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December 2013 Benares University,Varanasi

In this issue: US and Pakistan: Enemies with Benefits A voyage of culture, learning and service

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Hello Readers! US and Pakistan: Enemies with Benefits. With billions in aid on the table, America continues feeding the mouth that bites it. pg. 08. The National Institute for Standards and Technology to review standards. After cryptographers cry foul over NSA meddling. pg. 14. Why India and Pakistan must be united on health care. Commentary: Not surprisingly, India and Pakistan have nuclear bombs but few vaccines for insect-borne tropical diseases. pg. 30. On a voyage of culture, learning and service. A summer in India. pg. 36 Narendra Modi. A nightmare or savior for India's struggling economy? pg. 40. Catch up on what all the local and regional community organizations are up to as well as their upcoming events in our Community Organizations section on pg. 106. Find your astrological predictions for the month in the AstroScope on pg. 136. Get daily updates about our community as well as news and videos at our website: Saathee.com.

Quote: "O my mind, the treasure is deep within you, do not search it on the outside. " - Guru Nanak

December 2013 – Issue # 188 Editor: Samir Shukla (saatheemag@hotmail.com) Publisher: Divakar Shukla (rakavid@aol.com) Ad Design / Layout: Nageshwar “Nate” Andrews Executive Assistant: Suzie Tanis Contributors: Kirit Shukla, Judith L. Bergman, Gail Z. Martin, Smitha Prasad, Dr. Maha Gingrich, Priya Birdi, Anjana Agarwal, Anita Kulkarni, Dipika Kohli, Balaji Prasad, Neal Patel, Dilip Barman, Chet Deshmukh, and Jalendu Vaidya.

In This Issue US and Pakistan: Enemies with Benefits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg. 08 Cryptography and the NSA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg. 14 Upcoming Movie Releases . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg. 18 Film Clips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg. 20 Sangeet and Evergreen Film Lyrics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg. 24 Indian Classical Music . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg. 26 Why India and Pakistan must Unite on Healthcare . . . . . .pg. 30 Voyage of learning and service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg. 36 Solar Decathlon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg. 38 Narendra Modi: Nightmare or Savior? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg. 40 Children’s Corner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg. 44 Mastering Meaning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg. 46 Immigration Matters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg. 48 Dances of India . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg. 50 It Takes a Village . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg. 52 Akshardham Pictorial . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg. 54 NC South Asian Film Festival . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg. 56 Test Your India Knowledge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg. 60 Behind the Congressional Curtain . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg. 62 Thinking About Thinking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg. 64 Marketing Turnaround . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg. 68 India’s Mars Mission . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg. 70 Nutrition for Life . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg. 76 Recipes of the Month . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg. 78 Healthwise . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg. 80 News Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg. 88 Community Focus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg. 92 Community Organizations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg. 106 Pop’s Puzzles and Jokes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg. 132 FYI . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg. 134 Festivals and Holidays . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg. 134 Puzzle Solutions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg. 134 AstroScope . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg. 136 Classifieds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg. 138 Index of Advertisers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg. 140 Saathee.com

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Cover: Benares University, Varanasi

Benaras Hindu University (BHU) is a public central university located in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh. Established in 1916 by Pandit Madan Mohan Malviya, BHU is one of the largest residential universities in Asia, with over 20,000 students

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Saathee (USPS 021-116) (ISSN: 1543-8147) is published monthly by Shukla Entertainment Inc., 655 Pressley Rd., Ste G, Charlotte, NC 28217. Periodicals postage paid at Charlotte, NC and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Saathee, P.O. Box 11468, Charlotte, NC 28220-1468. December 2013

US and Pakistan: Enemies with Benefits With billions in aid on the table, America continues feeding the mouth that bites it.

By Jean MacKenzie - GlobalPost.com The long-running sham of US-Pakistani relations enjoyed yet another farcical episode in October. In the wake of a report by an international rights group showing the failures and dangers of Washington’s drone program, Islamabad takes its alleged ally to task, warning of dire consequences if the program — which kills civilians with depressing regularity and is wildly unpopular with the Pakistan public — is not stopped. Then The Washington Post fortuitously receives top secret documents showing that Pakistan has at least tacitly agreed to the drone program. Against this backdrop, Pakistan’s Prime Minister, Nawaz Sharif, meets with President Barack Obama and voices his protest amidst warm words and assurances of Pakistan’s continued importance as a US ally. Smiles all around. The curtain drops.

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December 2013

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Pakistan is a major recipient of US aid: According to the Congressional Research Service, since 1984, the US government has pledged more than $30 billion in direct aid to the country. About half of that’s been for military assistance, and more than two-thirds of it appropriated after 2001. Payments were suspended in the wake of the Abbottabad raid, but more than $1.5 billion is now set to be released following Obama’s meeting with Sharif last month. The US wants that money to be spent shoring up the government, combating Islamic militancy, and creating stability in the region, but aid to Pakistan has traditionally yielded disappointing results, due to corruption and incompetence on the part of Pakistan’s weak government. To make matters worse, there is ample evidence that Pakistan continues to support militants who are targeting and killing US troops. When he was stepping down as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff in 2011, an openly frustrated Admiral Mike Mullen told the Senate Armed Services Committee that Pakistan was supporting the Haqqani network. The group of militants was believed to be behind many high-profile attacks in Afghanistan, including the bombing of a NATO outpost south of Kabul in September 2011 that killed five and wounded 77, as well as an assault on the US Embassy in Kabul that same month. “The Haqqani network acts as a veritable arm of Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence agency,” Mullen told the committee. Why does such a dysfunctional relationship continue? It’s simple: The two countries need each other, at least for now. Pakistan is a nuclear-armed country of 180 million people with a weak civilian government that has been marked by religious and ethnic instability. The prospect of nuclear weapons falling into the wrong hands keeps many US policymakers up at night. While Islamabad assures Washington that its nuclear arsenal is safe, some experts are not so sure. Pakistan clearly needs US aid, but it is deeply suspicious of the focus on its nuclear arsenal. “Many Pakistanis believe that America’s true goal is not to keep their weapons safe but to diminish or destroy the Pakistani nuclear complex,” wrote Seymour Hersh in a 2009 New Yorker piece. Afghanistan remains a factor in the relationship: With the withdrawal of US forces scheduled to be completed by the end of 2014, Pakistan will play an important role in determining Afghanistan’s future. For now, the uneasy balance will continue, as will the illusion of friendship. But, as more than one pundit has remarked, “With friends like these, who needs enemies?”

Mistrust and misunderstanding between Washington and Islamabad is nothing new; ever since Pakistan’s bloody creation in 1947, the two countries have viewed each other with barely concealed disdain. Some 60 years after the fact, many Pakistanis still believe that the United States was behind the 1951 assassination of Pakistan’s first Prime Minister, Liaquat Ali Khan, for the sin of daring to defy Washington over the issue of Iranian oil. The US wanted Pakistan’s backing in persuading Tehran not to nationalize its oil fields, which were then under the control of the British. When Ali Khan refused to help, Pakistanis say, Washington began plotting his demise. Fast forward to the 1980s, when Washington sorely needed Pakistan’s support for its proxy war against the Soviet Union in Afghanistan. The US funneled money and weapons to the mujahedeen in Afghanistan through Islamabad, helping a ragtag alliance of rebels fight and ultimately defeat a superpower. Of course, Pakistan was pursuing its own goal the whole time: To foster a friendly state on its border that would not try and form any strategic partnerships with Islamabad’s main enemy and historical obsession, India. Pakistan’s powerful Inter-Services Intelligence agency, the ISI, is widely “credited” with helping prop up the Taliban as a way to ensure a friendly relationship with Kabul. Once the Soviets withdrew from Afghanistan in 1989, Washington largely washed its hands of Pakistan, giving rise to sentiment that the US was only a friend when it was in need. After 9/11, the US once again needed Pakistan’s help. Since 2001, Islamabad has been a major ally in America’s “war on terror” — about 80 percent of material for the war in Afghanistan travels through Pakistan. The partnership was not all smooth sailing; Pakistan continued its close relations with the militant groups it had helped to create, and Washington was clearly unhappy. Relations took a serious dive after May 1, 2011, when Navy Seals raided a compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan, and killed Al Qaeda’s leader Osama bin Laden. Pakistan expressed outrage over this violation of its sovereignty, while Washington was left with the nagging suspicion that Pakistan had knowingly harbored the world’s No. 1 fugitive for nearly a decade. Then came the drones. Between 2009 and 2011, Washington radically stepped up its drone attacks against militants in Pakistan. The number of civilians killed is unclear, but by all accounts substantial. The attacks consistently provoke anger and outrage in Pakistan, where a Pew Research poll conducted in 2012 showed that 74 percent of respondents considered the US an enemy. However, Washington, at various times over the years, sought not only Pakistan’s acquiescence, but its active participation in the drone program.

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“A lot of the targets are nominated by the Pakistanis — it’s part of the bargain of getting Pakistani cooperation,” former CIA officer Bruce Riedel told The New Yorker back in 2009. Documents from WikiLeaks also revealed the depth of Pakistan’s hypocrisy on drone strikes. A cable sent to Washington by US Ambassador to Pakistan Anne Patterson in 2008 quotes Pakistan’s then-Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani as saying about drone strikes, “I don’t care if they do it as long as they get the right people. We’ll protest in the National Assembly and then ignore it.” Last week’s mini-fracas over drones is nothing new in the two countries’ long and turbulent relationship. Saathee.com

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December 2013

National Institute for Standards and Technology to Review Standards After Cryptographers Cry Foul Over NSA Meddling

By Jeff Larson - ProPublica The federal institute that sets national standards for how government, private citizens and business guard the privacy of their files and communications is reviewing all of its previous recommendations. The move comes after ProPublica, The Guardian and The New York Times disclosed that the National Security Agency had worked to secretly weaken standards to make it easier for the government to eavesdrop. The review, announced last month by the National Institute for Standards and Technology (NIST), will also include an assessment of how the institute creates encryption standards. The institute sets national standards for everything from laboratory safety to high-precision timekeeping. NIST’s cryptographic standards are used by software developers around the world to protect confidential data. They are crucial ingredients for privacy on the Internet, and are designed to keep Internet users safe from being eavesdropped on when they make purchases online, pay bills or visit secure websites. But as the investigation by ProPublica, The Guardian and The New York Times revealed, the National Security Agency spends $250 million a year on a project called “SIGINT Enabling” to secretly undermine encryption. One of the key goals, documents said, was to use the agency’s influence to weaken the encryption standards that NIST and other standards bodies publish. “Trust is crucial to the adoption of strong cryptographic algorithms,” the institute said in a statement on their website. “We will be reviewing our existing body of cryptographic work, looking at both our documented process and the specific procedures used to develop each of these standards and guidelines.” The NSA is no stranger to NIST’s standards-development process. Under current law, the institute is required to consult with the NSA when drafting standards. NIST also relies on the NSA for help with public standards because the institute doesn’t have as many cryptographers as the agency, which is reported to be the largest employer of mathematicians in the country. “Unlike NSA, NIST doesn’t have a huge cryptography staff,” said Thomas Ptacek, the founder of Matasano Security, Saathee.com

“NIST is not the direct author of many of most of its important standards.” Matthew Scholl, the deputy chief at the Computer Security Division of the institute, echoed that statement, “As NIST Director Pat Gallagher has said in several public settings, NIST is designed to collaborate and the NSA has some of the world’s best minds in cryptography.” He continued, “We also have parallel missions to protect federal IT systems, so we will continue to work with the NSA.” Some of these standards are products of public competitions among academic cryptography researchers, while others are the result of NSA recommendations. An important standard, known as SHA2, was designed by the NSA and is still trusted by independent cryptographers and software developers worldwide. NIST withdrew one cryptographic standard, called Dual EC DRGB, after documents provided to news organizations by the former intelligence contractor Edward Snowden raised the possibility that the standard had been covertly weakened by the NSA. Soon after, a leading cryptography company, RSA, told software writers to stop using the algorithm in a product it sells. The company promised to remove the algorithm in future releases. 14

December 2013

Many cryptographers have expressed doubt about NIST standards since the initial revelations were published. One popular encryption library changed its webpage to boast that it did not include NIST-standard cryptography. Silent Circle, a company that makes encryption apps for smartphones, promised to replace the encryption routines in its products with algorithms not published by NIST. If the NIST review prompts significant changes to existing encryption standards, consumers will not see the benefit immediately. “If the recommendations change, lots of code will need to change,” said Tanja Lange, a cryptographer at the University of Technology at Eindhoven, in the Netherlands. “I think that implementers will embrace such a new challenge, but I can also imagine that vendors will be reluctant to invest the extra time.” In last month’s announcement, NIST pointed to its long history of creating standards, including the role it had in creating the first national encryption standard in the 1970s — the Data Encryption Standard, known as DES. “NIST has a proud history in open cryptographic standards, beginning in the 1970s with the Data Encryption Standard,” the bulletin said. But even that early standard was influenced by the NSA. During the development of DES, the agency insisted that the algorithm use weaker keys than originally intended — keys more susceptible to being broken by super computers. At the time, Whitfield Diffie, a digital cryptography pioneer, raised serious concerns about the keys. “The standard will have to be replaced in as few as five years,” he wrote. The weakened keys in the standard were not changed. DES was formally withdrawn by the institute in 2005. The announcement is the latest effort by NIST to restore the confidence of cryptographers. A representative from NIST announced in a public mailing list, also on Friday, that the During the development institute would restore the original version of a new of DES, the agency encryption standard, known insisted that the algorithm as SHA3, that had won a use weaker keys than recent design competition but altered by the institute originally intended after the competition ended. Cryptographers charged that NIST’s changes to the algorithm had weakened it. The SHA3 announcement referred directly to cryptographers’ concerns. “We were and are comfortable with that version on technical grounds, but the feedback we’ve gotten indicates that a lot of the crypto community is not comfortable with it,” wrote John Kelsey, NIST’s representative. There is no evidence the NSA was involved in the decision to change the algorithm. The reversal took Matthew Green, a cryptographer at Johns Hopkins University, by surprise. “NIST backed down! I’m not sure they would have done that a year ago,” he said

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For more stories and developments on this topic and others related to NSA and cryptography, visit www.propublica.org. Saathee Magazine also invites comments. Send us your thoughts to saatheemag@hotmail.com Saathee.com

December 2013

Upcoming Movie Releases Sholay 3D (Director: Ramesh Sippy) Cast: Dharmendra, Amitabh Bachchan, Hema Malini, Sanjeev Kumar, Amjad Khan, Jaya Bachchan, and A K Hangal

Mr Joe B. Carvalho (Director: Samir Tewari) Cast: Arshad Warsi, Jaaved Jaaferi, Soha Ali Khan, Geeta Basra, Karishma Kotak, and Vijay Raaz

Club 60 (Director: Sanjay Tripathi) Cast: Farooq Sheikh, Sarika, Raghuveer Yadav, Satish Shah, Tinu Anand, Sharat Saxena, and Vineet Kumar

Sonali Cable (Director: Aarif Shaikh) Cast: Rhea Chakraborty, Ali Fazal, Swanand Kirkire, Raghav Juyal, and Anupam Kher Dedh Ishqiya (Director: Abhishek Chaubey) Cast: Arshad Warsi存 Naseeruddin Shah, Madhuri Dixit, Huma Qureshi, and Vijay Raaz

Jai Ho (Director: Sohail Khan) Cast: Salman Khan, Daisy Shah, Tabu, Danny Denzongpa, Sabareesh, and Ashmit Patel

Gulaab Gang (Director: Soumik Sen) Cast: Madhuri Dixit, Juhi Chawla, Mahie Gill, Shilpa Shukla, and Tannishtha Chatterjee

Lucky Kabootar (Director: Shammi Chhabra) Cast: Ravi Kissen, Eijaz Khan, Kulraj Randhawa, Shraddha Das, and Sanjay Mishra

Karle Pyaar Karle (Director: Suneel Darshan) Cast: Shiv Darshan and Hasleen Kaur

What-The-Fish (Director: Gurmmeet Singh) Cast: Dimple Kapadia, Manjot Singh, and Anand Tiwari

Dishkiyaaoon (Director: Sanamjit Singh Talwar) Cast: Sunny Deol and Harman Baweja

R. Rajkumar (Director: Prabhu Deva) Cast: Shahid Kapoor, Sonakshi Sinha, Sonu Sood, Asrani, Ashish Vidyarthi, and Mukul Dev

Lakshmi (Director: Nagesh Kukunoor) Cast: Monali Thakur, Shifaali Shah, Ram Kapoor, Satish Kaushik, and Nagesh Kukunoor

Ragini MMS 2 (Director: Bhushan Patel) Cast: Sunne Leone

Total Siyappa (Director: E Niwas) Cast: Ali Zafar and Yaami Gautums

Jackpot (Director: Kaizad Gustad) Cast: Naseeruddin Shah, Sachin Joshi, and Sunny Leone

Yaariyan (Director: Divya Khosla Kumar) Cast: Himansh Kohli, Serah Singh, Nicole Faria, Dev Sharma, Rakul Preet, and Evelyn Sharma

Mahabharat - 3D Animation (Director: Aman Khan) Cast: Amitabh Bachchan, Sunny Deol, Vidya Balan, Ajay Devgn, Anil Kapoor, and Manoj Bajpayee

Heartless (Director: Shekhar Suman) Cast: Adhyayan Suman, Ariana Ayam, Om Puri, Deepti Naval, and Madan Jain

Dhoom 3 (Director: Vijay Krishna Acharya) Cast: Aamir Khan, Abhishek Bachchan, Uday Chopra, Katrina Kaif, and Jackie Shroff

Hasee Toh Phasee (Director: Vinil Mathew) Cast: Sidharth Malhotra, Parineeti Chopra, and Adah Sharma

Bhaag Johnny (Director: Vikram Bhatt) Cast: Kunal Khemu存Zoa Morani, Mandana Karimi, and Vikram Bhatt

Gunday (Director: Ali Abbas Zafar) Cast: Ranveer Singh, Arjun Kapoor, Priyanka Chopra, Irrfan Khan, and Sushant Singh

Disco Valley (Director: Sajit Warrier) Cast: Rajat Barmecha, Vivaan Shah, Shazahn Padamsee, and Manjot Singh

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One By Two (Director: Devika Bhagat) Cast: Abhay Deol, Preeti Desai, Rati Agnihotri, Jayant Kriplani, and Darshan Jariwala 18

December 2013

Big B to do Bhushan Kumar’s 102 Not Out Amitabh Bachchan has given a nod to star in T-Series’ next production being directed by Umesh Shukla. The film, titled 102 Not Out, is about an old man who decides to break the world record of longevity. Longtime Shukla collaborator Paresh Rawal will co-star in a pivotal role. The filming begins in early 2014.

Film Clips

John Abraham to Make a Film on Bike Racing Legends

Ali Fazal in Fast & Furious 7

Bollywood’s Ali Fazal, star of Fukrey, recently reported he has a part in the seventh film of the Vin Diesel franchise Fast & Furious. He has already shot for his portion with the crew of the fast-paced film. Fazal is reportedly playing the character of a mad tycoon and is talked excitedly about his role. He did stress, however, that it is indeed a cameo. The film is slated for release in summer of 2014.

Actor John Abraham’s obsession with bikes is well known to his fans. Taking his passion one step further, he is now all set to make a movie on the Isle of Man TT (Tourist Trophy) Race. Racing fans know that the event is known to be one of kind and also one of the most dangerous. Abraham plans to rope in Isle of Man TT heroes, John McGuiness and the racing superstar Guy Martin. Abraham has gone to the race and taken part in it to get a feel. He has plans to send his technical crew to the Isle in May next year in order to shoot the real tournament, which may just find a place in the yet-to-be-titled film.

Aman Ki Asha Retitled Total Siyappa Neeraj Pandey, after making action films like A Wednesday and Special 26, is producing a romantic film starring Ali Zafar and Yami Gautam. The film was initially titled Aman Ki Asha and it will be released as Total Siyappa. According to Bollywood Hungama, Pandey was not happy with the original title as he felt it did not reflect the film’s content. The initial title was based on the character names of the protagonists. The new title Total Siyappa, according to him, better represents the chaos in this love story. The film is set in London where romance brews between Pakistani Punjabi boy and an Indian Punjabi girl and the frenzied conditions that follow. Total Siyappa is directed by E. Niwas and is slated to release on January 31, 2014.

Shatrughan Sinha addresses the United Nations for the third time Actor and politician Shatrughan Sinha addressed the UN General Assembly in New York last month for the third time. No other member of the Indian film industry has addressed the UN thrice. “I suppose somewhere my words do have a certain resonance,” he told an interviewer. “Normally we in the Indian film fraternity are considered quite ill-informed on matters others than entertainment. But that isn’t the reality. Personalities like Amitabh Bachchan, Shabana Azmi, Kamal Haasan are not just interested in cinema. They take a keen interest in world affairs, and are also terrific orators.” Sinha feels Amitabh Bachchan should be made the President of India. “He has all the qualifications. He’s articulate, well-read, suave and known all over the world.” Sinha is also currently shooting for his comeback film Woh Aadmi Bahot Kuch Jaanta Hai where he has a lot of powerful dialogues.

Kochadaiiyaan - The Legend India’s first Photorealistic Performance Capture film, Kochadaiiyaan is set to transcend the CG capabilities utilized in such Hollywood films as Avatar, Tin Tin and Beowulf. Directed by Soundarya Rajnikanth Ashwin, Kochadaiiyaan stars Rajinikanth, who is cast as the archetypal superhero in a dual role alongside Deepika Padukone. The film also stars Jackie Shroff and South India’s leading stars R. Sarathkumar, Nazzer, Aadhi, Shobana and Rukmini. The musical score is by the Oscar-winning composer A R Rahman. Full performance capture was pioneered and optimized on James Cameron’s Avatar, and will be used for the first time in an Indian film. The film’s uniqueness also stems from the fact this project combines many modern-era technologies to aid in visual storytelling and bring to life mythological India. During the shoot in London alone, over 90 cameras were used to shoot every scene in the film which captured the performance of each artist from every angle. Speaking about the technological innovations in the film, the director said, “I have been passionately involved in film animation techniques and production for the last six years and for Kochadaiiyaan we wanted to do something unique and decided to do this with the use of Motion Capture technology which was never attempted in its full band-with in India before.” The film releases worldwide in December 2013. Saathee.com

Javed Jaffrey Turns Rapper for Jackpot Javed Jaffrey, who was last seen in the satire War Chhod Na Yaar, has bagged yet another film but this time as a singer. The versatile actor has done comedies as well as negative roles. In Jackpot, which also stars Sunny Leone, he will play the part of a rapper. Jackpot, directed by Kaizad Gustad, also features veteran actor Naseeruddin Shah, Sachiin Joshi and is slated to release on December 13. 20

December 2013

South Asian Internatinal Film Festival The 10th annual South Asian International Film Festival (SAIFF), presented by HBO, takes place from December 3 – 8, 2013 at various locations in New York City. The festival will showcase works by both established and emerging artists from India, Pakistan, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh. Hosted by prominent South Asian leaders, it mixes entertainment with exclusive industry events and will offer a slate of high-quality full length features, shorts and documentaries. Some of the films featured at this year’s festival include Monsoon Shootout, Good Morning Karachi, The Good Road, Ankhon Dekhi, Outpost, Qissa, Neighbors, and more. For further details visit www.saiff.org.

Anupam and Kirron Kher Share Screen for the First Time After working in Bollywood for nearly 30 years, real life couple Anupam Kher and Kirron Kher will be seen together on the silver screen for the first time with the Neeraj Pandey’s film Total Siyappa, which also stars Ali Zafar and Yami Gautam. Pandey told reporters that the Khers will portray husband and wife for the first time on the screen. They will portray a Punjabi couple. Of course both have appeared in numerous films separately over the past three decades. Total Siyappa is directed by E. Niwas.

Ranveer Singh and Priyanka Chopra will Portray Siblings Current top tier stars Priyanka Chopra and Ranveer Singh will play siblings in Zoya Akhtar’s next directorial venture. The film is a story of a strong bonding between a brother and a sister. But before that both will be seen as lovers in the upcoming Yash Raj Film’s Gunday.

In Memoriam: Reshma One of the most popular Pakistani folk singers, Reshma passed away last month in Lahore. She was suffering from throat cancer. According to reports, she was in coma for a month. Reshma was born in Bikaner, India, but her family shifted to Karachi after the partition. The singer has been in the music arena since the 60s when she ruled the Pakistani radio with her folk music. She established her career in Bollywood with some popular numbers like “Dama Dam Mast Kalandar” and “Lambi Judai.”

In Memoriam: Manna Dey The world of Bollywood and Indian music lost one of its giants on October 24 with the demise of Manna Dey. He was 94 and had been ailing when he passed away in Bengaluru. His birth name was Probodh Chandra Dey. He later shortened it to Manna Dey and began his career in playback singing with the film Tamanna in 1943. He reportedly recorded over 4000 songs, so many of them have become legendary hits. In the year 2007, he was conferred with the prestigious Dadasaheb Phalke Award, the country’s highest honor in cinema. Read more about his life and career on page 24. Saathee.com

December 2013

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By Kirit Shukla Song: Tu pyāra kā Sāgar hai... Film: Seema Year: 1955 Music: Shankar Jaikishan Singers: Manna Dey & Chorus Lyric: Shailendra Based on Indian Classical Raga: Darbāri Kānadā Tāl/Rhythm: Kaharavā Starring: Nutan, Balraj Sahni, Shobha Khote Tu pyāra kā Sāgar hai... Lyrics in English: Tu pyāra kā Sāgar hai, teri eka boonda ke pyāse hum, Lautā jo diyā tumane, chale jāyenge jahān se hum Tu pyāra kā Sāgar hai... Ghāyal man kā pāgal panchhi udane ko beqarār Pankha hai komal, ānkha hai dhundhali, jānā hai sāgar pār Jānā hai sāgar pār. Aba tu hi ise samajhā, rāha bhule the kahān se ham, Tu pyāra kā Sāgar hai… Idhar jhumake gāye zindagi, udhar hai maut khadi Koi kyā jāne kahān hai seemā, ulajhan āna padi, ulajhan āna padi Kānon men zarā kaha de, ki āye kaun dishā se hum Tu pyāra kā Sāgar hai… Meaning (Summary): You are the ocean of love, we are thirsty for a single drop of your love. If you turn us away we will go away from this world, you are the ocean of love. The wounded bird of the mind is restless to ﬂy, the wings are delicate, the eyes are foggy, but have to go across the ocean. Now only you explain it to him (my mind) from where have we forgotten the path. On this side life sings and dances, on that side death is standing; who can know where is the border. The mind is confused now; tell me in my ears from which direction have we come. you are the ocean of love. (You means The almighty, God!)

Manna Dey (1919 – 2013) Manna Dey, one of the most versatile singers in Indian films, was born on May 1, 1919 in Kolkata. His father Purna Chandra Dey and mother Mahamaya named him Prabodh Chandra. His blind uncle and singer K. C. Dey (who was first music mentor of S. D. Burman) made him his disciple and gave him the name Manna. He also took classical musical lessons from Ustad Aman Ali Khan and Ustad Abdul Rahman Khan. Manna Dey could sing many styles of songs including Qawali and classical raga. At the age of 24, he sang as a playback singer in film Ram Rajya. There was no stopping him after that as he recorded more than 4000 songs until his death in 2013. As a playback singer, he sang in many Indian languages and worked with many music directors and singers. He was a modest and social person even though his unique voice was very popular in the films. He said in an interview, “When I sang and recorded the song ‘Pooccho na kaise maine rain bitayi..’ ( Meri surat teri aankhen) under the music direction of S. D. Burman, he was so overwhelmed that he hugged me and cried. It was the best award of my life.” He died on Oct. 24, 2013 in Bangalore. Some Awards for Best Male Playback Singer: 1969 National Film Award for Hindi Film Mere Huzur 1971 Padma Shri Award by Government of India; National Film Award for the Bengali film Nishi Padma and Hindi film Mera Naam Joker 1972 Filmfare Award for Mera Naam Joker 1985 Lata Mangeshkar Award by Govt. of M. P. 2001 Anandalok Lifetime Award 2003 Alauddin Khan Award by Govt. of West Bengal 2004 National Award by Government of Kerala 2005 Padma Bhushan Award by Government of India; Lifetime Achievement award by Govt. of Maharashtra. 2007 First Akshaya Mohanty Award by Govt. of Orissa; Dada Saheb Phalke Award by the Govt. of India 2011 Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award. A few of his popular films: Awaara, Qarbani, Parinita, Boot Polish, Shri 420, Seema, Chori chori, Do aankhen barah haath, Parvarish , Post Box 999, Anari , Navrang, Ujala, Anuradha, Bambai ka Babu , Barsaat ki Raat, Jis Desh Mein Ganga Behti Hai, Kala Bazzar, Kalpana, Kabuliwala, Baat Ek Raat Ki, Dil hi to hai, Waqt, Chitralekha, Love in Tokyo, Teesri Kasam, Upkaar, Raat aur din, Padosan, Mere Huzoor, Neel Kamal, Ek phool do mali, Mera Naam Joker, Anand, Shor, Bawarchi, Seeta aur Geeta, Zanzeer, Bobby, Sholay, Amar Akbar Anthony, Main Tulsi tere anganaki, Satyam Shivam Sundaram, Karz, Laawaris and more! His popular song lyric, “Tu pyāra kā Sāgar hai...” is given in this issue of Saathee magazine in the column on the left. Kirit Shukla Contact him at kiritsshukla@hotmail.com

You can watch and hear this song along with other songs on YouTube. Our special thanks to Siddharth Shukla for always assisting in identifying the classical Raga & Tal/Rhythm of evergreen classical songs in the past.

