Saathee Digital June 2010 Charlotte by Shukla Entertainment

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Remember the Indian classic car the Ambassador? It’s still being built and sold, but sales are way down. Read if the old “Amby” is nearing extinction on pg. 6. Race car driver Narain Karthikeyan is breaking the barriers of racing in the all-American world of NASCAR. Read an interview with Narain on pg. 14. Pakistan is facing a severe energy crisis. See how the government is trying to cope in an article on pg. 32. Ever heard of a dhol and brass band? Check pg. 36 for a story on Red Baraat, a feisty horns and percussion band that plays baraat music and more. Snake bites remain a global threat. Go to pg. 48 for the story. Catch up on all the happenings in local organizations in our Community News section beginning on pg. 96 or stay up to date daily at www.saathee.com. All the sizzling astroscope predictions are on pg. 122.

A features magazine for the South Asian Community of the Carolinas

Quote: “The days come and go, but they say nothing. And if we do not use the gifts they bring, they carry them as silently away.” - Ralph Waldo Emerson

June 2010 – Issue # 146

Editor:Samir Shukla (saatheemag@hotmail.com) Publisher: Divakar Shukla (rakavid@aol.com) Community News Editor: Rajesh Ganatra Ad Design / Layout: Nate “Natwarlalji” Andrews Consultant: Himanshu Desai

Contributors for this issue: Pradip Bulsara, Kirit Shukla, Rajesh Ganatra, Judith L. Bergman, Chandan Sen, Dilip Barman, Smitha Prasad, Dr. Maha Gingrich, Wendy Wells, Narendra Dixit, Krutika Chheda, Gail Z. Martin, Anjana Agarwal, Swapna Krishna, Manisha Dass, Swami Satyanand, Anita Kulkarni, Jalendu Vaidya, Lakshmi Challa and Bindu Pamarthi.

Your saathees: Samir, Divakar, Raj & Himanshu

In this issue:

June 2010

Opinions expressed herein are those of the writers and advertisers and not necessarily of the publisher or editor. Contact us prior to sending in articles or photographs for submissions. Saathee is published monthly. Deadlines for advertisement, submissions and events information is 20th of the previous month.

Mission: Our goal is to be a valuable source of information for the Carolinas’ South Asian community and a vital advertising tool for businesses.

Saathee Magazine (Founded 1998) P.O. Box 11468 Charlotte, NC 28220 Phone: (704) 527-7570 Fax: (704) 527-7590 E-mail: saatheemag@hotmail.com

www.saathee.com

Cover: Kathakali dancer

The Dakshineswar Kali Temple is located in Dakshineswar near Kolkata. Situated on the eastern bank of the Hooghly River, the temple was built by Rani Rashmoni, a philanthropist and a devotee of Kali in 1855.

Saathee 2

June 2010

In this issue: Indian race car driver in NASCAR Spring Clean Your Marketing

Dakshineswar Kali Temple, Kolkata

Death of the Ambassador? . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg. 06 Pakistan Environment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg. 10 India Bling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg. 12 Narain Karthikeyan at NASCAR . . . . . . . . . . .pg. 14 Saathee Entertainment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg. 16 Bolly Bits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg. 20 Sangeet, Music of India . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg. 22 Evergreen Film Lyrics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg. 24 Indian Classical Music . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg. 28 Book Reviews . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg. 30 Pakistan Energy Crisis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg. 32 Dances of India . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg. 34 Red Baraat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg. 36 Mika Singh . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg. 38 Yoga . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg. 40 Children’s Corner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg. 42 Mastering Meaning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg. 44 Astride Three Continents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg. 46 Snake Bites Remain a Global Threat . . . . . . . .pg. 48 Healthwise . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg. 50 Q & A With Sri Sri Sri Ravi Shankar . . . . . . . .pg. 52 The Stock Tickers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg. 54 Social Media . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg. 56 Marketing Turnaround . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg. 60 Personal Finance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg. 62 Cricket Forum . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg. 68 Business Matters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg. 70 Immigration Matters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg. 72 The Chai Table . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg. 74 Community Focus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg. 80 Recipes of the Month . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg. 92 Community News & Events . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg. 96 Pop’s Puzzles and Jokes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg. 118 Festivals and Holidays . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg. 120 AstroScope . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg. 122 Classifieds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg. 124 Puzzle Solutions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg. 126 Index of Advertisers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg. 126

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In India’s cities, the ubiquitous black-and-yellow Ambassador cabs have been replaced by cheaper, fuel-efficient cars produced by rivals like Tata and Renault. In the past, government orders have kept the production line chugging. The white Ambassador with a red beacon was the ultimate Indian power symbol, favored by its politicians and bureaucrats. These days, the ruling class no longer wants the “outmoded” car. Politicians and government officials have forsaken the rotund automobile for others made by global carmakers. In Bangalore, for example, the city’s newly elected mayor and deputy mayor have ordered Honda CRVs and kicked off a controversy. But as U.S., German, Japanese and even Korean cars have bumped the Ambassador off the roads, its The old classic maybe on its way to manufacturer is making a last-ditch attempt to revive extinction as hip cars take over. the fortunes of the “Amby.” Hindustan Motors is now selling the car to hotel chains and travel operators as a nostalgia ride. By Saritha Rai – GlobalPost.com “We are opening up new market segments,” said It was once the Grand Old Lady of the Indian roads, Moloy Chowdhury, its Kolkata-based executive vice the drive of choice for India’s prime ministers, president. Bollywood stars, top bureaucrats and corporate chiefThe Amby’s shape, which is modeled after the tains. With its trademark balloonish shape and roomy Morris Oxford of England, may not hold appeal for interiors, the brawny Ambassador ruled the roads here younger, hip car buyers. But the comfort it offers is for more than a quarter of a century. supreme, say long-time Ambassador users. But since the start of India’s liberalization two Its leaf-and-spring rear suspension and shock decades ago, snazzier, sleeker and cheaper cars from absorbers provide a jerk-free ride on the crater-ridden a variety of global automakers have eroded the popu- roads that often pass as highways in India. Its roomy larity of the Ambassador. trunk can hold twice the luggage of its newer rivals, Last week, its manufacturer and India’s oldest making it popular at airports and train stations. Its carmaker, the Kolkota-based large rounded windows are Hindustan Motors, said reduced perfect for watching the world demand and accumulated losses So marked is the contrast that India’s go by. had wiped out over half its net factors have upped biggest carmaker Maruti Suzuki sells theThese worth. Amby’s popularity amongst Some Indians aren’t worried. more cars in a month than the entire travel operators and cab drivManish Chhabra, 34, a mall ers. In Kolkata, when the city annual sales of the Ambassador. owner in New Delhi, bought a mandated that cabs over 15 bottle-green Ambassador a few years old be phased out, sales months ago and loves driving it. of the Ambassador spurted. For Chhabra, the car is full of memories — he learned Meanwhile orders from the police, armed forces to drive in his family’s Amby when he was 15. Since and government institutions continue to keep the car then, he has dreamed of owning his own. afloat. In the upcoming Commonwealth Games, the “I’m now living my dream. It’s a robust, totally masever-reliable Amby cars will form the police escort culine car,” said Chhabra, who owns a Honda Accord as fleet for athletes all over the world. One thousand cars well as a Toyota Camry. His friends rib him saying that have been ordered for the Games. while India is advancing he has regressed 50 years. The Amby’s tank-like sturdiness also lends well to “I don’t give a damn,” he said, adding, “Which other car can you confidently take to any remote cor- bullet-proofing and armor-plating. Over 900 bulletner of India and still find a mechanic to fix it if you proof, armor-plated cars were made last year for government use. have car trouble?” In New Delhi, Hindustan Motors’ dealer Ashok But Chhabra is among a small minority in India who value the retro coolness of the car. The decline of the Mittal of Ashok Motors is optimistic about the Amby’s Ambassador, and the disappearance of other socialist reviving fortunes. He says the young, rich Indians are road icons such as the Bajaj scooter and the Enfield increasingly veering towards the car’s vintage looks recently. Bullet motorcycle, marks the passing of an era. “Some love its retro stylishness. For others owning Upwardly mobile Indians no longer want the big, bulbous Ambassador. The Ambassador’s maker sold an Amby is like reaffirming their Indian-ness,” said only 1,075 cars in March this year. So marked is the Mittal, 34, who himself owns a cherry-red contrast that India’s biggest carmaker Maruti Suzuki Ambassador. Everywhere he drives it, he meets gawksells more cars in a month than the entire annual ing, adoring Indians. “People continue to love this car, the Ambassador will not die,” said Mittal. sales of the Ambassador.

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Saving Pakistan’s Environment, A Tree at a Time As loggers continue to clear forests, the government has developed an obsession with tree-planting campaigns. By Nicolas Brulliard - GlobalPost.com Pakistan has more than its fair share of pressing challenges to deal with, from rising religious fundamentalism to chronic water shortages and crippling power cuts, but it just added another item to its laundry list of urgent priorities: disappearing forests. Pakistan has few forests to begin with, and they’re vanishing fast. The country has lost a quarter of its natural forest cover over the past two decades and is currently experiencing a deforestation rate of two percent a year — one of the highest in the world. The causes for the environmental disaster are multiple; illegal logging and clearing of forested lands for agriculture are only the main ones. Lack of political will has also played a major role, but that seems to be changing, observers say. The government is moving closer to enacting a new National Forest Policy, the first such document in almost 20 years, and Pakistan’s Ministry of Environment just launched its Pakistan Forest Program — a 15-year plan to conserve and improve the country’s forests designed by the World Wide Fund For Nature — Pakistan in collaboration with government departments. “It is a challenge to us to enhance the forest cover of Pakistan and conserve our natural forests,” Environment Minister Hameed UllahJan Afridi said at the program’s launch last month. “We shall not look at forest as a source of timber and revenue. Rather we should give more attention to forest protection because of its services as watershed, carbon sink, protection from natural disasters and soil erosion control.” Much of Pakistan is arid or semi-arid and not suitable to forests, but the country’s extreme geography — from the Indian Ocean to the world’s second-highest peak, the K2 — means that it is home to a wide variety of environments ranging from mangroves in the south to pine forests in the north. Forests represent a tiny fraction of Pakistan’s area, but exactly how tiny is a source of debate. The government says about five percent of Pakistan is covered with forests, but the Food and Agriculture June 2010

Organization of the United Nations says forests only amount to about 2.5 percent of the country’s total area. The reason for the discrepancy is that Pakistan only counts as forests the areas under the jurisdiction of provincial forest departments, said Babar Shahbaz, a lecturer at the University of Agriculture in Faisalabad who has researched forest conservation and policy extensively. “There are many areas that have not a single tree, but they are called ‘forests’ because they are under the control of the forest departments,” he said. Pakistan has long been concerned by the disappearance of its forests. In fact, virtually every incoming government endeavored to design its own forest policy. What most forest policies had in common was that they failed to take into account the populations that drew their livelihood from forests and had therefore a vested interest in conserving them. One policy even recommended that people be moved away from deforested hills to allow the vegetation to grow back. One of the most damaging government decisions, though, came in the wake of the 1992 floods, which caused the death of hundreds of Pakistanis and the evacuation of millions. The lack of forest cover exacerbated the floods and landslides, and the government reacted by banning logging across the country. The ban made logging illegal but did not stop it. Instead, a timber mafia of locals, corrupt politicians and police officers developed, particularly in the northwestern areas where the forest cover is denser and law enforcement — especially in more recent years — has been more lax. While loggers have been busy cutting down trees, the government has developed an obsession with tree plantation campaigns. Each spring, city officials across Pakistan pose for local newspaper photographers with a sapling in their hand. Even foreign leaders have been asked to lend a hand, with George Bush Sr., China’s Hu Jintao or more recently Afghanistan’s Hamid Karzai among more than 100 foreign dignitaries who have planted a tree on a hill above Islamabad. Last year, Pakistan took tree planting to Guinness World Record level when more than half a million trees were planted during one day in a mangrove southeast of Karachi. That archrival India had been the record holder surely provided some extra motivation. The government’s latest efforts look more promising, Shahbaz said, in part because the new forest policy is slated to lift the logging ban and limit timber harvesting to well stocked forests. Ejaz Ahmad, deputy director general of the WWFPakistan, is also reasonably optimistic. He said the forest program was developed in consultation with all stakeholders, from the minister to communities and NGOs, and was endorsed by all provinces, giving it “better chances” of success. Yet Ahmad acknowledged that there was no guarantee the new program would not fail as others have, but he said the dire state of Pakistan’s forests left no choice. “Corruption and these things are there,” he said, “but it should not mean that we should not try.”

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Gold Hit its All-Time High Dollar Value Recently, But Indians Still Cling to the Bling. By Taylor Barnes — GlobalPost.com The price of gold rose to its all-time high dollar value recently — more than $1,240 an ounce — which is more than triple what it was in 2001 when it started its climb. What is India, the world’s largest importer of the metal, to do? India accounts for 20 percent of global demand. But skittish global investors throughout the recession have flocked to the metal as a safe asset when real estate and stocks tottered. Now, they are taking to it again on inflationary fears stoked by Europe’s debt crisis, driving up the price. Still clinging to the bling, Indians are turning to fake gold. Take the Indian bride, arguably the original queen of bling. With a long gold tikka in her hair, a quarter-sized nose ring, necklaces, earrings, bangles, rings, a studded sari and maybe a waistband and anklets, a bride can expect to wear about 15 kilograms (33 pounds) extra on her wedding day. Even on less auspicious occasions, she’ll don a nose stud, beaded necklace and a wrist full of bangles for a 7-rupee (15-cent) train ride across the city. A bride could easily spend 500,000 rupees (about $11,100) on her wedding jewelry set, depending on how many grams of gold it has, said Mohan Iyer, as he paced barefoot around his cozy imitation jewelry stall at the 10-story Imitation Jewelry Manufacturers International Marketing Arcade (IJMIMA). Iyer’s solution to the bride’s problem is a basic goldand-red boxed bridal set for 1,400 rupees (about $31). Sales of the real jewelry by weight fell 42 percent in the third quarter of 2009 compared to a year beforehand, according to the World Gold Council (WGC), when the global recession sank in and the metal climbed toward its historic prices. The imitation jewelry market, on the other hand, has grown up to 400 percent over the past 10 years, and Reddy predicts 15 to 20 percent annual growth for the fake wear. It’s simple, said IJMIMA President P.V. Sreeram Reddy: “For less amount, they can wear more jewelry.” “The gold prices will go up. ... Limited gold is there in the mines,” he added, speaking from his Mumbai office. IJMIMA finished construction on its high-rise in the up-and-coming Malad district of Mumbai in 2007, making it the first of its kind in India — all 400-plus of its stalls are for imitation jewelers. The half-dozen women piecing together handmade jewelry in the attic above Mohan Iyer’s shop use brass, June 2010

copper, lead, plastic stones, crystals and sometimes nickel to make the jewelry shiny. Iyer himself wears a handful of (real) gold rings and a (fake) gold watch. Young people “want more designs, so they go for imitation,” Iyer said, adding that the imitation industry can be more creative since its costs are lower. He shows a set of two delicate fake gold bangles for 83 rupees (about $1.85). “And this lasts for six to eight months,” he said to their credit. After that, he added, the lady can buy a new one and get a different style. Though Iyer said, “people who can afford gold go for gold,” he and other fake gold jewelers also say trends are shifting. More news reports of robbers tearing jewelry off women during the recession has made them afraid to wear real gold in public, they say, and women want to wear fashion jewelry both in their homes and to their service and desk jobs. But imitation just isn’t the same, says Madhumita Dutta, a spokesperson for the WGC in Mumbai, in an email. “The relevance and need of gold jewelry amongst Indian consumers are deep rooted emotionally and culturally and cannot be replaced.” India purchased about 100 tons less — a 19 percent drop — of real gold jewelry in 2009 compared to 2008, but the WGC also says that demand has picked up throughout 2009 and in the beginning of 2010. “Nothing can take the luster away from gold, especially in the domain of Indian festivals and weddings. Historically and mythologically too gold is interlinked with Indian culture. Gold is sacred,” she said. But making the final selections for her May 15 wedding, Chaitali Thakker says it wasn’t cost or value of the jewelry that brought her to the 10th-floor glassy showroom of the IJMIMA complex. She says it’s about the style. “Not the price. ... I am a person who likes to wear something different than others,” said the Hindu brideto-be in bubblegum pink leggings and gold sandals. “Day by day [the imitation market] is growing. ... Now you will be seeing lavish showrooms with imitation,” said Pankaj Shah, manager of the glassy Alex International Jewelry World showroom, where a low-hanging chandelier greets guests and oxford-clad assistants help Thakker and a friend look at studded rings. The quiet and polite Shah says his growing business exports to the Gulf and Western countries, and that his trade rests on something more solid than the whims of global investors. “As far as ladies are there, this line will never be closed.”

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Narain Karthikeyan First and only Indian to race in NASCAR By Samir Shukla

It was bound to happen. As the Indian-American community and the Indian diaspora expand around the world, many firsts are happening. Narain Karthikeyan is among those who are breaking barriers. History was made on March 27, 2010 as Narain Karthikeyan became the first India-born driver to compete in a NASCAR Series. Karthikeyan debuted in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series in the Kroger 250 at Martinsville (Virginia) Speedway. Driving the No. 60 SafeAuto Chevrolet Silverado, he finished in 13th place. Karthikeyan is now a NASCAR race driver. Racing for the StarBeast Motorsports team, Karthikeyan says racing in America is “going to be a difficult transition, but I’m here for the long term.” He was born in Coimbatore, India 33 years ago, and after racing in Europe and India, he’s now raced three times in the United States, including on May 21 in Charlotte where he started in 30th spot and finished on the lead lap in 17th place. He’s slated to drive in races throughout the year on the Camping World Truck Series and hopes to ease into stock car racing and into the legendary NASCAR Sprint Cup. In a recent interview with Nazar TV’s Divakar Shukla, karthikeyan talked about his evolution into the auto racing world. “My first race was when I was 16 in the U.K. because in India you couldn’t race at that time. Ever since then I’ve been chipping away at it and finally made it to formula one,” he said. When asked how someone from India gets into race car driving, he said, “It’s getting more popular day by day. What we’re trying to do is take NASCAR back home through TV, which is live. Give my fans something new. Racing in America is a new challenge for me than racing in Europe.” Of course India presents a huge marketplace for any sporting franchise. Although cricket rules June 2010

India’s sports landscape, Karthikeyan says auto racing is making headway there. Karthikeyan is well-known in India, but he has to work hard to establish himself in the fiercely competitive motorsports culture in the United States. That’s why he’s taking it one step at a time. He’s running a few races this year. “It’s a stepping stone. I have to develop myself. The team is new as well. Our aim is to go to the Sprint cup but it’s too big a jump from the background I come from, so we’re taking it pretty easy. With NASCAR you have to learn the racecraft.” He’s learning fast. In a race in Kansas recently he was eliminated from the race during the 9th lap. After a successful finish at Martinsville Speedway, Karthikeyan and Starbeast Motorsports had high hopes for his second-ever NASCAR race at Kansas Speedway. The race weekend began Saturday with two hours of practice at the 1.5 mile oval track followed by a 2-lap qualifying session. Karthikeyan had a solid practice and improved his times with each lap. Driving the No. 60 SafeAuto Chevrolet Silverado, he qualified in 22nd out of a 40 car field. Unfortunately, Karthikeyan’s race ended in the ninth lap as the No. 16 truck blew a right rear tire and got into Karthikeyan’s right side, sending him headfirst into the wall. While Karthikeyan is getting his driving chops in gear in the United States he was honored with the Padma Shree award for motorsports in India this past April. “It’s the first time the Indian government recognized motor sports. It’s not only a proud moment for me but for the motorsport community. Most of the time cricketers get this award, this time a boxer and myself received it for sports. Of course there was a cricketer there to because they have to get cricket in,” he said during the interview. Karthikeyan recently got an apartment in Charlotte to set up as a base for his NASCAR journey. He said, “NASCAR is very exciting, we had Truck racing and now getting into the Sprint cup where a lot of international drivers are. That’s the goal; we’ll race this year, we’ll do few more races in 2011 and do the full cup series in 2012.” Karthikeyan’s racing schedule for 2010. Texas June 4 8:30pm ORP July 23 7:30pm Nashville August 7 8:30pm Chicago August 27 8:30pm Las Vegas September 25 9:00pm Talladega October 30 3:30pm Homestead November 19 7:30pm

Some of Karthikeyan’s career highlights: • The first and only Indian driver to race in NASCAR • The first Indian driver to race in Formula 1 • Finished 13th in his first ever NASCAR race at Martinsville Speedway on March 27, 2010 • Received the Padma Shri, India’s highest civilian honor, on April 8, 2010 • Finished sixth place in his first ever La Mans Series race • Became the first Indian and the first Asian to win the Formula Asia International Series • Competed in the British Formula Ford Winter Series and became the first Indian to win any championship in Europe at age 17

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Top Five Movies - June 2010

Upcoming Movie Releases

(Bollywood films slated to be released in the next 4-6 weeks)

1. Kites

Ek Second... Jo Zindagi Badal De? (Director: Partho Ghosh) Cast: Jackie Shroff, Manisha Koirala, Aman Verma, Nikita Anand, and Muammar Rana

Hrithik Roshan, Kangna Ranaut, Barbara Mori, Kabir Bedi, Nick Brown, and Yuri Sur 2. Badmaash Company

Shahid Kapoor, Anushka Sharma, Meiyang Chang, Vir Das, Anupam Kher, and Kiran Juneja

Banda Yeh Bindaas Hai (Director: Ravi Chopra) Cast: Govinda, Salman Khan, Lara Dutta, Tabu, Ashish Chowdhry, Boman Irani, and Rajpal Yadav

3. It’s a Wonderful After Life

Shabana Azmi, Shaheen Khan, Goldy Notay, Sally Hawkins, and Sanjeev Bhaskar 4. Prince

Raavan (Dir: Mani Ratnam) Cast: Abhishek Bachchan, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Chiyaan Vikram, Govinda, Nikhil Dwivedi & Manisha K.

5. Housefull Akshay Kumar, Deepika Padukone, Lara Dutta, Jiah Khan, Arjun Rampal, Ritesh Deshmukh & Boman Irani

Krantiveer - The Revolution (Director: Mehul Kumar) Cast: Sameer Aftab, Harsh Rajput, Aditya Singh Rajput, Farida Jalal, Govind Namdeo, and Aman Verma

Vivek Oberoi, Aruna Shields, Nandana Sen, Neeru Singh, Sanjay Kapoor & Dalip Tahi

Top Five Songs - June 2010

Raajneeti (Dir: Prakash Jha) Cast: Nana Patekar, Ajay Devgan, Ranbir Kapoor, Katrina Kaif, Manoj Bajpai, Arjun Rampal, and Naseruddin Shah

1. Kites “Dik Kyun Yeh Mera” Music: Rajesh Roshan Singers: Kay Kay, Rajesh Roshan and Nazir Faraaz

Mr. Bhatti on Chutti (Director: Karan Razdan) Cast: Bhairavi Goswami, Anupam Kher, Shakti Kapoor, Anjan Srivastava, Emma Kearney, Pawan Shankar & Neha Phense

2. Raajnieeti “Dhan Dhan Dharti” Music: Wayne Sharpe Singer: Shankar Mahadevan 3. Badmaash Company Music: Pritam Singer: Benny Dayal

Ek Tho Chance (Dir: Saeed Akhtar Mirza) Cast: Purab Kohli, Amrita Arora, Vijay Raaz, Pawan Malhotra, Zafar Karachiwala, Ashwini Kalsekar, and Sadia Siddiqui

4. Raavan “Ranjha Ranjha” Music: A.R.Rahman Singers: Rekha Bharadwaj, Javed Ali, A.R. and Anuradha Sriram 5. Housefull “Aapka Kya Hoga” Music: Shankar Ehsaan Loy Singers: Mika, Sunishi Chauhan, Sajid Khan and Shankar Mahadevan (Note: This top five is based on the following non-scientific research: your feedback, video rental, box office from India and United States, internet opinions & our opinion)

June 2010

Peter Gaya Kaam Se (Director: John Owen) Cast: Rajeev Khandelwal, Lekha Washington, and Amit Sial

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Upcoming Movie Releases Continued

(Bollywood films slated to be released in the next 4-6 weeks) Fatso (Dir: Rajat Kapoor) Cast: Ranvir Shorey, Gul Panag, Purab Kohli, Vinay Pathak, and Neil Bhoopalam Allah Ke Banday (Director: Faruque Kabir) Cast: Sharman Joshi, Faruque Kabir, Naseruddin Shah, Atul Kulkarni & Anjana Sukhani Red Alert - The War Within (Director: Anant Mahadevan) Cast: Sunil Shetty, Naseruddin Shah, Vinod Khanna, Sameera Reddy, Bhagyashree, and Ayesha Dharker I Hate Luv Storys (Dir: Punit Malhotra) Cast: Imran Khan, Sonam Kapoor, Sameer Dattani, Sameer Soni, Bruna Abdulla, and Ketaki Dave Milenge Milenge (Dir: Satish Kaushik) Cast: Shahid Kapoor, Kareena, Aarti Chhabria, Satish Shah, Delnaz Paul & Kirron Kher

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June 2010

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s t i B y l l o B

Demi Moore Flick The Joneses to be Remade in Hindi

SRK Produces TV Show for Kids

Shah Rukh Khan is all set to recapture the TV arena through a musical drama show called “Ishaan,” that is being produced by his Red Chillies Entertainment for the Disney Channel. It’s a show about an inspirational journey of a young boy who finds friends and a sense of belonging though the medium of music. Talking about the show, SRK said that he has always enjoyed watching Disney Channel with his kids. The show will have 11 original tracks and will also feature prominent TV personalities like Shruti Ulfat, Rajiv Paul and Rajinder Mehra. Khan debuted on TV in the serial “Fauji” and has come around full circle with this return to TV.

