Pittsburgh_Patrika_January_2014

The Pittsburgh Patrika, Vol. 19, No. 2, January 2014

Vol. 19 No. 2 January 2014

www.pittsburghpatrika.com

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The Quarterly Magazine for the Indian Diaspora

Vol. 19 No. 2 www.pittsburghpatrika.com January 2014

4006 Holiday Park Drive, Murrysville, PA 15668

Phone/Fax: (724) 327 0953 e-mail: ThePatrika@aol.com

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Highlights in this issue... ... ...

President Obama Buys Time & Averts a Crisis

By Kollengode S Venkataraman..................................................... 2

Bill Peduto Slated to be the Mayor Pittsburgh

By Kollengode S. Venkataraman.................................................... 5

The Need to Recognize Depression in Youth

By Dr. Mani Balu............................................................................ 6

Working to End Violence Against Women

By Namita Luthra......................................................................... 10

The India Day Celebrates Everything Indian

By David Downey........................................................................ 12

A Very Unusual Last Goodbye

By Cindy Koller............................................................................ 14

Are There Any Truths in Mythological Stories?

By Kollengode S. Venkataraman.................................................. 19

How Running in a Marathon Changed My Life

By Paul Grossi.............................................................................. 20

Dr. Subra Suresh Shares His Vision for CMU

By Anonymous............................................................................. 24

Swami Vivekananda: His Influence in America

By Prakash Mullick..................................................... 28

Ha! Ha!

By K. S. Venkataraman................................................. 32

On the cover: The Gandhi Mural (15’x 20’) on the wall of Coriander,

the Indian restuarant on Murray Ave. in Squirrel Hill. Story on p. 9. •

3


The Quarterly Magazine for the Indian Diaspora

Vol. 19 No. 2 www.pittsburghpatrika.com January 2014

Phone/Fax: (724) 327 0953 e-mail: ThePatrika@aol.com

Vested Interests Feed US Angst on India

By Kollengode S Venkataraman

• When it was known last October that Narendra Modi could be the

prime ministerial candidate of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for elections

in April 2014, The New York Times’ Editorial Board wrote a scathing

piece (http://tinyurl.com/nyt-modi-Edit) blaming Mr. Modi for the

2002 Godhra communal violence, among other things. However, as the

editorial itself noted, Indian Supreme Court’s Special Investigating Team

(SIT) appointed to inquire into the Godhra communal violence, cleared

Modi of any wrongdoing. Besides, Modi is in his fourth successive term

as Gujarat’s popularly elected chief minister, and under his rule, Gujarat

has transformed itself for the better on many fundamental measures. Read

Milan Vaishnav here: http://tinyurl.com/Crngy-Endmnt.

• The US Government denied Chief Minister Modi diplomatic visa in

2005. New Delhi protested only through bureaucrats, not through cabinet

ministers. The US Embassy in Delhi interpreted India’s muted protest

thus: India’s UPA government, after having “gone through the motions”

by protesting the U.S. decision, was “unlikely to ratchet up the pressure

further.” (www.tinyurl.com/ncrpl4k). Getting even visitor visa, we know,

is a privilege, not a right. But we can imagine how the US Government

would react if even an American mayor is denied visa by any nation.

• In mid-November in 2013, a bipartisan resolution (HR No 417)

introduced in the US Congress praised the US Government for its 2005

decision to deny Gujarat Chief Minister and BJP Prime Ministerial candidate

Narendra Modi a visa to enter the U.S. The resolution urged the US

“to publicly oppose the exploitation of religious differences and denounce

harassment and violence against religious minorities, especially in the

run-up to India’s general elections in 2014.”

Without naming Modi or BJP, the House resolution says, “Contrary

to the tolerant and pluralistic traditions of the Hindu faith, strands of the

Hindu nationalist movement have advanced a divisive and violent agenda

that has harmed the social fabric of India.” The House resolution also

recommends that the US-India Strategic Dialogue raise the issue of reli-

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gious freedom and related human rights “directly with federal and state

Indian Government officials when appropriate.” US Congress introduces

resolutions like this only at the urging of the Administration or heavy

lobbying from social, political, and religious groups to sway the outcome

of Indian national elections in April.

That aside, replacing “Hindu” with “Christian” and “India” with “US”

in the resolution, one can see parallels between India and the US. It is

educative here to know the Baptist-Presbyterian Christian majority’s intolerance

(http://tinyurl.com/Mizo-Intlrns) in India’s Mizoram towards Sikhs

and Hindus and how such incidents are rarely reported in the West.

If this is what the US Congress wants, its members can visit India

or it can ask the US. Embassy in India to meet with Indian elected

leaders like Mr. Modi they have issues with. And talk to them with civility

due to any popularly elected leader. Inviting, or granting visa to Mr. Modi

to visit the US is another way to hear him out. But this will not happen,

given the hold of lobbyists on US governments. Consider these:

• Since the right to make representation to government is enshrined in

the US Constitution, professional lobbying by agents on behalf of vested

interests is how things get done in Washington. According to Reuters,

Washington has over 12,000 registered federal lobbyists; but seven times

that number, or 90,000 people (excluding support staff) from diverse business,

political, social, and religions backgrounds are engaged in lobbying

that do not fit the legal definition of a registered lobbyist.

