Water, No Ice » Features http://waternoice.com Online magazine for Indian Americans in the Bay Area Wed, 18 Jan 2012 20:31:53 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 en hourly 1 A Rare Victory for the People http://waternoice.com/2011/09/21/a-rare-victory-for-the-people/ http://waternoice.com/2011/09/21/a-rare-victory-for-the-people/#comments Wed, 21 Sep 2011 21:17:57 +0000 Vidya Pradhan http://waternoice.com/?p=2876
  • Reclaim Chennai Beaches – A Youth Inititave More than 185 people from 7 countries and 16 cities...
  • What about the 177 people who died in Tamil Nadu? The Press Trust of India reports that 177 people have...
  • If you’ve ever been to a beach in Chennai….. Urban planning has never been one of the Indian government's...
    • Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.]]>     The Highways and Minor Ports Secretary to the Tamil Nadu government, in his letter dated 29 August, 2011 wrote to the Advocate-General of Tamil Nadu:… “the Government, now, after careful consideration of the objections and issues raised by various sections of people, have decided to drop the project.” He asked the A-G to inform the High Court about the decision of the Government. This was in reply to a case filed by a fisherman.
    The “project” mentioned here is the absurd, illegal, anti-environment, anti-fishermen, anti-beach plan to build an elevated expressway along the shoreline of the four beaches in Chennai. [WNI has written about it.] This four-lane expressway, by some miracle, was supposed to de-congest the southern part of the city of its high volume traffic. Car drivers – only four-wheelers would be allowed on the e’way – would take to the “scenic route” at once and all would be well with our interior roads. Never mind all those who were on the e’way had to go back to the city, through narrow hamlets. One side of the road is filled with sea water.
    The words “objections and issues raised by various sections of people” is truly sweet to hear. And not just because I was in one of those “sections of people”. Whether completely meant or not, these words convey the recognition of an obligation of the government: that they should consult the people affected before embarking on a civic project. Projects are not one-sided, top-down affairs. They are not arrogant decisions made on the premise “The government knows best” or on the specious argument “While implementing such large projects, the welfare of a few may have to be sacrificed.” Lack of consultation was the main characteristic of the project from the time it was fraudulently introduced in the master plan for the city to the time a detailed project report was prepared by consultants Wilbur Smith & Co. Even the environment impact study was done in secrecy.
    But we won. Some have said that the victory was made possible by the opposition coming to power and in an age-old practice, calling off the previous government’s projects. That would be belittling the three-year battle fought at various levels. Why would the current political party abandon the project unless there was some gain in that action? After all, the e’way would be a 1200-crore highly visible monument proclaiming government power.
    So it was people power? Yes, with one qualification. It was people’s power exercised with sharp strategy. In this particular Tom-and-Jerry game, we ended up being Jerry. I am happy to share some of the approaches.
    [1] Once we got the information about the proposal, Saravanan, a fisherman decided to pursue it through RTI (Right to Information Act). He applied for information so constantly that after a while he was probably “given” it without fuss. This required doggedness, and he had that in plenty. Every time we saw “progress” in the proposal, we formulated our counter-strategy.
    [2] We educated the press. The national and local press had the government’s view which was all about de-congesting city roads. We invited them again and again for briefings. We talked about the fishermen and their livelihood, the impact on environment, the tsunami and the e’way, the Olive Ridley turtles that came to nest, the Adyar estuary, the Theosophical Society’s forests, the Kalakshetra (both run close to the seashore), the need for open spaces, the pollution and of course, the illegality of the construction. We made pamphlets listing the damage and distributed them. We gave traffic solutions. In the months of our quiet agitation, some of the reporters became so well informed that they began to dig up facts about the case. They came up with excellent reports. We were in the news – in local papers, in national dailies, on TV.
    [3] We conducted seminars – in Kalakshetra, in the Madras Institute of Development Studies. We invited transportation experts to talk of the futility of building expressways to de-congest city traffic. We had representatives from all the stake-holders, including a students’ group that works to save the Olive Ridleys. We had statistics and examples. Through all this, our strength grew. Our Google group now swelled with IDs.
    [4] We visited the beaches early Sundays and late Saturdays and talked to people about what they would lose, what the impact on the environment would be. We made banners, sold T-shirts, organized stilt-walkers with the message: “Say No to the Beach Expressway.”
    [5] A group of college students meanwhile got together to form ROB (Reclaim Our Beaches). The beach is ours, was their message. Take ownership of the beach, keep it clean. They brought their college friends, played music, raised funds, conducted cleaning trips to the estuary. “The Expressway is the biggest garbage” they proclaimed.
    [6] Meantime, the fishermen got organized. We invited their reps to our meetings and told them of the government’s intention. The 14 fishermen’s colonies passed resolutions in their local-body meetings and sent copies to the officials. We attended their press meets, their human-chain protest. We visited their colonies and interacted with the women. We told them some bitter truths about the expressway (No public transport would run on it). We made their livelihood and re-habilitation major issues of our campaign. I would like to think that this was the first time that a middle-class group spoke passionately about the rights of the poor. Remember, we are all car-owners and the expressway was meant for us.
    [7] International support came from the Theosophical Society whose world-wide members wrote to the state and central government. Local support was strengthened when we went to schools asking kids to send post cards to the Chief Minister with pictures of turtles or a clean beach or an e’way-free beach.
    [8] We then got a copy of the Wilbur Smith Detailed Project Report. We analysed it for legal loopholes. It was absurd, but that wouldn’t help in a court argument. We found that the company had merrily claimed that they had done the public consultations and were given approval for the projects by four fishermen (reps of the people affected, as mandated by law). We registered a complaint at a police station about this fraud. We demanded proof in the form of signed documents.
    [9] The government now tried to work at the central-cabinet level. The Coastal Zone Regulation that did not allow any construction 500 metres from the waterline was re-written to include “roads on stilts” where this was necessary. Once it came up, all the areas landward of the expressway would be free for commercialization. This was in line with calling the expressway a linking road (hey, all roads link!); laying dirt tracks overnight and showing them as pre-existing roads that the e’way would replace; carting sand away from the Adyar river-mouth in the name of de-silting. We registered our objection. We sent petitions to the Environment minister at the central cabinet. We liaised with the national fishermen’s forum on this one.
    [10] We went on a fast for a day.
    [11] When the elections were announced, we called all the candidates contesting in the relevant areas and asked them to take a stand on the e’way.
    [12] We did not have the Ramlila numbers you saw on the screen. Convincing visitors to the beach to join the movement was our toughest task. Most thought an expressway was the panacea for their traffic woes. They could zip across 10 kms in 5 minutes! Ours was a small group. We never had more than 20 people at our meetings. But we won.
    People say that Anna Hazare’s Ramlila grounds campaign got its sheen by the infusion of professionals, for whom strategizing is a well-honed skill. I’m thrilled that we’ve proved what the educated can do to thwart a government plan through a well-thought-out campaign, media education/support and thorough knowledge of the law.
    This is the press release we put out two days ago. We are meeting this Sunday, September 11, 2011 to find out how we can keep this energy going to keep the beaches clean.
    The Tamilnadu Government has formally declared the scrapping of the Rs. 1000 crore elevated expressway project from Lighthouse to ECR near Kottivakkam. Welcoming  the announcement (attached), residents of South Chennai, fisherfolk and environmentalists expressed their gratitude to the Chief Minister, the Fisheries Minister and the Highways Minister. The project would have affected 14 fishing villages, all four of Chennai’s beaches and caused great damage to the environment. This decision of the Government will be submitted to the Madras High Court by the Advocate General. A case challenging the Detailed Feasibility Report of the project was filed in the Madras High Court last year by Kasinathan, the former President of Urur Kuppam Panchayat.
    Residents and fisherfolk who learnt about the details of the project by using the Right to Information Act have vigorously opposed the project since its inception. Fourteen fishing villages have even issued resolutions opposing the project. Leaders of the then opposition party — AIADMK — too had expressed their support to the campaign against the expressway. Residents have urged the Government to consider improving public transport systems so that the benefits accrue to common people.
    For comments on this victory, please contact:
    Kasinathan. (Urur Kuppam. Petitioner in the Madras High Court case): 9841429893
    K. Saravanan.  (Right to Information Activist. Urur Kuppam): 9841868634
    Suresh (Odai Kuppam): 9710072477
    Veerabhadran (Thiruvanmiyur Kuppam): 9382138957
    Kuppan (Kottivakkam Kuppam): 9383677999
    Siddharth Hande (Reclaim Our Beaches — Youth Group): 9840295081
    Navaz Currimbhoy (Save Chennai Beaches Campaign): 9841042470
    Geeta Padmanabhan (Save Chennai Beaches Campaign): 044 24520535

