By Jawahar Malhotra
houston: It was the Vaisakhi Khed Mela once again, after all!
All the food vendor booths were just too tempting and took you back to a time long ago in a Mother country so far away! Gol Gappey! Chole Bathure! Fruit Chaat! Pakore! And what brought it all together was the Ganne da Rus (sugarcane juice) straight from the press mounted on the bed of a truck where a team of men squeezed the long stalks till they were dry and then tossed them in a stack!!
And you thought: when was the last I ate all this all at once? Followed by: damn the diet for one day!!
After all, the Mela brought together not only an estimated record 4,000 people on a beautiful, blue sky day with warm temps, it also offered a gastronomical festival from 15 booths circling the roped off racing lanes serving food cooked on the spot! Jalebis! Dosas! Dahi bhalle! Pizza! Cotton Candy and ice cream! Another 5 booths provided community services.
A few nights before it had rained, so the big maidan in the middle of the ground was soft but since last year, a permanently laid down astroturf area, complete with lane stripes and yard markers painted on, allowed the races to be held on one side! The volleyball competition between a few teams was played out on the other side.
This was the 9th annual Khed Mela held by the Sikh National Center on their vast 20-acre property on the West Beltway across from the Sam Houston Racetrack and was much better organized than in years past, keeping in mind the sports theme. The roped off lawn and the vendor booths and seats to eat hugged the perimeter and brought everyone together. What would have helped would have been long tables under the shade of a tent top and extra seating so you didn’t have to balance the Styrofoam plates while eating. More teams cooking hot food would have reduced the long lines for favorites like dosas, baturas, pakoras and jalebis.
The completely free event was open to the public, as in previous years, and there was plenty of paved parking in the two lots that frame each side of the main gurdwara building, which is a few months away from being completed. Parts of the building were open for the public to view.
The mela was sponsored by generosity of longtime donors Dr. Hardam S. Azad, Harjit S. Galhotra, Jitinderpal Singh, Gurbir S. Boparai, Jagmohan S. Koonar, Baljeet S. Purewal, Gurmeet S. Saini, Shamsher Singh, Gurcharan S. Dhaliwal, Tirath S. Khera, Amrik S. Banwait, Jarnail Singh, Dhian Singh, Avtar Singh, Bakshish S. Josan, Satbir K. Cheema, Sukhpal S. Dhaliwal, Gurlal Singh, Amrit Singh, Ruben Bains, Divjyot Singh, Rinku Sandhu and Preetinder Singh.
houston: For over 35 years, the Indo-American Charity Foundation (IACF) has been a pillar of support for the underserved community of Greater Houston, serving in various areas such as education, family, general welfare and healthcare.
The foundation celebrated the beginning of its annual philanthropic efforts with a successful 5K Walk-a-Thon event titled “We Walk - We Care” on Saturday, April 13, at Lost Creek Park in Sugar Land.
IACF President Pankaj Rana welcomed the audience with a warm introduction, acknowledging the support from partnering organizations, sponsors, special guests and all attendees. The event’s ribbon-cutting ceremony was a memorable moment, featuring distinguished attendees such as Fort Bend County Judge Mr. KP George, Missouri City Mayor Mr. Robin Elackatt, Judge Mr. Surendran Pattel and Rutvi Chauhan, Mrs. Universe USA 2024, who joined other dignitaries in celebrating the launch of the Walka-Thon.
Demonstrating the vibrant spirit of the Indo-American community in Houston, the event focused on raising funds and awareness for the Indian Doctors’ Charity Clinic (IDCC), an organization dedicated to providing free medical services to the underprivileged communities and uninsured, including visiting parents from abroad, relying entirely on the voluntary efforts of doctors and the generous support of IDA, IACF, and other donors.
IDCC board members, such as K.C. Mehta, Dr. Kiran Gandhi, Dr. Nilesh Patel and Harish Khathrani, attended the event. Dr. Neal Shah along with Shasha & Khushboo played an essential role in providing vital health screenings for over 100 participants, including blood pressure and blood glucose tests.
