperback; $29.95 Hardcover

BK: Born and raised in Calcutta (now called Kolkata), the first city of the British Empire, I was curious about how the metropolis had been founded. The sketchy and perhaps controversial anecdotes provided by historical texts didn’t fully satisfy me. Then, too, I noticed that titles about Kolkata are few and far between in the American book scene. Such is not the case, however, with other major Indian cities.

Examples are Maximum City: Bombay Lost and Found (a nonfiction work by Suketu Mehta) and Capital: The Eruption of Delhi (also a nonfiction book by Rana Dasgupta). Kolkata hasn’t been explored, not in a literary sense. So I felt compelled to write about it, if fictionally.

M

ost experts on writing advise authors to find their special skills and hone their talent in that genre. But Bharti Kirchner has defied that rule.

She left her job in computer systems management to pursue writing and has written hundreds of short pieces for magazines and newspapers, including articles for Food and Wine, Vegetarian Times, Writer’s Digest, The Writer and The Seattle Times. The author of four cookbooks, she also applies her keen sense of observation and creativity to fiction writing.

For her sixth novel, Goddess of Fire Kirchner has explored yet another genre— a historical narrative, with a romance element. The story set in Rampore, India, in 1684, is in the point of view of a teenage girl, Moorti, who is about to be burned alive on her late husband’s funeral pyre.

She is rescued by Job Charnock, an employee of the English East India Company.

Her rescuer gives her the name Maria to protect her from in-laws who could come after her. She is offered a job to help in the kitchen for the officers of English East India Company. Starting as a lowly kitchen maid, she rises through the ranks to gain a management position.

The novel follows Maria’s trials, failures and successes, and her struggle with the snobbish attitudes of the British officers. It highlights the romance that develops between Job and Maria as well as emphasizes the goal Maria has to help her fellowmen. Kirchner describes camaraderie among workers and touches on the caste system and Hindu-Muslim relations.

Will Maria be able to fulfil her dreams?

This question drives the rest of the book.

The readers can almost see and smell the dishes prepared with various spices, and touch and feel the fabrics the mer-

chants bring to sell to the English East India Company. Kirchner’s gift for description of colors, sound, touch and smell helps the reader vividly experience the locations and emotions of the characters. I asked the award winning author about her writing process and about her novel.

Why did you decide to leave your job to become a full time writer?

BK: Ever since childhood I dreamt of being a writer and I always read a lot.

After many years of working in the software industry, I felt it was time for me to try my hands at this new endeavor. What I did was drastic—quit my full-time job with a major computer manufacturer, and started taking writing classes. I thoroughly enjoyed the learning process and from the very beginning was able to publish articles in local and regional magazines. That gave me the confidence I needed to attempt writing books.

Your other novels have contemporary settings. What interested you in this seventeenth century story?

I was under the impression that the Sati tradition, where women were set on fire along with their late husbands, was mostly among the Rajputs, mainly royal class of Rajasthan.

How common was this custom in Bengal?

BK: The custom, a way of keeping a young widow from inheriting her husband’s property, was quite common in Bengal. It was in the 19th century that Raja Ram Mohan Roy, a reformer of social and religious practices, abolished the tradition.

How much research was involved in creating this historical fiction? How did you decide to stick to some historical facts and let the creative side take over at other times?

BK: The book needed extensive research and took a long time to finish. The 17th century hasn’t been written about as extensively as some of the later periods in Indian history. Oftentimes, facts and answers to my questions were missing. It was in those times that I used my imagination to fill in the blanks.

How did you research details about the village setting, clothes, food, trade and customs of the time period more than two centuries earlier?

BK: Although the lives of Mughal

March 2016 | West Coast Edition | www.indiacurrents.com | 27

monarchs were well documented, those of their common subjects weren’t. I devoured whatever I could find about that period, regardless of the subject matter: art, architecture, travel, religion, and socio-political matters. Some members of the Mughal royal family actually kept diaries that I came across at the library and found them to be helpful.

Plenty has been written about the British East India Company. These books helped me understand the trading customs. Coincidentally, my family and I had once lived near the town of Cossimbazar in India, which plays a large role in the

book. That gave me a sense of the setting I wouldn’t have otherwise.

Of the several genres you have written—essays, articles, cookbooks and novels—what do you like most?

BK: Every genre I’ve attempted thus far has been a challenge and joy. I must admit I don’t get into a new genre lightly.

Each genre requires a considerable amount of preparation. There are conventions you have to follow. And you have to know what’s already been done. In the end, however, it’s all about telling a good story.

Any new novel on the horizon?

BK: Yes. I am finishing up my seventh novel, Season of Sacrifice. This book is completely different from Goddess of Fire in that it’s a literary mystery set in modern times in Seattle. For a change I am happy to be writing about a time and place I am familiar with. To do research, all I have to do is get out of the house. n Hemlata Vasavada is the author of a novel: The Cascade Winners. Her articles and humor pieces have appeared in magazines and newspapers.

Part and Parcel of India

By Tara Menon

N

.H. Senzai, an Indian-Pakistani American writer, was inspired by her husband’s family history to write two children’s novels, Shooting Kabul and Kabul Corner. The acclaimed writer now gives us Ticket to India, a novel sparked by her own family’s story.

When India was partitioned, Senzai’s maternal grandparents chose to immigrate to Pakistan, while her widowed paternal grandmother decided to remain in her Indian estate. The story of the Great Partition is linked to the protagonist’s tale in Ticket to India.

Readers, in particular, her namesakes, will relish the meanings of her name that the protagonist provides: “princess” in old Arabic, “eternal spring” in Hebrew, and “love” in Nepali. Additionally, it is one of goddess Durga’s names, and the mothers of Buddha and the Greek god Hermes were also called Maya.

The novel unfolds a year after the Mumbai bombings, when Maya travels with her mother and her older sister Zara from San Francisco to India after the death of her maternal grandfather, Nanabba.

Thirty thousand feet above the Pacific Ocean, Maya begins working on her assignment—a journal about her Pakistani trip for her teacher. The journal functions as a literary device to convey information and also to provide a window into her mind.

28 | INDIA CURRENTS | West Coast Edition | March 2016

Once in Pakistan, Maya overhears her grandmother, Naniamma, making plans to sneak away on a flight to India. She learns the startling truth that her grandmother was actually born in India. Her grandparents had been trying for forty years to go to India. They’d had a hard time obtaining a visa because Nanabba had been a military pilot. Maya and her sister confront Naniamma about her scheme and agree to keep quiet about it if they are allowed to accompany her to India.

During the Great Partition, a sevenyear-old Naniamma and her parents had fled their hometown of Aminpur. Her father had been a well-respected doctor there and her family had lived there for generations. Before they left, Naniamma’s mother had buried a chest containing objects of sentimental value, like rings for the future husbands of her daughters. It had been Naniamma’s ardent wish to give the ring to Nanabba when he’d been alive.

Now, as a widow, she wanted to recover it so he could be buried with it. It was the reason she’d secretly planned to return to Aminpur.

During the clandestine trip, the familial past and colonial history are evoked through Naniamma’s reminisces of architectural landmarks and the characters Maya encounters.

The granddaughters learn that their grandmother and her family got on a train full of passengers from Delhi. Un-

fortunately, there were only three survivors when the train pulled into Lahore. None of Naniamma’s relatives made it alive and her memory about what had happened was erased.

Readers will learn much from her simple, yet profound, comparisons that show a country can be divided into two, but the two parts can still resemble each other in myriad ways. “…Maya stared out the window, looking for something, anything, that proclaimed that they were now in a foreign land—India. But the reverse was true. A sense of familiarity settled over her as their taxi overtook a rickshaw, then sped past an elegant European sedan and a donkey cart. The faces that swam past her on the expressway ranged from pale cream to mahogany, and the people wearing familiar shalwar kameezes or jeans or suits could have easily been back in Karachi.”

In one severe setback, Naniamma, as a consequence of having forgotten her blood pressure medication, gets a mild stroke and is hospitalized. Zara is still motivated to make her grandmother’s dream come true.

She and Maya sneak off to find the treasure chest. They rely on Naniamma’s handdrawn map, but so much goes wrong.

They take a taxi to the train station, where a thief snatches Maya’s backpack and she becomes separated from her sister. A series of mishaps leads to her being kidnapped.

(This section has a Dickensian touch.) The

kidnappers run a business racket of forced child labor: deformed children who beg for money and other children to sort plastic that can be sold. Fortunately, Maya and the pickpocket who snatched her satchel escape together and overcome many obstacles to locate the treasure. Her adventures are enriched with a cast of characters, shady and good, but none as memorable as Sir Arthur Cecil Labant, whom she meets in the cemetery where his wife, after a marriage that lasted barely a year, was buried in 1946.

Senzai shows us that religion may have caused the Great Partition but that friendship can transcend faith, as Naniamma’s best friend was a Hindu girl whose family was entrusted with the care of their house.

Senzai’s present day Muslim characters in India are portrayed as disgruntled. As she is concerned with providing the right balance, it would have been ideal to have at least one character happy to have remained in India to reflect the experience of proud and happy Indian Muslims. It would have taught children that people from different backgrounds can live together contentedly in modern times. Still, Ticket to India is on the whole fair to the issues that resonate within its pages and Senzai succeeds admirably in her intent to teach children about the Great Partition and the cultural and historical heritage of Pakistan and Indian.

Countries can be reinvented or dissolved or partitioned or born. Similarly one’s identity can be fluid. Maya writes in her journal: “But these people, who I never knew existed, were my family too. And they were Indian, so I guess that makes me a quarter Indian. I feel like I’ve discovered a part of myself that was hidden.”

She is fascinated by the thought, “I’m part Indian, but before August 14, 1947,

India Currents is available on the Kindle: http://www.amazon.com/IndiaCurrents/dp/B005LRAXNG Follow at twitter.com/indiacurrents on facebook.com/IndiaCurrents

Most Popular Articles February 2016 1) Embarassed by My Indianness Swathi Ramprasad

Readers will learn much from her simple, yet profound, comparisons that show a country can be divided into two, but the two parts can still resemble each other in myriad ways. everyone was Indian.” Boundaries and borders exist on the map and in our hearts, but sometimes it is the link between nations that is unforgettable as Senzai so beautifully brings out. n Tara Menon is a freelance writer based in Lexington, Massachusetts. Her fiction, poetry, and book reviews have been published in many magazines.

2) Indra K. Nooyi Scott S. Smith 3) Decoding Mindfulness Tamanna Raisinghani 4) On the Difficulty of Making Friends Ragini Tharoor Srinivasan 5) Dalma and the Odia Thali Jagruti Vedamati 6) Watching Jugaad Work Kalpana Mohan 7) India Deserves Better than Mark Zuckerberg’s Watered Down Internet Vivek Wadhwa 8) Unfriended Sarita Sarvate 9) Do You Believe in Ghosts?

Jaya Padmanabhan 10) What’s Indian at the Grammys?

Priya Das

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ask a lawyer

Personal Property Disputes and Arbitration

By Madan Ahluwalia

Q A

What is “pots and pans” arbitration?

Personal property arbitration is also called “pots and pans arbitration” in legal lingo. Personal property is essentially all household items such as furniture, kitchenware, jewelry etc. A dispute over such items is very genuine and very difficult to prove. Think about it: who goes out and tries to keep an eye on the condition and value of the sofa or dining set, or the number of chairs, etc.?

Over the years, couples accumulate things and, at the time of divorce, when the necessity to have all the items we actually need is very real, a division of such items is very real as well.

Disputes over personal property are generally resolved through personal property arbitration if the parties are not able to resolve the issues themselves. The key-

30 | INDIA CURRENTS | West Coast Edition | March 2016

word is “if parties are not able to resolve it themselves.”

The concept applies to and for any legal issue and the ensuing fight over such issue. If the parties can resolve a dispute themselves, nothing like it. However, people who undergo divorce, usually cannot get along and agree.

In many counties, personal property arbitration is held at the Settlement Office of the Superior Court. A temporary judge or settlement officer is assigned to hear the matter and issue orders. The parties are expected to come prepared. Keep in mind that in certain counties a judge will not hear such matters at a trial unless the value of the personal property items is extremely high. The parties also represent themselves and their attorneys are not allowed at such arbitration. The parties can bring any and all proof such as photos, opinions of value, evidence of condition and possession. The

arbitrator hears both parties and issues a decision right away. Such decision is final.

So, a word of caution. If you are planning a divorce, take inventory of every single item in the house and build a record of the condition by taking pictures, build a record of value by looking for such items on sale on commonly used websites such as craigslist.com or e-bay. The most difficult thing to prove in such arbitration is possession. I leave it up to your good imagination to prove possession.

My advise: agree as soon as possible on the division of personal property. Resolve issues yourself instead of letting someone else make decisions for you. n Madan Ahluwalia, Esq. is a licensed California attorney with offices in San Jose, CA. He is also a mediator and available for private mediations. He can be reached at 408-4163149.

Legal visa dates Important Note: U.S. travelers seeking visas to India will now need to obtain them through Cox & Kings Global Services Pvt. Ltd. Call 1-866-978-0055, email enquiriesusa@ckgs.com or visit www.in.ckgs.us for more information.

March 2016

T

his column carries final action 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 March 2016.

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.

FAMILY PREFERENCE VISA DATES Preference Dates for India 1st Aug 08, 2008 2A Sep 22, 2014 2B May 22, 2009 3rd Oct 15, 2004 4th Jul 01, 2003 NOTE: F2A numbers subject to percountry limit are available to applicants beginning with priority dates beginning June 15, 2014 and earlier than Sept 22, 2014.

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tax talk

Tax Implications of the Health Care Law

By Rita Bhayani Important Tax Dates

• First quarter individual estimated tax payments are due April 18.

• The deadline for filing Form 1040 or an extension and paying any tax due is April 18.

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he health care law has brought some changes to the 2015 federal income tax return that you’ll file this year. This is the first time that you may receive multiple information forms needed to complete your tax return.

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Health insurance providers will send this form to you with information about who was covered and when. Tax accountants like myself will use the information on this form to determine whether you and your family members had health coverage that satisfies the individual shared responsibility provision of the Affordable Care Act. • Form 1095-C, Employer-Provided Health Insurance Offer and Coverage.

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katha Literary Fiction Contest 2016 First Prize: $300 • Second Prize: $200 • Third Prize: $100 • Two Honorable Mentions Judges This Year Are Amulya Malladi, the author of 6 novels, whose latest book, A House for Happy Mothers, will be released in June 2016

Prajwal Parajuly, author of 2 works of fiction and a distinguished writer-inresidence at Truman State University in Kirksville, Missouri

DEADLINE: MARCH 31, 2016 Submissions not following the guidelines will be automatically disqualified from the contest.

Disqualified entrants will not be notified.

CONTEST GUIDELINES:

1. One submission per individual; $7 per submission. (Paid by check or paypal) 2. Submissions should consist of one short story or extract from a longer work up to 3,000 words in length.

3. Entries should be unpublished works and should not have won previous awards or contests.

How To Pay: s A Paypal account is required for online payment. Log onto indiacurrents.com/katha to submit payment. s Alternatively, you may send a personal check, cashier s check or money order. ’ How To Submit: E-MAIL YOUR STORY as a word file attachment to: katha@indiacurrents.com

For complete contest guideline go to indiacurrents.com/katha All entrants will be notified of the results by e-mail by June 30, 2016. Winning entries will be considered for publication in upcoming issues of India Currents

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For more information: (408) 913-1610 katha@indiacurrents.com 38 | INDIA CURRENTS | West Coast Edition | March 2016

lives

Extraordinary Times, Extraordinary Woman Rani Laxmibai of Jhansi: November 19, 1828—June 18, 1858

By Aarti Johri

R

ani Laxmibai, the queen of Jhansi and the widow of Gungadhar Rao, was no ordinary woman. She was born into a Brahmin family who pledged alliance to the Maratha ruler, the Peshwa. Her mother died when she was very little, and she was brought up amongst boys in the Peshwa’s court where her father was employed.