    chennai beach

    By Geeta Padmanabhan

    The Highways and Minor Ports Secretary to the Tamil Nadu government, in his letter dated 29 August, 2011 wrote to the Advocate-General of Tamil Nadu:… “the Government, now, after careful consideration of the objections and issues raised by various sections of people, have decided to drop the project.” He asked the A-G to inform the High Court about the decision of the Government. This was in reply to a case filed by a fisherman.

    The “project” mentioned here is the absurd, illegal, anti-environment, anti-fishermen, anti-beach plan to build an elevated expressway along the shoreline of the four beaches in Chennai. [see the previous article here.] This four-lane expressway, by some miracle, was supposed to de-congest the southern part of the city of its high volume traffic. Car drivers – only four-wheelers would be allowed on the e’way – would take to the “scenic route” at once and all would be well with our interior roads. Never mind all those who were on the e’way had to go back to the city, through narrow hamlets. One side of the road is filled with sea water.

    The words “objections and issues raised by various sections of people” is truly sweet to hear. And not just because I was in one of those “sections of people”. Whether completely meant or not, these words convey the recognition of an obligation of the government: that they should consult the people affected before embarking on a civic project. Projects are not one-sided, top-down affairs. They are not arrogant decisions made on the premise “The government knows best” or on the specious argument “While implementing such large projects, the welfare of a few may have to be sacrificed.” Lack of consultation was the main characteristic of the project from the time it was fraudulently introduced in the master plan for the city to the time a detailed project report was prepared by consultants Wilbur Smith & Co. Even the environment impact study was done in secrecy.

    But we won. Some have said that the victory was made possible by the opposition coming to power and in an age-old practice, calling off the previous government’s projects. That would be belittling the three-year battle fought at various levels. Why would the current political party abandon the project unless there was some gain in that action? After all, the e’way would be a 1200-crore highly visible monument proclaiming government power.

    So it was people power? Yes, with one qualification. It was people’s power exercised with sharp strategy. In this particular Tom-and-Jerry game, we ended up being Jerry. I am happy to share some of the approaches.

    [1] Once we got the information about the proposal, Saravanan, a fisherman decided to pursue it through RTI (Right to Information Act). He applied for information so constantly that after a while he was probably “given” it without fuss. This required doggedness, and he had that in plenty. Every time we saw “progress” in the proposal, we formulated our counter-strategy.

    [2] We educated the press. The national and local press had the government’s view which was all about de-congesting city roads. We invited them again and again for briefings. We talked about the fishermen and their livelihood, the impact on environment, the tsunami and the e’way, the Olive Ridley turtles that came to nest, the Adyar estuary, the Theosophical Society’s forests, the Kalakshetra (both run close to the seashore), the need for open spaces, the pollution and of course, the illegality of the construction. We made pamphlets listing the damage and distributed them. We gave traffic solutions. In the months of our quiet agitation, some of the reporters became so well informed that they began to dig up facts about the case. They came up with excellent reports. We were in the news – in local papers, in national dailies, on TV.

    [3] We conducted seminars – in Kalakshetra, in the Madras Institute of Development Studies. We invited transportation experts to talk of the futility of building expressways to de-congest city traffic. We had representatives from all the stake-holders, including a students’ group that works to save the Olive Ridleys. We had statistics and examples. Through all this, our strength grew. Our Google group now swelled with IDs.

    [4] We visited the beaches early Sundays and late Saturdays and talked to people about what they would lose, what the impact on the environment would be. We made banners, sold T-shirts, organized stilt-walkers with the message: “Say No to the Beach Expressway.”

    [5] A group of college students meanwhile got together to form ROB (Reclaim Our Beaches). The beach is ours, was their message. Take ownership of the beach, keep it clean. They brought their college friends, played music, raised funds, conducted cleaning trips to the estuary. “The Expressway is the biggest garbage” they proclaimed.

    [6] Meantime, the fishermen got organized. We invited their reps to our meetings and told them of the government’s intention. The 14 fishermen’s colonies passed resolutions in their local-body meetings and sent copies to the officials. We attended their press meets, their human-chain protest. We visited their colonies and interacted with the women. We told them some bitter truths about the expressway (No public transport would run on it). We made their livelihood and re-habilitation major issues of our campaign. I would like to think that this was the first time that a middle-class group spoke passionately about the rights of the poor. Remember, we are all car-owners and the expressway was meant for us.

    [7] International support came from the Theosophical Society whose world-wide members wrote to the state and central government. Local support was strengthened when we went to schools asking kids to send post cards to the Chief Minister with pictures of turtles or a clean beach or an e’way-free beach.

    [8] We then got a copy of the Wilbur Smith Detailed Project Report. We analysed it for legal loopholes. It was absurd, but that wouldn’t help in a court argument. We found that the company had merrily claimed that they had done the public consultations and were given approval for the projects by four fishermen (reps of the people affected, as mandated by law). We registered a complaint at a police station about this fraud. We demanded proof in the form of signed documents.

    [9] The government now tried to work at the central-cabinet level. The Coastal Zone Regulation that did not allow any construction 500 metres from the waterline was re-written to include “roads on stilts” where this was necessary. Once it came up, all the areas landward of the expressway would be free for commercialization. This was in line with calling the expressway a linking road (hey, all roads link!); laying dirt tracks overnight and showing them as pre-existing roads that the e’way would replace; carting sand away from the Adyar river-mouth in the name of de-silting. We registered our objection. We sent petitions to the Environment minister at the central cabinet. We liaised with the national fishermen’s forum on this one.

    [10] We went on a fast for a day.

    [11] When the elections were announced, we called all the candidates contesting in the relevant areas and asked them to take a stand on the e’way.

    [12] We did not have the Ramlila numbers you saw on the screen. Convincing visitors to the beach to join the movement was our toughest task. Most thought an expressway was the panacea for their traffic woes. They could zip across 10 kms in 5 minutes! Ours was a small group. We never had more than 20 people at our meetings. But we won.

    People say that Anna Hazare’s Ramlila grounds campaign got its sheen by the infusion of professionals, for whom strategizing is a well-honed skill. I’m thrilled that we’ve proved what the educated can do to thwart a government plan through a well-thought-out campaign, media education/support and thorough knowledge of the law.

    This is the press release we put out two days ago. We are meeting this Sunday, September 11, 2011 to find out how we can keep this energy going to keep the beaches clean.

    The Tamilnadu Government has formally declared the scrapping of the Rs. 1000 crore elevated expressway project from Lighthouse to ECR near Kottivakkam. Welcoming  the announcement (attached), residents of South Chennai, fisherfolk and environmentalists expressed their gratitude to the Chief Minister, the Fisheries Minister and the Highways Minister. The project would have affected 14 fishing villages, all four of Chennai’s beaches and caused great damage to the environment. This decision of the Government will be submitted to the Madras High Court by the Advocate General. A case challenging the Detailed Feasibility Report of the project was filed in the Madras High Court last year by Kasinathan, the former President of Urur Kuppam Panchayat.

