n¢eh¡l, 19 A−ƒ¡hl, 2013, påÉ¡ 9:15 ¢j¢e−V! p§Q£fœ Contents

Utsav Literary Committee and Disclaimer 2 pÇf¡cL£u / Editorial 3 Utsav Committee Members 4 Message from the Utsav Boardroom 5 Utsav Accounts 6 Program Schedule 7 Community News 8 Utsav Award Winners 11

L¢ha¡//Poems fb a¾cÊ¡ h−¾cÉ¡f¡dÉ¡u 14 c¤¢V L¢ha¡ A¢i−oL e¡N 15 l¦Ü Arl Hhw −i¡l −i−h Al©f Q¾cÊ 16

fËhå / Articles Yosemite pgl ¢eiÑ£L hp¤¤l¡u 19 "YfÚ' L¥Z¡mL¡¢¿¹ −O¡o 21 ¢py¢s üfÀ¡ L¥j¡l 23 −Rys¡ Øj«¢al plZ£ −h−u j”¥ l¡u−Q±d¤l£ 25 The Time When I Really Felt Fear Shimika Basuroy 28 Future of Nuclear Power in the United States Barin Kumar 29 I Love India Paris Powell 32 Amol Jayant Kripalani 35 Medical Research in India: A Clinician's Perspective Ananya Datta-Mitra and 38 Anupam Mitra Swami Vivekananda’s 150th Birthday Anniversary Jayanti Das 41 Celebration 33G Notebook Biswanath Mukherjee 43 Swami Vivekananda’s Visit to America Swami Prapannananda 47

Brief History of Utsav 51 Utsav Membership Roster 53

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Rashmi Nandi Biswanath Mukherjee Somen Nandi Manas Ray Rajat Saha (Editor)

Cover design by Snehungsu Guha

Disclaimer The views and opinions of authors in this magazine do not necessarily state or reflect those of Utsav, Inc. For writings published in this magazine, Utsav does not warrant or assume any legal liability and responsibility for accuracy, completeness and usefulness of any information disclosed and/or published. Information provided is accurate as of the date of going to press; Utsav or Chowrongee is not responsible for any errors or omissions. Opinions expressed are those of individual authors. Advertisers are solely responsible for the advertisements, not Chowrongee or Utsav.

Utsav Inc. 11230 Gold Express Drive P.O. Box 310-412 Gold River, CA 95670 www.utsavsac.org

Chowrongee is published annually for Utsav members by Utsav, Inc., Sacramento, CA, USA (www.utsavsac.org) Printed at: AlphaGraphics, 3068 Sunrise Blvd., Suite F, Rancho Cordova, CA 95742 Phone: (916) 221-4333; http://www.alphagraphics.com

Postmaster: If undelivered, please return to Utsav Inc., 11230 Gold Express Drive, P.O. Box 310-412, Gold River, CA 9567

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EgÚ, Bl i¡−m¡ m¡−N e¡z Durga Puja with its message of victory of good over evil, peace and unity amongst mankind, is Q¡¢l¢c−L M¡¢m hª¢ø Bl hª¢øz Qa¥¢cÑL −ke i¡¢p−u an integral part of our Bengali culture and our ¢e−u k¡−hz öe¢R e¡¢L f¤−S¡l LV¡ ¢ceJ −L¡mL¡a¡u way of life. The reading from the holy d¤j hª¢ø q−hz Hph i¡−m¡ m¡−N, hm¤e? scriptures, burning of dhup, beating of dhak, Bjl¡ AhnÉ −L¡mL¡a¡l fÉ¡QfÉ¡−Q Nlj R¡¢s−u and blowing of the conch create an aura so glamorous and glittering that its attraction Q−m H−p¢R p¤¤c§l LÉ¡¢m−g¡¢eÑu¡u (jeV¡ k¢cJ towards all men and women, young and old, is −L¡mL¡a¡−aC f−s B−R), Bhq¡Ju¡u k¡l S¥¢s −jm¡ irresistible. i¡lz ¢L¿¹¥ a¡−aJ ¢L j−e HLV¥J n¡¢¿¹ B−R? BS ö¢e B−j¢lL¡l Government Shutdown, L¡m ö¢e We, the members of Utsav, the Bengali Debt Ceiling Share association of Greater Sacramento, are d¡l Ll¡l rea¡ ( ) e¡ h¡s¡−m organizing our very own Durga Puja which is Market dÆ−p k¡−h, Lš ¢L! A¢gp-L¡R¡¢l−a HCph entering its 12th year. We have a sense of deep Bnˆ¡SeL Lb¡h¡aÑ¡ fË¢a¢eua öe−a ¢L i¡−m¡ m¡−N, association with this puja as all of us have a role hm¤e −a¡ Bfe¡l¡C! to play. Some of us have management roles, a−h qÉ¡y, HLV¡ i¡−m¡ Mhl ¢L¿¹¥ B−Rz Bj¡−cl some take part in acting, singing, painting, naru making, and what not. Evp−hl c§NÑ¡ f§−S¡ Bp−Rz Evp−hl Evph Ll¡l pju Bp−Rz c¤−V¡ ¢ce ph c¤xM i¥−m e¡Q-N¡e, M¡Ju¡-c¡Ju¡, Chowrongee is Utsav’s ‘Pujo Sankhya’. M¤eö¢V-B—¡ −cJu¡l ¢ce Bp−Rz Hhw AhnÉC HLV¥ This published effort depicts Utsav members’ gy¡L −f−mC −Q±l‰£ fs¡l ¢ce Bp−R (j−e l¡M−he, skills as poet, writer, critic, composer, and so −Q±l‰£ fs−a qu, eC−m ¢f¢R−u fs−a qu!)z on. For the past 12 years, every issue of Chowrongee attempted to provide a window to Hhw a¡l p¡−b Bp−R LV¡ ¢ce ph cm¡c¢m i¥−m the thoughts and dreams of the Bengalis living ¢e−iÑS¡m Be−¾c i¡p¡l ¢cez in the Greater Sacramento of California which were articulated by both kids and adults through BqÚÚ, HMe ¢L i¡−m¡C e¡ m¡N−R! their paintings, poems, stories, and articles. i¡−m¡ b¡L¥e Hhw f§−S¡ Ef−i¡N Ll¦ez −Q±l‰£l Some reminisced the Puja days of Kolkata, some à¡cn fËL¡ne¡l j§m Q¡¢mL¡n¢š² pÇf¡cL j™m£l fr portrayed the future they intended to build in −b−L ph¡C−L S¡e¡C öi n¡lc£u¡l B¿¹¢lL fË£¢a, USA. This year is no different. ö−iμR¡, J A¢ie¾cez I offer thanks to all, especially to the little ones, for their contributions. I am also indeed lSa p¡q¡ grateful to all members of the Literary Committee whose untiring efforts are behind bringing light to this issue. We hope that you all find reading the various articles in this souvenir informative and above all enjoy this year’s celebrations.

Rajat Saha

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Utsav Committee Members

Governing Body Members (GBM): Website Committee: Ajay Joshi (President) Sanhita Bandyopadhyay (Lead) Sanjib Nayak (Vice President) Santana Das Anima Kumar (Treasurer) Koushik Das Sanhita Bandyopadhyay (Public Relations) Mala Paul Manas Ray (Literary Committee) Snehungshu Guha Community Council Members (CCM) Utsav Youth Group: and Election Committee: Neha Joshi (Lead) Adi Choudri Sharod Nandi Biswanath Mukherjee Sunoy Nandi Somen Nandi Natasha Chanda Ayananta Chowdhury Literary Committee: Aditya Chowdhury Rashmi Nandi Debanshu Das Biswanath Mukherjee Rinita Mukherjee Somen Nandi Sharon Sarkar Manas Ray Mitra Choudri (Coordinator) Rajat Saha (Editor) Cultural Committee: Fundraising Committee: Sanhita Bandyopadhyay (Lead) Ajay Joshi (Lead) Ajay Joshi Anima Kumar Poonam Jadhav Sanhita Bandyopadhyay Nupur Joshi Sanjib Nayak Mala Paul Manas Ray Suvra Mukherjee Udayan Chanda Debolina Simmi Sarkar Adi Choudri Joy Mukherjee Puja Committee: Soumya Mallick Anima Kumar (Lead) Mitra Choudri Food Committee: Santana Das Sanjib Nayak (Lead) Rupa Chowdhury Subir Sarkar Adi Choudri Mukta Kar Udayan Chanda Seema Chanda Joy Mukherjee Registration Committee: Sanhita Bandyopadhyay Prodosh Chakraborty (Lead) Pradosh Chakraborty Biswanath Mukherjee Anima Kumar Sumanta Ghosh Debolina Simmi Sarkar Barin Kumar

Subhra Gima

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Message from the Utsav Boardroom

On behalf of the Governing Body, I We are going to perform Sandhi Pujo welcome you to Utsav's 12th Sharadiya this year and hope to make it a permanent celebration. part of our Pujo. We are humbled by the responsibility of Rehearsals for our cultural program are organizing and carrying forward a tradition in full swing. It is heartwarming to see so that began in Bengal in 1606. Since that many children come forward and participate time, Sharadiya celebrations have grown in enthusiastically. Above all, our Durga Pujo size, imagination, and geographic reach. celebration is for our children. To see them Making even the smallest contribution to immerse in and enjoy our culture and taking this sacred tradition forward is indeed tradition makes it all worthwhile. Utsav a privilege. That we have been able to do it members are presenting '100 Years of in Markin Juktorashtro for 12 years is a Bollywood ' this year, in addition to multiple tribute to the ability and dedication of our other cultural programs. The renowned members. We thank all previous Governing singer from Kolkata, Parnava, will perform Body Members for their service and look for us on Saturday night, and Bandish will forward to their continued participation and entertain us on Sunday. contribution. For an organization of our size to put on We began the year with our celebration a Durga Pujo celebration of such pomp and of Holi in April followed by our Annual grandeur requires all of us to work together. Picnic and General Body Meeting in At the end of the day, the bonds that unite us August. This year, we have constituted two and bring us together are far greater and new groups: one for Set Up and one for powerful than the trivialities that seek to Take Down for the Durga Pujo weekend. divide us. Participation in one of these groups will help Utsav belongs to you, and I encourage involve and integrate every member into all members to come forward, participate, Utsav and will strengthen our sense of and enjoy Durga Pujo. community and solidarity. The response Shobai ke janai Sharodiyar Aantorik from members has been heartening. Shubhechha, A major fundraising effort has been made. Multiple members came forward and Dr. Ajay Joshi their efforts have borne fruit. This has President, Utsav 2013 allowed us to avail excellent facilities for our Pujo this year, which will be enjoyed by Governing Body Members (GBM): all. Ajay Joshi (President) The Food Committee has taken upon Sanjib Nayak (Vice President) itself the task of catering for the entire Pujo Anima Kumar (Treasurer) weekend. This is an enormous undertaking, Sanhita Bandyopadhyay (Public Relations) but I am confident that they will pull it off to Manas Ray (Literary Committee) the gastronomic delight of all members!

