Saathee Charlotte April 2021 by Shukla Entertainment

Bridging America and the Indian Subcontinent

Saathee.com

April 2021

IN THIS ISSUE

Changing Dynamics in Friendships Via Social Media: pg 22 Slow Food for Better Health: pg 40 Recipe: Easy Chana Masala: pg 72

Employment Classiﬁeds: pg 92

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Hello Readers! Finally the weather is getting oh so comfy this month, before the sun makes its presence known in the southern summer. We have many interesting articles and features gathered here. Read about the easy to make chana masala recipe on page 72. You can also follow along the recipe via video. See the page for the link. We cover the Statue of Unity in our Increase Your India Knowledge section on page 34. Read about NASA’s new mega moon rocket making its first successful test on page 48. Our many informative columns are spread throughout the magazine. Happy Reading! See you next month.

Comments and Suggestions always welcome. Email saathee@saathee.com

“Bridging America and the Indian Subcontinent.”

April 2021 Issue # 275 - Saathee.com Editor Samir Shukla (Samir@Saathee.com)

Publisher & Advertising

"By all means let's be open-minded, but not so open-minded that our brains drop out." - Richard Dawkins

Divakar Shukla 704-527-7570 or rakavid@aol.com

Digital Media & Marketing Jennifer W. Allen

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Contributors for this issue: Kirit Shukla, Aarti Sengupta, Taige Shukla, Parul Kharod, Shyama Parui, Mo Vidwans, Ahsen Jillani, Lindsey Conger, Balaji Prasad, Preethi Sriram, Rishi P. Oza, & Jalendu Vaidya.

Cover: Shimla Cable cars make their way up the mountain in the resort town of Shimla, located in Himachal Pradesh, North India.

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April 2021

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April 2021

In This Issue

Page 22 Changing Dynamics in Friendships

Page 42 Film Looking for a Lady with Fangs and Moustache

Page 14 Fools of April. Mess with Nature and Page 34 Increase your India Expect Consequences Knowledge: Statue of Unity

Content The Editor’s Desk . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg. 14

Mirror, Mirror . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg. 46

Immigration Matters . . . . . . . . . . . .pg. 74

Community Events . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg. 18

NASA’s Mega Moon Rocket . . . . .pg. 48

Youth Corner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg. 84

Friendship Dynamics . . . . . . . . . . .pg. 22

Spot the Differences . . . . . . . . . . . .pg. 50

Pop’s Puzzles and Jokes . . . . . . . . .pg. 86

Upcoming Movie Releases . . . . . . .pg. 26

Thinking About Thinking . . . . . . .pg. 54

Festivals and Holidays . . . . . . . . . .pg. 88

Film Clips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg. 28

College Admissions Insider . . . . . .pg. 56

Puzzle Solutions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg. 88

Increase India Knowledge . . . . . . .pg. 34

Personal Finances . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg. 60

AstroScope . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg. 90

Increase USA Knowledge . . . . . . . .pg. 38

An Adult Indian Dance Student . .pg. 62

Classifieds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg. 92

Nutrition for Life . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg. 40

News Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg. 64

Index of Advertisers . . . . . . . . . . . .pg. 96

Read Watch Listen . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg. 42

Namaskar Y’all . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg. 66

Subcontinental Divide . . . . . . . . . .pg. 44

Recipe: Easy Chana Masala . . . . . .pg. 72

Saathee.com

April 2021

Fools of April The Editor’s Desk by Samir Shukla I sprinted across the street the other day. An SUV screeched past behind me as I jumped onto the sidewalk, feeling a breezy swoosh on my backside. I was on a stroll, lost in the sprinkling of buds and flowers on trees as the days warm in our part of the globe. High on pollen. I was dreaming, daydreaming, strolling past a raggedy fence in the sadder part of the neighborhood. A non-descript apartment complex was getting pieced together like children’s toy blocks on a cleared strip of land a little further down the road. The woods in that land erased down to a grove of a few sad trees, barren branches, clinging to the ground, bemoaning their lost comrades, slowly coming back to life in the warm sun. More apartments, more rooms, for more folks moving to our sunny part of the world. The cleared land bled muddy brown in the heavy rains of the past couple of days.

Saathee.com

We’ve been trying to make a fool of nature for millennia, thinking we can keep altering entire ecosystems and kill and eat anything that moves. But Ma Earth ain’t no fool. Witness the world over the past year. Ma Earth always has tricks up her sleeves to humble species running out of control. She tossed a little bug at us early last year, no expiration date, humbling humanity into a disorienting pause. Try and mess with my normal and I mess with your normal, she likely let out a thunderous laugh. This time nature made fools of the entire planet, giving a simple and precise message, keep disturbing the balance of nature and there will be consequences. Earth Day is marked in April. It’s a good annual reminder of the fragility of our blue marble, the continuous work and vigilance needed in its preservation, its sustainability for future generations. Our actions sometimes change the world overnight, but changing the world back to a natural mode, repairing our audacity doesn’t happen overnight. We can only continue to work and act in a manner to make sustainability a norm, live our lives, and then hand over the next generation their tasks. A sprinkling of common sense can make a world of diﬀerence, scale it up and it benefits all. continued on page 58

April 2021

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Community Events US-India Relations Under a Biden Administration: (April 7, 2021) UNC Chapel Hill, in collaboration with Carolina’s Modern Indian Studies initiative, will host a panel discussion on US-India relations under a Biden administration via livestream at 6pm on Wednesday, April 7, 2021. The panel will feature Ambassador Taranjit Singh Sandhu, India’s ambassador to the US, and Ambassador Richard Verma, former US ambassador to India. Anusha Chari, director of the Modern Indian Studies initiative and professor of economics and finance at UNC-Chapel Hill, will provide opening remarks. Ambassador Barbara Stephenson, vice provost for global aﬀairs and chief global oﬃcer at UNC-Chapel Hill, will moderate the discussion. The diplomats will share their thoughts on how relations between the US and India are likely to unfold under the Biden administration. The event will be held via Zoom with registration is required in advance to view. Find the link at Saathee.Com Events section.

North Carolina Azalea Festival: Wilmington, NC (April 7-11, 2021) The North Carolina Azalea Festival is a celebration of Wilmington’s artwork, gardens, rich history and culture. Celebrate Spring southern style with parades, street fairs, charming home and garden tours, art shows, fireworks, concerts, as well as the majestic coronation of a Festival Queen and Princess. The festival will be held between April 7 & 11, 2021 at 5725 Oleander Drive, Unit B7 in Wilmington. More information can be found at Ncazaleafestival.org.

Charleston Race Week: April 8-11, 2021 The Sperry Charleston Race Week is now in its 25th year. This year’s race will take place between April 8 & 11, 2021 along the Charleston Harbor. After a lot of thought, research, and meetings with appropriate oﬃcials, the race committee is confident that they can host this event safely and still deliver the professional, competitive, and fun event that Race Week is known for. See more information including registration at Charlestonraceweek.com.

Dances of India Virtual Celebration: (April 10, 2021) The 18th annual Dances of India will be held virtually on Saturday, April 10, 2021 beginning at 12 noon. The performances are presented by Dr. Maha Gingrich and group. A large ensemble of dancers will present 3,000 year-old classical and folk dances of India. Stories will be brought to life through unique dance dramas, brilliant costumes and traditional props. The show also features the signature dance, “Unity in Diversity,” which features several international dance styles set to live music. Check Saathee.com, Events section for the live stream link. Saathee.com

April 2021

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Community Events North Charleston Arts Fest: (April 28-May 2, 2021) The North Charleston Arts Fest features more than 100 national and regional artists and performers in the areas of Dance, Music, Theater, Visual Arts, Crafts, Photography, Media Arts and Literature. Attendees can experience a variety of free and modestly priced performances, workshops, exhibitions, and activities in venues throughout the city, including libraries, businesses, community centers, and parks. This event will be held between April 28 & May 2, 2021. See more info at Northcharlestonartsfest.com.

Myrtle Beach Marathon: (May 1, 2021) TAHTS Virtual Health Fair: (thru April 14, 2021)

Whether you’re looking to qualify for the Boston Marathon or planning a fun running weekend getaway with the family, the 24th annual Myrtle Beach Marathon course is the place to start. Start near Broadway at the Beach, race along Ocean Blvd, and finish at Pelicans Ballpark for a post-race extravaganza. Start your running journey on Saturday, May 1, 2021 with a full marathon, half marathon, 5k, a virtual family fun run, and for the first time they are oﬀering a Virtual 10k Race. Learn more details at Capstoneraces.com/myrtle-beach-marathon.

Triangle Area Hindu Temples and Triangle IndianAmerican Physicians Society present their 12th annual nationwide virtual health fair. Open to all, it is a safe and convenient way to have your blood tested at any LabCorp location on your chosen time and date. The blood test panel normally costs approximately $300 and is only $20 (for ages 18 years and older). LabCorp is a national company. Your family and friends can take advantage, anywhere in the country. Consult the physician from anywhere in the country. Blood Draw Days (select any day) are available Georgia Renaissance Festival: Fairburn, GA thru April 14, 2021 at any LabCorp Service Center. Physician (May 1-June 13, 2021) consultation can happen a few days after the lab visit at your Each weekend from May 1 to June 13, 2021 you can step convenience from home. Register online at Tahts.org. inside the gates of Newcastle and find yourself transported back to the 16th-century of Europe! The 32-acre village will Wilmington Marathon Madness: (April 17, 2021) be filled with over 150 artisan craft shoppes, 10 stages of Experience marathon madness from Pier to Port with this entertainment, pubs and taverns, plus food galore. Laugh out Boston Marathon qualifier and USATF certified qualifier loud at the antics of all the costumed characters, try your skill race. The new course for the full marathon starts Saturday at carnival games, and enjoy human-powered rides for kids April 17, 2021 at Johnnie Mercers Pier in Wrightsville Beach, of all ages. The 35th year of the festival will be held at 6905 and runs through Wilmington (total of six bridges) ending Virlyn B. Smith Road in Fairburn, GA. Info: Garenfest.com. in Historic Downtown Wilmington on the Riverwalk in front of the Alton Lennon Federal Courthouse. Runners will span CAPES for Kids Run: Florence, SC (May 1, 2021) a total six bridges and run through some of the best scenery The CARE House of the Pee Dee will be hosting their 10th in Wilmington. Learn more at Wilmingtonncmarathon.com. annual 5k/10k/Kids Fun Run, formally known as the Carver C.A.P. Run. This event is held in honor of every child who SC Comicon: Greenville, SC (April 17-18, 2021) has been subjected to abuse. All proceeds go towards SC Comicon is the Upstate’s premier comics and pop culture helping the CARE House of the Pee Dee continue their convention. This family-friendly event in Greenville, SC has eﬀorts to provide investigative, therapeutic, medical and something for fans of all ages—from the top creators in advocacy services to children who have been abused and comics and celebrity guests, to games, toys and collectibles, their families. It will take place on Saturday, May 1, 2021. and cosplayers. The convention will be held at the Learn more at Thecarehouse.com/capes-for-kids-run. Greenville Convention Center on April 17 & 18, 2021. Learn North Carolina Brewers & Music Festival: Huntersville, more at Sccomicon.com.

NC (May 7-8, 2021) iFiveK Race: Charleston, SC (April 22, 2021)

The 10th Annual Brewers & Music Festival is both for those with a palate for quality craft brews made right here in North Carolina and those who enjoy a good outdoor jam. Featuring over three hours of free tasting, two days packed full of music, food, shopping, camping, and more. Music Only, Designated Driver, and under 21 tickets are available at a reduced rate so everyone can enjoy the great music. More information can be found at Ncbrewsmusic.com.

The iFiveK race is a favorite run and networking event for Charleston’s tech professionals. Since its 2007 debut with 250 participants, the iFiveK has grown to its cap of 1,200 registrants. Proceeds from the iFiveK support the Charleston Digital Corridor’s talent strategy. The race is scheduled to resume on Thursday, April 22, 2021. See Ifivek.com for more information. Saathee.com

April 2021

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April 2021

Changing Dynamics in Friendship Musings from a socially connected world

keep up with existing relationships. Gen Z is the new generation of kids who are born after 2012. These are kids who are born into social media. Unfortunately, they have not experienced traditional ways of relationships and friendships. Their virtual presence precedes their real identity. That brings me to my favorite topic, how does this new virtual social era bring a twist to our relationships and friendships? I love discussing this with kids, teenagers & adults alike to get their perspectives. Til a few years back, when social media was non-existent, we did not have constant connection with over 500 friends and acquaintances. We did not feel the need to share our daily activities or get validation from every person we met daily. Honestly, since the social media platforms didn’t exist (blessing in disguise), we never thought of social validations. Influence of others in matters of friendships, relationships, arguments, disagreements etc. was minimal. Our thoughts were not clouded by multiple opinions, and we did not have nagging inputs from acquaintances on matters that don’t even concern them. Now let’s fast forward to the present. Most of us wake up with our smartphones. Every social media app that is available to us is filled with messages. Some may be directed to us, but most others would be random, unrelated and in some cases unnecessary. Knowingly or unknowingly each message creates a subconscious bias in our brain. Clouded with these messages, we start our day. As we continue chatting with our friends and acquaintances about the day’s happenings, we get a ton of opinions (some warranted and some completely unwarranted). Some of these opinions and comments will trigger further conversations with a greater number of people.