    Residents and fisherfolk who learnt about the details of the project by using the Right to Information Act have vigorously opposed the project since its inception. Fourteen fishing villages have even issued resolutions opposing the project. Leaders of the then opposition party — AIADMK — too had expressed their support to the campaign against the expressway. Residents have urged the Government to consider improving public transport systems so that the benefits accrue to common people.

    For comments on this victory, please contact:

    Kasinathan. (Urur Kuppam. Petitioner in the Madras High Court case): 9841429893

    K. Saravanan.  (Right to Information Activist. Urur Kuppam): 9841868634

    Suresh (Odai Kuppam): 9710072477

    Veerabhadran (Thiruvanmiyur Kuppam): 9382138957

    Kuppan (Kottivakkam Kuppam): 9383677999

    Siddharth Hande (Reclaim Our Beaches — Youth Group): 9840295081

    Navaz Currimbhoy (Save Chennai Beaches Campaign): 9841042470

    Geeta Padmanabhan (Save Chennai Beaches Campaign): 044 24520535

    Related posts:

    1. Reclaim Chennai Beaches – A Youth Inititave More than 185 people from 7 countries and 16 cities...
    2. What about the 177 people who died in Tamil Nadu? The Press Trust of India reports that 177 people have...
    3. If you’ve ever been to a beach in Chennai….. Urban planning has never been one of the Indian government's...

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    ]]>     http://waternoice.com/2011/09/21/a-rare-victory-for-the-people/feed/ 7     Bay Area Dandia Events 2011 http://waternoice.com/2011/09/21/bay-area-dandia-events-2011/ http://waternoice.com/2011/09/21/bay-area-dandia-events-2011/#comments Wed, 21 Sep 2011 21:16:56 +0000 Vidya Pradhan http://waternoice.com/?p=2880
  • Bay Area Dandia Events 2010 As Dandia season rolls around, I've decided to compile all...
  • “Holiday Special” Induz Karaoke. Santa Claus is coming to town … Celebrate the holiday...
  • Community Calendar – October 17 – October 23, 2008 -Water, No Ice and the India Community Center jointly announce...
    • Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.]]>
    bandhani_dandiya_one_pair_1sAs Dandia season rolls around, I’ve decided to compile all the local events for easy reference. Let me know if I’ve missed some of the smaller events and I will update this post.
    UPDATE 3: Garba Workshops: The Mona Sampath Dance Company is organizing a couple ofgarba workshops to get you in Navratri mode.
    October 2nd: Dublin – 4:00 – 5:00 pm. Milpitas – 12:00 – 1:00 pm
    October 13th: Cupertino – 7:30 – 8:30 pm
    Locations:
    Cupertino ACPA:1009, 1015-1019,S. De Anza Blvd,San Jose, CA 95129
    Dublin Fitness 2000:7373 Village Pkway, Dublin,CA 94568
    Milpitas – ICC:525 Los Coches Street,Milpitas,CA 95035
    Cost: $15 (includes a pair of dandiyas for you to keep).
    UPDATE 2: SEWA Dandia: Sewa International USA presents an evening of Garba-Dandia with the melodious group of Dimple Patel. Free lessons for Dandia.
    Subsidized food and drinks will be available.
    All proceeds will go towards Sewa International service projects. Details can be found atsewausa.org.
    Where:Sunnyvale Temple Hall,420, Persian Drive,Sunnyvale,California,94089
    When: October 8, 2010 8:00PM to Midnight
    Tickets: 10 $. Buy here.
    Contact:Yagnesh Pathak Phone : 510-364-6095
    UPDATE: IFDA Navratri Hungama 2010: The Indian Fusion Dance Academy has a Navratri Party on October 24th. Part of the event ’s proceeds benefit Evergreen Elementary Education Foundation (EEEF). There will also a Bone marrow drive.
    Garba workshop will be conducted by the experienced and talented Shaivalee Desai between 6:30pm and 7:30pm.
    Date: Sunday, Oct 24th
    Time: 6:00pm to 9:00pm
    Venue: East Valley YMCA Gym.1975 South White Road ,San Jose ,CA 95148
    SEF Dandia: The Sankara Eye Foundation’s Dandia event has been sold out every one of the last 6 years. Events start at 7 p.m.
    October 9th: Santa Clara Convention Center. Music: PreetySha and Troupe.
    October 16th: Alameda County fairgrounds, Pleasanton. Music: Dhol Baje Entertainment
    October 23rd: Santa Clara Convention Center. Music: PreetySha and Troupe.
    Free Dandia Lessons. Kids 5 and under free. Free teak dandia sticks for the first 500 ticket holders.
    Tickets at sulekha.com/SEF.
    SSF Dandia: Small Steps Foundation has a big Dandia night in Fremont every year. It is a kid-friendly event with music by Sharvari Dixit and her group. Dandia timings are 7:30p.m. to 11:45 p.m.
    October 30th: Centerville Junior High School Fremont.
    Tickets: Tickets are available at India Cash and Carry in Fremont or can be bought online atSulekha.
    Early Bird (Until Oct 10th) :Adult – $10, Child (5-12) – FREE
    Regular (After Oct 10th) :Adult – $13, Child (5-12) – $5
    At the Gate :Adult – $15, Child (5-12) – $5
    Vibha Dandia: Vibha has organized this highly energetic and popular event in the Bay Area with tremendous success for over 10 years. Dandia timings are 7 p.m. to 11:30 p.m.
    October 2nd: Centerville Junior High, Fremont
    October 9th: Centerville Junior High, Fremont
    October 16th: Centerville Junior High, Fremont
    Tickets are available at DesiClub.com and Sulekha
    Early bird Discounts
    Early bird tickets: $10
    [Early bird ends a week before the event date]
    • Regular price: $13
    • Kids aged 10 and under: FREE
    • Door price: $15 (if available)
    • Free Dandia/Raas/Garba lessons will be provided by experienced dancers to all ticket holders
    • Dandia sticks, Food and beverages can be purchased at the venue
    Readers, please alert me to any other dandia nights in the Bay Area and I will update.

    bandhani_dandiya_one_pair_1sA kind reader reminded me that I hadn’t put up a Dandia calendar yet on this site. I’d been lazy about it since I thought there were several other references out there, but apparently it’s been useful. So here goes. Please let me know via comments if I’ve missed any.

    SEWA Dandia: Sewa International USA presents an evening of Garba-Dandia with the melodious group of Dimple Patel. Free lessons for Dandia.

    Subsidized food and drinks will be available.

    All proceeds will go towards Sewa International service projects. Details can be found at sewausa.org.

    Where:Milpitas High School Main Gym, 1285,Escuela Parkway, Milpitas, California, 95035

    When: October 1, 2011 8:00PM to Midnight

    Tickets: 10 $. Buy here. Children under 10 free.

    Contact:Yagnesh Pathak Phone : 510-364-6095

    —————————————

    IFDA Navratri Hungama 2011: IFDA is organizing a Dandia Raas and Garba night with live music by Ushma Vahia and troupe. There will be a garba/dandia workshop from 7:00am to 8:00pm followed by dancing until midnight. There will be lots of food and ample parking.

    So come with your families and have fun right here in Evergeen, San Jose.

    Part of the proceeds benefit Jeena, a non-profit organization in the bay area dedicated to serving special need kids and their families along with IFDA’s Special Need Peer Interaction Program that benefits middle school and high school volunteers right here in evergreen along with Special need kids.

