Friday, November 20, 2020 | Vol. 39, No. 47
Indo American News
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November 20, 2020
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Published weekly from Houston, TX
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DIWALI 2020
November 20, 2020
Meenakshi Temple Celebrates Diwali with Covid-19 Precautions By Dr. Al Algappan
MTS student scholarhsip winners were presented at the Diwali function.
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Pearland: Sri Meenakshi Temple Society celebrated Diwali on Saturday, Nov 14th 2020. Due to the current unprecedented COVID pandemic, Diwali this year was celebrated in a much more subdued mode without the traditional bazaar, fireworks, kids’ carnival activities and Rath yathra. Advance information was provided in the weeks prior to the event that the temple would be open to general public as a regular temple day only without the traditional daylong festivities while following strict CDC guidelines. The day turned out to be very pleasant with a partly sunny sky which brought a steady stream of devotees throughout the day. Everyone who attended the event, welcomed the meticulously planned safety precautions that were in place to make sure that they all felt safe while visiting the temple. This was the main priority for the event coordinator as well as MTS Board members. The devotees got their temperature checked by the Seva clinic student volunteers and everyone was issued an entry pass wristband while they were still seated in their cars with rolled down windows. . Lakshmi Puja and Deepavali Katchi were arranged for the morning from 10.30 to noon when devotees were allowed inside as per previously determined capacity limits while no one was allowed to sit down during the puja to avoid congregation. There was a clearly marked entry to the main temple which lead them to all the deities for a closer Darshan. Every devotee was given a sweet laddu prasadam when they exited the main temple . To enhance devotee viewing experience, the eye catching Golu display from Navrathri was kept intact until Diwali weekend Two giant decorated life-like white elephants were stationed outside the entrance of the main temple which turned out to be the most photographed spot on this Diwali day. Outdoor dining was arranged, and devotees had the choice of either eating in their cars or at the socially distanced picnic tables and chairs arranged at the sprawling lawn area. MTS also recognized a total of 10 MTS student scholarship recipients and distributed their award checks and the certificates. One of the students Nithya, daughter of our temple priest, Parameshwaran who studied at Pearland High school received the special award which was set up in memory of Priest Rajarathna Bhattar. Both the Diwali 2020 and the MTS student scholarship award ceremony were coordinated by the current Joint Treasurer Dr. Al Alagappan. Kudos to the entire MTS Board, priests, shilpies, staff and countless volunteers lead by MTS Chairman Dhani Kannan for making this Diwali event happen providing the community the opportunity to worship safely under the current pandemic conditions
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THANKSGIVING 2020
November 20, 2020
Fort Bend Interfaith Community to Hold Thanksgiving Service
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Interfaith Thanksgiving Service in 2019.
Signs Of
Fort Bend
INTERFAITH
Thanksgiving Service
Monday, November 23, 2020 Virtual Service: 7:00 PM
Facebook Live: rebrand.ly/fbicfb YouTube Live: rebrand.ly/fbicyt COMMUNITITES IN THE SERVICE: • Ismaili Council for Southwestern US • Baha'i Community • Christ Church Sugar Land • Congregation Beth El • First Unitarian Universalist Church (Thoreau Campus) • Maryam Islamic Center • St. Laurence Catholic Church • Sikh Community • St. Catherine Episcopal Church • New Hope Lutheran Church • Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints • Hindus of Greater Houston • St. Martin's Lutheran Church
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Sugar Land: The Fort Bend Interfaith Community would like to invite people from all-faiths to a virtual Interfaith Thanksgiving Service with the theme of “Signs of Hope.” The service can be viewed Monday, November 23, at 7 p.m. on both YouTube and Facebook live. This year, the Hindus of Greater Houston are not only participating in the choir and performing a dance, but Mark Ram of the Brahma Kumaris Meditation Center will be giving the homily for the service. In addition there will be readings, songs, poems, dances and prayers from 13 different faith communities including Christian, Muslim, Jewish, Sikh and Baha’i. This is the Fort Bend Interfaith Community’s 5th Annual Thanksgiving Service. The service is usually hosted by one of the area congregations and attended by over 1000 people. Due to Covid-19, however, this year the entire service will be online. The service will include clergy and members from local congregations representing their faith’s expressions of Thanksgiving through readings from the Bible, the Quran and the Book of Mormon as well as songs of prayer and praise. “The Interfaith Thanksgiving service brings together people from diverse faith groups and backgrounds to celebrate our shared values of peace, hope, and love. We express our hope for a future of cooperation and love through words, melodies and dance from each of our individual faith traditions,” said Pastor Will Starkweather, chairman of the Interfaith Council. “This service is an act of love from our membership of over 40 churches, mosques, temples and synagogues that work together to build meaningful relationships.” In addition to the annual Thanksgiving service, Fort Bend County Judge KP George has proclaimed November 23 “A Fort Bend County Day of Prayer.” Area faith communities are encouraged to pray, meditate or fast to together bring deliverance to our country from the Coronavirus pandemic. Everyone is invited to join in and watch the service starting at 7 pm on Facebook at https://www. facebook.com/FortBendInterfaithCommunity or on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2N3EjdK3JmoFfWkdDU8kDQ . The service will continue to be available to view after that time. Any area religious group that believes in building understanding between diverse groups through trust, respect, and shared values is welcome to become a member of the Fort Bend Interfaith Council.
