Spiritual Awareness 30

Astrology 31

Fashion 32

ICC World Cup 33

NEW YORK EDITION

Vol.3 No.48 March 19-25, 2011 60 Cents
Mangano refuses to increase property taxes Tristate Community, page 5 Surender Sharma: On a laugh riot Unabashed Merry Making

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Japan nuclear crisis: Global fears mount International, page 34

Holi Special, page 22

Holi Special, page 10-30

Mini PBD to be held in Toronto in June

By Parveen Chopra New York: A Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD) for North America and the Caribbean region is to be held in Toronto on June 9-10, announced Dr A. Didar Singh, Secretary in the Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs (MOIA) at the Indian Consulate here on Wednesday. Regional, mini versions of the PBD -which is organized every year in India in early January -- are held outside India to make it convenient for the Indians in that area to attend, Dr Didar Singh explained. The PBDs aim to help the diaspora connect with India and engage them socially, culturally, and economically. These meets provide them a platform for dialogue and networking, he added. He reported that as many as 2,000 delegates attended the 2011 PBD in New Delhi, with the largest contingent from USA. Ambassador Prabhu Dayal introduced the Secretary who has served in important

Libya declares ceasefire, but sad over UN decision

India abstains in UNSC vote on no-fly zone
Tripoli/Cairo: The Libyan government Friday decided to halt all military operations against rebels in line with a UN resolution that imposed a no-fly zone over the North African country, but Foreign Minister Moussa Kusa stressed "great sadness" over the Security Council's decision. Announcing an immediate ceasefire on all military operations against rebels, Kusa said: "We also express great sadness towards imposing a no-fly zone over Libya, including civil aviation." Speaking at a press briefing in the capital Tripoli, Kusa also said Libya was open to a dialogue with opposition forces, DPA reported. On Thursday, after weeks of discussions, the UN Security Council banned flights in Libya's airspace and authorized "all necessary means" to implement the ban. The UN move and the support of Arab governments for the measure provided the

Dr Didar Singh, Secretary in MOIA, with Consul General Prabhu Dayal addressing a meeting at the consulate . capacities in various Indian ministries. He is an IAS Officer of the 1976 batch, same as the Consul Generals. Amb. Dayal and Dr Didar Singh addressed the meeting at the Consulate which was well attended by community leaders and the press. The two also took questions from the audience. Continued on page 6...

Protesters celebrate in Tobruk after a UN resolution authorizing a 'no-fly' zone and military attacks on Gaddafi's forces. two key conditions the NATO asked for before it would enter the fray against Muammar Gaddafi's forces. In an unusual action, the council authorized not only organizations but also indi Continued on page 6...

New Delhi: Prime one from the Congress Minister Manmohan party or the government Singh Friday went on the indulged in any unlawoffensive against allegaful act during the trust tions that MPs had been vote during July 2008,' bribed to win the 2008 he said in the Lok parliamentary trust vote Sabha, a day after the and denied any wrongopposition demanded doing as stated in the his immediate resigna'unverified and unverifition over the alleged Manmohan Singh 2008 cash-for-votes able' WikiLeaks cables. Stoutly defending his govern- scam that resurfaced with a newsment, he spoke at the India Today paper publishing the WikiLeaks Conclave and then made identical cables. statements in the two houses of 'The government rejects that alleparliament. gation absolutely and firmly,' he 'I wish to make it clear that no Continued on page 6...

Riots in Pak after PM denies WikiLeaks on Davis buys cash-for-MP-votes scam Lahore: Riots broke out freedom
on the streets of Pakistan following release of double murder-accused CIA contractor Raymond Davis after a 'bloodmoney' deal, and hundreds of protesters attempted to attack the US Consulate building in Lahore on Wednesday. Police wielded batons, fired warning shots and resorted to tear-gas shelling to control the mob at the consulate, The Nation reported. Davis' release sparked

Ambani on Bank of America board

Mumbai: Billionaire Mukesh Ambani, chairman of India's most valued company Reliance Industries or RIL, has joined the board of the Bank of America Corporation, the largest US lender by assets. His nomination will be ratified at the bank's annual meeting of shareholders. "Bank of America's shareholders will benefit from the global perspective Mr Ambani brings to our board," Bank of America's chairman

Raymond Davis was accused in double murder countrywide angry protests, and a large number of protesters mostly belonging to reli Continued on page 6...

Mukesh Ambani Charles O. Holliday, Jr said in a press statement Wednesday. "It is a privilege and a great honor for me, as the Continued on page 6...

Tristate Community TheSouthAsianTimes.info

March 19-25, 2011

Mangano refuses to increase property taxes

Mineola, N.Y : Due to the change in accounting rules applied by the Nassau Interim Finance Authority (NIFA), Nassau County Executive Edward P. Mangano announced major budget cuts for 2011 that protect homeowners and employers from a 21.5% property tax increase. The County Executive detailed over $121.2 million in budget cuts that include $60.5 million in employeerelated spending reductions, $40 million in across the board budget cuts and $20 million in lower tax refund liability than projected by NIFA. Since the last thing Nassau families need in these tough economic times is a double-digit property tax increase, I will submit a revised financial plan next week that cuts County spending by over $121 million, said County Executive

Announces major budget cuts, layoffs & wage freeze

NIFAs decision to change accounting practices and create a paper deficit. The $121.2 million in budget cuts announced by the County Executive include: $60.5 million in employee-related spending reductions, including: $50.5 million in savings from layoffs and the elimination of vacant positions; and $10 million in savings by calling on NIFA to freeze employee wages; $40 million in across the board budget cuts, including: $15 million from the reduction of contractual expenses; $15 million from the restructuring of the police department; $5 million from ending the Countys relationship with the MTA to run Long Island Bus service; and $4.5 million from the privatization of inmate healthcare; and $20 million in lower tax refund liability than projected by NIFA. By reducing spending and Nassaus workforce, I am taking the appropriate steps required to protect our homeowners from a property tax increase, said County Executive Mangano. I ask NIFA to understand the tough economic climate we are in and the financial difficulties faced by our families. That is why I call on NIFA to use their power to stop automatic pay increases negotiated by my predecessor that are scheduled to take place on April 1st.

Nassau County Executive Ed Mangano called on NIFA to use their power to stop automatic pay increases Mangano. These cuts will affect every area of the County and the services we provide. Thats unfortunate, yet necessary in the face of

Obama appoints Adobe CEO Shantanu Narayen as member of PMAB

Washington, DC: US President Barack Obama has appointed Shantanu Narayen, president and CEO of Adobe Systems, as a member of his Management Advisory Board. Along with Narayen, Obama appointed nine other eminent individuals to President's Management Advisory Board (PMAB). "I am grateful that these impressive individuals have chosen to dedicate their talents to serve the American people at this important time for our country. I look forward to working with them in the months and years ahead to deliver a government that's more affordable, effective and efficient," Obama said in a statement. PMAB was established by an executive order in April 2010 to advice on how to implement best business practices on matters related to Federal Government management and operation focusing on productivity, the application of technology and customer service. It is part of President Obama's ongoing commitment to cut waste and get the most from taxpayer dollars. Before becoming Adobe CEO in 2007, Narayen - who holds a bachelor's degree in electronics engineering from Osmania University, was Adobe's president and COO.

RANA to celebrate Holi on April 2

New York: RANA (Rajasthan Association of North America), one of the top cultural associations in the Tristate area will hold its annual celebration of Holi on April 2 at the Ganesh temple auditorium in Flushing. The highlight of the celebration will be a Hasya Kavi Sammlan featuring poets Hasya Samrat Surendra Sharma and Haysa ka dhamaka Arun Gemini. RANA President and leading jeweler Haridas Kotahwala told the SATimes that about 600 people are expected to attend the colorful event which will also serve up a cultural program and traditional Rajasthani meal. The Hasya Kavi Sammelan has been organized every year since 1999 for RANA by Vinod Jain, a jeweler. Says he: I have hosted many famous poets from India. I really enjoy humorous poetry and it's in my blood. RANA aims to bring together Rajasthani people to preserve and promote Rajasthani culture and heritage.

Vinod Jain (left) and his wife Poonam Jain with the poets Surendra Sharma and Arun Gemini.

Taped call suggests Rajat Gupta told Rajaratnam about Goldman plans
New York: Rajat Gupta , a former Indian American Goldman Sachs director, told hedge fund tycoon Raj Rajaratnam the investment bank was considering buying a commercial bank, according to a wiretapped telephone conversation played in court. In a July 29, 2008 conversation played Tuesday in a New York court, where Rajaratnam, co-founder of the hedge fund Galleon Group, is on trial, Gupta told him Goldman was weighing an acquisition of either Wachovia or American International Group (AIG). Rajaratnam, working from his Greenwich, Connecticut, home that day, told Gupta that he was meeting with Gary D. Cohn, the president of Goldman, later in the week. He asked Gupta about a rumor that Goldman might look to buy a commercial "This was a big discussion at a board meeting," Gupta said on the taped call. "And, you know, it was, uh, a divided discussion in the board." Goldman was bearish on commercial banks, he said, but the board was "opportunistic" and if Wachovia "was a good deal they'd go and buy Wachovia." Gupta also said that the board was weighing the acquisition of an insurance business, including AIG. "Yes, AIG was in the discussion mix," he said. Ultimately, Gupta concluded, "I would be extremely surprised" if there was "anything imminent." The detailed discussion of Goldman's board meeting is the first time the government has disclosed specific comments made by Gupta to Rajaratnam about the bank's internal dealings. Rajaratnam and Gupta are also heard discussing former Indian American McKinsey & Co. partner Anil Kumar, prosecution's star witness in the biggest US insider-dealing trial in decades.

Internationally acclaimed Violin maestro Dr. L Subramaniam (inset) along with his son Ambi Subramaniam presented a 90-minute Carnatic music concert at the UN ECOSOC chamber on behalf of the Permanent Mission of India to the U.N. The UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon, UN First Lady, Indian Ambassador to the United Nations Hardeep Singh Puri, his deputy Manjeev Singh Puri and an array of diplomats from many nations and sat through the entire concert and gave a standing ovation at the end to the violin virtuoso.

Community TheSouthAsianTimes.info
it is, he said. Evacuation of Indians from Japan has not been required, he said. He also pointed to the creation of a welfare fund for Indians living abroad for any contingency, for which provision has been made in 120 Indian missions. Stating that many initiatives of his ministry have been the outcome of discussions at PBDs, Dr Didar Singh mentioned the merging of the PIO-OCI card and clarified how NRIs (not those who have taken foreign citizenship) can exercise their restored voting rights by self-registering back home in a PM Manmohan Singh story from page 3 said, adding: 'It is unfortunate that the opposition continues to raise old charges that have been debated, discussed and rejected by the people of India.' The prime minister later read out the same statement in the Rajya Sabha. But the opposition was far from satisfied and both houses had to be adjourned over the clamor for clarifications on the statement. Hitting out at the opposition for giving 'dignity' to an 'unverified communication', he referred to Congress victory in the 2009 Lok Sabha elections and said: 'Upon Raymond davis story from page 3 gious and opposition political parties - converged outside the Lahore Press Club soon after the local media flashed the news. Tehrik-e-Insaaf and Jamaat-iIslami activists were leading the protests as they blocked the busy road by setting tyres on fire, creating a traffic mess in the highly sensitive and busy location of the city. As the angry protesters tried to constituency in which the address on their passports falls. Officially the Toronto conclave is called PBDCanada2011 and its theme is Building Bridges: Positioning Strategies for the Indian Diaspora. It is co-sponsored by FICCI and ASSOCHAM. MOIA has appointed the IndoCanada Chamber of Commerce (ICCC) as the nodal agency for it. Those wishing to attend can register at ICCC.org . Mini PBDs have been held in the past in New York (2007), Singapore (2008), The Hague (2009) and Durban (2010). PBDCanada2011s the conclusion of the term of the 14th Lok Sabha, there was a general election. In that general election, the opposition parties repeated their allegations of bribery in the trust vote.' Both BJP and Left parties suffered losses, but Congress improved its tally. As per WikiLeaks cables payoffs had been made to MPs to ensure a majority for the Congress-led government in the confidence vote following differences over the IndiaUS nuclear deal in 2008. A US diplomat was told Rs.50-60 crore was kept aside by the Congress party to get some opposition members of the Lok Sabha on board attack the US consulate, dozens of them sustained injuries as the police resorted to baton-charge to disperse the mob. The surrounding of the press club turned into battlefield as the protesters - who were chanting full-throat slogans against the Pakistan government and US authorities, terming the release as an attack on the country's sovereignty - pelted stones and water bottles at the policemen.

March 19-25, 2011

PBD story from page 3 Dr Didar Singh has been in the country in connection with the Maximum India festival in Washington DCs Kennedy Center. He recalled fondly that at the time of the Festival of India in 1985 he was serving as Consul in New York. Dr Singh said we all should be proud of Indian governments success in evacuating almost 14,000 Indian citizens in about 8 days from Libya facing a civil war like situation. India must now behave as a responsible global power that

Happy Holi
Libya story from page 3 vidual countries working together to use "all necessary means" to take action to end Gaddafi's military crackdown on civilian protesters. India abstained from the UNSC vote (passed 10:0 with 5 abstentions)) out of a concern that the measures may not worsen the Libyan people's woes. The announcement of a Libyan ceasefire came after the international community Friday began discussing all measures, including military action, against Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi's forces to enforce a no-fly zone. The US and European officials said air attacks against Gaddafi's forces were possible "within hours", according to the Wall Street Journal.

SoS members playing with colors, celebrating Holi with Fun & Food at the Science of Spirituality (SoS) Center, Amityville, NY. Celebrations on Wednesday included a message from Sant Rajendra Singh Maharaj on spiritual awareness, meditation, as well as a cultural program by young members and ghazal recital.

Kalpana Patel (middle), President-CEO of Unique Comp Inc., Long Island City, NY, received 2011 Enterprising Women of the Year Award instituted by Enterprising Women magazine. The award she received last week at Boca Raton, Florida was in the category of $5-10 million sales in 2010. Unique Comp Inc offers IT and engineering services. Mukesh Ambani story from page 3 first non-American citizen to join the board of one of the world's largest financial institutions" said Ambani. Ambani, who figured among the top 10 on the Forbes billionaire list in 2011, owns RIL, India's largest private business enterprise with $44.6 billion in annual revenues and over $70 billion in market capitalization. RIL recently announced that it was entering into a joint venture with British Petroleum that operate various oil refineries and has assets in India.

