Ananda Mandir
269 Cedar Grove Lane Somerset, NJ 08873
Ananda Sangbad A Quarterly Publication of Ananda Mandir, New Jersey
SCIENCE AND RELIGION By Asok Baral (New Jersey)
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he word “Science” is derived from the Latin word “Scientia” and the French word “Scire” which means “to know”. The knowledge of science is based on systematic observations and analysis of phenomena inherent in the materials and functions of the universe. The word “Religion” is derived from the Latin word “religio-onis” meaning obligation, bond and reverence. In popular perception, it is the belief in a superior power, perceived as God or “Gods” that must be worshipped. There has been a vast amount of research on the relationship between science and religion, much of it available in internet, since the paired words “Science and Religion” or “Religion and Science” gained in parlance in the 19th century. But the opinions on the relationship are not uniform amongst the scientists and theologians. The relationship has been put into 4 categories by Anglican priests and physicist John Polkinghorne: (1) Conflicts between the disciplines, (2) Independence of the disciplines, (3) Dialogue between the disciplines, and (4) Integration of the disciplines. Essentially, they covered the whole gamut, and we can explore each area. The “Conflict” between science and religion was described most forcefully by the British evolutionary biologist Richard Dawkins: “Not only is science corrosive to religion; religion is corrosive to science. It teaches people to be satisfied with trivial, supernatural nonexplanations and blinds them to the wonderful real explanations that we have within our grasp. It teaches them to accept authority, revelation and faith instead of always insisting on evidence”. Indeed, the two most well-known cases of the conflict between science and religion are Darwin’s theory of evolution as stipulated in his 1859 book “On the Ori-
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PUJA CALENDAR JULY 2026
Religion is the science of the soul
gin of Species”, and Galileo’s theory on Heliocentric (SunCentered) Universe in early 17th century. And the conflict continues even today not only on the theory of evolution, but in other areas of current research such as the reproductive cloning or genetic mutations. The “Independence” of science and religion is described by American evolutionary biologist and historian of science, Stephen Jay Gould: “science and religion deal with fundamentally separate aspects of human experience and so, when each stay within its own domain, they coexist peacefully”. Similar view is expressed by British philosopher and epistemologist Walter Terence Stace: “Science and religion, when each is viewed in its own domain, are both consistent and complete”. As for the “Dialogue” between science and religion, there are scholars who belong to the institutions that are interested in exploring the intersection of science and religion. The institutions include the “Center for Theology and the Natural Sciences”, “Institute on Religion in an Age of Science”, and “Ian Ramsey Center for Science and Religion at the University of Oxford”. The “Integration” view of science and religion is that while the two traits maybe distinct, they are deeply intertwined. The belief here is that there are two ways humanity seeks to understand the world. Whereas, science investigates the physical
Science without religion is lame, religion without science is blind
mechanisms of the natural world (the how), religion addresses the spiritual, moral, and existential questions (the why). Scientist and theologian Alister McGrath gave an interesting metaphor that the theology and science are two complimentary maps of reality. Consider two maps of a nation, one showing its political boundaries, and the other showing its geology. The two maps are quite different, but we need to study both to get a complete picture of the nation. Likewise, we can get a full picture of the complexity of our world by studying science for “the how” and religion for “the why” questions. The practitioners of different religions have followed different paths to establish or refute this integration. For example, in Hinduism, the ancient scientific advancements were amalgamated with scholastic activities. Ancient Hindu sages categorized acquiring of knowledge into two spheres: Apara Vidya (acquired through observation and logic) and Para Vidya (transcendental and spiritual knowledge acquired through realization), and both are viewed as valid pursuits of truth. This dual pursuit of knowledge has fascinated many modern-day scientists, including Erwin Schrodinger and Robert Oppenheimer, who noted the similarities between the philosophies of Gita and Upanishads with modern-day physics. Many
have noted that the spiritual knowledge described in Hindu texts, such as the scale of the universe, aligns amazingly well with the modern astrophysical scales. Hindu concepts of infinite expansion and contraction - the yugas and kalpas - have similarities with modern theories of Big Bang and Big Crunch. The integration of religion and science can best be seen in the design and construction of many Hindu temples. The Konark temple in Orissa, built in mid-13th century, is a classic example. It is a place of worship, but we see the application of advanced astronomy, precise geometry and structural engineering. There are 24 massive ten feet - diameter curved wheels each with 8 major spokes divided into 3 sections. These represent 12 months and 24 hours in a day, and the time of the day can be precisely calculated by the shadows cast by the sun. The temple is oriented along the east-west axis, so the first rays of the sun enter the main entrance and illuminate the primary idol. The temple used rustresistant iron in concealed beams and was designed for structural stability. Its dancing hall features acoustic systems to carry chants and music through the complex, and it is believed that magnetic materials were included to interact with earth’s magnetic waves. We see the application of science enhancing the worship of God. continue to page 3 }
Shyama Puja, Monday, July 13 Jagannath Rathajatra, Thursday, July 16 Ultorath Jatra, Friday, July 24 Satyanarayan Puja, Friday, July 24 AUGUST 2026 Shyama Puja, Wednesday, August 12 Rakhi Purnima, Thursday, August 27 Satyanarayna Puja, Thursday, August 27 SEPTEMBER 2026 Janmastomi, Friday, September 4 Shyama Puja, Thursday, September 10 Ganesh Chaturthi, Tuesday, September 15 Biswakarma Puja, Friday, September 18 Satyanarayan Puja, Saturday, September 26 (*) See www.anandamandir.org or Call Mandir for details
Special Religious Services: Upon request, the priest of Ananda Mandir offers services such as in-house Shraddhas, Rituals associated with Cremations (Antyesti Kriya), Shraddha Anniversaries, Pre-wedding rituals (Naandimukh, Ashirwad, etc.), Upanayan (Paitey), Annaprasan, Wedding Ceremonies & Wedding Anniversaries, Griha Prabesh (Bhumi Puja), Consecrations of new cars (New Car Pujas) and others. If you have needs for any of the above or more, please feel free to contact Biswabhai @ 732-873-9821
2 July 2026 Ananda Sangbad A Periodical Newsletter Published By
ANANDA MANDIR (A Tax-Exempt, Non-Profit Organization) 269 Cedar Grove Lane Somerset, NJ 08873 Phone: 732-873-9821 Website: www.anandamandir.0rg
PUBLICATION COMMITTEE Chairperson Debajyoti Chatterji Assistant Chair Subrata Bhaumik Editor-in Chief Asok Baral Editors Pradip Das Subhodev Das Tathagata Ghosh Sophia Mitra Rahul Ray All queries, articles, news reports and letters should be directed to AsokBaral@hotmail.com *** For general information, please contact the following executives of Ananda Mandir: Anjan Lahiri President Jai Prakash Biswas Vice President Debajyoti Chatterji Vice President Ashok Rakhit Vice President Arun Bhowmik General Secretary Sanchoy Das Treasurer Pradip Majumdar Assistant Treasurer
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Ananda Sangbad
MINUTES OF 2026 ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING Reported by Arun Bhowmik (New Jersey) Ananda Mandir 2026 Annual General Meeting was held on May 17, 2026 The meeting was held in an informal manner, with attendees sitting at round dining tables with tea and snacks. It was a pleasant, relaxed “Chatroom Style” meeting. Arun Bhowmik, Ananda Mandir’s General Secretary, formally opened the meeting at 12 pm. Biswabhai blessed the meeting, said a few words. We observed a minute of silence for the departed soul of our beloved member Suprasad BaidyaRoy, who was loved, revered, and respected by not only all Ananda Mandir members, but by all in the Bengali community. Suprasad was a major figure in Ananda Mandir since its inception. His contributions to Ananda Mandir were enormous and cannot be expressed with simple words. Arun Bhowmik requested the chairpersons of our 3 major committees (Puja Committee, Finance Committee, and Cultural Committee) to present their reports. Mita Sinha, the chairperson of the Puja Committee, stated that the overall activities of thePuja Committee went very well throughout the year. We performed all the scheduled 150 pujas during the year, over 300 private pujas by Biswabhai covering all standard religious functions. We alsohad a substantial revenue of over $379K from all major Pujas, private pujas, and various donations. Our prepaid registrations for Crowd Control are working well. There were no chaos or overcrowding issues during any of the major events. Mita thanked all volunteers who contributed tothe smooth running of the Puja committee events. Sanchoy Das, chairperson of the Finance Committee, presented a very informative, comprehensive, and detailed Finance Report of 2025 outlining our revenue figures and revenue sources, our expenses in various areas, our loan balances, our future forecast, and financial details of the Front House reconstruction project. It was a great report with a very positive outlook for the future. Total Revenue from various sources in 2025 was over $845K, and total Operating Expense was $390.2K. Our total Liabilities as of 12/31/25 are down to $188.3K from $766.5K as of 12/31/24. Our current Net Asset is over $7,131K. For the Front House reconstruction, which should cost around $1.1M, we will pay $600K in 2026. And with a very conservative estimate of Annual Fundraising revenue along with the revenue from major
Pujas in the coming years, we should be totally debt-free by 2028. Sajal Mukherjee, Cultural Committee Chairperson, was not able to attend the meeting. He sent the details of the Cultural Committee events in 2025, and these were presented by Anjan Lahiri. There were quite a few programs staged in 2025. The notable ones were a few dramas in January, Rabindra Sangeet by Shreya Guha Thakurata in March, Sitar Recital by Abhshek Mallick in May, and Sacred Minds Musical event by Pt Subhen Chatterjee, Jessie Bannister, and Soumyojoti. In 2026, we already staged two Badal Sarkar Plays (Choruibhati and Sada Kalo) in March. In May, there was a talk on AI and Spiritual Consciousness by Swami Sarbapriyananda Ji, and it attracted a very large audience (more on it later). Ananda Sandhya, which used to be a signature event at Ananda Mandir, is being revived. Three Ananda Sandhya programs have already been presented since September 2025. Anjan Lahiri discussed in detail all the other committee activities that are an integral part of our operation (food committee, maintenance committee, publication committee, event management committee, etc.). He then gave his very informative speech on the broad picture of Ananda Mandir, its future, and its financial health. After all the speeches, Arun Bhowmik opened the floor for “Questions and Answers”. Anjan Lahiri gave very clear, concise answers to all the questions from the floor. It was apparent that, based on earlier presentations, the attendees were satisfied with how the institution is being run and managed. There were not many questions, and the donors had a sense of comfort that Ananda Mandir is moving in the right direction, managed by people with proper skills and talent. Anjan announced, to everyone’s delight, that so far today (May 17 at 3 PM), we have raised over $375K and have pledges of over $400K. This will go a long way towards the Front House reconstruction cost. Arun Bhowmik made closing remarks, announced that we had over 55 signatures in the Attendance Record, and these exceeded the number required for a quorum.The meeting was over at 3 pm. Arun also announced that there is no necessity for the election of Trustees since no nominations were received. Anjan Lahiri gave a hearty thanks to all attendees and invited all to Lunch.
July 2026
Ananda Sangbad
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OUR FRONT HOUSE RECONSTRUCTION After careful planning, a complete reconstruction of the Front House has been started. The new building will be 2-storied on the existing foundation, and the existing basement will be finished. The new building will have comfortable accommodationsfor two priests, and our space for religious, cultural, educational, and social activities will be much larger. The project budget is $1.1M, and the entire project is expected to be completed by mid-February 2027 (around Saraswati Puja). | continue from page 1 To understand the complementary nature of the science-religion relationship, I explored the views of two towering personalities of religion and science. Swami Vivekananda saw science and religion as two disciplines seeking the same ultimate truth. He said that “Religion deals with the truths of the metaphysical world just as chemistry and other natural sciences deal with the truths of the physical world. The book one must read to learn chemistry is the book of nature. The book from which to learn religion is your own mind and heart”. Swamiji asserted that spiritual truths must be investigated with the same rigorous, rational and experimental methods as we do for physical sciences. In his opinion, both religion and science attempt to free humanity from bondage. Whereas scientist investigates the external world (the macrocosm), a spiritual leader investigates the internal world (the microcosm), and true knowledge requires the synthesis of both. Swamiji believed that material science brings worldly prosperity, but spiritual science leads to lasting inner peace and self-realization. Swamiji saw Advaita Vedanta as the philosophical foundation that perfectly aligns with modern science. Both try to unravel the unity in diversity. What science searches for inthe “unified field theory” of physical matter is similar to Vedanta’s position that the entire universe is interconnected by one underlying, infinite divine consciousness. In another similarity between Vedanta and modern physics, Swamiji said that matter and force (energy) are not two separate entities, but rather different manifestations of the same underlying substrate. He used Sankhya cosmological terms Prana (cosmic energy) and Akasha (primal matter/ether) to explain that everything in universe is the result of two components acting together. When Swamiji met the pioneering inventor Nikola Tesla in 1896 in New York, and talked about matter and energy interchangeability, Tesla could not agree. Only nine years later, Einstein proved this oneness in 1905 with his famous equation: E = Mc^2. Tesla maintained a lifelong fascination
SCIENCE AND RELIGION with Vedantic cosmology. Swamiji also wrote about the power of the atom. He stated that an invisible atom contains the “whole power and potency of the universe”, and his intuition proved to be right in the later discovery of the atomic energy locked within the atomic nucleus. Albert Einstein: He is universally known for his contribution to modern science, but less known are his vast writings on science and religion. He famously stated that “I am not an atheist” but preferred to call himself an agnostic or a “religious nonbeliever”. In some interviews, he spoke of his belief in a “cosmic lawgiver” who sets the laws of the universe. In his rejection of the conflict between science and religion, he stated that the “cosmic religion” was necessary for science. His “cosmic religious feeling” was a profound sense of awe, wonder, and humility in the face of the universe’s grandeur and mathematical harmony. He stated that, “I believe in Spinoza’s God who reveals himself in the orderly harmony of what exists, not in a God who concerns himself with fates and actions of human beings”. Where he differed from the traditional preachers of religion is that he explicitly rejected the concept of an anthropomorphic or personal God who rewarded good and punished evil. According to Einstein, the highest form of religious experience is the pursuit of science itself. In his famous article “Religion and Science” published on November 9, 1930, issue of New York Times, Eistein stated that: “cosmic religious experience is the strongest and noblest driving force behind scientific research”, and that “great scientific breakthroughs came from a deep, emotional conviction in the rationality and perfection of the universe”. In “Science, Philosophy and Religion, A Symposium”, published by the Conference on Science, Philosophy and Religion in Their Relation to the Democratic Way of Life (New York, 1941), Einstein stated that: “Accordingly, a religious person is devout in the sense that he has no doubt of the significance and loftiness of those super person-
al objects and goals which neither require nor are capable of rational foundation. They exist with the same necessity and matter-of-factness as he himself. In this sense religion is the age-old endeavor of mankind to become clearly and completely conscious of these values and goals and constantly to strengthen and extend their effect. If one conceives of religion and science according to these definitions, then a conflict between them appears impossible. For science can only ascertain what is, but not what should be, and outside of its domain value judgments of all kinds remain necessary. Religion, on the other hand, deals only with evaluations of human thought and action: it cannot justifiably speak of facts and relationships between facts. According to this interpretation the well-known conflicts between religion and science in the past must all be ascribed to a misapprehension of the situation which has been described”.