My Voice by Aarti Sengupta “Man is by nature a social animal” — said the renowned Greek philosopher Aristotle many centuries ago. I’m sure even Aristotle would have never imagined that the 21st century would take “being social” to exponential levels of imagination. Social media platforms are thriving industries worth billions. I must admit, I have enjoyed analyzing the different facets of this quote and have also loved speaking for and against it over the years. I have always been fascinated by the way social connections affect our friendships and relationships. Until about a decade ago, the dynamics of social life were so different, we were all connected, but not as connected as we are today. Connections were real and not virtual. By virtue of being born and raised between the 1960’s — 2010, Gen X and Millennials have been fortunate to witness the paradigm shift to the term “being social”. Until recently, if someone was a social butterfly, it meant they were meeting real people, going out, partying, socializing and talking to their family, friends, neighbors and colleagues. Today, being social means that you are active and visible on all social media platforms such as Snapchat, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, Twitter, LinkedIn and others. You create content and are posting to keep your audience hooked. You are socially successful if you have your target audience mesmerized and asking for more of your content. The competition is very stiff, but it takes a lot more energy and effort than traditional socializing, where we made an effort to meet new people and

Saathee.com

continued on page 82

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April 2021

Upcoming Movie Releases All Dates Subject to Change - Visit Saathee.com/Movies for updates

April 23

April 2 Seetimaarr (Director: Sampath Nandi) Cast: Gopichand, Tamannaah, Bhumika Chawla, Rahman, a nd Rohith Prathak Concrete Cowboy (Streaming) (Director: Ricky Staub) Cast: Idris Elba, Caleb McLaughlin, Byron Bowers, and Cliﬀord “Method Man” Smith

Bunty Aur Babli 2 (Director: Varun V Sharma) Cast: Saif Ali Khan, Rani Mukerji, Siddhant Chaturvedi, and Sharvari Wagh Thalaivi (Director: A L Vijay) Cast: Kangana Ranaut, Prakash Raj, and Samuthirakani

Wild Dog (Director: Ashishor Solomon) Cast: Nagarjuna, Dia Mirza, and Saiyami Kher

April 9 April 30

Vakeel Saab (Director: Venu Sriram) Cast: Pawan Kalyan, Anjali, and Ananya Nagalla

Sooryavanshi (Director: Rohit Shetty) Cast: Akshay Kumar, Katrina Kaif, Jackie Shroﬀ, Gulshan Grover, and Kumud Mishra Without Remorse (Director: Stefano Sollima) Cast: Michael B Jordan, Jamie Bell, and Guy Pearce

Thunder Force (Streaming) (Director: Ben Falcone) Cast: Melissa McCarthy, Octavia Spencer, and Jason Bateman

Virata Parvam (Director: Venu Udugula) Cast: Sai Pallavi, Rana Daggubati, Zarina Wahab, and Sai Chand

Chehre (Director: Rumi Jaﬀrey) Cast: Amithabh Bachchan, Emraan Hashmi

April 16

Paagal (Director: Naresh Reddy Kuppili) Cast: Vishwak Sen and Nivetha Pethuraj

Love Story (Director: Sekhar Kammula) Cast: Naga Chaitanya, Sai Pallavi, Thagubothu Ramesh

May 7 Black Widow (Director: Cate Shortland) Cast: Scarlett Johansson, Florence Pugh, and William Hurt

Mortal Kombat (Director: Simon McQuoid) Cast: Lewis Tan, Jessica McNamee, and Hiroyuki Sanada

May 13

Tuck Jagadish (Director: Shiva Nirvana) Cast: Nani, Jagapathi Babu, Devadarshini, and Thiruveer Saathee.com

Radhe (Director: Prabhu Deva) Cast: Salman Khan, Disha Patani, and Jackie Shroﬀ 26

April 2021

Film Clips Thalaivi

Thalaivi is an upcoming Indian multilingual biographical film about the life of J. Jayalalithaa, politician and film actress who served six terms as the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, with Kangana Ranaut playing the role of Jayalalithaa. The film is directed by AL Vijay and stars Arvind Swami, Prakash Raj, and Samuthirakani. It is slated for release on April 23.

Jack Ryan universe. When a squad of Russian soldiers kills his family in retaliation for his role in a top-secret op, Sr. Chief John Kelly (Michael B. Jordan) pursues the assassins at all costs. Joining forces with a fellow SEAL (Jodie Turner-Smith) and a shadowy CIA agent (Jamie Bell), Kelly’s mission unwittingly exposes a covert plot that threatens to engulf the U.S. and Russia in an all-out war. Torn between personal honor and loyalty to his country, Kelly must fight his enemies without remorse if he hopes to avert disaster and reveal the powerful figures behind the conspiracy. The movie is directed by Stefano Sollima and opens on April 30.

Radhe

and triumphant comeback against all odds in life.” It will begin streaming on May 21.

Free Guy A bank teller discovers that he is actually an NPC (non-player character) inside a brutal, open world video game. The action sci-fi flick is directed by Shawn Levy and stars Ryan Reynolds, Jodie Comer, Taika Waititi, and Joe Keery. Free Guy opens on May 21.

Major

Chehre After taking the dreaded gangster Gani Bhai, ACP Rajveer Shikawat aka Radhe goes on a manhunt to find the wealthiest man of the town secretly running a crime syndicate. Salman Khan returns in this action thriller directed by Prabhu Deva and also starring Disha Patani, Jackie Shroﬀ, and Randeep Hooda. Look for it in theaters on May 13. Amitabh Bachchan’s latest film is a mystery thriller directed by Rumi Jaﬀery. Additional cast for the film Chehre includes Emraan Hashmi, Dhritiman Chatterjee, Krystle D’Souza, and Raghubir Yadav. The film will be released in cinemas beginning on April 9.

Without Remorse An elite Navy SEAL uncovers an international conspiracy while seeking justice for the murder of his pregnant wife in Tom Clancy’s Without Remorse, the origin story of action hero John Clark - one of the most popular characters in author Tom Clancy’s Saathee.com

Toofaan Toofaan stars Farhan Akhtar as a boxer, alongside Mrunal Thakur, Paresh Rawal, Supriya Pathak Kapur and Hussain Dalal. It is directed by Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra (Baagh Milkha Bhaagh). Producer Ritesh Sidhwani said, “With Toofaan, we are presenting an inspirational sports drama that presents the story of a goon from the streets of Dongri set against the backdrop of boxing, his fall 28

Major is biographical film, directed by Sashi Kiran Tikka. Shot simultaneously in Telugu and Hindi, it is based on the life of 2008 Mumbai terror attacks martyr, Sandeep Unnikrishnan. The film is a dedication to the way he lived, and not how he died. Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan led the commando operation launched on November 27, 2008 to flush out terrorists from Hotel Taj Mahal, Mumbai. He displayed most conspicuous bravery besides camaraderie and leadership and made the supreme sacrifice for the nation. Adivi Sesh (in his Hindi film debut) portrays Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan. The film also stars Saiee Manjrekar, Sobhita Dhulipala, Revathi and Prakash Raj. Major is scheduled to be released theatrically on July 2. April 2021

The importance of education today is undeniable. Are you prepared for what it costs? It takes planning to fund the cost of an education considering that between 2006-07 and 2016-17, published in-state tuition and fees at public four-year institutions increased at an average rate of 3.5% per year beyond inﬂation1. While tuition will be the largest expense, don't forget about these additional costs that may be incurred: Pre-College Costs • Standardized test fees • Test prep courses and materials • Campus visits • Moving costs Additional College Costs • Room & Board • Books & Supplies 1 College Board (Trends in Higher Education) 2017 • Transportation

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Inspired by a true story, Mukerji told interviewers, “I started my career with Raja Ki Aayegi Baraat, which was a womancentric film, and coincidentally in my 25th year, I’m announcing a film that is also centered around a woman’s resolve to fight against all odds and take on a country. Mrs. Chatterjee vs Norway is a story of true human resilience and it is a film that is dedicated to all the mothers out there.” No release date has been announced yet.

Looop Lapeta Taapsee Pannu and Tahir Raj Bhasin star in Looop Lapeta, an intriguing roller-coaster ride centered around a young woman who finds herself in a sticky situation when her boyfriend gets unknowingly trapped in a crisis. The film is helmed by director Aakash Bhatia and was shot in Mumbai and Goa. Look for its release on October 22.

Monica, O My Darling

Jhund

Rajkummar Rao and Huma Qureshi will star in Sriram Raghavan’s next film Monica, O My Darling. The film is named after RD Burman’s classic cabaret item number picturized on Helen for the 1971 film Caravan. The film will be directed by Vasan Bala and is a comic caper set in an oﬃce setting. Rao and Qureshi have earlier worked together in Anurag Kashyap’s film Gangs of Wasseypur. Monica, O My Darling is currently in the pre-production and will go on floors in April. No release date has been announced.

Mrs. Chatterjee vs Norway Rani Mukerji announced her next film, Mrs. Chatterjee vs Norway, on her birthday. The film is an untold story about a journey of a mother’s battle against an entire country. Currently, in pre-production, the Ashima Chibber directorial is expected to begin filming soon.

Saathee.com

Jhund (meaning Crowd) is the new film by director Nagraj Manjule. It is based on the life of Vijay Barse, a retired sports teacher who founded an NGO called Slum Soccer. He managed to rehabilitate street kids by keeping them oﬀ drugs and crime by turning them into soccer players and building a whole team. Amitabh Bachchan portrays the protagonist along with cast members Akash Thosar, Vicky Kadian and Rinku Rajguru. The biographical sports drama is slated to open in theaters beginning June 18.

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Increase Your

USA Knowledge Lincoln Memorial The Lincoln Memorial is an American National monument built for Abraham Lincoln, the 16th president of the United States who led the country from 1861 to 1865. He is widely considered to be one of the greatest American presidents. A plan was finally approved on December 13, 1910 and all the paperwork completed by 1913. Construction started in 1914 and the memorial was officially dedicated on May 30, 1922. It is located in Washington DC, on the western end of the National Mall, a landscaped park that includes numerous other monuments. It’s located right across from the Washington Monument, the iconic Obelisk dedicated to President George Washington. It’s built on land that was reclaimed to form the West Potomac Park. The memorial is 189.7 feet long and 118.5 feet wide (57.8 by 36.1 m). It is 99 feet (30 m) tall. It resembles a classic Greek Temple. The central chamber houses the statue of Abraham Lincoln, sitting in a chair in deep contemplation, and the north and south chamber have inscriptions of Lincoln’s second inaugural address and his Gettysburg Address. The main chambers of the building are surrounded by 36 Doric Columns that represent the 36 United States in the Union at the time of Lincoln’s death. On August 28, 1963, Martin Luther King Jr. gave his famous “I have a dream” speech at the Memorial. which was witnessed by over 250,000 people who gathered at the grounds. The main sculptor for the statue was Daniel Chester French and he was assisted by experienced marble carvers the Piccirilli Brothers in its construction. It took four years to complete. The Lincoln Memorial has been featured in over 60 films.

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Slow Food Nutrition for Life by Parul Kharod

Eating too fast can lead to a variety of health risks In this era of fast paced lives, we want everything to be quick. Everyone is busy and no one has time. Our calendars are packed with activities. In fact, people are so busy that they either have no time to eat or they shove food into their mouths whenever they can spare a few minutes here and there through the day. While your busy schedule may make you feel very accomplished, have you ever considered what it does to your body? Studies have shown that eating too fast can lead to a variety of health risks including indigestion and upset stomach, acid reflux, loss of natural hunger and satiety cues, and longer-term problems such as weight gain, poor blood sugar control which may increase risk of diabetes, and increased risk of heart disease. Therefore, we need to start paying attention to not only what type of food we eat but also the speed with which we eat.

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Slow Eating - Benefits of Chewing Slowly According to Ayurveda, we should be chewing every bite 32 times! While that may not seem entirely practical, it does help to be mindful of how fast you are eating. When we start chewing, there are digestive enzymes released in the mouth. When food is not chewed well, it does not have the opportunity to mix with the facultative anaerobic bacteria that live in our mouth and on the tongue. These bacteria can reduce the nitrates in food to nitrites in the mouth. When the nitrites are swallowed, they are further reduced by gastric acid to nitric oxide. Nitric Oxide is one of the most important molecules for blood vessel health. It’s a vasodilator, meaning it relaxes the inner muscles of your blood vessels, causing the vessels to widen. In this way, nitric oxide increases blood flow and lowers blood pressure. Thus, prolonged chewing has a direct impact on heart health. When food is chewed, the absorption is safe and slow. This prevents blood sugar fluctuations which can improve hormone balance. It helps with satiety and prevents acid reflux. When we eat fast, it also messes up the hunger and continued on page 58

April 2021

Read Watch Listen beliefs. He is then haunted by inexplicable dreams and visions of Dakinis that are later interpreted by a monk as omens for his imminent death, within seven days. On the advice of the hip, sunglasses-wearing monk, Tenzin visits another monk who tells him things he has to do to avoid death in seven days. This mystery drama unfolds ever so slowly and gently, taking its time to navigate the streets and alleys of Kathmandu and Tenzin’s new reality as he now becomes distracted from all his endeavors to save his own life. This movie explores the fears and subtle spirituality of individuals; what if you knew you were going to die in seven days and there were some mysterious ways to avoid it. The film rolls along at a lushly unhurried pace, stitched with subtle humor, making Kathmandu and the surrounding mountains part of the story of the underlying spirituality.

Reviews by Samir Shukla

Music Review: Vandana Vishwas Mann Lago Singer-songwriter Vandana Vishwas’s new single is “Mann Lago,” a poem by the 15th century Indian poet and mystic Kabeer Das. Kabeer Das, popularly known as Sant Kabeer, wrote poems that challenged the religious and social ethos of his era. He practiced “Fakiri” – a vagabond lifestyle based around minimal personal possessions. He lived the Fakir (a monk or seer) lifestyle and inspired India’s Bhakti movement. The opening line of the poem “Mann Laago Yaar Fakiri Mein” says “I am hooked into living as a Fakir.” In the poem he writes that his biggest pleasure is in chanting the Almighty’s name while forsaking possessions and worldly pleasures. This poem has been recorded by other artists but Vishwas makes it her own with an original musical composition, her voice weaving through the music and words. She gives a contemporary edge to “Mann Lago” while retaining a traditional, almost classical charm. Vishwas says the lyrics are very relevant to the current times of isolation where people can reflect upon the global disturbances caused by the pandemic. The lyrics, which repeat in a chantlike manner, evoke life’s higher meanings and simplicity. This haunting version is composed and presented in the Raga Ahir-Bhairav. There is a cross-cultural musicality to this version that is stitched with Indian, Persian, and Western musical instruments. Vishwas worked with Hindi music industry rhythm specialist Raj Sharma and arranger Sanjay Marathe to create this rendering. The track is available on streaming and video services. Vishwas, an Indian-Canadian singer-songwriter, has released several recordings. More information at www.vandanavishwas.com.