National Community TheSouthAsianTimes.info

March 19-25, 2011

IACS organizes meet with Homeland Nayan Parikh is new SIAEA president Security and Preparedness
New Jersey: Prominent South Asian community members met up with the officers of Homeland Security and Preparedness in Edison here organized by the Indo American Cultural Society Inc. Anne Kriegner working as Assistant Deputy Director, Operation told the guests, The training of law enforcement and other individuals tasked with homeland security and emergency preparedness will be shared in temples, church, Gurudwaras, schools or colleges in conjunction with multiple partners in state and local government. The Task Force issued several recommendations to improve the security at the states colleges and universities also. John Paige, an investigator in special tasks said, Federal and state local homeland security, law enforcement and emergency management maintain a

Newly sworn in SIAEA president Nayan Parikh (5th from left) with CG Prabhu Dayal (6th from left) with other dignitaries present on the occasion South Asian community leaders with OHSP members close working relationship with the Newark and Philadelphia FBI Offices. If you observe suspicious behavior, or someone asking for suspicious chemicals, weapons or someone having killing thoughts must be brought to our knowledge for proper handling of the person or situation. Leaders from audience asked many tough questions related to Homeland Security and Preparedness and mistreatment of South Asian community at airports in particular and many places in different part of the country and stressed the need of sensitivity training to Law Enforcement Officials and majority community. Any suspicious activity can be reported on toll free number and 24-hour terrorism tip line 1-866-4SAFE-NJ and a newly established email address tips@njhomelandsecurity.gov. Edison, NJ: Leading professionals, public officials and community leaders cheered and applauded as youthful and energetic Nayan Parikh took oath of office as the newly elected president of Society of Indo American Engineers and Architects (SIAEA), the representative body of engineers and architects of Indian origin. The swearing in ceremony was organized at Miraj Banquet hall in Edison, NJ. Ambassador Prabhu Dayal, Consul-General of India in New York, administered the oath of office to Parikh who took over as president for a two year term. Parikhs entire team of executive committee comprising of president-elect Mihir Patel, vice president Ketan Shah, secretary Samir Shah and Treasurer Shishir Agarwal also took oath of their offices. Ambassador Dayal congratulated Parikh for taking over as the president of the society. He expressed his compliments to the society for its accomplishment as a uniting force in the Indian American community. You have played an important role in strengthening relations between the people of India and the USA, he said. He expressed his confidence in the leadership of Parikh. Mayor John E. McCormac of Woodbridge Township and Mayor Antonia "Toni" Ricigliano, of Edison Township attended the event to express their support to Parikh on his election as president of the society. Special awards were presented to three society members at the ceremony. They were Rajiv Bhagat, for his excellent work in producing newsletters, Vinod Devgan, for successfully and efficiently running several key committees, such as, Jugaad Exhibition, Election and Scholarship and Yatish Sharma, for being a very proactive Secretary with innovative ideas.

Ameredia named in Top 10 Asian American Business in California

San Francisco, CA: Amredia, the San Francisco-based multicultural advertising agency, was selected on March 9 as a Top 10 Asian American Business in California by the US Pan Asian American Chamber of Commerce Western Region. Amredia was joined by other notable companies from the technology, communications and engineering sectors that required at least 51 percent Asian American ownership to qualify for the Top 10 ranking. Selection was determined by percentage revenue growth over three years and finalists were independently verified by A2Q2, a California-based accounting firm. Our California Top 10 Asian American Business Award recipients exemplify the aspirations, innovation and perseverance which are the stock that built the American Dream, said Susan Au Allen, National President and CEO of USPAACC. Along their journey to success, they have also contributed to the economic vitality, job creation and now serve as role models for aspiring entrepreneurs in the business community. We are mighty proud of them. USPAACC National named Amredia a Fast 50 Asian American Business in 2010, and earlier this year the agency was selected as a Top Business in America by DiversityBusiness.com, winning five awards including Top 100 Diversity Owned Businesses in California and Top 100 Subcontinent Asian American Businesses in the U.S.

Gayatri Chetana Center celebrates Maha Shivratri

Anaheim, CA: On Maha Shivratri day Gayatri Chetana Center, Los Angeles Branch here celebrated special rituals with scientific reasoning. More than 300 people attended Shiv pojan in Gayatri Center on March 2, 2011 at 6:00PM. Shiv means Shubha Shankar means Kalyankari with understanding of Lord Shiva divine message of divine form as a Manifestation of Supreme Consciousness was explained by Mahesh Bhatt during the ritual. All attending family members were having shivaling and pooja items in front of them to perform special rituals with Abhishekam. Niki and Viren Bhatt performed the main shivalingam poojan on the stage as representative of all members and to get blessing on their marriage anniversary. Shiv Strotram, and special devotional songs were sung by Niruben Barot, Niki Bhatt and Bhumika Dave. Shankarbhai Barot, Niruben Barot and Chinubhai Thaker, Vyvasthapak of the Gayatri Chetana Center, LA who leave at this centers primises, inaugurated the special 40 day

Niki and Viren Bhatt perform main pooja "Gayatri Mantra Lekhan Sadhana" and invited all temples and spiritual organizations in USA and Canada to participate. Special announcement was made for starting of Sunday Bal Sanshkar Shaal at this Gayatri Chetana Center from March 6, 2011. Mohan Gupta is facilitating the curriculum and planning of this program. Mohan introduced the teachers for the Bal Sanskar Shaala Neha Vaidhya, Niki Bhatt, Pragya Sharma, Rohita Bhatt, Bhumika Dave and Sashank Patil.

National Community TheSouthAsianTimes.info

March 19-25, 2011

MIT honors two Indian American professors

Houston: Two Indian-origin professors are among the four to have been named 2011 MacVicar Faculty Fellows for their outstanding undergraduate teaching, mentoring and educational innovation at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). This year's honorees are Bishwapriya (Bish) Sanyal of the Department of Urban Studies and Planning; Christopher Schuh of the Department of Materials Science and Engineering; and George Verghese and Patrick Winston, both of the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science. "It is certainly in the spirit of Margaret MacVicar's commitment to students that we award these prestigious fellowships and recognize the creative efforts of MIT's outstanding teachers. "This year's fellows are deeply committed advisors and mentors, they have led important curriculum changes and made significant contributions to programs in student life," MIT provost L Rafael Reif said during a reception at Gray House. At present, there are 38 members of the MacVicar Faculty Fellows Program, which was established in 1992 to provide an annual allowance to support faculty undergraduate teaching efforts, he said. The 10-year fellowship program was initiated to honor the life and devotion to the teaching excellence of Margaret MacVicar '64, ScD '67, MIT's first dean for undergraduate education and founder of UROP (Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program), Reif said. Bishwapriya Sanyal, who received his PhD in urban and regional planning from the University of California at Los Angeles, joined the MIT faculty in 1984 after previously working for the World Bank, and served as the head of the Department of Urban Studies and Planning from 1994 to 2002 and chair of the MIT faculty from 2007 to 2009. Sanyal, currently the Ford International Professor of Urban Development and Planning, also directs the SPURS/Hubert Humphrey program at MIT for mid-career professionals. George Verghese, a professor of electrical engineering, has been part of the MIT faculty since 1979. He received his B Tech from the Indian Institute of Technology, Madras in 1974; his MS from the State University of New York, Stony Brook in 1975; and his PhD from Stanford University in 1979, all in electrical engineering. Having a broad educational impact in the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, he has taught a range of courses, and in recent years has been involved in the evolution of the "header" course in communication, control and signal processing. The provost's advisory committee, which assists the provost in selecting new fellows, is chaired by Daniel Hastings, dean for undergraduate education, and includes faculty and students.

Political education forum meets VA senators and delegates

t was a big day for the I n d i a n American Forum for Education (IAFPE) Virginia chapter when the G e n e r a l Assembly of Virginia, at its full Senate Session, recogPicture taken inside the VA Senate at the time of nized and Hindu prayer read by the IAFPE-VA members admired the It was also a proud moment for IAFPE. Many of the members India and Indians in USA when from Washington and Richmond, Satish Korpe and Sanjay Mittal who had arrived at the VA were welcomed by Lt Governor Capitol, were ushered into the Bill Bowling and were honored to Assembly and stood up to the say Hindu Prayer (both in applauses of the Senators. Sanskrit and English) in the IAFPE had, indeed, made a big Assembly. The Lt Governor also presence in the Assembly where offered gratitude by giving gifts to Lt Governor, who is also the Mittal and Korpe. President of the VA Senate looked Earlier, in an adjoining Senate up to Gallery and, interestingly, Building, more than 40 VA said Wow, so many people! Senators and Delegates, belonging to different Districts and Counties of Virginia, met the IAFPE Members, at a breakfast, and spoke on the current bills proceedings in the Assembly. They freely interacted on various political subjects and also answered questions as raised by the Members. (The correspondent is Chandan Gambhir (right) is a a member of the IAFPE and had member of the IAFPE who accompanied the delegation to the also accompanied the delegation to the General Assembly at the VA General Assembly at the VA Capitol, Richmond) Capitol, Richmond

DIASPORA

Indian student raped, killed in Australia, body put in suitcase

Sydney/New Delhi: A 24-year-old Indian student was raped and murdered and her body stuffed into a suitcase in Australia's Sydney city. Indian External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna Monday described the incident as "unfortunate". Tosha Thakkar, a student of Sydney College of Business and IT, was raped and murdered and her body was found packed into a suitcase in a canal in Sydney last week. Daniel Stani-Reginald, 19, an Australian of Sri Lankan descent, has been arrested and charged with the murder and aggravated sexual assault on Thakkar. The Age quoted the police as saying the "predator" had waited until her housemate was away to sexually assault and kill her. Thakkar's body was found Friday morning in a canal behind the Meadowbank Park in northwestern Sydney. It had been stuffed into a turned up at the court Monday. "We are very upset, of course, and are just waiting to get justice ASAP. She was very nice, the type that got along with everybody and she didn't deserve this, such a painful death," The Age quoted a friend as saying outside the court. Pamela Young, a police official, said Thakkar was a respectful young woman and did not deserve this at all. Young said Thakkar's parents had not yet made plans to come to Australia and police hoped to return her body to India for a proper Hindu funeral service. "I understand her father is very ill," she was quoted as saying. Niralee, a cousin of Thakkar, said the victim was "a lovely human being" who was too young to die. "No human being should ever deserve something like this," she said.

Tosha Thakkar large, black, cloth suitcase. The case was mentioned briefly in the Burwood Local Court Monday. Stani-Reginald is alleged to have murdered Thakkar last Wednesday. He was arrested Friday night and charged for Thakkar's murder, the media report said. About 20 friends and family members of Thakkar, who had been living in Australia to study accounting,

Radio collars removed from 12 students of fake US university

New Delhi: Radio collars have been removed from 12 out of 18 students of the sham Tri Valley University in California, said the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) which had issued a notice to the Indian ministry of external affairs on the issue. 'The ministry of external affairs (MEA), in response to the NHRC notice, has informed that radio collars have been removed from 12 out of 18 students in Tri Valley University in California, US and the same are expected to be removed from the remaining students very soon,' a statement said on Tuesday. Taking suo motu cognizance of media reports alleging human rights violation of the students who were victims of visa fraud, the commission had issued a notice to MEA through its secretary Feb 7 calling for a report in the matter. 'The ministry has emphasized that the students were in the US on valid visas or authorisations and the investigations being conducted by the US authorities pertain to violation of visa conditions relating to class attendance, residence and work,' the statement said. 'The Indian government has strongly protested with the US government the clamping of radio collars on the ankles of Indian students of Tri Valley University,' it added.

India Newswire TheSouthAsianTimes.info

March 19-25, 2011

Fresh Wikileaks: Opposition guns for govt

New Delhi: The Manmohan Singh government plunged into fresh crisis as the opposition joined hands to demand its resignation and said it had lost the moral right to govern following allegations on WikiLeaks that MPs were bought to win the 2008 trust vote. The clamor for the government's resignation, which forced adjournments in both houses of parliament, saw the Left parties, the main opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Samajwadi Party amongst others unite. The government responded by saying it could not comment as the cables between the US government and its missions abroad were inaccessible for the government of India. US diplomatic cables leaked on WikiLeaks and published by The Hindu newspaper purportedly say that that payoffs had been made to MPs to ensure majority for the Congress-led government in the confidence vote over the India-US nuclear deal. Nachiketa Kapur, a political aide of Congress leader Satish Sharma, is quoted as saying that a fund of Rs.50 crore had been formed to pay MPs. He also apparently showed two chests containing cash meant for the pay-offs. "Sharma's political aide mentioned to an embassy staff member in an aside on July 16 that Ajit Singh's (Rashtriya Lok Dal) RLD had been paid Rs.10 crore (about $2.5 million) for each of their four MPs to support the government. nizance of the matter who was distributing the wads of cash, she added. She said: "An official of the US embassy was shown a chest full of cash. Is this a display of the bullying tactics of the government or its shamelessness? "This government has lost the moral authority and the right to continue and the prime minister should resign immediately." Samjawadi Party's Mulayam Singh Yadav, who had voted in favor of the UPA government in 2008, said: "I had also played a role in saving the government. This defames even me. If all are painted with the same brush, we will also lose face. Only a discussion on this matter can clear our name." Communist Party of India (CPI) leader Gurudas Dasgupta added: "Never in the history of Indian democracy has such a news report appeared in newspapers. Money was paid to members. This is the murder of democracy. If the prime minister does not deny this he should resign immediately. It was no different in the Rajya Sabha with BJP's Arun Jaitley stating that the "government survived on the basis of a political sin" and had no authority. Faced with the barrage of criticism, the government said it could neither confirm nor deny the alleged revelations.

CBI to probe Raja aide's suicide

New Delhi/Chennai: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) said it had been asked to probe the suicide by Sadiq Batcha, a close aide of disgraced former communication minister A. Raja. A CBI official confirmed to IANS that the Tamil Nadu government had transferred the suicide case to it. The Tamil Nadu government earlier on Thursday said it was transferring the case as the CBI was investigating the spectrum scam and had questioned Batcha. Batcha, 47, was found hanging at his Chennai home on Wednesday afternoon. His autopsy was conducted on Thursday and the body handed over to the family. Batcha was under the CBI scanner to check whether his company, Green House Promoters, was a conduit for the money generated in the spectrum scam.

BJP MPs show the wads of cash they had allegedly been bribed on July 22, 2008, the day the Manmohan Singh government faced the trust vote. "Kapur showed the embassy employee two chests containing cash and said that around Rs.50-60 crore (about $25 million) was lying around the house for use as pay-offs," according to the leaked cable. Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj said the issue had "shamed Indian democracy". She mocked the government saying "all this has taken place right under the nose of a so-called honest prime minister". This has come to light now, she said, recalling that three BJP MPs had brought cash to the house in 2008 during the trust vote. But then speaker Somnath Chatterjee had ordered an inquiry against them instead of taking cog-

Sadiq Batcha, a close aide of disgraced former communication minister A. Raja. CBI officials visited Batcha's house and carried out investigations. Police officers said Batcha hanged himself with a rope on a hook used to tie a baby cradle. According to police, Batcha left behind a suicide note asking his wife S. Reha Banu to forgive him. He also requested his brother-inlaw to take care of his family. Batcha's wife has said her husband was under pressure because of the CBI's investigation into the spectrum scandal and the media spotlight on him.

SC stays Hasan Ali's bail

New Delhi: The Supreme Court has stayed a Mumbai court's order granting bail to Pune stud farm owner, Hasan Ali Khan, alleged to be the country's biggest tax-evader, and granted his immediate custody to the Enforcement Directorate for four days. An apex court bench of Justice B. Sudarshan Reddy and Justice S.S. Nijjar said it was doing so in the face of extraordinary situations and the complexity of the situations involved in the money laundering cases against Khan the ED is probing. The court also expressed its bewilderment over the detailed order of Mumbai's principal sessions judge M.L. Tahilyani refusing the ED custodial interrogation of Khan and granting him bail.

