Author Archives: vpdot

Digital books for the visually impaired – Bookshare

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For readers with print disabilities, books are available through the National Library Service and Recordings for the Blind and Dyslexic. While providing an excellent source for audio books, these services fall short when it comes to manipulation of the books, such as search and skip functions. Bookshare, an online digital library, aims to fill that gap with books scanned and available in digital text formats, which allow for a broad range of functionality.
Started in 2000, Bookshare took the help of volunteers, some of who were visually impaired, to scan books into a digital format which can be read in different ways by people with special needs. The books can be read aloud, print-enlarged or a combination of both for the dyslexic. Though Bookshare operates like a library, books can also be downloaded to the computer or mp3 players for indefinite personal use.

The library provides people with print disabilities in the United States legal access to over 43,000 books and 150 periodicals that can be converted to Braille, large print or synthetic speech.

“We restrict downloads to 100 books a month,” says Viji Dilip, the international program manager for Bookshare. An annual subscription fee is needed for access to the library. Because of copyright issues, proof of disability is crucial. (The Chafee Amendment to the Copyright law allows reproduction and distribution of books specifically in formats for the print-disabled.) “We do not allow anyone who is not print-disabled to become members.” Because the audio is digitally created in the Daisy format( a digitally synthesized voice system), she thinks it is unlikely the service will be misused.
The library built up its collection initially with the help of volunteers who would scan the books to be proofread by other volunteers. Recently it received a grant from the Department of Education which makes it easier for the library to subcontract the work as paid employment. Here too, the organization has chosen to benefit the disabled. “We are very proud of the fact that we employ 15-20 physically disabled people in Chennai to scan and proofread the books that will be read by visually impaired people in the United States,” says Viji. Outsourcing at work!

Another outreach has been to make Bookshare available in India and other English speaking countries as well. “We have tied up with a few NGOs in India to help with confirming proof of disability and customer support,” adds Viji. The annual subscription fee is much lower in India, just $10 as compared to the first year fees of $75 in the US.

Bookshare is the largest online digital library in the world focusing on the visually impaired. Thanks to the grant from the Department of Education, they are also in the process of making textbooks and literature available to kids in grades K-12. “What we would like is to make this service as widely known as possible so more people can make use of this service.” According to teachers, the textbooks offered by Bookshare.org help students with print disabilities keep up with their classmates. High-quality digital books in accessible formats also encourage students to study independently and develop their tastes in recreational reading outside the classroom.

If you have a friend or a family member who could use this service, refer them to Bookshare with its library of over 43,000 books. You or they can also volunteer to be a part of the proof reading team.

Online gamers beware!

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An interesting piece in boingboing about recruiters discriminating against World of Warcraft players –

….employers specifically instruct him not to send them World of Warcraft players. He said there is a belief that WoW players cannot give 100% because their focus is elsewhere, their sleeping patterns are often not great, etc. I mentioned that some people have written about MMOG leadership experience as a career positive or a way to learn project management skills, and he shook his head. He has been specifically asked to avoid WoW players.

Is it reasonable? Maybe not. Plenty of employees are addicted to sporting events and will follow them obsessively during the season. I remember in India how the serial Mahabharat brought the entire nation to a halt when it was being aired. I bet American ( and even global) productivity was seriously affected by the recent presidential elections. So why single out online gamers?

Well, from personal experience I can vouch for the fact that WoW and other MMOGs( Massively Multi-player Online Games) are unbelievable addictive. My 12-year old played WoW for a couple of years. We didn’t allow him to play online so it was restricted to our PC but even so it was a battle to pry him loose from the terminal. It is easy to see why. Online games like WoW are complex, so they appeal to intelligent kids. For a young person who chafes at the constraints imposed by parents, school-teachers and peers, this is an environment where he/she is in control – solely responsible for his or her successes and failures.

(My theory is that in earlier generations, teenagers were often put to work, apprenticing to adults in the professions they showed an interest in. Today’s emphasis on academics means that our children are babied for much longer, having no real responsibility till they are almost in their 20s. That energy and capability has to find an outlet somewhere and for most parents, a computer is the least dangerous of the alternatives.)

Still, I get why employers would be leery of hiring serious gaming enthusiasts. Since an online game is always going to be more attractive(instant gratification!) than the tedium of a conventional job, who would want a disinterested employee? The defense to that is absence of online gaming is not going to make people love their job any more, though it might just make it easier for them to tolerate it. I suspect as more and more bright young people get drawn into the world of gaming, employers will have to figure out ways of making jobs less monotonous and harness the creativity and problem solving skills their future employees so obviously have.