• And several resourceful Christian denominations whose enshrined

creed is proselytizing all over the world (often not caring for local sensitivities)

have great influence on elected, appointed, and military officials

in the US at every level. India with its over one billion people is a free

and fascinatingly diverse country on many measures including faith—more

so than many European nations. So India, with its 80% Hindu population

that is loose, diverse, stratified, fragmented and poor, is a soft target for

increasing the market share of proselytizing religions like Christianity (and

Islam) that aggressively seek converts. Proselytizing is something they

cannot easily do in China, Indonesia, Pakistan, Malaysia, and Bangladesh,

not to speak of the Middle East, Central Asia, even Russia.

• And then we have influential commentators, social scientists and

economists both in India and the US, most of them Indians and Indian-

Americans, educated to gaze at India only through Western lenses and

paradigms. These people are intellectually incapable of, or unwilling to,

even consider alternative narratives, hypotheses, and approaches for understanding

and addressing India’s complex social and economic issues.

These factors synergistically influence official US policies on India

to serve the interests of these special interest groups. •

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Raw Data for You to Interpret in Your Own Way

We give below two plots showing two key measures of economic

activity of the nation since 2008 Fall (Obama’s first election) through

his till November 2013. The first one, the Dow Jones Industrial average,

has doubled over

the last five years,

from ~7000 in

March 2009 to

over 16,000 in

end of November.

Other key measures

such as S&P

500 and Nasdaq

numbers track the

DJ average very

well.

The second one

is the unemployment

numbers

published by the

Bureau of Labor Statistics. The umemployment rate, peaking at 10% in

the Fall of 2009, has steadily dropped to 7.2% by November 2013.

We all have our own opinions and political affiliations that cloud

our interpretatiion.

Besides, Even in a

booming economy,

parts of the population

are left out.

During protracted

wars, all industries

related to defense

reap huge profits

while everybody

else suffers, with

many sacrificing

in blood. So, in

the abstract, there

is nothing objective

in these matters. So,

you can interpret these plots in your own way. — KSV •

.

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A New Gandhi Mural in Squirrel Hill

By Premlata Venkataraman

In late October, Som Sharma, a long-time resident of Monroeville, told us

of a 15’ x 20’ mural on Mohandas Gandhi. This mural was painted on a

wall in Squirrel Hill by OM, a student organization at CMU. We contacted

through e-mail Vijay Jayaram, President of OM, an organization committed

to Hindu spirituality and culture at CMU that spearheaded the project.

Their website states their mission: “To provide a a venue for students to

enjoy the richness of Hindu spirituality and its associated culture… …

[and] learn about the universal ideals of the Hindu dharma.”

members wanted to “permanently memorialize Mohandas

OM’s Gandhi in Pittsburgh” through a large mural, which requires

multiple skill sets, commitment and hard work so that “students could

appreciate the legacy and enduring relevance of Gandhi’s message.”

Working with MLK Mural, a Pittsburgh-based organization that paints

murals around Pittsburgh and the Squirrel Hill Urban Council, OM at CMU

held a design contest for proposals from artists and designers. They selected

the design

s u b m i t t e d

by Adelaide

Cole, a senior

in Art Major

at CMU.

MLK Mural’s

director Kyle

H o l b r o o k

gave OM-

CMU all the

artistic and

technical details

and support

needed

for creating

the mural.

The rest

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mission. Most of the mural painting was completed on Sunday, October

6th when AHINSA had organized the Gandhi Day at Frick Auditorium

(Story on Page 22). MLK Mural completed the work with critical finishing

touches and weatherproofing that took several days.

From start to finish, it took two months. MLK Mural took the responsibility

for finding the location and receiving permits. When Holbrook

of MLK Mural approached Mr. Victor Barboza, who owns Coriander,

the Indian restaurant on Murray Avenue, he readily gave OK for using

the outer wall of his restaurant for the mural. Barboza is from Karwar,

Karnataka and grew up in Mumbai. Gandhi’s commitment to peace and

nonviolence made it easy to get community support.

OM and MLK Mural made the on-site painting of the mural open to

anyone. Students from CMU, Pitt and citizens from Squirrel Hill, and

even random passersby participated. The actual painting was done on the

weekend for not conflicting with classes. But they did spend lots of their

free time earlier to plan, promote and get the job done.

“We at OM thank MLK Mural for all their help in finalizing the design

details, and finding a nice place for the mural. We also thank Mr. Victor

Barboza for generously giving permission for using his restuarant’s outer

wall for the mural,” said Jayaram. •

Royal Enfield Motorbikes Comes to Our Region

Royal Enfield’s 500-cc Bullet motorbikes will bring nostalgic memory

for Indians. Even with many Japanese

brands available now in India, Royal

Enfield has loyal customers. Now,

Royal Enfield bikes are availabe in the

US. Seltzer PowerSports in Altoona,

is one of the 100 delerships in the US

for Royal Enfield Motorbikes. For details, call 866 544 3000. •

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For the fourth year in a row, Sewickley Academy partners with Silk Screen

to present three films that focus on Asian cultures and global issues.

The films are free and open to the public.

“Girl Rising”

Saturday, January 11, 2:00 PM

“Girl Rising” is a ground-breaking feature film

about the strength of the human spirit and

the power of education to transform societies.

“Born into Brothels”

Saturday, January 25, 2:00 PM

A tribute to the resiliency of childhood and

the restorative power of art, “Born into Brothels”

is a portrait of several unforgettable children

who live in the red light district of Calcutta.

“Every Day Is a Holiday”

Sunday, February 9, 2:00 PM

“Every Day Is a Holiday” explores the bonds of

the father-daughter relationship and places

themes of growing older, immigration, and

racism in the context of “living history.”