What do other scientists say? Isaac Newton: Gravity explains the motions of the planets, but it cannot explain who set the planets in motion. God governs all things and knows all that is or can be done. Charles Darwin: The mystery of the beginning of all things is insoluble by us. Louis Pasteur (written by his sonin-law about him): Absolute faith in God and Eternity, and a conviction that the power for good given to us in this world will continue, were feelings which pervaded his whole life. The virtues of the gospel had ever been present to him. Niels Bohr: I go into the Upanishads to ask questions Carl Sagan: Science is not only compatible with spirituality; it is a profound source of spirituality.
What do today’s scientific community and the general public think? According to a survey of 22,525 scientists from different countries, a significant number of them believed in religions and the associated practices. While in the United States, 65% of scientists claimed to be atheists
(non-believers) or agnostics (neither believers nor non-believers), in India, the majority identified themselves as Hindus, and only about 20% claimed to be atheists or agnostics. Interestingly, the majority of the scientists in the survey did not find any inherent conflict between religion and science and commented that “the conflict perspective is an invention of the West”. In another international study, very few scientists stated that their training in science caused any decline in their personal religious beliefs. According to a study conducted by the Religion Among Scientists in International Context (RASIC) with 1,581 scientists from the U.K. and 1,763 scientists from India, 65% of U.K. scientists identified themselves as non-religious, while only 6% of Indian scientists identified themselves as non-religious. When it came to conflict between science and religion, 38% of U.K. scientists and only 18% of Indian scientists perceived a conflict. On a global scale, the studies made on the general public from 1981 to 2001 made the interesting conclusion that the countries with greater faith in science also had stronger religious beliefs, and less religious countries have more skepticism about science and technology. Other studies covering different nations found that religiosity was not in conflict with the interest in science.
Conclusion: Science and Religion are not contradictory; they are complementary. Just as humans need two sides of the brain – the left side for analysis and logic, and the right side for emotions and holistic visions- we need both science and religion to become complete human beings.
References: • “Religion and Science” by Professor Albert Einstein • “Relationship between Science and Religion”, from Wikipedia • “Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy”, Stanford University • and others
4 July 2026
Ananda Sangbad
THE RISE AND FALL OF A STAR – NAVEEN PATNAIK By Shamita Das Dasgupta (New Jersey)
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he terms ‘quiet’ and ‘politics’ rarely go together, not in India and not globally. They are assumed to be oppositional.Qualities such as being unobtrusive, transparent, and discreet are often seen as contradictory to the fundamental nature of politics. Generally, the politicians we see are loud and verbose, obvious and galumphing, and regardless of how much they promise ‘transparency’ while campaigning, the word is quickly obliterated from their dictionary by the win. This paradigm is well established in the world of politics. However, India has recently seen an exception to this rule in the former chief minister (CM) of Odisha (formerly Orissa), Naveen Patnaik. When I was growing up in post-independence Kolkata, many middle-class Bengali families that could afford to hire help had Odia (Oriya) cooks. They had a sterling reputation for culinary skills. So were the plumbers who arrived as God-sent to fix dripping faucets and clogged pipes. These people were itinerant workers. Of course, no one inquired into the crucial issue: why were these young men leaving their families to make a scanty living away from home? The rampant poverty plaguing the state remained unquestioned. As a young person, I viewed it as the world order. I was born in Odisha and was co-parented by an Odia person who joined our family as a cook and became a guardian to my brother and me. In addition to life lessons, I learned a lot about Odisha’s food and villages from him. In childhood, I believed myself to be an Odia, as I thought one’s location of birth determines one’s ethnicity. Thus, I cherish a special fondness for Odisha and its cultures and take a special interest in the state. When I was growing up, I had heard of Biju (Bijayananda) Patnaik, the socialistleaning chief minister of Odisha. According to my father, Patnaik was a brilliant man who was moving his state in a different direction. Biju Patnaik was the third CM of Od-
isha between 1961 and 1964 and again between 1990 and 1995. Patnaik’s fame arose not only from his political status but also from his avid love for aviation, participation in various struggles for independence, and his faith in the power of science and technology. When he was Odisha’s CM, a large part of his achievements centered on creating infrastructure for industrial development and transportation to pave the state’s future. He married a woman from Punjab, Gyanwati, who was the first woman in India to earn a commercial pilot’s license and flew missions to rescue refugees from war zones. I think this glimpse into the family history would help clarify the foundations of the political ideology embraced by the central figure of this article, Naveen – Biju Patnaik’s son. Biju Patnaik died in 1997, and his son, Naveen, entered politics the same year. However, it was only since the turn of the millennium that he began to engineer Odisha’s transformation. In 1997, Naveen Patnaik founded a new political party, named after his father, the Biju Janata Dal (BJD), in collaboration with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which was attempting to expand its influence in the eastern states.The BJP swept to power in the 1998 elections, and Naveen Patnaik was appointed a Union Minister in the Centre’s Cabinet. In 2000, Naveen resigned from his Cabinet post and was sworn in as the Chief Minister of Odisha. However, his BJD party remained a member of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), which supported the BJP. As the BJP and its allies began to institute discriminatory policies against religious minorities in India, frictions swelled within the NDA. Finally, after severely criticizing the BJP’s involvement in the antiChristian riots in Kandhamal, the BJD exited the NDA in 2009. Instead, BJD began to forge alliances with the leftleaning coalition named ‘The Third Front.’ In 2009, the BJD came to power in full force in Odisha, and Naveen Patnaik
was elected its CM for the third time. One of Naveen Patnaik’s promises to his state was to create a transparent administration. Lo and behold, it turned out not to be an empty promise! He became a highly popular CM, whose tenure was marked by transparency, rapid economic development, and anti-poverty policies. He held the second-longest term as CM in India’s political history. While his achievements and career could be examined and detailed more thoroughly by political analysts, my intention here is to offer a layperson’s view. I believe a cursory look at Naveen Patnaik’s career would reinforce the notion that, with political will and a vision for the future, social change is possible even amid kleptocratic and venal politicians. One of the strongest programs that Naveen Patnaik initiated was poverty reduction. Odisha was historically considered a poor and stagnant state with a significant percentage of an indigent population. Hence, the job migration of its people to other states. Patnaik’s anti-poverty policies were among the most aggressive in India, resulting in a drop of more than 52 percent in the poverty rate within 15 years. The cornerstone of the scheme was a set of policies to lift women out of abject poverty. The state instituted self-help groups to empower women (Mission Shakti) and provided financial support for pregnant women and nursing mothers (Mamata Scheme). In addition, the newly installed Biju Swasthya Kalyan Yojana (BSKY) provided affordable healthcare to millions. Odisha’s economic transformation was anchored by an unprecedented growth in the industrial sector – between 2015 and 2024, it was 10% per year. This was the highest rate of increase in India. BJD adopted the slogan ‘Make in Odisha,’ which proved highly effective in attracting investment. By 2024, revenues from industries made up 51% of the state’s gross economic output. Odisha was always prone
to natural disasters. Heat waves, lightning strikes, earthquakes, forest fires, floods, and cyclones contributed to the deaths of thousands every year. In addition to natural catastrophes, the state experienced manmade mishaps such as chemical and industrial accidents. Naveen’s BJD government shifted from the common post-disaster relief model to a ‘zero casualty’ policy to prevent loss of human life. The program has been extraordinarily successful and has received international recognition. Another interesting development spearheaded by the BJD government is the transformation of the Kalahandi, a tribal region. Historically, the Kalahandi region was vulnerable to severe and recurrent famines. The zone was drought-prone, and local farming methods did not adapt to its natural conditions. For decades, Kalahandi was a symbol of hopeless poverty, famine, chronic malnutrition, and deaths due to starvation. In tandem, it was plagued by accompanying social ills such as child-selling and trafficking. The BJD government implemented crop rotation and better irrigation methods to improve cultivation and reverse food scarcity in the area. In the past twenty years, the region has become a major rice-producing district and a key agricultural producer. Odisha did not fall behind in other areas, either. Naveen Patnaik’s father, Biju, had instituted the ‘Kalinga Cup’ in football (soccer). Naveen took this effort one step further and developed an A-Class hockey infrastructure, along with two world-class stadia – Kalinga Stadium and Birsa Munda Hockey Stadium. The latter is the world’s largest seated hockey stadium. In 2018 and 2023, Odisha hosted the World Cup of Hockey. Along with the progress, the BJD government maintained a high level of fiscal accountability. It reduced its liabilities and earned 60% of its total revenue from state taxes. That is, only 40% of the budget was supported by the
Centre. The tax system has been transparent, responsible, stable, and pro-poor. The BJD government’s focus on food security, industrial and infrastructure development, women’s empowerment, and the rehaul of educational institutions has fundamentally transformed the state. Naveen Patnaik’s BJD government has also been credited with maintaining stable communal harmony in the state during a time when the Centre’s BJP Government was creating fissures along religious lines. In fact, BJD broke with the BJP Government in 2008 in protest of its participation in the riots against the state’s Christian community. Instead, the BJD Government has encouraged cultural preservation by promoting the Odia language, dances, music, and literature. It was with this Government’s efforts that Odia is now recognized as a classical language. This, too, was an offshoot of Naveen Patnaik’s early interests. He started his life with the ambition to be a writer, and his formal education followed that path. I believe Patnaik has never relinquished that ambition. Another of BJD’s startling achievements was ensuring the supply of safe drinking water from the tap. Starting in Puri in 2021, the project spread to Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, Berhampur, and 99% of urban households in the state. Odisha is the first state in India to implement such a project efficaciously. The Government’s partner in this endeavor was the Women’s Self-Help Groups. Although this project covers only urban areas, the state has implemented community-led spring water projects in tribal areas such as Kalahandi and Kandhamal to provide safe drinking water. Despite all these outstanding achievements, the BJD suffered a crushing electoral defeat to the BJP in 2024. When I learned of this shocking regime change, I was flabbergasted to say the least. What happened in the Odisha constituency to bring such continue to page 14 }
July 2026
Ananda Sangbad
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THE THIRST OF INTELLIGENCE by Sajal Mukherjee (New Jersey)
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y friend said it over tea, in the lull after we had spent three hours refilling forty-five years of absence dead parents, scattered children, careers, classmates, how the world had changed. We had grown up together in the same town in India. And then, into the quiet, he said it: “India will always be a supplier of cheap labor and cheap resources to the rich countries. These AI data centers everyone is so proud of - they are only the newest name for the oldest arrangement”. I told him he was wrong. I had the speech ready - the talent, the capital, the new confidence, the way the West now courts India instead of merely using it. He let me finish, then smiled, the smile you keep for a man who has been gone a long time and does not yet know what has changed in his absence.He changed the subject, and I let him. But the sentence followed me home, the way a smell from childhood will, and it has not left. This essay is the reply I did not give him at the table. It is also - in ways I did not expect - an admission that he was not entirely wrong. To say why his sentence lodged where it did, I must go back to Bhilai, the steel town that India and the Soviet Union built together out of the central Indian scrub, where both of us grew up. Township water supply came to our home in two thirty-minute windows, one in the early morning and one at dusk, announced by the cough and shudder of the tap before anything ran. My mother kept a row of brass and steel vessels lined against the kitchen wall like soldiers. When the water came, we filled them in a hurry, because in thirty minutes the tap would sigh and go dry again. On the mornings nothing came at all, she and I crossed the lane with empty buckets to the neighbor opposite our house and carried the vessels back - heavy, the handles cutting a red line into my palm. A bath was four mugs of water over the head, strictly counted, the last one always too soon. I did not see any of this as hardship. It was simply the texture of a young country still learning to keep its promises. Then, in 1992, I came to Mumbai for work, to a brand-
