6 NRI PULSE ...... City News...... September 2009 Ajmeri’s Global Entertainment Hosts Comedy & Mimicry BY MAHADEV DESAI varsh no baabo’ in one of the longest running In a brief interview both Maheshbhai and Gopalbhai young generation is a cause for concern. Old taboos Gujarati play’ Preet, piyu ne panetar’. emphasized that their shows had high cultural and fam- are breaking down. We are witnessing a craze for Atlanta: A program of rib-tickling comedy, Gopalbhai Barot, who is from Saurashtra, is ily-values content devoid of any vulgarity. They ap- consumerism and permissiveness. “Sadly we are wit- organized by Atlanta’s performing arts icon on his second visit to the U.S. He is well versed in plauded the role played by Gujarati Samaj in preserv- nessing growing instances where a widowed father or Mustafa Ajmeri’s Global Entertainment, best Gujarati literature and folklore. He has performed in ing and promoting Indian culture, heritage and mother despite having several grown up children feels known for bringing choice plays, Gujarati language and expressed their apprecia- lonely and neglected because no one extends a helping dance and music programs by ac- tion of the warm hospitality extended to them hand.”. He advised the youth, “Your parents took claimed performers, literary events by the Indian community. care of you during your first ten years. So remember and shows of Bollywood celebrities The three comedians soon had the audience it is your duty to take care of them in the last ten years to Atlanta, was held at the Sardar Patel in stitches with their flurries of jokes in their of their lives”. Bhavan Hall, in Tucker, Georgia on inimitable styles. Their jokes are based on a keen Gopalbhai emphasized the richness of Friday August 21. sense of observation and nuances of everyday life. Gujarati language, literature and culture. Mahadev Desai welcomed all and Maheshbhai spoke of cricket fans who behave like During the interval, the attendees were introduced the national promoter of the comedy show, Parimal Butala, experts on the game; about Gujarati women,who keep served tea and tasty snacks provided by who has been past President of servants and have ample time to band together with Kalpeshbhai of Patel Bros.,; New Delhi Imports Gujarati Samaj of Tampa Bay, Florida neighbors and gossip about their husbands, politics, and K.B.Zaveree respectively. and is currently its Social Secretary. etc. He also cracked jokes about food-the growing Gopalbhai thanked Ajmeri, for his ‘can -do’ He then introduced the three well craze for pizzas-Maheshbhai compared eating a cold spirit and unflinching support. Ajmeri responded by known, respected and seasoned co- pizza to a dog chewing on a slipper!.There were jokes thanking the three outstanding ’kalakars’ for a memo- medians from Gujarat-Mahesh Shastri on arranged marriages, wedding-night fun between rable feast of fun and laughter. He also thanked the from Ahmedabad, Gopal Barot from newly marrieds, etc. National Promoter Parimal Butala,Gujarati Samaj. the Saurashtra and Nirav Mehta from Niravbhai won repeated applause with his pro- media who helped with the publicity and coverage of Baroda. The Gujarati trio comedians ficient mimicry artistry. He mimicked voices of BJP the event, Ramesh Pandya (Gujarati Samaj board have arrived in the U.S. on August 1 leader Advani, noted singers Rafi,Kishor member) and C.M.Patel for their help and support . for a five week tour. The Atlanta show Kumar,Mukesh,Bollywood stars Amitabh,Amrish He especially thanked Sanjay Patel for going the extra is their 9th show. None of them is a L to R: Nirav Mehta, Mahesh Shastri and Gopal Barot. Puri,Kulbhushan Kharbanda,Dharmendra, Amol mile in extending his tireless help in all aspects of the stranger to Atlanta. Palekar, Sanjeev Kumar, Raj Kumar, Rajesh Khanna, show, from beginning to end, including serving snacks Widely traveled, Mahesh Shastri is on his many a ‘Dayro’ and in shows aired on Doordarshan. Naseeruddin Shah, Dilip Kumar etc. He brought the and tea during the interval. He further thanked the fourth trip to the U.S. His first visit was with Nirav Mehta, an international mimicry artist and house down with mimicry of Paresh Rawal. team of volunteers Rajni Parikh,Vishnu Trivedi, and Gujarat’s eminent comedian Shahbuddin Rathod, singer has traveled extensively-to East Africa; U.K., But it was not all funny stuff. Maheshbhai Upendra Bhatt, for their services. A surprise awaited and later with another well known comedian Europe, New Zealand, U.S. & Canada, and performed commented on the eroding family values. The blind the attendees-stainless- steel thalis as they left the Dinkar