Register at www.sewickley.org/sewickleyseries

13


Gandhiji’s Message is as Relevant Today

By Rashmi K. Ravindra, Pittsburgh, PA

e-mail: rashmi.rkoka@gmail.com

In this year’s Gandhi Remembrance Day, the keynote speaker, Prof. Ed

Brantmeier emphasized how interconnected and interdependent our lives

are, something we do not always recognize in our individualistic and “atomistic”

pursuits. His message was: Recognizing

this holistic nature of life is necessary to reduce

conflicts both within and without, individually

and also collectively. We need to walk together

doing service to others and living in harmony.

Brantmeier is the Assistant Director for Faculty

Innovation and Assistant Professor at the College

of Education, Gandhi Center at James Madison

University in Virginia.

The event was held at Frick Fine Arts Auditorium

in Oakland on Sunday, October 6 under

the aegis of AHINSA (Alliance for Humanitarian

Initiatives Non-violence and Spiritual Advancement),

an organization founded by our long-time

Ed Brantmeier in the stage.

resident, Mr. Som Sharma of Monroeville.

Brantmeier walked his audience through breathing exercises and meditation

and asked them to talk to each other’s nearest neighbors on any

topic. My neighbor spoke to me on peace and his travel to India with his

family. The idea was to make people to open with each other.

The eclectic Brantmeirer’s choice as this year’s keynote speaker was

most appropriate. As a Fulbright Scholar he was at the Banares

Hindu University, and is the co-author of Spirituality, Religion & Peace

Education, among others. The book looks into teachings and practices

of Buddhism, Christianity, Confucianism, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism,

Quakers & Sufis, and focuses on the impact

of competition, consumerism and materialism

in the current education system.

Brantmeier was emphatic that children

need to be taught the principles of peace very

early. Given the poverty in many parts of the

world, society, he said, has an obligation to

teach financial literacy and basic education

even for rag-picker kids. Children can learn

the power of word and numbers through such

basic literacy.

14

Ed Brantmeier playing the Native

American bamboo flute.


Brantmeier connected very well with his audience by referring to current

issues in our education system, by emphasizing the need for unity

and not duality. Stressing on the theme of vasudeva kudumbam (Sanskrit,

meaning “We all belong to a large universal family”), he rendered the

melodious Peace song Blooming on the Native American flute.

The program also included a panel discussion moderated by N Srinivasa

from the S V Temple, with Rabbi Art Donsky (Jewish, Temple Ohav Shalom),

Sanjay Mehta (Hindu, Hindu-Jain Temple), and Dr Azmat Qayyum

(Islamic, CAIR) in the panel. The panel covered diverse topics including

the political stalemate in Washington DC between the Democrats and the

Republicans.

Abhijit Joshi, Seethalakshmi Madhavan and Saraswati Chelleuri sang

melodious Bhajans. Children and young adults spoke on Gandhi’s impact

and relevance through history and even today in conflict resolution.

Jennifer Creamer of the Asian Studies Center of the Uni-

Earlier, versity of Pittsburgh, stressed how relevant Gandhi’s teachings

are today, with distrust and violence running amok in many parts of the

world, including the US. Som Sharma, the Founder of AHINSA introduced

the keynote speaker, and Srinivasa with organizational help from

Sanjay Mehta emceed the program, keeping it moving. Vijayasekhar

Reddy offered the customary Vote of Thanks. •

15


Designing Indian Weddings is Our Specialty

By Rana Khan, Pearl Celebrations

Phone: 412-721-0924 e-mail:rana@pearlceleb.com

Editor’s Note: Rana lives with her family in South Hills.

Living in Pittsburgh and having gone to Indian weddings all my life, I

realize how much planning and organizing go to make the

event elegant and unique. In India, with large extended

families get-ting into the act, this is not difficult. But here

in the United States, bringing together all the elements

of mandap, flowers, linens, and lighting is quite a feat.

Having close ties to India while growing up here makes

me better understand what a desi bride is looking for to create her dream

wedding. I have professional experience in academic research as well as

corporate IT and management. With these diverse skills combined with

a love for creative design and experience, we organize distinctive and

memorable events.

More importantly, we realize that wedding planning is not only for

large elaborate weddings. We also design weddings where the parties want

modest, yet elegant and aesthetic celebrations. Using our services, you

will make informed choices for elegant décor that fit within your budget.

As a premier event-planning company, we work with our commitment

that each event is unique deserving our greatest respect and consideration.

From total-event-planning to coordination services to décor-only, no event

is too large or small for us.

All our mandaps are custom-made in India, but we also design

and create stages here and incorporate current wedding trends in

our designs while keeping the Indian touch. We help families in choosing

linens, creating floral

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they need to design a unique

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Often Indian weddings

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We’ve organized weddings

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event. We also plan baby showers, engagement parties, birthday events

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design and planning worries to us. •

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DobleTree Pittsburgh-Greentree Inaugurates

Its Fully Refurbished Hotel for Banquets

DoubleTree Pittsburgh-Greentree inaugurated its fully refurbished 460-

room hotel in a gala on November 21. Located off the Parkway West in

Greentree minutes from downtown, the completely renovated hotel with

its large multipurpose banquet/wedding hall can seat over 400 people for

a formal dinner.

The large banquet hall also is the place for religious Indian weddings.

“We have conducted Hindu religious weddings, and we will continue to

do so in our aesthetically refurbished new facility,” said Ms. Kelly Thornton,

the hotel’s Catering Sales Manager.

The facility has the latest audiovisual resources including large screens

for projecting the main event, given the large size of the banquet hall.

