Durga Puja 2007 - SAIKAT, Bengali Association of San

At a convenient Location
“Little India Center:
Black Mountain Road, Suite
C,
San Diego CA 92126
sandiego@sbical.com
www.sbical.com
858 547 1505;
Mon. – Fri.
Sat.
Fax 858-547-1507
9 a.m. – 4 p.m.
10 a.m. – 2 p.m.
An American Bank with Indian Heritage
Deposits
(FDIC insured upto Legal Max.)
Best CD Rates
High Yield MMDA/c
Savings/Checking A/c/ATM Cards
Commercial Loans
CRE–New/Refinance/Cashout
Line of Credit
Standby/Letter of Credit
Free/lower wire transfers charges for preferred account holders.
Contact Branch for details
Your best option for
money transfer to India
- Fast : Transfer to more
than 5000 branches of SBI
in one day
-
Widest Network/reach
- Best Exchange rate
- Efficient & Courteous
Bring this ad for 1 free
wire transfer to India.
Valid up to November 2007
for rupee wire transfers
NRI referral Services with
branches of State Bank of
India spread across length
and breadth of India
Popular NRE products
√
√
√
√
NRE Savings account*
NRE/FCNR Fixed
Deposits
NRO account
NRI Housing Loan
− NRE/FCNR deposits are
not insured by FDIC
− NRI Housing loans are
sanctioned by SBI for
purchase of property in
India
1
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
SAIKAT 2007 Executive Profile………………………………………………………. 2
From The Editor’s Desk………………………………………………………..……… 3
Presidents Column………………………………………………………………….….. 4
Treasurers Account …………….……………………………………………………… 5
Vice president’s Column……….………………………………………………………. 6
List of Donors and Sponsors ….………………………………………...………..…… 7
Acknowledgments …………….…………………………………………………..….... 8
2007 Puja Event Schedule ….………………………………………………………….. 9
The Journey by Susan Ray……………………………………………………………… 10
Where is it by Sumana Mahata……………………………………………………....... 11
Voice and Snowball by Ritabrita Mishra…………………...………………………… 12
Sketch by Upashanto Bhattacharya...……………………………..………………… 13
Why Roses are not accepted … by Arun S. Roy …….………………………………. 14
Blue by Sampreeti Choudhury ……..…………………………………………………. 15
Space Ship –sketch by Ritam Mishra………………..……...………………………… 15
The Old Man -sketch by Snighdha Paul .……………………………………………..16
No More Tears by Lopamudra Das…………………………………………………… 17
What I think of Vacation by Ahana Chakrabarty……………...………………………18
Loser’s Weepers by Pritha Dewanjee ……………...………………………….……... 18
Sketches by Varundhara Sengupta and Mayukh Raha ……………...………………... 19
Shubhechha by Rajshree Chatterjee…………………………………………………. ...20
Deer family –sketch by Ahana Chakrabarty……………...……………………………21
Universal Bnad –sketch by Ritwik Bandyopadhyay……...…………………………… 22
Reading is Fun by Shibangi Pal……………..……………...……………………………22
Sketch by Rini………………………………….……………...……………………………23
Aparajita by Hari Khatua………………………….……...…………………………… 23
Taj Mahal –sketch by Shraman Ray Chaudhury..………...……………………………24
Mark Twain in Bengal Ritwik Bandyopadhyay……...……………………………...… 25
Month of the Year by Rajarshi Gupta……………………………..………………… 27
Ssketch by Sayan Ray Chaudhury..…………………..…...……………………………28
Sketches by Ankush and Ayush Banerjee……………... ……………...………………... 29
Swagatam by Susmita Purkait…………………………………………………. …… 30
Ma Durga by Soumava Chatterjee ……………………………………………………. 31
College+Shaoni=Uh-oh- by Shaoni Bandyopadhyay……………………………......... 32
Ma Durga –sketch by Srijan Chakraborty……………...………………………………33
Our Trip to Yellowstone by Sayan Chatterjee………...……………………………… 34
Happy Clown by Snighdha Paul ...……………………………………………………. 35
Sketch by Risha Sinha…………..…………………………………….………………. 37
Saturday night Dram “Babuder Dalkukure” details.....………………………………. 38
Saturday night classical dance part I details……...…………………………………… 39
Saturday night classical dance part II details……...……………………………………40
Miscellaneous Advertisements ……...……………………………………………...41-44
2
Saikat 2007 Executive Profile
Saikat Website: http://www.saikat.org
Join Saikat email list: http://www.saikat.org/join
Saikat Group Email: members@saikat.org
Online Color copy of this booklet:
http://www.saikat.org/documents/Saikat_2007_DurgaPuja.pdf
Executive Committee
President
Easeeta Ray Chaudhuri
president@saikat.org
Vice President
Gautam Bandyopadhyay
vice-president@saikat.org
General Secretary
Banikumar Maity
secretary@saikat.org
Treasurer
Sudeshna Chatterjee
treasurer@saikat.org
Activity Coordinator
Avijit Chakraborty
cultural-secretary@saikat.org
Food Coordinator
Abhijit Chatterjee
food@saikat.org
Technological Consultant
Animesh Datta
anidatta@gmail.com
Youth Coordinator
Snighdha Paul
snighdhapaul@hotmail.com
Members at large
Nupur Gupta
roy.nupur@gmail.com
Jayraj Kumarswamy
kumarswamuj@yahoo.com
Community Outreach
Chandana Sur
psur1@cox.net
Tie-Breaker (Ex-President)
Pijush Dewanjee
pijush@sbcglobal.net
Board of Advisors
Amiya Chatterjee
amiya_chatterjee@hp.com
Jagadish Sirkar
jsircar@avanir.com
Sushil Mahata
smahata@ucsd.edu
Susan Roy
shabdaroy@san.rr.com
Send your feedback to: feedback@saikat.org
3
From the Editor’s Desk
Dear Friends,
Welcome to Saikat’s second Durga Puja at San Diego, CA. Every year, during this time we
miss our people back home in Bengal and rest of the India the most. But our everyday job
responsibilities and mounting work loads can’t isolate us from the rich and gratifying experience
of our favourite Sharad Utsab. Here in Prabas, we thrive to work diligently to recreate the
“Saradia festive mood” of the season. Over the past years, Ma Durga has been helping us
through Mr. Dev Purkayastha to do that. In 2006 with great enthusiasm, hard work and thorough
event planning Saikat was able to successfully perform it’s first Public Durga Puja. This year’s
Durga Puja is going to be bigger and more enjoyable experience to all of us.
This Puja brochure tries to capture the festive mood of our community through the creation
of the young generations and wisdom of the seniors. The messages from the President, Treasurer
and the Vice President highlight our accomplishments and financial status. As you continue to
read through this brochure, I am confident that you will enjoy the wonderful paintings, poems
and articles from the creative minds of young and adults. I like to convey special thanks to all the
contributors for their time and energy to make this happen. I also thank our sponsors for their
kind support.
Even though I spent a lot of time in going over the articles, formatting the brochure, I’m sure
there are errors and room for improvements. I apologize in advance for any unintentional error
that may creep in during the editing. Please help us by sending your feedback in writing to
feedback@saikat.org. Thank you for coming and supporting Saikat’s activities.