Naseeruddin Shah Slated in Dev Anand’s next Film

After the success of Ishqiya there are lots of movie offers that Naseeruddin Shah is considering. “Suddenly my enthusiasm for film acting is up. I’m looking at a lot of parts. At the moment, I’ve Dev Anand Saab’s Charge Sheet where I play this underworld don who operates in Mumbai from Dubai. The character’s look and traits are inspired by Fernando Rey in The French Connection. I loll around in bed with this lovely lady,” he said in an interview with Bollywood Hungama. What prompted him to accept the film? “It’s Dev Saab’s film. No one says no to Dev Uncle. He’s one of the most charming gentlemen in our film industry.”

Farhan Akhtar to Make Film Set in Pre-independence Period

Bollywood is usually known to make period films based on real life events or mythological stories. Farhan Akhtar seems to have some other plans. Now the director is interested in making a period film and is working on a script for the film and that the film will not be depicting any historical events. Instead, it will be a fictitious story set in some particular period of the pre-independence era. The rest of the details are currently under wraps. Casting has begun and filming is expected to begin toward the end of the year. June 2010

The Joneses, a romantic comedy starring Demi Moore and David Duchovny that released in the United States last month, will be remade in Hindi at an estimated budget of Rs.60 crore, though not in the same style as the original. It will be produced by Sheetal Talwar and Madhu Mantena’s company Vistaar-Religare that has financial stakes in the Demi Moore-starrer. Bhavna Talwar, of Dharm fame, will direct it and she intends to completely turn the American film around. “I want to remove The Joneses from the rom-com space and make it a mirror of suburban life in India. This is the first time that a Hollywood release is being remade in Bollywood so soon after its original release,” Bhavna Talwar told Ians.

Madhavan to Star in Vashu Bhagnani’s Faltu

He has completed almost a decade in the film industry. Following his fantastic success with the film 3 Idiots, R Madhavan has been signed for Vashu Bhagnani’s upcoming film Faltu alongside Jackky, Akshay and others. According to Bollywood Hungama, Bhagnani said, “Madhavan has said yes to Faltu and will be in the film.” There was also a buzz that Maddy will replace Akshay Kumar in the film. “I am making it clear that though Madhavan has been signed for the film, he will not be playing the role that was to be played by Akshay. Akki still remains in the film.” He further adds, “As of now, we are in the final stage of scripting the film, and within the next few weeks, we will begin the shoot of the film.”

Gulzar Writes New Song for Raavan

Director Mani Ratnam’s Raavan has just been given a new song. When poet and lyricist Gulzar saw the film, he suggested the embellishment. Mani Ratnam agreed. Music composer Rahman was informed and Raavan got a new song. Ratnam sent the poet-lyricist a note after the release of the Raavan music congratulating Gulzar for the songs. Gulzar received an invitation from Ratnam to see the film at a special screening for which the poet flew down to Chennai recently. It was there that the new song suddenly happened. As the end-credits rolled and Rahman’s music began, Ratnam and Gulzar thought there ought to be a song at the end. “Both Mani and I felt the music that Rahman had composed for the end titles was too beautiful to go wordless. We decided to give words to Rahman’s creation,” said Gulzar in an interview with India FM. That’s how Gulzar wrote an additional number for Raavan. Rahman was then given the task of turning the music piece into a song.

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Tribute to Bollywood’s Past Lyricists

Rajendra Krishna: (1919– 1998)

After the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi, the lyrics of the very popular patriotic song “Bapu ki Amar kahaani,” (singer: Mohammad Rafi and music by Husnalal Bhagatram) was written by Rajendra Krishna. He was born in Shimla in 1919. His love for poetry during his school days inspired him to become a songwriter. He began his career as a playwright and lyricist in the mid 1940s in Mumbai. The music for his lyrics was composed by well-known music directors like Hemantkumar, C. Ramchandra, Madan Mohan, S. D. Burman, Laxmikant Pyarelal, Chitragupta, Salil Chaudhary and others. He was a moody fellow. When asked to write lyrics at least 15 days prior to recording, he would not work on it, even though they put pressure on him. He would, however, sit quietly somewhere and write complete lyrics for a song in 30 minutes before composing. I heard that he won a jackpot of about Rs. 4.5 million at the races. Krishna’s nature was very versatile, easy going and humorous, all of which are expressed in his words. The theme of all his writings were based on love, comedy, social conditions, patriotism, comedy, philosophical thoughts, and religion. They were full of meaning. He gave us great songs from his original inspirations. Beginning in 1947, he wrote stories, screenplays, and dialogue for about 100 films and song lyrics for more than 300 films in Hindi, Tamil and Urdu. He died in Mumbai on May 10, 2002. “Babul, chhoota chalaa tera anganaa...” We still remember him for his contribution to our films. I list some of his work here.

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He wrote all the songs and lyrics for these hit films: Albela (1951), Ladki (1953), Anarkali (1953), Nagin (1954), Pehli Zalak (1955), Azad (1955), Bhai Bhai (1956), Dekh Kabira roya (1957), Champakali (1957), Patang (1960), Nazrana (1961), Rakhi (1962), Man-Mauji (1962), Bharosa (1963), Khandaan (1965), Nai Roshni (1967), Padosan (1968), Jawab 1970), Gopi (1970), Reshma aur Shehra (1971), Bombay to Goa (1972) etc.

Krishna won the best lyricist Filmfare award for his classic song “Tum hi mere Mandir,” which is explored in this issue of Saathee in Evergreen Classic Film Lyrics on page 24. June 2010

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Song: Tum hi mere Mandir Film: Khandaan Year: 1965 Music: Ravi (Filmfare- Best music director award), Singers: Lata Mangeshkar (Filmfare- Best female playback singer award) Lyric: Rajendra Krishna Based on Indian Classical Raga: mixed kanada & kirwani Taal/Rhythm: Kaharava Starring: Sunil Dutt (Filmfare- Best actor award), Nutan, Om Prakash, Pran Tum hi mere Mandir Tum hi mere mandir, tum hi meri poojaa, Tum hi dewataa ho, koi meri aankhon se dekhe to, Samaze ke tum mere kyaa ho; Tum hi mere ... Jidhar dekhati hoon, udhara tum hi tum ho, Na jaane magar kin, khayaalon mein gum ho, Muze dekhakar tum, jaraa muskuraa do, nahin to main Samazungi, muzase khafaa ho; Tum hi mere ... Tum hi mere maathe ki, bindiyaan ki zilamil, Tum hi mere haathon ke gajaron ki manjil, Main hoon eka chhotisi, maati ki gudiyaan, Tum hi praana mere, tum hi aatmaa ho; Tum hi mere ... Bahuta raata beeti, chalo main sulaa doon, Pawan chhede saragam, main lori sunaa doon Tumhe dekhakar ye, khayaal aa rahaa hain Ke jaise farishtaa koi so rahaa ho; Tum hi mere ... Meaning (Summary): You are my temple, you are my worship, you are my God. If someone may see with my eyes, then (someone) will know who you are to me. Wherever I see, you are there, but I don’t know in what imaginations you are lost! Just smile a little when you look at me, or else I would think you are mad at me. You are the shine of the “Bindi” on my forehead, you are the destination of the flowers’ rings in my hands. I am just a small doll made of soil and you are my life and soul. Most of the night is gone, let the breeze play the music and I sing a lullaby to put you to sleep. When I looked at you, a thought comes to my mind that a messenger of God is sleeping. You are my temple, you are my worship ...

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Basic Principles of Carnatic Music

Indian Classical Music

By Smitha K. Prasad

Last month, we took a brief look at some of the basic tenets of Carnatic music viz. sruthi, swara and raga. This month we will continue our learning of the remaining tenet of Carnatic music (tala) and take a more detailed look at the concept of swaras (notes) and how different ragas (melodies) arise as a result of swara combinations.

Hindustani Music - Ghazal By Anita Kulkarni

Ghazal is one of the most beautiful lyrical styles in light classical music and is a most popular semi classical form of singing. This lyrical form is mostly written in Urdu or Hindi languages. In the 12th century, Ghazals were merely known as a literary form of poems written in praise of the rulers. In those days each Ghazal had more than 100 couplets and were written in Persian. It is often said that Amir Khusrow in the 13th century experimented writing Ghazals in Urdu. Over the centuries Urdu became the chosen language. The credit of making more recitation of poems into musical form goes to the Muslim rulers of Bijapur. Naturally, Ghazals became the offshoots of Indian Ragas like Thumris and Dadras. Thus, poems written in praise of their rulers and masters evolved into romantic songs of unreciprocated love, madness, and mystical reflections. The first couplet, or sher, is called matla and the concluding couplets are called Maktaa. The rest of the couplets are known as misraa-s or antaraa-s. The singer gives credit to the poet and recites the song in prose, highlighting the meaning of the word to attract the connoisseurs. Then, the singer recites the Ghazal set to a raga or ragas. The listeners are carried away as the singer presents the theme with total involvement. Each couplet of the Ghazal is complete by itself in its expression or mood. Ghazals are sung in taal kehrawaa and dadra. Today’s Ghazal is the most popular form of music among the Hindi and Urdu audience. Contemporary Ghazal singers, such as Jagjit Singh, Begam Akhtar, Mehdi Hassan, and Gulam Ali, are very popular today. Credit goes to the legendary poet Mirza Ghalib for writing the many Ghazal compositions. He is rightfully named the father of the Ghazal style. Ghalib, a classical Urdu and Persian poet, lived during the British colonial period (1797-1869). Some popular contemporary Ghazals are – “Chupke chupke raat din aasoo bahaana yaad hai,” “Ranjish hi sahi,” “yeh na thi hamari qismat.”

Tala Tala refers to the rhythm component in Carnatic music. A tala is made up of a specific number of beats, which constitutes one cycle of the tala. Some of the popular talas in Carnatic music include Adi Tala (8 beat cycle), Rupaka Tala (6 beat cycle), Atta Tala (14 beat cycle). A Carnatic music composition is set to a particular tala and this typically does not change during the composition. In any kutcheri (concert), the vocalist or instrumentalist is supported by a percussionist who provides the tala (rhythm). The main percussion instrument used in Carnatic music is the mridangam (a double-sided drum). Other percussion instruments seen in kutcheris include ghatam (an earthenware pot made specifically to be played as an instrument), khanjira (frame drum) and morsing (a metallic instrument). Most of the percussion instruments have to be tuned to the sruthi of the vocalist or instrumentalist. Swara and Raga After an introduction in the last issue, we continue our discussion on swaras and ragas in more detail. The seven swaras in Carnatic music - sa ri ga ma pa dha ni- can be likened to the Western scale- do re mi fa so la ti. Sa and pa are called the drone notes and are constant for a particular sruthi. From an introductory perspective, it is sufficient to understand that the remaining notes ri ga ma dha ni have 2 basic variations each. Think of this in terms of a keyboard (piano) where you have black keys that represent semi-tones in between the white notes. As a result of these variations, there are a total of 12 swaras that originate from the initial 7 swaras. With the different variations in swaras available, a number of ragas (melodies) come about when the various swaras are strung together. A raga can have all 7 swaras in which case it is called a melakartha (main) raga. From these are derived the janya (child) ragas which may have a combination of fewer than the 7 swaras. Carnatic music has 72 melakartha ragas and innumerable janya (child) ragas. With the sheer number of ragas that are used for Carnatic music compositions, it begets the questionhow does one identify the raga of the composition continued on page 84

Smitha Prasad

Anita Kulkarni

is a Carnatic vocalist based in Cary, NC Email: smitha_prasad@hotmail.com

Email:info@anitakulkarni.com

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Dreaming in Hindi: Coming Awake in Another Language Author: Katherine Russell Rich (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt)

Book Reviews

At the age of 45, Katherine Russell Rich took a chance on something – while on a writing assignment in India, she decided to Reviews by Swapna Krishna move to the northern city of Udaipur and study Hindi while living Watermark: A Novel of the Middle Ages with an Indian host family. This Author: Vanitha Sankaran memoir presents the sum of her (Avon A) experiences, as well as her reflections on living in India and research When Auda is born, she emerges into learning other languages. from the womb with no color at all. “Dreaming in Hindi” was an interesting look at the She is an albino, but in medieval process of learning another language, as well as life in France, the condition isn’t under- India during a charged period of sectarian violence. I stood as a medical one and is instead first picked this book up because, though I don’t speak seen as a mark of the devil. As soon Hindi (I speak our local Southern language, Telugu), as she is delivered, the midwife’s I’ve always thought about trying to learn it. I was apprentice cuts out her tongue in eager to learn something from this memoir, and I deforder to ensure that she can’t spread initely did. the devil’s words. Years later, Auda is There are a lot of different parts to this book. Rich quickly approaching womanhood discusses what scientists and doctors have learned while helping her father with his paper making busi- about the process of learning another language – how ness. When they receive word that the Inquisition is it’s done, what diseases might affect it, and so on. I approaching their town of Narbonne, Auda’s family found these parts of the book to be incredibly interestfears for her fate at the hands of the church. ing. Rich does a wonderful job making her learning rel“Watermark” is a well-written historical fiction debut, evant and applying it to language studies in general. though its real strength lies in its main character. Auda Rich was in India during 9/11, and as a result of that is very easy to love. The reader can’t help but sympa- and other religious terrorism in India (it’s a part of thize with her as she goes about her daily life, know- everyday life there, unfortunately), there is a bit of a ing she is different from everyone else and unable to charged atmosphere to this book. Rich relates these speak. Her father has raised her with independence, events to the reader and describes how they affect the giving her the gift of words. Since she can’t talk, writ- area she’s living in. ing has become her way of communicating with the It was very interesting, if sad, to see the tensions world. As a result, it’s crucial to her identity. It’s won- between Hindus and Muslims. derful to watch her grow more confident with her The personal part of this memoir is where it didn’t words and move towards true self-expression through work for me. While Rich’s experiences were very interwriting. esting, I didn’t love the way they were communicated The plight of an albino in the Middle Ages, during the to the reader. This memoir is large and fluid, jumping time of the Inquisition, is one that I have never con- from one area to another. As a result, it’s hard to keep sidered but find fascinating. As a result, “Watermark” track of what’s going on. has a unique premise that I very much appreciate. It’s I had a very difficult time figuring out who people nice to feel like you are reading something new when were and keeping them straight. While I did enjoy you pick up a book; it is refreshing and makes the reading the book as a whole, I found it to be slow and novel as a whole more interesting. sometimes difficult to get through because of these Sankaran provides a lot of details about the art of frustrations. making paper in “Watermark,” which added a crucial I’d recommend “Dreaming in Hindi” to those interelement to the story. Part of the reason that words are ested in the process of learning a language and the so important to Auda is because of her father’s profes- science behind it. It’s also a good memoir of India, sion. According to the author’s note at the end of the though as I mentioned, the style can be difficult at book, all the details about papermaking are true. It times. was nice to be able to learn something from this book, as the information provided is really interesting. Read more book reviews on her blog at “Watermark” did have its flaws, namely that some of www.skrishnasbooks.com the twists and turns at the end of the book were difficult to believe, but it was a fun and interesting read that I definitely recommend for fans of historical fiction, especially if you are looking for something new within this Tudor-heavy genre. Sankaran writes with Visit Saathee.com for more book, music, and film confidence and ease, and does a wonderful job build- reviews, as well as list of upcoming films and events. ing her characters. June 2010

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Facing an Energy Crisis, the Pakistani Government Has Announced Radical Steps By Nicolas Brulliard - GlobalPost.com Pakistan has just turned into one of the world’s beacons of energy conservation. Facing an energy crisis of unprecedented proportions and rising anger on the streets, the government here announced a series of radical steps to reduce the severe electricity shortfall that is crippling businesses and plaguing households. The new measures, which range from shortening wedding receptions and forcing shops to close early to prohibiting military officers below a certain rank from using air conditioners, are sure to rankle the population further, but they will only make a small dent in the gap between electricity supply and demand. Conservation measures are expected to save 500MW a day, but Pakistan’s daily shortfall is 4,500MW to 5,000MW. The government also announced new rental power contracts and agreements with independent power producers that should bring in an additional 2,000MW of generation capacity by year’s end. The government’s plan failed to impress 30-year-old Ali Hussain, who has been working at an electronics store in downtown Islamabad for the past nine years. He said his store would continue to close at 10:30 p.m. in defiance of the ban because most customers prefer to shop in the evening when the heat subsides. Hussain said the previous government had promised several years ago that load-shedding — the local term used for rolling blackouts — would be gone by 2010, but he said he still experiences up to eight hours of power outages a day and the situation is getting worse. “They do nothing,” he said of politicians. “They just speak.” Pakistan has failed to provide a comprehensive energy plan to accommodate the needs of its fast-growing population. Large projects have been mired in disputes between provinces, and the energy sector is vastly undercapitalized. Public utilities owe large amounts of money to private power producers, which in turn cancel new power plants for lack of funds. The government said it would pay off about $1.4 billion of the public debt to power producers, but the day of the announcement the largest of them said it would shelve a 280MW power expansion project because of outstanding debt. The United States has realized the threat the energy crisis poses to its ally’s stability. Richard Holbrooke, the U.S. special envoy to Afghanistan and Pakistan, singled out the energy sector as the most important avenue for civilian aid, and USAID launched a $125 million energy program in the country this year. June 2010

Even in its recent plan, the government has remained vague about its long-term strategy except to say that it would look at its vast coal reserves, hydroelectric power, nuclear energy and alternative sources. “We are not deliberately holding back electricity from our people,” said Raja Pervez Ashraf, the minister for water and power. “We need to have some patience.” The problem is, time is running out. The ministry itself estimates that demand for electricity grows 8 percent a year and will reach 36,000MW — close to twice the country’s current capacity — in 2015 and 114,000MW by 2030. Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, an opposition party chaired by the former national cricket team captain Imran Khan, sharply criticized the government’s plan, which it called a “quixotic scheme” that would do little to solve the country’s energy quagmire. “The whole formula is based around conserving available electricity and no sound plan has been unveiled about generation of additional power,” PTI said in a statement. “Once again the hapless masses shall bear the brunt of this impracticable formula of energy conservation.” At least when it comes to energy conservation, the government has been thorough. Neon signs, electronic billboards, illuminations and “unnecessary” lights are banned. A second weekly holiday has been added for the public sector, and government offices may not use air conditioners before 11 a.m. All shops, except bakeries and pharmacies, may not stay open after 8 p.m., and every other streetlight will be switched off. Wedding parties, which tend to be elaborate celebrations here, will be kept under three hours. One who is satisfied with the government’s strategy is Kashif Shabbir, the president of the Rawalpindi Chamber of Commerce and Industry. The city near the capital has been hit particularly hard by load-shedding with up to 18 hours of power cuts every day. Shabbir acknowledged that the plan unveiled only addresses the short-term situation and that much remains to be done to secure adequate energy capacity, but he said this is a good first step toward solving the crisis. “I’m being optimistic about this,” he said. “This is the only way forward.”

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By Dr. Maha Gingrich Ritual Dance: Maibi The trance dance of Maibi of Manipur, connected to Lai Haroba festival, is not only very graceful but also aesthetically pleasing. Maibis are a class of priestesses. Any woman cannot be a Maibi unless she shows definite signs of being spiritually predisposed. She may show the signs of spiritual predisposition at a tender age or when she is an adult. She is then selected to be a Maibi and will lead rest of her life in the way prescribed for Maibi to serve God, as Devadasis. The Maibi dance begins from the kneeling position. Very slowly, she rises holding the knees always close. She holds both her hands near the navel with both thumbs and forefingers touching each other. Between the forefinger and middle finger, she holds a leaf of a sacred plant. The dance movements are all slow, controlled, and lyrical. The Maibi is in trance, right from the beginning of the dance. Slowly rising while moving like a spiral when she comes to the vertical position, with controlled and elegant stepping she moves like the figure of eight, this symbolizes the Nagamandala. Although it is a dance in trance, the aesthetic quality is no less than any classical dancing. I only had the pleasure of reading about this particular ritual dance. However, there are similar dances in the state of Andhra Pradesh. Women, who dedicate their lives to listen to the spiritual voice of God, perform these dances. They reflect an enormous amount of energy, while being in trance. I compare this to any real performers who are totally engrossed in their art and forget the aches and pains of their bodies. It becomes a therapy in itself. These trance or ritual dances are a cross cultural phenomenon, a testament to its power and authenticity. Different religions have different practices to invoke the spirit or the inner consciousness. Many experience a new life, or a revelation of some kind that empower them with courage and compassion, as well as reveal insights into the future. Trance dance, an ancient ritual practice, is a healing vehicle through which people can communicate with their Spirit. I have written articles describing â&#x20AC;&#x153;Dance as a prayer in motion.â&#x20AC;? I experience this each time I dance as a unique way to connect with my inner spirit.

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Brass, dhol, and Wedding Processions By Samir Shukla

One of the elements of colorful Indian weddings is the baraat (wedding procession). The baraat band, usually consisting of a singer with an orchestra featuring horns and percussion, marches right along with the groom and his party that’s headed toward the bride’s house. Meet Sunny Jain, a percussionist based in New York City. He is a drummer and dhol master and has assembled a band called Red Baraat, playing, what else, baraat (processional) music. Although you can’t peg them as simply a baraat band, as the combo plays brass and bhangra that’s funky, danceable, laden with eclectic world sounds, and is yet unmistakably Indian. The group released their debut recording, Chaal Baby, earlier this year on Jain’s own record label SinJ Records and the album features originals as well as brassy takes on Bollywood songs “Mehndi Laga Ke Rakhna,” and “Aaj Mere Yaar Ki Shaadi Hai.” There’s also a horns-infused version of Daler Mehndi’s “Tunak Tunak Tun.” Jain’s dhol is the centerpiece pounding traditional Punjabi folk music while the horns evoke a New Orleans brass band. As musical paths around the world converge, more styles and genres like this are bound to converge. Red Baraat, though, is the first and only dhol ‘n’ brass band of its kind in the United States, where the dhol (double-sided, barrel-shaped North Indian drum slung over one shoulder) is the foundation. In Red Baraat Jain has assembled a varied group of musicians, Indian and non-Indian, all bringing their individual flair and sound into the mix. Sunny Jain began his percussion journey at a young age. He is now an accomplished and an in-demand jazz drummer. His love of percussion is naturally apparent when he is playing dhol in NYC-based Red Baraat and other projects. Here’s an interview with Sunny Jain. What got you into percussion? I started playing drums at a young age doing symphonic percussion at school up in Rochester, NY. The drum teacher I had up there happened to be a jazz bebop drum teacher, so when I turned 13 and got my first drum set that’s what he wanted me to be introduced to. And as a kid you’re a sponge for anything and everything and I really kinda took it all in. It was challenging music to play with. By the time I was 16 or 17 I knew I wanted to do this as a profession. I wanted to go to college and study music. I loved playing drums and I wanted to learn more and study more. June 2010

Was there any parental resistance? There wasn’t too much resistance from my parents. My older brother and sister had broken down some barriers. My parents were quite supportive when I look back on it, as compared to other Indian parents and their attitudes. I went to Rutgers and studied and always had in the back of mind that if this (music) didn’t work out, I can always become a lawyer or go into business or whatever. I cut my teeth in college playing professionally and booking gigs and later recording CDs. You know the more you put into something you love, it’s going to give back to you. I started doing small gigs in college and stepped it up a little ever since every year and that’s how it’s progressed. photos by Amy Touchette

Red Baarat

So you’re doing music fulltime? Yeah, after I got my masters degree at NYU, I got a gig touring with Kyle Eastwood’s band (Clint Eastwood’s son). I was touring around with him for a couple of years on and off in the States and Europe. I later developed some back problems and ran out of insurance with my parents, a friend of mine set me up with a temporary position and it turned into fulltime fif for a year. That was my only real fulltime job, other than that all I’ve ever done is play music and compose music and write instructional books. I play jazz drums and dhol and play some tabla and travel around in different circuits and perform with different folks. Were you born here in the States? I was born here in 1975. Both of my parents are Punjabi and they’re originally from Sialkot before the partition and moved to Eastern Punjab after. Several family members migrated down to Rajasthan and now my mom’s side of the family lives in Delhi. So how did Red Baraat happen? Red Baraat came out of my wedding four years ago. I wanted to write my own stuff for the music, some kind of imprint upon my own wedding. I’d go to my cousins’ weddings in India with baraat music, the colonial marching band, and the separate dhol player. At my wedding I just didn’t want to have a dholi (dhol player) since I have all these friends who are musicians. I put together a band of about 20 musicians, who are friends of mine anyway and were coming to the wedding, and asked them to bring me in (the procession). And literally that’s where the whole thing (concept for Red Baraat) started. After that the word spread in the tri-state area that there was an Indian marching band around and I started getting phone calls. We did a few weddings and started getting calls from all over the country. I did research on the Internet and found there was no Indian wedding marching band in the States and that’s how this

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From Kirtans to Bhangra-pop

Mika Singh Rocks the House

admires in the industry, Singh said he loves the works of RD Burman, Kishore Kumar, and Mohammed Rafi as musicians, and truly admires the works of Amitabh Bachchan and Dharmendra in the film industry. Singh also said he looks up to Michael Jackson and is a big fan of all his work. Singh said he enjoys working with acclaimed music director Pritam and has learned a lot from him. Singh was very grateful to all the people that came out for his concert, and expressed a great love for all of his fans. “By the grace of God and the love from all my fans, I am getting good work.”