“I try in this film to explore some of the last genuine residues of Tibetan mysticism. Even among Tibetans themselves, their traditional beliefs and ways of behaving and looking at the world are increasingly rare and today carry little if any weight. And yet, I believe this ancient wisdom, which reflects the Buddhist view of reality, has something vital to oﬀer our modern world. Especially, I intend this film to express the deep respect for feminine energy embodied in that wisdom, and to portray in a contemporary setting both the transformative power of this energy and some of the ways it has traditionally been evoked,” stated Khyentse Norbu. Tenzin, as he searches for that elusive Dakini that can save his life, confronts his own rationality during this brief period. Norbu used only non-professional actors for the film, giving the whole project a sense of natural realism. On April 8, 2021, The Rubin Museum of Art in New York City will host a virtual live premiere screening of Looking for a Film Review: Lady with Fangs and a Moustache, followed by a live conversation Looking for a Lady with Fangs and a Moustache with the director Khyentse Norbu. Director Khyentse Norbu’s new film, Looking for a Lady with The Global Watch Now @ Home Cinema Release will be on Fangs and a Moustache, focuses on the centuries-old Himalayan April 9, 2021. cultures, respect and celebration of feminine energy. This energy is personified in tantric Buddhism by Dakinis, females who may appear as mysterious living beings who give or take Samir Shukla away life force. Editor of Saathee Magazine This Nepali production tells the tale of Tenzin, a Contact: Samir@Saathee.com contemporary Tibetan entrepreneur who is working to open a Twitter: @ShuklaWrites coﬀee house in Kathmandu and is quite skeptical of ancient Newsletter: ShuklaWrites.Substack.com Saathee.com

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A Philosophical Civil War? Subcontinental Divide by Ahsen Jillani When I was last discussing the state of this country with optimism, it was just before the Biden inauguration. Things looked optimistic then, after years of chaos, and I was happily thinking that maybe I will be writing musings about philosophy, or culture, or the arts. You know, something that doesn’t give me or the readers severe heartburn. That was all wrong. Now a few days out from the passage of the American Rescue Plan, I am realizing that it may now be impossible to separate politics from even biting into a slice of pizza. Even post-Trump, not a single

Saathee.com

Republican in either legislative chamber voted for the bill, which was popular with 61 percent of Republican voters. Then of course, the Republicans went on local and national TV and declared victory for the American people. You see, lots of these benefits will be going to right-leaning blue-collar working-class people in states that have been hard hit by the pandemic economic downturn. I walked around puzzled by this weirdness for several days. I mean, why not win over some voters toward the 2022 elections by taking a stand on economic and pandemic relief. You see, it is not that simple in the America we live in now. The secret message that right leaning leaders are sending to their constituents is the same: “This money is just going to Antifa and illegal aliens and convicted

continued on page 78

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Pop Culture Conventions Camaraderie, Creativity and Cosplay

Photos by Jennifer Allen

Mirror, Mirror by Jennifer Allen With the world gradually returning to some sense of “normalcy” as the months continue on, one of many fun activities I’m most looking forward to enjoying a few funfilled days at one of many annual pop culture conventions. While some conventions have chosen to go virtual again this year just in case, some others have taken a leap of faith to run as they usually would in various locations around the world. Regardless, there will be plenty of chances this year to celebrate whichever branch of pop culture you prefer. But I’m getting a bit ahead of myself. While some of you may understand what the concept of a ‘convention’ is, it’s another thing to understand how many of them work when it comes to pop culture. We should start with the clear definition of what pop culture is, I think. A term defined initially in the mid-19th century, popular culture (or “pop culture”) refers in general to a material culture of a particular society. In modern terms, pop culture refers to cultural mediums such as music, art, literature, fashion, dance, film, cyber culture, television, and radio that have mass accessibility and appeal. A pop culture convention is then an event where fans for specific mediums congregate and appreciate that fandom in the company of like-minded individuals. Often also these gatherings include opportunities to meet people who have Saathee.com

worked on these pop culture projects such as actors, writers, producers, designers, performers and the like who are generally designated as “Guests”. At many of these conventions you’ll be exposed to a wide variety of activities such as workshops, Guest speaker panels, premiere film or TV presentations, gaming sessions and demonstrations, and so much more. On top of that there’s also opportunities to visit a designated area with various retail and guest booths where you can buy anything from memorabilia to books to clothing. Speaking of clothing, you will no doubt also be exposed to various fans (and sometimes Guests, too) dressed up in various types of Cosplay. Some are as simple as wearing a special top or mask to celebrate their favorite genre while others go so far as to pull oﬀ elaborate costumes that had to have taken many months or even years to create. Often the best sign that you’ve found a great Cosplayer is if a ton of other fans ask to take his or her picture. It’s even more gratifying if the other fans are wanting to take pictures of your own Cosplay. As I’ve previously mentioned in another article, I’ve only personally ventured into the realm of Cosplay for a few years now, with my outfits gradually growing more detailed as time has gone by. It can be extremely fun, but also equally as exhausting to walk around in a multilayered outfit all day. If considering trying out Cosplay for an event, you’re always welcome to ask others for advice on how to manage such a hobby. continued on page 94 April 2021

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NASA Mega Moon Rocket Passes Key Test Readies for Launch The core stage for the first flight of NASA’s Space Launch System rocket is seen in the B-2 Test Stand during a second hot fire test, Thursday, March 18, 2021, at NASA’s Stennis Space Center near Bay St. Louis, Mississippi. The four RS-25 engines fired for the full-duration of 8 minutes during the test and generated 1.6 million pounds of thrust. The hot fire test is the final stage of the Green Run test series, a comprehensive assessment of the Space Launch System’s core stage prior to launching the Artemis I mission to the Moon. Credits: NASA/Robert Markowitz The largest rocket element NASA has ever built, the core stage of NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS) rocket, fired its four RS-25 engines for 8 minutes and 19 seconds on March 18, 2021 at NASA’s Stennis Space Center near Bay St. Louis, Mississippi. The successful test, known as a hot fire, is a critical milestone ahead of the agency’s Artemis I mission, which will send an uncrewed Orion spacecraft on a test flight around the Moon and back to Earth, paving the way for future Artemis missions with astronauts. Engineers designed the eight-part Green Run test campaign to gradually bring the SLS core stage to life for the first time, culminating with the hot fire. The team will use data from the tests to validate the core stage design for flight. “The SLS is the most powerful rocket NASA has ever built, and during today’s test the core stage of the rocket generated more than 1.6 million pounds of thrust within seven seconds. The SLS is an incredible feat of engineering and the only rocket capable of powering America’s nextSaathee.com

generation missions that will place the first woman and the next man on the Moon,” said acting NASA Administrator Steve Jurczyk. “Today’s successful hot fire test of the core stage for the SLS is an important milestone in NASA’s goal to return humans to the lunar surface – and beyond.” NASA previously conducted a hot fire test of the SLS core stage Jan. 16. The four RS-25 engines fired together for the first time for about one minute before the test ended earlier than planned. Following data analysis, NASA determined a second, longer hot fire test would provide valuable data to help verify the core stage design for flight, while posing minimal risk to the Artemis I core stage. During the second hot fire test, the stage fired the engines for a little more than eight minutes, just like it will during every Artemis launch to the Moon. The longer duration hot fire tested a variety of operational conditions, including moving the four engines in specific patterns to direct thrust and powering the engines up to 109% power, throttling down and back up, as they will during flight. “This longer hot fire test provided the wealth of data we needed to ensure the SLS core stage can power every SLS rocket successfully,” said John Honeycutt, manager for the SLS Program at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama. “During this test, the team conducted new operations with the core stage for the first time, repeated some critical operations, and recorded test data that will help us verify the core stage is ready for the first and future SLS flights for NASA’s Artemis program.” The two propellant tanks in the SLS core stage collectively hold more than 733,000 gallons of supercold liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen to help fuel the RS-25 engines at the bottom of the stage. The core stage has a complex network of flight software and avionics systems designed to help fly, track, and steer the rocket during launch and flight. Prior tests in the Green Run test series evaluated the

continued on page 82 48

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it really help to hear deep dissections of Descartes’ “I think therefore I am”? Or how Freud pondered about the nature of dreams and by Balaji Prasad what they mean? Maybe. Maybe these things could provide some nudges in the direction of understanding why you may think the way you do. But the need to grasp your own mind and its vagaries “The mind is not a vessel to be is left out in the cold by all these theoretical gymnastics. So we cannot easily outsource the training of our minds to filled but a fire to be kindled.” institutions. In other words, we should prefer that our minds are - Plutarch not institutionalized! And this is not true just in the early stages of life. The mind has a lifecycle that is essentially the same as our life’s The mind is a hallowed place. Without it, we are lifecycle. nothing. It is the sanctum sanctorum where our personal universe gets created. Everything we think, Evolving the mind over time feel and experience comes through the medium of Shakespeare provided one version of the human lifecycle (“The our mind. So does it not stand to reason that if we seven ages of man”) starting from the infant and schoolboy moving would like to improve our lives, this place - our to the lover and the soldier, and then through middle-age and mind - is where we would want to focus our energy muddle-age all the way through to what he called the “second toward? childishness…sans teeth, sans taste, sans everything”. It all points in this progression, the mind evolves as the Buy or build? circumstances evolve, shifting and re-forming to adapt to the people There are few classes in schools or colleges that and things that are around it. And simultaneously, the mind learns are devoted to helping you think about your mind, from its interactions with all these things over time, understanding and how to nurture and grow it. Yes, there are some what works and what doesn’t, operating like a statistical machine, that seem to go in that direction — things like in a manner similar to that of today’s machine learning and artificial psychology and philosophy — but these quickly intelligence technologies. descend into arcane concepts and terminology that ascend to the airy heights of the stratosphere. Does continued on page 80

Thinking About Thinking

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The College Board Eliminates the SAT Subject Test Four Things You Need to Know International students will have two more opportunities to take the test: May 8 and June 5.

College Admissions Insider by Lindsey Conger The College Board announced in January that it would stop oﬀering SAT Subject Tests and the SAT essay. For high schoolers preparing their college applications, they might be wondering what it means. Should they still submit their scores? What if they registered but haven’t taken the test yet? Here is everything you need to know about this recent decision to eliminate the SAT Subject Test. Why Were the Tests Eliminated? One of the oﬃcial reasons the College Board gave for dropping the SAT Subject Tests was to “reduce demands on students.” Due to the pandemic, students struggled to find a testing center open. By eliminating the SAT Subject Tests, it meant students didn’t need to worry about preparing for yet another exam. The College Board also said that with the rise in popularity of the Advanced Placement (AP) exams, they will replace SAT Subject Tests, which were becoming less popular. In previous admission cycles, some schools like the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) required at least two subject tests; however, it, like all other universities, had dropped this requirement to make the admissions process more accessible. Can You Still Take the SAT Subject Test? For students in the U.S., you can no longer take the SAT Subject Tests, even if you registered for the next SAT Subject Test date (May 8, 2021). Your registration will be automatically canceled, and you will receive a full refund. Saathee.com

Can You Still Submit Your Score to Schools? Students who have already taken the SAT Subject Tests can still submit their scores to colleges and universities. However, at this time, it is still unclear how much weight these scores will be given in the admissions decision. Because every student might not have gotten the opportunity to take the exam, the importance of the exams will likely greatly diminish this year. What Should Students Do Instead? Many students, especially those applying to highly competitive schools or programs, like direct medical programs, might be wondering how they can fill this gap in their academic profile. Students used the SAT Subject Test as an alternative to AP exams or to complement their resume. Now that this aspect of the admission process has been eliminated, schools will likely emphasize AP exam scores more heavily. It is crucial to remember that tests and grades are only one part of the admission process. Students should still focus on building a strong resume built on hands-on and learning experiences to help showcase their interest and talent in a particular field. Blog.collegeboard.org/January-2021-sat-subject-test-and-essay-faq

Lindsey Conger is a College Counselor and tutor at Moon Prep. She helps students create memorable personal statements and tutors students to increase their academic profile to universities. www.moonprep.com

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Edit Desk

Nutrition

continued from page 14

continued from page 40

Leave the place better than you found it may sound hokey, but it’s become an existential matter in contemporary times while the human population continues to expand, aﬀecting every available space on the globe. We are an adaptive and cunning species, experienced in self-survival. Adaptation has been a key element for humans over their existence. As a species we have evolved and thrived via adaptation, which is beneficial to us, but not so much to our planet and other species. This craftiness is why humans will pretty much always roam the earth. Further down the road in my stroll, I spot another mob of yellow bulldozers and trucks clearing more land, the sign happily announcing more apartments. On the return walk I pass a cluster of older homes. There’s a dog sleeping in the backyard of the house facing the road. I do a very convincing dog bark. I’ve sent dogs up on their paws, ears perked up, thinking a fellow canine is approaching. I’ve startled people into thinking a dog is in the vicinity with my uncanny canine vocalization talent. I don’t know where I got it, but it was one of the things I did and perfected to entertain my kids when they were younger. Feeling pranky on this lovely spring day, I cleared my throat and let out a couple of quick barks and the sleeping dog jumped up, looking for the invisible intruder. I couldn’t resist it. The confused pooch let out a couple of sleepy barks, ran around the yard a bit, looked around and curled up back into slumber. This is the junction of winter mellowing into spring. It lightens my wintry heaviness. People seem friendlier while nature slowly unfurls her high-definition canvas. A young man’s fancy, ok, so a not so young man’s fancy turns to thoughts of, um, renewal. I am thinking on this jaunt about renewal, of life, the fragility of our existence, one day happy and carefree, the next day deathly humbled. The seasons quickly change some years, while other years they flip flop a few times between the two before settling down into incoming season. Springtime is winning this day. I walk along the side of the road rounding out the jaunt on the way back. This April beckons a path back to carefree times of mingling. Maybe we’ve learned some lessons about our self-perceived mastery over nature. Then again, humans are notorious for quickly forgetting their own foibles when the going gets better, plowing back into more wanting. As we pass another Earth Day this April, the bug that Ma Earth handed us last year is seemingly on the way to be managed, not ended, but managed. It’s all we can do. Notch it up for experience because nature will return with a more sinister disciplinary reminder next time. We try to fool nature all the time. Who are the fools now?

satiety signals. The brain and stomach are directly connected. Signals flow from our brain to stomach and vice versa. When the stomach gets empty, it triggers a hormone called Ghrelin. This hormone travels to the brain and makes us aware that we need to eat. This is what we know as hunger. When our stomach starts getting fuller, it releases another hormone called Leptin. Now the signal to the brain is to let us know that we can stop eating. When we are born, we have a very acute sense of these hunger-satiety signals, which is why babies will refuse to drink even one extra drop of milk once they are full. As we grow older, we slowly become less attuned to these signals. It takes about 20 minutes for these signals to travel from the stomach to the brain. So, if you eat too fast, you may not realize you are full, and eat a larger portion. This can lead to weight gain. How to Slow Down while Eating • Eat sitting down, without distractions. Do not eat in your car or while standing up. Instead, sit down at the table and try to eat mindfully. • Take small bites and chew thoroughly. Avoid putting another bite of food in your mouth while still chewing the prior bite. Take a few seconds between bites. • Eat at the table with your family. Have conversations while eating. If you are eating alone, put on some music and enjoy your food. Slow Food Movement Over the past few decades, there has been more research about how we grow food and the industrialization of food. The global food production system is based on intensive agriculture, which relies on synthetic pesticides and fertilizers to produce highly processed, calorie-dense foods packed with additives, preservatives, sugars, and saturated fats. This is creating imbalances in environmental, economic, and social dynamics, particularly in more vulnerable countries, generating many public health problems like obesity and malnutrition. The fast foods created with artificial chemicals, artificial colors, and artificial sweeteners are destroying our health as well as the health of our planet. The Slow Food Movement is working to promote production, processing, and consumption models that are as sustainable and healthy as possible for both individuals and the planet. For more information, visit Slowfood.com. April 22 is celebrated annually as Earth Day. This Earth Day, take a pledge to eat responsibly to improve your own health, reduce waste, and lower your carbon footprint. Try to move toward a plant-based diet, cook your own meals, and slow down!