new building in Kandivali East with a marble lobby and no municipal water in the taps. Every morning, a tanker groaned up to the gate, the watchman uncoiled a hose, and an underground tank was filled and pumped to the roof to give the illusion of running water. There was no drought. The towers had gone up faster than the pipes meant to feed them, and the tanker - expensive, improvised, sworn to be temporary - had hardened into a semi-permanent solution that lasted for more than a year. The thirst of my childhood had been a poor nation’s limit, and I could forgive it. This was different. This was a richer nation that had not bothered to plan. The water was an afterthought to the marble. Two thirsts. One you couldn’t yet afford to end. And the other you simply neglected to foresee. My friend’s narrative keeps me awake because the second thirst was a decision - and because I have watched my country decide it more than once. Which brings me to Visakhapatnam (or Vizag as it is popularly known), the coastal city on India’s eastern seaboard. On 28 April this year, Google broke ground there on what will be the largest data-center campus in Asia - a gigawatt of computing power across three sites, built with the Adani Group.It will be the flagship of a fifteen-billion-dollar Indian build-out unveiled with Narendra Modi and Sundar Pichai standing side by side. By 2028, it will draw as much electricity as a small city and, by the industry’s own figures, tens of millions of liters of cooling water a day. It is being built in a city that already sends tankers into its parched neighborhoods every summer. Vizag runs on roughly 130 million gallons of water a day, drawn mainly from the Yeleru reservoir and a thinning web of smaller sources. In the summer of 2024, as Bengaluru made headlines for the worst water crisis in its recorded history, Vizag was quietly drying in parallel, tankers rolling out to the neighborhoods that had run dry, as they do every year. I know those streets without being shown them - I crossed
one as a boy with an empty bucket, and watched the same trucks heave up to my own gate in Mumbai thirty years later. The pictures do not surprise me, though I should admit that the comfort of my adopted country, where the tap simply runs, has let those memories drift further away than I would like. Here, I will admit, is where my friend looks right. A gigawatt of cooling demand is being planted on a city already rationing water by truck. Google has made the expected commitments - a watershed partnership, two billion dollars for renewables, and a pledge of round-the-clock clean power by 2030.These are not nothing. But you do not announce a watershedrestoration program for a city unless the watershed is already in trouble. The promise concedes the problem. If this were only an Indian failure of planning, my friend’s sentence would collapse into mere incompetence. So, consider the other side of the world, where the same companies are being told “No”. In two years, American communities have blocked or delayed more than sixty-four billion dollars of data-center projects. In The Dalles, Oregon, a town of sixteen thousand people sued because they wanted to learn how much water Google was going to draw from its supply. The answer, after thirteen months in court, was 355 million gallons in a year - about a third of all that the town used. And the harm runs subtler than the volume. Shaolei Ren of the University of California, Riverside, whose team first measured AI’s water footprint, has shown that the ‘cleanest hour for carbon is the dirtiest for water’. While themidday sun greens the electricity, midday heat makes the cooling towers of the air conditioning units drink the hardest. Now, you drop those needs into a coastal city where afternoon temperatures often exceed100 degrees Fahrenheit, and you have created a wound. In Oregon, at least the town won the right to be told; in Vizag, they were told very little. “Even if they kill us, we will not give it away.” The woman who said that is Pyla Kondamma, a farmer and former head of her village council in Tarluvada, one of the three
villages where Google’s campus will rise. According to the Environmental Reporting Collective’s Dirty Data investigation, 200 of the 480 acres that are being acquired sit onlandsthat belong to the Dalit families, much of it handed to the landless Dalit households by the state itself in the 1970s. It was one of those rare gestures of ‘repair’ that independent India occasionally managed. They are not taking the land of the dominant castes, Kondamma says, but only the Dalit land. In her district, more than two-thirds of Dalit households own no land at all.For those who do, the couple of acres - now wanted for servers - may be all there is that feeds them. The same fault line runs through Memphis, where the NAACP is suing Elon Musk’s xAI over unpermitted gas turbines fouling the air of historically black neighborhoods beside its data centers. In America, the language is race.In India, it is caste. The logic is identical - the burden settles on whoever is least able to refuse it. And the jobs offered in exchange barely exist. In a review of 140 filings across 67 Indian projects, the Dirty Data team found that it takes, on average, three-quarters of a million dollars of investment to create a single permanent job. And in Amazon’s planned campuses near Hyderabad and Mumbai, roughly one job for every $4.2 million. Take a woman’s land, give her almost no work in return, and the question is no longer abstract. It is how she eats. Here, my friend looks more right than I would like. And yet he is not right enough, which is why I am writing this article, rather than conceding the afternoon. Walking away from the compute would be a kind of surrender. Computing in this century is what oil refining was in the last - whoever hosts it shapes the standards and depends less on the infrastructure owned by someone else. A country with India’s ambitions cannot sit this out. And handled well, hyperscale demand is one of the few forces large and steady enough to pull a real renewable grid into being. The opportunity is genuine;recklessness is optional. Exploitation is not built into the technology - it is built into the planning, and planning is one thing that a sovereign country still con-
trols. Which returns me to the pipes that never reached Kandivali on time. India already owns every tool it needs. Treated wastewater can cool these machines instead of drinking water;Chennai and Pune already pipe it to industry. Closed-loop systems can cut the thirst dramatically. Renewables with storage can feed the servers without reopening coal plants.The siting rules can keep gigawatt campuses off the most depleted aquifers and flood-prone coasts. As Mridula Ramesh, the award-winning author of The Climate Solution and Watershed, puts it: the country has all the technology it needs; what it lacks is data, governance and the will to use what it knows. The fixes follow plainly:disclose what each facility draws and emits, tie new compute to clean power in the same basin, not offsets a thousand miles away,and require the wastewater cooling that already exists. And finally, give the host village a real stake — so that Pyla Kondamma is a partner in what arrives, not a person being rolled over. None of this is invention; it is sequencing - planning before building, not apologizing after building. And that, strangely, is where my hope lives. A thingyou do to yourself is a thingyou can choose to stop. The boy in Bhilai had no say in the two thirty-minute windows.The country was poor and young, and the windows were simply the weather of his life. India in 2026 is none of those things. It has the capital, the engineers, the standing, and - if it is honest - the full knowledge of how this story will end with no planning. The means needed to stop the damage are known, the will to do it is still in doubt. Google’s campus is planned to be opened in the summer of 2028. Eighteen months stand between now and then - eighteen months’window when India will quietly decide what kind of host it wants to be. I think of a child in a lane in Vizag, a brass vessel in her hands, her ear turned toward the road, waiting for the groan of an engine that may or may not come. I know that listening. Mine took two forms - the cough of a tap stirring to life continue to page 14 }
6 July 2026
Ananda Sangbad
PLASSEY -THE BATTLE THAT CHANGED THE FATE OF INDIA AND THE HISTORY OF THE WORLD (PART 2) (Editor’s Note: Part 1 of this article was published in the January 2026 issue of Ananda Sangbad) liverdi Khan’s health was failing. His grandson and heir apparent Siraj-ud-Douwlah was feared and hated by all around him. But Aliverdi was devoted to this cruel, violent, debauched, grandson of his. So, he assented when Siraj sent a letter to Drake, the East India Company Governor of Fort William, demanding that the new fortifications be razed, the moats filled in, and that the British pledge fealty and submit to Murshidabad. Drake, ignoring instructions from England, sent a defiant reply. Siraj was also battling at that time with a rival for the throne, his cousin. He asked Mahatab, the then head of the Jagat Seth family, to lend him an enormous sum of money to raise an army. When Mahatab said that this was impossible, Siraj publicly slapped him in the court. The bankers, who had financed Aliverdi Khans’s ascent and kingdom, were thus lost forever to Siraj-ud-Douwlah. Aliverdi Khan died in April 1756. Siraj became the ruler of Bengal and immediately marched with an army of 70,000 men and artillery, led by his main General, Mir Zafar Ali Khan, to subdue the British. They attacked the East India Company factory at Kasimbazar, where the East India Company had stationed about 500 soldiers. Within a couple of days of fighting, Siraj’s army laid waste to the Company’s factory. Among the Englishmen captured and jailed was a young apprentice, Warren Hastings, the future, and first, Governor General of Bengal. Siraj marched to Calcutta and attacked Fort William, which was defended by a small number of troops, and broke through its defense in short order. Siraj ordered the city to be renamed Ali Nagar and appointed his courtier Raja Manikchand as Governor of the city. The Fort was looted, and the nearby Black Town was plundered, and most of its inhabitants killed. The small British contingent in the Fort, men and women, were captured and imprisoned in a holding room in the fort. There were too many prisoners in a small, enclosed space, and a number of them suffocated to death overnight. Even today, the exact number of people who died is disputed by historians, but the incidence received huge publicity in England and was termed “The Black Hole of Calcutta”. Parliament was
A
By Ranajit M itra (New Jersey) alarmed, and revenge was called for. Just at this time, Robert Clive returned from England to Madras with about 2,000 British soldiers and a flotilla of warships and marines. They were sent there to do battle with the French, but Clive, who had lost a great deal of his investments in Kasimbazar and in East India Company stock, persuaded the British administration in Madras to recapture Fort William and confront Siraj. In December of 1756, this flotilla sailed up the river Hooghly and confronted the fort at Budge Budge. After a brief encounter, the forces of Raja Manikchand fled, and the ships then proceeded up the river towards Fort William. Again, after a brief skirmish, Siraj’s forces withdrew, and the fort fell to the British forces. On the 2nd of January 1757, the East India Company was back in control of a devastated Calcutta. Later that month, Siraj marched from Murshidabad at the head of a 60,000 strong army and camped near Calcutta. But Clive attacked them with a much smaller forcein the middle of the night. There was great confusion on both sides as fighting ensued in dense fog. Clive’s forces suffered significant casualties, and they retreated to the fort. But unknown to them, Siraj’s forces were terrified by the heavy British musket and artillery fire and fled all the way back to Murshidabad. Siraj, who had almost been captured, offered terms. The treaty of Alinagar was signed, giving the British all the conditions they had demanded, including tax-free trading status, permission to build fortifications, mint money, and the right to establish an administration in Calcutta. The defeat of Siraj weakened him considerably at home and emboldened the plots against him. His leading General, Mir Jafar Khan, a Shia Arab, born in Najaf, Syria, and a veteran of Aliverdi Khan’s wars against the Marathas, had been sidelined by Siraj in favor of the Hindu Raja Manikchand. Mir Jafar was now determined to get rid of the Nawab. In these efforts, he was promised considerable financial support by the Jagat Seth bankers. After a failed attempt to install Siraj’s aunt Ghasiti Begum on the throne, the plotters, who were very impressed with the military capabilities of the East India Company’s forces, approached the Company with an offer to pay them a huge sum
of money to help oust Siraj. The money was to come from the Jagat Seths, who had become sworn enemies of the Nawab. A secret treaty was then signed between the parties. It promised the Company over 3million Pounds Sterling, full rights to the territories of Calcutta and its surrounding areas, plus unfettered trading, the rights to impose taxes, mint money, and so on. In early June of 1757, Robert Clive sent an ultimatum to Siraj, accusing him of violating the terms of the Alinagar treaty, and started marching towards Murshidabad with an army of about 3000 British and Indian soldiers, and eight cannons. They marched through the swampland by the river and arrived at a village, surrounded by a Polash tree orchard; they called it Plassey (Polashi). As dawn broke on the 22nd of June 1757, Clive surveyed the terrain from the roof of a small hunting lodge by the riverbank. At the bend of the river, the Nawab’s forces were stationed. There were almost 35,000foot-soldiers, 15,000 on horses, and over 50 cannons, along with elephants; their gorgeous plumes and finery, a sight to behold! Clive’s forces were outnumbered by almost 20 to1, and as the enemy started to encircle and surround them, there was nowhere to go but fight. The Nawab’s forces, led by General Mir Madan, started a huge cannonade, and the East India Company’s soldiers took refuge in a mango grove behind the hunting lodge. Things looked very bleak indeed. Clive said that they needed to hold on till nightfall, then retreat to Calcutta. Suddenly, there ensued a huge monsoon thunderstorm. Rain, thunder, and lightning pelted the battlefield for an hour. The East India Company’s soldiers immediately covered their ammunition, cannonballs, and fuses with tarpaulins. The soldiers of Siraj failed to do the same. When the rain stopped, Mir Madan ordered his soldiers to charge the East India Company lines. The bulk of the army under General Mir Jafar did not join; they stayed put and did not participate in the battle. The Company’s muskets and artillery opened with a huge barrage. Siraj’s forces could not reply, their guns and ammunition were wet and sodden. The canon fire wreaked havoc on the Nawab’s forces and
tore them to shreds. Mir Madan was killed. On seeing this, his soldiers started to retreat, which soon became a full rout. Clive’s forces pursued, captured the enemy’s cannons, and soon the Nawab’s forces were fleeing towards Murshidabad. Clive and his army entered and captured Murshidabad the next day. The most consequential battle in Indian history was over!!