By Manisha Dass The name Amrik Singh may not sound familiar to all of you but that’s the real name of the artist nicknamed Mika. The youngest of six musical brothers, Mika Singh is a music aficionado and this interest started at a fairly young age.

His father was a holy singer in a Gurudwara in Patna, and Singh recalls watching his father doing Kirtan and becoming involved with music. Singh began to play the tabla when he was eight, the harmonium when he was twelve and the guitar when he was 14 and slowly but surely, his career took a turn from Kirtan singer to Bhangra/pop artist. He started out in the Hindi-pop world but quickly became involved as a playback singer in Bollywood. With hits like “Mauja hi Mauja” from the film Jab We Met and “Aye Ganpat” from Shootout at Lokhandwala it’s no surprise that people all over the world are hadippa-ing to his voice and

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Singh and his “Out of Control Punjab (OCP)” gang performed live for the desi audience in the Triangle on May 14, 2010. Their concert was organized on behalf of Royal India’s owner and all funds raised went towards the Jaagran on May 28th. Singh and his band were kind enough to donate to the cause as well. Approximately 100 people were at the concert, and he had a band of four (dhol player, drums, keyboard and backup singer). His older brother sang back-up. All age groups were present at his concert and Singh stated the versatility of his music allows him to cater to all age groups. “When I am singing at concerts, I usually keep in mind that I have a family crowd,” Singh said. “When I’m singing at a club, my audience is youngsters.”

Singh performed a variety of his songs, including his newest hits from the movie Housefull, “Dhanno,” a remixed track of the popular song from Laawaris, “Apni Toh Jaise Taise,” and “Ibn-e-Bututa” from Ishqiya. Singh commented on all of his music, highlighting that some of his favorite songs to perform live include “Singh is Kinng, Aye Ganpat, Gabru, and Dunali.” Singh also composed and wrote the music himself for “Aye Ganpat,” which is why it’s even more significant to him than a lot of his other songs.

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Yoga

tion expand and contract the chest to perform the inhalation and exhalation. The middle parts of the lobes are opened up fully by this type of breathing. Clavicular Breathing with Adi Mudra: Make a fist with thumb inside and place your fist on your knees. In this section inhalation and exhalation are to be performed by raising the collarbone, and keeping the abdominal muscle contracted. The air is forced into the uppermost regions of the lungs.

By Pradip Bulsara

Introduction to Mudra The Sanskrit word mudra is translated as “gesture” or “attitude.” Yogis have experienced mudras as attitude of energy flow, intended to link the individual pranic force with universal or cosmic force. Mudra is also defined as a “seal,” “short cut” or “circuit bypass.” Mudras are a combination of subtle physical movements which alter mood, attitude and perception, and which deepen awareness and concentration. A mudra may involve the whole body in a combination of asanas, pranayam, bandha, and visualization techniques or it can be a simple hand position. Hasta, hand mudras: The hand mudras redirect the prana being emitted by the hands back into the body.

Yogic breathing with Brahma Mudra: Make a fist with thumb inside and place your fist (turned upward) on your knees. In complete yogic breathing technique all of the above three section are used. During inhalation the abdominal, chest and clavicular sections are used in sequence and during exhalation the same sequence is followed while exhaling. The whole process should be relaxing and comfortable. Repeat each section at least 10 times.

Pradip Bulsara teaches a yoga class at the

Hindu Center in Charlotte on Sunday mornings.

Mana, head mudras: The head mudras utilize the eyes, ears, nose, tongue and lips. Kaya, postural mudras: These practices utilize physical postures combined with breathing, concentration, applying bandhas (locks). The practice of mudras develops an awareness of the flow of prana in the body, which leads to pranic balance enabling one to realize the higher state of consciousness. Sectional Breathing & Hasta Mudras: Sectional breathing is a preparatory breathing practice for doing Pranayama. It corrects the breathing pattern, increases the vital capacity of the lungs and, when combined with hasta mudras, increases state or relaxation and awareness. Abdominal breathing with Chin Mudra: Sit in Vajrasana. Touch the tip of first finger to the tip of the thumb making a nice round circle, keep rest of the fingers straight, and place your palm on your knees. Exhale. Inhale completely, slowly and continuously. The abdomen is made to bulge continuously with the air entering, especially into the lower parts of the lungs. While exhaling, the abdomen is drawn inwards continuously and slowly. The whole process should be smooth and continuous. The rhythmic movement of the diaphragm massages the contents of the abdomen gently, and helps the organs function normally. Thoracic breathing with Cinmaya Mudra: Touch the tip of first finger to the tip of the thumb making a nice round circle, make a fist with rest of the fingers, and place your fist on your knees. In this secJune 2010

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The Honest Thief By Ajay Jaiman (courtesy Pitara.com)

By Kirit Shukla

N T

Make words using 4 or more letters. The central letter must be used in each word. Use all letters for the subject word. 25 words = Excellent; 20 to 24 words = Good; 19 or less needs to improve. (Solution at bottom of page)

The Fox and the Grapes (An Aesop’s fable) Fanta fox was in a relaxed mood. He had no work that day. Since it was a holiday, the farmer was at home guarding his chickens. There was no way Fanta could reach them. Luckily, there was some food left over from the previous night. Life was beautiful. He closed his eyes for a moment. When he opened his eyes he found himself looking at one, two and three bunches of luscious grapes, and got excited. A little grape juice running down his throat was just right for a holiday mood. Fanta’s tongue came out and his mouth started watering. All it required was a hop, a skip and a jump. Of course, he was not wearing his sports shoes that day but that was all right. He would manage. The thought of biting into the juicy grapes was so very tempting. And then, Fanta started jumping. With every jump, he leapt higher. But the grapes were still out of reach. After jumping for an hour, Fanta knew he would not be able to get to the grapes. He gave the grapes one disgusted look and said, “I am sure they must be sour. Or the farmer must have sprayed a lot of pesticide on the grapes. And some of the pesticide poison remains even if you wash the fruits. I have probably saved my life today.” With his tail tucked between his legs, Fanta walked away. June 2010

Word World (Solution): MENTOR, MONSTER, MORE, NEST, NOSE, NOTE, OMEN, ORES, REMS, RENT, REST, RISE, ROME, SENT, SNORE, SOME, STEM, STERN, STORE, TENOR, TERM, TOES, TONE, TONER, TORE

Word World

There was once a cunning thief, Bhairav, who always planned his moves carefully. One day he decided to rob the holy men who came to the local temple from far off lands for the temple’s annual festival. He calculated that all these people came from distant towns, so they must be carrying lots of money. So Bhairav dressed up like a holy man and went to attend the festival. At the temple, he slowly made friends with one particular person who appeared to be wealthy. After spending a few days at the temple, the thief and holy man became friends. The thief was so impressed by the nature of his new friend that he did not want to rob him anymore. So much so, that he confessed the original reason for his friendship to the holy man. Surprisingly, the holy man did not call the police. Instead, he gave the stunned Bhairav some of his money. Impressed with the man’s greatness of heart, Bhairav asked him for advice. He said, “You are such a wonderful person. Even after knowing that I had evil designs on your money, you willingly shared it with me. Please make me your disciple, and advise me on how to live my life”. The holy man replied, “Okay, but let’s start one step at a time. To begin with, I’ll ask you to do just one thing. From now on just stop saying anything untrue. Just speak honestly. That’s it. Next year when I come for this festival, then we will meet again.” Bhairav was surprised that the holy man did not ask him to stop stealing. All he had to do was speak honestly. So he decided he would go about his work of stealing - without lying. One day, Bhairav decided to rob the king’s palace. As he approached the main gate, the sentry inquired who he was and what his purpose of visit was. Remembering his promise of honesty, Bhairav told the sentry that he was a thief and wanted to rob the king’s palace. The sentry was shocked at first, but then thought to himself that this must surely be a joke, that Bhairav must be an old friend of the King. He smiled and let Bhairav into the palace. So Bhairav went in, picked up whatever he wanted, put it in a bundle and started to walk back to the main gate. On his way out, again someone stopped him and asked who he was and what was in the bundle. Once again, he spoke honestly, “I am a thief and inside this bundle are valuables from the king’s palace.” The sentry thought, surely this is some important person who is upset at the fact that I did not recognize him and let him pass. So Bhairav came back home with a lot of wealth without having spoken a single dishonest word. But from that day on, he decided never to steal again and started waiting for the next festival when he could meet his spiritual friend.

Saathee 42

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Mastering Meaning

manager and “speak their mind.” Speaking of (while we’re on the subject of) being honest, if you are in negotiations and the other party says, “Let’s talk turkey” they are asking for a frank discussion, not suggesting that you recess for dinner. Similarly, if someone says, “Let me level with you,” they mean that they are going to tell you the unvarnished truth and that their message might contain bad news.

By Judith L. Bergman M.A. CCC Recently I saw a television commercial with an animated frozen dessert—an ice cream treat—talking with someone about the pleasures and benefits of consuming this product. The “voice-over” says, “Our [ice cream treat] speaks for itself.” Are you familiar with the figurative or metaphorical meaning of speaks for itself, an expression that the ad writers used literally and playfully? A product or service that is so excellent that it doesn’t need to be promoted or recommended is one that speaks for itself. This month we will explore the multiple meanings and idiomatic usage of words related to speech and speaking.1 “They had a serious disagreement and are not on speaking terms” means that two people are avoiding each other. “He spoke at the graduation,” means he gave a formal speech or “address,” not that he talked informally to someone. His novel speaks of his passion for justice means that it is a testimonial or makes a statement about this subject. This poem speaks to my heart, means that it touches me emotionally. A spokesperson is the representative of a group of individuals who speaks on their behalf, often to reporters. Experts on child rearing often say, “Actions speak louder than words,” meaning that your children will invariably copy what you do, not necessarily what you say if they see that there is a discrepancy. Similarly, some of you may have a dog who can speak with his eyes. Babies are very good at this also! His eyes spoke volumes is another expression that means the same thing. She is spoken for is a “traditional” way people used to indicate that a girl was engaged. In a lighter vein, you can say, “That last slice of pizza is spoken for,” as you quickly reach for it. A yoga teacher of mine used to say, “Speak the truth which is sweet,” meaning to refrain from criticism and gossip. As a phrase, speak out means to publicly, freely and fearlessly voice your opinion, especially about a public or social issue. To speak up means to speak louder because your listeners can’t hear you. It could also mean to have the courage to contribute your opinion in a conversation, perhaps less public than the reference to “speak out.” To speak one’s mind is to speak frankly and sometimes bluntly regardless of whether you might be offending someone. When someone is irritated, angry or frustrated about poor service, they may go to the

June 2010

It is a very bad management strategy, for the person in charge to speak down to (speak condescendingly to) his or her employees or students. If you return from a vacation and ask your colleagues for the latest news, they may say, “Nothing to speak of,” meaning that there is nothing of importance worth mentioning. “So to speak” highlights another metaphor. “They can’t see the forest for the trees, so to speak,” means that you are explaining that the expression means they are distracted so much by the details that they “lose sight of” the big picture. Here’s a multiple choice quiz about three idioms with “word” and “mouth” from The Idioms Workbook2 a delightful resource for both older children and adults. A. Put words in my mouth means __1. talk to me __2. talk for me. __3. eat in a restaurant. B. Would someone take the words out of your mouth if YES NO 1. he said what you were thinking? YES NO 2. he did not talk to you? YES NO 3. he was going to give you directions to someplace? C. By word of mouth means 1. talking quietly. 2. another language 3. from person to person orally, not written down. Suggestions to increase your word power this month: Look at the headlines and articles in magazines and newspapers about local, state and national government. Circle all the ways that “speech,” “speaking,” “speak’ “talk,” “word” and “mouth” are used. How many of the idioms used in this article can you find? Is “speak” used in other ways? References: 1 http://www.idioms.thefreedictionary.com/home 2 The Idioms Workbook, 2nd Edition by Myra Shulman Auslin, Pro-Ed www.proedinc.com 2003, pp. 245, 246 & 247.

Answers: A-2; B Yes, No, No; C-3.

Harnessing the Power of American English

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CONTINENTS

By Chandan Sen Poverty and Illegal Immigration If poor people in Mexico are so impoverished that they risk illegal border crossings, then they should be helped by the Mexican government and, at the same time, encouraged to stay in Mexico. If necessary, the UN can help Mexico with funds and other resources to look after their poor. If necessary, the rich nations of the world can increase their financial contributions to the UN. If businesses and farms in the US are short of workers, the guest worker program can be rigorously applied. If the demographic profile of the US were to change drastically, we might have untold indiscipline and havoc. We cannot improve the lot of the poor by impoverishing or greatly inconveniencing the rich. We cannot buy the argument that we need illegal workers, working at or below the minimum wage, when these same workers cost the US government a huge amount in health care and education. Undocumented border crossings are, above all, a security risk. It is sane to put up a border fence and increase border patrols. At the same time, allow legal workers to come in. Finally, problems can be solved in the right way, not the wrong way. Shortsighted temporary “solutions” are actually larger problems in disguise. I hope all concerned see a problem and its thoughtful solution, not an ad hoc patching up that will do more harm than good. Lessons from Mass Migrations Okay, so we humans all originated from a common root, somewhere in East Africa more than two million years ago. Then, because of climate changes and the shifting patterns of animal migration, ancient humans moved northwards into what is now the Middle East, and finally some of our ancestors went East, and some went West. Fast-forward a few hundred thousand years. India now has the Aryan Indus Valley civilizations and the older Dasyus of South India. Europe has been the home of Caucasians and other fair-skinned people—fair because of the cold weather presumably, and with more or less aquiline noses. Advancing a few more hundred years, the cities of Harappa and Mohenjodaro have been abandoned because they have become deserts, and the Aryans have intermingled with the Dasyus, barring sporadic skirmishes. Now dawns the modern age, the age of European colonization beginning in the 16th century. My point is

June 2010

that early European explorers like Vasco da Gama and Christopher Columbus traveling to India and the New World, respectively, met with people who had simply migrated to these lands millennia before them. It could arguably be seen as the meeting of long lost relatives and indeed, as far as Indian history is concerned, there was trade, mingling and inter-marriages. But alas, there was also war and struggles for dominance. As I understand from BBC audio podcasts, combined with my own reading of history, the Sepoy Mutiny of 1857, which Indian historians call the first war of Indian Independence, brought to an end the era of Indo-British cooperation. The next 100 years of British rule were embittered by memories of atrocities committed by both sides in the immediate aftermath of the Sepoy uprising. Yet, to my mind, all these wars that we see, even to the present day, are fratricidal blood-lettings which miss the point that we humans all originate from a common ancestor or ancestors in the Eastern part of that continent which for many decades, if not centuries, bore the rubric Darkest Africa. The Designer’s Dilemma Most people have been brought up on the idea of competition, that the world is a competitive place and one needs to get on and prosper in life by hard work. Businesses thrive by becoming more efficient and effective, by doing the right things, and then doing them right. Shaving research and development costs and reducing manufacturing, marketing and other expenses is the watchword. But now the time has come to factor in the ecological imperative…do what’s best for the environment. This green phenomenon is not new, but has gathered momentum in recent years. People’s consciousness has risen about the global emergency we face. Witness the fact that China has plans for producing 550 more coal-fired super-thermal power stations, at the rate of two per week. These stations emit huge amounts of carbon dioxide, the main greenhouse gas. A recent BBC report said that the West has shifted its manufacturing base to China, because of lower labor costs there, and now we are all paying the price. Granted, the per capita emission in China is still lower than that in the US, but as a nation, China is fast becoming the number one polluter. The Chinese authorities say that, when faced with the task of reducing poverty, the priority is to raise living standards, and this requires large amounts of cheap electricity. Indeed, 80 percent of China’s electricity comes from coal-fired plants, compared to an average of 40 percent in the rest of the world. Perhaps the solution lies in retrofitting these power

Saathee 46

continued on page 88 Chandan Sen

Contact: chandansen33@hotmail.com

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Snake Bites Are a Forgotten Global Threat By Betwa Sharma — GlobalPost.com In most Indian villages there is an “ojha,” or a magician who doubles as a medicine man. The ojha can cure snake bites with mantras and by rubbing leaves and homemade pastes on the wound. In a village called Sameda, in Uttar Pradesh’s Azamgarh district, people put a lot of faith in these ageold remedies. The only problem is, sometimes they don’t work. “The city hospital is three hours away and people cannot make it before the poison spreads,” said Jagram Chauhan, a resident of the village where snake bites are a common occurrence. The global death toll from snake bites is estimated to be at least 100,000, though there are approximately three times as many amputations performed on people who have been bitten by snakes, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Snakebites are described in several studies as a neglected health threat that claims thousands of lives every year, especially in rural parts of South Asia, South America and Sub-Saharan Africa. More than 5 million people are bitten by snakes annually, and 2.5 million get venom in their system. In India alone, around 11,000 people die and 84,000 are poisoned by snakes every year. These deaths could be prevented if antivenom is used quickly. Twenty years ago, Felipa Angeles, an inhabitant of Caraz in the highlands of Peru, said that people would rush on horseback to small clinics in the countryside that had antivenom in stock. “Now some have cars but the poison spreads so fast that by the time they get to hospital, their arm or leg needs to be amputated,” she said. Angeles grew up scared of rattle snakes that killed not only animals in her village, but also people. “My family had to sacrifice our horse because it was crying from so much pain (after it was bitten by a snake),” she said. “This is very bad because people depend on animals for their livelihood.” In Africa alone there are an estimated one million snake bites annually with about half those bitten needing treatment. WHO says the actual number of bites is likely to be much higher because available figures are based on hospital statistics, while most victims don’t make it to the hospital. “The scale of human suffering remains unknown,” said Ann Padilla, a WHO scientist. “This problem continues to be neglected by many countries.” There is no doctor to cure snake bites in the Bhluahi village of Bihar, India. The first thing villagers do is to June 2010

tightly tie a rope around the area that is bitten to stop the poison from flowing and then make a small incision to drain the venom. “Some people keep medicines but they are usually hard to find and expensive to buy,” said Santosh Kumar, a villager. There are 3,000 snake species in the world out of which 600 are deadly and 200 are needed for medical purposes. They are found in every continent except Antarctica. Snakes usually attack in self-defense when they feel threatened, startled or provoked. The casualties are mostly women and farmers living in poor rural communities. A bite can cause bleeding, muscle paralysis, tissue destruction, kidney failure, permanent disability and death. Children are more severely hit because of their smaller body mass and need treatment immediately. Combating the problem is difficult because of the dearth of information. After three years of organizing regional workshops to collect data, WHO has launched its first website with facts about the deadliest snakes in the world, their geographical presence, the suitable antivenom and where it can be found. “Many countries have no access to the antivenoms they need. Others use antivenoms that have never been tested against their target snake venoms. So often when people get bitten, they can’t get the treatment they need,” said Carissa Etienne, WHO Assistant DirectorGeneral. “These new tools will help bring this to an end.” For instance, the database shows the lethal sharpnosed pit viper lives across China, Taiwan and parts of Vietnam and responds to the antivenom called Agkistrodon Acutus antivenin, which is manufactured by the Shanghai Institute of Biological Technology. In another case, the South American rattle snake lives in most parts of the continent, and responds to multiple antivenoms being made in Brazil, Argentina, Mexico and Bolivia. A virtual database, of course, is of little use to the villagers that tramp barefoot around in their fields without electricity but it is helpful to healthcare professionals and manufacturers, according to Padilla. At present very few countries produce snake venoms of adequate quality. Knowing the location of the snakes is especially helpful for manufacturers of antivenom since they need the venom to put in the antidote. Both training to treat snake bites and distribution of antivenom remains a major challenge. “The medicines need to find a way out of the cities into the remote areas,” said Padilla. “We are pushing governments to put it in their national health programs.” Meanwhile, ancestral wisdom prevails. Sometimes in India, when it isn’t clear if someone bitten by a snake is dead or in a coma, the body is not burnt — a traditional Hindu rite — but immersed in the river to allow for revival. “Many times after a few days they come back,” said Chauhan.

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Your child should not use food to deal with emotions. The following are common concerns and suggested solutions to feeding concerns:

By Anjana Agarwal How Do I Know if My Child Is Eating a Healthful Diet? Parents and caregivers often wonder if their child is getting everything he or she needs to optimize growth and development. Children may seem like they are “not eating anything,” “eating only junk food,” and “eating the same things every day.” Though children are resilient and are probably eating better than it appears, it can make caring for your child less stressful if you know what to look for in determining if your child is eating a healthful (enough) diet. Your child’s pediatrician has a list of markers that are used during well visits. Growth charts are used to assess nutritional status, weight, and development. Besides anthropometry, pediatricians look at biochemical markers and lab values, and gather dietary information to interpret nutritional status. A determination of overweight or underweight, or understanding your child’s growth curves may shed light into your child’s dietary intake. You should bring your concerns about your child’s diet to your pediatrician and expect that your pediatrician will share thoughts if she thinks your child’s growth is affected by nutrition. Knowing what signs and symptoms display malnutrition may help alleviate some of the stress in wondering if your child is eating well. Well-nourished children should have shiny hair that does not fall out, appear brittle, or dry. Their eyes should look bright and clear; under their eyelids should appear pink or red. Well-nourished children have skin that is smooth, firm, and of good color, while skin of undernourished children looks off in color, scaly, flaky, or cracked. If your child is eating well, his/her lips should appear smooth with good color; a malnourished child may display red or swollen lips, with cracking in the corners of the mouth. Fingernails should appear firm and pink, not spoonshaped, brittle, or ridged. Well-nourished children show good muscle tone, healthy posture, and long straight bones. Undernourished children may have a wasted appearance of muscles, swollen bumps on the skull or ends of bones, and bowed legs or knockknees. Malnourished children also may appear overweight or obese. A child is eating a healthful diet if he/she consumes: • A variety of foods • Fruits and vegetables that are colorful • Calcium-rich foods, such as milk, yogurt, broccoli, and almonds • Meals and snacks every 3-5 hours while awake • Protein-rich foods, such as dairy, eggs, beans, legumes, tempeh, tofu, meat, or fish June 2010

My child does not get enough protein. • Incorporate small amounts of meat in casseroles, pizzas, and soups • Choose beans, eggs, and cheese as alternatives Child drinks too little milk • Offer cheese and yogurt • Add milk to soups, hot cereals, and puddings • Use powdered milk for baking Child drinks too much milk • Offer water between meals and if your child is thirsty • Serve milk at the end of the meal and limit it to two times a day Child refuses fruits and vegetables • Offer more of the preferred fruits and vegetables • Serve vegetables raw, with a healthful dip • Slice fruits so they are easy to eat • Try dried fruits • Put vegetables in soups and meals so that they cannot be picked out • Continue to offer fruits and vegetables at every meal and snack Child eats too many sweets • Do not keep sweets or treats in the house • Do not use sweets as a reward or bribe • Make sure all caregivers are on the same page For individual diet counseling see a registered dietitian. Anjana Agarwal, MS, RD, LDN, CNSD, CDE Registered Dietitian Phone: 704-890-3162 Carolina Nutrition (Adult & Pediatric) www.carolinanutrition.com

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Q & A With Sri Sri Ravi Shankar Founder of The Art of Living Foundation

Q: If each person on this earth would do one thing to make the world a better place, what would that one thing be? Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Why are you limiting to only one thing? We are all so different. Each one can serve in their own area of expertise. But if you really insist on Q. I detest my job which I loved one thing, I would say, “Smile more.” Do some service and see how much you can stretch. That much you can so dearly once. What can I do? Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Our likes and serve more. And I tell you, the more you serve, the dislikes change so often! You like something and then more you will receive. dislike it and so on. Life should not be swayed away by likes and dislikes but well founded on commitment. Q: What is causing so many people fall in depresYou need some work to sustain your life. Any job that sion? sustains your life, be committed to it and if you get Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: If we keep thinking what about something better, go for it. There is nothing like job ourselves all the time, we will get depressed. You satisfaction. Every job has some drawbacks. Earn your should see what you can do, and how you can conlivelihood and then do seva for satisfaction. That tribute to the world. We all have to work towards havbrings you maximum satisfaction. Nothing else can ing a stress free, violence-free, drug and alcohol free, and healthy society. bring you the satisfaction that seva brings. Q: What to do when we start doubting ourselves or our relationships? Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Doubt is always about something that is positive. You know, if someone tells you that they love you, you say, “Really? Isn’t it so? But you take it for granted when someone expresses their hatred towards you. If someone asks you, “Are you happy?” you say, “Well, I am not sure”. We doubt all that is positive. We doubt in love. We doubt in the goodness of people. We doubt honesty. We never doubt dishonesty. Isn’t it so? We doubt our capabilities. We never doubt our weaknesses. You never doubt Q: How can I get rid of my fear of failing? I can’t your depression, but you always doubt your happiengage or start some project because of my fear ness. So a doubt is always about something that is positive. of failure. How can I help myself? Q: Can a person struggling for livelihood progress on the spiritual path? Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Some people say that to walk on the spiritual path you have to abandon your professional life. But I say you can continue pursuing your profession or business, and progress on the spiritual path as well. In fact, they are complementary to each other. Pursuing the spiritual path makes it easy to accomplish tasks in your professional life as well. Only listening to this knowledge doesn’t help. Doing your practices along with it is equally important.

