The Indian Cultural Association Presents CHAKRA ‘19

The Indian Cultural Association presents CHAKRA ‘19

INDIA DAY’S 25th ANNIVERSARY

LOOK INSIDE TO FIND…

• THE ICA PRESIDENT’S LETTER

• THE WINNERS OF THE CHAKRA ARTI- CLE COMPETITION

• FULL DAY EVENT PROGRAM FOR INDIA DAY 2019

• LIST OF ALL PERFORMERS

• A DIRECTORY OF ALL SUPPORTING BUSINESSES AND SPONSORS

• AND MORE….

Thank You Volunteers! Table of Contents

ICA President: Jaisen Mody President’s Letter 5 Chhavi Agarwal Flavors of the Program 7 Navaratri - Oneness in Diversity 8 Meghana Agarwal What India Stands For 8 Deepashree Barve What I Love About India 9 Akash Bindal (1st in Children Category) Vaani Bindal My Favorite Indian Holiday 9 (2nd in Children Category) Tulsee Doshi My Truths 10 Uma Doshi (2nd in Teen Category) Viti Eachambadi A Comedic Approach to Indian Parenting 11 Sunil Garg Dependence is Green 12 Mini Jairaj (2nd in Adult Category) Miss Myself 12 Bhavana Jaiswal Summertime in India 14 Samar Kaur Embrace Your Own Uniqueness 14 Ramesh Krishnamurthy The Fervor of Indian Cricket 15 Kala Kumar (1st in Teen Category) Reena Parekh This is India 15 Anita Punja Yantra, Tantra, Mantra - Swatantra 17 My Immigrant Experience 20 Santosh Ramesh Henna 22 Anita Rao How India Has Influenced American Thinking 22 Vijay Rao Being Bicultural 23 Vikram Savara (3rd in Teen Category) Rajeev Singh An Article About Religion 23 Another Break in the Wall 24 Ananda Vardhana (1st in Adult Category) Vasanti Vasudevan Cream and Sugar 25 Varsha Vasudevan A Hindi Poem by Anand Mohan Sinha 26 Chhavi Thakur The Story of Soor Aur Saptak 28 Chakra Co-Editor Manavi Thakur Participant List 29 Chakra Editor Om Parekh Kids Puzzles 32

Editors’ Notes

Welcome to the Chakra magazine 2019 edi- May the vivacious sounds and perpetual festivities tion. This year’s magazine is filled with wonderful traverse through the street articles and poems from our community here in Port- For my heart always knows, it is this web that brings my culture to meet land, Oregon. Every year I have the joy of reading these articles written by schoolchildren, adolescents, Hello Chakra enthusiasts! My name is Manavi and professionals alike. Thakur and I will be a senior at Jesuit High School this fall. I have been a member of the India Cultural I would like to take this space to personally Association (ICA) for five years now, but I have been thank all those who sponsored this magazine by pur- a performer since I was five years old! I can say, chasing advertisement space: without you this maga- without a doubt, that the journey has been immensely zine and festival would not be possible. rewarding. From working endlessly on sponsorships to connecting with people throughout my community, With that I will let you dig into the pages and and sharing so many memories with my fellow volun- see all the wonderful articles and writings that will teers, I have treasured it all! I am so proud and excit- make your India Day experience even more enjoya- ed about all the articles that we have in our 2019 ble. Chakra issue. A sincere thanks to everyone who has supported ICA and Chakra from being a reader of the Thank you, magazine to sponsoring this amazing event. Turn the Chakra pages for important information about busi- Chakra Editor Om Parekh nesses throughout Portland and some captivating content.

Best regards, Your Chakra Co-Editor Manavi Thakur

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President’s Letter

I would like to welcome everyone to this year’s INDIA FESTIVAL on Sunday, August 11th, 2019, where we will celebrate India’s 72nd anniversary of independence and commemorate the birth of the world’s largest democracy. We are honored to have as our chief guest, India’s Consul General for the West Coast, Am- bassador Sanjay Kumar Panda, who will be joining us from San Francisco.

The timing of this year’s India Festival comes as US-India relations are being discussed on the global stage. Our two countries carry a rich history and over time have become important economic and business partners. In a symbolic nod to India’s important geopolitical role in broader Asia, Washington last year re- named its Pacific Command to the US Indo Pacific Command. At this year’s festival, we are excited to share India’s cultural values.

We thank our supporters and a special shout out to the parents who work so hard, along with their children to prepare for this program.

Our Chakra team has done an exceptional job in compiling this magazine. We want to acknowledge the good work of Om Parekh, editor and Manavi Thakur co-editor.

India Cultural Association has been organizing this wonderful event for over twenty- five years, which is quite an accomplishment. Our volunteers are amazing and dedicate countless hours to make this event a success. KUDOS TO THEM!! I cannot thank them enough for their dedication.

We would like to thank our sponsors, RACC, Nike Inc., IW group, Akshaya Patra, PDXA1 Realty Group, Portland Center of Arts, Biz Tek People Inc, for sponsoring this event. Our sincere thanks to all the vendors that have purchased booths, advertised in our Chakra magazine and made generous donations.

As you know, culture plays an important role in the development of a nation and a child. At India Festi- val, you will be able to experience an exciting display of live traditional and Bollywood dances and music. To understand the origin of dance in India, we will also present a variety of classical folk dances and literary art. Participants will also celebrate by singing patriotic songs and enacting dramas about the Freedom Strug- gle. Be sure to try our Indian food as well – Tandoori chicken, Dosas, Biriyani, Mango Lassis…what else could you ask for? Please visit all our vendor booths and support them by purchasing their delicious food and helping them market their products.

We feel that participating in the activities of India Cultural Association has many benefits. It provides individuals the opportunity to learn and embrace the Indian culture and strengthen their leadership skills. Hav- ing the confidence to lead in today’s world goes a long way in preparing them for a bright future. Our former attendees and past performers continue to support India Festival and show their appreciation and support for ICA. All of you, who have had the opportunity to perform; we appreciate it and are very grateful. With your support we will continue to host India Festival every year. If you are interested in getting involved, we would love to hear from you. We are actively seeking volunteers for organizing the 2020 festival. Here is your chance to be part of a high-performance team, assembled each year to organize this event. Please stop by our ICA booth to discuss opportunities.

Sincerely, President Jaisen Mody

Flavors of the Program

We aim to have a diverse program of a variety of ages, types of dances, and songs throughout the day. Here is a sample of a few of the performances!

10:45 - 1:00 • Start off your day with some Laughter Yoga! • Performances by some of our youngest Bollywood stars • Dances and vocal performances to classic patriotic hits • A beautiful mother and daughter folk dance tribute

1:00 - 3:00 • Classic, high-powered, bhangra performances • An interactive dance lesson with the non-profit Dance is Play • Folk dances bring Western, Southern, and Eastern India to life! • A skit discussing secularism, religion, and education

3:00 - 5:00 • DJ Prashant will bring in the crowd for some Bollywood fun! • Travel to Haryana and Punjab with some amazing folk dances • Vocal renditions of beautiful classic prayers • Bollywood meets Kathak and brings the Ramayana to life

5:00 - 7:00 • The Consul General of India SF joins us as a guest of honor • Join us in singing the US & Indian National Anthems • Tributes to heroines Sridevi and Deepika Padukone • Performances to the latest Bollywood and Telugu hits • Exposés of tribal dances from across India

7:00 - 8:00: The Finale! • High-energy hits from DJ Prashant, Miz LaFontaine, & the Fusionists! • OSU Bhangra brings on a competition-level performance • Marathi and Rajasthani folk dances • The finest showcases of classical rigor from North and South India