A color copy of this brochure is also available online (www.saikat.org) in PDF format
May Ma Durga bless us all.
Animesh Datta
4
Dear Friends,
On behalf of Saikat, the Bengali Organization of San Diego, I welcome you all to join us in
celebrating the annual religious festival, Durgotsav with the intricate blend of ceremonial solemnity, cultural and artistic exposition, sumptuous food and assorted purchases of music, film,
books, magazines, collectibles and wearable from the home front. Not to mention endless joyous, invigorating adda.
For those of you who are new to the San Diego community, Durga Puja in San Diego actually has long roots. It started in 1990, with a leading member of our community, Sri Dev Purkayastha hosting the celebration in his house. Over the years, as the community grew bigger and
bigger, this arrangement gradually became more and more impractical. In 2006, with Dev-da’s
kind consent, Saikat took over the organization of the community Puja and started it in a public
setting.
Starting this year, Saikat has also encouraged and enabled the younger generation to come
up with program ideas and take them to fruition during many of the events noted above. The
dynamic leadership of Snighdha Paul, our Youth Coordinator, made this effort successful
throughout the year. The sense of responsibility, dedication and enthusiasm of the youth group
will sure be remembered for a long time.
The members of our Executive Committee have been working very hard to make the Durgotsav celebration a grand success, but this is certainly not possible without the help and active
participation from all across the community, generous financial support from our donors and
sponsors, and above all, the endless zeal, enthusiasm and hands-on help of the many volunteers
and well-wishers. Without your support we would not be able to make this happen. I personally
would like to thank each and every one of you. We are fortunate to have a highly resourceful
Executive Committee, without whose constant brainstorming, planning, re-planning and strategizing, this Durgotsav would not have been possible. We are also thankful for the advice and
insight of the Board of Advisors. They, along with and all the volunteers, deserve special thanks
for their continuous dedicated support.
Now, let us take a quick look back at the year 2007. The present Executive Committee began its journey with Saikat opening the year with Saraswati Puja. In April, Saikat was invited
for the first time in its history to participate in “Nattya Mela,” a pan-California drama competition. This was followed in June with “Krishti,” our first full-length evening entertainment program of the year, in which Saikat featured the noted singer Arijit Ball, in addition to a delightful
spectrum of performances by local artists. Saikat’s annual picnic was held in August amid much
gala and fanfare. In all these events, Saikat has been blessed with friendship between and participation from the Indian Bengali as well as the Bangladeshi communities. In the same spirit of
inter-community friendship, let us celebrate this year’s biggest and last event, the Durga Puja.
In the words of a famous poet, “Joy and Woe Are Woven Fine.” During 2007, some of the
members of our community also lost their loved ones. While their loss is deeply personal, Saikat and the community stand by them and share their sense of bereavement. Let us all pray for
their wounds to heal as we start this year’s Durgotsav.
May Maa Durga bless you all. Shubho Bijoya and Happy Diwali to all of you.
Sincerely,
Easeeta Ray Chaudhuri, President
5
Treasurer’s Account
Hello Friends,
October 2007 with its early shivers announces the coming of winter and with it, the long
awaited Durga Puja It has taken a full year for us to congregate and celebrate this occasion together. This is Saikat’s second year of celebrating the Durga Puja! Let us therefore enjoy the
occasion and look forward to many more in the future.
We, from the Saikat Puja Committee take this opportunity to welcome you all and thank
you for your relentless support over the many years. We are delighted that you all attend our
functions despite other personal commitments. Your efforts make it worth our while, giving
wings to our thoughts, and shapes to our dreams to try and create an environment so close and
important to our lives. I seriously hope that we have been able to achieve this. Keep your supports coming and we will come up with the rest!
Here is a breakdown of this year’s collections and expenses so far!
Estimated Income and Expenditure for Durga Puja 2007
Advertisement
--$1000 (estimated)
Donation for
Durga Puja
-- $3176
Money from
Saikat’s acct -- $6962
Venue Rental & Ins
-$1838
Puja Expenses
-$1200
Stage decoration & Audio -$1300
Food
-$3000
Entertainment
-$3000
Brochure and printing
- $800
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Total Income -- $11,138
Total Estimated Expenses -$ 11,138
We, members of the Executive Committee of Saikat, would like to thank everyone for giving us the opportunity to serve our community for the year 2007.
Thank you
Sudeshna Chatterjee, Treasurer
6
Dear Friends
Wish you all had a peaceful and enjoyable 2007 so far. But I know that one family did
not, the family of Pradip Dey. Whole community experienced a terrible shock to learn that Namita Dey, wife of Pradip and mother of Jay, suddenly passed away after a short illness. My
heart goes out to Pradip and Jay. We pray that Dey family find solace in the fond memories of
Namita and in the company of ever-helpful relatives and friends, and find strength to get on
their lives to fulfill wishes of Namita.
In the last three years, as a member of two Executive Committees of Saikat, I had the
privilege of participating in activities that drew a significant section of the local community together. These activities are like marrow of my life. In this adopted country, I stand here extending one arm holding the lifeline of my foreign-born kids and the other arm holding on to my
roots. I am the bridge through which all traditions and values must pass to the next generation.
So, by coming together and celebrating our traditions, we rejuvenate our values and highlight
our culture. Our kids notice these highlights but may not think as much about them now. I believe that some day when they will become more introspective, they will find a connection. I
am sure most of us feel the same way. The more we participate and celebrate our tradition, the
more we contribute to sustaining our legacy. Come, and let us do that.
Every year, this time of the fall season is a special time for all Bengalis. It is like Christmas. In this colorful time, Bengalis feel rejuvenated and try to cross their boundaries, ignore
their limitations, reach out and celebrate. This is the time all individual emotion melts into one
organic whole that represents the real soul of the community. Although we are far away from
the native land, we are not immune to that feeling. Let us join, extend our hands, share our resources and celebrate. As a member of Saikat community I share that exaltation. Come and join
your hearts in the festivities of this Sharodia Utsab.
Amongst the dominating festive mood of the season, harsh reality lurks in the background. After this new Executive Committee received the baton, it became critically aware that
putting together the second season of Durga Puja in San Diego, organized by Saikat, is not going to be financially easy. As we have seen last year, the expenses for this event exceed way
over Saikat’s existing resources. Durga Puja can be made an enjoyable festival only by pooling
extra resources and additional donations. I hope that members of the community will open their
hearts and wallets to support this event.
We had good time in Krishti-2007, our newly-named spring cultural festival, and in the
summer picnic gathering. We realized that picking an appropriate time and day for these gatherings are very important for expecting greater participation. We will be mindful of that.
One of the low points of 2007 is how miserably the Chargers, the local football team,
started their season. The same is true for disappointing ending of Padres baseball season. However, there is always a next time and tomorrow. Is it real that Indian cricket showing signs of
life again? Thus, the saga continues.
In our time, global warming of weather is getting recognized as an inconvenient truth.
But global cooling of hearts has also become a syndrome that threatens our sanity. This is an
appropriate time to worship the Goddess of Strength and Mercy. “Oh Mother! Please enlighten
the minds of pundits, bullies and bigots with some humility and common sense so that they stop
messing around”. Amen.