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Accept: Ok, I am going to fail. So what? I still want to do it. It’s like a game you play, whether you win or lose, you play the game. Correct? If you are playing soccer, you just play, no matter if you win or lose, you just play. In the same way, don’t be afraid of failure. If you fail, never mind, still do it. Ok? You need to take some risks in life.

Q: What should be the place of money in the quest for a spiritual life? Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: The problem arises when you carry money not only in your pocket but in your head also! Also what is the use of thinking about it all the time if your pockets are empty? Money is the means and not an end in itself. Have faith that you will get whatever money you need. Put in your effort and move forward with this conviction. Also out of the money you earn, 2-3 percent should be spent for others. We call it dhana-shuddhi (purification of wealth). In Sanskrit there is a word anna-shuddhi (purification of grains). It prescribes adding ghee (clarified butter) to rice. If you eat rice alone, it is not as good for your body as the sugar level in your blood suddenly increases. By adding just a little bit of clarified butter or ghee, the process of converting the starch into sugar is slowed down. So the digestion process becomes slower and you are less prone to diabetes. So we say rice gets purified when we add ghee to it. Similarly money gets purified when we contribute to those in need. June 2010

Q: Up to what extent should one sustain a relationship? How much can one bend? Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: You can’t bend too much if the other person is turning violent, taking advantage of you. Then you have to stand up and state clearly. Deal with all of this using your intellect and not your emotions. Conflict is always emotional. Resolution is intellectual. Emotional conflict can’t be dealt with emotions. Similarly an intellectual argument cannot be dealt with the intellect. The emotional side of it has to be considered. If you observe carefully there is a stream of emotions behind an intellectual argument. Life is a fine balance between the emotions and the intellect. When to use what, is the real wisdom. And how do you gain that wisdom? The answer is meditation, meditation and meditation. Q: How do breathing techniques and meditation benefit those with heart disease? Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Breathing and meditation have been found to lower cholesterol and strengthen the heart. They lower stress and control hormones by making a positive impact on the endocrine system. There have been several studies and research is still going on.

To learn more about Breathing Techniques, Meditation, and Wisdom from Sri Sri, contact Art of Living Charlotte at 704248-2647, or visit http://us.artofliving.org/charlotte

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The Stock Tickers

By Rajesh Ganatra Here are some important quotes as of 05/21/2010 Mumbai Sensex: 16,591.62 Karachi, Pakistan KSE-100 Index: 98655.83 Dow Jones Industrial Average (USA): 10,271.86 NASDAQ Composite (USA): 2,294.35 S & P 500 Index (USA): 1,079.22 Currency Exchange Rates: Indian Rs. 46.73 = $1.00, Pakistani Rs. 84.32 = $1.00 Gold Price: $1103/ ounce (Mumbai) Silver Price: $17.72 / ounce (Mumbai)

(Note —- Mumbai prices quoted in U.S. dollars were calculated using the above exchange rate and the metric factor of 28.6 grams equals 1 ounce. Generally speaking, there are slight variances in prices of precious metals between India & U.S.A. due to market conditions / exchange rates).

During the first few months of the year, the Sensex oscillated between the high 15,000s and low 18,000s but spent a lot of time in the low to mid 17,000s. The index did indeed get caught up in the global sell-off during May 2010 due to concerns about Greece and the Euro Zone as a whole, and the Sensex dipped into the 16,400s. The US Dollar traded in a band between INR 44.25-45.25 but the rate reached 46.25 to the US$ when the Dollar surged against the Euro and other key currencies during May 2010. It has been two years since Air India (AI) and Indian Airlines (IA) merged - however, the two airlines are still using two different computer systems: Unisys for Air India and IBM for Indian Airlines which generates two different ticketing codes. Air India was invited to join the Star Alliance in late 2007 but has been precluded from joining because one of the key requirements of joining is having a single ticketing code. AI/IA are working towards integration of their computer systems that will enable AI to have a single ticketing code by October 2010 or thereabouts and subsequently, AI could join the Star Alliance by March 2011 or thereabouts. Star Alliance currently has 27 carriers including US Airways, United Airlines, Air Canada, Lufthansa, Scandinavian Air System [SAS] and Air New Zealand. During January-April 2010, the Karachi KSE-100 index had a very bullish tone despite the numerous challenges that Pakistan continued to face. The KSE100 reached 10,659 during mid-April 2010 and subsequently retreated by nearly 5.5 percent - but managed to hold the critical 10,000 level as of mid-May 2010. The Pakistani Rupee remained fairly stable against the U.S. Dollar, trading in a range of 84.1084.80. At an Indo-Pak business conference in New Delhi

June 2010

during mid-May 2010, Indian Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee encouraged increased trade with neighboring Pakistan, indicating that it would help ease tensions between the two countries and also result in increased investments within the south Asian region. Mukherjee commented that “a more economically integrated and rapidly developing region could generate a peace dividend. Extended trade relationships would reduce potential for conflict by creating strong constituencies for peace.” The business conference was organized jointly by the Confederation of Indian Industry, the Pakistan-India CEOs Business Forum and two media groups of South Asia (Times of India and Jang of Pakistan). A Pakistani business delegation, including leaders from various sectors such as textiles, agriculture and Information Technology (IT) participated in the conference. Bilateral trade between India and Pakistan is miniscule in relation to the overall trade levels of the two nations and most of the trade is also transacted via indirect “third-country routes.” Mukherjee also commented that “Due to geographical proximities, there is a tremendous scope of cheaper transportation costs. The shorter distance will render it unnecessary for the industry to carry higher level of inventories of raw materials and parts, thereby reducing costs of operations,” stressing the need for free movement of goods between the two countries. Trade between IndiaPakistan increased substantially from $251 million in 2000-01 to $2.3 billion in 2007-08, but dropped 19 percent to $1.81 billion in 2008-09, mainly due to strained relations between the two nations after the November 2008 attacks in Mumbai. The U.S. Equity Markets had a hard sell-off during May 2010 in which the progress that was made from the start of the year was nearly wiped out. Worries about Greece’s staggering debt levels had been simmering for some time and finally reached a boiling point during late April/early May. When it became evident that Greece would not be able to solve the problem on its own and would need help from fellow Euro Zone members, the European bourses began to slide and the sell-off touched markets around the globe the Euro slid against the U.S. Dollar and against other major currencies. Concerns also mounted about “who would be next” in the debt crisis because several other Euro Zone members have high debt levels. On May 6, 2010 the Dow had a sharp, intra-day plunge of nearly 1,000 points before recovering a major part of the losses to close the session down “only 347” - the causes of this sudden plunge are still being evaluated by the major stock exchanges and the SEC. On May 10, 2010 the Euro Zone members announced a massive assistance package to Greece and that briefly boosted the markets and the Euro, but the pressure soon resumed after the reality sank back in as to the true depth of the problem. Crude Oil had been trading in the range of $75-$85 per barrel for the majority of CY2010 and had nudged above $86 per barrel during late April 2010, but with the Greek debt crisis, the price of Crude briefly fell below $70 per barrel on May 17, 2010 as questions arose about worldwide demand if the debt crisis expanded further.

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Social Media by Wendy D. Wells

Social Media Exploration Utilizing Social Media for business has already proven to improve brand awareness, generate revenue, instill a sense of empowerment in employees, and drive traffic to a main website. We’ve known for a long time that the various aspects of Social Media are essential to operating business in today’s fast changing world of advanced technology. Since tools like Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter are going to be around for a long time to come, understanding how to operate them is an important practice for any company. Keep in mind that Social Media outlets are more than just “advertising” or marketing tools. These can be places where you educate and entertain your clients. A little creativity is all it takes. Your website does not have to be merely a place for you to post and interact with others; it can also be a resource tool for your clients or consumers. Let it be the one stop where people go to explore and learn about things related peripherally to your business. Not everything has to be focused on the very center of what you do; look around the edges and see what you find. If you are in retail, pick any item or collection of items in your store and post interesting articles on how to use them in unique or better ways. An aisle of kitchen utensils can turn into its own category of cooking, recipes, and how to care for cutlery. Link videos of short cooking demonstrations or knife sharpening tips from your website, then post on Facebook and tweet a message out on Twitter that you’ve just placed a great idea for tonight’s dinner or a new “how-to” on your site. Be sure to include a shortened link that leads to the right page! Broken links or inaccurate links are frustrating to the user and do not reflect well on your business. (Hootsuite makes it very easy to shrink hyperlinks.) A video rental store should take advantage of this same tactic not only to announce the latest releases but also to help fans can find entertainment information. Post celebrity style tips, link to clips about computer generated special effects, post the lyrics to songs and links to videos. Just get creative! I recently heard from Bashyam, Spiro, LLP Immigration Law Group, about how they’re using Social Media on their own website to benefit their clients not only by linking to the popular tools like Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter, but also by posting bimonthly immigration law information, monthly educational videos, and e-newsletters. Imagine how much simpler it must be to research information on how to bring a family member into the country, start a new business, or file taxes. With one, single portal like this, bookmarking a number of different sites becomes unnecessary. June 2010

Keep in mind, you can post the same or divide what you post between your main site and Facebook. This gives your audience a choice of which site to explore. Just make sure you don’t over clutter, or create too much “noise.” In other words, don’t post just anything and everything you find related to your business and send it out. Be thoughtful and consider what you’re attaching to your website. Even though a video might not be produced by your company or be directly related to your service; your audience perceives that whatever you put on your site is indirectly endorsed by you. Screen carefully for offensive material or anything that may be considered exploitative. As always, give credit where it is due. You cannot claim an article, photograph, video, or other work as your own without crediting its original source or creator. Open the Social Media window wide and see how fresh you can make your content. Not only are the tools of Social Media available as an opportunity to increase brand awareness, generate revenue, and drive traffic to your site, but they also provide you with the chance to educate and entertain your audience.

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Wendy D. Wells

is President of WD Wells Writing and Editing, LLC. She is a Charlotte, NC based, Telecommuting Copywriter, Professional Blogger and Editor. wwells@wendywellswrites.com

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June 2010

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So here are my top five ways to take a mental broom to your marketing, vacuum out the dust, and give your business the fresh, clean smell of success.

Marketing Turnaround

By Gail Martin

Spring Clean Your Marketing It feels good to do some spring cleaning. I’ve been purging my office of old files, deleting old emails, cleaning out closets. Getting rid of old, unused stuff makes the room seem bigger, makes me feel better, and makes the whole building seem a little lighter. When’s the last time you did some Spring Cleaning on your marketing? Many of the business owners I talk to market on autopilot. They found a few things that worked for them during the first month or year they were in business, and they’ve kept on doing those same things ever since. Even when the economy changed drastically. Even if their product offerings, service portfolio or target audience went in a whole new direction. They cling to that familiar marketing like a lucky rabbit’s foot, afraid to do something different. Other business owners were fortunate in that when they started up, they didn’t need to market themselves. Referrals poured in, word of mouth sent them more business than they could handle, and life was good. Until it wasn’t. Eventually, they tapped out all the friends of their friends and family, word of mouth brought inquiries but didn’t close sales, and life suddenly wasn’t as rosy. So it’s time for some Spring Cleaning. You know you need to Spring Clean your marketing when: • Your target market has changed in the last year • You have added new products or services • You’re changing your pricing or altering how your bundle or deliver your services • The economy changes (hint—this means everyone) • There are fundamental shifts in your industry • A major new competitor enters the field, or a big player exits the market • It’s been over a year since you really sat down and thought about how you’re communicating about your business. Why Spring Clean your marketing? One reason is because we fall into comfortable rut and over time, the rut takes us where we’ve been, not where we want to go. Another big reason is that the world is constantly changing, and our marketing needs to stay nimble. Finally, and maybe most importantly, our goals change, and if we don’t update our marketing, we’re selling the company we ran last year, instead of building our dreams for tomorrow. June 2010

Tip #1: See if your goals have changed. Maybe last year, or two years ago, your priority was on getting more consulting clients, but now, your top goal is getting more paid speaking engagements. Are you putting your time and energy into marketing to achieve your new top goal? If that’s not where the time and energy are going, it’s time to do some cleaning. Tip #2: See if your market has changed. If you’re a local business, how have the demographics changed around your store in the last two years? If you’re a neighborhood business, do you still know your neighbors well enough to meet their needs? Take the time to update your market research. Tip #3: How is technology impacting your industry? Do you serve a market that welcomes text message coupons? Can you promote for less money by using social media instead of direct mail? Should you have your own iPad application? Have your customers abandoned print newspapers to read online? Find out how your customers are using technology and make sure your marketing reaches them in the way they now consume information. Tip #4: Has your network changed? No matter how much business you’ve gotten from any club or association, membership changes over the life of an organization. Are you still getting value from your membership or event fees? Are there fresh faces coming to programs, or is it a social hour with the same old crowd. Re-think the time and money you spend on personal networking by re-evaluating your memberships, and make sure you know where your target audience is congregating. Tip #5: How is the economy impacting your buyer? Yes, we’re rebounding, but there’s some debate as to whether consumers will ever return to their spendthrift days. Likewise, the rebound hasn’t touched every community equally. Some are booming, while others have a way to go. Cautious consumers need more touches to go from prospect to buyer, and they want more assurance of value. Make sure your marketing messages are in sync with your consumers’ mood. It feels good to throw open the windows and toss out old junk. Get the same sunshine-fresh feeling with your marketing by opening the windows of your mind and tossing out the outdated marketing approaches and messages that no longer serve you. It’s a new year and a brand new economic recovery. Are you tuned up and ready to go?

Gail Z. Martin

owns DreamSpinner Communications. Contact her at dreamspinnercommunications@earthlink.net

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Personal Finance By Narendra Dixit The Many Uses of Variable Life Insurance The primary purpose of life insurance is to provide financial protection for your family in the event of the death of the breadwinner. But some types of life insurance provide additional features. In addition to providing a death benefit, they can also serve as an estate and investment vehicle. For example, life insurance death benefits are generally paid income tax free. So life insurance can be an effective estate planning vehicle to protect one’s family or business by leaving an income tax-free benefit to heirs. Estate taxes, however, may apply. Whole life insurance policies, particularly Variable Universal Life (VUL) policies, may offer the potential for tax-deferred growth to supplement retirement income. All potential earnings are income taxdeferred, so the cash value has an opportunity to grow. Further, the cash value can be accessed for a variety of needs—not just for retirement. VUL insurance offers access to an array of investment options. Many VUL policies offer respected, brand name investment options, often from premier money managers, covering a variety of asset classes including stocks (both domestic and international), bonds, money markets and often a guaranteed interest option. *Many policies provide the freedom to

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choose the asset mix that best suits an individual’s tolerance for risk as well as one’s investment time horizon. In fact, many insurers have programs that can help determine a customized asset allocation for each client. With greater growth potential comes greater risk. Having a wide range of investment opportunities can be beneficial as long as it’s done with a comfortable amount of potential risk. Poor investment performance can lead to increased premiums or even a policy lapse. The choice of investment options means more control, but also more investment risk than Whole Life or Universal Life. VUL policies are highly flexible, in many cases allowing for adjustments to coverage and premium payment amounts. VUL policies also give access to cash value throughout the life of the policy as needs and objectives change. The flexibility to skip premiums and the risk of negative returns, however, can lead to policy funding problems. As long as the policy remains in force, consumers can withdraw or borrow** money from the cash value when needed to help pay for college tuition or a down payment on a new home. The concept is similar to borrowing from a 401(k), except that, generally, the money doesn’t need to be repaid until the death of the insured or when the policy is surrendered. And unlike

June 2010

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Haresh Mehta is pleased to announce the opening of Tim Wilkison Signature Realty.

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The Cricket Forum By Rajesh Ganatra Hello Cricket Fans! Here’s some upcoming action in the cricket world. Match fixing in cricket truly damages the spirit of the sport and I’ve put my thoughts on the subject in the piece that follows the schedules. I welcome your comments. Bangladesh visits England

Fri Jun 4 to Tue Jun 8 - 2nd Test - England v Bangladesh @ Old Trafford, Manchester Thu Jul 8 - 1st ODI - England v Bangladesh @ Trent Bridge, Nottingham Sat Jul 10 - 2nd ODI - England v Bangladesh @ County Ground, Bristol

Mon Jul 12 - 3rd ODI - England v Bangladesh @ Edgbaston, Birmingham South Africa visits West Indies

Thu Jun 3 - 5th ODI - West Indies v South Africa @ Sabina Park, Kingston, Jamaica Thu Jun 10 - Mon Jun 14 - 1st Test - West Indies v South Africa @ Sabina Park, Kingston, Jamaica Fri Jun 18 - Tue Jun 22 - 2nd Test - West Indies v South Africa @ Warner Park, Basseterre, St Kitts Sat Jun 26 - Wed Jun 30 - 3rd Test - West Indies v South Africa @ Kensington Oval, Bridgetown, Barbados

Australia visits England When the Aussies meet the English team - classic matches are a “certainty” and a series of ODIs between the two nations is scheduled in the near future: Tue Jun 22 - 1st ODI - England v Australia: The Rose Bowl, Southampton Thu Jun 24 - 2nd ODI - England v Australia: Sophia Gardens, Cardiff

Sun Jun 27 - 3rd ODI - England v Australia: Old Trafford, Manchester

Wed Jun 30 - 4th ODI - England v Australia: Kennington Oval, London Sat Jul 3 - 5th ODI - England v Australia: Lord’s, London

Match Fixing: Whether rumor or real, it damages the spirit of the sport For Cricket fans, match fixing is the one thing that completely breaks the spirit and integrity of the sport. Many times fans have been on the edge of our seats and watched a thrilling match that came down to the last over. We respected both of the teams, the winner and also the team that came up a few runs short for their collective display of excellent play, sportsmanship and talent. Then the ugly green-eyed monster of match fixing raised its head and destroyed the respect we had for the match, the teams, captains and players. Did someone do an “inside job” to “throw the match” in order to get a big pay-off? Even if nothing

eventually is discovered, the rumor itself tarnishes the integrity and respect for the game. As I have mentioned before, I am also a baseball fan and I remember the day (September 11, 1985) when Pete Rose of the Cincinnati Reds surpassed Ty Cobb’s all-time hits record with his 4,192nd base hit. That meant a lot and at that time, I had unquestionably expected Rose to reach the Baseball Hall of Fame due to his achievement. Then came the allegations of his betting on baseball, and he was permanently banned from the game. As a result of the ban, Rose has not been inducted into the Hall of Fame since his exit from the game (and he probably never will be based on the tough vote structure in order to reach the Hall) Additionally, does his line of impeccable stats really mean anything in light of what he did behind the scenes? As a fan, I lost complete respect for Rose and some of my enthusiasm for baseball as well. So what can be done about this nasty issue? In India and many of the cricket-playing nations, “cash is king” and therefore, “unofficial financial dealings” are indeed difficult to track down or detect. The respective Cricket Boards, can, however, implement the following items: 1) Keep a very close watch on the financial transactions of players, captains and all personnel involved with the team and require disclosure of large amounts of income or disbursements - this would take some coordination and cooperation with banks and financial houses as well in order to report major transactions of players and other staff to the respective Cricket Boards. For an example, if a player goes to a Chaat House and spends INR50 for a lunch, no need to go tell the head of the Cricket Board about the samosas and bhel. If, however, a player is spending 5, 6, or 7 figures on someone or something, that transaction must be reported to the respective Cricket board via the player and his/her respective financial institution “to keep everyone honest.” Perhaps readers will find this one controversial, but it is a must in order to keep tabs on the players and staff - if a player is disbursing 5 lakhs to a bookie, that would definitely stop with this requirement. 2) If someone is caught not reporting a major transaction and/or gambling, a level of punishment would be in order depending on the nature and severity of the offence. For example, if a player is caught gambling that his team can reach 250 runs in an ODI, that is indeed wrong and not excusable —- that player should be suspended for a certain number of matches without pay as punishment but that would not be a career-ending move. If, however, someone is caught “throwing” a match (especially in a major championship), they should be permanently suspended from the game (ala Pete Rose), complete loss of sponsorships/endorsements and all of their stats deleted from the record books. If you are giving up a match for your team and country for your own financial gain, then you absolutely do not deserve to wear your team (and country’s) uniform, be on the pitch, making money off pitching different products and services and having your stats recognized in the annals of the Cricket books - plain and simple, no holds barred. continued on page 86

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books, make sure you receive a monthly profit and loss statement.

Business Matters By Krutika Chheda

Is your Accounting System Broken? In the last month or so we have heard and seen so much about Greece’s large debt burden and budget deficit leading to a contagion of problems that are likely to take the entire Euro Zone down. You wonder how this problem just revealed itself so suddenly without any prior warning. After all didn’t the Government of Greece and the Euro Zone’s central bank know they were taking on too much debt? Wouldn’t their accounting system tell them the level of debt and growing deficit, as it got worse over the years? If Greece were not a nation but a corporation, it would probably have had to file for bankruptcy by now. The reason why its problems went undetected for so long is that they had a broken accounting system. Every year, I come across so many small and large businesses that have accounting systems that don’t work. Business owners invest in accounting programs such as QuickBooks and Peach Tree, and pay thousands of dollars in fees to CPA and accounting firms but their accounting systems are just not set up to do what they are supposed to. How to tell if your Accounting System is Broken? A broken accounting system can break your business and your financial well-being. Fortunately, you can tell very quickly if your accounting system is working the way it should. Here are some broad indications that can help you assess the health of your business accounting system. Warning Sign #1: You don’t know how much money your business made last week, month, quarter or year. Many small business owners just don’t know exactly how much money their business is making. They have a “‘general” idea that the business is making money, but have no clue of the exact profit or loss the business made last month or last year. If the accounting system is set up and running right, you should be able to tell at any point in time exactly how much money your business is making looking at the Profit and Loss Statement. Whether you hire a professional accounting firm to manage your books or do it yourself, you need to generate a profit and loss statement that summarizes your revenue and expenses for a specific interval of time. Given the nature of your business, you may not need to know your profit or loss on a daily or weekly basis. But you must be able to tell at least on a monthly basis, exactly how much money your business is making. If you hire an accounting firm to manage your June 2010

Warning Sign #2: You see items on your Balance Sheet that don’t make any sense to you. Balance Sheet is a record of your business assets, liabilities and owner’s funds. It provides a snapshot view and health of your business at a certain point in time. If there are items on your Balance Sheet that you do not recognize or understand, your accounting system may be broken. Wrong balance sheet numbers include things like big negative bank account balances, incorrect accounts receivable or accounts payable, and any other accounts with strange names or balances. It is difficult to fake a balance sheet. If you see goofy numbers on your Balance Sheet, your accounting system is not capturing the financial data of your business accurately and is not working as it should. The debt and long term value of your business is determined by the Balance Sheet. If you have a professional firm manage your books of accounts, you must be able to review your Balance Sheet at the end of each month or at least at the end of each quarter. Warning Sign #3: Your CPA gives you lots of adjusting journal entries. It is common to get adjusting entries at the end of the year, especially during tax return preparation. At K&M Accounting and Tax Services, we often prepare a handful of accounting entries such as tax return depreciation, and deductions for small business clients while preparing the tax return. If your accountant or bookkeeper is making many other adjustments, however, you should verify that the accountant isn’t adjusting accounts at year-end because you’re not regularly tracking the account as you go through the year. Especially making adjusting entries to your Cash or Inventory Accounts is dangerous. Large end-of-year adjustments mean just one thing: The books aren’t up to date with the financial realities of your operation. This lack of up-to-date information, sadly, means you may be flying blind. Warning Sign #4: You don’t receive regular financial reports from your accountant for several months. As a business owner, you must expect regular reporting from your accounting system. Profit and Loss Statement, Balance Sheet, Sales Tax and Payroll Tax Report, Accounts receivables and payables report are some of the standard reports that you should have access to on a monthly basis. If your accounting system is not able to produce accurate and timely reports for your review, it is most likely broken and needs to be reviewed. A well mancontinued on page 86 Krutika Chheda K&M Accounting and Tax Services www.kmaccountant.com You can Contact her at kmchheda@kmaccountant.com (704) 502 3960

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Immigration Matters USCIS Scrutinizes H-1B Visa Validity Period By Lakshmi Challa The eligibility for a three year H-1B petition or extension does not guarantee the approval of that petition for the entire period requested. This was announced at the Vermont Service Center’s Stakeholder’s Meeting held on April 6, 2010. Moving forward, the validity period of H-1Bs will depend on the time period of qualifying employment established by the evidence submitted – such as purchase orders, statements of work, or service agreements. This is especially critical for IT consulting companies who contract their services to end clients. If a discrepancy exists between the time period requested on the H-1B visa petition (for example, three years) and time period listed on the supporting documents (for example, one year period on the purchase order), then a Request for Evidence will inevitably be issued to document the need for the full three years. Although this announcement came from the Vermont Service Center, our firm has noticed the same scrutiny from the California Service Center. The reason for such requests is based on the January 2010 memo issued by United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USICS). As many of you are aware, on January 8, 2010 USCIS issued a memo on H-1B petitions and third party placements. There remains significant concern over the impact of this memo on H-1B holders and H1B filings. The memo reiterated the need for H-1B petitioners to clearly demonstrate the employeremployee relationship. As an expansion of that directive from USCIS, the Service Centers are also closely scrutinizing the length of time the beneficiary is needed for the project, and simply not approve the petition for the amount of time he or she is eligible for H-1B status. Prior to filing your H-1B petitions, we have recommended that companies provide purchase orders, statements of work, and service agreements for our review. We not only review the documents for purposes of establishing the employer-employee relationship but to review the project period. If the time period enumerated on those documents aligns with the time period requested on the H-1B petition, then USCIS should have no issue with validity period. However, if the time period is shorter, such as purchase orders that are often issued and extended on an annual basis, then you will be requested to provide additional evidence. In order to avoid such requests and engage in smoother H-1B processing, our firm has been able to coordinate with petitioners to develop documentation June 2010

that has been able to meet the demands of USCIS. We have assisted companies in drafting letters from end clients that explains the need for the beneficiary for the time period requested and explains the reasons for the shorter time frames provided for in the various documentation. A company’s ability to substantiate the need of the beneficiary for the full three years will not impact the approval of the petition, but will impact the validity period for which it is approved. Therefore, it is critical that the company be able to provide the necessary documentation to establish the need of the beneficiary for the full validity period. For more details visit challalaw.com or call 804.360.8482

