Searching for spirituality. Photo by H. Koppdelaney

Spirituality: The Test

Would you be willing to give up your life, your family and your name?  Would you renounce love, marriage and parenthood forever? Could you live with the prospect of never seeing your father and mother again?

Bhavesh Choksi, 27, has done exactly that.

This high-achieving young Indian-American, forsaking all, has taken ‘diksha’, monastic vows, and is on his way to becoming a swami in BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha, a socio-spiritual Hindu organization.  For those of us still embroiled in the trappings of the material world, this decision can be wrenching. Breaking all ties with his past life and giving up even the smallest of luxuries, he is turning his back on what most people fight tooth and nail for. Bhavesh is following his dream, walking into a joyous light which most of us cannot even comprehend.  He is obtaining ‘moksha’ and guiding others to find it too.

Bhavesh’s Story…

“From time to time, sadhus and spiritual speakers would visit Kobe, exposing us to religion and spirituality, but nobody made the impact that HH Pramukh Swami made when he stayed at our home along with ten sadhus in his entourage,” recalls Bipin. “At the time, we had no idea who he was or about BAPS.  All we knew is that he was a sadhu of the Swaminarayan faith. However, our family later became more religious.”

The spiritual connection probably began even before birth for Bhavesh: he was born in 1984, exactly three months after Swamiji’s visit. Recalls Bipin: “During Swamiji’s visit, there was an assembly in Kobe at the India Club hall, and my wife tells me that the unborn child was exceptionally active while Swamiji was speaking. On the formal level, his exposure to the Swaminarayan faith was when he enrolled in the children’s group Bal Mandal at the Swaminarayan temple in Edison when he was 9 years old.”

A Father Remembers…

“He felt that there must be a deeper meaning to this life and that all things in this world are temporary. It was Bhavesh’s wish since childhood to work towards his own moksha and also to serve society in the capacity of a sadhu.  Just like any society needs farmers, doctors, lawyers, engineers, so do we need sadhus for our spiritual needs.” Pramukh Swami, however, insisted Bhavesh attend college first and when he graduated from Boston University, he got permission to join Swamiji in India.

Such a decision can be traumatic for the parents. Here in Bipin’s words is the dilemma of losing a child but realizing that the child is gaining the ultimate joy in life. “Of course we knew if he became a Swaminarayan sadhu that we would have no contact on a personal level with him. We did not know how we would handle it emotionally,” admits Bipin.

“However, when Bhavesh and I met Pramukh Swami when he was entering the monastic life, he requested Swamiji to bless us as his parents that we can handle this separation well.  I still remember Swamiji placing his loving hand on my head and telling me, ‘Now Bhavesh is about to sit in God’s lap’ so to keep courage.

“We felt consoled knowing that our son is in the best hands ever, and that he has set out to do what he was born for, and that too, serving as a sadhu of a guru such as Pramukh Swami. As for my wife, she did find it difficult initially, but she felt that the decision would make him really happy and thus gave her willing consent. Naturally, we do miss him, his sense of humor, everything about him, but we are still happy knowing that he is on the right path, one that gives him, and us, immense joy and peace.”

Bhavesh is now known as Shantyogi Swami and lives in Sarangpur. New York devotees who have visited him have come back with a deeper understanding of a sadhu’s life and mission, and commend Bhavesh and other young men for undertaking this divine journey.

Heart-wrenching and emotional as this story is, it is not singular for there are several other accomplished Indian-Americans who have chosen this difficult path in spite of having degrees from Harvard, Georgetown, the London School of Economics, and being engineers, doctors, lawyers, journalists and other professionals.  And there are thousands more who while pursuing their careers and family obligations, are also embracing spirituality even while living in a very materialistic world.

The spiritual path. Photo by H. Koppdelaney

Young and Spiritual – Their Stories

Though he did stay on in the US for further studies and creating some startups, he has now gone back to  his roots, following Sri Sri Ravi Shankar and Anna Hazare, looking to create model villages. Imagine, having the ability to reach the stars, yet realizing that heaven is in service to the humblest of God’s creations.

For some, spirituality has become both lodestar and career. A Harvard graduate who could have located herself in the world’s top cities is the Program Director for Nouvelle Vie Youth Corp, a social development project in Haiti that she has conceived through IAHV (AOLF’s sister organization).

Raj Modhvadia, 26, of Memphis, TN, had abused substances as a teenager and hung out with the wrong crowd. A few years ago he enrolled in the Isha program and his life turned around completely. He had a yearning to rediscover himself and two years ago he moved to the Isha Ashram in India and volunteers full-time at Isha Home School, working with children.

Spirituality has been the salvation for Jay, (not his real name) a young man who was in prison. Having taken the Art of Living course, his life is transformed and he is undergoing teacher’s training to teach other youths through the public school program YES for Schools.

Something is surely amiss in our chaotic, frenetic lives as we struggle to find happiness material achievements, bigger homes, and bigger job titles. Having achieved all this, the appetite for happiness is never satiated as each acquisition leaves one hungry for something more elusive.

What is that faceless, nameless thing that we all are searching for?

The search is never-ending. Photo – H. Koppdelaney

The Spiritual Masters

Shefali Aggrawal is a young New York lawyer who decided to give up a year of her paid professional life and volunteer as a full time teacher for the Art of living foundation. Indeed, meditation seems to changes one’s very thinking. Shefali found her sacrifice was a new way to help people.

“I am inspired by the change which happens when people are at peace within themselves,” she says. “I used to work with poverty-stricken and mentally ill clients for years and I realized that while giving legal advice was very important, I could not help effect real change in their conditions.  By teaching people skills to manage their mind and emotions, they are able to push through big stressors in their life and reach their fuller potential.”

She adds, “Religion and nationality are concepts that we have created, love, compassion, kindness are values which are universal and belong to every citizen of the world.  Meditation allows us to relax and blossoms these human values which are actually our true nature.”

“I’m like most New Yorkers, juggling multiple balls with a lifelong addiction to overachieving,” she said. “I also consider myself savvy and immune to transient fads. Late last year I attended a meditation class with my mother with the dual – albeit half-baked – goals of increasing my energy level and improving my mother’s long term health. I was by no means convinced that we would achieve either.”

She adds, “As it turns out, the class helped us with both goals…and then some. It was instrumental in my decision to launch Seedwalker and it helped my mom tremendously. I now work with I Meditate NY to help educate other New Yorkers just like me, who sometimes let misguided beliefs stop them from achieving their health goals.”

This seismic shift toward spirituality seems to be a major change in many second-generation Indian-Americans. Earlier for many youth, anything to do with religion or spirituality was anathema as they tried to merge into the mainstream and fit into school and college, and the larger community. They did not want to appear ‘different’ from their peers. So why this change now?

Part of the answer lies with the changing, evolving Indian community and part of it with America itself. As the Indian population has grown, so have the resources. Where previously there may have been a small basement in an apartment converted into a makeshift temple where Hindus would congregate in remote outposts of small towns, now there are hundreds and hundreds of world-class temples across the US, and spiritual leaders regularly visit from India to give discourses.

America is changing too with temples, mosques and gurudwaras sprouting up besides the churches. The mainstream is also more open to different faiths and traditions, and yoga, meditation and vegetarianism are becoming common practices. Indeed, yoga and meditation have been embraced by most Indian-Americans after these become a common phenomenon in America, and at a time when health care professionals advocate them for stress control and overall health.

The giving back tradition in America also appeals to many young Indians who have grown up here and are involved with volunteering in temples and spiritual organizations like BAPS, Art of Living Foundation, Isha, Swadhiya Pariwar (of late Padurang Shastri) and local temples. Some have re-oriented their lives totally to embrace spirituality, becoming teachers or bramacharis at spiritual organizations.

So what’s causing this? What are the influences that are driving youngsters—who might otherwise be into partying or career-climbing—into spirituality? Young people seem to get into spirituality for a number of reasons including family influence, a sense of belonging with spiritual organizations, or a need to find the meaning of life.