Gautam Bandyopadhyay, Vice-president
7
List of Donors for 2007 Durga Puja
Anasuya Pyne
Bidyut Sengupta
Dev Purkayastha
Dipak & Munia Gupta
Joy & Lana Ghosh
Kunal & Neelam Roy
Pradip & Chandana Sur
Subrata & kalyani Dutta
Sushil & Manjula Mahata
——————————————————————————————
List of Sponsors for 2007 Durga Puja
Puja Flowers: Bani Kumar & Manisha Maiti
Puja Fruits: Jagadish & Ila Sircar
Puja Samagri: Siddhartha & Easeeta Ray Chaudhuri.
Saturday Bhog: Abhijit & Nandita Chatterjee; Amarnath & Nupur Gupta;
Pijush & Indrani Dewanjee, Alokraj & Sharmila Chatterjee
Microphone: Sandip & Mahasweta Sarkar; Gautam Bandhopadhya; Siddhartha
Ray Chaudhuri
Laxmi Idol: Aloka Ghose & Rajasri Chatterjee.
Laxmi Puja: Chanchal & Sudeshna Chatterjee; Jayraj and Radha Sen.
Stage Decoration: Avijit & Gouri Chakraborty; Ranjan & Suparna Raha
Brochure Advertisements: Namita Dutta, Bernardo Dental Office, San Diego
Rakesh Saxena, SBI California; Rajesh Jawa, Indian Sweets and
Spices; Bombay Bazaar, San Diego; Mark A Parks, NCR general
Contractor; Tony, Drywall, CA; Gil Fernandez, Century 21 Realtor
Navatara Inc.; Piyush Dewanjee, PriPro Polymers, Inc.; Yogen and
Niru Dalal, San Diego; Sharmila Melnychuk, Usana Deshi, Los Angeles, CA
8
Acknowledgements
Purohit: Malay Chatterji & Sweta Chatterji
Mandap/stage setup and tear down, Protima pick-up/set-up: Kankan Bhattacharjee, Biswaroop Guha, Nandan Das, Rudranil Deb Roy, Probir Paul, Pijush Dewanjee,
Dipendu Saha, Tushnim Bhattacharyya
Stage decoration: Avijit Chakraborty, Biswaroop Guha, Lopa Carey
Sound engineering: Prasunpani Bhattacharjee, Animesh Datta
Still and video recording: Arnab Chakraborti
Prasad Distribution, Anajali and other Puja Support: Protima Ganguly, Gouri
Chakraborty , Muthia Guha, Geeta Muktomoni, Kamalika, Amarnath and Lovely Chatterjee,
Joy and Lana Ghosh, Radha Sen, Sharmila Chatterjee, Sukla Chatterjee, Nilanjan Das, Sudeshna Chatterjee, Ila Sircar, Indrani Dewanjee, Reba Paul, Purabi Dutta, Krishna Roy
Prasad Preparation, Distribution, Anajali and other Puja Support: Reba Paul,
Lopa Carey, Anjana Sinha, Nivedita Bhattacharya, Kalyani Datta, Krishna Roy, Nandita Chatterjee, Lopa Das, Soma Mishra.
Bhog & Sweet preparation for Puja: Indrani Dewanjee, Purabi Datta, Lopa Carey,
Krishna Roy, Supriya Maitra, Munia Gupta, Nivedita Bhattacharya and Ila Sircar
Puja room setup and clean: Rajeeb Sengupta, Krishnalekha Bose, Snigdha Paul, Sagar
Paul, Ayesha Bose, Auroni Gupta, Soumava Chatterjee and Nupur Roy
Artists Pick up/drop-off from airport, and Hospitality: Ranjan Raha, Amarnath
Gupta, Avijit Chakraborty, Easeeta Ray Chaudhuri, Jayraj and Radha Sen
Website development and maintenance: Rima Chatterjee and Samrat Ghosh,
Brochure Preparation: Dipendu Saha, Rima Chatterjee
Food Preparation:
Friday's Vegtable: Soma M., Neelam, Kalyani D., Anindita, Deepa, Neelima, Lana, Aparajita,
Paramita, Sudeshna
Friday's Chatni: Roshni, Manjula, Krishnalekha, Keya, Parna, Manisha, Gouri Saturday's
Bhaja: Nivedita, Sapna, Paulomi, Mom, Sumita R., Munia, Supriya
Saturday's Vegetable: Reba, Chandra, Sagarika, Shraboni, Sumana, Soma P., Kalyani D.,
Indrani, Nandita, Nupur
Saturday's Chatni: Mahua, Aparana-di, Atashi, Kalyani G., Sharmila P., Rita, Sumita S.,
Debalina
Saturday's Sphagetti & Meatballs (Kids): Mahasweta, Sharmila B., Lopa D.
Food Pick up and Delivery: Friday Dinner: Jayaraj,
Saturday Lunch: Nandan
Saturday Dinner: Rajib & Nilanjan
Food Distribution & Packing: Indrani, Kalyani D., Reba, Sudeshna, Chandra, Sumita-di,
Niru-di, Sharmila P., Soma, Nandita, Subrata, Hari, Partha, Subhadeep, Pijush
9
2007 Durga Puja Event Schedule
Friday (12th October, 2007)
5:00 - 5:30 PM----- Bodhan
5:30 - 6:00 PM----- MahaShasti Puja & Pushpanjali
6:00 - 8:00 PM----- MahaSaptami Puja & Pushpanjali
7:30 - 8:30 PM----- Dinner (Veg and Non-Veg)
8:15 -10.30 PM---- Musical Performance by Rupankar and group
Saturday (13th October, 2007)
9.00 - 12:00 PM---- MahaAstami Puja
12:00 - 12:30 PM--- Pushpanajli and Prasad
12:30 - 1:30 PM---- Sandhi Puja, Arati & Pushpanjali
1:00 - 2:00 PM----- Lunch break (Veg)
2:00 - 4:30 PM----- MahaNavami Puja
4:30 - 5:00 PM----- Hoam
5:00 - 6:00 PM----- Dashami Pija and Shantijal
6:00 - 6:15 PM----- Sindoor Dan & Sindoor Khela
6.30 - 7.30 PM----- Classical Dances
7:30 - 8.30 PM----- Dinner (Veg and Non-Veg)
8.30 - 9.30 PM----- Bengali Drama “Babuder Dalkukure” (script by Manoj Mitra)
9.30 - 10.00 PM---- Bijoya Dashami Celebration
10
THE JOURNEY
There are two types of dreamers, in the world; those that dream what if? And have the vision to forge ahead to make the dream a reality, no matter how tiresome the trip may be, until it
ends in a worthwhile journey!
Then, there are those that dream of what could have been? And offer any number of reasons and excuses while wondering what happened? When the journey was over and less than
satisfying! Have you ask yourself lately, what type are you? I’m looking back on a Great journey, thanks to the tireless efforts of an Executive Committee who never lacked the faith to make
Saikat the Success it is today! The real thanks goes to all of you, the same people who ultimately benefit the greatest, your support matters! Saikat is what you make it! Come dream with
us and experience the Culture! May your journey be all that, and more!