Saathee.com

December 2013

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Saint Swami Haridas The Guru of Miyaa Tansen and Baiju Baawra

Indian Classical Music Carnatic Music- Karnataka and Hindustani music By Smitha Prasad Dear readers, it is interesting to go back in history and look at the birth of the two main styles of classical music in IndiaCarnatic and Hindustani. The origin of Indian music can be traced back to the Vedas (a large body of text originating in ancient India), particularly the Sama Veda. The Sama Veda consists of hymns set to musical tunes; these musical tunes initially had 3 notes or swaras and then later included 7 swaras. Until the 12th century A.D., only one form of music prevailed all through India. With the establishment of the Islamic Sultanates in Delhi, musical practice in North India came under the influence of Persian and Arabic cultures and this became known as Hindustani (Uttaradi) music. In southern India, the original music was preserved and handed down to the current generation and is known as Carnatic (Dakshinadi) music. Despite being one of the southern states, Karnataka has the distinction of being one of the very few states that is home to not only some of the greats of Carnatic music but also Hindustani music. Prominent Hindustani musicians such as Dr. Gangubai Hangal, Pt. Bhimsen Joshi, Pt. Mallikarjun Mansur, and Pt. Sawai Gandharva are among those who hail from Karnataka. Hindustani music is more prominent in Northern parts of Karnataka like Dharwad and Belgaum while Carnatic music continues to dominate the southern parts. What made Dharwad such an important hub of Hindustani music? The Dharwad region became part of the British East India Company’s Bombay Presidency in 1818 and was thus influenced by the culture of Bombay and Pune- rather than Madras, the seat of Carnatic music. Also, when royal musicians from the Mughal courts were invited to perform in their courts by the Maharajas of Mysore, Dharwad was a popular rest stop where impromptu kutcheris of these visiting musicians were arranged. Classical Hindustani music thus flourished in Dharwad. Today, cities in the south, like Bangalore, allow the confluence of both Carnatic and Hindustani styles of music. A number of modern day Hindustani musicians call Bangalore home and here they have set up both their teaching institutions as well as performing centers. Till we meet next time, I encourage readers to listen to both classical styles of music- Hindustani and Carnatic- each of these styles is unique in the way that it interprets and presents music. Much of the music discussed here can be found on YouTube and other internet channels.

By Anita Kulkarni

Swami Haridas is popularly known as a saint musician of North India. He is exclusively credited for composing a large number of devotional songs and composing the Dhrupad music, aside from creating new techniques of music. Swami Haridas was the guru of the famous musician Tansen, apart from having a galaxy of musicians in his court, namely, Bakshu, Bhanu, and Baiju. Celebrated for establishing the Haridasi School of Mysticism, Haridas was a pioneer for spreading dhrupad. It was his melodious voice and soulful language that inspired many people, declaring him a leading figure in the Bhakti movement and music. Early Life: Swami Haridas is believed to have been born in 1480 Rajpur near Brindavan in Uttar Pradesh. He was born to Gangadhar and Chitra Devi. It is also said that his father was a Saraswat Brahmin from Multan. His guru was Ashudharji. He became a sanyasi at the age of 25 and came to Brindavan. There he built his ashram (hermitage) in Nidhuvan and sang his own compositions dedicated to the immortal love of Radha-Krishna. He was also an ardent follower of “Nimbarka Sampradaya” the major Vaisnava tradition. Career: Swami Haridas was immensely supported by Raja Mansingh Tomar of Gwalior, one of the greatest patrons of dhrupad, to pursue music and make wonderful compositions. He was very impressed by Bakshu, Bhanu, and Baiju, the famous musicians present in the court. Most of the songs of Haridas were composed in the “Brij” language. His compositions are known as “Vishnupadas”, songs praising Lord Vishnu and his eighth incarnation Lord Krishna. Songs, which do not praise Lord Krishna, are also recognized as Vishnupadas because of their composition, which is similar to dhrupads. He was very familiar with the music of those times. Apart from being a saint, Swami Haridas was also a renowned teacher of Tansen, the famous musician and one of the “Nine Gems” in the court of Emperor Akbar. He is considered to be a genius because of the literary beauty and simplicity of his compositions. He became one of the leading personalities in devotional music. Contribution to Music: Swami Haridas is attributed with approximately 128 songs, out of which 110 are devotional known as “Keli Mala” and 18 are philosophical known as “Siddhanta Pada.” They are full of melody and rhythmic assets as they are completely poetic. “Keli Mala” depicts the eternal love of Radha-Krishna, while “Siddhanta Pada” illustrates complete devotion to God and separation from natural life. It is said that he also penned tirvats, ragamalas, and many other forms. He is also noted for his works of stringed instruments, such as Kinnari and Aghouti, and of drums, like Mridanga and Daff. He died in 1575 at Haridaspur, Aligarh.

Smitha Prasad

Anita Kulkarni

is a Carnatic vocalist based in Cary, NC Email: smithakprasad@outlook.com www.smithakprasad.com

is a Hindustani music vocalist and teacher based in Raleigh, NC Email:anitakul@gmail.com

Saathee.com

December 2013

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Why India and Pakistan Must be United on Health Care

Dengue is a mosquito-transmitted viral illness associated with fever, headache, rash and joint and muscle pain; in its most severe forms, it can progress to shock and death. South Asia also has half the world’s cases of Japanese encephalitis, a related viral infection transmitted by mosquitoes and also an important cause of death. Chikungunya, yet another mosquito-borne viral infection, has emerged in the region, too. Visceral leishmaniasis — also known as kala-azar — is a highly lethal disease that resembles leukemia. Three-quarters of all of the world’s cases also occur in South Asia. Together, these insect-transmitted tropical diseases kill more people in South Asia than HIV/AIDS, and yet few people have heard of them. The huge economic toll is just now being examined. The forces that promote the emergence of South Asia’s insecttransmitted tropical diseases include population growth, urbanization, lack of mosquito control and surveillance, air travel and possibly climate change. Extreme poverty remains a key factor, and today almost 600 million people in South Asia — almost half of the world’s poorest — live below the poverty line set by the World Bank.

Commentary: Not surprisingly, India and Pakistan have nuclear bombs but few vaccines for insect-borne tropical diseases. By Peter Hotez - GlobalPost.com HOUSTON, Texas — New and mounting evidence indicates that South Asia is now under siege from a group of six tropical infectious diseases. These tropical infections, all transmitted by insects, are finding a new “ground zero” on the subcontinent. Unless India and Pakistan can urgently establish an infrastructure for engaging in meaningful international scientific cooperation and redirect resources from nuclear weapons to tropical medicine, such diseases will continue to kill and disable hundreds of thousands in the region. Dengue fever, Japanese encephalitis, chikungunya, elephantiasis, and visceral leishmaniasiss are not exactly household words. More of us have heard of malaria, but not as it relates to these diseases. Essentially, all of these diseases are tropical, either viral or parasitic diseases transmitted by mosquitoes or sandflies. Recent data from academic scientists and the World Health Organization have revealed some astonishing facts. Malaria now kills more than 200,000 people every year in India alone. More than 150 million dengue fever cases occur annually in South Asia, representing almost 40 percent of the world’s cases.

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December 2013

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Meaningful international cooperation will be required to treat and prevent South Asia’s killer tropical diseases. Nascent efforts are underway through an agreement among India, Bangladesh and Nepal to cooperate on kala-azar control, especially in the border regions of these countries. But we need much more. The pipeline of new drugs, diagnostics, and vaccines for South Asia’s tropical diseases is basically empty. We cannot rely on multinational pharmaceutical companies, because South Asian markets are too modest for them, and disease targets such as leishmaniasis and other neglected tropical diseases are not a priority. Collaboration between the two neighboring countries could lead to the establishment of a joint Indo-Pakistani center for tropical infectious diseases that might be physically located on the border they share, or even in Kashmir. It would be charged with producing the pharmaceuticals needed to combat its six major diseases, possibly in partnership with industry, and for tracking their progression in South Asia. Operation costs for such a center would be about $100 million annually, based on the experience of running other adequately funded international product development partnerships. India and Pakistan each have the scientific talent and the funds needed to support an international center. Technical sophistication enables India to produce childhood vaccines for Africa. The scientific communities of both India and Pakistan have mastered the complicated process required to produce 200 or more nuclear weapons, according to the Ploughshares Fund. Adequate funding would be available if these countries would shift spending from nuclear weapons to combating tropical diseases. In 2011 alone, India and Pakistan invested the staggering amount of $7 billion on nuclear weapons. By comparison, $7 billion dollars is more than twice what the entire world invested in neglected disease research in 2011. India spent 100-fold more on producing nuclear weapons than on neglected tropical disease research. Not surprisingly, India and Pakistan have nuclear bombs but few vaccines for insectborne tropical diseases. Neither India nor Pakistan can go on with what the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons has provocatively deemed a “theft of public resources.” Both nations have a sophisticated and accomplished scientific infrastructure, and have produced scientists with global reputations. A shift in national priorities is in order. By one estimate, India urgently needs 15,000 infectious disease specialists to meet its population needs. An international Indo-Pakistan center for tropical disease research and development, biotechnology and training, possibly located in Kashmir or somewhere along the IndiaPakistan border, would create new technologies and experts in tropical infectious disease that could benefit South Asia’s 1.5 billion people affected by disease. Such a center could be established and maintained for only 10 percent of current nuclear weapons expenditures, and simultaneously create a new generation of scientific diplomacy for the region — by channeling R&D to actually promote IndoPakistani relations rather than the hostile status quo. Peter Hotez is dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine. He is president of the Sabin Vaccine Institute and Texas Children’s Hospital Center for Vaccine Development and a fellow in disease and poverty at the James A. Baker III Institute for Public Policy at Rice University in Houston. Saathee.com

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apartments furnished and supplied with appliances for all of our cooking parties, as well as plenty of space to have movie nights. They were within walking distance to plenty of necessities such as the “Swami Sagar” south Indian restaurant we visited almost every weekend. The University setting and educational system is much different than America’s. There was a dress code, attendance was thoroughly followed, the students had classes from 9 am to 4 pm (which also included night classes and classes on Saturdays), relationships with professors were very informal, and lunchtime was the highlight of everyone’s day. Adjusting to the new school atmosphere was difficult but as time went by, everyone got accustomed to the new environment. The popular subjects that were taught to us ranged from contemporary politics to Hinduism and Buddhism. The curriculum also included yoga and Bollywood dancing, taught by regional experts. I wanted to challenge myself so I partook in the introduction to Sanskrit class, which was an adventure in itself, to say the least. Not only did we thrive academically but we also volunteered in the slums of Rajendranagar and the rural schools of Bangalore. The children were eager to meet new faces and I was captivated by their innocence and zest for life. Although the children were underprivileged, they always had the biggest smiles on their faces, reminding all of us that life is too short to miss out on all the beautiful things in life. My daily routine included getting up at 7am (no matter what time I went to bed), because there was a constant human alarm clock yelling on top of his lungs for the neighborhood to come buy his vegetables. The rest of the morning was spent getting ready, making breakfast, and then running out while trying to fix my chunni and getting my other sneaker on, running into the loud and crowded traffic while I try to flag down a rickshaw driver, and then spend 10 I was a rickshaw driver- only for 10 minutes arguing with the minutes. Don’t try this at home kids. driver over the rickshaw fare. After he agrees to take me, it’s a rollercoaster ride amongst all the traffic to the university and then a quick jog to my class. Every class started with all the students getting up to greet the professor and then the lesson would begin. After class all of us international students liked to go hang out with the study abroad staff and I personally liked to go bother my study abroad director so that I could convince him to buy me more cotton candy that was sold on the streets, and he would answer in his rambunctious, Indian accent that I needed to stop acting like a child and that I would be late to go volunteer. I and some of the other American students would then go to volunteer at the slums of Rajendranagar, about a 30 minute walk from the university campus. Playing and learning with the children always brightened up my day and I loved hearing them call me “akka” which means older sister in Kannada (language spoken predominately in Karnataka). After a long day of classes and volunteering, all the students would gather to have a traditional Bangalore cuisine consisting of chai, idli (steamed rice cakes), dosas (rice and lentil crepes) and other dishes seasoned with coconut, chilies, and garam masalas. India is known as the country that never rests at night and that meant that after dinner we would also be enjoying the “night life”

On a Voyage of Culture, Learning, and Service By Priya Birdi This past summer I had the fortune of traveling to the city of Bangalore, India for a summer study abroad extravaganza. Hustling with vibrant energy amidst the vast verdant surroundings, the city of Bangalore was host to 32 American students who came to explore and experience India at very close quarters. Bangalore is the fifth largest city in India. It is the capital of the state of Karnataka and one of India’s most modern cities with malls, bargain shopping centers, espresso shops, nightclubs, and multi-cuisine restaurants. Its abundance of parks and gardens, many built by the British Raj, has earned the nickname “Garden City.” It is also known as the hub of India’s technology and business outsourcing revolution.

Our first visit to the slum

Although my Indian heritage traces back to Punjab and Gujarat, I wasn’t familiar with the culture and diversity of South India. It was a new experience altogether. In the summer Study Abroad program, I attended Christ University, the first university in Karnataka to be accredited. The tree-lined campus is currently attended by 10,000 undergraduate and graduate students from every state in India. Our accommodation included a safely gated apartment complex. We each had Saathee.com

December 2013

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of Bangalore. We would either be watching South Indian movies in the theatres (that we didn’t understand), playing cricket and ultimate frisbee with the neighborhood boys, or attending karaoke nights where everyone sang songs from American 80’s rock bands.

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Along my travels, we were whisked away to the hilltops of Nandi hills, the city of palaces known as Mysore, mountains of Coorg, and we explored South India’s culture, history and natural sites by visiting Kerala which is known as the “heaven on earth” in India. We also visited the coastal city of Kochi (Cochin), Munnar, the popular hill-resort town, Allepey also known as the “Venice of the East” with its narrow canals and lagoons, and Thekkady, home of the Periyar wildlife sanctuary with thick evergreen forests and exotic wildlife. On these trips we were able to visit waterfalls, national parks, hill stations, tour tea and spice plantations, explore paddy fields, coconut lagoons, villages, visit zoos and museums and also go speed-boating, take a jeep safari ride, visit various beaches, attend kathakali dance performances, and watch a traditional kalaripayattu marital arts performance.

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The heat and dust, the narrow streets, the rattling rickshaws, the bustling crowds, the night life, the sicknesses we acquired while journeying, the cattle and stray dogs, the fried food, the monkey attacks, and all of our happy moments in exploring and travelling through South India was an experience that taught me life lessons, gave me lifelong friendships, and showed me that even if I’m thousands of miles away from home, one smile can change many hearts (as did I to others and many have done to me). Saathee.com

December 2013

Given that he seems to be fairly headstrong and that he seems to stick to an issue and see it to its logical end, it seems likely he will get the wheels rolling. If he gets a five-year term, he should definitely be able to do the work required to push through something like a Goods and Services Tax. Obviously it will be conditional upon him getting the right numbers in the Lok Sabha [India’s Parliament] but if he has that, he clearly has the ability and inclination to see through this sort of reform to its logical end. However, the second bucket I would worry about — and I don’t think investors have thought this through — is the big ticket structural reforms, something like labor reform. Given the number of vested interests [standing] in the way of pushing through labor reform — and that is what is required to take India through to the high growth path — I don’t quite Q&A: While his opponents predict disaster if he know if he will be able take politically risky decisions which becomes prime minister, investors overwhelmingly can have clear implications in terms of your popularity.

NARENDRA

MODI:

Nightmare or savior for India’s struggling economy?

support him. Here’s why. By James Tapper - GlobalPost.com

Can you be more specific about the labor reforms that are required? The biggest problem is that the existing structure of labor laws is extremely tedious. There are some 30 to 50 legislations governing the entire issue. There are also multiple state-level variations, and the states and [the Government of India in Delhi] don’t always see eye-to-eye. The whole idea of a fairly strict labor regime was to protect laborers. What has actually happened is that to avoid the entire set of legislation, more and more employers are hiring contract workers who are exempt from this legalization. It isn’t serving anybody’s purpose. If some sort of rationalization could come through allowing people to hire and fire more easily and at the same time ensure that there is a desire for compliance by respective employers then you’ll probably head to a middle ground. There is also a massive skill mismatch problem. On one hand you have a record number of unemployed engineers, unemployed MBA graduates. On the other you have meaningful blue collar wage inflation. The labor market is generating the wrong sort of jobs and the education system is throwing up the wrong sort of qualifications. Something that corrects that will go a long way towards lifting the country. You need to develop the manufacturing sector so the entry level workers can upgrade themselves. At the same time you need to develop the service sector at a faster pace so that the record number of white collar job aspirants that you’re getting have a reasonable job in the system. If you can provide greater vocational training and greater skill development we’ll be in a better position.

NEW DELHI, India — India’s firebrand opposition candidate for prime minister, Narendra Modi, has built his platform on a reputation for economic excellence. As chief minister of Gujarat, Modi persuaded multinational corporations to set up in his state. In return, he pledged enticements that were radical for India: streamlined government regulations and reliable infrastructure. Not everything went according to plan. Investors were scared off in 2002 by anti-Muslim riots in which more than 1,000 people were killed. Modi has struggled to shake off accusations that he was to blame for the violence. As the May 2014 elections approach, his opponents are comparing him to Hitler. And as GlobalPost recently reported, some investors contend that his economic accomplishments relied less on strong administration than on debt, hype and the skills of his predecessors. Still, Gujarat grew about 10 percent annually under Modi. And that’s what matters to voters. With India’s growth slowing and the rupee losing 20 percent of its value since May, India’s middle classes seem prepared to overlook Modi’s reputation for divisiveness — if he can rescue the economy. Commentators sense that Modi’s campaign is gathering momentum while his rival, the Congress candidate Rahul Gandhi, remains in the doldrums. The possibility of Modi becoming prime minister is even being credited with boosting the stock markets. And Congress leaders were very upset recently when investment bank Goldman Sachs suggested that a “business-friendly” BJP coalition might win the general election, calling Modi an “agent of change.” So why exactly do investors like Narendra Modi? What are the other big issues that investors would like Modi GlobalPost interviewed Ritika Mankar Mukherjee, an to deal with? Single window clearance is something he should put in the economist with Ambit Capital, one of India’s leading financial first bucket of reforms. If I want to set up a manufacturing plant services companies. I shouldn’t have to pander to 20 different ministries, with each (The interview has been condensed and edited by GlobalPost.) having a different view on how I should go about it. I should have one nodal body that tells me “Ritika — this is what you GlobalPost: What would Prime Minister Modi mean for need to deliver on and if you hand me these papers by the end of the month you should be getting the clearances you require.” investors? So the lack of single window clearance is something that Ritika Mankar Mukherjee: Let’s divide it into two key parts. One of the key things for investors is that he will get the low- arguably is responsible for the slow-down you have seen in hanging reform out of the way. Something that doesn’t take India. I think this guy seems to be somebody who will be able serious amounts of time, like a GST [Goods and Services Tax] to deliver on that front. The best proof you have seen on this is land acquisition in which requires consensus-building but doesn’t need serious Gujarat, which is diametrically different from a state like West amounts of engineering. Saathee.com

December 2013

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The Indian middle classes do have quite high expectations of Modi. Are they too high for him to realistically achieve? While that is a theory that is floating around especially with the rally in the markets in the last couple of days, I don’t think the market is factoring in a growth lift that you could potentially get if Modi came through. The degree of incompetence of the current government is so high that the smallest of measures will have a disproportionate impact and There are big arguments on both sides about what Modi has those are quite achievable. We’ve forgotten over the last 10 delivered as chief minister of Gujarat. How do investors years that with a good administration, this country can have assess that? reasonable levels of growth. We have seen in Gujarat that one thing this guy gets done effectively is administration. You don’t even need to get into How good do investors think it could get? What would be an any big ticket reform. He’ll make sure that the existing overachievement for Modi? government machinery will work pretty efficiently with the If you get a combination of an improvement in the global bureaucrats given proper responsibility with executive powers business cycle and Modi getting the reins with a majority, in and the ability to take decisions. This is completely different that case the 4.5 percent growth rate that we’re hovering over, from what you see [in Delhi] where nobody knows who is you could easily drift towards 6 percent. But I’m still fairly responsible for what. confident that 8 percent or 9 percent isn’t really possible until you address the big structural issues such as labor reforms. What Modi could accomplish would depend to a certain Two percentage points of improvement from where we are extent on the make-up of government — the level of his is par for the course. It should come through if the global authority and his majority. Is that something we can assess business cycle improves which means that our exports get a at this stage? boost, especially the services exports, and on top of that a Modi That is one angle I worry about, to the extent that while administration. things like administrative capabilities in Gujarat can be But beyond that if you want to get 8 or 9 percent on a extrapolated to the national level, I don’t know if his sustainable basis without stoking inflation we need much more authoritarianism will be a complete win-win for the country. than what we’re confident of Modi achieving. Remember, we are an extremely diverse country and we do need someone at the helm who has the ability to take people with him. And vice versa be open to other people’s views. That’s something I haven’t seen from him even in the Gujarat case where he had meaningful fall-outs with big politicians in Gujarat simply because of a difference of opinion. Bengal. [Editor’s note: In 2007, Indian mega-manufacturer Tata abandoned plans to make its new Nano car in West Bengal after Modi persuaded billionaire owner Ratan Tata to build his new factory in Gujarat]. In 48 hours flat [Modi] had handed Tata the land he needed with the right proximity to skilled labor, et cetera, et cetera. This is a good example of how this guy can get you single window clearance.

♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦

Are there other elements that might make a Modi government risky? The signs have already been there in the last six months, the fact that the BJP itself doesn’t seem to be an undivided party. There could be problems if all leaders don’t give Modi the sort of backing he requires. But the core risk is that he shouldn’t be too authoritarian so that he upsets too many other people that have differences of opinion. What about potential opportunities that investors might have? If I were a foreign investor with several million dollars to invest in India, what potential opportunities might I have under Modi that don’t exist now? Single window clearance is something that benefits the infrastructure sector to the greatest extent. That sector has been beaten down, in terms of relative values, to all-time lows, mainly because single window clearance has been missing. At the moment, foreign investors don’t know if a project will get off the ground in this century. Are there any elements of foreign policy which may change under Modi? That’s another grey area. At the state level those policy stances don’t make much of a difference and so we don’t know what he thinks. The reason to worry is that we know he has got into diplomatic fracas because he has been denied visas to a lot of developed countries. [Editor’s note: The US cancelled his visa in 2005]. Hopefully he doesn’t hold any sort of grudge because of that. Saathee.com

okings For Bo all David C e s N1 Plea 5 8 -D O 7 0 4 -2 5 8 -3 6 6 1 7 0 4 -2

December 2013

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Two silk worms were in a race. Who won? It was a tie.

Children’s Corner

What do you get if you cross a tarantula and a rose? I’m not sure, but I wouldn’t try smelling it.

Word World

Why are spiders good swimmers? They have webbed feet.

By Kirit Shukla

A R

E E

What did the spider say when he broke his new web? Darn it!

Why are frogs so happy? Because they eat what bugs them.

What did one frog say to the other? Time’s sure fun when you’re having flies. How do bees get to school? By school buzz.

Make words using 4 or more letters. The central letter must be used in each word. Letters cannot be used more than once. Use all letters for the subject word (underlined in solutions below) 31+ words = Excellent; 21 to 30 words = Good; 20 or less = keep looking. Words we found are in solutions below.

Why do bees have sticky hair? Because they have honeycombs. What do you get when you cross a walrus with a bee? A wallaby.

A Message to Dad That Does Not Run Very Smoothly By Simran Bhatia (Age 11)

Why did the bee go to the doctor? Because she had hives.

The car is old, the car is old The seats are a fine source of mold, The engine’s rusted, It might as well just be arrested, There is nothing pretty about this car, It doesn’t go very far, You will dread the moment you turn the keys, You accelerate and it hurts your knees, As you can see it is time to buy a new car, A Mustang it should be because it’s a star!

What do you get if you cross a centipede and a parrot? A walkie-talkie. How do fleas travel from place to place? By itch-hiking. What are caterpillars afraid of? Doger-pillars. When is it very bad luck to see a black cat? When you're a mouse. Is it hard to spot a leopard? No, they come that way.

Riddles Riddles Riddles What animal is bad to play games with? A cheetah.

What steps do you take if you a tiger is running towards you? Big ones.

What happened when the lion ate the clown? He felt funny!

Why didn't the butterfly go to the dance? Because it was a moth ball.

Is it true that a lion won’t attack if you hold a tree branch? That depends on how fast you carry it.

What kind of cats like to go bowling? Alley cats!

What’s the nickname for someone who put her right hand in the mouth of a lion? Lefty.

Word World (Solution): ACRE, ARETE, CARE, CARET, CATER, CERATE, CERE, CHEATER, CHEER, CHERT, CRATE, CREATE, EACH, EARTH, EATER, ERECT, ETCH, ETHER, HARE, HATE, HATER, HEAR, HEART, HEAT, HECTARE, HERE, RACE, RACHET, RATE, RATHE, REACH, REACT, REHEAT, RETCH, RETE, RETEACH, RHEA, TARE, TEACH, TEACHER, TEAR, TERCE, THEE, THREE, TRACE, TREE … and so on

Why didn’t the boy believe the tiger? He thought it was a lion. Why did the leopard wear a striped shirt? So she wouldn’t be spotted. Saathee.com

December 2013

15. set store by ___ 16. set the stage for ___ 17. set in motion ___ 18. set the pace ___ 19. set foot in ___ 20. set (someone) straight ___ 21. set (one’s) heart on ___ 22. set (one’s) sights on ___ 23. set up housekeeping ___ 24. set sail ___ 25. set fire to ___

Mastering Meaning HARNESSiNg THE PowER of AMERiCAN ENgliSH

By Judith L. Bergman M.A. CCC “Small but mighty” is a theme that resonates with children who identify with characters who are little, but very smart, very determined and who can solve big problems. The Little Engine that Could is a popular story about a little red engine who kept puffing and saying, “I think I can, I think I can” while he pulled a circus train up a hill. Another favorite children’s story is called Big Pumpkin. A very tiny, but very smart bat told a much bigger witch, skeleton, ghost and mummy (This is a Halloween story) who could not budge the big pumpkin separately, to hold onto each other and pull together. Then the witch was able to bake a very big pumpkin pie for all to enjoy! This month we will look at one “small but mighty” threeletter word with multiple meanings in multiple parts of speech that appears in multiple idioms. SET has about thirty meanings as a verb in American English, six meanings as an adjective, ten as a noun and is part of fifteen phrasal verbs and at least sixteen idioms. That’s pretty mighty!