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cruelty will refrain from buying a given product. Still, there exists a moral imperative to educate consumers, who possess tremendous potential to bring about higher production standards, about the story behind the product. Tolerance Upside-down reexamines the notion of higher levels of tolerance as a panacea for society’s problems. The campaign turns the idea of tolerance on Saathee Readers’ Forum its head to suggest that too much tolerance is problematic when considering issues of conflict-minerals Tolerance Upside-down: Intolerance for Blind and animal-testing. Tolerance Upside-down aims to Consumerism heighten public awareness of unethical production By Bindhu Pamarthi methods and seeks to generate more intolerant attiThe price of a tube of Lashblast mascara from Cover tudes towards the practice of cosmetic companies’ volGirl: $10.99. The price of a fully enabled Blackberry untary animal-testing and the entry of conflict-minerCurve: $34.99. The price of a sleek, six millimeter, 14 als into our market. carat, yellow gold band: $699. What do these oftbought products have in common? These prices repre- The Objectives: sent assigned values that undermine the existence of Tolerance Upside-down is an exposé style, dual issue the formidable externalities that surface during the campaign dealing with the promotion of both conflictfree and cruelty-free products. The objectives of this production of each good. The use of child-slavery to mine minerals to fuel an campaign are to: ongoing genocide between armed rebel groups in the Inform consumers about the hidden moral costs of Congo led to the production of the Hollywood’s Blood specific products Diamond. Efforts have been made to control the flow Assist consumers who want to identify reasonable of blood diamonds into markets, however, looser alternative goods restrictions on the mining of minerals like gold and Provide ways to effect change to those who are interColtan allow these goods to cross borders and find ested in joining the movement their way into products sold around the world. Coltan is a mineral used in electronic devices like laptops and The Process: cell phones. While the odds are slim that any given Educate consumers phone or piece of jewelry came from this war-torn Shift society’s degree of tolerance of unethical producregion of the world, purchasing these products without tion methods holding companies accountable for traceability through Consumers alter behavior/preferences a production process to ensure that the products being Consumer behavior compels companies/government sold are not derived in ethically problematic ways, is regulation More ethical production methods! what allows conflict minerals to exist in the market. Consumers wield great power when it comes to comFor more information visit: pelling industries to erect effective barriers between www.toleranceupsidedown.com the black market and a conflict-free one. One of the aims of my platform: Tolerance Upside-down, is to rally support behind the issue of transparency and traceability which allow consumers to make informed Secrets of Happiness part II decisions about their purchases and the true costs, By Swami Satyanand both financial and moral, of the products that they buy. In much the same way that conflict-minerals have From birth to death we all search for happiness. moral costs relating to crimes against humanity, the Absolute Bliss is our true nature, yet every one of us testing of cosmetic products on animals produces chooses to search the external world to solve the severe moral and ethical violations. It is worth noting inevitable problem of unhappiness. With the goal of that the Food and Drug Administration does not happiness in mind we embark upon an endless and require animal testing of cosmetics. Additionally, effi- fruitless search for satisfaction and contentment. cacious alternatives to animal testing of cosmetics do Intellectually we can all understand that true hapexist, providing companies with a reasonable choice. piness comes from within, yet we continue to particiThe decision is between using tissue cultures and pate in a mad race for happiness based on the false mathematical models for testing, or using animals belief that the answer can be found in a better job, a which often includes Draize tests. A Draize test is per- new car, an expensive vacation, a thinner body, or livformed by placing the substance being tested into the ing up to the expectations of others. In this way we eye of a conscious, feeling animal, usually a rabbit, relentlessly pursue that which we hope will bring us which then either dies as a consequence of the painful the happiness we so deeply desire. Man has continualprocedure, or is directly put to death after the test has ly pursued this goal with misplaced enthusiasm for milbeen completed, as is protocol. lennia, yet even though it has not worked for our foreEach of the above situations involves a sort of tor- fathers, we continue on the same path. This is why ture that is being permitted by blind consumerism. Vedas declare that man should follow the path of This is not to say that all consumers who become Shreya (spiritual well being) and not the path of Preya informed about resource-related violence and animal (material well-being). Ancient India’s Rishis and Yogis

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were capable of creating all the luxury of material pleasures, yet preferred to live a simple life in the forest. They knew that material well-being distracts us. So what, then, will lead us to true happiness? And what is it that prevents us from experiencing our true nature, which is bliss? Let us begin by looking within and considering how the attributes of nature affect us. The soul’s entrapment in materiality lies in its association with prakriti, or nature. The individual soul becomes bound by prakriti during the process of evolution that results in the manifestation of the empirical world. Once the soul is bound and shrouded in delusion, the pull of prakriti is so strong that it may be compared to that of a powerful magnet. All of our activities, all of our ups and downs, are ultimately governed by the interplay of the attributes of prakriti, or nature. It is, in fact, the three attributes of Nature that create maya, or the illusion that causes us to participate helplessly in this drama of life and death. There are three attributes or qualities of prakriti: sattva, rajas and tamas. Sattva is a state of peace and purity. Its characteristics include spirituality, right knowledge, harmony, purity, generosity, contentment, happiness and indifference to worldly ways. It is the principle of illumination. Rajas is a state of activity, restlessness and agitation. It reflects the qualities of possessiveness, greed, and passions. Finally, the guna of tamas represents a state of inertia. It reflects the qualities of indolence, laziness, anger, falsehood, and the pursuit of delusion. The interplay of these attributes, or gunas, is the cause of our submission to maya, or delusion. Our lifestyles, birth, death, eating habits, friends, behavior, attitudes, etc., are shaped and inspired by these gunas. In fact our entire life is governed by these gunas. Only one who learns how to master and transcend these gunas can become free from the drama of maya and the anguish of death. How, then, do we come to associate with the gunas of nature? When prakriti (nature) is in an undifferentiated state, the gunas remain balanced and dormant. But the entanglement of the soul begins when the gunas become imbalanced, thus disturbing the purity and bliss of the divine soul. As this process progresses, the soul remains inactive; it is not really doing anything. It is the gunas that are working on their own. It is said that “guna guneshu vartante,” or “the gunas play the role of life and death.” But, because we have identified ourselves with the gunas and their derivatives—the ego, mind and intellect—we feel that we are doer, that we are the initiators of all of our activities. It is said in the Bhagwad Gita (3/27) that “prakriti kriyamanani gunai karmani sarvash. Ahankar vimudhhatma karta aham iti manyate ! (All karmas are performed by the gunas. But under the influence of the ego, the ignorant feel that “I am performing these karmas.”) Again it is said in the Gita (3/28-9): ”Tattva vittu mahabaho Gun karma vibhagayo. Guna guneshu vartant iti matva na sajjate !” Prakriti Gun sammudhha sajjate Gunkarmeshu ! (“The self-realized person who has transcended the gunas knows the gunas and their karmas. Once he understands that gunas are the cause of karmas, he is no longer attached to them. But June 2010

those who remain under the power of gunas continue to follow the path of maya and prakriti.) So how do we escape from this entanglement with the gunas? How can we attain freedom from this delusion? The interplay of the three gunas creates an infinite combination of characteristics as long as they remain imbalanced. But if we can narrow our focus to just one of these gunas this interplay will stop. For just as three colors of nature— red, blue and yellow—can make innumerable color combinations in the realm of nature, so also can sattva, rajas and tamas lead to innumerable manifestations of needs and wants in the minds and activities of our inner world. Prompted by desire the only result is an endless cycle of unfulfilling pleasures and prolonged sufferings. But if we can focus on only one guna this multiplicity of unfulfilled desires and wasted energies will disappear. But which of the gunas should we choose of the three? Sattva is the principle of illumination, harmony, clarity, peace, purity and spirituality. Sattva takes us towards the spirit while rajas and tamas draw us towards the illusion of Maya. Sattva on the other hand takes us to spirit. Thus the only way to reduce rajas and tamas is to strengthen the quality of sattva. Swami Satyanand opened a retreat called Life Mission U.S.A. in Mebane NC in May. Contact: 336.421.0690. www.lifemissionusa.com

Eleven million people, Sixty votes and one state By Lakshmi Challa There are approximately eleven million undocumented people in the United States anxiously awaiting immigration reform. Recently, President Obama stated that he needed 60 votes in the Senate to pass any immigration legislation. As of today, he does not have those votes. The immigration debate has resurged after Arizona's passed the controversial immigration law (SB 1070), scheduled to go into effect on July 28, 2010. This law, among other things, requires state and local law enforcement to check the immigration status of individuals it encounters, and makes it a state crime to be without proper immigration documentation. Other states also frustrated with Congress’ inaction have passed similar legislation. The Arizona law has incited boycotts; demonstrations; inter-state rifts and many legal challenges. Proponents of the Arizona legislation affirm that the measures were required to combat the criminal activities rampant at the border. Does legislation requesting the immigration status of migrant workers have a direct or indirect correlation to fighting crimes stemming from the trafficking of drugs, guns and money? Clearly, the south-of-the-border, cartel-related crimes require wide-ranging solutions based on cooperation from both the Mexico and the United States law enforcement. However, enacting the Arizona legislation to address the problems at the border is akin to treating cancer with an antihistamine. The purported cure does not relate to the disease. The violence at the bor-

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Community Focus

Events of Note Caring Causes: My experience at the Aarambh Reach Project

Bollywood Cinema, Hindi and Urdu. The Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures has made some new additions to the Hindi-Urdu program at NC State. There are now new sections to the Intermediate level Hindi-Urdu course to facilitate a Hindi concentration and an Urdu Concentration. Anyone may enroll in these courses through the Distance Education program at delta.ncsu.edu. Search for Sanskrit, Bollywood, Hindi, or Urdu for specific course offerings. AR Rahman in Raleigh India’s most popular music composer, AR Rahman will bring his “JAI HO” tour to Raleigh on July 11, 2010. The concert will also feature Hariharan, Shweta Pandit, Javed Ali, Blaaze, Benny Dayal, Neeti Mohan and many others along with an 80 people entourage of musicians, dancers, and acrobats. On the Jai Ho

My time working at the shelter home in Indore, India was an unforgettable experience. The Aarambh Reach Project is an outreach program that provides shelter, education, and health care to street children and underprivileged women in India. Last summer when I spent time with the children, I realized just how fortunate I am to have a family and a place to call home. While I taught these children music, painting, and a little bit about life in America, these children taught me cricket and an appreciation for the little things in life that we take for granted. It took very little to make these children happy: a little love, company, and basic necessities (which would include cricket) were all they needed. They were very curious about the world around them and had a natural eagerness to learn. Although I helped these children in the summer I wanted to give them something more. The shelter home in Indore is a rental house and is run on donations. The shelter home does not have enough money to accommodate the children’s needs and does not have enough space to accept more children. When I found out about these financial struggles, I realized that I could help. That was when I thought of Bollywood Dhamaka to raise funds for the underprivileged in India. This event is a music and dance program that is going to be held June 11 at Providence High School in Charlotte, NC from 7 pm to 10 pm. All of the proceeds will go to the Aarambh Reach Project. With these donations, hopefully, the children will have a place to call home. All it takes is one Caring Cause to make a difference. – Contributed by Minali Nigam Sanskrit, Bollywood Cinema, Hindi, and Urdu courses at NC State There are several interesting courses being offered at NC State over the summer and fall, including Sanskrit,

June 2010

2010 tour, Rahman will collaborate with creative director Amy Tinkham, known for creating live musical concerts for a variety of pop-music icons. “A.R. Rahman Jai Ho Concert: The Journey Home World Tour” will be a theatrical experience that will blend new technologies with powerful dance arrangements and acrobatics. The concert will keep intact the heritage and traditions of India with a new modern presentation. The show will feature changing sets, large images on LED screens and a cast of musicians and dancers from across the globe. The venue is the RBC Center, Raleigh. For details visit www.livespectrum.com.

Community Reports Dhoom Machaale Rocks the House Dhoom Machaale III, Charlotte’s premier “Bollywood Club Nite, was yet again a success. Staying true to its mission, “Fun for a Cause,” IAC-Disha was able to host another wonderful charity event on the night of May 7, 2010. This was their

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third event and it drew a varied and mixed crowd of about 500 people who rocked to the beats of DJ Lalit, whilst newbies learned the latest Bollywood dance moves. All proceeds from the event went to help the Akshaya project, a CNN-featured charity organization, whose goal is to feed and house the homeless in southern India. For more information about IAC-Disha and their work visit www.disha.iacofcarolinas.org/

Rupal Shah Receives Young Leader Alumni Award Rupal Shah, daughter of Ramesh and Jayshree Shah of Clemson, SC, recently received an alumni award from her undergraduate alma mater, Southern Wesleyan University. Originally from Moshi, Tanzania the Shah family moved to Clemson, SC in 1999. Rupal Shah graduated from Southern Wesleyan University in 2004 with a BS in Biology and a BA in Chemistry and attended Clemson University to receive her MS in Microbiology in 2007. She is now at Harvard University, School of Public Health in the Department of Immunology and Infectious Diseases where she conducts tuberculosis research as a Research Assistant. Southern Wesleyan University Bhojwani Receives Mayor’s International recognized Rupal Shah Community Award The 2010 Patrick McCrory International Entrepreneur and awarded her the Award was given to Gobind “Garry” Bhojwani (Binaco Young Leader Alumni Award. The Young Leader Award is awarded to individuals who are outstanding leaders in their profession as well as community and show promise of future professional growth. “This alumna is a young woman you can count on no matter what the situation, a young woman who is highly motivated to give her very best no matter what she is asked to do or chooses to participate in, and a young woman who builds strong and positive relationships. As former professors, one of our greatest joys is to see our students become our friends and colleagues. This Young Leader Award is well-deserved,” said Dr. Walter Sinnamon Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences and Professor of Biology. Group) on May 10, 2010 in Charlotte. The award is selected by the Mayor and the recipient is honored at Grand Opening of the Yoga and Health Retreat by Life Mission USA the annual Mayor’s International Community Awards luncheon. The award honors a foreign-born entrepre- Life Mission USA held a grand opening on May 15-16, neur who has made an outstanding contribution to the 2010 for their new yoga and health retreat in Mebane, NC. The program included yoga practice led by the international head of the center, Swami Satyanand. Over 150 people community in from across the country attended the two-day ceremoCharlotte. The ny. The event began with a Vedic Yagna ceremony that award also recogwas performed under the leadership of Dr. Vedalankar, nizes organizaa scholar in Indian culture and Vedic studies. He also tions and foreignowned firms for outstanding contributions to philanthropy in the Charlotte region. Dr. Maha Gingrich is the Chair of Charlotte International Cabinet, which promotes Charlotte as an international city and serves as a resource to foster international relationships, highlighting Charlotte’s eight sister cities. The Cabinet was created through the merger of the Mayor’s international Cabinet and Charlotte Sister Cities. The Cabinet promotes Charlotte’s international assets while also responding to requests from local governments and our community. It serves as consultant to elected officials and city staff on local activities on international scope. The 2009 Patrick McCrory gave a discourse on Vedic mantras designed to proInternational Entrepreneur Award was given to mote universal peace. Swami addressed the gathering and explained why a sanyasi would be found among Charlotte businessman Ravi Patel. June 2010

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worldly people rather than practicing his yoga in seclusion. He commented that he had taken sanyas solely for the purpose of liberation, but had been instructed by his Guru Swami Rajarshi Muni, to go to the West to propagate the principles and practices of Sanatan dharma and yoga according to the command of Lord Lakulish. In this way, this ashram has been chosen and developed exclusively for the inspiration and education of the all. Dharma represents the sum total of morality, truthfulness, restraint, and right conduct, while yoga is the universal science of liberation. Swami Satyanand outlined the purpose, goals and activities that will be offered at the retreat throughout the year, including yoga classes, health retreats, workshops, seminars, certificate programs and summer youth camps. These activities are aimed at the purification of body and mind that lead to spiritual development. Swamiji outlined the path of Dharma as the guiding principle in life encompassing natural laws, moral laws, and laws of intrinsic justice in which every meritorious act brings rewards while sinful acts incur punishment. Swamiji emphasized that yoga is not a religion. It is a pure science and scientific experiments can be carried out by anyone. Yoga makes one fully aware and inwardly consciousness of one’s “whole being” through experiences on the spiritual plane. In this way it is a unified system that begins with purification, and progresses toward the more subtle phases of mental and spiritual development. He also said “you have a place in this Ashram irrespective of religion, race, culture, gender or nationality.”

Indian Classical Music continued from page 28

being presented? Raga identification takes a lot of practice- mainly listening! Typically, one begins by associating the raga of a composition with one that has been previously heard. The raga repertoire gets built over time and soon raga identification becomes second nature. The artiste often announces some of the rare ragas that are presented in a kutcheri since it is not practical to expect the general audience to be familiar with the numerous ragas in existence. Till we meet next time, do continue to listen to compositions in various ragas- this is the best way to build and enhance your raga knowledge. Being able to identify various ragas brings another layer of enjoyment to any Carnatic music kutcheri.

June 2010

The Chai Table

continued from page 76 der and the problem with illegal immigration are distinct and to treat them as related afflictions would dilute resources. The distinction is that unauthorized immigrants are not the cause of the violence which plagues so many communities in Mexico. The more law enforcement is focuses its efforts on apprehending non criminal undocumented workers, the less resources it has to channel its efforts on combating serious criminal activity. Further, despite assurances from the Arizona Governor, there is also a concern that the new Arizona measures will lead to racial profiling. Since Arizona passed the controversial immigration law, one of the most famous cartoon characters, Dora the Explorer, has already fallen victim to racial profiling. Pervasive on electronic media is allegations about Dora’s immigration status. After all she is brown and has an accent; how could she be an American citizen? Wait a minute, the original occupants of this country, the “true Americans,” the American Indians were brown and had an accent. Perhaps if they enforced their immigration laws, America would not have an immigration crisis today. Just think, Arizona might be questioning the immigration status of white men with no accent. Visit the blog at www.challalaw.com to comment

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(AH) C-Store / Branded gas, near Asheville, nC Cash Flow: 8,000/month. No Alcohol. Asking: $139,000 + Inv., In: $50,000/mo. Out: 50,000 gal./mo. Car Wash: $1,500/mo. net (So) C-Store / Pizza / gas, near Smithfield, nC Asking: $495,000 + Inv., w/RE. In: $47,000/mo. Out: 30,000 gal./mo. Area: 2,500 Sq. Ft. Lottery / ATM: $2,100/mo. net. Games: $1,000/mo. net, Pizza: $1,500/mo. sales,

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(Ri) Branded gas Station / C-Store, near Raleigh, nC Asking: $135,000 + Inv., In: $39,000/mo. Out: 70,000 gal./mo. Rent: $3,190/mo. Cash Flow: $6,000/month net Lottery: $1,200/month net. ATM, MO, Rebates: $420 /mo. net.

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(Jt) C-Store & grill / Branded gas Station, Apex, nC Asking: $80,000 + Inv., without Real Estate, Rent: $4,000/mo. Out: 58,000 gal./mo. 2,600 SF. 1.32 acres (Cn) Branded gas / C-Store, near Beaufort, SC Asking: $80,000 + Inv., In: $31,000/mo. Out: 30,000 gal./mo. Misc.: $2,300 net/month. Rent: $3,500/mo. Cash Flow: $7,100/mo. net (B0) Conv. Store / gas / Pizza near Marion, nC. Asking: $59,000 + Inv, In: $18,000/mo. Out: 12,000 gal/mo. Pizza: $10,000/mo. Lottery: $600/ mo. net. Games: $1,500 / mo. net. Rent: $2,000. Cash Flow: $6,700/month. Finance: $25,000

(Kn) Conv. Store / Branded gas near Hickory, nC Asking: $20,000 (firm) + Inv + $13,000 deposit In: $22,000/mo. Gross Margin: 30%. Out: 27,000 gal/mo. margin: 4c/ gall. Games, Lottery, ATM: $1,800/ mo. net. Rent: $2,000/mo. deli can be re-opened. U-Haul to be added.

(Rt) Cigar / tobacco Store, near greensboro, nC Asking: $125,000+Inv.. In: $116,000/mo. Rent: $2,059/month Cash Flow: $10,100/month

(nQ) Subway, leased, Raleigh, nC Asking: $90,000, Gross: $233,000, Net: $60,000. Rent: $2,300.

(Kg) gas Station / C-Store, near gaffney, SC Asking: $85,000 + Inv., In: $38,000/mo. Out: 11,000 gal./mo. Rent: $3,150/mo. Cash Flow: $11,400/month net Lottery. + Check-Cashing + ATM + MO: $7,300 /month net.

(Wg) Convenience-Store grocery wholesaler, near Raleigh, nC Cash Flow: $13,117/mo. â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Asking: $135,000 + Inventory (about $275,000). Sales: $1.4 million. Rent: $3,800/month, 10,000 SF warehouse

(SH) Branded gas Station / C-Store, near High Point, nC Asking: $99,000 + Inv., In: $48,000/mo. Out: 45,000 gal./mo. Rent: $3,800/mo. Lottery, ATM, Air: $350/month net. Games: $2,000/mo. net - Cash Flow: $9,300/month net

(PQ) Used Car lot, Raleigh, nC Cash Flow: $10,000/month. Asking: $189,000 plus inventory (app. $275,000). Annual Sales: app. $2 mln, Rent: $1,600/month. High Visibility / High Traffic. Lots of parking space.

Cricket

continued from page 68 3) Strong enforcement of #1 & #2 above —- when a Cricket Board looks into something and when it comes back as “inconclusive,” that is incredulous. The appropriate authorities have to be tough on violations and those who are caught must face the full consequences of their actions, no plea-bargaining or second chances —- if you do wrong, you will definitely fall into the “net” and that would hopefully serve as a deterrent to others as well. As fans, we spend a lot of time and money on the sport. When we go to a stadium to watch a match, we are devoting nearly a full day to enjoy our favorite teams and players and when we stop by at the souvenir shop to buy caps, uniforms, bats, balls and the like with our hard-earned money, that is our way of supporting the sport and players that we admire, adore (and worship!) So all we ask is for the matches and respective players’ efforts and performances to be real and honest is that too much to ask? Nope, I don’t think so and I think my fellow fans will agree! For current scores on series in progress and other interesting cricket stats, visit www.saathee.com contact: Rajeshtganatra@rocketmail.com

Business Matters

continued from page 70 aged and accurate accounting system not only provides you with the information needed to make important business decisions, it also serves as a system of record to prove your point in case of a legal or tax liability. Having a professionally managed accounting system becomes the first step in proving your case in a legal battle with business partners, IRS or any other claimant. Remember, broken accounting systems can eventually take down large corporations such as Enron as well as entire Nations and Regions. As a small business owner it is important to stay on top of your accounting system which in turn will help you stay on top of your business performance. Keep in mind this column and the articles published here are only meant to provide you with high level information about tax and business matters and in no way should you consider this as tax advice. Consult your tax and legal advisors regarding your individual tax and business situation. This Article provides only an overview to the complex Tax Laws. It is not exhaustive nor a substitute for Independent Tax Advice provided by a Tax Accountant or a Tax Attorney familiar with your case. June 2010

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power, energy, or any other name that you might care to give it. Yet fossil fuels—-or fuels from hell—-are getting outdated in this age of environmental consciousness and sustainability. There is no cause for despair; Mother Nature simply has to be tweaked a bit. Abundant sunshine falls on the deserts on a cloudless day—-which is most days of the year. I can envision a solar-powered unit—-or a hundred such units—-sitting on or near the deserts’ edges, producing electricity that can be fed into the local, national, or international grid. My mission is to make this happen. No ifs, no buts. This power can be used: 1) In desalinization plants to produce drinking water, the most important ingredient of life, after air. 2) For transportation, (read electric trains, trolleys and buses), lighting, heating and air-conditioning. 3) To power tools to produce the artifacts of civilization. 4) To produce hydrogen to be used in fuel cells for cars, buses and trucks. 5) To power water-pumps and other agricultural contrivances and instruments as required.

Red Baraat

continued from page 36

spread so quickly. This went on from 2006 onward and Red Baraat is a bridge toward disparate cultures. Growing up in the United States in a very traditional Indian family and also a Jain family, music for me was also something that connected these two worlds. To me the dhol is the heartbeat of so much Indian music that you hear. I wanted to put together a group that was completely acoustic and I guess primal, raw and organic. I wanted just horns and drums where we can immediately march on the streets but then we can get in a club with a drum set and get in a heavy groove and pretty much rock out. With Red Baraat we do traditional wedding songs but a large portion is original music. It’s a fusion of bhangra, funk, and hip-hop. There’s also Brazilian music, jazz, Afro-beat. I just didn’t want to be a typical Indian baraat band. One reason is because we’re not all Indian in the band but also growing up in America I had all this music swirling around in my head. There was no reason for me to limit Red Baraat. I wanted the sound to be made up by the members of the band. The prime goal is does it The possibilities are endless and the beauty is that sound good and can people dance? the carbon footprint is zero. What we get from Mother Nature, we give back to her. We imitate, in a form of You can’t miss the Indian foundation. Absolutely. Even though it’s a very democratic band, bio-mimicry, the way all life lives, drawing our susteI’m the leader of the band and my experience is of an nance from the air, the sun and the abundance of Indian-American, growing up with Indian culture. All Planet Earth. my music has that element. It’s something I can’t refute. It’s the fabric of my identity.