“With ten suites in addition to the 460 rooms, ours is a self-contained

facility for housing the wedding guests, conducting religious weddings and

also for holding wedding dinners and receptions,” said Mr. Frank Colega,

Director of Catering. The facility also has seventeen meeting rooms for

holding smaller functions and business meetings. For details contact Ms.

Kelly Thornton at 412 353 8155. — KSV •

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20


The Absurd Way We Use English Phrases

“I have travelled across the length and breadth of India and I have not seen

one person who is a beggar, who is a thief; such wealth I have seen in this country,

such high moral values, people of such calibre, that I do not think we would ever

conquer this country unless we break the very backbone of this nation, which is her

spiritual and cultural heritage and, therefore, I propose that we replace her old and

ancient education system, her culture; for if the Indians think that all that is foreign

and English is good and greater than their own, they will lose their self-esteem, the

native culture, and they will become what we want them, a truly dominated nation”.

— Thomas Babington Macaulay in his address to the British Parliament in 1835.

The way we indiscriminately use English expressions not realizing their

contextual absurdities, Macaulay will be both pleased and wincing in his grave.

Consider these:

• The Deccan Chronicle published from Hyderabad, India, recorded

the death of Lalgudi Jayaraman, the violin maestro, thus: “The mortal

remains of violin maestro Lalgudi Jayaraman were laid to rest here on

Tuesday.” Jayaraman was not “laid to rest,” a nuanced expression for

burying the dead. But Jayaraman was cremated. In the very next sentence,

the Chronicle writes without realizing the absurdity, “His son… Krishnan

lit the pyre ... ... at the crematorium...” (Reference: http://www.tinyurl.

com/Lalgudi-Death). It did not say how Krishnan could light the pyre

after laying to rest his father’s mortal remains.

Here is another beauty: An anglicized reader comments thus on a

Narendra Modi story in The Hindu: “Sardar Vallabhai Patel must be turning

in his grave over the controversy roused by N.Modi... ... that Pandit

Nehru and Patel had differences of opinion.” It is impossible for Sardar

Patel to turn in his grave because he too was cremated.

• Here is a gem from Hindustan Times on the declining Indian

economy. (Reference: http://tinyurl.com/pdlg7pp) :

“The sharp slide in the rupee is likely to knock up prices of almost

everything along the value chain from farm to fork, effectively negating

gains from a potentially bountiful summer harvest…”

How many people in India use forks while eating even in India’s Metros?

In India people routinely and elegantly eat using fingers. This type of

writing betrays how disengaged India’s English reporters are from their

hinterland. Was the writer looking for alliterative words? Then forms to

fingers or the euphonious farms to palms is closer to the Indian reality.

Why no Indian editor pays attention to these types of contrived writing?

• During memorial services for deceased Hindus, we routinely hear

“May his/her soul rest in peace,” a solemn expression they hear in the

Absurdities in our English... ... Continued on Page 23

21


Alberto Pinto Kyoon Hasta Hai?

Aur London Gora Kyoon Rota Hai? *

The Colonial Occupation’s Blowback

By Kollengode S Venkataraman

*Why Is Alberto Pinto Laughing and the London Gora Is Crying?

I remember the title of an artsy 1980s Hindi film Alberto Pinto ko

Gussa Kyoo Ata Hai? — Why is Aberto Pinto Getting Angry? — with

Nasruddin Shah in the lead. The film revolved around a good Goan auto

mechanic (Nasruddin Shah) in Mumbai who keeps his affluent customers

happy. He gets angry at workers who go on strike since he believes that

if you work hard and emulate the rich, one day you will be rich too. In

the film towards the end, Alberto is still angry, not at the workers, but at

the exploitative Indian capitalists.

Now, all Goans like Roberto Pinto born before 1961 have a rare

opportunity not only to smile, but also to have their last laugh

at the twists and turns of history and globalization that they could now

exploit to their advantage.

Goa along the balmy Arabian Sea in India was a Portuguese colony since

1510. The Portuguese colonial occupiers in Goa under the leadership of

St. Xavier unleashed the atrocious and well-documented Goan Inquisition

on Hindus living in their occupied colonized land. After independence in

1947, India militarily liberated Goa in 1961.

Understandably, the Portuguese, calling it “invasion,” determined that

people of its occupied territory were forced(!) to take Indian citizenship

involuntarily. So, Portugal declared that Goans born before 1961 and their

children were eligible for the Portuguese citizenship.

Several Goans did take up the offer and went to Portugal — about

80,000 of them are in Portugal by one estimate, and many are doing very

well. But for most Goans used to their balmy Konkan weather, easy-going

lifestyle, food, and Goa’s syncretic culture, the idea of living in Portugal

had no appeal. After all, Portugal is Europe’s poor cousin, its economy

worse than India’s in the European context. And most younger Goans

were unfamiliar with the Portuguese language and culture.

But since 2011, there has been a sudden surge in the number of Goans

applying for Portuguese citizenship —some 2,000 every year.

This has created consternation not only in Lisbon, but also in London.

You may wonder why. Here is the reason:

Portugal joined the European Union (EU) in 2011. For these Goans

22


seeking Portuguese passport, Lisbon is only a stopover, Their destination

is much further north, London to be exact. This is because EU rules allow

citizens of member-states to live and work anywhere in EU. And EU is like

India — polyglot, multicultural, multi-ethnic, and multiculinary—and Goans

will fit in right there with their pheni, vindaloo, and Konkani too.