The Walk-a-Thon brought together individuals of all ages and backgrounds, making it a truly inclusive, intergenerational experience. Participants ranged from young children in strollers to senior citizens in their 80s, showcasing the community’s collective dedication to supporting IACF and IDCC, promoting better health for all.
The event attracted over 250 people, and kept attendees engaged for 3.5 hours of continuous fun and enjoyment. IACF’s preparations were put to test with all hats and t-shirts finding their way to new owners. Brunch, sponsored by Kumar’s Restaurant located on Westheimer, was highlight of the event, with participants enjoying a delectable spread of dosas, vadas, idlis and all accompaniments. This generous contribution by Kumar’s Restaurant further demonstrated the community’s strong spirit of collaboration and service. Attendees were also treated to a mesmerizing performance by Arjun Ohri, whose soulful singing evoked nostalgia and captivated the audience. The crowd was humming & swaying to his music, making the event a truly unforgettable experience.
A touching moment occurred when the Senior Citizens Association presented a generous donation check to support the Walk-a-Thon, highlighting the depth of community involvement and the broad base of support for the cause.
IACF is launching a new membership program this year, offering opportunities for individuals to become more involved in the foundation’s initiatives. IACF will hold its annual gala on September 14, 2024.
To learn more about IACF, visit www.iacfhouston.com or email iacfpresident@gmail. com. Join the foundation to make a positive impact on the lives of those in need.
houston: The kick-off event was a 5-K walk around the neighboring lakeside walk trail by Arya Samaj Greater Houston (ASGH). Sewa International USA, Houston and other NGOs partnered with ASGH to bring 100+ participants in this very early morning event. The post-breakfast annual Health Fair consisted of an interactive session on diet and wellness facilitated by eminent medical practitioners and blood donation drive with Gulf Coast in Arya Samaj Greater Houston premises.
Sunday April 7: was time for ASGH members, well-wishers and volunteers as well parents of DAV Sanskriti School (DAVSS) and DAV Elementary & Montessori School (DAVMES) joined the Sunday satsang with Yajna (havan) under the guidance of Acharya Surya Nanda Ji. After the bhajans, Acharya ji’s lecture on Arya Samaj, and a presentation on 2023 ASGH and school activities, DAVMES and DAVSS students enchanted the audience with a composite program which comprised of recitation of Gayatri Mantra, the Gayatri mantra Bhajan in Hindi and English; the 10 principles of the Arya Samaj in Hindi and English; and kids dressed as Swami Dayanand and Arya Samaj stalwarts. AYM students focused their PowerPoint presentation on universal welfare and good social construct outlined in Arya Samaj principles 6, 9 and 10 …all curated by Acharya Bramdeo.
Miss Arti, DAVMES Director and parents of DAVMES and DAVSS briefed the audience on
the plus value that students benefit at the two schools run by ASGH. The display of posters by DAVMES & DAVSS students on Arya Samaj, its founder -Swami Dayanand and other eminent personalities who were the firstgeneration torchbearers after the demise of Swami ji was another attraction for the day.
A new milestone in excellence at DAV Montessori & Elementary
School, Houston. Myra N. (Grade 2) and Prisha D. (KG) These two kids were the Grand National Champion at the Zane-Bloser National Handwriting Competition.
Note: Television interview on Scripps News of our Grand National Handwriting Champs at the following link: https://www. facebook.com/davmontessori/ videos/460773766287227
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Pearland: The free, 6th annual Puranava Indian Art & Culture Fest will be held at Pearland Town Center Pavilion, on Saturday April 20 from 12 pm through 7 pm. The colorful event aims to provide an experience of India’s vibrant, diverse, age-old culture which is still a living, integral part of modern India.
Competitions in Chess, Art, Quiz, Indian Classical Dance, Indian Classical Music, and Rangoli (floor sand art) will be held during the day. Advance registration for these needs to be done at www. puranava-usa.org/houston. Kids/ youth/adults of all ages and cultural backgrounds are welcome to participate in the competitions.