How was it opening for the ska band Slackers? Wherever we play it doesn’t necessarily just appeal to Indian audiences. People enjoy this music at a world music show, or fashion show or opening for the ska band the Slackers. Something in there that strikes people, I don’t know if it’s the sound of the dhol or the energy we bring.

Since 1993

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Astride

continued from page 46 stations with equipment that take out and trap the carbon dioxide. I don’t know. The best scientific and engineering brains need to put their heads together and come up with a solution. Else we’ll soon see the co-2 level rise to 400 ppm, and the emergency will become a calamity. Power Shortage and Surplus

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Recipes and more Rediscovering the joys of shared meals (ARA) - Having a family meal isn’t easily accomplished these days. Busy schedules, long work hours and even technology make it feel easier to simply grab a meal and go, rather than take the time to sit everyone down together around the table. But American families really do miss coming together around the table. In fact, 93 percent of Americans acknowledge dinner time as the best way to connect as a family, according to a study conducted by Barilla. The obstacles barring the way for family dinner are work schedules, children’s schedules and picky eaters in the house. The benefits of overcoming these obstacles can be lasting for families. In fact, according to the study, Americans who eat with others more frequently are more satisfied with every aspect of their lives, including their relationships, their physical and mental health and their level of achievement in life. In addition, the study shows: * Sharing meals ranks No. 1 above all other activities (including family vacations, playing together and attending religious services) in helping Americans connect with their families and their kids. * Nearly six in 10 families agree that they don’t have as many opportunities to connect with their family or friends as they’d like. * Americans who eat with others frequently report lower levels of overweight children. “Family meals are more than feeding events; they are precious opportunities for family connection in a hurry-up world,” says Dr. William Doherty, a professor with the University of Minnesota Department of Family and Social Science and an expert on family time and family rituals. “Children grow up healthier, smarter and better adjusted when their parents take the lead in having regular dinner times.” The importance of sharing dinner is not lost on chef Mario Batali or music star Martina McBride, who are working with Barilla to spread the word about how families can ‘Share the Table’ and create memories. “Dinner is a time where everyone can come together, cook together and share together in a truly unguarded atmosphere,” says Batali, James Beard award-winning chef, restaurateur and author of “Molto Italiano: 327 Simple Italian Recipes to Cook at Home.” “I encourage all families to learn how getting their entire family involved in preparing and enjoying dinner can make a positive difference in their lives.” A mother of three and one of country music’s top female vocalists, McBride understands the challenges of work/life balance and family dinners. “With my busy schedule, I have to be creative about making time for the family to dine together,” she says. “Now I keep a few staples on hand in the pantry and fridge so we can create a quick dinner together, even after a late day of June 2010

work and school. And, I’m promising to help my daughters develop a healthy relationship with food that will stick with them forever.” Martina’s tips for creating the best family dinner experience include: * Once in a while, make everyday dinners seem fancier with candles, a linen tablecloth and your fine china. This will add an element of fun and something to get excited about. * Carry on your favorite dinnertime traditions from your childhood and tell your children about family meals from when you were a kid. * Plan ahead so you can fit dinners into busy schedules. Put the dates and times on your calendar and don’t budge. Families can discover many ways to fill their meals with boisterous conversation, meaningful interactions and flavorful food at www.sharethetable.com. For every family who joins in the movement to create meaningful family dinner time by registering on the Web site, Barilla will donate $1 to Meals on Wheels Association of America, up to $150,000, to support home-delivered and congregate meal programs. Share the Table families can gain access to more than 700 Barilla recipes - including exclusive Mario Batali recipes - get tips from family experts, design custom weekly dinner plans and dining placemats and share their own dinnertime stories and pictures with others. Batali shares his favorite recipe below. Ziti with Spicy Pesto “Pantesco” and Pecorino Cheese

Ingredients: 1 box Ziti 1/2 cup mint leaves, packed 1/2 cup basil leaves, packed 1 cup parsley, packed 2 cloves garlic 2 tablespoons capers, rinsed and drained 4 medium fresh plum tomatoes, roughly chopped 1 tablespoon black pepper 1 tablespoon crushed red pepper 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil Sea salt 1 cup freshly grated Pecorino cheese Method: Bring 6 quarts of water to boil and add 2 tablespoons salt. Place mint, basil, parsley, garlic, capers, tomatoes, black pepper, red pepper and half the olive oil in a blender. Process in short bursts until roughly chopped. Turn blender on full and drizzle in remaining oil and process until smooth, about one minute. Remove pesto and place in a large serving bowl. Cook ziti until al dente. Drain and transfer pasta to a large bowl. Add pesto and toss like a salad to coat. Sprinkle with grated cheese and serve. Serves four to six people.

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Community News & Events 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. Info: 704.248.2647 charlotte@us.artofliving.org www.artofliving.org BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir Regularly scheduled activities include a daily Aarti at 6:30 am and 7 pm. Darshan: Mon-Fri 6:30 am12:30 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 Road in Charlotte, N.C. Info: 704.573.0805 704.573.0820 (fax) Bhartiya Association of Lake Norman (BALKN) BALKN organizes several community programs every year. For details about the organization and upcoming events visit www.balkn.org Carolina Sanskritk Maharashtra Mandal Carolina Sanskritk Maharashtra Mandal promotes Maharashtrian culture and language. Maharashtra mandal is committed to serve Carolina Marathi community with various cultural, social and traditional marathi programs and events. Info: Medha Tannu, email: mantannu@yahoo.com, phone: 704.548.1570 Abhay Khanore, terasahara2000@yahoo.com, phone: 803.554.1234 Pandurang Naik, email: psnaik@yahoo.com, phone: 704.904.3636 June 2010

Carolinas Christian Assembly Charlotte Everyone is coordially invited to join for Sunday worship - 9:30 to 10:30 English, 10:45 am-12:00 Malayalam. Address: 3046 Senna Drive, Matthews, N.C 28105 Prayer and Spiritual guidance: 704.323.5834 803.322.9549 704.756.4969 CCAprayerline@gmail.com Charlotte Gita Study Group Info: Rajesh Venky and Savitha Mathur, 704.845.0464, rvenky@aol.com Shridhar and Kruti Dave, 704.844.9567, skdave@hotmail.com Charlotte Indian Christian Fellowship The group meets the third Saturday of every month at 6:30 PM for Bible Study, Prayer and Fellowship. Everyone is welcome to join the fellowship along with family and friends. Info: Hema at 704.841.7060 hadhopper@hotmail.com. Charlotte Kannada Koota The Charlotte Kannada Koota is an organization that promotes understanding of Karnataka culture and provides a medium for people of Karnataka (Kannadigas) to get together. The activities include social get-togethers, music, and drama. Info: 704.526.9990 (Appan Patil), agm_patil@hotmail.com 704.281.8732 (Raj Kulgod), kraj7@yahoo.com Charlotte Table-Tennis Club Charlotte Table-tennis Club is located at 345 Hawthorne Lane, Charlotte, NC 28204 (Corner of East 7th St. & Hawthorne Lane). Hours: Tuesday & Thursday 6-10 PM, Saturday 2-6 PM Sunday 1-5 PM. www.charlottetabletennis.org 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 uniSaathee 96

versal 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 Info: 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 the group’s concerts. Info: 704.541.3361 (Rama Rachakonda), 704.814.9355 (Lakshmi Muthukrishnan), lakshmi7778@yahoo.com cmacmusic@yahoo.com www.onlinecmac.com Dada Bhagwan Group Satsang is conducted every Sunday at 7 pm at the Hindu Center in Charlotte and there is also a Satsang every Thursday. In addition, watch Satsang from Friday to Tuesday at 7 am on TV Asia. The present topics are “Pati-Patni ka Divya Vyahvar” and “Chovis Tirthankar.” The group has recently opened a library for spiritual books, audios and videos. Info: 704.287.3133 www.dadabhagwan.org Datta Yoga Center - Charlotte The group is dedicated to the service of SadGuru Sri Sri Sri Ganapati Sachchidananda Swamiji through SadGuru Seva, yoga and satsang (singing the glory of god). Regular Activities: Satsang every 1st and 3rd Saturday of the month, from 4 - 7pm. Bhajans composed by Sri Sri Sri Ganapati Sachchidananda Swamiji are chanted and occasionally video programs produced by Avadhoota Datta Peetham are viewed. including Sri Swamiji’s visit saathee.com

Community News & Events to Manasa Sarovaram, Music for Meditation and healing concerts and lectures. Info: 704.839.3256 (Ravi Anupindi) www.dattapeetham.com www.dycusa.org Ekal Vidyalaya Foundation 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 well being and happiness. Ekal Vidyalya (One School One Teacher in one village) plans to establish 100,000 schools in tribal areas by 2012. This will cover all the villages in tribal areas where there are no schools today. The Carolinas Region of the EVFUSA conducts fund raising and awareness programs in North and South Carolina. Info: ekalcharlotte@gmail.com www.ekalvidya.org Festival of India - Charlotte, NC FOI, a bright spot in the North Carolina Cultural calendar, will feature talented Indian members of the community performing on stage, scrumptious food, exhibits. It a an opportunity to absorb the sights, smells and taste of India. New this year will be Bhangra on the street with live music, lectures by noted specialist in India culture and politics and “Indian Idol” a chance to see and hear some talented musicians. Labor Day Weekend. Sept 4th and 5th at the new Knight Theatre in downtown Charlotte. 12 Pm to 7 Pm Saturday and 12 to 6 Pm on Sunday. Admission: $5 for both days. Info: www.indiafestival.net Hindu Center of Charlotte The center is located at 7400 City View Drive, Charlotte, NC 28212. Temple Phone: 704.535.3440. The library is stocked with books, CDs, DVDs and other materials on varied genre such as religion, culture, history, philosophy, yoga and health. Library info: 704.554.0765. Children’s Religious Oriented June 2010

Program (C.R.O.P.) is for children Kindergarten through 12th grade to educate them in culture and understand religious practices. A glimpse on understanding The Bhagvad Gita provides children with an opportunity to learn about the GITA with simplicity, ease and in an inclusive discussion format. Info on CROP 704.547.1676 (Chetna Patel) patel4260@bellsouth.net. The Senior Citizens Group meets on the 1st Sunday of every month at 4 pm and followed by Satyanarayan Katha at 5 pm. Future trips and activities are in the planning stages. Info on the group: 704.334.2462 (Gobind Bhojwani). The sloka class teaches children above the age of five different Hindu hymns, their meaning and significance. The class meets Sundays at 9:30 am. Info on the class: 704.814.9355 (Lakshmi Muthukrishnan). Info on the Social Welfare Committee: 704.372.1265 (Narain Amar) or 704.948.5609 (Dhinakaran Pillai). The Vedic Havan is held at the vedant hall on second Sunday of every month at 10:30 am to 12:00 pm noon followed by Prasadam. Info: 704.825.9223 (Swadesh Sawhney). The Pranayam classes are held Saturdays from 9:30 - 11 am in the Vivek Hall. Info: 704.649.5374 (Kajal Jain), 704.554.0765 (Manisha Naik), or 281.304.5597 (Sanjay Vyas) pranayamclt@aol.com. Yoga classes are held Sundays at 9 am. Info: 704.864.8212 pradip_bulsara@hotmail.com. Info: www.hcclt.org 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. Info: Sarla Kumar 704.846.4423 Chaula Jain 704.364.0984 contact@ipaac.org www.ipaac.org Indian Visual Artists Association of Charlotte (IVAAC) IVAAC was founded by artists of Indian origin living in the Charlotte, NC area in their pursuit of a creative outlet, stemming from an urge to express the flow of their innate Saathee 98

artistic moods and ideas. The vision is to promote the enigmatic and intriguing Indian culture into meaningful forms of expression that exposes the rich traditions and diversity of one of the most ancient civilizations on earth, in today’s fast blending global culture and to create an organization that provides planning and funding required to support a vibrant and culturally diverse Indian art community. Info: 704.540.8799 (Amit Shah), 704.688.5387 (Kinshuk Agarwal) www.ivaac.org Kiran KIRAN is a multi-cultural, non-religious, 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 we cooperate and collaborate with organizations in the USA and elsewhere with similar objectives. Countries in South Asia include Bangladesh, Bhutan, Burma, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka. 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 • Non-judgmental help and support to women who are experiencing oppressive/crisis situations • Emotional support • 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. Translators and crisis counselors do not disclose any information provided by our clients. Info: www.kiraninc.org Crisis Hotline: 1877- NC-KIRAN or 1-877-625-4726 Kiran@Kiraninc.org saathee.com

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Community News & Events

#1 - MaGaReSa Club Bollywood Film music is an integral part of the South East Asian culture and provides easy access of complicated ragas and swars to those music lovers, who have not learnt or have been exposed to traditional classical Indian music. This community is all-inclusive and does not distinguish between languages members speak, country of origin, social status or age. If you are genuine about your love for Hindi songs, you will be welcome. Additional details: * The meetings are on the first Fridays of every month around Charlotte area * New members are always welcomed. * Ideas and opinions are shared —and the group sings the latest songs as well as classical songs * All meetings start on time. * Some sessions include food or beverages. Do bring your own food items if you are allergic/ have dietary restrictions. Learn more at: www.yahoogroups.com/group/mag aresa-indianmusic, or http://magaresa.ning.com 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 community. It provides various effective ways for Carolinas’ Indian Professionals to connect with other successful professionals. Info: www.netIPnc.org

Pratham - Charlotte Area Pratham is India’s largest non-profit organization with grass roots 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 that reached 31 million children across India. Pratham has developed an accelerated learning technique, which helps children to read & write in two months. With nearly half the children in India who attend schools are not learning to read and write at

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the required level, Pratham is trying to fill an important gap in the area of primary education. Info: 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 is the Bengali community based in Charlotte and surrounding areas. The community’s goal is to organize cultural and educational program related to Bengal in the Greater Charlotte area, to increase Bengali cultural awareness, and to provide community service in the area. Info: www.probasi.org Sahaj Marg Meditation Charlotte Area Sahaj Marg, which means Simple or Natural path, is a Raj Yoga system of spiritual training based on the heart centered meditation. The unique 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. Info: Arun and Promila Sehra 704.844.0147 Srikanth Katakam 704.496.4411 naturalpath.nc@gmail.com www.srcm.org

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. Info: 704.392.4488 - Ramesh Dhanani admin@issvcharlotte.org Saathee 100

Shri Rang Avadhut Parivar (Parspar Devo Bhav) Soul devotees of Guru Dattatraya Rang Avadhut and Shri Prem Avadhut meet every Thursday evening in Charlotte, NC from 7 – 8 pm for recital of “Datta-Bavani”, singing devotional Dattatraya Bhajans and reading “GuruLilamrut”. Detailed information about Charlotte meetings, literature, videos, Nareshwar Ashram and Shri Avadhut’s life is available. Info: Bharat Shah - 704.724.6247 Nagesh Patel - 704.399.7805 Sikh Heritage Society The Sikh Heritage Society strives to unite and enrich the lives of the Sikh & Punjabi communities of Charlotte and surrounding areas. “Gurdwara” address: 1760 Stoney Creek Lane, Charlotte, NC 28262. Info: 704.948.7664 (Roshan Attrey), rattrey@aol.com, 704.541.0350 (Sajjan Dhaliwal), sajjan@carolina.rr.com, 704.948.8091 (Inderjeet Rajpal), irajpal@aol.com www.gurdwaracharlotte.com 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 Rd, Charlotte, NC. Info: 847.722.9865 (Baseet Ahmed), baseer_11@yahoo.com www.southparkcc.org Steele Creek Cricket Club Cricket is played every Sunday morning at the Steele Creek Athletic Association complex at 13530 Choate Circle, (weather permitting) from 8:00 am to 11:00 am. This group is dedicated to playing cricket with a hard tennis ball and/or soft baseball (also known as T-Ball) for fun in the Steele Creek Area of Charlotte. If you would like to stay informed about this club or would like to play or watch cricket, feel free to join and share your ideas. For information on current hours of play, location, and contacts. Info: www.geocities.com/steelecreekcricketclub saathee.com

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Community News & Events Tamil Catholics of Charlotte Tamil Catholics living in the Charlotte-Greensboro area interested in attending monthly mass in Tamil contact pravben@gmail.com.

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. Info: 704.905.9127 (Captain-Syed) 704.493.7629 (Vice CaptainMohsan)

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. In the Part I course you will learn and experience: 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. The masterpiece of the Art of Living Course is a powerful breathingbased technique called Sudarshan Kriya, or the healing breath. Contact: Nirupama Shankar shankar.nirupama@gmail.com or Puja Verma puja_usa@yahoo.com for more details about upcoming courses and follow-up kriya sessions. http://us.artofliving.org/nc 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. Info: 336.501.3566 (9 am - 9 pm, S&S) Dev, Greensboro Warriors, happy4mehta@yahoo.com; Venky, Triad Tigers, venkyhot@hotmail.com. June 2010

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 Info: 336.420.7290 336.327.1235 www.gujaratisamajoftriad.org India Association of the Triad 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. Hindi Language classes are being taught by Mrs. Punjabi. Info: 336.656.0203 (Dhananjay Kumar) www.iatnc.org 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 crosscultural understanding. Event: IUCA invites all to India fest 2010 on June 5th, 2010 from 12:00 – 5 pm at Winston Park, 226 N. Marshall Street, Winston Salem, NC 27101 in the downtown area. Featuring various merchant vendors, delectable Indian cuisine, and four hours of continuous cultural program. Admission is free to all. Info: indouswinston@gmail.com Info: Milan Arora 336-765.3379 Life Bliss Foundation The NC Chapter offers workshops, books, CD’s, and DVD’s on spirituality and enlightenment from living enlightened master Paramahamsa Nithyananda. 500 videos are available at www.youtube.com - search for LifeBlissFoundation Satsang in Greensboro is held the first Wednesday of each month. The Saathee 102

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. Info: 336.644.1111 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. Upcoming Events: June 5-6: 10 am to 12 noon, Yoga and Satsang June 12-13: 10 am to 12 noon, Yoga and Satsang June 18-19-20: stress relief retreat, Part I June 25-26-27: Stress relief retreat, Part II July 1-2-3-4: Health Retreat- Yoga therapy as preventive medicine. July 10-17: youth and Family summer retreat July 18-24: Bhagwat Saptah and Pranpratishtha July 25: Guru Purnima celebration Info: 336.421.0690 lifemissionusa@gmail.com www.lifemissionusa.com Sri Sathya Sai Baba Center of Greensboro, NC The Center organizing regular Sai Bhajans, Study Circle, Balvikas class for students and Service Activities. All devotees are welcome to the Center. 1st Sunday of the Month 4:00 PM – 6:00 PM, all other Sundays 10 AM – 12:15 PM. Info: 612.239.7529 (Deepak Deshpande at Winston Salem) 908.875.6964 (Swami Rajendran at Greensboro) Temple of the Holy Name Prabhupada Village is a rural Hare Krishna community situated in the beautiful foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Every Sunday @ 1 p.m. - chanting, saathee.com

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Community News & Events dancing, feasting and philosophy. Temple is located at 1283 Prabhupada Rd, Sandy Ridge, NC 27046. Info: 336.593.9888 www.nckrishnas.com

Triad Hindu Temple The Triad Hindu Temple is located at 2424 Huffine Mill Rd., Greensboro. Its mission is to serve the Hindu Community and promote Hindu Culture through religious, social and educational activities. Regularly scheduled events include Puja, bhajans, children’s programs, celebrate holidays & community service. Sunday, June 13 - 10:00am Karthikeya Puja Sunday, June 20 - 10:00am Ganesh puja Sunday, June 27 – 10 am Radhakrishna Puja Info: www.triadhindutemple.org

Raleigh 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. Info: 919.200.4020 assameseassociation.nc@gmail.com 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 organization dedicated to bringing cultural gaps by allowing June 2010

foreign students the opportunity to live as part of an American community. www.afice.org Info: lathapamarthi@earthlink.net 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. Info: 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. Info: www.acsagurdwara.org 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. Info: balagokulam.rtp@gmail.com hss.charlotte@hssus.org (Charlotte region) www.balagokulam.org

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. Info: 919.469.6605 www.swaminarayan.org Saathee 104

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 INDOAmerican community within North Carolina and adjacent states. The association is organized exclusively for charitable, cultural, social and educational purposes. Info: 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 North Carolina (BSCNC) BSCNC is a nonprofit organization for Senior Citizens of Indian Origin that are age 60 years and over. Normally, the BSCNC members meet on the second Saturday of each month at the Cary Senior Center in Bond Park in Cary, North Carolina from 10:00am to 4:00pm. The next meeting will be on Sat Jun 12 and a day trip to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina is planned for Sat Jun 26. Every participating member will be required to contribute approximately $40.00 per person towards the expenses. The bus will leave sharply at 6:00am from the BAPS mandir. During September, a trip is being considered that would be 5 nights/6 days to the Grand Canyon in Arizona, the Bryce Canyon and Zion National Park in Utah, the Hoover Dam, and Las Vegas in Nevada. Spots will be filled on a first come first served basis. Also under consideration is the celebration of “SWARNIM GUJARAT” in line with other National Senior Groups in America - more information about this large event will be provided as it becomes available. Bharati Patel: 252.236.4391 Harish Shah: 919.387.1629 Dhirubhai Desai 919.677.8513 Child Relief and You (CRY) An organization in the Raleigh area working with the India-based charitable non-profit organization committed to encouraging and facilitating individuals and organizations to make a positive impact in the lives of underprivileged children since 1979. CRY America’s RDU Action saathee.com

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Community News & Events Center has been active since 2001. CRY-RDU invites people to join the enthusiastic volunteer base to contribute ideas or any relevant skills. Info: 919.362.9591(Sarav Arunachalam) rdu@cryamerica.org www.cryrdu.org

Chinmaya Mission Chinmaya Mission Raleigh-Durham conducts Balavihar classes for children and youth (preschool to 12th grade) regularly every Sunday from 10 am to 11:30 am at Reedy Creek Middle School, Cary. In addition to classes that are tailored to each age group, lessons include chanting of Bhagavad Gita verses, and singing bhajans. With the theme of Krishna – My Friend, all students this year are learning about Bhakti or devotion to God. All festivals are celebrated along with Prasad for families. Parents wishing to enroll their children in Balavihar can download registration form from http://www.chinmaya-rdu.org A regular adult study group/satsang is conducted for adults on Sunday mornings at Reedy Creek Middle School, as well as, other locations in the Triangle. All are welcome to attend. Info: www.chinmaya-rdu.org cmrdu.balavihar@gmail.com 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. Info: 919.484.1993 (Srinivas Chittineni) 919.461.0843 (Suresh Kota) YahooGroups: Dattasatsang_NC. Duke Diya Duke Diya is a Duke University student organization that is committed to providing a forum for interaction through political, cultural, commu-

June 2010

nity service, and social events relating to South Asian Americans. Info: 732.865.3173 www.dukediya.com Ekal Vidyalaya Foundation 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 well-being and happiness. Ekal Vidyalya (One School One Teacher in one village) plans to establish 100,000 schools in tribal areas by 2012.This will cover all the villages in tribal areas where there are no schools today. The Carolinas Region of the EVFUSA conducts fund raising and awareness programs in North and South Carolina. Seeking volunteers. Info: 919.803.0478 (Hari H. Nath) hnath45@yahoo.com www.ekalvidya.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. Info: 919.851.1119 (Dr. Afroj Taj) taj@unity.ncsu.edu GEM - Raleigh Church of God Attend worship services, prayer meetings or Sunday School. Info: 919.395.6208 (Pastor Thankachan M.) globalem@gmail.com

Heritage India Association of North Carolina (HIANC) Heritage India Association of North Carolina 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.” Upcoming Events: October 3, 2010 - Gandhi Jayanti at the Marbles Kids Museum, Raleigh November 13, 2010 - Children’s Day at the HSNC Cultural Hall. Info: Yash Garg at 919-870-5222 or Saathee 106

Harsha Shah at 919-362-0520. Email: chander@bellsouth.net 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. Info: Saroj Sharma 919.851.0225 V.P. Tiwari 919.423.0365 Hindu Society of North Carolina - Morrisville, NC The Hindu Society of North Carolina, located at 309 Aviation Parkway, Morrisville, N.C. serves the Indian community in the Triangle area and its vicinity. Temple timings are: Mon. - Fri. 8 11 am and 5 - 9 pm, Sat. - Sun. 8 am - 7 pm. Daily Aarti and Puja is also conducted by the Priest. Other regular religious and cultural programs: Monthly Vedic Havan, Tuesday Hauman Chalisa recitation, Sri Ramakrishna Study Group, Sri Sai Baba Group, Gita Study Group, Devi Puja, Vaishnav Bhajan Group, Akhand Ramayana Recitation, Weeklend Language and Spiritual Knowledge Classes, and Sloka classes for Children. Yoga classes are also offered twice a week (Sun at 8a.m.and Wed at 6:30 p.m.) at the Cultural Hall. Priest services are available at your home and/or at the Temple at a nominal charge. Upcoming Events: Saturday, June 12, 2010 Health Fair Consultations June 21-25 Summer Camp Info: hsnc@hsncweb.org www.hsncweb.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. Info: 919.676.0298 (Mrinmoyee Sanyal) msanyal@ncsu.edu www.hsc-ncsu.org