Davis's release challenged in Pak court

Islamabad: A petition was filed in a Pakistan court challenging the release of CIA security contractor Raymond Davis, who was let off after paying compensation to the kin of the two people he had shot in January, a media report said. The petition filed by barrister Iqbal Jafri in the Lahore High Court stated that the families of the two dead Pakistani nationals - Faizan and Faheem - were pressurized by the government into pardoning Davis, Dawn News reported. The petition said Davis's pardoning and immediate release was in violation of the ate proceedings against those who brought about his release. A court in Lahore acquitted Davis after payment of compensation. A US Air Force plane carrying 12 men, reportedly including Davis, later took off from Lahore airport for Afghanistan. Davis, 36, shot dead two Pakistanis on a motorcycle in Lahore Jan 27, in what he described as an attempted armed robbery. He claimed he acted in self-defense. He was a member of a security team assigned to protect CIA operatives in Lahore collecting intelligence on militant groups

CIA security contractor Raymond Davis was let off after paying 'blood money' to the kin of two people he had allegedly shot. law, and requested the court to invalidate the decision and direct the authorities to initi-

10

Unabashed Merry Making

March 19-25, 2011
Holi falls on March 19 this year. This multi-hued festival allows you to drop enmities and inhibitions, and affords an occasion to grab a respite from the tedium of work and splash some color on the monochromatic, humdrum life. Follows a vibrant SATimes section to mark the festival. Enjoy!
psychological, of caste and class. Inhibitions fall, so much so that certain tribal communities give sanction to post-pubertal boys and girls to elope and consummate their relationships. Holi is also a safety valve, for every once in a while one must let ones hair down, the feet up and boost the spirit, sort of charge lifes batteries. As the festival falls at the onset of spring in March, new beginnings are made. Old enmities and disputes are dropped along with the winter woolens, a kind of social springcleaning. Bonhomie prevails. One lesson is the importance of laughter in life and of occasional overturning of conventions. In Hindi heartland, Hasya Kavi Sammelans (also named Mahamurkh Sammelan) are organized where poets recite humorous poems and the chief guest is declared Mahamurkh (Biggest Fool), a title coveted by many. Each Indian state and region has a different and specific way of celebrating Holi. But most widespread, at least in north India, is Holis association with the eternal and divine love between Radha and Krishna. Their dalliance and color-play is the subject of scripture and song. God is forever playing Holi look how colors abounds in nature. We can only hope to imitate if not enhance gods creation. Besides the colorful Krishna connection, the legend of Holika has given rise to the tradition of burning bonfires on Holi night. The demon Hiranyakshipu wanted to kill the devout Prahalad and ordered the young boy to sit on a pyre on the lap of his demoness sister, Holika, who had a boon that fire would not burn her. But when the fire started, Holika burnt to death while, protected by his Lord Vishnu, Prahlad survived unharmed. So, to commemorate the victory of good over evil, the burning of Holika is celebrated as Holi.

TheSouthAsianTimes.info

By Parveen Chopra

T
Holi is unabashedly paganistic and can only be celebrated in a group, bigger the better.

Bonfires, originating from the Holika myth, commemorate the victory of good over evil, like Diwali, the other biggest Indian festival besides Holi.

here is no other country in the world other than India with a calendar so choc-a-bloc with festivals and celebrations. Some are pan-Indian, and some regional or hyperlocal. They run the entire gamut of lifereligious, cultural, social, seasonal, pagan. A common element is the communitys coming together and boisterous participation, the other is a respite from routine life and tedium of work. Diwali and Holi remain the two biggest Indian festivals. But while Diwali has a more pious, religious tinge, and could be observed in quiet in the confines of home, Holi is unabashedly paganistic and can only be celebrated in a group, bigger the better. The idea is to make merry eating, drinking, singing, dancing. Intoxicants are no taboo. Smearing others with gulal, dousing them in colored waterare all meant to break down boundaries: physical,

tips to prevent damage to skin, eyes and hair due to chemicals. This festival was traditionally celebrated using natural colored extracts from seasonal herbs. However gradually, synthetic colors and dyes, most of which contain a cocktail of dangerous chemicals, came in vogue. Now again organic or natural colors are available, choose them.

Play it safe and natural

elebrate a safe and completely natural Holi this year! Here are some safety
wash the eye with large amounts of water and in case irritation persists, medical aid should be sought immediately. - You can use sunglasses to protect your eyes from water balloons or water jets.

Hair care
-If possible, cover your hair. Make use of a hat or cap as a protection against hard-to-rinse dyes. -Use hair gel so colors do not stick on your hair and can be washed off easily later. Rinse your hair with a mild shampoo as early as possible but dont keep on washing them again and again.

Skin Care
- Use natural/skin friendly and herbal colors or the ones made by reputed companies using natural products. -Wear clothes that cover the maximum part of your body. -Apply waterproof sunscreen on all exposed body parts. - Trim your nails properly .Use a thick coat of nail paint on the nails and put Vaseline under the nail edges. - After Holi, use warm water and moisturizing soap to scrub the colors off. Use a baby oil to gently massage off the leftover color. Follow this up with lots of moisturiser, especially one that is meant for sensitive skin to correct dryness.

General Tips
- Avoid running and jumping on wet floors, you can slip and injure yourself. Your bones are especially vulnerable. - Avoid too much indulgence in bhang, alcohol or food to avoid a bad day ahead. - Do not drive if you are high on alcohol or bhang for your and other road users safety.

Eye Care
Eyes are extremely vulnerable to harmful chemicals in colors. Water balloons can also injure eyeballs, especially in children. -Make sure that colors do not get inside your eyes. If they do, immedi ately

earing old white clothes on Holi is passe. With people becoming increasingly fashion conscious, hot pants, backless blouses and offshoulder tops in vibrant colors have taken a front seat this Holi. Yes, there has been a drastic change in the peoples perception towards Holi, especially the younger generation. They want to have fun but not at the cost of losing the glamour quotient, Delhi-based designer Riddhima Chauhan said. Bollywood plays a major role in inspiring these youngsters to go for the trendy way and what could be a better option than showing the sexy curves in figure-hugging dresses, she added. Holi songs in movies like Mohabbatein, Waqt - Race Against Time and Action Replayy started this trend where Kim Sharma-Shamita Shetty, Priyanka Chopra and Neha Dhupia respectively brought a revolution in the dress code for Holi. Style divas are constantly spotted in body-hugging short dresses to skin hugging tights and transparent fabrics at Holi parties and adding glamour to the celebration of colors. Light colored tunics matched with multi-colored pajamis or ankle length trousers, with chiffon dupattas, are some of the trends in vogue. Not only young girls but

White is pass, try sexy and stylish

also married women are trying to get away from their traditional look; so the demand for saris with halter neck and backless blouses has increased, Delhi-based designer Meera Gupta said. Mumbai-based designer Digvijay Singh, said: Skin show is something not too many mind on this occasion. No matter what you wear, eventually you will get drenched, he said. For Deeksha Aggarwal, a young girl pursuing her B. Com (H) from Delhi University, its all about how you mix both the cultures together. With the changing times, skinrevealing garments are no longer

the point of discussion. And this is the reason why I am going to wear a Rajasthani lehenga that I will team with a stylish and sexy choli. I will not only manage to keep my parents happy but will also set a trend, she said. So what should trendy people wear this Holi? Holi means a splash of colors, so why stick to the basic white? Colors like raspberry, bubblegum pink, coral, mauve, and electric blue are surely going to make you feel special this Holi. Side cowl, trapeze and tulip can be the best accessories this time, said Divya Gupta, owner of clubwear brand Yell, which offers a special Holi collection.

11

As the brief spring warms the landscape, India cuts loose for a day of boisterous celebration and general hilarity. The festival of Holi is celebrated on the day after the full moon in early March every year. And its not just the northern part of the country which is dunked in colors. The festivity is spread across the country with Holi taking many regional forms. Heres how the festival is celebrated throughout the length and breadth of the country in different forms.

United Colors of India

Rangpanchami Maharashtra, Goa

People of Maharashtra commonly know this festival of colors by the name of Rangpanchami as the play of colors is reserved for the fifth day here. Locals of Maharashtra and Goa also know Holi as igmo or iirotsava. The festival is particularly popular amongst fisher folk. They celebrate it in on a large scale and revel in the festivities by singing, dancing and merry-making.

Hola Mohalla - Punjab

Holi gets this joyful name in the state of Punjab. The festival is celebrated in an entirely different manner, it's meaning and significance also shifts a little here. Hola Mohalla is actually an annual fair that is organized in a large scale at Anandpur Sahib in Punjab on the day following the festival of Holi. The festival is celebrated for three consecutive days, in which members of Sikh community display their physical strength by performing dare-devil acts like bareback horse-riding, standing erect on two speeding horses, Gatka (mock encounters), tent pegging etc.

A young man at the Goa Holi Festival, also known as igmo.

Sikh Nihangs perform a traditional Sikh martial art called Gatka in Anandpur Sahib as part of the Hola Mohalla festivities.

Braj Holi Uttar Pradesh

Dulandi Holi - Haryana

Dol Purnima - West Bengal

Lathmar Holi of Barsana is the most popular and colorful form of the festival. The Braj ki holi, also known as the famous Lathmar Holi, is played in the sprawling compound of the Radha Rani temple in Barsana near Mathura in Uttar Pradesh. Thousands gather to witness the Lath Mar holi when women beat up men with sticks as those on the sidelines become hysterical, sing Holi Songs and shout Sri Radhey or Sri Krishna.

In Haryana, bhabhi's get a social sanction to beat their devars on Holi. Holi receives this name in the state of Haryana. Here, bhabhi - the brothers wife gets an upper hand on the day of holi. And, devar's - husband's younger brothers need to watch out. The bhabhi's on this day get a social sanction on Holi to beat their devars and make them pay the price of all the pranks they played on them for the entire year. Besides, there is also a tradition of breaking the pot of buttermilk hung high in the street by forming a human pyramid.

The Dol Purnima festival begins early morning with people wearing garlands of fragrant flowers. Holi by the name of Dol Purnima is celebrated with fervor in the state of West Bengal. The festival begins early morning with students dressing up in saffron-colored clothes and wearing garlands of fragrant flowers. They sing and dance to the accompaniment of musical instruments like ektara, dubri, veena, etc. Holi is known by the name of 'Dol Jatra', 'Dol Purnima' or the 'Swing Festival'.

Kaman Pandigai Tamil Nadu

Phagu Purnima - Bihar

Baithki, Khari and Mahila Holi - Kumaon, Uttarakhand

The Holi celebrations at politician Lalu Prasad Yadavs home are the most famous in Bihar. The festival is known as Phagwa in the state.
Holika Dahan is referred to Kama-Dahanam in South India.

The Kumaoni Holi is characterized by its musical nature. The uniqueness of the Kumaoni Holi of the Kumaon region in Uttarakhand lies in its being a musical affair, whichever may be its form, be it the Baithki Holi, the Khari Holi and the Mahila Holi which starts from Basant Panchmi. The Baithki Holi and Khari Holi are unique in that the songs on which they are based have touch of melody, fun and spiritualism.

In the state of Tamil Nadu, people worship Kaamadeva for his supreme sacrifice on the occasion of Holi. People know Holi by three different names Kaman Pandigai, Kamavilas and Kama-Dahanam.

Phagu Purnima is another name for Holi where Phagu means the sacred red powder and Purnima or Pune is the full moon day, on which the festival ends. At some places like Bihar, Holi is also known as Phagwa as it is celebrated in the later part of the month of Phalgun and the early part of Chaitra in the Hindu calendar. This corresponds to the English months of March-April.

The Krishna Connection

13

In Mathura-Vrindavan area, the playground of Krishna, Holi is celebrated with a special fervor and uniqueness.
According to the Bhagwat Purana, Krishna and the gopis had danced the Raas on the banks of the Yamuna at Vrindavan. When the gopis felt conceited about Lord Krishna dancing with them, he disappeared from their midst. In the agony of separation from their beloved Krishna, the gopis enacted his lilas (divine episodes of his life) which in course of time came to be known as the Raaslilas. The Raaslila in its present form is ascribed to Swami Haridas and Shri Narayan Bhatt. Only young Brahmin boys of 13 to 14 years of age can perform the Raaslila. The charming childhood pranks of Shri Krishna constitute the main them of these dramas.

By Swathi A.K.

oli is celebrated all over India the why and how may vary. Its Krishna connection, however, prevails far and wide. More so in MathuraVrindavan area or Braj Bhoomi, associated with him. Holi therefore has a special fervor and uniqueness there. We all know the immortal, divine love of Radha and Krishna. The tradition of playing with colors on Holi is said to have originated from the leela of Radha and Krishna. As per the story told in song and scripture, the young Krishna was always jealous of Radha's fair complexion and would constantly complain to his mother Yashoda as to why she was so fair and he so dark. To console him, Yashoda would ask Krishna to smear Radhas face with colors. Taking his mothers advice he would teasingly apply multiple hues to Radha's fair face. In mock anger, Radha would try to run away to avoid him. In the legend of Krishna, he is depicted as a mischievous boy playing all sorts of pranks on the gopikas or cowgirls. One prank was to throw colored powder all over them. So on the day of Holi, images of Lord Krishna and his consort Radha are carried through the streets and colors fly. According to mythology, Vrindavan is the place where he spent his childhood and left behind tales of playfulness as well as mysticism and divinity. This explains the enigma of MathuraVrindavan, where one can still feel divine presence of the Lord. Thousands of devotees come here every year on a pilgrimage to find peace and feel divine love.

The Holi celebrations offer another excuse for the admirers of the Lord to throng Mathura and Vrindavan. They come to be a part of the colorful festivities, to rejoice in the love and devotion of the Supreme Being. The festivities begin with celebrations at the Dwarkadheesh temple in Mathura. The priests mostly use natural color made from mixing Tesu flower with lukewarm water, so that the little Krishna doesn't catch cold. This is followed by a special ritual and the customary worship of Lord Krishna at the temple. The festival lasts for 16 days. The tradition of playing with colors as part of Holi celebrations is steeped at BankeBihari temple of Vrindhavan. This temple is also an important tourist destination and attracts people from all over the world. Dance performances and singing recitals are held here an delicacies served in feasts. Barsana, in Mathura district, is said to be the birthplace of Radha. It is now known for the Lath Mar Holi played in the sprawling compound of the Radha Rani temple. Thousands gather to witness the distinct Lath Mar Holi,

Barsana, in Mathura district, is said to be the birthplace of Radha. It is now known for the Lath Mar Holi played in the sprawling compound of the Radha Rani temple. where women beat up men with law feed their daughters-in-law sticks even as those on the side- rich food to be able to participate lines become hysterical, sing Holi and show their prowess on the songs and shout Sri Radhey or battlefield of Holi. It is a show of Sri Krishna. The Holi songs of love, fun and equality, one that Braj mandal are sung in pure even the gods descend to witness. Braj Bhasha. Men also sing Traditionally, it is believed that provocative songs in a bid to Lord Krishna, accompanied by his invite the attention of women. friend gopis from Nandgaon town Women then go on the offensive in Mathura district, went to his and use long staves called lathis to beloved Radha's village in beat men folk who protect them- Barsana and played Holi. selves with shields. A dance style associated with The Barsana Huriyarins Krishna's childhood is Raaslila. (women) start preparations a month in advance. The mothers-in-

Artists dressed as Krishna and Radha are showered with rose petals during Holi celebrations in Mathura.