    When: Saturday, October 15 at 7:00pm – October 16 at 12:00am

    Where: East Valley YMCA Gym.1975 South White Road ,San Jose ,CA 95148

    ———————————————

    SEF Dandia: The Sankara Eye Foundation’s Dandia event has been sold out every one of the last 7 years. Events start at 7 p.m.

    When & where: September 24th, October 1st and October 8th: Santa Clara Convention Center. Music: PreetySha and Troupe.

    October 15th: Alameda County fairgrounds, Pleasanton. Music: Dhol Baje Entertainment

    Tickets at local stores and at sulekha.com.

    Contact: sefdandia@gmail.com  SEF Office – 1-866-726-5272  Inquiries – 408-658-0191  Sponsorships – 408-230-4698

    ———————————————-

    SSF Dandia: Small Steps Foundation has a big Dandia night in Fremont every year. It is a kid-friendly event with music by Dimple Patel and her group. Dandia timings are 7:30p.m. to 11:45 p.m. Free dandia lesson in the first hour.

    When: October 8th

    Where: Centerville Junior High Schoo,l Fremont.

    Tickets: Can be bought online at Sulekha.

    —————————————————————————–

    Vibha Dandia: No info yet, but will update as and when it becomes available.

    —————————————————————————–

    Induz Dandiya 2011: Start this festive season with Induz Dandiya 2011 with bay area’s most popular Dr. Sharvari Dixit and her troupe. First time ever in the Bay Area, Dandiya with spectacular Laser lights! Child care facility, ample parking, food, dandia sticks etc will be available. Proceeds from the event will benefit art and music programs for underprivileged/orphan children in India and US. For more information visit www.induz.org

    Where: Centerville Junior High School, 37720,Fremont Blvd, Fremont, California, 94356

    When: Sep 24 2011 7:30PM to 11:30PM

    Contact: Ray Phone : 510-875-5006

    Tickets: Adults 12, children 7. Early Bird – Adults 10, children 6.

    —————————————————————————–

    Saratoga Dandia: The Annual Saratoga Dandia is a social event and an opportunity for families and members of the community to come together and celebrate with their friends and neighbors dancing to live music. LGS Recreation is proud and pleased to sponsor this outstanding community event with proceeds benefitting SUSD.

    When: October 7, 8 p.m. onwards.

    Where: Redwood Middle School, 13925 Fruitvale Ave, Saratoga, California, 95070

    Related posts:

    1. Bay Area Dandia Events 2010 As Dandia season rolls around, I've decided to compile all...
    2. “Holiday Special” Induz Karaoke. Santa Claus is coming to town … Celebrate the holiday...
    3. Community Calendar – October 17 – October 23, 2008 -Water, No Ice and the India Community Center jointly announce...

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    ]]>     http://waternoice.com/2011/09/21/bay-area-dandia-events-2011/feed/ 2     Haute Couture For All – Borrow it Bindass http://waternoice.com/2011/08/23/haute-couture-for-all-borrow-it-bindass/ http://waternoice.com/2011/08/23/haute-couture-for-all-borrow-it-bindass/#comments Tue, 23 Aug 2011 19:10:51 +0000 Vidya Pradhan http://waternoice.com/?p=2868
  • Swati Couture – for the princess in you By Vidya Pradhan Stepping into Swati Couture’s tiny studio in...
    • Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.]]>     Accessories 2jpgWhen Michaele Salahi finagled her way into the White House in her red sari, the feminine Indian outfit took a giant leap out into mainstream fashion. Now Salahi wannabes have a way to indulge their inner Indian princess on a fraction of designer prices with a new service from Borrow it Bindaas (BIB), a Southern California company that aims to do for saris what Seattle-based Bag, Borrow, and Steal does for upscale handbags.

    Sisters Siddhi and Riddhi Khara started the online venture only a few years after graduating from UC Irvine. Siddhi, who has a degree in international business, and Riddhi, who worked as an event planner, were keen on developing an organic business that was inspired by their Indian upbringing. “Our friends were constantly borrowing clothes from our extensive collection,” says Siddhi, and the sisters wondered if there was a business there.

    The idea of lending saris is deceptively simple, yet BIB seems to have gone the extra mile to think of every contingency that faces a woman looking at six yards of sequined cloth. Along with the base product, BIB sends every accessory you might need – from the petticoat to safety pins. And a helpful guide on the website suggests pairing with suitable clutches and jewelry.

    What about the blouse, you may ask. And here’s where BIB’s meticulous planning delivers a winner. As any woman who has struggled into blouses made for her thinner self (pretty much everyone!) will attest, this item is usually the biggest headache for the fashion conscious event-goer. BIB takes care of it by sizing their blouses by US clothing sizes and sending a second blouse a size up or down with tie-backs for easier fitting. Rentals are usually for a week and the shipment and return are pretty much the Netflix model, with a prepaid envelope for easy mailing.

    Cocktail Saree-2And so far, BIB’s growing customer base has been appreciative and respectful. Saris have returned in very good shape and first time users are gratefully converting into repeat renters. The business, which just opened its virtual doors in May 2011, already has over 4,000 members signed up and ready to try its product during the upcoming festival season.

    Borrow it Bindaas may be aimed at the Indophile Westerner keen to make an exotic splash at her next do, but it taps into a hidden need even in the Indian community. Given that most desis circulate within a small group, it is always a challenge to bring a new look to every event. And then there is the second generation desi, who rarely makes a trip to India to stock up.

    Vrunda Merchant is one of those youngsters for whom BIB is a boon. The social worker doesn’t have much of a personal collection of saris, but like to dress up occasionally. She rented a vibrant orange Archana Kochhar sari form BIB with all the bells and whistles and was so delighted she borrowed another designer sari by Neeta Lulla soon after. “I can’t really afford these high end clothing items on my county salary,” she says. Vrunda paid about $60 for her 6-day rental per sari. She confirms that the receipt and return were both super easy.

    Say ad girl Ruth McCartney, who describes herself as a “digital diva,” “I just love the idea.” McCartney rented aruth_BIBbeautiful red sari from BIB for a business event at the Beverly Hills Hilton. “I decided to turn some heads,” she laughs, “Saris are a pretty feminine fashion for those of us who like to dress up.”

    Adds McCartney, “Russell Brand and Katy Perry just had their wedding in India. I’ve seen people wear it on red carpets much more often these days.” The sari is everywhere, it appears. McCartney also accessorized her sari with earrings, bangles, and a purse from BIB. The tailors at BIB even stitched the pleats for her. “It was so comfortable I wore it the whole day,” says Ruth.

    With more designers keen to explore the American market, BIB’s already diverse inventory is all set to expand. The BIB sari idea has been so enthusiastically received that the sisters have diversified into salwar kameezes and anarkalis. For the cash-strapped, US-based customer, BIB offers a great way to get a taste of high couture at bargain basement prices. I’m keeping an eye out for the IPO!

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    ]]>     http://waternoice.com/2011/08/23/haute-couture-for-all-borrow-it-bindass/feed/ 2     Pushpuck – adding to Hindu mythology http://waternoice.com/2011/01/27/pushpuck-adding-to-hindu-mythology/ http://waternoice.com/2011/01/27/pushpuck-adding-to-hindu-mythology/#comments Thu, 27 Jan 2011 18:21:45 +0000 Vidya Pradhan http://waternoice.com/?p=2806
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    Graphic designer Umesh Shukla turns this model upside down. His Pushpuck comic series aims to provide that touch of Western style and professionalism to readers of Indian mythology in India.

    Shukla, a graduate from NID, moved into computer graphics after a brief stint in advertising. After earning his chops in Singapore and Sydney, Shukla moved to the United States, where he spent a grueling stint working for James Cameron’s Titanic. “That was an incredibly difficult, but amazing experience,” he recalls. “Everything afterwards was a bit of a letdown!” He moved to Disney and became a visual supervisor for a wildlife film which was later canned due to story issues. Inspired by the experience, and wanting to showcase a novel approach to animation, he started Auryn, a company specializing in bringing print graphics like watercolor and other art to life in the most authentic way possible.