Amid her male companions she learned to read and write; she also became adept at horsemanship and the use of weapons, no mean accomplishments for a woman in her time. As was customary then, she was married at the age of eight to the Rajah of Jhansi in 1842, moving to her new home at the age of fourteen. Bored with palace life, she continued practicing with her weapons, an art she is believed to have taught the other ladies of the palace.

The only child born to the Rani and her husband died in infancy, and five days before her husband’s death, they adopted a five-year old boy, a fifth cousin of the king.

Gungadhar Rao died in 1853, leaving his adopted son as heir, and Rani Laxmibai, as Regent of the state.

The Doctrine of Lapse, formalized in 1841, decreed “native states” would lapse to British control where no natural heir existed on the death of the ruler. It was used most effectively by Lord Dalhousie, Governor-General of India from 18481856, who believed that consolidation of territory was essential to improve British administration throughout India and to ease the path for expanding railways and irrigation channels for the transfer of British goods and troops. Jhansi, a tiny territory, strategically located along the route for silk, cotton, and spice traders, derived a substantial income from the excise it charged for goods carried across its borders, and was the perfect target for the Doctrine of Lapse.

By Dharmadhyaksha. A Wikipedia Commons image

In a series of letters to Lord Dalhousie, Rani Laxmibai argued that she expected that the adoption would be approved for succession purposes by the British government because they had recently approved three adoptions under similar conditions in the neighboring states of Datia, Urcha, and Jaloun.

The queen’s letter was translated and forwarded by Major Ellis, who added a note concurring with the queen on the adoption-succession in two of the three states she mentioned. In a separate letter addressed to Major Malcolm, the Political Agent, Major Ellis wrote: I beg leave to observe that we have a treaty of alliance and friendship with the Jhansi as well as the Urcha State, and that I cannot discover any difference in the terms of the two which would justify our withholding of adoption from one State and allowing it to the other.

(House of Commons 1855) While Major Ellis, who was resident in Jhansi, appeared sympathetic to the

royal family, the British government in Calcutta had a differing viewpoint. The Secretary to the Government of India, J.P. Grant, in his letter to Governor-General Dalhousie, stated that Jhansi “falls into the class of those who hold [power] by gift from a sovereign or paramount power” (House of Commons 1855), and whose grants therefore could fail in the absence of male heirs. “There is now no male heir of the body of any Rajah or Sobedar of Jhansi,” he stated. Secretary Grant also called attention to the fact that Gungadhar Rao and his predecessors were incompetent rulers. In the decade from 1828 to 1838, the revenue of Jhansi had fallen from 1,800,000 to 300,000 rupees because of “gross mismanagement.”

But the Rani was not willing to give up so easily. In a second letter, dated January 16, 1854, she reminded the British that the rulers of Jhansi had never failed to honor the terms of the treaty of alliance.

During the Burmese war, grain had been carried to the British troops at no cost to them; at other times weapons and soldiers had been provided to help the British.

The Rani deftly argued that the treaty used the term “warisan” referring to natural heirs, and “janishinan” referring to “the party adopted as heir and successor,” and granted succession to both. “Treaties are studied with the utmost care before ratification,” she reminded the Governor-General, “and it is not to be supposed that the term janishinan used in contradistinction to warisan was introduced in this document … without a precise understanding of its meaning.”

The queen’s arguments and pleas went unheeded, and Lord Dalhousie and his council ordered that Jhansi be annexed on the grounds of “gross mismanagement,” reduced revenue as a result of it, and the

March 2016| West Coast Edition | www.indiacurrents.com | 39

absence of a natural born heir. Jhansi was annexed in 1854.

The queen was offered a pension of 5,000 rupees per month, which was equivalent to 6,000 pounds per annum; Lord Dalhousie’s income as GovernorGeneral was 25,000 pounds per annum. The queen continued to reside in one of the palaces, while the British administration was installed to administer Jhansi.

A few years later, the British accused the Rani of being one of the chief conspirators in the Mutiny of 1857. The Mutiny, or First War of Indian Independence, primarily a rebellion of native army soldiers against their British commanding officers, took an ugly turn in several cities, including Jhansi. In Jhansi, the rebels brutally massacred an estimated 66 Europeans, including women and children.

Rani Laxmibai’s role in the massacre has remained unclear and disputed by nineteenth and twentieth-century historians.

Arguments that contend she was innocent are based on the appeals for help that she sent to the British, asking for additional troops to control the rebels and the neighboring threats of invasion faced

by Jhansi. She also sent letters of apology for the deaths of the European civilians.

Modern-day biographer Tapti Roy offers the opinion that while the Rani might not have ordered the massacre, her close association with the rebels including the involvement of her own father, means that she may have at least had some inkling of the rebels’ intent.

She was officially declared as the rebelleader after the massacre. Convinced that Rani Laxmibai was conspiring with the rebels and was responsible for the civilian deaths, British troops were sent to Jhansi to arrest her.

The Rani quickly put together her own troops with the help of allies, including other Mutiny leaders who were her childhood friends, and eventually escaped from Jhansi on horseback, pursued by the British army. After almost two months of pursuit and fighting, the Rani was killed on the battlefield near the city of Gwalior, in June 1858.

The Rani’s death at the hands of a British soldier absolved her of some of her guilt, as far as the British were concerned. It was easier to express respect for a dead heroine, than an active opponent. Sir Hugh Rose, the commander of the siege

of Jhansi who had accused her of being a traitor before her death, and who refused to negotiate with the “cruel and treacherous” woman, referred to her as the “best and bravest of the rebels.”

Other British commentators followed suit; a Bombay newspaper reporter stated: “Her life has been a brief and eventful one…her courage shines pre-eminent, and can only be equalled, but not eclipsed by that of Joan of Arc.” The Rani, frequently referred to as Jezebel after the Jhansi massacre, was likened to Joan of Arc after her death.

Rani Laxmibai was much loved by the people of Jhansi during her lifetime, but her death made her an instant martyr and a glorious heroine.

The origin of many legends about her starts with the details of her death.

The commonly accepted belief is that she was killed while on horseback, either by a sword or by British shelling when her horse refused to leap over a ditch. She is described as dashingly dressed like a man: in a red jacket, with her cropped hair covered by a white turban.

40 | INDIA CURRENTS | West Coast Edition | March 2016

Lakshmibai, Rani of Jhansi—A Creative

Commons image; The Lost Gallery

A more dramatic version of the story relates how she died in the thick of fighting the British, armed with swords in both hands, surrounded by British soldiers.

Another romanticized story claims that the Rani was injured by a bullet, and that her supporters moved her to a nearby location where she “ordered a funeral pile to be built, which she ascended and fired with her own hand while almost in the act of dying,” rather like a sati. Before she died, she ordered that the jewels on her person be distributed amongst her troops.

The Rani’s legend survived in arts and local folklore: in paintings and temple murals that depict her in battle, and in poetry, ballad and song, which were passed down from generation to generation and absorbed in many narrations.

By the late nineteenth-century, a few new plays and novels were written that underscored her intelligence, justice, and compassion, and stressed her innocence in the massacre of Jhansi.

Most significantly, the Rani fit in with the ideology of feminine attributes that were highlighted during the late-nineteenth century. Rani Laxmibai had all the appropriate attributes to fit into the idealized, “mother-goddess” image.

She belonged to an upper-caste Hindu family, was dutiful in her obligations to her husband during his lifetime and, after his death, fought to protect the rights of her adopted son, sacrificing her life to protect her kingdom of Jhansi. The popular symbol of the Rani as a mother and a warrior appeared in the late-nineteenth century in the form of paintings and statues that depicted her dressed as a warrior, on horseback and with a small boy tied on at the back.

She is believed to have escaped from Jhansi at night, with the boy strapped behind her, and this art form combines the archetypes of the mother and the warrior-queen. The Rani was thus depicted by nationalist sentiment as a virangana, a warrior-queen, who had proved to the British—and the Indians—that Indian women were heroic, and capable protectors of the nation.

This Rani image was repeatedly invoked at the height of the Indian independence movement. Poems written about her valor were recited at secret meetings; political plays about her were disguised as religious ones. In such plays, the Rani’s

insurance

Lakshmibai, Rani of Jhansi

Public Domain, Wikipedia Commons

role was depicted as a powerful goddess slaying an evil demon; the demon, of course, symbolized the British.

The Rani served as an empowering role model for young Indian women who started participating in the nationalist movement. The nineteenth-century socio-religious reform movement, the Arya Samaj created an educational curriculum that included a model of womanhood based on the virangana.

The Rani of Jhansi regiment was an all-female regiment of the Indian National Army (INA). Created in 1943, by Subhash Chandra Bose, the Rani of Jhansi regiment sought to attract young women under the potent symbol of the revolutionary queen.

The Rani legend has lived on in modern-day Amar Chitra Katha comics, and in classroom recitations of Subhadra Kumari Chauhan’s Hindi poem about the queen who “fought like a man.”

In death, as in life, Rani Laxmibai has continued to inspire with her courage to fight the British, and her valor in dying a heroic death. n Aarti Johri is a tech-professional turned history buff. This piece is an extract from her thesis for the Stanford MLA degree. Her articles have been published in the San Jose Mercury News Stanford’s Tangents Magazine, Stanford’s Dabba. She serves on the board of SACHI (Society for the Art and Cultural Heritage of India).

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Gluten-Free Green Chapaties (Dhebras)

By Shanta Nimbark Sacharoff

I

ndian wheat breads such as rotis, chapaties, puris and naans are world famous for their flavor. Back home, rotis are made fresh every day. Who can forget the taste of piping hot chapaties that our mothers served us? But if you are suffering from Celiac disease, or are gluten sensitive, you must avoid wheat breads.

Gluten is a protein component found primarily in wheat, rye and barley. It is the magic element in wheat that makes it stretchy and spongy when used to make bread. Common symptoms of gluten intolerance include abdominal pain, headache, and skin rashes. Some people can eat a small amount of gluten with no adverse effects, but suffer if they eat more.

Others cannot consume any gluten at all, and must avoid anything that is made in a facility that processes grains that contain gluten.

HOURS:

Whether one has a known gluten allergy or not, avoiding gluten can have other health benefits, as the food items containing gluten in our diets are often accompanied with unhealthy ingredients such as over-processed flours, and added fats and salt. Gluten-free cake and bread mixes are available in markets, particularly those selling health foods, but home-made versions of these foods are easy to make and often much healthier.

In the arid region of India, the state of Gujarat, millet, juar and corn are cultivated, because they require less water than wheat. All of these grains are gluten-free.

Freshly made millet rotlas are served daily in Gujarati villages. During the monsoon, when leafy greens are abundant, rotlas take a colorful turn to become dhebra.

To make dhebra, millet flour is combined with seasonal leafy greens, other

flours (such as corn meal or garbanzo flour), salt and spices to make a bread dough. The dough is then rolled, pan fried with small amount of oil, and served with yogurt soup or a daal. Instead of using millet flour dhebra dough is often made with khichadi (a dish made with brown rice and split mung beans) that may be left-over from a previous meal. Inspired by the memories of dhebra, I combined leftover cooked rice and quinoa. In place of fresh fenugreek leaves, I use watercress or other spicy leaves such as mustard greens, daikon leaves or radish leaves which are easier to find in the United States. n Shanta Nimbark Sacharoff, author of Flavors Of India: Vegetarian Indian Cuisine is a coowner of Other Avenues Food Cooperative in San Francisco. Serena Sacharoff is a chef, an illustrator and an art student

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Dhebras Made with Rice, Quinoa and Leafy Greens Ingredients 1 cup of water ¼ cup white Basmati rice ¼ cup quinoa 1 cup firmly-packed very finely chopped fenugreek leaves, watercress leaves, radish leaves or mustard greens ½ tsp coriander powder 3 to 4 cloves garlic, minced ½ tsp whole cumin seeds or oregano seeds 1 tsp salt 1 cup besan (garbanzo flour) or millet flour Few tbsps of water, only if needed to make the dough Additional few tbsps of garbanzo flour for dusting the dough 4 to 5 tbsps corn, safflower or peanut oil Method for Basmati Rice with Quinoa Prepare the Basmati rice together with the quinoa following the method below.

Both rice and quinoa are versatile grains, quick to prepare and easy to digest. The unique fragrance of Basmati rice, which has been attributed to the special soil in which it is grown, pairs well with the nutty texture of quinoa, a protein-rich ancient grain from the Incas of Peru. Both grains take just about fifteen minutes to cook, and the sticky texture of the rice compliments the nuttiness of quinoa perfectly.

In a sauce pan with a tight-fitting lid, bring water to a boil. Add the rice and quinoa, optional oil and salt. Stir the mixture gently, cover, and bring the water to a second boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer gently for 15 minutes.

Uncover and check to see that the grains are cooked. If the grains are not soft when pinched between your fingers, add a few spoonful of water, cover again, and turn off the heat. In five minutes, the steam in the pot will finish cooking the grains completely.

Next spread out the cooked grains onto a platter to cool them completely (unless you are using leftover and refrigerated cooked grains). You need approximately two cups of cooked grains for this recipe.

If you wish to cook a bigger batch of 44 | INDIA CURRENTS | West Coast Edition | March 2016

Illustration by Serena Sacharoff

rice and quinoa, just double the amount of water and grains, they will still cook in 15 minutes. Unused cooked grains can be refrigerated for future use.

Method for Making Dough Wash the leafy greens and drain them thoroughly. Chop the leafy greens finely with a sharp knife or in the food processor using the pulse button very briefly.

Place the chopped greens in a mixing bowl and combine with the cooked grains, coriander powder, cumin seeds, garlic and salt. Then add the garbanzo flour or the millet flour, a few spoons at a time to form the dough. The dough will be sticky but it will start to form into a solid mass as you add more flour. If you are using previously cooked and refrigerated grains, the mixture may be dry and will need a few tablespoons of water to make the dough.

When the dough is formed into a ball, sprinkle two tablespoons of flour on a cutting board. Roll the ball in it to dust the surface of the dough with flour. Then apply a small amount of oil all over the surface of the ball. Cover the bowl of dough with a damp cloth until ready to roll the dhebra.

Making Dhebras To form the dhebra, divide the dough into six equal portions. Using the palm of your hand, press each piece into a flat circle. Lay each circle on a lightly floured surface and, with a rolling pin, roll the circle out to 4” to 5” in diameter. After you have rolled out two dhebra, you can begin frying them. Keep the remaining dough under a damp towel.

To fry the dhebra, heat a skillet over medium heat and place one of the rolled discs in the hot pan. Cook for a minute, and flip it to cook the other side. Spread a teaspoon of oil all over the surface of the dhebra, flip again and cook for a minute.

Next, spread the same amount of oil on the other side, and cook for a few more minutes. Continue to cook on both sides, turning the dhebra several times until the surface turns brown and blisters begin to form. Repeat this process to cook the rest.

Keep the dhebras warm under a tea towel until ready to serve. Dhebras are delicious served cold, at room temperature, or reheated in the oven at 200 degrees for a few minutes. Serve them with a curry, soup or salad. Dhebras make good companions for a picnic, pot-luck or any meal. n

March 2016| West Coast Edition | www.indiacurrents.com | 45

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Berliner Dom

Ich Bin ein Berliner

By Riz Mithani

T

he Bielefeld Conspiracy argues that the city of Bielefeld, Germany does not exist in reality, and that the myth of its existence is being propagated by those who have conspired with authorities. If asked the three questions “Do you know anyone from Bielefeld?” “Have you ever been to Bielefeld?” and “Do you know anyone who has been to Bielefeld? most people will answer “no” to all three, but if you claim to answer in the affirmative to any of them, then it obviously implies that you are part of the conspiracy.