1. To step on m. Determine to do something n. To get something started o. To cause to burn p. Established business operations q. To enter r. To establish a household s. To regard as very worthwhile t. To correct by providing accurate information u. To set as a goal v. Caused to become very excited w. To start a voyage on water x. To perform in way that others try to match y. Provide the basis for

Can you match these sentences, using set as a verb, to their meanings that are listed just below? 1. I need to set my alarm clock for six A.M. __ 2. Please set the flowers on that table. __ 3. The doctor set Jim’s broken arm. __ 4. The play is set in Rome. __ 5. Please set a place at the table for our guest. __ 6. A parent should set a good example for their children. __ 7. The judge set the bail very high. __ 8. The ring was set with diamonds and rubies. __ 9. The debate competition set one high school against another. __ 10. The expert set a high value on that antique. __ 11. Many world records have been set in the Olympics. __ a. To restore to a normal state when dislocated or broken b. To establish as a model c. To arrange properly for use d. To estimate the worth of e. To incite opposition f. To adjust an instrument to a specific point or calibration g. To apply jewels to h. To locate in a specific place i. To fix at a given amount j. To place in a specific position k. To establish as the highest level of performance Here are four more expressions with set: The sun sets at midnight. (Goes below the horizon) We’re set to leave first thing in the morning. (Ready) He is very set in his ways. (Unwilling to adapt or change) You need to follow set procedures to file this claim. (Established by rule)

Suggested strategies to increase your mastery of meaning this month: See how many uses of set you can find in one edition of your local newspaper. References: 1, http://www.thefreedictionary.com Answers: 1-f, 2-j, 3-a, 4-h, 5-c, 6-b, 7-i 8-g 9-e, 10-d, 11-k 12-p 13-v 14-l, 15s 16-y 17-n 18-x, 19-q 20-t, 21-m, 22-u, 23-r, 24-w, 25-o. Judith L. Bergman M.A CCC is the director of Triangle Speech Services specializing in foreign accent modification. Contact: jlbergman@mindspring.com or 919-489-5464 www.trianglespeech.com

Can you match these idioms to their meanings that are listed just below? 12. set up shop ___ 13. set on fire ___ 14. set foot on ___ Saathee.com

December 2013

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December 2013

Immigration Matters USCIS Launches Redesigned Website WASHINGTON—U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has announced the launch of the agency’s redesigned website available in both English and Spanish. The redesigned website provides customers with a simplified and more user-friendly experience. “This redesign demonstrates our ongoing commitment to improving the quality of service we provide,” said USCIS Director Alejandro Mayorkas. “Throughout the past year, we have evaluated traffic on the website and listened to valuable feedback from users. Today’s launch is the result of that effort and we are confident the public will find an improved online experience.” The USCIS website incorporates current best practices while introducing a new content management system that will improve functionality and allow for continued enhancements. Some of the improvements to the new website include better navigation menus, a tools section that helps customers complete common electronic transactions, and a more prominent search bar that produces improved results. The home page also displays a more prominent rotating banner that highlights timely information and introduces alerts that provide important news and other customer notifications at-a-glance. In response to stakeholder feedback, USCIS has also streamlined the change of address online tool to provide an easier, more efficient process for customers. The new and improved USCIS website is part of the Department of Homeland Security’s Web strategy to use a common content management system and consolidate the Department’s public websites. The agency plans further enhancements in the coming months. USCIS first redesigned its website in September 2009, fulfilling the Obama administration’s commitment to offer enhanced navigation tools for the public to access immigration information and review case status. New Security Enhancement Helps E-Verify Deter Employee Fraud WASHINGTON- U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Director Alejandro Mayorkas has announced an enhancement to the E-Verify program that will help combat identity fraud by identifying and deterring fraudulent use of Social Security numbers (SSNs) for employment eligibility verification. This enhancement provides a critical safeguard to the EVerify system by detecting and preventing potential fraudulent use of SSNs to gain work authorization. An employer, for example, may enter information into E-Verify that appears valid – such as a matching name, date of birth, and SSN – but was in fact stolen, borrowed or purchased from another individual. This new safeguard now enables USCIS to lock a SSN that appears to have been misused, protecting it from further potential misuse in E-Verify. “We are committed to strengthening E-Verify’s ability to combat identity fraud,” said Director Mayorkas. “This new enhancement provides yet another significant safeguard for EVerify users and could assist employees who have had their Social Security numbers stolen or compromised.” Saathee.com

The new enhancement strengthens the E-Verify program by implementing standards that have proven effective in protecting individual identity. Just like a credit card company will lock a card that appears to have been stolen, USCIS may now lock SSNs in E-Verify that appear to have been used fraudulently. USCIS will use a combination of algorithms, detection reports and analysis to identify patterns of fraudulent SSN use and then lock the number in E-Verify. This will help deter and prevent fraudulent use of SSNs in the E-Verify system. If an employee attempts to use a locked SSN, E-Verify will generate a “Tentative Nonconfirmation” (TNC). The employee receiving the TNC will have the opportunity to contest the finding at a local Social Security Administration (SSA) field office. If an SSA field officer confirms the employee’s identity correctly matches the SSN, the TNC will be converted to “Employment Authorized” status in E-Verify. Employees who successfully confirm their identities are encouraged to call USCIS so they can learn more about available resources on identity theft and fraud prevention. E-Verify is a free Web-based service offered by the Department of Homeland Security that allows employers to quickly verify the employment eligibility of new employees. Employer enrollment in E-Verify has more than doubled since January 2009, with more than 470,000 participating employers representing more than 1.4 million hiring sites. Approximately 1,500 new employers enroll each week. In fiscal year (FY) 2013, E-Verify was used to authorize workers in the U.S. more than 25 million times. For more information about USCIS and its programs, visit www.uscis.gov or follow on Facebook (/uscis), Twitter (@uscis), YouTube (/uscis) and the USCIS blog The Beacon.

ICE introduced as newest member of Ameripol SAN JOSE, Costa Rica — U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) was introduced last month as the newest permanent observer agency to the American Police Community (Ameripol). ICE is the second U.S. agency admitted to Ameripol. The object of observer agencies is to coordinate law enforcement initiatives aimed at organized and transnational crime. “I am extremely pleased to represent HSI as we are welcomed in to Ameripol as the newest observer agency,” said John Connolly, assistant director of ICE’s Office of International Affairs. “By working with our international partners in forums such as this, we will better be able to share best practices, coordinate training and enforcement, and educate the public about our shared mission and goals.” Ameripol is an internationally integrated organization whose purpose is to promote and strengthen police cooperation in scientific and technical training, as well as to streamline the exchange of information used for intelligence purposes. The organization aims to coordinate and enhance efforts in criminal investigations and increase judicial assistance between the police and its counterparts in America. Ameripol currently has 28 police forces as members including law enforcement from Argentina, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panamá, State Border Service, Paraguay, and Peru. Ameripol now has 19 observer agencies to include HSI. December 2013

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Dances of India By Dr. Maha Gingrich Drum Dances: Ghumra In any dance form from any country, when you add drums to the orchestra, it sets the stage for presentation of energy. They are used to invoke spirits, create rhythmic patterns or describe the intensity of cosmic dances. I have written about Pung Cholam before. Another fine example of drum dance is the festive dance of Ghumra, mostly prevalent in Orissa, especially in the districts of Sambalpur, Balangir and Kalahandi. The name of the dance is derived from the pitcher that looks like a drum. Its body is made from terracotta (mud). The neck of the drum is like a hollow cylinder. On its mouth they tie the skin of Godhi, a lizard like reptile. The drum is slung from the neck of the dancers like in Pung Cholam, but they also tie it to the back so that the face of the drum is close to their chest. The dancers play on the face of the drum with both their hands while dancing. This dance is performed only by men. Unlike Pung Cholam, the dancers wear colored Dhotis and jackets. They wear beautiful turbans decorated with peacock feathers, while their belts and ankles have several bells or ghungroo. It gets complicated as one dancer without the Ghumra drum holds two bunches of long peacock feathers in both hands. He then dances with the group making funny movements and sounds that add a humorous element to the performance. In the beginning, the dancers stand in two rows and play their Ghumra drums. Then the vocalist starts his singing, while the dancers play drums softly to the music. As soon as the singing is complete, the dancers play on their drums loudly and dance vigorously. Although this dance is performed during some festive occasions, customarily it is danced on the day of Gamba Purnima that falls on the full moon day of the lunar month of Shravan which is around the months of July and August. Many African countries have drum dances as well. Even Native Americans use the drums to call upon the spirits of nature. However, in my opinion, perhaps no country can surpass India in the range and variety of drums and drum dances.

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It Takes a Village By Dipika Kohli Bring your own soap Dawned on me, finally. Bring my own bar. “Where’s the soap?” Akira said, stepping over the threshold of our dusty guesthouse room in Kathmandu. “Oh, I took it with me today,” I said. Fishing the prism from my brown knapsack, which I’ve been carrying seven months and is now more beige than I’d like, I handed it to him. Hand washing is a big priority lately, what with pinkeye going around. Kush, our son, got it. You would think people in Nepal would be more into hand cleaning, too, but it’s hard to find a restaurant with a working sink and soap to boot. A dosa place, Annapurna, which is over in the old city of Patan, that’s usually been a good bet, but I was disappointed that on the last trip out their usual “big soap,” as Kush named it, had gone on a huge diet. “Where’s the soap?” the little guy said. So I pointed to a flake of white, smaller than a Nepali onerupee coin. “Oh.” We did our best with it, scrubbing away to a speck. That’s when I got the idea - I could just bring along one of the giant bars we’ve got stocked at our room. So now, that’s what I do. Pink, yellow, green and white varieties. Come to think of it, even the hospital didn’t have soap. We went to get Kush’s eye checked out at a place called, you guessed it, the Nepal Eye Hospital. Closeby. I showed someone at an optical shop what was going on with Kush, and the shop man pointed the way, reassuring me as he did. Dust. Allergies. Change of season. “Normal, everyday stuff here.” So why was it, when we got that diagnosis confirmed – conjunctivitis – and I beelined for the restroom, there was no soap? No wonder I caught the pinkeye from Kush. Good news is, though, that he’s all clear, thanks to the attentive service they gave us there. Even though I am not one of the people who use every single antiseptic spray at hospitals when I go, I wished for just one container of Purell after Kush’s vision test was done. Before Nepal, there was India, which is where, I’m guessing as I think back, we slackened on hand washing. All the months prior to Delhi I’d keep not just one but two squeeze bottles of sanitizer on my person, at all times. They came in handy on overnight bus trips, like to Bangkok from Vientiane. Toilets, they can be a mess. Flies and sinks without running water, that’s all I recall from that long trip into Thailand back in July. You have these ideas in your head about things, and then, you see the dirt and grime, and it feels like you’re walking around in a cliché. But it’s making me think. We’re not prone to pay much attention to the ugly stuff right in our own neighborhoods, in America. Like, who amongst the cream of the internationally acclaimed photographers is going to go through the back alleys by Duke University, streets which I used to walk every day, and take shots of the garbage piled there? Reams of it, in huge black bags, just gaping out over the world in sullied hunks. Saathee.com

Yet a National Geographic photographer I went to see the other day here seemed unabashed in documenting, without permission, whatever he liked here in South Asia. The more I sat there, the more I started to get annoyed that he didn’t seem to be too bothered capturing bathing women, half naked, with wet saris clinging to their skin, while in the same slide deck showing portraits of international models in their high-end, highly tailored pieces, arranged and lit to be framed in the most captivating way possible for the camera. This seemed unfair. So midway through the American’s presentation, I left to get fruit salad at my guesthouse, on the roof. Here’s the thing. A gap between what we see as “Eastern” and what we know to be “the West” is largely a function of what we’ve seen, all our lives, in images on television, in movies, and in books. I’m not going to pretend when I went to Laos I wasn’t half expecting to see a bunch of really poor people without shoes, and sure, there were some of those, but there is a lot of money in Vientiane, too, what with the foreign aid dollars coming in. This is the stuff we don’t see: power, beauty, fashion, and the chiseled features of Laotian models, positioned under expensive lamps in artful arrangements that rival Western magazine spreads. See, I’d felt a lump in my throat, one spun of sadness more than anything, because I know that just because we grow up in America, like I did, if our skin is brown, and we’re not Bollywood models, we’re part of that whole group of people out here in South Asia that regular ol’ Westerners see as simply dirty and unkempt. I’m not a photographer, so I haven’t been recording things the way a professional in that area might, but I am seeing that we are far more susceptible to our stereotypes of things than we realize. What you may never have guessed, unless you are much more awake to the world than I am, is that there are some places in Asia far more manicured than our subdivisions in the US. It’s just that no one’s telling that story. It doesn’t fit the mold. It’s becoming clear to me that what we are isn’t what our passport says, but a collection of how we feel, what we believe, and the stories that we tell ourselves about our lives and, in a bigger way, our purpose. It’s pretty big stuff, I realize, but it’s our own responsibility to help paint a better, more realistic picture of what it means to be of the East, if that’s how we choose to identify. In January my family and I return to Southeast Asia, and I hope to zip a line to Vietnam. That was a place that was hugely clean. Before the summer got too hot, Kush and I lunched on our own in a shady restaurant in Hoi An, waiting for spring rolls. I’d told him to go wash his hands. “Don’t worry, Mama,” Kush had said, gleeful as ever. “Everywhere you go, there’s soap.” More stories in the Monday Village Report, at kismuth.wordpress.com.

dipika Kohli Contact email: dipika@designkompany.com

December 2013

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Akshardham, New Delhi

Akshardham is a Hindu temple on a 100acre complex in Delhi. It is situated near the banks of the Yamuna River. The complex is also referred to as Delhi Akshardham or Swaminarayan Akshardham and it displays millennia of traditional Hindu and Indian culture, art, spirituality, and architecture. The building was inspired and developed by Pramukh Swami Maharaj, the spiritual head of the Bochasanwasi Shri Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS), whose 3,000 volunteers helped 7,000 artisans construct Akshardham. In addition to the large central temple crafted entirely of stone, the complex features exhibitions on incidents from the life of Swaminarayan and the history of India, an IMAX feature on the early life of Swaminarayan as the teenage yogi, Nilkanth, a musical fountain on the message of the Upanishads, and large landscaped gardens. It took five years to build the complex, built according to Vastu Shastra and Pancharatra Shastra, and was inaugurated on November 6, 2005.

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The Prince of Wales, Prince Charles and The Duchess of Cornwall, Camilla visited the Swaminarayan Akshardham on November 8, 2013. Prince Charles commented, “I am amazed at your outstanding achievement. I don’t remember seeing anything like this in the world! I promote revival of art and heritage and this is perhaps one of the most exceptional examples.”

All images courtesy of BAPS and Akshardham. For more details visit www.akshardham.com and www.baps.org.

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December 2013

NCISAFF Film Festival and Phantom Review By Dilip Barman As a new generation of South Asian filmmakers shares its artistic vision, as well as while many new films by those of all nationalities are made on many fascinating issues about South Asia, it’s exciting to hear about a growing film festival in North Carolina. North Carolina’s South Asian International Film Festival (NCISAFF, ncisaff.org) has announced its second annual film festival. It will be held in late January, tentatively Friday evening January 24 and all day Saturday January 25, 2014.

The Festival will be held at Duke University in Durham, NC. Duke’s Arts of the Moving Image is co-sponsoring the event. The Festival will be free to the general public. The goal of the NCISAFF is to promote and celebrate filmmakers and actors of all backgrounds who bring forth films of South Asian Themes or South Asian Filmmakers who bring films of any themes. All forms, including documentary, drama, comedy, action, animation, and shorts, have been solicited. Decisions are expected to be made and published on the Festival’s website by year end as to the programming. Please consider attending! I am helping NCISAFF in planning and executing the Festival, and hope to meet many of you there in January. For those who appreciate (and how could one not?) the beautiful simplicity used in the films of Satyajit Ray to reveal the depths of the human condition, you will understand my simultaneous interest in the films of Ray’s rough contemporary in Japan, Yasujiro Ozu. In fact, I periodically teach a class comparing the films of Ozu and Ray. Ozu’s films often wrestle with the slow disintegration of family values in post-World War II Japan. In the new 2013 Japanese film Phantom, French filmmaker Jonathan Soler continues the tradition using minimalism to share an unusually depicted coming of age film about the continued decline. In light of difficult economic times, with childhood and separation from parents a blur, how can one forge a meaningful life of one’s own? The 76-minute film, Soler’s second, is a dream-like visual essay with strands of conversation interspersed between two young and aimless people. The main character is a freeter (somebody who works part-time odd jobs, while waiting for a more substantive position) and the film depicts a sleepless night of disconnected conversation between her and her boyfriend. A foil to the classic My Dinner with Andre (Louis Malle, 1981), where there is almost no action in the dinner-time Saathee.com

conversation of two friends, Phantom is mostly silent scenes of Tokyo with occasional discourse. It didn’t surprise me that the filmmaker was influenced by one of my favorite films, Godfrey Reggio’s 1982 Koyaanisqatsi, which has no dialogue at all, but only remarkable footage and a hypnotic Philip Glass score. Near the end of Phantom, we learn that the main character (whose name is either never revealed or at least barely mentioned; she is played by Yuki Fujita) only maintains brief connections with her mother, speaking every 2 or 3 weeks, for fear of revealing the truth of her tenuous existence, not even making enough money to pay rent. While in junior high school, the main character’s father abandons the family; nobody knows his whereabouts. Now, she is in a “floating” state, working menial jobs such as holding placards pointing the way to the nearest bathroom for urban crowds. So, educated and ready to make a difference in the world, what does one do when there simply are no opportunities to be found? The film includes many profound pronouncements, such as when, almost an hour into the film, the young lady considers what she sees society as directing the young to do. “Now you became an adult, so behave like one. Earn your own living. Decide quickly to have a family. From now on, think by yourself. But don’t think too much or you’ll get melancholic. And, most importantly, solve your own problems.” Hence the title of the film. A few minutes before the monologue about adulthood is a discussion about what a phantom is: they “can barely sleep, eat, or work - they barely can communicate. So no one wants to get along with them, they just can watch a world full of the living. They feel like this world is flowing without them and they just watch it like bystanders. Phantoms are trapped in this world ... alive but with no influence on those around them.” The gossamer nature of the film is enhanced by the way that the mostly silent video sequences, overlaid with sound effects, were made through a hand-held Canon 5D Mark II DSLR camera. Though I wondered why he didn’t go further to a f/1.4 like I shoot with or even an f/1.2, it is all shot wide open on a 50mm f/1.8 lens for minimal focus and maximal bokeh. One clearly feels that one is in a dream-state, gliding through the sometimes harsh, albeit under-reported reality of contemporary Japan (including scenes of garbage and of the homeless), with snippets of thoughts floating in and out periodically.

In this modern-day coming of age tale, the love is quite nuanced, barely perceptible, but perhaps the most authentic part of the film. After all, the young couple remains together through all the difficult discussion and insomnia. The main character tells us that “the thing that love teaches is that this world is way too cruel to be fought alone.” Note: Images from Phantom courtesy of Ganko Films and are used with permission. 56

December 2013

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December 2013

messenger of hope and change back in 2008, issued an apology to the American people for the miscommunication. This only further deepens the distrust of those living outside the District BEHiNd THE of Columbia with those who shape policy in it. However, this is the United States of America. We elect many of our government officials. While everything sounds possible and exciting in theory on the campaign trail, the Distrust Inside the District. responsibility remains with each voter to become educated on By Neal Patel pertinent issues in order to be informed. Most of all, it’s on us, the voters, to hold these elected officials accountable. Make Washington’s popularity has plummeted to new depths as your voice heard by calling or writing an elected official, or recent polls have indicated approval ratings from the American participating as a volunteer in a political campaign, or by people range anywhere from 8-10%. The simply casting your vote at the ballot box. disapproval ratings are consistent as they In today’s technological age, one hover around the 85% mark. Yes, this person can really make a huge difference means voters look more favorably upon by employing Twitter, Facebook, and being selected for jury duty than they do other social media tools. If you don’t think the actions of their own elected officials elected officials aren’t keeping an eye on in Washington. It’s a tough time to be these methods of communication, trust working as a politician inside the D.C. me, they are. Beltway. This past Election Day in Morrisville, Of course, the road to these lowly North Carolina, there was a heavy numbers was not paved overnight. It representation of South Asians on the appears the concrete was laid long ago, ballot. All major races had a South Asian and we are now seeing years of voter frustration bubbling to candidate. The candidates were: the surface. Recent events, such as the government shutdown, and the perpetual feeling of self-created calamities fall at the Narendra Singh for Mayor feet of both political parties. However, the latest episode Steve Rao for Town Council (at-large seat) causing concern in the eyes of voters across the spectrum comes Vinnie Goel for Town Council (District 2) directly from the White House. Rao Bond for Town Council (District 4) Much of it stems from this now infamous quote: “If you like your doctor, you will be able to keep your While incumbent Councilman Steve Rao was the only doctor. Period. If you like your health care plan, you will be able successful candidate this election cycle, it’s encouraging to see to keep your health care plan. Period. No one will take it away. the names of all these candidates on the ballot. I applaud them No matter what.” – President Barack Obama in July of 2009. for their efforts and am looking forward to seeing many of them As many Americans are now discovering, that simply continue to serve their communities in various capacities. wasn’t true. Hopefully, many of you in the Carolinas are able to build Prior to addressing the canceled health insurance policies, on the success in Morrisville. Our community is severely let’s discuss the complete debacle behind the launch of underrepresented in the realm of politics. Get involved locally President’s signature policy’s website: healthcare.gov. This and keep the momentum moving forward. website was launched with much fanfare on October 1 as a way for Americans to shop around at a central location for health Neal Patel insurance plans that fit the needs of their families. Neal Patel is the The problem arose when the healthcare.gov website Communications Director for Congressman Charles Boustany, Jr., M.D. suffered from stage fright on the day of the launch. Unfortunately, long delays such as frozen websites, failed neal.patel@mail.house.gov technical support numbers, and an inability to sign up for health plans resulted. The website quickly transformed into a fine example of federal government ineptitude as it became a punch line for late-night talk show hosts. Initially, the Administration described the issues with the MISHRA ARCHITECTURE PLLC website as “merely technical glitches.” Soon after, it became evident that the website simply was not ready for primetime. ASHISH MISHRA Moreover, only 106,000 people signed up for insurance NCARB, AIA, LEED AP coverage nationally under the new health care law. The LICENSED IN SEVERAL STATES Administration projected closer to 500,000 Americans would enter the program through the website. 6800 South Creek Rd. Unfortunately for the President, the website was only the tip of the iceberg. Citing new rules implemented under the Affordable CHARLOTTE, NC 28277 Care Act, health insurance carriers have recently sent notices to millions of Americans canceling current health insurance policies. Many supporters of the landmark legislation now found 704.625.6554 • emishra@gmail.com themselves without insurance coverage as a result of it. MishraArch.com Forced to admit this was not the case, President Obama, the

Congressional Curtain

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December 2013

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Happy Holidays!

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Georgia Atlanta

December 2013

THiNKiNg

About Thinking

acceptable to us. We even invent religions to codify these things, to police them and to drive people into a level of conformance that provides us the comfort of some order. We may be only tiny grains of sand in an infinitely large beach, but we like to draw lines in the sand.

Points use pointers Regardless of everything we do to gain control, reality always seems to lie just beyond our grasp. Ever so slightly, Thinking Pointlessly beyond. But human beings are innovative tool-makers. We fashion tools that help us point at things even if we cannot reach Things that Think – A Poem them. Language is a foundational tool that we have developed to extend ourselves beyond the limits of our biological selves. A wand tears magic hole to show If language is the medium, our words are the creative a scene as far as eye can see, expression that harnesses the medium. We innovate to extend What wonder lies in frozen glow the medium itself too. Logical expressions are tricks we learn that’s cast by spell of “still, still be!” to perform once we gain some level of facility with language. As shattered matter cedes its flow, We can say things about things. We can do much more – we can wide spaces tantalizingly, tie our statements together into logical syllogisms and other they beg my mind to find – to grow, devices of logic to derive new statements that are further to make holes whole, wholly holy, removed from the reality that we look to describe. Sometimes, I squeeze myself in, into Show, our pointers to reality are actually pointers that point to as thing, it twists and turns with me, pointers, which in turn point to other pointers. ‘til thing I thought … now thinks in me! At some point, we may be in danger of losing touch. Our conversations circle around pointers, and we forget what we A Point in Space Nature is complex. There are many, many things with were looking to point at in the first place. The pointer, itself, many, many relationships among them. We are part of nature becomes the point! too, and have relationships and interactions with many of the Pointers point at Grainy Images things around us. However, unlike inanimate grains of sand Words, language and logic are limited in their ability to that swirl around in the wind, and drift wherever the wind may care to blow, we are not as accepting about letting things flow realize the dynamism and complexity inherent in reality. The where they flow. Something inherent in our life force causes us best we can do by following our pointers is a static view of the to seek a level of control that is pronounced – much more world: stories with missing pieces, few colors and a resolution pronounced than the lesser animals believed to be our that is grainy and pixelated. Depending on how we choose to tell our stories, we create gaps. Sometimes these gaps cause evolutionary ancestors. Why we seek such control has been a subject of some study pain, and sometimes they bring a sense of pleasure. If the gaps and research. Also, it is quite obvious that control is not always we create cause us displeasure, we feel compelled to fill them. attainable in the real world. The research shows that we often Point-pointer Entanglement settle for the next best thing: a perception of control. To exert One of the things we point at is the point itself – ourselves. control, we need to feel that we have options: that we can choose. Again, it is not necessary that we actually have choice; We like to tell stories about ourselves: who we are, where we came from, why we are the way we are, and so forth. The stories we only need to feel that we have choice. If we can restrain our feelings and perceptions for a about ourselves influence the stories that we tell about the rest moment, it is possible to see that we are more like grains of sand of reality that lies beyond us. The master storyteller becomes part of the grand story, and being tossed around in a whimsical wind. The grain of sand may have a hand within the scheme of everything grand, but, gets entangled in it. Alice walks through the looking glass, and finds herself in a strange land peopled by the exotic creations perhaps, it is just a tiny hand. We are points in a vast space that stretches beyond the of her imagination. If we are not careful, the Queen may say “Off with her points’ ability to comprehend. head!” That would be a disaster! But, on the other hand, if we did not have the rich imagination that we do, this world would, The Point that draws lines Although, we can comprehend at some level that we perhaps, be a rather dull place. Whether there is a point, or whether it is pointless, the point comprehend little more than a smidgin of what is around us, our desire for control overrides those practical constraints. If must carry on. The point will prevail! options are not available to us in nature, we roll our own options, thanks to the creativity and imagination that we are endowed with. We invent words that paint a picture that serves as an alternate reality for whatever actually lies underneath. We often prefer to do this, to avoid what might otherwise be a sea Balaji Prasad is an IIT/IIM graduate, of amorphous uncertainty. We invent protocols and societal a published author, SAT/ACT Online and Offline Coach, Math instructor and essay, patterns that attempt to bring a semblance of order to the chaos resume, & career coach at NewCranium. and madness that swirls around us. We drive consensus toward Contact: 704.746.9779 shared “values” that provide us some reassurance that the other balaji.prasad@newcranium.com “intelligent points” around us play by some rules that are By Balaji Prasad

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December 2013

indian Performing arts association of Charlotte has been promoting indian Classical Art in Charlotte since 2005 and is now... launching

iPAAC School of Music HiNduSTANi (NoRTH iNdiAN) voCAl & iNSTRuMENTAl MuSiC at Multiple locations in Charlotte Metro Area opportunity to participate in workshops with Experts who will be performing in iPAAC concerts through the year!! Enrollment begins december 2013. Classes start in January 2014

For enquiries please email to musicschool@ipaac.org For more details log on to ipaac.org/musicschool.htm An opportunity to perform in IPAAC’s annual recital & special IPAAC membership rates indian Performing Arts Association of Charlotte (iPAAC) is a non-profit, tax-exempt organization created to promote Classical Hindustani music in and around the Queen City. iPAAC is the result of a shared dream of a small group of music enthusiasts to bring the rich world of Classical music and dance from the indian subcontinent.

open 7 days a week for lunch & dinner Lunch Buffet everyday Dinner A La Carte everyday

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December 2013

Happy Holidays!

Collaboration is Key to Growth in Current Economy

Marketing Turnaround By Gail Martin Is 2014 the year to make your dreams come true? Many New Year’s resolutions will be made this month, but what progress toward your dreams did you make in 2013? Sometimes, it’s difficult to give yourself credit for progress made. Here are some ways you might have taken steps toward your dreams this year: - Learning new skills through books, classes or self-study programs - Taking a risk to add staff, new products, new marketing techniques, or new distribution channels/multiple streams of income - Stepping out of your comfort zone to ask for help through coaching, delegating workload, finding a mentor. - Investing in yourself and your business through memberships, classes, resources, technology and equipment. - Spending time on your vision and plans to chart a course for the future. - Team building with your employees, contractors and vendors Getting out of the office to network and strengthen relationships. - Joining a new organization, taking on a community leadership role, and giving back to causes that matter to you. Celebrate your successes by making a list of the steps you’ve taken, big or small, to get closer to your dream. Write down every success, big and small, and every step you’ve taken to get closer to your dream. Now take a few moments and read over your list, and let yourself feel well-deserved credit for all that you’ve done this year to pave the way toward attaining your goals next year. Next, it’s dreaming time. What is your vision for the New Year? I’m not talking about resolutions, things like losing weight or exercising more often. I mean for your business— what vision do you have to blaze new trails, extend your horizons, and step fully into your dreams? Write down your vision and the specific progress you want to achieve next year. Do you want to write a book? Become a professional speaker? Conquer social media? Get over your fear of technology? Re-launch your web site? Create a new product? Move into a new office? Hire more help and delegate more tasks? Whatever it is, write it down! You’re not done yet! Take a few moments to look over your new vision list. Don’t let yourself get overwhelmed with what has to happen to make those visions into reality. Instead, imagine each item has already come true. Imagine that it’s this time next year, and these are your accomplishments. Try each one on for size. How does it feel? Capture that feeling and hang onto it; you’ll need it when the going gets tough as you work to bring your vision to life. Take the time to celebrate and dream, and sow the seeds for prosperity.