    The idea for Pushpuck came about during trips to India, when he realized that animation was at a turning point in the media environment there.  “I don’t think there really is a kids segment as such in Indian animation,” he says. “Roadside Romeo was touted as a kids’ film, but it was not something kids in India could relate to. Just having a dog as the central character, when we know what connotations calling someone a ‘dog’ has, should tell you something about the disconnect with its audience.”

    However, with the success of the animated movie Hanuman, artists and film producers had found a potential market and soon a bunch of other look-alikes like Ganesha and Krishna started flooding the  market.  “The quality has been quite average so far, “ says Shukla, “but all the attempts have been reasonably successful so far.” This led him to believe there was truly a market for good quality children’s animation in the country.

    The uniqueness of the Pushpuck comic series is that Shukla does not retell popular stories. Instead, he uses them pushpuck2as a launching pad for child characters he creates, who live in those times and whose lives intersect with the famous heroes of Hindu mythology. It is a daring attempt, but the reverential tone and sweet characters give the comics a sanctity of their own. In Anant, the title character meets Krishna during the episode of Mount Gowardhan. In Tarak, a young boy joins the celebrations following Rama’s return from Lanka.

    The comics are also steeped in the principles and traditions of Indian culture, a culture that is perhaps under siege as Indian metropolises rapidly westernize. A voracious reader of Hindu scriptures like the Puranas and the Upanishads, Shukla is keen to preserve and disseminate the best of ancient teachings. There are subtle messages to respect elders, care for the land, while not sacrificing the adventure that draws kids to the books.

    The comics are currently available only in digital form, though a transition to print seems like a breeze to accomplish, since the comics follow the format of an e-book. While the drawings are done by non-Indian artists, Shukla maintains close supervision to get the details right. “The biggest challenges are with the clothing,” laughs Shukla. “It’s hard for non-Indians to figure out the drape of a sari or a dhoti.” He also does the final colorizations himself. “People outside Indian cannot imagine the vibrant color combinations that are possible; some are unique to India.”

    Check out the comics at http://pushpuck.com. The comics need to be enlarged slightly to be read, which make the exercise unnecessarily cumbersome, but Shukla is working on a fix. For now, it is a slight price to pay for the novel experience of seeing new mythology being created; indeed, in tone and in spirit, that is exactly what’s happening. The series is titled “Forgotten tales,” and with very little effort, one could imagine these tender stories being discovered by future generations as additions to the anthologies. One critic even calls Shukla a modern-day Valmiki. “I get so many letters thanking me for keeping our culture alive,” says Shukla. “Let’s hope they keep liking what I do.”

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    ]]>     http://waternoice.com/2011/01/27/pushpuck-adding-to-hindu-mythology/feed/ 1     Commonwealth Games Opening Ceremony: New Delhi http://waternoice.com/2010/10/15/commonwealth-games-opening-ceremony-new-delhi/ http://waternoice.com/2010/10/15/commonwealth-games-opening-ceremony-new-delhi/#comments Fri, 15 Oct 2010 20:10:27 +0000 Vidya Pradhan http://waternoice.com/?p=2722
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    Commonwealth-GamesAfter being OD-ed by the filth, lies, corruption and the inhuman treatment of Delhi’s poor during the run-up to the Commonwealth Games 2010, I sat down to watch the opening ceremony, waiting for a miracle. It happened  – and exactly for the reasons you would have guessed. Together, India’s music, its art, original artists and artisans have nothing comparable anywhere you’ve been. India’s might is in her soft power.

    This is what I saw in the spectacular show. Bullet-pointing it is the only way I can keep out the hyperbole.

    [1] In shape, variety and sounds, Indian drums have no parallels. Appropriately, the Nagada drummers beat the opening rhythms to start the extravaganza. The Rhythms of India segment had the Pung Cholum from Manipur, the Chenda from Kerala and the Gaja Dhol, Wangala, Dholu Kunitha and the Bhangra. They beat in unison, the resonance of each standing out while blending perfectly with the other sounds. That’s when you felt your heart filling and the gooseflesh jumping.

    [2] Among the hundreds of swirling drummers sat seven-year-old Keshav, a prodigy from Puducherry, playingCWGimages the tabla like a maestro. He didn’t miss a beat!

    [3] The earliest jaw-dropper was the helium-filled aerostat balloon, the centre piece acting like a giant round television screen. As “snake charmers” played their flutes, it rose, hoisting India’s touch with technology. Through the evening the aerostat floated, reflecting the colours and pictures of the programmes. Words from 18 different languages of India appeared on its surface, all translating to ‘Welcome’. Simply marvellous!

    [4] What does one say about the Indian kids’ virtuosity on stage? Hundreds of Delhi school children piled in, swayed to Hariharan’s mellifluous “Swagatham”, changed formations smoothly, switched costumes, and in a mind-boggling sequence, painted mehendi on a cloth held above their heads. As they painted from below, magically the ‘namaste’ gesture appeared on the surface facing the audience. Where can one see something like this?

    [5] The yoga sequence was a master-stroke. As hundreds of yogis in their smooth golden costumes performed asanas to soothing music, a shining wire-yogi sitting at Padmasana rose out of the middle of the homakundam-like stage. As explanation flowed in Hindi and English, the kundalini appeared inside the wire-figure as a hologram. It was a spectacle meant to pooh-pooh the sinister propaganda that yoga has nothing to do with Hinduism or India. Ha!

    [6] Our classical dances – Kathak, Bharathnatyam, Kuchipudi, Mohiniattam, Manipur had their own striking segment. This is when you realised that experts in the classical arts have been entrusted with the job of putting the show together. The music, the mudras, the formations and of course the costumes were simply out of the world. Colourful, but elegantly so!

    [7] And the segment which had even those watching the show on TV stand up, laugh, scream and applaud: The delhi_1731009cIndian train. Our trains symbolise so many things – the British legacy, the aam admi’s life, the railways’ reach to the remotest parts of India. As the bogies rolled across the stadium each carrying its unique merchandise in exaggerated sizes and colours, you saw the India that you grew up in – the India of the masala chaiwala, the banglewala, balloonwala, roadside mithaiwala, highway chandelierwala, street rope-walkers. And scurrying to catch the train were the dubbawalas, the potted women, the coolies and others. In that chook-chook gadi, the true, honest, un-hypocritical India, the endearing India that you see in the hinterland was unveiled. Just think. This is how the ordinary, but extra-ordinarily resilient Indian lives his life. It’s a scene that cannot be replicated anywhere else!

    [8] It was a day after Gandhiji’s birth anniversary – and isn’t Gandhi the pillar of our British legacy?  This is how the event organisers saw it. Around a brightly lit table on the stage stood painting artists, and “drew” the picture of the Dandi march in a few minutes by simply removing fine mud from the surface. As their thumbs worked creating white areas on the mud-filled surface, Gandhi, a woman carrying the national flag and followers miraculously appeared. In the background you heard “Vaishnava Janato” played live. There was stunned silence as history unfolded. The spectators had no energy left to suitably applaud this wonder.

    [9] AR Rahman’s song was billed to be the last – his CWG signature tune had come into a lot of criticism from our classical dancers who had to accompany the beat. “Too slow, too uneven”, they had complained. He was asked to tweak it. Now he walked in followed by city dancers – women in dervish-like costumes and men wearing gloves in India colours. The dance began, Rahman began singing “Jiyo, Utho, Badho, Jeeto” and all waz well, almost. Our folk dancers bravely caught the rhythm and swayed, the drummers kept time. The hesitation vanished and the stadium pulsated with dance when Rahman switched to Jaiho and took it to its crescendo. That was a clever move.