In the meantime, keep mum about what you do in your spare time and for heavens sake, get some sleep!

Neither/Nor

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By Isheeta Sanghi

What is it that makes us who we are? Is it our parents? Is it where we grew up? Or is it our friends? I have struggled a lot with figuring out the answer to this question. For the longest time it was easy, I was simply an American. No two ways about it. Then somewhere along the way I realized that I wasn’t .

I realized that my non Indian friends did not tie a band around their brother’s hand once a year symbolizing that there will always be togetherness, a bond of love, a bond of protection. I realized that my non Indian friends’ mothers did not fast once a year to bless their husbands with long, prosperous lives. I know that these traditions are just that- traditions, and there’s no scientific proof that by tying a Rakhi or by participating in Karva Chauth that anything happens- but that’s precisely the point. We have these traditions that give us hope, they keep us going.
Growing up with two cultures puts you in limbo- because it’s not that you have a choice, you really are neither/nor. You can’t be totally American because the festivals will pull you back- the color, the music, the excitement and anticipation of festivals like Rakhi and Karva Chauth will rope you back to your roots. The haunting voice of Lata Mangeshkar singing ‘Aye Mere Vatan Ki Logo’ brings you to tears, because you think of what the country has gone through, what all the people of the country have gone through, and you are instantaneously overwhelmed with a sense of pride.
Simultaneously, you’re not all Indian – you articulate a certain way, have certain mannerisms, and of course have cleaning methods that overwhelm the house help; Manju looks at my Mom in complete and utter bewilderment when she tells her to wash and dry the bananas before putting them on the table.
You also remain incredibly involved in US Affairs including the victory of President-elect Barack Obama. I actually was airborne on my way to India when the captain announced that the new president of the United States of America was Barack Obama. I was overwhelmed with excitement.
So is it my passport that defines me, or is it my last name? I don’t really know, because I don’t feel completely one or the other is what defines me. On the inside I feel that both cultures are part of me, they’re interwoven into the person I am and I can’t choose just one to define me. Traditional values that pull me back to my Indian roots are at the same time balanced out by my American independence.

The American in me realizes that there are things that I have to do- for myself and for my life, and the Indian in me recognizes that though I should set out into this world and do all the things that I want to do, I should never forget that a lot of who I am is because of my family- and their due importance should always be appreciated and noted.

Isheeta Sanghi grew up in San Diego and recently relocated to India.

Bush ko joote pade

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“I’m ambivalent about this,” said a friend. “After all, he is the President, yaar.” She was, of course, referring to the chappal heard around the world. Yesterday Iraqi journalist Muntader al-Zaidi threw his shoe at still-President Bush saying “This is a farewell kiss, you dog. This is from the widows, the orphans and those who were killed in Iraq.”

I’m sure some journalistic code of conduct has been violated – isn’t the pen supposed to be mightier than the shoe? – but I can’t help feeling a sneaking sense of sympathy for the poor man. Here you have a country reeling under a civil war and a prolonged, mismanaged occupation and you have to sit and listen to the chief architect of that destruction blithely state that “things are going well”. That’s enough to make anyone snap. Zaidi’s action is like that little kid in the fable saying, “The emperor has no clothes.”

That’s the irony of crime in the 21st century. Default on your taxes and get summoned to court. Bankrupt the economy and you’ll still preserve your obscene compensation packages. Get into an argument with your neighbor and get hauled off to the hoosegow. Give orders to kill tens of thousands of people and displace millions and you get to build a presidential library. And stock it with what? Copies of “The pet goat?”

Zaidi’s ultimate insult comes from the frustration of knowing that the people responsible for one of the biggest military and strategic blunders in modern times will not only get away scot-free but are busy rewriting history to bolster their legacies. Impeachment is off the table, as the Democrats have been at pains to emphasize and it appears that even the egregious crime of torture will be swept away under the carpet of a new administration. What more can a hapless patriot do than make a symbolic gesture of “@#$% you”?

