Volume 3, Issue 48 March 19-25, 2011 - The South Asian Times

Spiritual Awareness 30 Astrology 31 Fashion 32 ICC World Cup 33
NEW YORK EDITION
Vol.3 No.48 March 19-25, 2011 60 Cents TheSouthAsianTimes.info
Mangano refuses
to increase
property taxes
Tristate
Community, page 5
Surender Sharma:
On a laugh riot
Holi Special,
page 22
Mini PBD to be held in
Toronto in June
By Parveen Chopra
New York: A Pravasi Bharatiya Divas
(PBD) for North America and the Caribbean
region is to be held in Toronto on June 9-10,
announced Dr A. Didar Singh, Secretary in
the Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs
(MOIA) at the Indian Consulate here on
Wednesday.
Regional, mini versions of the PBD -which
is organized every year in India in
early January -- are held outside India to
make it convenient for the Indians in that
area to attend, Dr Didar Singh explained.
The PBDs aim to help the diaspora connect
with India and engage them socially, culturally,
and economically. These meets provide
them a platform for dialogue and networking,
he added. He reported that as many as
2,000 delegates attended the 2011 PBD in
New Delhi, with the largest contingent from
USA.
Ambassador Prabhu Dayal introduced the
Secretary who has served in important
Dr Didar Singh, Secretary in MOIA, with
Consul General Prabhu Dayal addressing
a meeting at the consulate .
capacities in various Indian ministries. He is
an IAS Officer of the 1976 batch, same as
the Consul General’s. Amb. Dayal and Dr
Didar Singh addressed the meeting at the
Consulate which was well attended by community
leaders and the press. The two also
took questions from the audience.
Continued on page 6...
PM denies WikiLeaks on
cash-for-MP-votes scam
New Delhi: Prime
Minister Manmohan
Singh Friday went on the
offensive against allegations
that MPs had been
bribed to win the 2008
parliamentary trust vote
and denied any wrongdoing
as stated in the
'unverified and unverifiable'
WikiLeaks cables.
Stoutly defending his government,
he spoke at the India Today
Conclave and then made identical
statements in the two houses of
parliament.
'I wish to make it clear that no
Manmohan Singh
one from the Congress
party or the government
indulged in any unlawful
act during the trust
vote during July 2008,'
he said in the Lok
Sabha, a day after the
opposition demanded
his immediate resignation
over the alleged
2008 cash-for-votes
scam that resurfaced with a newspaper
publishing the WikiLeaks
cables.
'The government rejects that allegation
absolutely and firmly,' he
Continued on page 6...
Unabashed
Merry Making
Holi Special,
page 10-30
Riots in Pak after
Davis ‘buys’ freedom
Lahore: Riots broke out
on the streets of Pakistan
following release of double
murder-accused CIA
contractor Raymond
Davis after a 'bloodmoney'
deal, and hundreds
of protesters
attempted to attack the
US Consulate building in
Lahore on Wednesday.
Police wielded batons,
fired warning shots and
resorted to tear-gas
shelling to control the
mob at the consulate,
The Nation reported.
Davis' release sparked
Raymond Davis was
accused in double murder
countrywide angry
protests, and a large
number of protesters -
mostly belonging to reli
Continued on page 6...
Japan nuclear
crisis: Global
fears mount
International,
page 34
Libya declares ceasefire, but
sad over UN decision
India abstains in UNSC vote on ‘no-fly’ zone
Tripoli/Cairo: The Libyan government
Friday decided to halt all military operations
against rebels in line with a UN resolution
that imposed a no-fly zone over the
North African country, but Foreign
Minister Moussa Kusa stressed "great sadness"
over the Security Council's decision.
Announcing an immediate ceasefire on
all military operations against rebels, Kusa
said: "We also express great sadness
towards imposing a no-fly zone over
Libya, including civil aviation."
Speaking at a press briefing in the capital
Tripoli, Kusa also said Libya was open to a
dialogue with opposition forces, DPA
reported.
On Thursday, after weeks of discussions,
the UN Security Council banned flights in
Libya's airspace and authorized "all necessary
means" to implement the ban.
The UN move and the support of Arab
governments for the measure provided the
Protesters celebrate in Tobruk after a UN
resolution authorizing a 'no-fly' zone
and military attacks on Gaddafi's forces.
two key conditions the NATO asked for
before it would enter the fray against
Muammar Gaddafi's forces.
In an unusual action, the council authorized
not only organizations but also indi
Continued on page 6...
Ambani on Bank of
America board
Mumbai: Billionaire
Mukesh Ambani, chairman
of India's most valued
company Reliance
Industries or RIL, has
joined the board of the
Bank of America
Corporation, the largest
US lender by assets. His
nomination will be ratified
at the bank's annual
meeting of shareholders.
"Bank of America's
shareholders will benefit
from the global perspective
Mr Ambani brings to
our board," Bank of
America's chairman
Mukesh Ambani
Charles O. Holliday, Jr
said in a press statement
Wednesday.
"It is a privilege and a
great honor for me, as the
Continued on page 6...

Tristate Community 5
TheSouthAsianTimes.info March 19-25, 2011
Mangano refuses to increase property taxes
Mineola, N.Y : Due to the change
in accounting rules applied by the
Nassau Interim Finance Authority
(NIFA), Nassau County Executive
Edward P. Mangano announced major
budget cuts for 2011 that protect
homeowners and employers from a
21.5% property tax increase. The
County Executive detailed over
$121.2 million in budget cuts that
include $60.5 million in employeerelated
spending reductions, $40
million in across the board budget
cuts and $20 million in lower tax refund
liability than projected by
NIFA.
“Since the last thing Nassau families
need in these tough economic
times is a double-digit property tax
increase, I will submit a revised financial
plan next week that cuts
County spending by over $121 million,”
said County Executive
Mangano. “These cuts will affect
every area of the County and the
Obama appoints Adobe CEO
Shantanu Narayen as
member of PMAB
Washington, DC: US President
Barack Obama has appointed Shantanu
Narayen, president and CEO of
Adobe Systems, as a member of his
Management Advisory Board.
Along with Narayen, Obama appointed
nine other eminent individuals
to President's Management Advisory
Board (PMAB).
"I am grateful that these impressive
individuals have chosen to dedicate
their talents to serve the American
people at this important time for our
country. I look forward to working
with them in the months and years
ahead to deliver a government that's
more affordable, effective and effi-
Nassau County Executive Ed Mangano called on NIFA to use their
power to stop automatic pay increases
cient," Obama said in a statement.
PMAB was established by an executive
order in April 2010 to advice on
how to implement best business
practices on matters related to Federal
Government management and operation
focusing on productivity, the
application of technology and customer
service.
It is part of President Obama's ongoing
commitment to cut waste and
get the most from taxpayer dollars.
Before becoming Adobe CEO in
2007, Narayen - who holds a bachelor's
degree in electronics engineering
from Osmania University, was
Adobe's president and COO.
Internationally acclaimed Violin maestro Dr. L Subramaniam (inset) along with
his son Ambi Subramaniam presented a 90-minute Carnatic music concert at
the UN ECOSOC chamber on behalf of the Permanent Mission of India to the
U.N. The UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon, UN First Lady, Indian
Ambassador to the United Nations Hardeep Singh Puri, his deputy Manjeev
Singh Puri and an array of diplomats from many nations and sat through the
entire concert and gave a standing ovation at the end to the violin virtuoso.
services we provide. That’s unfortunate,
yet necessary in the face of
NIFA’s decision to change accounting
practices and create a paper
deficit.” The $121.2 million in
budget cuts announced by the
County Executive include: $60.5
million in employee-related spending
reductions, including: $50.5
million in savings from layoffs and
the elimination of vacant positions;
and $10 million in savings by calling
on NIFA to freeze employee
wages; $40 million in across the
board budget cuts, including: $15
million from the reduction of contractual
expenses; $15 million from
the restructuring of the police department;
$5 million from ending
the County’s relationship with the
MTA to run Long Island Bus serv-
ice; and $4.5 million from the privatization
of inmate healthcare; and
$20 million in lower tax refund liability
than projected by NIFA.
“By reducing spending and Nassau’s
workforce, I am taking the appropriate
steps required to protect
our homeowners from a property
tax increase,” said County Executive
Mangano.
“I ask NIFA to understand the
tough economic climate we are in
and the financial difficulties faced
by our families. That is why I call
on NIFA to use their power to stop
automatic pay increases – negotiated
by my predecessor – that are
scheduled to take place on
April 1st.”
RANA to celebrate Holi on April 2
New York: RANA (Rajasthan Association of North
America), one of the top cultural associations in the
Tristate area will hold its annual celebration of Holi on
April 2 at the Ganesh temple auditorium in Flushing.
The highlight of the celebration will be a Hasya Kavi
Sammlan featuring poets ‘Hasya Samrat’ Surendra
Sharma and ‘Haysa ka dhamaka’ Arun Gemini. RANA
President and leading jeweler Haridas Kotahwala told
the SATimes that about 600 people are expected to attend
the colorful event which will also serve up a cultural
program and traditional Rajasthani meal.
The Hasya Kavi Sammelan has been organized every
year since 1999 for RANA by Vinod Jain, a jeweler.
Says he: “I have hosted many famous poets from India.
I really enjoy humorous poetry and it's in my blood.”
RANA aims to bring together Rajasthani people to
preserve and promote Rajasthani culture and heritage.
Taped call suggests Rajat Gupta told
Rajaratnam about Goldman plans
New York: Rajat Gupta , a former
Indian American Goldman Sachs director,
told hedge fund tycoon Raj
Rajaratnam the investment bank was
considering buying a commercial
bank, according to a wiretapped telephone
conversation played in court.
In a July 29, 2008 conversation
played Tuesday in a New York court,
where Rajaratnam, co-founder of the
hedge fund Galleon Group, is on trial,
Gupta told him Goldman was
weighing an acquisition of either Wachovia
or American International
Group (AIG).
Rajaratnam, working from his
Greenwich, Connecticut, home that
Announces major budget cuts,
layoffs & wage freeze
day, told Gupta that he was meeting
with Gary D. Cohn, the president of
Goldman, later in the week. He asked
Gupta about a rumor that Goldman
might look to buy a commercial
"This was a big discussion at a
board meeting," Gupta said on the
taped call. "And, you know, it was,
uh, a divided discussion in the
board."
Goldman was bearish on commercial
banks, he said, but the board was
"opportunistic" and if Wachovia
"was a good deal they'd go and buy
Wachovia."
Gupta also said that the board was
weighing the acquisition of an insur-
Vinod Jain (left) and his wife Poonam Jain with
the poets Surendra Sharma and Arun Gemini.
ance business, including AIG. "Yes,
AIG was in the discussion mix," he
said. Ultimately, Gupta concluded, "I
would be extremely surprised" if
there was "anything imminent."
The detailed discussion of Goldman's
board meeting is the first time
the government has disclosed specific
comments made by Gupta to Rajaratnam
about the bank's internal
dealings.
Rajaratnam and Gupta are also
heard discussing former Indian
American McKinsey & Co.
partner Anil Kumar, prosecution's
star witness in the biggest US insider-dealing
trial in decades.

6 Community
March 19-25, 2011 TheSouthAsianTimes.info
PBD story from page 3
Dr Didar Singh has been in the
country in connection with the
Maximum India festival in
Washington DC’s Kennedy Center.
He recalled fondly that at the time
of the Festival of India in 1985 he
was serving as Consul in New
York.
Dr Singh said we all should be
proud of Indian government’s success
in evacuating almost 14,000
Indian citizens in about 8 days
from Libya facing a civil war like
situation. “India must now behave
as a responsible global power that
Happy
Holi
Libya story
from page 3
vidual countries working together
to use "all necessary means" to
take action to end Gaddafi's military
crackdown on civilian protesters.
India abstained from the UNSC
vote (passed 10:0 with 5 abstentions))
out of a concern that the
measures may not worsen the
Libyan people's woes.
The announcement of a Libyan
ceasefire came after the international
community Friday began
discussing all measures, including
military action, against Libyan
leader Muammar Gaddafi's forces
to enforce a no-fly zone.
The US and European officials
said air attacks against Gaddafi's
forces were possible "within
hours", according to the Wall
Street Journal.
it is,” he said. Evacuation of
Indians from Japan has not been
required, he said. He also pointed
to the creation of a welfare fund
for Indians living abroad for any
contingency, for which provision
has been made in 120 Indian missions.
Stating that many initiatives of
his ministry have been the outcome
of discussions at PBDs, Dr Didar
Singh mentioned the merging of
the PIO-OCI card and clarified
how NRIs (not those who have
taken foreign citizenship) can exercise
their restored voting rights by
self-registering back home in a
PM Manmohan Singh story
from page 3
said, adding: 'It is unfortunate that
the opposition continues to raise
old charges that have been debated,
discussed and rejected by the
people of India.'
The prime minister later read out
the same statement in the Rajya
Sabha. But the opposition was far
from satisfied and both houses had
to be adjourned over the clamor for
clarifications on the statement.
Hitting out at the opposition for
giving 'dignity' to an 'unverified
communication', he referred to
Congress victory in the 2009 Lok
Sabha elections and said: 'Upon
Raymond davis story
from page 3
gious and opposition political parties
- converged outside the Lahore
Press Club soon after the local
media flashed the news.
Tehrik-e-Insaaf and Jamaat-i-
Islami activists were leading the
protests as they blocked the busy
road by setting tyres on fire, creating
a traffic mess in the highly sensitive
and busy location of the city.
As the angry protesters tried to
constituency in which the address
on their passports falls.
Officially the Toronto conclave
is called PBDCanada2011 and its
theme is Building Bridges:
Positioning Strategies for the
Indian Diaspora. It is co-sponsored
by FICCI and ASSOCHAM.
MOIA has appointed the Indo-
Canada Chamber of Commerce
(ICCC) as the nodal agency for it.
Those wishing to attend can register
at ICCC.org . Mini PBDs have
been held in the past in New York
(2007), Singapore (2008), The
Hague (2009) and Durban (2010).
PBDCanada2011’s
the conclusion of the term of the
14th Lok Sabha, there was a general
election. In that general election,
the opposition parties repeated
their allegations of bribery in the
trust vote.' Both BJP and Left parties
suffered losses, but Congress
improved its tally.
As per WikiLeaks cables payoffs
had been made to MPs to ensure a
majority for the Congress-led government
in the confidence vote following
differences over the India-
US nuclear deal in 2008. A US
diplomat was told Rs.50-60 crore
was kept aside by the Congress
party to get some opposition members
of the Lok Sabha on board
attack the US consulate, dozens of
them sustained injuries as the
police resorted to baton-charge to
disperse the mob.
The surrounding of the press
club turned into battlefield as the
protesters - who were chanting
full-throat slogans against the
Pakistan government and US
authorities, terming the release as
an attack on the country's sovereignty
- pelted stones and water
bottles at the policemen.
SoS members playing with colors, celebrating Holi with Fun & Food at
the Science of Spirituality (SoS) Center, Amityville, NY. Celebrations
on Wednesday included a message from Sant Rajendra Singh Maharaj
on spiritual awareness, meditation, as well as a cultural program by
young members and ghazal recital.
Kalpana Patel (middle), President-CEO of Unique Comp Inc., Long
Island City, NY, received 2011 Enterprising Women of the Year Award
instituted by Enterprising Women magazine. The award she received
last week at Boca Raton, Florida was in the category of $5-10 million
sales in 2010. Unique Comp Inc offers IT and engineering services.
Mukesh Ambani story
from page 3
first non-American citizen to join
the board of one of the world's
largest financial institutions" said
Ambani.
Ambani, who figured among the
top 10 on the Forbes billionaire list
in 2011, owns RIL, India's largest
private business enterprise with
$44.6 billion in annual revenues
and over $70 billion in market capitalization.
RIL recently announced that it
was entering into a joint venture
with British Petroleum that operate
various oil refineries and has assets
in India.