Shri Banke Bihari Mandir in the holy land of Vrindavan is the most revered temple in the entire Braj region of northern India.

Complexion complex
cast a spell of love on you. Hence your complexion is dark. To get over his complexion complex, Yashoda goes on to advise Krishna to smear Radhas fair face with color. Here are the lyrics of this popular, playful song. Yashomati maiya se bole Nandalala: Radha kyun gori, Main kyun kala? Boli musakati maiya, lalan ko bataya: (2X) Kali andhiyari adhi-rata me tu aya. Ladla Kanhaiya mera, ho...o...o, Ladla Kanhaiya mera kali kamaliwala, isi lie kala. Boli musakati maiya, sun, mere pyare, Gori-gori Radhika ke naina kajara re. Kale nainovali ne, ho...o...o, kale nainovali ne aisa jadu dala, isi lie kala.

A Madhubani painting depicting Radha-Krishan playing Holi in Vrindavan. ittle Krishna asks his mother Yashodha why his beloved Radha is fair in color and He dark complexioned? Mother Yashoda smiles and replies with immense love that He was born in the dark midnight thats why He is dark skinned. Oh my love, the black kajal of beautiful and fair skinned Radha's eyes has

14

Colors sand in monochromatic

March 19-25, 2011

TheSouthAsianTimes.info

People in the desert state of Rajasthan use every way to make their life colorful. Holi is a godsend.
of preoccupation or because of reasons beyond their control. Elephant Festival and crowds from all over the region pour the previous evening into Jaipurs Chaugan Stadium set against the background of the majestic Nahargarh fort. Its a celebration where a large number of tourists come as it is heavily promoted by the tourism department. The decorated elephants with a mosaic of colors adorning the trunk and ears of the elephants provides a good photo op to the tourists. Dancers and musicians join the festival and the tourists throng the ground to take photographs of the elephants playing polo. But this elephant festival for the past couple of decades has not seen any innovations or new features. However, note that this festival affords free entrance. Some hotels and resorts organize their own Holi festivities for the tourists who are often asked to stay indoors to avoid the hooligans on the streets and the rowdy elements who often misbehave with the tourists. But the brave among the tourists go out of their hotel rooms, face often drunken revelers who shoot water-guns and buckets of water on them and smear their faces with fast colors that take a few days remove. But that is the spirit of this festival.

In Jaipur

Revelers sing and dance and consume Thandai-Bhang and make merry to celebrate Holi in the state .

By Prakash Bhandari
ajasthan is itself a colorful state and is known as a province of festivals. Holi has special significance here and is the most awaited of festivals. Celebrated at the onset of spring, this festival is regarded as the harbinger of the season. In the Hindu calendar Holi is one of the major festivals. Amid colorful Holi festivities, all disputes are left behind amity prevails. Holi also succeeds in breaking all barriers of caste and class. According to Hindu mythology, Phalgun Purnima is marked for the celebration of Holi. In Rajasthan, a bonfire begins the festival. The second day involves applying colored powder on each other-- this day of the festival is known as Dhulandi. People of Rajasthan also enjoy a special drink during the festivities, known as Thandai or Bhaang. Men and women, young and old, rich and poor, all are touched by the joyous spirit of this festival. Boisterous revelers spare no one during Holi and delight in splashing. color on everyone around. Various regions of Rajasthan celebrate Holi in their own different ways. In eastern Rajasthan which is influenced by Brij culture and in the region of Bharatpur, Alwar, Dholpur and Sawai Madhopur, revelers could be seen singing and performing the Raaslila dance, originating from the immortal love-story of Radha-Krishna.

All of Bharatpur comes alive to the sound of folk melodies on Holi. There was a time during the heyday of the princes, when the raja-maharajas and thakurs (nobles) would mingle with the commoners and play with colours.

In Ajmer region
Mali Holi: The mali or gardener community of Ajmer region has a unique style where the men splay the women with colored water and women retaliate by hitting them with sticks or long pieces of cloth.. Gair at Godaji: Men from 12 villages collect at Godaji village near Ajmer to play Gair, a traditional dance a few days after Holi. Each village brings his own drummer and Gair troupes. The picturesque location for it is a valley surrounded by hills on all sides. Thousands of onlookers and close to a hundred players make a wonderful sight and a fond memory. In Pali also people assemble and dance wearing the traditional attire. In Bikaner members of the Bramhin community particularly Harsh and Vyas communities have been celebrating Holi by throwing water at one another with force for the past more than 300 years. A specially designed vessel called dolchi made from camel skin is used for the purpose. But the water is thrown only at the back of an individual. In Shekhawati region, the region of wealth creators which gave to the country Birlas, Bajajs, Khetans, Goenkas, Morarkas,

Dalmiyas, Modis and Singhanias, Holi holds special significance. There was a time when the male folk would go to bigger cities to earn their livelihood or soldiers would be serving the army in various parts of the world.But they would make it a point to return home to celebrate Holi. The festival of Holi is also celebrated as the return of the natives. A few days before Holi, the revelers start assembling and play dhol and sing and dance. Usually a good looking male is dressed as a female and is made to dance with the men folk to the beating of the dhol. The dhol is made of animal skin and a good player of the dhol could mesmerize the people with drum beat. Poets have penned innumerable songs for Holi and there is one song expressing the joy of returning home after toiling in the big city for earning money and how happy one feels after meeting ones own friends after a long time. Holi also brings lovers close and there are happy numbers sung by women to celebrate the arrival of their beloveds. But in the midst of the fun and frolic, some women cannot but sing sad songs as their husband or loved ones fail to visit home because

In Jaipur, Holi is celebrated with much fun and gaiety. In the famous Govinddeoji Mandir, the Phagotsav is celebrated and dance troupes comprising numerous males and females dance before the idol of Govinddeoji. During one such dance recital the women softly hit others with a stick in what is called Latthmar Holi. The Pink City on Holi day witnesses processions in which some eligible bachelor perched on the back of an elephant is taken around the walled city, announcing that this eligible bachelor is on a bride hunt. Much before the Holi all over the city ratri jagrans are organized where religious bhajans are sung. In Jaipur for the past 40 years a Hasya kavi sammelan (humorous poetry session) called Mahamurkh Sammelan is organized and Hindi and Urdu poets recite their poetry before a large crowd of 50,000. The poetry session is presided by a donor who is conferred the title of Mahamurkh (Biggest fool) by the organizers. There is great demand to become the chief guest of the evening and people pay handsome amounts for the honor. The money thus raised is paid to the invited poets. In Jaipur, the state tour ism department organizes an elephant festival certainl to mark the Holi festival, which is y the most colorful elephant event! On Holi, Jaipur sees processions in which a man The pulse of energy perched on the back of a decorated elephant is taken around the walled city, announcing shoots like an electrithat this eligible bachelor is on a bride hunt. cal current through the

A few days before Holi, people start assembling and play dhol and sing and dance.

16

All for cultural and communal harmony

The boisterous Holi of Beawar, 55 km from Ajmer, has a different hue altogether.
her partner with wooden staff (lathi) as in parts of UP, Bihar and other northern states. The prototype is, well touted, BARSANE KI HOLI of Mathura-Vrindavan. Dr. Pradeep Kumar Sarda

Birbal dancing and requesting Bherubaba to give him strength to dance all day long

ndia, despite its cultural diversities and regional differences celebrates its religious festivals with gaiety and enthusiasm. Two major festivals, Deepawali and Holi coincide with encashment of crops and end of hard work of the previous 5-6 months. Although both the festivals are based on the theme of good defeating evil, the celebrations have entirely different tone. Where Deepawali is a sober and to an extent serious festival invoking gods for well being and prosperity, Holi is a festival of gaiety, exuberance, dancing and with passage of time has acquired rowdy overtones. Based on narrations and religious facts, celebrations during Holi are also associated with Lord Krishna.

Koda Mar Holi

In the Cobbler community (Jingars) of Rajasthan, the same practice is modified in the form of Lashes replacing the lathi. With the passage of time and perhaps economic considerations the Leather Lash has been replaced by cloth lash prepared on the spot (sari). The interaction is free for all, across age groups, in the open, for a limited time. As is obvious from the pictures, vulgarity is not the theme and perhaps not accepted. A major observation can be made that Indian culture permits permissiveness in the society, even in overt form.

received Todarmal and Birbal. The same sequence of events is reenacted and practiced in Rajasthan by the Agarwal community with religious fervor on Holi. Beawar, about 55 km from Ajmer, was established by Colonel Dixon. ln 1851, he started the celebrations of having a fair dedicated to this event to maintain communal harmony. The Badshah is from the Agarwal community, dressed by the members of Maheswari community. The Thandai (a drink made with several ingredients including cannabis) is prepared by the members of Jain community. Birbal is from the Brahmin community. The Badshah is selected in the morning. About two and a half quintals of Thandai is distributed free of cost in the city. The citizens accept it as Prasad

Women Beating men with KODAS made of saris

The entire town witnessing the gulal throwing by Birbal (Photos: Shreya Sarda) India has a number of religions, communities, social groups with subsets, different cultural backgrounds, religious practices and regional differences. Often dictated by geographic compulsions, the same festival is celebrated in different ways. In Beawar, a small town in Rajasthan, Holi celebrations happen at a scale involving the entire town. Two particular events mark the celebration-KODA MAR HOLI and BADSHAH KI SAWARI. These also make it unique to this town. Thus Holi, a festival of colors, has predominant theme of male-female interaction, where playfulness has surfaced. Permissive relationships are explicitly demonstrated. The practice of this behavior is also based on the female acquiring an aggressive role in shooing away

Badshah Ki Sawari
King Akbar the Great had his ways to maintain communal harmony and preserve the rich cultural roots. Pleased by the presence of mind, resourcefulness, and managerial capabilities of Raja Todarmal (a Vaish by community, and one of his Navratans), the great emperor permitted him to be the king for two and a half days, to demonstrate his happiness. Raja Todarmal, in turn, went about in a ceremonial procession and distributed all the treasures among the citizens. Pleased and infatuated by his friends indulgence, Raja Birbal (Mahesh Dutt), danced ahead of the kings (Todarmals) procession. On reaching the palace, a pleased and happy Emperor, Akbar himself,

Streets flanked by colors of holi

Word between Birbal and District Magistrate

and get inebriated and participate with fervor in the procession. They demand pocket money, which the king gladly throws, now in the form of Gulal from the truck-top (earlier elephant top). To gain the mental and physical strength for the same, Birbal prays to BHAIRONJI and in a nearly intoxicated state (effect of thandai) he starts dancing to the deafening beats of drums, and playing of Holi songs. The procession ends at the local administrators (district magistrate) reminiscent of AKBAR office late in the evening. On reaching, first they exchange a lot of Gulal, followed by frenzied dancing and then at the end, the two-day Badshah gives instructions to the local administrator how to maintain communal harmony.

Harvest time in tribal Gujarat

18

Visiting Gujarat in March is a pleasure to behold the vibrant beats of tribal music as the tribal communities in the state enjoy their traditional entertainments following the Holi harvest.

The Chitra-Vichitra fair

By Anil Mulchandani

he names sounded poetically enchanting when Kr Harendrapal Sinh (Sinh is in use in Gujarat, the land of lions; in other states it is Singh for tiger!), the owner of Darbargadh Poshina heritage hotel, told us about the tribal fair that occurs a fortnight after Holi near his village in the northern districts of Gujarat. The fair is called Chitra

Vichitra and is at the site of a Shiva temple associated with Chitraveer-Vichitraveer of the Mahabharata, overlooking the confluence of the Aakar and Vaakar rivers with the Sabarmati river, he explained. And this is one of the best sites to experience tribal culture at its colorful best in Gujarat. We set off in the morning from Ahmedabad and drove four hours past Himmatnagar, Idar and

Ferris wheels and other amusements are the order of the day at the fairs. (Photos: Dinesh Shukla ) Khedbrahma after which came the turn for Poshina. The narrow road to Poshina led past fields and hills. The village is a fairly busy one, being the centre of about 90 smaller villages, tribal hamlets and settlements of pastoral groups like the Rabaris, with a crowded bus station and a colorful marketplace where brightly-dressed tribal girls were walking around, turbaned men were unloading their produce, and shoppers galore. Walking into the village, we saw pottery workshops where the famous votive terracottas are made. A man was dexterously shaping clay into pots on the potters wheel while women painted the utensils with white on earthy tones. At the workshop, we saw the terracotta horses and a few elephants that tribal groups of the region revere. The horse is especially sacred to the Garasias as their local deity, Bakar Bhavsingh, is said to ride a horse in the Aravalli foothills called Bakar. After buying the terracotta from the potter, the horses and other animistic figures are placed in a shrine usually located under a sacred tree or on open land near a water-source, and hundreds can be seen together, some of them decades old. After being worshipped, the horses are said to give away their holy powers to the spirits who are given these as offerings with requests to ward off evil spirits and give a good harvest. They are then left at the site. Sometimes, these terracotta horses and wall-paintings like the pithoras and warlis adorn tribal homes as a means of deflecting evil spirits. After breakfast, we drove to the Chitra Vichitra site and found vehicles jam-packed on the way carrying tribal groups to the fair. Some men were walking with their musical instruments. Strains of tribal music filled the air when you approached the site. The fair starts at night at the confluence of the rivers, which is holy to the Bhil and Garasia tribal groups. Chitraveer and Vichitraveer are said to have repented for their sins here. Ancestors are worshiped, followed by the tribal groups from nearby villages coming together to make offering to the flowing rivers for their ancestors. As the morning progressed, mourning gave way to rejoicing with the turbaned men and brightly attired women dancing at the fairgrounds, singing and playing local instruments. Ferris wheels and other amusements were the order of the day, and a bazaar sprung up with freshly harvested produce, utensils and jewelry, local snacks, and objects like mirrors, talc powders and cosmetics commonplace to us but attractive to dwellers of these remote hilly areas. Eloping (in public view) ritual prevails among the Garasia community and it is quite common to see men running with women towards the hills.

Tribals take part in festivities with gusto

Holi in Chhota Udepur

Traditional instruments being played at Chitra-Vichitra fair mong many fairs and celebrations in the tribal-dominated eastern districts of Gujarat in March-April, Kvant or

Kawant fair held during the Holi festivities near Chhota Udepur is certainly the most striking. Driving towards Kvant, it is possi-

A tribal woman all decked up for the occasion

Jeeps, buses and trucks are jam-packed with peopleheading towards the site of the fair.

ble to see large groups of women in colorful clothes wearing eye-catching jewelry, walking to attend the fair. Most of the men are also vibrantly dressed for the occasion. Some men play the flute and women play cymbals (manjeera). Jeeps, buses and trucks filled with people head towards the site. At the site of the fair, the atmosphere is festive. Men with painted bodies, peacock feathers adorning their turbans, and sometimes masks to suit the dance, play musical instruments and form human pyramids. The dances are effervescent and enlivened by music, with gourds hung on the belts of the dancers rattling to enhance the rhythm of the dance. A variety of rituals can be witnessed during the fair. Continued on page 19...