Navaratri - Oneness in Diversity evening where we get to play with our friends and eat sweets to our heart's content. Over the years we have By Ahana Naskar had our neighbors also join us in the festivities and learn about our culture. It’s almost that time of the year again, and the Navaratri which means nine nights, is an im- festivities are right around the corner. Like I said we portant Hindu festival celebrated to honor Goddess may celebrate it differently, but our heart is in the Durga, who symbolizes power and purity. The festi- same place. India!! val takes place in Autumn somewhere between Sep- tember and October. Navratri is celebrated for different reasons and in many ways across India. While the stories behind them differ the main moral behind it remains the same – that is, the victory of good over evil. During this festival, three incarnations of goddess Parvati are celebrated, Durga, Lakshmi, and Sar- What India Stands For aswati. The first three days of the festival we pray to Durga, the next three days we pray to Lakshmi, and By Kaavia Gupta, Age 9, 4th grade the last three days to Saraswati. During these nine days, women plant 9-grain seeds on each day and offer the saplings to god each day. On the 10th, known as Dussehra. “I” stands for Indian airplanes. When I go to India, I The eastern states celebrate Durga Puja, travel on an airplane from India. They serve Indian though today it is celebrated all over India, and the tea for my parents to drink, and I order samosa. Sa- world. It is believed that Durga battled with demon mosa is a crispy chaat stuffed with vegetables. Mahishasura and won after fighting for 9 straight days. During Durga Puja, colossal idols of Durga are made, they are worshipped for nine days and then im- “N” stands for Nani. Nani always plays with me and mersed in a nearby river or water body. The idols are she wears Saris a lot. She buys clothes for mama and kept in “Pandals” i.e. temporary stages, for these 9 I. Nani taught me how to knit and makes me palak days. The creativity that goes into erecting these pan- paneer and gobi paratha every time I go to India. Pa- dals is both a visual and creative treat. Each one is lak Paneer is a spinach gravy in paneer and gobi unique and beautifully different than the other. I have paratha is a form of bread stuffed with cauliflower had the opportunity of visiting Kolkata during the pu- and spices. My nani and I also went on a safari in jas and had a lot of fun spending time with family. India. We saw a lot of different types of deer, lions, In other parts of India, Navratri celebrates the tigers, monkeys, and much more! victory of Lord Rama over Ravana. The festival ends by burning effigies of Ravana and his brothers Me- “D” stands for Delhi. In Delhi, I went to my aunt’s ghnad and Kumbhakaran. Each of Ravana's ten heads house and she made me Khandvi. Khandvi is a Guja- signifies the ten days of Navratri. Celebrations across rati recipe made with besan, turmeric, and topped the country include prayers, chanting, and dances with freshly-chopped cilantro and mustard seeds. It such as Dandiya and Garba (one of my favorite parts). is one of my favorite foods. Here in Portland, we celebrate Navratri with our own little way but for the same reasons. We have pujas at the temples, Garba on the weekends and a “I” stands for Ice-cream. Mango ice-cream in India very fun time with friends and family. Life during tastes much better than ice-cream in America since it these 10 days gets very busy - school, classes, and is made with fresh mangoes. visiting friends and family. Some of our friends celebrate it by keeping a “Golu”. Golu is a display of dolls and items on a set of shelves, usually an odd “A” stands for Achaar. Achar is a spicy pickle that number. Some of the Golus have some interesting my Nani likes to make. She makes a variety of concepts like Harry Potter, Lego, Carnival, etc. At our achaars, such as lemon, lime, and mango. house, we invite friends and family for Haldi- I miss going to India and to me, this is what India Kumkum. It is an evening I look forward to. I get to stands for... help with decorations, packing gifts for our guests and in some cases with cooking. It’s yet another fun

What I Love About India My Favorite Indian Holiday By Annika Telang, Age 10 By Prisha Sinha, Age 9

I love India. Its where my parents are from My favorite Indian holiday is Holi. It is a and because it is where my grandparents, many aunts, really fun and cultural holiday. I love throwing col- uncles and cousins live. I connect to India when I vis- ored powder at others. But I hate when the Holi col- it, or when my grandparents come to stay with us, and bring us Indian goodies! or gets in my eyes. I love playing with water and India is a very cultural place to visit, and during Holi I can! Holi is really fun. There is a rea- gives us so much to think about. I love going to Indi- son why Holi is celebrated. Holi is celebrated be- an temples, they are beautiful and soothing. Recently cause the beginning night is when we light a bon- I started going to Chinmaya Bala Vihar to know fire. Then we do pooja and stuff. The following day more about Indian culture, and I learnt so much about we throw colors and water to celebrate spring, love, the gods and goddesses and the Indian festivals, through stories that my teachers told. I really like the and family. Holi has become popular in places like Krishna statue at Chinmaya, it is so pleasant to see. Jamaica, Suriname, Guyana, Trinidad, Tobago, The first time I ate Indian food was when I South Africa, Malaysia, the United Kingdom, the was a baby, and I was unsure of it, but gradually as I United States, Canada, Mauritius, and Fiji. At home got older I began to love it! Indian food has so many how we celebrate is we buy some colored powder. flavors and is fascinating. What I really love and miss from India are the sweets! There is the prasadam We don’t use water. Then we would go outside and from temples, and there’s kaju katli, mysore pak, start playing with the colors. Once my sister’s hair jalebi, gulab jamun, besan ladoo, and so much more. was pink because there was so much pink powder in They are all my favorites and my grandparents al- her hair :D! Back in India, people celebrate Holi on ways bring me some. the streets so everyone can join! Here in the US, What I think is the most interesting thing about India is how they got their Independence; some places like Intel they hold huge Holi celebra- thanks to India’s great freedom fighters like Rani tions. The brightness of colors is something that Lakshmi Bai, Mahatma Gandhi, Bal Gangadhar Til- brings in a lot of positivity and happiness in us. Ho- ak, Bhagat Singh, and so many more. I have heard li, the festival of colors is actually a day worth re- stories and many songs at India Festivals about how joicing. Holi is a famous Hindu festival that is cele- India got its Independence. That is what we come together to celebrate at the India Festival every year. brated in every part of India with lots of joy and en- I am so glad Portland celebrates India Festival, it thusiasm. On the day of Holi people play with col- helps me connect with everything that I love about orful powder with their others and in the evening India. they show love and respect to their close ones. Holi I have been performing with Aarti Auntie’s is considered as one of the most revered and cele- dance group for 3 years now. I love to dance. Each brated festivals of India and it is celebrated in al- year Aarti Aunty comes up with a new dance, a new concept, and really cool and colorful Indian cos- most every part of the country. It is also sometimes tumes. I love the experience because many of my In- called the “festival of colors” because we throw dian friends are a part of the group, so we get to have bright colored powder at others. If you’re thinking, a lot of fun practicing our dance for the Festival. “What is Holi?” you might find that there isn’t ex- Since I don’t get too many chances to wear Indian actly one answer to that question. Holi is a celebra- dresses, I am glad that at least for India Festival, I get a chance to dress up in traditional outfits, which I re- tion of color and the beginning of spring. ally love. I am so excited to be performing at India Festival 2019, it’s going to be a blast!

Then why did my mother tell me to try not to answer My Truths so many math questions in my elementary classes By Anabel C. Pinto That she didn’t want the Indian to be teased? Then why do they assume that I’m Hindu? I am the sound of fireworks on the Fourth of July Then why have they asked me And the sound of the Govinda parade late in the night “So why are you eating beef?” I am the smell of cookies baking in the oven “So your dad works at Intel?” And the smell of chakli frying in hot oil “So why doesn’t your name sound Indian?” I am the feeling of an autumn breeze running through my hair Then why do people say they love our unique culture, yet portray us as the socially unaware geeks on the And the feeling of a summer monsoon drenching my screen? clothes Then try and tell me again that I am the graced mi- I am the sight of white snow falling in the winter nority. And the sight of colorful rangoli on the ground on feast days So let me walk my line. I am the taste of scrambled eggs in the morning My line with its curves and sharp turns and turna- And the taste of daal late at night rounds.

I am walking the line between two worlds Let me walk my line.

Sometimes it’s easy to balance Because the rest of the floor is yours.

Sometimes the wind of judgement blows me one way

Don’t get me wrong, I love my two realms

There is comfort in both But I’ve learned to be part of what’s considered the “minority”

The Indian minority.

The graced minority, so I’ve been told.