The Aftermath: Siraj-ud-Douwlah had fled to Murshidabad. And then gathering all the money and jewels he could lay his hands on, he absconded, along with some of the women close to him. He was captured soon by Mir Jafar’s son and butchered to death. Mir Jafar was installed by the East India Company as the next Nawab of Bengal. And though he later had a fallout with the Company, he did reign until his death in 1765. Robert Clive, at age 33, got an enormous sum of money, almost 59 million Pounds in today’s money, from the East India Company’s looting of Bengal that followed the war. He was appointed Governor of the Presidency of Fort William. And in 1767, he retired to England as one of the richest persons in Europe. He was given the title of Baron Clive and became a member of Parliament. He was later investigated by the same body for corruption and financial irregularities in India. He died by suicide in 1774 at the age of 49. The British East India Company never looked back after their victory at the Battle of Plassey. In a fractured India, after the fall of the Mughal Empire, they became the dominant military and political power, and over a period of time, their forces captured most of India, which they ruled for a hundred years, until the mutiny of the Indian soldiers in 1857. Then the British Crown took over India. The enormous wealth and resources that the East India Company and the British took from India for nearly two hundred years, coupled with the technological gains from the Industrial Revolution, made Great Britian the world’s superpower, a status that lasted until the end of the second World war. The battle of Plassey had forever changed the course of the history of India and,indeed, of the world. [The primary source for this article is the book – The Anarchy by William Dalrymple]
July 2026
Ananda Sangbad
আমি তাড়কা বলছি আ
বিশ্বভাই
মি মারীচের মাতা তাড়কা, পরম স্নেহে পালন করেছি আমার দুইসন্তান, অথচ জ্ঞানতঃ আমার স্বীয় মাতার স্মৃতি বা স্নেহ আমার স্মরণে নাই, আমিযক্ষকন্যা “তাড়কা”, পিতার কাছ হতে শৈশবে জেনেছি যে সন্তান কামনার্থে আমার পিতৃদেব পরাক্রান্ত যক্ষ “সুকেতু”, সুদীর্ঘকাল ঘ�োর ও কঠ�োর তপস্যা করে “ব্রহ্মার” বরে আমাকে লাভ করেন। সে তপস্যার বর্ণনা পিতৃক্রোড়ে শুয়ে অতিবিস্ময়ে শুনতাম এবং দুচক্ষু হতে অবিরাম অশ্রু ধারা তাঁর ক্রোড় সিক্ত করত�ো। ব্রহ্মার বরে আমারদেহে সহস্র হস্তীর বল ছিল, পিতা বলতেন “ব্রম্ভার” বরে ই আমার শক্তি। নদী যেমন আপন জলধারাতে জীবের তৃষ্ণা প্রশমিত করে, পিতৃস্নেহ ও পিতৃপরিচর্যা তেমনি আমাকে মাত্রায় মাত্রায় স্নেহধারাতে প্লাবিতকরে গড়ে ত�োলে আর সকল নারীর মতন একপূর্ণ নারীতে। একরাশ সুখ, একরাশ স�ৌন্দর্য নিমিত্ত আমি অনেকের হিংসার কারণ ছিলাম, পিতৃদেব যেসময়ে আমার বিবাহের নিমিত্ত উদ্যোগী হতেচলেছেন সেই সময়ে পতঙ্গ যেমন অগ্নি কতৃক আকর্ষিত হয় তেমনি আমার রূপে আকৃষ্ট হ�োল জম্ভনন্দন সুন্দ। “সুন্দ” ছিলেন এক গান্ধর্ব, কার খেয়ালে, কার নিয়ন্ত্রণে য�ৌবনের প্রারম্ভে আমি ও সুন্দ একাত্মা হয়ে গেলাম তা জানিনা। সুন্দের দেহস�ৌষ্ঠব, রূপ তার প্রতি চাহনির কবিতা র অদম্য হাতছানিতে আমি সহস্রবলা তাড়কা ধরা দিলাম তারবাহুপাশে। আমি ও সুন্দ পিতার অগ�োচরে মিলিত হতাম, গন্ধর্বের প্রতিআমার প্রেমপিতৃদেবমেনে নেননি। যে পিতার স্নেহ ওভাল�োবাসাতে পুষ্ট হয়েছিলাম একদিন সেই পিতারই সহিত কলহে জড়িয়ে পড়লাম। সুন্দ আমার পাণিপ্রার্থী হয়ে পিতৃদেবকে প্রণাম জানাতে গেলে চরম অপমানে তিনি আমাদের গৃহহতে নির্বাসিত করলেন। বিষধর য�ৌবনের হাতছানি ও নিয়তি, হ্যাঁ যেনিয়তির খেয়ালে আমি ত�োমাদের তাড়কা, সেদিন এক বস্ত্রে পিতার সম্পত্তি ত্যাগ করে সুন্দের সাথে আপন বলে বলীয়ান হয়ে মাথাগ�োঁজার জন্যে এক পর্ণকুটির প্রস্তুত করলাম। প্রাচুর্য, সম্পদ, বিত্ত পিতৃগৃহে আমাকে বেষ্টন করে থাকত�ো, মুহূর্তের মধ্যে সে সকল প্রাচুর্য দুর্লভ হয়ে উঠল�ো কিন্তু সকল না পাওয়া র শূন্যস্থান পূরণকরেছিল সুন্দের সাহচর্য। প্রভাতী সূর্যের রশ্মি আর রাতে চাঁদেরদেশ হতে ঝরে পড়া রুপালি কিরণধারা স্নাত আমাদের পর্ণকুটিরে ছিল হরিণ, ময়ূরের আনাগ�োনা, প্রাচুর্যের অভাব বস্ত্রের অঞ্চলে বেঁধে সে দৃশ্য উপভ�োগ করতাম, ক�োন এক রাতে সুন্দের দেহের যাবতীয় উত্তাপ গর্ভে ধারণ করে আমি মারীচ ও সুবাহু নামে দুইপুত্রের জন্ম দিলাম। আজ জানাব�ো আমি যক্ষিণী তাড়কা হতে কিরূপে রাক্ষসী তাড়কা হলাম। নিয়তি সেদিন পালা বদলের এক মায়াজাল নেপথ্য হতে বুনেছিলেন, অভাবের পরিবারে সেদিন দৈন্যদশা মর্মান্তিক রূপে প্রাদুর্ভূত হয়েছিল, মারীচ ও সুবাহু ক্ষুধার নিবারণ নিমিত্ত কলসভর্তিজলব্যতিরেকে এক কণা খাবারও ছিল না, একসময়ে ক্ষুধার যন্ত্রণাতে তারাসহ্যের সীমা ছাড়ালে আমি তাদের ভ�োজন আসছে এরূপ মিথ্যা আশ্বাস দিতে শুরুকরলাম, তাদের ক্রন্দনের মাত্রা চরম হতে একসময়ে সুন্দ তাদের ক্ষুধামেটাতে ফলমূল সংগ্রহেরনিমিত্ত দু কাঁধে দুটি ঝ�োলা নিয়ে ছুটেছিল গভীর বনে। সুন্দের ফিরে আসার নিমিত্ত দীর্ঘক্ষণ অপেক্ষাকরে হতাশ হলাম। আমার উপাখ্যান নিয়ে গঙ্গা ওসরযূর দুই তীরে ওপ্রতি তরঙ্গে নানান তথ্য যুগে যুগে বাহিত হলেও আমি ত�োমাদের যা জানাচ্ছি তা ত�োমরা মনে রেখ�ো, পথের ক্লান্তি ওক্ষুধা তে কাতর হয়ে সুন্দ তার চ�োখের সামনে মিলে যাওয়া মাদকপাতা গাছ হতে ছিঁড়ে সেবন করে, ইচ্ছাকৃত হ�োক বা অনিচ্ছাকৃত হ�োক ওই মাদক পাতা সেবনে সুন্দ তার নিজের উপর নিয়ন্ত্রণ হারায়, কিছু পরে সে একজনপদে প্রবেশ করে এক আশ্রম দেখতে পায় ওইআশ্রমে অনুপ্রবেশ করে সুন্দ দেখে প্রজ্বলিত এক যজ্ঞকুন্ডের চতুর্দিকে নানানউপাচার ও ফলমূল এবং বহুবিধ ভক্ষ্য দ্রব্য ওনৈবেদ্য রক্ষিত আছে। রাশি রাশি পুস্প, ফলমূলাদি, কলসভর্তি ঘৃত, দুগ্ধ, মধু যজ্ঞ কুন্ডের চতুর্দিকে দেখে পরিবারের অনাহারক্লিষ্ট মুখগুলি তার উন্মাদনা বৃদ্ধি করে, নীতি ও জ্ঞান হারিয়ে দুই কাঁধের ঝুলি নামিয়ে অতি ক্ষিপ্রতার সাথে সে ফলমূলাদি ও মিষ্ট দ্রব্য ঝুলিতে রাখতে থাকে, ওই আশ্রম ছিল “অগস্ত্য” মুনির আশ্রম। কুন্ডের পবিত্রতা ও আশ্রমের উপাদানের পবিত্রতা নষ্ট হচ্ছে এবং চুরি হচ্ছে দেখে
ক্রোধে শিষ্য গণ অগস্ত্য কে সাথে নিয়ে ওই স্থানে এসে সুন্দ কে তিরস্কার ও তার ঝুলি তারনা গাল হতে নিতে উদ্যত হতে প্রবল কলহের সৃষ্টি হয়, শান্তিপ্রিয় সুন্দ অগস্ত্যের বাধা ওনিষেধ শ্রবণের পর্যায়ে ছিলনা, এক দিকে ক্ষুধায় কাতর সন্তান ও পত্নীর মুখ অন্যদিকে মাদকের প্রক�োপ সুন্দ আসুরিক হয়ে ওঠে, ক্রমে আশ্রমবাসীদের সহিত কলহে পায়ের নিয়ন্ত্রণ হারিয়ে ওই যজ্ঞ কুন্ডে পরে দগ্ধ হয়ে মারা যায়। আমি দুই পুত্রকে নিয়ে তার খ�োঁজ করতে করতে ওই আশ্রমে পৌঁছালে অগ্যস্ত অঙ্গুলির সংকেতে আমাকে যজ্ঞ কুন্ড দেখালে আমি দেখি সুন্দের দেহ পুড়ছে, হতবিহ্বল হয়ে নিদারুণ শ�োক ও বিস্ময়ে কারণ জানতে চাইলে অগস্ত্য সকল বিষয় আমাকে জানালেন, আমি ক্রোধে জ্ঞানশূন্য হয়ে অগস্ত্যকে আমার সন্তানদের দেখিয়ে তাদের ক্ষুধার কথা জানালে তিনি নীরব থেকে জানালেন যে “মা, সে আমাকে এসকল কিছুই বলেনি বা ক�োন ভিক্ষা প্রার্থণা করেনি”, অগস্ত্যের বাক্য আমি মেনেনিতে পারিনি, অর্ধদগ্ধ স্বামীর দেহ, দগ্ধ মাংসের গন্ধ আর মারীচ ও সুবাহুর নিষ্পাপ অবাক মুখ আমার দেহে শতসহস্র হস্তির বল এনে দিল, যজ্ঞ কুন্দের লেলিহান শিখা অপেক্ষা আমার প্রতিহিংসার শিখা শত গুণ অধিক হল, প্রবল চিৎকার ও আক্রোশে আমি যজ্ঞকুণ্ড এবং আশ্রমে যথেচ্ছ অরাজকতা শুরু করলাম, নিষ্পাপ মারীচ ও সুবাহু আমাকে অনুসরণ করে পিতৃহত্যা হিসাবে বিষয়টিকে চিহ্নিত করে তাদের হৃদয়ে প্রতিহিংসার বীজ বপন করল�ো, আমাদের প্রশমিত করতে অগস্ত্য “নিয়তির” কথা জানালেও আমরা দুর্নিবার গতিতে প্রতিহিংসার অগ্নি শিখা হয়ে ওই আশ্রমে ধ্বংসকান্ড অব্যাহত রাখলে অগস্ত্য ক্রোধে অগ্নিবর্ণ হয়ে, তাঁর কমণ্ডলু হতে করতলে জল নিয়ে আমাদের শাপ দিলেন “রাক্ষসত্বম ভজস্বেতি ত�োমরা রাক্ষস হয়ে যাও”। মুহূর্তে আমরা আকার বৃদ্ধি করে অট্টহাস্যে মলদ ওকরুষ নামের অতি শান্তির দুই জনপদে অরাজকতার সৃষ্টি করলাম, অগস্ত্য বুঝলেন যে এই স্থানে অধিষ্ঠানতাঁরপক্ষে আর সম্ভব হবে না এছাড়া অখণ্ড যজ্ঞ কুণ্ডেরপবিত্রতা বিঘ্নিত হয়েছে, খণ্ডিত ও অপবিত্র ওই আশ্রম ছেড়ে তিনি অন্যত্র যাত্রা শুরু করলেন, আমি সন্তানদের নিয়ে বাসশুরু করলাম ওই তাড়কাবনে, আমাদের প্রতিজ্ঞা হ�োল মুনিঋষিদের হ�োমযজ্ঞ ও পূজাতে বিঘ্ন সাধন। সুন্দক্ষুধার গ্রাসের নিবৃত্তি করতে এসে কালের গ্রাসে পতিত হয়েছিল আমাদের প্রতিহিংসার অগ্নিতে মলদ ও করুষ দুটি জনপদ পরিণত হল তাড়কা বনে। মুনিঋষিগণ বাতপস্বীগণ ভ্রমে এই বনে পাদিলে মৃত্যু ছিল অবধারিত। শীঘ্রই আমরা সুমালী কতৃক রাক্ষসরাজ্ রাবণের সংস্পর্শে আসি এবং মারীচ ও সুবাহু মায়াবিদ্যা শিক্ষালাভ করে। নিয়তি তাঁর জাল বিস্তার করছিলেন কিছুদিন পর মহর্ষি বিশ্বামিত্র দাশরথী রাম ও লক্ষণকে নিয়ে এই বনে প্রবেশ করলেন। বিশ্বামিত্রের যজ্ঞে আমরা ক�োনরূপ বিঘ্ন যাতে উৎপন্ন না করতে পারি সেই উদ্দেশ্যে রাম ও লক্ষণকে সাথে নিয়ে তিনি চলেছেন। বিশ্বামিত্র বললেন “রাঘব, এই সেই ভয়ঙ্কর বন যেখানে তাড়কা বাস করে, তুমি তাকে বধ করে শান্তি স্থাপনকর, স্ত্রীবধে দ্বিধা ক�োর�ো না, প্রজার কল্যাণে এ ত�োমার কর্তব্য, নৃশংস মনৃশম বা প্রজারক্ষাকারণম “রাম দ্বিধা করলেন, রাম কিছুতেই সম্মত হচ্ছিলেন না, অথচ বিশ্বামিত্র তাঁকে বারংবার প্রর�োচিত করতে থাকলেন, তিনি বললেন,” রাক্ষস জাতি সূর্যাস্তের পর অধিক বলশালী হয়, মায়া শক্তি দ্বিগুন হয়, এখনই তাকে বধ কর, রাম, স্ত্রী বধের পাপের সংক�োচ ক�োর�োনা। ইন্দ্র ও বির�োচন অসুরকন্যা মন্থরাকে বধ করেছিলেন, বিষ্ণুও শুক্রাচার্যের মাতাকে বধ করেছিলেন, এখনই বধ কর। বধ্যতাম - রক্ষামসি সন্ধ্যাকালে তু দুর্ধষাণি ভবন্তি হি”। রাম তাঁরধনুকে টঙ্কার দিলেন, ধরণীর পঞ্জরভেদী সে শব্দে শিহরিত হয়ে আত্মরক্ষার্থে আমি করাল বদন বিস্তার করে আক্রমণ করলাম, তুমুল যুদ্ধ চলল�ো, সুদীর্ঘ যুদ্ধেরশেষে রাম আমার দু বাহু ছেদ করলে আমি অদৃশ্যে মায়া যুদ্ধ শুরু করলাম, পুনরায় ঋষি তাঁকে সতর্ক করতে তিনি এক ভয়ঙ্কর বাণ নিক্ষেপ করলেন, সুতীক্ষ্ণ সেই শর আমার বক্ষ বিদীর্ণ করতে আমি ভূমিতে পতিত হলাম। আমার মনে হ�োলরামের বাণ যেন ঝর্ণার সুশীতল বারি হিসাবে আমার বক্ষের প্রতিহিংসার প্রজ্বলিত আগুন মুহূর্তের মধ্যে নিভিয়ে দিলে, অভিশপ্ত দেহ ত্যাগকরে আমার প্রাণ বায়ু ছুটল�ো ঊর্ধ্ব পানে, বিশ্বামিত্র রামকে আশীর্বাদ করলেন, এখন যেন মনে হ�োল আমি পুনরায় যক্ষিণী সেই “তাড়কা”। বিষ্ণুর হস্তে মৃত্যু বরণ করে নিজেকে ধন্য মনে করলাম, কৃতার্থ হলাম যখন দেখলাম শ্রীরামচন্দ্র ও লক্ষণ আপন হস্তে চিতা নির্মাণ করে আমার অন্ত্যেষ্টি সম্পন্ন করলেন, চিতার অগ্নির নির্বাপণে এক সুদীর্ঘ কালের তমসা রাতের অবসান হ�োল, ঊষার লালিমা ছড়িয়ে পড়ল�ো গঙ্গার তরঙ্গে তরঙ্গে। সকল জগৎ শ্রীরামময় দর্শন করলাম। আমি ত�োমাদের তাড়কা গঙ্গার বক্ষে চিরশান্তি লাভ করলাম।
7
Is Social Fitness the Biggest Predictor of a Happy Life? By Pradip R. Das (New Jersey) What exactly is Social Fitness?
Exercise and good diet are known ways of staying healthy, but a growing body of research is revealing that there is another factor that is helping us just as much in staying in good shape, both physically and mentally. It is our social connections. A landmark studypublished in 2010 (1*) found that the quality and quantity of individuals' social relationships are linked not only to one’s mental health but also to morbidity and mortality. It summarized that the quality of someone’s relationships is a bigger predictor of life expectancy than obesity and physical inactivity, and it is on par with smoking and consuming alcohol. Feeling connected to others also decreases symptoms of depression (2*), mitigates symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorders and improves overall mental health. Social connection is also a pillar of lifestyle medicine. Humans are wired to connect, and this connection or lack of it, affects our health. Counseling patients on increasing social connections and inquiring about quantity and quality of social interactions at routine visits are ways that lifestyle medicine specialists can help patients. They can point out that the use of social connections not only add years to patients’ lives but also improve their health and well-being in those years. And while we have accepted that maintaining a healthy diet and exercise is vital for a healthy body, we may have falsely assumed that our social relationships will maintain themselves. Research has shown that it is not true, we should all be thinking of social fitness as much as we do about physical fitness. Robert Waldinger, professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School, runs the Harvard Study of Adult Development, and is incharge of the world’s longestrunning scientific study on happiness,health and development. He concluded:“What we found was that perfectly good relationships will often wither away from neglect and the people who were best at having vibrant social networks were the ones who took