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Among all of the techniques I’ve seen promoted as ways to thrive in today’s economy, collaboration has received little comment, yet I believe it’s the most powerful tool for growing during lean times. Many business owners have the idea they need to rise or fall by themselves. Nothing could be further from the truth. If it’s true that “it takes a village” to raise a child, then it’s also true that it takes a village to help a company thrive. Think beyond individual transactions with your customers, vendors, suppliers, referral sources and even your competitors to build a support system to enable your company to weather the ups and downs of the market. Contact your customers and vendors and find out what their key challenges and goals are—even in areas unrelated to the services you provide. Can you help them achieve those goals or overcome those challenges by connecting them to someone in your contact base? Is there a way you could team up to tackle a big goal for a win-win solution? When you connect with your referral sources, are you working hard to develop connections for them? The people who refer clients to you also need a stream of referrals. Can you refer some of your existing clients to them? Can you connect them to people in your network? You won’t know what they need unless you ask. And while you’re asking (and listening), look for ways you can partner to provide a solution or educational program for an audience of value to both of you. When times get tough, people often become especially fearful of competitors. But a high-integrity competitor could be a fantastic collaborator. Few companies are perfect substitutes for each other. Even companies that seemingly offer the same menu of services rarely have the same sweetspot or areas where they shine. Consider teaming up with an honest competitor to refer clients who need services you don’t provide, or to subcontract for you when you have an overflow situation. The key to successfully collaborating with a competitor lies in a “no poaching” agreement. Both of you have to respect the collaborative relationship more than you want to chase an individual prospect’s money. So if Company A sends a referral to Company B for a service that Company A doesn’t provide, Company B must have the integrity not to try to woo the client away from Company A for other services. Physicians practice these kinds of referrals all the time. A family physician might refer Patient Smith to a specialist for a specific need, but that specialist doesn’t then also begin to treat the strep throat or ear infections that the patient would normally see his family doc to treat. Doctors who violate this protocol and get greedy quickly find themselves frozen out of the referral loop. That’s where you need to choose your collaborative partners carefully. Integrity is a must, not only to avoid client-poaching, but also to assure that your referred client will have a positive experience with whomever you refer. If you treat your own clients like gold, treat anyone referred to you like diamonds. Not only is that client’s happiness on the line, but so is your whole stream of referrals. continued on page 82

Gail Z. Martin owns DreamSpinner Communications. Contact her at Gail@GailMartinMarketing.com

December 2013

Blooming Buds 18 Exclusive Mandaps to offer!! Decorations and Flowers for All Occasions

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December 2013

India’s MARS Mission

The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) successfully Newton Liquid Engine is fired again to slow down the launched Mars Orbiter Mission Spacecraft from Sriharikota on spacecraft to enable it to be captured by Martian gravity into November 5, 2013. The Mars Orbiter Spacecraft, India’s first an orbit around it. interplanetary spacecraft, was launched into an elliptical earth The Orbiter Payloads include: orbit with a perigee of 248.4 km and an apogee of 23,550 km, inclined at an angle of 19.27 deg to the equator by India’s Polar • Mars Colour Camera (MCC) Satellite Launch Vehicle in its twenty fifth flight (PSLV-C25). The • Thermal Infrared Imaging Spectrometer achieved orbit was very close to the intended one. (TIS) • Methane Sensor for Mars (MSM) • Mars Exospheric Neutral Composition Analyser (MENCA) • Lyman Alpha Photometer (LAP) One of the main objectives of the first Indian mission to Mars is to develop the technologies required for design, planning, management and operations of an interplanetary mission. According to ISRO, the major objectives of the mission: A. Technological Objectives: Design and realization of a Mars orbiter with a capability to survive and perform Earth bound maneuvers, cruise phase of 300 days; Mars orbit insertion / capture, and on-orbit phase around Mars. The launch was conducted from Satish Dhawan Space Deep space communication, navigation, mission planning Centre (SDSC) SHAR, Sriharikota (a barrier island off the Bay and management. of Bengal located about 80 km (50 mi) north of Chennai in the Incorporate autonomous features to handle contingency southern state of Andhra Pradesh). The launch of Mars Orbiter situations. Spacecraft occurred as scheduled from the First Launch Pad at 2:38 pm IST after a fifty six and a half hour countdown. B. Scientific Objectives: Following its separation from the fourth stage of PSLV-C25 Exploration of Mars surface features, about 44 minutes after lift-off, the solar panels and the main morphology, mineralogy and Martian dish shaped antenna of the Mars Orbiter spacecraft got atmosphere by indigenous scientific successfully deployed. Subsequently, the other intended instruments. operations to accurately stabilize the spacecraft were also performed successfully. All systems onboard the spacecraft were functioning normally after launch. The spacecraft, which is informally referred to as Mangalyaan (Sanskrit for Mars spacecraft), will be put on Mars Transfer Trajectory on December 01, 2013. This enables Mars orbiter spacecraft to travel to the vicinity of Mars in September 2014 Photos and story Courtesy of ISRO after a 300 day journey in deep space. At that time, the 440 Saathee.com

December 2013

DJ HANgAMA DJ Service • Emcee • PA system • Lighting Make your once in a lifetime function an unforgettable event!!! Mehndi • Garba • Baraat • Weddings Reception • Birthdays • Graduations

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December 2013

HINDu CENTER O support hindu Center expansion Leave a Lasting memory on hC Wall.

sponsor a briCK $1001 $5,001 for 5 X 7 marble plaque $10,001 for 8 X 11 marble plaque expansion project update: Grading work and parking Lot work has been completed. Foundation work in progress. building work will begin soon.

2013 membership Drive

Annual membership: $101, students & seniors $31 Donate brick and become life member for $1001! Upcoming Hindu Center Events & Activities: Daily Aarti: Noon and 8 PM Hindu Center 2014 Volunteers Election (10 AM to 1 PM) and General Body meeting (2 PM to 3 PM) â&#x20AC;&#x201C; December 8, Sunday Lord Venkateshwara Pranpratishtha Anniversary - December 7, Saturday Pongal / Makar Sankranti: January 18, Saturday Republic Day: January 26, Sunday Maha-Shivratri: February 27, Thursday Voice Of India Radio: Sundays 9:30 am to Noon (1030 on the AM dial)

HINDU CENTER OF CHARLOTTE 7400 City View Drive, Charlotte, NC 28212 Ph. 704.535.3440 Fax. 704.535.6923 email: administrator@hcclt.org

Of CHARLOTTE Lord balaji Pratisthanam Anniversary Hindu Center, Charlotte, NC Saturday, Dec 07, 2013

pROGRAM

Morning

Evening

8:30 am: 9:30 am: 10:30 am: 11:30 am: 12 noon:

5:00 pm: Aaradhna, Laxmi SaharsanamavaliKumkum Archana 5:35 pm: Vishnu Saharsanama Parayanam 6:00 pm: Bhajans 7:00 pm: Unjal Seva, 108 Deepa Aaradhana 7:45 pm: Naivedyam, Aarti 8:00 pm: Prasadam (Dinner)

Suprabhatam, Aaradhna Sudharshan Homam Nava Kalasha Abhishekam Alankaram, Vishnu Saharsanam Aaradhna, Archana Naivedyam, Aarti 12:45 pm: Prasadam (Lunch)

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Yajaman for the day - $ 351 Nutam Vastram - $ 251 Abhishekam - $ 51 Archana - $ 15 Kumkum Archana - $ 15 Deepa Aaradhana - $ 11 Homam - $ 31 Annadan (Lunch) - $ 151 Annadan (Dinner) - $151 Garlands - $ 101

Sankranti/ Lohri/ Pongal "Day of Goodwill and friendship event"

on Sat Jan 18th 2013 starting at 5:00 PM. Abhishek/ Pooja with Bhajan/Shlokas. Followed by Kari/Bhogi Pallu & Mahaprasad kari/Bhogi Pallu: Parents/ Grandparents will Bless & Shower their kids with fruits, candies, coins, Cranberries etc., supplied by Hindu Center. Please bring kids and don't miss this unique event. Dress up in Indian tradition outfits if possible.

REPUBLIC DAy CELEBRATIONS: Sunday, January 26th Gandhi Bhavan @ Hindu Center. Flag hoisting, National Anthem, Cultural Show & Lunch For more information contact: Anu Shenoy, Rituben Mukherjee, Nimish Bhatt or Hemant Amin.

HINDu CENTER O

New Vedanta Hall

Of CHARLOTTE

Granola bar (1 oz), 12 grams Jellybeans, 1 oz (10 large), 20 grams Popcorn, caramel-coated (1 oz), 15 grams Pudding, ready-to-eat (4 oz), 19 grams Yogurt, fruit (6 oz container), 19 grams

Nutrition for Life

Sugar Alcohols: Are they really alcohols?

By Anjana Agarwal How much sugar is too much? Excess sugar intake has been linked to the growing obesity epidemic and related illnesses. But how much sugar is too much? Here are some guidelines. Most women should consume no more than 25 grams (about six teaspoons) of added sugars a day, and most men, no more than 37.5 grams (about nine teaspoons), according to the American Heart Association. With four calories per gram of sugar, that’s no more than 100 calories of added sugars for women, and no more than 150 for men. It’s easy to exceed these sugar limits – and most Americans do. A 16-ounce bottle of soda has about 44 grams (11 teaspoons) of added sugar and many people drink a lot more than that. In fact, the average American consumes about 90 grams (22 teaspoons) of added sugars a day – 355 calories’ worth – mostly from sodas, but also from other sweetened beverages (including fruit drinks), desserts, candy, and breakfast cereals. Many other foods, even ketchup, have sugar added to them as well. “Good” vs. “bad” sugars? Of course, some sugars occur naturally in foods – lactose in milk and fructose in fruit, for instance. These sugars are okay, since they are accompanied by healthful substances in the foods. But nutrition labels do not distinguish between natural and added sugars. To tell if sugar has been added, check the ingredient list for any form of sugar (including brown, raw, or invert) and/or “syrup” (including corn syrup, high fructose corn syrup, or malt syrup). Watch out also for honey, molasses, agave nectar, evaporated cane juice, and fruit juice concentrate, which sound healthier but are just other forms of “empty” sugar calories. A sugar tally: How much added sugar do you get in a day? Here’s a list to help you find out. Sugar content varies among brands; the amounts below are averages. Keep in mind, these numbers represent just the added sugar; some of these foods and beverages contain some natural sugars, too. Beverages (8 oz) Cola, 22 grams Cranberry juice cocktail, 20 grams Milk, chocolate, reduced-fat, 14 grams Pear nectar, canned, 28 grams Shake, fast food, vanilla, 14 grams Soy milk, chocolate, 10 grams Sports drink, fruit-flavored, 13 grams Tea, instant, sugar-sweetened, 21 grams Food Applesauce, sweetened (1 cup), 16 grams Baked beans, canned (1 cup), 15 grams Banana chips (1 oz), 7 grams Bologna, beef and pork (3.5 oz), 4 grams Chocolate, milk (1.5 oz bar), 19 grams Cookies, Oreo-type, 3 (1 oz), 12 grams Cranberries, dried (1/3 cup), 25 grams Doughnut, cruller, glazed (1.4 oz), 14 grams Fig bar cookies, 2 (1 oz), 10 grams Fruit cocktail, in syrup (1 cup), 26 grams Saathee.com

When reading an ingredients label for sweet foods, such as cookies, ice cream or gum, you may see terms such as: Sorbitol, Mannitol, Maltitol, hydrogenated starch hydrolysate and Xylitol. These words may sound like chemical compounds that should not be found in food but they are actually commonly seen sugar alcohols. All are made from cornstarch, except Xylitol which comes from varied sources such as corn, sugar cane or birch wood. Sugar alcohols are essentially a sugar substitute and are frequently found in foods labeled with “sugar free” or “no sugar added.” In order to replace sucrose (i.e. sugar), many sugar free foods instead add sugar alcohols, an alternate compound that is not as sweet and has fewer calories. Contrary to its name, sugar alcohols are not real alcohols; the name is derived from their chemical makeup which includes a hydroxyl group (-OH), an organic compound found in alcohols. In comparison to artificial sugars, such as aspartame, which are manufactured from other chemicals, sugar alcohols are derived from natural compounds that are found in foods. The amount of sugar and calories varies according to the type of sugar alcohol. Sorbitol, for example, can be found naturally in some fruit, but is typically made from dextrose, and has about 2.6 calories per gram, tasting 60 percent as sweet as sucrose. Mannitol is more widely found in fresh fruit and vegetables, such as strawberries and pumpkins, but is commercially made from fructose. Similar to Sorbitol, Mannitol is also 60 percent as sweet as sucrose, but has only 1.6 calories per gram. Almost all of the common sugar alcohols are half as sweet as sugar, except Xylitol, which has a taste as sweet as sucrose (sugar). Foods that contain Xylitol are usually gums, candies, and vitamins, due to its minty flavor. To simplify the caloric intake from sugar alcohol, count half of the amount as carbohydrate if there is more than five grams of sugar alcohol is in one serving. Be aware that more than 16 grams intake of sugar alcohol a day can cause diarrhea in some people. What does all of this mean for your diet? If you choose foods with sugar alcohols, they will have fewer calories per serving which may help you lose weight. They also may have fewer carbohydrates, which may be beneficial if you are diabetic and trying to control your blood glucose. Low calorie sweeteners can be used for coffee or tea, thus helping you reduce caloric intake without sacrificing the taste. Some sweeteners can also be substituted for regular sugar in recipes. In sum, learn to recognize sugar alcohols in foods that claim to be sugar free. Remember that all sugar alcohols are derived from naturally occurring compounds, compared to artificial sweeteners which contain compounds that are not normally found in nature. Also, be careful when buying foods that are sugar free, since a lot of foods compensate for flavor by increasing fat. See a registered dietitian for nutrition counseling. Many insurance companies now pay for the nutrition consults. anjana agarwal, MS, rd, LdN, cdE Registered Dietitian Phone: 704-890-3162 Carolina Nutrition (Adult & Pediatric) www.carolinanutrition.com

December 2013

Curry n Cake brings you it's new fine dining location in Cornelius A unique authentic indian fine dining restaurant with a full bar is Now oPEN in the Cornelius area

Happy Holida Open C ys! hristm as Day

we are an upscale fine dining restaurant with seating capability of 130 and we have covered outdoor seating

lunch buffet for $10 (includes over 20 items) Full Bar: martini, wine, beer Fine Dining with seating up to 130

The Curry n Kabab House

kebabs, seafood, lamb, veggie, chicken

19905 w Catawba, Ste 109, Cornelius,nC 28031

serving Halal Meat live entertainment

704.765.5154

Catering for all occasions up to 500 (we set up catering buffet)

Book Your Next Party for up to 100 at Curry N Kabab House

Call Anjali at 704.964.2490 for details, catering or reservations

days! i l o H y Happ istmas Day C Open

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December 2013

Recipes & More Cooking with lentils Ethiopian-style Lentils with Yams Ingredients: 1/2 onion, diced 3 garlic cloves, minced 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, minced 1/2 small sweet potatoes or 1/2 small yam, diced 1/4 red sweet bell pepper, diced 1 teaspoon olive oil 2 tablespoons lentils (split red) 1 -2 teaspoon tomato paste 1 cup water 3/4 teaspoon paprika 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon ground fenugreek 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger Salt or soy sauce Black pepper

cinnamon, turmeric, salt, pepper, ginger, hot pepper sauce and saffron. Cook, stirring for 2 minutes. Add tomatoes, lentils, chickpeas and broth. Bring to boil, reduce heat, and simmer, covered, for about 40 minutes or until lentils are tender. Stir in noodles and simmer, covered, about 7 minutes longer or until noodles are just tender. In bowl, whisk flour, and 1 cup water until smooth. Whisk flour mixture into soup and simmer, stirring often, for 2-4 minutes or until soup is thickened and no raw flour taste remains. Stir in half of the parsley and cilantro, and all of the lemon juice. Taste and adjust seasoning, adding up to 1/2 tsp. more salt if needed. Garnish with remaining parsley and cilantro. Serves 6. Italian Lentil and Barley Soup

Ingredients: 1 cup lentils 1/3 cup pearl barley 1 cup carrot (chopped) 1 cup celery (chopped) 1 cup onion (chopped) 2 garlic cloves (minced) 1/2 teaspoon dried basil 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme 1 bay leaf 3 1/2 cups vegetarian broth 2 1/2 cups water 14 1/4 ounces Italian-style or crushed tomatoes 1/4 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped (optional) Method: sauté the onion, garlic, ginger and yam in olive oil at medium heat until the onions are almost translucent. Add the 2 tablespoons cider vinegar (optional) red bell pepper and sauté for an additional minute. Add the lentils, tomato paste and water. Bring water to a boil. Add the Method: Sort through lentils to remove debris and rinse. Add paprika, coriander, allspice, fenugreek and ginger. Lower heat lentils to crock pot, along with barley, carrots, celery, onion, slightly and allow the stew to simmer for 20 minutes or until garlic, dried herbs and bay leaf. Pour in broth, water, and the lentils are tender and all the water absorbed. Add salt, soy tomatoes. Cover and cook on high heat for 5 to 6 hours. Discard bay leaf and just before serving stir in parsley and vinegar. sauce and black pepper as needed, and serve. Servings 1-2. Lentils don’t require soaking and cook pretty quickly. Serves about 12. Moroccan Lentil and Chickpea soup Ingredients: 2 tablespoons butter 2 onions, chopped 1 celery rib, chopped 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon turmeric 1/2 teaspoon salt (or to taste) 1/2 teaspoon ground pepper (or more to taste) 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger 1/4 teaspoon hot pepper sauce 1 pinch saffron (large pinch, crumbled) 1 (28 ounce) can diced tomatoes, pureed 1 cup brown lentils 1 (19 ounce) can chickpeas, drained 4 cups vegetable broth 1/4 cup vermicelli, broken (or other small pasta) 2 tablespoons flour 1/2 cup fresh parsley 1/2 cup fresh cilantro 1/4 cup lemon juice

Lentil and Rice Pilaf with Blackened Onions Ingredients: 4 tablespoons olive oil 1 medium onion, chopped 3 garlic cloves, minced 2 teaspoons ground cumin 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice 2 (14 ounce) cans vegetable broth 3/4 cup dried lentils, rinsed, picked over 3/4 cup long-grain white rice 2 large onions, sliced 3 Tomatoes, quartered lengthwise 1 cucumber, peeled, cut into rounds Plain yogurt Chopped fresh mint

Method: Heat two tablespoons oil in large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add chopped onion and next four ingredients; sauté until onion softens, about four minutes. Add Method: In large heavy saucepan melt butter over medium broth and lentils; bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and heat. Stir in onion and celery and cook, covered, for 7-10 simmer, covered, 10 minutes. Stir in rice and return to boil. minutes or until onion is tender, stirring occasionally. Add continued on page 82 Saathee.com

December 2013

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December 2013

schedule a visit with a qualified health professional who can evaluate your signs and symptoms. Start with your family physician that can check your symptoms and do a more extensive examination to confirm that there are no other problems such as high blood pressure, migraine, or other generalized problems with your nervous system. Once these are tests are done, he or she may recommend that you receive Do you have a pain in the neck? conservative treatment such as Rest, Ice, Correct Posture and Don’t ignore it. Exercise (RICE). Generally, an Occupational Therapist specializing in the Upper Extremity can evaluate your grip By Chet Deshmukh strength, pinch strength, sensation and muscle tone through a comprehensive evaluation. The tests are followed by a plan of Have you ever experienced pain in your shoulders and arms? treatment that you should follow regularly. Do you have discomfort in your elbow and forearm? Does the pain seem to start in the neck region? If so, you may have Early Treatments of Spondylosis Rest and exercises to Spondylosis. strengthen the muscles of the neck should be the initial steps in

Healthwise

What is Spondylosis? Spondylosis is a condition when arthritis develops in the spine. There are 206 bones in the human body. Thirty one bones out of the 206 bones are in the spine. These bones are called vertebrae. There are four parts to the spine: (a) Neck or cervical spine (b) Upper Back or thoracic spine (c) Lower back or lumbar spine (d) Pelvic or sacral spine. People with neck spondylosis have developed arthritis between the third and fourth cervical vertebrae of their necks. Cervical spondylosis can cause substantial pain and progress to point where patients become unable to raise their heads or control their arms. Causes of Spondylosis Our bones degenerate as we age. This is part of life and we need to accept it, however, we should be more proactive in maintaining our flexibility and fitness. For those who are able to stay fit by exercising there are many options available. But there are many individuals who do not exercise at all. This is often related to lack of an exercise regime and long hours at work. The bones in our spine rotate like discs. Some rotate more than others and have a pad or cushion between them. This pad or cushion is called a vertebral disc. Age-related degeneration of the bones in the neck and of the cartilage, or disk pads, between vertebrae leads to cervical spondylosis. Damage from a neck injury can affect the disc or cushioning between vertebrae, and it becomes increasingly difficult to avoid injuries and the onset of cervical spondylosis. Symptoms of Spondylosis Symptoms of cervical spondylosis generally develop over a period of time. We may ignore some early symptoms only to aggravate the problem. If you experience recurrent or chronic neck pain and stiffness you should consider getting it checked by a qualified healthcare professional. Do not wait to seek help if you find that your symptoms are worse and become more frequent over time, and the pain may spread down into the shoulders and arms. Some of the early signs may also include constant neck tenderness and pain. Additionally, you may also experience a dull headache due to the spasm or tightness in the neck muscles. Cervical spondylosis in intermediate to advanced stages may be complicated with bony spurs. Spurs are small bony growth in the vertebrae that push on the nerves that leave the spinal cord. These nerves get pinched between the vertebrae and the may be damaged from rubbing between the two cervical bones. In advanced stages the vertebrae can push on the spinal cord causing numbness and weakness in arms and legs (as well as possible migraine like headaches and dizziness). Evaluation and Assessment of Spondylosis So what should you do to get your spine examined to confirm if you have cervical spondylosis? As a first step, you may want to Saathee.com

your line of treatments for cervical spondylosis. Patients who continue to experience pain and discomfort may need additional support from a “soft neck brace” or “collar”. Treatments may also include a neck and upper body massage to decrease tension on the neck muscles. People who carry heavy backpacks, shoulder bags or ladies who overload their purses can weigh down the shoulder and neck. Constantly using one shoulder (either your right or left shoulder) for all carrying can increase symptoms. Parents and grandparents of newborns often carry a young child on the right or left arm. They complain that they are tired at the end of the day but don’t consider this as an aggravating cause because of the pleasure they get from being with the child. However, when symptoms get to a point beyond what they can tolerate it may be too late. It is very important to consider taking time to take care of themselves and their child/ grandchild. Occupational Therapy for Spondylosis Occupational Therapy for Spondylosis may include but is not limited to Hot and Cold Therapy, Pain Management, Ultrasound, Exercises and Postural Corrections. Controlled and monitored exercises will help prevent further deterioration of the condition. Myofascial therapy, neuromuscular therapy, nerve stimulation and trigger point massage have also demonstrated excellent response and recovery. Routine exercises and reminders to improve posture are critical to this process. Pain Medications and Specialists Patients who do not find relief from Occupational Therapy may want to get a referral from their family physician for an Orthopedic Surgeon. An Orthopedic Surgeon may prescribe non-steroidal antiinflammatory drugs before exploring more complex treatment options such as cortisone injections, muscle relaxants and the option for surgery. Complex Surgical Treatments Patients with advanced cervical spondylosis and those that show neurologic impairment such as lack of bowel control will likely need surgery to remove any bone spurs and to relieve pressure on the spinal cord. As part of the surgery, patients may have bone and cartilages removed or have bone implanted. Surgery may involve fusion of the spine and vertebrae, implantation of metal rods or screws and bone graft. chetan deshmukh, MBa, oTr/L, cPc, chda is a Hand Rehabilitation Specialist based in Cary, NC Email: info@theraccess.com Website: www.theraccess.com Twitter: #theraccess December 2013

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December 2013

Recipes

continued from page 78

Reduce heat to medium-low; cover and cook until liquid is absorbed and rice and lentils are tender, about 15 minutes longer. Meanwhile, heat two tablespoons oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add sliced onions; sauté until soft and beginning to blacken, about 20 minutes. Season pilaf to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer to plates; top with blackened onions. Place tomatoes and cucumber alongside. Top pilaf with a dollop of yogurt. Sprinkle with mint. Serves four.

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Ingredients: 1/2 lb dry lentils (1 1/4 cups) 2 medium carrots, sliced 1/4 inch thick 1 medium onion, chopped 3 cloves garlic, minced 1/2 cup mushroom, sliced 1 cup sliced celery 1/4 cup snipped parsley 4 cups water 1 (10 3/4 ounce) can condensed cream of mushroom soup 2 teaspoons instant vegetable bouillon granules (or 2 cubes) Sour cream

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Method: In a saucepan sauté onions, mushrooms, garlic, and celery till just slightly browned, about 10 minutes. In a 3 1/2 or 4 quart crockpot, combine the lentils, carrots, onion, garlic, mushrooms, celery and parsley. Stir in water, mushroom soup, and bouillon. Cover; cook on low 10 to 12 hours or high 5 to 6 hours. Top each serving with a dollop of sour cream. Serves four.

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Marketing Turnaround continued from page 68

The second characteristic of a good referral partner is to have an abundance mentality. This one factor weeds out a lot of potential collaborators. Never partner with someone who is suspicious, who has a negative view of human nature, or someone who is consumed by fear that “there won’t be enough.” You want someone who realizes that the way for everyone to get more of the pie is to bake more pies! What can you do with a collaborative partner besides swap referrals? Plenty. Last year, I created three mastermind groups with people hand-picked from my network that had high integrity, an abundance mentality, and common interests in growing their businesses in certain ways. Those groups have thrived, and through the structure of the monthly meeting (some by phone and some in person), we have vented, celebrated, schemed for world domination, asked for advice, shared resources and partnered on everything from events to blogs. Collaborate with others to create events (live or virtual) when you offer differing services to an identical target market. Have each other provide guest posts on your blog or in your newsletter, interview each other on your radio shows or podcasts, share recommendations on good vendors and service providers. Brainstorm responses for difficult situations. Ask for a second opinion or a sanity check. Running a business is hard work and few people who aren’t business owners understand the pressures and opportunities. Team up and watch your profits grow! Saathee.com

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News Notes

UK Prime Minister David Cameron Receives Special Award at annual Sikh Awards United Kingdom Prime Minister the Rt Hon. David Cameron began the prestigious proceedings for the fourth annual The Sikh Awards 2013 when he was presented with the Special Recognition Award at his residence at 10 Downing Street on Friday, November 8, 2013 by the Award’s Founder Navdeep Singh. The pivotal moment between the pair captured the essence of the strong bond between the UK and India. Cameron was awarded the Special Recognition Award for the several firsts he has instigated between the UK and the Sikh community in India, including becoming the first serving UK Prime Minister to pay his respects at the Darbar Sahib (The Golden Temple, India). Cameron also laid a wreath and signed a book of condolence at the memorial site in Jallianwala Bagh Gardens, in Amritsar. He also made history by commencing the annual Sikh traditional festival of Vaisakhi, which has been

Nomination of Dr. Vivek Murthy as Surgeon General Chicago, IL – Leaders of the American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI) issued the following statement upon the nomination of Dr. Vivek Murthy as Surgeon General. “This news cements the reputation physicians of Indian origin have across America,” said Dr. Jayesh B. Shah, AAPI president. “President Obama has made the right choice in naming a highly qualified physician to serve as America’s next surgeon general. We are proud of Vivek and his many accomplishments and look forward to supporting him throughout the confirmation process,” said Dr. Shah. “Vivek represents the next generation of Indian American physician,” said Dr. Harbhajan Ajrawat, AAPI Legislative Committee chairman. “His ethics, quiet leadership style and impeccable credentials make him the smart choice for this position. We will certainly mobilize the physician community to support his confirmation,” said Dr. Ajrawat. “Dr. Murthy has joined us on Capitol Hill for our legislative functions, he has spoken to our members in conference calls and he has consistently engaged AAPI and physician organizations,” said Dr. Sampat Shivangi, AAPI Legislative Committee co-chairman. “We know how much this nomination means to our community,” he said. Murthy received his B.A. in biochemical sciences from Harvard, and his M.B.A. and medical degrees from Yale. He previously served as President Obama’s appointee to the Presidential Advisory Council on Prevention, Health Promotion, Integrative and Public Health. He is an attending physician in general internal medicine at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, Mass.

celebrated at 10 Downing Street since 2011. During this inaugural event, ‘Kirtan’ (the singing of God’s praises and invoking his blessings) was performed at Cameron’s residence for the first time ever. Receiving his award at 10 Downing Street, Prime Minister David Cameron delivered a message for the attendees of The Sikh Awards: “Firstly I must apologize that I can’t be with you but I’d like to send my warmest wishes to everyone. It is a tremendous honor to receive this award and I‘d like to say a big thank you for the privilege. These awards are all about highlighting the very best of the Sikh faith both here in Britain and abroad, and I want to congratulate all those who are being recognized for their contribution. It was such a privilege to visit the Golden Temple at Amritsar earlier this year and on that visit I learnt a huge amount about the values that are so important to Sikhs across the world - a devotion to God, earning an honest living, sharing your community. These are the values that run right through the heart of this great faith, and they’re the values you’re here to celebrate tonight. So congratulations again to all the nominees, thank you again for my award and I hope you all have a fantastic evening.” Following the award exchange between Cameron and Singh, the ceremony for The Sikh Awards 2013 was held on Saturday, November 9, 2013 at The Hilton Hotel, Park Lane, London. The Awards recognize the pivotal contributions made by the Sikh community across a variety of fields with nominations received from around the world.