A highlight of this festival is a Chariot Fest, to be held at 6 pm, as it is celebrated even today in temples in India. Here everyone can pull a divine chariot, join in kirtan and chants, and watch numerous street cultural performances.
Conducted by nonprofit Global Organization for Divinity in collaboration with Love to Share Foundation America, the event is supported by a cultural arts grant from the City of Pearland through the Pearland Convention & Visitors Bureau. The Mayors of the cities of Pearland and Manvel, and other dignitaries from the Greater Houston area are also expected to attend the event. This unique art and culture fest will showcase classical and folk dances and music from India’s diverse regional cultures from the
north, south, east, and west, through both stage and street presentations. Planned Indian regional dances include Assamese Bihu, Tamil Nadu Poi-kaal Kudhirai and Karagaattam, Kerala Thiruvadhirai, Ben-
gali Dhunuchi, Gujarati Garbha, Marathi folk, Kurathi gypsy folk, Punjabi Bhangra, Bharatanatyam classical, and others.
Three types of folk percussion performances from different regions of India – Kerala Chendai, Tamil Nadu Parai, Marathi Dhol Tasha; and also a youth band performance presenting Indian music using western woodwind instruments.
Also showcased will be different forms of visual art including paintings, framed art, sand art, handpainted crafts, and more. Visitors can also shop for ethnic Indian wear, jewelry, crafts at the bazaar; taste delicious, exotic Indian food and beverages from the entirely volunteer-run “Kicha’s Kitchen”; try henna art; take photos in the photo booth, and more.
Kids and youth can also purchase entry into a special Art & Games Zone where they can get to learn about, create, and take home unique art and crafts, prizes, giveaways, and more.
As part of Love to Share Foundation America’s annual giving program, a drive is being conducted currently to support Sunnyside Street Dogs in Houston. Monetary donations towards dog food are requested and may be sent via Zelle to Love to Share’s
Community Drive coordinator at 713-946-3210 with a note that it is for this specific drive. A representative from Sunnyside Street Dogs will receive the supplies during the Puranava 2024 event on April 20.
“Pura” means ancient and “Nava” means new or modern. True to its name, this event, which is presented in various formats by Global Organization for Divinity in several cities and countries across the world, endeavors to do its part in bringing India’s exquisite indigenous arts to the forefront and presenting to local communities here in the USA the beauty of these traditions, many of which are still being actively practiced not only in India itself but also by people of Indian origin around the world.
More information about this year’s event, registration for the competitions, vendor registration, etc. can be found at www. puranava-usa.org/houston. For more information about Global Organization for Divinity Houston and its activities, please visit our Facebook page, GOD Namadwaar Houston. For more information about Love to Share Foundation America and its activities, please visit www.lovetosharefoundation. org.
MuMBai: Joint teams of the Kutch-West and Mumbai Police caught Vicky Gupta (24) and Sagar Pal (21) late Monday night from Mata No Madh village in Gujarat, less than 48 hours after one of them had opened fire at Khan’s house.
The original Aadhaar cards submitted by two suspects, wanted in connection with the firing at actor Salman Khan’s Bandra residence, for a rent agreement and bike purchase documents helped police to establish their identities, an official said on Tuesday.
After identifying them, police used human and technical intelligence to track them.
“A preliminary probe suggested that both Sagar Pal and Vicky Gupta were hired by the gang of Lawrence Bishnoi to open fire at Khan’s house,” Deputy Inspector General of Police, Kutch West, Mahendra Bagadiya, said earlier in the day.
A Mumbai Police official said the men, originally from Champaran in Bihar, travelled to Mumbai Central station on February 28.
They rented a house near Panvel
city in Raigad, around 13 km away from Salman Khan’s farmhouse, he said. However, it is not known whether they had conducted a recce of the farmhouse.
He also said they used their original Aadhaar cards for a rent agreement.
