Indian American Raj Mukherji, elected to the New Jersey Assembly in 33rd Legislative, at a victory party in Jersey City. He is a Deputy Mayor of Jersey City and Housing Authority Chairman and second NJ Assemblyman to get elected.
Year: 2013
-
Sant Singh Chatwal congratulates Bill de Blasio
Sant Singh Chatwal Chairman Indian American Democrats was the first one to greet the New Mayor of New York City Bill Blasio at a Victory party held in Brooklyn on 5th Nov 2013. Mr.Chatwal said, ” He has the experience to run New York City. He can take New York City forward and will be a tremendous partner in moving this great City to the next level.” Bill is the first member of Democratic Party to be elected to office since 1989.
-
India, US at odds over Bangladesh policy
NEW YORK (TIP): Reports emanating from diplomatic circles here and in New Delhi reveal that publicly, India and the US may appear to be on the same page regarding the situation in Bangladesh but in reality, India is increasingly uncomfortable with the US position, and believes it can have negative implications for Bangladesh and the region. Last week, US Ambassador to Dhaka, Dan Mozena, visited South Block in New Delhi and spent long hours meeting India’s Foreign Secretary Sujatha Singh and other senior officials. As picketing, shutdowns and street violence take over domestic politics in Bangladesh, India and the US have shared concerns regarding the country’s stability. Sources said Sheikh Hasina had invited her rival Begum Khaleda Zia for a meeting and dinner to end the impasse over the caretaker government. But main opposition, Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), is unwilling to end the violence and insisting on a neutral dispensation. But India remains more concerned about the color of politics being pursued by BNP. This is where Indian and the US positions diverge. The US appears much more comfortable with the BNP-Jamaat combine, who have made no secret of their radicalized politics. India believes if this succeeds, Bangladesh would be very different as a nation.
The politics of BNP and Jamaat have become more radicalized in the past couple of years. Indian intelligence has detected influences of both Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and al-Qaeda. There is a lot of funding available to these groups from West Asian countries, and some from Pakistan. The US is less comfortable with Sheikh Hasina’s government, especially after the PM’s confrontation with Mohammed Yunus of Grameen Bank – the fracas over funding for the Padma barrage project – and also the war crimes tribunal. There appears to be a part of official thinking in the US that believes, according to sources here, BNP-Jamaat have better free market credentials, and that they would move away from radical Islam once they are in power. “They are too far away to have a realistic view of the street,” they said. India is haunted by the 2001 Pyrdiwah massacre, when 15 BSF personnel were massacred by BDR troops in an ugly confrontation. BNP had explained Jamaat’s place in government thus: it would be better to have them in than out. But once in government, Jamaat occupied the ministries crucial to furthering their radical agenda. Those years saw the flowering of Jama’atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) and other terror groups like HuJI. India is opposed to a return to those days. An added regional vulnerability is the Rohingya problem in Myanmar. With heightened communal tensions in Myanmar along with considerable Rohingya population in Bangladesh, New Delhi believes that the situation is ripe for disaster. The implications of increased radicalized politics in Bangladesh would have terrible implications for Myanmar’s stability. Again, reports of LeT and al- Qaeda infiltration among Rohingyas are popping up frequently. The instability as a result of radical politics could spread to India’s north-east and even China’s Yunnan province.
-
Democrats in Power in New York City
Bill de Blasio is Mayor – Elect; Letitia James is elected public advocate; Scott Stringer is chosen to be comptroller
NEW YORK, NY (TIP): Bill de Blasio crushed his opponent Joe Lhota by a wide margin of 40 % to be elected New York City’s first Democratic mayor in two decades. De Blasio, 52, will take office on Jan. 1 as the 109th mayor of the nation’s largest city. He ran as the anti-Bloomberg, railing against economic inequality and portraying New York as a “tale of two cities” – one rich, the other working class – under the probusiness, pro-development mayor, who made his fortune from the financial information company that bears his name. “Today you spoke loudly and clearly for a new direction for our city,” de Blasio told a crowd of supporters at the YMCA in his home neighborhood of Park Slope, Brooklyn. “We are united in the belief that our city should leave no New Yorker behind,” he said. “The people of this city have chosen a progressive path, and tonight we set forth on it together as one city.” He decried alleged abuses under the police department’s stop-and-frisk policy and enjoyed a surge when a federal judge ruled that police had unfairly singled out blacks and Hispanics.
The candidate, a white man married to a black woman, also received a boost from a campaign ad featuring their son, a 15-year-old with a big Afro. “Inequality in New York is not something that only threatens those who are struggling,” de Blasio said Tuesday, November 5 night, flanked by his family. “We are all at our best when every child, every parent, every New Yorker has a shot. And we reach our greatest height when we all rise together.” President Barack Obama called de Blasio to congratulate him, according to reports emanating from the White House. Cuomo released a glowing statement, saluting his “true friend” on his victory. Lhota called de Blasio to concede about half an hour after polls closed at 9 p.m., according to a spokeswoman for the Democratic candidate. “It was a good fight and it was a fight worth having,” Lhota told a crowd of supporters in a Manhattan hotel before offering a word of caution to de Blasio. “Despite what you might have heard, we are all one city,” Lhota said. “We want our city to move forward and not backward, and I hope our mayor-elect understands that before Though polling shows New Yorkers largely approve of Bloomberg’s policies, those same surveys revealed the city was hungry for a change. While registered Democrats outnumber Republicans in the city 6 to 1, the last time a Democrat was elected mayor was 1989, when David Dinkins, de Blasio’s former boss, was victorious. Democrats also captured the other two citywide races: Letitia James, a Brooklyn city councilwoman, was elected public advocate, while Scott Stringer, the Manhattan Borough President, was chosen to be comptroller.
“Today, you elected me the first,” she said, as the room erupted into wild cheers, “the first woman of color to win citywide office … I am so proud of what we accomplished together, and yes, I’m proud that we made history today”, said Letitia in her victory speech. Scot Stringer, with his wife by his side, promised in his victory speech to serve as controller “with honesty and integrity.” Voters in Boroughs, except for Staten Island, elected Democrats to govern them. . Gale Brewer, a Democrat from Manhattan’s upper West Side, will replace Scott Stringer as Manhattan Borough President. In Queens, voters chose former City Councilwoman Melinda Katz as their next borough president over Republican challenger Tony Arcabascio. And Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr., a Democrat who ran with no major opposition in the general election, is set to serve a second term. Eric Adams will succeed Marty Markowitz as Brooklyn borough president Only in Staten Island did voters choose a Republican for their borough president. James Oddo, the minority leader in the City Council, beat out Democrat Lou Liedy for the role Tuesday.
-
Mangano Vanquishes Challenger Suozzi
LONG ISLAND, NY (TIP): Edward P Mangano must congratulate himself that he not only retained his position as Nassau County Executive but has further fortified it, as is evident from the big margin of 20% over his challenger Tom Suozzi. While in the neighboring New York City, Democrats made it big, Democrats in Nassau County will have to rue a long time for losing this make or mar election. Mangano played his cards well. He knew from experience that people do not like their money to be taken away. So, he made sure he would not raise taxes. Again, Tom’s campaign, as before, lacked push and power which one could see in abundance in the case of Ed Mangano. Let us hope, Mangano will find it a smooth going despite the financial difficulties that the County is in. Debts have to be paid off or else the interest will kill the County. And then the inevitable may happen. Either tax or collapse. That Mangano has to keep in mind.