That is where the rub is for the Brits. The Brits are afraid. They know

that the Goans applying for Portuguese passports are heading to London via

Lisbon. And once they are in London with their red Portuguese passports,

they are eligible for UK’s state benefits. The Deccan Chronicle reports that

in one small UK town, they have 8000 Goans with Portuguese passports

having their Church services in Konkani. “This loophole must be closed,”

declared Migration Watch, a Right-leaning UK Think Tank.

Indians with not exactly complimentary feelings towards The Empire

Where The Sun Never Set till it collapsed under its own weight, can

smirk at the discomfiture of the Brits. After all, situations like these are

the blowback not only for Britain, but also for other erstwhile European

colonial powers like France, Belgium, Italy, the Netherlands, and Portugal

for trigger-happily colonizing the whole of the Indian subcontinent and

most of Africa in the 19th cne 20th centuries.

Even the Portuguese, being he poor cousin in EU, can join the Indians

in laughing at the Brits’ discomfiture. •

Absurdities in our English... ... Continued on Page 21

burial services of Christians.

However, as followers of the Dharma-based religions, what we seek

while living—but rarely get, we must acknowledge—is freedom from

yoyoing from one extreme to the the other like sukham/duhkham (happiness/unhappiness),

success/failure, profit/loss, pleasure/pain, etc. This is

the typical way our undisciplined mind responds to outside events . And

so, what we wish at the end of our sojourn on earth is that at least at our

departure we transcend these pairs of opposites and merge into Brahman/

Paramatman, the Primordial Source we believe we came from. There is

a precise non-translatable term for this—Mukti or Moksha in Sanskrit, or

veedu in Tamil, which approximately means freedom or liberation [from

the pairs of opposites].

This is what happens to people when they uproot themselves from their

culture even while living in India and fall head over heels to get Anglicized.

You have seen similar laughable absurdities in our use of English

phrases without any discernment (vivekam). Please share your observations

with readers in this space. We all can laugh at ourselves. Such laughter

will make us to be careful so that we mean what we write/say.

— By Kollengode S Venkataraman •

23


Phipps Conservatory Celebrated Diwali

Lighting up the Indian Tropical Rainforest

By Priya Ranganathan e-mail: prr29@pitt.edu

Note: Priya is a junior at the University of Pittsburgh majoring in Environmental Studies

and Biology with a certificate in South Asian Studies.

One of Pittsburgh’s most beloved attractions—Phipps Conservatory

and Botanical Gardens—celebrated Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights,

on October 25 from 7 to 10 pm in the India Tropical

Rainforest exhibit. The celebration showcased Indian

dance, music, and most importantly, Indian food.

The atmosphere crackled with good spirits and excitement,

with tiny lamps shining from in between the

lush green leaves and behind flowers, and strains of

Indian music wafting along the paths. With fragrance

of jasmine perfuming the air, the event attracted a

diverse crowd: Indians, Americans, adults, college students, and children.

“There was just a feeling of incredible joy,” said the event coordinator

Dr. Ritu Thamman, a Pittsburgh resident. Dr.Thamman also added: “This

is a historic moment because Phipps has been around for so many years

but this is the first time they are celebrating Diwali.”

The program began on time with dance recitals by youngsters from the

Pittsburgh area. Among the performances were a set of Bharatanatyam

dances by the senior students of Guru Jaya Mani of Slippery Rock. Other

items were upbeat Bollywood dances, including students of the Guiding

Star Dance Foundation based in Sewickley. Then lively Bollywood music

serenaded guests as they walked among the flowers absorbing the ambience.

Guests could sample the delicious food from Billu’s Indian Grill and

get henna designs applied by members of Pittsburgh’s Indian community.

Diyas dotted every surface and hanging flower garlands and bright banners

attracted the eye. Colourful tablecloths draped artistically over tables and

across the walls of the hall created the feel of an Indian setting.

The guests at the event came away with a newfound understanding of

and respect for one of India’s best-loved festivals. University of Pittsburgh

sophomore, Stefan Poost, said: “It’s a very warm ambiance that makes

me think of India.” While most of the guests were Indian, the non-Desi

guests had a chance to learn about India and Hinduism. Additionally, event

sponsor Andrew Watson said, I’m impressed by the number of people

watching the program... ... it’s a nice blending of two cultures.”

The Phipps Conservatory successfully created a forum fostering

Diwali at Phipps... ... Continued on Page 29

24


Immigration Reform

By Mark Harley, Schneck & Harley Immigration Law Group, LLP

Phone 412 532 1374 Ext 102 e-mail: mharley@shimmigration.com

Editor’s note: The author is the immediate past chair of the Pittsburgh Chapter of the

American Immigration Lawyers Association and is a partner in Schneck & Harley Immigration

Law Group, LLP. He also served as an Immigration Advisor to a Member of Congress.

The United States Congress has recently taken up the issue of Immigration

Reform. Some may recall that this was a hot topic several years

ago, and was a key agenda item of former President George W. Bush.

However, due to a number of reasons that proposed reform stalled and

never became law.

After the elections of 2012, both Democrats and Republicans again

turned to the topic of Immigration Reform and it looked like the government

was finally going to act. Both parties recognized that the present

immigration system is crippled and needs overhauled. The question is

how to do so?

Arising out of these discussions about reform, the Senate passed

S. 744, the “Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration

Modernization Act” on June 27, 2013. However, the House of Representatives

is currently pursuing their own agenda with immigration reform and

piecemeal bills. The House of Representatives is unlikely to review the

Senate version of the bill and comprehensive immigration reform appears

to have again stalled until the House bill is introduced.