19

Desert enchantment of Jaisalmer

A very colorful Holi celebration is held in the old quarters of the fort, which is a living heritage, with people residing within its walls.
by five-storey faade of the Maharawals palace which displays the fine stone masonry of Jaisalmer in its balconies and screens. Continuing past the palace which now houses a museum, we came to clusters of Hindu and Jain temples. The seven Jain temples, most of them built in the 15th and 16th century by wealthy Jain traders, are exquisitely carved with finely sculpted motifs on walls, columns and windows. The Gyan Bhandar has an outstanding collection of beautifully illustrated Jain palm leaf manuscripts, some a thousand years old. From here, we walked through living quarters, some of them rather filthy, before climbing the ramparts with canons and cannon balls, for a view of the desert countryside. Descending from the fort, we wandered around the streets and lanes lined with facades covered with latticework, reliefs and sculpture. The highpoint is the Patwaonki-Haveli, a complex of residences of a Jain family in a cul-de-sac. This 19th century haveli has extraordinarily attractive protruding balconies, called jarokhas, carved columns and sculptures. A few minutes away Nathmalji-ki-Haveli was built around 1885 and has some really fine carvings, some of which reflect European influences in the carriages, cycles and steam engines. We walked east to Salim Singh-ki-

he fort of Jaisalmer rises from a rocky hilltop in the heart of desert plains like a vision from the Arabian Nights. This is one of the few forts that are a living heritage, with people residing within its walls. A very colorful Holi celebration can be seen in the old quarters within the fort walls. Its very first sight at dawn, which gives its yellow sandstone a golden hue, began my love affair with this medieval citadel which is defined by its many carved havelis, ornate palaces, crumbling sandstone buildings and bazaars. Founded in the 12th century by Jaisal, a Bhatti Rajput ruler, Jaisalmer thrived on business from the trade caravans traveling into India from the northwest. After the coming of modern ports in the 19th century, Jaisalmer began to lose its importance. Tourism rescued the city from becoming derelict, together with the presence of armed forces because of its proximity to the border with Paksitan. Jaisalmer today is a popular place for tourists attracted by its medieval flavor and the mystery of the desert surrounding it. We started our exploration of Jaisalmer at the fort, which loomed up impressively in front of us with its 99 bastions and rugged walls. A paved road took us through huge gateways while winding up to the chowk, a large square dominated

A cloud of gulal gathers in the main square of the fort as Holi is celebrated. (Photos by: Dinesh Shukla) Haveli which has a lavish pavilion like upper storey with overhanging balconies and blue cupolas. Built around 1815 the haveli has taken some knocks during earthquakes. From the havelis, we headed to Gadisar lake which is a tank approached through a finely carved historical gateway. In the afternoon, we set out for the Sam sand dunes for a camel ride. Back at Jaisalmer, there were many Holi fires burning. We were warned the next morning would be boisterous but the owner of a guesthouse in the fort invited us to witness it from his balcony in the early morning when the crowds had not gathered. Hundreds of people gathered in a square where they started painting each others faces and throwing gulal at each other. Within no time pink powder created a cloud all around the square. The whole atmosphere was of gaiety and it was one of the most colorful scenes we could ever hope to see. We were off to an auspicious start a desert fox skulking among the scrub with its white-tipped tail visible over the bushes. The grasslands trilled with birdcalls. I took out my binoculars and started scanning the grass and bushes for birds. Within a few minutes, I had spotted a good number a desert wheatear feeding on insects among the grasses, short-toed larks running around the grassfields in jerky spurts, a sparrow lark flying up on rapid wing beats before nosediving in a spectacular display, flocks of bush larks flitting around the bushes, a pipit perched on a rock. This is also a good site for birds of prey pallid harrier, light bodied hawks, were flying low over the grasslands searching for prey, a magnificent dark-brown tawny eagle was perched on a low acacia tree, a buzzard was soaring overhead, and a kestrel was eating a rodent on the ground. Presently, we saw the star attraction of the Indian desert the endangered Great Indian bustard, as much a flagship of Indias bird conservation movement as the tiger is for forest conservation. As we continued on the camel trek through the enclosed grassland, we saw chinkara, the graceful Indian gazelle, four more Indian bustards at a distance, and the migratory Macqueens bustard. We returned to the rest house in time to see sandgrouse flying to a water trough calling cattr, cattr, loudly on their way. I relaxed at the rest house, watching larks, chats and other birds around it, and opened the packed lunch I had carried from Jaisalmer which I shared with the forest department staff who in turn gave me their local food. (Author and freelance writer Anil Mulchandani has written extensively about India including TRAVELLERS KERALA & SOUTHERN INDIA, a travel guidebook published by Thomas Cook Publishing, UK.)

The fine stone masonry can be seen on facades of palaces and havelis. Continued from page 18

Dangs Durbar
abolished. This is the time for great festivity at Ahwa, the district headquarters, and at the hill resort of Saputara. For visitors, it is a great opportunity to see tribal communities like Bhils, Kunbis, Warlis and Gamits in their traditional attires. Tribal dances are spectacular to watch as the dancers move in concentric circles to the beat of percussion and wind instruments.

angs Durbar, held in March-April, honors a tradition that began in British times when the rulers and other leaders of villages got together for gatherings called durbars or audiences. The tradition continues today in the Dangs, a tribal district, as many of the former Rajas and Naiks are still accorded the status unlike the princely families whose titles and privy purses were

22

Surender Sharma: On a laugh riot

Hasya Samrat, as he is called, Surender Sharma will be in New York for RANA Holi celebration
growth. But I was the opposite. So we didnt get along on business philosophy and eventually I quit, he says. What started as a fun routine in college went on to become his hobby and soon people started inviting him. Earlier I used to go and present on stage my poems and satires free of cost but eventually got commercial since I realized people were taking advantage. I never looked back since then, he says. Sharma has followed his heart all along. I never set any career goals for myself. And I always curtailed my wants. If one doesnt get what he wants, he gets frustrated and a frustrated person can never create humor. Mein jis mukaam par hoon, vahi manzil samaj leta hoon (the journey is the destination for me). His famous starting line for many of his poems is chaar lainaa suna raha hoon which means I am going to say four lines when translated. While family and education remain his favorite subjects for satire, politics too finds way in his presentations. But he insists that he doesnt write on public demand. I say what they should be hearing and not what they like to hear. That is not important to me. Generally I make educational entertainment. The idea is that what I say should reach your heart and it should not touch vulgarity, he says. Sharma says he is very much inspired by Rajasthani poet Vimlesh and impressed by Osho as a thinker. I like Osho because he quoted my four peoms in his discourses. I never got a chance to meet him. During a program at Osho Ashram I was told he was listening to me in his bedroom on TV. Sharma has explored various mediums during last 40 years of his career. Be it his popular column in news paper - Atpate sawal, chatpate jawab for years together or his daily talk show Sharmaji se puchho on Red FM for four years. His three books Buddhimano ki murkhtae, Bade bado k utpat and Mansarovar k kauve have been published. Currently he is vice president of Sant Parmanand Hospital, a 150 bed hospital in Delhi which was first opened in Haryana in 1932 and visited by the liked of Mahatma Gandhi, Indira Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru for the credible work it did reaching out to people He lives in Delhi with his mother Shantidevi, 85, wife, Savitaji and two sons and also has a daughter who is married.

By Hiral Dholakia-Dave

is name needs no introduction. Especially for those, who have their origins from the Hindi speaking states of India. A very well poet whose witty, humorous jokes which he presents with his trademark straight face have enthralled generations of people who appreciate clean comedy. Little wonder then that the stalwart has also won the title of Hasya Samrat. Surender Sharma will be in New York for the Hasya Kavi Sammelan organized by the Rajasthan Association of North American as a part of its annual Holi celebration on April 2. SATimes caught up with this popular gem of Hindi literary circles from India, whos all set to unleash a laugh riot in the US. Of course it goes without saying that when you are interviewing someone who has a way with his words, that too a hilarious one, your job becomes all the more joyful. Ask him why he chose this unconventional career option and his reponse without blinking an eyelid that is, is since I was doing nothing after college, thought might as well do this. Orginially from village Nangal Chaudhary, district Mahendergarh in Haryana, Sharma grew up in Delhi for most part of his childhood. Despite studying with English as medium of instruction all through out his school and college, his strong grip over Hindi, Haryanvi and Marwadi languages helped him reach audiences far and wide. Mein hamesha kehta hoon, English k dwara car milegi, Hindi k zariye sanskar milta hai aur zindagi jeene k liye dono hi chahiye, he says. (Learning English can lead to owning a car but it is through your mother tongue that you imbibe culture). He adds, People say if you dont learn English youll be left behind, I say if you dont learn your mother tongue youll be cut off from your own culture and people. His straight face and glum expression while dishing out his jokes became his USP as he left his viewers of the good ol Doordarshan days and audiences at ticketed shows in splits. It all started during college days with a jovial set of friends. I was a shy guy in first year of my college, besides I always had a serious face. My friends used to get amused a lot when I shared

Hasya kavi Surender Sharma is known to regale audiences with his dead pan sense of humor

jokes without changing the glum expression. At that time there was no such realization, tab toh galiya padti thi (I was scolded then). I even failed in my second year. Didnt inform my father for six months till a friend did the favor. But my father was easy going, he says. Parents have become a lot more focused about their childrens progress now, he goes on to add. KG 2 ka baccha aur 2 kg ka baxa, (A kid of kindergarten ends up carrying a school bag weighting two kilos). The depth of his thinking reflects in every oneliner he comes up with. Emphasizing importance of education with ethics he says, Anpadh ne pau chhuye aur education k saath hath milana shuru kara. Agar juk nahi payenge toh uth nahi payenge, (An illiterate son used to bow down to his elders but with education sans ethics he

prefers shaking hands instead. If one cant bow down to elders, one wont be able to rise high as a person). He adds, However much a successful person you become in life you need to see to it that you dont lose your humble nature. (kisi bhi height par pahunch k aap k pairo ne zameen toh nahi chhodi na). Only a rooted tree grows tall, a kite flying in the sky can come crashing any moment. While his father was a manufacturer of ayurvedic medicines back home in a Haryana village followed by another factory in Delhi, Sharma realized he didnt have it in him to run a business. I ventured into 50-60 businesses but lost money on each. My father was not keen on expanding. He was happy with what he had achieved. His idea was to lead a satisfied life with what he had on hand and not lose sleep over its

23

Arun Gemini: Bonding with audience

The popular Delhi-based poet will be in NY for RANAs Holi celebration
tening to jokes on political leaders. Always a jolly person, Gemini took to stage since he was in class five. I never had stage fear so that helped, he says. After initially paying heed to public demand, Gemini believes in getting the audiences to listen what he as a poet wishes to convey. But first you need to establish a bond with them, he says. Born in Haryana and brought up in Delhi, Gemini did his post graduation in Hindi followed by a diploma in journalism. He lives with his mother, sister, wife, son and a daughter who is married. Given the spate of comedy programs on television, didnt he think of joining in? I cant tolerate below the belt humor. Comedy has to be clean enough for an entire family to enjoy together. And it is a tough job to produce that kind of humor. None of the comedy programs we seee on Indian TV caters to family entertainment hence I stayed away from it, he explains. He has been conferred Om Prakash Aditya and Kaka Hatharsi Hasya Ratna awards. A collection of his poems Filhal itna hi has been published too. events that I was a part of. Seeing so many laughing faces in front of you creates a bond with the audiences. Plus you make so many relationships along the way. I have been to the US eleven times and at times for month long tours. You make new friends, get acquainted with new families who eventually become your extended families. I have been a guest of so many hosts and I value all those relationships, he says. But it wasnt always a cake walk. Getting married was certainly a tough call given his unconventional choice of carrier. When people used to come asking they used to say kavi hai par karta kya hai (he is a poet alright but what does he do for a living!), he laughs remembering his struggle. I had to start a business - at least so that my parents could say that I was doing something worthwhile, he says. And indeed the effort did pay off and he found his wife, par 2.5 lakh funkne k baad (but after blowing off two hundred thousand dollars), he quickly adds.

By Hiral Dholakia-Dave eing son of a respected name in Hindi literature came with its own set of expectations but Arun Gemini took to it like a fish takes to water. In the process also evolved his own style and fan following which makes him one of the most sought after hasya kavis of our generation. With his innate talent of keeping audiences glued to their seats for hours together, Gemini has been able to strike the right chord with his satirical presentations. Gemini started writing poems at a very young age and he candidly confesses that since he couldnt find a proper job after his graduation he took to independent writing. Of course hailing from a well established family in the field did make his job easier. Earning respect was definitely not tough given the lineage but after that it was solely on me to prove my talent. Apna hi khel hai phir toh, he says. Thirty years into the field and it has been a pleasant journey all the way. I met so many people at numerous

In his inimitable style he shares the details of the situation. My motherin-law though had a hard time. When people used to ask her what does her son-in-law do, on learning that he was a poet, they used share their sympathies with her (weh sahanubhuti ki drashti se dekhte the). Having catered to a variety of audiences all over, Gemini does agree that when it comes to presenting in front of NRIs it does require a lot of thinking of issues which they could connect with. Being Indians they

are aware of the ground realities in our country. Besides they are not keen on satirical takes on the negatives. One has to bear in mind that they dont get too many occasions to socialize with fellow Indians and when they do they devote utmost attention and hence relish the time spent to the core. Social values and family situations generally make up for the most preferred topics of audience interest followed by politics. However, Gemini agrees that people are bored of lis-

Dol Jatra in Santiniketan

24
Dreamed up by Tagore, Santiniketan is one of the best places to enjoy Holi, called Dol Poornima or Dol Jatra, in Eastern India.
he festivities are musical in the VisvaBharati University of Santiniketan. You can hear Tagores songs and enjoy the artsy atmosphere of this university which has a world-famous arts college. Here, the Spring Festival celebrations called Basant Utsav start in early March and continue to Dol Poornima, which falls on March 19, 2011. We took an early start for Santiniketan from Kolkata and checked-in at a hotel near the university town. In the morning, we set out to visit Santiniketan, the land of Rabindranaths father, Maharshi Debendranath Tagore. Rabindranath Tagore started Patha Bhavana with five pupils learning in a classroom under a tree as he believed learning in a natural environment would be more enjoyable and fruitful.

By Anil Mulchandani

TheSouthAsianTimes.info

March 19-25, 2011

Outside Rabindra Bhavan, a museum with photographs and memorabilia, were girls selling earrings made of seeds. Driving around, we saw institutes for sciences, arts, humanities, Indology and Japanese studies. While the buildings are not as well-kept as we imagined and there are those who feel Visva-Bharati is not as idyllic as Tagore dreams of Santiniketan, the Kala Bhavan is a topclass arts institute attracting foreign students. We drove from here to Sriniketan, which has the Institute of Rural Reconstruction founded in 1922 at Surul, about 3 km from Santiniketan, with Leonard Elmhirst as its first Director. It is a campus extension of Visva-Bharati. We stopped on the way at Amar Kutir. We watched artisans at work on kantha, batik, leatherwork, pottery and other crafts. Much of the route has the red laterite soil that Tagore called `Rangamati and has not been surfaced in his honor.