-
Mayor Mike Rawlings Launches Dallas Edition of The Indian Panorama
DALLAS (TIP): Launching the Dallas Edition of The Indian Panorama at the sprawling Cotton Bowl Stadium on the occasion of the legendary DFW Diwali Mela, attended by around 40,000 Indians, on November 2, Mike Rawlings, Mayor of City of Dallas, one of the fastest growing cities in the US, lauded the welcome enterprise of Prof. Indrajit S Saluja, Publisher-Editor of the paper and said Dallas, with a sizable population of Indian Americans, needed a community newspaper. He congratulated Prof. Saluja for having brought to Dallas the paper which already has a wide readership in New York area. He showered praises on the Indian American community for being enterprising and forward looking. He appreciated the great contribution the community was making in the growth of the City of Dallas and the US. Mayor Rawlings admired the way the community had gathered to celebrate Diwali. He congratulated the gathering on the festive occasion and spoke highly of the contribution of Satish Gupta and his friends and family in promoting Indian cultural values. He exhorted the community to preserve and promote their culture and be proud of it. Present on the occasion with Mayor Rawlings were Satish Gupta, President of DFW Indian Cultural Society and his colleagues that included Naresh Gupta, VK Gupta, UK Gupta, Ramesh Gupta, Rajan Aggarwal, Vigyan Gotewal, RK Panditi, Trushna Patel, Kishore Fruitwala, Kalpana Fruitwala, Sante Chary, Gopal Ponangi and Ranna Jani, among others. The Indian American community has welcomed the publication of The Indian Panorama’s Dallas edition which will be available on stands every Thursday in the entire greater Dallas area. Also, readers could visit the website www.theindianpanorama.news to read the paper online. Those who wish to subscribe or advertise may please email to tipdallas01@gmail.com or call Business Manager at 972-636-1669.
-
Dallas Indian American Couple Donates $ 12 Million to University of Dallas
DALLAS (TIP): Dallas based Indian American entrepreneurs Satish and Yasmin Gupta have made a $ 12 million donation to University of Dallas. The gift, the single largest in the 57 year old history of the University, will fund construction of a building that will house the Satish and Yasmin Gupta College of Business. The announcement of donation was made October 24, by the University of Dallas President Thomas W. Keefe in the presence of the donors, their relations and friends, faculty and students. Both, Satish and his wife Yasmin, are graduates of University’s MBA Program. Speaking on the occasion, Satish Gupta said, “The University of Dallas inspired not only our careers, but our lives, and we hope this new college of business will inspire business students who come to the University of Dallas from all over the world.” He said,” It is very important that we give back to the community. This creates balance in life.”
Yasmin Gupta, who shares with her husband a similar vision said, “Our dream is for the College of Business to become global meeting ground for diversity and understanding among all cultures. We hope it empowers students to become leaders who go forth into the world and build stronger communities”. In conversation with The Indian Panorama, Yasmin Gupta recalled that some three years ago when Satish was invited as a keynote speaker for a Commencement they found that the BusinessSchool had not changed much in 30 years. It was then that Satish and she decided to do their bit for the School of Business from where they had graduated. University of Dallas President Thomas W. Keefe, in appreciation of the generous donors said, “The Guptas set a tremendous example for our business students both in the drive and ingenuity they personify as entrepreneurs, and in their commitment to philanthropy and social responsibility.” President Keefe said University of Dallas believed in giving quality and personalized education. We have personalized relationship with our students. We treat them as individuals. The gift from Satish and Yasmin will help the University in further achieving the aim of providing quality and personalized education.
Robert F. Scherer, Dean & Professor of Management, in his comment to The Indian Panorama said the donation from Guptas will help the College of Business in many ways. The building that will come up with the donation will not only provide a marked visibility, as it will be located on the highest point in Dallas County, it will allow for practice based and problem based approach to be followed. It will allow the students and faculty to interact in a better environment. The building will facilitate holding of meetings, seminars and contribute to better interaction among students, faculty, businesses and community. He described Guptas as role models who will be inspiring a whole lot of people. The gathering at the announcement was very appreciative of the Guptas for making a generous contribution. The Indian Panorama spoke with some of them after the brief ceremonial announcement of the gift by President Keefe and Satish and Yasmin Gupta and found they had great admiration for the two for repaying the institution where they had studied some 30 years ago. Some said it will inspire others to come forward and pay back to the community. The gathering lustily cheered Guptas when President Keefe announced the donation. Remarks by Satish and Yasmin also received the gathering’s applause. The new building, SB Hall, will be a 50,000-square foot, three storey structure atop the highest point in the UD campus from where Downtown will be clearly visible. According to information provided by Chat Ganesh, Vice President Business Development, SB International, Inc. and a close associate of Satish Gupta, the building is expected to be completed by the end of July 2015 and should be ready for the Fall 2015 Semester opening. Satish and Yasmin Gupta are philanthropists and civic leaders besides being business executives.
The two serve Dallas/Fort Worth through various organizations related to cultural organization and outreach, including the Gupta Agarwal Charitable Foundation of which Satish Gupta is the Founder. They also support the Primary Care Clinic of North Texas and Greater Dallas Arya Samaj Cancer Clinic, a system of non-profit healthcare facilities providing medical care to local uninsured adults. Perhaps the most popular Indian American cultural event in Dallas is the Diwali Mela organized by Dallas Fort Worth Indian Cultural Society founded by Satish Gupta. Every year, in October/November, this popular event to celebrate “spirit of India” as Satish prefers to call the event, attracts 40,000 to 50,000 people who get glimpses of the rich Indian culture at play. Satish says he has combined Dussehra and Diwali and therefore, there is a Ram Lila and Ravan Dahan, signifying victory of good over evil, followed by fireworks to celebrate the victory. The mela provides a variety of entertainment for all age groups. There is a special kids corner. There are elephant and camel rides. There are the more modern laser shows. Community performances and Bollywood entertainment are integral parts of the mela And, of course, a variety of food in a specially carved out Food Court. The Diwali Mela 2013, the 8th in a row, is being held on November 2 at Cotton Bowl Stadium in Dallas where Bollywood artists Monali Thakur and Arijit Singh will enthrall the audiences.
-
I am being projected as dracula, Asaram tells Supreme Court
NEW DELHI (TIP): Spiritual guru Asaram told the Supreme Court he was being projected as a dracula who drank children’s blood, but the apex court November 1declined to restrain media – both print and visual – from carrying news reports about his conduct. The apex court bench headed by Chief Justice P. Sathasivam said that it cannot ask media not to report on an information they get from police or other sources after Asaram’s counsel told the bench that the spiritual guru was being projected as a dracula. The court told Asaram’s counsel he had other remedies and the apex court was not the only destination as it was told that media was reporting that the spiritual guru’s wife and daughter were supplying him girls. Counsel told the court that he was not seeking to restrain the entire media, but only two news channels which were regularly carrying slanderous reports about Asaram.
-
Indira was wrongly advised on Bluestar: KPS GILL
NEW DELHI (TIP): More than 29 years after the controversial Operation Bluestar in June of 1984, Punjab’s former Director General of Police Kanwar Pal Singh Gill has claimed that then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi would not have allowed the operation, but was wrongly advised to do so as it was presented as the only option by her advisors. The operation – much criticized and scrutinized over nearly three decades — was to storm the Amritsar’s Golden Temple with tanks of the Indian Army to flush out Sant Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale and his band of armed supporters. The official biography of the supercop titled ‘KPS Gill The Paramount Cop’ released in New Delhi on October 31, also the death anniversary of Indira Gandhi, talks candidly of the role played by the 1957-batch Assam cadre IPS officer in tackling militancy in Punjab. Authored by Rahul Chandan, the 244-page book presents Gill’s opinion of Indira Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi and PV Narsimha Rao and has passing references to VP Singh and Chandrashekhar, all Prime Ministers during the dark days of militancy in Punjab. On Operation Bluestar, the author quotes Gill as having said: “(It) was conducted in a hasty manner and without thinking what impact it would have on the hearts and minds of Sikhs.” The book says Gill told his fellow officers: “Don’t understand how Mrs Gandhi can order such an operation.”