There is much discussion of the proposals in the Senate bill, but as a

keen observer of the U.S. political process will know, the final resulting

law seldom looks like the proposed bill. With a topic as complex as

immigration reform and no House bill yet, any attorney should tell you

that it is best to be overly cautious and not speculate on this topic until an

actual law is signed. Please use caution and always seek the advice of an

attorney whose primary practice is immigration law. Additionally, no

attorney should be signing up any cases until reform is passed.

Nevertheless, one must also be aware of the provisions in the Senate

bill and its positives and negatives. It is important to ensure that the favorable

provisions make it into both the House bill and the final law. The

best action that you can take is to contact your U.S. Representative and

U.S. Senators and ask that they support favorable immigration reform.

You should ask your elected representatives to take out any provisions

that you do not agree with.

In the context of family immigration, the Senate proposal is to reduce

the extreme backlog, however, it also harms family reunification by

eliminating the ability of U.S. citizens to petition for their siblings or adult

married sons and daughters over the age of 31. If this affects you, now

is the time to contact your elected officials.

Immigration... Continued on Page33

25


A Vignette from Indian Classics

An Old Man Reminscing His Youth Long Gone

Puranaanooru is an anthology of verses in the Tamil Sangam Literature,

written by poets, both men and women, 2000 to 2500 years before our

time or even earlier. These verses are in classical Tamil with very few

Sanskrit words interwoven, which clearly indicates that Tamil’s history

is parallel to Sanskrit’s. In the verse discussed here, the only Sanskrit

word is maayam.

The Puranaanuru verses deal exclusively with secular themes. They

describe the valor, pride, pettiness, cruelty, generosity, and even philandering

of kings; they admonish kings to be loyal to their wives; they advise

kings not to let their employees to run amok and harass citizens; they

describe the grinding poverty of ordinary citizens during wars… ...

In the following verse written over 2000 years ago, the poet, Todittalai

Vizhuttandinaar, in his very old age, recalls with vivid imagery

the innocent days of his youth long gone. The sentiment he expresses is

so universal that it transcends time, place, language, faith, culture and

every other facet that divides humanity into groups. Here is the content

of the verse in free-style English:

I feel sad to think about it now.

On the sandy edges of the pond with cool water,

we played with girls who made dolls with the thick sand,

decorating them with flowers plucked from trees nearby.

Holding hands in the innocence of youth and without guile,

we hugged each other, swaying this way and that.

26


Climbing the Marutha (Arjuna) tree on the bank,

with its branches sagging towards the pond,

We dived into the pond with a “thud” and splash.

Reaching the bottom, we returned showing

to the amazed onlookers on the shore

fistful of sand grabbed from the pond’s floor.

Where did that innocent youth go?

Isn’t it pitiful that having become old, I now walk trembling,

holding a metal-capped stick while coughing,

barely uttering a few words in between?

For these who are interested in classical Tamil, I give below the Tamil

verse, written over 2000 years ago. The Tamil you read in today’s weeklies

and dailies may not be helpful to appreciate the nuances in the verse.

Source: http://sangamtranslationsbyvaidehi.com/purananuru-201-250/

By Kollengode S. Venkataraman •

South Asian Bridal Show in April 2014

Erin Calvimontes, an accredited Bridal Consultant, is organizing her

second South Asian Wedding Show in April 2014. Here are the details:

When: Sunday April 6th 2014, 1:00-5:00 PM

Where: Omni William Penn Hotel in Downtown Pittsburgh.

For details/business opportunities visit www.pghsabridal.com. •

27


YouTube Takes Indian Cuisines to New Heights

By Premlata Venkataraman

When it is time to make Diwali sweets I am filled with excitement and

anticipation. In the beginning it is all optimism with a lurking doubt that

not everything will come out a success! With a 2-year old grandson to

introduce to the Diwali festivities, I was very excited.

What was surprising this year was I didn’t have to look at my voluminous

recipe folder even once! Those painstakingly collected recipes from

mothers and mothers-in-law, friends and foes alike. These were handwritten

using pens of all colors on scraps paper — one even in a crayon!!

My collection adorned with numerous stains, make sense only to me.

Then came the Internet and YouTube. All I did was to scour the web

for recipes and came up with a list. I got not only the recipe, but also

techniques in video clips from a plethora of web sources. It was so much

fun researching the techniques, evaluating them and wondering if they

would translate into my old favorites.

Finally, the wonderful and wide-ranging cuisines of India—with many

different regional flavorful variations for the same item—have been

elevated onto the world stage. It is about time! Many Indian women—and

a few Indian men as well—all excellent in their culinary skills, have found

a medium in YouTube to share with others their recipes with step-by-step

instructions easy to follow for even novices.

With techniques and shortcuts to simplify recipes, microwaving to reduce

long stove-times, and health-conscious suggestions to reduce calorie

counts have pretty much erased the mystique in making Indian sweets and

snacks. With detailed video clips showing the critical stages, there are no

more hidden secrets—it is all out there for the curious cook to discover.

Here are items I made this Deepavali. Pedas that reduced prep time to

15 minutes using the microwave from www.showmethecurry.com. Gulab

Jamuns from www.madhurasrecipes.com taught in the pleasant voice of

a woman old enough to be my daughter!! Of course, Manjula’s Kitchen

hosted by Manjula Jain, taught me so many techniques for eating healthy,

and is now my Go-To site for making dinner. The reduced-fat recipe for

Mysore Paak from Jeyashri’s Kitchen cut down sugar and ghee by half

allowing me an almost guilt-free indulgence of this calorie-laden sweet.