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Community News & Events Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh (HSS) Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh (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. Info: 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. Info: 919.468.3332 (Mamta Bisarya) 919.363.7339 (Latha Pamarthi) info@humsub.net www.humsub.net 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 2-year term. We are 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. Info: 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

June 2010

and dance in the Triangle area. ICMDS invites the top artists from all over the world to perform in the Triangle area. Sun Jun 6 @ 3:00 p.m. - Vidushi Ashiwini Bhide (Vocal). Venue: Reedy Creek Middle School, 930 Reedy Creek Road, Cary, NC 275133046 Info: 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. Info: 919.362.7653 (Dr. Subhas C. Mohapatra) www.iaff1.org Indus Foundation Indus Foundation was founded in NC by a group of professionals with the sole purpose of giving back to the community and the country that has helped members achieve success. Every dollar is wisely spent back into the community without any overheads. Current major projects: Indian Cancer Society rehabilitation Center in Mumbai, Mental Healthcare Center for socially rejected Women in Indore, and three Educational Centers in Gurgaon. Adopt an on-going project or launch an new project under specific guidelines. Make a commitment today to build a better tomorrow. Info: 919.461.0001 (Dr. Vinnie Goel, Chairman) 919.467.0598 (Dr. Shri Kulkarni, President) 919.319.7294 (Dr. Vijaya Bapat, Vice-President) www.indusfoundation.info International Community Church CC is a worship center for people from India and neighboring countries. The pastor is Joseph B. Saathee 108

Jesudason and the church office is located at 1215 Franklin Jones Road, Suite #204, Raleigh, NC 27606. Info: 919.233.2900 w w w. i n t e r n a t i o n a l c o m m u n i t y church.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. Info: 919.851.0225 (Sarojben Sharma) 919.362.5244 (Sudha Dhingra) www.hindi.org International Swaminarayan Satsang Organization (ISSO) Primary objective of ISSO is “To advance the Sanatan Dharma in accordance with the principles and teachings of Shree Swaminarayan Sampradaya, founded and ordained by Lord Shree Swaminarayan (Shree Sahajanand Swami),” enabling His devotees from both the Nar Narayan Dev Gadi (Ahmedabad) and Laxmi Narayan Dev Gadi (Vadtal) to practice their religious duties in harmony. The Raleigh-Durham chapter organizes a “Satsang Sabha” every two weeks, typically on Friday or Saturday evenings, which includes Kirtan bhakti, Katha, Aarti and Mahaprasad. Info: 919.363.2356 (Niraj Joshi) niraj_joshi@yahoo.com www.swaminarayan.info ISKCON of North Carolina The Sri-Sri Radha Golokananda Temple - Iskcon of NC is situated on 16 acres of field and forest with the historic Eno River flowing behind the temple property. The temple is just a few miles off of Routes I-40 & I-85 and located at 1032 Dimmocks Mill Road, Hillsborough, NC 27278. Daily aarti- 4:30 am, 7:15 am, 12:30 pm, 4:15 pm, 7 pm. Darsana: Monday through Friday 7:30-11:30 am and 4:15-5:45 pm, Saturday all day until 5:45 pm, Sunday all day until 7:30 pm. Sunday Festival begins at 4:00 p.m. and it includes kirtan, aarti, saathee.com

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Community News & Events

Bhagavad Gita discourse, vegetarian feast, and Sunday school for children. Info: 919.593.6827, golokanandapriya@hotmail.com Yoga classes - Krishna Priya at krsnapriyahg@yahoo.com

Kiran KIRAN is a multi-cultural, non-religious, 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 we cooperate and collaborate with organizations in the USA and elsewhere with similar objectives. Countries in South Asia include Bangladesh, Bhutan, Burma, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka. 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 • Non-judgmental help and support to women who are experiencing oppressive/crisis situations • Emotional support • 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. Translators and crisis counselors do not disclose any information provided by our clients. Info: www.kiraninc.org Crisis Hotline: 1877- NC-KIRAN or 1-877-625-4726 Kiran@Kiraninc.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. Info: www.nuvyug.net

June 2010

Pakistani American Association The Pakistani-American Association (NCPAA) is a non-political, non-sectarian, cultural and social organization that promotes Pakistani culture to all the communities living in the Triangle Area of North Carolina. Several events are presented during the year. A family dinner is held on the second Friday of every month. Info: payamber@ncpaa.org www.ncpaa.org

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. Info: www.vedantanc.org

Pratham - Triangle Area Founded as a UNICEF initiative, 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.” Info: www.prathamnc.org

RTP Maharashtra Mandal RTP Maharashtra Mandal promotes Maharashtrian culture and language. Maharashtra mandal is committed to serve RTP community with various cultural, social and traditional marathi programs and events. Info: 919.468.8824 (Jayant Yete) 919.757.7300 (Neeraj Shikarkhane) www.rtpmm.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 likeminded 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. Info: http://www.meetup.com/PIATriangl e/ Ramakrishna Vedanta Society of North Carolina The Ramakrishna Vedanta Society of NC draws inspiration from the timeless, philosophical wisdom of Saathee 110

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. Upcoming events: June 10 - 15, 2010: Srivari Prathama Brahmotsavam Info: 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. saathee.com

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Community News & Events In Triangle area, group meditations are held on Sundays and Wednesdays. Info: (919) 303-7447 (Raj Solanki) (919) 493-6180 (Devi Sekar) raleigh.center@gmail.com> www.srcm.org, www.sahajmarg.org SAMPIGE - Triangle Kannada Association The Triangle Kannada Association is a cultural association for people residing in the Triangle area from Karnataka, India. Sampige organizes Kannada (the language spoken in the Karnataka area) activities in music, dance and drama as well as social activities. Info: sampigeeditor@yahoo.com www.sampige.org Share and Care Foundation (SCF) Share and Care Foundation (SCF), a charitable organization focused on several projects in India and the USA, is launching a new chapter for the Carolinas - this represents the first chapter outside the New Jersey headquarters of SCF. SCF has been working with the Triangle’s Indian community for more than 15 years. Info: 919.425.5299 (Manu Patel) 919.469.1258 (Rajeev Kamath) www.shareandcare.org Sikh Gurdwara of North Carolina The Sikh Gurudwara of North Carolina welcomes visitors of all backgrounds regardless of race, religion, ethnicity or gender. All peoples, regardless of their origin or orientation, are welcome to attend our services and share in the blessings of God. Religious services are held every Saturday evening and Sunday morning, followed by a community meal (langar). In addition to religious services, we offer educational programs for children and young adults. Adults participate in religious discourse during monthly study circles. Members of the Sangat (congregation) regularly participate in community service projects in the Triangle area. The Sikh Gurdwara at North Carolina is located at 3214 Banner Street in Durham, NC 27704. Info: 919.220.9917 www.sgncweb.org

June 2010

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 the present. Info: 919.773.1580 www.sifaa.org Sri Sri Sri Shivabalayogi Maharaj Meditate with a Master, whether you are an expert or a novice, learn Dhyan Yoga. Sri Swamiji comes to North America every year to teach this ancient technique of silent meditation which has been practiced by the saints and seers of India for centuries. Daily meditation practice helps one achieve peace of mind and increased capacity to deal with stress, worry and physical illness. It helps to clarify one’s inner search, and leads to an understanding of one’s true purpose in life. Sri Swamiji embodies the physical and spiritual presence of Sri Shivabalayogi, who completed 12 years of intense spiritual austerity— meditating up to 23 hours a day for 8 years, and 12 hours a day for another 4 years—emerging as a God-Realized Yogi. His worldwide Mission is to bring people of all faiths into the line of meditation, to spiritually elevate our consciousness so that we all can actively contribute to creating a more peaceful world. All programs are free. They include one hour of silent meditation followed by kirtan, the singing of devotional songs, and an opportunity to speak with Sri Swamiji individually and receive his blessings and guidance. Info: www.shivabalamahayogi.com St. Gregorios Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church Monthly Mass and regular services are held in Malayalam/English by Rev. Dr. M. K. Thomas at the Baptist Student Center, 2702 Hillsborough Street, Raleigh, NC. Info: 919.461.1773 sec@stgregoriosnc.org www.stgregoriosnc.org Tamil Cultural Association of North Carolina (TCA NC) TCA NC is a non-profit organization formed for the purpose of providing Saathee 112

youths with exposure to Tamil culture. Everyone is invited to join TCA and become part of a wonderful organization promoting Tamil culture in the Triangle area. Info: 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. Info: (919)-465-1606 - Ravi Shanmugam (President) http://members.fortunecity.com/ta milsangamofcarolina 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. Info: 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 Hindispeaking music fans all around the globe. Info: 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 non-governmental 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. Info: www.idrf.org. Triangle Gujarati Association (TGA) Triangle Gujarati Organization is a

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We speak Gujarati, Hindi, Marathi & English.

1200 S.E. Maynard Rd. Suite 204 Cary, NC 27511

Consolidated Fares to India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Asia, Africa, Europe & the Middle East on All Major Airlines We provide Visa, Passport, Cruise & Tour Package Services. We can do tour packages & Railway Bookings in India

Serving Buyers and Sellers Since 1989 Our experienced and talented agents can speak English, Hindi & Gujarati

Let Us Help You Buy or Sell A Business

County South Realty & Business Brokers 1300 Matthews-Mint Hill Rd Matthews, NC 28105

704-814-9435 fax-866-876-9980

www.countysouth.biz

June 2010

Offering Motels, Restaurants, Dry Cleaners, Laundromats, Convenience Stores, Land and more Available at time of printing: C-STORES: Gastonia, NC, $1.6M + Inv., GR $4M Charlotte, NC, $200K + Inv., GR $1.2M Greensboro, NC, $1.1M + Inv., Some Owner Financing Moyock, NC, $13M + Inv., GR $20M Chester, SC, $399K + Inv., GR $500K Conover, NC, $990K + Inv., GR $2.6M Rhodiss, NC, $405K + Inv., Store Closed Asheville, NC, $1.1M + Inv., GR $3M Richfield, NC, $1.5M + Inv., GR $2.5M Columbia, SC, $1.8M + Inv., Some Owner Financing Mooresville, NC, $4.6M + Inv., GR $8.5M Charlotte, NC $999K + Inv., GR $1.2M Sanford, NC $749K, Currently Leased Greensboro, NC, $99K, GR $589K Saathee 113

GROCERY STORE: Trenton, NC, $749K, Gr $2M, reduced APARTMENT COMPLEX: Archdale, NC $1.6M CAR WASH: Rockingham, NC $500K DRY CLEANERS: Charlotte, NC, $550K Forest City, NC, $300K Indian Trail, NC, $449K Charlotte, NC, 275K saathee.com

Community News & Events non-profit Organization with a mission to promote Gujarati culture in the Triangle area. The goals are to serve the Gujarati community by organizing various events throughtout the year and impart Gujarati culture and language on the youth. Upcoming events: Picnic: Sat Jun 6 @ 10:00 a.m. Cary Bond Park, Kiwanis Shelter. Pre Navaratri Program: Oct 2, 2010 Sharad Purnima Program/Raas Garba: Oct 23, 2010 Diwali Function: Nov 6, 2010 Info: President: Harsha Shah 919.362.0520 Vice President: Hemini Patel 919.387.2900 www.nctga.org Triangle Indian Youth Organization (TIYO) This organization has been created with the purpose of encouraging youths of Indian origin aged between 12-18 years to develop skills for leadership, to organize team-oriented efforts, understand and participate in community services, understand and develop individual potential. There will be activities that will fall into the broad categories of education, arts, cultural, charity, religious and community services. Info: 919.363.7339 (Latha Pamarthi [Director of TIYO]) triangleindianyouth@yahoo.com 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 DattaBavani 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.Info: 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. Info: barman@cs.unc.edu www.trianglevegsociety.org June 2010

Two Cents of Hope (TCH) Two Cents of Hope was started by a group of Indian students at NC State University with the belief in empowering youth via education. The goal is to uplift the weaker sections of the society through education. The foundation lies in the power of cents giving TCH its name. As J. Carney put it, “Little drops of water, little grains of sand, make the mighty ocean, and the pleasant land.” By using coin boxes to collect loose change, the total donations result in a collection that yields considerable amount of money, enough to give education to a poor student - indeed a firm footing for the rest of his or her life. Apart from the coin collection other sources of funding include fundraising events (Trishna, Crescendo, and Booth in Cary Diwali) and sponsors. In the last three years TCH has funded $21,689, which includes 77 projects benefitting 270 students and two schools in India. To know more about Two Cents of Hope visit: www.twocentsofhope.com Urdu Majlis Urdu Majlis is a literary organization for the promotion of Urdu language and literature and has no political, national or religious affiliations. The group has regularly scheduled monthly meetings in which enthusiasts and scholars of Urdu literature meet to discuss the life and works of a selected literary figure. Info: 919.851.1119 (Dr. Afroz Taj) 919.962.1060 (Dr. Afroz Taj) 919.596.4792 (Ashraf and Seema Faruqi) taj@unity.ncsu.edu 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. Vaishnavs meet at the Mandir Hall of the Hindu Bhavan at 309 Aviation Parkway, Morrisville, NC the second Sunday of each month from 4 - 6 p.m Everyone is encouraged to participate in the activities of the group, especially the youth. Info: Arvindbhai Shah 919.233.7677 Vithabhai Shah 919.467.4254 Navinbhai Parikh 919.342.4647 Saathee 114

Regional Barsana Dham satsang (Greenville, NC) Barsanadham is organizing a monthly devotional bhajans and kirtans program at the Vedic Center of Greenville, NC. This program is on every third Saturday of the month from 11-1pm and followed by lunch prasad. Info: Madhu Sharma 336.404.7047 Email: madhu0sharma@yahoo.com www.barsanadham.org Cape Fear Cultural Association of India - Wilmington Cape Fear Cultural Association of India is an organization that promotes understanding of Indian culture and promotes a medium for people of Indian culture to get together. Info: Shashin Patel, President. (910.790.9448) Sanjay Batish, Vice-President. (910.371.9860) Anjali Dashputre, Treasurer. (910.395.6633) Sukhbir Dhillon, Cultural Secretary (910.796.1965) Chinmaya Family Camp - Indian Springs, GA Dates: September 3rd through 6th at Indian Springs, Georgia. Camp Benefits: Satsang with Swamijis, Simultaneous and separate children’s programs, bringing families together, developing and strengthening faith and spiritual values, enjoy nature and family time together. Camp Registration Cost: $125 – Adult, $100 – Child, Children under 5 years – Free Registration fee includes: Indian vegetarian breakfast/ lunch/ dinner, snacks, coffee/tea, dorm style accommodation for 3 nights Children friendly menu is available. Individual cabin or hotel accommodations available at additional cost. Info: Dr. G. V. Raghu: (678) 615.7088 Seema Jani: (770) 664.5055 Anu Nathan (404) 315.1129 Anu Swaminathan (678) 580.3094 Ram Hegde (770) 736.1721 www.chinmaya-atlanta.com Hindu Bhavan Fayetteville Invocation of Bhagwan Mahavir will take place on Sun Jun 20. saathee.com

4705 Iris Place, Rockville, Md 20853

Phone: 301-792-3981, 240 383 3886 or 301-534-0916 Fax 240-383-3337 e-mail: sales@shivtravels.com

Destinations like South Asia (india, Sri lanka, Bangladesh, Pakistan), Europe, Africa

Sample Fares

Raleigh (RdU)- dEL RdU- BOM RdU- BLR RdU- MAA RdU- Hyd

501 480 575 575 575

Please call for different destinations & departure cities

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Your web connection to the South Asian Community of the Carolinas

Ask us about how your business can benefit with internet advertising on Saathee.com, Call (704) 527-7570

June 2010

Saathee MAGAZINE

A FREE monthly features magazine for the South Asian Community of the Carolinas Email Saatheemag@hotmail.com or call (704) 527-7570 for advertising rates & info

Saathee 115

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Community News & Events Temple Address: 907 Cedar Creek Road, Fayetteville, NC 28302. Upcoming Events: Sun Jun 13, Sun Jun 27, Sun Jul 11, Sun Jul 18: “Balvihar” 11:00 a.m. Upcoming programs for Adults: Sun Jun 6 @ 11:00 AM - Bhajans with local singers, Sun Jun 13 @ 10:30 AM - Geeta Study, Sun Jun 20 @ 11:00 AM - Father’s day/Mother’s day celebration puja w/Sri Bangalore Srivatsa, (Potluck lunch will be served), Sun Jun 27 @ 10:30 AM - Geeta Study, Sun Jul 4 @ 11:00 AM - Bhajans, Sun Jul 11 @ 10:30 AM - Geeta Study with Mr. Bangalore Srivatsa, Info: 910.485.4626 910.484.8956 hindubhavan@yahoo.com www.hindubhavan.org

Hindu Society Of Eastern NC (Greenville, NC) Upcoming programs: Sun June 13, Sun June 20: “Balgokulum” at 10:00 a.m. and “Balvihar” at 11:00 a.m. Info: 252.830.5177 (Dharam Vasnani) VasnaniD@aol.com Hindutempleenc@gmail.com

South Carolina American South Asian Cultural Association of Columbia, SC The organization’s fundamental goal is to increase cultural awareness and develop cultural understanding among American South Asian Community in Columbia area. A monthly dinner will be held on the Second Sunday of every month between 6 to 9 PM. There will be $10.00 Per Person charge for dinner at India Palace, 110-A Columbia Northeast Drive, Columbia. Info: evenings 803.233.7042 or 803.233.3996 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. Info: dhammasc@hotmail.com June 2010

Hindu Society of Greater Spartanburg The temple is located on 1130 Fairview Church Road in Boiling Springs, S.C. 29303. The daily Aarati is at 7:00 p.m. Balvihar classes are conducted from 10:00 a.m. to 11:45 a.m. on scheduled Sundays. Satsang is on second Sunday of the month from 5 - 7 pm. Info: 864.599.7048 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. 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. Info: 803.884.0859 iagcfolks@yahoo.com International Fellowship Church of Greenville, SC International Fellowship Church offers Sunday worship services and other weekly activities for people of Indian origin. Info: 864.234.1256 (Pastor Suhas Raiborde) www.internationalfellowshipchurch.org 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. The annual UGADI cultural and social function will be Saathee 116

held on April 10, 2010 at 5 pm. Tickets are on sale now. Info: 864.430.4973 www.kagg-sc.org Masjid Noor-UL-Huda The Mosque is located at 517 Winmet Drive, Columbia, S.C. On the first Saturday and third Saturday of every month from 6 PM to 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. Info: 803.749.0827 (Dr. Shami) 803.740.5127 (Qari Abdul Khader Multani) 803.754.2632 (Mosque main number) Sirigannada Sirigannada, the Kannada Association of South Carolina, a non-profit organization was created on July 18, 2004 by the interested Kannada speaking people of South Carolina. It is a voluntary organization primarily run by memberships and donations from Kannadigas of the State of South Carolina. Info: www.sirigannada.org Telugu Association of Greater Greenville, SC 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. Info: www.taggsc.org Vedic Center of Greenville The Center is located on the Corner of Bethel Road and Bethel Drive in Mauldin, S.C. 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. Info: 864.967.2852 Send your organization’s news and events to us by the 15th of the month for inclusion in following month’s issue. Write to us at saatheemag@hotmail.com or visit: www.saathee.com. saathee.com

CHARLOTTE PRIMARY CARE DR. SHEENA KAPADIA Specializing in General Adult Medicine, Physical Check-Ups, Diabetes, High Blood Pressure, Bronchitis, Asthma, Acne, Arthritis, Menopause and Hormone Treatment, etc.

(704) 342-8115 Fax (704) 344-2691

• Board Certified in Internal Medicine • Educated and Trained at Duke University, Univ. of Arkansas and Carolinas Medical Center. • Radiology and lab on site • Accepting new patients and most insurance plans • Open Monday - Friday. 8:30 am - 5:00 pm by appointment only (Near Presbyterian Hospital - In the old Nalle Clinic Building)

1918 Randolph Rd. Suite 440 Charlotte, NC 28207 www.charlotteprimarycare.com June 2010

Saathee 117

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Festivals & Holidays Compiled by Kirit Shukla

June 2010 Jun. 8 - Apara Ekadasi Jun. 12 - Bhavuka amas (No Moon) - Rajjab Jun. 14 - Flag Day Jun. 15 - Maharana Pratap Jayanti Jun. 16 - Guru Arjundev Shahid Day Jun. 20 - Father’s Day Jun. 21 - First Day of Summer Jun. 22 - Nirjala/Bhim Ekadasi - Gayatri Jayanti Jun. 25 - Vat-Savitri Purnima (Full Moon) - Moon Eclipse (Partial) Jun. 26 - Sant Kabir Jayanti - Hazrat Ali Birthday Jul. Jul. Jul. Jul. Jul. Jul. Jul. Jul. Jul. Jul.

July 2010 4 - Independence Day (USA) 8 - Yogini Ekadasi 10 -Shabbe - Miraj 11 -Darsha Amas (No Moon) - Solar Eclipse (Full) 13 -Ratha Yatra 18 -Jain Atthai starts - Durga Asthami 21 -Dev Shayani Ekadasi 23 -Jaya Parvati Vrat starts 25 -Vyas/Guru Purnima (Full Moon) 28 -Shabbe - Barat -Jaya Parvati Vrat ends

August 2010 1 - Lokamanya Tilak Punyatithi 6 - Kamika Ekadasi 9 - Divaso/Hariyali Amas (No Moon) 12 - Ramadan/Rojha 14 - Independence Day (Pakistan) 15 - Independence Day (India) 16 - Goswami Tulsidas Jayanti 19 - Pateti (Parsi New Year) 20 - Putrada Ekadasi 21 - Pavitra Baras 24 - Rakshabandhan (Raakhi) Day - Nariyeli Purnima (Full Moon) Aug. 29 - Naag Panchami Aug. Aug. Aug. Aug. Aug. Aug. Aug. Aug. Aug. Aug. Aug.

June 2010

Stocks

continued from page 54 The U.S. economy did add jobs during April 2010 but the unemployment rate registered a reading of 9.9 percent, which is still high. Another stark reality is that many jobs that have been shed during the economic slump are simply not coming back. Several companies reported excellent financial results, and consumer confidence has gradually ticked upwards. Real estate, however, continues to be depressed and it is expected that property values may not regain their lost values for a number of years. The economic slump has indeed affected the tax base of the Federal Government and also State and Local governments as well. Two major hits have been the depreciation of property values which result in lower property tax revenues. In addition, car sales are a major source of sales tax revenue and as car sales plummeted, there was a loss of tax revenue to State and Local governments as well. As the real numbers are tallied, the respective governments have found themselves with major shortfalls in revenues and as a result, many key services have been impacted: police and fire departments (no new hires), schools (reduction of teaching staff and cuts in programs), libraries (cuts in staff and days/hours of operation, etc.) and the recovery is indeed fragile - so these services and many more are expected to be under pressure for several years. That is why the economic slump has been called the “Great Recession” - and in many cases, feels like an outright “Depression”. Every year, the Federal Reserve Board meets eight times to review economic data, monetary policy, and make appropriate adjustments to interest rates as deemed appropriate and in extreme circumstances, the Fed has taken action in between meetings as well. Interest rates have been kept at historically low levels for an extended period of time to help the economy recover but as the economy is starting to show signs of recovery, everyone is wondering when a rate hike might be in the cards. The first scheduled meeting for CY2010 was on January 26-27 at which the interest rates were left unchanged and on February 18, 2010, the Fed raised the “Discount Rate” to 0.75 percent the Fed indicated that this was merely to reverse one of the “extreme measures” taken at the height of the financial crisis (late 2008 when Lehman Brothers collapsed and shook the entire financial system) and the move was not signaling a long trend. Interest rates were also kept unchanged at the March 16 meeting and the April 27-28 meeting. The remaining five meetings for CY2010 are scheduled for: June 22-23, August 10, September 21, November 2-3 and December 14. This article contains the ideas and thoughts of its author and it does not necessarily imply the viewpoints of “Saathee” magazine or its principals. Rajesh Ganatra is also the Community News Editor for Saathee and writes the “The Cricket Forum” column. Contact: rajeshtganatra@rocketmail.com Saathee 120

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June 2010

Saathee 121

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before making final decision. Also remember to watch the circumstances to avoid unexpected loss. Overconfidence could be another issue that you need to control this month.