Looking for answers Photo by H. Koppdelaney

What are Young Indian-Americans Searching for?

Neil Pathak

“Spirituality is deeply rooted in my dedication to yoga, as it not only gives me a sense of calm, but also provides me a foundation of dedication and focus that helps me with my school work and actually enhances my relationships with friends, faily and other people,” says Neil.  I recommend this lifestyle to others. It does not involve balancing two worlds, it simply is an addition to one’s life to result in an overall calmer, more joyful, and more focused life.”

Leena Athparia

Growing up with two religions and two cultures, Leena learned to keep an open mind: “Both parents were not very religious, but allowed me enough exposure to understand Hinduism and Christianity.  I never strongly identified with either religion, but considered myself spiritually inclined,” she says.

A dedicated violinst, Leena has always had the underpinnings of spirituality and after starting Isha Yoga, her experience of music has shifted to a deeper level and continues to evolve. Having graduated with a BA and BSc, she is studying to be a Naturopathic doctor and has graduated from the music conservatory in piano and violin.  Yet to her, the whole definition of success has changed, and to her the accomplished life is one of volunteering at Isha Ashram, working in its garden and teaching music to the children.

“As much as I know I could do well in my career, I feel the longing to grow spiritually,” she says. “ Whether its living in an ashram, or volunteering at the Rejuvenation Center, or contributing my musical skills, I would like to devote my time and energy to what I feel is the most worthwhile – which will always have a spiritual inclination.”

Asked about the rewards of getting off the ambition and  acquisition treadmill, she says, “The rewards can’t be quantified – they have been more than I could have ever imagined. I see so many friends and family around me struggling with stress and life situations, and I feel that I would have been in a similar situation, if it weren’t for the Isha yoga practices that I’ve incorporated into my lifestyle.”

Anand and Mili Gandhi

Anand and Mili Gandhi, both in their 30’s, live in Detroit and have also made spirituality a priority in their lives.  Anand works with Ford Motor Company and Mili is a physical therapist. Currently both are part-time volunteers at Isha, but plan to move to India to become full time volunteers at Isha Home School. “Religion was not a huge part of my background,” says Anand. “ My mother did pray every morning but I rarely saw my Dad pray.  We would go to the temple a few times a year.”

The search continues… Photo by h.Koppeldelancy

Growing Up Indian in America

His training at Isha helped him to see how both worlds could gel by doing many of the things he used to do earlier but with a different mindset or awareness. He feels he can now handle difficult situations with calm, is in great shape,  and is able to better balance his life. Anand says, “Spirituality is now a big part of my life from the smallest of things in terms of respecting the food I am eating to the biggest of things such as trying to be one with everything around me.”

Ravi Naidu

Growing up, religion or spirituality was not a big part of life although all Indian festivals were celebrated.  He recalls: “I never understood anything about them. We didn’t have a temple in Atlanta when I was growing up. If we did I’m sure my parents would have gone pretty regularly, but I wouldn’t have cared for it.”

He also underwent an identity stress, like so many Indian-Americans at that time. “I never felt like I fit in with anyone,” he says. “ I wasn’t like any of the American kids and I also wasn’t like any of the Indian kids. I tried to be as American as possible. I was even uncomfortable with my own “Indian-ness.” So, I became a coconut (only brown on the outside).”

Asked about the rewards of following a spiritual path, Ravi says, “ It’s beyond a reward to be given the tools to see life beyond the basics of human survival. To realize that life only happens within this current moment and that I am 100% responsible for everything that happens in my life has been the greatest gift and I wouldn’t trade it for anything. It permeates my everyday life, actions – my very being.  My perspective on life is filtered through the sieve of spirituality.”

Monica Gupta

For Monica Gupta of Atlanta, who is in her 30’s, religion had always been  a way of life.  A dentist and a new mother, she finds it has been her defining guidepost. Growing up, her parents made sure culture, language and traditions were very much a part of her life.  She says, “They made sure we sat for evening puja daily, took us to the temple, hosted pujas, taught us mantras and bhajans as well as their meanings.  They did everything to set an example for us.”

Yet it is spirituality gleaned from her training at Isha, that helps her to go to work, come back to her husband and baby, attend to family and friends and  do all that is needed, with less struggle, both internally and externally. “Spirituality is an internal compass that guides you in the external world,” she says. “ It does not require one to abandon their everyday duties in daily life.  In fact, it enhances the journey and experiences we call life.  It allows you to go through life untouched, effortlessly.  It helps you function more smoothly, like a well oiled machine.”

Service is an important part of spirituality as young people learn to give back to the communities and in doing so enrich their own life experiences. Anju Bhargava, a member of President Barack Obama’s Advisory Council on Faith Based and Neighborhood partnership, is the founder of Hindu American Seva Charities (HASC) which is a service partner with the Corporation for National & Community Service. She finds the younger generation is very open to giving back and making a difference.

“Service, especially yoga, is a bridge builder with the community at large; it increases acceptance of the New Americans, promotes peace of mind and harmony and reduces potential conflicts with the communities in which we reside,” she says. “More than ever, the service mindset, the sharing of resources is important now, at a time when anti-immigrant rhetoric is increasing.”

Spirituality helps one to know one’s self and then multiply the peace and joy by helping the many. It is an important pathfinder and a self-help tool in an increasingly chaotic and fractured world. More and more young people seem to be internalizing these lessons to make sense of the world they live in.

Sreeratna Kancheria

Sreeratna Kancheria, 33, of Atlanta, Georgia, left the high paying world of law to working in a university, in placement of students into village projects in India to help underdeveloped societies.  Last year she lost her father, and she feels spirituality and meditation helped her navigate through that desolate time of grief and find her bearings with this new meaningful work.

Raajiv Rai

“Coming from a large family setting, my parents had a total of 12 siblings, the constant coming together of families meant staging dramas filled with Hindu mythology, singing bhajans and offering flowers and fruits to the Gods,” he says. “I grew up to realize that these experiences in my formative years made me the person who I am today.”

Yet none of this helped solve life’s deepest mystery – human existence. He says, “All the religious beliefs and practices couldn’t  provide me with the answers that I was looking for. Rather than losing hope and fretting away my life, I decided to pursue what was immediately ahead of me with a strong hope that I’ll find answers to this newly formed volcano of questions one day.”

At Isha he found some important answers. “This program has only made my belief stronger that as a seeker one has to be grounded in the physical world to experience higher growth in spirituality,” he says. “The simple yet powerful kriyas that I’ve learned and come to practice regularly have enhanced my way of living. Whether I’m rock climbing in Palm Springs or attending underground music events at the Elbo room in San Francisco, the daily practice helps preserve my inner balance and keeps me focused on the larger aspect of life.”

Raajiv has found that this tool helps him stay in the moment whether he’s trekking in the Muirwoods with friends or delivering a key presentation on healthcare taxonomy. His energy levels are great and fear and self-consciousness are more easily transcended.  He says, “This newly acquired way of life has helped bring wholeness and vitality into my life allowing me to enjoy the spiritual path while very much staying alive and kicking in the physical world. I’d absolutely recommend this to everyone – including the doubters  to give it a try and see themselves grow into wonderful human beings.”

He is now working in small towns and villages, places where Internet access is sometimes hard to come by and NASA and glittering America are a world away. Inspired by Sri Sri Ravi Shankar and Dr. Abdul Kalam who are both involved in the resurgence of village India, Balasaheb is working toward making sustainable model villages and empowering youth in the villages.  As he points out, 70 percent of India’s population is under 35.  He eats the simple village meals, inspires the youth and listens to their ideas and solutions, sharing and giving them visions for the future.

He feels that spirituality has shown him the path for his life. “ Spirituality has made me so strong and there’s a sense of fulfillment. Nothing can faze me – there is a lot of inner strength.  I’m so grateful for everything in my life. There is that fullness and out of that fullness, I want to contribute. Service for me is an expression of joy and doing service is like a long meditation for me. You see so many smiles on people’s faces and it comes back manifold to you.”