Thattais and murukkus I got from Raks Kichen, and for the delicious

Andhra recipes I go to Sanjay Thumma’s VahreVah.com. And of course,

Sanjeev Kapoor’s khanakhazana.com is my teacher for recipes for the delicious

items made on the streets of Mumbai to the villages in of Punjab!

So I brought Diwali 2013 into my home through the Internet. •

28


Staying

after class.

You’re welcome.

Shady Shady Side faculty members are

not just teachers, they’re mentors. They

help students discover new interests,

share in their successes and support

them – even after they’ve graduated.

When our students come back years

later to say “Thank you,” we know we

did our job well.

Explore • Engage • Excel

PK-12 • Three Campuses

Admissions: 412-968-3180

Learn more and find admissions testing dates at www.ThankYouShadySide.org

Diwali at Phipps... ... Continued from Page 24

international awareness and appreciation that is important in our

multicultural community here in Pittsburgh. Learning about Diwali, one of

the most-widely celebrated festivals in the world, is one way for Pittsburgh

to embrace its international flavour. We hope that Phipps will continue

to host such festivals in the years to come! •

“

Learning the names, forms and terminologies in

scriptures in themselves will not make one viveki,

or wise. Not that these are not important. They are

important only in that they are the entry point in our

spiritual journey. We need to go forward, linking this

with our reasoning, contemplation and insight using

our mind, intellect, and the psyche—what today’s

engineers call “forward-integration.”

Only then we can progress towards wisdom, and

finally to get mukti, or freedom from yoyo-ing from one extreme to the

other.” — Vijayashankar Mehta in his saral (easy-going) Hindi discourse

on Devi at the Hindu-Jain Temple during Deepavali in November,

as understood By KSV with his limited grasp of Hindi. •

29


Obituary: Dr. Harakh Vasanj Dedhia (1947-2013)

Decades of Dedicated Service in Critical Care in Morgantown, WV

Dr. Harakh Vasanj Dedhia, 66, professor of medicine at the Health

Sciences Center (HSC)of West Virginia University (WVU), and a prominent

pillar of the Indian-American community in the

Morgantown region, WV passed away on September

1, 2013 after courageous battle with lung cancer. He

was a non-smoker and a vegetarian.

After graduating from the Grant Medical College,

Bombay (1970), Dr. Dedhia completed his residency

and fellowship in the US during 1972- 1977 in internal

medicine. He joined WVU’s HSC as a faculty member

in 1979, becoming the medical-surgical director of the

intensive care unit (ICU) in 1983. His medical career

was devoted to understanding and treating acute shock, acute respiratory

failure and related problems of ICU patients.

An active researcher with over 140 publications and book chapters on

critical care, he led over 30 single- and multi-center clinical trials. Wellliked

by patients and colleagues, he received many awards from WVU

Hospitals. A plaque reading “In grateful appreciation of our friend and

colleague Harakh V. Dedhia MD for his years of service to patients in the

medical intensive care unit at Ruby Memorial Hospital” will be placed at

the entrance to the ICU. In honor of his parents, he established the WVU

Sarkaba V. Dedhia Pulmonary Critical Care Fund, income from which is

now used to train future doctors in critical care.

After the funeral service at McCulla Funeral Home in Morgantown

attended by over 200 people on September 3, 2013, Dr. Dedhia’s mortal

remains were cremated following Hindu rites led by Shri Suresh Chandra

Joshi of the Pittsburgh’s Hindu-Jain Temple. A Memorial Service celebrating

Dr. Dedhia’s dedicated life was held on September 7, 2013 at

the Riverside Apostolic Church in Morgantown. Following bhajan singing

by family members and Shri Joshiji, colleagues, family and friends paid

heart-felt tributes to Dr. Dedhia for his inspiring humanitarianism, humility

and pride; and for his compassion towards working for the greater good.

A prayer by Anuja (Dr. Dedhia’s wife) and a 2-minute silence for the

departed soul followed by prasad concluded the ceremony.

Dr.Dedhia leaves behind his loving wife Anuja, three sisters & four

brothers & their families living in India and the U.S, and a large number

of friends. He was inspired by the Jain-Hindu spiritual ethos and

traditions. — By Mohindar Singh Seehra, Morgantown, WV •

30


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CONVENTION CENTER

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412-373-7300 www.DoubleTreeMonroeville.com

At the DoubleTree by Hilton Pittsburgh - Monroeville Convention Center,

personalization offers you an authentic celebratory weekend with friends and family.

Let us wow you and your guests from start to finish.

For additional information or to discuss how we may assist you in planning,

please contact Kimmie Fitzhugh-Kelly, Director of Catering,

at 412-843-4416 or via e-mail at kfitzhughkelly@doubletreemonroeville.com.

Here at the DoubleTree by Hilton, the little things mean everything.

Large Diamonds & Jewelry

By Appointment Only

717 Liberty Avenue, Suite 604

Pittsburgh, PA 15222

412-391-9650

Ruby, Vasundhara, Girish & Narpat Jain

31


Rama Karamcheti (1948-2013), A Librarian

By Rama Kalipatnapu Rao

e-mail: ramakrao65@gmail.com

Rama Karamcheti, 65, a resident of Washington, PA passed away on

October 2, 2013 in her home after battling multiple myeloma for seven

years. She was born on February 22, 1948 in Vizianagaram, Andhra

Pradesh, India. Her father was a WW II veteran as a physician. In 1969

she married in India Anand Karamcheti, a physician. She came to the US

in 1972 with her husband and had two sons Aditya and Deepak. They lived

in Morristown, NJ, New York City, and Pittsburgh, before settling down

in 1977 in Washington, PA where Anand set up his urology practice.