International Leadership Foundation Accepting Applications for 2014 Summer Civic Fellowship Program The International Leadership Foundation (ILF) has announced that the application process for the 2014 Civic Fellowship Program is now open. Every year, ILF’s selection committee identifies approximately 30 outstanding Asian Pacific American college students who spend eight to ten weeks interning at a federal agency in Washington, D.C. during the summer. Students who accept the fellowship are known as Civic Fellows, will receive a stipend of 2,000 dollars, attend weekly leadership seminars on Capitol Hill and gain valuable, firsthand working knowledge of the American government system. Fellows are responsible for their own travel, housing and living expenses. “ILF has a stellar record of advocating for increased civic engagement and public service from the Asian Pacific American community,” said Chiling Tong, ILF’s chief executive officer. “We need a greater representation of our community in government, and ILF’s goal is to train our younger generation to be successful leaders in their chosen fields and raise our community’s profile.” Based on the interests and majors of selected Civic Fellowship candidates, ILF will work to place them with over a dozen federal agencies, as well as limited placements in congressional offices and the White House. Undergraduate students of Asian American and Pacific Islander Saathee.com

December 2013

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Community Focus Events of Note Holiday on Ice Charlotte Holiday on Ice is back for the holiday season. As the air gets colder, the ice beckons. The outdoor ice skating rink in the heart of Uptown is now open through January 5, 2014. The holiday tradition brings families and friends together for and afternoon or evening of ice skating, hot chocolate and fun. The rink is located at the corner of MLK Blvd and Brevard on The NASCAR Hall of Fame Plaza in Charlotte. For more details call 704.277.2636 or visit http://www.wbt.com/holidayonice/. First Night Charlotte First Night Charlotte is an alcohol-free, innovative and diverse celebration of the New Year that advances the public’s appreciation of visual and performing arts through a shared cultural experience, accessible and affordable to all. It all kicks off with activities with First Night KIDS at 12pm, followed in the evening with a 2-hour live airing on WBTV. Charlotte’s favorite bands will take the stage at 10pm to count down to the New Year in style. The annual event features arts, performances, family-oriented activities and more. It all happens on Tuesday, December 31, 2013. For more details visit www.firstnightcharlotte.com. First Night Raleigh Presented by ArtsPlosure, the annual family-friendly New Year’s Eve celebrations take place on Tuesday, December 31, 2013 in downtown Raleigh, NC. Schedule of Events: Children’s Celebration 2-6pm; People’s Procession 6pm; Early Countdown with Fireworks 7pm; Evening Performances 7-11:30pm; Main Stage Performances 6pm to Midnight; Fireworks and Acorn Drop at Midnight. For more details visit www.firstnightraleigh.com. I Love My India I Love My India - A Celebration of Bollywood’s Musical Treasures is a concert that will take place on Saturday, January 11, 2014 at 7pm at the Halle Cultural Arts Center, Apex, NC. This concert will portray the love towards India in a beautiful Bollywood way with songs and dance by regional artists. The show is collaboration with the Indian Talent Discovery Foundation and the dance and musical celebration will portray distinctive characteristics of India, its customs and traditions in Bollywood style. Tickets range from $8 - $10. Details at https://www.facebook.com/events/1435357860025030.

of expression and in celebration of secular, egalitarian values. Through a mix of high art and street culture, Sahmat artists take a consistent stance against the threats of religious fundamentalism and sectarianism. In the first major exhibition about the group organized for U.S. audiences, The Sahmat Collective: Art and Activism in India since 1989 (now at Ackland Art Museum, Chapel Hill) includes more than 60 artists, including several with high profiles in the international contemporary art world. With paintings, sculpture, prints, and photographs alongside ephemera, collaborative works, performances, and rich interpretive materials, the exhibition encourages a thoughtful assessment of the impact of this unique, multi-faceted—and sometimes controversial— collective on contemporary Indian society. It also adds a dynamic and stimulating chapter to the history of activist art worldwide. “For the American viewer it may help to see these works in the context of the ‘culture wars’ as they are playing out in India,” said co-curator Ram Rahman. “Sahmat’s projects also reflect the camaraderie and community spirit of the Indian art scene, where artists of different generations and philosophical outlooks still have a close-knit sense of community and purpose.” Sahmat is both an acronym for the Safdar Hashmi Memorial Trust and the Hindi word for “in agreement.” Engaging a broad base of collaborators—from celebrated artists and scholars to writers, musicians, and rickshaw drivers—the group pursues a mission of resistance against the forces that threaten “the essentially pluralist and democratic spirit of creative expression in India.” At the Ackland, The Sahmat Collective will examine the group’s key projects from 1989 to the present day, including street-based mobile performances, large cultural sit-ins, and conceptual exhibitions. The exhibit runs through January 5, 2014 at the Ackland Art Musuem, UNC Chapel Hill. Free admission. www.ackland.org. Lines of Control: Partition as a Productive Space

The Sahmat Collective: Art and Activism in India For over twenty years, the influential, Delhi-based artist collective Sahmat has enabled Indian artists in all media to create and present works that engage in important political and social debates. Formed in 1989 in the weeks after playwright, actor, and activist Safdar Hashmi was fatally attacked by political thugs while performing a street play, Sahmat is an expansive network of Indian artists and intellectuals—painters, Lines of Control: Partition as a Productive Space explores the sculptors, writers, poets, musicians, actors, and activists—who creation and maintenance of borders, both physical as well as create powerful and vibrant works of art in defense of freedom psychological, through the works of artists primarily from

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South Asia. These artists focus on the idea of partition as a productive space where nations are made through forging new identities and relationships; reconfiguring memory and creative forgetting; re-writing history and the making of myths; and through the creation and patrolling of borders. Developed by the arts organization Green Cardamom, “Lines of Control: Partition as a Productive Space” originated in London in 2009 as an exhibition focused on South Asian artists and the division of India in 1947. The project later expanded to a larger exhibition at the Herbert F. Johnson Museum of Art at Cornell University and the Nasher Museum of Art at Duke University, incorporating works by artists from countries such as Mexico, Lebanon, and Ireland. The exhibit is on view through February 2, 2014 at the Nasher Museum. For more details visit http://nasher.duke.edu/exhibitions/lines-of-control/

proposing a model for standardization of psychiatric care. He has put together a series of four videos on YouTube under Standard Psychiatric Care (www.standardizingpsychiatriccare.com). Video 1 describes general principles underlying most common psychiatric disorders; Video 2 gives an outline of psychiatric drugs and non-drug therapies; Video 3 describes psychiatric evaluation and pharmacologic treatments; Video 4 describes case histories and stories of patients. Dr. Sethi feels if this model is followed by all the prescribing physicians, then suffering, medical costs, and disability can be reduced. Dr. Devdutta G. Sangvai to Lead NC Medical Society Devdutta G. Sangvai, MD, MBA, the Associate Chief Medical Officer for Duke University Health System, and Medical Director for DukeWELL, was inaugurated on Friday, Oct. 25, 2013 as the 160th President of the North Carolina Medical Society (NCMS) at the society’s Annual Meeting in Raleigh. Dr. Sangvai is boardcertified in Family Medicine, and is an assistant professor in the Department of Community and Family Medicine at Duke University Medical Center. He has been at Duke since 2003, the same year he became a member of the NCMS. He has been heavily involved in a variety of leadership roles at both organizations since then. “The health care community is at a crossroads with both federal and state reforms being discussed and implemented. This is an exciting and challenging time for physicians,” he said. “I’m honored to be a part of the NCMS’ long history of service to North Carolina patients and doctors. I look forward to working with many groups in the year ahead to ensure the best care for North Carolinians and to help my colleagues navigate the many changes.” Dr. Sangvai received his undergraduate degree in biochemistry from Ohio State University and went on to earn his MD at the Medical College of Ohio at the University of Toledo. He received an MBA with a concentration in Health Sector Management from the Duke University, Fuqua School of Business in 2003. The North Carolina Medical Society is the largest and oldest professional member organization in the state, representing approximately 12,500 physicians and physician assistants who practice in the state. Founded in 1849, the Society seeks to promote access to quality health care for all citizens in NC and champions initiatives that seek to improve quality of care and promote patient safety.

Community News Steve Rao Reelected in Morrisville Incumbent Councilman Steve Rao beat challenger Pete Martin for the at-large seat for the Morrisville, NC City council during the elections held on November 5, 2013. Rao is a Business Development executive in the technology industry. He will serve a full four year term. For more details about Rao visit his website www.steverao.com. Dr. Sudha Om Dhingra Receives Raj Bhasha Hindi Sevi Samman Award Dr. Sudha Om Dhingra was awarded “Raj Bhasha Hindi Sevi Samman” by Rotary International. She is the only US based Hindi writer selected for this award. The award ceremony was held in Delhi on September 25, 2013. Dr. Sudha Om Dhingra is a noted Hindi writer, poet and editor of Hindi Chetna, the only Hindi quarterly published in North America. She has nine books to her credit and her writing contributions are part of over 30 books and more than 100 magazines. Dr. V. Sagar Sethi Proposes Standardization of Psychiatric Care with Video Series Mental illnesses such as depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, attention deficit disorder, and alcohol and drug abuse are chronic and lifelong. These global challenges come with very high costs to all societies with respect to disability and economic burdens placed on patients and their families. Over the past 30 years huge progress has been made with respect to diagnosis and treatment with medical and nonmedical therapies. Yet, despite these achievements, there are no uniform standards of diagnosis and treatments. For example, if a patient goes to ten different prescribing physicians such as a Primary Care Physician, Pediatrician, OB/GYN, Neurologist or even Psychiatrist, the concordance of diagnosis and successful treatments are less than forty percent. Likewise, if one goes for treatment to ten different psychotherapists or clinical psychologists, the concordance of diagnosis and treatment is very low. In order to overcome this problem, Dr. V. Sagar Sethi (from his experience of 22 years in seeing more than 7,000 patients for psychiatric diagnosis and treatment) is Saathee.com

Community Reports Hindu Center Diwali Dinner The Hindu Center of Charlotte hosted its annual Diwali dinner fundraiser on Saturday, November 16, 2013. Several hundred people attended the gala that featured food, music, and dancing. The live musicians were topnotch with the young singers getting the crowd off their feet and dancing in the aisles and near the stage with a mix of classic and new film songs. The food for the evening started with appetizers of Mexican flair while the dinner was a Gujarati affair. The evening is traditionally one of the temple’s big fundraisers and this year was no exception. Hemant Amin, President of the Hindu Center, and Ravi Patel, longtime fundraising leader at the temple presented the latest numbers and progress of the ongoing construction. 94

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This year, the Mayor of Charlotte Patsy Kinsey also attended the event. She said, “I cannot tell you how gracious everyone has been here today. I have enjoyed my visit and I’m pleased I was invited and that I could attend. I hope I can visit with you again sometime as this has been very rewarding.” The foundation of Diwali is based in the belief of dispelling darkness with light. While candles are lit to remove darkness, more important is the recognition of the darkness within human nature manifested through destructive emotions such as anger, envy, greed, arrogance, and hatred. The bright colors of Rangoli (ornate designs made of colored powder), the candles, and the elaborate offerings of vegetarian food (Annakut) to God, all mark a renewal of virtues within oneself and goodwill toward others. For more details, visit www.baps.org

The Vallabh Pushti Samaj of Carolinas (VPSC) celebrated Diwali and New Year with a traditional “Shrinathji Annakut” on Saturday, November 9, 2013. The group has announced the building of Shrinathji Haveli – “Shrinath Dham” in Charlotte with support of all Vaishnav families of Carolinas. The construction of the Haveli is slated to begin soon. Regular “Paath and Bhajan” recitations are held on 2nd Sunday of each month from 4-6 pm at Shrinath Dham Haveli Address - 1006 Vickie Lane, Stallings, NC 28104. For more details on VPSC call Prathmesh Shah at 704.763.3059 or write to: vsccarolinas@gmail.com. BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir’s Diwali Celebration

While celebrating traditional festivals within one’s homeland is fairly commonplace, maintaining the practice in a distant land can be difficult but remains essential in passing on culture, meaning, importance, and traditions to future generations. For Hindus, Diwali presents one such opportunity to renew the rich traditions of their roots with great fanfare as well as a chance to reflect and introspect. Realizing these important facts, His Holiness Pramukh Swami Maharaj, the spiritual leader of BAPS, inspires programs to celebrate Hindu festivals, such as Diwali, at BAPS centers worldwide, including the BAPS Mandir of Charlotte, NC which celebrated Diwali on November 3, 2013. Saathee.com

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Photos: Liam Outlaw &â&#x20AC;&#x2C6;David Kay UNC-Chapel Hill student organization Sangam presented the 15th annual Aaj Ka Dhamaka Intercollegiate Dance Competition. It was held on the UNC campus at Memorial Hall on November 2nd, 2013 with over 700 people in attendence. Proceeds from AKD benefit the Mahatma Gandhi Fellowship for South Asians students in need of financial assistance. The show opened with an exhibition performance by Tar Heel Raas followed by the competing teams: HooRaas of UVA, VCU Bhangra, NCSU Nazaare, GT Ramblin' Raas, Penn Dhamaka, Columbia Raas, Duke Dhamaka and Maryland Dhoom. To close out the evening, Chapel Hill Chalkaa dance team performed followed by a special guest performance from urban Desi fusian music group Culture Shock.

NCSU Nazaare won the overall competition ($1500) as well as the audience choice award, second place went to Columbia Raas ($1000) and third place went to Penn Dhamaka ($500). Check out more photos at Saathee.com (click the photos tab). Submitted by: Liam Outlaw & David Kay

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Charlotte’s Sikh Community celebrates Gurdwara’s Tenth Anniversary

encouraged others to take turns to host it. In the late 1980’s, a Sikh camp was held for children in Greensboro. Sajjan and Kuldeep, joined by Lakhbir and Bali Suchdev, organized a group of children from Charlotte to attend the camp. As a result, our children started participating in monthly kirtans. By Roshan Attrey Sajjan spent countless hours teaching them (even adults) to sing October 26, 2013 was “a special day for our Charlotte’s Sikh and shabads and perform kirtan. Hindu community.” That’s how Gurdwara President Dr. Surendrapal Singh Mac described the tenth anniversary celebration of the Sikh House of Worship in Charlotte. This was also the day known as Gurta Gaddi Divas, commemorating canonization of the Sikh Holy Scripture Sri Guru Granth Sahib in 1708. Dr. Mac addressed the sangat (congregation), welcoming them, congratulating them on this occasion, and thanking them

for their support. He also took the opportunity to outline the organizational history, considering that most of the congregation wasn’t familiar with the history of The Sikh Heritage Society and the Gurdwara Sahib. It was also a fitting juncture to acknowledge the founders and other significant contributors who built this house of worship and to chronicle their efforts at nishkaam seva. This article aims to capture the significance of the Gurdwara’s tenth anniversary to Charlotte’s Sikh community, with a focus on its organizational history, its endeavors to build the gurdwara, and the Holy Scripture. A Thumbnail Version of the Gurdwara History Genesis of the Gurdwara dates as far back as 1985. Sajjan and Kuldeep Dhaliwal, having recently moved to Charlotte, invited their new acquaintances, Sikhs and Hindus, to a kirtan at their house. That was the beginning of a monthly kirtan; they Saathee.com

More families joined in the 1990’s. Monthly kirtans continued as before, but the venue changed from home to Mr. Mundi’s Quality Inn to the Hindu Center. The main gurpurabs were always held at the Hindu Center. The families actively participating in the 1990’s included: the Dhaliwals, Rajpals, Bedis, Brars, Bals, Ahluwalias, Randhawas, Chaddhas, Attreys, and perhaps a few more. However, the consensus to build a gurdwara didn’t emerge until early 2001. February 24, 2001. This day we met at the Hindu Center and formed an organization, The Sikh Heritage Society of Greater Charlotte - under whose auspices, the “Gurdwara Sahib Charlotte” was to be founded. June 16, 2001. This day we met at the University City Regional Library and approved the Constitution of the Sikh Heritage Society unanimously. Roshan Attrey had been assigned to write the document. All those present signed it. Soon we had the body registered in NC as a nonprofit religious organization. Hereafter the organization dealt with such thorny issues as the city’s zoning laws, intercultural-interreligious matters, and interpersonal concerns. However, Sajjan Dhaliwal, backed up by a committed team, moved the process of building the gurdwara just as planned. Roshan Attrey and Inderjeet Rajpal functioned as secretary and treasurer, respectively. September 11, 2001. Then 9/11 happened. It created a sense

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achievements, we should celebrate the team that made them possible. Sajjan Dhaliwal had the exceptional instinct, the hallmark of a leader, to recognize and energize the friends and believers who would embrace his vision and join him. To name them: Dr. Surendrapal Singh and Harjeet Kaur Mac have been most giving and dedicated, financially and otherwise. Inderjeet and Arvind Rajpal have been unsparing in their contributions and dedication. Others who gave of themselves most willingly were Bishen and Bandna Bedi, Dr. Paul and Ravi Brar, Pappu and Sarita Singh, Dr. Inderjeet and Babena Singh, Dr. Gurmukh and Sukhwant Walha, and Roshan and Jaspal Attrey. The Gurdwara President expressed “deep appreciation and Fall 2001 - Gurdwara construction begins The founding members started collecting funds/pledges of thanks to these original leaders” who did the entire financial support from the community by visiting their homes. construction work, along with the organizational work, without Sajjan and Kuldeep Dhaliwal pledged seventeen acres of land for any charge to the organization. the House of Worship and a future Punjabi Culture Center, in addition to making/pledging substantial financial contributions. Ten years later Much has happened in the world since the founding of the Moreover, Sajjan Dhaliwal, a builder in the Carolinas, accepted responsibility to build the gurdwara. He spent two Gurdwara: the ongoing aftermath of 9/11, the Afghanistan war, years on building it, and charged nothing. Inderjeet Rajpal, the Iraq war, a recession, first minority president in America, among his best helpers, persevered with him providing first Sikh prime minister in India, and numerous other events. In the same time the sangat has increased manifold, from about invaluable support. 15 families to maybe 150. While most of those associated with the founding are still serving, there are many others who have become actively involved in the gurdwara in the last ten years. These sevadars are named here. Joginder Singh Saini has run the langar and served many other needs in the gurdwara in an exemplary fashion. Dr. Ajaypartap Singh Bajwa, Sukhchain Singh Jassal, Satiander Singh, Dr. Jaspal Singh, Suneet Kaur, Amarpreet Singh Pahwa, Ranjit Sethi, and Dr. Rajdeep Singh – as a team they are doing a great job teaching Punjabi and gurmat to children. Savinay Singh and Gureet Kaur have commendably run the children’s camp and conducted speech competitions for children. Shahbaz Arora and Rohit Walia have served creditably as treasurers and are always willing to serve. Lakhwant Kaur Dhillon has served with dedication and generosity. The Sidhu family deserves our thanks for taking charge of the Akhand Paath. Giani Satnam By September 2003 an amazingly beautiful gurdwara Singh Ji and son Ranjit Singh have most commendably been building was completed. Six trustees signed the mortgage loan serving the gurdwara since 2005. We are grateful for their documents for it, namely Dr. Surendrapal Singh Mac, Sajjan dedication. (Please forgive the errors of omission and Singh Dhaliwal, Dr. Gurmukh Singh Walha, Inderjeet Singh commission in naming the sevadars in the article.) Rajpal, Dr. Paul Brar, and Dr. Inderjeet Singh. Looking toward the future On the tenth anniversary, Sajjan Dhaliwal and Inderjeet Rajpal made presentations showing the expansion plans for the gurdwara and a Punjabi Culture Center. Sajjanji appealed to the sangat to share greater financial responsibility and to build on what the pioneers have done. of urgency and anxiety in the community. In response, we organized meetings; the Charlotte Observer published an article on Sikhism and Sikhs written by us; Americans (nonIndians) joined us in our monthly services. We made presentations to educate the larger American society about the Sikh community and Sikhism at various forums, such as the Temple Beth-El (the Jewish Community Center), the Mecklenburg Democratic Party forum, the Mayor’s International Cabinet, Mecklenburg Ministries, CharlotteMecklenburg Schools, area colleges, universities, and churches.

October 24-26, 2003 - Inaugural Ceremonies The inaugural ceremonies matched the grandeur of the Gurdwara Sahib. About 500 people attended the celebration. Mayor Patrick McCrory, now NC governor, was a special guest. We held a one-day international symposium on the Guru Granth Sahib, coordinated by Dr. Harbans Lal; Sikh scholars from England, Canada, India, and the U.S. made presentations. People of various faiths attended the conference and inauguration. Invited raagis as well as the local sangat performed kirtan. Bhai Baldeep Singh, a 13th generation raagi of Gurbani from New Delhi, accompanied by a renowned tabla player from England, Sukhvinder Singh Namdhari, transported the audience to the old-time kirtan in the Guru’s darbar. On the tenth anniversary, reminiscing over our past Saathee.com

Kirtan - the heart of Sikhi/Sikhism Tenth Anniversary and Gurta Gaddi Divas There is never a Sunday religious service in a gurdwara without kirtan. Kirtan is singing or recitation of hymns from the Guru Granth Sahib. The tenth anniversary and Gurta Gaddhi Divas program included the normal religious service, except that we had a visiting raagi jatha (ensemble) of Bhai Rajinder Singh Sital from Atlanta who gave a truly splendid performance. Subsequently, the local groups came on stage - first the girls, then the boys, and finally the adults: Arvind Rajpal, Jaspal Attrey, Bandna Bedi, and Priti Raj, with Sajjan Dhaliwal leading and accompanied by our Gyaniji Satnam Singh. The adults sang the same shabad they

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had sung ten years ago at the inauguration. All three groups performed superbly affecting the audience visibly. The religious service concluded with Anand Sahib ka Paath followed by Ardaas, Hukamnama, and Prashad. As always, the day’s last activity was langar, a sumptuous community meal.

Middle East, and the contiguous countries used in the Granth. These languages were enriched by vocabulary from Sanskrit, Prakrit, Persian, Arabic, Bengali, Marathi, and other languages. The script of the Scripture is Gurmukhi.

The Sikh Scripture and Shabads This report would be incomplete without a brief comment on the shabads (hymns) recited on a gurdwara religious service and the source of the shabads, the Scripture.

All hymns sung on the tenth anniversary, or any other day, are generally prayers to God or Waheguru, praising/describing Him as the Supreme Being, almighty, omnipresent, omniscient, just, merciful, immanent, and transcendent. The following verses from different hymns illustrate the power and diversity of the Sikh religious and spiritual thought: Since its canonization as the Guru Granth Sahib, Sikhs have accepted the scripture – following the hukam (order) of Guru Gobind Singh, the tenth and last human guru - as the most truthful source of religious and spiritual guidance and believed in it as their ultimate Guru. Save the compositions of Guru Gobind Singh and two most eminent theologians of Sikhism, Bhai Gurdas and Bhai Nand Lal, no other scripture not included in the Guru Granth is recognized as acceptable literature/text considered permissible to be recited, sung, or propagated in Sikh congregations. Among the world’s great scriptures, the Guru Granth Sahib is the only scripture that was composed, edited, proofread, and signed for authenticity by the founders of the faith in their lifetime. And perhaps this is the only scripture composed entirely in poetic form. The printed volume contains 1430 pages, 5894 hymns, 28,534 lines, and 511, 874 words.

“God created the creative power of the universe, within which He dwells.” Guru Nanak “The Creator created the world in all its diversity; by his design (Hukam) the creatures appear and then merge into the grand schema.” Guru Amar Das. “Universal is my God, and universal is His language.” Guru Nanak. “If a person listens to kirtan of God and sings kirtan of God, pain and suffering shall not come near that person.” Guru Arjan “Without the Naam everything else is false and worthless.” Guru Arjan

These hymns and others underscore the belief that God is all pervasive and universal, and that He is the Creator and Prime Mover of the universe. The devotee will receive whatever is asked of God if he/she submits to His Will unconditionally and completely. God is invoked by different names by his followers – call Him Ram, Rahim, Allah, Waheguru, or what you will, but He is One God, Ik Omkar, the source of all life. The entire world was born from the same source, same light, and the same light enlivens and enlightens us all. Guru Arjan Dev says it all, “One God our father, we are all his children.”

When we read the Granth Sahib, we find different languages used in it, but recognize a similar view of, and uniform approach to, God. Languages employed in the various hymns reflect the diversity of cultural milieus and times in which the composers had lived. There are perhaps as many as twenty different languages of the Indian sub-continent, the (Contact Roshan Attrey at rattrey@aol.com) Saathee.com

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Community Organizations Charlotte Art of Living (Healing with the Breath) Art of Living is dedicated to serving society by strengthening the individual. This is done through self-development programs that recharge the body, mind and spirit and allow people to function at their optimum potential. People from all backgrounds, religions and cultural traditions come together in service and celebration. For Further Details: 980-216-8732 charlotte@us.artofliving.org www.artofliving.org or www.artofliving.org/charlotte Association for India’s Development - Charlotte A volunteer movement committed to promoting sustainable, equitable and just-development. AID Charlotte supports grassroots organizations in India and initiates efforts in various interconnected spheres such as education, livelihoods, natural resources, health, women’s empowerment and social justice. For further details: Kiran Uppalapati 704.307.6450; Venkata Ramana Duddu 662.231.2350. BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir Regularly scheduled activities include a daily Aarti at 6:30 am and 7 pm. Darshan: Mon-Fri 6:30 am-12:30 pm and 4 - 8:30 pm, Sat/Sun 6:30 am-8:30 pm. Gujarati classes are held every Sunday from 3 - 4 pm and “Satsang Sabha” is held every Sunday at 4:30 p.m. The Swaminarayan Temple is located at 4100 Margaret Wallace Rd, Charlotte, NC, 28105. Upcoming Events: Sun, Dec 8: Pramukh Swami Janma Jayanti For Further Details: 704.573.0805 704.573.0820 (fax) Bethel Christian Fellowship Bethel Christian Fellowship offers services in various Indian languages (i.e. Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, etc.) .Sunday School Time - 11:15 - 11:45 am; Sunday Worship Service time : 11:45 - 1:15 pm. Sunday Service Location: Fort Mill Church of God, Student Life Center Building, 216 Academy Street, Room 102. Fort Mill, South Carolina 29715. Saturday Service Location: Life Builders Church - 730 Oak Dale Rd, Charlotte NC 28216. For further details: 803.792.7223; pastorofbcf@gmail.com (Pastor: Rajan Samuel). Carolina Sanskrutik Maharashtra Mandal CSMM promotes Maharashtrian culture and language. Maharashtra mandal is committed to serve Carolina Marathi community with various cultural, social and traditional marathi programs and events. For Further Details: Sangeeta Korde, sangeet_k@yahoo.com, 704.421.4279 Sonali Tamhane, sonali_tamhane21@yahoo.com, 704.364.8605 www.charlottemarathimandal.com

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Carolinas Christian Assembly - Charlotte Everyone is cordially invited to join for Sunday worship, Bible class, Sunday school: Sundays from 9 am - 12 pm. English and various Indian languages are used in the Sunday services. Contact for further details Rev. Dr. K.C. Paul (704.771.1414), Rajan Mathew (704.756.4969), Jose Varughese (704.453.6177), Varughese K. Thomas (803.322.9549). Charlotte Gita Study Group Beginners and advanced students of the Gita are welcome. The group meets the second and fourth Sunday of each month from 3 - 5 pm. This course is based on the Home Study Course of the Arsha Vidya Gurukulam, Saylorsburg, PA. Each session starts with a meditation followed by a recorded lecture in English, supplemented by discussion among the group. For further details: Rishi and Shikha Bhatnagar, rishi@solveron.com, 513.518.5300 Shridhar and Kruti Dave, skdave@hotmail.com, 704.844.9567 Naras and Beena Eechambadi, narasee@gmail.com www.freewebs.com/gitastudy Charlotte Hindu Center Table Tennis The group meets every Monday and Wednesday from 6.30 - 10 pm. New players come after 7.30 pm for orientation. The TT action takes place at the Vihar Hall of Charlotte’s Hindu Center, 7400 City View Drive , Charlotte, NC 28134. All levels and types of play. Free coaching and lessons. For further details: s_jan@yahoo.com or visit www.ttclt.com. Charlotte Indian Christian Fellowship We meet on the third Saturday of every month at 6:30 pm for Prayer, Bible Study and Fellowship. Anyone who is interested to spend an evening with us is welcome to come with your family and friends. For Further Details: Hema at 704.841.7060 hadhopper@hotmail.com Charlotte Indian Karaoke Group CIKG invites karaoke lovers to come and sing Hindi songs on karaoke. It does not matter whether you are a beginner or experienced. The most important thing is to get together and have fun. The event is held once a month, usually on Friday or Saturday. Entry and participation is free. For Further Details: Dinesh Patel at cikgrocks@yahoo.com Charlotte Kriya Yoga Group Charlotte Kriya Yoga Group Promotes Kriya Yoga Meditation practices as taught by lineage of realized masters such as Mahaavatar Baba Ji, Lahri Mahasaya, Sri Yukteshwar Giri, Paramahamsa Yogananda, Hariharananda, and Prajanananada. A sincere seeker who follows the path of Kriya Yoga with love and devotion and a desire for spiritual growth can attain Self-realization- even in one lifetime.Center hosts two annual initiation programs and a weekly Sunday meditation for initiates. For Further Details: Agupta1@Carolina.rr.com www.kriya.org