Then why do people try to tell me who I am? Then why do they tell my little brother that Indians can’t play basketball? Then why do they tell my mother that she should be Reiki Classes 1st Degree working a higher paid job? Angel & Tarot Card Readings That she probably has a higher degree? LoveisAFrequency.com Reiki Master Rose Then why does my father feel that we should speak 503-296-9650 English in public? [email protected] And why does my brother feel embarrassed when we speak Konkani around his peers?

come across! Going through all of your WhatsApp A Comedic Approach to contacts and selecting which aunties and uncles get to receive the blessed news that has begun to spread Indian Parenting across WhatsApp. A connection built between WhatsApp and Indians is a common stereotype that By Anonymous has grown over many years and has integrated itself into the lives of all Indians. “Subtle Curry Traits” is a Facebook group that Which brings me to our next stop on this jour- has changed my life in unthinkable ways. I always ney of finding the ultimate way to become the best thought I was alone seeing my dad repetitively reach Indian parent. The actual importance of stereotypes his open palm to the back of the car as I ate my in Indian culture. We view stereotypes as something McDonald's French fries in my booster seat, until I that labels Indians based on commonalities that are entered the realm of this particular Facebook group, most always a mockery. But what I have learned in a where I realized that a harmless stereotype about Indi- few short months of being exposed to a mass amount an parenting has taught me more about my culture of stereotype related jokes, is that there is a unique and community than most would think. So first, let’s importance to these in our culture and in sustaining look at the stereotypical Indian parenting ways that Indian culture. What I have learned from stereotypes every Indian is familiar with and analyze the im- is that they create a relatable forum that allows the portance of each major similarity between Indian cul- billions of Indians all around the world to find com- ture. Then, let’s take a dance down memory lane, and monality in something that is perceived as a harmless see why stereotypes have always been an important joke. On a Facebook group with thousands of people, part of culture despite popular belief, and finally, I never thought that I would be able to relate with adopt a plan on how to be an Indian parent, which is them through every single post that made me laugh, the goal of this entire article, right? Read on! Here’s but I did. Because of these stereotypes, I have begun the first question any Indian parents looking at this to feel like there is always going to be culture and article might ask. I’ve already guessed it, which, mind people that I can always relate to. This proves just you, exhibits my expertise in this field. Make sure one of the important things that have been mis- you add an Indian accent to this. “Why should I, an perceived about Indian stereotypes. outstanding Indian, listen to a child about parenting?” Furthermore, you’re reading this article, look- Here’s the thing. “Subtle Curry Traits” has ing for a way to be a good Indian parent. One of the actually taught me more than how to make fun of In- musts of Indian parenting is none other than teaching dian parenting. It’s given me a unique perspective on your child Indian culture. Exposing your child to all the relationships between stereotypes and Indian cul- of the things you yourself experienced as an Indian ture. And from that, I’ve been able to develop a pre- child. Sustaining Indian culture for future generations cise plan on how any other “regular” parent can of the world is extremely important. I think that these achieve the status of being specifically an Indian one, laughable stereotypes are something that could help amongst other things. It’s crazy, the things that Face- sustain Indian culture at least in a way that appeals to book can actually be useful for, rather than for show- younger generations. Although they are mostly jokes, ing off your morning dosas to all of your 40 Facebook I believe that stereotypes help kids of all ages to em- friends. But, in order to understand the depth that brace their own culture, which also gives them rea- comes with something as comedic as Indian parent- sons to talk about it and relate to it with other people. ing, we must begin at square one, and work our way Sustaining Indian culture, especially in the United to the top of our class, like all Indian parents advocate States where displays of Indian culture isn’t the for, by first taking a look at the “all too familiar” norm. If all else fails, there will always be stereo- ways Indian parents work. types that will continue Indian culture forever. And Of course, there are about a million stereo- that’s exactly why they’re important. types of Indian parenting that I could enlighten an To conclude, what you’ve all been waiting for Indian parent with, but the most important and uni- is finally here. The ultimate guide on being a good versal one is none other than the spreading of Indian parent. In my opinion, there is one simple, WhatsApp news. “Nick and Priyanka broke up after universal step that every Indian parent can take to his dad refused to wear a turtle on his head” and, “If achieve their goals as a parent. Embrace stereotypes! you keep your phone near you without taking Baba Even if by now you still are iffy on stereotypes, just Ramdev medication, your head will explode,” etc. We think about this way. The next time you sit down are all too familiar with the fake news that is spread with your child at the dinner table, talk to them about day to day across multiple WhatsApp group chats. I stereotypes. I’m sure that they’ll have something to bet it’s the most tiring thing that an Indian parent can laugh about. I encourage you to join the “Subtle Cur-

11 ry Traits” Facebook group, which I credit my inspira- tion for this article. Next time you reach your hand to Miss Myself the back of the car as your child eats French fries, remember this article, and remember to embrace it. By Aryan Gupta Indian culture is something to be proud of. Stereo- types are an important thing believe it or not, it gives Something seems off lately. The days are go- everyone something they can relate to, and helps sustain Indian culture for all generations. Thank you for ing by slower even though the months are passing by reading! in a flash. Your energy is being completely drained by nothing. And it just seems harder to smile. When you look at yourself in a mirror you don’t see yourself; you see stress, anxiety, anger, fear, hopelessness, and everything else. You feel you’ve lost purpose and meaning. Everything that you used to do with enthu- siasm seems pointless. The path you are walking seems to be going nowhere. You used to smile a lot more, and because you did you miss yourself. And I think that happens to all of us at some point; it was like that for me for quite a while. The way it affects everyone is different, and I think the way to get rid of Dependence is Green this is different for everyone. But ultimately you have By Naresh Srinivasan to stop worrying about the things that trouble you most. You deserve to get back your days that were We strolled in the forest admiring the wild lost in worrying. It’s hard to just stop worrying about Living in the green and breathing the clean things, but once you do you will wonder why you In cultural harmony and total co-existence were even worrying in the first place. The pain of not With unity and differences in a muddy terrain knowing who you are is brutal, and you deserve to be your old smiling self. My problem was that I began to Then came an angel admiring the peace find everything I did pointless. Life seemed like a along with a devil, the world knows as greed With a backdrop screen and set up illusions waste of time and I stopped enjoying things that I Giving all comforts that we didn’t ever need loved to do. Tennis is my one of my favorite things in the entire world, and even that became boring to me Our strength dwindled and confidence diminished at one point. Then I had an epiphany, I don’t really Our fears multiplied and dependence developed remember when or how it happened, but I’d been Our self vanished and regulations showed up, and missing myself for all this time that I realized that the As authority gained, resistance blossomed. point in everything I did was so I could keep smiling

Power like a pendulum swings between the two as I used to do. It’s harder than just having a sudden Enforced discipline is well loved too, with realization. You have to look into yourself and find Wilderness confined to the square of a screen where you’re hiding, and then you’ll have your reali- Ignorance says dependence is green zation. The searching for yourself part is what’s hard, but you’ve got to keep fighting; because if you don’t, you will have nothing.

school years, I found myself starting to develop a Summertime In India dislike for my hair and found myself avoiding my curls. In my school, everyone had straight hair and I By Darren Pradeep mistook that for the new norm. One day, after swim- ming with my friends, we took pictures and I felt as if the condition of my curly hair was what defined I remember when my brother and I used to visit our me as not put together as my poufy, unruly and friz- grandparents in Kerala every summer. That was zy hair stood out like a sore thumb. Those instances what drove us to finish the school year and look and onwards, I always felt self-conscious of how I forward to our holiday. On our way from the air- looked with my textured hair, saying things like port, we would cross intersections where drivers in “why do I have to be different?”, “what can I do, IF every direction constantly honked their car horns. ANYTHING, to fix this mess on my head and con- We’d know that we arrived at our grandparents’ form?”. Forcing my parents to research every possi- house when we saw the familiar cluster of coconut ble cure and devoting time every night to heat styl- trees. That was where we would meet and catch up ing my hair, I stopped at nothing trying to achieve with our cousins. We played cricket with the neigh- the look of pin straight hair. On the days I went nat- borhood kids and sometimes the adults even joined ural, either out in public or in school, I never was in. We’d play badminton early in the morning when comfortable with how I looked. I felt as if no one in there was barely any wind. And in the evenings, we my school could relate to some of the struggles I would play various board games and sometimes went through with my curls and I felt as if I was the card games along with our daily dose of biscuits odd one out in my group because of the way my hair and chai. I remember the occasional walks at night was different. In a similar way, I was never comfort- when the tube lights began to light up. In the few able with my skin type. Going to school, and in pic- shop stalls that were still open, you could hear an tures as well, I was the one who stuck out in a large old Indian song playing on the radio. But one of my crowd, because of the way I looked. I felt that no favorite moments was going to the beach. We one in my school could relate to my insecurities, would take an auto rickshaw over there and the mi- because again, everyone was not like me. nute we got out of our ride, the smell of roasted Although I had a very supportive group of kappalandi took us to the stalls. There would be a friends who accepted me for who I was and what few kids flying kites and a bunch of people would I had to offer, I felt that there were things that I be at the seashore having a good time. We would could never open up about. Being in the crowd stay at the beach until the sun disappeared over the with not so diverse group of people I resorted to horizon and the sky turned navy blue. wearing makeup to get the “normal” look. As the years have passed, my perspective changed dras- tically and I realized how, it doesn’t matter what background you have, that one’s personal uniqueness is important. Along with that, I have encour- Embrace Your Own Uniqueness aged myself to recognize the beauty of my Indian By Elina Deshpande culture and heritage. Now as a young adult, I have realized how beautiful and versatile my hair is. Everyday by wearing it natural it has helped me embrace the uniqueness of it. As I matured as At the beginning of my tween/teen years the a teen, I stopped trying to achieve the “normal” smallest aspects of myself made me feel the most look I was striving for, and instead I learned to insecure about my body than I had ever felt before. appreciate the good in what I was born with and People always used to tell me how much they loved took pride in it. Most importantly, I realized that what I had, how they were jealous of me and wish natural beauty comes in all shapes, sizes, colors they had my features. Every little thing that I dis- and styles and how embracing/loving your di- liked about myself, I made the mistake of always verse features helps attain confidence and over- connecting it to my ethnic background and making come your insecurities. that specific quality about myself a negative thing. It took me years afterwards to find the joy in that and have an appreciation for it in myself. All of my life, I’ve had Type 3a, Curly hair. Growing up, I never payed attention to it and it was always something I just had to contain. However, during my middle