(C) Lavina Melwani

(This article first appeared in Khabar magazine)

The Monk’s Way Photo by h.Koppdelaney

The Monk’s Way

In the initial period, as a novice sadhak (12 to  18 months), they serve in the mandir, study the Hindu scriptures, learn devotional songs and prepare for a life of seva and austerity. Then, once they obtain written consent of their parents, Pramukh Swami  initiates them into the parshad order (white robes). Thereafter, 12 to 18 months later, they receive bhagwati diksha and the saffron robes of a full renunciate. Their training then continues at Sarangpur.

The sadhus do all the work connected with the management of the temple, including cleaning and cooking. They wake up daily at 4 a.m, bathe, do personal puja, then attend temple services; they then do morning chores, breakfast, classes, lunch, personal study, meditation, more classes and, at 7:30 pm the evening arti is performed.  After dinner, there are further activities, with each spending an hour in personal study before bedtime at 11:30 pm.

Each sadhu undertakes a waterless fast five days out of the month. For meals, each sadhu mixes the prepared dishes together in his wooden bowl and partakes of the same as a discipline to curb the desire for food. When they travel out of the ashram, they do so only in pairs.  They do not touch money and observe complete, lifelong celibacy.

The Boy Who Renounced the World

How did spirituality come to you at a young age? Why did you decide to take diksha?

It was something that just seemed so natural. There are some things that people are just inclined towards, and spirituality was something that I had an attraction to. I loved connecting with God and feeling his divine presence.

I decided to take diksha because of the selfless and pure love of Pramukh Swami Maharaj. There was a sense of satisfaction that I received from helping people as I was growing up.  After college, I realized that this path was the ultimate sacrifice and ultimate contribution.  I was giving away what was dear to me for the greater good of an entire community, potentially, the entire world.

Was that decision easy and conclusive, or was there struggle involved in coming to terms with leaving behind the life of family and career, etc.?

On the surface it may seem like giving up everything is such a tough thing to do. But honestly, after being showered in Pramukh Swami’s love, it is so easy to do. Yes there is happiness in worldly things, but there is a different type, a higher divine happiness that comes in pleasing God and his choicest devotee.

How involved or enticed were you with so-called “normal” interests of growing American children?

I was very big in sports. I enjoyed all aspects of sports – watching games, going to games, playing different types of sports. I also enjoyed being with my friends – getting together at someone’s house and making food, relaxing, and just having a good time.

What does diksha entail? Please tell us the steps and process.

There are two dikshas that take place. The first is called “parshadi” diksha where you are initiated into white cloths and given a parshad name. This happens after being in the Sarangpur training school for 1-1.5 years. The second diksha comes after another 1-1.5 years, which is called “bhagwati” diksha, where you wear the saffron clothes and receive a sadhu name. Then, you stay in the training school for another 3-5 years where you complete your training scriptures, sangeet, spiritual discourses, penance, seva, and bhakti.

What is the hardest part of doing this? Please enumerate the do’s and don’ts of a monk’s life. Did you or do you ever second-guess your decision?

Sure, becoming a sadhu is tough, but the love of Pramukh Swami Maharaj and seeing his continuous sacrifice for everyone makes sadhu-life so much easier. There are 5 main vows for sadhus – non-lust, non-taste, non-ego, non-attachment, and non-greed. I haven’t second guessed my decision because this is something I truly enjoying being and love devoting my life to God. Offering devotion and doing seva and helping society are things I have a passion for and love doing.

Would you recommend this to others?

Definitely. Just as you would recommend your profession to someone, I would recommend this. I’m not saying being a sadhu is a profession. Instead, it is all about your devotion and service to Bhagwan, but you get my point.

What for you are the biggest rewards?
My biggest reward is I know I am pleasing my guru. I know this is not the only way to please my guru, but just as there are many ways to please your family or your boss or anyone else, this is the path I have chosen to truly please my guru.
How do you think it helps you to fulfill your role in the world and find the meaning of life?

Being a sadhu allows me to help connect society with God and feel God’s divine presence. Moreover, I am able to talk to others about being moral and ethical citizens of society. Regarding the meaning of life, I think the meaning of life is to please God and do good for society, both of which I am able to do as a sadhu.

For those who cannot follow this path, what would you suggest as the next best thing?

Live a moral, value-based, and devoted life as a householder.

What is the inspiration or mantra which keeps you going, through good times and bad?

The inspiration which keeps me going is looking at my guru – Pramukh Swami Maharaj’s life. Seeing how much he has gone through, all the sacrifice he has made, all the hardships he’s had to deal with, and yet that constant serene smile of absolute contentment is what keeps me going. He has done so much for society without ever looking at his own personal needs or wants. Seeing how dedicated he has been to God and society is an ever-motivating facet for me.

Sheela Rajdev: Journey to the Moon Within

It was complete assimilation for the family had never returned to India, the children did not speak any Indian languages and non-Indian food was served on the family table. Friends were from every background and Sheela could not relate to new Indian immigrants because she simply had no reference.

Like many Indian children who grew up in the American hinterland, she had few markers of  Hindu cultural or spiritual life. Her father was an engineer at BASF and mother was a medical director at Henry Ford in Farmington Hills, MI. “We were not oriented towards any particular religion, no lamps lit at home or God’s pictures,” she says. “I went to the temple and even a church a few times but only for the day camps or math classes.”

Later in life her parents rediscovered religion and things changed when Sadhguru  Jaggi Vasudev of the Isha Yoga Program came to Michigan.

“Summer before college, I was taken to an introductory talk and with my attention totally elsewhere, half way through I took the car keys and drove off to my best friend’s graduation party thinking I don’t need any advice on how to be happy!” says Sheela.

The next year, after freshman year at college, she and her brothers attended a 7 day Inner Engineering program with Sadhguru. “This time I looked up at the man behind the microphone, opened my ears, and put down a few of the barriers and resistances I had towards so-called spiritual teachers,” she remembers. “I listened to what he had to say and his logic hit me, his wisdom seemed unparalleled and his humor started to soften me up.  He was not talking about some god somewhere or asking me to believe in anything but just to look at myself a little deeper.”

How deep?

As deep as she was willing. The more willing she became, the more she discovered and suddenly the world inside of her, she found, was so much bigger than the one outside. “I realized the difference between religion and a true spiritual process,” she says. She visited India for the first time, spending a month in silence and volunteered at the Isha Yoga Center in Coimbatore, a life-transforming experience.  Ten years have passed, 7 of them as a full-time volunteer and 3 of them living in India.  – All of them extremely happy and peaceful.

“I didn’t realize it but all my life I was trying to fulfill some unquenchable thirst for happiness and a sense of completeness,” she says, running from goal to goal, imagining each would take her somewhere. She adds, “It became so painstakingly clear that nothing on the outside would satisfy me.”

One big question overwhelmed her: ‘What is this all about and what am I looking for?’ Sadhguru’s program called Inner Engineering gave her the tools to find this answer within.  She says, “That thirst is quenched and whether I do something or don’t do anything the experience is equally as beautiful.”

At the age of 29, Sheela has found the inner contentment that most people struggle all their lives to find. She quotes Sadhguru: “The world is trying to do so many things. We’re trying to go to the moon, to Mars, but, fundamentally, I feel the most important thing is human consciousness, the quality of life here. How happy we are here simply depends on how we are within ourselves.”

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Garba, performed during Navratri, is being danced by students of India Performing Arts Center

At Navratri,  the Joy of Garba

Garba is a religious and social event and harks back to the village traditions. “All social events that happen in the rural areas always have a ritualistic or religious significance,” says Smita Miki Patel, who is an educator in the folk arts of Gujarat, and has founded the India Performing Arts Center, a dance school in New Jersey.  “Whether it’s the drawings on the walls of the huts, whether it’s the motifs you see on the women’s skirts – all of them have significance in their religious life and their vratas, the rituals they perform.”