National Community 7
TheSouthAsianTimes.info March 19-25, 2011
IACS organizes meet with Homeland
Security and Preparedness
New Jersey: Prominent
South Asian community
members met up with the
officers of Homeland
Security and Preparedness in
Edison here organized by the
Indo American Cultural
Society Inc.
Anne Kriegner working as
Assistant Deputy Director,
Operation told the guests,
“The training of law enforcement
and other individuals
tasked with homeland security
and emergency preparedness
will be shared in temples,
church, Gurudwaras,
schools or colleges in conjunction
with multiple partners
in state and local government.
The Task Force
issued several recommendations
to improve the security
at the state’s colleges and
universities also.”
John Paige, an investigator
in special tasks said,
“Federal and state local
homeland security, law
enforcement and emergency
management maintain a
close working relationship
with the Newark and
Philadelphia FBI Offices. If
you observe suspicious
behavior, or someone asking
for suspicious chemicals,
weapons or someone having
killing thoughts must be
brought to our knowledge for
proper handling of the person
or situation.”
Leaders from audience
asked many tough questions
related to Homeland Security
and Preparedness and mis-
treatment of South Asian
community at airports in particular
and many places in
different part of the country
and stressed the need of sensitivity
training to Law
Enforcement Officials and
majority community.
Any suspicious activity can
be reported on toll free number
and 24-hour terrorism tip
line 1-866-4SAFE-NJ and a
newly established email
address tips@njhomelandsecurity.gov.
Gayatri Chetana Center celebrates
Maha Shivratri
Anaheim, CA: On Maha Shivratri day Gayatri
Chetana Center, Los Angeles Branch here celebrated
special rituals with scientific reasoning.
More than 300 people attended Shiv pojan in
Gayatri Center on March 2, 2011 at 6:00PM.
Shiv means “Shubha” Shankar means
“Kalyankari” with understanding of Lord Shiva
divine message of divine form as a
Manifestation of Supreme Consciousness was
explained by Mahesh Bhatt during the ritual.
All attending family members were having
shivaling and pooja items in front of them to
perform special rituals with Abhishekam. Niki
and Viren Bhatt performed the main shivalingam
poojan on the stage as representative
of all members and to get blessing on their marriage
anniversary. Shiv Strotram, and special
devotional songs were sung by Niruben Barot,
Niki Bhatt and Bhumika Dave.
Shankarbhai Barot, Niruben Barot and
Chinubhai Thaker, Vyvasthapak of the Gayatri
Chetana Center, LA who leave at this center’s
primises, inaugurated the special 40 day
South Asian community leaders with OHSP members
Ameredia named in ‘Top 10 Asian
American Business in California’
San Francisco, CA: Améredia, the San
Francisco-based multicultural advertising
agency, was selected on March 9 as a “Top 10
Asian American Business in California” by the
US Pan Asian American Chamber of
Commerce Western Region.
Améredia was joined by other notable companies
from the technology, communications and
engineering sectors that required at least 51 percent
Asian American ownership to qualify for
the Top 10 ranking. Selection was determined
by percentage revenue growth over three years
and finalists were independently verified by
A2Q2, a California-based accounting firm.
“Our California Top 10 Asian American
Business Award recipients exemplify the aspira-
tions, innovation and perseverance which are
the stock that built the American Dream,” said
Susan Au Allen, National President and CEO of
USPAACC. “Along their journey to success,
they have also contributed to the economic
vitality, job creation and now serve as role models
for aspiring entrepreneurs in the business
community. We are mighty proud of them.”
USPAACC National named Améredia a Fast
50 Asian American Business in 2010, and earlier
this year the agency was selected as a Top
Business in America by DiversityBusiness.com,
winning five awards including “Top 100
Diversity Owned Businesses in California” and
“Top 100 Subcontinent Asian American
Businesses in the U.S.”
Niki and Viren Bhatt perform main pooja
"Gayatri Mantra Lekhan Sadhana" and invited
all temples and spiritual organizations in USA
and Canada to participate.
Special announcement was made for starting
of Sunday Bal Sanshkar Shaal at this Gayatri
Chetana Center from March 6, 2011. Mohan
Gupta is facilitating the curriculum and planning
of this program. Mohan introduced the
teachers for the Bal Sanskar Shaala Neha
Vaidhya, Niki Bhatt, Pragya Sharma, Rohita
Bhatt, Bhumika Dave and Sashank Patil.
Nayan Parikh is new SIAEA president
Newly sworn in SIAEA president Nayan Parikh (5th from left) with CG Prabhu Dayal (6th
from left) with other dignitaries present on the occasion
Edison, NJ: Leading professionals,
public officials and
community leaders cheered
and applauded as youthful
and energetic Nayan Parikh
took oath of office as the
newly elected president of
Society of Indo American
Engineers and Architects
(SIAEA), the representative
body of engineers and architects
of Indian origin. The
swearing in ceremony was
organized at Miraj Banquet
hall in Edison, NJ.
Ambassador Prabhu Dayal,
Consul-General of India in
New York, administered the
oath of office to Parikh who
took over as president for a
two year term. Parikh’s entire
team of executive committee
comprising of president-elect
Mihir Patel, vice president
Ketan Shah, secretary Samir
Shah and Treasurer Shishir
Agarwal also took oath of
their offices. Ambassador
Dayal congratulated Parikh
for taking over as the president
of the society. He
expressed his compliments to
the society for its accomplishment
as a uniting force
in the Indian American community.
“You have played an
important role in strengthening
relations between the
people of India and the
USA”, he said. He expressed
his confidence in the leadership
of Parikh. Mayor John
E. McCormac of Woodbridge
Township and Mayor Antonia
"Toni" Ricigliano, of Edison
Township attended the event
to express their support to
Parikh on his election as
president of the society.
Special awards were presented
to three society members
at the ceremony. They
were Rajiv Bhagat, for his
excellent work in producing
newsletters, Vinod Devgan,
for successfully and efficiently
running several key committees,
such as, Jugaad
Exhibition, Election and
Scholarship and Yatish
Sharma, for being a very proactive
Secretary with innovative
ideas.

8 National Community
March 19-25, 2011 TheSouthAsianTimes.info
MIT honors two Indian American professors
Houston: Two Indian-origin professors
are among the four to have
been named 2011 MacVicar
Faculty Fellows for their outstanding
undergraduate teaching, mentoring
and educational innovation
at Massachusetts Institute of
Technology (MIT).
This year's honorees are
Bishwapriya (Bish) Sanyal of the
Department of Urban Studies and
Planning; Christopher Schuh of
the Department of Materials
Science and Engineering; and
George Verghese and Patrick
Winston, both of the Department
of Electrical Engineering and
Computer Science.
Political education forum
meets VA senators and
delegates
It was a big
day for the
I n d i a n
American Forum
for Education
(IAFPE) –
Virginia chapter
when the
G e n e r a l
Assembly of
Virginia, at its
full Senate
Session, recognized
and
admired the
IAFPE. Many of the members
from Washington and Richmond,
who had arrived at the VA
Capitol, were ushered into the
Assembly and stood up to the
applauses of the Senators.
IAFPE had, indeed, made a big
presence in the Assembly where
Lt Governor, who is also the
President of the VA Senate looked
up to Gallery and, interestingly,
said “Wow, so many people!”
Chandan Gambhir (right) is a
member of the IAFPE who
accompanied the delegation to the
General Assembly at the VA
Capitol, Richmond
"It is certainly in the spirit of
Margaret MacVicar's commitment
to students that we award these
prestigious fellowships and recognize
the creative efforts of MIT's
outstanding teachers.
"This year's fellows are deeply
committed advisors and mentors,
they have led important curriculum
changes and made significant
contributions to programs in student
life," MIT provost L Rafael
Reif said during a reception at
Gray House.
At present, there are 38 members
of the MacVicar Faculty
Fellows Program, which was
established in 1992 to provide an
Picture taken inside the VA Senate at the time of
Hindu prayer read by the IAFPE-VA members
It was also a proud moment for
India and Indians in USA when
Satish Korpe and Sanjay Mittal
were welcomed by Lt Governor
Bill Bowling and were honored to
say Hindu Prayer (both in
Sanskrit and English) in the
Assembly. The Lt Governor also
offered gratitude by giving gifts to
Mittal and Korpe.
Earlier, in an adjoining Senate
Building, more than 40 VA
Senators and Delegates, belonging
to different Districts and
Counties of Virginia, met the
IAFPE Members, at a breakfast,
and spoke on the current bills proceedings
in the Assembly. They
freely interacted on various political
subjects and also answered
questions as raised by the
Members. (The correspondent is
a member of the IAFPE and had
also accompanied the delegation
to the General Assembly at the VA
Capitol, Richmond)
annual allowance to support faculty
undergraduate teaching efforts,
he said.
The 10-year fellowship program
was initiated to honor the life and
devotion to the teaching excellence
of Margaret MacVicar '64,
ScD '67, MIT's first dean for
undergraduate education and
founder of UROP (Undergraduate
Research Opportunities Program),
Reif said.
Bishwapriya Sanyal, who
received his PhD in urban and
regional planning from the
University of California at Los
Angeles, joined the MIT faculty in
1984 after previously working for
DIASPORA
Indian student raped, killed in Australia,
body put in suitcase
Sydney/New Delhi: A 24-year-old
Indian student was raped and murdered
and her body stuffed into a
suitcase in Australia's Sydney city.
Indian External Affairs Minister
S.M. Krishna Monday described the
incident as "unfortunate".
Tosha Thakkar, a student of
Sydney College of Business and IT,
was raped and murdered and her
body was found packed into a suitcase
in a canal in Sydney last week.
Daniel Stani-Reginald, 19, an
Australian of Sri Lankan descent,
has been arrested and charged with
the murder and aggravated sexual
assault on Thakkar.
The Age quoted the police as saying
the "predator" had waited until
her housemate was away to sexually
assault and kill her.
Thakkar's body was found Friday
morning in a canal behind the
Meadowbank Park in northwestern
Sydney. It had been stuffed into a
New Delhi: Radio collars have been
removed from 12 out of 18 students
of the sham Tri Valley University in
California, said the National Human
Rights Commission (NHRC) which
had issued a notice to the Indian ministry
of external affairs on the issue.
'The ministry of external affairs
(MEA), in response to the NHRC
notice, has informed that radio collars
have been removed from 12 out
of 18 students in Tri Valley
the World Bank, and served as the
head of the Department of Urban
Studies and Planning from 1994 to
2002 and chair of the MIT faculty
from 2007 to 2009.
Sanyal, currently the Ford
International Professor of Urban
Development and Planning, also
directs the SPURS/Hubert
Humphrey program at MIT for
mid-career professionals.
George Verghese, a professor of
electrical engineering, has been
part of the MIT faculty since
1979. He received his B Tech from
the Indian Institute of Technology,
Madras in 1974; his MS from the
State University of New York,
Tosha Thakkar
large, black, cloth suitcase.
The case was mentioned briefly in
the Burwood Local Court Monday.
Stani-Reginald is alleged to have
murdered Thakkar last Wednesday.
He was arrested Friday night and
charged for Thakkar's murder, the
media report said.
About 20 friends and family members
of Thakkar, who had been living
in Australia to study accounting,
University in California, US and the
same are expected to be removed
from the remaining students very
soon,' a statement said on Tuesday.
Taking suo motu cognizance of
media reports alleging human rights
violation of the students who were
victims of visa fraud, the commission
had issued a notice to MEA through
its secretary Feb 7 calling for a report
in the matter.
'The ministry has emphasized that
Stony Brook in 1975; and his PhD
from Stanford University in 1979,
all in electrical engineering.
Having a broad educational
impact in the Department of
Electrical Engineering and
Computer Science, he has taught a
range of courses, and in recent
years has been involved in the
evolution of the "header" course in
communication, control and signal
processing.
The provost's advisory committee,
which assists the provost in
selecting new fellows, is chaired
by Daniel Hastings, dean for
undergraduate education, and
includes faculty and students.
turned up at the court Monday.
"We are very upset, of course, and
are just waiting to get justice ASAP.
She was very nice, the type that got
along with everybody and she didn't
deserve this, such a painful death,"
The Age quoted a friend as saying
outside the court.
Pamela Young, a police official,
said Thakkar was a respectful young
woman and did not deserve this at
all.
Young said Thakkar's parents had
not yet made plans to come to
Australia and police hoped to return
her body to India for a proper Hindu
funeral service.
"I understand her father is very
ill," she was quoted as saying.
Niralee, a cousin of Thakkar, said
the victim was "a lovely human
being" who was too young to die.
"No human being should ever
deserve something like this," she
said.
Radio collars removed from 12 students of
fake US university
the students were in the US on valid
visas or authorisations and the investigations
being conducted by the US
authorities pertain to violation of visa
conditions relating to class attendance,
residence and work,' the statement
said.
'The Indian government has strongly
protested with the US government
the clamping of radio collars on the
ankles of Indian students of Tri
Valley University,' it added.

India Newswire 9
TheSouthAsianTimes.info March 19-25, 2011
Fresh Wikileaks: Opposition
guns for govt
New Delhi: The Manmohan Singh government
plunged into fresh crisis as the
opposition joined hands to demand its
resignation and said it had lost the moral
right to govern following allegations on
WikiLeaks that MPs were bought to win
the 2008 trust vote.
The clamor for the government's resignation,
which forced adjournments in
both houses of parliament, saw the Left
parties, the main opposition Bharatiya
Janata Party (BJP) and the Samajwadi
Party amongst others unite.
The government responded by saying
it could not comment as the cables
between the US government and its
missions abroad were inaccessible for
the government of India.
US diplomatic cables leaked on
WikiLeaks and published by The Hindu
newspaper purportedly say that that
payoffs had been made to MPs to
ensure majority for the Congress-led
government in the confidence vote over
the India-US nuclear deal.
Nachiketa Kapur, a political aide of
Congress leader Satish Sharma, is quoted
as saying that a fund of Rs.50 crore
had been formed to pay MPs. He also
apparently showed two chests containing
cash meant for the pay-offs.
"Sharma's political aide mentioned to
an embassy staff member in an aside on
July 16 that Ajit Singh's (Rashtriya Lok
Dal) RLD had been paid Rs.10 crore
(about $2.5 million) for each of their
four MPs to support the government.
"Kapur showed the embassy employee
two chests containing cash and said that
around Rs.50-60 crore (about $25 million)
was lying around the house for use
as pay-offs," according to the leaked
cable.
Leader of Opposition in the Lok
Sabha Sushma Swaraj said the issue had
"shamed Indian democracy". She
mocked the government saying "all this
has taken place right under the nose of a
so-called honest prime minister". This
has come to light now, she said, recalling
that three BJP MPs had brought
cash to the house in 2008 during the
trust vote. But then speaker Somnath
Chatterjee had ordered an inquiry
against them instead of taking cog-
Davis's release challenged
in Pak court
Islamabad: A petition was
filed in a Pakistan court challenging
the release of CIA
security contractor Raymond
Davis, who was let off after
paying compensation to the
kin of the two people he had
shot in January, a media
report said.
The petition filed by barrister
Iqbal Jafri in the Lahore
High Court stated that the
families of the two dead
Pakistani nationals - Faizan
and Faheem - were pressurized
by the government into
pardoning Davis, Dawn
News reported.
The petition said Davis's
pardoning and immediate
release was in violation of the
BJP MPs show the wads of cash
they had allegedly been bribed on
July 22, 2008, the day the
Manmohan Singh government
faced the trust vote.
SC stays Hasan Ali's bail
New Delhi: The Supreme Court has
stayed a Mumbai court's order granting
bail to Pune stud farm owner, Hasan Ali
Khan, alleged to be the country's biggest
tax-evader, and granted his immediate
custody to the Enforcement Directorate
for four days.
An apex court bench of Justice B.
Sudarshan Reddy and Justice S.S. Nijjar
said it was doing so in the face of
CIA security contractor
Raymond Davis was let off
after paying 'blood money'
to the kin of two people he
had allegedly shot.
law, and requested the court
to invalidate the decision and
direct the authorities to initi-
extraordinary situations and the complexity
of the situations involved in the
money laundering cases against Khan
the ED is probing.
The court also expressed its bewilderment
over the detailed order of
Mumbai's principal sessions judge M.L.
Tahilyani refusing the ED custodial
interrogation of Khan and granting him
bail.
ate proceedings against those
who brought about his
release.
A court in Lahore acquitted
Davis after payment of compensation.
A US Air Force
plane carrying 12 men,
reportedly including Davis,
later took off from Lahore
airport for Afghanistan.
Davis, 36, shot dead two
Pakistanis on a motorcycle in
Lahore Jan 27, in what he
described as an attempted
armed robbery. He claimed
he acted in self-defense. He
was a member of a security
team assigned to protect CIA
operatives in Lahore collecting
intelligence on militant
groups
nizance of the matter who was distributing
the wads of cash, she added.
She said: "An official of the US
embassy was shown a chest full of cash.
Is this a display of the bullying tactics of
the government or its shamelessness?
"This government has lost the moral
authority and the right to continue and
the prime minister should resign immediately."
Samjawadi Party's Mulayam Singh
Yadav, who had voted in favor of the
UPA government in 2008, said: "I had
also played a role in saving the government.
This defames even me. If all are
painted with the same brush, we will
also lose face. Only a discussion on this
matter can clear our name."
Communist Party of India (CPI)
leader Gurudas Dasgupta added: "Never
in the history of Indian democracy has
such a news report appeared in newspapers.
Money was paid to members. This
is the murder of democracy. If the prime
minister does not deny this he should
resign immediately.”
It was no different in the Rajya Sabha
with BJP's Arun Jaitley stating that the
"government survived on the basis of a
political sin" and had no authority.
Faced with the barrage of criticism,
the government said it could neither
confirm
nor deny
the alleged
revelations.
CBI to probe
Raja aide's
suicide
New Delhi/Chennai: The
Central Bureau of Investigation
(CBI) said it had been asked to
probe the suicide by Sadiq
Batcha, a close aide of disgraced
former communication
minister A. Raja. A CBI official
confirmed to IANS that the
Tamil Nadu government had
transferred the suicide case to
it.
The Tamil Nadu government
earlier on Thursday said it was
transferring the case as the CBI
was investigating the spectrum
scam and had questioned
Batcha.
Batcha, 47, was found hanging
at his Chennai home on
Wednesday afternoon. His
autopsy was conducted on
Thursday and the body handed
over to the family.
Batcha was under the CBI
scanner to check whether his
company, Green House
Promoters, was a conduit for
the money generated in the
spectrum scam.
Sadiq Batcha, a close aide of
disgraced former communication
minister A. Raja.
CBI officials visited Batcha's
house and carried out investigations.
Police officers said
Batcha hanged himself with a
rope on a hook used to tie a
baby cradle. According to
police, Batcha left behind a suicide
note asking his wife S.
Reha Banu to forgive him. He
also requested his brother-inlaw
to take care of his family.
Batcha's wife has said her
husband was under pressure
because of the CBI's investigation
into the spectrum scandal
and the media spotlight on him.