The Fervor of Indian Cricket from slowly drawing in a cautious breath and watching as the ball continues to soar up farther and far- By Kavya Ravishankar ther. The moment the ball crosses the boundary, the stadium erupts. People scream and cheer, the drums The stands are completely silent, and yet lips move play a triumphant beat, music blares from the loud- fervently as the onlookers squeeze in that last prayer, speakers, and others edge their way around me in a religious and atheists alike. When it comes to cricket, rush to get to the exits. I smile, pick up my things, religion is but a triviality when compared to the pas- and let myself be carried by the flow of people leav- sion towards the game. The extreme heat of the mid- ing along with my family. day Manchester sun has given way to a cool evening breeze that floats through the stands of the Old Traf- ford Cricket Ground, carrying with it the unmistaka- ble aroma of samosas, chaat, and buttered popcorn. The breeze, however, is no match for the palpable tension permeating the general atmosphere. The India -England ODI (One Day International) is coming to a This is India close and India needs 6 runs of 2 balls. The bowler sets himself up and runs forward, his arm swinging up By Muskaan Ranpara in a clean arc, and his movements seem to pull on an invisible thread connecting the crowd as everyone This is India. 3 times smaller than the United States, But bigger in so many ways. unconsciously leans forward in their seats. Dot Ball. As you walk down the street, A cacophony of “Arrey Yaar!”s and “Yeh log tho In my mom’s small town of veraval, marvaayenge”s break through the silence. 6 runs of 1 You can smell burning paper. ball. An empty packet of Kurkure lies crumpled and A smell that reminds her of home. abandoned on the ground. The sea of blue spectators The stinky beach right next to us chatter amongst themselves, fans reassuring one an- But the smell of roasting corn there makes up for it. The beautiful salwar kameez, other and the occasional uncle claiming to have And saris. “known from the beginning that this would happen.” The gigantic weddings, The group dressed in full bhangra regalia with dhols With yummy food. hanging from their necks begin a catchy beat in Stand Like paneer, C, slowly making their rounds around the stadium. And gulab jamun, And so many other sweets! The music is infectious and propels people to their Bollywood movies and music, feet to dance uninhibitedly while the players on the Let’s have a jam session. field regroup for the last ball. The support for the In- Cows, pigs, and dogs roam the streets freely. dian team is overwhelmingly obvious regardless of Careful there, don’t step in the poop! location. Large flags of saffron, white, and green are The safari with lions and tigers, Sparkling bindis to put on your forehead. raised up and waved vigorously, the fluttering breeze Gold and silver necklaces, whipping the flags and the now incited crowd into a And even more stunning jewelry. crazed frenzy. The roar of the crowd becomes deafen- Rickshaws to ride in, ing as the bowler starts towards the pitch for the last Or motorcycles down the street. ball. All conversation quiets down, and 20,000 pairs No seatbelts. of eyes stay trained on the ball. The batsman takes The hot burning sun, The monsoon with rain pouring down. multiple steps forward to meet the ball and some This is India. viewers wince and shield their eyes, afraid to see the fall of this wicket. The absolute silence amplifies the crack of the ball against the bat. Nobody moves aside

kept all three idols with him. Sri Govind Dev Ji were unearthed from places in Several years later, Vajranabh was named the Vrindavan. With limited resources, Goswami brothers king of Mathura by Arjun’s grandson Parikshit. Being built temples to enshrine these idols so that mankind fond of Krishna, Vajranabh created several temples in can again get the opportunity to look at the image of Mathura and Vrindavan, a place where Krishna had the Lord which was as close as possible to the real spent his childhood. The 3 idols from his childhood – Lord himself. Sri Madan Mohan Ji, Sri Gopi Nath Ji and Sri Govind But, they say that history repeats itself. Many Dev Ji were enshrined in 3 beautiful temples in temples in Vrindavan area were destroyed by Aurang- Vrindavan for people to have the privilege of looking zeb during his reign in the early 17th century. Tem- at the image of God with their own eyes. ples of Madan Mohan Ji, Gopi Nath Ji and Govind With the passage of time, these temples were forgot- Dev Ji were no exception. But the idols were pre- ten. Many were destroyed during numerous attacks by served again. Priests and caretakers moved these idols Islamic invaders from the north and people fled the to safe places away from Vrindavan and now Sri area with no one to take care of the temples. After Madan Mohan Ji idol is enshrined in a temple by the several hundred years, Vrindavan was an abandoned same name in Karauli, Rajasthan and Sri Gopi Nath Ji place and had become a jungle. ‘Van’ in Vrindavan and Sri Govind Dev Ji idols are enshrined in temples literally means a jungle. But people have always cher- by their respective names in the city of Jaipur. ished and tried to preserve old treasures. The idols of These idols are probably the oldest known idols of Lord Krishna were preserved by priests before fleeing Lord Krishna and are as close to the real image as one the area. Priests protected them by burying them in can get and they only exist because of the efforts and ground where they will be safe from the invaders and care taken by our previous generations in preserving hopefully someone in future generations will find culture. them. It took a few hundred years but the idols were eventually discovered because of insights and medita- tive powers of Sri Chaitanaya Mahaprabhu. Sri Chaitanaya was a spiritual leader and well versed in ancient Indian scriptures. He used to roam all across India to preach ancient wisdom, beliefs and concepts of Hinduism. During one such travels in 1514 CE, Sri Chaitanya was in Vrindavan and he noticed striking similarities in this place with what was written in Bhagwat Purana. Bhagwat Purana was written by Sri Ved Vyas Ji, who also wrote Mahabharata and Geeta and lived during the same time as Krishna. Bhagwat Yantra, Tantra, Mantra - Purana also had stories about Vajranabha and his 3 idols and how these idols were placed in temples in and around Mathura and Vrindavan areas. But Sri Swatantra Chaitanya found no trace of such temples. He was not able to solve the mystery at that time and moved to By Sandeep Koranne Orissa, which is roughly 1500kms away from Vrinda- van. But he took vivid memories of Vrindavan with Yantra, Tantra and Mantra -- these words con- him and kept studying the scriptures for more details jure an image of ascetics standing on one leg, praying while also spending hours in meditation. It was dur- to the almighty for untold riches. Literally taken, ing one of those meditation sessions when he could these words have simple meanings; yantra- instru- clearly see in his mind how the temples would have ment, tantra- technique, mantra- ?? Here we have to looked and where in Vrindavan they might have been pause, even in the simple domain of shastriya sangeet according to the description in Bhagwat Purana. Con- (Hindustani classical music) it is said that mastering vinced that temples existed in that place before, Sri the yantra (a musical instrument such as Sitar), takes Chaitanya asked two of his disciples Sri Roop Gos- 10 years, mastering the technique may take another wami and Sri Sanatan Goswami, both brothers, to 10-20 years, but one never quite claims to have mas- travel to Vrindavan and try to find temples and idols tered the mantra or soul of music. When I was learn- in places that he described to them. Goswami brothers ing Sitar and music we were told riyaaz would help indeed found the lost idols and their discovery led to you master the yantra and the tantra, but only com- revival of Hinduism in and around Vrindavan area. plete surrender to the guru could even enable seeing All 3 idols, Sri Madan Mohan Ji, Sri Gopi Nath Ji and