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Utsav Accounts* July 2011 – June 2012 Amount Amount

Savings from 2010-11 $2,300 From Savings Account $5,000 Revenues Membership Fees $20,365 Sponsorship $14,000 Donations $1,200 Ticket Sale and Misc. Collection $2,360 $37,925 Total Revenues $45,225 Expenses Utsav Domain & Hosting Registration $115 Durga Puja 2011: Puja & Proshad Expenses $315 Food $6,202 Cleaning Expenses $420 External Artist $25,690 Hall Rental $2,964 STL Rental (equipment) $216 Stage Setup $350 Sound & Light $1,980 Magazine $905 Registration & Mailing Supplies $110 Miscellaneous Expenses $457 $39,609 Saraswati Puja 2012: Puja Expenses $155 Food $1,145 Transportation and Miscellaneous $168 Priest Donation $151 Hall Rental $935 $2,554

Insurance for 2012-2013 $594 PO BOX Rental Yearly Subscription $288 Annual Picnic Expenses $440 Annual Registration Expenses $45 QuickBooks Subscription $240 Storage Yearly Charges $1,248

Total Expenses $45,133 Net Balance 2011-12 $92

* Account s for 2012-13 will be published soon

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Program Schedule* for 12th Durga Puja, 2013

Event Time

Saturday: October 19, 2013 Registration 9:00 AM onwards Durga Puja (Saptami and Mahashtami) 10:00 AM Anjali 11:30 AM Sandhi Puja 12:15 PM Prasad 12:30 PM Lunch 1:00 – 2:00 PM Matinee Show 2:30 – 4:30 PM Sandhya Aaroti 5:00 PM Cultural Program (at San Juan School Auditorium)  Durga Stuti 6:05 – 6:15 PM  Jaago Maa (Dance) 6:15 – 6:20 PM  Muchhe Jaowa Dinguli 6:30 – 6:45 PM  Dhaker Taale (Girls’/Kids’ Dance) 6:50 – 7:05 PM Felicitation – Dr. Saquib Najmus 7:10 – 7:20 PM Celebrating 100 Years of Bollywood 7:25 – 8:00 PM Dinner 8:00 – 9:00 PM Sunday: October 20, 2013 Registration 9:30 AM onwards Durga Puja (Nabami and Bijoya Dashami) 10:00 AM Anjali 11:30 AM Prasad 12:00 Noon Shantir Jol, Bishorjon, and Sindur Khela 12:30 – 1:00 PM Lunch 1:00 – 2:00 PM Discussion Forum 2:00 – 2:30 PM Cultural Program  Go-As-You-Like 2:35 – 3:00 PM  New GBM Introduction/Awards 3:00 – 3:15 PM  Bandish (Bangla Band) 3:15 – 4:30 PM Bijoya Snacks 4:30 PM Wrap Up 5:00 – 6:00 PM *Subject to change

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Community News

Sharod Nandi, son of Rashmi and Somen Nandi, was recognized by the Natomas Unified School District for achieving the perfect score of 600 / 600 on the 2012-2013 California Standards Test (STAR) in Mathematics. Neha Joshi, daughter of Nupur and Ajay Joshi, received the Good Samaritan Award at St. Albans Country Day School given to the student that best embodies the spirit of the award by their conduct. She also received the Highest Honors for the highest overall aggregate GPA, and the High Honors for highest GPA in mathematics. She has joined the International Baccalaureate (IB) program at Oakmont High School as a freshman. Robby Chakraborty, son of Mita and Prodosh Chakraborty, received his undergraduate degree in June 2013 from University of California, Irvine, with majors in Business and Accounting. He is working as an Assistant Manager at Roberto Cavalli. Ballari Mukherjee, daughter of Sharmila and Arun Mukherjee, graduated from University of Houston Law Center in May 2013, and was awarded a Juris Doctorate (JD). She is now working at the immigration firm Harry Gee Jr & Associates, PLLC. At UHLC, she received following awards and honors: Judge Shearn Smith Scholarship (May 2013); UHLC Public Interest Fellowship (May 2012); Quarter-finalist at Elon School of Law National Constitutional Law Moot Court Competition (April 2012); Equal Justice Works and Equal Justice America Public Interest Fellowships (August 2011); and UH Law Center Dean’s Scholarship (2010-2011). Sanchita (Soma) Dey received her PhD Degree from the Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science at University of California, Davis, in June 2013. She is continuing her research at UC Davis. Dr. Ajay Joshi was re-elcted Chairman of Cardiovascular Services at Mercy San Juan Medical Center, Carmichael, in September 2013. He has been serving as Chairman since January 2012. Dr. Shyama Chakroborty will be recognized with the "Most Outstanding Alumni Award for Professional Achievement" this year from the Ohio State University (OSU) in Columbus, Ohio, which is one of the largest and most prestigious universities in the USA. He will receive this award in a Black-Tie Banquet and Reception at OSU to be attended by dignitaries representing the university, Ohio State Government, and other high-profile alumni on October 25. 2013. Rina Roy and Shantanu Basu are blessed with a grandson, Arjun Aidan Basu, born to Karen and Shourya Basu on October 7, 2013. Your pranami during Durga Puja 2012 was donated to Loaves and Fishes and St. Johns Shelter in Sacramento. Please continue your donations again this year.

Enthusiastic volunteers from Utsav joined in the annual spring cleaning program (Karma Yoga) that was organized by the Vedanta Society of Sacramento on May and October, 2013.

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Sharod Nandi, 11 years, is a sixth grader at Natomas Charter School. This drawing was selected as the 2012 Year Book back cover of Westlake Charter School, where he was a fifth grader.

Suhaan Devavarapu, 5 years, is son of Sanhita and Pradeep Devavarapu.

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Utsav Award Winners (for 2003-12)

Utsav gratefully acknowledges the winners of Utsav Awards in past years.

Cultural Award Outstanding Volunteer Award 2003: Somen Nandi 2003: Suvayu Bose 2004: Shyamal Chattaraj 2004: Shashwati Roy and Mala Paul 2005: Nabanita Sen 2005: Santana Das 2006: Shashwati Roy 2006: Joy Mukherjee 2007: Sharmila Mukherjee 2007: Seema Chanda 2008: Marvel Gima 2008: Rupa Chowdhury and Koushik Das 2009: Joydeep Roy 2009: Subir Sarkar 2010: Mala Paul 2010: Anima Kumar and Rashmi Nandi 2011: Tuhina Ghosal and Sanjib Sarkar 2011: Koushik Das and Arun Chowdhury 2012: Ajay Joshi 2012: Biswanath Mukherjee

Literary (and Educational) Award Outstanding Youth Volunteer Award 2003: Arijit Chatterjee (This award was initiated in 2004) 2004: Arun Das 2004: Joey Chakraborty 2005: Dilip Roychowdhury 2005: Mohana Roy 2006: Rashmi Nandi and Pat Chatterjee 2006: Natasha Choudri 2007: Santana Das 2007: Aninda Chowdhury 2008: Manas Ray 2008: Robby Chakraborty 2009: Rashmi Nandi 2009: Arunav Sarkar 2010: Manas Ray 2010: Rudrani Ghosh 2011: Tapati Bhowmik 2011: Sunoy Nandi and Sharod Nandi 2012: Prodyot Bhattacharya 2012: Sunoy Nandi and Sharod Nandi

Fundraising Award 2003: Udayan Chanda 2004: Deb Saha 2005: Anita Ghoshal 2006: Somen Nandi 2007: Deb Saha 2008: Anima Kumar 2009: Ajay Joshi 2010: Deb Saha 2011: Anima Kumar 2012: Deb Saha

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With Best Compliments From

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c¤¢V L¢ha¡ A¢i−oL e¡N eক খািন িচিঠ িলখব েতামায় eক খািন িচিঠ িলখব েতামায় aেনক যেt আজ ... ভাষা খুঁজিছ, খুঁজিছ িবেশষ শেbর কাকাজ । eক খািন িচিঠ িলখব েতামায় aেনক বছর পের, sায়ু-চল মনটা েক তাi, বnী কেরিছ ঘের ।

সাদা কাগেজ িহিজিবিজ কািট সকাল েথেক সাঁঝ eক খািন িচিঠ িলখব িঠকi aেনক যেt আজ! ******************************

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রািt তু িম প বদলাo, pিত সpাহ েশেষ। রািt আমার ভালবাসা তব ু রেয় যােব eকেপেশ ... রািt তু িম আেলা-আঁধাির রািt তু িম েগাপন, রািt েতামার মধুর সুের েpম হেয়েছ েরাপন। রািt তু িম বলছ আমায়, বদেল েগিছ আিম? রািt েতামায় ধরব বেল হেয়িছ asগামী! ********************** A¢i−oL e¡N fË−L±nm£z, ¢VÊ¢e¢V L−mS, X¡h¢me-H N−hoZ¡la

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**************************************************************** Al©f Q¾cÊ (1951) pj¡S p−Qae L¢hz j¡e¤−ol k¿»Z¡ k¡fe¢Qœ J pwNË¡j EfS£hÉ L−l pj¡Sà−¾cl A¿¹mÑ£e paÉ−L R¢¾ca L−lez fy¡Q¢V L¡hÉNË¿Û, EfeÉ¡p, Ae¤h¡c NË¿Û Hhw ¢nÒfLm¡ J h¡wm¡ pw−La¢m¢f ¢houL N−hoZ¡j§mL NË¿Û l−u−Rz −fo¡Nai¡−h j¤¢oÑc¡h¡−cl hqljf¤−l HL¢V −i¡−Lne¡m −VÊ¢ew Ce¢ø¢VE−Vl AdÉrz "h¡pi¨¢j’ f¢œL¡l pÇf¡cLz

Avis Rent-a-Car, Inc. 1161 Galleria Blvd (Inside Sears Auto Center) Galleria Mall Roseville (916) 781-3029

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The Vedanta Society of Sacramento

Utsav members may wish to check out the activities of

The Vedanta Society of Sacramento Swami Prapannananda Minister and Teacher Ramakrishna Order, India 1337 Mission Avenue, Carmichael, CA 95608 Phone: (916) 489-5137 E-mail: [email protected] Web: vedantasacto.org

The Society was started in 1949 and became a branch of Ramakrishna Math, Belur Math, India, in 1952.

Activities include:  Daily: Worship at 8:30 a.m. and group meditation at 6 a.m. and 7:30 p.m.  Wednesday Class on Vedanta scriptures at 7:30 p.m.  Saturday Class on Ramakrishna-Vivekananda literature at 7:30 p.m.  Sunday: Special Morning Worship at 9:30 a.m. A lecture on a religious topic at 11:00 a.m. Vesper Service (Arati) with devotional songs at 6:00 p.m.  Celebration of the birthdays of Sri Ramakrishna, Sri Sarada Devi, and Swami Vivekananda. Other religious festivals observed include Durga Puja, Kali Puja, Jagaddhatri Puja, Shivaratri, and Janmastami.

The Society Bookstore sells religious books, chidren’s books, religious articles, incense sticks, etc. Ph: (916) 489-2116, Email: [email protected]

Santodyana (Garden of Saints): A four-acre retreat with Krishna and Lotus ponds is a place of peace and tranquility. Within the serene garden are statues of Sri Krishna, Shiva, Moses, Shankaracharya, Sri Chaitanya, St. Francis of Assisi, Guru Nanak, and Our Lady of Guadalupe.