10
TheSouthAsianTimes.info March 19-25, 2011
Holi is unabashedly paganistic and can only be celebrated
in a group, bigger the better.
Bonfires, originating from the Holika myth, commemorate the victory of
good over evil, like Diwali, the other biggest Indian festival besides Holi.
Play it safe and natural
Celebrate a safe and completely
natural Holi this
year! Here are some safety
tips to prevent damage to skin, eyes
and hair due to chemicals. This festival
was traditionally celebrated
using natural colored extracts from
seasonal herbs. However gradually,
synthetic colors and dyes, most of
which contain a cocktail of dangerous
chemicals, came in vogue. Now
again organic or natural colors are
available, choose them.
Skin Care
- Use natural/skin friendly and
herbal colors or the ones made by
reputed companies using natural
products.
-Wear clothes that cover the
maximum part of your body.
-Apply waterproof sunscreen
on all exposed body parts.
- Trim your nails properly .Use a
thick coat of nail paint on the nails
and put Vaseline under the nail edges.
- After Holi, use warm water and
moisturizing soap to scrub the colors
off. Use a baby oil to gently massage
off the leftover color. Follow
this up with lots of moisturiser, especially
one that is meant for sensitive
skin to correct dryness.
Eye Care
Eyes are extremely vulnerable to
harmful chemicals in colors. Water
balloons can also injure eyeballs,
especially in children.
-Make sure that colors do not get inside
your eyes. If they do, immedi ately
wash the eye with large amounts of
water and in case irritation persists,
medical aid should be sought immediately.
- You can use sunglasses to protect
your eyes from water balloons
or water jets.
Hair care
-If possible, cover your hair.
Make use of a hat or cap as a protection
against hard-to-rinse dyes.
-Use hair gel so colors do not
stick on your hair and can be
washed off easily later. Rinse your
hair with a mild shampoo as early
as possible but don’t keep on washing
them again and again.
General Tips
- Avoid running and jumping on
wet floors, you can slip and injure
yourself. Your bones are especially
vulnerable.
- Avoid too much indulgence in
bhang, alcohol or food to avoid a
bad day ahead.
- Do not drive if you are high on
alcohol or bhang for your and other
road users’ safety.
Unabashed
Merry Making
Holi falls on March 19 this year. This multi-hued festival allows
you to drop enmities and inhibitions, and affords an occasion
to grab a respite from the tedium of work and splash some
color on the monochromatic, humdrum life. Follows a vibrant
SATimes’ section to mark the festival. Enjoy!
By Parveen Chopra
There is no other country in the
world other than India with a
calendar so choc-a-bloc with
festivals and celebrations. Some
are pan-Indian, and some regional
or hyperlocal. They run the entire
gamut of life—religious, cultural,
social, seasonal, pagan. A common
element is the community’s coming
together and boisterous participation,
the other is a respite from
routine life and tedium of work.
Diwali and Holi remain the two
biggest Indian festivals. But while
Diwali has a more pious, religious
tinge, and could be observed in quiet
in the confines of home, Holi is unabashedly
paganistic and can only
be celebrated in a group, bigger the
better. The idea is to make merry—
eating, drinking, singing, dancing.
Intoxicants are no taboo. Smearing
others with gulal, dousing them in
colored water—are all meant to
break down boundaries: physical,
White is passé,
try sexy and stylish
Wearing old white clothes
on Holi is passe. With
people becoming increasingly
fashion conscious, hot
pants, backless blouses and offshoulder
tops in vibrant colors
have taken a front seat this Holi.
“Yes, there has been a drastic
change in the people’s perception
towards Holi, especially the younger
generation. They want to have
fun but not at the cost of losing the
glamour quotient,” Delhi-based designer
Riddhima Chauhan said.
“Bollywood plays a major role
in inspiring these youngsters to go
for the trendy way and what could
be a better option than showing
the sexy curves in figure-hugging
dresses,” she added.
Holi songs in movies like “Mohabbatein”,
“Waqt - Race Against
Time” and “Action Replayy”
started this trend where Kim
Sharma-Shamita Shetty, Priyanka
Chopra and Neha Dhupia respectively
brought a revolution in the
dress code for Holi.
Style divas are constantly spotted
in body-hugging short dresses to
skin hugging tights and transparent
fabrics at Holi parties and adding
glamour to the celebration of colors.
“Light colored tunics matched
with multi-colored pajamis or ankle
length trousers, with chiffon
dupattas, are some of the trends in
vogue. Not only young girls but
psychological, of caste and class.
Inhibitions fall, so much so that
certain tribal communities give
sanction to post-pubertal boys and
girls to elope and consummate their
relationships. Holi is also a safety
valve, for every once in a while
one must let one’s hair down, the
feet up and boost the spirit, sort of
charge life’s batteries.
As the festival falls at the onset
of spring in March, new beginnings
are made. Old enmities and disputes
are dropped along with the winter
woolens, a kind of social springcleaning.
Bonhomie prevails. One
lesson is the importance of laughter
in life and of occasional overturning
of conventions. In Hindi heartland,
Hasya Kavi Sammelans (also
named Mahamurkh Sammelan) are
organized where poets recite humorous
poems and the chief guest
is declared Mahamurkh (Biggest
Fool), a title coveted by many.
Each Indian state and region
also married women are trying
to get away from their traditional
look; so the demand for saris with
halter neck and backless blouses
has increased,” Delhi-based designer
Meera Gupta said.
Mumbai-based designer Digvijay
Singh, said: “Skin show is
something not too many mind
on this occasion. No matter what
you wear, eventually you will get
drenched,” he said.
For Deeksha Aggarwal, a
young girl pursuing her B. Com
(H) from Delhi University, it’s all
about how you mix both the cultures
together.
“With the changing times, skinrevealing
garments are no longer
has a different and specific way of celebrating
Holi. But most widespread,
at least in north India, is Holi’s association
with the eternal and divine
love between Radha and Krishna.
Their dalliance and color-play is
the subject of scripture and song.
God is forever playing Holi—
look how colors abounds in nature.
We can only hope to imitate if not
enhance god’s creation.
Besides the colorful Krishna connection,
the legend of Holika has
given rise to the tradition of burning
bonfires on Holi night. The demon
Hiranyakshipu wanted to kill the
devout Prahalad and ordered the
young boy to sit on a pyre on the lap
of his demoness sister, Holika, who
had a boon that fire would not burn
her. But when the fire started, Holika
burnt to death while, protected by
his Lord Vishnu, Prahlad survived
unharmed. So, to commemorate the
victory of good over evil, the burning
of Holika is celebrated as Holi.
the point of discussion. And this
is the reason why I am going to
wear a Rajasthani lehenga that I
will team with a stylish and sexy
choli. I will not only manage to
keep my parents happy but will
also set a trend,” she said.
So what should trendy people
wear this Holi?
“Holi means a splash of colors, so
why stick to the basic white? Colors
like raspberry, bubblegum pink,
coral, mauve, and electric blue are
surely going to make you feel special
this Holi. Side cowl, trapeze
and tulip can be the best accessories
this time,” said Divya Gupta, owner
of clubwear brand Yell, which
offers a special Holi collection.

11
Rangpanchami – Maharashtra, Goa
People of Maharashtra
commonly know this
festival of colors by the
name of Rangpanchami
as the play of colors is
reserved for the fifth day
here. Locals of
Maharashtra and Goa
also know Holi as
Śigmo or Śiśirotsava.
The festival is particularly
popular amongst
fisher folk. They celebrate
it in on a large
scale and revel in the
festivities by singing,
dancing and merry-making.
Braj Holi – Uttar Pradesh
Lathmar Holi of Barsana is the most popular
and colorful form of the festival.
The Braj ki holi, also known as the famous Lathmar
Holi, is played in the sprawling compound of the Radha
Rani temple in Barsana near Mathura in Uttar Pradesh.
Thousands gather to witness the Lath Mar holi when
women beat up men with sticks as those on the sidelines
become hysterical, sing Holi Songs and shout Sri
Radhey or Sri Krishna.
Kaman Pandigai
– Tamil Nadu
Holika Dahan is referred to Kama-Dahanam in
South India.
In the state of Tamil Nadu, people worship
Kaamadeva for his supreme sacrifice on the occasion of
Holi. People know Holi by three different names Kaman
Pandigai, Kamavilas and Kama-Dahanam.
A young man at the Goa Holi Festival,
also known as Śigmo.
United Colors of India
As the brief spring warms the landscape, India cuts loose for a day of
boisterous celebration and general hilarity. The festival of Holi is
celebrated on the day after the full moon in early March every year. And
it’s not just the northern part of the country which is dunked in colors.
The festivity is spread across the country with Holi taking many regional
forms. Here’s how the festival is celebrated throughout the length and
breadth of the country in different forms.
Dulandi Holi - Haryana
In Haryana, bhabhi's get a social sanction
to beat their devars on Holi.
Holi receives this name in the state of Haryana. Here,
bhabhi - the brother’s wife gets an upper hand on the day of
holi. And, devar's - husband's younger brothers need to
watch out. The bhabhi's on this day get a social sanction on
Holi to beat their devars and make them pay the price of all
the pranks they played on them for the entire year. Besides,
there is also a tradition of breaking the pot of buttermilk
hung high in the street by forming a human pyramid.
Phagu Purnima - Bihar
The Holi celebrations at politician Lalu Prasad
Yadav’s home are the most famous in Bihar. The festival
is known as Phagwa in the state.
Phagu Purnima is another name for Holi where Phagu
means the sacred red powder and Purnima or Pune is the
full moon day, on which the festival ends. At some
places like Bihar, Holi is also known as Phagwa as it is
celebrated in the later part of the month of Phalgun and
the early part of Chaitra in the Hindu calendar. This corresponds
to the English months of March-April.
Hola Mohalla - Punjab
Holi gets this joyful name in
the state of Punjab. The festival is
celebrated in an entirely different
manner, it's meaning and significance
also shifts a little here.
Hola Mohalla is actually an
annual fair that is organized in a
large scale at Anandpur Sahib in
Punjab on the day following the
festival of Holi. The festival is
celebrated for three consecutive
days, in which members of Sikh
community display their physical
strength by performing dare-devil
acts like bareback horse-riding,
standing erect on two speeding
horses, Gatka (mock encounters),
tent pegging etc.
Sikh Nihangs perform a traditional Sikh martial
art called Gatka in Anandpur Sahib as part of the
Hola Mohalla festivities.
Dol Purnima - West Bengal
The Dol Purnima festival begins early morning with
people wearing garlands of fragrant flowers.
Holi by the name of Dol Purnima is celebrated with
fervor in the state of West Bengal. The festival begins
early morning with students dressing up in saffron-colored
clothes and wearing garlands of fragrant flowers.
They sing and dance to the accompaniment of musical
instruments like ektara, dubri, veena, etc. Holi is known
by the name of 'Dol Jatra', 'Dol Purnima' or the 'Swing
Festival'.
Baithki, Khari and Mahila
Holi - Kumaon, Uttarakhand
The Kumaoni Holi is characterized by
its musical nature.
The uniqueness of the Kumaoni Holi of the Kumaon
region in Uttarakhand lies in its being a musical affair,
whichever may be its form, be it the Baithki Holi, the
Khari Holi and the Mahila Holi which starts from
Basant Panchmi. The Baithki Holi and Khari Holi are
unique in that the songs on which they are based have
touch of melody, fun and spiritualism.

By Swathi A.K.
13
Holi is celebrated all over
India – the why and how
may vary. Its Krishna
connection, however, prevails far
and wide. More so in Mathura-
Vrindavan area or Braj Bhoomi,
associated with him. Holi therefore
has a special fervor and
uniqueness there.
We all know the immortal,
divine love of Radha and Krishna.
The tradition of playing with colors
on Holi is said to have originated
from the ‘leela’ of Radha
and Krishna. As per the story told
in song and scripture, the young
Krishna was always jealous of
Radha's fair complexion and
would constantly complain to his
mother Yashoda as to why she
was so fair and he so dark. To
console him, Yashoda would ask
Krishna to smear Radha’s face
with colors. Taking his mother’s
advice he would teasingly apply
multiple hues to Radha's fair face.
In mock anger, Radha would try
to run away to avoid him.
In the legend of Krishna, he is
depicted as a mischievous boy
playing all sorts of pranks on the
“gopikas” or cowgirls. One prank
was to throw colored powder all
over them. So on the day of Holi,
images of Lord Krishna and his
consort Radha are carried through
the streets and colors fly.
According to mythology,
Vrindavan is the place where he
spent his childhood and left
behind tales of playfulness as well
as mysticism and divinity. This
explains the enigma of Mathura-
Vrindavan, where one can still
feel divine presence of the Lord.
Thousands of devotees come here
every year on a pilgrimage to find
peace and feel divine love.
The Holi celebrations offer
another excuse for the admirers of
the Lord to throng Mathura and
Vrindavan. They come to be a part
of the colorful festivities, to
rejoice in the love and devotion of
the Supreme Being. The festivities
begin with celebrations at the
Dwarkadheesh temple in
Mathura. The priests mostly use
natural color made from mixing
Tesu flower with lukewarm water,
so that the little Krishna doesn't
catch cold. This is followed by a
special ritual and the customary
worship of Lord Krishna at the
temple. The festival lasts for 16
days. The tradition of playing
with colors as part of Holi celebrations
is steeped at Banke-
Bihari temple of Vrindhavan. This
temple is also an important tourist
destination and attracts people
from all over the world. Dance
performances and singing recitals
are held here an delicacies served
in feasts.
Barsana, in Mathura district, is
said to be the birthplace of Radha.
It is now known for the “Lath
Mar” Holi played in the sprawling
compound of the Radha Rani temple.
Thousands gather to witness
the distinct “Lath Mar” Holi,
Shri Banke Bihari Mandir in the holy land of
Vrindavan is the most revered temple in the entire
Braj region of northern India.
Complexion complex
A Madhubani painting depicting
Radha-Krishan playing Holi in Vrindavan.
Little Krishna asks his mother
Yashodha why his beloved Radha is
fair in color and He dark complexioned?
Mother Yashoda smiles and replies
with immense love that He was born in the
dark midnight that’s why He is dark
skinned. ”Oh my love, the black kajal of
beautiful and fair skinned Radha's eyes has
cast a spell of love on you. Hence your
complexion is dark.”
To get over his complexion complex,
Yashoda goes on to advise Krishna to smear
Radha’s fair face with color.
Here are the lyrics of this popular, playful
song.
Yashomati maiya se bole Nandalala:
Radha kyun gori, Main kyun kala?
Boli musakati maiya, lalan ko bataya:
(2X)
Kali andhiyari adhi-rata me tu aya.
Ladla Kanhaiya mera, ho...o...o,
Ladla Kanhaiya mera kali kamaliwala,
isi lie kala.
Boli musakati maiya, sun, mere pyare,
Gori-gori Radhika ke naina kajara re.
Kale nainovali ne, ho...o...o,
kale nainovali ne aisa jadu dala,
isi lie kala.
The Krishna Connection
In Mathura-Vrindavan area, the playground of Krishna, Holi is
celebrated with a special fervor and uniqueness.
Barsana, in Mathura district, is said to be the birthplace of Radha. It is
now known for the “Lath Mar” Holi played in the sprawling compound
of the Radha Rani temple.
where women beat up men with
sticks even as those on the sidelines
become hysterical, sing Holi
songs and shout “Sri Radhey” or
“Sri Krishna”. The Holi songs of
Braj mandal are sung in pure
“Braj Bhasha”. Men also sing
provocative songs in a bid to
invite the attention of women.
Women then go on the offensive
and use long staves called lathis to
beat men folk who protect themselves
with shields.
The Barsana Huriyarins
(women) start
preparations a
month in
advance. The
mothers-in-
law feed their daughters-in-law
rich food to be able to participate
and show their prowess on the
battlefield of Holi. It is a show of
love, fun and equality, one that
even the gods descend to witness.
Traditionally, it is believed that
Lord Krishna, accompanied by his
friend gopis from Nandgaon town
in Mathura district, went to his
beloved Radha's village in
Barsana and played Holi.
A dance style associated with
Krishna's childhood is Raaslila.
According to the Bhagwat Purana,
Krishna and the gopis had danced
the Raas on the banks of the
Yamuna at Vrindavan. When the
gopis felt conceited about Lord
Krishna dancing with them, he
disappeared from their midst. In
the agony of separation from their
beloved Krishna, the gopis enacted
his lilas (divine episodes of his
life) which in course of time came
to be known as the Raaslilas. The
Raaslila in its present form is
ascribed to Swami Haridas and
Shri Narayan Bhatt. Only young
Brahmin boys of 13 to 14 years of
age can perform the Raaslila. The
charming childhood pranks of
Shri Krishna constitute the main
them of these dramas.
Artists dressed as Krishna and
Radha are showered with rose
petals during Holi celebrations
in Mathura.