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COMMUNITY
November 20, 2020
Gandhi Museum Gets $100K from Elkins Foundation
Architectural conception of the Eternal Gandhi Museum to be located in southwest Houston.
Houston: Eternal Gandhi Museum Houston (EGMH) is delighted to inform you that The Elkins Foundation, has provided a capital grant of $100,000 for the construction of the Museum. It is the second major foundation after Houston Endowment to offer support to EGMH in the early stages of its capital campaign. We are truly honored and sincerely express our gratitude to The Elkins Foundation for this magnanimous gesture to bring to life a unique civic asset to the culture landscape of Houston. Margaret Wiess Elkins and James A. Elkins, Jr. established The Elkins Foundation, https:// www.theelkinsfoundation.org/, in 1956 as a way to help strengthen and enrich the community in which they lived. Today, their descendants continue that work. Under the stewardship of Elise Elkins Joseph, Leslie Elkins Sasser, Virginia Arnold Elkins and an Associate Board representing the next generation, The Elkins Foundation contributes each year to numerous organizations serving Houston and the Greater Gulf Coast. Eternal Gandhi Museum Houston (EGMH) is an initiative to preserve and continue the legacy of Mahatma Gandhi. The museum
will be located in Houston, one of the most diverse cities in the United States. It will be the first ever museum dedicated to peace in the Americas. Its mission is to reinforce the universal values of Truth, Peace, Nonviolence, Love & Service. EGMH (formerly known as Mahatma Gandhi Library), a 501(C) (3) entity, established in 2002, has undertaken the challenge of establishing a place-based arts initiative. The guiding principle for this project is to create—through the life and work of Gandhi—a thriving, vibrant educational organization aimed at changing the world through its visitors while creating a sustainable and successful new resource for the Greater Houston area. The museum will highlight various world leaders and their journeys depicting the power of peaceful resistance to settle conflicts nonviolently. The ultimate goal is to encourage visitors to embrace these values in their own lives and create positive force for social good. To initiate this project, they have engaged a reputable museum consultant, with a Smithsonian background. The museum will include exhibits and interpretations that
highlight the mission and vision. Additional consultants engaged for this project include a design and build museum firm, architect and an education consultant. EGMH has acquired 3 acres of land in southwest Houston to house the museum and is launching a capital campaign. The proposed budget for construction is 6.5 million dollars as follows. The capital campaign has reached $ 2.9 million of the required $ 6.5 million. The EGMH Board of Trustees has committed $1.1 million and secured another $0.8 million in private donor commitments. The Houston Endowment Foundation recently awarded a capital grant of $500,000. A concerted fundraising campaign is underway through foundations, corporations and private donors to raise the remaining $3.6 million. The exhibitions, experiences, and resources are designed to be relevant, timely, and globally focused. Informed by quantitative data and qualitative feedback, the museum programming will engage students and teachers to support the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS), the state standards for public schools from kindergarten through 12th grade.