Samir Shukla Editor of Saathee Magazine Contact: Samir@Saathee.com Twitter: @ShuklaWrites Newsletter: ShuklaWrites.Substack.com

Saathee.com

Parul Kharod is a registered dietitian and licensed nutritionist and works as a Clinical Dietitian. She can be reached at parulkharod@gmail.com

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April 2021

Kids and Money

start paying some allowance somewhere along the line; of course, at what age is a key question but I am just talking about the concept here. This is to be done only after kids show signs that they can pitch in with chores. Why should they be paid, albeit very small amount, when they should be helping Mom and Dad with such chores anyway is the nagging question. Remember, all this is done just to create some respect for that almighty dollar. When they get some money for their work and can start thinking about what to do with it, then the concept of banking at least some of it and seeing it grow comes in the picture. A trivial matter, as it seems, but the concept of money growing over time is a powerful one and children should be indoctrinated to that thinking at the appropriate age. Parents can also start discussing what to do when you put money aside. For a 9-year-old, perhaps, it is a bit abstract, but a 15-year-old, probably, can see the concept of growing money and can imagine how much money they will have in 5/10/15 years. It is important to develop their mind to offset some instant gratification of spending it. Neale Godfrey, author of Money Doesn’t Grow on Trees: A Parent’s Guide to Raising Financially Responsible Children, likes to instill lessons about budgeting early. She even advises designating different allocations for different purposes like 10 percent for charity, 30 percent for quick cash for immediate gratification, and 30 percent for the medium term like buying laptop. You get the picture. Hardest part, I think, for a child to understand is how slow the money is growing when it is put in a bank account for growing and future use. Opening an account is easy at many institutions. Increasingly banks are opening branches in middle schools and high schools. CapitalOne has taken those steps already in a few locations. The Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. (FDIC) works with banks to teach children about money and encourage saving. Currently there are 76 such banks in the FDIC’s Youth Banking Network. Even though I would not recommend anybody to go for a Debit card, an exception must be made about that when it comes to children. Children cannot get a credit card unless cosigned by the parents and that is a no-no. Debit card has very many disadvantages, but for a few years, until they become 18, let them see how quickly the money disappears from their account when they purchase something with their hardearned cash. Debit card can be capped at a small amount. The child can be taught to contribute to their own 529k plans too, slowly of course. But before that, they will be more excited to contribute towards their own jam box or cell phone or something similar.

How to Prepare Your Kids and Yourself for a Healthy and Productive Financial Relationship Personal Finances by Mo Vidwans

Our granddaughter, when she was about 3 years old, loved to play with a toy cash register and mainly sell us make believe stuff that she didn’t have and we didn’t want; but she loved to play the role of a cashier, handling all that fake cash in the register. That went on for a while. My wife and I were hoping that it could be a start of a very bright future, of basically dealing with money but it seems that it may not materialize. Her interests are now different, but she is only just over 5. Teaching children about money and even more importantly how to handle it responsibly should be a burning question in the minds of all parents. The best way for kids to understand money is for them to earn it with their own blood, sweat and mostly tears; without that it is not very meaningful. If someone gives you money, like many grandparents do, it does not carry the same significance and its different from if the person receiving it busted his/her rear end for it. Of course, my granddaughter is not ready to earn money that way because she is just too young but after the kids show signs that they are ready for it or at least understand what is involved in doing the chores, they can certainly pitch in – putting toys away or clean their room or put dirty clothes in the hamper or in a specific place. As they get older, they can set or clean the dinner table, help with the laundry or walk the dog or even do some light yardwork. The best way to get children to understand money is to get them to respect it. If the toys and other things of pleasure keep flowing from parents and grandparents easily enough without even wanting/expecting it, the value of such things in their mind is very trivial. Such toys get shoved in the corner and probably never get a second look. On the other hand, if they have worked for it, even if it is just slightly, then the significance that item carries in their mind is different. The best way for children to respect money is for them to earn it; without that it is not much meaningful. If someone just gives you money, it is different from when you worked hard to earn it. Say your child spends major part of a day shoveling snow and clearing driveways and earns $50 for it and then your grandma gave him $50 just like that to keep. If one of those goes through a hole in your pocket or you forget it in the pocket and Mo Vidwans gets laundered, which one feels worse? is an independent, board certified financial planner. For details visit, Even though it is debatable, experts say parents should VidwansFinancial.com, call 984-888-0355 or write to: mpvidwans@yahoo.com Saathee.com

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April 2021

The Adult Indian Dance Student

my own. Yet, I still have the encouragement and support of my family in continuing the pursuit of art form. I actively look for dance shows or music shows to attend as I enjoy going to these as I did as a child. My mother and I have been to various together. My husband (who is not of Indian background) is also very supportive of my endeavors, which is very important (if not crucial) for me as well. In our initial stages of meeting, he would also accompany me to diﬀerent dance shows. He is a musician and plays the guitar and piano. I wanted to introduce him to the Indian arts. He and I went to Odissi dance performances, Kuchipudi dance dramas, as well as diﬀerent festivals such as Diwali and Navratri. He has come to some of the annual performances that I have been in as well through my dance classes. His side of the family has also attended some of the dance performances that I have been part of as well. Every week I attend dance classes, and because of the pandemic, the classes are now currently online, and he helped to set up a space in the garage where I can dance as part our exercise/dance space. He also helped me in setting up curtains and appropriate lighting within the garage. During an exam for the dance class, he helped me to study by asking questions and listening to me recite and try and memorize archaic shlokas from the Natya Shastras and Abhinaya Dharpana. Sometimes, when I am not in the mood to attend class, he even encourages me to attend. While I do feel that anyone at any time can start their learning in the Indian arts, from my personal experiences, I do feel that having the encouragement and support of the family can overall enhance the experience and allow for the individual to grow within the art form and to be able to share that journey with those closest to them. As art is a form of communication and expression that is shared with others, it would seem thus fitting to have the family be an important aspect of that communication and learning.

My continuing journey of lifelong learning My Voice by Preethi Sriram

Art is a form of expression shared with others Historically, within Indian arts, the arts and the family have been intricately entwined. Within the devadasi system, the arts were passed down within the family line. In the book by Douglas M Knight Jr. about the life of the well-known dancer Balasaraswati, called Balasaraswathi Her Art and Life the famous dancer hailed from a family of artists and could trace their line to the famous Tanjore Quartet. The dancer Balasaraswati herself grew up in a household that was seeped in music and dance. She grew up listening to her grandmother, Veena Dhanamal play the veena, and her mother, Jayammal, a singer who sang at her dance performances. Her brother T. Viswanathan, became a famous Carnatic Music flute player. In the book by V. Sriram called The Devadasi and the Saint the Life and Times of Bangalore Nagarathnamma, the artist’s mother, Puttulakshmi, helped in finding Nagarathnamma tutors for her education, where the first teacher, Giribhatta Thimmaya taught her Sanskrit and music. Later she went on to be a famous singer who was also known for her devotion to Saint Thygaraja. While I cannot say that I hail from a traditional line of artists, at least to my knowledge, what I can say is that family support can be beneficial (if not essential) in the pursuit of the arts. . As a child, it was my mother that first introduced me to Carnatic music and Indian Classical Dance (Bharathanatyam). I recall singing on stage for annual music festivals, as well as dancing for different holidays. I have danced a representation of the offering of Kavadi, to the God Muruga. In another, my mom had put on a play of court life in India. While there were different roles in the play, I recall dancing a Bharthanatyam style dance that was in praise of the king of the play. From that dance, I was offered part in a dance where I had the opportunity to play a child God in a dance production. As a child, I have taken part in many other dances for different festivals as well as singing at annual recitals for music. I also watched other students in their arangetrams. When travelling to India, one of my great aunts taught me songs that I could learn. I also listened to my grandmother sing songs such as “Theeradavilayatu Pilai”, which is a Tamil Song that describes the antics of the Hindu God Krishna as a child. All of these opportunities were because of my mother and her encouragement to be part of the Indian cultural tradition. As an adult, I can say that these experiences as a child is what has continued my interest in wanting to continue the pursuit of the classical dance form. As an adult, there is no one taking me to classes, or finding me opportunities to perform or dance. These are initiatives that I have to take on Saathee.com

This series of articles is about the journey and unique insights of an adult dance student learning classical Indian dance. An introduction to the experiences and a perspective of taking classical Indian dance as both an American and an Indian, and how this shapes her personal journey, begins this series. Further articles will delve into specific topics and experiences from the perspective of the adult student.

Preethi Sriram is a classical Indian dance enthusiast and lifelong learner of dance. Contact: SriramPreethi@hotmail.com

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News Notes Dr. Dhingra of Morrisville, NC Receives Award On the occasion of the UN International women’s day March 8, 2021, Dr. Sudha Om Dhingra, a resident of Morrisville, NC, was awarded the Great Indian Women Award 2021 in the category of impact making Indian women leader Global in Indian diaspora. Dr. Dhingra is the editor of Vibhom Swar, a quarterly Hindi literary magazine, published from USA and India. She has published 35 books and contributed to 80 books. The award was presented by the Indian Observer Post.

Community Helping Hands: Shoes and Smiles The organization Shoes and Smiles strives to live by the motto, “I cannot do all the good that the world needs, but the world needs all the good that I can do (Jana Stanfield).” The goal of the organization is to give back to the community by providing the less fortune with items needed for their safety and wellbeing. The idea for this organization was implemented by combining passion for shoes and helping people, through which the organizers have created a donation service especially for shoes. To date they have donated about 500 pairs. Shoes and Smiles wants everyone to come together to help the community and put more smiles on faces for a brighter future. Shoes and Smiles is a non-profit organized by co-founders Ishaan Balakrishnan and Kreday Chandok. For more details visit, Shoesandsmilesinc.wixsite.com/website.

India Philanthropy Alliance Launches Nationwide Youth Essay Competition

The India Philanthropy Alliance (IPA), a USbased coalition of 13 nonprofit organizations serving communities in India, has announced its second national youth essay competition to challenge students to think about solutions to Saathee.com

social problems and their own role in nonprofits and philanthropy. The winners, runners-up, and finalists will be selected by a panel of philanthropy experts in two age brackets. For middle school students, the essay length is 600 words or fewer, and for high school students, the limit is 1,200 words. The deadline for submissions is June 1, 2020. “Our goal with this contest is to get students excited about philanthropy and problem-solving, particularly on issues aﬀecting India,” says Alex Counts, the director of IPA. Winners in each age category will be invited to present their ideas at the Indiaspora Philanthropy Summit and allowed to direct $1,000 to the nonprofit of their choice. Runners-up will be granted $500 toward the nonprofit of their choice. In the coalition’s inaugural 2020 contest, winners Maher Adoni and Rohan Chalamalasetti shared their perspectives on rural education and clean drinking water. Maher, a senior from Champaign, Illinois, reflected on the contest, “Writing the essay allowed me to draw on my own personal experience witnessing the state of education in India with my thoughts on the topic as a whole. And winning the essay—which I never expected to happen— exposed me to all the amazing Indian American philanthropy that happens here in the United States and abroad.” The contest is made possible again this year through generous support from the Sarva Mangal Family Trust, supported by the Shah Family of Orange County and their company MS International, Inc. For any questions, reach out to Alex Counts, Senior Adviser at India Philanthropy Alliance at alex@indiaphilanthropyalliance.org. For additional information on the background and essay guidelines of the youth essay competition, visit Indiaphilanthropyalliance.org.

North Carolina Arts Council 2021-2022 Grants The North Carolina Arts Council’s 2021-22 grant guidelines for organizations are now available. In its continued effort to support the arts sector through the pandemic, the Arts Council streamlined its grant offerings for the coming year to address two main priorities: to distribute flexible funding as widely as possible to arts organizations and artists, and to support projects that benefit underserved communities in the state. “Events of the past year have had a great impact on the arts,” said Wayne Martin, the Arts Council’s executive director. “This agency is focusing its attention and resources on helping the sector survive and recover from the pandemic and on addressing the historical inequities that keep us from realizing our founding mission of ‘arts for all people.’” Arts Council staff will host a series of virtual programs to inform and support grant applicants throughout the application period. “Feedback from a series of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color Arts Equity Forums and analysis of our historical funding practices led the agency to create the Arts Equity Project Grant category,” said Dr. Tamara Holmes Brothers, the Arts Council’s deputy director. “This program will support our efforts to advance diversity, equity, accessibility, and inclusion with arts organizations doing important work in communities of color and rural communities.” The upcoming deadline for applications is Monday, May 3; grant funds must be spent between July 1, 2021, and June 30, 2022. Find descriptions of current grant opportunities as well as eligibility criteria and instructions for applying at: Ncarts.org/resources/grants. 64

April 2021

Thanking the Women Who Came Before Us

have had the ability or resources to share my views with the world through Namaskar Y’all. Every mother in my family as in many others, has protected and cared for the wellbeing of the people under her wing with grace and tenacity. In the absence of their sacrifices, my journey would have been strewn with hurdles. Let us humbly accept that unless you are a selfmanufacturing machine, you cannot claim to be entirely self-made. The success and prosperity of both men and women are intertwined and it often falls on the women of the family or the larger social group to think about the physical and emotional care of its people. It is no coincidence that Hindu Goddesses that represent education, prosperity and protection are female forms of divinity. Yet, we seem to be moving at a snail’s pace when it comes to giving women credit where it is due. It is hard to pinpoint the root cause of this global problem, but I would conjecture that it is a combination of multiple factors like patriarchal structure, sexual politics, and misogyny. Faith, historical evidence, data from sociological studies, and plain old common sense provides multiple reasons to support equal rights for women, yet, it is a struggle for women to claim what men see as rightfully theirs. Having the basic rights to live, to feel safe, to be treated as a human being, have been a challenge in some circumstances. To make matters worse, the court of public opinion is cruelly biased against women from every strata of society. Despite these challenges, women across diﬀerent cultures are

Namaskar, Y’all by Shyama Parui Bertha Benz, Mary Anderson, Alice Huyler Ramsey, Florence Lawrence, and Dr. June McCarroll. Do their names ring a bell? Last month, I stumbled upon an article in AAA’s “GO” magazine about them and much to my embarrassment, their names did not even elicit a faint chime. If it wasn’t for the contributions of these incredible women, the automotive world would be without brake pads, windshield wipers, and the brake signaling system. In fact, Dr. McCarroll was the first woman to introduce centerlines in the middle of the road which she personally hand painted for a stretch because back in 1924, her town’s board did not think it was an idea worth implementing. Can you even imagine roads without center or lane lines? However unfortunate, one can easily imagine a smart woman’s practical and lifesaving idea being shot down by a group of male leaders because it happens way too often. History bears witness to the fact that every generation will benefit from the toil and tears of the previous generation just as they will pay a price for the mistakes. I often wonder what my life would be like if my mother had not supported my education, what if she herself had never been to school or if my grandmother had not survived childbirth. I am grateful that none of those things occurred as the consequences would, more than likely, have unfavorably aﬀected three generations. I doubt that I would Saathee.com

continued on page 80 66

April 2021

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Ram Sita Kalyanam: April 24 (Saturday) Ramayan Reading starts: April 24 (Saturday) and ends on: April 25 (Sunday)

Lord Mahavir Jayanti Celebration April 25th, 2021 (Sunday)

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108 times Chanting Hanuman Chalisa from 10 am - 6 pm followed by bhajans, aarti & Prasad

542nd Birth Anniversary of Shri Vallabhacharya Celebration Sunday, May 9, 2021 (4 to 7 PM) Hindu Center The celebration will begin with reciting Patth followed by Kirtan, Bhajens, Discourse and Arti

Please join us and let us celebrate this joyous/auspicious occasion. For Details: Jankiben Shah 704-542-9577, Rohiniben Shah, Geetaben Mehta , Deepakben Jadeja or Bhartiben Patel For Path Sponsor Call: Kshitish Mehta: 704-560-5459, Shrutiben Shah 704-763-0320, Maltiben Mehta 704-763-9988 Shri Vallabhacharya (1479-1531 C.E.) was a devotional philosopher, who founded the Pushti sect in India. Shri Vallabhacharya was an ardent devotee of Lord Krishna. He worshipped Shrinathji form of Lord Krishna. He is also known as Mahaprabhu Vallabhacharya.