Ask her why Garba is so important, and Patel, who came to the US from Bombay in 1981, says, “It’s very dear to all Gujaratis because it’s worship of the Goddess.”

Indeed, the word Garba is derived from the Sanskrit word Garbadeep, which means a light inside a pot and represents the Almighty shining through the perforations of the pot, which symbolizes the universe. The Garba tradition revolves around Shakti-Ma or Amba, the Mother Goddess in Hinduism,  and garba or the clay pot also represents the womb and fertility. It’s a very meaningful ritual for females because it honors the Goddess and also their own ability for creation.

Garba – Dancers from Nartan Rang Dance School of Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan

Garba  & Dandiya Raas:  Rituals and Romance

Garba, the state dance of Gujarat, dates back to the Vedic Shastras and its essence is that it has to be in a circle and there must be claps and clicks. It is a very ancient dance form and it’s still performed in the villages, the towns and the cities of India.

While the Garba is performed by women in a circle, singing and clapping rhythmically as they worship the Goddess Amba, in Dandiya Raas, both men and women participate, moving in two circles in clockwise and anti-clockwise directions, clicking dandiya or wooden sticks with changing partners.

Asked about the possibility of romantic connections being formed, Patel said, “It is becoming so in the modern world – and it was so before. Obviously the social interaction is different – in a rural area it may be from a distance, here the connection is much closer, and more.” Indeed, these events have become social icebreakers wherever Gujaratis live, be it in India, Africa, the U.S. or England.

Smita Miki Patel, Artistic Director of India Performing Arts Center in Edison, NJ

Garba – Changes in a New Landscape

The Nartan Rang Dance School of Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan in New York has many students learning Raas Garba and their origins are from all parts of India. Swati Vaishnav, who is the Artistic Director, teaches folk dances, semi classical and movie dances at this school. She says, “It is very vigorous and kids enjoy the rhythm – Garba has varying rhythms – fast and slow – so it keeps the children very interested. It’s not only going in a circle all the time – they keep making different formations all the time. It makes it more creative.”

Swati Vaishnav with students from Nartan Rang Dance School, teaches them Garba

People are certainly getting involved because Vaishnav says the ages of her students go from four years of age to 45 years! She says, “They all started at young ages and have come back for repeat lessons because Fogana has a category for adults too, 30 and over.  That’s the greatest thing they’ve done because there are so many people who are interested and this gives them an opportunity to continue.”

“In Fogana, folk arts are a way for us to reach our youngsters and make them proud of their heritage,” says Patel. “Because it’s something participatory and not something people lecture you on, you can partake of it and be social with it, and it becomes a very wonderful vehicle for us to pass on our culture to the next generation.”

Having been reared with Raas-Garba,  most Gujarati children know it almost by osmosis. For them, it’s part of religious ritual and social interaction. This writer is constantly amazed at the grace and confidence with which even middle-aged and the elderly join in the ever-expanding circle at Gujarati weddings and other celebrations. They are performing for the Goddess, and there’s no self-consciousness or shyness.

Dancers from Nartan Rang Dance Academy performing Garba

While the children are performing Garba and Dandiya, they are bringing their own changes and variations into this age-old dance, influenced by Bollywood, Indi pop and western music.

Garba – Tradition and Transformation

Patel says the dances have got modified over the years but at Fogana due to its commitment to the past, there are detailed rules and regulations for ensuring authentic performances. In the folk category competition, for instance, there has to be a maximum of two props, such as hankies, pots, tambourines or the dhol, because the dances are about the joys of working on farms, fields and on the road. She says, “We are definitely trying to preserve the extreme ethnicity of the oldest garba. We are trying our level best with the styles, the lyrics, the costumes as well as the steps of the garba.”

Dancers from India Performing Arts Center perform Dandiya Raas

While bhangra and garba raas are all folk dances, the Gujarati folk dances don’t seem to have crossed over as much as Bhangra. According to Vaishnav,  Bhangra’s rhythm has become so powerful and prominent in this country because it combines east and west and young people enjoy that more. In Garba the western touch has not come in. Patel mentions Bhangra’s rise in London and the many remixes which have made it popular on the dance floor.

“Lately, these have become a meeting place for teenagers,” says Vaishnav of the Garba celebrations, bringing another aspect into the open. “Not everyone goes to the venue in nice ghaghra cholis and kurtas and just make it a meeting point to hang out instead.”

She feels some children have lost interest in the dance competitions due to school work and other extracurricular activities. She says, “ Fogana competitions require a lot of practice and perfection for teams to be able to make it to the top and over the years, it has even become quite expensive to travel to Fogana’s national competitions.”

Garba Finds New Fans in America

Patel also agrees that it’s all a matter of exposure: Young people often get their ideas from the movies, and want to incorporate what they see in their own events and weddings. She points out that Bhangra is seen a lot more in Bollywood films which are viewed by one and all. “If we were to have 101 garba raas movies – I think you might see it more.”

Indeed, Garba Raas has entered into the consciousness of pop culture, from Salman Khan and Aishwarya playing dandiya raas in ‘Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam’ to the romantic duo in ‘Bride and Prejudice’ playing Dandiya Raas. Now more Gujarati and Rajasthani folk dances are being introduced into movie dance sequences by choreographers. Patel says even the rural, husky voice which one rarely heard before, is becoming popular in Bollywood movies.

Because of Garba’s popularity and Navratri celebrations, a lot of high school and university kids drag their friends for Garba and Dandiyas for the competition as well as Navratri, she says. During weddings there are sangeet and Garba Nights where American friends of bride and groom learn to wield the dandiya sticks. She says, “I have judged many competitions for youngsters in school, colleges as well as in Fogana and have witnessed whites, blacks, Spanish, Italians besides Indians dancing to the rhythm of Garba-Raas on the stage.”

© Lavina Melwani

(This article was written in 2005 and was updated in 2010 with fresh conversations with Artistic Directors and Choreographers Swati Vaishnav and Smita Miki Patel.)

Related Article: Navratri – Goddess Power

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Navratri – The Goddess Durga

 Navratri – Durga, Lakshmi, Saraswati

They spin round and round, going faster and faster, but never breaking the sacred circle, as they clap their hands rhythmically, dancing around the Garba or earthen pot. They smile as they twirl around for in these nine nights they are celebrating the Goddess that is enshrined in all of us.

This hugely empowering dance is called the Garba and it is the centerpiece of the celebration of the Hindu festival of Navratri or Nine Nights. Is the Almighty a He or a She? Well, we lesser mortals may never know for sure but Navratri is a celebration of the female cosmic energy that makes it possible for mankind to continue – Devi, the Mother Goddess. It marks the victory of the Warrior Goddess Durga over the Buffalo Demon Mahisa, whom she fought for nine days and vanquished on the tenth, and so is a celebration of women’s power.

Known in different regions also as Navratras or Durga Puja, this festival is one of the most important ones in the Hindu calendar and culminates in Dusshera, which leads on to Diwali, the Festival of Lights. It is a time of prayers, dance and music and is celebrated lavishly all over India and by the Hindus living abroad. The diya or light is lit for nine nights and it is a time of rituals.

The first three days are devoted to the worship of the Goddess Durga, also known as Amba, Bhavani, Jagdamba and Mahakali; the next three days are dedicated to Lakshmi, the Goddess of Wealth, and the final three days to Saraswati, the Goddess of knowledge, art and learning.

Photo Credit: Kash_if Flickr via Compfight cc

Navratri – Garba and Dandia Raas

In Gujarat, a western state in India, the festival is defined by the ancient village dances of Garba and Dandiya Raas, which are even mentioned in the Vedas.  In India there are big Garba and Dandiya Raas parties in towns and cities, often with major dandiya performers joining in. In the US, however, celebrations are reserved only for the weekends. Raas Garba performances and celebrations are held in many venues from school auditoriums to huge tented areas where thousands turn up on three weekends for dance, music and socializing.