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November 20, 2020
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Raj Kumar Syal Endowment Fund at UH for Needy Engineering Students By Raghunath Prasad Houston: I met Raj Syal in the summer of 1964 when I was looking for an apartment. I noticed an apartment whose door was open and inside two Indian men were eating their lunch. So, I peeped in and asked if there was a vacant apartment in the complex. Syal sahib said “you will certainly find an apartment, but first come in and eat lunch with us.” Since that day, it has been a great privilege and blessing to know Raj Syal. In him, I found the elder brother whom I had left back home. He came to Houston in 1965 and started working with Texas Highway Department, and I followed up, arriving in 1966. Back then, we would go to watch Indian movies that he had arranged to be screened at the University of Houston. I never saw Syal sahib actually watching any of the Indian movies, but he would be the first one in the auditorium. He would bring snacks - pakoras, samosas and Coke - with him. There were no Indian restaurants in Houston those days, so his wife, Krishna bhabhi used to make them with help from her friends. She is
the woman behind the man. Even though we all had young kids at that time, he used to be the last person to leave the place and sometimes I would stay with him out of respect. One day I saw him cleaning up trash, including dirty diapers, from the auditorium floor, so I began to help him. One day, I casually mentioned that the University would not continue to let us screen movies if the place was left so dirty and that we needed to have a place of our own. If anyone gave him a good idea, even in conversation, he would work to implement it right away, for the good of people, not for himself. Within a week Syal sahib had gathered several socially active Indian people and groups to advocate building a place for ourselves. That was the start of India Culture Center and I am so glad that his dream came true. Syal sahib has done a lot for my family and me, and I am very indebted for his selfless and unexpected generosity. Though it was a small, and fast growing community, he knew most of the Indian people in Houston. When he learnt what someone needed, he would be there right away to
help: whether fixing someone’s car, broken dishwasher or pipe in the house. This was the story with our own car. We all take care of our own needs, but the person who helps other selflessly, we Indians call a “mahan atma.” Raj Syal was truly a “mahatma”. What we do for ourselves goes away with us, but what we do for others stays here in this world. Syal sahib will be always in our hearts. He and his deeds will be remembered forever in Houston. I miss you, my brother.
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Raj KumaR Syal EndowmEnt Fund
Raj Syal was a man burning with a desire to hold true to his faith, culture and humble beginnings. • He helped form the India Culture Center at its small house on Cypress Street. • He would drive across town, Scholarship 40 miles from home to volrecipients unteer on projects will be decided • He helped found the region’s first temple, the Hindu Worby the ship Society on Wirtcrest Dean of the Road. Cullen College • He helped bring together the fragmented Hindu commuof Engineering nity by organizing the area’s first Janamashtami program at the George R. Brown For more information on the Convention Center. endowment and to make • He helped to form the Hindonations, please contact: dus of Greater Houston. • Raghunath Prasad • He organized the city’s first fireworks display downtown 713-385-6473 for Janamashtami. praghunath31@yahoo.com • For all his efforts, the HGH • Dr. Narendra Gosain awarded Ray Syal a lifetime 832-274-4535 achievement award in 2014 on the 25th anniversary of narendragosain41@gmail.com the Janamashtami event.
Established to provide Scholarships for Needy Engineering Students at the University of Houston
Raj Kumar Syal was born on May 7, 1934 in village Bilga, District Jullunder in the Punjab, India. He received an associate degree in engineering in 1958, then came to Tulane University in 1963 and earned his civil engineering degree at Texas A&M University. Syal received his Masters in civil engineering from the University of Houston in 1970. In February 1965, Syal began working for the Texas Highway Department for 45 years till his retirement. After retiring, the family moved to The Woodlands in 1999. He passed away on October 1, 2020.
• Endowment has been established by Raj Syal’s daughter, Dr. Anju Syal. • Total amount collected must be deposited with the University by March 31, 2021. • Minimum required amount of $25,000 has been donated by a generous donor. • Total collection goal: $200,000 • Checks should be made to “University of Houston”. Memo area should say ”Raj K Syal Endowment Scholarship” or “RK Syal Fund”. • Checks should be mailed to Dr. Anju Syal, 4101 Greenbriar, St, Suite 315, Houston, Texas 77098. • All donations are tax-deductible.