    A word about the spectators. They paid huge amounts – upto Rs. 25,000/- for the seats and filled the 60,000 delhiget_1730915cseats. They were on cue, participating in the show, clapping encouragement. In a wonderful gesture, they cheered, very loudly, the Pakistan contingent. It was a moment that made us world class. We proved we are civilised in a way that only an old culture can bequeath. Well, they booed Kalmadi as he spoke, but that’s discussion for another day.

    Summary: Finally, the cameras had something beautiful about the CWG to capture. The most remarkable part of the opening ceremony was that only one complete dress rehearsal had been held at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium. For those who count the paisa: The ceremony cost 150 crores – an example that India now speaks in crores.

    India’s clout went far in silencing a lot of criticism about the “unlivable” Games village and the apparent racism in allotting rooms, but it didn’t go far enough to acquire the privilege of declaring the games open. Prince Charles held on to the tradition by making the declaration at the end of his reading of the Queen’s speech. In a sort of compromise, the Republican lady shouted a “Let the Games begin!” with a flourish.

    The show wasn’t about technology. It wasn’t perfect either. Among the 7000 artists there were a couple without costumes, the movements were a bit chaotic at times, but that just made it all so warm and endearing “unlike the show in Beijing that was so perfectly plastic,” as someone put it. This show was about who we are, what we should be proud of. In putting together a my-own kind of desi event that included a humourous take on our unique aspects of life, we definitely proved something. We Indians are not ashamed of our past. We get along, in our own inscrutable ways. We find our joys in spite of our politicians. That is a true show of maturity.

    It is encouraging that the powers woke up to the fact that India’s cultural icons, and not some stiff-necked babus who must be given the task of choosing and organising the events for the ceremony.  India had arrived long ago. It’s the world that wore blinkers.

    Will the Games bring us more biz contracts? Quite possible, and I hope it is in our garment designing and handicrafts, not in hard manufacture that strips the poor of land and water.
    Will the Games give us a cocky gait? May be. A new accent in our speech? Quite likely.
    But I’m living in the euphoria of our ancient cultural artistry. Let the feeling last!

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    ]]>     http://waternoice.com/2010/10/15/commonwealth-games-opening-ceremony-new-delhi/feed/ 5     Mickey Mouse Hindus http://waternoice.com/2010/10/15/mickey-mouse-hindus/ http://waternoice.com/2010/10/15/mickey-mouse-hindus/#comments Fri, 15 Oct 2010 20:09:39 +0000 Vidya Pradhan http://waternoice.com/?p=2738
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    Om signHere we are, ramping up to a season of Hindu festivals which began with Ganapati’s arrival in September. Yet, these occasions have evidently lost their original spiritual significance and are more likely opportunities for  consumption of spirits, instead!  Some Hindus do go through the motions of performing “sacred rituals” but, often, with the attitude of a child who is made to repeat a hundred lines in detention. Even multiple enactments of the Ramayana may have failed to rescue us from our ignorance. Some of us were probably mortified by the inconceivable Vanar Sena!

    Apart from a few who have thankfully discovered Hindu wisdom from Masters across the globe, most of us are clueless about the precious knowledge preserved in the scriptures. With the absence of any formal Hindu spiritual education, I am reminded of the hapless “Dhobi ka kutta, na ghar ka na ghat ka.” As a result we have lost out on valuable tools to deal with life’s challenges. Generations of Hindus have grown up totally disconnected from the philosophy, due to what I call, the ‘Disneyfication’ of Hinduism.

    A five year old child who wonders how his tooth falls and disappears will bite the Tooth Fairy explanation.  He may even clobber his older brother for challenging his belief, but as an adult he will abandon the Tooth Fairy for the encyclopedia.  The Disney approach to knowledge must lead to the channel of Discovery to acquire a logical, scientific understanding of life.

    Yet, we Hindus suffer from a life-long Tooth Fairy syndrome, clinging to bizarre mythological stories from the Puranas, taking them literally, without attempting to delve into their meaning and symbolism as adults. Without decoding the superficial tales, popularized by Amar Chitra Katha and which hold enormous  potential for entertainment, the deeper knowledge remains a mystery. Worse, any attempt to reveal their true meanings, may even invite the wrath of staunch believers like the toothless 5 year old.

    I was invited to teach Hinduism to children at a temple in the Bay Area when a parent became incensed over a particular slide.  A picture of Vishnu asleep on the coils of Ananta, titled “Personification of the Living Potential Energy” turned the poor man blue in the face.  Needless to say, my sacrilegious classes were scrapped and replaced by a robotics class instead!

    A while ago my friend, Savita, engineered an India in Classrooms’ Divali display at a friendly neighborhood church. In the midst of the buzz of eager visitors, I froze as I overheard an elderly Indian woman loudly describe the interesting phenomenon of Shiva attaching the head of an elephant to his son, Ganesh’s body!  Amused, I listened patiently as she explained to her wide-eyed American audience, with the seriousness of a Roadshow host, demonstrating a wheel installation on TV.  When I dared to interrupt the passionate discourse with polite skepticism, I was impatiently waved silent. So, I did what was best in the circumstance … took a deep breath and continued to watch the curious expressions on the faces of her captive listeners.

    But the incident that really knocked the breath out of me was when a high profile attorney of part Indian heritage began her “empowerment” speech at a women’s conference with a reference to “Shiva’s raging testosterone!” She then proceeded to entertain her giggling Indian and American audience with Parvati ‘s gesture of “time out” and other  gory details of the popular Hindu myth; by itself, a story without any redeeming value, yet, passed down as precious cultural inheritance.

    Of course, had she known that Shankar and Parvati represent gross and subtle forms of energy; and that their “union” gives birth to all organic life, represented by the elephant and mouse, she would have missed out on all that delicious fodder for public amusement.

    A high school student at Harker Academy once asked if Hinduism has evolved. My response was simply, “Hinduism as a practice has regressed…yet Hindu wisdom is the most evolved”.

    As the editor of India Currents astutely states,” Being American is an idea…not an ethnicity,” being Hindu too is an idea, not a religion. A Hindu is one who lives in accordance with the laws of nature that govern our existence, (regardless of one’s religious heritage). A Hindu is environmentally consciousness, conserves our resources, helps preserve endangered species, and is mindful of his very intricate connection with all beings in the cosmos. A Hindu acknowledges the power of the indestructible Conscious Energy that is the unifying basis of all life. This pretty much renders a whole lot of us non-Hindu! By the same token, some Buddhists, Christians and Muslims may in fact fit the Hindu profile!

    Just as Math principles are universal, yet taught by different Masters , through varied speech and methods, these core  universal Hindu principles have been passed down through the ages by Masters across the globe through different practices and in the language of their times.  Unfortunately, this universal wisdom has been lost in translation and  reappeared in the form of seemingly different religions. eg. Buddha replaced the word Moksha with Nir vahana; Christians use the word “bondage” instead of “bandhana” and Muslims use the word Jihad for the war within.

    No wonder, a young second generation Indian American confided in me, “Aunty, Hinduism just doesn’t speak to me.” And why would it, if the language (and I do not mean Sanskrit) that we use to convey the knowledge is so far removed from contemporary grasp? How does an Indian American child relate to, let alone be inspired by a story that was conceived in an ancient, alien context?  How would a child benefit from multiple enactments of the Ramayana apart from gaining stage presence? Children have an incredible capacity to understand subtle concepts without being fed stories of “angry Shiva destroying tigers or chopping off heads.” If Hindu philosophy is taught through practical games and creative workshops, future generations may have the conviction to face adult challenges with faith and courage rather than succumb to confusion and hopelessness locked in blind belief. Let the path of discovery illuminate our minds so we are no longer Mickey Mouse Hindus.