The word Garba is derived from the Sanskrit word Garbadeep, which means a light inside a pot and represents the Almighty shining through the perforations of the pot, which symbolizes the universe. The garba tradition revolves around Shakti-Ma or Amba, the Mother Goddess, and garba or the clay pot also represents the womb and fertility.

The circle itself is also a very potent symbol – there’s not a beginning or an end and the end is contained in the beginning. It’s a very meaningful ritual for females because it honors the Goddess and also their own ability for creation. Garbagraha is the containment of all knowledge; it is the womb from which everything emanates.

Says Smita Amin Patel, an educator in folk arts, “It’s about parampara – the female lineage that goes back to eternity, before memory, and it’s been passed down to the females through generations.”

In the old days only male priests were allowed to conduct religious ceremonies so the women, for their part, conceived these vratas or rituals in order to partake of this time of religious activity. And what better way to do it than in a joyous manner, through dance?

Navratri in Immigrant Communities

Both Garba and Dandiya Raas have taken staunch hold in immigrant communities, handed over by grandparents and parents in a ritual that is part religious, part cultural. Garba is a religious and social event and harks back to the village traditions.

“All social events that happen in the rural areas always have a ritualistic or religious significance,” says Patel, “ Whether it’s the drawings on the walls of the huts, whether it’s the motifs you see on the women’s skirts – all of them have significance in their religious life and their vratas, the rituals they perform.”

The circle formation in garba has a great deal of symbolic and metaphorical importance because life itself is a circle, without beginning or end – an unending cycle. When you perform a garba, you do not break the circle – people go in and come out but the circle remains.

“Garba is definitely a village dance and it’s a participatory type of folk art rather than something that is learned and taught and has tenets,” explains Patel. “ It is something young women grow up with and infuse it into their being and every time there is a celebration, that is what they perform.”

Dandiya Raas was danced by Lord Krishna, the Celestial Cowherd, with the Gopis or milkmaids. “Each of the Gopis thought that Krishna was dancing with her alone because he seemed to be everywhere at the same time,” says Patel. “ But of course, he is a metaphor for the Almighty, because each one of us calls the Almighty by different names.”

While the Garba is performed by women in a circle, singing and clapping rhythmically as they worship the Goddess, in Dandiya Raas, both men and women participate, moving in two circles in clockwise and anti-clockwise directions, clicking dandiya or wooden sticks with changing partners.

FOGANA, the umbrella group for all Gujarati groups in the US organizes Garba and Raas contests to ensure that the authenticity is maintained. The children of immigrants still perform these ancient dances but also bring in variations, influenced by Bollywood, Indipop and western music. So now you also have Disco Dandiya and Disco Garba.

Indeed many colleges from Rutgers to New York University have Raas Clubs and have Garba contests. With its emphasis on female energy, the dance has a special allure even in these modern times and connects women to their strength and potency.

As the writer Chitra Divakaruni Banerjee wrote in her powerful poem, The Garba:

“We spin and spin
back to the villages of our mothers’ mothers.
We leave behind the men, a white blur
like moonlight on empty bajra fields
seen from a speeding train.”

Both Garba and Dandiya Raas have many variations, depending on regions and communities but the basics are always adhered to. The dance is at the heart of any celebration and no wedding or birth of a child in a Gujarati household would be complete without it. It is so much a part of religious ritual and social interaction, that you see women of all ages, even the elderly, performing with joy and abandon, for they are celebrating the Goddess within them.

© Lavina Melwani

This article which has been updated,  first appeared on Beliefnet.com

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A Day of Lights and Sweets

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Dressing up for Durga Puja celebrations – Photo by Sistak

In Old Calcutta – Tales of the Maker of Saree Blouses

People seem to finish their race there only to realize they have to wait a decade for their reward to reach them! They then seems to while away their time, in what I like to call the ‘paradise of cuisines’ available there. Pretty soon they are absorbed in the lackadaisical pace of the system and put their feet up to enjoy the view.

I stayed the first few days with my in-laws. The evenings with them were spent with cup after cup of glorious Darjeeling, a big bowl of puffed rice mixture popularly called “Jhaal Moori” and tons of stories from all around. One of those evenings, my mother-in-law’s sister, whom I call Maashi, came to visit and we knew immediately we were in for an extraordinary session of chat that day.

It is almost criminal in Calcutta to start any discussion around this time without a reference to the shopping done for the upcoming festival ‘Dasherra‘ or ‘Pujo‘.  This is a time not only of shopping for your wardrobe but for the entire battalion of extended family. It is a time to give and receive gifts. The markets thrive and throb during these months and when the festival is over it’s almost as if a war has just got over! And so our conversation began with my mother-in-law and Maashi exchanging notes on each other’s bargains, new styles and various other subjects associated with ‘Pujo‘.

New sarees for Durga Puja – Photo: Celeste33

In this background,  my mother-in-law and Maashi ventured into a conversation regarding their tailor. Maashi seemed to be livid with her tailor for all the wrong reasons. She wondered why she had to keep going back to that “horrible man” when all he did was look down at her (literally)!  The tailor, Somnath Babu, seemed to be the answer to every woman’s prayer in North Calcutta. He made blouses that seemed to be a mere layer over a woman’s curves. Not only did he accentuate each and every possible angle in a woman to make her more desirable but also found ways to create the same for women who lacked – all by the way of stitches!

But Maashi was not happy! She sat there brooding over her imminent appointment with Somnath Babu. One had to take tokens (cardboards with numbers written on it to signify your appointment with him) a day earlier to get some time with this woman’s man! She fiddled with the one she got in her hand while devising ways of being bold with him.

Maashi, a well-endowed woman of late 60s, was belittled by Somnath Babu every time she went there. Not only was he most disapproving of the kind of brassieres she used for support but also very critical of the blouses she wore when she went there. My mother-in-law was spared the abominable experience on grounds of being petite.

To get the best fit,  Somnath Babu apparently almost wrestled with the bra Maashi was wearing, lifting it up so that her breasts stood where they should,  despite her age. For Maashi it almost amounted to mild molestation but he would hear no protests. He would show her the door if she even as much as cleared her throat or raised an eyebrow! And this he did without any hesitation.

A sari for Durga celebrations. Photo by Dey

There was hardly any scope of escaping the dreaded drill either. If you took an old blouse made by him for the measurements so as to divert the impending “molestation” you would only be made to sit down and listen to his scientific logic as to how women’s bodies changed every 3 months,  making all old measurements obsolete! He would even give you the address and phone number of tailors who would make do with the old blouse but he took pride in being a purist and held his nose high up while at it.

Finally here is something that takes the cake – if you were to ever realize that a blouse he made for you was getting too tight and tried your own gimmicks at it by opening up a few stitches or so it had better work for you. If it didn’t and you took it back to Somnath Babu to mend, he would charge you an extra Rs. 50 as fine for meddling with his art!

All of the above and more  – yet Somnath Babu continues to reign supreme! The queues outside his small tailor shop continue to be responsible for creating traffic jams; small squabbles over who got there first; secrets and jealousies and most of all a genuine anxiety over how to look good in front of him. Under the circumstances, I cannot help but wonder whether the ambitions of the looking good for Somnath Babu beat the age-old traditions of looking good for Ma Durga’s arrival!

Kriti Mukherjee

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Diwali in India
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Diwali 101 – Everything You Wanted to know about the Festival of Lights

The great Hindu epic of Ramayana tells the tale of Prince Rama (the 7th avatar of the God Vishnu)  of the kingdom of Ayodhya who was banished to the forests by his jealous stepmother Kaikeyi who wanted the throne  for her own son Bharat. Although Rama was the heir to the throne, he being the ideal son wanted to help keep a vow his father King Dusshratha had made to Queen Kaikeyi that any wish she made would be granted. Prince Rama went into the forests for 14 years, accompanied by his loving wife Sita (an avatar of the Goddess Lakshmi) and devoted brother Lakshmana who insisted on following him into exile.