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Community Organizations Charlotte Malayalee Association The purpose of this association is to promote and facilitate the cultural, educational, social and economic welfare of the Charlotte Malayalee community. For Further Details: Sunu Sebastian (sunu@email.com) or www.cltma.org. Charlotte Tamil Sangam Charlotte Tamil Sangam works to bring together the vibrant Tamil community in the Charlotte area and strives to promote the Tamil language, arts and culture. For Further Details: Lakshmanan Krishnan (lakshmanank@hotmail.com) or visit www.cltts.org Charlotte Telangana Association Charlotte Telangana Assoc was formed to promote Telangana cultural activities within greater Charlotte area and also bring together all the Telangana people living in the area to discuss, plan, and take action around the development of Telangana focusing both on rural and urban Telangana areas. For Further Details: www.charlottetelangana.com Charlotte Vipassana Meditation Group Vipassana, which means to see things as they really are, is one of India’s most ancient techniques of meditation. It was taught in India more than 2500 years ago as a universal remedy for universal ills. The Charlotte Vipassana Meditation Group holds weekly group sits and monthly all day sits for established students (those who have taken at least one ten day course from S. N. Goenka or one of his assistant teachers). Ten-day courses are also available for all students. There is never a charge for a course. New center now open in Jesup, GA. To apply for a 10 day retreat visit www.patapa.dhamma.org For Further Details: 704.277.5013, rbddesai@gmail.com 704.563.5440, dspranger@gmail.com www.dhamma.org Classical Music Association of Charlotte (CMAC) CMAC sponsors many classical concerts during the year in Charlotte. Membership forms are available at concerts. For Further Details: 704.541.3361 (Rama Rachakonda), 704.814.9355 (Lakshmi Muthukrishnan), lakshmi7778@yahoo.com cmacmusic@yahoo.com www.onlinecmac.com Dada Bhagwan Group What is Gnan Vidhi? It is scientific process of attaining Self Realization in the presence of Atmagnani. It is the gracing of real knowledge that separates the real Self from the non-self. The benefits of Gnan Vidhi are many like attaining awareness of the soul, getting solution through right understanding, removing wrong beliefs and destroying past sins. For further details contact 877 505 Dada (3232). www.dadabhagwan.org Ekal Vidyalaya Foundation Ekal Vidyalaya Foundation of India (EVFI) was established to help in the overall development of the remote tribal and rural Saathee.com

villages in India. Ekal Vidyalaya Foundation of USA along with EVFI is committed to the cause of eradicating illiteracy from tribal areas. Education is the key to self-esteem, self-sustenance, economic well being and happiness. The Carolinas Region of the EVFUSA conducts fund raising and awareness programs in North and South Carolina. For Further Details: Ekal Charlotte Chapter: Neena Narumanchi neena.narumanchi@gmail.com Ekal Columbia: Janak Dalal / jaydalalcolumbia@gmail.com Gurdwara Sahib - Charlotte The Sikh Heritage Society strives to unite and enrich the lives of the Sikh & Punjabi communities of Charlotte and surrounding areas. Gurdwara: 1760 Stoney Creek Lane, Charlotte, NC 28262. Program: Every Sunday: 10 - 11am, Asa Di War by Bhai Satnam Singh Jee, 11:00 am – 12:00 pm, Keertan by Children, 12:00 pm – 1:15 pm, Keertan by Bhai Satnam Singh Jee, 1:15 pm - 1:30 pm, Ardaas, followed by Guru Ka Langar. For Further Details: Gurdwara: 704.509.2828 704.541.0350 (Sajjan Dhaliwal), sajjan@carolina.rr.com, 704.948.8091 (Inderjeet Rajpal), irajpal@aol.com Hindu Center of Charlotte The temple holds many regular events and religious ceremonies. The temple library is stocked with books, CDs, DVDs and other materials on varied genre such as religion, culture, history, philosophy, yoga and health. The Hindu Center is located at 7400 City View Drive, Charlotte, NC 28212. For Further Details: 704.535.3440 or 704.607.8412 (facility manager) admin@hcclt.org or www.hcclt.org IAMC (Indian American Muslim Council) - Charlotte Chapter IAMC is an independent organization committed to promoting peace, pluralism and social justice for all through advocacy. The organization is also committed to promote and protect human rights and human dignity in India as they are the foundation of freedom, justice and peace. IAMC-Charlotte, seeks to reach out to Indian Muslims living in and around Charlotte to join efforts to promote Peace and Social Justice for all, and to strive for Inter-Faith understanding particular focus on Indian Diaspora. For Further Details: Ashfaq Mehdi 704.904.5778 Afzal Syed 704.770.1103 iamc-charlotte@yahoogroups.com India Association of Charlotte (Festival of India) The organization works to foster fostering better understanding of the rich diversity of Indian culture by the larger community in and around Charlotte. A key activity is the annual Festival of India, which will be held every September in uptown Charlotte. For Further Details: Toni Sawhney 704-604-2133 / Lal Vishin 704-545-3727 www.indiafestival.net 108

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Community Organizations Indian Performing Arts Association of Charlotte (IPAAC) IPAAC (Indian Performing Arts Association of Charlotte) promotes classical Hindustani music by inviting well-known artists from India. For Further Details: Chaula Jain 704.364.0984 Richa Pathak 704-921-4276 contact@ipaac.org or visit www.ipaac.org Jain Center of Greater Charlotte (JCGC) The JCGC serves the spiritual, cultural, social, and community needs of Jain families in and around metropolitan Charlotte area. JCGC is a non-profit organization dedicated to the practice, understanding, promotion, and preservation of the Jain faith. The members of JCGC meet regularly for worship, ceremonies, and festivals throughout the year. JCGC organizes numerous religious activities year-round including celebrating major religious festivals and routine programs. Upcoming Events: Friday, Dec 13, 2013 (Agyaras): Dev Vandan @ 10:30 AM All Other Weekdays: 9:30am - Mon-Friday - Prakshal and Pooja, 7:30pm - Chaityavandan, Aarti and Mangal Divo Weekends: 10:30am - Prakshal and Pooja, 7:30 pm – Chaityavandan, Aarti and Mangal Divo Street Address: 7631 Mallard Creek Road, Charlotte, NC 28262 For Further Details: JCGC President – Suresh Shah: 704.717.8481 info@jaincenter.us or visit www.jaincenter.us Kiran KIRAN is a community based, South Asian organization promoting the self-reliance and empowerment of South Asian women who are in crisis through outreach, peer support, and referrals in a confidential manner. The group spreads awareness of South Asian women’s issues in the community and cooperates and collaborate with organizations in the USA and elsewhere with similar objectives. Though there are differences in language, customs, and religions across these countries, these regions share many basic cultural and historical similarities. KIRAN operates a crisis phone line Monday- Friday from 9:00 am – 9:00 pm. For help or information regarding domestic violence call an advocate. Services offered are confidential and free of charge: Information in a culture- and context-sensitive manner, referrals to professional and community services regarding legal issues, health care, short-term child care, psychological counseling, and temporary shelter and housing. KIRAN’s services are completely confidential. For Further Details: Crisis Hotline: 1877- NC-KIRAN or 1-877-625-4726 Kiran@Kiraninc.org www.kiraninc.org Net IP Charlotte NetIP Charlotte is the only official Carolinas chapter of North America’s Largest Network of Indian Professionals. NetIP Charlotte provides a forum for on-going Career Developmental and Professional Networking activities. It arranges various events and maintains deeper ties with Businesses & the Saathee.com

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community. It provides various effective ways for Carolinas’ Indian Professionals to connect with other successful professionals. For Further Details: www.netIPnc.org Pratham - Charlotte Area Pratham organizes grassroots programs in the area of primary education. Pratham has made an impact on the learning levels of several million children through its Read India campaign. Pratham has developed an accelerated learning technique which helps children to read and write in two months. With nearly half the children in India who attend schools are not learning to read and write at the required level, Pratham is trying to fill an important gap in the area of primary education. For Further Details: Anju Desai (ajdesai66@gmail.com or 980-622-0125) and Shubhra Chakraborty (shubhra.chakraborty1@gmail.com) or 704-942-4798). www.prathamusa.org. Probasi of Charlotte Probasi’s goal is to organize cultural and educational program related to Bengal in the Charlotte area, to increase Bengali cultural awareness, and to provide community service. For Further Details: www.probasi.org Sahaj Marg Meditation Sahaj Marg, which means Simple or Natural path, is a Raj Yoga system of spiritual training based on the heart centered meditation. The features of this meditation include transmission of divine energy into the heart of the practitioner and cleaning of deep impressions, thereby regulating the mind. Regular practice of this system of meditation integrates the physical, mental and spiritual aspects of human being, while still encouraging people to maintain a normal family and working life. In the Charlotte area, group meditation is held at the Unity of Charlotte on Sundays and Wednesdays. For Further Details: Srikanth Katakam 704.496.4411 naturalpath.nc@gmail.com www.srcm.org Sangamithra Foundation Sangamithra Foundation is a Charlotte based charity organization formed by a group of people who thrive to make a difference in the society. The team has taken the path of identifying the needs of underprivileged communities in India and provide support to meet those needs. Sangamithra has made its presence known in the Charlotte community by its participation in the 2013 Festival of India, as part of its fund raising activity. In addition, with liaisons in both the UK and the UAE, Sangamithra is reaching out on a global scale and working collectively towards realizing its vision. If you would like to be a part of this noble cause, touch base with Sangamithra Foundation. For Futher Details: www.sangamithra.org; www.facebook.com/SangamithraFoundation email: info@sangamithra.org; December 2013

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Community Organizations Shree Swaminarayan Satsang Mandal Vadtal On the 1st Saturday of every month, Shree Swaminarayan Satsang Mandal Vadtal has kirtans and bhajans at the Hindu Center of Charlotte at 5 pm. After the bhajans, there is Aarti and Mahaprasad. In addition, on the 3rd Sunday of every month, an additional Satsang Sabha is held at sponsor’s house at 3 - 5 pm. For Further Details: 704.392.4488 - Ramesh Dhanani admin@issvcharlotte.org

Trimurti Temple Charlotte, NC Trimurti Temple is open daily, morning puja (10am) and evening puja (7pm). Sunday abhisekhams (11am) and other special pujas. Temple is located at 6441/6519 Beatties Ford Road, Charlotte, NC 28216. All Sundays at 11am Venkateswara Abishekam For Further Details: 980-219-7556 contact@trimurtitemple.org www.trimurtitemple.org

Shri Rang Avadhut Parivar (Parspar Devo Bhav) The group meets Thursdays from 6 - 8 pm in Charlotte. The group recites Datta-Bavani, singing devotional Dattatraya Bhajans and reading Guru-Lilamrut. Detailed information about Charlotte meetings, literature, Videos, Nareshwar Ashram and Shri Avadhut’s life is available. For Further Details: Bharat Shah - 704.724.6247 Nagesh Patel - 704.399.7805

United Cricket Club Forming a team this March of experienced as well as beginners that love cricket. Team will play in the Atlantic League. Practice is every Sunday at Reedy Creek Park (11 to 4pm). Sunday and Monday evenings for ages 15 and up. Join the fun. For Further Details: 704.905.9127(Captain-Syed) 704.493.7629(Vice Captain-Mohsan)

Sindhi Association of the Carolinas The Sindhi Association of the Carolinas (SAC) is organizes religious, cultural, community, and social events in Charlotte. SAC also sends donations for the needy to the schools in India for Scholarship and also sends donations to refugees in camps in India. For Further Details: contact, soniahassani1@gmail.com or 704.779.2396. SouthPark Cricket Club South Park Cricket Club is based in Charlotte, North Carolina and it has been an active member of the Mid Atlantic Cricket Conference since 2002. The club’s home ground is located at the Reedy Creek Park, 2900 Rocky River Road, Charlotte, NC. For Further Details: 847.722.9865 (Baseet Ahmed), baseer_11@yahoo.com www.southparkcc.org Srishti of Charlotte Srishti works to fulfill the NC community’s need for togetherness and the desire to showcase Bengali culture, heritage, literature, theatre, music and popular arts. Literally, the word Srishti means an act of creation. Though established and coordinated by a group of Bengali families, Srishti welcomes and brings together people of varied cultures, ethnicity, languages, background and nationalities who are interested in East Indian traditions. For Further Details: Samiksha Bose: 704-321-1964 Santanu Sarkar: 704-541-3451 http://srishticharlotte.org/ Telugu Association of Greater Charlotte Area (TAGCA) The organization’s mission is to bring together Telugu speaking people and to promote Telugu Culture. TAGCA organizes regular events and programs. For Further Details: www.tagca.org

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Vallabh Pushti Samaj of Carolinas (VPSC) VPSC has announced Shrinathji Haveli – “Shrinath Dham” in Charlotte with support of all Vaishnav families of Carolinas. VPSC is starting construction in the near future of “Shrinath Dham Haveli” for benefit of entire Vaishnav Samaj and Pushtimargiya devotional activities. VPSC is moving forward with objective to fill devotional need for hundreds of Vaishnavs in Carolinas to worship and pray together, perform “seva and rituals” and to observe and celebrate festivals and to perform and engage in humanitarian and educational activities. Regular “Paath and Bhajan” recitations are held on 2nd Sunday of each month from 4-6 pm at Shrinath Dham Haveli Address - 1006 Vickie Lane, Stallings, NC 28104. For Further Details: vsccarolinas@gmail.com Prathmesh Shah: 704.763.3059

Greensboro Art of Living (Greensboro) The Art of Living Foundation offers programs to uncover the strength, peace, and joy that lie at the core of every human being. Part I courses are offered regularly in Chapel Hill, Raleigh, Charlotte and now Greensboro. The Part I course covers breathing techniques to eliminate stress & tension; skills for improving relationships at home & at work; practical wisdom to get the most out of life; insight into the laws that govern the mind & emotions; low-impact yoga and the masterpiece of the Art of Living Course is a powerful breathing-based technique called Sudarshan Kriya, or the healing breath. For Further Details: Nirupama Shankar @ shankar.nirupama@gmail.com Puja Verma @ puja_usa@yahoo.com http://us.artofliving.org/greensboro BAPS Greensboro BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir is located at 922 Gallimore Dairy Road, High Point, NC 27265. Every Sunday sabha times: 112

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December 2013

Community Organizations Shishu (Toddlers) sabha: 4 pm to 5 pm Bal/Balika sabha: 4:15 pm to 5:30 pm Kishore sabha: 2 pm to 3:30 pm Main sabha: 4 pm to 6 pm Gujarati classes: 2:30 pm to 3:45 pm Arti at 6 pm followed by Mahaprasad Fresh Shayona snacks available on Sundays. For Further Details: bapsgreensboro@gmail.com Greensboro Cricket Club (GCC) Good news for cricket lovers! There are several teams that play cricket in Greensboro. The goals of GCC are fun, fitness, and friendship. For info on play and location contact below players. For Further Details: 336.501.3566 (9:00 am - 9:00 pm, S&S) Dev, Greensboro Warriors, happy4mehta@yahoo.com; Venky, Triad Tigers, venkyhot@hotmail.com. Gujarati Cultural Association of Piedmont (GCAP) The Gujarati Cultural Association of Piedmont serves the Asian Indian community through sponsored events, cultural, educational and social programs. GCAP, 127 Landmark Drive, Greensboro, NC 27410 For Further Details: Jack Dhekar: 336.254.1727 Manubhai Patel: 336.253.7182 www.gcap.us India Association of the Triad (IATNC) Greensboro The objective of the Association is to promote social, cultural and educational interests of its members, develop understanding between members of the Indian community and other residents of the Triad, and make the latter aware of issues of concern to the Indian community. For Further Details: Ruby Singh - 336.430.9068, rs7227@gmail.com Krishna Balu - 336.292.9462, balu3103@triad.rr.com www.iatnc.org

For Further Details: 336.644.1111 http://www.lifebliss.org Life Mission, USA This ashram has been established to provide helpful benefits for all - physical, mental, emotional and spiritual. All these benefits can be achieved through the natural remedies of yoga therapy, ayurveda, naturopathy and diet. 8136 NC Highway 119 South Mebane, NC 27302. For Further Details: 336.421.0690 848.459.7401 (Dr. Manoj) lifemissionusa@gmail.com www.lifemissionusa.com Sri Sathya Sai Baba Center of Greensboro, NC The Center regularly conducting Sai Bhajans, Study Circle, various service activities and SSE class (for students) in Greensboro, NC all Sundays — 9:45 am to 12:15 pm For Further Details: Swami Rajendran 908-875-6964 Dr. Varatharajah 336-851-9150 Temple of the Holy Name Prabhupada Village is a rural Hare Krishna community situated in the beautiful foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Puja/Worship of Sri Sri Gaura Nitai/Sri Pancha Tattva starts at 5:00 am every day. Every Sunday at 3 pm there is chanting, dancing, feasting and philosophy. The temple is located at 1283 Prabhupada Rd, Sandy Ridge, NC 27046. For Further Details: 336.593.2322 or 336.793.7138 prabhupadavillage@gmail.com www.prabhupadavillage.com

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Indo-US Cultural Association of Winston-Salem The Indo-US Cultural Association’s primary mission is to increase awareness of the cultural heritage of India which is tremendously rich in its diversity and history. The Association seeks to reach out to the thriving Indian-American community within the Piedmont and Triad areas to share the vibrant Indian culture and promote cross-cultural understanding. For Further Details: Manjunath C Shamanna, 336.413.5090 http://indouswinston.org/contact.aspx

AANC - Assamese Association of North Carolina AANC is a Socio Cultural organization with the objective of promoting and providing understanding of Assamese Culture and Language. AANC celebrates Assamese festivals and organizes cultural activities like Bihu Dance, music, songs and social get-togethers with essential touch of Assamese culture. Everyone from Assam as well as anyone with any connection to or interest in Assam or Assamese culture is most welcomed. For Further Details: 919.200.4020 assameseassociation.nc@gmail.com

Life Bliss Foundation The NC Chapter offers workshops, books, CD’s, and DVD’s on spirituality and enlightenment from living enlightened master Paramahamsa Nithyananda. Many videos are available on YouTube. Satsang in Greensboro is held the first Wednesday of each month. The meeting includes meditation, video discourse, and Q&A. Satsang Location: First Wednesday of the month, 6:30 pm to 8:00 pm, Integrative Therapies, 7-E Oak Branch Drive, Greensboro NC 27407. Meditation workshops are taught on a regular basis.

Academic Foundation for International Cultural Exchange (AFICE) Interested in exploring the diverse cultures of the world? Become a host family for a high school exchange student! All the students will come from various countries around the world, and all students speak fluent English. They are of high school age (15-18) and will attend local high school in their respective communities. Each student will live as member of their American host family, sharing household duties and responsibilities. AFICE is a non-profit educational

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Community Organizations organization dedicated to bringing cultural gaps by allowing foreign students the opportunity to live as part of an American community. For Further Details: lathapamarthi@earthlink.net www.afice.org Art of Living (Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill) The Art of Living Foundation offers courses that teach practical tools to better handle the stresses of daily life, to unlock their deepest potential and bring fullness to life. In the Art of Living course participants will learn and experience: Breathing techniques that heal and harmonize the body, mind, and spirit, eliminate stress & tension; Skills for handling negative emotions and situations; Practical wisdom for improving work and relationships; Insight into the laws that govern the mind & emotions; Low-impact yoga. The centerpiece of the Art of Living Course is a powerful breathing-based technique called Sudarshan Kriya, or the healing breath. It incorporates specific natural rhythms of breath to release stress and purify the entire system by releasing toxins at the deepest cellular level. Ongoing research has shown that the rhythmic breathing technique Sudarshan Kriya, and its accompanying practices (SK&P) can lead to improved physical, mental and emotional health. For Further Details: http://us.artofliving.org Association for India’s Development (AID) Duke University Chapter AID’s mission is effect social change in India, by supporting projects with grassroots non-governmental organization in India in the areas of literacy, health care, rural credit, women’s empowerment etc. For Further Details: http://www.duke.edu/web/aid/ Atlantic Coast Sikh Association This is one of the oldest Sikh associations in the Southeastern USA. It meets every Sunday from 11:30 AM to 1:30 PM at its gurdwara, located at 3108 Sparger Road, Durham, NC 27705. Kirtan is done by Bhai Dyal Singh Jatha. Classes for Punjabi and religious studies are held for children at the same time. For Further Details: 919.309.1045 - Bhai Dyal Singh Balagokulam Gokulam is where Lord Krishna’s magical childhood days were spent. It was here that his divine powers came to light. Every child has that spark of divinity within. Balagokulam is a forum for children (4-15 years age) to discover and manifest that divinity. It will enable Hindu children in the US to appreciate their cultural roots and learn values. This is done through games, yoga, stories, songs, shlokas, arts/crafts, and Seva (selfless service) in the community. Balagokulam sessions are free for all and are held on Saturdays. For Further Details: balagokulam.rtp@gmail.com hss.charlotte@hssus.org (Charlotte region) www.balagokulam.org Saathee.com

BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir BAPS Shree Swaminarayan Hindu Mandir invites everyone to the regularly scheduled events: Ravi sabha - every Sunday at 4 - 6 pm followed by Aarti and Maha Prasad. Mahapuja – every Purnima at 7 pm. Many classes are conducted. Fresh Indian snacks and sweets available at Shayona. 1020 Aviation Parkway, Morrisville, NC 27560. For Further Details: 919.469.6605 www.swaminarayan.org Bengali Association of North Carolina (BANC) BANC seeks to promote Bengali culture, language, music, arts and social activities by offering varieties of programs for members of INDO-American community within North Carolina and adjacent states. The association is organized exclusively for charitable, cultural, social and educational purposes. For Further Details: 919.461.2386 (Ratan Ray), ratanray@hotmail.com 919.510.7943 (Swaty Sen), swaty_sen@yahoo.com banc_members@googlegroups.com www.banc-online.org Bharatiya Senior Citizens of NC The Bharatiya Senior Citizens of NC (BSCNC) is organized for folks of Indian origin aged 60 and above. The BSCNC members meet second Saturday of every month from 10am - 3pm. For Further Details: Mahendra Patel (919.793.6588) Raojibhai Patel (252.236.4391) Carolina Rajasthani Association The group organizes several events throughout the year. For Further Details: Sushma Maheshwari - 919-880-8529, sushmaofnc@yahoo.com Shruti Singhi - 919-412-4819, mshruti@yahoo.com www.carolinarajasthanis.org Chinmaya Mission Chinmaya Mission is a worldwide organization promoting spiritual growth, started by Pujya Gurudev Swami Chinmayananda. The Chinmaya Mission Raleigh Durham (CMRDU) chapter conducts Balavihar classes from 3 year old to youth on Sunday from 10 am to 11:30 am at Reedy Creek Middle School, Cary. The classes are tailored to each age group by special curriculum created by experienced Swamijis and Acharyas exclusively for CM Balavihar. Trained teachers conduct the classes. Curriculum includes learning to chant the Bhagavad-Gita verses, shlokas, singing devotional bhajans, stories from scriptures, family pujas, meditation, and fun activities like overnight lock-ins, picnics, and competitions. Introduction to Hindi and Sanskrit is also included. All festivals are celebrated. Parents wishing to enroll their children in Balavihar can register through the website. A regular adult study group is conducted for adults on Sunday mornings at Reedy Creek Middle School, as well as other locations in the Triangle. For Further Details: www.chinmaya-RDU.org 116

December 2013

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Community Organizations Dada Bhagwan Foundation The Foundation was formed with the goal of spreading peace and harmony to the world through the science of Akram Vignan - the science of Self Realization as expounded by the Shree A.M. Patel, known as Dadashri or Dada Bhagwan. DBF organizes Spiritual Satsangs /Gnanvidhi (2 hour scientific process of self-realization) of Pujya Deepakbhai around the world. There are no formal lectures here, but it’s in the format of questions and answers on various topics. This is a practical spiritual science. Dada Bhagwan Satsang on Harmony in Life: VCD Satsang of Pujya Deepakbhai and Pujya Dr. Niruma, various character building activities for Kids and Youth. Every 1st, 3rd and 5th Saturday of each month from 5 to 7 pm followed by Prasad at the HSNC Hall, 309 Aviation Pkwy, Morrisville, NC. For Further Details: 877.505.3232 ext 1003 rabhatt@yahoo.com www.dadabhagwan.org | www.kids.dadabhagwan.org Datta Yoga Center - Raleigh Mission: Spread the teachings of Sadguru Sri Sri Sri Ganapathi Sachchidananda Swamiji of Mysore. Activities: Namasankeertana - Bhajans written, composed and sung by Pujya Sri Swamiji. Future projects: Kriya yoga classes by Pujya Sri Swamiji-trained teachers from India. The group meets on the first Saturday of every month and every major festival day for Satsang and Namasankeertana (divine singing). Everyone is invited to attend the satsang with family and friends and receive divine blessings. For Further Details: 919.484.1993 (Srinivas Chittineni) 919.461.0843 (Suresh Kota)

South Asia all over the campus as well as the local community and the organization works hand-in-hand with many organizations on and off the NCSU campus, as well as South Asian organizations from area universities. For Further Details: www.ektaa.org Geet Bazaar Radio Program Every Sunday morning from 10 am - 12 noon on WKNC 88.1 FM, join hosts Afroz Taj and John Caldwell, for a wide variety of music from India, Pakistan, and other countries and languages of South Asia. Geet Bazaar will also publicize community events free of charge. For Further Details: 919.851.1119 (Dr. Afroj Taj) taj@unity.ncsu.edu GEM - Raleigh Church of God Attend worship services, prayer meetings or Sunday School. For Further Details: 919.395.6208 (Pastor Thankachan M.) globalem@gmail.com Gokul Bhajan and Vedic Studies Weekly meeting of parents and children singing bhajan and glorifying past times of Sri Krishna. The group holds programs every Friday 7 to 9 pm in the Traingle area. Children are assigned with projects like book distribution, charity for cow protection, food for poor, and more. Classes are conducted with two semesters per year with tests and scores. For Further Details: www.gokulbhajan.com

Duke Diya Duke Diya is a Duke University student organization that is committed to providing a forum for interaction through political, cultural, community service, and social events relating to South Asian Americans. For Further Details: 732.865.3173 www.dukediya.com

Heritage India Association of North Carolina (HIANC) Heritage India Association of NC aims at providing Indian cultural experience through performing arts, cultural arts, fine arts & crafts of India. Its mission is “to preserve and promote Indian heritage and culture.” During the year, Heritage India Association of North Carolina presents several events and also coordinates Indian dances for the main stage performances for the Raleigh International Festival. For Further Details: yashcgarg@gmail.com

Ekal Vidyalaya Foundation RTP Chapter Ekal Vidyalaya Foundation of India (EVFI) was established to help in the overall development of the remote tribal and rural villages in India. Ekal Vidyalaya Foundation of USA along with EVFI is committed to the cause of eradicating illiteracy from tribal areas. Education is the key to self-esteem, self-sustenance, economic wellbeing and happiness. The Raleigh Chapter EVFUSA conducts fund raising and awareness programs in the Triangle area. For further details: Ekal/RTP: raginiusa@yahoo.com

Hindi Vikas Mandal of NC Hindi Vikas Mandal (HVM), based in the RTP area, promotes study and appreciation of Hindi language and strives to foster Indian culture and traditions through Hindi. HVM has a special focus on the youths for the preservation of Indian Culture and heritage. For Further Details: Saroj Sharma 919.851.0225 V.P. Tiwari 919.423.0365

EKTAA South Asian Student Organization EKTAA (meaning unity) is the South Asian Student Organization at North Carolina State University (NCSU). The organization was founded in 1970. The motto is “unity within diversity.” EKTAA strives to spread culture and heritage of Saathee.com

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Hindu Society of North Carolina Morrisville, NC The Hindu Society of NC is located at 309 Aviation Parkway, Morrisville, NC and serves the greater Triangle area. Temple Timings: Sunday to Monday - 7am-9pm (all day open) Morning Aarti: Mon-Friday-10.30 am, Saturday-10am, Every December 2013

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Community Organizations Sunday it is at 10am Evening Aarti: Mon-Friday- 8pm, Saturday-Sunday 6pm Regular religious events: Ramayan recital, Sunderkand, Hanumanchalisa, Shiva abishek, Gayatri Bhajans, Vaishnav Bhajans , Vedic havan, Jain Pooja, Bhagvatam, Vishnu sastranam, Ekadashi Bal Krishna abishek, Lalitha sastrnamam, Skananda shasti Kavacham, and Sholaka chanting. All major religious celebrations are observed throughout the year. Facility rentals are also available. Activities: Yoga Classes(twice a week), Hinduism and Meditation classes; Weekend Community Classes: Jain pathshala, Hindi classes, Sanskar Gurkul Classes,Tamil classes, Balmukund classes; Youth Affairs: Ohm Squad is the youth wing of HSNC involved in the youth activities like camp, games, craft and arts, music, shlokas. Regular pooja services are done in the temple. Priest services are available at your home and/or at the Temple at a nominal charge. For Further Details: Saroj Sharma at 919.654.5224 Trilok Pillai (manager) at 919.599.9567 hsnc@hsnconline.org www.hsnconline.org Hindu Students Council (HSC) - NC State University HSC-NCSU is a chapter of the national organization Hindu Students Council (HSC). HSC-NCSU is a cultural and religious student organization. It aims to provide opportunities to learn about Hindu philosophy, spirituality and cultural heritage through various activities, events and projects and is dedicated to provide “seva” (service) to the community. For Further Details: 919.676.0298 (Mrinmoyee Sanyal) msanyal@ncsu.edu www.hsc-ncsu.org Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh (HSS) The HSS conducts weekly activities to develop character and leadership skills in participants, emphasizing values such as self-discipline, self-confidence and a spirit of selfless service (seva) for humanity while maintaining Hindu cultural identity in harmony with the larger society. HSS is inspired by the idea that the whole world is one family. HSS started in 1989 in the United States and currently has over 100 chapters (shakhas) across the country. The Research Triangle Park chapter meets every Saturday. Activities are tailored to include yoga, games, songs, lectures and discussions on Hindu dharma and culture. For Further Details: hss.rtp@hssus.org - Triangle area hss.charlotte@hssus.org - Charlotte region. Hum Sub Hum Sub is dedicated to sharing the social and cultural traditions of India with the residents of the Research Triangle Park and North Carolina. For Further Details: 919.931.3572 - President (Meena Jeyakumar) 919.757.6666 - Vice President (Sunny Surana) www.humsub.net