In 1982 Rama earned her Master’s degree in Library Science from

the University of Pittsburgh, attending classes by commuting from Washington,

PA to Oakland. For ten years, she was the head of reference

department at Ohio County Public Library in Wheeling, WV. Later, she

was a reference librarian at Citizen’s Library in Washington, PA. As a

librarian, she provided remarkable service to the community.

She battled with multiple myeloma, which was diagnosed in 2006.

Rama’s simplicity, courage and incredible endurance, serene demeanor,

hard work, elegance, friendly nature, and positive outlook are well known

to her friends. She never complained of fatigue or other signs of poor

health, and kept herself busy with light household activities, grandchildren

and friends. She found joy in taking her grandchildren to swimming pools,

parks and reading stories from scriptures. She enjoyed helping an ailing

friend in need, or having an informal soup party with friends at her home

or going out with friends. She never worried about how she was going to

be the next day and found joy in spending time with family and friends.

Rama’s parents, Venkata Ramaniah and Suryakantham Praturi, died a

few years ago in India. Rama is survived by her husband Anand; elder son

Aditya and his wife Erenia; younger son Deepak and his wife Manjula;

grandchildren Ram, Anand Jr, Jaya and Kush; and her sisters Shanta in

India, Aruna in Boston and brother Srinivas in India.

After a brief private funeral services, Rama was cremated at the Washington

Cemetery in Pennsylvania. Rama’s demise is a great loss to her

family and her many friends. •

On our multiple identities: Wali Khan, a Pashtun nationalist, the son

of Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan, said in the 1980s: “I have been a Pashtun for

4,000 years, a Muslim for 1,400 years and a Pakistani for 40 years.”

32


Immigration... Continued from Page 25

NOTE: The November 2013 Visa Bulletin lists the wait times for India

as follows: Unmarried Sons and Daughters of U.S. Citizens - October

22, 2006; Spouses and Children of Permanent Residents – September

8, 2013; Unmarried Sons and Daughters (21 years of age or older) of

Permanent Residents – March 22, 2006; Married Sons and Daughters of

U.S. Citizens – February 8, 2003; Brothers and Sisters of Adult U.S.

Citizens – August 22, 2001.

In the context of business immigration, while the process for Permanent

Immigration seems to be favorable, the reforms come at the expense of

temporary immigrants (H-1Bs and L-1s) whose employers will face new

requirements that may discourage them from filing the applications in the

first place. If this affects you, now is the time to contact your elected

officials.

NOTE: The October 2013 Visa Bulletin lists the wait times for India as

follows: EB-1: Priority Workers (extraordinary ability in the sciences, arts,

education, business, or athletics through sustained national or international

acclaim) – Current; EB-2: Members of the Professions Holding Advanced

Mahendra’s Musings

33

Degrees or

Persons of

Exceptional

Ability

– June 15,

2008; EB-3:

S k i l l e d

W o r k e r s ,

Professionals

and Other

Workers

– Septemb

e r 2 2 ,

2003; EB-5

(investors)

– Current.

The next

few months

will possibly

determ

i n e t h e

future of the

immigration system for years and generations to come. Now is the time

to make your opinions known. •


Ummm mmm mmm... ...

Football folks are heroes when they deliver. But when they perform

poorly, God save them. All these years, Mike Tomlin was

a hero. Early in this season, Tomlin is hauled over burning coal in the

local media.

Half way through the season he was interviewed in November after

the disastrous 31-55 loss to Patriots and a pitiful 2-6 performance.

Tomlin was asked about his confidence in his defensive coordinator

Dick LeBeau following the worst statistical performance. The Steelers

allowed a franchise-record 55 points and 610 yards against the Patriots.

Reporter: Do you still have confidence in Dick LeBeau’s ability to

stop opposing offenses?

Tomlin: Certainly.

Reporter: Why?

Tomlin was terse “Because he’s Dick LeBeau.” He continued: “Does

that answer your question?”

If only corporate executives, mayors, and elected church and temple

officials get such “Whys” when their organizations perform badly.

Here is another: Jonathan Dwyer, Steelers’ reserve Running Back

in his 4th year with Steelers was let go last August. Unable to

find a place in any of the other NFL teams, he was unemployed.

With a long list of injuries this season, Steelers re-hired Dwyer in November.

Dwyer performed well against the Browns, rushing for 139 yards,

averaging 4.8 yards per carry. Tomlin lauded him for the good job.

When asked if Dwyer has changed because the Steelers released him in

late August, Tomlin said, “I would imagine unemployment does that.”

That is how brutal and humiliating the working enviroment is in NFL.

Would you like to work in an environment like that?

Wanting to start dating to get married? Then beware of Missionary

Dating: It appears that there are some fundamentalist churches that

encourage dating and marrying nonbelievers and then trying to convert

them. It’s called “missionary dating.” Even Wikepedia has an entry on

it. Yon call this new phenom Date and Switch.

“Arranged” marriages all over the world have their own versions of

this. A guy and his family project a squeaky clean image of themselves

till the bride and the groom tie the knots. Then he shows his real persona—drinking,

smoking, gambling, philandering... There are also female

versions—a docile ghar-ki-ladki before marriage morphing into a demon

-- there are two versions of this, passively and actively aggressive types

-- wrecking the new husband’s sanity soon after. •

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