Zaidi’s arrest has, predictably enough, sparked protests in Iraq. Let’s hope the Iraqi governement has the sense not to make a martyr out of him and lets him off with a slap on the wrist. Meanwhile, here is an alternate theory of the incident –

With Love, from Milpitas to Mumbai

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By Purvi Gajjar

On December 5th, a run-of-the-mill Friday evening, at a run-of-the-mill Indian Restaurant, a very special event took place as 50 community members gathered for a Peace Vigil in memory of the recent attacks in Mumbai. The vigil was held at Swagat Restaurant in Milpitas and was hosted by the Art of Living Foundation, a non-profit, humanitarian organization, in association with its sister concern, the International Association of Human Values (IAHV).

In the light of India’s 26/11, the foundation has resolved to strengthen the spirit of Mumbai, not just within the city, but also across the globe. In one such effort, Art of Living’s Milpitas chapter dedicated the evening for peace and prayer in honor of the brave souls who lost their lives, as much as for the heroic survivors of the gruesome 60 hours of terror in the life of Mumbai.

“When nothing works, prayer works,” said Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, the founder of the Art of Living Foundation, upon hearing of the recent Mumbai terror attacks.  In a statement, Sri Sri called for solidarity among people and said, “In this situation, religious and political leaders need to show the country that we stand together against terrorism.”

At Swagat, the banquet room’s entrance was adorned with smiling volunteers, and beautifully decorated with tea-light candles in the shape of ‘PEACE’. Symbols of peace were made on either side, followed by a petition on the wall calling out to world leaders to end global terrorism. Each one, as they entered, lighted a candle to bring the word PEACE to life, and gradually it shone brighter and fuller, denoting the strength of unison.

Rekha Kodialbail, Art of Living instructor and volunteer in the Milpitas area, who organized the Vigil, said, “This evening stands as a reminder that we are not just a man or a woman, an Indian, American or a Chinese, rich or poor, engineer or doctor, mothers or fathers, daughters or sons, sisters or brothers; these are simply the roles we play. First, we are human beings and our innate quality is humanness.” Her voice resonated for several minutes, like an echo, and radiated the warmth and sense of belonging that connected with every person in that room.

Among others who joined to pledge their support was Easan Katir, representative of Hinduism Today, a publication of the Kauai Hindu Monastery. He shared the importance of spirituality in today’s world, and said that just like one has set rules for one’s life, the community should also have a set of rules to maintain discipline and peace among all. Manisha Verma, another member from the community said that ever since she heard about the massacre, she has been feeling sad and angry. The Peace Vigil lifted her spirits and she said that she was happy to be a part of the solution, rather than grumble about the problem.

The Peace Vigil was about collectively putting attention and intention to the human values of love, compassion, trust, enthusiasm, responsibility, and commitment. “The time has come for us to experience these qualities in our lives on a day-to-day basis and reach out to fellow members of the community,” Rekha said. Supporting her and the Art of Living was Milpitas’ Mayor Bob Livengood, who said that India and America are the greatest democracies of the world and they stand for freedom, wisdom, and peace. “We cannot let anyone take that away from us,” he added.

Many people shared stories of losing their friends and family that dreadful night in Mumbai. Most of them had tears rolling down their face, as they narrated the incidents. Aparna Atmaram, an engineer by profession, who attended the Vigil, said, “I cannot empathize, I cannot understand; is shedding a few tears all that I am capable of?” She was deeply thankful to the Art of Living Foundation and IAHV for hosting the vigil, as “it exemplifies that peace has a voice and it will be heard loud and clear,” she stated.

The foundation has already initiated free trauma relief workshops all over Mumbai. These sessions are being offered on a continuous basis, and are open to all. For more information, please visit www.traumacareformumbai.com.

Purvi Gajjar has been a freelance journalist and writer from Bombay for the last 5 years. Her work has been published in prestigious publications, including Femina and Marwar magazines.She has extensively written about the Art of Living Foundation, their service projects and numerous programs and workshops across the globe.

A version of this article was also published in “What’s Happening, the TriCity Newspaper.

Movie Review – Slumdog Millionaire

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One is used to watching execrable movies made out of beloved books. Rarely is the converse true. Slumdog Millionaire, adapted from the mediocre Q & A, is a jolt to the senses.

I remember picking up Q & A a few years ago at an airport bookstore. Written by Vikas Swarup, it has an intriguing concept; a young man from the slums improbably answers all the questions on a game show modeled after “Who wants to be a millionaire”. He is hauled up by the police to investigate if he had any outside help. His explanations about his knowledge of each question form the chapters of the book.

Unfortunately, as it happens with many English books written in India, the style is pedestrian. Like Chetan Bhagat’s recent books, Q & A reads more like a script than a novel, which might have been its attraction.