Santiniketan is a center for kantha, batik and other handiwork.

Holi at Santiniketan
When Dol Poornima day dawns, the students of Visva-Bharati University dress up in yellow and orange clothes and wear garlands of fragrant flowers. They sing and dance to the accompaniment of stringed musical instruments like the Veena and Ektara. Throughout West Bengal, on Dol Poornima, idols of Krishna and Radha are placed in a palanquin, which is taken round the main streets. The devotees take turns to swing them while women dance around the swing and sing devotional songs. During these activities, the men keep spraying colored water and colored powder at the women. In West Bengal homes, the head of the family observes fast and prays to Lord Krishna and Agnidev. He smears Krishnas idol with gulal and offers bhog to both the deities. This is a good day to try the classic Bengali sweets like Sandesh and Payash.
Baul singers at Santiniketan. After he received the Nobel Prize for Literature, the experimental school was expanded into Visva-Bharati in 1921. Among its illustrious students have been Indira Gandhi, Satyajit Ray and Amartya Sen. We walked around the Uttrayan complex where Tagore lived with buildings in different styles: a temple with European stained glass windows but without an idol as the Tagores believed in Raja Ram Mohan Roys Brahmo Samaj, which believes in one God, who is the creator and sustainer of the world and infinite in power, wisdom, love and holiness. There are also Nandlal Boses paintings, abstract structures, and classrooms, which in keeping with Tagores vision are still alfresco. After shopping, we drove to Ballavpur which has been developed into a natural sanctuary for deer. Walking around, we saw a herd of spotted deer coming for water at a trough. Further ahead, we saw a large male spotted deer with velvety antlers. The trees trilled with bird calls. We saw a maroon-headed oriole on a branch, a tree pie in a tree, a flameback woodpecker climbing up a tree, a fantail flycatcher whistling loudly. Presently, we came to a lake where we saw pintail and shoveler ducks. To watch more ducks, we drove to another side of the wetland area which is now a fenced-off bird sanctuary. Walking along the fence, we could watch huge rafts of duck floating on the water, herons fishing on the waterfront, and waterhen among the aquatic grasses.

Photos by Jyoti Mulchandani

Wearing yellow and orange, students sing and dance.

25

In picturesque Puri
Jagannath temple is the center of the Dhol Jatra or Dolo Utsav, as Holi is called in Orissa.

By Anil Mulchandani ith the hordes of pilgrims that visit Puri each day, we weaved our way from the parking area on Grand Road to the Jagannath Temple, which soared some 65 meter high in front of us with the wheel of Vishnu and a flag rising above the pinnacle. As at other religious places in India, around the temple is a cluster of shops selling rudraksha malas, idols, pictures of Lord Jagannath with or without his siblings, prayer offerings, textiles and handicrafts for tourists, and souvenirs. The temple is the center of the Dhol Jatra or Dolo Utsav, as Holi is called in Orissa. On this day, idols of Jagannath are taken around the streets of Orissa in palanquins, and in Puri the deity coming out from the main temple is eagerly awaited by devotees. Amid loud bhajans and brilliant colors, the Lord is brought out in a grand and colorful procession along with idols of goddesses. Once they reach the pavilion called the mandap, the three deities are then placed on a jhulla or a swing. Puri is one of the four dhams or divine abodes, like Dwarka in western India, Badri-Kedar in the north and Rameswaram in the south, which makes it a major pilgrimage for Hindus, one of the most visited temples. The temple has four entrances - the southern gate has equestrian figures, the northern gate has elephant figures, the western gate has tiger figures. With other yatris we entered from the eastern gate with huge mustachioed lions flanking the gate, and walked past a 10m high monolithic Aruna Stambha pillar brought here from Konark in the 18th century. The temple has a 55m high

shikhara and four shrines in a row. Like all temples of Orissa, this one too has an assembly hall called Jagamohan, a hall for offerings called the Bhoga Mandapa, a dance theater for ceremonial performances, and the central hallway. The panda shows that 30 subsidiary shrines and a yatra is complete when you visit three or more of them, and take a holy dip in one of the four sacred tanks. But we avoided the crowds there and after booking our Prasad for the offerings, we filed towards the main shrine and saw the idols of Lord Jagannath, his brother Balabhadra and sister Subhadra. The temple employs about 20,000 people including 6,000 pandas and more than10,000 others like craftspeople who produce all the materials required for the daily round of rituals and `servants who keep the idols clean. A panda explained to us, Puri came into the limelight as a Vaishnavite center after the Hindu reformer Shankaracharya made Puri one of his four mathas, attracting holy men from all over India for discussions, a practise continued till this date. The Ganga dynasty reign enhanced its religious importance further, especially after 1135 when Anantavarman Chodaganga founded the Purushottama temple, which was renamed Jagannath (Vishnu as the Lord of the Universe) by the Gajjapathi dynasty in the 15th century. Puri has remarkably molded itself to its variety of visitors. Grand Road, the main thoroughfare with banks, shops and office buildings, leads to the temple and around the Jagannath Temple are the dharamshalas and guest-houses for pilgrims. Marine Parade is the hot-spot for most domestic tourists with affordable hotels,

Festive atmosphere in Puri (Photos by Dinesh Shukla ) Bengali, Punjabi and South Indian restaurants, ATMs and a pretty beachside stretch with recreational facilities and playing areas for children. Between Marine Parade and CT Road, a splash of starrated hotels and resorts like Mayfair and Hans Coco Palms caters to upmarket tourists and those looking for a splurge in a great seaside holiday. CT Road is where the budget holiday seeking foreign tourists stays in low-key hotels and guest-houses. This is the place to enjoy the travelers scene of peaceful garden cafes, restaurants done-up with handicrafts of eastern India playing Indian meditation and classical music, barrestaurants paying techno tapes and loud music, bakeries, internationalstyle roadside eateries and seafacing outdoor dining places where tourists gather to swap travel guides and paperbacks, exchange travel tips and relate their experiences of travel in India. And with them are the attendant services like handicraft and souvenir shops, curio vendors, money changers and internet centers. This is a good lane to look for Japanese, Tibetan, Italian and every other kind of food. Earlier Puri was, like Goa, something of a hang-out for hippies. I remember these psychedelic chillum-smoking foreign youth on the beach in front of the BNR, but this scene was brought to an end by a clean-up act by the 1980s. A few of colorful junkies can still be seen at the cafes along the CT Road.

The famous Jagannath temple

26

The tribal tale of Holi

For most people, Holi is about splashing colored water, smearing friends with gulal exchanging Holi gifts and listening to evergreen Holi songs. However, for the various tribes of India, the festival holds different meanings, which reflect not only their religious and social traditions, but also their joy and jubilation. Some tribal Holi traditions have their roots in religion and mythology, while others have their social and cultural significance. Lets take a look at how the festival of colors is celebrated by the tribal population of the country.

The Banjaras: The Banjaras of Andhra Pradesh, locally known as Lambadi tribe, celebrate Holi in their own way with a great sense of communal harmony. They perform the Lambadi dance, play pranks and stage mock-fights. A remarkable ceremony is the dhund ritual for all male off-springs born in that year which comprises honoring the god of love Kama and the Holika deity.

Bhils of Madhya Pradesh: Marriages do not take place in the Holi season but the Bhils spend the entire week before the festival matchmaking. Just preceding the festival is the week-long event of Bhagoria Haat, a country fair where young men and women look for soulmates. During the festival, men and women interact freely, dancing to the beats of dhols (drums) and thalis (plates).

Tribals of Jharkhand: The tribal State of Jharkhand has its own unique rituals for the festival. On the day of Agja (Holika Dahan), the tribal women of Bundu, about 45kms from Ranchi, carry broken cane baskets on their head, stuffed with flowers and pieces of non-usable items from their houses, and dump it on the outskirts of the village to ward off evil spirits haunting the village.

Banswara tribe of Rajasthan: Holi is the main festival of the tribals in the Banswara district of Rajasthan. They wear their traditional dresses, carry swords and sticks, and perform the Gair dance a typical tribal dance of the region.

Tribes of Manipur: Yaosang, the Holi festival is celebrated on the full moon of Lamda (Feb/March) and lasts for six days. Tribal people construct bamboo huts, 'Yaosangs', on the roadside and place an idol of Chaitanya inside it. After offering puja, the idol is removed and the hut is set on fire. The shouts of 'Hari-Bola' and 'He Hari' are exchanged while the hut is burning. The burnt embers are considered to be very auspicious. Therefore, the ash is collected and used to mark the foreheads of the worshippers and the entrance of the houses. The main highlight of the festival is the Thabal Chongba dance.

Bollywood ready for colorful riot

28

Javed Akhtar and Shabana Azmi at their Holi bash in Mumbai. Actor Anil Kapoor enjoying Holi with daughter Sonam Kapoor.

Holi celebrations at the Bachchan residence, Pratiksha, in Mumbai.

s the festival of colors comes knocking, Bollywood, along with the rest of the country, is all geared up to celebrate it with a great amount of festivity and glory. The trend of Holi celebration in film industry was initiated by showman Raj Kapoor and his famous Holi bash at RK Studios in Mumbai. The tradition still continues and the RK Studios bash still remains the most star-studded and well attended Holi bash in the Btown. The true champion of filmy Holi bashes, R.K. Studios is a riot

of colors and festivity every Holi. The entire film industry and all their kith and kin arrive in spotless white to be dunked into the famous RK color tank. Living up to his cult song 'Rang Barse', Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan is all set for the festival. Holi celebration at his residence, Pratiksha in Mumbai's north-western suburb of Juhu has gained immense popularity and almost everybody who matters is personally invited. Following the Kapoor's and the Bachchan's, others like Subhash

Ghai, Yash Chopra and Javed Akhtar and Shabana Azmi continue to host the annual Holi bash. For Shabana the Holi spirit never dies. "It's always an open house for friends and family on the occasion of Holi at my parents' home in Janki Kutir. There's a generous flow of non-toxic colors, gaanabajaana, and khaana...a long-standing tradition in our house as part of India's ganga-jumna tehzeeb, says the actor. Here's hoping that the entire film fraternity enjoys to the hilt and has a colorful and safe Holi this year!

Most wanted Holi songs

Rang Barse lagaayaa Chaabe gorii kaa yaar, balam tarase rang barase Holi hai! O rang barase bhiige chunaravaalii, rang barase ... Are belaa chamelii kaa sej bichhaayaa Belaa chamelii kaa, sej bichhaayaa Are belaa chamelii kaa sej bichhaayaa Haan belaa chamelii kaa sej bichhaayaa Soye gorii kaa yaar, balam tarase rang barase Holi hai! O rang barase bhiige chunaravaalii, rang barase Holi Ke Din Dil Mil Jaate Hai Aaj Na Chhodenge Bas Humjoli Khelenge Hum Holi

The chemistry crackled between Amitabh Bachchan and Rekha in this song from 'Silsila'. It's a perfect depiction of getting naughty on Holi with your 'special' friend! Rang Barase Bheege Chunarwali Rang barase bhiige chunaravaalii, rang barase Are kaine maarii pichakaarii, torii bhiigii angiyaa O rangarasiyaa rangarasiyaa, ho Rang barase bhiige chunaravaalii, rang barase ... Sone kii thaalii mein jonaa parosaa Are, sone kii thaalii mein, jonaa parosaa Haan, sone kii thaalii mein jonaa parosaa Are khaae gorii kaa yaar, balam tarase rang barase Holi hai! O rang barase bhiige chunaravaalii, rang barase ... Laungaa ilaayachii kaa, are laungaa ilaayachii kaa Laungaa ilaayachii kaa? haan! Are laungaa ilaayachii kaa biidaa lagaayaa Haan laungaa ilaayachii kaa biidaa

makes you dance with the dream jodi of Hema Malini and Big B. Ang Se Ang Lagana Sajan Rajesh Khanna, in his typical style, entices Asha Parekh on the sacred day of Holi. This timeless song from 'Kati Patang' is a must on the list. Chhan Ke Mohalla Saara

This colorful number from Ramesh Sippy's 'Sholay' is one of the best Holi songs with its lyrics emphasizing on washing away enmity by splashing color on each other. Hori Khele Raghuveera Holi tracks are synonymous with Amitabh Bachchan and it is inevitable that his name figures again. This one from 'Baghban'

This playful track from 'Darr' adds zing to the hues of Holi and is a flawless depiction of showering colors of love on each other. Do Me A Favor Let's Play Holi Featuring doomed lovers Akshay Kumar and Priyanka Chopra, this song from 'Waqt' reminds one of his salad days.

This song from 'Action Replayy' makes a spanking new entry in the category of Holi songs with Aishwarya Rai shaking a leg and splashing color!

Eating and drinking revelry

29
follows the concept of Pacca Khanna (special food) on Holi and make it a point to cook Puri and Bhaji and also relish on Kaza (round papad), says, Anupama Singh , a Delhiite now working with HSBC in New York. Among typical Holi drinks which are popular are Thandai and Bhang. Thandai is a soothing drink usually made of purified water, sugar, seeds of watermelon and muskmelon, almonds, lotus stem seeds, cashew nut, cardamom, saunf, rose-flower, white pepper and saffron. A glass of Thandai offers instant energy and sets the mood for the festival. Thandai is more popular in North India. Banaras is called the hub for Thandai. Banarasis have a liking for milk-based drinks and Thandai is said to be their favorite. Bhang was first used as an intoxicant in India around 1000 BC and soon became an integral part of Hindu culture. In Atharva Veda, Bhang is described as a beneficial herb that "releases anxiety". Its preparations were sacred to Gods, particularly Shiva. One of Shiva's epithets is "Lord of Bhang" as he is said to have discovered its transcendental properties. In imitation of Shiva, many sadhus use Bhang to boost meditation and achieve transcendental states. Besides, Bhang or cannabis is also believed to be popular among Sufis as an aid to spiritual ecstasy for a long time. But Bhang is now known as an official Holi drink. Using mortar and a pestle, the buds and leaves of Cannabis are squashed and ground into a green paste. To this mixture milk, ghee and spices are added. The bhang base is made into a nutritious, refreshing drink. The intoxicant property of Cannabis escalates the spirits of a person after consuming it and serves as a healthy alternative to alcohol. Youngsters these days enjoy these drinks for the kick they receive, making them more energetic to indulge in the festive spirit. Honestly, I dont care about why people drink this on Holi. My friends and I have it as it helps us drop our inhibition and have more fun with colors, says Keyur in Bangalore. Whether you are the kind who grabs sweets and other delicacies from the sweet shops or enjoy cooking at home on festivals, try out these couple of recipes and make your Holi more special and enjoyable for yourself and your family this spring.