Susan Roy, Board of Advisors
———————————————————————————————-
Sauhaarda Choudhuri (5 Years)
11
Where is it?
By Sumana Mahata
This place is alive and thriving,
It has two rivers, long and flowing,
The riversÕ names are the Indus and the Ganges
They are not alone; they have many tributaries
In the North of this place there are mountains and plains,
In the South there are hills, monsoons, and lots of rain,
There once was a thriving city there, named Mohenjo Daro,
Read on to find out why there is so much sorrow,
It became a lost city. How did they disappear, how?
We have some theories, but we still ponder now!
The religion trickled into peoplesÕ daily lives,
There was a caste system; in your same caste were your
wives,
At one time the Aryans came along,
They brought them the chariot and might have taught them a
song,
The Aryans were people, who came from far away,
After some of them came, they were there to stay,
We should thank these people for their contributions to medicine
and math,
We should also thank them, as they were the first to introduce
drainage for a bath,
There was a ruler, who was noble,
The ruler, Ashoka, is honorable
He defeated the Kalingans, and then he had a thought,
ŅThe only reason people died is because I fought.Ó
That led him to change to a different man,
He followed Buddhism; he tried to put the caste system to a ban.
One of its main religions is Hinduism,
Started by Buddha, there is Buddhism,
Buddhism is thought to have begun in China,
Though the religion was started in INDIA.
Now I have to say that this poem is finished,
If I type another line, I may become perished.
12
13
Uposhanto Bhattacharya (6 year)
——————————————
——————————————
Best wishes from
14
WHY ROSES ARE NOT ACCEPTABLE IN HINDU
RELIGIOUS WORSHIP
Dr. Arun S. Roy
As we all know, roses which people everywhere in the world would consider to be the
most beautiful flower, are not to be offered in the worship of Hindu gods and goddesses.
Sometime ago, a friend of mine asked me the reason for this and I did not have an explanation
off hand. Sometime later, I did some research in this area and I would like to share this with you,
partly factual and partly speculative.
Roses not of Indian origin
Roses did not originally grow in India as many other fruits and vegetables were imported
and grown by foreigners. For instance, tomatoes were not grown in India before the British came
--they are still called ‘biliti begoon’ in Bengali.
That roses were not originally grown in India is clearly indicated by a reading of the
classical Sanskrit literature. In this context, the works of the great classical Indian poet, Kalidas,
becomes particularly relevant. In his poetic compositions, we get a glimpse of the flora and fauna
of India of his time. Kalidas lived around the 6th century A.D., i.e., about 1400 years ago. He
lived in or around Ujjain (now in Central India) as can be inferred from the descriptions of the
rivers, mountains, and forests in the region.
Kalidas composed seven great works. 'Kumarasambhava' and 'Raghuvamsha' are his two
epic poems. 'Malavikagnimitra', 'Vikramorvashi' and 'Abhijnana Shakuntala' are his celebrated
plays. 'Meghadut' and 'Ritusamhar' are also poetical works of great distinction. Kalidas's
portrayals of the great Himalayan mountain and of the way in which the season of spring
(‘vasanta') blossomed are some of the unique lyrical expressions. In his works ‘Ritusamhar’ and
‘Shakuntala’, Kalidas provides extensive and detailed descriptions of the plants, trees and
flowers of the region. Present day botanists are able to identify most of these. In neither of these
works, however, is there any mention or description of roses. In fact, some Sanskrit scholars say
that there is no Sanskrit word for roses.
Thus there is a reason to believe that rose plants were imported by the Muslims from
Persia (now Iran) when they invaded India and many of them settled down. In Persian poetry and
literary works, roses have always figured as the symbol of love and romance. By the time the
Mughals established their empire, roses had become very popular in India. This can be judged
from the Mughal miniature paintings and also poetry of many Muslim poets.
Prejudice against Muslim culture
It appears that in the Vedas and Upanishads there is no mention of roses being identified
as unfit for offerings in worship. It seems that as the Muslim invaders plundered and destroyed
the Hindu and Buddhist temples, strong hatred and prejudices developed against the foreigners in
general and anything associated with the Muslim culture in particular. Rose, a foreign flower was
thus considered to be “Mleccho” or impure. And the Hindu religious leaders and priests began to
avoid roses for offerings to Hindu deites. Accordingly, until this day roses are not acceptable as
offerings to Hindu deities. Should we still continue to follow this medieval and archaic practice?
(Parts of the material used obtained from A.L. Basham, A Cultural History of India)
15
Blue
Sampreeti Chowdhuri (Age: 9 years)
Blue is brave, bold, and bright
I get a blue ribbon
Blue is the color of a starlit night
When I win
Blue is a big, ripe blueberry
All this blue is
Blue is a color that makes me merry
Making my head spin
When I take a bath,
Blue is the color
Blue are my bubbles
Of the big, blue sea
Blue washes away
Blue is for you
All my troubles
Blue is for me
————————————————————————————————————
Space Ship — Ritam Mishra (3 years)
16
The Old man
Snigdha Paul
17
No More Tears
Lopamudra Das
Sometime in late 2001, a confused, bumbling 19 year old married a nerdy 25 year old
and together they landed in sunny, sandy San Diego. Life went smoothly with the 19 year attending school and living a fun life in general.
And then it happened. The 20 year old realized that soon it would be time for Durga
Puja and this time there would be no going back. No going back to her ancestral home at Sonamukhi. No going back to a house filled with aunts and uncles. No going back to late nighters
with giggly, conspiratorial cousins. And definitely no going back to the sulfurous odor of random firecrackers. Her undergraduate Fall semester schedule would reign supreme over the allpowerful Mahishasuramardini. She spent most of the 2002 Pujas sobbing and making multiple
international calls to India.
In 2003, with the undergraduate study fever still going strong, a repeat of the 2002 Puja
scene was only to be expected. However, life worked in mysterious ways and The Telegraph
started its Durga Pujo website Anandautsav.com. The 21 year old was thrilled to bits. She spent
those few days of Pujo living vicariously, eagerly devouring the Anandautsav Puja slide shows.
The sobbing lessened considerably but the long hours of international phone calls persisted.
In 2004, an older and hopefully smarter 22 year old graduated with a Bachelor's degree
and without batting an eyelid ran for the nearest airport. Off she went to Kolkata for 2 months
and for the long awaited “Barir” Puja. This time around she “soaked up” everything from the
pattern of the intricate “daak shaaj” to the taste of the “kawdma” served during the puja. She
left India with the tastes, sights and smells of her “Barir” Durga Pujo well ingrained in her head.
It could be years before she returned home for the the Pujas again.
The year 2005 turned out to be rather uneventful. Going back to India at least once during the Pujas had stabilized the emotional state of the wiser 23 year old. She no longer sobbed
during the pujas. Instead, she appeared content attending the LA Pujas and sighed only intermittently.
Then in 2006, something awesome happened. San Diego Saikat held its first ever Durga
Pujo. The now working 24 year old no longer had to drive 2 hours (the sari crumpled, the
makeup ruined & the spirits sagging) to attend Durga Puja. It was just like back home where
people strolled in to their “para-r pujo” and stayed back for some late afternoon “adda” or went
back home only to return a few hours later in dazzling new clothes. It felt so much like the Pujas she knew. The 2006 Saikat Puja was probably the first Durga Puja she genuinely gushed
about on her telephone calls to India.