Danny Boyle, who directs Slumdog Millionaire, ruthlessly pares the book of all its fluff. Instead of an improbably and ambiguously named Ram Mohammad Thomas, we now have Jamal Malik, Muslim resident of Dharavi. When the movie begins, we see Jamal being tortured at a police station. The disbelieving cops prod him (literally and metaphorically) to explain how he, a humble chaiwalla in a call center, could know the answers to questions in categories that have left many learned contestants in the dust.

As the film progresses, we are taken on an exhilarating tour of the grimy underbelly of Bombay, as Jamal explains how the journey of his life has made him peculiarly suited to that particular set of questions. From a childhood memory of religious riots to a stint in a scary orphanage to an encounter with the Mumbai mafia as an adult, Slumdog Millionaire is a pulsating look at a city whose predominant scent is not that of feces (though that plays a memorable role in the movie) but that of survival.

A few quibbles – Dev Patel as Jamal Malik has a cultured accent completely out of place for a man out of a slum; The language keeps switching between Hindi and English, not always appropriately – I think the movie would have been great in the Hinglish patois that is spoken in Mumbai. Still, the acting is great overall. The child actors are remarkable, often better than their adult counterparts. Irfan Khan as the callous inspector who slowly comes to believe Jamal’s bizarre explanation is good as usual. Anil Kapoor as the pompous, patronizing game show host is perfectly cast- he delivers the performance of a lifetime.

There are some unpleasant bits – anybody who is familiar with Trainspotting, Danny Boyle’s claim to fame, knows that the director does not shy away from gore. Despite some horrifying scenes( one prolonged one dealing with blinding children to make them beggars was so awful I squeezed my eyes shut and jammed my hands over my ears and was thankful that I had helped out ADAA this year) Slumdog is not a depressing movie. Aided by Rahman’s pounding and sometimes discordant background score, it is a throbbing, electrifying look at Mumbai that entertains every second. It is a pity that the best masala film out of Bollywood this year had to be directed by a man from Manchester, England.

Slumdog Millionaire
Directed by Danny Boyle
*ring Dev Patel, Frieda Pinto, Irfan Khan
My rating 4.5 out of 5 stars.

"I vote nobody" – Rule 49-O

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In the wake of the Mumbai terrorist attacks, frustration over government inaction and incompetence has boiled over among India’s educated class. In a sick sort of way, the terrorists’ deliberate attempt to target upper income and foreign nationals, done to give them more visibility in the global arena, seems to have had an unexpectedly beneficial side effect- that of waking up the apathetic Indian elite.(Here is an interesting article in the NYT about it.)

Hundreds of protests and vigils have been organized in the last week and calls for reform have been ringing across the nation. One such well-intentioned but misguided email doing the rounds is “I vote nobody”, a viral mail exhorting voters to demand a form that allows him/her to vote for “nobody” at the polling booth.

Why should you go and say “I VOTE NOBODY”… because, in a ward, if a candidate wins, say by 123 votes, and that particular ward has received “49-O” votes more than 123, then that polling will be cancelled and will have to be re-polled. Not only that, but the candidature of the contestants will be removed and they cannot contest the re-polling, since people had already expressed their decision on them. This would bring fear into parties and hence look for genuine candidates for their parties for election. This would change the way; of our whole political system… it is seemingly surprising why the election commission has not revealed such a feature to the public….

First, let’s see what 49 O really says-

Rule 49-O of The Conduct of Elections Rules, 1961 (as amended) reads:-
“49-O.   Elector  deciding  not  to  vote.-If  an  elector,  after  his electoral  roll number has been duly entered in the register of voters in  Form-17A and has put his signature or thumb impression thereon  as required  under  sub-rule (1) of rule 49L, decided not to  record  his vote,  a remark to this effect shall be made against the said entry in Form  17A  by  the  presiding  officer  and  the  signature  or  thumb impression of the elector shall be obtained against such remark.”

Unlike in the US, there is no room on the Indian ballot to write-in a candidate. With a paper ballot, it is easy to waste your vote by just marking multiple candidates. Since you can’t do that on an electronic voting machine, you can ask for a separate form ( which most voting locations don’t have, as Geeta Padmanabhan found out) to mark your protest vote. But then your vote is no longer secret. It appears that the Election Commission recommended in 2004 that “the law should be amended to specifically provide for negative / neutral voting.” This hasn’t happened yet.