17 the essence of mantra. In the title, I have taken the liberty to add my own word to the trimurty; I do not do this lightly. In Yantra and Tantra describe how to practice this modern age of likes (the internet variety), we the scales, and how to play the composition, respec- seem to forget how much enslaved we have become. tively. Only Mantra describes what to play. It is this We live our lives perfecting the instrument (our body) singular aspect of Hindustani classical music which and our technique (our behavior and outward percep- endears it to its listeners and practitioners. When we tions), but what about perfecting the soul ? On the eve perform a concert, the technique should take back- of the Indian Independence Day I propose that we stage, and the essence, the soul or the mantra of the constantly remind ourselves the goal of the enterprise. music should be manifest, nay, cast. It is indeed magi- In my view, the goal remains what it was when cal. Rabindranath Tagore composed his poem in Gitanjali. “Where the mind is without fear and the head is held Using a car analogy, yantra represents the car high”. Let us strive to free ourselves from technique and our ability to operate it. Note the word operate for its sake and strive for mantra and swatantra and not drive, because driving involves more than (freedom). operating just your car. Therefore, the technique of driving becomes the tantra. But what about mantra ? Wishing all the readers a very happy Inde- Again this is not as trivial to define, but I consider it pendence Day 2019. as deciding where to go.

sity was almost nonexistent. I faintly remember my My Immigrant Experience husband asking if I would like to take a tour of the university campus and my response was " can we By Vidya Prakash please go have some dosas and go to the grocery store before they run out of all the fresh veggies?"I don't Let me start by saying "I'm not a writer- At remember him ever mentioning the university again All"!!! So when I was approached by a dear friend till my daughter was ready to start college! I had about writing something for the ICA, I was extremely trained him well! skeptical. She sent me the topics and the one about my immigrant experience caught my eye and I felt I The word immigration means different things had to write. For you see, I immigrated to this country to different people. To me it always brings back 24 years back and before I forget all about it, I need memories of a terror of a car that my husband owned to document it somewhere. I simply could not pass up at that time. It was a Toyota Celica and it was a stick on the opportunity to bore totally unrelated people shift!!! While it seemed like a tame house cat when about my experiences in this great country! he drove , it behaved like a wild lion let loose in the African jungles when I drove it! Needless to say, I Back in 1995 when I had just finished my failed my driving test twice in this car as I killed the Master's in Chennai, coming to the United States was engine fourteen times when I tried to parallel park! It a dream for many people my age. But it was definite- took a lot of encouragement from my husband and a ly not my dream. I was studying for the ACS exam brand new automatic car to restore my confidence and and wanted to move up the corporate ladder in our pass the driving test on my third attempt. own Desh (country) . Coming to a new country and suffering was definitely not my cup of chai! I was en- While I moaned and groaned about the hard- amored by the Bollywood movies , the Khan's and ships I faced the first few months, be it the lack of wanted to move to Bombay ( it was not Mumbai then) anything Indian, the insane speed limits on the free- and live happily ever after with some prince charming ways or me having to repeat myself over and over I would eventually find. But as it happened, my when I was on the phone trying to make a doctor's prince charming was from California! I knew where appointment ,as the person at the other end could not California was and for some reason related it to or- understand my Indian accent, it made me resilient at anges and the beach. Don't ask me why! I have al- the same time. I learnt from each mistake I made ways loved the beach (and oranges) and prince without anyone judging or correcting me. I learnt to charming was well...... charming and I said "yes"! improvise and make good with what I had and what With promises to my Mom that I'll bring him back to was available. These are skills that I would have not Bangalore within a year, I moved to Santa Rosa, Cali- learnt had I stayed in my comfort zone back home. fornia. When we talk about immigrants, we think Santa Rosa (SR) reminded me of a very mod- about people who move to a new country to make a ern, small town in some remote part of India. The fact better life for themselves and their future generations. that it was very close to the Golden Gate bridge or to I think it's more than just that. To me it represents the silicon valley made very little difference to me at people who are brave enough to take risks, willing to that time. The Indian community in SR was relative- learn new skills, shed their inhibitions, be different ly small compared to what it is now. And so were the while blending in at the same time! We learn to love, Indian grocery stores. For the first time in my life, my value and appreciate the culture we grew up in and dreams were filled with sights of long, green, fresh the one we adopt. and good looking OKRAS!!! The frozen ones in the local grocery stores did not meet my expectations and Happy Independence Day to all my fellow before I drove myself crazy with my okra fantasy, my immigrants and citizens. Humara Bharath and Ameri- prince charming drove me to Berkeley. ca are both Mahaan! The first thing to come to most people's minds when you mention Berkeley is UC Berkeley- the number one public university in the world. Though I would send my first born to this prestigious institu- tion twenty years later , my thoughts way back in '95 were centered around the many different Indian res- taurants, grocery and garment stores that the Univer-

Henna How India Has Influenced American Thinking By Harsh Arora By Vaani Bindal

The Henna plant has been present on this Earth for Over two hundred years ago, after reading Indi- over 9,000 years and has been incorporated into many an literature, the German philosopher Arthur Schopen- rituals in arid regions for over 5,000 years. Henna hauer (1788-1860) wrote, 'In India, our religion (Christianity) will now and never strike root: the primi- grows in desert regions, with temperatures reaching to tive wisdom of the human race will never be pushed about 120F degrees. It can grow to about 12-15 feet tall aside there by the events of Galilee. On the contrary, with an enticing aroma. In the beginning, the leaves of Indian wisdom will flow back to the west, and will pro- the henna plant were used for medicinal purposes. The duce a fundamental change in our knowledge and paste of henna leaves acted as a sunblock. It was also thought.' used to treat burns, including sunburns, headaches, The above statement was affirmed centuries stomach aches, and open wounds. And it doesn’t stop later by Lisa Miller when she wrote in her August 14th, there! The henna’s medicinal properties were used to 2009 article in Newsweek – ‘A million-plus Hindus cure athlete’s foot and even hair loss! Besides these live in the United States, a fraction of the billion who live on Earth. But recent poll data show that conceptu- healing abilities and cosmetic values, henna leaves, ally, at least, we are slowly becoming more like Hindus when applied to salt-cured goat skin, made it free of and less like traditional Christians in the ways we think insects. The henna paste changed the goat skin into an about ourselves, each other, and eternity.’ inedible piece of substance. By doing so, the goat skin could be used to make strong, long-lasting bags. Henna Here are a few survey results that corroborate the above article: was incorporated into the lifestyle of desert areas because of its cooling sensation. Ancient people made a - 15.5% (36.7 million) Americans practiced Yoga paste from the henna leaves and applied it to their skin regularly in 2016 as a method of air conditioning themselves. After they - 65% of Americans think there is more than one path to salvation had applied the henna to their skin, it would leave an - 26% believe in reincarnation (2016) alluring orangish-red color, which would last for a few - 51.6% (over a million) opted to be cremated in weeks. Soon, the ancient people began to create beauti- 2017, expected to exceed 55% by 2020. ful designs with the henna paste on the skin. Henna has - 84% saw God as “everywhere and in everything” been used in cultural traditions for thousands of years as opposed to “someone somewhere” Stephen Prothero, professor at Boston Univer- ever since they realized that they could create designs sity, has long framed the American propensity for "the with the henna paste. It has been used in countless ritu- divine-deli-cafeteria religion" as "very much in the als and celebrations to create beautiful orangish-red, spirit of Hinduism. You're not picking and choosing transient tattoos. A common tradition that has been from different religions, because they're all the same," passed down through generations has been the Me- he says. "It isn't about orthodoxy. It's about whatever hendi Night for a bride and groom. The Mehendi Night works. If going to yoga works, great—and if going to Catholic mass works, great. And if going to Catholic is held the day before the wedding, and is where the mass plus the yoga plus a meditation retreat works, bride has henna designs from the tips of her fingers till that's great, too." her elbow and from the tips of her toes till her knees. William Durant (1885-1981), American histori- Guests are also welcomed to have henna designs on an and philosopher, paved the way for the future of their hands as they join in with the festivities of the Indian culture in the US when he wrote, ‘Perhaps, in return for conquest, arrogance and spoliation, India Mehendi Night. It is a tradition to think that if the hen- will teach the west tolerance and gentleness of the ma- na stain is deeper on the hands of the wedding couple, ture mind, the quiet content of the un-acquisitive soul, then the marriage will last forever. the calm of the understanding spirit, and a unifying, pacifying love for all living things.’