Today, she is 25 and in school for the second time. She no longer spends her Pujas besieged by feelings of unbearable sadness. Instead, she spends those 2 days celebrating with people she has known intimately for the last 6 years or so. She realizes that this is the closest she
will ever get to her home. Finally, she is at peace.
And yes, those Durga Puja phone calls have gotten shorter and usually end with her going, ”Accha, ebar rakhi....sheje guje Pujo te jete hobe tow.”
18
Ahana Chakrabarty
Losers’ Weepers
Pritha Dewanjee
Two people were walking along a rushing river,
On a sandy shore where the soft winds quiver.
They saw a portal of great proportions,
Popping up in a rapid, quick motion.
It was indeed a strange event,
But the couple entered without sentiment.
The two walked into the silvery concoction
And were never to be seen on this dimension.
People kept living their lives without thinking,
They never noticed the couple that had gone missing
You see, the two were not worthwhile a weep,
They were only a couple of conspicuous black sheep.
19
Vasundara Sengupta (Age: 6 years )
———————————————————————————————————————————————————————
Mayukh Raha (Age: 8 years )
20
21
(Mrs. Chatterjee is the Mother of Sharmila Chatterjee)
——————————————————————————————————————————————————
Deer Family— Ahana Chakraborty (Age: 9 years)
22
Universal Sympony — Ritwik Bandyopadhyay
—————————————————————————————————
Reading is Fun
Shibangi Pal (8 years)
Reading, reading, reading,
Reading is fun,
When I am done with one book,
I start another one.
I borrow books from the library,
And also from the class,
I read them in my home,
And also in the bus.
Books give me knowledge,
About people and world,
Books are my best friend,
In the whole wide world.
23
————————————————————————
Welcome to a world of total body science
Quality nutritional
Personal skin care
A healthier you, inside and out.
Start now and make 2008 your best year ever! Get a jump-start to healthy living with USANA
Health Sciences’ RESET™: The 5-Day High-Fiber Cleanse can help you overcome carbohydrate cravings and start losing weight. Each RESET™ kit contains everything you need to get
started, including a DVD explaining the program.
For more information contact:
Sharmila Das Melnychuk
(760) 434-6767
sharmila_melnychuk@yahoo.com
website: sharmiladas.usana.com
Discover a healthier, happier you.
24
Taj Mahal — Shraman Ray Choudhuri (12 years)
25
Mark Twain in Bengal
Gautam Bandyopadhyay
“This is indeed India! The land of dreams and romance, of fabulous wealth and fabulous
poverty, of splendor and rags, of palaces and hovels, of famine and pestilence, of genii and giants and Aladdin lamps, of tigers and elephants, the cobra and the jungle, the country of hundred nations and a hundred tongues, of a thousand religions and two million gods, cradle of human race, birthplace of human speech, mother of history, grandmother of legend, greatgrandmother of tradition, whose yesterdays bear date with the mouldering antiquities of the rest
of the nations-the one sole country under the sun that is endowed with an imperishable interest
fir alien prince and alien peasant, for lettered and ignorant, wise and fool, rich and poor, bond
and free, the one land that all men desire to see, and having seen once, by even a glimpse,
would not give that glimpse for the shows of all the rest of the globe combined.” -- Mark
Twain, from Following The Equator, 1897.
“So far as I am able to judge, nothing has been left undone, either by man or Nature, to
make India the most extraordinary country that the sun visits on his round. Nothing seems to
have been forgotten, nothing overlooked. Always, when you think, you have come to the end of
her tremendous specialties and have finished hanging tags upon her as the Land of the Thugs,
the land of the Plague, the Land of Famine, the Land of giant Illusions, the land of stupendous
mountains, and so forth, another specialty crops up and another tag is required. I have been
overlooking the fact that India is by an unapproachable supremacy –the Land of Murderous
Wild Creatures. Perhaps it will be simplest to throw away the tags and generalize her with one
all-comprehensive name, as the Land of Wonders.”—Mark Twain, from Following The Equator, 1897.
"India has two million gods, and worships them all. In religion all other countries are paupers; India is the only millionaire." --Mark Twain, from Following The Equator, 1897.
Those remarks pretty much sum up Mark Twain’s outlook towards India. Mark Twain was
traveling around the world, and on January 19th, 1896, his ship anchored at the Bombay port.
After spending sometime in Bombay, he took train to Allahabad, Banaras, and then to Calcutta.
At that time, Calcutta was still the capital of India.
Before he started his journey from America, he was aware of the Religious Conference at
the Chicago World Fair, 1993, through newspaper reporting. He knew that there were 20 odd
numbers of Indian delegates at the conference because he read some excerpts of their eloquent
speeches in the newspapers. But he never gave any thought to it. However, frequent reports on
the conference proceedings, dispatched by Swami Vivekananda and others, highlighted the local news in all Indian cities (to be fair, The Chicago Tribune also ran the conference proceedings as major coverage for two weeks). But while in India, more than two years after the conference, reporters still asked him a lot about the conference. When he introduced himself to someone as an American, the response was “Oh, you are from the land of George Washington and
the Holy City of Chicago.” He found it humorous but also felt the religious nerve in Indian
minds.
Throughout his journey in India, Twain marveled at the flow of color and variety, patience
and tolerance in the masses. During one cold, breezy, early morning stroll along the long stretch
26
of veranda of a hotel he saw a native servant, bare body and leg, quietly sitting outside the
closed door, waiting for summons from his master inside. After an hour, finding him sitting
still, exposed to cold, Twain became impatient and went to tell the servant “Jaldi Jao,” That did
not help. Realizing that his morning pleasure stroll had been ruined, he diverted himself to other
activities.
In Calcutta, he was impressed by the British presence. Being acutely aware that the colony
was there primarily for rich useful resources, he also felt that British had made serious commitment to do more in India. Twain felt that the development of railways, museums, roads, universities, undergraduate colleges, engineering and medical colleges, medical research, botanical
gardens, geological surveys etc. would be beneficial to both natives and whites.
Twain wondered about why he did not see any working women in the fields in India. That
was in contrast to poor areas in Europe and America where working young and old women
were common in the fields. He found the contrast also in Darjeeling where Gurkha women were
working everywhere.
Mark Twains’ Darjeeling trip was memorable in many ways. There was the journey when
he made multiple stops outside the city and surveyed the villages. He liked the green fields and
thick mud houses of the farmers. Waiting at the major railway stations never bothered him; he
would stand outside watching varieties of activities in the station. Once he did not notice that
the waiting train had almost left the station when the native train guard at the back noticed him
and brought the train back to the station to pick him up. Climbing up to the Darjeeling Mall by
the Toy Train was so much joy to him that he wished it could last one week. The surroundings,
the mountains, the lush green scenario with innumerable numbers of botanical species and up
and down rides fascinated him so much that he wrote a lengthy account of that.