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Immanuel Assembly of God Immanuel Assembly of God is a Full Gospel Christian church serving the Indian / South Asian community in Raleigh and RTP area of North Carolina. The church is located in Morrisville. For Further Details: 919.442.8537 Email: thechurch@immanuelassembly.org www.immanuelassembly.org Indian American Forum for Political Education (IAFPE) IAFPE, known as the FORUM, is the oldest and largest Indian American organization for political education in the country. This is a non-profit organization with numerous chapters throughout the United States. The North Carolina Chapter is in Raleigh and has just established a new committee for a 2year term. IAFPE is excited and motivated to educate the community on political issues and help the community with various services. Support is needed from the community and members to help us grow and provide relevant services and informative events. For Further Details: Nilesh - 919.656.4361 www.forum-nc.org Indian Classical Music & Dance Society (ICMDS) ICMDS is dedicated to the task of promoting Indian classical music and dance in the Triangle area. ICMDS invites the top artists from all over the world to perform in the Triangle area. For Further Details: www.icmds.org Indo-American Friendship Foundation Did you know that about 90 percent of rural orphans are female and most of them are abandoned at birth due to their gender? Not one of them gets the opportunity to become a doctor, engineer, or even receive basic education. Because they cannot live in the orphanage when they turn 18, many of them fall victim to different types of exploitation, including sex trade. IAFF has created an orphanage education fund to help qualified orphans to rise as high as they can climb in the educational/professional ladder. For Further Details: 919.362.7653 (Dr. Subhas C. Mohapatra) www.iaff1.org InStepp InStepp is located in Durham and its mission is to create a vibrant community by empowering women who’ve come up against some challenges in their lives to rise above those challenges and succeed personally and professionally through innovative, gender-responsive training, educational and prevention services. If you need assistance transitioning into the workforce after losing your primary source of income from a significant other due to divorce, separation, death or disability, ask about eligibility to participate in New Choices, an economic self-sufficiency program for women. Services include employment & career counseling, resume development, employability skills training, federal and state benefits application, financial and tuition assistance, 120

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December 2013

Community Organizations community and college referrals, computer skills training and more. InStepp welcomes all women from South Asia and understands the differences in customs and religions across South Asia and can provide services in many different South Asian Languages. For Further Details: 919.680.8000 pmanhas@instepp.org www.instepp.org International Community Church CC is a worship center for people from India and neighboring countries. The pastor is Joseph B. Jesudason and the church office is located at 1215 Franklin Jones Road, Suite #204, Raleigh, NC 27606. For Further Details: 919.233.2900 www.internationalcommunitychurch.org International Hindi Association International Hindi Association (IHA) promotes Hindi language and literature and has chapters all over the United States. The Raleigh Chapter periodically organizes Kavi Sammelans with local and indigenous talents. Open to those interested in listening to poetry or in reciting poetry. For Further Details: 919.656.5224 (Saroj Sharma) 919.678.9056 (Sudha Om Dhingra) www.hindi.org International Swaminarayan Satsang Organization (ISSO) ISSO is a socio-religious organization and its primary objective is to advance the Sanatan Dharma in accordance with the principles and teachings of Shree Swaminarayan Sampradaya, founded and ordained by Bhagwan Shree Swaminarayan Himself. ISSO Raleigh-Durham chapter organizes a regularly scheduled biweekly “Satsang Sabha,” every other Saturday, at HSNC Cultural Hall (309 Aviation Pkwy., Morrisville, NC27560), which includes Kirtan bhakti, Katha, Aarti and Mahaprasad. Pujya Santo visit often to impart the divine knowledge of Swaminarayan Bhagwan. Devotees come together to practice their religious duties in harmony. All are welcome. For Further Details: 919.964.1008 isso.nc@gmail.com http://issonc.org ISKCON New Goloka Temple of North Carolina New Goloka temple is a member of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness, also known as the Hare Krishna Movement. The Radha-Krishna temple is in a rural, peaceful setting at 1032 Dimmocks Mill Rd. Hillsborough, North Carolina 27278. Visitors are welcome any day of the week to come have darshan of Sri Sri Radha Golokananda. Every Sunday at 4pm, there is a special program consisting of arati, kirtan, Bhagavad-gita discourse, and a sumptuous prasadam feast. From 4:30-5:30pm, there is a Sunday School program for children ages 3-7 and 8-12. Children take part in learning Bhagavad-gita slokas and bhajans, understanding the basic Saathee.com

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philosophy, reciting and hearing stories from the Vedas, enacting dramas and other fun activities. New Goloka also provides educational classes, seminars and programs for adults. New Goloka Daily Darshan Times 4:30 – 5 am, 7:15 am- 1:00 pm, 4:15 - 5:45 pm, 7 - 8 pm. Saturday and Sunday Darshan open from 7:15 am to 8 pm. For Further Details: 919.593.6827, golokanandapriya@hotmail.com www.newgoloka.com Kiran KIRAN is a community based, South Asian organization promoting the self-reliance and empowerment of South Asian women who are in crisis through outreach, peer support, and referrals in a confidential manner. The group spreads awareness of South Asian women’s issues in the community and cooperates and collaborate with organizations in the USA and elsewhere with similar objectives. Though there are differences in language, customs, and religions across these countries, these regions share many basic cultural and historical similarities. KIRAN operates a crisis phone line Monday- Friday from 9:00 am – 9:00 pm. For help or information regarding domestic violence call an advocate. Services offered are confidential and free of charge: Information in a culture- and context-sensitive manner, referrals to professional and community services regarding legal issues, health care, short-term child care, psychological counseling, and temporary shelter and housing. KIRAN’s services are completely confidential. For Further Details: Crisis Hotline: 1877- NC-KIRAN or 1-877-625-4726 Kiran@Kiraninc.org www.kiraninc.org Lakulish Yoga and Health Retreat Lakulish Yoga and Health Retreat is a secluded resort in Caswell County, located at 8136 N.C. Highway 119 South, Mebane, NC 27302. It is a place of natural beauty that stimulates a spirit of detachment and inspires and uplifts visitors. This resort is hallowed by a Yogi, a Sannyasi who ensures that the true practice of Dharm and Yoga flourishes here, offering the North Carolina community and visitors an ongoing program of free Yoga Classes. The classes are offered each Wednesday from 6 - 8 pm, and each Saturday from 11 am - 1 pm. For Further Details: 336.421.0690 lifemisionusa@gmail.com www.lifemissionusa.org Nuv Yug Nuv Yug is a cultural organization with a mission to promote awareness of Indian cultural arts and heritage. Striving to create synergy among various cultural groups from the South Asian region. Upcoming Event: March 22 - 23, 2014: India Fest For Further Details: www.nuvyug.net December 2013

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December 2013

Community Organizations Pakistani American Association The Pakistani-American Association (NCPAA) is a nonpolitical, non-sectarian, cultural and social organization that promotes Pakistani culture to all the communities in the Triangle Area of NC. Several events are presented during the year including a family dinner on the second Friday of every month. For Further Details: payamber@ncpaa.org http://ncpaa.org Pratham - Triangle Area Pratham is a grass-roots organization that works towards universalizing primary education in India. With a goal of reaching 20 million children, Pratham is one of the largest NGOs in field of literacy movement in India. Pratham continues to evolve, grow and works to meet the continually changing needs of the children it educates. Pratham’s North Carolina chapter actively aims to collaborate with individuals, local organizations and community associations and seeks ideas, volunteers and resources to deliver the vision of “Every Child in School and Learning Well.” For Further Details: Rajeev Thalla - rajeev.thalla@gmail.com Monica Awasthi - awasthimonica@yahoo.com www.prathamusa.org Professional Indians’ Association [PIA] PIA is a meetup that serves young South Asian professionals in the Triangle Community. The group is made of Indian professionals and grad students interested in cultural events, socializing and meeting/making friends with like-minded people around the Triangle. Monthly events include meeting at bars/restaurants, Bollywood movie nights, potlucks, Indian concerts/performances, outdoor activities, community service and volunteering. This will also be an opportunity for professionals to share their thoughts on respective industries, social causes, the economy and politics. For Further Details: http://www.meetup.com/PIATriangle/ Punjabi Unlimited Punjabi Unlimited is dedicated to promotion/creation of a public awareness and education about Punjabi Arts, Culture, Sports, Language, Music, Dance etc. All welcome who are “Punjabi at Heart.” For Further Details: Gurpreet Burmi president@punjabiunlimited.org; Arvinder Singh vicepresident@punjabiunlimited.org www.punjabiunlimited.org Raleigh Sai Center Parthi Sai devotees of Triangle area meet every Sunday from 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm in the Mini-Hall of Hindu Bhavan in Morrisville. There will be Study circle, Bhajan Practice, Veda Chanting etc. during the 4-5 pm slot depending on the week, followed by bhajans from 5:00 - 6:00. The center carries out several service activities as well. The Human Values Education (SSE) classes for the children of different age group will be from 3:30 - 5:00. All are invited to participate in the Satsangh and service activities. Saathee.com

For Further Details: Rakesh Huria, President, Raleigh Sai Center at 919-244-1263 E-mail rsc.president@yahoo.com. Ramakrishna Vedanta Society of North Carolina The Ramakrishna Vedanta Society of NC draws inspiration from the timeless, philosophical wisdom of the Vedanta as practiced and preached in the modern day by Sri Ramakrishna, Sri Sarada Devi and Swami Vivekananda. Perhaps you know a great deal about Practical Vedanta and the message of the harmony of religions and the spiritual oneness of Existence or perhaps you are just curious and want to learn more. Regardless of background and/or knowledge the organization welcomes participants. For Further Details: www.vedantanc.org RTP Maharashtra Mandal RTP Maharashtra Mandal is a home away from home for Marathi-speaking people. The goal of the Mandal is to advocate the vibrant culture, the rich heritage as well as the wellendowed language of Maharashtra. The Mandal is dedicated to showcase the cultural, social and traditional attributes of Maharashtra to the local community through variety of entertaining programs, events and get-togethers. All aficionados are warmly invited to join. For Further Details: Mohana Dighe: 919.378.1947 Sameer Mohile: 919.851.8799 Deepa Kardekar: 201.673.6193 www.rtpmm.org S. V. Temple of North Carolina S.V. Temple of North Carolina is built on over nine acres of centrally connected triangle area. This grand tribute to Lord Venkateswara and his consorts is designed to exacting standards of shilpa shasthra and features the only shrine in North America to incorporate abodes to Lord Viswaksena and Lord Sudarshana/Lord Narasimha as part of Srinivasa Parivaram. The temple rituals are performed in accordance with Pancharathra Agama Shastra. For Further Details: 919.468.0040 comm@svtemplenc.org www.svtemplenc.org Sahaj Marg Meditation - Triangle Area Sahaj Marg translates to “The Natural Path.” It is a natural, simple system of Raja Yoga meditation and spiritual practice that helps one realize the ultimate potential within oneself. Regular spiritual practice under capable guidance enables aspirants to progressively experience the sublime presence of the divine in their daily lives. Sahaj Marg system of meditation is freely offered to seekers worldwide through Shri Ram Chandra Mission. In Triangle area, group meditations are held on Sundays and Wednesdays. For Further Details: (919) 303-7447 (Raj Solanki) / (919) 493-6180 (Devi Sekar) raleigh.center@gmail.com> www.srcm.org, www.sahajmarg.org 124

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Community Organizations Sahaja Meditation Ongoing meetings, seminars and workshops are available in Raleigh. There is never any charge for Sahaja Meditation instruction or for receiving one’s self-realization which is the birthright of every human being. Anyone can do it. Sahaja Mediation is free and without obligation. RSVP in meetup: Sahaja-Meditation-Triangle-Group Thursdays at 7:30 p.m. 9308 Fairbanks Drive Raleigh, NC, 27613 More information: http://www.sahajamediation.com http:///www.coolcheck.org For Further Details: balaram.krishna@gmail.com 919.757.3135 Sky Meditation and Kaya Kalpa Yoga Sky Meditation and Kaya Kalpa yoga benefits include Longevity, Wellness and Stress Management. Triangle Sky Meditation group holds weekly group meditation and simplified physical exercises every Friday in Cary for those who have attended Shri Vethathiri Maharishi’s Kaya Kalpa Yoga course. Kaya Kalpa Yoga Courses are held several times a year for anyone 14 years and above. For more details about the course visit www.vethathiri.edu.in For Further Details: 919-830-9764 vikram.renganathan@gmail.com South Indian Fine Arts Academy (SIFAA) SIFAA is a non-profit organization that works to arrange and promote concerts and performances in the Triangle and Triad areas, concentrating on Carnatic music. For Further Details: 919.773.1580 www.sifaa.org Tamil Cultural Association of North Carolina (TCA NC) TCA NC was formed for the purpose of providing youths with exposure to Tamil culture. Everyone is invited to join TCA and become part of the organization promoting Tamil culture in the Triangle area. For Further Details: tca_nc@yahoo.com www.tcanc.org Tamil Sangam of Carolina The Tamil Sangam is an organization that promotes understanding of Tamil culture and provides a medium for people of Tamil culture to get together. The activities include music, drama, lectures, Tamil movies, etc. For Further Details: 919.461.3057 - Alli Dass (President) www.tamilsangamofcarolina.org Telugu Christian Fellowship of NC (TCFNC) The Telugu Christian Fellowship of North Carolina (TCFNC) is a non-profit organization whose mission is to reach out to Telugu Christians living in North Carolina, to be united and bonded together as a Telugu Christian family of God and encourage and pray for each other. TCFNC provides a place for Telugu Christians for time of worship, prayer and fellowship. They also provide a forum for kids to grow in the Saathee.com

knowledge of the Lord and to equip them to be ambassadors of Jesus Christ. The group organizes, each year, an Annual Telugu Christian Family Conference. For further details: www.tcfnc.org Phone: 919-43-TCFNC(82362) Triangle Area Telugu Association (TATA) The Triangle Area Telugu Association (TATA) is a non-profit organization (started in 1983) committed to building a vibrant Telugu Community and promoting Telugu culture and language in the Triangle area of North Carolina. For Further Details: committee@tataonline.org www.tataonline.org Triangle Bangladesh Society (TBSNC) TBSNC strives to arrange musical programs by artists who have captured the hearts and minds of millions of Bengali-, Urdu- and Hindi-speaking music fans all around the globe. For Further Details: 919.741.9343 (Ishtiaque Mohiuddin) Ishtiaquem@gmail.com www.tbsnc.org Triangle Chapter-India Development & Relief Fund (IDRF) IDRF is a registered, tax-exempt non-profit organization that supports volunteer-based, honest and highly experienced nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) in India in serving their populations’ critical needs around education, childcare, healthcare, women empowerment and tribal welfare, as well as relief and rehabilitation in times of natural disasters. For Further Details: www.idrf.org. Triangle Gujarati Association (TGA) TGA’ s mission is to promote and serve Gujarati culture in the Triangle area by organizing various events throughout the year and impart Gujarati culture and language on the youth. The association sponsors events throughout the year. For Further Details: www.nctga.org Triangle Rang Mandal Devotees of Pujya Sri Rang Avdhoot Maharaj meet every Saturday in Cary or Raleigh from 8:30 PM - 10:30 PM to sing devotional Dattatreya Bhajans and Datta-Bavani in a spiritual atmosphere. Special programs organised on Guru Purnima and Rang Jayanti and on the occasion of Pujya Sri Prem Avdhoot Bapji’s annual visit to the US. For Further Details: rangmandal@gmail.com Triangle Vegetarian Society (TVS) The mission of TVS is to build a sense of community between current vegetarians and people who are interested in vegetarianism and have a forum for a discussion of issues. Upcoming Events: Sat, Dec. 14: Annual TVS Holiday Party potluck at 7pm. For Further Details: barman@cs.unc.edu www.trianglevegsociety.org

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Community Organizations Triangle Vipassana Vipassana, which means to see things as they are, is one of India’s most ancient techniques and was taught 2500 years ago as a universal remedy for universal ills. The Triangle Vipassana meditation group holds weekly group sittings in Cary, Raleigh on Thursday, Saturday, and Monday and 3-hour sitting on 3rd Sunday each month, and one day sitting once every few months for established students (those who have taken atleast one ten day course from S.N.Goenka or one of his Assistant teachers). Ten day courses are available for all. There is no charge for the course. To apply for a retreat visit www.patapa.dhamma.org. For Further Details: 732-213-9660 carync.sittings@gmail.com Hitesh & Vaibhavi Parekh www.dhamma.org Vaishnav Samaj of Triangle Area The Vaishnav Samaj is a group of like-minded devotees who meet for religious worship and understand Pushti Marg Principles at large. Recently, a sub-chapter of Vallabh Youth Organization (VYO) was formed under the leadership of Mrs. Harsha Shah. Regular Bhajan recitations are held 2nd Sunday of the month from 4-6 pm and Seniors are requested to encourage youngsters to participate in the activities. For Further Details: Arvindbhai Shah 919.233.7677 Vithalbhai Shah 919.467.4254 Navinbhai Parikh 919.387.8808 Vibha Vibha is a volunteer driven non-profit organization dedicated to creating a brighter future for underprivileged children. The Raleigh Action Center has a group of energetic and enthusiastic volunteers from varied backgrounds, including working professionals and students. This group came together through a strong belief in Vibha’s mission and a resolve that we can create a positive societal impact in India – even from half way around the world. The group works to organize social events that spread awareness and raise funds to further the organization’s mission. For Further Details: raleigh@vibha.org http://raleigh.vibha.org.

Regional Hindu Society of Eastern NC (Greenville, NC) The temple celebrates major festivals and holds regular bhajan seesions and Geeta study. For Further Details: Temple 252.752.2670 / B.S. Srivatsa 508.654.0360 Hindutemplenc@gmail.com Sri Somesvara Temple Sri Somesvara Temple is located near Asheville, NC. Temple hours are 8 am - 7:30pm. Regularly scheduled pujas: Subrabhath Aarti - 8 am, Rudrabhishek Nityapuja - 9 am - 12 noon, Pradoshakala puja and mangala aarti - 6 pm - 7:30pm. Saathee.com

The temple also hosts special events. Contact the temple: 828.476.4073. It is located at 95 Mount Soma Blvd., Clyde, NC 28721 Upcoming Events: Sat, Dec 7: Subrahmanya Shasti, 11:30am Thu, Dec 12: Vykunta Ekadasi, 11:30am For Further Details: www.srisomesvara.org.

South Carolina American South Asian Cultural Association of Columbia, SC The American South Asian Cultural Association of Columbia’s fundamental goal is to increase cultural awareness and develop cultural understanding among American Southeast Asian Community in Columbia area. A monthly Lunch meeting will be held on the Second Sunday of every month between 1 to 3 PM. There will be $7.00 Per Person charge for Lunch (Kids Ages 6-10 pay half price) at Delhi Palace, 542 Saint Andrew Road, Columbia, 29210. Contact in the evenings: (803) 233-7042 OR (803) 233-3995. Bethel Christian Fellowship Bethel Christian Fellowship offers services in various Indian languages (i.e. Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, etc.) and Sunday Worship services are at 11:30 a.m. Address: Fort Mill Church of God, Student Life Center Building, 216 Academy Street, Room 102. Fort Mill, South Carolina 29715 For Further Details: 803.792.7223 Pastor Rajan Samuel @ pastorofbcf@gmail.com www.bethelchristianfellowship.org Carolina Buddhist Vihara (Greenville, SC) Regular beginner meditation program conducted by a Buddhist Monk. Activities are held Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday evenings: 6:30 pm (puja), 7 pm (meditation), and 8 pm (“Dhamma” talk or discussion). A “youth program” is also held once a month. For Further Details: dhammasc@hotmail.com Hanahan TableTennis Training Center There are no membership fees of any kind to play at HTTTC. Free open play and training. Free USATT league. Informal free coaching as time permits. Open to all levels of players from recreational to competitive. The center is located at City of Hanahan Gym, 1255 Yeamans Hall Rd., Hanahan, SC 29410 (Adjacent to Police Station). For Further Details: www.ttHanahan.com Hindu Society of Greater Spartanburg The daily Aarti is at 7:00 p.m., Balvihar classes are conducted from 10 - 11:45 am on scheduled Sundays, and Satsang is on second Sunday every month from 5 - 7 pm. Temple is located on 1130 Fairview Church Road in Boiling Springs, SC 29303. For Further Details: 864.599.7048 128

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International Community Church A WORSHIP CENTER FOR PEOPLE FROM INDIA AND NEIGHBORING COUNTRIES We Welcome You to Become a Part of This Loving Spiritual Family “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” John 3:16 (The Holy Bible) Pastor: Joseph B. Jesudason

Regular Activities Worship Service - Sundays at 8:30 AM Child Care Available 1524, North Harrison Avenue, Cary (Next to SAS Campus) Children’s Sunday School & Adult Bible Study - Sundays at 11 AM 1215 Jones Franklin Rd Suite 204 Prayer Fellowship - Wednesdays at 7:00 PM Meet at Four Zones at host families Raleigh, Durham, Apex, Cary, Morrisville, Holly Springs & Chapel Hill

SERVING GOD AND THE COMMUNITY SINCE JUNE 1984 Zakar Bible Club: Character development of children through memorization of God’s powerful & redemptive word. Please send your child and receive guaranteed life lasting blessing.

Church Oﬃce: 1215 Jones Franklin Road, Suite 204 Raleigh, NC 27606 (919) 233-2900 or (919) 467-4435 (Residence) www.internationalcommunitychurch.org

We welcome you to come and receive a blessing through this evangelical, Christ-centered, Bible-based, non-denominational, loving, caring, mission-minded spiritual family church. Saathee.com

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Community Organizations Hindu Temple and Center (Columbia, SC) The temple is located at 5704 Kiawah Road, Columbia, South Carolina 29212. It is open on weekdays between 8:30 am to 12 noon and between 5 pm and 8:30 pm. On weekends, the temple is open between 8:30 am to 1:00 pm and 5 pm to 8:30 pm. Bal Gokulam (Sunday School) classes are held every Sunday from 10:30 am to 12:00 noon. Classes are designed to help children build physical, mental, cultural, social & spiritual lives. Contact: 803.772.6940 www.hindutemplesc.org Hindu Temple of South Carolina The Hindu Temple and Cultural Center of South Carolina was established with an objective to fill the need for thousands of Hindus in the State of South Carolina to worship and pray together, perform sacraments and rituals, to observe and celebrate festivals, and to perform and engage in humanitarian and educational activities. For Further Details: www.hindutemplesc.org/index.php India Assoc. of Greater Charleston (IAGC) The IAGC was founded in Charleston to bring together people who were interested in India and to provide a forum to increase the understanding of the heritage of India in US. For Further Details: 803.884.0859 iagcfolks@yahoo.com

Telugu Association of Greater Greenville The Telugu Association of Greater Greenville, SC, serves the Telugu community of the Greenville/Spartanburg area of South Carolina. The group sponsors several events throughout the year. For Further Details: www.taggsc.org Triad Avatar Meher Baba Group The Meher Center is a spiritual retreat/ashram located on SC Highway 17 immediately North of the Highway 22 connection 8 miles from Myrtle Beach, SC. Meher Baba visited this place 3 times and considered it His home in the West. A small brick house built especially for Him is open for “Darshan” on Fridays and Sunday (11:00 am.) / Meher Center: (843) 272-5777. For Further Details: 336.299.9683 runderwood@webtv.net www.avatarmeherbaba.org Vedic Center of Greenville The Center is located at 499 Bethel Road in Mauldin, S.C. 29662. Daily Aarti is conducted Monday to Friday at 8 pm. Bal Vihar classes are conducted Sundays from 11:15 am - 12:30 pm. Sri Venkateshwara Suprabhatam is held on 2nd Sat of month at 9 am. For Further Details: 864.967.2852

Send your organization’s events and happenings to us by the 15th of the month for inclusion in the following month’s issue as well as online. Send info to: saatheemag@hotmail.com

A sure way to get your baby

International Fellowship Church of Greenville, SC International Fellowship Church offers Sunday worship services and other weekly activities for people of Indian origin. For Further Details: 864.234.1256 (Pastor Suhas Raiborde) www.internationalfellowshipchurch.org

Boy or Girl!

To get a boy, conceive in a boy cycle. To get a girl, conceive in a girl cycle.

Kannada Association of Greater Greenville (KAGG) An organization devoted to the awareness and promotion of Kannada culture in the Greater Greenville area of South Carolina. KAGG is a primarily run by volunteers and invites Kannadigas living in and around Greater Greenville area to participate in the organization. Kannada classes for children are being organized to meet at the Vedic Center in Mauldin every other Sunday morning. For Further Details: 864.430.4973 www.kagg-sc.org

We discovered that women have alternating boy/girl/boy/girl menstrual cycles. In one cycle they are ready to conceive a boy and in the next a girl. We have special urine tests to find which cycle is good for conceiving your dream baby thru our PreGender preconception test* By testing two consecutive mid-cycle urine samples, we find the pattern in your case and provide full guidance thereafter. Your success is our success. 4 out of 5 couples are getting their boy or girl simply by conceiving in proper cycle, suggested by us. No medicines, No gender diet scams, No pH Hoax, No calendars to watch, No astrological guessing, No books to read, No O +/- stress, No need to travel, No hassle.

Masjid Noor-UL-Huda The Mosque is located at 517 Winmet Dr., Columbia, S.C. On the first and third Saturday of every month from 6 - 8 pm, Islamic session is held by Hafiz Mohammed Basheer. Quranic Reading classes are conducted daily, and everyone is encouraged to send their children to these sessions. For Further Details: 803.749.0827 (Dr. Shami) 803.740.5127 (Qari Abdul Khader Multani) 803.754.2632 (Mosque main number)

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December 2013

Pop’s Puzzles & Jokes By Kirit Shukla

Note: * denotes abbreviation of the word or phrase Clues Across: 1. An Asian country. Capital: Dhaka. 11. Surpassed; gone beyond. 12. Greasy, combustible substance obtained from minerals. 14. Viscous, semisolid, organic substances exuded from trees, used in varnishes etc. as modiﬁers in synthetic plastics. 15. A list of things to be dealt with at a meeting. 17. Discolored or blackened, as if scorched. 19. Tight End. (*) (Football) 21. Social Security Number. (*). 22. Synthetic textile ﬁbers, pressed with cellulose solution. 24. The form of a tautomeric compound having C:C(OH) . 26. Amplitude Modulation. (*) (Radio) 28. Leg Before Wicket. (*) (Cricket) 29. The last month of the year. 32. University of Nebraska Omaha. (*) 34. A large picture painted directly on the wall or ceiling. 35. More intimate, central or secret. 37. Of, tasting of, or containing comparatively more salt.39. A unit of land area in FPS system = 4840 square yards. 40. Intrauterine (contraceptive) device . (*) 41. Everyone of two or more considered separately. 43. National Transportation Safety Board. (*) 45. To throw so as to break; smash. 46. Not at all; nay. 47. Penetrated; came or went in or into. 48. A thing or happening believed to foretell a future event, either good or evil; augury. Saathee.com

Clues Down: 1. Scolded; rebuked severely. 2. A tool for chopping trees or splitting wood. 3. North Carolina State University. (*) 4. A glass tube with two electrodes and contains gas that when electriﬁed, glows of it’s color characteristics. 5. One of the oldest parks in the city of Portland, Oregon. 6. Of the Christian era; Anno Domini. (*) 7. The act of distributing playing cards. 8. An annual U. S. award given for best mystery novel. 9. Darling; dear. (Informal) (used in aﬀectionate address.) 10. Simple; not complicated. 13. Idaho. (*) 16. And elsewhere; (L at alibi). (*) 18. Lack of power to do something. 20. A purgative liquid forced into colon thru anus. 23. A person who holds the personal property. 25. Former term for optometrist. 27. Maine. (*) 30. A girl or woman servant. 31. Rhode Island. (*) 33. A coastal state in NW U.S. Nickname: Beaver state. 36. Tortilla chips spread with beans, cheese etc. & broiled. 37. A ratio of the opposite side of a given acute angle in a right-angled triangle to the hypotenuse. (Trigonometry) 38. To utter aloud the words of written or printed matter. 42. To the same amount or degree. 44. Tennessee. (*) 45. Delaware. (*) 46. Nebraska. (*) (Puzzle solutions are on page 134. NO peeking!)

Hee Hee “The doctor said he would have me on my feet in 3 weeks.” “And did he?” “Yes, I had to sell my car to pay his bills.” •••••••••••••• Boy: “Merry Christmas, Santa. Were you born in North pole? Santa: “Yes, I was born in the North pole.” Boy: “Did you and elves also make the toys in North pole?” Santa: “No son, the toys were made in China.” •••••••••••••• Booddhoo: “Why are all these people running?”Man: “This is a race, the winner will get a cup.” Booddhoo: “If only the winner will get a cup, why are the others running?” •••••••••••••• Disciple: “Guru, I know all the answers for the problems in life, but nobody asks me the questions. Why?” Guru: “You know, you are getting older.” •••••••••••••• 132

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YOUTH CORNER (Created By Kirit Shukla) (Find & circle the words in the puzzle). (Subject: “Christmas”

ADVENT ANGEL BETHLEHEM CANDLE CHIMNEY CHRISTMAS EGGNOG FALALALA FIREPLACE FUN GIFT GINGERBREAD GRINCH

ICICLES LIGHTS MISTLETOE NOEL POINSETTIA SANTACLAUS SHOPPING SILENTNIGHT SONG VIRGIN XMAS

The unused 6 letters spell that means: “A ring made of assorted ﬂowers. Leaves, fruits, twigs etc.”