Either way, it is a wasted vote. Contrary to the claims of the email, the interpretation of 49-O as it stands appears to be vague enough to allow the winning candidate’s election to stand regardless of the number of protest votes. (In the US there have been some notable write-in candidates but mostly the space is used by mischievous voters to write in their own name or characters like Mickey Mouse!)

What is ironic that an entire class of people who have chosen not to exercise their vote for many, many years should want to make their first foray into the voting booth as a protest move. Maybe if everyone who was well educated and well informed actually bothered to participate in the political process, the look of Indian government would be very different today. Basab writes in an excellent post –

In India we need our own political revolution. This has to be led by educated voters who are more discerning, wherever they are. They need to roll up their trousers (or sarees) and wade into the murky waters of Indian politics. They don’t have to become politicians but they must become more engaged. Politics is a contact sport. You can’t bring about change by shouting advice from the stands.

Instead of futile grandstanding like “I vote nobody”, what educated and well-off people in India should be doing is take that risky but crucial plunge into politics. Maybe the best way to do it is to start a new party, like Loksatta . Maybe the solution is to start at the bottom rung of existing parties and slowly work your way up and reform the system that way. Either way, channel your energies into participation, not rejection. What matters is you get your feet wet. If enough people resolve to never forget Mumbai, you can trust in the power of a mass movement.

Holiday gift ideas from the WNI family

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For those of you tired of rooting around at the mall and toy stores for your holiday shopping, we bring you unique gift ideas from some of the enterprising businesses featured in Water, No Ice over the past two years –

Succulents in decorative pots:Laxmi Natarajan at Bagicha is introducing a new product line called Succulent Creations (succulent gardens in pots/containers) which she will be showcasing for the first time at her studio in Redwood City on Dec 13th and Dec 14th. ( Succulents are hard to kill and need infrequent watering.) These containers are put together as art products that can be used in offices, indoors and outdoor gardens at residences, as centerpieces, gifts, party takeaways, special occasions and the list is endless. This event will be part of an holiday Art and Craft Sale at the Redwood City Art Center (15 artists are participating and will have lots of gifts -hand made handbags, shawls,scarfs, jewellery, pots and of course paintings)  There will be food, drinks and music festivities and even a Raffle. This event is open to the public and is at Redwood City Art Center, 2625 Broadway Street Redwood City, CA 94063. Special offer – anyone mentioning Water, No Ice will get a 10% discount.

Naina’s adventure – The beautifully illustrated children’s book, ‘Naina’s Adventure’ by Enakshi Choudhuri is a great gift for the elementary school child on your holiday gift list. The story revolves around Naina, who embarks on a magical journey to visit her grandparents in India. Along the way she learns that day and night occur at different times in different parts of the world owing to the Earth’s rotation on its axis. Naina’s Adventure is written in English and is sold in 4 Indian language versions. Each version of the book incorporates words and phrases from one of four Indian languages namely Bengali, Hindi, Gujarati or Tamil. The book is currently on a 50% sale at http://www.orbolo.com/page/page/4191086.htm If you would like to learn how to obtain free copies for your child’s school please contact books@orbolo.com for more information.

Parrots Books – Parrots Books aims to put puzzles, activities, and quality books in the hands of avid language learners. Products are available in Hindi and other Indian languages. To check out their products locally, visit their open house on Sunday December 20th from 2pm to 5 pm. at 45847 Bridgeport place in Fremont. Special Offer – Water No Ice Readers will get 20% off on their purchase total ( exclusive of tax and shipping.) The discount will be offered as a rebate check along with the book delivery. Be sure to mention Water, No Ice in the comment section of your order.

Beginner Hindi Language Kit – from Meera Masi. Includes five great learning tools including:

·         Khushe Manao Series: Five nursery rhyme board books with A CD.
·         Varnamala Geet: A catchy Hindi Varnamala song and chart.
·         Magnets: Colorful Hindi alphabet magnets.
·         Counting: A Counting book for beginning vocabulary.
·         Opposites: An Opposites book for beginning reading.
ALL of the above for only $35 at www.MeeraMasi.com

Mantra Mom’s Om gift bag – Mantra Mom’s OM Gift bag is a special gift that Moms can share with their children for years to come.
The ‘OM’ Gift Bag includes:
1. A ‘Mantras for my children and yours’ mantra CD including an insert with English translations of each mantra.
2. A set of 108- count Rakta Chandan Mala that Mantra Mom will personally heal with Reiki energy.
3. All wrapped in a beautiful green organza gift bag embellished with crystals.
4. PLUS- FREE SHIPPING and PAY NO SALES TAX* (Except TX residents).
Order at www.mantramom.com. Hurry, only a limited supply available!