Get it?

Notwithstanding the popularity of conspiracy theories on the internet and social media, which are essentially based

on implicating anyone who denies it to be part of the conspiracy itself, I left Bielefeld Germany at 5.30 pm by the ICE train hurtling towards Berlin at speeds averaging 120 miles per hour reaching maximums of over 250 kms per hour (you do the math).

For just 3.5 hours prior to that I was indeed in Bielefeld where I met my friend from school. We had not been in touch for over two decades, but the interesting thing about such meetings is that you experience a feeling of time standing still and see the other person exactly as in the past and you are able to pick back up on the conversations naturally and effortlessly.

In fact, in this short time, I even met her extended family at her brother’s deco-

rated farmhouse. These decorated farmhouses are exquisite and protected by UNESCO from alterations and would be a good reason for you to check out that Bielefeld indeed does exist.

A River Flows Through It

My overall impression of Berlin is what Chicago could have been. Both cities have a river flowing through them, boast great architecture, fantastic collection of museums, a wide array of restaurants and cuisines, and a good network of public transportation options.

But Berlin is and feels safer and is the epitome of cleanliness without any mass exodus to faceless suburbia; this could

March 2016 | West Coast Edition | www.indiacurrents.com | 47

possibly be attributed to Chicago being burdened by drugs and guns. And, oh, it is unlikely that restaurants in Chicago focus on healthy fare, given our insistence on processing and genetically modifying our food supply.

Pizza at a Turkish Restaurant?

Berlin does not have Frankfurt’s handkase mit musik, a traditional cheese made with hands and marinated with onions The music is created by you afterwards, it being a farty cheese.

Berlin makes up by the sheer choice of international cuisine from all over the world with restaurants that stay open till 2 am, quite literally a city that never sleeps.

Go get your sushi fix at a Vietnamese joint or head for pizza to a Turkish one; yes, you are reading that right. Plus for foodies like myself, there are “real” restaurants that not only strive but have achieved cooking from scratch like your great-greatgreat grandmother did with fresh and raw ingredients without the use of anything from the freezer or heaven forbid from a tinned can or plastic packet.

The yogis amongst you will have no trouble finding vegan restaurants while the meat eaters should checkout the restaurants that serve the Paleo diet.

The restaurants and cafes of Berlin afford ample opportunity for people watching regardless of whether your choice of beverage while partaking in this popular activity (or is it passivity?) be caffeinated, alcoholic or freshly squeezed. It is amazing that even some Berlin stands serving hot dogs, conceivably the worst thing that you can have your body ingest, possess kitchen paraphernalia and a supply of fresh fruits to make juices with no chemical boosters added.

Make note that if you elect to engage in this in the beautiful mural decorated courtyards of Hackesche Hof at places with inconceivable names like Oxymoron then each of these drinks could set you back nine Euros a pop.

The Nervous System of Cities

While on the topic of restaurants and cafes, you will find many of these right under elevated rail tracks. Yes, railways, something that we in the United States should encompass and better still make public transportation the nervous system of our communities.

48 | INDIA CURRENTS |West Coast Edition | March 2016

Do not limit your choice of public transportation in Berlin to the U-Bahn that runs underground lest you will come out thinking that all Berlin has to offer is your hotel and tourist attractions. After a couple of days, get bolder and take Metro buses to your destination which may take a few minutes longer but will afford you a glimpse into the real city. Hey, while you are at it, just sit on the second level of these doubledeckers affording you a much better view at the same price.

The upside of public transportation is that you also get to walk which Art depiction of the remains of the Berlin Wall can only be good for your heart and I hear that such exercise The modern Three Graces by Wolf Vostell cures many ailments.

However, when you walk and you are not one of those who wants to take the aid of GPS on your smart phone having vowed to use the least amount of technology during your travels, you need to know how buildings are numbered on each Strasse or street for those uninitiated in Deutsche. After walking a couple of times the wrong way, I figured out that the rule is actually quite simple—they are numbered clockwise and so as you walk the numbers increase to your right and decrease to your left which means the number you are looking for could be on the opposite side of the Strasse!

Doms and Domes

One such time that I had run the wrong way was on Reichstagufer trying to make it by my allotted time to visit the Reichstag building which I eventually reached huffing (no, I do not puff) just a few seconds shy to face airport

like security to visit the dome.

This building houses the Bundestag, Germany’s main legislative body and the historic building is quite an architectural marvel from the 19th century. The dome itself though is a 1,200 ton glass and steel

Murals leading to the Ishtar Gate at the Pergamon Museum

modern monstrosity and decidedly incongruous.

The experience of climbing up and down those double helical ramp cannot be quite compared to climbing the 267 steps at the Imperial stairwell of the ancient Berliner Dom, Berlin’s cathedral, whose magnificent dome is covered with pretty mosaics of Anton von Werner.

Note: Dom stands for cathedral and not dome, although many domen possess one.

The Berliner Dom is located on Museumsinsel, a tiny island on Berlin’s Spree river, and although not free, it rivals the Smithsonian.

Ishtar Gate

One absolutely cannot miss a visit to the Pergamon Museum where you will find architectural marvels of the Old World recreated from the original excavations. The most enthralling of these is the Ishtar Gate to the inner city of Babylon (which would be located in present day Iraq) constructed originally 2,600 years ago.

The story about how they were able to reconstruct it to its definitive detail is equally fascinating. Its image was found on a necklace during the excavations, kind of like finding an instagram of Taj Mahal behind your selfie thousands of years later in case it was destroyed, except that there

were no photographic devices in 575 BC. By the way, this Ishtar was both the Goddess of Love as well as War; enough said.

The Beautiful and the Ugly

Amalgamating the beautiful and ancient with the modern and ugly seems to be a favorite pastime of the artistic powers that be in Berlin. Besides the incongruity alluded to regarding the Reichstag earlier, the Pergamon had an exhibition of Afghan artist Aatifi going on and they had on display an unequivocally hideous mass of black and blue paint on a large canvas apparently created with broad brush strokes by this gentleman.

Generally I let something like this pass, but in this case it was right in the middle of the room that housed the majestic installation of the Mshatta Façade, excavated near the Jordanian capital that had been transported to Berlin by train in over 400 pieces after being gifted to the German Emperor by the Ottoman Sultan.

The striking contrast between the exquisite details on the façade and the aforementioned broad brushstrokes could not be any more remarkable.

Speaking of remarkable liberties that “modern” artists take in defining what is artistic—the Kurfürstendamm art’otel that I stayed at was exhibiting works of the German painter and sculptor Wolf Vostell in the rooms. My room happened to dis-

play his Three Graces, which you can see in this article. I challenge you to google the image of the original Three Graces by Botticelli if you are not already familiar with it, compare and decide for yourself.

No Worries

To see real works of art, it is worth taking the 45 minute train ride out to the Schloss Sanssouci, the Prussian palace in Potsdam on the outskirts of Berlin. Sanssouci literally means “no worries” and was the summer vacation palace of King Frederick II and his wife Elisabeth Christine.

In contrast to his parents Frederick 1 and Sophie who were completely in love with each other sharing a bedroom in their royal apartments, Frederick II followed the traditional route of the kings and queens of the Habsburg Monarchy where they slept in separate bedrooms, ostensibly to denote that their status as the über rich to be able to afford to heat up two separate rooms in those cold wintry nights unlike the mere peasants who they ruled; Yeah right!

While at Sanssouci Park, do not miss the gilded representation of the stories of Ovid’s acclaimed poem Metamorphoses at the Neuen Kammern (New Chambers) that elevates human love in all its forms.

Follow the crowds to Caravaggio’s famous painting Doubting Thomas and on next door to the BilderGalerie (quite literally

March 2016 | West Coast Edition | www.indiacurrents.com | 49

translated to Picture Gallery).

This park of Palaces also boasts a pair of exquisite sculptures of Venus and Mars, this pairing of the Roman deities being an exception, as invariably you find Venus paired up with Apollo, including over the top of Schloss Sanssouci itself.

Born Free

For a contrast don’t miss the Checkpoint Charlie Museum that depicts the current conflicts around the world from Palestine to Sudan to Ukraine. Article 1 of the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights reads “All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood” will ring hollow in your head and the cries of the innocent will not only make your head spin but also make your heart bleed.

Notwithstanding these current conflicts, one cannot but feel hopeful for the future as you see the current transformation of a unified Berlin in a unified Germany.

Let’s take a moment to recall JFK’s

well-known Ich Bin Ein Berliner (I am a Berliner) speech in 1963 where he said “Freedom has many difficulties and democracy is not perfect, but we have never had to put a wall up to keep our people in, to prevent them from leaving us” and that of Reagan’s in 1987: “General Secretary Gorbachev, if you seek peace, if you seek prosperity for the Soviet Union and eastern Europe, if you seek liberalization, come here to this gate. Mr. Gorbachev, open this gate. Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!”

If you were expecting to read a tour guide either you have not read this far or have been possibly disappointed to not find copious references to hotels for various budgets or where to enjoy the nightlife, but instead stumbled onto diatribes of social and political opinions, critiquing of works of arts and commentary on history, myth and language. It is this that distinguishes the tourist from the traveler, and I believe I surely fall into the latter category most of the time. It was none other than Pablo Picasso who said “What do you think an artist is? An imbecile who only has eyes if he’s a painter, ears if he’s

a musician, or a lyre in every chamber of his heart if he’s a poet—or even, if he’s a boxer, only some muscles?” A travel writer is a holistic artist too!

Finally, on the subject of language, it is quite fascinating how one can pick up common words as one travels and while in Berlin, one would have no trouble guessing Strasse is Street, Brucke is Bridge or Zentrum is Center, and if you guessed Rathaus was a house of rats you would not be far from the truth either as it means City Hall.

As you exit the U-Bahn countless times you would have read Ausgang to mean exit, but these travels being always so short, by the time you figure out which Ausgang to take to end up on the right side of the street where the tourist attraction or your hotel is, it’s sadly time to leave n Riz Mithani graduated from IIT Bombay in the previous century. Currently he leads a team of sales consultants at a Fortune 500 Software vendor. When he is not dancing, singing or traveling, he blogs occasionally at rizmit.wordpress.com

The incongruous monstrosity on top of the Bundestag

50 | INDIA CURRENTS |West Coast Edition | March 2016

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54 | INDIA CURRENTS |West Coast Edition | March 2016

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60 | INDIA CURRENTS | West Coast Edition | March 2016

Vrindavan Indian Dance Academy (Director: Dr. Bindu Shankar)

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music

No Ryan in Bollywood Arabia

By Priya Das

T

he travelers and tradespeople make it across make-shift gates just as dusk settles in. The dust stirred up by their carts and animals makes the warmth of the sun linger just a moment more. The eye catches the glint of embers being coaxed into cooking fires; aromatic wafts cradle the senses as a quiet spreads through this transient community. A calm that is soon tempered by reedy sounds of a rustic flute, the tinkering of strings, a melody here finds its echo there, a refrain ignites another in this caravan serai (caravan palace), along the Silk Road, circa centuries ago. Sounds like Bollywood Arabia, like a set from movies such as Abdullah and Khuda Gawah?

Woven Landscapes by the Karavan Sarai group, an album of the then, now, and forever or here, there, and everywhere, will take you into that time and space. It’s creators are two-time Grammy nominee artist/producer Carmen Rizzo and composer, vocalist, and multi-instrumentalist Narayan Sijan.

In the popular music world, Rizzo is known for his contributions to TV series CSI Miami and True Blood; he has worked with A.R. Rahman and Dido for the song “If I Rise” from the movie 127 Hours.

There is a story behind Narayan Sijan.

In his words, “I was born with the name Ryan. When I first went to Calcutta in 1994, we were on an old beat up bus. One hour into the journey, the bus broke down.

Everyone exited the bus. As my foot stepped on the earth I felt a big wet sensation on my head. I had a bird dropping in my hair. Suddenly a group of young men circled me with serious but friendly looks on their faces. The brave one that spoke English asked ‘You first time India?’ [sic] I hesitated, trying to wipe the poo out.

‘Ummm …Yes!’ Their faces lit up with joy, and they grabbed my hand—[so] as not to wipe any more. They then hugged me, telling me what good luck I have for having the Gods bless me on my first time in India; this must mean that I lived in India in my past life and now India is my home.

62 | INDIA CURRENTS | West Coast Edition | March 2016

Carmen Rizzo

Narayan Sijan

They then asked ‘Brother what is your good name?’ I said Ryan, they tried to repeat it Riiian, Rayon, Rayaan. ‘No Ryan’ I tried to tell them. No Ryan ... Na-rayan, with great joy they thought they had my name correct. Six months after that first day I was still in India and still trying to get across my correct name. When an old Indian ex-professor at a University asked my name, I said with my new habit of a head wobble “Narayan” and a smile. He

asked [me] ‘how you have Indian name? you have Guru, teacher? Born in India?’ I answered that the people of India gave me that name. He smiled and said ‘Very good Narayan’ and walked off. So it has been Narayan since then.”

Sijan spent more than a decade in India and Nepal, studying in China and Central Asia. He also lived in Cairo, visiting the Middle East, Turkey, and Israel.

“When I was in India I learned quite a few traditional songs from gypsies in Rajasthan,” Sijan recalls. “I spent two weeks with them at a festival in the Thar desert.

A few years later when I was in Turkey I heard someone singing a piece with almost the same melody, just changed a little by the culture. That was a real inspiration to me, I realized how music can bridge time and distance.”

So, fans of Bollywood Arabia listen up! In the track “Road to Hijaz” you can become a grain of sand in those moviesets, the score conjures up drama with every turn of the musical cycle. “Schirin” evokes moonlit sands, silhouettes of camels, and musicians lilting in a resplendent shamiana. “River Bend” is more modern and contemplative with some string sophistry. “Caspian Sea” is a folksy lament, and could just as well have been a titling score for a South Asian movie. It’s universal in its sense of sadness, followed by drama.

In “The Journey,” we hear Persian tones in the instrumental backdrop supporting Indian folksy chorus.

Woven Landscapes has eight tracks in all. The album is great for when you are feeling a bit nostalgic, maybe feeling straitjacketed by the everyday and yearning for a bit of gypsy. The Arabic-Persian influences ensure drama, the Indianness creates a familiarity. Cleanse your humdrum with these mystical, haunting sounds. n Available on iTunes and amazon.com.

Audio CD $15.28; MP3 $7.92 Priya Das is an enthusiastic follower of world music and avidly tracks intersecting points between folk, classical, jazz and other genres.

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March 2016 | West Coast Edition | www.indiacurrents.com | 63

films

Epiphany in the Desert

By Aniruddh Chawda

AIRLIFT. Director: Raja Krishna Menon.

Players: Akshay Kumar, Nimrat Kaur, Sameer Ali Khan, Inaamulhaq, Purab Kohli, Kumud Mishra. Hindi with Eng. sub-tit.

Theatrical release (Prateek Entertainment)

S

addam Hussein’s ill-fated takeover of Kuwait in 1990 caught the world by surprise. The fast-changing events during the invasion—random confiscation, arbitrary imprisonment, rape and pillage by Iraqi troops—suddenly left thousands of migrants (along with locals) in fear for their lives. Faced with what was perceived as indifference by the Indian government, over 170,000 Indian nationals found their fates hanging in limbo as well. Shrewdly recounting that seismic event in Kuwait’s history, Menon’s engrossing and sometimes zealously flagwaving Airlift is satisfyingly entertaining.