-
MAGGIE STIFF IN THE FAMILY WAY
Actress Maggie Stiff has informed that she is pregnant with her first child. The actress revealed her pregnancy on Twitter by changing her status to “future mom”, reports contactmusic.com Stiff is currently shooting the new season of TV show ” Sons of Anarchy” and says that she is not facing too much problem working in her present condition. “I’m feeling a lot better, a lot more energetic. We just finished shooting the season, which is good,” US Weekly quoted Stiff as saying. The 39-year-old got married in 2012.
-
EVA MENDES CHEATING ON RYAN GOSLING?
Actress Eva Mendes has reportedly been cheating on her boyfriend Ryan Gosling with filmmaker George Augusto. The actress is allegedly not ready to fulfill Gosling’s dreams of marriage and having kids at this point of time, reported Showbiz spy. “Eva has been arranging trysts with George Augusto, the Peruvian filmmaker she dated from 2002 to 2010 and who is also her business partner in the Vida homewares line. “Ryan’s friends know he is ready to settle down, 100 per cent… Eva loves Ryan, but she’s very nontraditional when it comes to what she wants. She’s phobic about commitment. That’s the root of the problem,” a source said.
-
Amour
STORY: This movie is the story of Georges and Anne, a retired octogenarian couple who once taught classical music. One morning at the breakfast table, Anne has a silent stroke, as a result of which her right side is paralyzed. What follows is an exquisitely crafted portrayal of one of the many meanings of love. REVIEW: A group of firemen break open the door to the apartment that Georges ( Jean-Louis Trintignant) and Anne ( Emmanuelle Riva) shared. One of them finds Anne’s corpse on a bed. Strewn around her are dried flowers that were once fresh. She is alone, the room is neat and well-lit. It is a scene that manages to be unsettling, yet conveys a quiet dignity and serenity. And in that sense, the conclusion of this film is deliberately conveyed from the initial scene, just like a visual metaphor for the circle of life. It then rewinds back to a time when the couple enjoyed the occasional outing, like attending a classical concert. The last show they watch has one of their past students playing a beautiful piano concerto.
Then, Anne’s stroke one fateful morning, which is probably the eeriest part of this movie, is a watershed moment in their lives. The portrayal of their re-aligned equation is dealt with remarkably. It is almost heartbreaking to watch how Georges stoically copes, no matter the odds. His patience is sometimes tested – he is only human, after all – but his devotion to Anne never flags. She feels guilty that she has become a burden, but he gently reassures her. Their daughter visits often and is deeply anguished on seeing the progressive deterioration of her mother’s physical and mental condition, especially when Anne suffers a second stroke. This movie has some heartbreaking moments and is moving, but on the lighter side, it is also somehow reassuring that we are never alone. Amour treats the subject of love in a manner that has seldom before been visited on screen.
-
KAREENA GOT RS 1.5 CR TO DANCE ON A REALITY SHOW
It seems marriage has not affected Kareena Kapoor Khan’s popularity, at least in the Middle East. The pretty actress was allegedly paid a whooping Rs 1.5 crore to dance on a reality show in Lebanon. According to a report in Bollywoodlife.com, Kareena was on a vacation in Lebanon when she was approached by makers of reality show Arab’s Got Talent to dance in the show. She was allegedly offered an amount of Rs. 1.5 crore to dance on the show. Kareena not only agreed to shake a leg but also attended a launch event the next day. While it is surprising for any Bollywood actress to get such a huge amount for performing abroad, maybe her marriage with Nawab of Pataudi, Saif Ali Khan enhanced her brand value.
-
VEENA MALIK TAKES A DIG AT MALLIKA’S ‘THE BACHELORETTE’
Veena Malik, who was supposed to find her perfect match on Imagine’s show Swayamvar couldn’t make her dream come true as the channel was shut reportedly owing to financial crisis. However,Veena says that she was also offered The Bachelorette India, but the actress rejected the offer. While talking about The Bachelorette India, Veena said, “Swayamvar was very big and I believed in Swayamvar. I was also offered ‘The Bachelorette’, but I found it to be a copy of Swayamvar and I rejected it. Swayamvar was a huge platform and after that I thought The Bachelorette India was not very flattering.” “I would have done the show if I would have thought I will get married. I didn’t find The Bachelorette India exciting or genuine,” added the actress. On being asked about her marriage plans, Veena said, “I believe in marriage and I will get married. I will find someone soon as couples are made in heaven.” Currently, Mallika Sherawat is seen on the The Bachelorette India in search of love.
-
Mickey Virus
STORY: The cops are cracking a cyber crime case and they hire hacker Mickey to crack the plot. It opens a lethal can of worms that no ordinary anti-virus can kill. REVIEW: We aren’t internet keedas here, but let’s try cracking into Mickey’s (Manish) world of codes, crypts and consoles. This one isn’t so deadly that we can’t decode, or so simple that we just download and ESC (read: escape). So, risk it and hit ENTER! The Delhi cops, headed by ACP Siddhanth (Chaudhari) and inspector Bhalla who can’t tell a ‘hawker’ from a ‘hacker’ (Varun Badola) are investigating a case on cyber crime, where hackers are getting killed in broad daylight. They suspect a hound of hackers who are running this racket, and the only way to vandalize their plot is to find a hacker who can outsmart them and decrypt their devious designs. There comes Mickey, the fairly unambitious, lazy Delhi boy, whose brain operates faster than any highspeed internet, and his zubaan needs a ‘backspace’ at all times.
He is popular as ‘Kung-Fu Chameli’ in cyberspace, and strangely, he meets his woman of web dreams, Kamayani (Elli) in reality. The cops hire Mickey, but as he unscrambles the case he gets ‘spammed’ by a well-programmed series of crimes, and he desperately needs to hit Ctrl+S (read: Save) before they take the ‘Mickey’ out of him. Manish is apt for the role, he makes a good debut with confidence and promise. He flavour his lines with Dilliwala twang, though in scenes his repetitive expressions need to ‘refresh’. From Mickey’s hack-gang, Floppy (Rahgav Kakkar) is funny, and Chutney (Puja) is impressive. Elli looks like an animated creation out of a cyber-game. Performance – never mind! Varun Badola kills the other viruses in this game with his brilliant act. Varma allows his characters to flourish in wit and humour. The plot is intelligent; there are laughs (sample: a tee printed – ‘Jab Tak Hai Trojan’), some suspense and surprises too. Though direction is not error-free, it could’ve been more innovative and he often tips the balance between comedy and thriller
-
REVAMP YOUR HOUSE THIS DIWALI
They say that on the night of Deepavali, goddess Lakshmi (the goddess of wealth) makes her way to all the clean houses to shower wealth and prosperity. Now, who can possibly afford to say no to her? But the prerequisite, as we said, is that the home should be clean. So, pick up the broom and get started to clear the way for her. The following steps will give your house a brand new look.
Clear the clutter
It’s time to get rid of all those unnecessary items of clothing and cooking, old newspapers, old curtains and other things that you do not need any more. If you have a secret dumping corner in your house, clear that up. Donate all the stuff you have piled up there and clean the place. Decorate the space with a piece of furniture or a big flower vase.Get new furnishings
Select your drapes meticulously. Go by the light and dark rule. If you have dark hues like purple, crimson or green on your walls, get lighter shades of curtains and vice versa. Try the lacy off-whites or the patterned satin ones. Both look very classy when hung well. Also, those who have slipcover sofas can easily change the colours of the cover. Those who have fitted furnishing can revitalize the same by adding in fresh cushions. Most good furnishing stores have a seasonal range. Keep in mind that the space should look warm, cosy and comfortable. Avoid the usual shimmer material!Revamp your bedroom
Renew your bedroom with new bed linen. If you are one of those who swear by white bed sheets, it’s time you gave other colours a chance. If you have little sofas in your bedroom, get cushions for it. Make sure that the colour of the cushions matches the colour of your bedsheet.Are your old rugs colourful enough?