Saathee

Easy Chana Masala

RECIPES

Spring has oﬃcially sprung! Which means it’s time to get back outdoors and enjoy that much needed spike in energy…and spike in allergies. I’ve got to say, allergies have pretty much taken over my life the past few weeks, hence this super simple Chana recipe! Now there’s time to run to the drugstore, grab some allergy meds, enjoy that lovely Spring weather, and make a quick and easy dinner! Chana masala, chole masala, channay, however you want to refer to it, is a simple spiced chickpea recipe that is widely served throughout India, either as a main dish or street side snack! I enjoy this recipe as a main served with rice or puri, roti, chapati, naan, etc. Another favorite way to enjoy this is as Samosa Chaat! Which simply requires adding a smashed samosa, tamarind or mint chutney, chopped onion, sev and sometimes dahi (yogurt) on top of your prepared Chana Masala! Honestly a must try! And so is this recipe! Like most desi dishes, it is super easy to make this your own by adjusting the amount of spices and ingredients you add. Are you trying to eat more veggies? Add some in! Don’t like spicy? Add less red pepper! Follow along with the recipe below and you’ll have a delicious desi meal ready in 30 mins! Serves: 3-4 people Prep Time: 30 mins

By Taige Shukla Watch step-by-step video for this recipe & others at: saathee.com/taige

Ingredients 1 14oz can of chickpeas (drained) 1 large onion (diced) 1 14oz can of tomatoes 4 cloves garlic (minced) 1 inch piece of ginger (minced) ½ tsp turmeric ½ tsp cinnamon powder 1 tsp coriander 1 tsp garam masala 1 tsp cumin ½ tsp chili powder ½ tsp sugar 1 tsp lemon 1 cup water Cilantro (1/2- 1 cup ﬁnely chopped) Salt & Pepper to taste

Saathee.com

Directions 1

Prep your ingredients. I find it easiest to have everything ready to add to the pan as soon as you need it. So chop your veggies and measure out your spices.

Start by heating 2 tbsp vegetable oil in a pan on medium-high heat and add in the onion. Sauté for about 10 mins or until softened, then stir in the garlic, ginger and all of the spices (turmeric, cinnamon, coriander, garam masala, cumin, chili powder, sugar, salt & pepper). Hint: I like to press (instead of mince) the garlic and ginger so that it forms into more of a paste, before adding it to the pan.

Once fragrant or after about 1-2 mins, stir in the canned tomatoes (including all the juice) and 1 cup water. Let simmer on medium heat for about 15 mins or until the sauce begins to thicken.

Finally stir in the chickpeas, lemon, and half of the chopped cilantro. Let cook for 5 more minutes. Adjust spice/ salt levels to your preference. Now you’re ready to serve! Serve with a side of rice or naan (or roti or puri or paratha etc.)! Or even serve in the form of Samosa Chaat as mentioned above. Either way enjoy your Chana Masala and soak up that beautiful Spring weather!

April 2021

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Congress Unveils President Biden’s Immigration Legislation The legislation marks a new ambiguous eﬀort to overhaul the nation’s immigration system, which has stymied presidential administrations dating back to President George W. Bush. The Biden Administration has approached the issue with a seeming willingness to break its overall bill into smaller and more agreeable parts, leaving more controversial portions to later negotiations while issues governing DACA and TPS recipients to potential passage. Any immigration policy overall, no matter the size, would represent an enormous step towards progress, as the current system operates on a band-aid type of approach, as opposed to the surgery-level reform that is needed. As with all major legislative reforms, the keys to passage lies in the votes available in Congress. While the Obama and Trump Administrations relied heavily on the use of executive actions in impacting the immigration system (DACA, Muslim ban and border wall funding were not enacted through Congressional action), the Biden Administration is seeking genuine statutory change, which would be able to weather the whims of changes in presidential administrations. Congress’ last major overhaul of the nation’s immigration system occurred in 1996 and a reasonable observer would conclude that an update after 25 years of inaction is likely necessary. The proposed legislation, if passed in its entirety, would be a boon for immigrants already in the United States, providing a long sought-after pathway to legalization that has been pursued for years. All benefits would require applicants to pass requisite criminal and security clearances and would also come with mandatory fees associated with filings. Although critics argue that any reform eﬀort that does not require undocumented immigrants to return to their home country amounts to “amnesty”, such arguments simply ignore the reality that the problem of millions of undocumented immigrants simply does not solve itself

Immigration Matters by Rishi P. Oza Representatives in the Senate and House of Representatives unveiled President Biden’s sprawling immigration reform legislation on Thursday, February 18, 2021, which seeks to deliver on long-needed modifications to the nation’s current immigration system. The bills, which would require majority of votes in the House and a 60-vote threshold in the Senate, would provide for the following: • Eight-year pathway to US citizenship for nearly 11 million undocumented immigrants, granting them “Lawful Prospective Immigrant” status for five years before being converted to standard resident status. Once a resident, they would wait for an additional three years to be eligible for US citizenship • Increased funding for border security technology, but no funding towards his predecessor’s “border wall” • Immediate eligibility for permanent residency for individuals granted Temporary Protected States, certain farmworkers and DACA recipients; these same individuals would be eligible for US citizenship in three years • Spouse and children of lawful permanent residents would become immediate relatives and enjoy the same speedy processing as their US citizen counterparts • Elimination of current three and ten-year re-entry bars for individuals previously in the United States unlawfully • Increasing the number of employment-based green cards to 170,000 annually and diversity visas to 80,000 annually • Increased investment in Central American countries to help address the root causes of migration Saathee.com

continued on page 82

April 2021

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Community Organizations Americans, who may be denied pizza and beer if their taxes are used to feed illegal aliens. But the real truth is that deficits are a strange animal that economists and academics keep arguing about. Trump gave tremendous tax breaks to the rich and to large corporate entities using the Reagan-era nonsense concept of “trickle down economics.” Turns out the rich just eat the money and nothing trickles down. In the year since Covid hit, the wealth of billionaires has increased by $2.9 Trillion. Is it trickling down yet? The way right wing pundits spin it, the government has some kind of savings account of your taxes and then writes a check to hungry children at the border. The US government has been in a constant deficit since I landed here in 1979. It hasn’t gone bankrupt yet. Why? It owns the right to create money as it pleases. Traditional economic wisdom was that a move like that could cause a dozen eggs to cost $100. It could; but situations like American Rescue Plan probably will not. We are not dealing with a bank that will recall its loan. We are not dealing with the IMF or World Bank type entity, which really can bankrupt you demanding their money back. I’m no economist, but I’m not seeing the negative in the rescue plan. Besides bringing scores of people out of poverty, the plan will flood the country with cash that will hop across the economy like a spritely springtime rabbit. Yeah, maybe the egg prices will rise by 50 cents/dozen. Who even knows? But the battle lines are clearly drawn: Our taxpayer money can’t go to undeserving elements domestic or foreign—period. I have spent a lifetime in America arguing with people that foreign aid is hardly ever cash and is usually a credit line to purchase American products from a limited menu that congressmen have assembled to benefit their local corporate donors (Planes, jet engines, bombs, training, seeds, fertilizers, pesticides). It’s not like you can take American money and spend it in Hong Kong. So technically, even if a balanced budget was some sort of reality, bombing Syria would not be about American interests. That’s just a distraction. Congress allocates your money to a foreign country and really hands it to a defense contractor 20 miles away to build more bombs or aircraft – as if our 5,000 nuclear missiles may not be adequate in case of a brutal attack by Afghan goat herders. So think of this anyway you wish. Your tax money is going to the undeserving poor and the undocumented aliens; or the government is just creating money as it pleases because it really does not matter as long as talented minds are analyzing the inflationary impacts of just printing pieces of paper and flooding the country with them. But take your careful pick on which TV channel you are on watching this battlefield – the ones with guns and eating deer-meat jerky for breakfast, or the ones doing the morning yoga with ginseng tea brewing.

Hello Readers Our Community Organizations section guides you to all the organizations in the Carolinas. Non-profits, social organizations, religious organizations, meditation groups, cricket associations, and many others are listed here and updated regularly. This month, you can find our Community Organizations section online at Saathee.com/community.asp. Contact: Saathee@saathee.com Subcontinental Divide

continued from page 44

criminals, so just take it even from Biden. It’s your taxpayer money.” Actually, none of this is actually more factual than calling ObamaCare a socialist policy, and labeling climate change directives as anti-capitalist. There have been “socialist” policies that have been benefiting Americans for more than a century. Child labor laws, unions, the Social Security system, Medicaid and Medicare, public welfare programs, etc. Draping them in the American flag to suit your political needs does not make them any more or less socialist. But the battle lines are now starkly drawn, and as I climbed the muddy hill to look at the arena, I wondered if there will ever be a resolution going forward. On the right is this encampment that is skinning deer hanging on trees and where guns are godly and the men are men and the women are women. On the left, well, they have tofu in a pot, ready to be mixed with beans, and gender, well, we need to accept everyone. Little stereotyping here. You get my drift. If that reminds you of the Vietnam Era protests, you are not wrong. A good portion of the country wanted to kick some commie tail and show them Vietcong and Chinese who was boss. The other side was smoking pot and couldn’t understand why America had to napalm a tropical jungle. But the two propaganda machines were exactly the same as today. Now the communist threat is over so the buzzword is Socialism. Hippie culture is over, buzzword is Antifa. The “Nuke the Commies” radicals are now called Trumpists. The truth may lie somewhere in the middle, however. Yes, some of these provisions in the new rescue bill may be liberal and socialist. The Republican argument remains that this money is coming out of the pockets of hard working Saathee.com

Opinions are of the writer and not necessarily of Saathee magazine.

Ahsen Jillani a former editor and publisher, is originally from Islamabad, Pakistan, and now lives in Mint Hill. He owns Must Media, a PR firm focused on political and corporate clients. Contact: aj@must-media.com 78

April 2021

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April 2021

Namaskar

Thinking

continued from page 66

continued from page 54

The mind minds itself Clearly, the mind has the ability to learn on its own, without the need for spoon-feeding. Children learn to walk without needing a “seven easy steps to becoming a master walker”. They have to, because they would not have even learned to talk properly at that stage, let alone read self-help books written by “experts” on the art of walking. The child crawls, drags its appendages around, falls, gets up, falls again, and miraculously figures out how to do something that appears much harder than many of the other things that we do. One of the ways in which we learn is by using what can be called “reference models”: we look around to see how others are doing something and pick up bits and pieces from it, even while we are still in a state of language deficiency. We copy. And we are extremely good at this. As things move forward, the child learns to speak, parroting the sounds that emanate from other people’s lips, implicitly noting the diﬀerences between how they say it and how it sounds coming from its own mouth, tuning them with the necessary adjustments over time to make the speech sound more native. Copying is a meta-learning skill. If we are good at copying, we can become good at a lot of things that others do. But too much of a good thing can be bad. Copying can take us high, but, alas, it can also take us to very low places.

breaking barriers every day to move closer to gender equity. Slowly but surely, we have made remarkable progress. Democratic elections in Ancient Greece did not permit women to vote but protests by Women Suffragists prompted countries with modern democracies in Europe and in the United States to grant women the right to vote. Seeing Vice President Kamala Harris in office solidifies the belief that the marches and picketing of the 1900’s has borne fruit. Queen Ka’ahumano’s strong influence steered Hawaiians away from their ancient Kapu (code of conduct) as its rigid rules barred women from many privileges that were given to men. Things that we take for granted like eating meals with male members of their family and consuming bananas and coconut, were forbidden. Admittedly, my knowledge of Hawaiian practices is limited but it just seemed so unfair that the women who lived in a tropical paradise would be deprived of its most popular fruits. My hope is that we will continue to highlight the effort, successes, and accomplishments of women in all fields because every win matters. I propose an examination of the content being introduced to students. Why haven’t we learned more about the Indian female freedom fighters? I am curious about how they broke tradition or perhaps wrapped up their household responsibilities before stepping out incognito to attend underground meetings. It would be worthwhile to learn the details of contributions by women such as Begum Hazrat Mahal, Dr. Annie Besant, Captain Laxmi Sehgal, and Kamaladevi Chatopadhyay rather than a one-line reference mentioned in our old history textbooks. Highlighting the work of Ada Lovelace as the world’s first computer programmer, could inspire young mathematicians to the same degree that her father, Lord Byron’s poetry inspired writers. If publishers, book sellers, and libraries dedicated more shelf space for books that shared the stories of pioneering women, it would be a step in the right direction. The world of cinema could arguably redeem itself by a small margin if they replaced content that objectifies women with portrayals of successful female protagonists. Notable examples include Hidden Figures and Gunjan Saxena, The Kargil Girl. As women we should vow to honor and respect the opportunities we receive and pledge to support gender equity so that it becomes a way of life by the time our children grow up.

The mind fails to mind itself As the child starts to go through the next stages of its life, language and words allow copying ideas as well as actions. These ideas and concepts mix in with organically-grown ones that have been tested by the fire of trial and error; they sit side by side inside the same head, indistinguishable from one another. Eﬀectively, an outsourcing of thinking starts. Why think through things oneself, when someone else has thought through it, and you can buy a fully packaged oﬀering? Not only that, the mind can easily fall prey to various cognitive errors that have built up over time. For example, if you hear something a thousand times from a thousand sources, would you have the conviction to ignore it as noise because you have not been able to validate this yourself? This is the tragedy of the mind. There is so much potential, but so much of it goes waste if the mind mindlessly imports all kinds of nonsense and mixes it up with organically created and tested thoughts. We are also well into an age that has an excess of “information” that is generated from all around us, much of which cannot be trusted. But we do. What is our recourse? Perhaps we have to go back to being more like the untutored child that copies selectively, tries things out, fails, and keeps only what is worthwhile - a child that doesn’t care much for ideas, concepts, theories and arcane terms that can make you sound intelligent to others, but is less than worthless.

This article is dedicated to women who may have been forgotten, overlooked, or perhaps have not received adequate credit for their innovations and groundbreaking work. My sincere gratitude to all the trailblazing women, who have paved the way for us and our future generations.