Math Magic Use these numbers only once: [2, 3, 4, 5, 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 next page)

eZ-BZ

TEST YOUR IQ The common letters are “BY” - Fill in the blanks 1. A short and sheer women’s nightwear. _ _ BY _ _ _ _ 2. Any of a set of rules adopted by an organization for governing its own meetings or affairs . BY _ _ _ 3. Loosely, one thousand strings of eight bits. _ _ _ _ BY _ _ 4. Deep red variety of corundum, a precious stone. _ _ BY 5. A softer variety of cheese similar to Cheddar. _ _ _ BY 6. A run made by the batsman without touch of a ball. BY _ 7. Undersized; covered with brushwood. _ _ _ _ _ BY 8. A prophetess of the ancient Greek _ _ BY _ 9. Through this; by this means. _ _ _ _ BY 10. Too deep for measurement; chasm. _ BY _ _ 11. A side street off a main street. BY _ _ _ _ _ _ 12. A favorite pastime or avocation. _ _ _ BY 13. A way of expressing disdain by a waitress. _ _ BY _ 14. A kind of football game famous in England. _ _ _ BY 15. A soothing song for kids to put them to sleep. _ _ _ _ _ BY 16. A predatory, spiny-finned fish of tropical seas. _ _ BY 17. A line identifying a writer of a magazine article. BY _ _ _ _ 18. Round and plump; fleshy. _ _ _ _ BY 19. The annual race for three-year-old horses. _ _ _ BY 20. A little farther on. _ _ BY _ 21. To go around instead of through. BY _ _ _ _ 22. Unfathomable; bottomless. _ BY _ _ _ _ 23. In an inward direction. _ _ BY _ 24. A cow barn. BY _ _ 25. Farewell. (Interjection used in parting). _ _ _ _ BY _ (Puzzle solutions are on page 134. NO peeking!) Kirit Shukla Contact him at kiritsshukla@hotmail.com

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FYI: Festivals & Holidays December 2013 Dec. 2 - Darsha/Somavati Amās (No Moon) Dec. 7 - Guru Tegabahādur Shahid Day Dec. 10 - Pramukh Swami Maharaja Prāgatyotsava Dec. 13 - Gita Jayanti/ Mokshadā Ekādesi Dec. 16 - Dattātreya Jayanti Dec. 17— Mārgashirsh Purnimā (Full Moon) Dec. 24 - Christmas Eve Dec. 25 - Christmas Dec. 27 - Jain Pārshvanāth Jayanti Dec. 28 - Safalā Ekādesi Dec. 31 - New Year’s Eve. (Year 2013 ends) January 2014 Jan. 1 - New Year 2014 begins Jan. 2 - Darsha Amās (No Moon) Jan. 4 - Guru Govindsingh Jayanti Jan. 11 - Putradā Ekādesi Jan. 12 - Swāmi Vivekānand Jayanti Jan. 14 - Uttarāyan/ Makarsankrānti Jan. 14 - Eid-E- Milād Jan. 15 - Poshi Purnāma (Full Moon) Jan. 20 - Martin Luther King Day Jan. 24 - Swāmi Ramānandāchārya Jayanti Jan. 26 - Republic Day (India) Jan. 27 - Shattilā Ekādesi Jan. 30 - Mauni Amās (No Moon) Jan. 30 - Gandhi Nirvana Day Jan. 31 - Chinese New Year (Horse)

Puzzle Solutions

Calendars - Part 1 Everyone knows what a calendar is. It has periods of time measured in days, weeks, months, and a year. It is a system of organizing days for social, religious, commercial or administrative purposes. A date is the designation of a single, specific day within such a system. Periods in a calendar are usually synchronized with the cycle of the Sun or the moon. A calendar is also a physical device, often paper or a computerized system, which can be set to remind the user of upcoming events and appointments. The word calendar is derived from the Latin word “kalendae” meaning the first day of every month. Nearly all calendars group consecutive days into weeks, months and years. In a lunar calendar, the month approximates the cycle of the moon phase. Even if a calendar is sun-based or lunar, the year cannot be divided entirely into months that never vary in length. The primary practical use of a calendar is to identify days: to be informed about and/or to agree on a future event and to record an event that has happened. Days may be significant for civil, religious or social reasons. Calendars are also used to help people manage their personal schedules, time and activities, particularly when individuals have numerous work, school, and family commitments. People frequently use multiple systems and may keep both: a business and family calendar to help prevent them from overcommitting their time. Calendars are also used as part of a complete timekeeping system: date and time of day together specify a moment in time. In the modern world, written calendars are no longer an essential part of such systems, as the advent of accurate clocks has made it possible to record time independently of astronomical events. Calendar time cycles can be synchronized with periodic phenomena. There are many formats of calendars in the world including Georgian, Solar, Lunar, Fiscal, Legal, Hindu, Islamic, and Hebrew. Some of these will be discussed in the next issue of Saathee.

Solution to Math Magic

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December 2013

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December 2013

others. Your partners will take disadvantage of your goodness, though the time is favorable for investment in real estate property. Minor health ailment could be there. Avoid parties and social gatherings this year. LIBRA (Sep 23 - Oct 23) During this month your confidence will be excellent. You will be fearless and fond of struggle and strife. With the help of polished language business trade prospect will be on positive side, but beware of your partners. An unexpected business-related journey could prove to be very fruitful. You will be able to overcome competition and prevail over opponents.

General Predictions for December 2013 ARIES (Mar 20- Apr 20) A peace of mind is on the horizon. You will experience it after second week of the month. Try to avoid confusion and work to establish self-confidence. This is the time to spend for future. Don’t forget to ask for advice from a learned person, just to make a firm decision. Even though you are not confident, your income will rise because of good luck. The time is good for some savings too.

SCORPIO (Oct 23 - Nov 22) You will feel quite comfortable during this month. Family happiness will be there. Sudden unexpected gain and rise in status are also possible. You will come in contact with higher officials and authorities. Your fame and reputation will be on an increase. You might incline towards religion and may visit sacred places. A balanced state of mind is indicated and overall happiness will be there.

TAURUS (Apr 20 - May 21) If you can control your expenses, and are not a patient, then everything other than that is very positive. Avoid legal disputes with partners and curb expenses. Rise in income is clearly indicated. There could be a rise in status, too. Long distance travel will prove to be very fruitful. Your quick decisions and exposure in a group of people will help you in making new business friends. You may spend for religious / social occasion.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov 22 - Dec 21) This is going to be a very comfortable and relaxing month. There will be a pleasant environment all around you. You will be favorably inclined towards the opposite sex. If you put a little more effort and hard work, you can increase income above your expectation. You may want to throw a big party and enjoy music and poetry. Family will extend their full support towards you.

GEMINI (May 21 - Jun 21) Don’t forget that your hard work will reward you with all kinds of benefits. An occult experience will bring important positive change in your ideology. Both long distance and short journeys are possible during this month. A wrong decision in the last week of the month may damage your reputation. Control your pace of activities during the last week of the month and wait till middle of next month.

CAPRICORN (Dec 21 - Jan 20) Do not be impulsive. Take time over making your decision. The main concern should be your health. You may suffer by taking chances or risks. Maintain good relations with your associates and friend, as you may need their help to solve your problems. Control your speech. Egoistic language may put you in hot water. The time, however, is good for traveling and visiting friends and family.

CANCER (Jun 21 - Jul 22) Unexpected problems can be the main events of the month. Maintain cordial relations with family and relatives otherwise you may end up in breaking friendships with them. There could be lots of opportunities coming your way but you may not be able to utilize them. Financial losses are also possible. Some type of serious legal problem may also financially hurt you. Your family is your best help.

AQUARIUS (Jan 20 - Feb 19) Your hard work and labor will give dividends. Good news from far-off places is possible. You will enjoy power of artistic expression and interpretation. Your emotional actions will give very good reward. A pleasant journey or change in workplace may take place. A relaxed state of mind is also indicated. You will have edge over your competitors. A change in internal relation with your spouse is possible.

LEO (Jul 22 - Aug 23) During this month you will be of an amiable disposition and will avoid friction. A pleasant journey is quite possible. You may incline towards religious and social activities. You might develop a taste for high philosophy or literature. Your trade and business will survive due to your prompt positive action. Drive very carefully or avoid driving. Avoid speculation.

PISCES (Feb 19 - Mar 20) Due to your own caliber and skills you will bring excellent results in your business and trade. If you involve educated and learned people in your project, the results would be fantastic. You will make strenuous efforts to satisfy your aspirations. Your aggressive acts will pay dividend. Some kind of family-related problem will need attention. The state of your health will be satisfactory.

VIRGO (Aug 23 - Sep 23) After a very positive start the month will end with negative results. Unexpected expenses will badly affect your budget. Don’t try being good and helping to Saathee.com

By Jalendu Vaidya Contact: 908-638-6388 / hindusvision.com 136

December 2013

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December 2013

Classifieds BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES: Gas Station with C-Store For Sale: On I85 North, 35 Min from Raleigh/Durham. Price $300,000 with 2 Million gross annual sales. Great store with good income. Call 252-767-1635 Motels For Sale: Rock Hill, SC (60 Rooms) and (39 Rooms). Motel for sale in Richburg, SC (47 Rooms). Nick Patel 704905-7945. Gas Station / Conv Store for sale or lease in Greenville, SC. 50-55k per month inside. Lottery comm is $50,000 / year. Family health reason for sale. Rent $3800. Call 864-270-8253. Running C-Store w / Property For Sale / Lease in Ga. (Operator deceased). Inside 35K, 10K Gal Gas, 5K Diesel + other income. Video Game Machine allowed. Call 912-481-3773. Convenience store / gas station for sale or run, very low rent or no rent offer! Lancaster, SC. 45 miles from charlotte. Guaranteed return. Call: 803-577-7008 or 973-207-6798. Tobacco shop for sale: Kannapolis, NC. 75k + inv. or best offer. Tobacco products, smoking accessories, pipes, lottery, chew, beer,drinks, snacks, incense & more. Room for expansion. 336-997-6542 C-Stores: Shelby, NC $339K + inv, GR $867K No Beer; Lake Norman, NC $149K w/RE, Closed, Owner Fin; Duncan, SC $749K + Inv, GR $1.59M. 704-821-8888 or www.Countysouth.biz Motel and Gas station for sale in Rowland, NC. Call: 910-536-4508 Grocery Store for Sale in High Point NC. Nice Location near downtown and community college on Main St. Rent only $800. Call for details: 336-491-1605. Indian Restaurant for Sale in NC. Established customers. Selling due to family issues. Call 910-262-8379. Tobacco Store For Sale: Excellent and high visibility. North Carolina. Store volume 25K. Asking price only $40K Plus Inv. Please call Jitu Patel 704-743-6719. Convenience Store for Sale: 55,000/month inside, $1,800 gas comm, $1,800 lotto comm. No competition. Near Sumter, SC. Lots of opportunity for growth. Rent $4,500, 150K asking. 803-807-3078. Liquor and c-store for Sale: Clover, SC. Gross sales yearly $380,000-$400,000 from both stores, monthly expenses only $1,000 (or less)+ $1600 rent; Asking $90,000 + inv. ($70k-$90K). Owner finance available. Call Rocky 803-810-5105. Saathee.com

For Sale: Conv store with gas and auto workshop. Prime I-85 location in Charlotte. All EPA in full compliance. $675,000 includes prop and equipment. Call 704-641-5902. For Sale: Fully equipped day-care available in Clover, SC. 3,000SqFt brick building with full classrooms, bathrooms, large hall, office, and full kitchen. New roofing & new water heater. Dual heat and A/C system. 2.69 Acres on corner lot. $475K. Please call 704-641-5902. C-Store / gas station for Sale with property / Lease in Kershaw, SC. 45k + inside and lotto, atm, phone-card, money order. Rent $3500. Asking 90k +inv, +property. Call 803-981-3820.

Help Wanted: Indian restaurant in Charlotte, NC looking for waiter (Drivers License a must). Please call 704-512-9177 Full time nanny / housekeeper, needed: including some weekends, Live in / live out, call 919-264-4095. Motel Help Wanted in Rock Hill SC. Part or full time. Front Desk and Night auditor. Experience preferred but will train and must be fluent in English. 704-905-7945. Help Wanted: Franchised Motel, Charlotte, NC. Experienced front desk/night auditor needed. Part-time/Fulltime. Must be honest / reliable / fluent in English. Call Nina 704-299-3364.

Business for Sale: Established franchised digital printing, Charlotte. Located near I77. Repeat business customers . Potential to grow online business. Computer literate person can run the business. Owner retiring. Call 704-619-4023.

Retail Sales Associate wanted in Monroe NC. Full or part time. Must be fluent in English. Opportunity to advance quickly into management. Contact 619-607-4291 or email saisfashion11@gmail.com

Convenience Store for sale: busy highway near Clemson, SC. Inside 35k, gas 15k, 800/month lottery. Potential to add food, EBT, check cashing. Rent 1900/month. 65k +inv. 803-410-0185.

Convenience store / Gas Station Help Wanted: Looking for Couples/Single; Must have legal status; Locations in NC & SC; Opportunity to advance and grow! Please Call 803-789-3133.

Tobacco & Convenience store for sale in Raleigh, NC. No Lotto, no beer. Extra great location. Income $30-$35 k/month. Rent $2012/mo. $70k inc inventory. 919239-9921.

Refulgent Technologies Inc.: IT staffing company is currently recruiting Java, .Net, SQL Server and QA candidates. We also do Training & Placement. Contact Anu: e-mail: recruiter@refulgent-tech.com or 704-405-4238.

Grocery / convenience store for sale in High Point NC. On main street near Guilford Community college. Great profits and busy location. Rent $800. 65k (negotiable). Please call TK 336-491-1605

Hotel Management Firm Now Hiring: House keepers, front desk (must speak fluent English), and General Manager/s of franchise hotels. Experience required. Email resumes to abcone@abcinns.com OR call 704-649-6833 (M-F, 9AM-5PM).

EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES: Couple needed for Franchised Motel: Rock Hill, SC. Competitive salary & accommodations provided. Must be fluent in English, have computer skills & legal status. E-mail resume: bwhospitality78@gmail.com Help needed at Charlotte University area home for Cooking and Housekeeping. 34 hours a day. $10 per hour. Prefer nonveg cooking. Call: 704-654-5361. Manager and Assistant Manager Position for Shoe Stores from Florida to Michigan. Must be willing to move. No experience needed. basic computer skills. Good pay Plus bonuses. Call 954-270-8534.

Nanny needed in South Charlotte (Waxhaw Marvin) area to care for baby and preschooler. Light housekeeping and cooking. Must have valid license and car. Please call 704-290-4263 Looking for Experienced Threading Practitioners and Licensed Esthetician in Charlotte, Raleigh and Richmond areas. Full or part-time with great pay and flexibility. Experience required with good English skills. Please call 980-322-1110. Gas Station Help Wanted: full-time in McCormick, SC (near Greenwood & Augusta). Must speak fluent English & have legal status. Good pay. call 704-299-8535.

Gujarati Speaking live in Nanny needed in Cary, NC. Vegetarian cooking and light housekeeping. Excellent pay and accommodation. Call 919-444-1597

Part-time/Full-time Single or Couple: Needed ASAP for a convenience store in Gaffney, SC. Must speak English and previous experience preferred. Call 704726-7544 or 864-487-4939.

Help Wanted (Charlotte, NC): Person to do in-house alterations for ladies Indian dresses. Call Purvi Shah at 704-340-4361 or email purvishah359@yahoo.com.

Nanny Needed in North Charlotte. Indian nanny for 5 month old baby plus light housekeeping and cooking. Please call 704-458-0363.

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Nanny needed immediately in Charlotte (University area) to take care of baby & household chores. Please call. 201-467-1754. Now Hiring: Full or part time Retail Sales Associate in Columbia SC. Opportunity to advance quickly into management. Contact 706-877-0315. Tandoor Chef / Assistant Curry Chef/ Kitchen Helper needed for an Indian Restaurant in Raleigh. Please call: 919244-4741. Help Wanted: Rajbhog, Charlotte. cashier and kitchen help. Willing to work weekends and evenings. Contact: Lakshmi or Prarthana at 704-909-7783 or email at shree_ kailash@yahoo.com. Nanny Needed: To take care of 10 month old baby in University area. If interested please call 864-517-4141. Babysitter Needed: Looking for a babysitter for our 1 year old son at our house in Fort Mill near Carowinds. (M-F, 9-5pm) ASAP. Please call 803-389-5223. Hotel Help Wanted in Asheboro, NC. Front Desk, maintenance and housekeeping. Accommodations provided. Experience, legal status, English fluency and references required. Call 336-6251880 or e-mail rameshvpatel@gmail.com Restaurant management help wanted for franchised sandwich restaurant in South Carolina. Please call 803-566-1223. Mom’s Helper / Housekeep needed in North Charlotte (University). Light Cooking & housework. Weekdays 6-9 pm. Must have transportation. Contact: emailsanthu@gmail.com or 704.905.1939. Media Company in Charlotte looking for personal assistant. familiar w/ Office software Send resume to rakavid@aol.com.

MATRIMONIAL Seeking correspondence for brother, 28, 5'10" Hindu, North-Indian, PhD (Astrophysics) -SISSA-Italy, MScIntegrated (Physics) -IIT-Kanpur. Currently working as Research Associate in India. Seeking active, well-educated girl. Contact: 980-248-1628 or singhshamsher746@gmail.com

SERVICES Vedic Astrologer, acupuncturist and Healer: For advice on Career, Finance, Marriage, Health and Healing services "Ask Dr.Ajay", Wellness Guru. visit www.astrouniverse.com. or E-mail: astrouniverseindia@yahoo.com 919-3427169 (6 to 9 PM) or (+91) 9444052660 Hindu Priest: All kinds of puja. Including: havan, katha, weddings, graha pravesh, funeral services & Shraadh. In Hindi, English & Tamil. Call Balaji 704877-6320 or 704-545-7220 or e-mail: priestbalaji@gmail.com Western Astrology for Eastern Minds: location / relocation / travel, relationship / marriage, event planning, career, family, spiritual purpose, and more. Philip Young, PhD. 919-971-6818. Blackunykorn.com Ribald Farms Nursery & Florist: Specializes in Indian wedding reception design and floral arrangements. For more info contact Shawna Turner at 803328-2266 or www.rockhillflowers.com Pari Beauty In Matthews, NC: Threading, Waxing, Facials, Bleaching & Much More! 22 years of experience. Special Deals & Great Service. For Appointment Call: 704846-7912. Mehandi (Henna): Award-winning artist in the Chapel Hill/Durham, NC area specializes in Mehandi (Henna) parties. Perfect for weddings, birthdays & gettogethers. Creative & beautiful art! Krishna Priya Dasi Phone: 919-824-7734 E-mail: krsnapriyad96@gmail.com Web: www.lotuslyrics.com/henna.html Facebook: Krishna Priya Dasi Dholi For Hire: Plays the Dhol (drum) for any occasion! Classes Available! Barat, Doli, Graduation, Birthdays, Baby Showers & any other festivity. Affordable rates! Call Arpan Bhandari 704-843-7202 or email: arpandholi@yahoo.com South Indian Priest: Sastriji is an independent priest Call for Pujas, Gruhapravesh, Weddings, Multi-lingual, Vedic traditional priestly services, etc. Call 704-625-7578 or 704-231-0751. E-mail: sastrigal2003@yahoo.com

PROPERTY FOR SALE OR RENT

Neeta’s Beauty Parlor: Charlotte area open 7 days a week. Full service. Please call for appointment. 704-968-0270.

Town House for rent in East Charlotte (2 miles from mandir and close to downtown). 3 bed room, 2 baths, 1360 sq ft. 704-458-8006.

Computer Consulting: Assistance with software installation, set-up, formatting, back-up, troubleshooting and more. Very reasonable rates. 704-619-7072.

Beautiful Waterfront Home for sale in Charlotte. 15 minutes to everything and everywhere. Over 5,500 sq ft, 4 BR 4.55 BA, 3+ car garage. A must see! Call 704510-0099 for more information

Ami's Beauty in Matthews near I-485 exit 49 (Idlewild Rd). Eyebrows, Upper lips, Chin, Full Face by Thread. 20 years experience. Call for Appointment. 704882-3300 (H) or 704-877-9021 (C).

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Astrologer With Gold Medals - Jayanti Lad- Contact for Health, Wealth, Relationship, Child, Enemies, Court Cases, Marriage, Job, Business, Vastu Problems, Preparing & Matching Horoscope. Call 919-463-5180 or Jayantinlad@yahoo.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 Pretty Face - Indian beauty parlour :Threading, facials, waxing etc conveniently located at Ballantyne /South Charlotte area. Please call for appointment 704-726-8928. Priest Available for the following 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 704438-6334. Vaibhavi’s Beauty Parlor: Charlotte Ballantyne area. Full service. Please call for appointment. 843-465-6048.

Sur Sangeet Academy: Learn Hindustani classical vocal music in Morrisville. Classically trained instructor, Rakhi Lingerfelt, provides individual or group voice lessons. Contact 919-6058329 or rakhilingerfelt@gmail.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 Beauty parlor near McKee Rd and Providence Rd. 28277. Home: 980-225-0656 or 510-936-3334

Saathee Classifieds Business ads are $25 Personal ads are $15 Upgrade to color or add a box for additional $10 Saathee.com ads posted daily (call for rates) We accept all credit cards and checks. Ads up to 25 words. Deadline for print is the 20th. Web ads daily.

How do I Submit classifieds? 1. on-line: saathee.com (classified section) 2. e-mail: Saatheemag@hotmail.com 3. Fax: 704.527.7590 4. For more info call 704.527.7570 Saathee Magazine PO Box 11468 Charlotte, NC 28220 December 2013

Advertisers Index A & V Satellites ......................................................9

Elegant Designz...................................................71

Patel, Mike (Coastal Funding Corporation) ..........113

Abacus Math.......................................................21

Eshaan Jewelers .................................................25

Patel, Mrugesh (Law Offices)................................41

Access Realty & Funding (Chandravadan Shah)....53

Fairview Home Mortgage.....................................69

Patel, Tony (Real Estate) .......................................38

Accounting Solutions (M. Kamran Awan) ..............71

Family Fare Convenience Stores ..........................25

Payal Groceries ...................................................49

All Car Care.........................................................34

Fly Worry Free (Travel Agent)...............................31

Persis Indian Grill.................................................59

Anand, Versha (Real Estate) .................................31

Friends Travel ....................................................141

Premji Valji Jewellers ...........................................19

Anil Bedi & Associates PC (CPA & Consultants) ....37

Fu Lin..................................................................93

Queen City Ballroom .........................................121

Apna Travels (Morrisville)....................................129

Fyvelement (24 Mantra Organic Food)................137

Rajbhog Foods ....................................................63

Around The World Market Charlotte......................12

Gandhi International Market.................................83

Rajdeep Mandap ...............................................37

Ashwini Kathak Dance Academy..........................79

Geological Resources, Inc. ...................................15

Rajdeep Video & Photography (Ramesh Panjabi)...41

Asian Divas (Cosmetologist) .................................41

Global Mall / Legacy Jewels ..............................143

Rapid Car Care (Formerly Ali & Sons Car Care).....58

Asiana Fusion.Sushi ............................................87

Global Weight Loss Program............................6 & 7

Religious Ceremonies (Swminath Sastrigal) ..........47

Aura And More... Boutique (Ladies Fashions)........47

H2 Laser & Skin ..................................................82

Ritu Selects - An Elegant Fashion Boutique ..........95

BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir (Charlotte)........39

Help Wanted (Threading)......................................81

Robert Brown LLC (Oza, Rishi: Immigration Law) 125

Barot, Tushar (Statefarm) .....................................63

Hindu Center Charlotte (Events) ......................71-74

Roop Beauty (Pooja Patel) ....................................16

Bashyam & Spiro LLP (Immigration Law)..............27

Hindu Priest (Balaji)..............................................50

RP Photo & Video (Rashmi Patel)..........................21

Beacon Inns of America ..............................22 & 23

Holy Joes Meats and More ................................117

S S Event Services (Event planning, Photo, Video).38

Bhindi Jewellers ................................................2

India Grocers (Charlotte) ......................................85

Saathee Subscription Form................................125

Bipin & Smita Parekh (Real Estate).......................81

Indian Performing Arts Association of Charlotte.....65

Saathee.com.......................................................86

Blakeney & Steelcroft Dental................................90

International Center for Meditation & Well Being ...35

Saffron Restaurant and Catering ..........................99

Blooming Buds....................................................69

International Community Church .......................129

SaiMedisoft ...................................................66/67

Blue Mango Indian Cuisine .................................53

IT Max Solutions, Inc.

.................................137

SAP Training......................................................119

Bombay Grille (Charlotte) .....................................33

Jag Insurance Group ..........................................50

Shah, Anish (Real Estate)...............................28/29

British American School of Charlotte ....................61

Jaipur Indian Restaurant (Charlotte)......................95

Shah, Kirti (CPA - Sepa Consulting) ....................63

Café Nirvana (Charlotte).....................................109

K & M Accountant................................................96

Shining Star Academy .......................................105

Carolina Law Group (Monty Desai) .......................89

K. Hovnanian Homes .........................................119

Shukla, Kirit (Music Lession & Band) ..................113

Carolina Wedding Belle (Event Design & Décor) ....81

K.B. Zaveree..........................................................5

Shyama Beauty Parlour .......................................49

CaroMont Medical Group (Dr. Manu Patel)..........111

KD Financial & KMD Realty ..................................91

Sleep Inn (Charlotte) .........................................115

Chai Pani (Restaurant - Ashville, NC) ....................69

KD Photographics................................................57

South Char. Endocrinology (K. Narasimhan, MD).111

Challa Law Offices, PLC (Immigration)..................57

Kumar, Kokila (Real Estate - Allen Tate).................32

Spice South.........................................................51

Charlotte Eye Ear Nose & Throat .......................127

Mahabazar.com Travels Maha Travel ..................115

Surreal Body Solutions (Personal Training) ............16

Chiro-Carolina

Maharani Restaurant ...........................................65

Thakkar, Beena (Realty) .....................................107

...............................................84

Concha, David - Immigration Attorney ..................32

Malani Jewelers ................................................144

The Blue Taj.........................................................13

Copper................................................................13

Malaya Kitchen (Charlotte) .................................111

Transportation (Diamond Cab)..............................90

County South Realty & Business Brokers............141

Mathur, Gitanjali (Allen Tate Realtors)....................49

Travel Universe ....................................................45

Cuisine Malaya (Charlotte) ...................................61

Matthews Family Dentistry ................................103

Travelinks..........................................................131

Curry and Cakes (Charlotte) .................................77

Mishra Architecture PLLC ....................................62

Ttravel Guru ........................................................10

Curry N Kabab (Cornelius)....................................77

MONTBLANC (Bhindi) ............................................3

Tulips Multi Cuisine Restaurant ..........................101

Delhi Palace / Spices Of India (Columbia, SC).......79

MyTripFare (Travel agent)...................................125

Urogender .........................................................130

Dentist (Dr. Prashant Rao - Cedar Walk Dentistry).82

Nationwide Ins. (Maqsood Khan) ..........................31

Vallabh Pushti Samaj of Carolinas (VPSC).............43

Dentist (Pineville Dentistry - Lina V. Mistry, DDS) ...84

Neeta's Beauty Parlor ........................................111

Vyas Travels.........................................................63

Desai Desai Accounting ......................................81

New Year Party (Goels Plaza)................................17

WebProDot (Web Design, Chandresh Shah) ......113

Desai, Rajarshi (CPA, PLLC) .................................87

OM Tech Training ................................................47

White Horse Weddings ......................................135

Digital Room Photography ...................................46

Pardasani, Kamlesh (Real Estate ) ........................93

Woodlands .......................................................142

DJ Hangama ....................................................71

Passage To India - Fine Indian Cuisine..................11

Worldwide travels .............................................135

DJ Desi (Amit Vasi) ..............................................53

Patel Brothers (Charlotte) .....................................97

Yafa Market & Café..............................................99

DJ Don (David Pandoria) .....................................42

Patel Travels ........................................................37

Zaika (Moorseville, NC) ......................................103

DJ Lalit .............................................................135

Patel, Champa (Real Estate)...............................113

Saathee.com

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December 2013

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Restaurant Leased, Bank Forced Sale, Bring Offer

King, NC $690K + Inv, GR $1.6M Owner Fin Hudson, NC Store Closed, Lease $12,000 Candor, NC $139K + Inv, GR $800K Nakima, NC $139+ 1.2M No Beer Cheraw, SC $49K+ Inv, GR $624K No Gas Coastal region, SC $95K + Inv, GR $3M roxboro, NC $179K + Inv, GR $2M Nebo, NC $215K Closed, w/property Owner Fin Wadesboro, NC $40K + Inv, GR $394K Currently Leased

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December 2013

Catering for all occasions Birthday Parties, Weddings, House ceremony, private parties & more! Fresh Dosa made on site for your parties! Call Leslie Lobo 704.264.6525

Organic & Vegan Menu available Never frozen • No preservatives No artificial additives • Zero Transfat

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A wide range of South Indian, North Indian, Indo Chinese, Chaats, Jain, and more

Tel: 704-569-9193 · Fax: 704-569-9188 7128-A Albemarle Rd. Charlotte, NC 28227 www.woodlandsusa.com

Visit our website for the menu, coupons, directions etc.

Open 6 Days a week: 11:30 am to 10 pm (Closed on Tuesday) Taste Of Charlotte 2013 Winner “Most unique taste” Taste Of Charlotte 2012 Winner “Best Appetizer” Talk of the Town 2012 “excellence in Customer Satisfaction” Citysearch.com 2009 Winner Best Indian Restaurant

Woodlands Specials

Special Weekend Lunch Buffet

Saturday & Sunday 11:30 am to 3 pm! Over 30 items & hot dosa served at table

Weekday Special Lunch Menu Monday to Friday Wine & Beer (Including Indian Beer)

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