———————————————————————————
———————————————————————————
Warmest Wishes for Durga Puja To All
27
Month of the Year
Rajarshi Gupta
Ashwin has always been the month in which
A Bengali’s spirit soars to its lofty reach.
The reason is the spectacle of Ma Durga’s reign
With 4 kids, a lion, and an evil demon being slain.
A spectacle it is, in every meaning and sense
As Kolkata bedecks itself in splendor, pomp, and presence.
Domestic prep starts with months of planning
Gifts, jewellery, sweets and sarees for every evening.
Stupendous pandals where reality is surpassed by the fake,
White House in Behala, and Hogwarts in Salt Lake.
Lighting crew from ChandanNagore weaves its magic wand
Enacting scenes from Ramayana, Dhoom, Don and beyond.
Four days of grandeur, and sleepless nights to boot
The Bengali’s enthusiasm deserves a worthy salute.
And don’t forget the assaults on the gastronomic map
Tele Bhaja, Phuchka, Egg Roll, Fish Fry, and Mangsher Chap.
Sorry to break this reverie, but we’re far from it all
It’s a price to live in USA, where Pujo is not part of Fall;
San Diego is wonderful with its beaches, sun and sea
But a slice of Bengal it definitely finds hard to be.
Until last year, when SAIKAT took up the challenge
To celebrate in style – Durga Pujo we will arrange.
The venue was booked, and pandal decorated,
Invitations went out, and volunteers responded.
The ensuing weekend was a fantastic success
With Anjali, Arati and Dhunuchi Naach, no less.
And lest we forget – food was an absolute treat
Maacher Kalia, Rosogolla, and Khichuri were hard to beat.
Sindur Khela and Kolakuli had ended that edition
Leaving us to yearn for much more of the same action
Pujo ’07 is here to celebrate Ma Durga whom we obey
As we sign off in a shout – Aaschhe Bochhor Abaar Hobey.
28
Sayan Ray Choudhury
(Age:9 years )
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
29
Durga Puja is Here Again! — Ankush Banerjee (Age: 8 years)
Durga Puja is great. She is the best and smartest god. She even killed the evil Mahishasur, just
like Ram killed Ravana. I like Durga Puja because we get to do a play, wear new cloths and
most importantly we pray Durga Thakur!
———————————————————————
4th October 2007 La Jolla Landslide — Ayush Banerjee (4 years)
30
Swagatam— Susmita H. Purkait
————————————————————————————————————
Best Wishes and Puja Greetings
from
Yogen and Niru Dalal
31
Maa Durga
Soumava Chatterjee – Age 15
According to the Hindu religion, Durga (meaning "the invincible”) is a fierce form of
Devi, the Mother Goddess. She is the unified symbol of all divine forces.
In the ancient times, a green skinned demon with the form of a giant buffalo called
'Mahishasura' earned the blessing of 'Lord Brahma' through prolonged meditation. Pleased with
the devotion of the demon, the lord blessed him with a boon that no man or Deity would be able
to kill him. Empowered with the boon, Mahishasura started his reign of terror over the Earth
and Heaven. He defeated the Indra, the king of gods, and took over the throne of Heaven.
The invasion of the heaven by the evils enraged the Trinity of the Supreme Gods, Brahma,
Vishnu, and Shiva. Their faces were flushed with anger; great flames and thunderbolts streaked
through all directions. The energy of all the fires combined and assumed a shape, in the form of
a young woman. Her face was from the light of Shiva; her ten arms were from Lord Vishnu; her
legs were from Lord Brahma.
The vanquished gods were awed by the supreme energy and enchanting beauty of Durga,
the conceived Goddess. They equipped her with their divine gifts: Shiva gave Her a trident with
a spear-end, Krishna gave her rotating disc, Varuna, the God of sea, gave her a conch and Agni
gave her a missile. From the wind, Vayu, she received arrows. The king of gods, Indra, gave her
the thunder-bolt, and the gift of his white-skinned elephant Airavata was a bell. From Yama, the
god of death, Durga received a rod, and from the Ruler of Waters she was given a noose.
Fully equipped with the weaponry and magical powers, Durga set off, seated gracefully
upon the lion and engaged the demons on the battlefield. First, the army of Shumbha and
Nishumbha, the two chief commanders of Mahishasura were destroyed. Angered by the humiliating defeat of his loyal commanders Mahishasura embarked on the battle. Unfortunately for
him, the boon could only make him invincible against all but woman. Durga roamed the battlefield and destroyed the army of demons. In a mad desperate bid, Mahishasura then reverted to
his own form, a buffalo, and charged about on the battlefield. In a wild rage, he charged at
Durga's lion. Through magical spells Mahishasura kept changing his shape and form from one
to another so as to puzzle the Devi. Finally, the Goddess beheaded the buffalo and from it
emerged Mahishasura in his original form. Durga pierced his chest with the trident, thus relieving the world from the evil power and ending the demon’s menace.
Henceforth, and to this day, the Goddess Durga is worshipped in this form. Mahishasura is
there too--frozen in the moment of final defeat, impaled by Durga's spear and seeking pardon
beneath her left foot.
32
College + Shaoni = Uh-oh
Shaoni Bandyopadhyay
Strolling down UCSD’s library walk, I quickly placed my wallet back in my purse considering my recent purchase. Well considering might not be the right word- more like gushing
about how freaking awesome it is. It being a wrap dress that can be made into a skirt and at
least ten different dress styles. Okay, it doesn’t sound that great but it was, despite my roommate’s skeptical gaze and constant protestations, “But it’s made in India! Why would you buy
something that you can get there for half the price?”
Yeah, whatever. It’s still the most exciting thing that happened to me today, I mentally
blurt, not thinking of the flaws in that statement. A more proper definition would have been the
most exciting thing that happened to me that hour. I was getting a figurative high just think
about everything else [figurative, parents, figurative].
Back to back classes of Gender Studies and Arabic, running to the information sessions at
the Career Services Center (please hire me!), and putting off all my homework to play poker
with my newfound suitemates (about that…don’t do it, always comes back to bite you). And
let’s not forget going to every fair or meeting that is offering FREE FOOD. Ha! In your face
you college conspiracies. You think you can get me to buy more meal points, well I just went
three days on free pizza.
Oh right, there was another class somewhere in there. Writing. Joy. (No offense.)
All in all it was pretty cool. Yeah the campus is huge… “So lost, so lost, so lost”...but
hey, exploring the place is what led me to this fabulous vendor selling this fabulous wrap dress
skirt thing. Okay I have no idea what it is, but what’s the point of being off on your own if you
can’t screw up and buy something completely worthless. Sorry Baba. Now if only I can figure
out how to put it on.
——————————————————————————————————
Oishi Bhattacharya
(4 years)
33
Maa Durga — Srijan Chakraborty (6 years)
34
Our Trip to Yellowstone
Sayan Chatterjee (Age 8)
This summer we went to the largest National park in the world, Yellowstone National Park.