If the answer is no, then it’s high time you hit the market to get some rugs for yourself. Go for bright colours like fuchsia, crimson, bright navy blue, yellow, neons, orange. Place the rugs right. You might place them under a centre table in your living room. Bright coloured rugs brighten up the room instantly.Get arty
Art lovers generally gather a lot of art, many of which cannot be displayed all the time. If you have an ethnic collection, you may use these centre space during Deepavali. It is also good to keep rotating your artworks. Many of them provide the focal point in a room and when you rotate, your focal art work may change, so rotate carefully so that you do have a focal piece that matches your sensibilities.Throw in some contrasts
Search for areas where you can create subtle contrasts. Mix and match the luster of silk with vintage accessories, for example. If you have a monotone palette, bring in a bold colour in one corner to create a sumptuous contrast. Have a colourful window blind on a white wall. Contrast fuchsia with lime green, purple with vintage grey. Go in for material contrasts, like silk with matt textures and so on. Or printed contrasts, like florals with plain fabrics.Go ethnic
An antique wooden chest, a brocade silk textile, a paisley motif highlighted over a lamp shade or a wall. This is the time to celebrate your roots. The ethnic usually has a celebratory appeal, just fine for the festive season. You can use your old silk saris as curtains in the living room. Consult an expert to get the right cut. -
SIGNS THAT YOUR RELATIONSHIP HAS ENDED
It was almost love at first sight for you two. People who saw you too couldn’t help but comment on your chemistry. And as if it wasn’t enough both of you hit it off like a house on fire. All was hunky-dory for the first few months. However, of late you have began to notice that there’s no spark in the relationship anymore. Sometime you just don’t care to go out of your way to accommodate him and vice versa. Does it mean the chemistry has fizzled out?
The following signs signal the end of a relationship.
No more talking late into nights.
No more surprises, mushy messages, flowers or love notes.
You don’t look forward to meeting anymore.
You have nothing to talk over the phone or even when you meet in person.
You can’t help but compare the good ol’ times with the imperfect present.
You would rather prefer watching a three-hour movie than spending time in a coffee shop with him.
You don’t feel guilty fantasizing about other hunks.
Holding hands or peck on the cheek doesn’t release endorphins (feel good chemicals) anymore.
You suddenly discover that your tastes are a total mismatch.
Your lover suddenly starts praising his ex, telling you what fun they had together.Worst they are still in touch! Should this be the case with you, you know it’s time to move on! -
ISRO GEARS UP TO LAUNCH INDIA’S FIRST MISSION TO MARS ON NOVEMBER 5
It’ll be the cheapest ticket to the Red Planet, a world record in the history of Mars exploration. On November 5, when India’s unmanned orbiter mission blasts off from Sriharikota at 3.28pm it’ll carry a Rs 450-crore price tag way below what Nasa, the European Space Agency, Japan and China spent on their journey to Mars. Isro says indigenisation kept costs down. The decision to use the reliable Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle PSLV) helped. The Mars mission aunch will mark the PSLV’s silver jubilee. The Orbiter will ride an advanced variant of the rocket, the PSLV-XL — the rocket type that took India to the moon in 2008. Jeffrey Plescia, a Mars researcher at the Johns Hopkins University, US, says the mission cost is less than 0.01% of India’s annual budget. This flight has another global first. Unlike other Mars missions which had a straight flight trajectory, India’s orbiter will first be placed in an elliptical Earth orbit because of the rocket’s weight constraints. The orbiter with its five instruments will be lifted through six burns of the liquid apogee motor in 25 days, before its transfer to the Mars trajectory for a nearly 300-day journey to the planet, the distance between Earth and Mars — 400mn km. If all goes well the spacecraft will enter the Mars orbit on September 21 next year.
This critical manoeuvre will be a nerve-wracking exercise for the team at the Indian Deep Space Network at Byalalu near Bangalore and in the city’s telemetry, tracking and command network because most Mars missions have failed at this stage. Globally, the success rate of Mars missions is just 33%. This is why Isro has its fingers crossed, programme director Mylswamy Annadurai says. If this feat is accomplished it’ll be a giant leap in India’s 50-year-old space programme. Former Isro chairman Krishnaswamy Kasturirangan describes the Mars mission as part of India’s planetary exploration strategy. “This mission could lead to international collaboration.” On reaching Mars the spacecraft with a six-month lifespan will operate in the 363 km x 80,000 km orbit. This means its nearest point to the Martian surface will be 363 km, the furthest 80,000 km. Project director Subbiah Arunan explains that the mission’s objective is to check if Mars ever had an environment in which life evolved. It will explore Mars’ surface, topography, minerology and atmosphere. Former Isro chairman UR Rao, who played a key role in picking the instruments, says the methane experiment will help scientists determine its sources. He dismissed a Nasa announcement that its Curiosity rover had failed to detect methane on Mars. “It was said the moon was dry. Our mission Chandrayaan-1 detected water. I’m confident our Mars mission will make some important findings,” he saod. Isro chairman K Radhakrishnan says since the spacecraft will be nearly 400mn km away, signals from the ground station will take around 20 minutes to travel to the craft and vice versa. The spacecraft is thus designed to have onboard autonomy. After it begins its nearly 300-day journey, the liquid apogee motor will shut down. It will restart on its own after 11 months for the Mars orbit insertion. To ensure onboard autonomy 68 software modules were developed, Arunan says.
MANGALYAAN: FINAL COUNTDOWN
Aug 2010 Isro forms team headed by V Adimurthy to study mission feasibility. Team gives go-ahead Jul 14, 2012 Isro chairman K Radhakrishnan announces Mars mission in final stages of govt nod Aug 15, 2012 PM Manmohan Singh announces Mars mission during I-day address from Red Fort Aug 5, 2013 Assembly of PSLV begins at Sriharikota marks start of mars Mission launch campaign Oct 2 Mars Orbiter shipped to Sriharikota for launch Oct 28 Oct 22 Launch potsponed to Nov 5. If, for some reason, Isro doesn’t launch now the next opportunity will be in January 2016 and then in 2018 -
DHAWAN, KOHLI MAKE RUN CHASE EASY
Push the boundaries, shift the goalposts, change vocabularies. Three hundred and fifty no longer inspires awe. Not when Indian batsmen are batting on flat Indian pitches surrounded by quick outfields with only four fielders outside the circle and two new balls to kill any chance of reverse swing. With Shikhar Dhawan’s assured century at the top, and Virat Kohli’s 61-ball one at No. 3 – the thirdfastest by an Indian, challenging his own record of 52 balls – India became the first team to have chased down 350 or more twice, both of them in this series, and both without much frenzy.
The belief and the absolute absence of any slogging was remarkable once again, but India did face some nerves this time around. The match was doing a pretty fine job of retelling the Jaipur ODI story – Dhawan was dropped early, there was a big opening partnership, and Kohli was bursting through the target – when Dhawan played a rare low-percentage shot and exposed Suresh Raina and Yuvraj Singh.
Mitchell Johnson duly removed them, and 62 off 48 required became 35 off 18 at one point. Kohli, though, pulled out some of the most incredible shots of his innings, driving chest-high balls for fours wide of long-off, to take India through with three balls to spare. With this result the series remained alive, and George Bailey, who might have had reason to believe he had booked his Ashes spot with a 114-ball 156, will have to put in the drawer possible plans of going home early for Ashes preparation.
Alongside Bailey, adding 168 for the third wicket, was another Ashes candidate, Shane Watson, who scored a century. The two did seem to be struggling against spin, with Australia 89 for 2 after 22 overs, but Watson did enjoy some luck as Ravindra Jadeja overstepped when he edged a slogsweep to point. Once Bailey started taking on the spinners, the wheels came off, India began to bowl poorly, and a colossal 261 runs came in the last 28 overs. As the hitherto respectable figures of all the bowlers took a beating, Bailey reached a host of landmarks.