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With Best Compliments From

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−Q±l‰£ 2013 21 Chowrongee 2013

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−Q±l‰£ 2013 22 Chowrongee 2013

¢py¢s üfÀ¡ L¥j¡l

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a¡ AhnÉ C¢aq¡p ¢WL hm¡ k¡ue¡, A−eLV¡ LbLa¡l A−eLh¡l Mhl −cJu¡l fl, c¢SÑ H−p−R h¡¢s−az jaz j¡ Aæf§ZÑ¡ pª¢ø L−l¢R−me L¡n£, h−m¢R−me, a¡−L −c−MC, j¡−ul ""ShlcÙ¹'' ¢q¢¾c−a hSÊýˆ¡lz ""HM¡−e j¡l¡ −N−m ü−NÑ k¡u''z Aæf§ZÑ¡−L −V‚¡ ¢c−a Lb−f¡Lbe HlLj: hÉp−ch N‰¡l AeÉ f¡−s, °al£ Ll−me hÉpL¡n£z j¡ - Hah¡l qjÚ −h¡m¡a¡ qÉ¡u - Ba¡ ¢LyE eq£ ? Aæf§ZÑ¡ aMe hªÜ¡l −hn d¡lZ L−l, hÉ¡p−ch−L ¢N−u c¢SÑ - eq£ qS¥l . . . [h¡¢L hmh¡l B−NC -] hm−me, ""HM¡−e j¡l¡ −N−m N¡d¡ quz'' k¡C −q¡L, hÉ¡p j¡ - a¥jq¡l¡ −cj¡LÚ hýa h¡t Nu¡z phÚ ¢j¢mV¡¢l L¡n£−L ""L¡n£ e−ln'' hm¡ quz L¡n£−a −p¡e¡l Aæf§ZÑ¡ O¤QÚ S¡−uN¡; ahÚ q¡j−m¡L −L¡ −R¡s−L, N¢a −eq£ l−qN¡z j§¢aÑ hR−l ¢ae ¢ce −M¡m¡ qu, k¡ B¢j −c−M¢R f§−S¡l (AbÑ¡v, −a¡j¡l hs −cj¡L, ¢j¢mV¡¢l ph Q−m −N−m, pjuz Bj¡−cl R¡s¡ −a¡j¡l Bl −L¡e N¢a −eC) Bh¡l HLV¥ q¡ó¡ l−p Bp¡ k¡Lz HC L¡n£−aC j¡−ul JC h¡wm¡ −jn¡−e¡ fË¡”m ¢q¢¾cl −Q¡−V c¢SÑ h¡h¡l X¡š²¡l hå¥ b¡L−ae, p¤¤fËpæ m¡¢qs£, k¡l HL¢V nL¥l ¢ju¡ f¡¢m−u hy¡Q−m¡ −hQ¡l¡z H„−l ¢LÓ¢eL ¢Rmz A−Qe¡ −LE a¡l h¡¢s H−p clS¡u h¡h¡ Austin-10 N¡¢s ¢L−e¢R−me 1937 p¡−mz Ls¡ −e−s k¢c ¢S‘¡p¡ Ll−a¡, ""BμR¡, p¤¤fËpæ m¡¢qs£ −p N¡¢s Bj¡l ¢h−ul pj−u, 1951 p¡−m LmL¡a¡u B−Re?'' iâ−m¡L ¢e−SC a¡−cl Ešl ¢c−ae, ""J−q¡, Bj¡l c¡c¡−cl Bl i¡C−cl LeÉ¡k¡œ£ L−l H−e¢Rmz BS pL¡−mC ¢a¢e j¡l¡ −N−Rez'' i¡h¤e −a¡, −k a¡l B−N, h¡h¡ −pC N¡¢s qy¡¢L−u L¡n£−a LÓ¡−h −k−ae, iâ−m¡L H−p −My¡S Ll−R, a¡l ¢L c¤lhÙÛ¡! f’¡−n¡−dÑ −V¢epJ −Mm−aez LÓ¡−h Fancy Dinner HLV¥ hs q−aC nq−l c§NÑ¡f§−S¡ h¡ L¡m£f§−S¡u k¡ q−a¡z Bj¡l p¤¤f¤l¦o ¢fa«−ch LM−e¡ l¦â¡r j¡m¡ f−l, ¢LR¥ q−a¡ - ¢h−noa: k¡œ¡, ¢b−uV¡l - phC −cMa¡jz q¡−a hV¥u¡ ¢e−u °j¢bm£ hË¡þZ, LM−e¡ Q¡e¡Q¥lJu¡m¡ h¡ fËp‰a: h¢m, Bj¡l j¡-h¡h¡ c¤S−eC lh£¾cÊp‰£a M¤h f¤¢mp, LM−e¡ Kennar (caterer)-Hl j¡¢mL h¡ i¡−m¡h¡p−aez J−cl e¡¢a-e¡a¢e q−u k¡Ju¡l f−lJ −hu¡l¡z fË¡CSV¡ h¡h¡lC b¡L−a¡z HC −qe lP−hl‰£ −c−M¢R, j¡ ANÑÉ¡e h¡S¡−ae, Bl h¡h¡ N¡C−aez Bj¡l h¡h¡l eu−el j¢e ¢Rm, ""M¤L¥''- B¢jz M¤h −R¡V hu−p, ö−e¢R L¥j¡l nQ£e−ch hjÑe Bj¡−cl BS, pcÉ B¢n A¢aœ²¡¿¹ q−u, Øj«¢al plZ£ −h−u h¡¢s H−p¢R−mez p‰£a Efm−r eu, g¥Vh−ml p¤¤h¡−cz kMe q¡as¡C, aMe −Rys¡ −Rys¡ La Lb¡ j−e B−pz Bj¡l h¡h¡ cr g¥Vhm¡l ¢R−mez nQ£eLaÑ¡ ay¡l pC hªÜ¡ q©cu −a¡ - ph Lb¡ j−e H−mJ, hm¡ q−u J−We¡z Ll¡ −lLXÑ ¢c−u ¢N−u¢R−mez ""a¥¢j −k ¢Nu¡R hL¥m BSJ qu−a¡ q−m¡ e¡, Bl L−h q−h - ¢WL S¡¢e e¡z ¢hR¡−e¡ f−b'' - −p N¡e −a¡ f−l p¤¤f¡l¢qVÚ q−u¢Rmz h¡h¡ j¡−ul −pC p‰£a−fËj hwn¡e¤œ²−j R¢s−u ¢N−u−Rz B¢j f¢äa ¢X. ¢i. f¡m¤ˆ¡l p¡−q−hl N¡e j”¥ l¡u−Q±d¤l£, gmpj-H Ahpl S£he k¡fe Ll−Rez −n¡e¡l −p±i¡NÉa¡ −f−u¢R - a¡l ¢LR¥¢ce flC ¢a¢e j¡l¡ h¡wm¡ i¡o¡, lh£¾cÊ-p¡¢qaÉ, J p‰£−al fË¢a a¡yl k¡ez flhaÑ£L¡−m, Hje ¢L ¢h−ul f−lJ ü¡j£ h¡h¡¢S−L Be¤NaÉ a¡y−L −mM¡−m¢M J fs¡−n¡e¡u hÉÙ¹ l¡−Mz hNmc¡h¡ L−l R¥Va¡j i£j−pe −k¡n£, q£l¡i¡C h−l¡cLl, p¡¢qaÉ, Lm¡, ¢h‘¡e J l¡Se£¢a ¢houL e¡e¡ a−bÉ a¡yl p¤¤e¾c¡ f–e¡−uL, l¢hnˆl, B¢m BLhl, ¢hm¡−ua My¡ f¢lh¡l-f¢lSe −cl AhNa l¡M¡J a¡yl AeÉaj −en¡z p¡−qh−cl N¡e h¡ h¡Se¡ öe−az Bjl¡ - JC fË¡çhuú c¤C ¢nö - p¡wp¡¢lL S£h−el La c¤xM Lø L¡¢V−u q¡¢l−u −ka¡j p‰£−al JC −j¡qju SN−az Bj¡l j¡-h¡h¡J Lø L−l−Re A−eL −hn£z Jy−cl −no hu−p −c−M¢R, na h¡d¡ ¢hf¢š p−šÄJ, Hi¡−hC S£h−el p¤¤M h¡ n¡¢¿¹l BnËu My¥S−aez f¢li¡o¡u j−e qu: ""M¤c¡ −e h¡e¡−u −S¡¢s, HL Aå¡ HL −L¡s£''z HC −mM¡ −no Llh¡l B−N, j¡-h¡h¡l Lb¡ Bl HLV¥ h¢mz Bj¡l Q¡l c¡c¡ i¡C−ul j¡−T B¢j HL −j−uz h¡h¡-j¡−ul M¤hC spoiled - hm−m, Lj hm¡ quz −R¡V hu−p j¡ −L¡−m h¢p−u Rs¡ L¡V−ae: ""BL¡n S¥−s −jO L−l−R / p§¢kÉ −Nm f¡−V; M¤L¥ −N−R Sm Be−a / fcÈ¢c¢Ol O¡−V . . . ''z Bj¡l Aje h¡P¡¢m j¡, Ha hRl ¢q¢¾c hm−u −b−L−Re - a¡l ¢q¢¾cl f¡¢äaÉ öe¤ez

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The Time When I Really Felt Fear Shimika Basuroy

The time when I really felt fear was in 2004, the pool and ran to my mother. My mother during my first swimming lesson. I was very disappointed and angry. We went remember how terrifying the water seemed home in silence. to me. I was absolutely sure that I was going My parents were determined to make to sink into the water like a rock and drown. sure that I lose my fear of the water. They It took many weeks until I finally started to took me to every class, despite my protests like swimming, but my initial fear of the and tantrums. After a couple of weeks, I water is still clear in my mind. gradually started to relax. I realized if I It was late summer in 2004 when I went closed my eyes tightly, then the water will to my first swimming lesson. I was very not get into them. I also realized that I will excited that I would finally be able to swim. not drown, because I am with my swimming Swimming looked like such a fun sport! My instructor. I knew that, as long as I know mother seemed very happy because of my how to swim, I will be safe in the pool. excitement. When we got to the Aquatic Eventually, the fear of swimming got Center however, my views started to change. replaced with love. I looked at all the people diving and hoped Nowadays, swimming is my favorite fervently that I will not have to dive. I stared sport. I love it, and every winter I wait at the instruction pool and took in the scene eagerly for the summer months so I can get of kids dunking their heads under the water. back into the pool. The feeling of I began to think that swimming was not a completely submerging myself into the fun sport after all. In fact, it looked water is what makes me like swimming so downright scary! When it was time for me to much, even though that was what I had go into the pool, I was begging my mother hated about swimming before. I am no to take me home. She refused and told me to longer afraid of swimming, and the old fear go into the water like a big girl. I had of the water is simply a distant Having no choice, I got into the pool. memory. The water seemed very dark and frightening. It almost seemed to have a formidable Shimika, 13 years is an eighth grader in Sutter presence. All of the other kids did not seem Middle School frightened though. My swimming teacher came along, and I thought she looked very mean. She took us to the other end of the pool and told us to climb up on top. She then instructed us to hold onto her arm and jump into the water. When it was my turn, I vigorously shook my head. After much coaxing, I finally listened and jumped. It was horrible! There was water rushing up my nose and seeping into my eyes. After all that, she told us to bob our heads under the water. It was then when I finally broke down. Bursting into tears, I climbed out of

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Future of Nuclear Power in the United States Barin Kumar