A Faithful Steward of the Indian Community
Indo-American News • Friday NOVEMBER 20, 2020 • www.indoamerican-news.com
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November20, 20,2020 2020 November
HINDU WORSHIP SOCIET
invites devotees to attend a Virtual Pu
Perf
Shr Kh
Chu B w str on
Ne
D w pr All Patrons & Sponsors will be recognized by Shri Puneet Khurana ji
PATRONS
Susheela & Durga Agarwal family Nisha & Raj Bhatia family Anuradha & Vidya R. Bhakshi family Aruna & Ravi Goel family Ashima & Dilip Patel family Diana & Narin Sehgal family Shakun, Ashna, Avina & Parti family Rita & Bal Sareen family Aarti Soni family
VOLUNTEER SPONSORS
Rajni & Pramod Barnwal family Shanta Chawla family Prem & Baru Goel family Usha & Ved Gupta family Alka & Ranjan Laskhari family Indu Puri family
Network & Communication Team ANKU
SPONSORS
Program starts with Kirti & Devki Agarwal family Dr. Saroj & Vishwa Bahl family Sangeeta & Dinesh Bhakshi family Vanita & Vijay Bhagi family Kiran & Ramesh Garg family All Pandemic requ Surita & Satish Malhotra family Radha & Ram Gupta family wi Dr. Sudesh & Bhisham Gupta family Balwant Khurana family Support music Rama & Navin Patni family Poonam & Raj Sehgal family • Depending Dipi & Raj Sethi family participants, some bhen Amy & Kevin Sareen b Vijay & Suresh Sachdev family • Ravi Goel & Jaya & Prabhat Sharma family coordinate offer Neelu & Ashok Sharma family Sandhya & S.P. Singh family This year again, Diana & N Meera & Rajinder Soni family Brasserie have kindly agre Tej & Janak Tewari family all the devotees at the Tem deliver the food to all patr
HWS Virtu
Indo-American News • november Friday, NOVEMBER 2020 • editiOn: www.indoamerican-news.com Indo-AmerIcAn news • FrIdAy, 20, 2020 •20, Online www.indOamerican-news.cOm
November20, 20,2020 2020 November
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TY
uja
formance by ri Puneet hurana ji of unni Puja Bhajans will be reamed live Youtube from ew Delhi.
Details will be rovided later
HWS Pandit Bhawani Shankar Shastri ji
UR GOEL 832-692-0779; LYNETTE SIMS 713-291-1593; BINA VYAS 832-871-2320
h a puja by Pandit Bhawani Shankar Shastri ji at 5pm
ual Puja 5pm, Friday, January 1, 2021
uirements of Harris County and the City of Houston ill be strictly observed and enforced. by Rishab Lamisal and his sister Rucchi Lamisal.
on the number of nts will be offered by HWS devotees. & Nisha Bhatia will rings by devotees.
• Chunnis will be available at the Mandir for $21 each. • Checks written to HWS will be accepted.
Narin Sehgal, owners of Bombay eed to provide prasad packets to mple. Bombay Brasserie will also rons & sponsors at their homes.
TEMPLE: 713-957-4608 www.hwstemple.org; hws.temple@gmail.com; Facebook: @hwstemple
For General Information or to be a PATRON/SPONSOR contact: BAL SAREEN 337-540-6001 RAVI GOEL 713-690-3335 RAJINDER SONI 281-565-5952 For Puja information, contact Pandit Bhawani Shankar Shastri ji 832-278-0100 Overall Coodination & Food Delivery Team PRAMOD BARNWAL 281-415-3909 RANJAN LASHKARI 281-798-8064 ASHIMA PATEL 832-563-6689 Food Coordinators ARUNA GOEL 281-589-9748 ASHIMA PATEL 832-563-6689 INDU PURI 832-520-3547 MEERA SONI 281-565-5952
Indo-American News • november Friday NOVEMBER 2020 • editiOn: www.indoamerican-news.com Indo-AmerIcAn news • FrIdAy, 20, 2020 •20, Online www.indOamerican-news.cOm
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COMMUNITY
November 20, 2020
Maheshwari Mahasabha of North America Celebrates ‘Virtual Utsav 2020’
MMNA celebrated a virtual Utsav over the 3 weekends, starting from October 11, 2020 during the festive season of Navratri. These three Sunday evenings consisted of thrilling and entertaining performances. After the opening remarks by Utsav Sootradhar - Jitendra Muchhal, MMNA President - Vikas Bhutada provided the context of celebrating the Utsav and keeping the community connected, especially more so in these pandemic times. Day1 event included a 2-hour virtual ‘Hasya Kavi Sammelan’ that was attended by 600+ members. With a melodious Ganesh vandana, the MCs Archana Panda and Prashant Jhanwar started off the evening in their hilarious style and kept the audience