    Mona Vijaykar, mother of two global citizens, is committed to intercultural understanding as founder-director of India in Classrooms teacher assistance program (www.indiainclassrooms.org).

    Picture by Rohit Markande, Courtesy Creative Commons.

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    ]]>     http://waternoice.com/2010/10/15/mickey-mouse-hindus/feed/ 10     MySahana: Creating awareness for mental health issues http://waternoice.com/2010/09/27/mysahana-creating-awareness-for-mental-health-issues/ http://waternoice.com/2010/09/27/mysahana-creating-awareness-for-mental-health-issues/#comments Mon, 27 Sep 2010 19:08:22 +0000 Vidya Pradhan http://waternoice.com/?p=2707
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    This fact was brought home to clinical psychologist Parijat Deshpande when she attempted to set up a study on South Asian mental health. Puzzled by the lack of participation, she probed further by conducting informal surveys, and came to the conclusion that there was profound misinformation and ignorance about these issues in the community. “The most common responses were, ‘I don’t think I need help to deal with my problem,’ and ‘What I am feeling is completely normal.’”

    “Behind closed doors, we face just about the same problems as any other community; depression, disorders, marital problems,” adds Deshpande, citing recent cases of murder/suicides in middle class Indian American families.

    Deshpande has taken it upon herself to educate and bring awareness of mental health issues and has set up MySahana.org (sahana means “patience” in Sanskrit), a website that offers readers insight into the problems they may be facing in a culturally relevant and culturally sensitive manner. Asked to provide an example, Deshpande offers the following – “In our culture, public displays of affection are not considered acceptable, so how can partners show affection to each other?” The website deals with this question, among others.

    mysahana_abstract_darkgrayThe website busts several myths, the first being that mental health is not as important as physical health. A section on food is unusual, but sets a warm and welcoming tone to make readers comfortable with the site.Typical mental health queries are answered in the blog section. The content is entirely written by Deshpande, who credits her cultural background and clinical training with helping to establish a good connection with readers.

    While the content primarily deals with relationship issues at present, this is only the beginning as far as MySahana is concerned. The non-profit has found several willing volunteers around the SF Bay Area to help with marketing, research, and administration, and the idea is to grow this fledgling site to a destination for South Asian mental health discussions and help. In progress is collaboration with doctors and service providers to tackle a wide variety of subjects.

    The response from the community to MySahana has been extraordinary, reflecting, perhaps, the underserved needs of the community. “It has been my experience that the community really responds when we show an understanding of the culture,” says Deshpande. “I was contacted by a couple who went through a very stressful period at the beginning of their marriage. Divorce wasn’t an option, and both partners felt trapped. Couples therapy helped for a while, but before long they had slid back to the old patterns of behavior. A friend suggested they read some of the articles on the website. They did, and recognized some of the hurtful patterns of their relationship. The couple decided to try couples counseling again, and I heard from them that they are in a much better place today.”

    “There is a special set of needs that separates the immigrant population. These needs are unique and need to be addressed accordingly,” she adds.

    Check out MySahana for help or to volunteer. It’s time to begin talking about mental health issues openly and honestly. We are the model minority when it comes to professional success, let’s be the model minority for mental health as well.

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    ]]>     http://waternoice.com/2010/09/27/mysahana-creating-awareness-for-mental-health-issues/feed/ 1     Bay Area Dandia Events 2010 http://waternoice.com/2010/09/17/bay-area-dandia-events-2010/ http://waternoice.com/2010/09/17/bay-area-dandia-events-2010/#comments Fri, 17 Sep 2010 21:22:26 +0000 Vidya Pradhan http://waternoice.com/?p=2701
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    As Dandia season rolls around, I’ve decided to compile all the local events for easy reference. Let me know if I’ve missed some of the smaller events and I will update this post.

    UPDATE 3: Garba Workshops: The Mona Sampath Dance Company is organizing a couple of garba workshops to get you in Navratri mode.

    October 2nd: Dublin – 4:00 – 5:00 pm. Milpitas – 12:00 – 1:00 pm
    October 13th: Cupertino – 7:30 – 8:30 pm

    Locations:
    Cupertino ACPA:1009, 1015-1019,S. De Anza Blvd,San Jose, CA 95129
    Dublin Fitness 2000:7373 Village Pkway, Dublin,CA 94568
    Milpitas - ICC:525 Los Coches Street,Milpitas,CA 95035

    Cost: $15 (includes a pair of dandiyas for you to keep).

    UPDATE 2: SEWA Dandia: Sewa International USA presents an evening of Garba-Dandia with the melodious group of Dimple Patel. Free lessons for Dandia.
    Subsidized food and drinks will be available.

    All proceeds will go towards Sewa International service projects. Details can be found at sewausa.org.

    Where:Sunnyvale Temple Hall,420, Persian Drive,Sunnyvale,California,94089

    When: October 8, 2010 8:00PM to Midnight

    Tickets: 10 $. Buy here.

    Contact:Yagnesh Pathak Phone : 510-364-6095

    UPDATE: IFDA Navratri Hungama 2010: The Indian Fusion Dance Academy has a Navratri Party on October 24th. Part of the event ’s proceeds benefit Evergreen Elementary Education Foundation (EEEF). There will also a Bone marrow drive.
    Garba workshop will be conducted by the experienced and talented Shaivalee Desai between 6:30pm and 7:30pm.

    Date: Sunday, Oct 24th
    Time: 6:00pm to 9:00pm
    Venue: East Valley YMCA Gym.1975 South White Road ,San Jose ,CA 95148

    SEF Dandia: The Sankara Eye Foundation’s Dandia event has been sold out every one of the last 6 years. Events start at 7 p.m.

    October 9th: Santa Clara Convention Center. Music: PreetySha and Troupe.

    October 16th: Alameda County fairgrounds, Pleasanton. Music: Dhol Baje Entertainment

    October 23rd: Santa Clara Convention Center. Music: PreetySha and Troupe.

    Free Dandia Lessons. Kids 5 and under free. Free teak dandia sticks for the first 500 ticket holders.

    Tickets at sulekha.com/SEF.

    SSF Dandia: Small Steps Foundation has a big Dandia night in Fremont every year. It is a kid-friendly event with music by Sharvari Dixit and her group. Dandia timings are 7:30p.m. to 11:45 p.m.

    October 30th: Centerville Junior High School Fremont.

    Tickets: Tickets are available at India Cash and Carry in Fremont or can be bought online at Sulekha.

    Early Bird (Until Oct 10th) :Adult – $10, Child (5-12) – FREE

    Regular (After Oct 10th) :Adult – $13, Child (5-12) – $5

    At the Gate :Adult – $15, Child (5-12) – $5

    Vibha Dandia: Vibha has organized this highly energetic and popular event in the Bay Area with tremendous success for over 10 years. Dandia timings are 7 p.m. to 11:30 p.m.

    October 2nd: Centerville Junior High, Fremont

    October 9th: Centerville Junior High, Fremont

    October 16th: Centerville Junior High, Fremont

    Tickets are available at DesiClub.com and Sulekha

    Early bird Discounts

    Early bird tickets: $10

    [Early bird ends a week before the event date]

    • Regular price: $13
    • Kids aged 10 and under: FREE
    • Door price: $15 (if available)
    • Free Dandia/Raas/Garba lessons will be provided by experienced dancers to all ticket holders
    • Dandia sticks, Food and beverages can be purchased at the venue

    Readers, please alert me to any other dandia nights in the Bay Area and I will update.

    Related posts:

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    2. Community Calendar – October 17 – October 23, 2008 -Water, No Ice and the India Community Center jointly announce...
    3. Community Calendar – October 31 – November 5, 2008 Snippets: - Enakshi’s book “Naina’s Adventure” is 50% off at...