Global Warming and the Role of the pressure vessel, concrete containment, Nuclear Power. More than 50% of US surrounding main pipes, and connecting power requirements come from coal. cables. For example, owners of Ohio’s Global warming and air pollution from Davis-Besse nuclear power station coal contributes to the deaths of 14,000 replaced in 2012 the existing reactor lid people every year. with a new lid to fix a potential leak One hundred and four nuclear reactors for $600 million. supply 19% of the power the US NRC has a plan to establish consumes. Nuclear power is the only additional rules and standards by year large-scale always-on source of power 2020 to allow operation to go from 60 that does not contribute to global to 80 years. warming. For instance, in France, global Role of NRC in Preventing warming contribution from power is Fukushima Type Accident. The accident significantly lower than in any other scenario at the Dai-ichi nuclear power country because 78% of power in France station, Fukushima, Japan: When a comes from 58 nuclear reactors. powerful 9.0 earthquake struck the power We cannot afford to ignore the station on March 11, 2011, three potential of nuclear energy to generate operational reactors of the plant went for huge power without contributing to global flawless automatic shutdown within 5 warming. It is fascinating to know that so seconds of the event as per design basis. much energy can be produced with so The fourth rector of the plant was in little fuel. For example, power generated refueling shutdown. About 45 minutes, a by 1 gram of Uranium is equivalent to monstrous tsunami wave went over the that produced by 1 ton of coal. seawalls and swept toward the plant. As Life Extension of Existing Nuclear a result, the emergency core cooling Reactors. Today, USA has 104 active system and equipment was completely nuclear reactors which are 32-years old, submerged and became inoperable. It on average. The ages of 15 reactors are was a complete Station Blackout that from 39 to 42 years where 40 years of failed to pump cooling water to the core operating license are typically granted to that eventually led to core meltdown. licensees by the US Nuclear Regulatory The tsunami’s height was at 14 meters Commission (NRC). above the mean sea level where the NRC has granted license extensions design basis of the plant is 5.7 meters. to 73 reactors until they are 60 years The effort by NRC to prevent old, and 10 of these reactors have Fukushima type accident in US nuclear already entered this new era of extended reactors: NRC issued a series of orders, operation. Each of these 73 reactors has known as Fukushima Initiatives, to each undergone rigorous on-going monitoring reactor owner in the US to comply by and periodic inspection requirements by demonstrating how the plant can achieve NRC for the components that are most safe shutdown for an extended station difficult and expensive to replace such as

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blackout scenario with modification of the shutdown automatically with no need for system and equipment as needed. human intervention or outside power for It should be noted here that, since up to 72 hours. It requires significantly the Three Miles Island, Pennsylvania, fewer components and redundancies. accident in 1979, where partial core With more prefabrication in factory and meltdown occurred, NRC issued a less on-site construction, the cost of myriad of rules, regulations and building this type of reactor will be less. standards to prevent such accident in the Four of these reactors are now built in future which has been the nuclear US as the country’s first new nuclear industry’s standard not only for the USA construction in nearly three decades. but for all reactor owners in the rest of Solution to Nuclear Waste Disposal the world. problem: Since our national plan to have Nuclear Reactor Safety Issues and a permanent Federal Nuclear Waste Potential Solutions. There are two safety Depository did not materialize, each issues that haunted the nuclear power reactor owner following decommissioning industry since its start in late 1950s. of the plant will now store nuclear waste Over the years, a lot of design in its own site in self air-cooled concrete improvements took place from early casks, known as dry storage. For prototype Generation I reactors to all example, nuclear waste of SMUD’s Generation II commercial reactors Rancho Seco nuclear generating station is currently operating but the following two now stored in dry storage at site since problems remain unsolved. 2008 following permanent shutdown of One is Safe Shutdown of the reactor the plant in 1989 and subsequent in operation during emergency situation decommissioning. with loss of offsite power. The culprit is Reactors in Research and the decay heat which does not go away Development. There are quite a few with the stopping of nuclear fission of reactors today in research and the reactor, and the amount of decay development stage. Few of the promising heat is quite significant. For instance, ones are noted as follows. unlike fossil or hydroelectric power, the Small Modular Reactor (SMR): This decay heat of a 1,000 MW operating small, about one third the size of reactor is about 200 MW at the instant traditional ones, standardized reactor can of shutdown which need to be cooled be mass produced and shipped where immediately with a separate emergency needed. It can shrink the multi-billion core cooling system powered by standby dollar up-front cost of a conventional power to avoid core meltdown. nuclear plant and can end cost overruns The other is Nuclear Waste Disposal due to construction delays. Being small, which remains radioactive for thousands SMR has promise both in cost and of years following decommissioning of safety. A number of small start-up the nuclear plant. companies, such as Hyperion and Solution to the Safe Shutdown NuScale, have put forward SMR designs, problem: Currently, the solution is the and Department of Energy agreed in AP1000 Reactor by Westinghouse. It is June 2013 to provide $150 million to the first Generation III+ reactor in the support the development of a Babcock & US which has passive safety features. In Wilcox subsidiary’s SMR design. the event of an accident, the plant will

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Molten Salt Reactor (MSR): This could use the depleted Uranium found in Generation IV research reactor by nuclear waste burning it for decades Transatomic is in development stage. It without refueling. If it works, this reactor uses nuclear waste fuel dissolved in a would be far more efficient than current salt mixture instead of nuclear fuel rods designs, holding out the possibility of of a conventional reactor. It offers limitless electricity. According to inherent safety, greater efficiency, and TerraPower , a prototype of such a less waste. At the bottom of the reactor reactor can be built by the early 2020s vessel is a drainpipe plugged with solid and can become the commercial reactor salt, its temperature maintained with an of choice by the 2030s. The development electrical cooler to keep it in solid state. of TWR by TerraPower is funded by Bill Should power be lost in a Fukushima- Gates. like accident, the plug would melt and Summary. In the United States, the the molten salt containing the fuel would annual electricity demand is projected to drain into a storage area where it would increase about 21% by 2030 to roughly cool on its own. 5,000 billion kilowatt-hours. Nuclear Traveling Wave Reactor (TWR): This power would be needed to support the Generation IV research reactor by future demand with the life extension of TerraPower is in development stage. existing reactors along with new Traveling wave refers to the fact that Generation III reactors such as AP1000 fission occurs bit by bit in the reactor and SMR, as well as some promising core, as if a wave of energy were Generation IV reactors which are in slowly spreading through it, rather than development. in the entire core all at once as in standard fission. TerraPower’s reactor

Barin Kumar is a 28-year resident of Sacramento. He is an electrical and nuclear engineer, whop worked for Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD) at Rancho Seco Nuclear Generating Station and SMUD Power Distribution for many years. He can be reached at [email protected]

With Best Compliments From

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I Love India Paris Powell

I have visited India a number of times over in any American 5-star hotel; however, I the years. Every time I go to India, it is a could not help but feel horribly guilty eating new experience for me. I continue to marvel so much food when there were so many and enjoy her majestic natural beauty and hungry people right outside the door. diversity. Her unparallel natural beauty with Many foreign visitors sometimes take a her majestic mountains and beautiful negative view of the unpleasant sights beaches are always a great source of joy. emanating from rampant poverty. They take The countless historic sites proudly reveal issues with cleanliness and rundown ghettos the cultures and grandeur of old India, (basties). I have learned to see and dating back to thousands of years. appreciate India and her immense beauty During my most recent trips, I saw a through more colorful lenses that overlook new and emerging India that is inching this harsh reality while bringing many other unmistakably more and more towards positive aspects of India and her vibrant Western norms, sometimes sadly culture to the forefront of consciousness. compromising and contradicting the age-old America is a very large country, so there is cultural and spiritual heritage of India. The plenty of room to spread out and build large youths now fancy the Starbucks, homes with pools, etc. On the other hand, McDonalds, KFCs, and Pizza Huts that have India has the second-largest population in mushroomed in every nook and corner of the world and not enough land to house the India, preferring over the local college cafes immense population. and road-side dhabas. Nursing homes have Her majestic natural beauty, the now given way to the centuries-old joint- friendliness of the Indian people, the family concept that accommodated 3 or 4 peaceful co-existence (most of the time!) of generations under the same roof from time its diverse population spanning many immemorial. religions, languages and cultures, and the The opulence that exists within the walls emerging India in the shadow of old India of the 5-star hotels in any metropolitan city are awe inspiring and go far beyond the such as Mumbai, New Delhi, Kolkata, Goa, materialistic setbacks of the less fortunate. I and other cities which I have travelled to can must say India has made great strides in match or even exceed the material grandeur uplifting many of the down-trodden with an in many other parts of the world. Sadly, as ever-expanding middle class. However, soon as I exited the glitzy hotels, the abject there are miles to traverse to bring a poverty is painfully visible. While the sites minimum level of economic freedom to the of countless Mercedes and Porsches would vast masses that still linger in poverty. catch one’s attention, the site of mothers I have a few funny memories from my with malnourished children knocking on the trips to India. During one such trip, we were car windows for help is a painful reminder traveling to Agra in a luxury bus that we of the great divide between the haves and took along with many other mostly Western haves not. Before departing Mumbai, we tourists from our Hyatt Regency Hotel in took our Mumbai family to an American New Delhi. Obviously, I was soaking in all hotel, Marriot, to splurge on a fabulous the views of the country side through the bus lunch buffet. The buffet was as good and windows. During each stop, we would be elaborate if not better than any you see here swarmed with snake charmers or monkey

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handlers who would knock on the windows waiting on the balcony of the second floor of asking to showcase their tricks for a few the sprawling family home in Barasat for the rupees. The snakes would come out of the van. Shyama was instructing me from inside small basket and strike against the bus the house to go downstairs and Ratna would window or they would sway their heads meet me on the van that was waiting outside rhythmically to the flute music played by the on the road. I told him there was no van as I snake charmer. Then, when we were was waiting and expecting to see a four driving, I saw many women trying to paste a wheeler like a Tata van or other foreign round-shaped patty that looked like our versions of a motorized van or a minivan. favorite American staple, the Hamburger, on While I was on the balcony, I saw an old the mud walls of their homes. When I asked man sitting on the seat of a three-wheel aloud what they were pasting on the walls, a cycle attached to a wooden flatbed at the Western tourist burst into a laugh and said back. He was making a very funny and loud they were not something to be eaten but sound by pumping the hand-operated rubber would be actually used to cook as a fuel horn to make his arrival known to his when the patties (made of cow dung) were passengers. Finally, one of Shyama’s dried in the sun! On the positive side, he nephews came to me and asked me to go to opined that the primitive, yet effective, the van with a mischievous smile! process was helping to cut down India’s Apparently, the young Mumbai-educated dependence on foreign oil! MBA figured out my confusion. That’s when I realized the van and the chauffer had indeed arrived, and it was time to go shopping! Between my two sisters-in laws and me, we accounted for close to 400 pounds. It was astonishing to see how this old, skinny, and feeble man was paddling away at ease at a remarkable pace, negotiating his path through myriads of buses, cars, rickshaws, bicycles, stray cows and dogs, and the sea of humanity that moved in every single direction in the Another interesting experience was my absence of any level of enforceable traffic first encounter with the non-motorized laws. Indian Van. During our visits, Kolkata and Barasat (a suburb of Kolkata where Shyama’s parents lived) were always part of our sure stops. Most of the time, the family car and the chauffer were available to take us around. On one occasion, the family car was not available. My sister-in-law, Ratna, wanted to take me to the local market in Barasat to buy a few ready-made blouses and skirts to go with the saris that were presented to me by various family members. I was told that they would hire a van since the family car was not available. So, I was Our return trip after shopping was relatively more luxurious with a cushioned

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seat and a colorful hood in another version mystical and magical land, India, which I of the environmentally-friendly three- have grown increasingly fond of. I always wheeler, the Rickshaw. The fare was eight look forward to my next trip, anticipating rupees or just 11 cents at the current new and exciting experiences. exchange rate. Those experiences have added to the mosaic of many fond memories from the

Paris Powell is an ardent Indophile who also is the better half of Dr. Shyama Chakroborty. Paris attended UCLA, Stanford, and Harvard for her business studies. She has held several senior executive management positions. She lives in Folsom, CA.