 The Story of Ramayana

After many trials and tribulations, Rama manages to rescue Sita and vanquish Ravana, whose ten heads symbolize mankind’s ills such as anger, lust, avarice and greed. Diwali marks the triumphant return of Rama to the kingdom of Ayodhya where he ascended the throne and personified the Ideal Man and King.

Diwali celebrates this triumphant return and new beginnings, for we  all fight a battle against our lower nature, and aspire to live the ideal life of righteousness and harmony.

Diwali, also known as Deepawali (festival of lights)  is celebrated in so many ways – it’s the Hindu New Year marked by prayers and puja, both in the home and the office, as it also begins the new year for business, getting the books blessed in prayer. It is the most auspicious time of the year when  Lakshmi, the Goddess of Wealth and Prosperity,  is believed to visit all homes. Houses are cleaned and painted, new furnishings are installed and the homes are lit with earthen lamps to welcome the Goddess.

Children taking part in a Diwali celebration (photo-Baps)

Diwali –  A Time for Celebration

Diwali is a national holiday in India and almost all buildings are illuminated with electric lights or with the more ritualistic earthen lamps.  To drive by Indian villages on Diwali is to see entire landscapes of flickering lamps. The festivities begin almost ten days ahead with Dusshera  which is followed by Choti Diwali and Badi Diwali – Small and Big Diwali.

According to Pew research, 79.5 percent of the population of India is Hindu while about 51 percent of all Indian-Americans are Hindu, reflecting the migration patterns. Yet Diwali is now observed by many people as a cultural holiday in India and the Diaspora, irrespective of religion. Friends get together to burn fireworks and celebrate.

Diwali 101 –  A Great Watch for Families at Diwali

The holiday is the biggest commercial event for retailers as families buy Diwali gifts, clothing, electronics and jewelry. In fact a day before Diwali, on Dhanteras,  families buy gold jewelry and new utensils for the kitchen, as this is considered auspicious. Diwali gifts are  given to the young as well as packages of money, after the family Lakshmi Puja (ritual prayers).   Sweetmakers do a booming business and there can be no Diwali without sweets!

In fact, the sweets are first offered in temples as offerings to the Gods and the BAPS temples offer hundreds of different sweets to the Lord.

Diwali – offering prasadam before God (Photo – BAPS)

Diwali travels to America

At the same time, Indian immigrants have taken their faith all over the world so there are Hindu temples in all parts of the world, and Diwali is celebrated from Australia to Zaire.  Trinidad, where many people trace their lineage back to India,  has a large Hindu population, and during Diwali, an entire Diwali Nagar or Diwali City is set up.

Besides temple visits and family get-togethers, Diwali in the modern age also has social connotations with dinners and parties in restaurants and clubs, as well as gambling parties held by friends. Playing cards is a tradition at Diwali as are social parties to celebrate the holiday season.

As the Indian-American community expands, Diwali is finding its way into popular American culture, and ‘The Office’ starring Mindy Kaling became the first American comedy series to introduce this holiday to the mainstream.

During his tenure,  President Obama sent Diwali greetings to Indian-Americans on the big day.  Here is a previous year’s message from President Obama.

Diwalis Past – President Obama’s Diwali message

A file photo: President Barack Obama receives a shawl from the priest from Sri Siva Vishnu Temple, Lanham, MD, in the Blue Room of the White House (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)

Some years, American businesses have also got into the Diwali spirit, in 2015, Macy’s had Diwali decorations on the floor in its store in New Jersey – and that may be a taste of things to come. When Nidhi Katuria, a NJ based filmmaker walked in, she stopped, stunned. This all red and blue quintessential American department store was actually showcasing Diwali festive decor and a big poster ‘Happy Diwali’. “I felt an overwhelming feeling in my heart, like it smiled,” says Kathuria.

While children still don’t get a public school holiday in America as they do in India, small steps have been taken and some school districts in New Jersey have observed Diwali as a holiday.

Drivers do get some relief from parking rules in Manhattan, with the suspension of alternate side parking in honor of Diwali.

Diwali was acknowledged at Macy’s two years back. Will there be an encore this year?

One of the oldest and biggest is the Deepawali Mela in South Street Seaport in Manhattan, where over 40,000 people turn up to celebrate the festival with fireworks, food and festivities.  As more and more Americans learn about Diwali from their Indian friends, they realize they can share the joy  as well as the ideals behind Diwali – striving for a better life and vanquishing the forces of evil and darkness.

(C) Lavina Melwani

This article was first published in Beliefnet.com  (2015)

Diwali in India Photo Credit: San Sharma via Compfight cc

Diwali on Two Continents…

It is the Festival of Lights – Deepavali or Diwali. It is magical, the only time I wish I had a photographic brain to flip over these images for the rest of the year. For nothing on this mortal earth can capture what we see on this night. Honestly for me, the minute Diwali starts,  I dread that it will end, that we will be left in the darkness again, that life will return to the meager electric street lights.

Diwali is one holiday I sorely missed when I lived in the US. I remember visiting the Indian stores in the neighborhood to buy my earthen ‘diyas’ (lamps), calling my cleaning service to come and give our home a professionally cleaned look, buying sweetmeats from wherever it was possible. But I also remember being alone while performing these rituals. I would sheepishly light the diyas on my deck, the window ledges, and the house entrance, guilty that it was against the rules for being a fire hazard!

Here in India, the arrangements start early:  Diwali is the only thing on everyone’s minds and I really mean everyone when I say that. Muslims, Christians, Buddhists all look at this as an opportunity to party and get together. I would even give Diwali my personal name – Festival of cards (teen patti mainly but over the last few years poker has established a strong presence here too). While the puritans still stick to their board, blind, raise and pack,  the new clan draws two cards for hold’em.

People are loaded during Diwali and they like to gamble to pay respect to the Goddess of wealth – Laxmi. She is said to be around and each fervently pray to her to bring the money to them. I can imagine Ma Laxmi being torn between people for her blessings and finally just blessing someone with the most virtues.

The joy of fireworks
Photo Credit: Sunciti _ Sundaram’s Images + Messages via Compfight cc

 Firecrackers Burning Bright at Diwali

Here everyone has the right but not without precaution. There are regular advertisements on the television giving instructions on how one should handle crackers. Crackers have more of a significance here than just sound and light – we believe the smoke emitted by them has the power to kill all kinds of germs in the air. So with the coming of Ma Laxmi, evils such as dengue, malaria, hand,  foot and mouth disease seem to all make an exit till the next year. Yes India is as complex as that! Goddesses have to make annual trips here just to eradicate germs beyond people’s control!

Germs or not, I get into a rather sentimental state of mind in Diwali. The sight here during those two days makes me feel cleansed, makes me want to be a better human being, of doing good things for others and mostly of never letting go of the moments I experience then.

Worshiping the Goddesses
Photo Credit: rajkumar1220 via Compfight cc

Ma Kali, Fighter of Evil

My fierce Ma Kali is a fighter of evil, she is angry at injustice and is depicted by the terrifying face she has when blinded by anger and uncontrollable rage against the demons. Legend says while fighting evil she got so carried away that she started killing anyone who came on her way. Lord Shiva had to lay down at her feet to stop her on her mission.

When Ma Kali realized that she had stepped on Shiva’s chest she stuck out her tongue in shame and repentance! Ma Kali is the Goddess I pray to for strength, she gives me the power to fight little troubles in my life and when I have to wade through hurdles I sometimes feel like I have a little of her in me. Only I do not have the right to slaughter the evil ones in my way; just trample upon them sometimes. I cannot help but wonder what the fate of the rising faction of rapists would be if every girl became Ma Kali when faced with the demon!