14
TheSouthAsianTimes.info March 19-25, 2011
Revelers sing and dance and consume Thandai-Bhang and make merry to celebrate Holi in the state .
By Prakash Bhandari
Rajasthan is itself a colorful
state and is known as a
province of festivals. Holi
has special significance here and is
the most awaited of festivals. Celebrated
at the onset of spring, this
festival is regarded as the harbinger
of the season. In the Hindu calendar
Holi is one of the major festivals.
Amid colorful Holi festivities, all
disputes are left behind amity prevails.
Holi also succeeds in breaking
all barriers of caste and class.
According to Hindu mythology,
Phalgun Purnima is marked for the
celebration of Holi. In Rajasthan, a
bonfire begins the festival. The second
day involves applying colored
powder on each other-- this day of
the festival is known as Dhulandi.
People of Rajasthan also enjoy a
special drink during the festivities,
known as Thandai or Bhaang.
Men and women, young and old,
rich and poor, all are touched by the
joyous spirit of this festival. Boisterous
revelers spare no one during
Holi and delight in splashing. color
on everyone around.
Various regions of Rajasthan celebrate
Holi in their own different
ways. In eastern Rajasthan which is
influenced by Brij culture and in the
region of Bharatpur, Alwar, Dholpur
and Sawai Madhopur, revelers could
be seen singing and performing the
Raaslila dance, originating from the immortal
love-story of Radha-Krishna.
All of Bharatpur comes alive to the
sound of folk melodies on Holi.
There was a time during the
heyday of the princes, when the
raja-maharajas and thakurs (nobles)
would mingle with the commoners
and play with colours.
In Ajmer region
Mali Holi: The ‘mali’ or gardener
community of Ajmer region has a
unique style where the men splay
the women with colored water and
women retaliate by hitting them with
sticks or long pieces of cloth.. Gair at
Godaji: Men from 12 villages collect
at Godaji village near Ajmer to play
Gair, a traditional dance a few days
after Holi. Each village brings his
own drummer and Gair troupes. The
picturesque location for it is a valley
surrounded by hills on all sides.
Thousands of onlookers and close to
a hundred players make a wonderful
sight and a fond memory.
In Pali also people assemble and
dance wearing the traditional attire.
In Bikaner members of the Bramhin
community particularly ‘Harsh’
and ‘Vyas’ communities have been
celebrating Holi by throwing water
at one another with force for the past
more than 300 years. A specially designed
vessel called ‘dolchi’ made
from camel skin is used for the purpose.
But the water is thrown only at
the back of an individual. In Shekhawati
region, the region of wealth creators
which gave to the country Birlas,
Bajajs, Khetans, Goenkas, Morarkas,
A few days before Holi, people start assembling
and play dhol and sing and dance.
Colors
in monochromatic sand
Dalmiyas, Modis and Singhanias,
Holi holds special significance.
There was a time when the male folk
would go to bigger cities to earn their
livelihood or soldiers would be serving
the army in various parts of the
world.But they would make it a point
to return home to celebrate Holi. The
festival of Holi is also celebrated as
the “return of the natives”.
A few days before Holi, the revelers
start assembling and play dhol
and sing and dance. Usually a good
looking male is dressed as a female
and is made to dance with the men
folk to the beating of the dhol. The
dhol is made of animal skin and a
good player of the dhol could mesmerize
the people with drum beat.
Poets have penned innumerable
songs for Holi and there is one song
expressing the joy of returning home
after toiling in the big city for earning
money and how happy one feels after
meeting one’s own friends after a long
time. Holi also brings lovers close
and there are happy numbers sung by
women to celebrate the arrival of their
beloveds. But in the midst of the fun
and frolic, some women cannot but
sing sad songs as their husband or
loved ones fail to visit home because
People in the desert state of Rajasthan
use every way to make their life colorful.
Holi is a godsend.
of preoccupation or because of reasons
beyond their control.
In Jaipur
In Jaipur, Holi is celebrated with
much fun and gaiety. In the famous
Govinddeoji Mandir, the Phagotsav
is celebrated and dance troupes comprising
numerous males and females
dance before the idol of Govinddeoji.
During one such dance recital the
women softly hit others with a stick
in what is called ‘Latthmar Holi’.
The Pink City on Holi day witnesses
processions in which some eligible
bachelor perched on the back of an
elephant is taken around the walled
city, announcing that this eligible
bachelor is on a bride hunt. Much
before the Holi all over the city ‘ratri
jagrans’ are organized where religious
bhajans are sung.
In Jaipur for the past 40 years a
Hasya kavi sammelan (humorous
poetry session) called ‘Mahamurkh
Sammelan’ is organized and Hindi
and Urdu poets recite their poetry
before a large crowd of 50,000. The
poetry session is presided by a donor
who is conferred the title of “Mahamurkh”
(Biggest fool) by the organizers.
There is great demand to become
the chief guest of the
evening and people
pay handsome
amounts for the honor.
The money thus raised
is paid to the invited
poets. In Jaipur, the
state tour ism department
organizes an elephant
festival certainl
to mark the Holi festi-
val, which is y the most
colorful elephant event!
The pulse of energy
shoots like an electrical
current through the
Elephant Festival and crowds from all
over the region pour the previous evening
into Jaipur’s Chaugan Stadium
set against the background of the majestic
Nahargarh fort. It’s a celebration
where a large number of tourists come
as it is heavily promoted by the tourism
department. The decorated elephants
with a mosaic of colors adorning the
trunk and ears of the elephants provides
a good photo op to the tourists.
Dancers and musicians join the
festival and the tourists throng the
ground to take photographs of the
elephants playing polo. But this elephant
festival for the past couple of
decades has not seen any innovations
or new features. However, note that
this festival affords free entrance.
Some hotels and resorts organize
their own Holi festivities for the
tourists who are often asked to stay
indoors to avoid the hooligans on the
streets and the rowdy elements who
often misbehave with the tourists.
But the brave among the tourists
go out of their hotel rooms, face
often drunken revelers who shoot
water-guns and buckets of water on
them and smear their faces with fast
colors that take a few days remove.
But that is the spirit of this festival.
On Holi, Jaipur sees processions in which a man
perched on the back of a decorated elephant is
taken around the walled city, announcing
that this eligible bachelor is on a bride hunt.

16
‘Birbal’ dancing and requesting Bherubaba to give him strength to
dance all day long
Women Beating men with KODAS made of saris
Streets flanked by colors of holi
Word between ‘Birbal’ and District Magistrate
All for cultural and
communal harmony
The boisterous Holi of Beawar, 55 km from
Ajmer, has a different hue altogether.
Dr. Pradeep Kumar Sarda
India, despite its cultural diversities
and regional differences
celebrates its religious festivals
with gaiety and enthusiasm. Two
major festivals, Deepawali and
Holi coincide with encashment of
crops and end of hard work of the
previous 5-6 months. Although
both the festivals are based on the
theme of good defeating evil, the
celebrations have entirely different
tone.
Where Deepawali is a sober and
to an extent serious festival invoking
gods for well being and prosperity,
Holi is a festival of gaiety,
exuberance, dancing and with passage
of time has acquired rowdy
overtones. Based on narrations and
religious facts, celebrations during
Holi are also associated with Lord
Krishna.
India has a number of religions,
communities, social groups with
subsets, different cultural backgrounds,
religious practices and
regional differences. Often dictated
by geographic compulsions, the
same festival is celebrated in different
ways.
In Beawar, a small town in
Rajasthan, Holi celebrations happen
at a scale involving the entire
town. Two particular events mark
the celebration-‘KODA MAR
HOLI’ and ‘BADSHAH KI
SAWARI’. These also make it
unique to this town. Thus Holi, a
festival of colors, has predominant
theme of male-female interaction,
where playfulness has surfaced.
Permissive relationships are
explicitly demonstrated.
The practice of this behavior is
also based on the female acquiring
an aggressive role in shooing away
her partner with wooden staff
(lathi) as in parts of UP, Bihar and
other northern states. The prototype
is, well touted, BARSANE KI
HOLI of Mathura-Vrindavan.
Koda Mar Holi
In the Cobbler community
(Jingars) of Rajasthan, the same
practice is modified in the form of
Lashes replacing the lathi. With
the passage of time and perhaps
economic considerations the
Leather Lash has been replaced by
cloth lash prepared on the spot
(sari). The interaction is free for
all, across age groups, in the open,
for a limited time. As is obvious
from the pictures, vulgarity is not
the theme and perhaps not accepted.
A major observation can be
made that Indian culture permits
permissiveness in the society, even
in overt form.
Badshah Ki Sawari
King Akbar the Great had his
ways to maintain communal harmony
and preserve the rich cultural
roots.
Pleased by the presence of mind,
resourcefulness, and managerial
capabilities of Raja Todarmal (a
Vaish by community, and one of
his Navratans), the great emperor
permitted him to be the king for
two and a half days, to demonstrate
his happiness.
Raja Todarmal, in turn, went
about in a ceremonial procession
and distributed all the treasures
among the citizens. Pleased and
infatuated by his friend’s indulgence,
Raja Birbal (Mahesh Dutt),
danced ahead of the king’s
(Todarmal’s) procession. On
reaching the palace, a pleased and
happy Emperor, Akbar himself,
received Todarmal and Birbal. The
same sequence of events is reenacted
and practiced in Rajasthan
by the Agarwal community with
religious fervor on Holi.
Beawar, about 55 km from
Ajmer, was established by Colonel
Dixon. ln 1851, he started the celebrations
of having a fair dedicated
to this event to maintain communal
harmony.
The Badshah is from the
Agarwal community, dressed by
the members of Maheswari community.
The Thandai (a drink made
with several ingredients including
cannabis) is prepared by the members
of Jain community.
Birbal is from the Brahmin community.
The Badshah is selected in
the morning. About two and a half
quintals of Thandai is distributed
free of cost in the city.
The citizens accept it as “Prasad”
The entire town witnessing the gulal throwing by Birbal (Photos: Shreya Sarda)
and get inebriated and participate
with fervor in the procession. They
demand pocket money, which the
king gladly throws, now in the
form of Gulal from the truck-top
(earlier elephant top).
To gain the mental and physical
strength for the same, Birbal prays
to BHAIRONJI and in a nearly
intoxicated state (effect of thandai)
he starts dancing to the deafening
beats of drums, and playing of
Holi songs.
The procession ends at the local
administrator’s (district magistrate)
reminiscent of AKBAR
office late in the evening.
On reaching, first they exchange
a lot of Gulal, followed by frenzied
dancing and then at the end, the
two-day Badshah gives instructions
to the local administrator
how to maintain communal
harmony.

By Anil Mulchandani
18
The Chitra-Vichitra fair
The names sounded poetically
enchanting when Kr
Harendrapal Sinh (Sinh is
in use in Gujarat, the land of
lions; in other states it is Singh for
tiger!), the owner of Darbargadh
Poshina heritage hotel, told us
about the tribal fair that occurs a
fortnight after Holi near his village
in the northern districts of
Gujarat. “The fair is called Chitra
Vichitra and is at the site of a
Shiva temple associated with
Chitraveer-Vichitraveer of the
Mahabharata, overlooking the
confluence of the Aakar and
Vaakar rivers with the Sabarmati
river,” he explained. “And this is
one of the best sites to experience
tribal culture at its colorful best in
Gujarat.”
We set off in the morning from
Ahmedabad and drove four hours
past Himmatnagar, Idar and
Tribals take part in festivities with gusto
Traditional instruments being played at Chitra-Vichitra fair
A tribal woman all decked up for the occasion
Harvest time in tribal Gujarat
Visiting Gujarat in March is a pleasure to behold the vibrant
beats of tribal music as the tribal communities in the state enjoy
their traditional entertainments following the Holi harvest.
Ferris wheels and other amusements are the order of the day at the fairs. (Photos: Dinesh Shukla )
Khedbrahma after which came the
turn for Poshina. The narrow road
to Poshina led past fields and
hills. The village is a fairly busy
one, being the centre of about 90
smaller villages, tribal hamlets
and settlements of pastoral groups
like the Rabaris, with a crowded
bus station and a colorful marketplace
where brightly-dressed tribal
girls were walking around, turbaned
men were unloading their
produce, and shoppers galore.
Walking into the village, we saw
pottery workshops where the
famous votive terracottas are
made. A man was dexterously
shaping clay into pots on the potter’s
wheel while women painted
the utensils with white on earthy
tones. At the workshop, we saw
the terracotta horses and a few
elephants that tribal groups of the
region revere. The horse is especially
sacred to the Garasias as
their local deity, Bakar
Bhavsingh, is said to ride a horse
in the Aravalli foothills called
Among many fairs and celebrations
in the tribal-dominated
eastern districts of
Gujarat in March-April, Kvant or
Bakar. After buying the terracotta
from the potter, the horses and
other animistic figures are placed
in a shrine usually located under a
sacred tree or on open land near a
water-source, and hundreds can be
seen together, some of them
decades old. After being worshipped,
the horses are said to
give away their holy powers to the
spirits who are given these as
offerings with requests to ward off
evil spirits and give a good harvest.
They are then left at the site.
Sometimes, these terracotta horses
and wall-paintings like the
pithoras and warlis adorn tribal
homes as a means of deflecting
evil spirits.
After breakfast, we drove to the
Chitra Vichitra site and found
vehicles jam-packed on the way
carrying tribal groups to the fair.
Some men were walking with
their musical instruments. Strains
of tribal music filled the air when
you approached the site. The fair
starts at night at the confluence of
Holi in Chhota Udepur
Kawant fair held during the Holi
festivities near Chhota Udepur is
certainly the most striking.
Driving towards Kvant, it is possi-
Jeeps, buses and trucks are jam-packed with peopleheading
towards the site of the fair.
the rivers, which is holy to the
Bhil and Garasia tribal groups.
Chitraveer and Vichitraveer are
said to have repented for their sins
here. Ancestors are worshiped,
followed by the tribal groups from
nearby villages coming together
to make offering to the flowing
rivers for their ancestors.
As the morning progressed,
mourning gave way to rejoicing
with the turbaned men and brightly
attired women dancing at the
fairgrounds, singing and playing
local instruments. Ferris wheels
and other amusements were the
order of the day, and a bazaar
sprung up with freshly harvested
produce, utensils and jewelry,
local snacks, and objects like mirrors,
talc powders and cosmetics
commonplace to us but attractive
to dwellers of these remote hilly
areas. Eloping (in public view) ritual
prevails among the Garasia
community and it is quite common
to see men running with
women towards the hills.
ble to see large groups of women in
colorful clothes wearing eye-catching
jewelry, walking to attend the
fair. Most of the men are also
vibrantly dressed for the occasion.
Some men play the flute and women
play cymbals (manjeera). Jeeps,
buses and trucks filled with people
head towards the site.
At the site of the fair, the atmosphere
is festive. Men with painted
bodies, peacock feathers adorning
their turbans, and sometimes masks
to suit the dance, play musical
instruments and form human pyramids.
The dances are effervescent
and enlivened by music, with
gourds hung on the belts of the
dancers rattling to enhance the
rhythm of the dance. A variety of rituals
can be witnessed during the
fair.
Continued on page 19...