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Amol Jayant Kripalani

Let me tell you a story I found both moving Being a Calcutta person myself, we and humourous. often swapped stories about the old city and Amol was a Calcutta boy. exchanged memories of our younger days in Through and through. the area around the New Market. His He was the son of Amulya Mazumdar, memories were very different from mine. who had a small stall at the back of the New After all, two decades separated us but some Market, the Corporation end of it, where he things had not changed. Nizam’s was still sold ribbons of every colour, buttons of there, behind the market and so was every shape and size, clips, plastic or steel, Nahoum’s, right in the middle of it. How he combs, lace et cetera et cetera – everything a had managed to reach this stationery shop in woman might need to make or repair New York was anybody’s guess. He refused anything she wanted. My friend Katy who to talk about it. had shifted to Bombay once told me, I did make the mistake of asking him ‘Bikash I can’t get anything in Bombay once too often and he put me in my place. because I don’t know where to get in from. ‘Bikash Babu,’ he said ‘do I aks you why In Calcutta, if I need three feet of a quarter- you sit at home all day while your goodwife inch broad ribbon, I know I’ll get it at goes to work? No? Then why you are aksing Amulya Babu’s. But Bombay? I have to me?’ plan an expedition to get it.’ Not Imagine, if you can, a small stationery surprisingly Katy and her family moved shop owned by yes, you guessed it, an back to Calcutta not much later. Indian from Gujarat. Of course, it had Of course I’d never met Amol in absolutely the best location on 1st Avenue at Calcutta but I did have a passing the corner of 54th Street, right in between acquaintance with his father. I met Amol in Columbus’ Bakery and a deli that sold New York, in the heart of Manhattan. freshly cooked specialty recipes from all If you heard him speak for the first time around the world. Amol worked in this shop. as I did in New York, and if you closed your In fact, he ran the shop. I’d never met the eyes, you’d be able to imagine him sitting owner. Amol made everything available on a ‘rock’ outside a paan shop, arguing the when you wanted it – that pencil sharpener fate of the world with his college mates. late in the evening, that brand of coffee that Enquiring eyes smiled out at you through only you drank, condoms of every shape, steel framed ‘granny’ glasses. His thick colour and size, staples and staplers, paper, black hair was centre-parted, always pasted both handmade and factory made. So far, down to his rather large head, smelling there wasn’t thing that I required that he faintly like Keo Karpin hair oil. ‘In fact, it is didn’t have. And of course, The New York jabakusum,’ he proudly told me once we’d Times. You name it, he had it – even a got to know each other and I’d become a bathroom mug – a must for every Indian regular at his establishment. ‘Only one shop who didn’t feel comfortable with paper. in Jackson Heights sells this.’ So it was refreshing to know that he He spoke English with a broad ‘Bangali’ wasn’t doing it only for a living. He was accent and, like all good Bengalis, he always (and he actually believed this) doing it remembered with great nostalgia ‘the kul because he felt that he was providing a bridge blowing on Howrah Breeze.’ much-needed service to the community. And

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all than even though he didn’t own the shop. I had asked him once how that had He just worked there. Always cheerful, happened, and he’d laughed and said, ‘So always welcoming, always enquiring about many sad stories in the world, Bikash Babu. how I was, how my wife was doing, and If people do not know of one more, there how the pollen was treating us that week. will be no harm.’ If he didn’t have something I needed, He came back triumphant, a few minutes ‘Come back in an hour,’ he’d say, and I later, this time at a more leisurely pace, with would see him charging out of his hole-in- a smile on his face. I knew from that look the-wall establishment to source it from that my morning problem had been resolved. wherever he could. Now, I knew there were no plastic mugs So what’s so special about that, I hear available on First Avenue. Not anywhere. you ask, He was just doing his job, wasn’t ‘Where? . . . How?’ I asked him. he? He brandished the mug saying, When I use the term ‘charging out’, I use ‘Measuring jug. Same shape, same size. it rather loosely. Let’s go back to the Only difference, it has measurements in bathroom mug story. My mug had split near ounces printed on the side. Will it do? That the handle, and was leaking. It is extremely will be two dollars, thank you.’ difficult to conclude one’s morning They were the happiest two dollars I ablutions – as every self-respecting, bum- spent, and I congratulated him on his washing Indian will tell you, with a mug like ingenuity. that. ‘Legless, not brainless,’ he said curtly I walked into his shop. and wheeled himself in to attend to a ‘Aije Bikash Babu, Hwat I can gayt phor customer. you thees hwanderful morning?’ he asked in A few days later, I went in to pick up the his broad Bengali accent. Sunday papers. I saw him looking longingly I waited for the other customers to leave at an ad for a pair of Gucci shoes. the shop, too embarrassed to tell him what I Remember that sentimental proved about needed. Once I had him to myself, I asked how bad one feels when one sees a man with him whether he had a bathroom mug. no shoes until one sees a man with no feet? ‘Ah! Paikhana’r mawg? That is why you He cut the ad out and pinned it on the were feeling shy in front of other board behind him. customers?’ ‘If you see any ads in the papers for I explained that I’d been up and down shoes, cut them out for me,’ he said. I told First Avenue but couldn’t find a place that him that I would. I didn’t have the heart to sold one. Did he have one? ask any questions. ‘No,’ he said, ‘but let me think for a The next day I gave him an ad for a pair moment. Okay. You mind the shop. I will be of Nike shoes. He pinned it on the board. back in a jeefy.’ The third day, there was an ad for the He left me in the shop and charged out. I world’s first ‘intelligent’ shoes pinned next followed him to the entrance and watched to my Nike ad. And the number of ads grew him. Two arms pumping, dodging people on over the next fortnight. When I last looked the pavement, some of them stepping hastily at his board there must have been over sixty out of his way as he pushed his wheelchair shoe ads pinned on it. through them. All that to get me a mug. Some urgent work had cropped up in Yes, he was on a wheelchair. He had no Calcutta. I had to head home for a bit. Amol legs. gave me a whole lot of little gifts for his

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family in Calcutta. His father was thrilled I was mortified at my blunder. when I walked into him shop and gave them ‘Wait,’ he said, ‘I have something for to him. He was more thrilled hearing about you.’ Amol rather than with the gifts. In fact he He leaned back across the counter, took didn’t bother with opening the parcel. A few out a file from underneath it and handed it to days later I discovered that there was one me. It was full of ad clippings, the same ads more parcel for him tucked away with my we had started pinning on to his was some clothes. I walked to his shop to give it to months ago. I rifled through them. All of him and there, under a sign saying ‘freshly them were ads for shoes. There were shoes arrived from USA’, were a whole lot of of every shape, colour, brand and design. knick-knacks that I must have carried. Two ‘Remember these?’ months and many problems later, I returned I nodded. to NYC. ‘I chose Gucci,’ he said displaying his I strolled into his shop to pick up the well-shod ‘feet’. New York Times and was disappointed to see ‘Blaady one month’s salary, but waarth he wasn’t there. it,’ he beamed at me. ‘Where’s Amol?’ I asked the man I beamed back. standing behind the counter. ‘This story you can tell. People need ‘I am Amol. Bikash Babu, when did you happy stories,’ he said as he turned to greet come back?’ he asked as he walked stiffly the next customer that walked in. from behind the counter on his prosthetics, and shook my hand.

Jayant Kripalani is a well-known Indian film, television, and stage actor, director, and trainer. He is also brother of Pramila Kriplani, an active member of Utsav. The short story Amol is from New Market Tales, which is a collection of short stories authored by him. The collection depicts real-life pictures of a different Calcutta (yet to be Kolkata) of the sixties - untouched by the social and political upheavals of that era. We are grateful to the author and the publisher, Pan Macmillan India, for allowing us to publish this story from that collection

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Medical Research in India: A Clinician's Perspective Ananya Datta-Mitra and Anupam Mitra

Hippocrates oath reminds us the research in India' from a clinician's responsibility that our duty as doctors is to viewpoint. care for our patients and to provide them the There is no qualm that, compared to best available treatment. This warrant us to developed Western countries, India is still keep our medical knowledge and training lacking far behind in medical research. To up-to-date so that, as doctors, we can conduct successful medical research, in provide effective and safe treatments based addition to scientific knowledge and on the ‘best available evidence’. Compared attitude, patient samples (blood, tissue, to other branches of basic sciences (physics, urine, etc.), proper infrastructure and skills mathematics, chemistry), many aspects still are essential requirements. In this context, remain unanswered about human diseases. India has a major advantage over developed Although with the help of modern tools and countries including United States, in having techniques some advancements have been abundance of clinical samples (blood, tissue, made in biological science, still it is like etc. from patients). But in many occasions contributing a few drops of water in an those precious clinical samples are not being ocean. The progress in biological sciences utilized for medical research due to lack of has helped us to know more about the awareness and lack of infrastructure. In disease pathogenesis (mechanism of the other words, we are sitting on a gold mine of disease), based on which now we have more clinical samples without knowing its effective and safe treatments for many worth!!! In India, due to inaccessibility to diseases. These advancemes in the past advanced healthcare system and inability to fewdecades have changed the concept of afford proper treatment, it is even possible to practising medicine and strengthened the get samples from patients with advanced need of translational research, linking bench stage of the disease (very precious from work to bedside clinics. To better research point of view), which is next to understand human diseases, basic scientists impossible in United States due to its (PhD) are working hard with a goal to healthcare infrastructure. Samples from prevent diseases and have better and safe these patients might give us valuable therapy. The role of a clinician in biological insights about the disease progression which research is immense, as he/she can eventually will help us to control them more corroborate more vividly the clinical effectively. Researchers in United States and significance of any basic research findings. other developing countries know very well Therefore, a physician should endeavour to how difficult it is to get these types of contribute in biological research with the patient samples. The proper use of these goal of seeing his/her future patients in a samples can be achieved by (i) developing better shape. There is a common research awareness among clinicians; (ii) misconception, especially in developing building up proper infrastructure; and (iii) countries that 'conducting research' is not a more collaborative work within the country clinician's job and it is done only by basic and abroad. scientists. The concept as well as importance One important way to announce your of 'clinician scientist' is very poorly defined existence in medical research is publication in developing countries including India. of original research articles. In this context, Herein, we will discuss in brief the 'medical India has a global publication share of

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original research articles of about 1.59% of this on Indian medical research. If this among the productive countries. Although initiative is implemented properly, we might many basic scientists are working in overcome the lack of research awareness different research institutes in India, lack of among the clinicians in India. Keeping this infrastructure and unnecessary bureaucracy in mind, a good number of medical institutes creates obstacle at each stage. In addition, in India are trying to develop research scientists need collaboration with clinicians awareness among residents in their MD/MS to get patient samples for research, but due curriculum. to unawareness and patient burden among clinicians, this kind of collaboration does not occur effectively. Another important point to note is that only a very few medical institutes in India have proper research facilities; in contrast, almost every medical institute in United States is doing research very actively. Contribution of medical institutes in biological research is indisputable. This might be explained by lack of 'research culture’ and 'infrastructure' in the existing medical education system in India. It is often seen that research gets the lowest priority in medical institutes due to A recent study revealed that fundamental lack of awareness, infrastructure, and knowledge about research is reasonably funding. Studies have shown that, amongst good among resident doctors in India, and 100,000 undergraduate medical students in they showed a positive attitude toward India, only a few (~0.9%) have shown medical research, but their actual interest in research programs. Thus, it is participation did not. Another caveat is that, quite evident that inclination for research is although a majority of the medical residents underprivileged among medical students wished to get involved in research, very few who are the prospective doctors. Similar had actually participated in research work trend is noticed among residents who, as per apart from their mandatory dissertation Medical Council of India (MCI) guidelines, project due to lack of time and are bound to conduct medical research as a infrastructure. In this scenario, proper dissertation project in their MD/MS guidance from faculty members, appropriate curriculum. In most occasions, they do it infrastructure, and financial support might half-heartedly only during their second or excite the future clinicians in medical third years of residency due to lack of proper research. The faculty members should not guidance and infrastructure. So to persuade only assess research work regularly, but also research orientation among future doctors, provide the required information and currently MCI has made it compulsory for guidance to the residents. To promote the residents to present their research work research among residents, a system of in national/international conferences, and rewarding the best dissertation may be publish that article after getting it critically started. Conferences and workshops reviewed by a group of scientific experts. specially organized for residents should be This initiative by MCI is commendable but conducted on a regular basis. It is also still it is too early to comment on the impact recommended that, while offering jobs in

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government and private medical sectors and it is focused in a few institutes only. admission to super-specialty courses, Moreover, it has been seen in the past that a preference could be given to residents with lack of planning and maintenance made the research credentials. scenario even worse. For instance, To enhance the scientific awareness, a expensive instruments being bought without research project should be incorporated in evaluating their proper use and essential current medical education system, which instruments instruments remained out of will be evaluated during university order for long periods of time. To build a examinations. Specific research training proper infrastructure, medical institutes must be provided to clinical tutors, so that should have a research committee with they can motivate their students in research experts from different fields, which will give work. Although research experience is an leadership to build and maintain the eligibility criteria during the appointment of infrastructure. By having proper faculty members in medical institutes in infrastructure, fruitful research will be India, it has not been followed strictly so far. possible. To improve the medical-research awareness among clinicians, it is recommended to strictly follow the eligibility criteria during the appointment process.