It all started in the early morning of Aug 12, 2007. It was 5:00 in the morning and my mom
woke me up. My Mom, Dad and brother were packing all the bags for the trip. I yawned while
eating my breakfast – waffles & milk. Then we set out on our trip. After one and half hours we
reached Long Beach Airport. It was a small airport. Soon we were on our way to Salt Lake
City. After reaching there we picked up our rental car and we were on our way! It was a 6-hour
drive to the National Park. As we reached our hotel, I exclaimed, “Finally we’re here! I am Exhausted!” It was almost 7:00 pm! We took some rest in our hotel room. Then we went on a
short drive into the park. We saw a baby Elk and a Mama Elk by a river! Then we came back
to the hotel, had some dinner and went to bed. YAWN!
When I woke up next day, I was still tired. We had our breakfast and then went to the Park.
The first thing we saw was a waterfall. Then we parked our car and went on a walk. We saw a
few geysers and hot springs. After that we went to see Old Faithful, the most famous geyser in
Yellowstone. We sat down patiently on a bench and waited! After some time, the geyser
erupted, it went about 100 feet in the air! Then we went to see the Great Fountain Geyser. We
all got soaked as the geyser erupted. We tried to hide behind the car. But still got wet! It was
so..o.. awesome! A short drive away was the White Cone Geyser. We saw it erupt twice. On
the way we saw a few bison. They were really big animals! The last stop of the day was Midway Geyser Basin.
Next two days, we saw many other famous places like the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone.
Along the drive we saw many animals too – Elk, Moose, Deer, Coyote! We also saw many
more Geyer and Hot Springs. We also went to see Mammoth Hot Springs, Yellowstone Lake.
On the last day, we went to another National Park called Grand Teton. On the way, we saw
a BEAR! My mom was going nuts! It was so exciting! My mom jumped out of the car and took
pictures. After we reached the Park, we took a lo..o..ng drive around the whole Park. We took
many pictures the famous Grand Teton Mountain. They were the coolest! We also saw more
bison and antelopes. In the evening there was a big thunderstorm!
Finally it was time to go back home. We drove back to Salt Lake City, took a plane back to
Long Beach Airport. The weather was not good and we got delayed for an hour because of a
thunderstorm. The flight was very bumpy and scary! Dad picked up our car and we drove back
home to San Diego. I feel asleep on the way. This trip was the most amazing and the best experience ever!! I am going to always remember this vacation!!!
35
The Happy Clown
Snighdha Paul
Often, a person will observe from far away and form judgments from the “data” collected, but often enough, the circumstances always seem to be different when glanced over with
a more critical eye. I do not mean to mislead you by telling you to never ‘judge a book by it’s
cover’, but then again, if I don’t you may leave this essay, or brief document, far away from the
mother ship and utterly confused.
My name is Snighdha Paul. Some statistics: Junior at Rancho Bernardo High School,
Age 16 (almost 17) American Citizen, 5’ 2 ½” ( pushing 3), shoe size 5 ½ to 6. Now from
these useless facts, would you be able to derive who I really am?
I attend Rancho Bernardo High School (as I’ve already commented on thus far), and I
must shed some light on its current situation. My goal in this school is all too simplistic, as well
as overbearing: it encompasses my whole 10 ½ (plus more) years. I want, or better yet, I need
to get in to college. Now, unlike some kids out there, to me, college is not only a place to gain
independence, develop a sense of pride in one’s achievement, or even get away, I just want to
get accepted. We’re encouraged throughout our childhood, to strive for the highest point, and
to, regardless of anything, reach the apex of our relative existence. I’ll have you know, that
mine is to go to the college that accepts me.
Walking through school on a regular day (not one of those horrible ones), I see a multitude of ecstatic faces, cheering me on as I walk through the hallways, “Hurry up, Snighdha!”
they shout, “ You can make it! Just believe in yourself.” So when I finally do reach the classroom door, only seconds before the bell rings, they are there to pat me on the back and yell,
“Nice one! We knew you could do it!”
Let me now introduce the real circumstance of the high school I go to: It seems as if the
population of 3,000 students blends into a nameless boiling pot of cultures, almost a microcosm
of the supposed real world out there. The faces are faceless to me, features blending into another, and on a daily basis, more people come into existence in my life. Dotted amongst the
campus are those stereotypical cliques you may find in those teen movies. It’s almost as if we
strive to fall into step with the metronome even when the tune is discordant. Our school, or the
majority of it, does not know the meaning of patriotism, nor do I. Blue and gray is the color of
the ocean, they probably think to themselves, or on a greater level, that kid is a nerd. Deathly
glances and mutated smiles fill their blank faces. Friends always expect something more. The
Olympics of school does not simply end upon victory.
I have group of friends at school I have known for 6 years, but to tell you the truth, I do
not feel any sort of connection to them. I harbor a hardened exterior, and I appear nomadic as I
walk from person to person, smiling but never feeling that happiness. School is an excuse for
competition, or proving that one has the greater ability. This group of friends does not answer
my question when I need help, but instead interrogates why I would ever need help on such a
“dumb” question. The brightest kids in school somehow seem the most removed from social
existence. They jeer the kids who in turn tease them, and this cyclic rotation is often enough
confusing. A child may hope to become popular in this school, but along with this achieved
resonance of greatness comes the sacrifice of moral values. Yes, there are problems in our
schools. There have been bomb threats and school shootings. Their have been deaths due to
36
poor judgment, as well as ignorance. How ironic it is that the place of enlightenment, proves
important in very few. In this school, I see people signing their names as presidents of clubs,
but when it comes to the underlying importance of their contribution, their reply cannot even
fill a line of thought.
This is only my biased view of school, but I call attention now to the outside
“pressures”. My primary motive of achieving greatness in school, are my parents. They tell me
I will succeed, but I have the chance I may not. Thy know that I am trying my best, but sometimes I doubt whether I am doing enough. In school, being around the elite academics, makes
me very unsure of my own place in this world. When a kid complains about a B+ in AP Calculus BC by justifying their stupidity, you may begin to fathom the reaction of the other kids who
can only hope to achieve a good score on the math portion in SAT. I question the value of an A,
when a column of A’s is only that: a column of A’s. At lunch, we sit at a bench. A few trees
encircle us, but somehow we choose to always face the sun. Even on rainy days, we sit under
the pouring clouds. On spirit days, the bench serves as a crowded sitting place for 8 skinny kids,
when there is only room for 4. The other kids decide to throw water bottles at each other, as
well as other condiments and shoes. Another group of kids watches with disdained expressions,
nodding their heads and snickering to themselves. Another reaction may not even amount to
disdain, but simply stopping, chilling the atmosphere with a blank stare, and then moving on.
The best years of our lives somehow seems so uneventful and non-earth shattering.
No matter how much of a sheltered life we live in school, its curious inner workings still
sets us up for the real world. Walking through the streets on a regular day, I see a collection of
tall, shadowed figures, glaring at me, “Hey kid, didn’t your parents teach you some manners?”
Of course! It is to them I can attest that I have never fallen to the evil traps of my comrades, or
that I’ve yet to understand the meaning of hate, because I have never experienced it. When I
walk through the hallways, I may not cheerfully smile, or even attempt to connect with my
peers, but I’ve learnt to acknowledge each person. It’s often said that there’s a difference between seeing and seeing. Yes there is. One is bolded. This does not exemplify its nature, or
even give the viewer a denotation. Do you see me? I see you.