Continued from page 18
19
The fort of Jaisalmer rises
from a rocky hilltop in the
heart of desert plains like a
vision from the Arabian Nights.
This is one of the few forts that are a
living heritage, with people residing
within its walls. A very colorful Holi
celebration can be seen in the old
quarters within the fort walls.
Its very first sight at dawn, which
gives its yellow sandstone a golden
hue, began my love affair with this
medieval citadel which is defined by
its many carved havelis, ornate
palaces, crumbling sandstone buildings
and bazaars. Founded in the
12th century by Jaisal, a Bhatti
Rajput ruler, Jaisalmer thrived on
business from the trade caravans
traveling into India from the northwest.
After the coming of modern
ports in the 19th century, Jaisalmer
began to lose its importance.
Tourism rescued the city from
becoming derelict, together with the
presence of armed forces because of
its proximity to the border with
Paksitan. Jaisalmer today is a popular
place for tourists attracted by its
medieval flavor and the mystery of
the desert surrounding it.
We started our exploration of
Jaisalmer at the fort, which loomed
up impressively in front of us with
its 99 bastions and rugged walls. A
paved road took us through huge
gateways while winding up to the
‘chowk’, a large square dominated
by five-storey façade of the
Maharawal’s palace which displays
the fine stone masonry of Jaisalmer
in its balconies and screens.
Continuing past the palace which
now houses a museum, we came to
clusters of Hindu and Jain temples.
The seven Jain temples, most of
them built in the 15th and 16th century
by wealthy Jain traders, are
exquisitely carved with finely
sculpted motifs on walls, columns
and windows. The Gyan Bhandar
has an outstanding collection of
beautifully illustrated Jain palm leaf
manuscripts, some a thousand years
old. From here, we walked through
living quarters, some of them rather
filthy, before climbing the ramparts
with canons and cannon balls, for a
view of the desert countryside.
Descending from the fort, we
wandered around the streets and
lanes lined with facades covered
with latticework, reliefs and sculpture.
The highpoint is the Patwaonki-Haveli,
a complex of residences
of a Jain family in a cul-de-sac. This
19th century haveli has extraordinarily
attractive protruding balconies,
called jarokhas, carved
columns and sculptures. A few minutes
away Nathmalji-ki-Haveli was
built around 1885 and has some
really fine carvings, some of which
reflect European influences in the
carriages, cycles and steam engines.
We walked east to Salim Singh-ki-
The fine stone masonry can be seen on facades of palaces and havelis.
Dangs Durbar, held in March-April,
honors a tradition that began in British
times when the rulers and other leaders of
villages got together for gatherings called
‘durbars’ or audiences. The tradition continues
today in the Dangs, a tribal district, as
many of the former Rajas and Naiks are still
accorded the status unlike the princely families
whose titles and privy purses were
Dangs Durbar
abolished. This is the time for great festivity
at Ahwa, the district headquarters, and at
the hill resort of Saputara. For visitors, it is
a great opportunity to see tribal communities
like Bhils, Kunbis, Warlis and Gamits
in their traditional attires. Tribal dances are
spectacular to watch as the dancers move in
concentric circles to the beat of percussion
and wind instruments.
Desert enchantment of
Jaisalmer
A very colorful Holi celebration is held in the old
quarters of the fort, which is a living heritage,
with people residing within its walls.
A cloud of gulal gathers in the main square of the fort as Holi is celebrated. (Photos by: Dinesh Shukla)
Haveli which has a lavish pavilion
like upper storey with overhanging
balconies and blue cupolas. Built
around 1815 the haveli has taken
some knocks during earthquakes.
From the havelis, we headed to
Gadisar lake which is a tank
approached through a finely carved
historical gateway. In the afternoon,
we set out for the Sam sand dunes
for a camel ride. Back at Jaisalmer,
there were many Holi fires burning.
We were warned the next morning
would be boisterous but the owner
of a guesthouse in the fort invited us
to witness it from his balcony in the
early morning when the crowds had
not gathered. Hundreds of people
gathered in a square where they
started painting each other’s faces
and throwing gulal at each other.
Within no time pink powder created
a cloud all around the square. The
whole atmosphere was of gaiety and
it was one of the most colorful
scenes we could ever hope to see.
We were off to an auspicious start
– a desert fox skulking among the
scrub with its white-tipped tail visible
over the bushes.
The grasslands trilled with birdcalls.
I took out my binoculars and
started scanning the grass and bushes
for birds. Within a few minutes, I
had spotted a good number – a
desert wheatear feeding on insects
among the grasses, short-toed larks
running around the grassfields in
jerky spurts, a sparrow lark flying
up on rapid wing beats before nosediving
in a spectacular display,
flocks of bush larks flitting around
the bushes, a pipit perched on a
rock. This is also a good site for
birds of prey – pallid harrier, light
bodied hawks, were flying low over
the grasslands searching for prey, a
magnificent dark-brown tawny
eagle was perched on a low acacia
tree, a buzzard was soaring overhead,
and a kestrel was eating a
rodent on the ground.
Presently, we saw the star attraction
of the Indian desert – the
endangered Great Indian bustard, as
much a flagship of India’s bird conservation
movement as the tiger is
for forest conservation.
As we continued on the camel trek
through the enclosed grassland, we
saw chinkara, the graceful Indian
gazelle, four more Indian bustards at
a distance, and the migratory
Macqueen’s bustard. We returned to
the rest house in time to see sandgrouse
flying to a water trough calling
cattr, cattr, loudly on their way.
I relaxed at the rest house, watching
larks, chats and other birds
around it, and opened the packed
lunch I had carried from Jaisalmer
which I shared with the forest
department staff who in turn gave
me their local food.
(Author and freelance writer
Anil Mulchandani has written
extensively about India including
TRAVELLERS KERALA &
SOUTHERN INDIA, a travel
guidebook published by Thomas
Cook Publishing, UK.)

By Hiral Dholakia-Dave
22
His name needs no introduction. Especially
for those, who have their
origins from the Hindi speaking
states of India. A very well poet whose witty,
humorous jokes which he presents with
his trademark straight face have enthralled
generations of people who appreciate clean
comedy. Little wonder then that the stalwart
has also won the title of ‘Hasya Samrat.’
Surender Sharma will be in New York
for the Hasya Kavi Sammelan organized
by the Rajasthan Association of North
American as a part of its annual Holi celebration
on April 2.
SATimes caught up with this popular
gem of Hindi literary circles from India,
who’s all set to unleash a laugh riot in the
US. Of course it goes without saying that
when you are interviewing someone who
has a way with his words, that too a hilarious
one, your job becomes all the more
joyful.
Ask him why he chose this unconventional
career option and his reponse without
blinking an eyelid that is, is “since I
was doing nothing after college, thought
might as well do this.”
Orginially from village Nangal Chaudhary,
district Mahendergarh in Haryana,
Sharma grew up in Delhi for most part of
his childhood. Despite studying with English
as medium of instruction all through
out his school and college, his strong grip
over Hindi, Haryanvi and Marwadi languages
helped him reach audiences far and
wide. “Mein hamesha kehta hoon, English
k dwara car milegi, Hindi k zariye sanskar
milta hai aur zindagi jeene k liye dono hi
chahiye,” he says. (Learning English can
lead to owning a car but it is through your
mother tongue that you imbibe culture). He
adds, “People say if you don’t learn English
you’ll be left behind, I say if you don’t
learn your mother tongue you’ll be cut off
from your own culture and people.”
His straight face and glum expression
while dishing out his jokes became his USP
as he left his viewers of the good ol’ Doordarshan
days and audiences at ticketed
shows in splits. It all started during college
days with a jovial set of friends. “I was a
shy guy in first year of my college, besides
I always had a serious face. My friends
used to get amused a lot when I shared
jokes without changing the glum expression.
At that time there was no such realization,
tab toh galiya padti thi (I was
scolded then). I even failed in my second
year. Didn’t inform my father for six
months till a friend did the favor. But my
father was easy going,” he says.
Parents have become a lot more focused
about their children’s progress now, he
goes on to add. “KG 2 ka baccha aur 2 kg
ka baxa,” (A kid of kindergarten ends up
carrying a school bag weighting two kilos).
The depth of his thinking reflects in
every oneliner he comes up with. Emphasizing
importance of education with ethics
he says, “Anpadh ne pau chhuye aur education
k saath hath milana shuru kara. Agar
juk nahi payenge toh uth nahi payenge,”
(An illiterate son used to bow down to his
elders but with education sans ethics he
Surender Sharma:
On a laugh riot
Hasya Samrat, as he is called, Surender Sharma
will be in New York for RANA Holi celebration
Hasya kavi Surender Sharma is known to regale audiences with
his dead pan sense of humor
prefers shaking hands instead. If one can’t
bow down to elders, one won’t be able to
rise high as a person). He adds, “However
much a successful person you become in
life you need to see to it that you don’t lose
your humble nature. (kisi bhi height par
pahunch k aap k pairo ne zameen toh nahi
chhodi na). Only a rooted tree grows tall, a
kite flying in the sky can come crashing
any moment.”
While his father was a manufacturer of
ayurvedic medicines back home in a
Haryana village followed by another factory
in Delhi, Sharma realized he didn’t have
it in him to run a business. “I ventured into
50-60 businesses but lost money on each.
My father was not keen on expanding. He
was happy with what he had achieved. His
idea was to lead a satisfied life with what
he had on hand and not lose sleep over its
growth. But I was the opposite. So we didn’t
get along on business philosophy and
eventually I quit,” he says.
What started as a fun routine in college
went on to become his hobby and soon
people started inviting him. “Earlier I used
to go and present on stage my poems and
satires free of cost but eventually got commercial
since I realized people were taking
advantage. I never looked back since then,”
he says.
Sharma has followed his heart all along.
“I never set any career goals for myself.
And I always curtailed my wants. If one
doesn’t get what he wants, he gets frustrated
and a frustrated person can never create
humor. Mein jis mukaam par hoon, vahi
manzil samaj leta hoon (the journey is the
destination for me).”
His famous starting line for many of his
poems is chaar lainaa suna raha hoon
which means I am going to say four lines
when translated. While family and education
remain his favorite subjects for satire,
politics too finds way in his presentations.
But he insists that he doesn’t write on public
demand. “I say what they should be
hearing and not what they like to hear. That
is not important to me. Generally I make
educational entertainment. The idea is that
what I say should reach your heart and it
should not touch vulgarity,” he says.
Sharma says he is very much inspired by
Rajasthani poet Vimlesh and impressed by
Osho as a thinker. “I like Osho because he
quoted my four peoms in his discourses. I
never got a chance to meet him. During a
program at Osho Ashram I was told he was
listening to me in his bedroom on TV.”
Sharma has explored various mediums
during last 40 years of his career. Be it his
popular column in news paper - ‘Atpate
sawal, chatpate jawab’ for years together or
his daily talk show ‘Sharmaji se puchho’
on Red FM for four years. His three books
‘Buddhimano ki murkhtae’, ‘Bade bado k
utpat’ and ‘Mansarovar k kauve’ have been
published. Currently he is vice president of
Sant Parmanand Hospital, a 150 bed hospital
in Delhi which was first opened in
Haryana in 1932 and visited by the liked of
Mahatma Gandhi, Indira Gandhi and Jawaharlal
Nehru for the credible work it did
reaching out to people
He lives in Delhi with his mother Shantidevi,
85, wife, Savitaji and two sons and
also has a daughter who is married.

By Hiral Dholakia-Dave
23
Being son of a respected name
in Hindi literature came with
its own set of expectations
but Arun Gemini took to it like a fish
takes to water. In the process also
evolved his own style and fan following
which makes him one of the
most sought after hasya kavis of our
generation. With his innate talent of
keeping audiences glued to their
seats for hours together, Gemini has
been able to strike the right chord
with his satirical presentations.
Gemini started writing poems at a
very young age and he candidly confesses
that since he couldn’t find a
proper job after his graduation he
took to independent writing. Of
course hailing from a well established
family in the field did make
his job easier. “Earning respect was
definitely not tough given the lineage
but after that it was solely on me to
prove my talent. Apna hi khel hai
phir toh,” he says.
Thirty years into the field and it has
been a pleasant journey all the way.
“I met so many people at numerous
events that I was a part of. Seeing so
many laughing faces in front of you
creates a bond with the audiences.
Plus you make so many relationships
along the way. I have been to the US
eleven times and at times for month
long tours. You make new friends,
get acquainted with new families
who eventually become your extended
families. I have been a guest of so
many hosts and I value all those relationships,”
he says.
But it wasn’t always a cake walk.
Getting married was certainly a
tough call given his unconventional
choice of carrier. “When people used
to come asking they used to say ‘kavi
hai par karta kya hai’ (he is a poet alright
but what does he do for a living!),”
he laughs remembering his
struggle.
“I had to start a business - at least
so that my parents could say that I
was doing something worthwhile,”
he says.
And indeed the effort did pay off
and he found his wife, “par 2.5 lakh
funkne k baad” (but after blowing off
two hundred thousand dollars), he
quickly adds.
Arun Gemini: Bonding
with audience
The popular Delhi-based poet will be in NY
for RANA’s Holi celebration
In his inimitable style he shares the
details of the situation. “My motherin-law
though had a hard time. When
people used to ask her what does her
son-in-law do, on learning that he
was a poet, they used share their
sympathies with her (weh sahanubhuti
ki drashti se dekhte the).”
Having catered to a variety of audiences
all over, Gemini does agree
that when it comes to presenting in
front of NRIs it does require a lot of
thinking of issues which they could
connect with. “Being Indians they
are aware of the ground realities in
our country. Besides they are not
keen on satirical takes on the negatives.
One has to bear in mind that
they don’t get too many occasions to
socialize with fellow Indians and
when they do they devote utmost attention
and hence relish the time
spent to the core.”
Social values and family situations
generally make up for the most preferred
topics of audience interest followed
by politics. However, Gemini
agrees that people are bored of lis-
tening to jokes on political leaders.
Always a jolly person, Gemini
took to stage since he was in class
five. “I never had stage fear so that
helped,” he says.
After initially paying heed to public
demand, Gemini believes in getting
the audiences to listen what he as
a poet wishes to convey. “But first
you need to establish a bond with
them,” he says.
Born in Haryana and brought up in
Delhi, Gemini did his post graduation
in Hindi followed by a diploma
in journalism. He lives with his
mother, sister, wife, son and a daughter
who is married.
Given the spate of comedy programs
on television, didn’t he think
of joining in? “I can’t tolerate below
the belt humor. Comedy has to be
clean enough for an entire family to
enjoy together. And it is a tough job
to produce that kind of humor. None
of the comedy programs we seee on
Indian TV caters to family entertainment
hence I stayed away from it,”
he explains.
He has been conferred Om Prakash
Aditya and Kaka Hatharsi Hasya
Ratna awards. A collection of his poems
‘Filhal itna hi’ has been published
too.

24
TheSouthAsianTimes.info March 19-25, 2011
Santiniketan is a center for kantha, batik and other handiwork.
Holi at Santiniketan
When Dol Poornima day dawns, the students of
Visva-Bharati University dress up in yellow and
orange clothes and wear garlands of fragrant
flowers. They sing and dance to the accompaniment
of stringed musical instruments like the
Veena and Ektara.
Throughout West Bengal, on Dol Poornima, idols
of Krishna and Radha are placed in a palanquin,
which is taken round the main streets. The devotees
take turns to swing them while women dance
around the swing and sing devotional songs. During
these activities, the men keep spraying colored
water and colored powder at the women.
In West Bengal homes, the head of the family
observes fast and prays to Lord Krishna and Agnidev.
He smears Krishna’s idol with gulal and
offers “bhog” to both the deities.
This is a good day to try the classic Bengali
sweets like Sandesh and Payash.
Wearing yellow and orange, students sing and dance.
Dol Jatra in Santiniketan
Dreamed up by Tagore, Santiniketan is one of the best places to
enjoy Holi, called Dol Poornima or Dol Jatra, in Eastern India.
By Anil Mulchandani
The festivities are musical in the Visva-
Bharati University of Santiniketan. You
can hear Tagore’s songs and enjoy the
artsy atmosphere of this university which has
a world-famous arts college. Here, the Spring
Festival celebrations called Basant Utsav start
in early March and continue to Dol Poornima,
which falls on March 19, 2011.
We took an early start for Santiniketan from
Kolkata and checked-in at a hotel near the university
town. In the morning, we set out to visit
Santiniketan, the land of Rabindranath’s father,
Maharshi Debendranath Tagore. Rabindranath
Tagore started Patha Bhavana with five pupils
learning in a classroom under a tree as he believed
learning in a natural environment would
be more enjoyable and fruitful.
Baul singers at Santiniketan.
After he received the Nobel Prize for Literature,
the experimental school was expanded
into Visva-Bharati in 1921. Among its illustrious
students have been Indira Gandhi, Satyajit
Ray and Amartya Sen.
We walked around the Uttrayan complex
where Tagore lived with buildings in different
styles: a temple with European stained glass
windows but without an idol as the Tagores
believed in Raja Ram Mohan Roy’s Brahmo
Samaj, which believes in one God, who is the
creator and sustainer of the world and infinite
in power, wisdom, love and holiness. There are
also Nandlal Bose’s paintings, abstract structures,
and classrooms, which in keeping with
Tagore’s vision are still alfresco.
Outside Rabindra Bhavan, a museum with
photographs and memorabilia, were girls selling
earrings made of seeds. Driving around, we saw
institutes for sciences, arts, humanities, Indology
and Japanese studies. While the buildings are not
as well-kept as we imagined and there are those
who feel Visva-Bharati is not as idyllic as Tagore
dreams of Santiniketan, the Kala Bhavan is a topclass
arts institute attracting foreign students.
We drove from here to Sriniketan, which has
the Institute of Rural Reconstruction founded in
1922 at Surul, about 3 km from Santiniketan,
with Leonard Elmhirst as its first Director. It is a
campus extension of Visva-Bharati. We stopped
on the way at Amar Kutir. We watched artisans
at work on kantha, batik, leatherwork, pottery
and other crafts. Much of the route has the red
laterite soil that Tagore called `Rangamati’ and
has not been surfaced in his honor.
Photos by Jyoti Mulchandani
After shopping, we drove to Ballavpur which
has been developed into a natural sanctuary for
deer. Walking around, we saw a herd of spotted
deer coming for water at a trough. Further ahead,
we saw a large male spotted deer with velvety
antlers. The trees trilled with bird calls. We saw
a maroon-headed oriole on a branch, a tree pie
in a tree, a flameback woodpecker climbing up
a tree, a fantail flycatcher whistling loudly. Presently,
we came to a lake where we saw pintail and
shoveler ducks. To watch more ducks, we drove
to another side of the wetland area which is now
a fenced-off bird sanctuary. Walking along the
fence, we could watch huge rafts of duck floating
on the water, herons fishing on the waterfront,
and waterhen among the aquatic grasses.