totally engaged. Hasya Kavi Dr. Kamlesh Dwivedi, Padmashri Dr. Sunil Jogi and Archana Pandya kept the audience laughing and entertained. The event coordination was very well done by MMNA’s Silicon valley Chapter President, Swapnil Laddha. Day2 event titled ‘Maha Trivia with Maha Sabha and Ravi Drums’ was another fun-filled evening. Utsav Sootradhar - Abhilasha Rathi welcomed the audience and introduced the Chair for MMNARAYS (Rajasthani Abroad Youth Samaj) - Sarika Malani. The RAYS team coordinated the program and engaged the audience in playing an ethnic Rajasthani Trivia in several virtual breakout rooms. It was a unique experience for several members of
all age groups. This was followed by a very entertaining program by the famous Hollywood Sensation - Ravi Drums! Ravi’s virtual performance with drums mesmerized the audience and got them off the chairs and in the dancing mode. It was a sensational feeling as 600+ members virtually enjoyed as if they were present in an auditorium. Members expressed a lot of happiness with the proceedings of these virtual sessions: “We neither had to prepare any clothes, nor pack any bags, nor get on the plane to the place of a convention but still we had a similar experience / feeling of a real convention”, by participating right from our own homes. “We could meet several of our friends and relatives virtually, just in the last 2 hours”. The Day3 event was titled ‘Vijaya Dashami Celebration with Ek Shaam Aapke Naam’ and was attended by 1,000 members and lasted for 4.5 hours in the virtual mode. This was a record-breaking
event for MMNA in terms of the attendance and the duration. The event started with a welcome by the ‘Sootradhar’ Jitendra Mucchal. Vikas Bhutada, MMNA President wished Happy Dussehra to all the members. He thanked the MMNA-Sakhi team Chair & Co-Chair Vandana Daga & Yogita Sarada for putting in their best to bring such an entertaining evening for the members. It started with performances of MMNA community members from all the 9 chapters across the US & Canada. The theme of the evening was ‘emotions & feelings’. The audience members were encouraged to dress in their best ethnic attire. MMNA team presented an eye-catching audio-visual titled ‘Golden Snippets 2016-2020’ covering a synopsis of multitude of their activities and significant projects undertaken by different teams during their term of these 4 years. Several MMNA members of the Board Of Trustees, National Executive Committee and Utsav volun-
teers were recognized during the event. Dr. Ghanshyam Heda, BOT Chair was recognized for receiving multiple awards / scholarships including the prestigious Fulbright award for Education. A video message sent by the Chief Minister of Rajasthan, complementing the community on their efforts to connect and contribute during these difficult times, was also played for the audience. This was followed by a thrilling, mesmerizing and power-packed virtual live performance by the famous ‘Dhwani’ Trio from Kolkata, India. The audience of all ages was totally engaged in singing along & dancing with the stars of Dhwani. It was a memorable evening to watch - with so many smiles, amazing colorful ethnic Rajasthani costumes and a beautiful family environment. The audience was ecstatic with joy and celebration. This was followed by a Live ‘Raavan - Dahan’ from California from home
of Prashant Maloo - who made the 10 Headed Ravan Effigy with sword - which was then confined to flames by Shri Ram. Contributions of Poonam Bhutada, Amit Somani, Shruti Soni, Surekha Soni, Anurag Soni, MCs Neha Rathi and Yogita Miharia were also exemplary in the entire Utsav series. The whole Utsav programs came to life due to superb use of technology and interactivity. MMNA was founded in 1983 with the purpose of preserving its rich Rajasthani Maheshwari culture and heritage, while the community continued to grow in America. MMNA helps bridge that gap and also promotes togetherness and social welfare through its platform of 4,000 individual members in 10 chapters. MMNA also helps the community to come together and make a difference in the local communities through multiple philanthropic activities.