If we want to contribute in medical research, we need to address the above- mentioned issues in a positive manner. We all know about the proverb "sooner the better". If corrective steps are not taken at

So far, we discussed mainly about how this stage, medical research in India will be to develop research awareness among further compromised. Moreover, research- clinicians in India. The next matter which is minded clinicians, who want to contribute to indispensable for research is proper the society not only as doctors, but also as infrastructure. In contrast to United States, scientists, will move out of the country to very few places in India have proper achieve their objectives, and thus India will infrastructure for medical research, and have its brain drain to the Western world. among them only a few are medical institutes. We desperately need to build a Dr. Ananya Datta-Mitra and Dr. Anupam Mitra received their MD Degrees from PG Hospital, basic medical research infrastructure in all Kolkata, in 2010. Currently they are Postdoctoral the medical institutes across the country. Fellows in the School of Medicine at University of The government is spending a lot of money California Davis. in developing the research infrastructure, but

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Swami Vivekananda’s 150th Birthday Anniversary Celebration Jayanti Das

“All the powers in the universe are already First, it was Vivekananda, who reinstate ours. It is we who have put our hands before the true meaning of Hinduism and first our eyes and cry that is dark.” - Swami emphasized that our everyday life becomes Vivekananda more meaningful only when spiritualized. On September 14, 2013, the Davis This spiritual self-realization leads people to Vedanta Satsang Group celebrated the 150th uncoil their potentiality. He said, “It is sin to birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda at see all men sinner.” Harper Junior High School in Davis, and Second, Swami Vivekananda’s mission organized a special all-day program. The was a conjunction of the best of east and morning session was led by Swami west. Even though the Swami rejected Prapannananda from Vedanta Society of political, social, and religious reform, his Sacramento, Swami Prasannatmananda from essential message was the empowerment of Vedanta Society of Berkeley, and Swami the people through education, collective Sarvadevananda from Vedanta Society of thoughts, and action, and above all, realizing Southern California followed by Ganesh the underlying unity of all human existence. Bandona and Shiva Stotram. The topic of He first encouraged the idea of individual the discussion was the “Visions and renunciation to committed social service in a Missions of Swami Vivekananda.” The main sense of service to humanity is doing the idea of the discussion was to talk about the service to God. life and work of Swami Vivekananda (1863- The Ramakrishna Mission and Vedanta 1902) and his contributions to the Society is today an active embodiment of Subcontinent and the larger world. The this legacy. speakers summed up the visions and missions of Swami Vivekananda in four ways.

Third, Swami valued humanity and believed that there is no caste in devotes. "Each Hindu, I say, is a brother to every other, and it is we, who have degraded them by our outcry, ‘Don't touch,’ ‘Don't touch!’"

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Therefore, the whole country has been believing every moment is religious, and plunged to the utmost depths of meanness, mutual kindness and compassion between cowardice, and ignorance. These men have people are more important for a complete to be lifted; words of hope and faith have to development of individual. be proclaimed to them. We have to tell The later part of the program was an them, "You are also men like us and you audio-visual program presented by Vedanta have all the rights that we have." -- Swami Society Bay Area Group about the Vivekananda. transformation of Narendra to Vivekananda Fourth, it was Swami’s mission to unite entitled as ‘Narendra at Feet of his Master’. the colonized society of 19th-century India to As a whole, it was a nice event which bring back its lost pride. At the same time, aimed to provide a glimpse into the various like his master, Sri Ramakrishna, facets of the life and teaching of Swamiji, Vivekananda fully believed in universality, which is unknown to most of the new cosmopolitanism, and compassion. Swamiji generations of this century. saw the whole world as one. He encouraged

Photo Credit: Gautom Das Jayanti and Gautom Das are Ph.D. studenst in Mechanical and Aeronautical Engineering at University of California, Davis.

With Best Compliments From

Md. Billah (Rana)

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33G Notebook Biswanath Mukherjee 33G is a travel notebook which has evolved from the Sacramento Notebook columns which appeared in Chowrongee 2006 and Chowrongee 2007. (Please see Chowrongee 2005 for an explanation on 33G.) This edition of 33G Notebook covers some of the wonderful places the author was fortunate to visit recently. Martha’s Vineyard and very sandy, has large and rough waves, Martha’s Vineyard (MV) is a prime as the water here is the Atlantic Ocean. vacation destination for the American elite Getting around the island is very easy such as Presidents Bill Clinton and Barack because of the efficient public bus system Obama. It is an island which can be reached (you can park your car in Woodshole and by a 45-min ferry ride from Woodshole MA, take the ferry to MV as a foot passenger). which is approx. 80 miles south of Boston. The bus system is interesting: your fare in Along with my wife, my older daughter dollars is the number of towns you will cross Bipasha, and her husband Chris, I was on your journey, e.g., it costs $2 to go from fortunate to visit MV this past summer. We Vineyard Haven to neighboring Oak Bluffs drove approx. 450-mile (8-hr) to Woodshole (which is a 10-min two-town ride, including from Columbia MD, where Bipasha and origin and destination), while the 20-minute, Chris live, crossing many states (Maryland, three-town ride from Vineyard Haven to Delaware, New Jersey, New York, Edgartown (via Oak Bluffs) will cost you Connecticut, Rhode Island, and $3. The longest is a five-town ride, so it Massachusetts), and then took the ferry. If may be best to buy an all-day bus pass for you want to take your car to the island, you $7. have to book a spot on a boat in advance, especially during peak season. But one can also fly into MV’s small airport. There is lack of clarity on how MV got its name; also the lone winery on the island just closed recently as the children of the winery’s owner did not want to continue the business after she died. The island has three main towns – Vineyard Haven, Oak Bluffs, and Edgartown – and several smaller towns. Vineyard Haven, being the closest to mainland, has the larger ferry terminal, so this is where most visitors arrive, but it is mostly a bedroom community. Oak Bluffs and Edgartown are the main activity centers with many tourist attractions, shops, and restaurants. The beach at Oak Bluffs is long and somewhat narrow, and the water is very

calm (as it is part of the Nantucket Sound “Doll House” in Oak Bluffs which is bounded by the mainland close by). One of Oak Bluffs’ major attraction is In contract, the South Beach (south of the famous and colorful “gingerbread Edgartown), which is also very very long cottages” (which resemble “doll houses”

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from fairy tales). The original doll houses a bridge and into a tidal channel on Chappy form a circle surrounding a Methodist Island. Kennedy swam free and left the Church and an outdoor Tabernacle (which scene, not reporting the accident for over serves as a meeting place for concerts and nine hours, but Kopechne died in the other functions), so they are referred to as accident. the Methodist Camp, which was established US Presidents Clinton and Obama are in 1835. Many other doll houses have been both charming personalities on TV, but I built in the neighborhood, expanding the learned from MV Islanders about a circle. Recently, these facilities have been difference between them. The Islanders like designated a National Historic Landmark. it when Clinton is visiting because he will be Another Oak Bluffs attraction is the large going around the island, patronizing Ocean Park with a gazebo in the center, and restaurants, and meeting people, all of which next to the beach and the ferry. lead to excitement and more business activity. But Obama prefers to order his food in, so the Islanders are less happy with his visits.

The Chappy Ferry Edgartown’s attractions include a wonderful lighthouse (one of five on the island), and the Chappy Ferry which connects MV to Chappaquiddick (Chappy) Island. Once upon a time, Chappy and MV were connected by a narrow isthmus, but the Martha’s Vineyard: Seafood Heaven isthmus got washed away, making Chappy As one might expect, MV is a haven for an island. The Chappy Ferry covers a seafood lovers. My favorite is the lobster distance of only about 50 meters, with two roll, which I had multiple times on my trip. boats – aptly called On Time and On Time My other recommendations are shrimp roll II – crisscrossing every few minutes. Each and crab cakes. Then there is Back Door boat holds 3 cars and any number of foot Donuts, an Oak Bluffs bakery, where fresh passengers. The Chappy Ferry operation is hot donuts are sold from the bakery’s really an interesting sight. Some of our backdoor every midnight. The lines can be readers may remember the Chappaquiddick long but the donuts are to die for (one day incident which occurred on July 18, 1969, in we had to wait 45 minutes, but it was worth which Mary Jo Kopechne, a female it). And there is a security guard managing passenger of US Senator Ted Kennedy, was the line and ensuring that people don’t get killed when he accidentally drove his car off into fights over donuts.

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Lakes Huron and Ontario! Over my past three visits spanning 4-5 years, I have noticed the new developments in Collingwood as more people buy second homes or move in after retirement. Nearby is the Blue Mountain neighborhood of shops, restaurants, vacation homes, and recreational facilities, particularly skiing in winter. Also close by is the Wasaga Beach (on Georgian Bay, of course), which is the longest freshwater beach in the world, boasting 9 miles of sandy shoreline, and is the best known beach in Ontario. Thus, Collingwood is an attractive destination for year-round recreational activities. NABC 2013 in Toronto The North American Bengali Conference (NABC) (aka Bangasammelan) 2013 was held at Metro Toronto Convention Edgartown Lighthouse Center in Toronto. At NABC, we enjoyed Accommodation in MV can be many aspects of Bengali culture with our expensive. We stayed at a Bed and extended family members (almost 15 Breakfast in Vineyard Haven (about 5-min people), including my uncle and aunt Ramen walk from the ferry terminal) for four nights, and Chabbi Mukherjee, who live in which was just enough to visit various parts Brampton, a Toronto suburb, and who I try of the island. Our innkeeper was formerly a to meet every time I have an opportunity to professor of anthropology at some university visit Eastern Canada. Some of our (and he gave us a 10% academic discount Sacramento friends at NABC were Lubna because I am a professor!); about 20 years and Najmus Saquib and Shyamal and back, he switched professions, and now runs Bipasha Chowdhury. NABC 2013’s main three B&Bs side by side… and keeps the attraction was the closing performance by smallest one open even during winter. So, Shreya Ghosal. Besides other wonderful although MV is an affluent summer colony, performances such as dance, drama, poetry, you can visit year round, if you wish. movies, lectures, etc., there was also a Georgian Bay, Canada “bazaar” of sarees, jewelry, etc. Note that After visiting MV, my family headed NABC 2014 will be held in Orlando Florida, over to Toronto, where we have many also during the July 4 weekend. family members. My uncle owns a cottage “The Cyclonic Monk – Swami in a town called Collingwood which is about Vivekananda” by Dr. Najmus Saquib 100 miles due north of Toronto, and on the NABC 2013 included a Literary Forum south coast of Georgian Bay. Georgian Bay which featured the 150th Birth Anniversary is a large bay of Lake Huron, one of the five of Swami Vivekananda. The Vivekananda Great Lakes. Its size (120 miles long and 50 celebration included speeches by our very miles wide) is almost the same as Lake own Sacramentan Dr. Saquib Najmus as Ontario and perhaps larger than Lake Tahoe. well as three other dignitaries (Dr. Sitansu The road from Toronto to Collingwood is Chakrabarty, Writer Ranjan Banerjee, and called Hurontario St, because it connects