Being Bicultural I will hold onto forever. By Sachin Pillai

Being bicultural is one of the biggest and, in my opinion, undervalued blessings one can be born with. It sets up the individual to be open-minded An Article about Religion about different cultures, traditions, and gain a more cosmopolitan perspective of the world. Therefore, By Vikas Aditya with the fact of the prospect of leaving for college dawning upon me, I set out to accomplish a personal goal of strengthening my tie to Indian culture. I un- How does God look like? Has anyone seen him or derstood both the mental and physical benefits of her? being bicultural and it struck me that if I did not These are the common questions for humans capitalize soon on my current opportunity to live across the globe and a 13-year old boy Vajranabh had under the parental guidance of two Indian immi- similar questions as he was growing up. But Va- grants, I would lose my touch to a culture so deeply jranabh was no ordinary boy. He was the great grand- engraved within my personal history. I lived in a son of Lord Krishna himself and he had heard many household where chapati and chickpea curry com- stories about Krishna’s childhood, his role in Maha- posed a normal dinner, a life where Indian holiday bharata and his sermon to Arjun in the form of Geeta. gatherings were looked forward to, and where each Vajranabh wanted to know how Krishna looked like. day was characteristic of a mix of Malayalam and He was very close to his grandmother, like most kids English. Once I realized how precious these experi- of that age are and he used to listen to Krishna’s sto- ences were, I knew it was my responsibility to con- ries from her grandmother. She would sure know tinue to strengthen my relationship with my inherit- how Krishna looked like, thought Vajranabh, because ed culture. she was the daughter-in-law of Krishna. So, during her lifetime, she would have definitely seen Krishna. It was at this moment in my sophomore year In Indian tradition, it is not customary for daughter-in of high school that I decided I would take up learn- -law to have an eye contact with her father-in-law, as ing how to play the mridangam. Many would think a gesture of respect, explained Vajranabh’s grand- this was too late to start something completely new, mother. But how could I have passed on the oppor- but my instincts knew better. The rest of my family tunity to look at Krishna? Because he is the supreme had a strong connection to the Indian arts. My mom God himself. So, yes, I have looked at Krishna and I had learned Indian classical dance as a child, my will help you build an idol of him so that many more dad found a passion for singing Indian songs non- generations can also have the privilege of looking at stop in the house, and my sister was fostering her the image of the Lord himself. incredible talent for Carnatic music and Bha- Excited to hear this, Vajranabh started to ratanatyam. Thus, I knew it had to be now or never. work on the idols. He produced an idol as per his Now, it has been nearly two years since I be- grandmother’s description and he showed it to her. gan my training and I am nearing the level of mas- She said that only the idol’s feet look like Krishna’s tery to accompany Carnatic singers. More than ever but the rest of the idol does not. Idol was still beauti- before, I feel like I have unlocked the true connec- ful and while Vajranabh was a bit disappointed, he tion to my roots. Soon enough, I will be able to ful- kept the idol and called it Madan Mohan Ji. He then fill my dream of accompanying my sister during one started work on another idol and again showed it to of her performances. It is a feeling that is reserved her grandmother. This time, she said that only the specifically for being bicultural and is something I chest and the arms looked like Lord Krishna’s but the will not lose for the remainder of my life. rest of it didn’t look like him. Again, Vajranabh kept Growing up these past seventeen years has the idol and called it Gopi Nath Ji. For the third time, brought light to the fact of the importance of ac- he created another beautiful idol with big eyes and knowledging personal ancestral roots. The fact is no showed it to his grandmother. This time, her grand- matter where one ends up, he or she must never dis- mother had tears in her eyes and she told his grand- miss the value of being bicultural. I have learned this son that this is exactly how Krishna looked like. as a lesson that speaks true. As my grandmother told Large forehead, big eyes that reflected a confident me a few months ago in India, “wherever you go, calm were magically captured in this idol. Delighted, never forget your true mother tongue.” That is a truth Vajranabh named this idol Sri Govind Dev Ji and

arrived and now living? It becomes even more severe Another Break in the Wall... for the next generation of his kids who must choose between “where they were born” and “where their By Shyam Venkitesh parents arrived from”. Navigating these decisions often puts the immigrant families to severe stress cre- ating a lot of tensions, trials and tribulations. Watching Simon Cowell expressing a pro- found relief at the conclusion of another mesmerizing, And right in the middle of penning these high energy dance routine by the kids from Mumbai thoughts, we hear of two shooting events taking the in “America Got Talent” is a rare sight. Then he goes lives of more innocents in Texas and California. It on to suggest how their presence & success at that reiterates that the “Us v/s Them” is a real and urgent stage is a soothing balm on a hurting America con- problem that needs attention and an acceptable reso- firms what we all at recent times have felt. Yes Amer- lution. In my recent visit to Berlin, I was reminded of ica, we are in for a rough ride. The last four years has on the one hand the tyranny of the majority and its opened the many wounds the underlying belly of disastrous result and on the other, the constant but America has experienced in the sharp divide of ideol- prolonged and sustained struggle to end all divisions ogy, economy, social welfare leading to a renewed by bringing the Berlin wall down. In the year after finger pointing on the bogeyman of immigrants and year day long performances at India day in Portland’s immigrants. This phenomenon is not America’s alone Pioneer square, it is the same fight by these kids. for everywhere around us in the globe we see the They are breaking the barriers of division by making same scenes playing out boldly and more emphatical- their identity, culture acceptable rather than toler- ly. The French are attributing their economic distress ate. Soon enough who knows it may be part of the on jobs lost to immigrants. The European borders are pride of native population and thereby dissolving the fortified to keep the outsiders out. The Indian regula- “Us & them”. These kids have no struggles of identity tors have woken up to identify the outsiders and send as they have easily and gracefully embraced both the them out. Yes, it is everywhere. All have a common worlds. The world of their parents that they have only thread of division across the majoritarian native with occasionally visited and the world they live in most of the rightful claims of a glorious tradition, lifestyle and their day. I say mostly because at home they are still culture challenged and diluted by the arrival of a mi- living a world that is largely their parents. Yet with- nority outsider who is arriving or settled in with an out a murmur of protest they manage both the worlds alien culture. So once again these days the weighty with aplomb. Their daily routine swings from a rigor- topics of immigration and immigrant cultural assimi- ous lesson on Indian classical dances or music to lation has taken a center stage. football games. They are at ease with Saag Paneer as well as Pizza. Their passion runs equally for NBA, Every people have a culture and no individual NFL as well as waking up at 5am for a cricket match. can live without one. We all come with our unique They have no struggles like the first-generation immi- knowledge, belief, art, morals, law, customs and hab- grants trying to choose an identity. They have mas- its handed down over centuries and over a period es- tered the acceptance of an identity which is all their tablishing our unique identity. It is with this identity own making. They do not shy away or need to hide lenses that we see the world, interact with others and their Indianness nor back off from declaring their judge each other. Identity is established and empha- Americanness. In those bold steps lies the true hope sized in our every day actions, feelings, emotions. At and optimism that this challenge America and the times like these the very identities becomes a stum- World faces, like any other, can be surmounted and bling block fostering often a kind of divisive narrative the us in US will be a one homogenous entity for that makes the neighborhoods we live in less trust- peace and prosperity. worthy. The politicians milk these situations to drive the divide further and when led by a leader with limited, narrow and parochial perspective, these divisions come out in the open, challenging the very fabric of the society. For an immigrant and his immediate next generation this is a very complex challenge. He must choose one of the two identities and either choice has no guaranteed happy outcome. As a first-generation immigrant the challenges are acute when one must choose “Who am I?”. The one with the story of where he came from or the one with the story of where he