By Anil Mulchandani
25
With the hordes of pilgrims
that visit Puri
each day, we weaved
our way from the parking area on
Grand Road to the Jagannath
Temple, which soared some 65
meter high in front of us with the
wheel of Vishnu and a flag rising
above the pinnacle. As at other
religious places in India, around
the temple is a cluster of shops
selling rudraksha malas, idols,
pictures of Lord Jagannath with or
without his siblings, prayer offerings,
textiles and handicrafts for
tourists, and souvenirs.
The temple is the center of the
Dhol Jatra or Dolo Utsav, as Holi
is called in Orissa. On this day,
idols of Jagannath are taken
around the streets of Orissa in
palanquins, and in Puri the deity
coming out from the main temple
is eagerly awaited by devotees.
Amid loud bhajans and brilliant
colors, the Lord is brought out in
a grand and colorful procession
along with idols of goddesses.
Once they reach the pavilion
called the mandap, the three
deities are then placed on a jhulla
or a swing.
Puri is one of the four dhams or
divine abodes, like Dwarka in
western India, Badri-Kedar in the
north and Rameswaram in the
south, which makes it a major pilgrimage
for Hindus, one of the
most visited temples. The temple
has four entrances - the southern
gate has equestrian figures, the
northern gate has elephant figures,
the western gate has tiger figures.
With other yatris we entered from
the eastern gate with huge mustachioed
lions flanking the gate, and
walked past a 10m high monolithic
Aruna Stambha pillar brought
here from Konark in the 18th century.
The temple has a 55m high
shikhara and four shrines in a row.
Like all temples of Orissa, this
one too has an assembly hall
called Jagamohan, a hall for offerings
called the Bhoga Mandapa, a
dance theater for ceremonial performances,
and the central hallway.
The panda shows that 30
subsidiary shrines and a yatra is
complete when you visit three or
more of them, and take a holy dip
in one of the four sacred tanks.
But we avoided the crowds there
and after booking our Prasad for
the offerings, we filed towards the
main shrine and saw the idols of
Lord Jagannath, his brother
Balabhadra and sister Subhadra.
The temple employs about 20,000
people including 6,000 pandas
and more than10,000 others like
craftspeople who produce all the
materials required for the daily
round of rituals and `servants’
who keep the idols clean.
A panda explained to us, “Puri
came into the limelight as a
Vaishnavite center after the Hindu
reformer Shankaracharya made
Puri one of his four ‘mathas’,
attracting holy men from all over
India for discussions, a practise
continued till this date. The Ganga
dynasty reign enhanced its religious
importance further, especially
after 1135 when
Anantavarman Chodaganga
founded the Purushottama temple,
which was renamed Jagannath
(Vishnu as the Lord of the
Universe) by the Gajjapathi
dynasty in the 15th century’’.
Puri has remarkably molded
itself to its variety of visitors.
Grand Road, the main thoroughfare
with banks, shops and office
buildings, leads to the temple and
around the Jagannath Temple are
the dharamshalas and guest-houses
for pilgrims. Marine Parade is
the hot-spot for most domestic
tourists with affordable hotels,
The famous Jagannath temple
In picturesque Puri
Bengali, Punjabi and South Indian
restaurants, ATMs and a pretty
beachside stretch with recreational
facilities and playing areas for
children. Between Marine Parade
and CT Road, a splash of starrated
hotels and resorts like
Mayfair and Hans Coco Palms
caters to upmarket tourists and
those looking for a splurge in a
great seaside holiday.
CT Road is where the budget
holiday seeking
foreign
tourists stays
in low-key
hotels and
guest-houses.
This is the
place to enjoy
the travelers’
scene of
peaceful garden
cafes,
restaurants
done-up with
handicrafts of
eastern India
playing Indian
meditation and
classical
music, barrestaurants
paying techno
tapes and loud
Jagannath temple is the center of the Dhol
Jatra or Dolo Utsav, as Holi is called in
Orissa.
Festive atmosphere in Puri (Photos by Dinesh Shukla )
music, bakeries, internationalstyle
roadside eateries and seafacing
outdoor dining places
where tourists gather to swap
travel guides and paperbacks,
exchange travel tips and relate
their experiences of travel in
India. And with them are the
attendant services like handicraft
and souvenir shops, curio vendors,
money changers and internet
centers. This is a good lane to
look for Japanese, Tibetan, Italian
and every other kind of food.
Earlier Puri was, like Goa,
something of a hang-out for hippies.
I remember these psychedelic
chillum-smoking foreign youth
on the beach in front of the BNR,
but this scene was brought to an
end by a clean-up act by the
1980s. A few of colorful junkies
can still be seen at the cafes along
the CT Road.

26
The Banjaras: The Banjaras of Andhra Pradesh, locally known as
Lambadi tribe, celebrate Holi in their own way with a great sense of
communal harmony. They perform the Lambadi dance, play pranks
and stage mock-fights. A remarkable ceremony is the dhund ritual for
all male off-springs born in that year which comprises honoring the god
of love Kama and the Holika deity.
Tribals of Jharkhand: The tribal State of Jharkhand has its own unique
rituals for the festival. On the day of ‘Agja’ (Holika Dahan), the tribal
women of Bundu, about 45kms from Ranchi, carry broken cane baskets
on their head, stuffed with flowers and pieces of non-usable items from
their houses, and dump it on the outskirts of the village to ward off evil
spirits haunting the village.
Banswara tribe of Rajasthan: Holi is the main festival of the tribals in
the Banswara district of Rajasthan. They wear their traditional dresses,
carry swords and sticks, and perform the Gair dance – a typical tribal
dance of the region.
The tribal tale of Holi
For most people, Holi is about splashing colored water,
smearing friends with gulal exchanging Holi gifts and listening
to evergreen Holi songs. However, for the various tribes of
India, the festival holds different meanings, which reflect not
only their religious and social traditions, but also their joy and
jubilation. Some tribal Holi traditions have their roots in
religion and mythology, while others have their social and
cultural significance. Let’s take a look at how the festival of
colors is celebrated by the tribal population of the country.
Bhils of Madhya Pradesh: Marriages do not take place in the Holi season but the Bhils spend the entire week
before the festival matchmaking. Just preceding the festival is the week-long event of Bhagoria Haat, a country
fair where young men and women look for soulmates. During the festival, men and women interact freely,
dancing to the beats of ‘dhols’ (drums) and ‘thalis’ (plates).
Tribes of Manipur: Yaosang, the Holi festival is celebrated on the full moon of Lamda (Feb/March) and lasts
for six days. Tribal people construct bamboo huts, 'Yaosangs', on the roadside and place an idol of Chaitanya
inside it. After offering puja, the idol is removed and the hut is set on fire. The shouts of 'Hari-Bola' and 'He
Hari' are exchanged while the hut is burning. The burnt embers are considered to be very auspicious.
Therefore, the ash is collected and used to mark the foreheads of the worshippers and the entrance of the
houses. The main highlight of the festival is the Thabal Chongba dance.

Rang Barse
28
Javed Akhtar and Shabana Azmi at their Holi bash in Mumbai.
Holi celebrations at the Bachchan residence, Pratiksha, in Mumbai.
The chemistry crackled between Amitabh
Bachchan and Rekha in this song from
'Silsila'. It's a perfect depiction of getting
naughty on Holi with your 'special' friend!
Rang Barase Bheege Chunarwali
Rang barase bhiige chunaravaalii, rang
barase
Are kaine maarii pichakaarii, torii bhiigii
angiyaa
O rangarasiyaa rangarasiyaa, ho
Rang barase bhiige chunaravaalii, rang
barase ...
Sone kii thaalii mein jonaa parosaa
Are, sone kii thaalii mein, jonaa parosaa
Haan, sone kii thaalii mein jonaa parosaa
Are khaae gorii kaa yaar, balam tarase rang
barase
Holi hai!
O rang barase bhiige chunaravaalii, rang
barase ...
Laungaa ilaayachii kaa, are laungaa ilaayachii
kaa
Laungaa ilaayachii kaa? haan!
Are laungaa ilaayachii kaa biidaa lagaayaa
Haan laungaa ilaayachii kaa biidaa
Bollywood ready for colorful riot
As the festival of colors
comes knocking,
Bollywood, along with the
rest of the country, is all geared up
to celebrate it with a great amount
of festivity and glory.
The trend of Holi celebration in
film industry was initiated by
showman Raj Kapoor and his
famous Holi bash at RK Studios in
Mumbai. The tradition still continues
and the RK Studios bash still
remains the most star-studded and
well attended Holi bash in the Btown.
The true champion of filmy
Holi bashes, R.K. Studios is a riot
of colors and festivity every Holi.
The entire film industry and all
their kith and kin arrive in spotless
white to be dunked into the famous
RK color tank.
Living up to his cult song 'Rang
Barse', Bollywood megastar
Amitabh Bachchan is all set for the
festival. Holi celebration at his residence,
Pratiksha in Mumbai's
north-western suburb of Juhu has
gained immense popularity and
almost everybody who matters is
personally invited.
Following the Kapoor's and the
Bachchan's, others like Subhash
Most wanted Holi songs
lagaayaa
Chaabe gorii kaa yaar, balam tarase rang
barase
Holi hai!
O rang barase bhiige chunaravaalii, rang
barase ...
Are belaa chamelii kaa sej bichhaayaa
Belaa chamelii kaa, sej bichhaayaa
Are belaa chamelii kaa sej bichhaayaa
Haan belaa chamelii kaa sej bichhaayaa
Soye gorii kaa yaar, balam tarase rang
barase Holi hai!
O rang barase bhiige chunaravaalii, rang
barase
Holi Ke Din Dil Mil Jaate Hai
This colorful number from Ramesh Sippy's
'Sholay' is one of the best Holi songs with its
lyrics emphasizing on washing away enmity
by splashing color on each other.
Hori Khele Raghuveera
Holi tracks are synonymous with Amitabh
Bachchan and it is inevitable that his name
figures again. This one from 'Baghban'
Actor Anil Kapoor enjoying Holi with daughter Sonam Kapoor.
makes you dance with the dream jodi of
Hema Malini and Big B.
Ang Se Ang Lagana Sajan
This playful track from 'Darr' adds zing to
the hues of Holi and is a flawless depiction
of showering colors of love on each other.
Do Me A Favor Let's Play Holi
Featuring doomed lovers Akshay Kumar
and Priyanka Chopra, this song from 'Waqt'
reminds one of his salad days.
Ghai, Yash Chopra and Javed
Akhtar and Shabana Azmi continue
to host the annual Holi bash.
For Shabana the Holi spirit never
dies. "It's always an open house for
friends and family on the occasion
of Holi at my parents' home in
Janki Kutir. There's a generous
flow of non-toxic colors, gaanabajaana,
and khaana...a long-standing
tradition in our house as part of
India's ganga-jumna tehzeeb, says
the actor.
Here's hoping that the entire film
fraternity enjoys to the hilt and has
a colorful and safe Holi this year!
Aaj Na Chhodenge Bas Humjoli
Khelenge Hum Holi
Rajesh Khanna, in his typical style, entices
Asha Parekh on the sacred day of Holi. This
timeless song from 'Kati Patang' is a must on
the list.
Chhan Ke Mohalla Saara
This song from 'Action Replayy' makes a
spanking new entry in the category of Holi
songs with Aishwarya Rai shaking a leg and
splashing color!

By Swathi A.K.
29
Huge boxes of traditional
Indian sweets like Kala
Jamoon, Rasgullas,
Ladoos and Rasmalai on the
shelves of the sweet shops, and
colorful posters of events and
functions adorning the walls of
Indian dominated streets in Jersey
and New York area add to the
gaiety of the bustling streets with
Indian establishments as people
gear up for the joyous spring festival
celebrated as Holi.
India is a country which has
embraced diversity and fostered
the growth of various religions
and social traditions. Throughout
the year people observe umpteen
festivals and ‘Holi’ – Festival of
colors-- is one of the most popular
of them. It is celebrated with
fervor and ecstasy among all age
groups throughout India.
Though Holi loosens people’s
inhibitions to playfully splash
colored water on one another and
smear colored powder on the face
Ingredients
1/2 cup water
1/2 cups warm milk
1 tbsp blanched and chopped almonds
1 tbsp chopped cashewnuts
1/2 tbsp chopped pistachios
1/4 tbsp poppy seeds
1/4 tbsp melon (kharbooj) seeds
1/4 tbsp saunf
1/4 tsp cardamom powder
1/4 cup dried rose petals
1 tsp rosewater
Ingredients
1.Maa Ki Daal washed -250 gm
2. Water to soak daal
3. 1 Onion and Ginger - chopped
4. Green coriander - chopped
5. Green chilies - 2 chopped
6. Cumin seed - 1/2 tsp.
7. Salt - 1/2 tsp.,
8. Soda-bi-carb - 1/4 tsp., Oil for frying,
9. Curd - 750 gm,
10. Raisins - 15-20.
Preparation
Wash and soak daal for three hours. Drain
water and grind, add chopped onion, ginger,
coriander-chilies-salt, cumin seed and soda.
Heat oil. With moistened hands, make Bhalla
with daal batter into 2" discs. Deep fry each
Bhalla light brown. Drain oil, keep aside.
of anybody at an arm’s length, the
joyous mood is incomplete without
gorging on the wide assortment
of scrumptious delicacies
and gulping down the mouth
watering drinks. Lip smacking
dishes like the crispy onion fritters,
vegetable pakoras, and
crunchy chaats including ‘Paapri
Chaat’, ‘Dahi Bhalle’ and ‘Aloo
Bhang Lassi
Dahi Bhalle
1/4 tsp peppercorns
1/8 tsp ginger powder
1/8 tsp cinnamon powder
1/2-3/4 cup sugar
15 gm cannabis leaves and buds (this is
banned at many places and available in limited
stores, one may not use this ingredient)
Preparation
Clean the cannabis leaves and buds by removing
any stick and seeds. Wash thoroughly. In a
pot, boil the water. Add all the ingredients,
except sugar and milk. Let it boil on slow flame
for 10 minutes. Strain and keep aside the liquid.
The solid part is grinded in stone grinder by
adding 1-2 tbsp warm milk. Press through
muslin with back of palms, extracting the liquid
into vessel. Repeat the previous two steps till 1
cup milk is consumed and the residue becomes
dry and husk like. The extracted milk should be
smooth. Mix the extracted milk and boiled
water which was kept aside. Add remaining
milk and sugar. Chill for 2-3 hours and serve.
Soak in hot water for ten minutes. Press out
water lightly. Beat curds-add- salt - 1/2 tsp.
cumin seeds. Soak-raisins in water for ten
minutes. Add to the curd. Lay Bhallas in a flat
dish and pour curd on it, garnish with red chili
powder-chopped coriander, powdered cumin
seeds. Serve with Imli chutney and extra beaten
curd.
Eating and drinking revelry
Drinks like Thandai, snacks like
Crispy onion fritters,
vegetable pakoras, and crunchy
chaats and desserts Gujia and
Gola Ice top the popularity list on
Holi.
Chaat’ and desserts like Gujia and
Gola Ice top the popularity list on
this festival. “I always eagerly
await Holi just to indulge myself
in throwing colors at others and
eating a lot of good food made at
my P.G.” says Nikhil, a college
student living in Jersey City.
The zeal to prepare these dishes
is infectious, but the recipes and
number of delicacies vary with
different traditions and families.
There are people who stick to the
handed down recipes from their
grandmothers and mothers and
cook the most favorite dishes of
the family members. ‘’My family
follows the concept of “Pacca
Khanna” (special food) on Holi
and make it a point to cook Puri
and Bhaji and also relish on Kaza
(round papad),” says, Anupama
Singh , a Delhiite now working
with HSBC in New York.
Among typical Holi drinks
which are popular are Thandai
and Bhang.
Thandai is a soothing drink usually
made of purified water,
sugar, seeds of watermelon and
muskmelon, almonds, lotus stem
seeds, cashew nut, cardamom,
saunf, rose-flower, white pepper
and saffron. A glass of Thandai
offers instant energy and sets the
mood for the festival. Thandai is
more popular in North India.
Banaras is called the hub for
Thandai. Banarasis have a liking
for milk-based drinks and
Thandai is said to be their
favorite.
Bhang was first used as an
intoxicant in India around 1000
BC and soon became an integral
part of Hindu culture. In Atharva
Veda, Bhang is described as a
beneficial herb that "releases anxiety".
Its preparations were sacred
to Gods, particularly Shiva. One
of Shiva's epithets is "Lord of
Bhang" as he is said to have discovered
its transcendental properties.
In imitation of Shiva, many sad-
hus use Bhang to boost meditation
and achieve transcendental
states. Besides, Bhang or
cannabis is also believed to be
popular among Sufis as an aid to
spiritual ecstasy for a long time.
But Bhang is now known as an
official “Holi drink”.
Using mortar and a pestle, the
buds and leaves of Cannabis are
squashed and ground into a green
paste. To this mixture milk, ghee
and spices are added. The bhang
base is made into a nutritious,
refreshing drink.
The intoxicant property of
‘Cannabis’ escalates the spirits of
a person after consuming it and
serves as a healthy alternative to
alcohol.
Youngsters these days enjoy
these drinks for the “kick” they
receive, making them more energetic
to indulge in the festive spirit.
“Honestly, I don’t care about
why people drink this on Holi.
My friends and I have it as it
helps us drop our inhibition and
have more fun with colors,” says
Keyur in Bangalore.
Whether you are the kind who
grabs sweets and other delicacies
from the sweet shops or enjoy
cooking at home on festivals, try
out these couple of recipes and
make your Holi more special and
enjoyable for yourself and your
family this spring.
Libaas Xclusif
249-12,Hillside avenue,Bellerose,NY-11426
(Next to Dipali, Ph: 631-873-8298)