“The agreement was made with the house owner wherein the onetime deposit is fixed at Rs. 10,000 and monthly rent at Rs. 3,500,” he said.
After staying for a few days in Panvel, the duo travelled to Champaran on March 18 for Holi celebrations. They returned on April 1, he said.
On April 2, Vicky Gupta purchased a second-hand motorcycle from a two-wheeler agent in Navi Mumbai for Rs. 24,000, he said.
After a few days, a pistol to be used for firing was delivered to them in Mumbai by their operator, the official said.
Police had recovered a live round from the spot after the firing incident in the early hours of April 14.
Preliminary probe suggested that Pal, who was riding pillion on the motorcycle, opened fire, while Gupta remained in touch with gang members while riding the bike.
After opening fire, they abandoned the bike near Mount Mary Church in Bandra, went to the local railway station and boarded a Borivali-bound local train, the official said.
“They alighted at Santacruz railway station and from Vakola area, they hired a car to go to Surat. From Surat, they travelled to Bhuj in a state transport bus,” he said. They dumped the firearm used in the crime in a river while heading to Surat.
“Police are trying to establish the identity of the person who provided the duo logistical support and money for their stay in Panvel and also for purchasing the bike and other expenses,” the official said.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde met actor Salman Khan this afternoon days after shots were fired outside the actor’s
home in Mumbai’s Bandra.
Security around the actor’s home was tightened as the Chief Minister arrived.
Mr Khan stepped out to greet the Chief Minister and escorted him into his home, where Mr Shinde met and shook hands with the actor’s father, noted screenplay writer Salim Khan, politician Baba Siddiqui and his son Zeeshan.
“The government is with you, I have told Salman Khan. Both the accused have been arrested. They will be interrogated. We will get to the root of the case. Nobody will be spared. Nobody should targeted this way,” Eknath Shinde told reporters outside the actor’s home.
“No gang or gang war will be allowed. We won’t allow this to happen. We will finish (Lawrence) Bishnoi,” he added.Khan’s security has been elevated to Y-Plus over threats from gangsters Lawrence Bishnoi and Goldy Brar. The actor is also authorised to carry a personal firearm and has an armoured vehicle for added protection. -- NDTV
new delhi: No concrete roads, no piped water supply, no sewage system and no concrete houses — a step inside Adarsh Nagar Hindu Migrants relief camp in north Delhi feels like a leap back in time.
And yet, for the nearly 250 Hindu refugee families from Pakistan occupying this land for over a decade, the camp symbolises hope — of Indian citizenship under the recently notified Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA), 2019.
On April 5, nearly four weeks after the BJP government at the Centre notified the Act on March 11, 180 of the camp’s 1,500 refugees applied for citizenship under CAA at a small office in their local school. Under the Act, undocumented non-Muslim migrants — Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, Buddhists, Parsis and Christians — from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan who came to India before December 31, 2014, are eligible for Indian citizenship.
One such application was submitted by the camp’s pradhan, Nehru Lal, 48. He says he was asked for a copy of his passport, visa application and the residential permit he got when he left for India in 2013. Named after independent India’s first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, he says, “It was quite common for people in my locality in Sindh (in Pakistan) to name their children after popular Indian politicians.”
Dressed in a white pathani suit, he told The Indian Express that he fled from Pakistan’s Sindh due to increasing violence against minorities. Today, his 65-member family, including his wife, eight of his 10 children, six brothers and their respective families, reside at the camp, which is located at the Delhi Jal Board Maidan. “We survive on the salaries of my sons, who work at a mobile phone repair shop. While six of my daughters got married in Delhi after we moved here, two are settled in Sindh,” he says.
Dhalu Ram, his wife Dharma Devi and their two sons arrived at Adarsh Nagar Hindu Migrants relief camp from Sindh in Pakistan on April 5. Dhalu Ram, his wife Dharma Devi and their two sons arrived at Adarsh Nagar Hindu Migrants relief camp from Sindh in Pakistan on April 5. (Express Photo by Gajendra Yadav)
Sitting on a khaat (cot) in his makeshift house, a moustachioed Nehru recalls his first trip to India with his family. “We arrived here on a tourist visa along with nearly 500 others on a pilgrimage to Haridwar in 2013 and decided to stay back.”