care of them, the people who were actively maintaining their connections with other people. That’s why we coined the term ‘social fitness’ to be deliberately analogous with physical fitness”. As part of the Harvard study, researchers asked participants to list who they would call in a middle-of-thenight emergency. Most wrote down several names, but some participants could not list even one. They are in a sort of vulnerable position without that psychological “safety net”. When one is lonely, it is like putting one’s body under a chronic stress state. On the other hand, social connections of any shape or size contribute to our wellbeing.Having a close-knit group of friends make us feel safe. Even fleeting interactions,we may have with people that we don't know very well or complete strangers, can bring us a different kind of joy. These are sources of spontaneity and novelty that we don’t get in the same manner from our close relationships. Another interesting fact based on research shows that group-based social connections, rather than individual relationships, seem to be more important for our cognitive health (3*). Results showed that only the group-based interactions made any significant, unique and sustained contribution to subsequent cognitive functions. And more interestingly, the effects of group engagement were stronger with increasing age. Aligned with research, a large body of evidence shows that older people who are more socially active have better cognitive integrity and are less prone to cognitive decline. These findings that group engagements optimized health outcomes, and these were particularlytrue with increasing age, have important implications for directing community resources to keep older adults mentally active and independent for a longer period. Tegan Cruwys of the School of Psychology, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, concludes (4*) “While a one-onone tie, a friendship, might be really nice and pleasant, and you might enjoy that time, it’s continue to page 14 }
8 July 2026
Ananda Sangbad
Puja Activities for Apr - June 2026
T
he spring season bursts to life with millions of blooming flowers and brings warmer temperatures and longer days that make everyone happy. Now summer is here, and people are looking forward to visiting the Temple more often. The month of April started with our Bengali Nababarsha (New Year) on April 15. The Mandir was open from 9 AM to 8 PM, and devotees came all day to offer their pujas and get blessings. We had prasad distribution in the morning, and Satyanarayan Puja in the evening.After Arati and Pushpanjali, we all had good dinner, and the new year
Reported by Mita Sinha, Chair, Puja Committee started on a good note. Our next puja was Amabasya Shyama Puja on April 16. This was our monthly puja. We had lot of visitors in the evening to attend the puja and, as always, we had good dinner after the puja. On April 20, we celebrated Akshaya Tritia and Lord Jagganath Mahaprabhur Chandan Jatra. The day is considered an auspicious day in the Hindu community. Akshaya means imperishable or eternal, and Akshaya Tritiasignifies a day
of endless prosperity and good fortune. We had this puja in the temple in the morning, from 8:30 to 10:30 AM with many devotees in attendance. On May 10, we had Ram Thakur Smoronutsava and Kirtan. This is a special day in our puja calendar. Every year a team of kirtaniyas from New York City come to the temple to do the kirtan(chanting of sacred mantras). We have many followers of Ram Thakurin our area, and these devotees
always attend this celebration. The temple was full of devotees, and we all joined with them in singing kirtan. After the kirtan we had our Satyanarayan Puja. And the busy day ended with a special dinner. Our next puja was Phaloharini Kalika Puja on May 16. This is a Hindu ritual performed on the Amavasya day in the month of Jaishtya. Phalaharini Kali Ma is known for taking away the fruits (results) of actions and promoting spiritual liberation. This puja involved chanting of Ma Kali’s name, yagna, Arati and Anjali. We all had bhog prosad after the puja. The last puja in May was the Satyanarayan Puja, which was performed in the eveningwith lot of devotees in attendance. In June, we had our monthly Shyama Puja on June 14. The puja was well attended, and after Arati and Anjali, we all had dinner. The next puja was Dashahara, that was observed on June 24. On this day, devotees in India take a dip in the holy water of Ganga to wash away their sins. It is widely believed thatthis day marks the sacred occasion when goddess Ganga descended on earth, and so it is celebrated as Ganga
Dashahara. On June 28, we had Satyanarayana Puja in the evening. We had many attendees, andeverybody enjoyed. The puja was followed byArati, Anjali and a sumptuous dinner. On June 29, we celebrated Jagganath Mahaprabhu SnanJatra. This is a sacred bathing ceremony of deities celebrated on the full moon day of the Hindu month of Jaishtya. It is an important festival for Hindusmarkedby ceremonial baths of Lord Jaggannath, Balabhadra and Subhadra. The construction of our front building has started, but it will not interfere with our puja activities. The temple will remain open on its usual time. Ananda Mandir is a Hindu Temple, and everyone is welcome to come and pray with us. This is one of the largest Kali temples in New Jersey. The Mandir stays open in the morning from 9 AM to 11:30 AM and in the evening from 5:30 to 8:00 PMevery day of the week. Anyone can sponsor an online puja through our website www.anandamandir.org. All our scheduled programs can also be found on our website. We also provide Bengali language classes and dance lessons on the premise.
July 2026
Ananda Sangbad
9
A Talk by Swami Sarvapriyananda on May 9, 2026 TOPIC: “WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE CONSCIOUS? VEDANTA IN THE AGE OF AI, ANXIETY AND INFORMATION OVERLOAD”
A
nanda Mandir had the privilege of hosting Swami Sarvapriyananda, one of the most respected contemporary teachers of Advaita Vedanta. Swami Sarvapriyananda is a Hindu monk belonging to the Ramakrishna Order. He is the current resident Swami and Minister in Charge of the Vedanta Society of New York, a position he has been serving since January 2017. Our Tagore Hall was filled with devotees from near and far, and the response was overwhelming. To accommodate everyone, the Mandir authorities expanded walk-in access and seating arrangements. Before Swamiji’s session, devotees had a great time listening to devotional songs by Swagata Chakraborty accompanied by Amit Das. Swamiji, in a thought-provoking and deeply engaging talk, explored a question that has fascinated philosophers, scientists, and spiritual seekers for centuries: "What does it mean to be conscious?" At a time when Artificial Intelligence is advancing rapidly, anxiety and mental stress are becoming increasingly common, and technology is transforming every aspect of our lives, Swamiji invited the audience to turn their attention toward the one mystery that remains closest to us and yet least understood - the nature of consciousness itself. Swamiji observed that although modern science has significantly deepened our understanding of the brain, one essential question remains: “How does subjective experience arise”? Vedanta approaches this question differently by asking, “Who is aware of every experience”? The Upanishads offer a bold insight: consciousness is not produced by the brain, but is the fundamental reality underlying all experiences. Drawing upon Advaita Vedanta, Swamiji explained that our true nature is not the body, not the mind, and not even the constantly changing stream of thoughts and emotions. Behind all changing experiences lies the unchanging witness - the awareness in whose presence every experi-
Reported by Subhrojit Dutta (New Jersey) ence appears and disappears. Vedanta calls this ultimate reality Brahma, the true Self, and declares that Brahma is none other than Brahman, the infinite reality underlying the entire universe. The famous declaration of the Upanishads, "Tat Tvam Asi"— "That Thou Art", points to this profound identity. One of the most fascinating aspects of the evening’s talk was Swamiji's discussion around Artificial Intelligence. While machines may become increasingly capable of processing information, generating languages, solving problems, and even simulating human behavior, Vedanta makes an important distinction: Intelligence and consciousness are not the same thing. A machine may process information, but the question remains whether it possesses subjective awareness—the inner experience of being. This distinction highlights why consciousness remains one of the deepest unsolved mysteries in both science and philosophy. Swamiji also addressed the growing epidemic of anxiety and mental unrest. Much of our suffering arises because we identify completely with the changing contents of the mind—our fears, worries, memories, and expectations. Vedanta offers a liberating perspective: we are not merely the thoughts passing through the mind. We are the awareness in which those thoughts arise. By shifting our identity from the restless mind to witnessing consciousness, we begin to discover a deeper peace that is not dependent upon external circumstances. Rather than seeing science and spirituality as opposing forces, Swamiji presented them as complementary approaches. Science investigates the objective world. Spirituality investigates the subject - the conscious experience. Both are valuable, but neither is complete without the other. As humanity develops increasingly powerful technologies, the need for self-knowledge becomes even more important. External progress without inner wisdom can lead to greater
confusion, while self-understanding brings clarity, compassion, and freedom. The evening’s central message was simple yet profound: our search for happiness, fulfillment, and freedom ultimately brings us back to our true nature. What we seek is neither distant nor in the future. The awareness through which we experience every thought, feeling, and perception is already present here and now. Vedanta invites us not to become something new, but to recognize what we have always been. Key Takeaways from the Q&A session in the evening: • Consciousness is the central mystery of human existence. • Vedanta teaches that consciousness is fundamental, not produced by matter.