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Professor Dilip Chakrabarty). I was one of Saquib clarified that this house stands on the locals from the Sacramento area who the foundation of DIGNITY OF enjoyed the Vivekananda speeches, DIFFERENCE, the brace which binds the especially the one by Saquib. The four pillars is the OVERLAPPING Vivekananda event was very well attended CONSENSUS, and the roof of the house is with a standing-room-only crowd in the the COMPASSIONATE GOD. seminar room… even though it was the first event in the morning (starting at 11 am). Saquib kicked off the Vivekananda Seminars by beginning his speech entitled “The Cyclonic Monk - Swami Vivekananda” as follows: “Sisters and Brothers of Canada, America, India, Bangladesh, and all other countries: We have gathered here today to salute a great Bengali, Swami Vivekananda, on his 150th birth anniversary.” Having captured the audience’s attention, he highlighted topics such as Friendship of Civilizations, Interfaith Dialogues, etc. using materials from his recently-published book “God’s Facebook: Creating a Friendship of Civilizations in a Terror-Ridden World”. In conclusion, he proposed a new paradigm for interfaith dialogues inspired by Vivekananda, and called it the HOUSE OF To learn more about Saquib’s speech, FRIENDSHIP OF CIVILIZATIONS, which please visit: stands on the following FOUR PILLARS http://www.godsfb.com/media.html. (please see the diagram below): Saquib’s model of the HOUSE OF 1. GEOGRAPHIC LUCK, FRIENDSHIP OF CIVILIZATIONS is a 2. PERSONAL CHARACTER, wonderful lesson for all of us, and it can 3. HONEST COMMUNICATIONS, promote a more peaceful and tolerant world. and Swami Vivekananda would be proud of it. 4. RELIGIOUS PLURALISM.

Biswanath Mukherjee is Distinguished Professor (and Past Chairman) of Computer Science at University of California, Davis, where he has been for the past 26 years. Readers can visit the author at: http://networks.cs.ucdavis.edu/~mukherje/

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Swami Vivekananda’s Visit to America Swami Prapannananda

Swami Vivekananda started his prophetic earth and water, converts into plant mission to this country with the utterance of substance and grows into a plant.” his five celebrated words, “Sisters and Swami Vivekananda was proud of his Brothers of America”. It has been said that, spiritual inheritance and the ancient culture at that point, East has touched the West; to which he belonged. In his melodious separating oceans dried up and the world voice, he chanted, “As the different streams stood united. At least for a moment, having their sources in different places all barriers were vanished, color of the skin mingled their water in the sea, so Oh Lord, was forgotten, peculiarity of the dress was the different paths which men take through ignored, and manners did not count. different tendencies, various though they Humanity bonded into one brotherhood. In appear crooked or straight, all lead to thee.” a moment, Swami Vivekananda sounded Again, from the Bhagavad Gita, he quoted the keynote of the Parliament of Religions Lord Krishna’s saying, “Whosoever comes which he was attending as a representative to me, through whatsoever form, I reach of Hinduism. When we pursue him, we find him; all are struggling through paths which that this opening sentence was as if the in end lead to me.” This was an important theme of which the later addresses were message that he gave to this country. All beautiful variations. religions, when sincerely practiced, lead to Swami Vivekananda came to this God! Different religions are different paths country to share with the world and to leading to Him. deliver freely to all humanity what he had In a talk “Soul, God, and Religion,” he acquired during his pursuit of spiritual had said: practices in India. He never wanted any “The … idea that I want to bring to you recognition or reward. He gave to the is that religion does not consist in doctrines people of this country what has been said, or dogmas. It is not what you read, nor is “The Bread of Life”. He did not start any what dogmas you believe that of sect. He had initiated only a handful of importance, but what you realize. "Blessed disciples. He came to plant the seed so that are the pure in heart, for they shall see the future generations could gather the God," yea, in this life. And that is salvation. harvest. He said at the last session of the There are those who teach that this can be Parliament of Religions, “The Christian is gained by the mumbling of words. But no not to become a Hindu or Buddhist, nor a great Master ever taught that external forms Hindu or a Buddhist to become a Christian. were necessary for salvation. The power of But each must assimilate the spirit of the attaining it is within our selves. We live and others and yet preserve his individuality move in God. Creeds and sects have their and grow according to his own law of parts to play, but they are for children, they growth.” Continuing, he said, “The seed is last but temporarily. Books never make put in the ground, and earth and air and religions, but religions make books. We water are placed around it. Does the seed must not forget that. No book ever created become the earth, or the air, or the water? God, but God inspired all the great books. No, it becomes a plant, it develops after the And no book ever created a soul. We must law of its own growth, assimilates the air, never forget that. The end of all religions is

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the realizing of God in the soul. That is the ever. It is like trying to fit one coat to all one universal religion. If there is one sizes and growths. I do not deprecate the universal truth in all religions, I place it existence of sects in the world. Would to here — in realizing God. Ideals and God there were twenty millions more, for methods may differ, but that is the central the more there are, there will be a greater point. There may be a thousand different field for selection. What I do object to is radii, but they all converge to the one trying to fit one religion to every case. centre, and that is the realization of God: Though all religions are essentially the something behind this world of sense, this same, they must have the varieties of form world of eternal eating and drinking and produced by dissimilar circumstances talking nonsense, this world of false among different nations. We must each shadows and selfishness. There is that have our own individual religion, beyond all books, beyond all creeds, individual so far as the externals of it go”. beyond the vanities of this world and it is Swami Vivekananda is adored as a the realization of God within your self. A prophet by many of his admirers. He never man may believe in all the churches in the believed in the reality of heaven as a place world, he may carry in his head all the of existence after death or as a future sacred books ever written, he may baptize possibility on earth. He expressed his himself in all the rivers of the earth, still, if opinion in many of his lectures in this he has no perception of God, I would class country but succinctly in an address titled him with the rankest atheist. And a man Realization in London: may have never entered a church or a “You will always hear the idea — in mosque, nor performed any ceremony, but very old times, in every religion — that a if he feels God within himself and is time will come when all the miseries of life thereby lifted above the vanities of the will cease, and only its joys and pleasures world, that man is a holy man, a saint, call will remain, and this earth will become a him what you will. As soon as a man stands heaven. That I do not believe. This earth up and says he is right or his church is will always remain this same world. It is a right, and all others are wrong, he is himself most terrible thing to say, yet I do not see all wrong. He does not know that upon the my way out of it. The misery in the world is proof of all the others depends the proof of like chronic rheumatism in the body; drive his own. Love and charity for the whole it from one part and it goes to another, drive human race, that is the test of true it from there and you will feel it somewhere religiousness. I do not mean the sentimental else. Whatever you do, it is still there. In statement that all men are brothers, but that olden times, people lived in forests, and ate one must feel the oneness of human life. So each other; in modern times, they do not eat far, as they are not exclusive, I see that the each other's flesh, but they cheat one sects and creeds are all mine; they are all another. Whole countries and cities are grand. They are all helping men towards the ruined by cheating. That does not show real religion. I will add, it is good to be much progress. I do not see that what you born in a church, but it is bad to die there. It call progress in the world is other than the is good to be born a child, but bad to multiplication of desires. If one thing is remain a child. Churches, ceremonies, and obvious to me, it is this that desires brings symbols are good for children, but when all misery; it is the state of the beggar, who the child is grown, he must burst the church is always begging for something, and or himself. We must not remain children for unable to see anything without the wish to

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possess it, is always longing, longing for perfection in time, but only by giving up more. If the power to satisfy our desires is this imperfection. This world is nothing. It increased in arithmetical progression, the is at best only a hideous caricature, a power of desire is increased in geometrical shadow of the Reality. We must go to the progression. The sum total of happiness and Reality. Renunciation will take us to It. misery in this world is at least the same Renunciation is the very basis of our true throughout. If a wave rises in the ocean, it life; every moment of goodness and real makes a hollow somewhere. If happiness life that we enjoy is when we do not think comes to one man, unhappiness comes to of ourselves. This little separate self must another or, perhaps, to some animal. Men die. Then, we shall find that we are in the are increasing in numbers and some Real, and that Reality is God, and He is our animals are decreasing; we are killing them own true nature, and He is always in us and off, and taking their land; we are taking all with us. Let us live in Him and stand in means of sustenance from them. How can Him. It is the only joyful state of existence. we say, then, that happiness is increasing? Life on the plane of the Spirit is the only The strong race eats up the weaker, but do life, and let us all try to attain to this you think that the strong race will be very realization.” happy? No; they will begin to kill each Once I had an opportunity to ask an other. I do not see on practical grounds how elderly devotee, a retired professor and a this world can become a heaven. Facts are life-long student of Swami Vivekananda, against it. On theoretical grounds also, I see “What is your favorite quote of Swami it cannot be.” Vivekananda”? He also has left his solution for this Spontaneously she said,” "Children of problem. In continuing the said lecture, he immortal bliss" — what a sweet, what a says: hopeful name! Allow me to call you, “Perfection is always infinite. We are brethren, by that sweet name — heirs of this infinite already, and we are trying to immortal bliss — yea, the Hindu refuses to manifest that infinity. You and I, and all call you sinners. Ye are the Children of beings, are trying to manifest it… There is God, the sharers of immortal bliss, holy and no religion today that does not teach that perfect beings. Ye divinities on earth — man is degradation. We have been sinners! It is a sin to call a man so; it is a degraded down to the animal, and are now standing libel on human nature. Come up, going up, to emerge out of this bondage. O lions, and shake off the delusion that you But we shall never be able entirely to are sheep; you are souls immortal, spirits manifest the Infinite here. We shall struggle free, blest and eternal; ye are not matter, ye hard, but there will come a time when we are not bodies; matter is your servant, not shall find that it is impossible to be perfect you the servant of matter.” here, while we are bound by the senses. In conclusion, I would like to quote And then the march back to our original from Swami Atulananda, born as state of Infinity will be sounded… Cornelious Heijblom of Dutch immigrants Our struggle for the higher life shows to the States. Later, he became Swami that we have been degraded from a high Atulananda, a highly-respected monk of state. It must be so, only it may vary as to Ramakrishna Order for his monastic life details. I always cling to the idea set forth and spiritual qualities. He lived in Shanti with one voice by Christ, Buddha, and the Ashrama, near San Jose, from 1900 to Vedanta, that we must all come to 1906, and last the 22 years of his

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contemplative life in Barlowgunj, a place at spotless life and character. It was the the foothills of the Himalayas near Dehra combination of heart and intellect that made Dun in India. He was an initiated devotee Swamiji the power that he was. His of the Holy Mother Sarada Devi and was Mission in the West, I take it, was to give ordained to monasticism by Swami Christians a higher interpretation of their Abhedananda, a brother monk of Swami own scriptures; to give to unbelievers a Vivekananda. Swami Atulananda first met sound foundation for serious investigation; Swami Vivekananda in New York in to guide the scientific mind into channels of November 1899. higher research; to point out to Western In a well-known writing, he nations the danger of a materialistic summarized Swami Vivekananda’s civilization; and to show to all men and contribution to America in the following women the way how to realize their own way: divinity… this he did by placing before us “If you ask what made Swami and by explaining to us the treasures of the Vivekananda so wonderful success in the Vedas (the ancient Indian Scriptures). West, we would answer: it was his In fulfilling his mission, Swami eloquence, the logic of his arguments, his Vivekananda has placed all western nations wonderful personality, and most of all his under eternal obligation to India”.