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Indo-American News • Friday, NOVEMBER 20, 2020 • www.indoamerican-news.com
COMMUNITY
November 20, 2020
Mayor Urges Houstonians to Limit Holiday Gatherings to Household
Houston: Mayor Sylvester Turner and Dr. David Persse, the city’s leading health expert, talked Monday about how Houstonians should proceed with celebrations this holiday season during the coronavirus pandemic. Turner said the percentage of people receiving positive results from their COVID-19 tests, known as the positivity rate, was at 7.9%, up from a low of 5% five weeks earlier. “We are moving in the wrong direction,” Turner said. Thanksgiving is just around the corner, and most health experts are concerned crowded gatherings and celebrations will trigger another surge of coronavirus cases. Recently, Texas became the first state to reach more than 1 million cases. “Don’t invite COVID for Thanksgiving dinner,” Turner said during Monday’s news conference. Turner said large gatherings with people who don’t live in the same house could lead to another spike in cases. “As we approach the holiday season ... Thanksgiving is upon us. ... These traditional gatherings ... are not the way to proceed,” he said. “This virus thrives on gatherings and will take advantage of holiday festivities to sicken our loved ones and further spread through our community.” Persse said around 40% of people infected with COVID-19 don’t show symptoms and often spread the virus unknowingly. “The person you’re most likely to infect is a member of your own family,” Persse said. Both Persse and Turner said the city has plenty of free test sites offering quick results. “The more people who get tested, and the more frequently that we as individuals go to get tested, the more empowered we are as individuals to not only protect ourselves but also to protect our family workers and our co-workers and our neighbors,” Persse said. Harris County COVID-19 Threat Level System remains at a level 1 red, which means residents are strongly advised to limit outings and contact with others as much as possible. It’s also an indication that overall coronavirus breakouts are a concern for local health officials. Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo on Tuesday encouraged everyone in the county to get tested for coronavirus, pointing to alarming COVID-19 trends. Hidalgo also encouraged Harris County residents to cancel gatherings -- both large and small -- unless you are with your household. She is asking residents get tested for COVID-19, regardless of symptoms, and sent out an emergency alert to residents Tuesday evening.
5 percent five weeks earlier. -KHOU Thanksgiving is just around the corner, and most health experts are concerned crowded gatherings and celebrations will trigger another surge of coronavirus cases. Recently, Texas became the first state to reach more than 1 million
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Indo-American News • Friday NOVEMBER 20, 2020 • www.indoamerican-news.com
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OPINION
November 20, 2020
How Did Asian-American Voters Fail?
As Diwali, the Festival of Light is being celebrated by the Southeast Asian community across the US and the world, this year’s festival is particularly special, with Mrs. Kamala Harris, a daughter of an Asian immigrant, becoming the first woman vice president of America. Many Asian families justifiably feel exhilarated by her success and what our community can be proud of. At the same time, we must recognize that not every Asian American candidate can claim this moment of victory as Mrs. Harris in this election. For example, although Texas is home to more than 1.5 million Asian Americans, there has never been anyone being elected to the US Congress from the community in Texas history. This year, the community could have made history with a highly qualified candidate, Sri Preston Kulkarni. Yet his bid to become the first Asian American Congressman in Texas failed again, after two attempts in 2018 and 2020 elections. This has made the election night results particularly shocking, even more so as Biden in fact, won Fort Bend by 10% points or 38k votes in this election, compared to Clinton’s winning the county by 6% points and 17k votes in 2016. Even more stunning, Kulkarni’s opponent, Nehls on the Republican side, has a record of being a strong Trump supporter with his anti-immigrant, white supremacist, and build-the-wall agenda. In particular, he was fired from his previous police job for accruing some 18 misconduct violations. But how did a strong pro-Trump Republican manage to win this democratic, diverse, and minority-dominant county in the year 2020? This is something worth considering no matter which side you are on. Some of the reasons can be chalked up to standard campaign attacks. During early voting, almost $7 million in SuperPAC negative ads aimed at Kulkarni filled up Houston TV, youtube, and online media, funded by big dark money from GOP feeling threatened by unprecedented voter turnout in Texas. Flyers showing frightening and ghastly portraits of Kulkarni flooded voters’ mailboxes, vilifying him as a radical extremist, criminal, and socialist. People who have met Kulkarni knew that these attacks were baseless, outlandish, and deceptive, but the psychological trickery etched itself into the public perception.. It is unfortunate that a diverse, educated, increasingly progressive county will now be represented by someone who won using divisive politics that inflame inter-communal tension and purposefully undermine multiethnic coalitions. Despite the fact the district, now with the highest Asian American population in the southern US, has been under the Republican control for 40 years, we now again elected someone who marched in lockstep with Trump, who used anti-immigran and white supremacist rhetorics, who ran campaigns designed to divide minority communities from each other. But who truly has benefited from the conflicts and who truly has lost? No, Kulkarni did not lose, neither was it a Democrats’ loss. It was us, the people, you and me, and our communities, who lost. We lost some valuable voting power with the opportunity to elect the first-ever Texas congressman who could represent our