He beat the records for most runs in a bilateral series by an Australian or a captain, becoming the second-fastest man to 1,500 runs, and overtaking Misbah-ul-Haq as the leading run-getter this year. In the end, he was left with a rueful smile, half marvelling at the quality of the batting, half resigned to the playing conditions and the pitch and the outfield.
MS Dhoni, although he won, shared the views about the lopsided nature of the contest, but at one level you can’t take away from the composure Kohli, Dhawan and Rohit showed for a majority of the massive chase. It was as if they didn’t acknowledge the enormity of the task of maintaining a run rate of seven an over for 50 overs. There was no anxiety, no need to hit out, even if Rohit – for example – struggled to find the gaps early in the innings.
Glenn Maxwell, who later took a diving catch at point off a free hit, will rue dropping an easy offering from Dhawan when the batsman was 19 off 22. Crisp shots and lovely placement remained the feature of the rest of the 178-run partnership as Rohit made up for a slow start with two sixes off Glenn Maxwell in the 29th over. He picked out deep midwicket off a long hop, but that only hastened the chase with Kohli’s entry. From the moment Kohli drove the fifth ball he faced for four through extra cover, he knew he was good for an encore of Jaipur.
A few blinks later, the partnership for the second wicket was worth 50 runs, out of which Dhawan had scored just nine runs. Kohli was 40 off 26 then. Dhawan, who was cramping by the time he reached his hundred, walked across next ball, and was bowled, giving Australia an opening. Before Australia could enter that opening, though, Kohli brought up his fifth consecutive score of fifty or more. He would soon make it a third consecutive year with 1000 runs or more. There would be a hiccup before the win, though.
Johnson, who had been kept back for the middler order, was brought back on, and he accounted for Raina and Yuvraj in the same over. Out came Dhoni, and India suddenly slowed down. James Faulkner and Johnson both began to get the ball to move away from the right-hand batsmen, and slowly the asking rate began to climb. Dhoni told Kohli to wait for Johnson to finish off, and that the big over can come in the last four. Johnson finished off with three overs to go and 35 to get.
Kohli had seen enough. His proximity to the hundred – his 11th in 64 chases, behind only Sachin Tendulkar’s 17 in 242 attempts – didn’t matter. He would charge down the wicket, the bowler would drop short, and he would still manage to drive him to wide long-off. When Australia plugged that gap, he began going wide long-on with similar success. Eventually the asking rate came down to a run a ball in the last over, and India were through with three balls to spare.
-
Umesh Yadav, Rohit Sharma in India Test squad
MUMBAI (TIP): Rohit Sharma, who is yet to make his Test debut, has made a comeback to the squad selected for the two Tests against West Indies. Ravindra Jadeja missed out because of a shoulder strain, creating an opening for the third spinner that was filled by legspinner Amit Mishra.
The surprise, however, was that Zaheer Khan didn’t make it to the four-man pace unit, while Ishant Sharma retained his place. Umesh Yadav returned after a back injury had forced him out of the Australia series, and Mohammed Shami was the new inclusion. After spending the off season training in France and coming back fitter, Zaheer took match hauls of five wickets in successive first-class matches against West Indies A and Haryana.
Dropped during the England series last year, Zaheer was expected to make it back into the squad. He has not, but the selectors are still looking at him as a prospect for the South Africa tour. The selectors debated whether to bring him back immediately or give him more match time in domestic cricket. The eventual consensus was that he needed more overs under his belt before coming back to Test cricket. “He is very much a part of the plans for South Africa,” the source said. Rohit made his way back into the squad with consistent performances at the top of the order in ODIs, and could even be used as a back-up opener should the need arise.
As it stands, he and his Mumbai team-mate Ajinkya Rahane will compete for the middle-order vacancy that arises because of the absence of Jadeja, who has been advised two weeks’ rest. Suresh Raina, who was part of the previous Test squad, was dropped. Harbhajan Singh and Ashok Dinda were also dropped. Bhuvneshwar Kumar, the main spinners – R Ashwin and Pragyan Ojha – and other batsmen retained their places. A big matter of debate will be the retention of Ishant, whose results in international cricket have been ordinary of late.
To go with the recent hidings in one-day cricket, Ishant last took more than three wickets in a Test innings more than two years ago, at Lord’s in July 2011. His overall average of 38 is uninspiring, and since that Lord’s Test every wicket he has taken has cost India 60 runs. Squad: MS Dhoni (capt. & wk), Shikhar Dhawan, M Vijay, Cheteshwar Pujara, Sachin Tendulkar, Virat Kohli, R Ashwin, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Pragyan Ojha, Amit Mishra, Ajinkya Rahane, Umesh Yadav, Mohammed Shami, Rohit Sharma, Ishant Sharma.
-
SRI GURU GRANTH SAHIB
The Sikh Gurus never believed in the exclusivity of their teachings. The Gurus undertook travels to spread their message to peoples of different cultures in their own native languages. The Gurus did not believe in the ideas of any language being ‘sacred’ or ‘special’. It is in this spirit that various Sikh scholars have undertaken efforts to translate Sri Guru Granth Sahib into a number of languages in order to spread the teachings of the Gurus and to bring the Sikh religion to the people of the world as Guru Nanak wished.
“Enshrine the Lord’s Name within your heart. The Word of the Guru’s Bani prevails throughout the world; through this Bani, the Lord’s Name is obtained.” (Guru Amar Das, Maru, pg. 1066)
ONE UNIVERSAL CREATOR GOD. THE NAME IS TRUTH. CREATIVE BEING PERSONIFIED. NO FEAR. NO HATRED. IMAGE OF THE UNDYING, BEYOND BIRTH, SELF-EXISTENT. BY GURU’S GRACE ~ CHANT AND MEDITATE: TRUE IN THE PRIMAL BEGINNING. TRUE THROUGHOUT THE AGES. TRUE HERE AND NOW. O NANAK, FOREVER AND EVER TRUE. || 1 || By thinking, He cannot be reduced to thought, even by thinking hundreds of thousands of times. By remaining silent, inner silence is not obtained, even by remaining lovingly absorbed deep within. The hunger of the hungry is not appeased, even by piling up loads of worldly goods. Hundreds of thousands of clever tricks, but not even one of them will go along with you in the end. So how can you become truthful? And how can the veil of illusion be torn away? O Nanak, it is written that you shall obey the Hukam of His Command, and walk in the Way of His Will. || 1 || By His Command, bodies are created; His Command cannot be described. By His Command, souls come into being; by His Command, glory and greatness are obtained. By His Command, some are high and some are low; by His Written Command, pain and pleasure are obtained. Some, by His Command, are blessed and forgiven; others, by His Command, wander aimlessly forever. Everyone is subject to His Command; no one is beyond His Command. O Nanak, one who understands His Command, does not speak in ego.
|| 2 || Some sing of His Power-who has that Power? Some sing of His Gifts, and know His Sign and Insignia. Some sing of His Glorious Virtues, Greatness and Beauty. Some sing of knowledge obtained of Him, through difficult philosophical studies. Some sing that He fashions the body, and then again reduces it to dust. Some sing that He takes life away, and then again restores it. Some sing that He seems so very far away. Some sing that He watches over us, face to face, ever-present. There is no shortage of those who preach and teach. Millions upon millions offer millions of sermons and stories. The Great Giver keeps on giving, while those who receive grow weary of receiving. Throughout the ages, consumers consume. The Commander, by His Command, leads us to walk on the Path. O Nanak, He blossoms forth, Carefree and Untroubled. || 3 || True is the Master, True is His Name-speak it with infinite love. People beg and pray, “Give to us, give to us”, and the Great Giver gives His Gifts. So what offering can we place before Him, by which we might see the Darbaar of His Court? What words can we speak to evoke His Love? In the Amrit Vaylaa, the ambrosial hours before dawn, chant the True Name, and contemplate His Glorious Greatness. By the karma of past actions, the robe of this physical body is obtained. By His Grace, the Gate of Liberation is found. O Nanak, know this well: the True One Himself is All.