By Swathi A.K. uge boxes of traditional Indian sweets like Kala Jamoon, Rasgullas, Ladoos and Rasmalai on the shelves of the sweet shops, and colorful posters of events and functions adorning the walls of Indian dominated streets in Jersey and New York area add to the gaiety of the bustling streets with Indian establishments as people gear up for the joyous spring festival celebrated as Holi. India is a country which has embraced diversity and fostered the growth of various religions and social traditions. Throughout the year people observe umpteen festivals and Holi Festival of colors-- is one of the most popular of them. It is celebrated with fervor and ecstasy among all age groups throughout India. Though Holi loosens peoples inhibitions to playfully splash colored water on one another and smear colored powder on the face

Drinks like Thandai, snacks like Crispy onion fritters, vegetable pakoras, and crunchy chaats and desserts Gujia and Gola Ice top the popularity list on Holi.

of anybody at an arms length, the joyous mood is incomplete without gorging on the wide assortment of scrumptious delicacies and gulping down the mouth watering drinks. Lip smacking dishes like the crispy onion fritters, vegetable pakoras, and crunchy chaats including Paapri Chaat, Dahi Bhalle and Aloo

Chaat and desserts like Gujia and Gola Ice top the popularity list on this festival. I always eagerly await Holi just to indulge myself in throwing colors at others and eating a lot of good food made at my P.G. says Nikhil, a college student living in Jersey City. The zeal to prepare these dishes is infectious, but the recipes and number of delicacies vary with different traditions and families. There are people who stick to the handed down recipes from their grandmothers and mothers and cook the most favorite dishes of the family members. My family

Bhang Lassi
1/4 tsp peppercorns 1/8 tsp ginger powder 1/8 tsp cinnamon powder 1/2-3/4 cup sugar 15 gm cannabis leaves and buds (this is banned at many places and available in limited stores, one may not use this ingredient) Preparation Clean the cannabis leaves and buds by removing any stick and seeds. Wash thoroughly. In a pot, boil the water. Add all the ingredients, except sugar and milk. Let it boil on slow flame for 10 minutes. Strain and keep aside the liquid. The solid part is grinded in stone grinder by adding 1-2 tbsp warm milk. Press through muslin with back of palms, extracting the liquid into vessel. Repeat the previous two steps till 1 cup milk is consumed and the residue becomes dry and husk like. The extracted milk should be smooth. Mix the extracted milk and boiled water which was kept aside. Add remaining milk and sugar. Chill for 2-3 hours and serve.

Ingredients 1/2 cup water 1/2 cups warm milk 1 tbsp blanched and chopped almonds 1 tbsp chopped cashewnuts 1/2 tbsp chopped pistachios 1/4 tbsp poppy seeds 1/4 tbsp melon (kharbooj) seeds 1/4 tbsp saunf 1/4 tsp cardamom powder 1/4 cup dried rose petals 1 tsp rosewater

Dahi Bhalle
Ingredients 1.Maa Ki Daal washed -250 gm 2. Water to soak daal 3. 1 Onion and Ginger - chopped 4. Green coriander - chopped 5. Green chilies - 2 chopped 6. Cumin seed - 1/2 tsp. 7. Salt - 1/2 tsp., 8. Soda-bi-carb - 1/4 tsp., Oil for frying, 9. Curd - 750 gm, 10. Raisins - 15-20. Preparation Wash and soak daal for three hours. Drain water and grind, add chopped onion, ginger, coriander-chilies-salt, cumin seed and soda. Heat oil. With moistened hands, make Bhalla with daal batter into 2" discs. Deep fry each Bhalla light brown. Drain oil, keep aside.

Soak in hot water for ten minutes. Press out water lightly. Beat curds-add- salt - 1/2 tsp. cumin seeds. Soak-raisins in water for ten minutes. Add to the curd. Lay Bhallas in a flat dish and pour curd on it, garnish with red chili powder-chopped coriander, powdered cumin seeds. Serve with Imli chutney and extra beaten curd.

Libaas Xclusif 249-12,Hillside avenue,Bellerose,NY-11426 (Next to Dipali, Ph: 631-873-8298)

The true colors of Holi

30

By Sant Rajinder Singh Ji Maharaj

he festival of Holi is celebrated in India during the springtime wherein people of all ages delight in spraying each other with colored and scented water mixed with saffron. In the last few years, children have filled balloons with this colored water and thrown them at anyone who walks in the street. This joyous holiday is celebrated by older people as well as the young. Playing together, they often greet each other by putting a little mark on the forehead or on the face with a colored powder called gulav. This festival is based, in part, on a story from the ancient Indian scriptures about a young boy, named

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

Astrology
TheSouthAsianTimes.info

31

March 19-25, 2011

Chandigarh, India: +91-172- 256 2832, 257 2874; Delhi, India: +91-11- 2644 9898, 2648 9899; psharma@premastrologer.com; www.premastrologer.com

By Dr Prem Kumar Sharma

Stars Foretell: March 19-25, 2011

Aries: Take advantage of your stars and seek favors from important people. Efficiency will be the key to success, so finish pending correspondence on priority basis. In a business environment, your creative ability will flourish, and you will be able to convey your new ideas in a simple way. Those planning a trip abroad will have a pleasant and a memorable journey. Pleasant news towards the weekend uplifts the spirit of the entire family. Spiritual gains for some provide mental peace and comfort. Taurus: This week you need to be highly cautious while doing business. Watch out for individuals who might think that you could be easily tricked. This week is definitely not good for taking any risky chances, especially with money. Your charisma will no doubt attract lot of attention. Time spent with old friends will leave you with happy memories. Travel will be on your mind, but you need to be extra careful of your belongings. Gemini: Opportunities to make financial gains will develop through connections that you have recently made. You will get inspiration from your large circle of friends and acquaintances. Important message from a distant place, later in the week, will boost your moral and spirits. Your financial position will improve from unexpected gains, but your health however will need extra care, therefore take preventive medicines if necessary. Cancer:You need to stop other activities and finish off pending correspondence that you have neglected recently. Investment connected with arts and antiques will be profitable. A visit to a spiritual person or a holy shrine later in the week will bring mental peace and happiness. Your health will show remarkable improvement, but there would be little activity on the professional front. Avoid people who like to pry into your affairs. Leo:This week you will spend much more than required on your home and entertainment. You'll have a chance to earn extra money through the strength of your personality and wonderful contacts. You will feel that destiny is playing a favorable role in your life and things are moving according to your plans. Travelling will be beneficial and educating. Children may bring in some thrilling news towards the weekend. Virgo: You should disassociate with colleagues who are fond of gossip and spreading rumours. Work should be on your top priority. Your accomplishment will bring you good results in the long run. Dealing with land and property matters will ensure gains. Time spent at home will improve your understanding about the family needs and bring you enormous love and affection. Your income will definitely improve but there will be a rise in expenses as well. Libra: This week you will have tremendous mental pressure trying to cope up with your professional as well as personal responsibilities. Refrain from any actions or statements that will make you regret later in life. Your financial status seems to get better with new opportunities and ventures in the offing. Sportsmen and athletes can look forward to some benefits and fame. Spiritually you will be gaining a lot. Scorpio: Positive thinking will have a good impact upon you, as you integrate more practical methods into your work and decisions. You will be more skillful in handling your clients and negotiations will work to your benefit, but you need to keep your secrets to your self and avoid overspending. Sports and physical fitness programs will be highly beneficial. Those connected with arts will finally be rewarded for their efforts. Sagittarius: Your accomplishments will exceed your expectation if you concentrate on your jobs. Special honor and recognition will come your way if you help your colleagues and coworkers. This is also a very good period for matters relating to the heart, as a casual partnership will turn into more serious commitment. Meddling in the affairs of others should be avoided. Legal problems will cause a state of nervousness and tension. Capricorn: Put your creative ideas to good use. Taking immediate decisions will be crucial for your career and your goals, therefore do not waste your time. Financial front looks bright as gains from speculation are also foreseen. Romantic pleasures are assured as spouse or beloved will be in a loving and caring mood. Cultural activities will be entertaining. Journey would yield returns. Some good news expected during the end of the week. Aquarius: This week simplicity will be one of your greatest strengths and your determination will become your greatest asset. A close friend or colleague will help you complete pending jobs on time. Opportunity to meet new lovers will evolve through your involvement in functions and ceremonies. It would be wise to do a safety check on water taps, door and electrical equipment, before going on a vacation. Unexpected guest makes surprise, but pleasant visit later in the week. Pisces: This week you will gain approval from seniors if you present your ideas well. Refrain from arguments and avoid being too outspoken and critical about others. Property related investment will be highly beneficial. Lectures and seminars that you attend will be highly interesting and educating. Financial losses are likely if you get involved in new ventures or risky investments. Get involved in creative hobbies in order to relax.

Annual Predictions: For those born in this week

March 19: Dominated by number 1 and the Sun, you are original, confident, honest, methodical and a systematic person. You have deep interest in spirituality and always search to find inner peace. You are deeply admired by people around you, but you need to check your tendency to behave impatient, extravagant and moody at times. Opportunities to lift your living standard will come through new contacts that you develop this year. You need to concentrate your maximum efforts into career improvement, as it will yield desired results. You will do extremely well socially if you travel and get involved in clubs and social events. Distant pilgrimage is on the cards for some of you. Spouse and children will be supportive but health of your parents will be a matter of concern. The months of May, August and January will bring in the desired result. March 20: Ruled by number 2 and the Moon, you are imaginative, simple, noble, friendly and highly disciplined person. You can easily accomplish difficult tasks with your dedication and hard work, but you need to control your tendency to behave cynical, stubborn and introvert at times. Pending problems will get sorted out. This new phase in your life will bring you rewards and recognition. Your financial position will also improve and you will feel more secured and satisfied with whatever you do. Family and friends will be there for you when you need them. Legal matters will be complicating and you should avoid standing guarantee for others, as it will cause embarrassment and many legal problems. Matrimonial alliances for few lovebirds. Pilgrimage and religious activities will bring peace of mind. The months of October and December will be significant. March 21: Governed by number 3 and the planet Jupiter, you are confident, creative, systematic, generous and an optimistic person. You are good at building new contacts, which in return bring you lots of popularity and benefits. You are smart and trustworthy, but you need to control your tendency to behave extravagant and dominating at times. Professional gains are all most certain but rise in expenses will bother your mind. There will be moments when your achievements will exceed your expectations, but most of the times you will have to put in your maximum to achieve bare necessary results. People who have stood besides you till now will continue their support. Relationship with your spouse will be highly cordial and on an even footing, but you need to control yourself from being to stubborn, which will create uneasy moments at home. Romantic alliances will prosper and strengthen. The months of June, September and February will be significant. March 22: Ruled by number 4 and the planet Uranus, you are energetic, charming, peace loving, creative and an active person. You are always given great deal of responsibility at work because people know they can depend on you. You should receive major success in your career provided you check your tendency to behave jealous, self centered and overconfident at times. Your planetary position is offering major changes in your career. New opportunities look bright and recognition and rewards seem high on your cards. Your involvement in social activities will bring you close to important people, who will provide favors and benefits. Those wanting to travel overseas for business or pleasure will receive a boost to their plans. You will have abundance of energy and you will easily implement whatever you plan. Health however will need care. The months of May, July and December will be highly eventful. March 23: Ruled by number 5 and the planet Mercury, you are practical, energetic, trustworthy and possess a strong intuition. You are highly popular in your group because you are witty and intelligent. You are helpful and sensible but you need to control your tendency to behave vindictive, stubborn and timid at times. Promising career opportunities ahead for fresh graduates and extremely good period for scholars, scientists, writers and sportsmen as well. This year will be important for working women, as they will receive a major boost in their career. Financial gains are certain but expenses will also take an upward trend. For those involved in romantic entanglement, chances of a matrimonial alliance will be quite high. Travel will bring pleasure. The months of June, August & January will be significant. March 24: Ruled by number 6 and the planet Venus, You are energetic, cheerful, trustworthy, dynamic and a methodical person. You have a very strong willpower and dislike interference of others in your personal affairs. You are carefree and helpful, but you need to check your tendency to behave stubborn, vindictive and dominating at times. Financial gains are certain provided you associate with people who are creative and experienced. Improved finances will make you spend more on luxuries and other living comforts. Legal or property disputes will settle around the middle of the year. New romance for some will develop through social gatherings and recreational activities. Health of an infant will cause stress and anxiety. Religious feelings will arise making you seek spiritual blessing later in the year. The months of April, October and January will be highly important. March 25: Influenced by number 7 and the planet Neptune, you are active, friendly, ambitious, independent, honest and possess a sharp memory. You are an optimistic person who possesses many in-built talents to impress others, but you need to control your tendency to behave impatient and erratic at times. This year you should move very cautiously especially when it comes to handling finances. Although period will be overall good and support from people will be there, but thoughtless or hasty decisions will only result in losses. Distant traveling will be on your mind. Seeking blessing from a spiritual person during this period will bring mental peace and comfort. Job opportunity in the field of sales and marketing will prove promising. Matrimonial alliance for those seeking a life partner. Proper and timely diet will be essential for chronic patients. The months of August and December will prove to be highly eventful.

Before you consult...

i) Accurate Data: Please make sure Date, Time and Place of birth is accurate. ii) Careful: Did you check background of the astrologer before disclosing your secrets. iii) Fee: Discuss the charges before, dont feel shy. Its his business. iv) Expectation: Expect the best, if the outcome is not as desired, never give up. v) Consult: Take second opinion before spending thousands on cure/remedies.

Free Consultation Learn about the fair value of diamonds & precious stones. To the readers of The South Asian Times by an expert gems dealer.
For appointment, please call 516 390 7847 or email consult.gems@gmail.com

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Lakme Fashion Week 2011 TheSouthAsianTimes.info

March 19-25, 2011

Indias topmost designers got together once again to redefine the future of fashion and integrate the country into the global fashion world. The Lakme Fashion Week (LFW) Summer/Resort 2011 was the highlight of Mumbai from 11th to 15th March. Held at the citys Hotel Grand Hyatt, the event not only saw breathtaking creations by established designers such as Shantanu & Nikhi, Manish Malhotra, Anamika Khanna, Sabyasachi Mukherjee, Rocky S and the likes, but also witnessed a lot of new talent like Manas Dash, Timsy Kamnoj, Shivaji Dutta, Deepti Pruthi, Manas Dash, Siddhartha Mittal and even a bunch of Japanese designers. Heres a sneak peek into what the Lakme Fashion Week Summer-Resort collection looked like.

Full-on Fashion at LFW 2011

Models display creations by designer Sabyasachi Mukhrjee during LFW 2011 on March 11.

Actor Yuvika Chaudhary displays a creation by designer Sabah Khan.

A model displays a creation by designer Anamika Khanna on the first day of the Lakme Fashion Week in Mumbai on March 11.

Former West Indian cricket captain Vivian Richards (R) poses with daughter designer Masaba.

Actors Juhi Chawala and Urmila Matondkar attend Indian designer Anita Dongre's fashion show on March 13. US actress and singer Jennifer Lopezs sister actress Caterina Lopez attends designer Anita Dongre's fashion show on March 13. Designer Manish Malhotra poses with actor Kareena Kapoor during the second day of LFW 2011 on March 12.

ICC Cricket World Cup TheSouthAsianTimes.info

33

March 19-25, 2011

WC quarters: Tight race in Group B

New Delhi: South Africa's win over Ireland at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata on March 15 and England's string of shocking defeats have made it a tight race for last three spots from Group B for the knockout stage of the World Cup. South Africa became the first team from Group B to qualify for the quarters, leaving England, India, the West Indies and Bangladesh jostling for the last three berths with just a handful of games left before the knockout stage. England's progress to the last eight looked assured but Bangladesh stunned Andrew Strauss' men to open up Group B. England may miss a ticket to the knockout round if they lose to the West Indies in their next match. But if they beat the West Indies, to India, India and England go through and the West Indies go out. But if India lose to West Indies, the Caribbean team will finish with eight as well - leaving England and India on seven and it would come down to the net runrate and the team with the lowest goes out. And if the West Indies-India match ends in a tie, India will go through on eight - and England and the West Indies would have to compare run-rates. As of now, the West Indies have the best run rate of +2.206, followed by South Africa (+1.606), India (+0.768) and England (+0.013). From Group A, all the top teams - Australia, New Zealand, Pakistan and Sri Lanka have qualified for the knockout stage.