He says his family was issued a 25-day visa in 2013, which they have been getting renewed online every two-three months. “We are not required to specify a reason for seeking an extension, but we have to submit an affidavit each
time stating that we want to renew our visa,” says Nehru.
Given his refugee status, he cannot move around in India without permission or buy property.
“All those restrictions will go away after I get citizenship. Delhi has nothing to offer a farmer like me. I would like to buy land in Uttar Pradesh or Uttarakhand to grow wheat and sugarcane — just like I did in Sindh,” he says, adding that he has been saving money to buy land.
2022, that too after the Delhi High Court issued directions to the Centre.”
Besides Adarsh Nagar, there are four more camps in Delhi for Hindu refugees from Pakistan — in Rohini, Shahbad Dairy and two in Majnu Ka Tila. Nehru says, “Only around 1,000 people in these five camps are eligible for citizenship under CAA.”
Sisters Rajnandini, 16, and Jamna, 15, who came to India in 2013 with their parents, also applied for Indian citizenship at the camp’s school on April 5. “Sindh was our home, but India will be our new home soon. Our father used to grow onions in his field in Pakistan. He works at a mobile phone repair shop here, while our mother makes mattresses,” says Jamna, adding that her sister and she are two of three girls from Sindh’s Bauri community who attend the local school. Sisters Rajnandini, 16, and Jamna, 15, arrived in India with their parents in 2013. Their family applied for Indian citizenship on April 5. Sisters Rajnandini, 16, and Jamna, 15, arrived in India with their parents in 2013. Their family applied for Indian citizenship on April 5. (Express Photo by Gajendra Yadav) Rajnandini, who is good at mathematics and sews frocks for children in the camp for Rs 100 a piece, remarks, “My parents want me to study.”
While the girls agree that India has given them the freedom to go to school, Jamna complains about the conditions in the camp, “It needs to be developed. When it rains, the area gets submerged. We end up raising the platform of our house by putting bricks and mud.”
However, Pradhan Nehru does not have much hope when it comes to improvement in the camp’s conditions. “Around 25 families lived here when I came here. Today, there are 250 families, mostly friends and relatives of the original inmates. The conditions here are so bad that we got electricity only in December
The Centre had in October 2021 objected to providing electricity to the camp on grounds that the refugees were “illegally encroaching upon defence land”.
Nearly 250 Hindu refugee families from Pakistan currently reside in Adarsh Nagar Hindu Migrants relief camp in north Delhi. Nearly 250 Hindu refugee families from Pakistan currently reside in Adarsh Nagar Hindu Migrants relief camp in north Delhi.
Nehru claims the camp began as a small tent that his uncle pitched at the spot in 2011.
“The police troubled him initially and even threw his belongings on the road. However, he got in touch with the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), who requested the police to let him be.
Gradually, more refugees turned up to live here.”
A recent visit to the camp by The Indian Express revealed that it was surrounded by a garbage dump, with pigs and cows scrounging for food. The boundary walls of the kuchcha houses there were made of bamboo and dried leaves that were tried together.
One of Dhalu
Ram and his wife
Dharma Devi’s two sons building a shelter for the family at Adarsh Nagar Hindu Migrants relief camp.
One of Dhalu
Ram and his wife
Dharma Devi’s two sons building a shelter for the family at Adarsh
Nagar Hindu Migrants relief camp. (Express Photo by Gajendra Yadav)
Down the path from Nehru’s house, sits Dhalu Ram, 58, and his wife Dharma Devi, 50. The couple and their two sons arrived in India from Sindh on April 5 to “visit” their family members at the camp. “I was a farmer back in Pakistan,” says Dhalu, as his two sons fashion bamboo pillars over which a thatched roof will be laid to shelter the family.