Set in Kuwait City in 1990, business man Ranjit Katyal (Kumar) has his hands full with running his diversified mini business empire. The first report of the Iraqi invasion, therefore, is dismissed as a border skirmish, commonplace in the region. As fighting and looting breaks out in his neighborhood, Katyal ends up at his office and then at a business warehouse where 500 Indians soon gather. As the crowd gets larger and efforts at an organized rescue run into dead walls of dismissive Indian officials, Katyal finds himself smack in the center of the chaos.

Kumar’s well-acted Katyal is at first highly reluctant. He is a free-marketer first and would much rather tend to his business dealings and luxury desert living then to get involved in any kind of an organized rescue. He would just as soon pack off his wife (Kaur) to a safe haven in London.

At the outset, he is shown somewhat removed from his Indian roots and looking down upon “them,” the not so well off toiling masses of migrants. After some scary run-ins with the advancing Iraqi

64 | INDIA CURRENTS | West Coast Edition | March 2016

soldiers—a few of whom are barely teenagers—and witnessing the horrors of war first hand, Katyal undergoes an epiphany and steps in to coordinate a massive rescue by any means necessary.

The other noteworthy performance is

by Inaamulhaq, an underrated actor who did a wonderful job as the Hindi-movie crazed Pakistani buffoon that bonded with a clueless Indian counterpart who accidentally crossed into Pakistan in Filmistan (2012). Like any good devious invader, Innamhulaq’s Major Zayd in Airlift is an unabashedly corrupt Iraqi officer who appears harmless and personable at first and yet holds the sinister power to pull the strings to large events unfolding in Kuwait. He is a heavilyaccented, seedy amoral counterpart to Kumar’s Satyal and is a delight to watch.

The soundtrack hits higher notes with Ankit Tiwari and Arijit Singh’s tandem number “Dil Cheez Tujhe Dedi,” a playfully Arabesque party song in search of belly-dancing and a hookah-bar. Arijit Singh and Tulsi Kumar’s “Soch Na Sake” is easy on the ears. The thematically patriotic and earthily sentimental touches to Amal Mallik and K.K’s “Tu Bhula Jise” has a hook that taps into re-discovering one’s roots. Much like Pankaj Udhas’s “Chhithi Ayee Hain” from Naam (1986), which was also set in the Middle East, the songs and the lyrics shine like a beacon for restless expats longing for home.

Katyal’s story touches on failed repeated attempts

by Katyal’s team to reach Kuwaiti officials, all of whom appear to have mysteriously disappeared, and Indian officials, all of whom want to get Katyal off the phone as quickly as possible.

He tries the Jordanians, who will help only if India grants travel guarantees, which may not come soon enough. Katyal’s dimming hopes rest solely on his success at navigating the back channels of India’s infamous bureaucratic red tape and finally reaching an agreeable functionary (Mishra). The rescue—it did arrive —was a huge undertaking that involved Air India and Indian pilots agreeing to enter dangerous air space. More than 400 flights were launched, which went on record as the largest civilian air rescue ever.

The volatile politics of the Middle East habitually ensnare governments, armies, insurgents, terrorists and even a superpower or two. That list no doubt would include the millions of ordinary people— including migrants from nearby India— whose lives were uprooted by larger-thanlife events, some of which were fueled by violence.

Despite a generally favorable eye on Kuwait, Airlift ended up being banned from releasing in Kuwait.

Like Ram Madhvani’s steller Neerja, which is another re-telling of real events from recent Middle East history, Airlift also hinges on one courageous individual mustering courage to stand up to bullies.

Like Neerja, that is reason enough to root for a successful Airlift. n EQ: A

Messiah in Uniform

By Aniruddh Chawda

NEERJA. Director: Ram Madhvani.

Players: Sonam Kapoor, Shabana Azmi, Yogendra Tikku, Jim Sarbh, Shekhar Ravjiani. Hindi (and Arabic) with Eng. sub-tit. Theatrical release (Fox)

T

he real-life story of Neerja Bhanot, a heroine during a 1986 plane hijacking in Karachi, transforms a young unassuming flight attendant into a celebrated figure in India, Pakistan and also the United States.

Re-told three decades later, Madhvani’s phenomenal Neerja captures a hair-raising and empowering snapshot of a strong woman whose bravery helped save countless lives in the precious hours following hijacking.

With Saiwayn Qadras’s (Mary Kom) razor-sharp script, the stage is set by two parallel timelines that converge at the most inopportune moment. The civilized arc traces a middle-class suburban Neerja who is playfully obsessed with Rajesh Khanna movies, dabbles in modeling and works as a fight attendant. The not-socivilized alternate arc follows four Palestinian terrorists as they prepare to raid the plane upon arrival in Karachi. When the plane is raided and the pilots—tipped off by Neerja—escape through a cockpit hatch, all hope appears lost as almost 400 passengers find themselves at the mercy of machine gun-toting belligerents.

Mitesh Mirchandani’s taut camerawork shows only one side of the story at a time. In the crucial early hours of the incident, a camera that is off-kilter underlines the uncertainty and sense of danger.

The onboard danger is inadvertently intensified by Karachi airport security who are well-intentioned, but overwhelmed by lack of preparation. With rescue commandos nowhere to be seen, at least initially, all signs point to a potential disaster in the making.

With marvelous editing, the two sides of the story—with flashbacks to Neerja’s family life, her supportive parents (Azmi as a distraught mom and Tikku

as a distressed father), her escape from an abusive marriage and possible new beau (Ravjiani)—convey volumes without hinting at what will happen. The flashbacks to celebrations of ordinary events—birthdays (with Rajesh Khanna era music, of course)—serve as reminders to the very not-so-ordinary real danger Neerja finds herself in and exactly just how much humanity is at stake.

In a different pre-9/11 geo-political setting, Madhvani’s movie also singularly indicts the lax airport security in Karachi.

The flimsy veneer—the bad guys pose as Libyan diplomats and are wearing full airport security uniforms—is made so much easier because the perps so easily blend into airport fauna. As a result, the terrorists practically stroll onto the runway where a massive Boeing 747—Pan Am Flight 73 originating from Bombay and going to New York via Karachi and Frankfurt—waits in repose like an unprotected flyable super-fortress.

Sarbh’s nascent terrorist has serious anger management issues. His 60-second mid-ship meltdown, an intensely private exhibition of frustration at events that don’t quite pan out as expected, is all the more terrifying given the trigger-happy mode he has exhibited ever since a preattack gathering in a Karachi dump for a possible martyrdom final prayer. His unpredictable posture becomes as much of an artifact of the hostage drama as his periodically cocking of an automatic pistol at Neerja’s forehead.

Kapoor’s jaw-dropping turn as Neerja inhabits an unlikely figure. She does not set out to prove anything and yet figuratively becomes the face of any hope

there is against the terrorists successfully commandeering the hijacked plane to Cypress. For the terrified passengers, Neerja’s protective instincts—hiding the passports of all Americans onboard, surreptitiously readying a scared passenger to possibly opening an emergency exit, comforting children traveling without parents and a mother who has lost a son—are exhibited with an unscripted spur-of-themoment, us-or-them urgency that gradually elevate her from lead flight attendant to messiah in uniform.

After Bhaag Mikha Bhaag (2013), Khubsoorat (2014), Prem Ratan Dhan Payo (2015) and now Neerja, Kapoor’s career is on the uptick. With such a forceful presence in what is essentially a solo-female movie, Kapoor may join Vidya Balan and Kangana Ranaut as rare female stars with successful solo-female Hindi movie box office hits. Neerja showcases outstanding writing, directly and acting. Even though fates had been sealed long before the writer’s first drop of ink touched paper, a halo lingers from the commendable energy Kapoor channels into her Neerja. Others could take lessons here. n EQ: A Globe trekker, aesthete, photographer, ski bum, film buff, and commentator, Aniruddh Chawda writes from Milwaukee.

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66 | INDIA CURRENTS | West Coast Edition | March 2016

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If you can walk, you can dance - join us!

INDIAN DANCE CENTER (formerly known as Monsoon Dance Academy) ENROLLMENTS OPEN FOR FALL 2015

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Your first visit is free. Come dance with us and find out why we love it! www.indiandancecenter.com

68 | INDIA CURRENTS | West Coast Edition | March 2016

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events MARCH

Southern California’s Best Guide to Indian Events Edited by: Mona Shah List your event for FREE! APRIL issue deadline: Friday, March 18 To list your event in the Calendar, go to www.indiacurrents.com and click on List Your Event

Check us out on

special dates Maha Shivaratri

March 8

Nawruz

March 21

Holi

March 24

Ancient Future Indian Guitar and Tabla Concert, April 9

Good Friday

March 25

Easter

March 27

Ugadi

April 8

and Kalpana Savla, 746 South Lotus Ave., Pasedena. General $35, members $25. www. musiccircle.org.

Gudi Padva

April 8

Baisakhi

April 13

Tamil New Year Ramanavami

April 14 April 15

CULTURAL CALENDER March

12 Saturday

Holi Festival of Colors Los Angeles. Interactive dance, DJ’s, mantra

bands, yoga, cuisine, crafts, colors, free hugs, and lotsa love. 11 a.m.-4 p.m.

Excelsior High School Grounds, 15711 Pioneer Blvd., Norwalk. www.eventbrite. com/e/holi-festival-of-colors-los-angeles-tickets-19534044854.

Curry Concert. Abhisek Lahiri on

sarod accompanied by Subrata Bhattacharya on tabla. 2-5 p.m. Home of Popatlal 70 | INDIA CURRENTS | West Coast Edition | March 2016

March

19 Saturday

Holi on the Beach 2016. Enjoy the

spirit of Holi and support the cause of India’s development. Ends March 20. 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Seaside Lagoon, 200 Portofino Way, Redondo Beach. $12, $10 students.

(843) 503-2133. la-oc.aidindia.org/holionthebeach.

April

9 Saturday

Mythili Prakash and Aditya Prakash Ensemble in Performane— Jwala (Flame). Mythili Prakash’s dance

inspires transformation, an experience known as rasa. Aditya Prakash, vocalist for his sister Mythili matches her technical sophistication with his own interpretation of the treasured lyrics composed by revered poets. Organized by Aratani World Series and World Festival of Sacred

Music-LA. 7-9 p.m. Aratani Theatre, 244 S. San Pedro St., Los Angeles. $25/35 ($15 student). (213) 680-3700. info@festivalofsacredmusic.org. www.festivalofsacredmusic.org/ event-mythili-aditya-prakash/.

Ancient Future Indian Guitar and Tabla Concert. Featuring Matthew

Montfort (guitar), Vishal Nagar (tabla), and Santurist Mariah Parker (pianist).

8 p.m. Occidental Center for the Arts, 3850 Doris Murphy Court. (Bohemian Hwy. at Graton Road.), Occidental. $25.

(707) 874-9392. info@occidentalcenterforthearts.org. www.brownpapertickets.com/ event/2514232, www.occidentalcenterforthearts.org.

Living Legends in Concert. Featuring T.N. Krishnan (violin) and Tricy Sankaran (mridangam). Organized by The Music Circle. 6 p.m. Herrick Chapel, Occidental College, 1600 Campus Road., Los Angeles. (562) 756-3500. www.musiccircle.org. © Copyright 2016 India Currents. All rights reserved. Reproduction for commercial use strictly prohibited.

March 2016 | West Coast Edition | www.indiacurrents.com | 71

Institute of Manipuri Dance Artistic Director:

Dr. SOHINI RAY (disciple of late Guru Bipin Singh)

Classes in Pasadena & Woodland Hills

DANCE

Manipuri Dance Visions

For more information::

(818) 790-2897

Email: sohiniray@yahoo.com

www.manipuridancevisions.com

NRITYODAYA KATHAK ACADEMY Dancing is the loftiest, the most moving, the most beautiful of the arts, because it is not mere translation or abstraction from life; it is life itself~ Havelock Ellis

BHAIRAVI KUMAR

Founder/Director Since 1989 Contact: 909-630-8558 bhairavipkumar@yahoo.com www.kathaksocal.com

Kathak classes offered in Walnut/ Diamond Bar, Tustin/Irvine, Santa Ana

Affiliated with Hindustan art & music society, Calcutta.

Students receives official accreditation, diplomas and degrees from India.

Shivam arts ol of Kath ho Sc

ak d a

n ce

Artistic director:

Punam Kumar (Holds a master's degree in art of Kathak) Beginning and advanced classes for children all ages Adults dance class Special events choreography New classes coming to Santan Mandir, Norwalk Classes also offered at: Cypress Diamond Bar Irvine For information call:

714-293-4539 714-891-3799 Email: Punam.kathak@yahoo.com

Kalapeetham Foundation Established in 1990

Director: Smt. Kalyani Shanmugarajah (Alumnus of Kalakshetra, 1974) Offering Classes In:

Kalakshetra style of Bharathanatyam, Traditional Folk Dances and Theory Class Locations: Granada Hills, Woodland Hills, Northridge, Simi Valley,

INDIA CURRENTS Celebrating 27 Years of Excellence

www.indiacurrents.com 72 | INDIA CURRENTS | West Coast Edition | March 2016

Valencia, Santa Clarita, Palmdale/Lancaster, Santa Monica, Irvine

(818) 892-4890 • KalapeethamFoundation@gmail.com www.Kalapeetham.com • www.facebook.com/Kalapeetham

dance . music

Nupur Academy LA Inc.

Institute for Indian Clasical Performing Arts - A Not For Profit Organization

Geeta & Sanjiv Munshi Arts Academy “Bringing you Music & Dance for 25 successful years!”

Call us for LIVE MUSIC & DANCE PERFORMANCES!

Prachi Dixit

• Vocal Classes • Instrument Classes • Dance Classes

Founder/Director Kathak | Tabla | Vocal Torrance, Cerritos & Venice

Kathak

Call for classes in your location GSartsacademy@yahoo.com www.GSArtsAcademy.com

(310) 872-7061 Kala Academy

Nishi Munshi

nupuracademyla@gmail.com • www.nupuracademyla.org Estalished in 1998

 Classes Available on Weekdays and Weekends  Private Lessons also available  Students of the Academy have performed all over the Los Angeles Community

Serving San Fernando Valley and in Pasadena

Now

Offered by the talented member of the Academy

For information Call

(818) 882-3368

Miss India California

www.mykathak.com Founder and Instructor

Kathak

DANCE RachanaCELEBRATING 1977 to 2015 Upadhyay Viji Prakash

MA in Kathak ( Nipun) Bhatkhande University

Kala Academy Estalished in 1998

www.mykathak.com

Founder/Director

Lucknow Shakti School of Bharata Natyam email:Classes in West Los Angeles, Torrance, rachanau@yahoo.com Cerritos, Orange/Irvine, Woodland Hills

www.mykathak.com

(562) 946-0496 (909) 556-6070

“dance is the song of the soul” www.shaktibharatanatyam.com info@shaktibharatanatyam.com

“Art washes away from the soul, the dust of everyday life.”