General Predictions for June 2010

ARIES (Mar 20- Apr 20) Your life will gain new momentum. You may feel very energetic and become extremely active. The expenses related to business or house should prove beneficial in the long run. Don’t analyze the situation too much to come to any conclusion. Don’t ignore your health. There are chances of developing new family relations or see increase in family member. Unexpected travel may disturb your schedule. TAURUS (Apr 20 - May 21) You may be very busy with new plans and ideas and physical activities may slow down significantly. You may benefit through your partner’s cheating. Your approach to work for a very specific dream project may become the center of all your activities during middle part of the month. You may not consider improvement in health, which is an important issue, during second half of month. GEMINI (May 21 - Jun 21) Life will fly. Involvement in many active projects will make you rush after first week of the month. A positive approach towards accomplishing the work and success will drive you close to developing an ego. Your enemies may try to hurt your reputation. If you can convert the ego into pride for your team, your life will shift the direction towards high achievement. Remember to consider advice from your spouse. CANCER (Jun 21 - Jul 22) Now you will see life advancing towards a specific goal. You may start spending for luxury items. Success and achievement will turn your life into a happy mode first week of the month. New source of income may also delight you. You may participate in religious and spiritual activities. Control your diet and check your weight. Minor health issue may turn into a serious problem in near future. LEO (Jul 22 - Aug 23) You may see great combination of the triplet: energy, effort and luck during the second half of the month. Legal language of a document maybe interpreted in your favor, bringing more than your expectation. Don’t forget to take advice from your partner. Any wrongdoing may hurt your reputation. Watch your speech in public. You may also get temporary relief from old family dispute. VIRGO (Aug 23 - Sep 23) If you can keep working sincerely and stay active, you may skip a newly developing health problem. You will earn name and fame at your place of work. The time is excellent to invest in real estate property. Don’t forget to consult your spouse

June 2010

Saathee 122

LIBRA (Sep 23 - Oct 23) After a very good start, you may see activities reduced and life become slower. Money will come, but won’t stay. You may enjoy your hobby, but you may be forced to compromise with your regular work. Health problem linked with your neck and throat may bother you. Let your business partner make major business-related decisions this month. As far as possible, avoid travel. SCORPIO (Oct 23 - Nov 22) Now is the time to start working actively and aggressively for new projects. Life will pick up speed; you must take advantage and enjoy the blessings of the destiny. Busy schedule is the main story of the month. You may benefit due to your partner’s achievement. You will be able to defeat your rivals and enjoy victory. Remember to handle misunderstanding in the family with mature and smart decisions. SAGITTARIUS (Nov 22 - Dec 21) If you can maintain your morals and culture, life will guide you towards a great success. Arguments with your spouse may affect or ruin your success. Don’t get stuck to your dream project, instead take advantage of the circumstances to enjoy the time. You may enjoy higher status at place of work, but without a major rise in income. Students may enjoy good result this month. Watch your health during last week.

CAPRICORN (Dec 21 - Jan 20) A feeling of relief will make your life easy. You may start thinking of love and romance again. Improvement in your relation with your sibling should bring good luck for you. You will be able to control your expenses and/or minimize your losses. A steady flow of income may make you feel confident and happy. You should seriously watch for potential problems like accident or mishap.

AQUARIUS (Jan 20 - Feb 19) Happy family life and steady increase in bank balance may make you feel very comfortable. Your relation with your partners may also improve unexpectedly or you may start new venture with new partners. Minor dispute with your spouse may disturb you during second half of the month. You may also enjoy improvement in your health. Try to act mature to take advantage of changing circumstances. PISCES (Feb 19 - Mar 20) You will do extremely well in your business or profession. An expansion of business may also take place. Friend and enemies both will surround you all the time. You have to use your skill to make your way through. Family atmosphere will be quite satisfactory. Good news from far off place is also possible. Stock market or speculation may bring unexpected good rewards for you. Act wisely to achieve success. By Jalendu Vaidya Contact: 973-365-1766 / hindusvision.com saathee.com

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Classifieds BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES:

For Sale: High volume wholesale distributor - cash & carry business. Prime Location in Columbia, SC. 12,000 sq.ft. warehouse. Huge airconditioned tobacco room. Over 500 a/c's plus walk-in's. Annual sales over $5M. Asking $300,000 + inv. (serious inq. only) Rent only $2500. Call: Lax (803)673-4430 or email :sanlax158@yahoo.com Baja Bistro! Only $60,000 puts you in a leased, built out, ready to open location! Contact http://hnhfranchisebrokers.com or call 919-815-3026

C-Store/Indian Grocery Store For Sale: Indian grocery store with convenience store for sale in Charleston, SC. Lotto, Beer, Cigarettes & more! Great location. Call 843-327-7927 or email: raghavneal@yahoo.com Convenience Grocery Store/Shell Gas Station: (marathon by few days) having Subway for RENT/LEASE at 122 East 4th Ave., Red Springs, NC (between Lumberton & Fayetteville) Call 704-3009048 or email: maulikbshah@gmail.com

Franchise Motel For Sale: in NC. 68 units with manager apartment. Over one million dollar renovation 2007-08. Doing avg. $700k. Asking $2.4m call 336-5082589. Large Company Selling Off C-Stores with some owner financing. Great locations: Charlotte; Monroe, NC; Columbia, SC; Winston-Salem, NC; Greensboro, NC; Rock Hill, SC; and Salisbury, NC. Contact County South for more information! 704.814.9435 www.countysouth.biz

Gas Station / C-Store For Sale: in Winston Salem area. Inside $35000 $45000 per month, Lotto $1600-$2000 per month. Add income car wash and Cash Point. Call: 336-307-9313 Popular Quiznos On Sale: Great location, profitable, owners retiring. Contact sen07@yahoo.com or (704) 728-3135.

Gas Station & C-Store w/ Property For Sale: in N.C. at I-95 exit. Good Location, Owner financing available. For more details contact (919) 244-5357.

Triangle Area Businesses For Sale: Car care center ($339K), Home health care ($599K) Contact: info@entrustassociates.com or Olga at 919.881.9997.

Motel For Sale/Lease: 61 rooms. 10 years old. For sale or lease. Contact Mr. Patel: 704-786-3100 Business For Sale: In Danville, VA. On Hwy 58 Martinsville. Highway & Local Business with Exxon Gas Station and Deli (optional). Good lottery commission & much more. Good Inside Business. Good opportunity. Call 336-327-4576 or 336501-8917

June 2010

Gas Station & C-Store For Sale: in Moore County, NC. Inside Business $41K/Mo. Gas 20K Gal/Mo. Lotto$20K/Mo. Asking Price $550K with property. Call (919) 280-6354

Business & Property For Sale: Off of I-95 exit in NC. Excellent location. Sales and owner financing available. For details Call : (919)244-5357.

Businesses For Sale: CafĂŠ, restaurants, deli, coin laundry, dry cleaners, and more plus residential listings. Call for the best discounts when you buy or sell. Guaranteed Excellent Service! 704.649.9095. Broker. EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES:

Manager / Partner Wanted: Need an experienced Manager/Partner for setup of a New Wedding / Party Hall & daily operation. Contact : 704-596-8202 C-Store/Gas Station Hiring: Need an employee for c-store/gas station in Ballantyne area of Charlotte, NC. Must be flexible in timings. Call 248-797-9378 Clothing Store Help Wanted : Looking for full time sales person for clothing store in Charlotte area. Call Sandeep at 704-754-2247 or email: kumar_2116@yahoo.com

Household Help Needed: in South Charlotte area. Please Call 704.759.6247 Kitchen Help Needed: full time or parttime for Indian vegetarian restaurant in Morrisville, NC. Cary/Morrisville residents preferred. Call 919-802-5343. Currently Seeking Cashiers For Mall Candy Store: to accurately and efficiently operate cash register while providing prompt & friendly customer service. Responsiblities include cleaning & stocking product. Minimum Age: 21. Hours: 10-40 Location: Streets at Southpoint Mall (food Court) Durham NC. Call 704.737.1384

Eyebrow Threader needed in Raleigh area. Good Salary and tips. Must have experience. Call for details: 919.244.4425.

Looking For Threading Specialist: who is specialized in threading Eyebrows, Upper Lip & Full Face. Attractive salary. For more information call 919.371.2387 or e-mail: sheebadevraj@yahoo.com Nanny needed: To take care of 9 month old twins in Huntersville,NC. Please call 321-663-9726 Live-in/Live-out Nanny Wanted: for 2 boys ( 4 year-old and 2 year-old )with light household work in Pinehurst ( 1 hour south of Cary/Raliegh ). Contact 910-255-0408 / 919-264-4095

Motel Now Hiring: Require a couple to manage an Independent Motel in South Carolina. Must have legal status & speak fluent English. Accomodations provided. Call between 5pm & 7pm only. 864-3846900

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Household Help Needed: for Triad-area (High Point, Greensboro, Winston-Salem) location. Call 336-471-1901 or email: kajal109@gmail.com for further info. Motel Manager Wanted: Concord/Kannapolis area. Contact Mr. Patel: 704-786-3100

LOOKING FOR COUPLE: Full-Time for convenience store/gas station/restaurant near Charlotte, NC. Students Also Welcome: Perfect Summer Job Opportunity! Accommodations Provided! Call 704.701.9975

Threading Practitioners Needed: Full & Part-time for Mall Locations in North Carolina (Greensboro & WinstonSalem,) and Virginia ( Virginia Beach & Chesapeake). Willing to train. E-mail to bk56@sbcglobal.net or call 248-7213255

New Indian Restaurant Now Hiring: Looking for Curry Chefs, South Indian Chefs & Staff for premier new Indian Restaurant in North Charlotte. Call 704604-1111 or 704-877-7345 Motel Help Wanted: front desk 3rd shift part time in Concord, NC. Call 704-2364679 between 10am-2pm

Hotel Management Firm Now Hiring: Various positions for housekeepers & General Manager/s of franchise hotels. Experience is a must for all positions. EMail resumes to rsrkcorp@yahoo.com or call (803) 606-9994.

Nanny Wanted: to take care of 8 month-old baby. Monday through Friday, 9am - 5pm at our home in South Charlotte, NC. Call 703-598-6589 Immediate Openings for Threading Practitioners: For locations in Charlotte & Raleigh, NC and Greenville, SC. We have Full and Part Time positions available, weekdays and weekends. Great pay and Tips. Experience is needed. Please call 980 322 1110 or email: mo@the-brow-bar.com Now Hiring: Seeking couple for Internet Sweepstakes Gameroom. At least one member of couple needs to be FLUENT in English & have basic computer skills. Also housekeeping position (English not required). Accomadations provided. Good salary. Located in Roxboro, NC. Serious Inquiries Only. Call 336-599-0981 for more information. Nanny Wanted: Gujarati speaking live-in nanny needed in Chapel Hill, NC. Cooking & light housekeeping. Call 919-444-1597

Hotel Management Firm Now Hiring: Immediate Hire For Corporate Office Must have Quickbooks experience. Serious inquiries only. E-mail resumes to info@abcinns.comorabcone@abcinns.com

saathee.com

FOR SALE OR RENT:

2BR/2BA Condo in Chapel Hill: For Sale. Near Friday Center on Hwy 54. Bradford Place close to UNC. $189,900. Call 919-610-5547. Beautiful Toll Bros Home: in a very nice Cary area community with strong Indian presence. 3000 plus sq ft. Selling for $585k Call Don Edwards at (919) 4813066 4.75 Acre Lot For Sale: In Augusta, GA. Zoned Commercial. Perfect location for Hotel, Shopping Center, etc. $200,000. Call (706) 495-4479 or (706) 627-4151

House For Sale or Rent: 3 bedroom house with 2.5 bathrooms and 2 car garage. Lacated in University area of Charlotte, NC. Less than 2.5 miles from I85. Call 704-421-1408 or 704-421-2871. Call between 8:00 am to 8:00pm. House For Rent: in Charlotte. University area close to I-85 & I-485, safe & quiet neighborhood. Call 704.510.1443.

Home For Sale: Providence Plantation (Charlotte, NC) - 2849 Redfield Dr. $245,789. Best Price! +/- 2,400 sq.ft. 4/5 bedrooms, 2.5 baths, security system, fenced yard & playground. Original owner. Homeowner warranty. Great schools! Near I-485. Broker fee or will provide $10k credit at closing. Call 704-845-8018. MATRIMONIAL:

Seeking Gujarati Educated Male: for beautiful 25 year-old sister who has Masters in Biomedical Science & Organic Chemistry. Residing in New Jersey. Call 803-431-3966 after 5pm or email: md_uhmehta@yahoo.com

Seeking Guajarati Brahmin Male: age 28 - 31 for sister currently residing in India. She has an MBA from Australia and is currently working and residing in Amdavad. Call 704.274.9204 or (+91) 9726647544 for details. Seekinig Hindu Male: Between ages 27-31 for sister living in Pune, India. She has B. com, is employed & currently working towards MBA. 704.619.0251 SERVICES:

Looking For Job: Female looking for a job as a Biology Teacher & her husband looking for a job in a Hotel/Restaurant. Kindly contact 252-422-0573 or 252349-4141.

English Language Classes: Summer vacation around the corner! Sign up for two free trial "Skype English Language Classes" today. Multigrade grammer, composition, reading comprehension & vocabulary. Guaranteed improvement & success! Refrences Available. Email: JSRlanguageclasses@gmail.com Home Daycare In S. Charlotte: large playroom & backyard. Teacher with 10 years of experience. NC credentials, CPR & First Aid certified. Age appropriate activities & Spanish lessons. Newborns welcome. Weekly $170 & Hourly $10. Gladys 704-541-9235

June 2010

Universal Movers Inc: Full Insured & Registered. Residential, Commercial, Local & Long Distance. Full Service, packing, unpacking, etc. Call For Free Estimate: 919-594-3453. universlmovers1@yahoo.com website: www.universalmoversinc.com Legal Services: Contact us at www.writlogic.com for all legal assistance and legal consultancy in Indore, MP, INDIA. For details please see www.writlogic.com

Microsoft MCSE CERTIFICATION TRAINING COURSES: Jumpstart your career in information technology and get MCSE certified today! Online live training. Ph: 704-582-3125 Manpasand Mohanthal: Freshly prepared mohanthal available for small dinner gatherings to large parties. Other home-made sweets available. Call for details. 704.619.1603.

Accent Reduction Training: Threemonth tutorial with certified speech-language pathologist. Transform accents from career obstacles to charming cultural flavors. Invest in your future! www.trianglespeech.com

Weldone Beauti Parlour: Eyebrow threading, Facial, Body Massage, Waxing, Henna Designs, Skincare, Haircare treatment. Latest Indian technique and more. visit www.weldoneBeautiParlour.com or call (704) 699-8397. Summer Camp: Leadership, communication & team building camp, for ages 13-18. This will be a hands-on full-day activity camp lasting five days and led by professional, experienced coach. Call Mr. Trivedi at 704.302.1073 or 704.274.9204

Beautician in Matthews, NC: Pari Beauty - Threading, waxing, bleach, facial, manicure, pedicure & much more. 18 years of experience. For appointment call 704.846.7912 Shree Beauty: Licensed Cosmetologist in the Mooresville / Lake Norman area for Eyebrow Threading, Facials, Waxing, Chemical Peel, Etc. For appointments call Jagruti at 704-500-2724 or 704-6587747. Location: 137 Troter Ridge Dr. Mooresville, NC 28117 Math Tutoring : Real-time tutoring using virtual whiteboard technology with professional tutors based in India. Free 30 min trial. As low as $7 for a 45 minute session. State-aligned curriculum & assessments. Call Ritu Thakur 704-443-7054 or toll-free 888-757-8377 www.TCYONLINE.com.

Gujarati Priest: Devendra Dave Independent priest. Ganesh, Randal, Navratri, Diwaliâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Laxmi & Sharda Pujas, Satyanarayan Katha, Weddings, Vastu, Baby Showers, Funeral Seva. Call Daveji 704.780.3563. God Blessings to All. Balaji Priest: All kinds of puja, havan, katha, weddings, graha shanti, funeral services & Shraadh. In Hindi, English & Tamil. 704.877.6320 or 704.545.7220.

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South Indian Priest: Sastriji is an independent priest Call for Pujas, Gruhapravesh, Weddings, Multi-lingual, Vedic traditional priestly services, etc. Call 704.625.7578 704.231.0751. Email: sastrigal2003@yahoo.com Mehandi (Henna): Award winning artist from Jaipur, India specializing in wedding parties (Bride & attendants). Satisfaction guaranteed regarding design, color & price. Please call: Krishna Priya Dasi 919.824.7734 E-Mail: krsnapriyad@hotmail.com

Beauty Parlour: Beauty Parlour near Arboretum area (Charlotte, NC). Pineville-Matthews Rd. Henna design services avaliable for bridal & any occassion. Call (980) 422-0035 Home / (858) 342-1591 Cell

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 Jayantinlad@yahoo.com Neetaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Beauty Parlor: Charlotte area open 7 days a week. Full service. Please call for appointment. 704.968.0270.

Home Improvement & Fix-It Services: Specialize in Decks, Porches, Tiling, Painting, Trim, HVAC, Electricals, Landscaping, Pressure Wash, Basement completion & More! Call 704.827.1109 or 704-737-3608. 10% OFF first service. Deepti Beauty Parlor: (Concord, NC near Highland Creek/Skybrook): Threading, waxing, facial, bleach, manicure, pedicure & much more. For appointment call 704.405.5574

Dholi For Hire: Plays the Dhol (drum), for any occasion, barat, doli, graduation, birthdays, baby showers and any other festivity. Affordable rate. Arpan Bhandari at 704.843.7202. email: sbhandari@carolina.rr.com Tutoring: for 5th to 10th grades mathematics. Also tutoring & lessons in Hindi. Charlotte Area. Call 704.619.0251

Henna Designs: Experienced henna artist for weddings, parties, arangetrams & more. Reasonable rates. Charlotte area. Call 704.619.0251

SAATHEE CLASSIFIEDS:

Business ads are $25 & personal ads are $15 up to 25 words. Submit classifieds on-line at www.saathee.com or via e-mail, fax or US Mail. Ad Submission Deadline is the 20th of the month. We accept credit cards and checks. Ads are posted on saathee.com at no extra charge. Feel free to call us with any questions.

704.527.7570 Fax: 704.527.7590 Saatheemag@hotmail.com www.saathee.com PO Box 11468, Charlotte, NC 28220

saathee.com

Index of Advertisers

A.S. Art Studio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18 Access Realty & Funding (Chandravadan Shah) . . .85 All Car Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .66 Aloha Mind Math (Tutoring) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .31 Alvi Satellites . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13 & 35 Alyssa's Garlands (Ila Amin) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .86 Anokha Dance Company . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23 AP Architecture Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .115 Apna Travels (Morrisville) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .39 Art Of Living (Charlotte) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .99 Asian Grocery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .105 Asiana Fusion.Sushi . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .55 Atlanta Liquidation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .93 Aura Boutique (Ladies Fashions) . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9 BallantyneTech Academy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25 Bashyam & Spiro LLP (Immigration Law) . . . . . . .101 Bharat Bazaar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21 Bhindi Jewellers . . . . . . . . . . .Inside Front Cover Bipin & Smita Parekh (Real Estate) . . . . . . . . . . .111 Blooming Buds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .111 Bombay Express (Indina Restaurant) . . . . . . . . . .33 Bombay Grille Restaurant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .29 Cakes and Flakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .84 Carolina Digestive Care Center . . . . . . . . . . . . . .109 Carolina Medical Associates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .79 CaroMont Medical Group (Dr. Manu Patel) . . . . . . .86 Cary Photo & Video . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .53 Centex Homes (Brijal Shah) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4 Challa Law Offices, PLC (Immigration) . . . . . . . . . .7 Charlotte C-Store Wholesale . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .128 Charlotte Eye Ear Nose & Throat . . . . . . . . . . . . .86 Charlotte Music School . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18 Charlotte Prep School . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .83 Charlotte Primary Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .117 Chawpaty Food (Catering) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .56 CHIP-IN (Clean & Healthy India Promotion â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Int) .73 Chiro-Carolina . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .83 Concha, David - Immigration Attorney . . . . . . . . .73 Concord Children's Clinic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .105 County South Realty & Business Brokers . . . . . . .113 CPCC (Jump Start - Certificate Training Program) .71 Delhi Palace (Columbia, SC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .75 Dentist (Dr. Prashant Rao - Cedar Walk Dentistry) .89 Desai Desai Accounting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .121 Desai, Raj (CPA) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5 Dick James Law Firm (Monty Desai) . . . . . . . . . . .49 Dish Network (Viren Mehta) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .43 DJ Kenz (Kenz Desai) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .81 DJ Desi (Amit Vasi) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24 DJ Don (David Pandoria) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .88 DJ Lalit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22 DJ Ravi . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34 Editing & Writing Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .107 Elegant Designs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .93 E-nopi (Tutoring - Math & English) . . . . . . . . . . . .75 Eshaan Jewelers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13 Fairview Home Mortgage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .63 Festival Of India (Charlotte) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .77 Five Star Car Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .91 Friends Travel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .113 Fu Lin Asian Cuisine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .89 Gandhi International Market . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .89 Gayatri Pariwar Charlotte (Maha Deep Yagna) . . . .95 Global Mall (Atlanta) . . . . . . . . . . .Inside Back Cover Grover Medical Clinic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .99 Heating & Cooling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .40 Henna's Dulhan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .69 I-Capture (Photography-Videography) . . . . . . . . . .24 iFuturistics Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .53 India Grocers (Charlotte) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .57 India Town . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .72 International Christian Assembly (Annual Conv) . .97 International Groceries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .109 Jaipur Indian Restaurant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .41 K & M Accountant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .55 K.B. Zaveree . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3 KD Photographics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .101 Khandekar, Shobana (Allen Tate Realtors) . . . . . . .51 Live Spectrum (A.R. Rahman Concert) . . . . . . . . . .1 Mahabazar Imports (Ruchi Lime Pickle) . . . . . . . .59 Mahabazar.com Travels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .59 Maharani Restaurant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .69 Malani Jewelers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Back Cover Marriott (Courtyard - Ballantyne) . . . . . . . . . . . . .67 Mathur, Gitanjali (Allen Tate Realtors) . . . . . . . . . .31 Mrithujayan, Sue (Real Estate) . . . . . . . . . . . . . .47 Music Lessions and Live Music . . . . . . . . . . . . . .107 Nach Bollywood (Dance Instruction) . . . . . . . . . . .41 Nagpal, Sunil (MetLife Financial Services) . . . . . . .35 Namaste India . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .79 Nationwide Ins. (Maqsood Khan) . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7 Nazar Television . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .123

June 2010

Neeta's Beauty Parlor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .105 Nilgiris Indian Bazaar (Charlotte) . . . . . . . . . . . . .69 Oza, Rishi (Immigration Legal Services) . . . . . . . .81 Paracha Entertainment (Shreya Ghoshal Concert) .17 Parekh, Smita (Bank Of America Mortgage) . . . . . .32 Passage To India - Fine Indian Cuisine . . . . . . . . .61 Patel Brothers (Charlotte) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .87 Patel, Champa (Real Estate) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12 Patel, Mrugesh (Law Offices) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .81 Pathak, Atul (Real Estate) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .45 Payal Groceries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .91 Piedmont GYN/OB . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .67 Poplai, Deepak (White Insurance) . . . . . . . . . . . .53 Prashant Video Production . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .111 R.P. Videography (Rashmi Patel) . . . . . . . . . . . . .39 Rajbhog Foods (Shree Kailash) . . . . . . . . . . . . . .41 Rajdeep Mandap . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .39 Rajdeep Video (Ramesh Panjabi) . . . . . . . . . . . . .22 Rama Flowers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .94 Rapid Car Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .58 Ravindra Dave Pandit (Religious Services) . . . . . .115 Religious Ceremonies (Swaminath Sastrigal) . . .109 Roop Beauty (Pooja Patel) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .55 Royal India Bazaar (Columbia, SC) . . . . . . . . . . . .37 Royal Kabab Hut . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8 Royal Pakistan Grocery Store . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8 S. Mustafa Shah-Khan (Dentist) . . . . . . . . . . . . .103 Saathee Subscription Coupon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .90 Saffron Restaurant & Sangeeta's Catering . . . . . .51 Salasar Insurance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23 Sam's Mart Inc. (Paul Joseph) . . . . . . . . . . . . . .127 SAT Tutoring (The Hitchhiker's Guide to College) . .37 Shah, Anish (Real Estate) . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26 & 27 Shah, Kirti (CPA) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .38 Shiv Travels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .115 Shyama Beauty Parlour . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .91 Situl Indian Restaurant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5 Sleep Inn (Charlotte) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .77 Sodha, Sandeep (Book: The Cultural Stimulus) . . .34 Sunuvkriti . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5 SV Temple (Events) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .64 & 65 Swift Telecom . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11 Terry Waller Construction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .72 Thakkar, Beena (Realty) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .69 The Blue Taj . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23 Tim Wilkinson Signature Realty . . . . . . . . . . . . . .63 Transportation (Diamond Cab) . . . . . . . . . . . . . .117 Travel Universe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19 Travelinks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .73 Ttravel Guru . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .105 Tyagi, Rita (Real Estate) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .103 U-Haul Indian Trail . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9 United Central Bank (Mehul Patel) . . . . . . . . . . . .38 Usha Decor (Wedding Planning & Decor) . . . . . . . .62 Vyas Travels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .50 White Horse Weddings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .107 Woodlands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15 Worldwide travels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .121

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saathee.com

C-STORES FOR SALE:

Charlotte & Greensboro NC, Columbia SC and Atlanta Metro area. owner Financing options on select locations. Call Paul for details.

Charlotte C-Store Wholesale & Greensboro Discounts

Cigarettes - Candy - Tobacco - Sodas & General Merchandise g Servin ina &

Now O In Cha pen rlotte!

Carol h t r o N rolina a C h t Sou

greensboro location

110 east Meadowview Rd. Suite# 102 greensboro, nC 27406 336.275.2613 336.275.2614 fax e-mail: info@ncwholesale.com Prices good until 6.30.10 or while supplies last.

open: Mon - Sat (9-6)

Charlotte: 704-780-1851

Now in Charlotte