|| 4 || He cannot be established, He cannot be created. He Himself is Immaculate and Pure. Those who serve Him are honored. O Nanak, sing of the Lord, the Treasure of Excellence. Sing, and listen, and let your mind be filled with love. Your pain shall be sent far away, and peace shall come to your home. The Guru’s Word is the Sound-current of the Naad; the Guru’s Word is the Wisdom of the Vedas; the Guru’s Word is all-pervading. The Guru is Shiva, the Guru is Vishnu and Brahma; the Guru is Paarvati and Lakhshmi. Even knowing God, I cannot describe Him; He cannot be described in words. The Guru has given me this one understanding: there is only the One, the Giver of all souls. May I never forget Him! || 5 || If I am pleasing to Him, then that is my pilgrimage and cleansing bath. Without pleasing Him, what good are ritual cleansings? I gaze upon all the created beings: without the karma of good actions, what are they given to receive? Within the mind are gems, jewels and rubies, if you listen to the Guru’s Teachings, even once. The Guru has given me this one understanding: there is only the One, the Giver of all souls. May I never forget Him! || 6 || Even if you could live throughout the four ages, or even ten times more, and even if you were known throughout the nine continents and followed by all, with a good name and reputation, with praise and fame throughout the world-still, if the Lord does not bless you with His Glance of Grace, then who cares? What is the use? Among worms, you would be considered a lowly worm, and even contemptible sinners would hold you in contempt. O Nanak, God blesses the unworthy with virtue, and bestows virtue on the virtuous. No one can even imagine anyone who can bestow virtue upon Him.
|| 7 || Listening-the Siddhas, the spiritual teachers, the heroic warriors, the yogic masters. Listening-the earth, its support and the Akaashic ethers. Listening-the oceans, the lands of the world and the nether regions of the underworld. Listening-Death cannot even touch you. O Nanak, the devotees are forever in bliss. Listening-pain and sin are erased. || 8 || Listening-Shiva, Brahma and Indra. Listening-even foul-mouthed people praise Him. Listening-the technology of Yoga and the secrets of the body. Listening-the Shaastras, the Simritees and the Vedas. O Nanak, the devotees are forever in bliss. Listening-pain and sin are erased. || 9 || Listening-truth, contentment and spiritual wisdom. Listening-take your cleansing bath at the sixty-eight places of pilgrimage. Listening-reading and reciting, honor is obtained. Listening-intuitively grasp the essence of meditation. O Nanak, the devotees are forever in bliss. Listening-pain and sin are erased. || 10 || Listening-dive deep into the ocean of virtue. Listening-the Shaykhs, religious scholars, spiritual teachers and emperors. Listening-even the blind find the Path. Listening-the Unreachable comes within your grasp. O Nanak, the devotees are forever in bliss. Listening-pain and sin are erased. || 11 || The state of the faithful cannot be described. One who tries to describe this shall regret the attempt. No paper, no pen, no scribe can record the state of the faithful. Such is the Name of the Immaculate Lord. Only one who has faith comes to know such a state of mind.
|| 12 || The faithful have intuitive awareness and intelligence. The faithful know about all worlds and realms. The faithful shall never be struck across the face. The faithful do not have to go with the Messenger of Death. Such is the Name of the Immaculate Lord. Only one who has faith comes to know such a state of mind. || 13 || The path of the faithful shall never be blocked. The faithful shall depart with honor and fame. The faithful do not follow empty religious rituals. The faithful are firmly bound to the Dharma. Such is the Name of the Immaculate Lord. Only one who has faith comes to know such a state of mind. || 14 || The faithful find the Door of Liberation. The faithful uplift and redeem their family and relations. The faithful are saved, and carried across with the Sikhs of the Guru. The faithful, O Nanak, do not wander around begging. Such is the Name of the Immaculate Lord. Only one who has faith comes to know such a state of mind. || 15 || The chosen ones, the self-elect, are accepted and approved. The chosen ones are honored in the Court of the Lord. The chosen ones look beautiful in the courts of kings. The chosen ones meditate singlemindedly on the Guru. No matter how much anyone tries to explain and describe them, the actions of the Creator cannot be counted. The mythical bull is Dharma, the son of compassion; this is what patiently holds the earth in its place. One who understands this becomes truthful. What a great load there is on the bull! So many worlds beyond this world-so very many! What power holds them, and supports their weight? The names and the colors of the assorted species of beings were all inscribed by the Ever-flowing Pen of God. Who knows how to write this account? Just imagine what a huge scroll it would take! What power! What fascinating beauty! And what gifts! Who can know their extent? You created the vast expanse of the Universe with One Word! Hundreds of thousands of rivers began to flow. How can Your Creative Potency be described? I cannot even once be a sacrifice to You. Whatever pleases You is the only good done, You, Eternal and Formless One!
-
The Essence of Diwali
The DFW Indian Cultural Society’s mega event-the Diwali Mela- is being organized on November 2 at Cotton Bowl. It will be the 8th super mela in a row. As our tribute to the grand event, we bring to our readers an article on Diwali specially written for The Indian Panorama by Mike Ghouse, a noted literateur and journalist. Read on.
Diwali is the Indian festival of lights and is celebrated on a large scale throughout India and the Indian Diaspora. It is also celebrated in Nepal, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Bangladesh, Malaysia, Singapore, Guyana, West Indies, Fiji, and of course, here in the United States. Thanks to the Gupta’s for placing Dallas on the World Map of Diwali Celebrations.
I believe it is one of the biggest celebrations in the United States, if not the biggest in the western Hemisphere. Ramesh Gupta initiated the event eight years ago, fully supported, encouraged and funded by the Dallas billionaire couple Satish and Yasmin Gupta.
DFW Indian Cultural Society (DFW ICS) made its debut on the Dallas scene with the very first “Diwali Mela 2006”, which drew over 38,000 people to Texas Stadium. . Attendance has been increasing every year and is currently at an impressive figure of over 70,000. Diwali Mela has become an annual signature event for DFW IC
The inauguration of an earlier Diwali Mela
DFW ICS has a strong commitment to the community which is reflected in the variety projects that it has undertaken, such as organizing the Diwali Mela, entertainment programs, sponsoring the Medical Clinics in Plano and Lewisville, for the uninsured and has recognized the contribution of teachers to the community by giving cash rewards.
DFW ICS has supported multiple non-profit organizations throughout metropolis. Under the leadership of Satish Gupta, DFW ICS is moving forward by organizing various programs and dedicating itself to serving the needs of the communities in the Dallas Fort Worth area
Huge gathering in Cotton Bowl
Nearly 50,000 people attend the event. First it was held in Texas Stadium, former home of the Dallas Cowboys and now it is held at the Cotton Bowl Stadium in Fair Park, Dallas, where college football is played and home to Texas State Fair. There is nothing like it.
Satish Gupta, president of the organizations writes this information on their website, http://www.dfwdiwalimela.com/, “This year again we have decided to pack all the fun for children, youth, adults and seniors. From Ram Leela and Bollywood singers to spectacular fireworks, elephant rides to slides, Cultural dances to mouth watering Indian food, all packed in one of the biggest Carnival of its kind in America. There will be three elephants and two camels available for the rides this year! We bring all this to you at a very minimal cost to you.”
The moving spirit behind the Diwali Mela, Satish Gupta, President of DFW Indian Cultural Society
“The large number of people the Carnival attracted in the past years is a testimony to its success. The number of attendees keeps growing and it presents an important platform for a quick reach to the Asian Community of Dallas Fort worth and the nearby cities of Texas.