Picasso

Serving

• Classes Available on Weekdays and Weekends • Private Lessons also available • Students of the Academy have performed all over the Los Angeles Community

San Fernando Valley and now in

Pasadena Offered by the talented member of the Academy

Anvita Kohli Founder and Instructor

Rachana Upadhyay MA in Kathak (Nipun) Bhatkhande University, Lucknow For Information Call

Arpana School of Dance www. danceramya.com (949) 874-3662

(818) 882-3368

email: rachanau@yahoo.com

ACADEMY OF KATHAK DANCE Classes offered at La Habra Heights, Whittier, Cerritos, Yorba Linda ( Classes can potentially be offered in your area - inquiries welcome)

Visiting Artist and Teacher Abhay Shankar Mishra Aarti Manek

Head of Kathak Department (Bharatiya Vidhya Bhavan, London, UK)

Contact: 1.714.595.3735 1.714.299.3525 shankaradance@gmail.com www.shankaradance.com

Bharata Natyam Folk Dances Classes: Duarte,Cerritos, Riverside,Chino Hills

Paulomi Pandit Recipient of Post Diploma from

Kalakshetra, India paulomi@rangashree.com www.rangashree.com

626-590-5547 March 2016 | West Coast Edition | www.indiacurrents.com | 73

events MARCH

Northern California’s Best Guide to Indian Events Edited by: Mona Shah List your event for FREE! APRIL issue deadline: Friday, March 18 To list your event in the Calendar, go to www.indiacurrents.com and click on List Your Event

Check us out on

special dates Maha Shivaratri

March 8

Nawruz

March 21

Holi

March 24

Good Friday

March 25

Easter

March 27

Ugadi

April 8

Gudi Padva

April 8

Baisakhi

April 13

Tamil New Year

April 14

Ramanavami

April 15

CULTURAL CALENDER March

3 Thursday

Lecture-Demonstration of Khayal.

Rita Sahai, Hindustani vocalist, composer and teacher, will introduce the modern genre of classical singing in North India called Khayal. 2:30-4 p.m. Mills College, Music Ensemble Room, 5000 MacArthur Blvd., Oakland . Free. (510) 847-2020. osmjmusic2@comcast.net. ritasahai.com.

The Twentieth Wife. Performed by kathak artist, Farah Yasmeen Shaikh based on the novel by Indu Sundaresan, March 19-20

March

Stand up Comedy Night 2016. Featuring Diane Amos and Dhaya Lakshinarayanan. Organized by Womens Therapy Center. 6 p.m. David Brower Center, 2150 Allston Way, Berkeley,. $40, $50, $25 students/WTC interns. womenstherapy.org.

March 74 | INDIA CURRENTS | West Coast Edition | March 2016

4 Friday

5 Saturday

Karnatik Concerts—Triple Header.

2-3 p.m.-Aalap Rag (vocal), accompanied by Aparna Thyagarajan (violin) and Shreyas Ramasamy (mridangam).

3:15-5:15 p.m. Madhav Iyengar (vocal), accompanied by Vignesh Thyagarajan (violin) and Vignesh Venkataraman (mridangam). 5:30-6:30 p.m. Shreyas Bhardwaj (flute), accompanied by Vignesh Thyagarajan (violin) and Varchas Bharadwaj (mridangam). Organized by SR Fine Arts. 2-5:30 p.m. Community Of

Cinequest 2016

recommends

By Mona Shah

I

t’s that time of the year when the Cinequest Film Festival runs from Mar. 1-Mar. 13 to delight movie lovers. This year’s Cinequest Film Festival will present 13 days of films, including 200 international movies from 44 countries. CQFF Indian Cinema offers a lineup ripe with beauty, enchantment, and stars. The films are showing at Camera 12 (C12), 201 S. Second St., San Jose, (408) 998-3300, and at California Theatre, (Cal) 345 S. First St., San Jose, (408) 295-9600. Hammer Theater, 101 Paseo de San Antonio; San Jose. n

Nila

Vartak Nagar—A Story of Four Crows

What happens when the person you thought you knew best obscures his or her past from you and you alone? When taxi driver Vimal unknowingly picks up his childhood sweetheart one rainy night, he hopes with every ounce that they can rekindle what they once had: a friendship, blossoming effortlessly into love. After learning more about her distance and the darkness that surrounds her, Vimal wonders if the future he wished for the two of them will come to a vicious close.

From first-time director Selvamani Selvaraj, Nila is a passionate story about handling the plague of unexplored desires and grasping for love in unwanted places.

Set in Bombay during a time of political uproar, four childhood friends are forced to confront adulthood when the volatile upheaval of the 1982 Bombay Mill Strike shatters their innocence and threatens their lives. But the boys persevere, and the story becomes a remarkable account of the triumphs of love, brotherhood, and the human spirit. Director Atul Taishete debuts with a story that juxtaposes two worlds: the spirited coming-of-age story of the four boys against the drama of an era of deafening workers’ riots and gangsters. A glorious tribute to a turbulent time in history, Vartak Nagar shines with electrifying emotional drama and radiates sheer heart.

The Last Smile

The Promised Band

He just wants to know what happened to his son, even if that means going up against a multi-billion dollar company. His grief drives him to seek justice. His love drives him to defend lives. He’ll stop at nothing to exploit the malicious underbelly of the company responsible for his loss. Peek behind the curtain shrouding the politics of the health industry in this noir-style film set in modern America.

Inspired by true events, The Last Smile examines a broken system of corruption and greed that underlies the unregulated health industry.

This band isn’t about music—they’re not even that good. It’s about breaking down walls and crossing boundaries. It’s about Israeli and Palestinian women determined to end apartheid in a region consumed by tension and hatred. They’re willing to risk their lives to repeatedly—and often illegally—cross the Israeli border for the sake of friendship and peace. Guided by an ambitious TV producer and a rabbi who wants to be a rock star, their music will unite hearts and join hands. Together, they’ll make a difference in the spirit of song.

March 2016 | West Coast Edition | www.indiacurrents.com | 75

events

California’s Best Guide to Indian Events namely, khayal, thumri, sufi, bhajan, shabad, qawali and folk. 6:30-8:30 p.m.

Mitralaya, 19306 Pinnacle Court, Saratoga. $20. (408) 398-2345, (416) 417-7901.

Mitralaya@gmail.com, Ramneekmusic@ yahoo.com. www.RamneekSingh.com.

March

11 Friday

Sleepless in San Jose? A talk on ayurveda by Ashok Jethanandani. Have you been experiencing difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep at night? We will discuss various causes of insomnia, good sleep habits, and ayurvedic remedies for improving sleep. 6-7 p.m. India Community Center, Classrooms 2 and 3, 525 Los Coches St., Milpitas. Free, but please pre-register.

(408) 472-9705. www.indiacc.org/ayurveda.

An evening with Padma Lakshmi. She discusses her new book, Love, Loss, and What We Ate: A Memoir, May 16

Infinite Spirit, 1540 Hicks Av., San Jose.

Free. (408) 569-0860. dirsrfa@gmail.com. www.srfinearts.info.

Mom, You’re Not Normal: Yasmin Mehta in dynamic conversation with Kamini Ramani. When Yasmin

Mehta’s daughter tells her, “Mom, you’re not normal,” she takes it as a compliment.

It has taken her many years to achieve sublime nuttiness, and she has relished every wacky experience that brought her closer to her goal. In her memoir, Mehta shares her hilarious and fascinating life story and the many lessons she has learned along the way. Kamini Ramani is a Bombay native turned San Francisco resident for over 25 years. Her love for literature began in the dark halls of Elphinstone College where she was taught and inspired by a phalanx of legendary Parsi professors. She pursued this interest with a degrees in English Literature at Yale University, and at Stanford University. She is an avid reader of fiction. As the marketing partner at venture capital firm Mayfield, Kamini enjoys amplifying the stories of passionate entrepreneurs.

Organized by SACHI (Society for the Art and Cultural Heritage of India). 4-6

76 | INDIA CURRENTS | West Coast Edition | March 2016

p.m. 70 Tobin Clark Drive Hillsborough, CA 94010. Free, registration required. (650) 918-6335, (650) 400-3696. info@sachi. org, aarti@johri.com. www.sachi.org, www. eventbrite.com/e/mom-youre-not-normalyasmen-mehta-in-conversation-with-kaminiramani-tickets-21025879973.

Shivoham—A Bharatanatyam Concert. Celebrating Yuva Bharati’s 10th

anniversary with performances by artists: Radica Giri, Nirmala Madhava, Deepa Mahadevan, Radhika Shankar, Shreelata Suresh, Nirupama Vaidyanathan, Sangita Vasudevan. Live Orchestra by Bay Area musicians: Asha Ramesh (vocal), Ravindra Bharathy Sridharan (mridangam), Ashwin Krishnakumar (flute), Sruti Sarathy (violin), and Jayanthi Sridharan (nattuvangam). Organized by Yuva Bharati. 4 p.m. CET, 701 Vine St., San Jose . General $20, preferred $30, 2 free tickets for members. (650) 565-8859. yuva_bharati@yahoo. com. www.yuvabharati.org.

A Journey from Classical to Folk.

Vocal music by Ramneek Singh, accompanied on tabla by Ravi Gutala and harmonium by Vivek Datar. Singh will be performing many varieties of genres,

March

12 Saturday

Laasya 2016. The nation’s oldest

intercollegiate Indian classical dance competition. Ten collegiate teams will visit UC Berkeley to perform pieces they have choreographed. Teams grapple with a wide range of subjects, from retelling classic Indian tales from a different perspective, exploring world cultures, or highlighting societal issues. Organized by Laasya Board 2016 and Asha for Education. 5-8:30 p.m. El Cerrito Performing Arts Theater, 540 Ashbury Ave., El Cerrito . $18 General, $15 students/professors. (408) 507-6422. laasya2016@gmail.com. www. desidancenetwork.org/laasya.

March

13 Sunday

Karnatik Music Concert. By Sruti Sarathy (vocal), Vignesh Thyagarajan (violin) and Vignesh Venkataraman (mridangam). Organized by South India Fine Arts. 2:30-3:30 p.m. CET-SOTO Theater, 701 Vine St., San Jose. www.southindiafinearts.org.

Ek Cup Chai Ho Jaye! A conversa-

tion with Emmi Itaranta, the award winning author of the Memory of Water—

events the book chosen by Silicon Valley Reads annual community program to explore the impact of climate change in our lives.

Organized by Co-sponsored by Indian Business and Professional Women and India Community Center. 1:30-3 p.m.

India Community Center, 525 Los Coches St., Milpitas. Free.

Music Concert. Neyveli Santhanago-

palan (vocal), Anuradha Sridhar (violin), Sriram Brahmanandam (mridangam), Ganesh Ramnarayanan (kanjira). Organized by South India Fine Arts. 4-7 p.m.

CET-SOTO Theater, 701 Vine St., San Jose. www.southindiafinearts.org.

Karnatik Music Concert. South Indian music gets re-upped with Gautam Tejas Ganeshan. Organized by Ashkenaz Music and Dance Community Center.

3:30-6 p.m. Ashkenaz, 1317 San Pablo Ave., Berkeley. $18. (510) 525-5054. carnaticashkenaz.eventbrite.com, carnatic-ashkenaz. eventbrite.com.

Strings ‘n Beats. A unique dialogue

between Tala and Raga, Beats and Notes, Rhythm and Melody. Featuring Sha-

California’s Best Guide to Indian Events kir Khan (sitar), Shambhavi Dandekar (kathak) and Harshad Kanetkar (tabla).

Witness Jugalbandi between Kathak, Tabla and Sitar. Organized by SwarSudha and Shambhavi’s International School of Kathak. 4:30-7:30 p.m. Mexican Heritage Plaza, 1700 Alum Rock Ave., San Jose. $20,pPreferred $35, VIP $50. (650) 9300328, (408) 398-8160. kathakshambhavi@ gmail.com, sunilganu@gmail.com. www. swarsudha.org.

March

14 Monday

Rana Bay Area Holi. Traditional color throwing ceremony, delicious Rajasthani food, live music and more. Organized by Rajasthan Association of North America.

Cardoza Park, N. Park Victoria Drive. and Kennedy Drive., Milpitas. rana.org.

March

16 Wednesday

An Evening with Padma Lakshmi.

She discusses her new book, Love, Loss, and What We Ate: A Memoir, a vivid story of food and family, survival and triumph.

It traces Lakshmi’s arc of her unlikely

path from an immigrant childhood to a complicated life in front of the camera.

Organized by Watermark. 6:30-9 p.m.

SanDisk, Building 2, 1051 SanDisk Drive., Milpitas . $29-$49 and include a signed copy of the book. (415) 271-4974. mary@wearewatermark.org. www.wearewatermark.org.

Preventing and Reversing Diabetes.

A talk on ayurveda by Ashok Jethanandani. Have your blood glucose levels been creeping up in your annual tests?

Are your triglycerides elevated? Have you added inches of fat around your waist? All of these may clues to the same metabolic dysfunction that can be corrected by addressing the underlying causes. We will discuss dietary choices that can reverse the progression, and ayurvedic herbal medicines that help restore balance of health.

7-8:30 p.m. Los Altos Library, 13 S. San Antonio Road, Los Altos. Free. (650) 948-7683, (408) 472-9705. www.sccl.org/Locations/LosAltos, www.classical-ayurveda.com.

March

18 Friday

Bay Area Thyagaraja Aradhana

Strings ‘n Beats, a jugalbandi between kathak, tabla and sitar, May 13March 2016 | West Coast Edition | www.indiacurrents.com | 77

CAAMFest Highlights Asian American Storytelling

By Mona Shah

T

he San Francisco International Asian American Film Festival is now CAAMFest, an 11-day celebration of film, music, and food that takes place throughout San Francisco and Berkeley from March 10-20.

CAAMfest opens with Tyrus an inspirational documentary about the art, life, and enduring impact of 105 year old pioneering Chinese American artist Tyrus Wong, best known for the conceptual artwork that gave Walt Disney’s Bambi its distinctive and unforgettable look. Immediately after the screening is the opening night gala at the Asian Art Museum. View the dazzling exhibit, Hidden Gold, as you indulge in sweet and savory creations, sip a signature cocktail and dance to music from Traktivist.

CAAMFest concludes in Oakland with the Bay Area premiere of Right Footed, an inspiring documentary about expert martial artist, disability rights activist and the world’s only armless airplane pilot, Filipina American Jessica Cox. Director Nick Spark explores Cox’s incredible journey as she overcomes adversity, finds romance and awakens hope in others around the world.

This year’s Centerpiece Narrative presentation comes from CAAMFest Spotlight filmmaker Mabel Cheung. Cheung’s A Tale of Three Cities transports us to Hong Kong during the turbulent times of war in the 1930s and 1940s, focusing on an epic story of romance and tragedy between the real life parents of Jackie Chan. The Centerpiece Documentary presentation is Michael Siv’s, Daze Of Justice. Siv follows Khmer Rouge survivors on a journey from the United States to tribunals in Cambodia. The unraveling of unspeakable wounds breaks a decades long silence in this messy, and ultimately moving, process.

This year’s Pacific Showcase features Tadashi Nakamura’s world premiere of Mele Murals looks beyond the obvious beauty of the Hawaiian Islands to the deep connections among the local community. Local artist Estria Miyashiro and with fellow artist John Hina travel to the rural town of Waimea, HI, where they attempt to connect ancient Hawaiian traditions and graffiti with the youth of tomorrow. Continuing the theme of Hawaiian culture is a celebration of food and family with Ty Sanga’s Family Ingredients. Chef Ed Kenney takes us on a culinary adventure, exploring traditional 78 | INDIA CURRENTS | West Coast Edition | March 2016

Sanjay’s Super Team. Photo Credit: Pixar

Hawaiian foods poi (a paste like dish made from taro) and pipikaula (salted dried beef) and how they have influenced culture in the Aloha State. Filmmaker Matt Yamashita’s new film, Sons Of Halawa, follows subject Pilipo Solatorio, the last native Hawaiian from Halawa, on a search for someone to learn and pass ancient traditions to future generations before they vanish with him.

An interactive highlight of each CAAMFest is their series of panels, and 2016 is no exception with discussions on the ever changing world of media and how Asian Americans are increasing visibility and opportunity in the broadcast and streaming universe.