wanted to change jobs to never have to face him Cream and Sugar again. Google, by the way - love it, but hate its ‘voice’. I was catching up on voicemail on a Sunday. By Chhavi Thakur “Hi Chubby Taco!” (Google Voice’s interpretation of my name) - one of the messages started off. I was dis- My first ever flight was for a trip to Kathman- appointed; this being a settled immigrant wasn’t all du from the northern plains of Bihar. It was a twenty- going my way still. However, I got to solving why I two minutes flight. My little cousin pulled my leg up- didn’t get the sugar either. Chubby people are sup- on return: “Sis, are you jet lagged?” Two months af- posed to stay away from sugar! That’s it! That’s what ter, I boarded my first real flight, the San Francisco it was!!! bound United Airlines flight from New Delhi, to set- tle in the country of everyone’s dreams. The first time Twenty years in the country now. The mystery I saw so many ‘foreigners’ at one place. ‘Air hostess- around the black tea long solved. My cousin (the one es’ I needed to interact with. No pressure! As the that pulled my leg after my flight to Nepal) lands in drinks cart approached me, I could hear my heart America to live the dream. I greet him at the Portland thumping. She asked, “Would you like tea or coffee?” airport. He looks completely jet lagged: ready to Phew! that’s easy. ‘’Tea!”. Next came a seemingly break his neck with a drooping head kind of jet straightforward question, “Here’s your tea. Do you lagged. But, so much more confident than I was twen- have cream and sugar (with it)?” That’s weird. Why ty years ago. While I look out for his luggage in the would I bring cream or sugar with me? “No!” She baggage claim, he steps away to spend his first dollars whisked the cart away without giving me either. Wait on coffee. Should I go with him? Nah, he’s got this! a minute! Where’s my cream? And where’s my sug- He comes back, dejectedly looking at the dark black shot of coffee concentrate in his hand. “What is this? ar? I don’t ‘have’ it! I repeat, I don’t ‘have’ it! I asked for espresso!!!” I burst out laughing. My Six months into my stay, I was a seasoned im- twenty years of experience starts talking to him: “that migrant. I got the language, I got the subtleties. I frothy, milky coffee that we grew up calling expresso, wrote ‘I will respond’ instead of ‘I will revert back’. wrongly after the machine name, is actually called When in agreement, I nodded my head north-south cappuccino here. Oh! and while on the topic of ma- instead of a sinusoidal east-west. It’s an elevator, not chine names: at work this week, if you need to make a a lift. They are flight attendants, not air hostesses. I photocopy, don’t say I will xerox this; say I will make figured out that ‘W’ is pronounced different from ‘V’. a copy.” He nods in puzzled fatigue. As he dumps the And why wasn’t I taught this growing up? Anyways, espresso, I put my arms around him. And we start was I well on my way to becoming a true American? walking towards my car. I smile to myself in the mo- I still didn’t understand why I had to drink my tea ment of déjà vu - twenty years later, he didn’t get the black on my maiden US flight, but I thought so! It cream and sugar either! Welcome to America, cuzzo! was time to make my first visit back to India. I reached LA airport and was starving! I darted to Burger King and ordered a cheeseburger. Unabashed, I dug my teeth in for a big bite. Blech. I got the first taste of something that was red, chewy, and felt nothing like cheese. While I had to throw my lunch away, I made a note to self – if cheese means beef, then yo- gurt means pork, and cream means lamb. Aah! I finally knew why the flight attendant didn’t give me the cream. She knew I was a vegetarian! Puzzle solved! But…..what about the sugar? Ten years passed by. I got more and more confident in my skin. The other day, my white colleague asked me about Gandhiji and Dandi March. I told him that Gandhiji used to walk with a stick which is ‘danda’ in Hindi, hence his march was called ‘Dandi’ March. I HAD to verify the literally creative explanation I provided! I rushed to Google at the first opportunity after my colleague left– darn, Dandi is a place in Gujarat. I hid in my cube all day that day and

A Hindi Poem By Anand Mohan Sinha

The Story of Soor Aur Saptak™ - Portland’s Premier Bollywood Music Group Eye, the Window into the World Over 84% of information the brain gathers comes from eyes. Losing eyesight means losing the window into the world forever. For families, the situation creates tremendous stress and load on the family and the family dynamics, social life, personal life change forever. This happened to my own mother and she became dependent and was never able to see her grandchildren. This made a tremendous impact on me. I decided in my mind that I was not going to let that happen to anyone to the extent that I could help them. That’s where Soor Aur Saptak™ started. Story of Soor Aur Saptak™ In 2012, several singers came together and we formed a karaoke Bollywood music group Soor Aur Saptak™ (SAS), which in Hindi means “Notes and Octave”. Over the last eight years, SAS has become a household name in the Portland community as the Premier Bollywood-style music group that gives an annual fundraising performance to support pediatric vision care in India through a non-profit group called Seva Foundation in Berkeley, CA. Over time, countless people in the Portland community have helped and hundreds of donors have given close to a quarter million dollars to date. Helping hands have come from every community: Gujarathi Samaj, ICA, GPTA, GPTM, OMM, Kannada Kutta, Prabhashi, Hindi Samaj, HECSA, Sworom, and others. Sonrise church and other local businesses have contributed. Employee matching programs at Intel, First Tech, and Nike have helped in pulling additional funds. Our purpose is to raise money through benefit concerts to restore eyesight to hundreds of blind, visually impaired, and financially disadvantaged pediatric patients in rural India. We want to make a difference, be of service to others, and make the world a better place. Every dollar goes to the pediatric patient. It is possible because of kind and generous support of many: the audience, performers, donors, and dedicated, motivated, selfless volunteers from the entire Portland community give their effort and time to support this vision. Restoring sight is one of the most effective ways to relieve suffering and reduce poverty. We learned from eye doctors that early intervention is critical. For example, if a blind child with a cataract is not treated within 1-2 months of their birth, and a subsequent operation after that childhood period is performed, the affected eye will still not be able to “see.” The reason for choosing pediatric patients is straightforward. It is crucial because they have a full 70-80 years of life ahead of them to become productive. Helping to restore that dominant sense became our objective. There are 36M blind/217M visually impaired people on the planet. The leading causes are cataract and refractive error. 75% of visual impairment is avoidable, 89% of blind live in low and middle income countries, 55% are female, and 1.5 million are children. There are 500,000 new cases of childhood blindness every year. We chose India because there are 7.8M blind/63M visually impaired people and 400,000 are blind children. It takes about $50 to restore sight on the low end and with $150 you can restore sight to a child with a specialized pediatric surgery, post-op care, glasses, medication and transportation. When- ever there is blind child in the family, not only the child but anywhere from two to seven family members supporting the blind child suffer. Bringing vision to the child removes this family burden.

In 2018, we screened 47,561 children, screened 111 schools, performed 45 sur- geries, provided 443 glasses, and give 35 medical treatments. In 2015, we partnered with Vivekananda Mission Ashram Netra Niramay Niketan Hospital in Chandi, West Bengal and purchased a GE Medical pediatric anesthesia machine so children and adults could perform operations on site.

People attending our concerts get a feeling throughout the entire evening of great compassion and a strong sense of community. The turnout is always fantastic, as is the desire to help visually impaired and blind Indian children whose families otherwise could not get the care for their kids. This year we want to achieve a goal of $250K and expand to six eye hospitals in India. You can get involved by contacting Sandhi Bhide, Aseem Agarwal, or Mini Jairaj on Facebook. The events are a lot of fun and a great opportunity to combine philanthropy and something that people enjoy. Our next program will be on Friday, Feb. 28, 2020 and you can check out Facebook to see further information and search “Soor Aur Saptak” on Youtube for past programs. We are also looking forward to 2021; Soor Aur Saptak’s 10th year anniversary celebration and we are planning to do something very special at that time. The Soor Aur Saptak™ would like to thank the entire Portland community for your donations, dedication, involvement, participation, and volunteerism. You have a heart of gold! See you in February 2020!