voices in our native languages. We lost someone who has sacrificed himself to stand up for our traditions and our values, and a role model who has inspired many young Asian students. So in the end, we voted against someone who we have wanted and pushed our children to be? A great irony but a lesson that must be recognized by the community which let itself fall victim to political deception and “Divide and Conquer” tactic. Elections come and go. But perhaps, what we as a community can learn from this experience could stick with us and with our children. For their future does not have to depend on age-old Indian politics and British Raj, but what America is truly about. It is up to the younger generations of Asian Americans to define their destiny and what representatives they truly want in US Congress. Diwali is the time of light over darkness, knowledge over ignorance. May we, as one people, transcend our past and self-interest, welcome a greater good and brighter future! Dr. Helen Shih Dr. Raja Muthupillai Padma Srinivasan Ranga Vasan Harini Sampath Kumudh Pulijal Mr. M. Balakrishnan
Finding Deeper Meaning in Diwali By Raj Mankad In a normal year, those of us from India and South Asia would be celebrating Diwali, known in English as the festival of lights, in proper splendor this weekend. Grandparents would stuff sweets into children’s mouths. We’d pack into temples and pray. I grew up in a town in Alabama without a temple so it was the altar by the dining table, and a rented hall for a community “function” where the kids lip-synced to Bollywood songs and an uncle treated us one year with a science demonstration with dry ice from his university lab. The one time I lived in India during Diwali, I was shocked by the endless firecrackers and smoke. And even more surprised, in recent years, by those who treat it as a secular holiday, on par with “Xmas” for non-observant Americans, and a time to serve specialty cocktails with tamarind and mint. For some folks, the festivities are on, but not for me. Not this year. I haven’t seen my parents in person since March. And I’m not taking a road trip to North Carolina or getting on a plane to see them now as this pandemic sets new records. I don’t want to put their lives at risk. Not after waiting this long and not with the possibility of an effective vaccine in the spring. Sure, some of the traditions can carry on. Drawing rangoli, or mandala patterns, on the veranda. Lighting sparklers. Little presents for the kids. But it’s not the same without extended family and friends. At first, back in the spring, I enjoyed the peace and quiet of a canceled-everything existence. Diwali is a reminder of everyone I miss. Being Indian is all about getting smooshed into too-small spaces, singing and dancing and talking loudly. Indians are hardly alone in this. Easter, Passover, Ramadan — people of all backgrounds have lamented the inability to mark their traditions together. Worries about Thanksgiving, Hanukkah and Christmas are only intensify-
ing. The prospect of missing our sacred rituals, or at least peeling back their pomp due to these unfortunate circumstances, forces us to reflect on the deeper meaning behind them. I asked Surya Nanda of the Arya Samaj of Greater Houston for some help in making sense of it all. Nanda, a teacher or acharya in Sanskrit, reminded me that the root word in Sanskrit for Diwali is deep, which means lamp. I’ve never liked the simplistic translation “festival of lights,” in describing Diwali. For me, it matters that the holiday is not just a light show. Inside the lamp burns a flame. There’s heat. There’s combustion. A fire. And then comes the light and the dispelling of darkness, of senselessness and despair. And Nanda knows how to get a fire going. Back in February, before everything shut down, he agreed to conduct a ceremony for my daughter. A kind of initiation into young adulthood but one that has long been reserved for boys in high castes. Nanda is reopening the right of passage to girls, and to boys of any or no caste. He conducted it in our backyard where he lit a ceremonial fire. As my daughter fed the flames with clarified butter called ghee and camphor, Nanda invoked the stars, the Earth and the great rivers. He reminded us that while we think we own the land we sit on, one day all our bodies will have expired, and our houses will be gone, and so will every trace of our material lives. The heat and perfume of the fire were intense. It had been a cloudy, blustery morn-
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ing but the sun broke through. I remember feeling relief. Why do I feel so grateful when someone reminds me I’m inconsequential? My parents organized a Zoom puja, or sacrament, which will bring us together, but you just don’t get that enveloping heat, the smell, the sear of meaning, from a screen. But I suppose the fire, the heat, the light, despite their powerful symbolism, aren’t really the point, either. They signify what Nanda calls the dispelling of ignorance by knowledge — and for the perspective we need, now more than ever, to get through this awful pandemic. Nanda only does virtual classes and ceremonies these days. I asked him what he tells members of the Arya Samaj who are isolated or sick or out of work. He said there are three types of suffering. The first comes from nature — think tsunamis — and we can try our best to adapt to these external events. The second comes from our surroundings, allowing us to manage risks. With coronavirus, we can wash our hands, wear masks and social distance. The third is spiritual. Anger, jealousy, loneliness — these we can better handle through spirituality, by strengthening our minds and understanding our place in the cosmos. Nanda neatly brings the lessons of Diwali back to the symbol of the lamp: “Light the lamp of love in your heart, the lamp of abundance in your home, the lamp of compassion to serve others, the lamp of knowledge to dispel the darkness of ignorance and the lamp of gratitude for the abundance that the Divine has bestowed on us.” The parties, the lip-syncing Bollywood performances, the family visits — all a near bust this year. Let’s focus on the flame, work on inner peace and hold on a little longer. Mankad is The Houston Chronicle’s op-ed editor.