This year CAAMFest will also explore the bane of existence for many Asian American actors: typecasting. For Asian American women and men looking for work, roles can be severely limited and stereotyped, especially when it comes to appearing as a character intended (or specifically not intended) for romance. Featuring actress Vella Lovell and Bay Area native, Filipino American actor Vincent Rodriguez III from the hit series Crazy Ex-Girlfriend. Rodriguez and Lovell join other actors and filmmakers to discuss the gradually changing landscape for gender roles and what they hope the future holds.

Additionally a collection of some of the best international Asian films, CinemAsia will explore a vibrant scope of themes and ideas that cross all borders. This year showcases films from Singapore, Iran, Vietnam,

India and many more destinations.

The desi films at the festival are: Director Sanjay Patel’s Sanjay’s Super Team, featuring Pixar’s first lead character of color, a young Indian boy bored with his father’s religious meditation, who imagines Hindu gods as superheroes. Prashant Nair’s Umrika, tells the story of a man from a small village in India decides to journey to America. The journeyman sends postcards back to his friends and family, inspiring both hope and debate. When the village loses touch with him, his younger brother Rama and friend Lalu set out on their own to find him. Frank Lotito’s Good Ol’ Boy, is about a young boy’s American dreams clash with his Indian parents’ plans in 1979 in small town USA. A coming-of-age dramedy about enduring first loves and the weighty expectations of immigrant parents. Tanuj Chopra’s Grass is about a complacent pushover, Cam and her maverick pal, Jinky, find adventure, merriment and revelation with the help of a backpack full of weed. Their sensory trip comically explores the highs, lows and more highs throughout a day at the park. Sudan Sethuramalingam’s Amar is about Rama, who owns a record shop, meets an interesting stranger who knows everything about his future. What Rama doesn’t know is that the same holds true for himself. He knows and has lived the fate and future of his late evening guest. n For showtimes. www.caamedia.org.

events

California’s Best Guide to Indian Events

Festival 2016. March 18: Inaugural

Concert by the Trichur Brohers. March 19: Concerts by Thyagaraja aradhana: Pancharatna krithis; 10:30-12:30- Tribute to M.S. Subbalakshmi, Shashikiran/ Ganesh, Aishwarya/Smitha Madhav.

1-2:30 Kunnakudi, M. Balamuralikrishna.

2:45-4:30 Vocal concert by Mahathi.

4:45-7 Vocal concert by Unnikrishnanan.

7:15-9:15 U Rajesh on mandolin. March 20: 9-10:15 Katha Kacheri, Suchitra balasubramanian. 10:30-12:45 KalaVandana dance compnay, 1-2:30 Vioin duet with Nigai Muralidharan, Nigai Srirram. 2:454:40 Sakethraman. 5-7 Vocal concert by Neyveli Santhanagopalan. Ends March 20. CET-SOTO Theater, 701 Vine St., San Jose. 3-day pass $100, students/seniors $90; 1-day pass $45; students/seniors $35. (510) 305-9285. www.kalalayausa.org.

March

19 Saturday

The Twentieth Wife. Performed by kathak artist, Farah Yasmeen Shaikh based on the novel by Indu Sundaresan, telling the tale of one of India’s most powerful women, Empress Noor Jahan, through a performance of dance, live music, multimedia and live narration from the novel.

Set amidst the the splendor and luxury of the opulent courts of the Mughal Empire of India, Noor Jahan is the twentieth wife of Emperor Jahangir. Living in the imperial harem, she assumes great power bestowed upon her by her husband, who loves her obsessively, and trusts her beyond anyone else, and spends most of her life fighting fiercely to maintain her delicate power. Ends March 20. Organized

by Enacte Arts Inc. and Sangam Arts.

Mexican Heritage Theater, 1700 Alum Rock Ave, San Jose. $20-$100. enacte.org/production/the-20th-wife/.

FOG Holi. Biodegradable skin-friendly colors. Kids’ water games, raffle prizes, food, DJ, dhol, and dance to the beats of Bollywood music. Organized by Fremont Temple, FIA and Festival of Globe. 12-6 p.m. Dixon Landing Park, 1771 Milmont Drive., Milpitas. $5 includes one free color.

(510) 304-5619, (510) 491-4867. ritu_m_ usa@yahoo.com. www.sulekha.com/FOG.

Tribute to MS Subbulakshmi, March 18

Scarlet Night—An Affair of the Heart. A fundraising event for the

Center’s expansion efforts so it can bring its pioneering heart disease and diabetes screening and prevention services to more people throughout the Bay Area. Keynote speakers, networking, a heart healthy banquet, live auction, casino, poker, DJ and dancing. Organized by South Asian Heart Center, El Camino Hospital. 6-11 p.m. Santa Clara Convention Center, Mission City Ballroom, 5001 Great America Parkway, Santa Clara . $200, $300, $500.

(650) 940-7242. scarlet@southasianheartcenter.org. southasianheartcenter.org.

Hindustani Music Concert. Performances by Arjun Verma on sitar accompanied by Nilan Chaudhuri on tabla and a tabla solo by Eman Essa. 7:30 p.m. Ali Akbar College of Music, 215 West End Ave., San Rafael. $20 general, $15 members, seniors, students. (415) 454-6372. office@ aacm.org. www.aacm.org.

March

20 Sunday

Karnatik Music Concert. With Gayathri Venkataraghavan (vocal), Mysore Srikanth (violin), Neyveli Skanda Subramanian (mridangam). Organized

by South India Fine Arts. 4-7 p.m. ICC Milpitas, 525 Los Coches St., Milpitas. www.

southindiafinearts.org.

Sreya Chagarlamudi’s Karnatik Vocal Arangetram. Student of Latha

Sriram, Artistic Director, Sri Lalitha Gana Vidyalaya. Accompanied by Vikram Ragukumar (violin), Ravindra Bharathy Sridharan (mridangam). 4:30-6:30 p.m.

Gary Soren Smith Center, Ohlone College, 43600 Mission Blvd., Fremont . Free. (408) 373-8981. vbraoch@hotmail.com.

March

27 Sunday

Holi Celebration with Havan, Music and Colors. The program will begin

with a havan followed by festivities and prasad. 10 a.m. Badarikashrama, 15602 Maubert Ave., San Leandro. Free. (510) 278-2444. badarik@pacbell.net. www. badarikashrama.org.

Karnatik Music Concert. Featuring Amrutha Venkatesh, M. Rajeev and Arjun Ganesh. Organized by SanKritiLaya. 4 p.m. CET-SOTO Theater, 701 Vine St., San Jose. www.sankritilaya.org.

March

31 Thursday

Zakir Hussain and Masters of Percussion. Tabla virtuoso and SFJAZZ Resident Artistic Director Zakir Hussain

March 2016 | West Coast Edition | www.indiacurrents.com | 79

events

California’s Best Guide to Indian Events

April

3 Sunday

Remembering MS Subbulakshmi.

A talk on ayurveda by Ashok Jethanandani, March 11-16

performs with special guests. The Masters of Percussion offer an unforgettable journey into the world’s most intricate and sophisticated rhythmic practices.

Ends April 3. Organized by SFJAZZ. 7:30 p.m. SFJAZZ Center, 201 Franklin St., San Francisco . $35-$75. (866) 920-5299. www.sfjazz.org/events/2015-16/0331/zakirhussain.

April

1 Friday

Bishop Ranch Holi. Face painting,

henna tattoo artists, dance performances, and live music to enjoy while you grab dinner at one of the mobile gourmet food trucks. T. Organized by Sunset Development. 5:30-8 p.m. BR2600 Parking Lot, 2600 Camino Ramon, San Ramon. Free.

(925) 543-0100. grigley@bishopranch.com. www.bishopranch.com/event/holi-festivalbishop-ranch/.

April

2 Saturday

Asha Stanford’s Holi 2016. The

biggest communal celebration that brings together an unique cultural experience with about 5500 lbs of food-grade colors.

Ends April 3. Organized by Asha for Education. 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Stanford Eucalyptus

80 | INDIA CURRENTS | West Coast Edition | March 2016

Grove, Stanford. stanford.ashanet.org/holi/.

Sangeet Dhwani Fundraising Concert. With Rujul Pathak, Hindustani

vocalist performing classical, semi-classical and devotional melodies. 4-7 p.m. Balaji Temple, 5004 N.First St., San Jose. pradjoshi@gmail.com.

Kumar Sanu and Alka Yagnik Live in Concert. Everlasting melodies featur-

ing the romantic duo with a full orchestra.

7:30-11 p.m. $39, $49, $59, $69, $79, $99, $150, $250. (408) 579-9426. Eventcombo. com/Alkakumar, Sulekha.com/Alkakumar, Tickethungama.com/Alkakumar.

Rickshaw Girl—A Play. Based on the book by Mitali Perkins. A village in Bangladesh, a loving family, and a daring daughter. In Naima’s village, boys can work for pay, but girls are expected to stay home and help with the cooking and the cleaning. Naima desperately wants to help her father earn more money, and she thinks she knows just how to do it. A world premiere. Recommended for age 6 and up. Ends May 22. Organized by Bay Area Children’s Theatre. San Ramon, Berekely and San Francisco. (510) 296-4433. info@bactheatre.org. bactheatre.org/shows/ RickshawGirl.

Through her exquisite renderings, legendary Karnatik vocalist M.S. Subbulakshmi inspired the development of an extensive Bharatanatyam repertoire of classic compositions and devotional lyrics. Abhinaya students showcase a wide range of compositions made popular by M.S. such as Ganesha Pancharatnam, Madurashtakam, Brochevarevarura, Vadavaraiya Mathaaki and Bhaja Govindam.

Organized by Abhinaya Dance Company.

4-7 p.m. School of Arts & Culture at Mexican Heritage Plaza, 1700 Alum Rock Ave., San Jose. $30 donor; $15 general; $10 student/senior. (408) 871-5959. abdanceco@ gmail.com. abhinaya.org.

Ancient Future Concert. Featuring

Matthew Montfort (guitar), Vishal Nagar (tabla), and Santurist Mariah Parker (pianist). Blending ancient world music traditions from fiery flamenco to resonant raga with the contemporary colors of jazz and rock, this variation of the world fusion music group. 7 p.m. Willits Community Theatre, 37 West Van Lane, Willits. $15. wct@willitsonline.com, cmnorris@saber.net. www.willitstheatre.org, www. ancient-future.com/pr_4_3_16.html, www. brownpapertickets.com/event/2513758.

Rickshaw Girl, a play based on the book by Mitali Perkins, April 2

© Copyright 2016 India Currents. All rights reserved. Reproduction for commercial use strictly prohibited.

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 Sunday March 6 At 4.00 PM Pradosham Shiva Sri Rudra Abhisheka, Sri Lakshmi Ganapathi Abhisheka, Sri Valli Deva Sena Sametha Sri Subramanya Abhisheka At 5.15 PM Skandha Sashti Kavasam Chanting Aarati and Manthra Pushpa Monday March 7 Maha Shivarathri Mahothsav At 9.00 AM Sri Venkateswara Suprabhatam Continued With Mahanyasam and Kalasa Sthapanam Aarati and Manthra Pushpa Continuous Shiva Abhisheka Tuesday March 8 At 5.30 AM Final Shiva Abhisheka Aarati and Manthra Pushpa. Temple Closes 6.15 AM Morning Temple Opens At 10.00 AM Sunday March 13

Manthra Pushpa At 6.00 PM Pournami Vratha Holi Festival Sri Sathya Narayana Swamy Vratha/pooja Aarati Monday March 14 Karadayar Nombu At 10.00 AM Please Contact The Temple For And Manthra Pushpa Lunar Eclipse Wednesday Early Morning 2.39 AM To Further Details 6.54.53 AM Stars Are Uttra Phalguna,/ At 6.30 PM Kritika Vratha Sri Valli Deva Uttharam Poorva Phalguna/ Pooram, Sena Sametha Sri Subramanya Abhisheka Hastha/hastham Utthrashada/uttharam, Aarati and Manthra Pushpa At 8.30 PM Sukla Sashti Sri Valli Deva Sena Kritika/kritikai Sametha Sri Subramanya Sahasra Nama Wednesday March 23 Panguni Uttram Archana At 6.30 PM Special Ayyappa Pooja Aarati and Manthra Pushpa Sunday March 20 At 4.00 PM Pradosham Shiva Sri Rudra Abhisheka Sri Lakshmi Ganapathi Abhisheka Sunday March 27 Sri Valli Deva Sena Sametha Sri At 4.00 PM Sri Sankata Hara Chathurthi Sri Subramanya Abhisheika Lakshmi Ganapathi Homa/ Sri Lakshmi At 5.15 PM Skandha Sashti Kavasam Ganapathi Abhisheka Sri Shiva, Sri Valli Chanting Aarati and Manthra Pushpa Deva Sena Sametha Sri Subramanya Abhisheka Aarati and Manthra Pushpa Tuesday March 22 At 5.00 PM Shiva Abhisheka Aarati and Day light Savings Time Begins

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, LOVE ALL SERVE ALL LOVE IS ALL

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

880 E. Fremont Ave., #302, Sunnyvale, CA 94087 — Home: (408)

ö XI m;;F;e n;m;/ 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 Shasthry 880 E. Fremont Ave., #302 Sunnyvale, CA 94087

Home (408) 245-5443 Cell (925) 209-7637 Kabalikarpaga@hotmail.com

l;ek:; s;m;st;; s;uiK;n;;e B;v;nt;u

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

E-mail: panditravi@comcast.net

BALU SHASTRI is now available in the Bay Area to conduct all Hindu religious rituals both in North and South Indian manner.

• Poojas of all Kinds • Ceremonies • Homams, etc.

Please contact: Phone: (408) 738-0571 Cell: (408) 393-7722 Email: balushastri@hotmail.com

6211 Prospect Rd., San Jose, CA 95129

INDIA CURRENTS Celebrating 27 Years of Excellence

www.indiacurrents.com March 2016 | West Coast Edition | www.indiacurrents.com | 81

SPIRITUALITY & HEALTH

March

2 Wednesday

Atmotsava. Meditation, readings by

Nome from devotional texts, chanting of stotrams, bhajans, learning to recite in Sanskrit and Tamil followed by prasad.

7:30-10 p.m. Society of Abidance in Truth (SAT Temple), 1834 Ocean St., Santa Cruz. Free. (831) 425-7287. sat@cruzio. com. satramana.org/web/events/atmotsava/, satramana.org/web/bhagavan-sri-ramanamaharshi/, satramana.org/web/sat-temple/ sri-sadisvara-mandiram/.

March

4 Friday

Ribhu Gita. Silent meditation, read-

ing and commentary by Nome from the book, Ribhu Gita. 8-9:30 p.m. Society of Abidance in Truth (SAT Temple), 1834 Ocean St., Santa Cruz. Free. (831) 4257287. sat@cruzio.com. satramana.org/web/ events/calendar/, satramana.org/web/events/ boundless-wisdom/.

March

5 Saturday

Shri Gajanan Maharaj Pragat Din Utsav 2016. Palakhi-sohola

(procession) with lezim dance, bhajan by professional singers and naamsmaran’(chanting) session. The celebration will conclude with bhandara. Mahaprasad will be prepared using shidha collected from devotees. Organized by Shri Gajanan Maharaj America Parivar. 9:45 a.m.-3 p.m. Sunnyvale Hindu Temple, 450 Persian Drive, Sunnyvale. Free. (562) 3968545, (408) 828-3345, (408) 597-7991. gmapbayarea@gmail.com. www.shrigmap. org, www.facebook.com/shrigmap, tinyurl. com/gajanan2016.

Sri Sundarakanda Ramayana of Goswami Tulsidas. Chanting will be

accompanied by melodies by Ram Saxena.