• We are not merely our thoughts, emotions, or bodies. • Artificial intelligence may replicate intelligence, but consciousness remains a separate question. • Anxiety decreases when we learn to identify with awareness rather than mental activity. • Science explores the objective world; spirituality explores the conscious subject. • The goal of Vedanta is Self-knowledge—the discovery of our true nature as pure awareness. Swamiji also attended the sandhya arati [performed by Biswa Bhai] in the temple and then had a quick dinner in a closed setting before heading out for New York. Ananda Mandir is enormously thankful to Swamiji
for his time. The attendees sought blessings from him after the lecture session and after thearati in the temple. Special thanks to Animesh Mozumdar and all the volunteers whose efforts made this evening etched in our minds forever. Ananda Mandir aspires to have another session shortly with Swamiji, given the overwhelming responses from the attendees, and their requests to attend more such sessions with him. As attendees left the auditorium, many carried with them not just answers, but a deeper question at the heart of every spiritual tradition: “Who am I, really”? As Swamiji reminded us, the journey toward that answer may be the most important one of all.
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Ananda Sangbad
From Cholera to Plague: The Life and Legacy of Dr. Waldemar Haffkine Introduction The practice of deliberate immunizations against infectious diseases dates back several centuries, most notably through the method known as variolation. It involved introducing material from smallpox lesions, such as pus or scabs, into a healthy person to induce a mild infection and subsequent immunity. While this method carried certain risks, it significantly reduced mortality compared to natural infection. This practice existed in regions such as China, India, and the Ottoman Empire, but became widely known in Europe only in the early eighteenth century when Lady Mary Wortley Montagu introduced it in Britain. In the American colonies, variolation was adopted relatively quickly, though not without controversy. Benjamin Franklin declined the procedure for his son during the 1736 smallpox epidemic, a decision he later deeply regretted. A breakthrough in vaccination occurred in 1796 with the work of Edward Jenner, who developed the first scientific vaccine. Jenner observed that milkmaids infected with cowpox (a rash developed by touching the udders of infected cows) were resistant to smallpox. Using this insight, he inoculated a young boy with material from cowpox lesions, successfully demonstrating immunity to smallpox. This live material marked the transition from variolation to vaccination and laid the foundation for modern immunology. Further advances came from Louis Pasteur in the late nineteenth century. He developed laboratory-based attenuated vaccines for diseases such as chicken cholera (affecting chickens, turkeys, ducks, geese, raptors,
By Alok Bandyopadhyay (Pennsylvania) and canaries) and anthrax (affecting livestock and wild animals; humans can contract it through contact). In 1885, Pasteur created the first rabies vaccine, successfully treating a young boy, Joseph Meister. This achievement transformed rabies from a fatal disease into a preventable one, marking a major milestone in medical science. Building upon Pasteur’s scientific legacy, Dr. Waldemar Mordecai Haffkine began his research at the Pasteur Institute, focusing on the prevention of infectious diseases through immunization. He strongly believed that the human immune system could be trained to resist infections by exposure to weakened forms of pathogens. During his work on cholera, Haffkine developed a prophylactic vaccine designed to stimulate immunity before exposure to the disease. His efforts extended the principles of vaccination into large-scale public health practice. This article explores his life, scientific achievements, challenges, and the reasons why his contributions deserve greater recognition in the history of medicine.
Early Life and Education Waldemar Mordecai Haffkine, a pioneering bacteriologist and immunologist, was born on March 15, 1860, in Odesa, then part of the Russian Empire (present-day Ukraine). Raised in a Jewish family during a period of restrictive Tsarist policies, he faced significant barriers to education and professional advancement. Despite these challenges, he demonstrated strong academic ability from an early age, particularly in the natu-
ral sciences. His early experiences, shaped by both intellectual curiosity and social discrimination, motivated him to pursue scientific opportunities beyond Russia. He studied natural sciences with a specialization in zoology at the University of Odesa (Novorossiysk University), where he was mentored by Ilya Mechnikov. This mentorship played a crucial role in directing his interests toward microbiology and infectious diseases. However, political unrest and systemic discrimination limited his academic prospects, and his association with liberal student movements further hindered his career. As a result, he was compelled to seek opportunities abroad. In 1888, he relocated to Western Europe and eventually joined the Pasteur Institute in Paris, working alongside leading scientists such as Louis Pasteur and Émile Roux. This transition marked a turning point, providing access to advanced research facilities and a vibrant scientific community. At the Pasteur Institute, Haffkine shifted from zoology to bacteriology and began investigating infectious diseases, particularly cholera, which was a major global health threat at that time. Through systematic experimentation, he developed one of the earliest cholera vaccines. The Cholera Vaccine In the nineteenth century, cholera was one of the most devastating infectious diseases, causing widespread epidemics across Europe and Asia. The disease spread rapidly through contaminated water and poor sanitation, resulting in high mortality and repeated public health crises. This ur-
gent situation created a strong need for effective scientific intervention. Dr. Waldemar Mordecai Haffkine addressed this challenge by focusing on preventive medicine. He developed a cholera vaccine by attenuating, or weakening, the causative bacteria so that they could stimulate immunity without creating severe illness. Demonstrating exceptional courage and scientific dedication, Haffkine tested the vaccine on himself, thereby establishing its initial safety and effectiveness.This phase of his career laid the foundation for his later achievements in immunology and established him as a pioneering figure in vaccine development. Following his successful laboratory work, Haffkine extended his efforts to real-world conditions. In 1893, he traveled to India, where cholera was highly prevalent and posed a severe threat to public health. There, he organized large-scale vaccination campaigns and personally supervised the immunizations of thousands of individuals. The results of his work were highly significant: both infection rates and mortality declined substantially in the vaccinated populations. This marked one of the earliest successful applications of mass vaccinations in controlling epidemic disease and established Haffkine as a pioneer in applied immunology. The Plague Vaccine In 1896, soon after the discovery of the cholera vaccine, a major public health crisis arose when a deadly outbreak of bubonic plague struck Bombay (now Mumbai), India. The disease spread rapidly through overcrowded urban areas, causing widespread panic and a very high mortality rate. At that time, medical science had limited tools to control continue to page 11 }
Dr. Waldemar Mordecai Haffkine (left). On right, together with his colleagues, performs a cholera vaccination on inhabitants of Calcutta, 1894
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From Cholera to Plague | continue from page 10 such epidemics, making immediate intervention essential. Dr. Haffkine recognized the seriousness of the situation and quickly dedicated himself to finding a scientific solution. With remarkable speed and determination, Haffkine developed a vaccine against the plague. Using his expertise in bacteriology, he prepared an attenuated form of the pathogen to stimulate immunity. Demonstrating great courage, he again tested the vaccine on himself before administering it to others, proving both its safety and his commitment. He then launched large-scale vaccination campaigns across India, immunizing millions of people. This effort significantly reduced death rates and helped control the spread of the disease, once more establishing Haffkine as a key figure in epidemic control.
Controversy and Setback In 1902, a major controversy arose after the Mulkowal incident in Punjab, where several individuals died following administration of the plague vaccine. Public concern and criticism grew rapidly, and Dr. Haffkine was blamed for the tragedy. As the developer of the vaccine, his methods and laboratory practices came under scrutiny, creating a significant setback in his career and raising doubts about vaccine safety. However, later investigations revealed that the deaths were caused by contamination during improper handling of the vaccine, not by any defect in Haffkine’s work. Although he was officially cleared of responsibility, the damage to his reputation was lasting, and he never fully regained his former scientific standing.
Scientific Contributions Dr.Haffkine’s pioneering contributions to microbiology and immunology, and his demonstration that weakened, or attenuated, bacteria could safely stimulate immunity, became fundamental to vaccine science. It provided an effective way to prevent infectious diseases. His work transformed earlier theoretical ideas into practical medical solutions. Haffkine also played a crucial role in organizing large-scale vaccination programs. Unlike many scientists of his time, he was proactive in applying his research in the field. His campaigns in India reached thousands and later millions of people, becom-
ing some of the earliest success stories of mass immunization, and contributed significantly to public health strategies. Personality, Character, and Legacy of Haffkine Dr. Haffkine was widely admired for his exceptional personal qualities, which played a crucial role in shaping his scientific achievements. One of his most notable traits was his bravery, demonstrated by his willingness to test vaccines on himself before administering them to others. This act reflected not only his confidence in his research but also his strong ethical commitment to safety. He was deeply dedicated to saving human lives and worked tirelessly, often under difficult and risky conditions. His determination and strength of character were remarkable given the religious and social discrimination he faced during his early career. As a Jewish scientist in the Russian Empire, he encountered significant institutional barriers that limited his academic progress. Even after moving abroad, he continued to work in challenging environments, particularly in India, where he conducted large-scale vaccination campaigns under harsh conditions. Despite the obstacles, he remained committed to his mission and never abandoned his scientific pursuits, ultimately making lasting contributions to global health. Despite his achievements, Haffkine is not widely remembered today due to factors such as discrimination, the impact of the Mulkowal incident, and the greater recognition of contemporaries like Louis Pasteur. Nevertheless, his legacy endures through his foundational contributions to vaccine science and institutions like the Haffkine Institute for Training. Research and Restinglocated in Mumbai. It continues his work in public health.
Conclusion Dr. Waldemar Mordecai Haffkine was a pioneering figure, and his work transformed public health. Through courage and dedication, he established methods that became fundamental to modern immunology.Although less widely recognized than some contemporaries, his contributions remainsignificant in the saving of countless lives and the foundation for modern vaccination strategies. He remains a shining example of scientific perseverance and the role of innovation in protecting human lives.