COMMUNITY SUDOKU/RECREATION
November 20, 2020
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Arya Samaj Houston Celebrates Diwali with Drive-through Food Stalls
DAV School virtual North America children’s Diwali performances.
By Riya Gorgi Houston:The current situation has changed almost every aspect of our lives. And as the pandemic continues into the holiday season, the Arya Samaj management realized that it was more important than ever to hold the annual Diwali celebration, while observing all the pandemic safety precautions. Led by its dedicated volunteers, Arya Samaj Greater Houston hosted a unique drive-through Diwali this weekend, preserving the liveliness of the festival of lights while keeping everyone safe. Diwali is one of the biggest Hindu festivals celebrated at Arya Samaj. This year’s drive-through Diwali consisted of food stalls with pre-packaged food boxes and
sweets, a distribution and display of fireworks, and festive music and decorations. The celebrations started with a Yagya (Havan) , performed by Acharya ji, at the beautiful outdoor Yagyashala. . Volunteers delivered pav bhaji, chole bhature, sweets, and fireworks while families partook in Diwali from the comfort of their car. Food and firework orders were prepared beforehand so the drive-through could function as efficiently as possible. Volunteers assisted cars with their orders and greeted all of the families. Arya Samaj’s AYM youth group collected raffle tickets for fundraising, and AYM’s boy scouts held a food drive for the Houston Food Bank for donations of non-perishable food items.
Diwali drive-through and Yagyashala havan.
Although everyone had to maintain a safe distance, and communicate with their faces covered, this weekend’s event brought our community together for an excellent celebration of our culture. Families and friends dressed up to wish each other a happy Diwali, enjoyed delicious food and music, and re-connected after Arya Samaj Houston went completely virtual this year due to COVID-19. Close to 300 people and 100 cars participated safely in this year’s celebration. The event was livestreamed to allow numerous more to participate virtually. With meticulous planning, perfect execution and the hard work of the volunteers, the Arya Samaj hosted a very special celebration for the community in this difficult
year, personifying the true spirit of Diwali – dispelling darkness and bringing the light of hope and celebration in people’s lives. Arya Samaj Houston’s drive-through Diwali confirmed that the pandemic may change how we celebrate, but it won’t stop us from celebrating. The event was also captured by local Houston news, available to watch with this link: https://www.khou.com/video/life/ holidays/drive-thru-diwali-festival-amid-covid-19-pandemic/285eb5cd96d-28b5-4954-b8bd4495cf258570 The Friday evening drive through festival was followed by its DAV Sanskriti School (VSS) Sunday morning. As with all activities gone online, its Sunday School began to function virtually this year,
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and it joined hands with other five Arya Samajes in the United States, to form the VSS Global. VSS Global children celebrated Deepavali virtually during their school hours. The program started with Yajna in the yagyashalla conducted by DAVSS acharyas and a message of Diwali to all children. This followed a wonderful display of talent by the students when every child had an opportunity to contribute to at least one skill such as dance, singing, art & craft, Yogasan, Vedic chanting. Raffle draw periodically brought an element of fun. https://www.youtube.com/aryasamajhouston, https://www.facebook.com/AryaSamajOfGreaterHouston Riya Gorji is a ASGH DAV SS AYM high schooler.
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November 20, 2020
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Indo-American News • Friday, NOVEMBER 20, 2020 • www.indoamerican-news.com