2:30 p.m. Badarikashrama, 15602 Maubert Ave., San Leandro. Free. (510) 278-2444. badarik@pacbell.net. www.badarikashrama. org.

82 | INDIA CURRENTS |West Coast Edition | March 2016

March

6 Sunday

The Eternal Blessings of a True Guru. Every Sunday. 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. Berkeley Temple, 3201 Shattuck Avenue, Berkeley, (510) 984-0084. www.yogananda-srf.org. Contact temples for times.

Maha Sivaratri Sadhana Day. 9 a.m.-noon, group recitation of Maha Mrityunjaya mantra followed by a Maha Mrityunjaya Havan. Followed by arati and mahaprasad. 9 a.m. Badarikashrama, 15602 Maubert Ave., San Leandro. (510) 278-2444. badarik@pacbell.net. www. badarikashrama.org.

Maha Shivratri Celebration. Start-

ing with dinner, followed by guided mediataion, candle lighting ceremony, talk

by Sister Kusum, live music and drama.

Organized by Brahma Kumaris Silicon Valley. 6-8:30 p.m. Jain Center Auditorium, 722 S. Main St., Milpitas. Free. (408) 9358740. rsvp@bksiliconvalley.org.

Satsang. Silent meditation, discourse

and dialogues on Self-Knowledge and Self-inquiry. Recitation in Sanskrit and English of Vedantic texts. Recitation of Tamil Ribhu Gita, followed by prasad, and puja to Lord Siva and Sri Ramana.

Society of Abidance in Truth (SAT Temple), 1834 Ocean St., Santa Cruz. Free. (831) 425-7287. sat@cruzio.com. satramana.org/ web/events/satsangs/, satramana.org/web/ events/calendar/.

March

7 Monday

Maha Sivaratri Celebration. The program will begin with Sri Rudra Abhisheka led by Swami Vishnumayanandaji. Everyone will get a chance to offer milk.

7-11:30 p.m. kirtan and bhajans by Ilora Jha, Rita Sahai, Ram Saxena and Suman and Sargam Shah. The program will close with a midnight Siva Puja. Mahaprasad will be served at 9 p.m. 6 p.m. Badarikashrama, 15602 Maubert Ave., San Leandro.

Free. (510) 278-2444. badarik@pacbell.net. www.badarikashrama.org.

Mahasivaratri. Meditation, readings, puja with devotional singing of bhajans to Lord Siva. Ends March 8. 7 p.m.-8 a.m.

Society of Abidance in Truth (SAT Temple), 1834 Ocean St., Santa Cruz. Free. (831) 425-7287. sat@cruzio.com. satramana.org/ web/events/festivals/mahasivaratri/, satramana.org/web/bhagavan-sri-ramana-maharshi/, satramana.org/web/sat-temple/what-is-sat/.

March

9 Wednesday

Atmotsava. Meditation, readings by

Nome from devotional texts, chanting of stotrams, bhajans, learning to recite in Sanskrit and Tamil followed by prasad.

Society of Abidance in Truth (SAT Temple), 1834 Ocean St., Santa Cruz. Free. (831) 425-7287. sat@cruzio.com. satramana.org/ web/events/atmotsava/, satramana.org/web/ bhagavan-sri-ramana-maharshi/, satramana. org/web/sat-temple/sri-sadisvara-mandiram/.

March

11 Friday

The Nondual Self-Inquiry Retreat.

This retreat is based upon the teachings of Sri Ramana Maharshi as presented in his books, Self-inquiry and Who am I? The spiritual instruction focuses on the nature of the Self, the natural state of SelfRealization, 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. The retreat provides much time for silent meditation in addition to the instruction. Ends March 13. 10 a.m. Society of Abidance in Truth (SAT Temple), 1834 Ocean St., Santa Cruz.

Registration required. (831) 425-7287. sat@cruzio.com. satramana.org/web/events/ retreats/the-nondual-self-inquiry-retreat/, satramana.org/web/bhagavan-sri-ramanamaharshi/, satramana.org/web/sat-temple/ what-is-sat/.

Talk by Swami Paramatmananda Saraswati. The talk is in English on

Verse 11- Chapter 15 of Bhagavad Gita.

Organized by Arsha Vidya Center. 7-8:30 p.m. Sanatana Dharma Kendra, 3102 Landess Ave, San Jose. Free. (650) 4381878. madhugrandhi@yahoo.com. www. arshavidyacenter.org, www.youtube.com/ watch?v=PGcIuA8yspc, www.arshavidya.org/ home.html.

March

13 Sunday

Do We Live One or Many Lives?

Every Sunday. 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. Berkeley Temple, 3201 Shattuck Avenue, Berkeley, (510) 984-0084. www.yogananda-srf.org. Contact temples for times.

Lecture and Chanting. Indira and

Shanta Bulkin founded the East West Sanskrit Institute in San Francisco in the spring of 2010 to further the work of their teacher, Shri Brahmananda Sarasvati.

In this lecture and group chanting experience, join the Bulkins, expert teachers and Sanskrit chanters, to experience the joy of the Sanskrit language. Learn first-hand why Sanskrit study is a Science of Vibration, a tool to calm the mind and facilitate meditation. 11 a.m.-12:15 p.m. Cultural Integration Fellowship, 2650 Fulton St., San Francisco. (415) 668-1559. culturalfellowship@sbcgloal.net. culturalintegrationfellowship.org.

Sri Ramakrishna Jayanthi Celebration. This celebration of the life and

teachings of Sri Ramakrishna will be an afternoon of music and satsang. Susheel Narasimhan and family will offer a violin concert. Srimat Swami Tattwamayanandaji Maharaj will show us the relevance of Sri Ramakrishna’s teachings and life to our spiritual practices. Following the performance and talk aarati, mahaprasad will be shared by all. 2 p.m. Badarikashrama, 15602 Maubert Ave., San Leandro. Free.

(510) 278-2444. badarik@pacbell.net. www. badarikashrama.org.

March

16 Wednesday

Atmotsava. Meditation, readings by

Nome from devotional texts, chanting of stotrams, bhajans, learning to recite in Sanskrit and Tamil followed by prasad.

7:30-10 p.m. Society of Abidance in Truth (SAT Temple), 1834 Ocean St., Santa Cruz. Free. (831) 425-7287. sat@cruzio. com. satramana.org/web/events/atmotsava/, satramana.org/web/bhagavan-sri-ramanamaharshi/, satramana.org/web/sat-temple/ sri-sadisvara-mandiram/.

March

18 Friday

Ramana Darshanam. Silent meditation, reading and commentary by Nome from the book. 8-9:30 p.m. Society of Abidance in Truth (SAT Temple), 1834 Ocean St., Santa Cruz. Free. (831) 425-7287. sat@cruzio.com. satramana.org/web/events/ calendar/, satramana.org/web/events/ramana-darshanam/.

March

20 Sunday

The Deeper Teachings of Jesus Christ. Every Sunday. 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. Berkeley Temple, 3201 Shattuck Avenue, Berkeley, (510) 984-0084. www.yogananda-srf.org. Contact temples for times.

Sri Satyanarayana Puja and Kirtan.

This puja is a simple way to practice and attain Shradha (faith) and Bhakti (devotion). 11 a.m. Badarikashrama, 15602 Maubert Ave., San Leandro. Free. (510) 278-2444. badarik@pacbell.net. www. badarikashrama.org.

Satsang. Silent meditation, discourse

and dialogues on Self-Knowledge and Self-inquiry. Recitation in Sanskrit and English of Vedantic texts. Recitation of Tamil Ribhu Gita, followed by prasad, and puja to Lord Siva and Sri Ramana.

Society of Abidance in Truth (SAT Temple), 1834 Ocean St., Santa Cruz. Free. (831) 425-7287. sat@cruzio.com. satramana.org/ web/events/satsangs/, satramana.org/web/ events/calendar/.

March

23 Wednesday

Atmotsava. Meditation, readings by

Nome from devotional texts, chanting of stotrams, bhajans, learning to recite in Sanskrit and Tamil followed by prasad.

7:30-10 p.m. Society of Abidance in Truth (SAT Temple), 1834 Ocean St. Free. (831) 425-7287. sat@cruzio.com. satramana. org/web/events/atmotsava/, satramana. org/web/bhagavan-sri-ramana-maharshi/, satramana.org/web/sat-temple/sri-sadisvaramandiram/.

March

25 Friday

Meditation. Self-inquiry meditation instruction by Nome, silent meditation, dialogues. 8-9:30 p.m. Society of Abidance in Truth (SAT Temple), 1834 Ocean St., Santa Cruz. Free. (831) 425-7287. sat@ cruzio.com. satramana.org/web/events/calendar/, satramana.org/web/events/meditation/.

March

27 Sunday

The Resurrection of Christ Within You. Every Sunday. 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. Berkeley Temple, 3201 Shattuck Avenue, Berkeley, (510) 984-0084. www.yogananda-srf.org.

Contact temples for times.

March

30 Wednesday

Atmotsava. Meditation, readings by

Nome from devotional texts, chanting of stotrams, bhajans, learning to recite in Sanskrit and Tamil followed by prasad.

7:30-10 p.m. Society of Abidance in Truth (SAT Temple), 1834 Ocean St., Santa Cruz. Free. (831) 425-7287. sat@cruzio. com. satramana.org/web/events/atmotsava/, satramana.org/web/bhagavan-sri-ramanamaharshi/, satramana.org/web/sat-temple/ sri-sadisvara-mandiram/.

© Copyright 2016 India Currents. All rights reserved. Reproduction for commercial use strictly prohibited.

March 2016 | West Coast Edition | www.indiacurrents.com | 83

84 | INDIA CURRENTS |West Coast Edition | March 2016

Experience Amma’s Unconditional Love, Peace and Divine Blessings

March 2016 | West Coast Edition | www.indiacurrents.com | 85

God's Unfailing Love……

D

o you have the real Joy, Peace and happiness in your life? Have you ever asked this question What is the purpose of my existence in this world? What is a person profited, if he/she shall gain the whole world, and lose his/her own soul? (Or) What shall a person give in exchange for his/her own soul? Is there anyone in this world who can truly love me? Many times we are lost and finally end up asking these questions. There is no one in this world, who can truly love us, except God. Initially, God created human kind (both man and woman) in HIS own image. The purpose of creating mankind was to be with God. But human kind sinned against God and lost the greatest gift of being with HIM. God is Holy. A person with sin cannot dwell or exist with God. Also with sin, human kind earned curses from God. The result of sin was death & curses.

What is sin?

Anything we do that separates us from God’s presence is called SIN. We cannot hide anything from God. God knows our troubles, problems & everything. What the World can offer us is the Lust of flesh, the Lust of eyes & the Pride of life.

Anyone who takes what the World offers ends up committing sin against God.

What is the result of committing sin?

The result of committing sin is a broken heart & soul,having guilt which makes us weak before God, with sadness, no peace, sickness, curses and separation from God. The Bible says, when we were born, we were born with sin because our parents brought us into this world with a sinful nature. For all have sinned, and come short of the Glory of God. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. The wages of sin is death.

No one in this world including our parents or spouse or kids or friends or relatives can love us more than God. The Bible says, God is Love and HE manifested HIS love by sending God's only Holy SON Jesus Christ into this world to save us from all our sins and redeem us from this sinful world. For God so loved the world, that HE gave HIS only begotten Son Jesus Christ, that whosoever believeth in Jesus should not perish, but have everlasting life, the life after death with God in Heaven.

Jesus came to this earth only to die for us and shed HIS blood so that we can be saved by HIS grace and then receive HIS gift of Salvation. Without HIS shedding of blood there is no redemption from sins. So God sent Jesus Christ to this world to die for you and me. The blood of Jesus Christ cleanses us from all sins. If we confess our sins to Jesus, HE is faithful and just to forgive us from our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Jesus said "Come unto ME, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”

For every sin we commit, we need to pay the penalty individually. However, Jesus took all our sins upon himself, when HE died for us. By giving HIS every drop of blood, we are saved and free from the penalty of sin & death. Jesus

86 | INDIA CURRENTS |West Coast Edition | March 2016

died for our sins and on the third day, HE rose again from death and became victorious over death, hell and sins. Jesus is a living God. HE is the same yesterday, today & forever. In the Name of Jesus there is Victory, Deliverance from sins & curses and there is Healing from sickness & Miracles in our life.

Jesus Christ is the ONLY WAY to God the Father, HE is the Truth and HE is the Life. No one can go to God the Father & Heaven, except through Jesus Christ.

Our family or friends, our caste or creed, our education or position, our money or riches or status, or by doing charity or by doing yoga or by doing fasting will not take us to God or to Heaven. When we accept & ask Jesus Christ to come into our heart & cleanse our sins with HIS precious blood, Jesus comes into our heart and makes us a new creature, by giving us HIS Love, Joy, HIS Peace, Hope & eternal Life with HIM. This is the TRUTH and the truth shall set you free.

Now how can I redeem HIS gift of Salvation in my life?

All we have to do is to believe Jesus, accept HIM into our heart & ask him to cleanse our sins by HIS blood by repeating this simple prayer. (Prayer means talking to God in your heart)

Lord Jesus, Thank you for coming into this world for me and my sins. I truly accept you just as I am.

Come into my heart; cleanse me and my sins with your precious Blood. Be in my heart forever and help me to live and lead a Holy life like you. I also invite YOU & Your Holy Spirit to come into my heart and give me the Joy, Peace, Happiness, Deliverance from sins, bondages and sickness forever. Thank you for giving me the assurance of being with me forever. In Jesus name I pray Amen.

If you have truly meant this prayer, then you have accepted Jesus into your heart. HE will be with you forever. HE will not leave you nor forsake you. If you need prayers or would like to know more about Jesus, then you can visit nearby Churches or email us at info@christforworld.org

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March 2016 | West Coast Edition | www.indiacurrents.com | 87

healthy life

Trimming the Fat Lean Eating Tips

By Nina Radcliff

M

y financial planner once told me that “It’s easier to not spend money, than it is to earn it.” That’s how I feel about calories and weight: “It’s easier not to eat it, than to burn it.” Like many, I am surprised (and saddened) that a one-hour, all-out, panting sweat session on my treadmill or elliptical machine only burns about 450 calories. Yet, if necessary, I could consume 450 calories of potato chips, cookies, or other tasty delights in less than three minutes. Where’s the fairness in that?

Research has shown that people feel full due to the amount of food we eat, or volume, not the calories we consume.

Therefore, it is possible to consume fewer calories without feeling hungry. And, it is reasonable to drop a pound a week by trimming 500 calories a day. Sounds like a lot? You will be surprised how making some easy swaps and tweaks can help us drop extra, unwanted weight.

What You Need To Know: To Sensibly Cut Calories • Don’t eat in front of the tube.

Studies have shown that eating while distracted—watching television, reading, playing games—can result in an extra 10 percent more calories consumed. Additionally, distracted eating was shown to increase the number of calories we eat later in the day by 25 percent. When people are able to recall memories of how much they had eaten in a previous meal, they were less likely to eat as much later on. In other words, pay attention while we eat.

• Limit salad toppings. The word salad equates with healthy. However, some of our favorite toppings are laden with fat and calories. Instead of sprinkling 88 | INDIA CURRENTS |West Coast Edition | March 2016

croutons (1 cup=122 calories), dried fruit (1 cup dried cranberries=123 calories), or fried chicken or shrimp, get creative with tasty toppers like roasted bell peppers or grilled onions, chicken, or shrimp. And when choosing a salad dressing, opt for fat-free, low-fat, or a healthy fat such as olive oil or grape seed oil dressing. A tablespoon of ranch dressing has a whopping 73 calories, with the majority from fat! So the next time you go out to eat, ask that the dressing be served on the side.