Blake Schrein Deepa Barve Performers List Brandy Quach Deepa Hoskote Akshara Anika Gupta Brittany Newton Deepa Shah Ananya Soraganvi Anika Kadgi Catherine Deepika Aadhya Anika Raghuvanshi Charan Bapanapalli Deepika Kumari Aadhya Guggari Anisha Tajne Chinmay Wadgoankar Deepti Ravidath Aadya Pillai Anjali Vasisht Chris Davis Dhanush Aanshi AnnMarie Daksh Tiwary Dhara Jhaveri Aanvi Anna Doty Dan Downes Dharshini Vinuganesh Aanya juvvadi Annika Dananjai kamala kannan Dharya Aarav Jain Anubhuti dongre Daneesh Dharya Roy Aarna Anughnya mudda Dawn Reid Dhruva Pillai Aarya Joshi Anuja Chandra Debdatta Chattopadhyay Dhun Abhisri Thapa Anusha Ghadge Deekshita Joshi Divya Pappu Adhira Malladi Anushi Adhithi Kumaran Anushka Adhithi shree Anushka Rajesh Adhya Anvesha Aditi Anwita Aditi Dhananjay Aparna Balachandran Aditi Warke Aradhya Aditya V. Muthaiah Aradhya Billade Advaith Nair Aradhya Dhoni Advantage ankaraju Archana Vijaykumar Adya Chaurasia Arham Milan Shah Ahana Armaan Ahana Naskar Arnab Saha Akhil ahuja Arnav Bansal Akshaj Palamasi Arnav Swaroop Akshara Annamareddy Arpita Akshara Pulikanti Arshia Rajesh Narayanan Akshara Saravanan Arshia Rajeshnarayanan Akshara gargava Arushi Akshaya Ankireddi Arushi Raghuvanshi Akshayah Jayakumar Aryan Parekh Akshit Pulikanti Ash Akshya ganesh Ashrith kummithi Alison Chapman Ashwin Amber West Ashwin jeyakumar Amelie Ludwig Ashwini Khajanchee Amol Joshi Atharv Chandra Amy Becker Atharv Halake Anahita Atharva Sharma Anaika Atul Agarwal Anaisha Pande Avani dixit Anamika Das Ayushi Ananda Vardhana Ayushi Kontu Ananya Azusa McMullen Ananya Raghavan Balaji Murthy Anarghya Vardhana Baljinder Anay Baljinder Sandhu Aneesh Bhagya jagadish Aneesha Mahindraker Bhanu Khera Aneil Bhavani Gopalakrishnan Anika Bhavi Prashant Ingole

Divyam Jain Kalyani Mayuri Bhobe Priyal Diya Kamalika Paul Megha Nandan Priyanka Mudgal Durriya Magesh Kanak Baghel Meghana Rao Priyanka Murali Eden Downing Kanchan Pattani Mehnaka Bhaskar Priyanka Patil Eesha paruvada Kanimozhi DelhiDurai MiraBella Priyanka Saraswat Ekta Patel Kanishkaa Prasanth Misha Priyanka Sharma Ella Wade Kartavya Roy Misha Rathissh Puja Kshiti Elliot Jireh Miller Karthika Kola Mishka Sapra Purnima Chadha Elliot Miller Karuna Tirumala Miz LaFontaine Pushti Enala Kathy Nordskog Mukta Sapre Raaga Mandela Esha Kavin Rajesh Nandan Chazhiyat Radhika Telagarapu Esha Nirgude Kavya K Anant Nandana Raghav Eshaan Ramesh Kavya veeredhi Nandhana Rahul Pandey Eva Sharma Keerthana Rahul Nandhana Pradeesh Raima Gail Keller Keerthi Naval Gupte Raina Gauravi Pinjare Keshav Arora Nayesha Diwan Rajat Sengupta Gauri Keshav Ganesh Neeharika Samir Sawant Rakshan Balaji Subbiah Gauri Arora Ketty Guranda Neha Rakshitha Sharma Gauri Kurella Keya Neharika Ram Smaran Tummala Gautham Pabba Kiara Nia Ramya Bhat Goldi Kaur Kimaya Punj Nia Bhardwaj Rayaansh Jain Gomathi Ramkumar Kiran Kaur Nikita Rewa Kangutkar Gowri Ganesh Kirthana Nikitha Rhea Gowri Kashyap Krish Nirupama Richa Gandhi Greeshma Krishnesh Sivakumar Nirvaan Chenna Ridhi Singh Gurpreet Dhillon Krishvi Sapra Nishita Sapra Rio banny Harika Krithik Guduri Nishka Jain Rishab Mandyam Harini Sachidhanand Kshiti Shah Nysha Jhaveri Rithik Jonnalagadda Harish Kumkum Omika Mehrothra Rithya Jonnalagadda Harminder Kyra Sharma Padma Chittoory Ritika Jain Harpreet Laasya kanamatha Padma Giddu Ritu Vashist Harsha Ashok Lakshana Yokesh Pahal Dharwal Rivaah Hasini Santhosh Lalith Bommineni Palak Goel Rohan Varma Henha chezhiyan Leena Bendale Paloma Bender Ruhaan Duggal Idika Leesha Payal Marvaniya Rupali Kadgi Iksha Lila Lumbra Pihu Rupali Nigote Inika Liv Schwartz Pooja Ruthvika Tirupati Irviya Alfred Lovey Prabhleen Sambhi SNIGDHA MALLADI Ishan Ghosh Maala Gupte Pradhyumna Bondugula Saanvi Ishika Maanya Ranawat Pragit Arunkumar Saanvi Kadgi JJ Jackson Madhuri Prajna shetty Saanvi Shah Jahnavi Madhusmita Bhol Prajyula Pemmaraju Saanvi Soraganvi Jamuna Chiarini Mahathi Sridhar Pranav Kurpad Saanvi Swargam Jaskaran Singh Saini Mahi Pranesh Raghav Ganesh Saanvi sri Jasleen Dhillon Mahika Pranesh Saravanan Sach Keerat Sambhi Jasmine Jaramillo Mallika Pranshu Sengupta Sahana Jeff Davis Manasi Navare Prantik Sengupta Saharsh Chary Jennifer Ellis Manasvi Prashant Kakad Sahasra Jeyashree Sureshbabu Mansi Prathibha Nandagudi Sahasra Bejugam Jimmy Manya Praveen Lata Ram Sai Abhinaauv Jivan Jot Khalsa Manya Maheshwaram Prerana Thilavalli Saie Joyce Wade Manya Maheswaram Prisha Choksi Sairachana Sethu Julie Stewart Mary Livingston Prisha Dharwal Saishanvitha Gum- Jyoti Mathangi Ananth Prithiv Arokiadass madavelli Kaashvi Mavi Quinn Priya Ajgaonkar SakethRam Achanta Kaavya Subramanian Maya Ramaswamy Priya Palkolanu Samanvi Padakanti

Sana Sriteja Salapati Venkat Ankarla Sandhi Prakash Bhide Stephanie Kerns Vernika Sanjhana Stuti Mudgalmath Vidya Sanya Surya Subaharini Ravindhira- Vidya Ramachandran Sara kumar Vihaan Sharma Sarah Borsten Subbalakshmy Rama- Viraj Saravana Priya Rama- krishnan Vishal batchu nathan Subramanian Nagarajan Vishnu Sashwin Santhosh (Accompanist) Vishnu priya Sasideep Kola Suchi Sarangi Vishruth Mudgalmath SatPavan Khalsa Suhani Vishwa Patil Sathvik Maheshwaram Suman Arvind Viswanath Setty Savitha ramesh Sumer Kaur Viti Jaiswal Eachambadi Sehrin Minhas Supriya Vrasti Seshu Ganta Surya Sai Bapanapalli Yalini Shaayan Punj Swaroop Reddy Yashaswini Raghuram Shaenna Soon Swathi Priya Yashaswini raghuram Shalini Sweta Ravisankar Yesha Jhala Shalini Sachidhanand Sweta Ravishankar Yogita Warke Shalvi Taanya Yugandhara Kangutkar Sharon Loyola Tanay Yukta Subhedar Sharon’s sister Tanisha Soraganvi Yuvika Sharvi Tanishqa Deshmukh Zoya Shaurya Thakurala Tanusree Bharathy Vijay- Shefali abharathy Shephali Tanvi Shibani nagarajan Tanvisree Inampudi Shilpa Tara Kumar Shilpa Erlapati Tarun Ravi Shilpa Joshi Taruna Pinjare Shiv Antar Khalsa Tejasree Harini Shivani Negi Teju Shloka Tessa Snider Shoni Thanishka Kale Shreya Parekh Thanusree Thumala Shrish Srinivasan Thejas Yokesh Shriya Tiyasa Shruti SylaceSarada Tosha Shweta Tosha Shah Shweta Sharma Tulsee Doshi Shweta tiwari Uma Doshi Simran Saluja Uma Sundaram Sini Nair Umasree Sathyasekaran Sirisha Tummala Urmila Umashankar Sitara Lones Vaani Bindal Smita Soragavi Vaishnavi Chandu Sneha Desai Valerie Mansour Snigdha Malladi Vandana Udaiyanathan Sonakshi Choudhury Vani Soniya karatik Varsha Spriha Negi Rawat Varsha Karthikeyan Spruha Rahul Manjule Ved Badukle Sriansh Bhamidipati Vedhik Sridevi Mankala Vedika Dessai Srishti Veeksha Manthena Srishti Prabakar Veer

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