30
By Sant Rajinder Singh
Ji Maharaj
The festival of Holi is celebrated
in India during the springtime
wherein people of all
ages delight in spraying each other
with colored and scented water
mixed with saffron. In the last few
years, children have filled balloons
with this colored water and thrown
them at anyone who walks in the
street. This joyous holiday is celebrated
by older people as well as the
young. Playing together, they often
greet each other by putting a little
mark on the forehead or on the face
with a colored powder called gulav.
This festival is based, in part, on a
story from the ancient Indian scriptures
about a young boy, named
In the Sant Mat
tradition, the saints
explain that whereas
we may celebrate
the outer festival of
Holi, we can also
play Holi with the
soul’s Beloved within.
Through meditation
on the inner
Light and Sound of
God, we can learn
to concentrate at a
point known as the
single or third eye,
located between and
behind the two
eyebrows
Prahlad. His father was a king who
claimed to be God. When the king
realized his son was worshiping
God and not himself, he became
angry. His sister, Holka, had
received a boon that any fire could
The true colors of Holi
not harm her, and so the king had
Prahlad sit on Holka’s lap and set
fire to both of them in the expectation
that his son would die but that
his sister would survive. According
the story, Prahlad sat in meditation
and as the king watched the fire
burn, he found the body of his sister
deteriorate to ashes whereas his son,
who was sitting in meditation,
remained unharmed. The festival of
Holi commemorates the young
body’s escape from the fire and his
triumph over evil. The night before
Holi, a fire is lit and an effigy of
Holka is burned to signify that good
is ultimately victorious in the end.
Throughout history there are
many stories about the unseen hand
of God protecting His devotees.
Those who serve humanity selflessly
and whose aim is communion
with the Lord are always under
God’s divine protection. Like the
young boy, Prahlad, we may pass
through many fires and ordeals in
life because of our devotion to God,
but when we put our faith in the
Lord, then whatever happens is
always under God’s direction, under
God’s sweet will. If we have full
trust, like Prahlad, then God will
pull us out of the fire and lead us to
our ultimate freedom, to the land of
bliss, to our eternal Home.
Holi has another meaning which is
also of great significance. Many of
the saints and mystics have spoken
about the spiritual meaning of Holi.
In the Sant Mat tradition, the saints
explain that whereas we may celebrate
the outer festival of Holi, we
can also play Holi with the soul’s
Beloved within. Through meditation
on the inner Light and Sound of
God, we can learn to concentrate at
a point known as the single or third
eye, located between and behind the
two eyebrows. When we gaze into
the area which lies right in front of
us, our soul starts to withdraw from
our physical body, and we experience
a multicolored panorama
which bursts forth either as a rainbow
or as different colors that
sparkle like fireworks. These colors
are actually the true colors of Holi.
Although we may play with the colored
waters outside, the colored
lights we see dancing in front of us
are the true colors in which we want
to be absorbed.
During Holi, musical bands play,
brothers and sisters sing songs in the
street, but when we go within
through meditation and discover the
rose-colored spiritual waters of
Naam (the Holy Word), we also hear
the harmony of all Harmonies, the
Celestial Music that God created.
This music is also referred to in
some of the scriptures as the
Unstruck Music, and on this current
of spiritual Music our soul can soar
back to our divine Beloved within
us.
The colored waters that we throw
on each other may color us in red,
blue or green, but the inner waters
of the Divine dye us with the color
of Love. It is only through this
transformation in our hearts,
through love itself, that we can go
back to God and attain our final aim
in life. This color of divine love
dyes us in the hue of the Beloved
which is the Lord.
The joy and pleasure that we
experience in playing Holi outside
only gives us an inkling of the gaiety
and happiness that we experience
in the inner realms. A spectacular
show of divine Light and Sound
surrounds us and permeates us as
the Lord carries us through the higher
realms until we reach our eternal
Home which is an ocean of all bliss
and Light.
On this day of Holi, let us sit in
meditation on the inner Light and
Sound of God and enter the inner
playground to enjoy the game of
colors with our radiant Lord and
become dyed in God’s hue of
divinity.
Sant Rajinder Singh Ji Maharaj is
an internationally recognized spiritual
leader and Master of meditation
who affirms the transcendent
oneness at the heart of all religions,
emphasizing prayer and meditation
as building blocks for achieving
peace. www.sos.org.

Aries: Take advantage of your stars and
seek favors from important people.
Efficiency will be the key to success, so finish
pending correspondence on priority basis. In a
business environment, your creative ability will
flourish, and you will be able to convey your
new ideas in a simple way. Those planning a trip
abroad will have a pleasant and a memorable
journey. Pleasant news towards the weekend
uplifts the spirit of the entire family. Spiritual
gains for some provide mental peace and comfort.
Taurus: This week you need to be highly
cautious while doing business. Watch
out for individuals who might think that you
could be easily tricked. This week is definitely
not good for taking any risky chances, especially
with money. Your charisma will no doubt attract
lot of attention. Time spent with old friends will
leave you with happy memories. Travel will be
on your mind, but you need to be extra careful
of your belongings.
Gemini: Opportunities to make financial
gains will develop through connections
that you have recently made. You will get inspiration
from your large circle of friends and
acquaintances. Important message from a distant
place, later in the week, will boost your moral
and spirits. Your financial position will improve
from unexpected gains, but your health however
will need extra care, therefore take preventive
medicines if necessary.
Cancer:You need to stop other activities
and finish off pending correspondence
that you have neglected recently. Investment
connected with arts and antiques will be profitable.
A visit to a spiritual person or a holy
shrine later in the week will bring mental peace
and happiness. Your health will show remarkable
improvement, but there would be little
activity on the professional front. Avoid people
who like to pry into your affairs.
Leo:This week you will spend much
more than required on your home and
entertainment. You'll have a chance to earn extra
money through the strength of your personality
and wonderful contacts. You will feel that destiny
is playing a favorable role in your life and
things are moving according to your plans.
Travelling will be beneficial and educating.
Children may bring in some thrilling news
towards the weekend.
Virgo: You should disassociate with colleagues
who are fond of gossip and
spreading rumours. Work should be on your top
priority. Your accomplishment will bring you
good results in the long run. Dealing with land
and property matters will ensure gains. Time
spent at home will improve your understanding
about the family needs and bring you enormous
love and affection. Your income will definitely
improve but there will be a rise in expenses as
well.
Libra: This week you will have tremendous
mental pressure trying to cope up
with your professional as well as personal
responsibilities. Refrain from any actions or
statements that will make you regret later in life.
Your financial status seems to get better with
new opportunities and ventures in the offing.
Sportsmen and athletes can look forward to
some benefits and fame. Spiritually you will be
gaining a lot.
Scorpio: Positive thinking will have a
good impact upon you, as you integrate
more practical methods into your work and decisions.
You will be more skillful in handling your
clients and negotiations will work to your benefit,
but you need to keep your secrets to your self
and avoid overspending. Sports and physical fitness
programs will be highly beneficial. Those
connected with arts will finally be rewarded for
their efforts.
Sagittarius: Your accomplishments will
exceed your expectation if you concentrate
on your jobs. Special honor and recognition
will come your way if you help your colleagues
and coworkers. This is also a very good period
for matters relating to the heart, as a casual partnership
will turn into more serious commitment.
Meddling in the affairs of others should be
avoided. Legal problems will cause a state of
nervousness and tension.
Capricorn: Put your creative ideas to
good use. Taking immediate decisions
will be crucial for your career and your goals,
therefore do not waste your time. Financial front
looks bright as gains from speculation are also
foreseen. Romantic pleasures are assured as
spouse or beloved will be in a loving and caring
mood. Cultural activities will be entertaining.
Journey would yield returns. Some good news
expected during the end of the week.
Aquarius: This week simplicity will be
one of your greatest strengths and your
determination will become your greatest asset. A
close friend or colleague will help you complete
pending jobs on time. Opportunity to meet new
lovers will evolve through your involvement in
functions and ceremonies. It would be wise to
do a safety check on water taps, door and electrical
equipment, before going on a vacation.
Unexpected guest makes surprise, but pleasant
visit later in the week.
Pisces: This week you will gain
approval from seniors if you present
your ideas well. Refrain from arguments and
avoid being too outspoken and critical about
others. Property related investment will be highly
beneficial. Lectures and seminars that you
attend will be highly interesting and educating.
Financial losses are likely if you get involved in
new ventures or risky investments. Get involved
in creative hobbies in order to relax.
March 19:
Dominated by number 1 and the Sun, you are original,
confident, honest, methodical and a systematic
person. You have deep interest in spirituality and always
search to find inner peace. You are deeply admired
by people around you, but you need to check
your tendency to behave impatient, extravagant and
moody at times. Opportunities to lift your living
standard will come through new contacts that you
develop this year. You need to concentrate your
maximum efforts into career improvement, as it will
yield desired results. You will do extremely well socially
if you travel and get involved in clubs and social
events. Distant pilgrimage is on the cards for
some of you. Spouse and children will be supportive
but health of your parents will be a matter of
concern. The months of May, August and January
will bring in the desired result.
March 20:
Ruled by number 2 and the Moon, you are imaginative,
simple, noble, friendly and highly disciplined
person. You can easily accomplish difficult tasks
with your dedication and hard work, but you need to
control your tendency to behave cynical, stubborn
and introvert at times. Pending problems will get
sorted out. This new phase in your life will bring you
rewards and recognition. Your financial position will
also improve and you will feel more secured and satisfied
with whatever you do. Family and friends will
be there for you when you need them. Legal matters
will be complicating and you should avoid standing
guarantee for others, as it will cause embarrassment
and many legal problems. Matrimonial alliances for
few lovebirds. Pilgrimage and religious activities
will bring peace of mind. The months of October and
December will be significant.
March 21:
Governed by number 3 and the planet Jupiter, you
are confident, creative, systematic, generous and an
optimistic person. You are good at building new
contacts, which in return bring you lots of popularity
and benefits. You are smart and trustworthy, but
you need to control your tendency to behave extravagant
and dominating at times. Professional gains
are all most certain but rise in expenses will bother
your mind. There will be moments when your
achievements will exceed your expectations, but
most of the times you will have to put in your maximum
to achieve bare necessary results. People who
have stood besides you till now will continue their
support. Relationship with your spouse will be highly
cordial and on an even footing, but you need to
control yourself from being to stubborn, which will
create uneasy moments at home. Romantic alliances
will prosper and strengthen. The months of June,
September and February will be significant.
March 22:
Ruled by number 4 and the planet Uranus, you are
energetic, charming, peace loving, creative and an
active person. You are always given great deal of responsibility
at work because people know they can
depend on you. You should receive major success in
your career provided you check your tendency to behave
jealous, self centered and overconfident at
times. Your planetary position is offering major
changes in your career. New opportunities look
bright and recognition and rewards seem high on
your cards. Your involvement in social activities will
bring you close to important people, who will provide
favors and benefits. Those wanting to travel
Astrology 31
TheSouthAsianTimes.info March 19-25, 2011
By Dr Prem Kumar Sharma
Chandigarh, India: +91-172- 256 2832, 257 2874; Delhi, India: +91-11- 2644 9898,
2648 9899; psharma@premastrologer.com; www.premastrologer.com
Stars Foretell: March 19-25, 2011 Annual Predictions: For those born in this week
Before you consult...
i) Accurate Data: Please make sure Date,
Time and Place of birth is accurate.
ii) Careful: Did you check background of the
astrologer before disclosing your secrets.
iii) Fee: Discuss the charges before, don’t feel
shy. It’s his business.
iv) Expectation: Expect the best, if the outcome
is not as desired, never give up.
v) Consult: Take second opinion before
spending thousands on cure/remedies.
overseas for business or pleasure will receive a
boost to their plans. You will have abundance of energy
and you will easily implement whatever you
plan. Health however will need care. The months of
May, July and December will be highly eventful.
March 23:
Ruled by number 5 and the planet Mercury, you are
practical, energetic, trustworthy and possess a strong
intuition. You are highly popular in your group because
you are witty and intelligent. You are helpful
and sensible but you need to control your tendency
to behave vindictive, stubborn and timid at times.
Promising career opportunities ahead for fresh graduates
and extremely good period for scholars, scientists,
writers and sportsmen as well. This year will
be important for working women, as they will receive
a major boost in their career. Financial gains
are certain but expenses will also take an upward
trend. For those involved in romantic entanglement,
chances of a matrimonial alliance will be quite high.
Travel will bring pleasure. The months of June, August
& January will be significant.
March 24:
Ruled by number 6 and the planet Venus, You are
energetic, cheerful, trustworthy, dynamic and a methodical
person. You have a very strong willpower
and dislike interference of others in your personal
affairs. You are carefree and helpful, but you need to
check your tendency to behave stubborn, vindictive
and dominating at times. Financial gains are certain
provided you associate with people who are creative
and experienced. Improved finances will make
you spend more on luxuries and other living comforts.
Legal or property disputes will settle around
the middle of the year. New romance for some will
develop through social gatherings and recreational
activities. Health of an infant will cause stress and
anxiety. Religious feelings will arise making you
seek spiritual blessing later in the year. The months
of April, October and January will be highly important.
March 25:
Influenced by number 7 and the planet Neptune, you
are active, friendly, ambitious, independent, honest
and possess a sharp memory. You are an optimistic
person who possesses many in-built talents to impress
others, but you need to control your tendency
to behave impatient and erratic at times.
This year you should move very cautiously especially
when it comes to handling finances. Although
period will be overall good and support from people
will be there, but thoughtless or hasty decisions will
only result in losses. Distant traveling will be on
your mind. Seeking blessing from a spiritual person
during this period will bring mental peace and comfort.
Job opportunity in the field of sales and marketing
will prove promising. Matrimonial alliance
for those seeking a life partner. Proper and timely
diet will be essential for chronic patients. The
months of August and December will prove to be
highly eventful.
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email consult.gems@gmail.com

32 Lakme Fashion Week 2011
March 19-25, 2011 TheSouthAsianTimes.info
India’s topmost designers got together once again to redefine the future of fashion and integrate
the country into the global fashion world. The Lakme Fashion Week (LFW) Summer/Resort 2011
was the highlight of Mumbai from 11th to 15th March. Held at the city’s Hotel Grand Hyatt, the
event not only saw breathtaking creations by established designers such as Shantanu & Nikhi,
Manish Malhotra, Anamika Khanna, Sabyasachi Mukherjee, Rocky S and the likes, but also witnessed
a lot of new talent like Manas Dash, Timsy Kamnoj, Shivaji Dutta, Deepti Pruthi, Manas
Dash, Siddhartha Mittal and even a bunch of Japanese designers. Here’s a sneak peek into what
the Lakme Fashion Week Summer-Resort collection looked like.
Full-on Fashion at LFW 2011
Models display creations by designer Sabyasachi Mukhrjee during
LFW 2011 on March 11.
A model displays a creation by
designer Anamika Khanna on
the first day of the Lakme
Fashion Week in Mumbai on
March 11.
Former West Indian cricket
captain Vivian Richards (R) poses
with daughter designer Masaba.
Actors Juhi
Chawala and
Urmila
Matondkar
attend Indian
designer Anita
Dongre's fashion
show on
March 13.
US actress and singer Jennifer Lopez’s sister
actress Caterina Lopez attends designer Anita
Dongre's fashion show on March 13.
Actor Yuvika Chaudhary displays a creation by designer Sabah Khan.
Designer Manish Malhotra poses with actor Kareena
Kapoor during the second day of LFW 2011 on March 12.