Balaji Prasad

Shyama Parui

is an IIT/IIM graduate, a published author, SAT/ACT Online and in-person Coach, and K-12 Math Tutor at NewCranium. balaji.prasad@newcranium.com.

is a longtime North Carolina resident and an ardent writer. You can reach her at: Shyamashree_parui@hotmail.com

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April 2021

NASA

Changing Dynamics

continued from page 48

continued from page 22

The chain continues without an end. What may have started as an innocent conversation, has now snowballed into something huge. The conversation now has a face, opinion for and against, likes & dislikes, and many more facets. Conversations on social media and cross-pollination of information usually continues till late in the night. By the time we sleep, our brain is fogged and saturated by the various views and opinions. The next morning when we get up, we are blinded by all the information that was provided. We have not had a pause in our thought process to stop, think or analyze. The inability to put a pause to our thoughts and opinions by indulging in excessive discussions about a particular person or situation consistently via virtual platforms may be the reason why friendships are so short lived nowadays, maybe everyone is just too close for comfort. The real + virtual connect is getting overwhelming. There is a constant sense of mistrust among friends and acquaintances due to the cross-pollination of personal information. Just like too many cooks spoil the broth, too many opinions are spoiling friendships and relationships. While social media has made the world a smaller place and connected us with our loved ones from across the globe, we must constantly reassess to ensure that we strike the right balance. We have to give ourselves the necessary pause to think, analyze and make the right decisions. Opinions may be “dime a dozen,” but our decisions are vital to the growth, trust, respect, happiness, health and longevity of our friendships and relationships.

integrated functionality and performance of the core stage’s avionics systems, propulsion systems, and hydraulic systems. “Today is a great day for NASA, Stennis and this nation’s human space exploration program. This final test in the Green Run series represents a major milestone for this nation’s return to the Moon and eventual mission to Mars,” said Stennis Center Director Richard Gilbrech. “So many people across the agency and the nation contributed to this SLS core stage, but special recognition is due to the blended team of test operators, engineers, and support personnel for an exemplary effort in conducting the test today.” Test teams at Stennis supervised a network of 114 tanker trucks and six propellant barges that provided liquid propellant through the B-2 Test Stand to the core stage. Test teams also delivered operational electrical power, supplied more than 330,000 gallons of water per minute to the stand’s flame deflector, and monitored structural interfaces of both the hardware and the stand. Testing the SLS rocket’s core stage is a combined effort for NASA and its industry partners. Boeing is the prime contractor for the core stage and Aerojet Rocketdyne is the prime contractor for the RS-25 engines. Next, the core stage for SLS will be refurbished, then shipped to NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. There, the core stage will be assembled with the solid rocket boosters and other parts of the rocket and NASA’s Orion spacecraft on the mobile launcher inside the Vehicle Assembly Building at Kennedy in preparation for Artemis Aarti Sengupta I. is a Writer, Speaker, Travel enthusiast, Parenting, Teen and Lifestyle SLS, Orion, and the ground systems at Kennedy, along with the human landing system and the Gateway in orbit Coach. Contact: aartisengupta@gmail.com around the Moon, are NASA’s backbone for deep space exploration. SLS is the only rocket that can send Orion, astronauts, and supplies to the Moon on a single mission. The exploration of the Moon with NASA’s Artemis program Immigration includes preparations to send astronauts to Mars as part of continued from page 74 America’s Moon to Mars exploration approach. without intervention – enforcing removal for millions of individuals tears as America’s self-image of a nation of For more on NASA’s SLS, visit: Nasa.gov/sls immigrants and is a practical impossibility given the For more on NASA’s SLS core stage Green Run test series, logistical and financial costs of such an draconian visit: Nasa.gov/greenrun enforcement effort; keeping the status quo comes with the cost of depressing wages, allowing for the exploitation of labor and disenfranchising millions of individuals that live and work in our community. Reform efforts are always transformative events that require courage, compromise and a dogged unwillingness to accept failure. The repeated attempts to reform the nation’s immigration system has unfortunately suffered from too little courage and compromise and a surprising willingness to accept a failed outcome. While belief in government may be low given the current polarity of the national political discourse, achieving success, however imperfect, on immigration reform may help become heal a country sorely in need of a win.

NOISEBLISS.COM Samir Shukla’s Blog

Rishi P. Oza is a parnter at Brown Immigration Law, a ﬁrm that focuses solely on immigration law; he practices in Durham, NC. Contact: roza@rbrownllc.com Saathee.com

M U S I C • P O L I T I C S • T R AV E L • L I F E 82

April 2021

Who wants to be a Scholar?! Answer the ones you know and research the rest. There is only one correct answer!

1. Arrange these American female singers from earlier to later per their Date of Birth (Age). (a) Madonna (b) Diana Ross (c) Cher (d) Barbara Streisand

Word World

2. Best Male singer of 2020 Hindi films was (a) Arijit Singh (b) Ankit Tiwari (c) Shan (d) Sonu Nigam

By Kirit Shukla

S U

3. Which Jim Henson Muppet famously sang, "It's Not Easy Being Green?" (a) Animal (b) Kermit the Frog (c) Miss Piggy (d) Gonzo the Great

4. A ’Moon-faced’ person has a (a) Long face (c) Ugly face

5. What was the first planet discovered using the telescope, in 1781? (a) Saturn (b) Neptune (c) Uranus (d) Pluto

6. How many cubes of side = 4”each, can be made out of a big cube of each side = 12”? (a) 9 (b) 27 (c) 36 (d) 48

Make words using 4 or more letters. The central letter must be used in each word. Letters cannot be used more than once per word. Use all letters for the subject word (underlined in solutions below)

7. As per The Weather Channel, the coldest temperature recorded in NC was: (a) -22⁰ F ( b) -26⁰ F (F) -30⁰ F (d) -34⁰ F

12+ words = Excellent; 8 to 11 words = Good; 7 or less = keep looking. Words we found are in solutions below.

8. Australian Open 2021 women’s singles winner. (a) Jennifer Brody (b) Alia Bhatt (c) Naomi Osaka (d) Serena Williams 9. The Titanic collided with an iceberg and sank on this date. (a) 15 April 1910 (b) 15 April 1911 (c) 15 April 1912 (d) 15 April 1913

Brain-Train

10. The tallest mountain in North Carolina is (a) Mount Gibbes (b) Mount Guyot (c) Mount Craig (d) Mount Mitchell

Here is a simple quiz. See if you can solve it. No peeking! Match the number in column 1 with letter in column 2 City with International Airport IATA Airport Code

Answers are on bottom left. No Peeking. Scholar: All correct; 1st Class: 9 Correct; 2nd Class: 8 Correct; 3rd Class: 7 Correct; Need to improve: 6 or less

A. ICT 1. Cincinnati, OH B. PHF 2. New Orleans, LA C. PIB 3. Nashville, TN D. MSY 4. Harrisburg, PA E. CVG 5. Orlando, FL 6. Newport News/Williamsburg F. BNA G. ORD 7. Houston, TX H. MDT 8. Chicago, IL I. IAH 9. Hattiesburg / Laurel, MS J. MCO 10. Wichita, KS

Dadaji’s moral stories for kids THE JACKAL AND THE DRUM

Once upon a time, a jackal wandered away from his jungle and reached a deserted battlefield. He was very hungry, and so he started looking for food. As her got closer to the center of the battlefield, he heard strange sounds. The jackal got scared and started to run away, but then he thought, “Let me carefully see who is making that sound.” As he looked around, he found an abandoned drum lying next to a tree, and as the wind blew, the branches of the tree rubbed against the drum, making the strage sound. He was relieved and continued to search for food.

Brain Train: 1-E, 2-D, 3-F, 4-H, 5-J, 6-B, 7-I, 8-G, 9-C, 10-A Scholar 1. d, b, c, a 2.a 7.d

3.b 4.d 8.c 9.c

10.d 5.c

6.b

Word World (Solution): ABSURD, ABUT, BARD, BAST, BAUD, BRAD, BRAT, BRUT, BURSA, BURST, BUST, BUSTARD, DARB, DAUB, DRAB, DRUB, STAB, STUB. Saathee.com

(b) Face with pimples (d) Round face

Moral: Face difﬁculties, instead of running away from them. 84

April 2021

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April 2021

PUZZLES AND JOKES

Clues Down: 1. The fourth month of the calendar year. 2. “ ___ Zedong,” The founding father of Republic of China. 3. A member of an Arabic-speaking people. 4. The home of size reduction plastic recycling systems.

By Kirit Shukla

5. The Hindu Symbol of the Absolute. 6. Not existing before. 7. Delays or impedes the development or progress of. 8. Before. 9. The temporary capital of Yemen. 10. Related to the family of resinous tropical shrubs with small greenish flowers & drupaceous fruits. 12. A South African weaverbird with yellow plumage. 16. A line (rope / chain) used to attach an anchor to a boat. 18. Interest. (*) 22. A village in Ardabil Province, Iran. 24. Professional who prepares dead bodies for funerals. 25. Rub out or remove (writing or marks). 27. A sweet braided cake originated by the Jewish people. 30. An approximation to an arithmetic mean. 31. A paid position of regular employment. 32. Any of several nuts and seeds yielding oil. 34. Oﬀensive Lineman. (*)

Note: * denotes abbreviation of the word or phrase

37. A brownish gray 39. Passenger Name Record. (*) (Indian Railways)

Clues Across:

41. Generic Nomic Data Tracker. (*) (Internet Game Tool)

1. A Central American green parrot and world’s largest river. 7. A course of treatment for an addiction. 11. A characteristic element of something. 13. Depleted Uranium. (*) 14. A full, deep, prolonged cry uttered by a lion. 15. A device used for supplying water to livestock. 17. Body Mass Index. (*) 19. Hour Angle. (*) 20. Om Namah Shivaya. (*) (meditation chant) 21. The Chinese mile, a traditional Chinese unit of distance. 23. Came close to. 26. Megabyte. (*) 28. Trademark. (*) 29. Cheerless; Depressing. 31. A monetary unit of the Republic of China = ¹/₁₀ yuan. 33. An acidulated fermented drink made from millet. 35. Virginia. (*) 36. Related to the bony socket of the eye . 38. Specifications. (*) 40. Lakeland Linder International Airport. (*) (ICAO code) 41. A category of artistic, musical or literary composition. 42. A protégé of a monkey God; The character of Ramayana. 44. ‘P. V. Narasimha __’, Prime Minister of India (1991–96). 45. Hawaii. (*) 46. Aﬀects to the point of being upset or flurried. 48. Guam. (*) 49. A feast that commemorates Christ's resurrection. (4/4/21) 50. Rubber cushions fitted around the wheels of a car. Saathee.com

42. Health Impact Assessment. (*) 43. Analog. (*) (NASA) 45. A pronoun used to refer to a man, boy, or male. 47. International System of Units. (*) (solution on page 88)

Hee Hee

Jokes From Around The World

Doctor: “You should eat the skins of fruit since they contain valuable vitamins. What is your favorite fruit?” Booddhoo: “Coconut!” ********* Singer: “Don’t you like my singing?”Music Director (sadly): “I played all black and white keys, but you sing in the cracks!.” ********* Booddhoo: “Please disconnect my mother’s phone.” Customer Rep.: “We can’t turn her phone off because it was on your father’s name. He has to call for that.” Booddhoo: “He died 20 years ago. If I stop paying the bills, you can turn off the service, right?” Reluctantly: “Well, yes. But that would ruin his credit.” 86

April 2021

WordFind

Math Magic Use these numbers only once: (1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9) in empty squares, to get = the final given answers. Note: Follow the order of operation per basic math rule: ×,÷, +, The multiplication or division is done before addition and subtraction. (solution on page 88)

Find & circle the words in the puzzle. (Subject: Ramayan Characters) BHARAT DASHARATH DEAD GUHA HANUMAN INDRAJIT JAMBAVAN KAIKEYI KAUSALYA KUMBHAKARNA KUSH LAKSHMAN

LAVA MANDODARI MARICH NALA RAMA RAVANA SHATRUGHNA SITA SURPANAKHA URMILA VIBHISHAN VISHVAMITRA

The unused 10 letters spell is ”The subject Ramayan ___”. (answer on page 88)

EZ-BZ TEST YOUR IQ The common letters are “NK” - Fill in the blanks)

Note: * denotes abbreviation of the word or phrase 1. A pile-driving machine with a heavy ram. _ _ NK _ _ 2. N-Key-roll - Over. (*) NK _ _ 3. The exploration of natural caves. _ _ _ _ _ NK 4. Take (a liquid) into the mouth and swallow. _ _ _ NK 5. A community council located in the Mohale's Hoek District of Lesotho, South Africa. NK _ _ 6. Another name of Lord Shiva. _ _ _ NK _ _ 7. No Known Allergies. (*) NK _ 8. A weasel like animal that ejects pungent odor. _ _ _ NK 9. Applicable in all instances or contingencies. _ _ _ NK _ _ 10. The capital city of Turkey. _ NK _ _ _ 11. To gleam or glow intermittently . _ _ _ NK _ _ 12. The scarlet color of a fox hunter's coat. _ _ NK 13. An ornament worn around the ankle. _ NK _ _ _ 14. A mound or slope of snow. _ _ _ _ _ _ NK 15. The region in the state of Maharashtra, bordering on the Arabian Sea, from Mumbai south to Goa. _ _ NK _ _ 16. The black protective secretion of a cephalopod. _ NK 17. A town on the Yenisei River, N Russia. _ _ _ _ NK _ 18. A series of objects arranged together in a row. _ _ NK 19. A village in the Tiankoura Dept. of Bourgouriba province in SW Burkina Faso, W. Africa. NK _ _ _ _ _ 20. To become lax or loose; Straighten. _ NK _ NK 21. An ass, domestic member of the horse family. _ _ NK _ _ 22. To contract to less extent. _ _ _ _ NK 23. A container for ink. _ NK _ _ _ 24. Having spaces to be filled in _ _ _ NK 25. The expressions of gratitude. _ _ _ NK _ (Puzzle solutions are on page 88. NO peeking!)

Kirit Shukla kiritsshukla@gmail.com

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April 2021

Festivals & Holidays Spot the Diﬀerences Solutions from page 50

April 2021 Apr. 1 - April Fool's Day Apr. 2 - Good Friday Apr. 4 - Easter Sunday / Passover Ends Apr. 5 - Pāpmochini Ekadashi Apr. 8 - Yom HaShoah Apr. 12 - Darsh / Somavati Amas (No Moon) Apr. 13 - Gudi Padwa / Ugadi Apr. 13 - Ramadan Begins Apr. 15 - Income Tax Day (US) / Matsya Jayanti Apr. 15 - Yom Ha'atzmaut Apr. 14 - Cheti Chand / Baisakhi / Vishu Apr. 18 - Birthday of Guru Angad Dev Apr. 21 - Ram Navami / Swaminarayan Jayanti Apr. 21 - Administrative Professionals Day Apr. 22 - Earth Day Apr. 23 - Kāmadā Ekadashi Apr. 25 - Mahavir Jayanti Apr. 27 - Chaitra Purnima (Full Moon) Apr. 27 - Hanuman Jayanti Apr. 30 - Arbor Day / Lag BaOmer

1. Bananas Added 2. Wheel Removed 3. Color Changed 4. Shoe added 5. Rabbit Removed 6. Logo Removed 7. Clouds Added 8. Person Added

9. Window Removed 10. Flowers Added 11. Pole Removed 12. Hat Added 13. Crack Removed 14. Dog Added 15. Rock Removed 7

9 1

6 10 3

May 2021 May 1 - Gujarat / Maharashtra Day / Beltane May 5 - Cinco de Mayo May 6 - National Day of Prayer May 7 - Varuthini Ekadashi / Vallabh Acharya Jayanti May 8 - Tagore Jayanti / Lailat al-Qadr May 9 - Mother’s Day May 11 - Baisakhi / Darsh Amas (No Moon). May 13 - Ramadan Ends / Eid al-Fitr May 14 - Akshay Trutia / Parshuram Jayanti May 15 - Armed Forces Day May 16 - Shavuot May 17 - Shankaracharya Jayanti / Surdas Jayanti May 21 - Sita Navami May 23 - Mohini Ekadashi

4 13 15

Puzzle Solutions from page 86-87

Math Magic from page 87

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April 2021

Astroscope

April 2021

Aries (March 21 – April 19)

Libra (September 23 – October 22)

This will be a very relaxing month as you enjoy love and happiness. A rise in status and income are clearly indicated. You may experience a minor dispute with friends, which could tear down your mood during the second half of the month. The time is particularly good for making positive decisions or to start a new business. You may celebrate a religious or social event this month.