South Africa rode on JP Duminy's brilliant 99 in 103 balls against Ireland at Eden Gardens to become the first team from Group B to march into the quarterfinals. they may still make the quarters as they would finish with seven points.

South Africa get together after Paul Stirlings dismissal. But England could still make a first round exit if Bangladesh beat South Africa. If Bangladesh beat South Africa, both will be through with 8 points. In that case, if the West Indies lose

Cup to remain dream for Dhoni: Jones

Bangladesh win keeps India on toes

Chennai: Bangladesh, to pose any serious threat to India's chances, had to win against the Netherlands in Chittagong on March 14. That they did, without breaking much sweat and climbed to the fourth position in the Group B points table with six points. Their comprehensive win makes sure that the every other team in Group B will have to be on their toes. Nobody can afford another slipup, given the prevailing equations.You tick one box at a time, with emphasis on what India can afford or not. Bangladesh's victory over the Netherlands ticks off the first of them. For the script to unfold the way the whole of India wants,

No problems playing in India: Afridi

Pallekele (Sri Lanka): Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi, who earlier voiced concern over playing in India, has said his team was ready to play the quarter-final in any venue. "It does not matter to us where we play our quarter-final. The biggest issue for us was to qualify for the knockout stage, and we have done that now," Afridi said after beating Zimbabwe in the World Cup. We are ready to play our quarterfinal at any venue now. What I said earlier is a thing of the past. Right now we are just happy to make (it to) the quarter-finals. If we remain in our confident mode, it does not matter where our venue is."

Bangladeshs win against the Netherlands has opened the race for top spots in Group B. Mahendra Singh Dhoni's team must win against the West Indies on March 19 here.

Dhonis strategy of seven specialist batsmen and four specialist bowlers is being questioned post their South Africa defeat. Melbourne: Former Australian cricketer Dean Jones feels that for Indian captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni, winning the World Cup will remain a dream. In his column in The Age, Jones pointed out that history is very important to cricketers. "The three main common denominators consistent with all World Cup champion teams are: Your top four batsmen must be of a high quality. They must have the technique to play the new ball, as well as have the power and stroke play during Powerplays. They also must have the fitness to bat through the whole 50 overs. Your top four bowlers must be of high quality, able to absorb pressure and bowl defensively in Powerplays. If you can't field, don't bother turning up!" he said. "All this taken into account, I do not believe India will win the World Cup with its current form. Everyone here has a huge regard for the Indian team. They have the batsmen, no doubt. Tendulkar and Sehwag can rip any attack to shreds. But that alone doesn't win the World Cup," he said.

Group A
Teams New Zealand Pakistan Sri Lanka Australia Zimbabwe Canada Kenya Mat 5 5 5 4 5 5 5 Won 4 4 3 3 1 1 0 Lost 1 1 1 0 4 4 5

Points Tally: Who Stands Where

Tied 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 Pts 8 8 7 7 2 2 0 Net RR +1.957 +0.729 +2.705 +1.645 -0.669 -2.046 -3.005 Teams South Africa India West Indies Bangladesh England Ireland Netherlands Mat 5 5 4 5 5 5 5 Won 4 3 3 3 2 1 0 Lost 1 1 1 2 2 4 5 Tied 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 Pts 8 7 6 6 5 2 0

Group B
Net RR +1.606 +0.768 +2.206 -0.765 +0.013 -0.881 -2.386

34

International TheSouthAsianTimes.info

March 19-25, 2011

Japan nuclear crisis: Global fears mount

Tokyo: Doubts over whether Japan can contain its nuclear crisis grew as helicopters dumped water onto an overheating power plant and more foreign governments urged citizens to leave Tokyo. Four military Chinooks ran a mission to empty containers holding more than seven tonnes of water each onto the nuclear facility damaged by the massive earthquake and tsunami. The operation aims to keep the fuel rods inside reactors and containment pools submerged under water, to stop them from degrading when they are exposed to air and emitting dangerous radioactive material. At the same time, Japanese engineers were focused on restoring the power supply to the stricken power plant in an attempt to reactivate its cooling system and avert a meltdown. The power supply to the Fukushima No. 1 plant on the Pacific coast, some 155 miles northeast of Tokyo, could partially resume later, the country's nuclear safety agency said. "If the restoration work is completed, we will be able to activate various electric pumps and pour water into reactors and pools for spent nuclear fuel," a spokesman for Plant operator Tokyo Electric Power Co. was quoted as saying. Australia told its nationals to leave Tokyo amid the worsening crisis at the power plant and the threat of aftershocks. "If you're in Tokyo or any of the affected prefectures... we are saying that you should depart," said Foreign

Smoke billows out from Fukushima nuclear plant on the Pacific coast and (right) quake survivors search for their belongings. Minister Kevin Rudd. Britain advised its citizens to consider leaving Tokyo and northeastern Japan, though British officials said there is still "no real human health issue that people should be concerned about". France's authorities said they were assigning two government planes to assist French citizens who wanted to leave Japan. US officials warned nationals living within 50 miles of the crippled Fukushima nuclear plant to evacuate or seek shelter. The Japanese government has told people living up to six miles beyond the exclusion zone around the plant to stay indoors. More than 200,000 people have already been evacuated from the zone. Germany, Italy and The Netherlands also advised their nationals to leave or refrain from traveling to the northeast. France's Nuclear Safety Authority said the disaster now equated to a six on the sevenpoint international scale for nuclear accidents, ranking the crisis second only in gravity to the level-seven Chernobyl disaster in 1986. US Energy Secretary Steven Chu said the events in Japan "actually appear to be more serious" than the 1979 accident at Three Mile Island, a partial reactor meltdown that led to small releases of radioactivity. "To what extent we don't really know now," Chu said in Washington. Gregory Jaczko, chair of the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission, warned there was no water left in the spent fuel pool of the plant's number-four reactor, resulting in "extremely high" radiation levels. The US military will send a spy drone to take a closer look at the reactors in the troubled plant, Kyodo News reported. UN atomic watchdog chief Yukiya Amano said the situation was "very serious" as he prepared to fly out to see the damage for himself. The official toll of the dead and missing after the quake and tsunami flattened Japan's northeast coast exceeded 13,000, police said, with the number of confirmed dead at 5,178. Millions have been left without water, electricity, fuel or enough food and hundreds of thousands more are homeless, stoically coping with heavy snowfalls, freezing cold and wet conditions in the northeast.

US shows growing alarm

Washington: The United States showed increasing alarm about the worsening nuclear situation in Japan on Wednesday and urged its citizens to stay clear of an earthquake-crippled power plant -- going further in its warnings than Japan itself. "The situation has deteriorated in the days since the tsunami and ... the situation has grown at times worse with potential greater damage and fallout from the reactor," said President Barack Obama's spokesman, Jay Carney. US officials took pains not to criticize the Japanese government, which has shown signs of being overwhelmed by the crisis, but Washington's actions indicated a divide with the Japanese about the perilousness of the situation.

India carries radioactive checks

New Delhi: India has started checking travelers and goods from Japan for possible radioactive contamination as the nuclear crisis in the East Asian country escalated following last week's devastating earthquake and tsunami, knowledgeable sources said. National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) sources said checkpoints had been established at the Delhi and Mumbai airports for checking incoming travelers and their luggage from Japan. The checks are being carried out by the Nuclear Disaster Core Group, which is part of the NDMA. It is headed by Major General (retd) J.K. Bansal. Meanwhile, some Indian companies with operations in Japan are taking precautionary steps, asking their Indian staff there to relocate their families and offering them the option to return themselves if the situation

IAEA chief calls situation 'very serious'

Vienna: The head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Yukiya Amano, called the situation at the Fukushima nuclear plant "very serious" as he prepared to fly to Japan. There have been fears of a meltdown at the plant ever since last week's magnitude9 earthquake and ensuing tsunami disabled the cooling systems at all of the plant's reactors. "The situation is very serious," Amano, who is Japanese said of the damages at the core of reactors 1, 2 and 3. Nevertheless, with workers engaged in an-all out effort to stabilize the situation, Amano stressed that "it is not the time to say that things are out of control". The IAEA director general said he would leave as soon as Thursday for a high-level meeting to explore further areas of cooperation between his agency and Japan, and to improve the flow of communication.

Japanese people undergoing radioactive checks. warrants. Global software major Infosys Technologies advised its Indian employees to send their families back to India. It has also given its staff there the choice to return if the situation warrants it, a top company official said Tuesday. Another top software major, Tata Consultancy Services also said it was ready to relocate its Indian staff and their families in Japan back to India. The three companies have an estimated 700 Indians working in Japan. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh told the Rajya Sabha that there were an estimated 25,000 Indians living in Japan, and most them were living in areas that have not been impacted that adversely by the natural disaster that struck the island country.

IAEA head Yukiya Amano.

'Iodine 131 greatest threat'

ccording to Bingham Cady, a professor of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at Cornell University, US, Iodine 131 is the worst environmental actor emitting from the four stricken nuclear facilities in Japans northeast. Its radioactive and has the potential to become airborne and travel downwind. It will also stick to soil and settle on the ground. Those in danger of exposure should evac-

uate the area, which could remain contaminated for months, even years. Iodine pills which have been used in past nuclear disasters should be distributed to prevent exposed humans from absorbing contaminated iodine. Because the emergency cooling systems failed at these four facilities, other facilities must rethink their own nuclear safety strategy and implement tighter testing requirements.

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Humor TheSouthAsianTimes.info

March 19-25, 2011

Humor with Melvin Durai

Three steps to get rid of bed bugs

ed bugs are showing up everywhere - in homes, hotels and even planes -and if you don't watch out, you may find yourself as angry as the single middleaged Toronto woman who thought she was hearing good news when a fortune teller told her, "You'll never be alone in bed again." The bed bug population in North America is rising as fast as the unemployment rate, which means that if you don't have a job, you can't just lie in bed. And if you think bed bugs are a pain, wait until you meet sofa bugs. Wherever you encounter them, they're likely to give you itchy restless nights. "I woke up to find a dozen bite marks on my back," said a 20-year-old New York woman. "My doctor says it's either bed bugs or Marv Albert." "They're all over my bed!" said a college student in Pennsylvania. "I wish I hadn't gotten a tattoo that says, 'Bite me.'" "I hate all the bed bugs in hotel rooms!" tweeted aprofessional basketball player. "How's a guy supposed to have an affair?" "Too much scratching going on," he later tweeted. "Not the bed bugs -- my wife just scratched out my eyes." Once you have bed bugs, it can be really tough to get rid of them. The first step, of course, is to make sure you have bed bugs and not some other critters. Just examine the bite marks on your body. Bed bugs like to leave small red dots close to each other and

If you're unable to get rid of all your bed bugs, try to look on the bright side. Strangers will be reluctant to enter your home, so you won't have to worry about crime. Just ask the 40-year-old accountant in Seattle. "I got rid of my lazy, good-for-nothing dog," he said. "Instead, I put up a sign that says 'Beware of the Bed Bugs.' Everyone has been staying away, even my

mother-in-law." In some cases, bed bugs can even invigorate your love life. Just ask the 80-year-old man in the Atlanta retirement home. "Nothing was happening between my wife, Mildred, and I until last Saturday," he said. "Then, in the middle of the night, I heard her say, 'Oh Harold, it's been so long since you nibbled my ear.'"

if you connect the dots, you will see a picture of Muammar Gaddafi. (If you see a picture of Barack Obama, you do not have bed bugs. You have democ rats.) The next step is a drastic one. Take all your furniture outdoors, spread it around and put up a large sign that says "Yard Sale." Make sure you warn potential buyers about the bed bug infestation by displaying messages such as "All sales final" and "All items sold as is." If you don't attract enough buyers, you might want to put up a more enticing sign: "Moving Sale." (Just don't tell them who's moving.) The final step is to deal with any bed bugs that are still hiding in your house. The best way to do this, most experts agree, is to blast them ruthlessly with one or two Justin Bieber songs. The bed bugs will rush out of their hiding places -- and so will any teenaged girls. Smack them with an old magazine (the bugs, not the girls).

Laughter is the Best Medicine

by Mahendra Shah
Mahendra Shah is an architect by education, entrepreneur by profession, artist and humorist, cartoonist and writer by hobby. He has been recording the plight of the immigrant Indians for the past many years in his cartoons. Hailing from Gujarat, he lives in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Tech Life

Nintendo expands Pokemon empire

NEW YORK: The vast "Pokemon" empire is about to get even bigger with the launch of two new video games for the handheld Nintendo DS simply called "Pokemon Black Version" and "Pokemon White Version." Among a certain demographic, the fierce little "pocket monsters" generate the type of obsessive fandom reserved for the biggest entertainment icons. The "Pokemon" video games center on catching, battling and trading the hundreds of colorful characters. As usual, the two new games, which sell for $35 each, are slightly different so that players can buy one and trade Pokemon characters with others to strive toward collecting them all. The new games add more than 150 creatures to bring the total to more than 640, ranging from the purple cat creature Purrloin to dinosaur-inspired Haxorus. The latest games let players battle not just people they know, as with previous versions, but strangers through random matches using the DS's Wi-Fi connection. "Black Version" and "White Version" are the latest for the kidcentric empire that has managed to outlive video game icons such as "Guitar Hero" and outsell big shots such as "Call of Duty." The games are rated "E" for everyone and have a broad appeal that goes well beyond grade school kids. The "Pokemon" franchise is the second-biggest video game properplay "Pokemon" games is the handheld Nintendo DS, the world's best-selling video game machine. Through the end of December 2010, Nintendo had sold nearly 145 million DS systems in various iterations, compared with 85 million units of the Wii console. Over the years, related "Pokemon" products have popped up, including cartoons, trading cards, comics and toys. The company that licenses the brand, Pokemon Co International, is privately held and won't disclose revenue figures, except that, in years when there's a new game, it's in the billions of dollars. "Pokemon" got its start in 1996 from a company called Game Freak, a group of guys who wrote fan magazines for video games and decided to make their own, Smith said. The first game was for the original Nintendo Game Boy, and it let players interact with each other by using a cable that plugged into their friend's Game Boy. The cartoon series came the following year in Japan, and the games launched in 1998 in the US and Europe. Part of the game's staying power has been that it was built from the start as social. In this age of nonstop interactivity, the games that have been the most popular have been those that let players interact, whether that's on Facebook playing "FarmVille" or at home scheming against a common enemy on "Call of Duty."

ty for Nintendo Co and in the world, not far behind the iconic "Mario Bros" games. Worldwide, the game has sold about 215 million copies, compared with Mario's 250 million, Nintendo says. But "Pokemon" did so in 15 years. Mario took a decade longer. It helps that the primary system to