FROM CALCUTTA TO CALIFORNIA: LEAVING HOME, LEARNING AMERICA By Gautam Bandyopadhyay (Massachusetts)
“H
ow did you feel when you first arrived in America?” a young man in his twenties, born and raised in the U.S. but of Indian origin, asked me recently in 2026. His question surprised me. Most of our U.S.-born children and their friends have heard our stories - “arrival to America with no money” - so many times that they can recite them better than we can. Their eyes glaze over the moment they sense a story involving struggle, student life, or immigration in the 1960s or 70s. But this young man seemed genuinely curious. To be fair, it’s hard for them to imagine the world we stepped into. In 1969, when I left India, there was no internet, no 24-hour news, no YouTube tutorials. My world in India was 8,000 miles away - physically, mentally, and culturally, from the one I had just entered. I was, in short, completely naïve about what was to come. The only “orientation” I received was from a United States Information Service talk at the American Consulate in Calcutta: “Avoid discussing politics and religion in an American home.” Sound advice then, and still a safe policy today. The young man’s question brought back a flood of memories from those first six months - moments that reminded me just how unprepared I really was. To today’s youth, these stories sound like a comedy special. The surprises began even before I left India. When I went to the travel agency in Bombay (now Mumbai) to book my flight, I noticed that my itinerary from Calcutta to San Francisco included the expected overnight stops in Hong Kong and Tokyo, followed by a surprise helicopter ride from San Francisco to Berkeley, where I would begin my graduate studies at the University of California, Berkeley. Even in my ignorance, the helicopter leg puzzled me. “Do I really need to take a helicopter from San Francisco to Berkeley?” I asked the agent. “I thought it’s only about 25 miles,” I was trying to signal, in a subtle way, that I was not a naïve first-time student traveler - I had done my homework. But the agent brushed off my question. “That is the way people travel in the U.S. for short distances,” he said confidently. Surprised, all I could manage to say was a feeble, “Really?” He looked at me with a smug little smile and said, “Yes, sir - it is a different world there - you will be shocked for sure!” My next helicopter ride in the U.S. happened forty years later, as a tourist in Alaska in 2009. So much for the idea that Americans commuted by helicopter the way we took rickshaws in India! The surprise helicopter ride, however, turned out to be a wonderful experience flying over the beautiful San Francisco
Bay on a clear day on my way to Berkeley. The travel agent’s comment about “a different world”, however, was true in many ways - stepping into America felt like stepping into the future. I was awed by the shiny, clean cities, the wide and orderly highways filled with big cars zooming at high speed, and the apparent ease of daily life. It was very different from the small-town India where I grew up in the 1950s and ’60s. But the clean air, the sense of order, and the freedom were easy to embrace. The real challenge was subtler learning the nuances of the American way of life. A new chapter was about to begin for me - one written in an unfamiliar language of culture, climate, and customs. I did not have to wait long to experience the American way of thinking. It came on the very first day I visited my department in the campus. The Professor - whom I communicated with from India a tall, handsome gentleman in his late 40s, greeted me warmly. Extending his hand, he began, “Good to finally meet you, Mr. Bandy…” and then paused, clearly wrestling with the remaining letters of Bandyopadhyay. I smiled, ready with my well-practiced line: “It’s not as difficult as it looks—the ‘y’s are silent…” But before I could finish, he grinned and asked, “Can I call you Gus?” I did not know what he meant by his question. I nervously looked at him. But, before I could process it, he continued cheerfully, “So, Gus, now that you’re here…” and launched into his instructions. Within ten minutes, I had become “Gus.” He even introduced me to his secretary that way. She smiled and said, “Welcome, Gus.” Next, he took me to his lab, where I met half a dozen students in their early twenties working and chatting noisily. In India, we would never call our teacher by their first name. Now I saw students doing that casually with the professor, while smoking a cigarette, which was another surprise. We would never smoke in front of respected elders like parents and teachers - that would be considered highly disrespectful. While walking out of the building, I realized that this was a different world indeed. The name “Gus,” given to me within the first five minutes of that meeting, stuck with me for the next fifty years of my professional life. As much as I disliked that “cooked-up” name, I eventually realized it solved a big problem. It spared me the repeated pain of explaining what to do with the floating “y’s” in my last name. So, in the end, “Gus” stayed. But this was just the beginning of myadaptation to the American way of life. Those were wild days on campus continue to page 12 }
12 July 2026
Valedictorian Speech at Radio City Music Hall 2026 Graduation Ceremony of Pratt Institute, NY By Anish Lahiri (New Jersey) Dear Class of 2026, We are graduating into an uncertain future. That much is clear. The pendulum of history, ever moving, has come to a point we recognize, a moment we have studied time and again. Industries are shifting. Systems are being restructured. Once again, we are asked to adapt quickly, to learn new technologies, and to find our place alongside time, often while being asked to prove that our education, our labor, and degrees are not obsolete. We are constantly being told that Artificial Intelligence is the future. Perhaps, the family friends or acquaintances have joked about whether our jobs will still exist. And if I’m honest, I’ve wondered the same thing myself. It’s understandable to feel uneasy. But uncertainty is not an unfamiliar territory for us. At Pratt, we learned to sit with ambiguity. We learned to defend ideas that weren’t finished yet. How to listen before responding. How to stay in the room and face things that were uncomfortable. And perhaps more importantly, we learned to pay attention. Right now, the world feels loud. Hate is easier to capture than hope. The blade of division feels sharper. There is pressure to move faster, automate more, become part of the creative assembly line. It can feel tempting to close our eyes, to turn away, to wonder whether there is still space left for us, for time and care and humanity. And that is precisely why we matter so much, now more than ever. Because where we are right now, because of how unstable things seem, we - as artists, designers, architects, writers, filmmakers, animators - are going to be very busy. We are observers. We are visual historians of people. We notice patterns, preserve memory, and translate emotion into form. Over the past four years, we have practiced these skills in the backdrop of firetruck sirens, 3:00 a.m. work sessions with friends, laughing at odd ideas and antics, Prontos’ sandwiches, and the stalwart presence of Earl, the campus cat. Our work has never been about replacing humanity. It has always been about preserving it. Yes, there is uncertainty ahead—about industries, about jobs that don’t yet exist, about paths that are still forming. But uncertainty does not mean irrelevance. It means responsibility. My hope for us is simple: that we come out of this period stronger - not just professionally, but emotionally. That we move forward with kindness. That we find people we can exist with just as we are. That we continue to listen to one another. And that we hold onto the belief, even when it feels difficult, that nothing - good or bad - lasts forever. That the pendulum will swing again, back towards community, towards care, towards humanity. And when it does, I hope it finds us still thinking.Still listening. Still making. Still present.Still very much human. Congratulations, Class of 2026
Ananda Sangbad
From Calcutta to California: Leaving Home, Learning America
| continue from page 11 right near the end of the Vietnam War. Berkeley was both an elite academic institution and a magnet for radical change. Protests, music, drugs, fashion revolutions, police clashes, and tear gas were as common as textbooks and term papers. My student life in America started in a two-bedroom apartment not too far from the campus, sharing the space with three other graduate students. Soon, a routine developed with ten-hour days on campus, late-night study sessions, and cheap dinners at home. In the lab, two fellow students - Bob from New York and John, a Californian - became my closest friends. Bob lived alone and had a girlfriend who often dropped by. John married early to his high school sweetheart and lived with two young children. They were easygoing, helpful, and curious about India, though they knew almost nothing about where I came from and my traditions. Through our conversations, I quickly realized how differently we had grown up. In India, family was central. Life choices were guided by duty, respect, and tradition. I never had to worry about finances until I finished college, even though I grew up in an average middle-class family. My family supported me as long as I worked hard. Of course, some of my classmates tutored privately or looked for resources to help themselves and their families through college. In contrast, Bob and John had learned independence early. From their teens, they worked part-time, contributed to their families, and financed a large part of their own college education through loans and scholarships. This early self-reliance made them confident, outspoken, and unafraid of new situations – qualities that made me uneasy. Eager to fit in, I tried to embrace the American youth culture. It didn’t take me long before I ran into trouble. One of my earliest and most ridiculous misadventures happened just three months in. My lab buddies invited me on a ski trip to Lake Tahoe. I had never seen snow, but they insisted it would be fun. So, I took the overcoat that I had bought in Kolkata (appropriate for Kolkata winter at best), put on my heavy Bata dress shoes, and tagged along. At the ski slope, they helped me to rent skis, plopped me on a chairlift, and vanished. Desperate to figure out the next step, I studied how others dismounted and tried to copy them. As soon
as I reached the top and stood up, I fell face first - right into the path of a dozen skiers, creating a big chaos! Skiers swerved, people shouted, and I hopelessly tried to get out of the way without much success. A kind 10-year-old girl helped me crawl out of the skiers’ path and get to a warm shelter. “Don’t worry”, she said kindly. “I fell too, my first time.” Her compassion kept me from bursting into tears - or laughter. Later, I found out I had been put on an advanced slope. My buddies, all experienced skiers, did not see the sheer lunacy in putting me in that situation, which could have a catastrophic outcome. I was lucky that I didn’t break anything or freeze in that icy, cold, windy weather. That was the first and last time I tried skiing. In the eyes of my friends, I was a ‘big boy,’ and I should have known what I was doing! Another time, the guys decided to drive to the Golden Gate Bridge - at midnight. I joined out of curiosity. They drank for three hours in pitch darkness at the top of a nearby hill, which is now a busy tourist area. I had one beer and mostly watched, horrified, as they acted like wild teenagers. The ride home was terrifying. Our car swerved, scraped a pole, and somehow didn’t end up in the Bay. It was a miracle. I vowed never to go on one of these “American adventures” again until I understood the customs better. My final lesson came soon after, when I was invited to a bachelor’s party for one of the graduate students named Paul. About six of us, including the groomto-be, gathered in a rather shadylooking bar not too far from the campus. No sooner had we sat down than a group of young women in skimpy dresses, drinks in hand, swooped in and started mingling with the group. A couple of them tried striking up a conversation with me, but after realizing I wasn’t exactly their ideal customer, or conversationalist, they quickly moved on to greener pastures. We ordered pizza and beer, and soon everyone was provoking Paul to find the girl he liked best. Within minutes, two girls were draped over him, giggling and caressing him quite enthusiastically. To my utter disbelief, Paul seemed to enjoy the attention immensely. I sat there thinking - wait a minute, this man is getting married in two days! The idea that such behavior was not only happening but being celebrated in public
was shocking to me. Meanwhile, my other friends paired off with their “companions” and were soon engaged in their own public displays of affection.After about an hour, I quietly slipped out. I felt completely out of place. The next morning, everyone was back in the lab, laughing and joking about the night’s events. Apparently, that’s what bachelor parties were all about, one final fling before the vows. Paul, by all accounts, had a great time. In 2026, when I think about these events from 1970, I realize how unprepared I was to jump into the American way of life. When I tell these stories to my children, born in America in the 1980s, they roll their eyes and laugh. They remind me that I should have known better - like not to ski without proper gear, not to trust friends to ‘help’ on the slopes, not to join midnight drives or bachelor parties without knowing what to expect. They are right, of course. But it’s hard for today’s generation, raised with the internet, smartphones, and global connectivity, to grasp how vast the cultural divide was 50 years ago. It was very real, and sometimes dangerous. Only a month after I arrived, the community was shaken by a tragedy. Another Indian student, Prasenjit Poddar, who had come two years earlier, fell in love with an American girl. After a few casual dates, he misunderstood the relationship and became obsessed with her. Raised in an Indian village with highly conservative Indian values, he could not comprehend the boundaries of American dating. The situation ended tragically when he stabbed the girl to death in broad daylight. His story haunted all of us. It was a grim reminder of how loneliness, confusion, and cultural ignorance could destroy lives. Fifty years ago, we had no mentors, no social safety nets - just whatever self-awareness, discipline, and sense of community we could muster to keep ourselves grounded. Now, in 2026, looking back as an old man, I remember those Berkeley years with deep affection. The challenges were real, and the learning curve was steep. But the friendships, resilience, and discoveries shaped me in ways nothing else could. In hindsight, those uncertain early days – filled with fear, wonder, and culture shock - became the most defining and ultimately the most rewarding years of my life.
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Ananda Sangbad
COMMUNITY NEWS
Maitree Corner Reported by Arundhati and Tapas Sanyal (New Jersey)
Our Annual General Meeting (AGM) was held on April 12 at the Guru Palace restaurant in North Brunswick in the presence of about 120 members and their families. All committees presented the list of committee members and annual reports that included the list ofour activities, financial statements, and plans for future events. We also shared the acknowledgements(” Thank You” notes)that have been received from the recipients of our philanthropic donations. Several new member families joining Maitree were introduced. Our Youth Committee liaison of Founding Members, along with the president and vice-president, handed over certificates and awards to our youth volunteers. We noted that the participation of the youth was significant in all Maitree events throughout the year. A sumptuous lunch was served, as has been the tradition of MAA. To celebrateBaisakh and Kobipokkho, Maitree organized Baishakhi/ Barsha Baran on May 2 at the Princeton Presbyterian Church. Women’s Forum of MAA served homemade delicacies, the money received will help Women’s Forum prepare for its Christmas campaign that will bring food to the Food pantries and soup kitchens. The Cultural Committee organized a carefully curated program of inhouse singers and dancers. In addition, we had the privilege of hosting a unique presentation of the “Mahabharata” by Nilanjan Mitra and his talented cohort of actors from the JJO community. There was the usual array of performances by the kids and
youth,and Maitree’s signature event,theFashion Show. All the performances were impressive, and this event has burgeoned into a much-loved one with a wide participation by members and guests of all age groups. For our Summer Picnic on August 22 at the Ridley Creek State Park in Pennsylvania,a deluxe bus has been arranged. It will depart early morning from Kendall Park for the twohour journey. Our flagship Durga Puja event will be celebrated on October 24 and 25 at the East Brunswick Hammerskjold Upper Elementary School. Preparationshave started, and the contracts for the major artists from India have been signed. We are happy to announce that Mahalakshmi Iyer and her team will perform on Saturday, and Ankita Bhattacharya and Subhodeep Das Chowdhury with their team will perform on Sunday. The Registration is expected to be open by the end of June. Maitree Members Engagement Committee (MEC) continuedits monthly publication of “Member’s Monday” articles for nominated members. Here, we try to “know” our members better by choosing an individual or a couple to highlight their life, talents, interests, and a brief biography. The publications allow us to know each other and appreciate our special group of people. Finally, Maitree Sports Group is planning a Cricket Tournament like last year. It will be held by the end of summer. Also,as in past years, Maitree plans to participate in the Independence Day Table Tennis tournament in August, organized by Prosmash in Cresskill, New Jersey.