With the millions of Gods looking out for me and the zillions of diyas lit on Diwali I cannot help but remain virtuous and proud. The Festival of Lights departs,  leaving each of us in gloom when the last diya goes off. But I manage to keep one lit in my heart just for the feeling of exuberance it evokes and the values that I remember it for. And strangely enough a Christian hymn comes to mind – “Give me oil in my lamp; keep me burning, burning, burning; keep me burning till the end of day…”

Kriti Mukherjee

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Diwali  Firecracker Art

Of course, we are now in America, a country where it is illegal for individuals to burn any fireworks. It’s always an orchestrated, disciplined show put on the Fourth of July to be seen as awe-struck bystanders, as spectators.

In India,  every  street kid with even a few rupees to buy crackers and every family patriarch with tokras full of crackers is a showman,  creating magic.  Yes, fireworks are serious business at Diwali and occupy big people – and little people.

Yet firecrackers continued to be a big part of Diwali in India – until finally their continuing explosion caused havoc on the environment. This year there is a ban on fireworks. As NPR writes, ” Citing air quality and noise levels as their main concern, at least two courts have issued separate rulings seeking to curtail fireworks.” According to Hindustan Times, ” India’s Supreme Court banned firework sales in the national capital region of Delhi, and in a neighboring area, a high court “fixed the time slot of 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. for bursting crackers on Diwali in Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh.”

Will people abide by the rules or will the pull of a childhood ritual be too strong? That remains to be but here we witness a fast disappearing art – the firework wrapper – going up literally in smoke.

Sivakasi – Fireworks Capital of India

Sivakasi is a town in Tamil Nadu famous for its fireworks and match factories, and produces  70 percent of  India’s fireworks – although it is now finding heavy competition from China.  Writes the Business Standard: “There’s a sense of the inevitable in Sivakasi town. There have been intense campaigns against firecrackers in cities and the people are buying less of the pyro products of the town. Besides, access to cheaper fireworks from China is cutting into the earnings of the industry. On top of that, the government has cracked down on unlicensed manufacturing units. The industry estimates that up to 80 units have shut shop in the past one year and around 20,000 people have lost their jobs.” You can read the article Sivakasi Cracker Industry Looks for a Sparkle

Shopping for Diwali firecrackers Photo Credit: igb via Compfight cc

Diwali Nostalgia – This too is Art!

Of course, this is art-for-a-moment which is ripped to pieces immediately to get to the all important fireworks. The next morning, after the smoke and burning smell has cleared, these images lie on the floor with the remnants of firecrackers, amidst the  ashes…

Diwali Firecracker Wrappers – A Lost Art

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Diwali 101 – From Darkness to Light

Diwali in India, in America

The Diwali Chronicles

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Thanksgiving is a Time for Counting Blessings…

In India, take a walk down the Mumbai waterfront in the early morning mist, and you see ordinary citizens quietly feeding the fish and the birds.  Their daily day doesn’t really begin until the deities in their  home shrine have been venerated with fresh flowers and offered prasadam. It is only after eating a little of this blessed offering does the family sit down to their meals. Many remember to keep aside a portion of the food for a hungry person or the birds. It is all about sharing.

Every festival is about counting one’s blessings and thanking God for them.  Indeed, buying a new car or new home entails special puja or prayer ceremonies to bless the new item and to offer thanks.

“Gratitude is one of the most important virtues in many Hindu texts” – Dr. Vasudha Narayanan

Narayanan, who is also  Director, Center for the Study of Hindu Traditions (CHiTra) , has lived in Florida for many years and has seen how Indian Americans have interacted with the festival of Thanksgiving.  She says, “It is a ‘secular’ holiday and the sentiments are something we can all resonate with but obviously, there are no ‘family traditions’ for new immigrants.  We do go to friends’ homes; in the 1970s and even early 80s, we were frequently invited by local American friends who worked hard to find us vegetarian fare and make stuffing without stock.

Eventually, as the Indian population got larger, there were more events hosted by Indo-American families.  In Gainesville, a university town, we used to invite students for a home cooked Indian meal, just as our professors used to invite us when we were students.”

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New Traditions at Thanksgiving

Anju Bhargava, founder of Hindu American Seva Communities (HASC) finds her own way of offering thanks. She say, ” Our family tradition is to go around the table and share at least one thing that has happened to you that you are grateful for.  This sharing is the communal prayer creates a spirit of thankfulness.”

Having worked with many Hindus in creating community awareness of service or seva, she  says,  “The Thanksgiving observance fits in very well with the Hindu sensibility – festivities filled with food, company of friends and family and with a values- oriented focus; a time to appreciate all that you have in life and a time to share your merits with others, So it is only natural that Hindu Americans join in the spirit of the observance with a natural élan. Hindus do know how to party and celebrate. What we need to do more is to serve, to bring the UtsavSeva (service through festivals) component more to the forefront.”

She adds, ” Seva is an important aspect on this holiday. Many of us feed the homeless in some manner or form – either actually serve on that day, or before or after or even collect canned food and deliver.”

Photo Credit: Enokson via Compfight cc

A Vegetarian Thanksgiving

Indians who are vegetarian relish the many fixings on the Thanksgiving table and also turn to meatless alternatives like tofu or lasagna or celebrate with a full-fledged Indian vegetarian meal. Fortunately, vegan and vegetarian food is so popular in America now that Indians have a really easy time of it. Thanksgiving is all about sharing food so multicultural America has a lot to share. Says  Vasudha Narayanan, ” Most friends I know end up with international fare and create new traditions that way; so everything from hummus to seven-layered dip to eventually moving to good Andhra fare or avial and double-ka-meetha for sweets!”

Thanksgiving is a festival totally in sync with the Indian state of mind – it’s about remembering the Almighty and his many blessings, and in turn sharing with the less fortunate.

(C) Lavina Melwani

A version of this article first appeared in Beliefnet.com

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Christmas is an Indian Festival too!

Some stories are evergreen and resonate year after year. This was written back in 2007 and the children in these stories have grown up but the sentiments remain the same! I remember spending a lot of time researching these stories and talking to the families profiled here. For me, these stories are almost like Christmas ornaments that I take out every holiday season to share and add sparkle to the holiday!

Christmas is an Indian festival, as you will see from the stories here. Do share your own memories too in the comments!

Away from India, Beverly D’Souza & Luke experience Christmas in New York

Indian Christians Celebrate Christmas

While Christmas is important to Indian Christians as a celebration of faith, many non-Christians enjoy it as a secular holiday in ways small and big. Indeed, Christmas is such a huge, high voltage commercialized event in America that few can escape its allure, be they Christians or not.

If you’re an Indian Christian, your traditional Christmas cuisine travels with you – no matter where you go in the world. Christopher and Beverly D’Souza, who came to America just five years ago via Bombay and Abu Dhabi, serve this eclectic feast at their holiday table, a menu which crisscrosses various Christian communities in India.

Ever eaten this at Christmas?

Duck Moile, Chicken Shakuti, Pork Innad, Beef Stew and colorful Wedding Rice bedecked with caramelized onions, raisins, nuts and sliced boiled eggs. All this topped with an array of sweets including Kul-Kul, Thali Sweets, Milk Cream and Rose-de-Coque.

Beverly,  who is East Indian and was born and brought up in Abu Dhabi,  not only cooks the meals of her childhood but also those of Christopher’s, who is from Mangalore.  On their festive holiday table you’ll find Chicken Khudi and Duck Moile, which are East Indian specialties as well as Chicken Shakuti which is a Goan dish. There’s also Pork Innad, a Mangalorean dish and the Anglo Indian Beef Stew.

Christmas meals amongst the Indian Christians are elaborate, holiday worthy meals under the weight of which a table can literally groan. The meal starts with appetizers like Ground Meat and Potato Croquettes or Fried Potato Chops filled with meat – this tradition has changed to also include the more healthy ground chicken, turkey or vegetables.

There’s also the weird-sounding Salted Tongue of which Beverly says, “This may seem quite strange to a lot of people but is a delicacy for some – however this tradition is changing with modern families and is rarely eaten out of India. Also, since we did not celebrate Thanksgiving in India, many homes also had the Stuffed and Roasted Pig, Chicken, Turkey or Goose served on the table ready to be carved.  Some of these traditions continued when we migrated.”