We would like to thank all our Sponsors who support us in this huge task. The purpose of this message is to request you to come with your family and friends and make the event a grand success. Your participation will go a long way in promoting our culture to the kids and youths of our community.” Diwali is spelled differently, and is called by many names.
There is Divali among others, and Deepavali, meaning the festival of lights. Although Diwali is a Hindu tradition, people of all faiths participate in celebrations – Hindus, Jains, Muslims, Sikhs, Christians, Buddhists, Zoroastrians and others. People decorate their homes with lights and Rangoli, i.e., colorful drawing in the front yard of the home, sidewalks, even roads in India with colorful powders or colorful pieces of chalk.
Women and Children look forward to express their artistic talent in this season. Their surroundings filled with colorful lights to enliven the day, to mark the dawn of a new era in one’s life. My childhood is filled with good memories of Diwali; the sparklers, the food and everything joyous you can imagine.
A few years ago, Jyoti and Nishi Bhatia, former President of DFW Hindu Temple and President of Dallas Hindi Association respectively, asked me to speak about Diwali in a dinner gathering to a group of people from different faiths and cultures, and I cherished it, I love talking about Diwali, as its essence reflects the ideals of pluralism, and symbolizes hope and positive energy, victory of good over evil; a new beginning.
It is indeed seeing the light at the end of tunnel. Diwali Celebration is a part of the epic Ramayana, and the Ram Lila is played out all night long in towns across India. I grew up watching it in front of my house, and my friends played different roles in the show. Indeed, one of my former relatives played Hanuman’s role.
Ramayan being enacted
It was a challenge for me to teach Ramayana to a group of people who knew nothing about it. It turned out to be a successful program. I prepared the nearly all white audience that I will be narrating the story through the power point and along will be reinforcing the names and roles of the key persons in the story and will ask them for feed back at the end.
Friends, I cannot tell you the joy, the Bhatias and I felt when each one of them answered the questions from the story. They got it! It is a powerful story and takes about 30 minutes to narrate. The epic is filled with educative tales, edifying poems, and fables. It is probably through their constant retelling in the villages over centuries that Hinduism is most efficiently disseminated from generation to generation
Ravana’s effigy is set on fire
Whenever a society rots with adharma (wrong path), where no one cares about the other, lying, stealing and dishonesty become rampant, Lord Krishna says, I will emerge among you and restore the righteousness and trust in the society to function smoothly.
Zarathustra, Moses, Jesus, Buddha, Muhammad, Krishna, Nanak, Mahavira, Confucius, Tao and others served the same purpose… it is almost like the laws of physics ; water finds its own level, and righteousness finds its own existence. Rama is one such incarnation who reestablished the moral code for social conduct and proper relation of mankind to divinity. He was truthful and a just king. Diwali symbolizes hope and positive energy
● People wear new clothes
● Share sweets as a symbol of happiness
● Renew the relationships
● Strengthen the bonds It signifies a new beginning, starting out fresh.
● for most businesses it is the new financial year
● An inventory of assets is taken
● An assessment of family and relationship
● Last harvest for the farmers
● New things are boughtPresident Obama in his message last Diwali said it perfectly,
“Many who observe this holiday will light the Diya, or lamp, which symbolizes the triumph of light over darkness and knowledge over ignorance.As that lamp is lit, we should all recommit ourselves to bring light to any place still facing darkness. Earlier this year, we were reminded of the evil that exists in the world when a gunman walked into the Sikh Gurdwara in Oak Creek, Wisconsin and opened fire.
In the wake of that horrible tragedy, we saw the resilience of a community that drew strength from their faith and a sense of solidarity with their neighbors, Sikh and non-Sikh alike. We also saw compassion and love, in the heroic actions of the first responders and the outpouring of support from people across the country. Out of a day of sadness, we were reminded that the beauty of America remains our diversity, and our right to religious freedom. To those celebrating Diwali, I wish you, your families and loved ones Happy Diwali and Saal Mubarak.”
Today, on this blessed day, we have a blank slate to start, let’s plan on filling it with doing good things for ourselves, to our family, friends, community, nation and the world until next Diwali. What are good things? Words and actions that bring peace, Mukti, salvation, Moksha, nirvana, Nijaat and freedom to us, yes us.
There is so much of joy waiting to be had. If we can remove hatred and anger towards others, forgive others and ask for forgiveness (Michami Dukadam is a beautiful phrase the Jain’s use), then a blissful year is sure to come for each one of you and me.
● May this Diwali purge your heart, mind and soul from hate, malice, anger and ill-will;
● May this Diwali open your hearts and minds towards fellow being;
● May this Diwali brighten your life, and may this Diwali mark the dawn of a new era; Muslims are a big part of Diwali as well, and innumerable poets have written poetries and songs about Diwali.Here is my effort, I wrote this seven years ago on the occasion when Diwali and Ramadan were celebrated around the same time.
A meri diwali hai, a meri eid hai donon may khushi hi khushi hai Diwali say naya saal shuru hota hai Ramzan ek naya insaan banata hai Diwali may ek baat ka hisab hota hai Ramzan may her baat ka review hota hai Diwali nayay saal ke liye clean slate deta hai Ramzan pichlay saal ki slate clean karta hai Baat hi baat may, my nay a sher likh diya Sahir Diwali aur Ramzan say subka acha hi hota hai Shubh kamnaein | Diwali Mubarak | Blessed Diwali. Happy Diwali to you my friends, may this Diwali bring happiness, serenity and peace to you. Amen!
-
Kavi Sammelan/ Mushaira for peace and Unity in Dallas
DALLAS (TIP): It was an incredibly lovely session of Urdu and Hindi poetry at Hall of State at Fair Park, Dallas, Texas on October 25, with a galaxy of poets locally and from India and Pakistan coming together to give a rare intellectual treat. However, the attraction was Munawwar Rana Saheb one of the greatest poets of our times. Hon. Kapil Sibal, India’s law Minister (Secretary, Department of Justice) was to be the Chief Guest of the event, unfortunately, he was called back in the last minute to stay in New Delhi to handle the national affairs.
However, the greatness of the man lay in his response to the need of the day, he realized his absence will embarrass the organizers and the people of Dallas/ Fort Worth. So, he took the time to address the organizer Noor Amrohvi and the audience in a powerful video message with regrets. We the people of Texas appreciate it and honor this gesture of dignity.
In 1996, when we held a big Cricket event and invited the Ambassadors of Common Wealth Nations, and the Ambassador of Australia and New Zealand were bat ready to come and play, but were pulled back due to back home politics. This happens. The set up was incredible; I have never seen anything like that. It looked like Mughal Shahi Darbar or a Roman Coliseum; Corinthian columns in Gold in the back drop and rows of two white long stretched Sofas that ran across the spectrum of the outdoor arena. It provided a historicity to the samaa (environment).
Jyoti Kumar was pleased with the efforts of her team made up of Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs and Christians from the subcontinent. From the planning stages to the execution of the program, each one in the team was committed to the unity theme and she is positive about moving forward with the mashaal (torch bearer) of the Unity. I would encourage Noor Amrohvi, the Chief Organizer to repeat this set next year.
Janab DD Maini Saheb suggested that we bring the “Kambals” and enjoy the outdoor program. Tirmizi Saheb said, it happens in UK and Germany. Unfortunately, weather did not permit sitting outside, and instead, the program was carried in the auditorium. Agar Chandni raat hoti to kya baat hoti! Every poet was great, but as always a few leave lasting impressions on each one of the audience members.
What appeals to you is different than what appeals to me; it is as simple as that. The old saying, beauty is in the heart of the believer remains an eternal truth. I would encourage you to write your impressions in the comment section below, so we have a full range of expressions.
It is not customary to praise a few and skip the others. Indeed, everyone of the poets came prepared to deliver his and her best and they did, when I get the time, I will write a note about all the poets, but for the time being, here are a few mentions. The biggest hit was Munawwar Rana Saheb, he was everything he was projected to be; one of the best in Urdu/Hindi poetry. Of course, as Noor Amrohvi Saheb said, it’s like “sooraj ko chiragh dikhani wali baat.”