• Downsize our dinnerware. There is a saying that “Oftentimes our eyes are bigger than our stomachs.” In other words, visual cues and perception may play a role in the amount of food we consume.

This has led some experts to suggest that using a small plate or bowl can help curb the number of calories we consume. The theory behind it is that when we see a large plate with empty space, we perceive

that we are eating less and will either pile more food on, or go for a second serving.

One study showed that swapping a 12inch plate to one that is 8 to 10 inches can result in 22% less calories consumed.

• Accounting. Packaged and boxed foods have standardized labels that describe the number of calories and fat in a certain serving size. Before reaching into the bag or box, make sure to read the label and ascertain how many cookies, chips, bowls, or bars are in a serving size, and limit your snack to just that.

• Separate ourselves from the gravy train. When platters and serving dishes

are in front of us on the table, it is tempting to have seconds, thirds, and maybe even fourths. By plating our food in the kitchen and leaving the serving dishes there, we may be less likely to eat even when we are full.

health • Saving for later. When we go out to eat, consider asking our server to pack half of our meal to take home. In addition to not stuffing our face and having an uncomfortable food coma, breakfast (or lunch) is served.

• Cheer lightly. Did you know that a 10 ounce Margarita can exceed 550 calories; a 9 ounce Mai Tai 620 calories; a 12 ounce Pina Colada 586 calories; and a Long Island Ice Tea 543 calories? Seemingly innocuous drinks can cause our weighing machines to tip the scale. When ordering mixed drinks, consider mixing with club soda, tonic water, citrus, or on the rocks to curb the calories.

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When it comes to weight loss, it is tempting to turn to crash diets that severely restrict food intake. Unfortunately, when we resume our normal diet, the weight comes back to haunt us, and this can lead us to a frustrating yo-yo phenomenon. We are more likely to be successful in maintaining an ideal weight by aiming for a slow, steady weight loss through smart maneuvers that decrease calorie intake while maintaining an adequate nutrient intake and increasing physical activity.

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March 2016 | West Coast Edition | www.indiacurrents.com | 89

dear doctor

Multiple Personas, One Person

By Alzak Amlani

Q

At times I experience myself as a child or have dreams of myself as a child. I have also noticed that I have a range of different “personalities” or reactions in me.

There is a very tough part of me and there is a vulnerable me. There is a part of me that is very athletic and another part that is more passive and loves to just sleep on the couch.

I can be funny in some situations and very serious in others. At times I don’t know “who” will speak or show up. I don’t know how to deal with all of these ways of being and knowing who I really am.

one part. We are indeed the sum of many parts, which at times can feel fragmented and at other times connected and cohesive.

Your awareness about how you are in different situations and at different times is valuable.

First start by creating an inner space to allow these different parts to be seen. You can do this by bringing awareness to each of your parts/sides/personas. As you delve into each one, you will discover yourself in these parts more fully.

Some of the themes and memories will be new, pleasant and interesting and others will be painful, confusing and difficult to accept. To be a whole person means incorporating the full range of ourselves, not only what we like or is societally acceptable. As you get to know these parts more fully, you’ll see how they each have their place and purpose in your life. They also transform as you keep working with them over time.

A

INDIA CURRENTS GRAPHIC (408) 324-0488

Psychologists have recognized this phenomenon that you are describing quite well for decades. Certain translators of the Bhagavad Gita have suggested that the different characters in the story are various aspects of each one of us. We are indeed complex and contradictory beings, struggling to know who we really are. The truth is we are not simply

90 | INDIA CURRENTS |West Coast Edition | March 2016

Some people enjoy having these personas converse with each other. They realize that they are actually in a relationship with each other and form a kind of constellation of sub-parts. For example the lazy part might be in reaction to the driving, critical part. The critical part could be a negative inner parent and the vulnerable child in reaction to the inner parent. Thus, there is a kind of story worth discovering and telling.

This practice of making all of us conscious helps develop a fuller and more aware person, who can also start to make choices and direct these different parts to interact in a healthier and more synergistic way. n Alzak Amlani, Ph.D., is a counseling psychologist of Indian descent in the Bay Area. 650-325-8393. Visit www.wholenesstherapy.com

SPIRITUALITY & HEALTH

March

6 Sunday

The Eternal Blessings of a True Guru. Sunday Service. Lake Shrine Temple

and Retreat, 17190 Sunset Blvd., Pacific Palisades. (310) 454-4114. Hollywood Temple, 4860 Sunset Blvd., Hollywood. (323) 6618006. Glendale Temple, 2146 East Chevy Chase Drive, Glendale. (818) 543-0800.

Fullerton Temple, 142 East Chapman Ave., Fullerton. (714) 525-1291. Encinitas Temple, 939 Second Street, Encinitas. (760) 436-7220.

San Diego Temple, 3072 First Avenue, San Diego. (619) 295-0170. Call temples for times.

Organized by Self Realization Fellowship. www. yogananda-srf.org.

Talk by Swami Govindananda. Go-

ing deeper into your practice. 10 a.m.-12 p.m. Radha Govind Dham, Los Angeles, 5530 Donna Ave., Tarzana. Free. (626) 818-6994, (818) 403-3270. rgdlosangeles@gmail.com. rgdla.org, ji-living.com.

March

13 Sunday

The Deeper Teachings of Jesus Christ. Sunday Service. Lake Shrine Temple

and Retreat, 17190 Sunset Blvd., Pacific Palisades. (310) 454-4114. Hollywood Temple, 4860 Sunset Blvd., Hollywood. (323) 661-8006.

Glendale Temple, 2146 East Chevy Chase Drive, Glendale. (818) 543-0800. Fullerton Temple, 142 East Chapman Ave., Fullerton. (714) 525-1291. Encinitas Temple, 939 Second Street, Encinitas. (760) 436-7220. San Diego Temple, 3072 First Avenue, San Diego. (619) 295-0170.

Call temples for times. Organized by Self Realization Fellowship. www.yogananda-srf.org.

March

27 Sunday

The Resurrection of Christ Within You. Sunday Service. Lake Shrine Temple and

Retreat, 17190 Sunset Blvd., Pacific Palisades.

(310) 454-4114. Hollywood Temple, 4860 Sunset Blvd., Hollywood. (323) 661-8006.

Glendale Temple, 2146 East Chevy Chase Drive, Glendale. (818) 543-0800. Fullerton Temple, 142 East Chapman Ave., Fullerton. (714) 525-1291. Encinitas Temple, 939 Second Street, Encinitas. (760) 436-7220. San Diego Temple, 3072 First Avenue, San Diego. (619) 295-0170.

Blessings with Sri Karunamayi, March 17

Call temples for times. Organized by Self Realization Fellowship. www.yogananda-srf.org.

© Copyright 2016 India Currents. All rights reserved. Reproduction for commercial use strictly prohibited.

Do We Live One or Many Lives?

Sunday Service. Lake Shrine Temple and Retreat, 17190 Sunset Blvd., Pacific Palisades.

(310) 454-4114. Hollywood Temple, 4860 Sunset Blvd., Hollywood. (323) 661-8006.

Glendale Temple, 2146 East Chevy Chase Drive, Glendale. (818) 543-0800. Fullerton Temple, 142 East Chapman Ave., Fullerton.

(714) 525-1291. Encinitas Temple, 939 Second Street, Encinitas. (760) 436-7220. San Diego Temple, 3072 First Avenue, San Diego. (619) 295-0170. Call temples for times. Organized by Self Realization Fellowship. www.yogananda-srf. org.

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On Inglish

Delhi Coolie

By Kalpana Mohan

coolie, noun. < 1. an unskilled laborer, especially formerly in China and India.

2. an unskilled laborer employed cheaply, especially one brought from Asia.

3. a contemptuous term used to refer to an Asian, especially an Indian living in South Africa.

“T

ible. o C. R. Park,” I said They guided us down railway platforms while Delhi’s poverty to the old auto driver. too was visible, its I was waiting outside balancing bags on their heads, shoulders and loads many, its disparHauz Khas village in Delhi lookhands, their backs straight and proud as made ities so stark. It was ing for a way to get back to my dystopia depending apartment. But Ola cab’s servers their way through dizzying crowds. on where I stood. were down. “80 rupees, madam?”

Ten feet beyond the auto driver asked me, a trifle the filth and the mongrels and the inebriated men of warily.

Chandni Chowk station, lay the gleaming world of the I hopped in and we sped off towards Chittaranjan Park. Had Delhi metro, one of the best maintained that I had seen in my father been alive, I would not have been allowed to gallivant the world. When I exited through the stiles back into the in this old capital city on my own, not after the Delhi gang rape teeming city of 14 million, I was once again amid men haulin 2012 that, in his view, only confirmed that Delhi was home to ing heavy loads down street corners. thugs, hooligans, dacoits, and murderers some of whom also hapAnd so there I was on many days, armed with Google pened to be politicians. and Google Maps, inside an auto-rickshaw in Delhi, being Contrary to my father’s beliefs, I found the people to be polite, ferried around by young men from forgotten states who hospitable and thoughtful. Still, Delhi didn’t put me at ease. In a sought succor in the capital city where dreams could throb ten-day trip to this sprawling capital once ruled by Mughal emperinto life. On one of those cool evenings, five minutes before ors, I saw affluence: gated homes with a fleet of luxury cars—one my auto was due to arrive at my apartment, something hapfor every member of the household, as an Ola driver pointed pened that made me wish my father were alive. This was a out—western style malls, plush dining, diplomatic enclaves. I story that would put a glow in cheeks that saw utopia in was troubled, however, by its other side. Penury speckled Delhi’s India. roads in the guise of beggars and throngs of load-bearing coolies As we approached a sloping left turn onto a main road, all through town. En route to the terrace at Gharodia market on the auto driver put out his left foot just so. He rested it on Khari Baoli, men crossed me on narrow stone stairs heaving sacks the back of the trailer that was being hand-pulled at the turn of almonds and spices on their backs. To me, the identifying qualby the coolie on a cycle rickshaw. The man was now out of ity of the coolie in India was haplessness. his seat and pulling the weight with all of his body. For a few The word “coolie” rose out of the term “koli,” the name of a minutes, my driver rode alongside the trailer pushing it with community in India’s Gujarat whose members performed menial his foot just so the coolie would get a breather. We went duties. In South India, I’ve often heard the word “kuli” used to over the hump together. The auto-driver took off his leg. refer to a hired servant. The word is believed to have some etymoI clapped. “The man was hauling tiles, madam,” my driver logical link also with the Urdu “qul” which may have originated said, with a swift turn of his head. from the Turkish word for slave, also “qul.” In the history books “Yes, they must be very heavy,” I said. He nodded. SecI’d read, the life of a coolie was described as one of bondage and onds later, I said, in English: “That was really kind of you.” enslavement. When slave trade was abolished in the British EmThe man laughed. “You know, madam, we’ve been born into pire in 1807, labor-intensive industries, such as cotton and sugar this world as human beings. Old or rich, when we can offer plantations, mines and railway construction in the colonies were a little help to someone, we must.” He paused to brake as left without a cheap source of manpower. Chinese and Indian a car swerved in front. “To such a man a indentured coolies began to fill the need. little push is like being offered water when In my personal dictionary of experiences, coolies were also the you’re dying of thirst.” n luggage porters in red uniforms at India’s railway stations. They guided us down railway platforms while balancing bags on their Kalpana Mohan writes from California’s Siliheads, shoulders and hands, their backs straight and proud as con Valley. To read more about her, go to http:// made their way through dizzying crowds. The sight had always kalpanamohan.com. made me feel guilty and uncomfortable: Their burdens were vis-

94 | INDIA CURRENTS |West Coast Edition | March 2016

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the last word

My Hillary Dilemma

By Sarita Sarvate

T

inappropriate to use it. Really? The head of the State Departhis election season has revealed a strange reality to me, ment didn’t know that her communications were sensitive and namely that a large proportion of the American public needed to be secure? shares my distrust and dislike of Hillary Clinton. Polls Then, when the issue wouldn’t go away, she eventually have shown that in almost all age groups except over-sixty five, apologized, but long after she should have. women prefer Bernie Sanders to her.

Which brings me to my next point, namely, that she is arI can understand why. rogant. When Anderson Cooper asked her if she needed to be Hillary has an attitude of entitlement that is almost nauseatpaid $675,000 (for giving three speeches on Wall Street), ing. Time and again, in her speeches and debates, she she replied, “I don’t know. That’s what they offered.” makes allusions to her suffering because of Bill First of all, knowing that she was running for Clinton’s dalliances, the most blatant example president, she might have chosen to distance of which was Monica Lewinsky. “I have For all her herself from Wall Street. But if she was so worked hard, I have endured, and now self-aggrandizement, greedy, she could at least have been honI need your support,” is the gist of her est about her motivations; she could have argument. It is never about the people, Hillary can’t seem to come up with a better explanation than “I or the country, or the world. It is always inspire or lead. She never don’t know.” just about Hillary and how we owe her Ironically, the Huffington Post has now something. talks about her dreams for pointed out that the amount was in fact As if she is some uneducated, third our glorious country, just her regular fee. world dowry bride who would have been Watching her, I sometimes wonder what stoned to death had she left her husband. anlaytical details .... universe Hillary lives in. She seems to seAs if she had no agency or power or free verely underestimate the American public’s will whatsoever. intelligence and sensibility.

It is this victim attitude of hers that many Several months ago, my twenty-six year old son women including myself find off-putting. We do told me that he was going to vote for Bernie Sanders. not identify with her. How can we? Most of us have been Now, I find myself agreeing with him. After all, I had never through real struggles, like raising children on our own, making imagined that an American politician, let alone a presidential ends meet, fighting patriarchy at home and in public life, strivcandidate, would utter the word “socialism” in a public forum. ing just to retain a semblance of self-esteem and sanity.

Bernie might be pie-in-the sky, but a revolution has to begin What did Hillary suffer from? Going to Yale law school, somewhere, right? If the forces of history are beckoning to us, finding a gorgeous, smart, and capable man to marry, becoming should we not heed their call? a Governor’s wife and later moving into the White House? Are But then I get cold feet. I worry if Bernie will be able to get these things we need to feel sorry for? the democratic nomination. I wonder if he will ever be able to Sure, she suffered the humiliation of the Monica Lewinsky beat the Republicans in a general election. affair, but that was because she chose the Faustian bargain of And then I think, perhaps Hillary can win. Perhaps she has staying with a man who was publicly unfaithful. some secret ability that escapes me.

You might say that this was her personal choice, her personal “Bill and Hillary are seasoned politicians,” a Sierra Club life. If it was, then I don’t want Hillary to remind me of it. I member pointed out to me the other day. “They will be able to want her to run only on her talents, abilities, and track record. fight the Republicans and move their agenda forward.”

For all her self-aggrandizement, Hillary can’t seem to inspire Suddenly I saw a ray of hope. I thought that perhaps everyor lead. She never talks of her dreams for our glorious country, thing was going to be all right. For, let’s face it, in spite of my just analytical details along the lines of how many billions she reservations about Hillary, I would never vote for a Trump, or a would need to implement this or that policy. Which is precisely Cruz, or a Rubio, or a Bush. why Bernie Sanders’ stock has risen.

And therein lies my Hillary dilemma. n Bill can compensate his flaws with his smarts, charisma, and oratory, but for all her experience in public life, Hillary remains a third rate speaker. Her words do not move. Her delivery is often Sarita Sarvate (www.saritasarvate.com) has pubflat, with emphasis on the wrong words or syllables. lished commentaries for New America Media, She is just not honest. Take the example of her private email KQED FM, San Jose Mercury News, the Oakserver. At first she claimed that she did not know that it was land Tribune, and many nationwide publications.

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