To avoid unnecessary problems, you must try to control your feelings this month. Expenses may exceed your ﬁnancial limits. Listen to your elder siblings. This is not a good time if you’re an artist or celebrity. However, medical professionals may achieve an excellent goal this month. Things should move swiftly for you and be full of new events. Despite the brisk pace, remain focused and take time to relax when you can.

Taurus (April 20 – May 20)

Scorpio (October 23 – November 21)

A sudden positive change in your life could take place this month. It is important for you to accept this change without fear. Your associates will grant you their full support. You may gain an opportunity to achieve your dream, but because of a thoughtless act you may face serious health troubles. Try to control your ego as well as your temper. Your mother’s health may deteriorate and worry you. You should be able to maintain a steady ﬂow of income.

You will waste money on luxuries while other expenses could be out of control as well this month. Unexpected travel is also possible. Avoid any advice from your friends or partner; instead, listen to your parents in order to make safe judgements. Postpone any major decisions for a long as possible. Try to avoid any speculation in the stock market. A minor health ailment could also be there.

Sagittarius (November 22 – December 21)

Gemini (May 21 – June 20)

Be prepared to enjoy good news from family during the second half of the month. A slight shift in your ideology will bring excellent rewards. Try to be more optimistic and active. Long distance travel can also be fruitful. If involved in a family business, you must avoid any potential misunderstandings. Your partner will also gain the beneﬁts of your good luck. Move fast and make positive decisions to take full advantage of this beneﬁcial period.

Your intelligence will be on par this month. You should enjoy an elevated status in society. You may even be able to publish your creative writing, but don’t wait until last week of the month to do so. Co-operative support from your partner and kids will be there. Bad news from a far-off place regarding a sibling may disturb you. An important family-related decision may be in jeopardy. Use your knowledge to solve any problems.

Capricorn (December 22 – January 19)

Cancer (June 21 – July 22)

Avoid any major changes or deals this month. Instead, try to focus on current activities and your ﬂow of income will intensify. During the last week of the month, you will experience mental relief due to encouragement and good thoughts. Your workload will lighten and help you feel more relaxed. The period is good for spending on social gatherings with friends. A minor dispute with your partner is possible.

You could begin a journey towards fulfilling your dreams. Quick decisions and fast action will be very important. Follow any advice from your siblings. You may have to work hard to regain confidence. It is advisable right now to follow somebody else’s decisions. An unusual benefit will delight you this month, so try to remain optimistic and enjoy the blessings this will bring. The second and third weeks of the month will be more positive.

Leo (July 23 – August 22)

Aquarius (January 20 – February 18)

Now is the time to slow down and focus on yourself. Try to direct your attention towards earning extra money. Unexpected expenses are on the way while your health could also deteriorate. Stay in contact with old friends and avoid any life major changes. The second half of the month is more critical than the ﬁrst. Your children could be exceptionally supportive this month. You may also beneﬁt from a younger sibling.

A major ﬁnancial loss is possible this month, which could be related to your partner or health. Try to focus on your career and don’t lose your self-conﬁdence. Remain vigilant and refuse to accept compromise. You will perform exceptionally well at your place of work. You also may enjoy an unexpected favor from your mother or daughter. Travel could prove relaxing but expensive.

Pisces (February 19 – March 20)

Virgo (August 23 – September 22)

A long-cherished dream may finally be fulfilled this month. Your destiny may play a very important role, so simply surrender to it. A family member’s negative attitude may create some turmoil. Try to avoid travel with family. Your enemy may enact revenge on you and attain considerable success. A sibling may delight you with good news at the beginning of the month. Listen to your mother, as she may bring you good luck.

You may experience many positive changes this month. Your actions will help in accumulating a great deal of wealth. Don’t wait until last week of the month to make any major decisions. The only enemy you face right now is your own ego. Try to be nice and accommodating with everyone. You may need to spend valuable money on your kids; just make sure it is used for an appropriate cause. It is also a good time to buy a house, but don’t just invest in land property.

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Extravagant Mandap Decorator WE PROVIDE • Mandaps, domes, backdrops, torans & entrance gates • Ganesh murtis & elaborate hand-carved furniture • Bridal chairs & chair covers • Decorations for stages, garbas, weddings and all other occasions! • Masala DJs Entertainment professional sound & LED lighting

734-560-2728 877-800-VEMA (8362)

Best Service with Competitive Prices! Call Manju Nigam

SEBASTIAN GEORGE

919.465.7265

NMLS#161496 SAABY74@VEMAMORTGAGE.COM

www.bloomingbudsnc.com

7108 Pineville-Matthews Rd. Ste 102, Charlotte, NC 28226

704-542-2191 info@carolinamedassoc.com

carolinamedassoc.com

Providers: Dr. Avinash Shah - Internal Medicine; Dr. Mike Agha - Internal Medicine; Dr. Sudipta Mazumder - Internal Medicine; Harlee Palmer - PA-C

New patients Welcome! Same day appointment and Walk In! We accept all insurances. Cash pay options available for uninsured patients.

Monday & Thursday : 8 AM - 5 PM • Tuesday & Wednesdays : 7:30 AM - 5 PM • Friday : 8 AM - 2 PM Covid Testing • Complete Physical Exams • Women’s Exam / Pap Smears / Breast Exams X-rays / Lab Studies • Sports/School Physicals • Continuing Care of Heart, Lung, Kidney, Thyroid Disease Botox/Filler are available for age related skin wrinkles • Chemical peels for different skin scar marks, sun damage, melasma and acne.

If you are uninsured or have a high deductible, we now offer “Direct Primary Care" membership plan. INCLUDES: 24/7 access to physicians via phone calls, texts, emails, video/telephone, annual physical examinations with chest x-ray, routine labs and EKG. All at affordable monthly fees for mostly uninsured and high deductible insured individuals. Please check our website and call our ofﬁce for further details. CarolinaMedAssoc.com

Saathee.com

April 2021

CLASSIFIEDS 32-room Motel for Sale in Birmingham, AL for 2.5 times gross revenue. Owner financing possible. Contact 801-631-3658 or hasuvila@yahoo.com. Convenience Stores for Sale: Charlotte, NC $539,000 +Inv., Annual Sales $1,900,000; Fort Mill, SC $98,000 +Inv., Inside $456,000, Fuel 720,000 gals; Durham, NC $98,000 +Inv, Annual $540,000; County South: 704-440-4433 or visit www.Countysouth.biz. C-Store for Sale by Owner in Gastonia, NC. Owner retired. Located near highway and State Park. Easy in and out access. Call 973-723-6924 for details. Growing Liquor / Wine Store for Sale in lucrative Fort Mill, SC area. Gross sales $240k+. Great time for quick ROI with spring approaching! Asking $50k + inventory. Call 646-477-4654 for details. Popular Restaurant for Sale in Greenville, SC. Loyal customer base & excellent reviews. Central area on leased property. Current owners looking to retire or be silent partners. Price negotiable. Contact 864-908-4754. Learn more at youtu.be/z7ChrdLPjfo. Lakeview 12-unit Motel for Sale on Lake at 942 N 5th Street in Hartsville (near Florence, SC). Call 843-332-8145. Fully Furnished Studio Rental for personal service professionals (hair stylists, brows, massage, facials.) Aura Salons is in Fort Mill close to Charlotte, Rock Hill, & Waxhaw. Great rates and modern build out. Contact 704-606-7887 or aurasalons@outlook.com.

Housekeeping Couple wanted for franchise hotels in Shelby, NC. Accommodations provided. Must have legal status. Call 704-974-1521 and leave a message if there’s no answer. Help Wanted at Convenience Store in Concord, NC. Full or Part-time. Good Pay! Experience and legal status required. Call Sam at 704-787-1567. Help needed at Perfume Stores in Charlotte and Pineville, NC. For more information, please call Veer Singh at 415265-8686. Housekeeping Couple and Front Desk wanted for Franchise Hotel in Hickory/Conover, NC. Accommodations provided. starting $4 per room. Legal status required. Good pay! Call Rick 919724-6772. Looking for an Administrative Assistant for office in Morrisville, NC .Please email your resume to sara@apaventures.com or call 919-336-4247. Front Desk Help & Housekeeping/Laundry needed for Franchise Hotel in Concord, NC. Legal status required. Accommodations provided. Call Rick 704-772-5554. Now hiring Cashiers for Gas Station/CStore near Greensboro, NC. Must speak English & have basic computer skills. Experience preferred. Good pay! Call 336509-4054. Single or couple wanted for Front Desk and general resident duties at independent motel 45 minutes from Raleigh. Must speak English. Accommodations provided. Contact Bob Shah at 847-354-8120.

Seeking assistance to help with elderly mother at home in South Charlotte/Fort Mill area. Part-time/full-time. Personal Beauty Parlour Help Wanted: in Cary, care, light cleaning, and some vegetarian NC. Esthetician, Cosmetologist or food prep. Schedule negotiable. Call 803Threader. Choose: salary or hourly plus 230-4402. tips commission. Call 919-649-1228. Eyebrow Threading Position: Winston Live-In Indian Nanny needed for 3 year- Salem, NC. Excellent Pay + Tips & old, cooking and light cleaning. Contact Benefits! Some Experience & fluent Khyati Shah at 551-689-2491 or English required. Call 336-422-7582. vikram0802@gmail.com. Housekeeping Couple needed for Front Desk needed for motel in franchise motel in Charleston, SC. Richmond, VA (Airport area). Legal status Experience preferred but will train. Great required. Accommodations provided. Call Pay & Accommodations provided! Call 804-512-7810 or email 843-425-2840. airportbw@gmail.com. Immediate opening for experienced liveLooking for Energetic Employee (Full/ in Manager for 50-room independent Part-time, single or couple) for Firehouse motel in Charlotte. Attractive salary plus subs franchise in Monroe, NC (Charlotte bonus & complimentary 2 bedroom area). Call/text Chet Patel at 571-572-9257 apartment. Please call 704-906-9170 or or email monroenc@firehousesubs.com. send resume to hoteljob214@yahoo.com

EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES

Saathee.com

Now Hiring

HELP WANTED

BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES

Experienced Eyebrow Threaders

for the following locations Cary, NC Wilimington, NC Fayetteville, NC

Great Salary+Tip+Commission Call : 773-507-8848 or 773-503-8848 email: feah7189@gmail.com

Need Certified Nurse Assistant or Personal Care Aide who primarily speaks Gujarati or Hindi for home health care services for the elderly. Call Eric at 919345-7808. Looking for Energetic Employee (Fulltime/ Part-time, single or couple) for Tropical Smoothie Cafe franchise fast food store in Charlotte NC. Weekend availability preferred. Some English required. Excellent Pay! Call Pravin Patel 803-974-0291. Resident Manager Couple needed for independent motel in Florence, SC. Must have legal status. Experience preferred. Accommodations provided. Please call 843-992-8424. Hiring Threading Specialists at Jill's iBrow Threading Salon in Fayetteville, NC. Call 336-686-7007. Cashier wanted for Convenience Store near Charlotte. Must speak English. Accommodations provided. Text / Call 704-701-9975. Tobacco Shop in Winston Salem seeking energetic individual/couple for long term work. Must be fluent in English and have good communication skills. Will train. Can start immediately if needed. $42k Salary. Text 713-392-5721. Hiring Couples for Housekeepers, Front Desk Clerks, Assistant Managers, Managers, and Renovation Managers. Positions available in NC, SC, FL, TN and IN. Contact MB at 980-208-3038. C-Store/Gas Station Help Wanted near Fayetteville NC. Competitive pay! Call Raj at 910-644-5155. Help Wanted for C-Store/Gas Stations in Charlotte, NC and Lexington, SC areas. Multiple positions open. Salary commensurate with experience. Call 803414-4883. Convenience Store & Liquor Store Help Wanted: Full-time, single or couple in Mobile, AL. Good salary. Please contact Rocky Patel at 224-723-3488 with text or leave voicemail. April 2021

Full-time or Part-time Nanny needed immediately (Live-in/Live-out) to take care of 5 month-old near Ballantyne area (South Charlotte). Call/text: 203-550-7631. Hotel Help Wanted: Front Desk/Manager, Night Auditor and Housekeeper (Single/Couple) for franchise hotels in Charlotte, Gastonia, High Point. Accommodations provided. Call 704-460-0379 between 6-9pm. Help Wanted for C-Store/Gas Stations for Multiple Location in North Carolina. Multiple positions open. Salary commensurate with experience. Call 201208-4837. Full-time Sales Associate Needed for Perfume store in Greensboro/Raleigh, NC. Fluent English preferred. Contact via text 336-554-1377 or email durhamperfumes@gmail.com. Brand new Holiday Inn Express Hotel searching for Sales Manager, Night Auditors & Front Desk agents. Hotel experience preferred. Please email resume to: info@vintahotels.com or call 980-294-0049. Full-time Nanny needed (Live-in/Liveout) Winston-Salem, NC. Gujarati preferred. Call/text at 980-298-2828.

Front Desk & Housekeeping needed for Motel in Durham, NC. Legal status required. Accommodations provided. Call Ken Patel 919-452-3131 or email kenco00@gmail.com. Gas Station Help Wanted in North Charlotte. Full-time including weekends. Must speak English and have legal status. Experience preferred. Competitive salary package. Call/text 704-904-5613. Housekeeping & Front Desk Help needed in South Carolina. Must speak fluent English & have legal status. Experience required. Call Raj 704-915-1026. Couple Wanted for Front Desk and General Manager for upscale Independent Motel in Fayetteville, NC. Accommodations available. Good salary. Fluent English a must. Contact Dev at 630-253-8860. Convenience Store help needed immediately in Charlotte, NC. Full-time & part-time including weekends. Call Vimal at 704-299-2580.

MATRIMONIALS

Looking for full-time position to join the team at 7- Eleven in Charlotte, NC. New store and location. Flexibility in shifts a plus. Standard pay. Contact 704-491-9970 or 711independence@gmail.com.

Hindu family from India seeking partner for their 43 year-old daughter. Divorcee with no kids. The boy should be well settled in US. Caste no bar. Email indram6672@gmail.com

Hotel Help Wanted: Looking for Front Desk Attendant and Housekeeping (All shifts) for property in Asheville, NC area. Contact 409-444-0559 or blackmountainhospitality@gmail.com.