Book review – a good indian wife

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If Marrying Anita was a look at the changing mores in arranged marriages in India, a good indian wife by Anne Cherian is a throwback to a social construct that feels anachronistic. I had to check to see if the book was indeed published this year and not a couple of decades ago.

Neil Sarath is an Indian anesthetologist living the American dream in San Francisco, complete with sports car and Caucasian girlfriend. On a visit to India, he gets emotionally blackmailed into marrying hometown girl Leila. Fully planning to divorce her at the first opportunity and leave her in India, he gets manipulated by wily family members into bringing her to “Amrika”. How the newlyweds cope with a relationship that has been thrust on them forms the story. Left to her own devices most of the time by a husband who did not want her in the first place, Leila slowly creates her own identity and earns Neil’s respect.

It is true that I have been away from India for nearly 2 decades now, but this kind of arranged marriage seems out of touch with what’s happening in India today. The social situations, the attitudes of relatives and assorted busybody aunties, all ring false.  Neil’s grandfather and other relatives talk in a lingo that I have not heard outside the movies. Also, as far as I am aware, girls in India today are far more wary of being sent off with a stranger to the US giving up career and creature comforts than they were a generation ago. There have been enough horror stories of abuse and neglect for even the most foreign-obsessed parents to pause before yoking their daughters to an uncertain future. Yes, the situations in this story could have happened but not in this century( or I am completely mistaken and small town India is still stuck in a score-long stasis.)

Despite the implausibility of the plot, what a good indian wife really is is a thinly disguised Indian-American Mills & Boon story. Picture Neil as the “bored Duke” and Leila as the “shy debutante” and you have a perfectly good romance on your hands. Anne Cherian, who grew up in Jamshedpur and graduated from Berkeley, is a competent writer who turns out a competent book. But non-Indians will have a much greater appreciation for this look at how arranged marriages used to be.

Kindness Kitchen

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“It is all about the heart,” says Jagmohan(Joy) Kapur, owner of the Maharani Reastaurant in San Francisco. A survivor of 2 open-heart surgeries, Joy has found a way to communicate his belief that cosmic laws operate on the purity of one’s heart and not on wishful thinking. Starting this Sunday, Maharani Restaurant offers “Kindness Kitchen”, a weekly meal where visitors are presented with a bill with a big zero on it and a note that says – “In the spirit of kindness and generosity, someone who dined before you made a gift of your meal. You are free to leave whatever you like when you are done. All of us are working here as volunteers and are providing this in the spirit of service. We wish and hope you will continue the cycle of generosity in your own way.”

Inspired by Karma Kitchen, Kindness Kitchen hopes to encourage the concept of paying it forward. “There is a faintly negative tone about “karma”,” says Joy. “There is an aspect of punishment to it.” Instead he wants his program to be about unconditional service and compassion towards our fellowmen.

While Maharani is not a vegetarian restaurant, the free meal served on Sundays will be vegetarian with some vegan dishes. Joy is enthusiastic about spreading the good word about vegetarianism. he reels off statistics about the environmental impact of meat. He is a reformed quasi-vegetarian himself ( fish is ok!) and hopes other people will be motivated to do the same.

Should some patrons decide to pay( what they wish), 9% of the gross take will go to Home of Hope, an organization that executes projects in India and is dear to Joy Kapur.

Check out Kindness Kitchen at the Maharani restaurant this Sunday or any other Sundays to come. The Kindness Kitvchen is open from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. every Sunday this December. The menu for this weekend( it will change each time) is as follows –

ENTREES
Mixed veggies
Tofu saag
Aloo masala
ACCOMPANIMENTS
Basmati Rice
Lentil (Dal) soup
Naan (Special Bread)
Raita (yogurt/cucumber)
DESSERT (Ask your server for today’s special)

As Joy puts it, “the vegetarian and vegan dishes are served with love, kindness and offered as an unconditional gift by the volunteers at the restaurant. They know that the joy they spread will come back to them manifold. “

Maharani Restaurant

1122 Post Street( between Van Ness and Polk)

San Francisco, CA 94109

(415) 775-1988