Mehta. Maheshbhai has also acted as ‘bavis with Johnny Lever, Shekhar Suman etc. aping of Western lifestyle by the present affluent auditorium, courtesyApna Bazar. NKK Members Volunteer To Build Atlanta Vedic Temple Holds ‘Fun Home With Habitat For Humanity & Learn’ Camp For Children BY JYOTHSNA HEGDE profit and financed with affordable loans. In Atlanta: Once again AVT was ready as a play- living, musical beats on instrument Tablaa, and addition to a down payment and monthly ground, a home and a cultural plus Vedic school for watched a puppet show on Asthma Atlanta: “I slept and dreamt that life was mortgage payments, homeowners invest this year’s youth summer campers. They (ages 5 awareness. They were awed by dance-on-skate joy. I awoke and saw that life was service. I acted hundreds of hours of their own labor (sweat to 16) came on Friday PM, dumped their sleeping performance by one-of-their own 14 year old and behold, service was joy.” Rabindranath equity) into building their Habitat house and the (Aaditya) who was an ex-na- Tagore once said. Charity organizations such as houses of others. tional champion of India in year Habitat for Humanity embrace this philosophy The Adugu/Ahedor family originates from 2008. The evening was more Ghana, West Africa. The family came to the hilarious with water-balloons, United States four years ago as a result of mom, tug-of-war, water-slides and Phyl, winning the American Visa lottery organized cricket. The fun continued in by the United States. Phyl Adugu works in night with gathering around a customer service for Fulton County. There are camp fire and a talent show in four children in the family. Currently the father, Mike which each one thrilled others Ahedor, is back in Ghana working to pay off the loans with jokes, mimicry and incurred so that the family could take advantage of the music. Hesitantly, they finally Visa lottery. While this has been a challenge for the went to their sleeping bags, but family, he hopes to join the family in a year or two. The only after reciting their regular family is very grateful to Habitat for the opportunity to night-time prayers. own their own home. They are excited to join with the On the third and final community in providing sweat equity for their home. day, after their regular morn- The volunteers from NKK who took part in ing prayers and Yogasans to eliminate poverty housing and homelessness this event include Aadarsha Basavarajurs, Ramesh plus Pranayam, they posed by constructing and building adequate and basic Masoor, Dr. Ramswamy. Indira Ramaswamy, bags plus personal belongings, gulped camp’s first for personal & group souvenir housing. Nrupatunga Kannada Koota (NKK) Lakshmi Masoor, Dharani Kommaralu, Ravi yummy snack & rushed into learning of Bollywood photographs. After that they presented to members volunteered to labor with this Dharendra, Tanu Kumar, Pradeep Vittalmurthy, dance. Tired they took their dinner, saw a movie happy parents all their experiences of the organization for several months this summer for Srikanth Bellur, Vasudev Bhatt and Ananda Rajeurs. and dutifully learnt night-time prayers plus basic camp. They performed Hawan and recited the a house constructed for the Adugu/Ahedor family Keeping up the community spirit, NKK has knowledge on Vedas and daily Vedic duties. Vedic summary including the daily duties of in Milton/Alpharetta. The finished home was also adopted Douglas Road starting at McGinnes Next day, they woke up early, said morning prayers life. In closing ceremony they listened to the handed over to the Adugu family this August. ferry Rd to Jones Bridge Rd from the City of and performed Yogasans plus Pranayam. After break- last advice from temple’s Acharyaji to be a good Habitat for Humanity works through Alpharetta under “adopt -a-mile “program. fast they performed Hawan, during which they learnt human first in all professions of life. Each one volunteer labor and donations of money and Kannada classes are offered at 3 locations starting additional Vedic knowledge. Then they dived into fun & was recognized for being a great congenial materials. Habitat builds and rehabilitates houses this September. Kannada crowd of Atlanta is also run for rest of the day. Among the planned activities, camper. After final delicious lunch, they all left alongside our homeowner (partner) families. looking forward to the concert organized by NKK they made toys from papers, painted art & craft, with happy body, mind and soul and with a strong Habitat houses are sold to partner families at no on the 12th of September. learnt dental-hygiene, how to enjoy life thru Art-of- desire to come back again in yr. 2010.