GSCA CORNER Reported by Pradip R. Das (New Jersey)
Annual General Meeting On Sunday, March 22, 2026, GSCA held its Annual General Meeting at Tabaq Banquet Hall in Edison, NJ. The meeting started with a moment of silence in respect for our two departed senior members: Prasun Chakravarty and Benu Pal. The outgoing chairperson wrapped up 2025 activities with highlights of the key achievements for the year. The outgoing treasurer presented the 2025 financial statements for the year in detail, and all committee coordinators summarized the 2025 activities, successes achieved,as well as the challenges faced in 2025.The outgoing Chairperson then introduced the new Chairperson, Archita Roy, who welcomed the gathering and sought their support in making 2026 a successful year in every way. Next, the new Treasurer presented the budget for the current year, which was passed with an overwhelming majority. An increase in the membership fee for 2027 was also duly approved after some debate. The dates and venues for all the upcoming 2026 events, except for Durga Puja, were communicated.The new members were introduced and were accorded a warm welcome. The Question& Answer session produced some lively discussions. The notable ones were the issue of updating our website with more GSCA activities, and members’ suggestions
for our Philanthropy ous students both in Ingroup on how they can dia and the US forhighexpand their activities. er education. Over the years, 80 students have Women’s Forum been sponsored through On May 17, 2026, the Mukti, 20 students GSCA Women’s Fo- through Sinchan. Anrum organized a “Maa other 5 students from and Me” event in honor rural Bengal have gradof Mother’s Day. This uated as medical profesevent brought mothers, sionals, engineers, and daughters, and sons to chartered accountants. support families that We have also provided are facing hunger and scholarshipsfor over two poverty. The event was decades to more than 90 organized through a col- high school graduates of laboration with “Rise Plainfield High School Against Hunger”. to pursue their college Mothers sponsored studies. their children to volun2. Providing financial teer in meal packaging. support for natural disMembers of the Wom- aster relief both in the US en’s Forum contributed and India via donations towards the initiative, to “Doctors without Borwhile additional fund- ders”, New Jersey paning was raised through demic Relief Fund, Newsponsorships. ark Beth Israel Medical Together, the mem- Center, Robert Wood bers of GSCA’s Wom- Johnson University Hosen’s Forum are proud pital, JFK Hospital Founto have packaged near- dation, and Rowan Unily 2,000 meals in May versity Medical Students 2026, in addition to 1,000 Association. meals packaged in 2025. 3. We have also proOur continuing efforts vided donations to Ramto help fight hunger are akrishna mission and making a meaningful Bharat Sevashram Sangimpact in the commu- ha, Kolkata, India. nity. Other recent initia- Upcoming Events tives undertaken by this GSCA will be celebratgroup include help- ing its annual Baishakhi/ ing senior citizens with Basanta Festival on June home-cooked meals, 7th at Tagore Hall, Anangiving them company da Mandir. As of this at their homes, and food writing, preparations are and clothing drives. in full swing for a colorful and musical extravaGSCA Philanthropy ganza of songs, dances, Update and solo instrumental The organization con- presentations. We will tinues to serve its mis- be hosting our Annual sionwith the generous Picnic on August 8that help of its numerous the Mercer County Park donors and the selfless in West Windsor. Details work of many volun- will be reported in the teers. Our main areas of October issue of Ananda activity are: Sangbad. 1. Providing support to needy and meritori-
14 July 2026
Is Social Fitness the Biggest Predictor of a Happy Life? | continue from page 7 not changing how you see yourself in the way that being part of something bigger does.” Since no two individuals are the same, the ideal social life varies between people. The key thing to consider when assessing one’s social fitness is whether the connections he or she has at present are meeting the needs. Do you have plenty of individual connections but lack the feeling of being part of something bigger? Or are you heavily involved in your community, but long for a close friend or confidant(e)? If you decide you need more friends, you should be prepared to make the first move. “One problem with friendship is that we assume that it happens organically and it doesn’t in adulthood”, says Dr. Marisa Franco, a psychologist and assistant clinical professor at the University of Maryland, where she teaches courses on loneliness and friendship. Her recommendation is to start by reconnecting with someone from the past. “The most common reason friendships end is simply because we fall out of touch rather than because there’s any fundamental difference between us”, she says. Another approach would be to join a group or class that is repeated at regular intervals over time. Simply by sticking to it for some time, one can capitalize on something called the ‘mere exposure effect’, which is our tendency to like people who are familiar to us. Adhering to a familiar routine is also a useful way of forming the so-called ‘weak ties’ - social connections with people who are not quite strangers, but not (yet) friends either. “When we’re in situations with other people, and we see those people again and again, we’re more likely to start up conversations with them, and some of those conversations are likely to deepen and perhaps eventually become friendships”, says Waldinger. References 1*. “Social Relationships and Mortality Risk: A Meta-Analytic Review”, Julianne Holt-Lunstadt et al., Plos Med., July 2010, 7(7), e 1000306 2*. “The Connection Prescription: Using the power of Social Interactions and the deep desire for Connectedness to empower Health and Wellness", Jessica Martino et al., Amer. J Lifestyle Med. 2015 Oct 7, 11(6) : 466-475. 3*. “The we’s have it”: Evidence for the distinct benefits of group engagements in enhancing cognitive health in aging”, Catherine Haslam et al., Social Science & Medicine, November 2014, Vol 120, pgs 57-66. 4*. “Social group memberships protect against future depressions, alleviate depression symptoms, and prevent depression relapse”, Tegan Cruwys et al., Social Science & Medicine, December 2013, Vol 98, pgs 179-186.
Ananda Sangbad
THE RISE AND FALL OF A STAR – NAVEEN PATNAIK
| continue from page 4 a self-defeating decision? I gradually uncovered some of the factors that led to BJD’s resounding defeat. The strongest argument that the BJP offered to win over the Odisha constituency was a challenge to the incumbent CM’s ‘bhumiputra’ (son of the soil) status. Naveen, born into privilege, spent his early years away from Odisha in public schools and was unable to read or write his mother tongue well. It seems he wrote down his addresses in Roman to speak at meetings. BJP cashed in on this lack of fluency to dismiss Patnaik as an ‘outsider.’ Added to this was the perception of V. K. Pandian, Patnaik’s private secretary, as the de facto CM and heir apparent. Again, the contention was that ‘outsiders were taking over Odisha.’ The BJP launched a campaign of ‘Odia Pride,’ which was, presumably, being harmed by Patnaik’s inability to read and write Odia well. Perhaps the BJD had also become complacent and assumed that their achievements would speak louder than their words. Their campaigning was sparse, and Patnaik was less visible on the ground throughout the pre-election period. BJP raised an alarm about his health and whispered doubts about the party’s future. Along with these
manufactured uncertainties, the BJP spread the rumor that the keys to the Jagannath temple treasury had been misplaced or mishandled. This was presented as a symbol of the incumbent government’s financial mismanagement and disrespect for Odia culture, which again was associated with the presence of ‘outsiders’ in the government. Furthermore, the BJP opened its coffers to woo voters by promising Rupees 3,100/quintal for paddy, a higher rate than the existing one. They also broke the solid block of women’s support for BJD by issuing Rs. 50,000 cash vouchers to each block of voters. Interestingly, while some of the promises have been addressed since the BJP took office, most remain unfulfilled, and some have been totally ignored. It is undeniable that the Biju Janata Dal and its leader, Naveen Patnaik, have transformed Odisha from a poverty-ridden, industrially stunted state to a progressive, safe, technologically energetic one. With vigorous anti-poverty policies, administrative transparency, and economic stability, Patnaik had led his state with confidence and vision. His mild and modest manner made him not only a popular and dependable figure in Odisha politics but also in the nation. He is now serving as the opposition leader in
the Legislative Assembly of Odisha. While it is true that Patnaik and BJD have fallen by the wayside, I hope it is only a temporary setback. Truly, Indian politicians have much to learn from this self-effacing yet creative and efficient leader. Biju Patnaik was involved not only in India’s fight for independence but also in Indonesia’s. He was awarded an honorary citizenship of the country due to his contributions to its freedom struggle. The policies to reduce multidimensional poverty brought down the poverty rate from nearly 64% in 2005-06 to around 11% in 2022-23. It seems the love for writing and literature ran in the family. Naveen Patnaik was the founder member of India National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH). The Garden of Life, Desert Kingdom, and A Second Paradise: Indian Courtly Life are three books he has written. His elder sister was the famous writer, Gita Mehta. Her Karma Cola is one of my all-time favorite books. The project is known as ‘Sujal.’ Naveen Patnaik’s early education was in a Convent School, Welham Boy’s School, The Lawrence School (Sanawar), and the Doon School in Dehradun. He then attended Kirori Mal College in Delhi University for this BA degree.
The Thirst of Intelligence
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at dawn in Bhilai, that was sixty years ago. and laterin Mumbai, the diesel growl of the tanker at the gate. Will this child inherit my childhood or escape it?That will not be settled by Google, or Adani. Nor, if I am honest, by me. I lefta long time ago. My taps run, I will read about Vizag from a quiet street half
a world away. It will be settled by the people who live there. And the least those of us who moved away can do is to refuse the comfortable silence. And say, from wherever we landed, that the bucket and the tanker were not the only way it can go, and the aquifer need not be the next chapter. My friend told me India would always
supply the cheap inputs for the values counted somewhere else. I have spent these months discovering how ‘nearly right’ he was. I would dearly like, when I see him next, to set down my cup and tell him:‘he was wrong’. But I must earn that sentence, and so must the country I left. He has given me eighteen months to try.
Quote of the Quarter: Modern science has given men speed, but taken away emotions
“আধুনিক বিজ্ঞান মানুষকে দিয়েছে বেগ, কিন্তু কেড়ে নিয়েছে আবেগ” From “দৃষ্টিপাত” by “যাযাবর” (Binoy Mukhopadhyay)
July 2026 15
Ananda Sangbad
AFRICANS, KINGS AND SLAVES IN INDIA By Tathagata Ghosh (New Jersey)
T
he popular perspective is that India’s ties to slavery have always been as a victim. Many people of Indian origin were taken from India under servitude and served on distant shores, forming an Indian diaspora. That is the harsh truth. There is also a history that many centuries ago, slaves were brought into India. Many Africans were brought into India, and they played a prominent role in the history of the country.Many of these slaves rose to become kings and leaders. One of the most prominent of them was Malik Ambar. He was an Ethiopian slave and was a military commander in the 17th century. He reputedly was the one who stopped the Mughals in the Deccan by using guerrilla tactics. Jahangir was famously angry with him because Malik thwarted his ambitions time and time again. Malik Ambar rose to become
the defacto ruler of the Ahmednagar sultanate. His military commanders included Shivaji’s father, Shahaji Bhonsale.He fought as a senior general against the expanding Mughal forces. Shivaji perfected the same tactics. Unknown to most, Ambar Malik could be called the grandfather of Maratha guerrilla warfare.His tomb still exists in Aurangabad, near the Ellora Caves. Another fascinating piece of history is that there were slave kings even in Bengal in the 15th century. There were many African military elites who became nobles and kingmakers. They were the Habshi rulers of Bengal. Malik Andal or Sidi Badruddin Firuz Shah became the Sultan of Bengal in the 15th century, and his entire court was dominated by African Nobles. There were other African rulers, including the Siddis of Janjira fort. This
was an almost inaccessible fort just off the coast in Maharashtra. The Siddis held their own against the Maratha, the Portuguese, the Mughals, and even the British. They were never defeated. The Siddis of Janjira fort integrated with India in 1948 by signing the papers of accession. The African diaspora in India was not based on the classical slave trade nor on race. This could be attributed to military slavery. Many acquired positions and great power. The entry of the African slaves happened in the 16th and 17th centuries when the Portuguese brought them in. This was an Indian Ocean slave trade, and the transit point was Goa.These slaves were either shipped further into the East Indies or were in servitude in many places on the Indian West Coast. From Goa, the slaves were sent to Cochin and then onto Sri Lanka or Malacca. Apart from these later instances of slavery, there were early instances of
slavery recorded by the Cholas and the Pandyas (up to the 13th century). They enslaved the people they conquered. Many of the men worked on farms, and they could be sold or transferred between masters. The women were sold to temples, and slavery was embedded in the temple economy. Slavery remained hereditary and continued through generations. I have heard stories about the persistence of slavery, especially in areas in the western part of India, possibly even after independence. There are people’s names that you can come across that show their roots in slavery. Many times, it is their last names or their castes that are markersof their slave origins. There are common names in the South like ‘Karrupaih’ – which translates to ‘black man’. Another one I heard was Velamman – that translates to ‘White woman’. Throughout history, even white people were enslaved and
trafficked in India. When thinking about it, I suddenly remembered a cook who used to work for us. He was helped a lot by my father in getting a job later. I heard that he had run away from his home in Kerala. His name was ‘Velappan’. ‘Velappan’ translates to ‘White man’. He did not have a last name as far as I know. His kids were well-schooled and hopefully did well later in life. In summary, Indians have always had a history of slavery for thousands of years, both as enslavers and the enslaved. That part of our history is mostly forgotten. References: 1. Orr LC. Slavery and Dependency in Medieval South India. In: Perry C, Eltis D, Engerman SL, Richardson D, eds. The Cambridge World History of Slavery. The Cambridge World History of Slavery. Cambridge University Press; 2021:313-334. 2. “Slavery and Forced Labour in the Indian Ocean World” – Gwyn Campbell
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16 July 2026
Ananda Sangbad
CULTURAL PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS
A Journey Through Santiniketan’s Seasonal Festivities T
By Sudipta Choudhury (New Jersey)
he celebration of the 165th birth anniversary of Rabindranath Tagore at Tagore Hall, jointly organized by the Santiniketan Praktoni Dol and Ananda Mandir, brought Tagore’s timeless philosophy to life. Rather than serving as a conventional memorial, the event offered a vibrant engagement with his core ideals of universalism, humanism, and harmony. By emphasizing his vision of education as both a moral and an aesthetic
practice, the program highlighted Tagore’s dream of a world culture that remains deeply rooted in local traditions while embracing global richness. The central theme of the celebration immersed the audience in the unique, nature-centered calendar of Santiniketan. The program, Utsavmukhor Santiniketan, recreated the seasonal festivals that Tagore instituted to foster a profound connection
between humanity and nature. Through a rich blend of script, recitation, songs, and dance, participants brought to life the spirit and significance of these cherished celebrations. Among the festivals highlighted were: • Maghotsav • Basanta Utsav, celebrating the arrival of spring with vibrant yellow attire, music, and spiritual joy • Rabindra Jayanti • Brikkhoropon, emphasizing environmental stewardship and the nurturing of life • Hala Karshan, honoring agriculture, labor, and humanity’s enduring bond with the earth • Barshamangal • Swadhinata Dibash • Sharodotsav • Poush Mela Former students of Santiniketan, along with members of the local community, participated enthusiastically and presented the entire theme in a beautiful manner. Their collective effort vividly captured the spirit of Santiniketan, its cultural traditions, and Tagore’s enduring vision of harmony between nature, creativity, and human life. The audience enjoyed the artistic excellence and the thoughtful portrayal of the
values and celebrations that continue to define Santiniket-
an’s unique cultural heritage.
We also had a wonderful musical presentation of Ananda Sandhya on May 15th