PROPERTY FOR SALE

Looking for Energetic Employee (Full or Part-time, single or couple) for Tropical Smoothie Cafe franchise in Columbia, SC. Weekend availability preferred. Some English required. Call Yogi Patel 410-708-8475 or Dax 803-470-8089.

BUY HOBBY LAND

Learn how to build value buying land near APEX, NC.

Franchise Hotel in NC is looking for single or couple for Housekeeping and Front Desk Clerks with computer knowledge for 3rd shift. Accommodations provided. Contact 704465-8129.

Contact “The Land Man” Bob Atkinson at 919-362-6999 or visit www.learnaboutland.com

Looking for GMs to operate franchise motels in Richburg, SC. Legal status & fluent English required. Accommodations provided. Call 803-230-4402.

Dholi For Hire: Plays the Dhol (drum) for any occasion! Barat, Doli, Graduation, Birthdays, Baby Showers & any other festivity. Affordable rates! Call Arpan Bhandari 704-641-4761 or email: arpandholi@yahoo.com

Couple needed for franchise hotel 1.5 hours from Charlotte. Must be Fluent in English. Accommodations provided. Text/call 704-701-9975. Convenience Store help needed immediately in Charlotte, NC. Full-time including weekends and evening shifts. Call 704-241-4499. Saathee.com

SERVICES

Travel Passion: Call for International & Domestic Air tickets. We process India Visa, OCI, Indian Ppt Renewal, Hotel bookings & Tour packages. Call 509.550.9076 or 509.550.9034 Email: travelpassion24@gmail.com 93

SBA Business Loans for all businesses new or existing. SBA pays first 6 months of interest and principle. For full details, call Raj at 678-249-0022. Neeta's Beauty Parlor: Charlotte area open 7 days a week. Full service. Call for appointment. 704-968-0270. Priest Available for these services: Shree Satya narayan katha, Shanti hawan, Vastu shanty, Weddings, Baby shower, Bhumi pujan, Mata ki chowki pujan, Funeral, all types of karmakand. Please call Viral Bhatt 704-438-6334. Pari Beauty in Matthews: Threading, Waxing, Facials, Massage for newborn and mom & other services. 31 years of experience. Special Deals & Great Service. Call: 704-846-7912. Henna for all Occasions: Weddings are our specialty. Other services include hand over heals, body art, and energy healing. Call for details 919-370-2371. Ezhenna.com. Gujarati Priest in NC & SC for Ganesh, Randal, Laxmi, Sharda Pujan, Satyanarayan Katha, Wedding, Vastu, Baby Shower, Hawan, Grah Shanti. Kishor Trivedi Home: 336-774-0597 Cell: 336-486-7925 E-Mail: kishor7@juno.com Saree Draping: specializing in draping sarees, dupattas and jewelry for any event. Weddings, Engagements, Baby showers, Birthdays, etc. Contact Rital Patel at info@bridaldraping.com or www.bridaldraping.com. Gujarati Priest: Devendra Dave Independent priest. Ganesh, Randal, Navratri, Diwali's Laxmi & Sharda Pujas, Satyanarayan Katha, Weddings, Vastu, Baby Shower, Funeral Seva. Call Daveji 704-780-3563. God Blessings to All. IT, Telecom & Civil Engineering Service Providers: website design, digital marketing, software products, education, training & certifications with placement assistance. Best quality at a reasonable price. Contact: 704-726-5695; email: gescpl@gmail.com

To Submit a Classified visit: saathee.com/submit-classified or email: info@saathee.com or call 704.527.7570 Business ads are $25 Personal ads are $15 Upgrade to color for an additional $10 or add a box for $15 Saathee.com ads posted daily We accept all major credit cards. Ads up to 25 words. Deadline for print is the 20th. Web ads daily. April 2021

• You’ll need to get used to spending a lot of time in lines

Mirror

continued from page 46

to see some of the more popular panels. At least you’ll have plenty of friends to talk with while waiting! • You won’t be able to bring food or drinks in with you to most cons, so expect to disobey that restrictive diet while there since most of what’s offered will be less than healthy. Luckily, some food shops do offer alternative items for vegetarians and so forth. • Some of the larger conventions now have free phone apps to download so you can more easily keep track of all the various events offered throughout each day. Much handier than flipping through a printed booklet! • Many conventions nowadays do accommodate for handicapped and elderly attendees. There will always be staff on hand to assist if you’re having mobility issues. • You will be walking around a lot, so wearing comfortable shoes is a must. This is especially important for Cosplayers as trekking around in high heels is not always ideal. • This goes without saying but… always be kind to your fellow attendees. If they like a particular genre that you don’t then that’s fine! Ultimately it’s all about everyone involved having as much fun as possible. If you’d like to visit a convention sometime this year… here are a few notable ones coming up in 2021: South Carolina Comicon (Greenville, SC) - April 17-18, 2021 Hickory Con (Hickory, NC) - May 6, 2021 AtomaCon (North Charleston, SC) - May 7-9, 2021 Animazement (Raleigh, NC) - May 28-30, 2021 Carolina Fear Fest (Raleigh, NC) - May 28-30, 2021 Atlanta Game Fest (Atlanta, GA) - June 3-6, 2021 PAX East (Boston, MA) - June 3-6, 2021 E3 2021 (Los Angeles, CA) - June 15-17, 2021 HeroesCon (Charlotte, NC) - June 18-20, 2021 Wizard World Chicago (Rosemont, IL) - June 24-27, 2021 Wilkes Comic Con (North Wilkesboro, NC) - July 10, 2021 San Diego International Comic Con (San Diego, CA) - July 22-25, 2021 (Online only this year) Gen Con (Indianapolis, IN) - August 5-8, 2021 (Postponed until further notice) Atlanta Comic Con (Atlanta, GA) - August 6-8, 2021 Official Star Trek Convention (Las Vegas, NV) - August 11.15, 2021 Awesome Con (Washington, DC) - August 20-22, 2021 DragonCon (Atlanta, GA) - September 2-6, 2021 Incredible Con (North Charleston, SC) - September 18-19, 2021 Power ComicCon (Florence, SC) - September 25, 2021 Origins Game Fair (Columbus, OH) - September 30-October 3, 2021 Empire City Con (Charlotte, NC) - November 12-14, 2021 Emerald City Comic Con (Seattle, WA) - December 2-5, 2021 Chicago Comic and Entertainment Expo (Chicago, IL) December 10-12, 2021

Attending your first pop culture convention will no doubt be a bit of a culture shock. It certainly was for me back in 1990 when I attended my very first Star Trek one. This unique experience turned into a mishmash of bizarre and comfort that I wasn’t quite sure how to deal with at the time. Eventually, I realized these were kindred spirits as fellow enthusiasts of a genre I enjoyed. Some recommendations for when you do decide to visit your first convention:

• Be sure to have some cash on hand. Some of the retail vendors simply do not have capability to accept credit cards. Also at some cons, Guests charge for photos or signing memorabilia and generally will only accept cash as well. • Bring along a small bag (or a coat with a lot of big pockets) to hold all your various purchases made throughout the day. If you’re flying to and from the convention, you may need an extra suitcase to pack all those goodies to bring back with you. Some vendors are now willing to mail more delicate items (such as collectable statues or art) to you as an alternative, but this is rare. Saathee.com

All dates subject to change this year.

Jennifer Allen works at Saathee and is also a Podcaster, Blogger, Photographer, Graphic Artist, Gamer, Martial Arts Practitioner, and an all around Pop Culture Geek You can reach her at: Info@Saathee.com 94

April 2021

Two Convenient Charlotte Locations! arlotte h C h t u o S ille) (Pinev

North Ch arlotte ( Univer

sity)

Finest Indian & Pakistani Groceries • Fresh Vegetables Frozen Foods & Ice Cream • Fresh Sweets & Snacks Stainless Steel Utensils • Clean & Organized

OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK | 10 AM - 8:30 PM University Location is the BIGGEST INDIAN GROCERY STORE IN SOUTHEAST, USA

South Charlotte

North Charlotte

704.540.2013

704.509.2305

(Pineville)

10701 CENTRUM PARKWAY, PINEVILLE, NC 28134 ACROSS FROM CAROLINA PLACE MALL (Next to Wells Fargo Bank, Across From Best Buy)

(University)

8109 UNIVERSITY CITY BLVD. SUITE A

CHARLOTTE NC, 28213 (Next to Value City Furniture)

Advertisers 360insureall.com (Maqsood Khan)..........................53

County South Realty & Business Brokers..................37

New York Life Insurance (Rasheed Ulhaq).................29

Absolute Physical Therapy........................................21

Desai & Desai LLP (CPA & Financial Services)..........37

North American Bancard ........................................15

Accounting Solutions (Muhammad Kamran Awan)...55

Desai, Rajarshi (CPA, PLLC)......................................17

One2 Entertainment .................................................55

Aggarwal Group (Morgan Stanley) ..............................3

DJ Services (Goldsboro Wedding DJ)........................45

Passage To India - Fine Indian Cuisine......................16

Alvin Kallicharran (Author: Colour Blind) ....................43

Fairview Home Mortgage .........................................49

Patel Brothers (Charlotte)..........................................95

Anand, Versha (Real Estate) .....................................89

Fincare.US (Recession-Proof Your Retirement)..........59

Patel, Hitesh (Mortgage Loans).................................45

Anil & Anjali Bedi LLC (CPA & Consultants)...............39

Geological Resources, Inc.........................................53

Patel, Kiran (Real Estate)...........................................57

Aspect Commerical Realty (Prashant Parmar) ..........45

Global Engineering Services (GES)............................23

Patel, Mrugesh (Law Offices)....................................61

AT&T Dealer ..............................................................5

Global Mall / Legacy Jewels ....................................99

Patel, Tony (Real Estate)............................................75

Aura Salons (Booth Rentals) .....................................11

H2 Laser & Skin .......................................................67

Pathak, Atul (Real Estate)..........................................59

Bala Sure (Broker / Realtor, NC & SC)......................33

Harley-Davidson (Speedway) ......................................4

Pizza Twist (Concord)................................................11

Bashyam Shah LLP - Immigration Law Group..........98

HDFS - Hardik Shah (Financial Agency) ....................13

Pramukh Mandapam ...............................................61

Bawarchi Indian Cuisine (Charlotte) ..........................30

Hindu Center of Charlotte (Events) ......................68-71

Raj Jewels (Morrisville, NC) .....................................6-7

Bhindi Jewelers ......................................................2

Hirak Patel (Real Estate)............................................73

Raja Reslan, Financial Advisor (Edward Jones) .........67

Bipin Parekh Realty, LLC...........................................52

Home Decorators Of America (Atlanta) .....................47

Ramana Coaching Center ........................................41

Blooming Buds.........................................................91

Insurance - Tushar Barot, Supreme Insurance Serv..55

Royal Events (DJ / Sound / Lighting / Special FX)......23

Blooming Smiles Pediatric Dentistry .........................85

Insurance Shopping (Sonal Patel Independent Agent) 51

Rug and Home.........................................................35

Bombay Grille (Charlotte)..........................................32

Jyoti's World Cuisine ................................................67

Saffron Restaurant and Catering...............................81

Brijal Shah (Keller Williams - Real Estate)..................97

KD Financial & KMD Realty.......................................63

Shah & Trivedi CPA, PLLC.........................................51

British International School of Charlotte.......................9

Kebab Soul Food & Curry .........................................73

Shah, Anish (Real Estate) ...................................76-77

Brown Immigration Law (Rishi Oza, Partner).............65

Khanna & Sons Jewelers .........................................19

Shah, Kirti (CPA - Sepa Consulting) .........................45

C4D Mortgage (Jubi Chackunkal, P.E.) .....................43

Maharani Indian Cuisine (Charlotte) ..........................85

Shukla, Kirit (Music Lession & Band).........................39

Carolina Law Group (Monty Desai)............................24

Mahulkumar Makati (Adjuster)..................................23

SMLNN Co. (Investment Opportunity) .......................39

Carolina Medical Associates.....................................91

Malak Jewelers........................................................27

Sona Realty (Venkat Suryadevara) ............................10

CaroMont Medical Group (Dr. Manu Patel)................89

Malani Jewelers.....................................................100

Sue Mrithunayan (Realtor) ........................................31

Charlotte Chess Center ............................................21

Malaya Kitchen.........................................................21

The Blue Taj..............................................................79

Charlotte Eye Ear Nose & Throat ..............................83

Malini Amaladoss (Author: Retrace Love)..................43

Travel Passion ..........................................................23

CHI Consulting (SBA Business Loans).......................49

Mathur, Gitanjali (Allen Tate Realtors) ........................17

Tyagi, Rita (Real Estate).............................................29

Chiro-Carolina

....................................................81

Matthews Family Dentistry ......................................73

Uni World Travel........................................................49

Classifieds ..........................................................92-93

Meenakshi Creations LLC.........................................31

Union Family Eye Associates (Dr. Keshav Bhat).........75

Concha, David (Immigration Attorney).......................89

Meineke Car Care Center (Raghu Mothukuri) ...........33

Vema Mortgage LLC (Sebastian George) .39/51/59/91

Concord Children's Clinic ......................................97

Monroe Oil Company................................................36

Venu Parepalli (Insurance) .....................................25

Copper Restaurant (Charlotte)...................................79

Neeta's Beauty Parlor...............................................21

Worldwide Travels.....................................................57

Saathee.com

April 2021

Accepting new patients!

Looking for a Job or a business? Want to take music lessons? Want to Sell a business?

Concord Children‛s Clinic

SAATHEE CLASSIFIEDS.

THEY WORK FOR YOU!

Hemant Prakash, MD

An inexpensive way to reach thousands of South Asians throughout the Carolinas and beyond.

Julia Blevins Richards, MD

Laura Mock, MD

In addition to regular pediatric care, we offer specialized appointments for high risk neonates (premature infants), sensitive teenage gynecological examinations, overseas adoption and travel examinations & vaccines.

(704) 784-1010

1040 Vinehaven Drive • Concord, NC www.ConcordChildrensClinic.com C

Call 704-527-7570 or e-mail info@saathee.com

Colleen Hibbert, PNP Nicole Cottone, FNP

Debra Clark, PNP

Pages 92-93 and Saathee.com/classifieds

We Are In Need of More Inventory! Call us TODAY if You’re Interested in Selling Your Home

Full Time Realtor® Helping Buyers & Sellers Multi-million dollar producer Over 16 years of local experience in NC & SC Extensive knowledge of new construction communities and builders Contact me for a

FREE Market Report Analysis. 1,431 homes sold in 2020

BRIJAL SHAH Realtor/Broker Licensed in NC & SC Saathee.com

$401M For 2020 in North Carolina

in volume sold in 2020

704-281-8711 • Email: brijal@kw.com 704-281-8711 redbudgroup.com Email: brijal@kw.com

redbudcharlotte.com/agents/brijal-shah/ Each Keller Williams franchise is independently owned & operated. 97

April 2021

Saathee Charlotte April 2021

Articles inside

Youth Corner

AstroScope

Friendship Dynamics

Nutrition for Life

Personal Finances

An Adult Indian Dance Student

Upcoming Movie Releases

Community Events

Mirror, Mirror

Increase USA Knowledge