———————————————————————————————————
———————————————————————————————————
Toddler Prodigy
Pritha Dewanjee
1,2,3,4
Why am I living this life for?
5,6,7,8
Slowing the speed of light is worth the wait.
9,10,11,12
Wish others could think for themselves
37
Random Thoughts-- Risha Sinha
38
Oct. 13 2007, Saturday Night Drama Details
Babuder Dalkukure is a comedy about a quirky contest between two government ministers
who want to impress the Chief Minister to be selected for a foreign trip (to the Netherlands). The minister in charge of vegetable production has planted cauliflower on his rooftop. In the mean time, the bird-minister has taken a large parrot as a pet. Which will impress
the chief minister more? Can the vegetable minister's servant along with his wife find a way to
win the contest? And what will the Chief Minister ultimately decide?
Direction:
Ranjan Raha
Casts: Madan:
Rudranil Deb Roy
Indumati:
Gouri Chakraborty
Sabji Mantri:
Dipak Gupta
Hosen:
Kankan Bhattacharjee
Mukhyo Mantri: Gautam Bandyopadhyay
Pakshi Mantri: Ranjan Raha
Stage/Light:
Music:
Prompters:
Avijit Chakraborty
Bani Kumar Maiti
Aparna Mahanta, Sumana Chakraborty
Babuder Dalkukure Team
39
Saturday Evening Classical Dance Part I
Item 1 (5 minutes 20 seconds): A dance in Kathak style to the popular Hindi movie song
"Kahe Chhedo Mohe" from the movie Devdaas. Performed by Ruchi Jain.
Item 2 (8 minutes 20 seconds): This item will demonstrate pure classical kathak dance in
Jaipur gharana. In this item, the performers are going to demonstrate Ganesh Vandana, todas,
kavita todas and parans. They will also demonstrate tukdas and tihais in taal Tritaal. The performers are Ruchi Jain, Prachi Karande, Priyanka Karande and Pooja Magavi. The item is
choreographed by Sharavati Sathe
Item 3. (5 minutes): This item is a classical Kathak dance to a tune by Pandit Birju Maharaj.
This performance will highlight intricate footwork, skillful pirouettes and graceful movements
and expressions. Performers are Komal Jain, Ruchi Jain, Prachi Karande, Priyanka Karande,
Pooja Magavi, Sharavati Sathe. The item is choreographed by Sharavati Sathe
Item 4 (Bengali number”Akhoni Keno Jaabe Chole)
Performaers from Sharavati Sathe’s Dance school
40
Saturday Evening Classical Dance Part II
Odissi Dance: Odissi is one of the seven recognized forms of Indian classical dance. It originates from the eastern state of Orissa and dates back to the 2nd century BC. Odissi is well
known for its lyrical nature, grace, fluid movements and asymmetrical body style. Some of the
Odissi postures can be seen today in the sculptures of ancient Hindu, Jain, and Buddhist temples and caves of Orissa.
Mangala Charan: A performance of Odissi customarily begins with an invocational dance
known as the Mangala Charan. The dancers enter the stage with flowers, seeking blessings
from Lord Jagannath, the Lord of the Universe and the presiding deity at any Odissi performance. This is then followed by Bhumi Pranam, to pay respect to Mother Earth. Subsequently,
the dancer gives obeisance to a god or goddess of the Hindu pantheon.
This evening’s managala charan is in praise of goddess Durga. The devotee says, “O goddess
Durga, you have a golden radiance. Your third eye looks into the future and your smile is so
beautiful. In your hands, you hold the shanka – the conch, the chakra - the discus, and you are
the embodiment of the female energy. You bestow blessings to all your devotees. You are the
slayer of the demon Mahisa, and you represent the five essential elements (water, air, fire, sky
and earth) of the Universe”.
Choreography: Guru Gangadhar Pradhan and Aruna Mohanty
Dancer: Shibani Patnaik
Pallavi: Pallavi literally means elaboration. This pure dance item starts with slow, lyrical
movements based on a raga, or melodious tune. The dance then slowly evolves along with the
music ending in fast-paced footwork and complex body movements. Today’s Pallavi is based
on Raag Basanth.. The artists include Arundhati Chakraborty, Gargi Chattopadhyay, Manali
Holankar, Makana Krulce, and Shweta Shetty. They have studied Odissi under Gurus Aruna
Mohanty and Yudhisthir Nayak, and Shibani Patnaik at the Center for World Music.
Choreography: Late Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra
41
Best wishes to all devotees and
Attendees from
Navatara Inc.
Houston, Texas
Happy Bijoya and Durga Puja
by
Kaushik, Madhumita,
Arnav & Antara Chatterjee
42
With best complements from
43
Best Wishes and Puja Greetings
to all devotees and
Attendees from
PriPro Polymers, Inc.
Happy Bijoya and Durga Puja by
Pijush K. Dewanjee and Team
“PriPro, A New World of Innovative Polymers”
Enhance the performance of existing polymers by chemical Cross-Linking.
Process these Cross-Linked polymers economically by Injection Molding and Extrusion methods.
Focus on Injection Moldable / Extrudable Polyurethanes with mechanical properties better
than Castable Polyurethane products.
Contact Information:
PriPro Polymers, Inc. 3746 Saddle Drive
Carlsbad, CA 92010 USA
Phone I: (760) 473 – 5577 II: (760) 518 - 9422
Fax: (760) 433 – 6628, Email: Info@pripropolymers.com
44
ISS
INDIA SWEET & SPICES
(Spice for life)
King of Groceries
Indian, Middle Eastern and International Groceries
Fresh Indian Vegetables every weekend
Fresh sweets every day
Coming soon!!
Meat and Fish
We will beat and meet everybody’s prices in the town
Location:
5440 Clairemont Mesa Blvd.
San Diego, CA 92117
Contact:
Prakash and Rajesh Jawa
Phone: (858) 277-5787
Fax: (858) 277-5788
IndiaSweetsandSpices@yahoo.com
Hours of Operation
Monday: 12.00 - 9:00pm
Tues – Sat: 10:30am - 9:00pm
Sunday: 10:30am - 8:00pm
Best wishes and Puja Greetings from
Season’s greetings and best complements from
Bernardo Dental Office Team
We specialized in all phases of general dentistry including:
Cosmetic Dentistry (i.e. Veneers, Lava Crowns, Implant Crowns)
Adult and child complete Orthodontics;
Invisalign braces;
Endodontics (root canals);
TMJ disorders;
Full Mouth Rehab;
Prosthodontics (dentures);
Periodontics (gum treatments);
ViziLite (oral cancer screening);
Zoom! teeth whitening.
Our office features latest technology in digital x-rays, laser treatments, intra-oral
photos, and cable television in all operatories. We offer calm and relaxed environment.
Contact:
Namita Dutta, D.D.S
Bernardo Dental Office
16466 Bernardo Center Dr., Ste. 185
San Diego, CA 92128
Phone: 858-676-1845
For more details please visit the website:
www.nduttadds.com
Hours of Operation
Monday - 7:30am - 5:00pm
Tuesday - 7:30am - 5:00pm
Wednesday - 7:30am - 5:00pm
Thursday - 7:30am - 5:00pm
Friday - Sunday Closed