Swami Prapannananda, Minister and Teacher of Ramakrishna Order, India, and currently the Minister-in-Charge of the Vedanta Society of Sacramento.

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Brief History of Utsav

eyes – signed the official paperwork. We tsav is a nonprofit, cultural “U celebrated our first Durga Puja in October organization involved in promoting Bengali 2002. The participation of member families culture in the Sacramento Valley. Utsav was was outstanding and the joy was boundless. founded in 2002, with one goal: creating a With time, the Utsav tree has expanded and positive and enjoyable experience of the bondage among families grew deeper. friendship, happiness, and harmony via our The baton of responsibility transferred to Bengali heritage. Although Utsav is other able hands from the hands of those predominantly a Bengali organization so far, who started the organization. But the we want to reach other communities as well. founders and senior members continued to Membership in Utsav is not limited to any remain very active in different roles. particular race, religion, or ethnic origin”. Utsav membership includes 80-90 The Journey families, from which several members are The Beginning: It was a fine afternoon of elected every year to serve as officers for a Saraswasti Puja of 2002. A few new Bengali year. So far, many of our members have arrivals in Sacramento were standing in ably served our organization with the front of 1317 Montridge Ct., El Dorado leadership of our following Presidents: Hills, reminiscing over the Puja celebrations  2003: Arijit Chattopadhyay in their homeland in India. The participants  2004: Udayan Chanda in that gathering – Deb Saha, Udayan  2005: Mitra Choudri Chanda (UC), Arun Chowdhury, Samrat  2006: Biswanath Mukherjee Basu, Anirban Bhattacharya, Suvayu Bose,  2007: Dipankar Chattopadhyay and Joy Mukherjee – all felt the need to host  2008: Deb Saha their own Durga Puja in Sacramento and the  2009: Adi Choudri idea of an organization was thus born. In an  2010: Sharmila Mukherjee hour, they came up with the name, Utsav,  2011-12: Joy Mukherjee first proposed by Suvayu Bose. Later, Mala  2013: Ajay Joshi Paul designed the Utsav logo. A few weeks after that momentous Our Activities: gathering, several Sacramento Bengali old We organize several major annual events: timers were contacted with the help of Mita Durga Puja; Saraswati Puja; Picnic + Chakraborty. Everyone who we spoke to Annual General Meeting (AGM); etc. All got excited to have our own Durga Puja and our events enjoy strong participation from to have our own organization. Through this our children. Our next generation – for process of joyous interactions between the whom the exposure to Bengali culture is new arrivals and the old timers of invaluable – is very active in our cultural Sacramento, Utsav found few strong pillars programs, literary activities, and puja in the names of Adi and Mitra Choudri, activities. It is gratifying to note that many Somen Nandi, Biswanath Mukherjee, and of our young members, even after going to others, who had an immediate impact to college, still come back for our Pujas and make Utsav a grand success. look forward to attending them. In July 2002, Utsav was officially formed. Our other activities include the following: Adi Choudri, Deb Saha, Udayan Chanda,  Cultural Program productions, as parts of Arijit Chattopadhyay, and Joy Mukherjee – Durga Puja, Saraswati Puja, Anandamela, with smiles, happiness, and glitters in their India Day, California State Fair, etc.

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 Our Past Durga Puja External Artists o Hum Do Hamara Do (by Amol include the following famous performers: Roy). o Mala Ganguly o Public Servant (by Gautam Roy), o Lopamudra Mitra also performed at Bay Area o Antara Chowdhury Natyamela, May 2005. o Bhoomi o Jampati (Sruti Natak) (by Sanjib o Rezwana Chowdhury Banya Chattopadyay). o Somdatta Basu o Babuder Dalkukure (by Manoj o Utpalendu Chowdhury Mitra), also performed at Bay Area o Nachiketa Natyamela, June 2006. o Sougata Ganguli (Sarod) o Apaharan (Sruti Natak) (by o Jojo Baidyanath Mukhopadhyay), o Anup Ghoshal performed at Bay Area Natyamela, o Raghav Chatterjee June 2007. o Suchismita Das rd  Our participation in 23 Annual North o Shubhomita American Bengali Conference (NABC) o Arnab Chakrabarty o Kaya (Bongo Sammelan), Long Beach, CA, o Tanusree Shankar and Troup July 2003: with a Children’s Dance o Aneek Dhar and Anwesha Program (Production: Mala Paul) and  In 2009-10, Dr. Mitra Choudri initiated a Drama Bifole Mulyo Ferot (see above). youth volunteer group, led by Utsav kids.  Transfusion (November 2005; Producer: They organized a winter clothes drive and Mala Paul; Keynote Speaker: Dr. Ernie served an Indian meal at St. John’s Bodai): A Fundraising Event through Shelter, performed Annual Spring which we donated $5,000 to the Cancer Cleaning at Vedanta Center, and raised Foundation of India. th funds for the Haiti Disaster.  Our participation in 29 Annual North  High-quality production of our Annual American Bengali Conference (NABC), Magazine, Chowrongee (please visit our San Jose, CA, July 2009: Dance Program website for archives), thanks to Past and (Production: Shashwati Roy and Mala Present Editors: Dilip Roychowdhury, Paul) and Drama Hoitey Sabhdan Arun Das, Rashmi Nandi, Manas Ray, directed by Joydeep Ray. Avishek Nag, and Rajat Saha.  Ramayan (October 2009; Directed by:  Drama Productions, under the Direction Ajay Joshi): A children’s drama. of Somen Nandi, such as:  Chalo Kolkata (October 2010; Written o Obak Jolpan (by Sukumar Roy), also by: Manas Ray; Directed by: Mala Paul): performed at Durgotsav’07 by an all- A musical drama. female cast under the direction of  Bir Purush (October 2010; Directed by: Sharmila Mukherjee. Paramita Ghosh): A children’s drama. o Mamago (by Sukumar Roy).  Halud Himu Kalo Rab (October 2012; o Makuda Chole Gelen (by Gautam Directed by Manas Ray): A drama based Roy). on Humayun Ahmed’s novel. o Bifole Mulyo Ferot (by Samir rd Information for this writeup is gathered from the past Dasgupta), also performed at 23 several years with the objective to help new and Annual North American Bengali future members who are expected to take forward Conference (NABC), Long Beach, and improve the Utsav legacy. CA, July 2003. .

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Utsav Membership Roster (2013-14)

Platinum Sponsors (contribution: $1200 and above) Choudri, Adi and Mitra Chanda, Udayan and Seema Jadhav, Umesh and Poonam Joshi, Ajay and Nupur Nayak, Sanjib and Soma Sharma, Kingshuk and Ashrukona

Gold Sponsors (contribution: $600 and above) Chowdhury, Shyamal and Bipasha Devavarapu, Pradeep and Sanhita Bandyopadhyay Mukherjee, Biswanath and Supriya Mukherjee, Joy and Suvra Nandi, Somen and Rashmi Sarkar, Sanjib and Hem

Silver Sponsors (contribution: $400 and above) Chakraborty, Prodosh and Mita Chakraborty, Shyama and Paris Powell Dey, Saumen and Manjula Khatua, Tara and Krishna Kriplani, Indru and Pramila Kumar, Barin and Anima Mukherjee, Arun and Sharmila Saquib, Najmus and Lubna Sarkar, Sandeep and Debolina Simmi

General Members Adoni, Anand, Subhra (Chakraborty), Anish, and Aisha *Bagchi, Shyamal and Ossing *Bandyopadhyay, Barun, Sunanda, Sneha, and Hiya *Bandyopadhyay, Rohosen Banerjee, Amit, Snigdha (Ghosh), Isha and Shriya *Basu, Mrinmoy and Kajal Basu, Shantanu, Rina, and Dhiya Basuroy, Nirupam, Sudeshna, Shimika, and Nirvik *Bhattacharya, Anirban, Paramita (Chakraborty), and Archita *Bhattacharya, Prodyot and Srilekha *Bhaumik, Partha Bhowmick, Rana Burman, Prabir *Chakraborty, Prodosh, Mita, Joey, and Robby *Chakroborty, Shyama and Paris Powell *Chanda, Udayan, Seema, Neel, and Natasha *Chatterjee, Satya and Pat *Choudri, Adi, Mitra, Neil, and Natasha Chowdhury, Arun, Rupa, Ayananta, and Aditya Chowdhury, Pulak, Sanchita (Dey), and Mahika Adishree *Chowdhury, Shyamal, Bipasha, Sudip, and Anindya Chowdhury, Ujjwal and Family *Das, Aveek

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Das, Gautom and Jayanti Das, Koushik, Santana, and Debanshu *Das, Modan, Shilpi, Neil, and Raj Datta, Jyotirmoy, Namita, Srijon, and Orjon Datta, Sandipan Datta, Shubhojit and Jhuma *Datta, Subrata, Alodipa, and Family *Devavarapu, Pradeep, Sanhita (Bandyopadhyay), and Suhan *Dey, Saumen, Manjula, and Siddhartha *Ganguly, Apratim Ghosh, Anandaroop *Ghosh, Kunal, Rupa, Shovik, and Rudrani Ghosh, Somnath and Sarbani *Ghosh, Sumanta, Paramita, Sumita, and Shayan *Ghoshal, Surajit, Tuhina, Tuli, and Tithi Gima, Marvel and Subhra *Guha, Snehungsu and Tanusree (Dasgupta) *Joshi, Ajay, Nupur, Neha, and Veer Kar, Mukta, Shommek Paul, and Evani Karmakar, Amit, Carol, Deven, and Asha Khan, Abdul Quyyum, Jasmin, Sami, and Nafi *Khatua, Tara and Krishna *Kriplani, Indru and Pramila *Kumar, Barin, Anima, Soma, and Eric Mallick, Soumya, Sharmila, and Family Mandal, Uttam *Mitra, Anupam and Ananya Mohammad, Billah (Rana), Baby, Farah, and Farhan *Mukherjee, Arun, Sharmila, Ballari, and Kajori *Mukherjee, Biswanath, Supriya, Bipasha, and Suchitra *Mukherjee, Joy, Suvra, Rinita, and Ronit *Nandi, Somen, Rashmi, Sunoy, and Sharod *Nayak, Sanjib, Soma, Ena, and Ashna Paul, Debashis *Paul, Mala and Evani *Paul, Subrata, Soma, Dipto, and Sreeja *Ray, Joydeep, Dipanjali (Banerjee), and Family *Ray, Manas, Shashwati, and Mohana Ray, Monika, Naveen (Atray), Sultana, and Dhruv (Atray) *Roy, Abhishek *Roy, Tania Saha, Deb, Nina Shetty, Rohan, and Ishaan *Saha, Rajat and Ananya *Saha, Subir, Seema (Chowdhury), and Family *Saquib, Najmus, Lubna, Samhita, and Samara Sardar, Pranab and Family *Sarkar, Sandeep, Debolina, and Ryan *Sarkar, Sanjib, Hem, Arunava, and Sonia *Sarkar, Subir, Lily, Sahana, and Sharon Sarkar, Sudeep, Suman, Aditya, and Aryav *Sharma, Kingshuk, Ashrukana, Khounish, and Eashaan

* Denotes membership renewed for 2013-14 during press time. Our apologies if the information has any inaccuracy; please drop us an email at [email protected] with corrections.

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With Best Compliments From

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With Best Compliments From

8121 Madison Ave, Unit #G4 Fair Oaks, CA 95628 (916) 967‐1550

1870 Prairie City Rd, Suite 500 Folsom, CA 95630 (916) 351‐9990

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Thanks All Its Volunteers Who Have Tirelessly Contributed To The Success Of All Its Events In 2012-13

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