For Sindh resident Moolchand, 37, who came to India with his wife, three daughters and a son just before the pandemic in 2020, this camp is his “only hope” even though he is not eligible for citizenship under CAA with its December 31, 2014 cut-off date.
“We came to Haridwar on a pilgrimage and never left. I stayed back here for the sake of my daughters. It was getting tough to raise them in Sindh, since we were discouraged from teaching
girls,” says Moolchand, who earns around Rs 10,000 per month by tutoring the children in the camp.
Moolchand earns around Rs 10,000 per month by tutoring children in the camp. Moolchand earns around Rs 10,000 per month by tutoring children in the camp.
But life at the camp has hardly been easy. “Since the camp is close to the Yamuna, the whole area floods during monsoon and there are snakes too. But where will we go?” he says, sitting next to Nehru on a cot.
The pradhan says nothing has changed for the refugees despite a stream of people, including “VHP and Bajrang Dal people”, coming to meet them over their citizenship status since 2013. Even getting jobs is a problem, says Nehru. “Many boys from the camp worked in shops in Adarsh Nagar till their employers discovered their refugee status,” he claims.
As he awaits the freedom that he knows will come with Indian citizenship, pradhan Nehru remarks, “We will be able to do farming, set up our own business and even move freely across the country. We cannot fight with anyone right now, but after getting our citizenship we will also get the right to protest.”
-- Indian Express
By renuKa VyaVahare
Synopsis: Based on a true tragedy, the musical looks back at Amar Singh Chamkila, Punjab’s popular but disgraced slain singer. Belonging to the ill-fated 27 club, he and his wife Amarjot, were shot dead in the late 80s by masked gunmen. The killings were preceded by anonymous threats directed at the singer for penning obscene lyrics that largely objectified women. Diljit Dosanjh and Parineeti Chopra play the lead roles.
Review: Imtiaz Ali, known for his soul-searching, contemplative stories on love and self discovery, steers away from his usual path only to truly find himself again. Through Chamkila, he deep dives into a tragedy seeped in moral policing, caste discrimination, societal bullying and prejudice.
Poignant, provocative and poetic, Imtiaz’s vision conjures vivid emotions. The objective, yet empathetic, biopic compels you to look inward. Are we slaves to survival? What constitutes art? Who gets to decide what qualifies as art? Does fame without respect matter? Should anyone be expected to endure a lifetime of hate and humiliation for their choices driven by circumstances? And finally, can you separate the art from the artist? We have a right to criticise but do we have a right to ban something?
Be it Tamasha’s Ved-Tara, Rockstar’s Jordan or Jai and Meera of
Love Aaj kal, Imtiaz’s central characters are often non-conformist, sometimes even without being aware of it. They aren’t rebellious by choice. The intent is to live freely, more openly and discover a purpose along the way. Chamkila is an able successor. He isn’t heroic per se, nor dismissive of the society but chooses not to get bullied into submission. Along with entertaining, the film makes a social commentary on the (offline) cancel culture of yore (80s-90s), politics of religious radicals and repressed sensuality.
At 2 hours, 25 minutes, the film packs in a lot and has much to process, given it’s non linear storytelling, genre hopping (docu dramamusical-semi investigative) & political insight. Punjab is viewed as a state of excess, be it through its extreme love, passion or control. The second half feels a bit
repetitive but AR Rahman’s music (background) and Diljit’s rustic vocals keep the momentum going. The film belongs to the actor-singer as he delivers a career-defining performance. He brings a perfect blend of humility, frustration and angst to his part. While it isn’t fair to expect Parineeti to match up to Diljit’s singing, she has a likeable presence but her acting pales in comparison in crucial scenes.
The camera work, especially in Naram Kalja, where the girls talk straight to the camera, stays with you & the one-liners are hilarious.
Given Chamkila’s questionable reputation, unapologetic approach to life, the film doesn’t glorify nor justify his actions. It merely allows him a chance to be heard. This symphonic tale of survival, shame and social standing makes for an immersive watch.
-- Times of India