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    ]]>     http://waternoice.com/2010/09/17/bay-area-dandia-events-2010/feed/ 4     Gifts for Moms, Smiles for Children http://waternoice.com/2010/05/06/gifts-for-moms-smiles-for-children/ http://waternoice.com/2010/05/06/gifts-for-moms-smiles-for-children/#comments Thu, 06 May 2010 20:12:55 +0000 Vidya Pradhan http://waternoice.com/?p=2610
  • Gifts for mom, smiles for children It costs Akshaya Patra $28 to feed a child daily...
  • Akshay Patra is recognized in Washington By Kathleen Cosgrove The Congressional Hunger Center (CHC), a nonprofit...
  • Shop for Father’s Day and help a child The Akshaya Patra Foundation, the world’s largest NGO-run midday meal...
    • Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.]]>     mother and childThe Akshaya Patra Foundation has launched Gifts For Moms, Smiles For Children, a Mother’s Day campaign that pays tribute to Mothers worldwide while helping to feed and educate children throughout India. Akshaya Patra is an organization with the vision that no child shall be deprived of education because of hunger. The campaign is a way for people to celebrate their Mother, Grandmother, Sister or Aunt by giving them a gift for Mother’s Day that actually gives back.

    “The unfaltering love that a Mother invests into raising her children enhances a person’s life in a myriad of ways. The Gifts for Moms, Smiles for Children campaign is a great way for people to honor those Moms that have made an impact in their lives, by giving a gift with a real impact,” said Madhu Sridhar, President and CEO of Akshaya Patra. “Akshaya Patra’s mission of eradicating hunger and promoting education is based on the vision shared by all Mothers worldwide. $28 is a wonderful gift on behalf of a mother that a donor wishes to honor. A child somewhere will smile.”

    Donors to the campaign contribute $28 to Akshaya Patra for each Mother they wish to honor.  Once someone has donated, they can either choose for Akshaya Patra to send an email about their gift to the Mother they are honoring, or they can print out a Mother’s Day letter from Akshaya Patra to place in a card. Akshaya Patra’s midday meal program feeds 1.2 million underserved children daily in 7,000 schools in eight states in India. It costs $28 to feed a child daily for the entire school year.  With an average government subsidy of 50 percent, $28 feeds two children.

    For those who wish to purchase a different gift for their Mom while still giving back, they can do so by shopping through CafeGive, a website that brings together hundreds of online stores that donate part of their proceeds to charity. When someone makes a purchase through CafeGive, up to 20 percent of the purchase price is donated to Akshaya Patra by the vendor, at no cost to the consumer. Some of their vendors include Macys, Best Buy, 1-800-Flowers and See’s Candies.

    To donate to Gifts for Moms, Smiles for Children, learn more about the One World Cuisine partnership or to shop through CafeGive, please visit http://www.foodforeducation.org.

    Related posts:

    1. Gifts for mom, smiles for children It costs Akshaya Patra $28 to feed a child daily...
    2. Akshay Patra is recognized in Washington By Kathleen Cosgrove The Congressional Hunger Center (CHC), a nonprofit...
    3. Shop for Father’s Day and help a child The Akshaya Patra Foundation, the world’s largest NGO-run midday meal...

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    ]]>     http://waternoice.com/2010/05/06/gifts-for-moms-smiles-for-children/feed/ 2     The Legend of Vraz http://waternoice.com/2010/04/01/the-legend-of-vraz/ http://waternoice.com/2010/04/01/the-legend-of-vraz/#comments Thu, 01 Apr 2010 16:32:23 +0000 Vidya Pradhan http://waternoice.com/?p=2580 LegendofVraz01

    By Vidya and Naren Pradhan

    The rich Hindu mythic pantheon of rajas, rakshasas, and apsaras lends itself well to quest-style video games, so it is a bit surprising that no one has seriously attempted one till now. Kids weaned on Amar Chitra Kathas will be interested in “The Legend of Vraz,” a computer game that is inspired by the panoply of heroic characters that Indian mythology provides.

    The story of the game, very reminiscent of Indian fairy tales, revolves around prince Vraz who wishes to marry his beloved princess Avi and win her hand in marriage. He has to perform 5 tasks set by her father. This takes Vraz on an epic quest where he must make his way through 15 exotic locations, avoid the tribal warlord Mani and battle with the evil lovelorn Vizier and his shrewd accomplices. He will also have to collect gold and keys, skillfully navigate dangerous traps, operate objects and find his way out of near impossible terrain.

    Abhi_14-1Says developer Abhinav Chokavatia, “The game’s look and style is derived from Indian Miniature paintings. I had always been fascinated by miniature paintings ever since I was young. While visiting the temple of Nathdwara I came across detailed miniature paintings and thought it would be a great idea if we can somehow take this art form forward. That’s how the game style and game idea was born.”

    The game is targeted at the teen male audience, though the developers believe adults play it too. “We’ve had players tell us that it reminds them of the earlier Mario games,” says Abhinav. “You might say that Prince of Persia + Mario * India – Violence = Legend of Vraz!”

    The game launches in India via retail in a month or so and is already available for online purchase. Buyers can try out the demo on the website of Zatun Games, the developers of “Legend.”

    I had Naren, who, at 14, falls bang in the middle of the target segment, try out the game. Here is his review –

    So far, there have been many good ideas for video games based on mythologies from around the world that have ended up as excellent gaming experiences. Players can hack their way through monsters from Greek mythology, carve a path through hell, or use magic and martial arts to fight hordes of Chinese soldiers. However, so far, nobody has thought about a game based on Indian mythology. Well, the wait is over, thanks to a pay-to-download game called The Legend of Vraz.

    The Legend of Vraz is a side-scrolling platformer based on Hindu mythology, especially The Ramayana. Indians around the world would be excited at such a thing. One would say, “Finally, game developers are taking notice of the lore of India!” Of course, I immediately took notice of it, being an avid gamer myself. So I downloaded the game demo, and this is what I found.

    The story has no audible dialogue, and is presented through comic panels and missions. It involves prince Vraz, who resembles an Indian hero, doing five difficult tasks in order to win the hand of the lovely Princess Avi. The game play takes many of its elements from classic platforms such as The Prince of Persia, Super Mario Bros, and Sonic the Hedgehog. In each level, you are given a certain mission, either to get an amount of gold, defeat a number of enemies, or simply get to the end. On the way you can jump, fight enemies, collect gold, and discover secret areas, all vital to the overall platform game experience.

    Perhaps the most interesting part of the game is the bow and arrow. Just like Rama, Vraz’s signature weapon is the famed projectile weapon of the ancient times. There are five types of arrows you can shoot including normal, particle and fire arrows. However, the enemies move quite fast, and the limited directions you can shoot in make the bow hard to use. Also, there is little variety in the types of enemies. There are bugs, fish, more bugs, more fish, a boar here and there, soldiers, and annoying little cheeky monkeys that make you lose health after you destroy them, which is annoying since you have to destroy them in certain levels.

    Overall I didn’t really enjoy this game. However, I can tell it was meant for small children, who will enjoy it when they get the hang of it. The difficulty will provide a good challenge for them and the platform action a thrilling experience. I would call this game average. But if Indian mythology is your thing and quest-style games are fun for you, then do give The Legend of Vraz a try.

    End review.

    To seasoned gamers like Naren, who has played real time strategy games like Starcraft and Warcraft 3, the game may seem a little retro and inadequate but kids newer to the world of online gaming may enjoy the game. Also, parents can be reassured that there is nothing bloody or gory in this game. According to Abhinav, the initial response has been tremendous.

    Here is a video teaser of the game -

    Naren’s blog is here.

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