ICC Cricket World Cup 33
TheSouthAsianTimes.info March 19-25, 2011
WC quarters: Tight race in Group B
New Delhi: South Africa's win
over Ireland at the Eden Gardens
in Kolkata on March 15 and
England's string of shocking
defeats have made it a tight race
for last three spots from Group B
for the knockout stage of the
World Cup.
South Africa became the first
team from Group B to qualify for
the quarters, leaving England,
India, the West Indies and
Bangladesh jostling for the last
three berths with just a handful of
games left before the knockout
stage.
England's progress to the last
eight looked assured but
Bangladesh stunned Andrew
Strauss' men to open up Group B.
England may miss a ticket to the
knockout round if they lose to the
West Indies in their next match.
But if they beat the West Indies,
Cup to remain dream
for Dhoni: Jones
Melbourne: Former Australian
cricketer Dean Jones feels that for
Indian captain Mahendra Singh
Dhoni, winning the World Cup
will remain a dream.
In his column in The Age, Jones
pointed out that history is very
important to cricketers.
"The three main common
denominators consistent with all
World Cup champion teams are:
Your top four batsmen must be of
a high quality.
They must have the technique
to play the new ball, as well as
have the power and stroke play
during Powerplays. They also
they may still make the quarters as
they would finish with seven
points.
Dhoni’s strategy of seven specialist batsmen and four specialist
bowlers is being questioned post their South Africa defeat.
South Africa rode on JP
Duminy's brilliant 99 in 103 balls
against Ireland at Eden Gardens
to become the first team from
Group B to march into the
quarterfinals. South Africa get together after Paul Stirling’s dismissal.
must have the fitness to bat
through the whole 50 overs. Your
top four bowlers must be of high
quality, able to absorb pressure
and bowl defensively in
Powerplays. If you can't field,
don't bother turning up!" he said.
"All this taken into account, I
do not believe India will win the
World Cup with its current form.
Everyone here has a huge regard
for the Indian team.
They have the batsmen, no
doubt. Tendulkar and Sehwag can
rip any attack to shreds. But that
alone doesn't win the World
Cup," he said.
Teams Mat Won Lost Tied Pts Net RR
New Zealand 5 4 1 0 8 +1.957
Pakistan 5 4 1 0 8 +0.729
Sri Lanka 5 3 1 1 7 +2.705
Australia 4 3 0 1 7 +1.645
Zimbabwe 5 1 4 0 2 -0.669
Canada 5 1 4 0 2 -2.046
Kenya 5 0 5 0 0 -3.005
But England could still make a
first round exit if Bangladesh beat
South Africa.
If Bangladesh beat South Africa,
both will be through with 8 points.
In that case, if the West Indies lose
Bangladesh win keeps
India on toes
Chennai: Bangladesh, to pose any
serious threat to India's chances,
had to win against the Netherlands
in Chittagong on March 14.
That they did, without breaking
much sweat and climbed to the
fourth position in the Group B
points table with six points.
Their comprehensive win makes
sure that the every other team in
Group B will have to be on their
toes.
Nobody can afford another slipup,
given the prevailing equations.You
tick one box at a time,
with emphasis on what India can
afford or not.
Bangladesh's victory over the
Netherlands ticks off the first of
them. For the script to unfold the
way the whole of India wants,
Bangladesh’s win against the
Netherlands has opened the race
for top spots in Group B.
Mahendra Singh Dhoni's team
must win against the West Indies
on March 19 here.
to India, India and England go
through and the West Indies go
out.
But if India lose to West Indies,
the Caribbean team will finish
with eight as well - leaving
England and India on seven and it
would come down to the net runrate
and the team with the lowest
goes out.
And if the West Indies-India
match ends in a tie, India will go
through on eight - and England
and the West Indies would have to
compare run-rates.
As of now, the West Indies have
the best run rate of +2.206, followed
by South Africa (+1.606),
India (+0.768) and England
(+0.013).
From Group A, all the top teams
- Australia, New Zealand, Pakistan
and Sri Lanka have qualified for
the knockout stage.
No problems
playing in
India: Afridi
Pallekele (Sri Lanka): Pakistan
captain Shahid Afridi, who earlier
voiced concern over playing in
India, has said his team was ready
to play the quarter-final in any
venue. "It does not matter to us
where we play our quarter-final.
The biggest issue for us was to
qualify for the knockout stage, and
we have done that now," Afridi
said after beating Zimbabwe in the
World Cup.
We are ready to play our quarterfinal
at any venue now. What I said
earlier is a thing of the past. Right
now we are just happy to make (it
to) the quarter-finals. If we remain
in our confident mode, it does not
matter where our venue is."
Group A Points Tally: Who Stands Where Group B
Teams Mat Won Lost Tied Pts Net RR
South Africa 5 4 1 0 8 +1.606
India 5 3 1 1 7 +0.768
West Indies 4 3 1 0 6 +2.206
Bangladesh 5 3 2 0 6 -0.765
England 5 2 2 1 5 +0.013
Ireland 5 1 4 0 2 -0.881
Netherlands 5 0 5 0 0 -2.386

34 International
March 19-25, 2011 TheSouthAsianTimes.info
Japan nuclear crisis: Global fears mount
Tokyo: Doubts over whether
Japan can contain its nuclear crisis
grew as helicopters dumped
water onto an overheating power
plant and more foreign governments
urged citizens to leave
Tokyo. Four military Chinooks
ran a mission to empty containers
holding more than seven tonnes
of water each onto the nuclear
facility damaged by the massive
earthquake and tsunami.
The operation aims to keep the
fuel rods inside reactors and containment
pools submerged under
water, to stop them from degrading
when they are exposed to air
and emitting dangerous radioactive
material.
At the same time, Japanese
engineers were focused on restoring
the power supply to the
stricken power plant in an attempt
to reactivate its cooling system
and avert a meltdown.
The power supply to the
Fukushima No. 1 plant on the
Pacific coast, some 155 miles
northeast of Tokyo, could partially
resume later, the country's
nuclear safety agency said.
"If the restoration work is completed,
we will be able to activate
various electric pumps and pour
water into reactors and pools for
spent nuclear fuel," a spokesman
for Plant operator Tokyo Electric
Power Co. was quoted as saying.
Australia told its nationals to
leave Tokyo amid the worsening
crisis at the power plant and the
threat of aftershocks. "If you're in
Tokyo or any of the affected prefectures...
we are saying that you
should depart," said Foreign
Minister Kevin Rudd.
Britain advised its citizens to
consider leaving Tokyo and
northeastern Japan, though
British officials said there is still
"no real human health issue that
people should be concerned
about".
France's authorities said they
were assigning two government
planes to assist French citizens
who wanted to leave Japan.
US officials warned nationals
living within 50 miles of the crippled
Fukushima nuclear plant to
evacuate or seek shelter.
The Japanese government has
told people living up to six miles
beyond the exclusion zone around
the plant to stay indoors. More
than 200,000 people have already
been evacuated from the zone.
Germany, Italy and The
Netherlands also advised their
nationals to leave or refrain from
traveling to the northeast.
India carries radioactive checks
New Delhi: India has started
checking travelers and goods
from Japan for possible
radioactive contamination as
the nuclear crisis in the East
Asian country escalated following
last week's devastating
earthquake and tsunami,
knowledgeable sources said.
National Disaster
Management Authority
(NDMA) sources said
checkpoints had been established
at the Delhi and
Mumbai airports for checking
incoming travelers and
their luggage from Japan.
The checks are being carried
out by the Nuclear Disaster
Core Group, which is part of
the NDMA. It is headed by
Major General (retd) J.K.
Bansal.
Meanwhile, some Indian
companies with operations
in Japan are taking precautionary
steps, asking their
Indian staff there to relocate
their families and offering
them the option to return
themselves if the situation
Smoke billows out from Fukushima nuclear plant on the Pacific coast and (right) quake survivors search for their belongings.
Japanese people undergoing radioactive checks.
warrants.
Global software major
Infosys Technologies
advised its Indian employees
to send their families back to
India. It has also given its
staff there the choice to
return if the situation warrants
it, a top company official
said Tuesday.
Another top software
major, Tata Consultancy
Services also said it was
ready to relocate its Indian
France's Nuclear Safety
Authority said the disaster now
equated to a six on the sevenpoint
international scale for
nuclear accidents, ranking the crisis
second only in gravity to the
level-seven Chernobyl disaster in
1986.
US Energy Secretary Steven
Chu said the events in Japan
"actually appear to be more serious"
than the 1979 accident at
Three Mile Island, a partial reactor
meltdown that led to small
releases of radioactivity. "To what
extent we don't really know now,"
Chu said in Washington.
Gregory Jaczko, chair of the US
Nuclear Regulatory Commission,
warned there was no water left in
the spent fuel pool of the plant's
number-four reactor, resulting in
"extremely high" radiation levels.
The US military will send a spy
drone to take a closer look at the
reactors in the troubled plant,
staff and their families in
Japan back to India. The
three companies have an
estimated 700 Indians working
in Japan.
Prime Minister Manmohan
Singh told the Rajya Sabha
that there were an estimated
25,000 Indians living in
Japan, and most them were
living in areas that have not
been impacted that adversely
by the natural disaster that
struck the island country.
Kyodo News reported. UN atomic
watchdog chief Yukiya Amano
said the situation was "very serious"
as he prepared to fly out to
see the damage for himself.
The official toll of the dead and
missing after the quake and
tsunami flattened Japan's northeast
coast exceeded 13,000,
police said, with the number of
confirmed dead at 5,178.
Millions have been left without
water, electricity, fuel or enough
food and hundreds of thousands
more are homeless, stoically coping
with heavy snowfalls, freezing
cold and wet conditions in the
northeast.
IAEA chief calls situation
'very serious'
Vienna: The head of the
International Atomic Energy
Agency (IAEA), Yukiya
Amano, called the situation
at the Fukushima nuclear
plant "very serious" as he
prepared to fly to Japan.
There have been fears of a
meltdown at the plant ever
since last week's magnitude-
9 earthquake and ensuing
tsunami disabled the cooling
systems at all of the plant's
reactors.
"The situation is very serious,"
Amano, who is
US shows growing alarm
Washington: The United States
showed increasing alarm about
the worsening nuclear situation
in Japan on Wednesday and
urged its citizens to stay clear of
an earthquake-crippled power
plant -- going further in its
warnings than Japan itself.
"The situation has deteriorated
in the days since the tsunami
and ... the situation has grown at
times worse with potential
'Iodine 131 greatest threat'
According to Bingham Cady, a professor
of Mechanical and Aerospace
Engineering at Cornell University,
US, “Iodine 131 is the worst environmental
actor emitting from the four stricken nuclear
facilities in Japan’s northeast. It’s radioactive
and has the potential to become airborne and
travel downwind. It will also stick to soil and
settle on the ground.”
“Those in danger of exposure should evac-
IAEA head Yukiya Amano.
greater damage and fallout from
the reactor," said President
Barack Obama's spokesman,
Jay Carney.
US officials took pains not to
criticize the Japanese government,
which has shown signs of
being overwhelmed by the crisis,
but Washington's actions
indicated a divide with the
Japanese about the perilousness
of the situation.
Japanese said of the damages
at the core of reactors 1,
2 and 3. Nevertheless, with
workers engaged in an-all
out effort to stabilize the situation,
Amano stressed that
"it is not the time to say that
things are out of control".
The IAEA director general
said he would leave as soon
as Thursday for a high-level
meeting to explore further
areas of cooperation
between his agency and
Japan, and to improve the
flow of communication.
uate the area, which could remain contaminated
for months, even years. Iodine pills –
which have been used in past nuclear disasters
– should be distributed to prevent
exposed humans from absorbing contaminated
iodine.” “Because the emergency cooling
systems failed at these four facilities, other
facilities must rethink their own nuclear
safety strategy and implement tighter testing
requirements.”

36 Humor
March 19-25, 2011 TheSouthAsianTimes.info
Bed bugs are showing up everywhere -
- in homes, hotels and even planes -and
if you don't watch out, you may
find yourself as angry as the single middleaged
Toronto woman who thought she was
hearing good news when a fortune teller told
her, "You'll never be alone in bed again."
The bed bug population in North America
is rising as fast as the unemployment rate,
which means that if you don't have a job, you
can't just lie in bed. And if you think bed
bugs are a pain, wait until you meet sofa
bugs. Wherever you encounter them, they're
likely to give you itchy restless nights.
"I woke up to find a dozen bite marks on
my back," said a 20-year-old New York
woman. "My doctor says it's either bed bugs
or Marv Albert."
"They're all over my bed!" said a college
student in Pennsylvania. "I wish I hadn't gotten
a tattoo that says, 'Bite me.'"
"I hate all the bed bugs in hotel rooms!"
tweeted aprofessional basketball player.
"How's a guy supposed to have an affair?"
"Too much scratching going on," he later
tweeted. "Not the bed bugs -- my wife just
scratched out my eyes."
Once you have bed bugs, it can be really
tough to get rid of them. The first step, of
course, is to make sure you have bed bugs
and not some other critters. Just examine the
bite marks on your body. Bed bugs like to
leave small red dots close to each other and
NEW YORK: The vast
"Pokemon" empire is about to get
even bigger with the launch of two
new video games for the handheld
Nintendo DS simply called
"Pokemon Black Version" and
"Pokemon White Version."
Among a certain demographic,
the fierce little "pocket monsters"
generate the type of obsessive fandom
reserved for the biggest entertainment
icons.
The "Pokemon" video games
center on catching, battling and
trading the hundreds of colorful
characters. As usual, the two new
games, which sell for $35 each, are
slightly different so that players
can buy one and trade Pokemon
characters with others to strive
toward collecting them all.
if you connect the dots, you will see a picture
of Muammar Gaddafi. (If you see a picture
of Barack Obama, you do not have bed bugs.
You have democ rats.)
The next step is a drastic one. Take all your
furniture outdoors, spread it around and put
up a large sign that says "Yard Sale." Make
sure you warn potential buyers about the bed
bug infestation by displaying messages such
as "All sales final" and "All items sold as is."
If you don't attract enough buyers, you
might want to put up a more enticing sign:
"Moving Sale." (Just don't tell them who's
moving.)
The final step is to deal with any bed bugs
that are still hiding in your house. The best
way to do this, most experts agree, is to blast
them ruthlessly with one or two Justin
Bieber songs. The bed bugs will rush out of
their hiding places -- and so will any teenaged
girls. Smack them with an old magazine
(the bugs, not the girls).
The new games add more than
150 creatures to bring the total to
more than 640, ranging from the
purple cat creature Purrloin to
dinosaur-inspired Haxorus. The latest
games let players battle not just
people they know, as with previous
versions, but strangers through random
matches using the DS's Wi-Fi
connection.
"Black Version" and "White
Version" are the latest for the kidcentric
empire that has managed to
outlive video game icons such as
"Guitar Hero" and outsell big shots
such as "Call of Duty." The games
are rated "E" for everyone and
have a broad appeal that goes well
beyond grade school kids.
The "Pokemon" franchise is the
second-biggest video game proper-
Humor with Melvin Durai
Three steps to get rid of bed bugs
ty for Nintendo Co and in the
world, not far behind the iconic
"Mario Bros" games. Worldwide,
the game has sold about 215 million
copies, compared with Mario's
250 million, Nintendo says.
But "Pokemon" did so in 15
years. Mario took a decade longer.
It helps that the primary system to
If you're unable to get rid of all your bed
bugs, try to look on the bright side. Strangers
will be reluctant to enter your home, so you
won't have to worry about crime.
Just ask the 40-year-old accountant in
Seattle. "I got rid of my lazy, good-for-nothing
dog," he said. "Instead, I put up a sign
that says 'Beware of the Bed Bugs.'
Everyone has been staying away, even my
Tech Life
Nintendo expands Pokemon empire
play "Pokemon" games is the
handheld Nintendo DS, the world's
best-selling video game machine.
Through the end of December
2010, Nintendo had sold nearly
145 million DS systems in various
iterations, compared with 85 million
units of the Wii console.
Over the years, related
"Pokemon" products have popped
up, including cartoons, trading
cards, comics and toys. The company
that licenses the brand,
Pokemon Co International, is privately
held and won't disclose revenue
figures, except that, in years
when there's a new game, it's in the
billions of dollars.
"Pokemon" got its start in 1996
from a company called Game
Freak, a group of guys who wrote
mother-in-law."
In some cases, bed bugs can even invigorate
your love life. Just ask the 80-year-old
man in the Atlanta retirement home.
"Nothing was happening between my wife,
Mildred, and I until last Saturday," he said.
"Then, in the middle of the night, I heard her
say, 'Oh Harold, it's been so long since you
nibbled my ear.'"
Laughter is the Best Medicine
by Mahendra Shah
Mahendra Shah is an architect by education, entrepreneur by profession, artist and humorist,
cartoonist and writer by hobby. He has been recording the plight of the immigrant Indians for
the past many years in his cartoons. Hailing from Gujarat, he lives in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
fan magazines for video games and
decided to make their own, Smith
said. The first game was for the
original Nintendo Game Boy, and
it let players interact with each
other by using a cable that plugged
into their friend's Game Boy. The
cartoon series came the following
year in Japan, and the games
launched in 1998 in the US and
Europe.
Part of the game's staying power
has been that it was built from the
start as social. In this age of nonstop
interactivity, the games that
have been the most popular have
been those that let players interact,
whether that's on Facebook playing
"FarmVille" or at home scheming
against a common enemy on "Call
of Duty."