His style, voice and delivery kept us all sit with full tawajjay (attention) through the very end of the program around 1 AM. His poem Mahajir was just incredible. Indeed, Zia Khan Saheb was sitting two seats from me, it was his story too… they left everything when they went to Peshawar from UP and it is also the story of Maini Saheb, whose family sold their stuff in Lahore for damdies and made it to New Delhi.
There was a lot of mention about Allahbad, so I bought his book and CD to share it with my wife whose mother was from Allahabad. I did miss Renu Chandra Saheba, who is also from Allahabad. I believe it was Sarfaraz Abad Saheb who said, writing poetry is an amazing experience, you can tell so much in just two lines…. sometimes the whole story can be said in a Rubayee – a Qurartet.
Poetry is indeed a powerful story telling medium. That was very encouraging to me personally, as I am reviving the poet in me after 35 some years of writing 32 short stories and 43 poems in Urdu/ Hindi, but this time, it will be on social issues and religious and societal pluralism. Dr. Zubair Farooq’s poetry won many hearts – he is an Arab, a medical Doctor serving two hospitals in Dubai but he has learned Urdu and Hindi, and has a passion for the languages, and has written over 24 books.
His poetry was simply enjoyable and his Urdu accent was delightful and so was his tarannum (Singing). Of course we all have different accents of Urdu, ranging from Dakkani to Punjabi, Bengali, Malayalee, Bihari, Sindhi, Dogri or Gujarati tones. However the standard bearers of Urdu are speakers from New Delhi, Karachi and Lucknow. Why does Dr. Farooq have a passion for the language? Munawwar Rana Saheb used a sentence for a different purpose, but fits right in… Columbus ka Khoon! Meaning why did Columbus sail to different lands? Actor Mahmood would have said, “khujli ka jhaad”.
Indeed, it was his passion – just as each one of us is driven by a different passion. Mine is Pluralism, what is yours? Think about it and make an effort to say in poetry format, you can do it, it is a challenge for you! Archana Panda Saheba had a powerful message about women and freedom. She shared a story in her poem, about the laanat (curse) of Dowry.
How a girl is constantly trained to put up with things, the girl in her narrative tells the Groom off while sitting in the Mandap (wedding altar) to his demands of dowry – and then comes the most sensitive moment where parents would normally scream at the girl for bringing shame to the family… instead, her Mother said she was proud of her for the action, and her father puts his hand around her giving her confidence that she did the right thing.
It is a powerful story and I hope to pass on her information to Dallas organizations like Chetna and Muslim Community Center committed to address the domestic violence issues. She will make a good speaker with little training on Domestic Violence. When I get the time, I will write a note about the other poets. I also appreciate the team led by Noor Amrohvi, Jyoti Kumar, Irfan Ali, Azhar Bukhari, Anand Punjabi, Javed Gill, Sanjeev Gupta, Mushtaq Raes, Nutan Arora, Rehan Kaiser and others.We should always appreciate the sponsors who believe in the program and make it happen – Jyoti and Ashok Kumar, SK Mittal and several others were big supporters.
Noor Amrohvi Saheb was thorough in appreciating and thanking the poets, volunteers, sponsors and the supporters – he gets 10 for 10 from me. Please note that in March 2014, we will go for the 2nd Annual Pluralism Mushaira/ Kavi Sammelan, where we are planning to start a new dhaar (stream) on poetry with exclusive focus on social, cultural, religious and work place pluralism. Pluralism in one sentence is respecting the otherness of others, and when we do that, conflicts fade and solutions emerge.
-
RBI NOT GOING TO BECOME ‘NUTTERS’ ON INFLATION: RAJAN
MUMBAI (TIP): Reserve Bank of India Governor Raghuram Rajan, dubbed an inflation hawk by his critics ruled out a blind fight against inflation, saying a single-minded focus on price rises, regardless of its consequences on growth, is not the remit of any “reasonable central bank.’’ “I don’t want to say in any way that the RBI is going to become nutters on inflation,” said Dr. Rajan in his customary post-policy media interaction here. Ruling out inflation targeting in the strict sense of the word, Dr. Rajan said the domestic context did not allow him to single-mindedly focus on inflation as growth was also a concern. “For any reasonable central bank, while looking at achieving reasonable level of inflation, it also has to take into account the growth situation, because growth itself will create some dis-inflationary forces and, therefore, it means you can achieve the inflation target less of an interest rate hike,” he said. Since assuming office on September 4, Dr. Rajan has hiked the key repo rate by 25 basis points each on September 20 and on October 29, taking the short-term lending rates to 7.75 per cent. While saying that the RBI would provide liquidity in the system for productive purposes, the Governor said “the more durable strategy for mitigating mismatches between the supply of, and demand for, funds is for banks to step up efforts to mobilise deposits.”
RBI Governor said that unwinding of exceptional measures introduced in the wake of volatility in the foreign exchange markets — like increase of MSF by 300 basis points on July 15 over and above the repo rate — “the process of re-aligning the interest rate corridor to normal monetary policy operations is now complete.” Dr. Rajan had assured that the difference between the repo rate and MSF would be brought down to 100 basis points, in his maiden policy announcement in September after taking over as RBI Governor, while bringing down the MSF from the increased level of 10.25 per cent to 9.50 per cent. He said that the central bank considered Wholesale Price Index (WPI) inflation and the Consumer Price Index (CPI) inflation while taking a decision on inflationary pressures and expectations. “The RBI looks at both WPI and CPI..…..We cannot neglect CPI…..WPI misses some aspect of inflation… CPI is something that common man experiences.” WPI inflation is expected to remain higher than current levels through most of the remaining part of the year, warranting an appropriate policy response. “Retail inflation measures by the CPI, has also risen sharply across food and non-food constituents, including services, keeping inflation expectations high. Notwithstanding the expected edging down of food inflation, retail inflation is likely to remain around or even above 9 per cent in the months ahead, absent policy action.” On growth, Dr. Rajan said that there was big uncertainty. “The industrial activity has weakened with a contraction in consumer durables and tepid growth in capital goods reflecting the ongoing downturn in both consumption and investment demand”. However he said that strengthening export growth and signs of revival in some services along with expected pick-up in agriculture could support an increase in growth in the secondhalf of 2013-14 relative to the first half. “We will get fairly strong agricultural growth…. this will improve the rural sentiment and demand.”
-
India slips in ‘ease of doing business’ list: World Bank
WASHINGTON (TIP): India has slipped three positions to 134th spot in the latest ‘ease of doing business’ list, which is topped by Singapore, according to the World Bank. In the ‘Ease of Doing Business’ ranking of 189 economies, India has dropped from the 131st spot last year while Singapore continues to remain at the top. Singapore is followed by Hong Kong and New Zealand at the second and third positions, respectively. Other nations in the top ten are: the United States (4), Denmark (5), Malaysia (6), Korea (7), Georgia (8), Norway (9) and the United Kingdom (10). India has been ranked lower at 179 in terms of ease of starting a business in the 2014 list at a time when its government is making efforts to improve the country’s business climate. Last year, based on this criteria India was placed at 177th spot. The ranking of countries are based on various parameters including starting a business, dealing with construction permits, getting electricity, registering property, getting credit, protecting investors, paying taxes, trading across borders, enforcing contracts and resolving insolvency. “The ranking on the ease of doing business, and the underlying indicators, do not measure all aspects of the business environment that matter to firms and investors or that affect the competitiveness of the economy. “Still, a high ranking does mean that the government has created a regulatory environment conducive to operating a business,” the report said. India had earlier expressed concerns about the report. Earlier this year, a World Bankappointed independent panel of experts, in its review report, had suggested scrapping the ranking system with regard to ease of doing business.
