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 −Q±l‰£ 2013 1 Chowrongee 2013 Literary Committee 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 −Q±l‰£ 2013 2 Chowrongee 2013 pÇf¡cL£u Editorial 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 −Q±l‰£ 2013 3 Chowrongee 2013 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 −Q±l‰£ 2013 4 Chowrongee 2013 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.