She adds that besides the curries, Pork Sorpotal and Vindaloo are other traditional dishes served at Christmas and each of the Christian communities has their own recipes for these dishes. Breads served by East Indians include Fugias while Mangaloreans and Goans serve Sannas, which is white, looks like an idli but tastes very different.

Chris and Beverly D’Souza, originally from India, celebrate Christmas in New York

Indian Christians, Diverse voices…

With the approach of Christmas, Indian Christians are celebrating the birth of Christ not only with their many different celebratory meals but also raising their voices in prayer in many tongues including Malayalam, Telegu, Tamil, Bengali, Marathi and Gujarati, besides English.

“The Indian Christian population in the US is quite diverse, both in its denominational and linguistic identification, with significant numbers of  Catholic, Orthodox, and Protestants, including Pentecostal,” says Raymond B. Williams, author of “Christian Pluralism in the United States: the Indian Immigrant Experience” (Cambridge University Press). He points out that there is a representative group of almost all the churches that are present in India, and these are sometimes organized in denominational groups and sometimes in linguistic groups.

According to Abraham Mammen, President of the Federation of Indian American Christians of North America (FIACONA), a US based umbrella organization, there are approximately 600,000 Indian Christians in the country, and about a third of these are in the Northeast.

“Each denomination celebrates Christmas differently,” says Mammen. “Some don’t even celebrate it in a ceremonial way because they feel that the birth of Christ is something to be remembered every day of their lives. It is a fact, though, that Christmas is the most important day of their lives, of God coming to earth as a man. For Indian Christians in America, I’ve seen that regardless of how long we’ve been here, our roots still go back to India.”

So Indian Christians can merge into the mainstream or worship at their own churches which are established across the US.  Visit the Long Island Mar Thoma Church in Merrick, Long Island and you hear the Christmas carols being sung in Malayalam, by the congregation, many of them bedecked in rich silk saris. A festive meal that this writer shared with Keralite Christians after the services at their church included many ethnic dishes including chicken curry, pullao, appam or pancakes, and payasam or rice pudding.

“We bring our own music, our own costumes and our own way of Caroling at Christmas,” says Rev Jos Kandathikudy of the Syro Malabar Catholic Church. “The carolers dress up in Indian garb as Jesus, Mother Mary and the Three Kings from the East, and our musicians use Indian drums for their blend of Malayalam and English carols.”

Waiting for Santa

Indians and a New York Christmas…

Celebrating Christmas in America can be quite a revelation for immigrants who have grown up in other countries. Beverly D’Souza, who grew up in the Middle East, had never seen snow and saw her first magical snowflakes in a White Christmas in New York. “It was the first time I encountered a winter wonderland Christmas. It was snowing all day and we went to see the tree at Rockefeller Plaza. I just love the streets and the lights and the shopping. In Abu Dhabi the streets were lit up for Ramadan but never for Christmas – that’s why this is so special for me.”

Christmas was, however, not a lonely time in Abu Dhabi because Christian families would get together, and have parties, Christmas bazaars and concerts in the schools and also organize dance parties at the five star hotels.

One custom that Indian Christian communities delight in is their holiday desserts, and although there are considerable Portuguese influences in the main dishes of several Christian communities, the Hindu influences prevail in the spicing and in the sweets. Although there are traditional sweets like Mixed Fruit Cake, Plum Cake and Date Cake, the Indian mithai influence is there in Marzipan, Milk Cream, Cordials which are all cashew nut or almond based. Do Dol is made of rice flour, jaggery, cashew nut and flour dough while Thalie Sweets are suji (cream of wheat) and egg based. Deep fried Kul-Kuls and Nankhatais or cookies are also a must in the spread of holiday sweets.

The D’Souzas make many of these sweets during the holiday season. She says, “Tradition has been carried across the oceans – even here friends from Connecticut and upstate New York came with their homemade sweets to visit each other. When my mother is in town, all the sweets are made at home.”

After midnight mass, the D’Souzas visit close friends for coffee and fruitcake, and on Christmas morning their three year old son Luke opens the presents that Santa has brought him. Indeed, the Santa Claus tradition is strong with Indian Christians, be they in India, the Middle East or in America. Over the years Beverly has seen Santa arrive in Goa, Mumbai and Abu Dhabi by boat, chariot and even a helicopter – and now her son sees him arrive in the neon-lit glitz of Macy’s, probably by subway or cab!

Christmas – an Indian Festival

Mohina and Ricky Tejpaul with Zarina and Sabina

While Christmas is important to Indian Christians as a celebration of faith, many non-Christians enjoy it as a secular holiday in ways small and big. Indeed, Christmas is such a huge, high voltage commercialized event in America that few can escape its allure, be they Christians or not. For most Indians it’s hard not to get sucked into the whole holiday ambiance what with the shopping madness, the carols in public places, and the barrage of Christmas shows and music even on TV.

Also for many non-Christians who grew up in India,  Christmas is very much a secular festivity since it is a national holiday throughout India, and very much a shared celebration, a time for family get-togethers in hotels and private homes.

One person who takes Christmas very seriously is Mohina Josen, a second generation Indian-American who grew up in New York.  She and her husband Ricky Tejpaul buy their most expensive, big ticket items at Christmas; the kids get elaborate gift wrapped packages. The family sets up not one but two elaborate trees and hosts a rocking holiday party with Santa Claus, elves and all the trimmings – and even a pre-Christmas party to start up the festivities!

The couple is open to every festival and besides celebrating their own Sikh and Hindu festivals, they also celebrate Christmas and American festivals like Thanksgiving, Halloween and Valentine’s Days. From a young age, she saw Christmas being celebrated by her friends. Mohina also remembers going to Christmas celebrations at the home of a Catholic friend of her mother’s and the tradition just carried on.  The family had many relatives in Europe and they would travel there during the Christmas holidays to celebrate together.

Christmas morning

Christmas – Old  Traditions & New…

“When you’re a child and you’re going to school the next day, you’d always hear from others ‘What did you get from Santa?’ It was a thrill opening the gifts,” she recalls. “We did it for the whole commercial aspect of it, for the children to have fun, for Santa Claus and for Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer.” So while Thanksgiving is hosted by her mother, Diwali by her mother-in-law, Mohina, who now has two little daughters of her own, Zarina and Sabina, has appropriated Christmas. All the holidays are now taken care of!

Mohina goes all the way with Christmas: The Saturday before Christmas she decorates the house, putting up two live trees and smaller trees on another floor of the house. There’s a pre-holiday party where friends and family drop in to help with the decorations of the house, sip hot chocolate with marshmallows and sing carols. Having grown up here, she has friends from many races, and they have made a tradition of baking together for their children’s schools as well as for colleagues at work.

“The children have made out their lists for Santa, and I tell them that whatever Santa can bring, he will,” she says. “They’ve already written letters to him, telling him how wonderful they’ve been and on Christmas they keep out cookies and milk for Santa, and something for Rudolph and the other reindeers.”

The family also has a tradition of doing some Christmas activities in Manhattan such as going to the Radio City Music Hall or for a holiday show like How the Grinch Stole Christmas. At the Christmas party where she hosts 20 to 40 family members and friends, she serves a huge, traditional American feast, from leg of lamb to all the trimmings and desserts. One year, she recalls, she actually created home-made chocolates encased in chocolate sleds for all the guests as a take home as party favors.

Indeed, for the second generation Indian-Americans who have grown up surrounded by Christmas and Christian friends, it’s a part of their American experience and as new parents, they want to pass it on their children. “There’s a holiday spirit and the euphoria of the whole month and I think that’s what we are celebrating,” says Mohina. “We start with Diwali, Thanksgiving and Guru Nanakji’s birth, and so we just continue celebrating.”

Indian-Americans also celebrate with many social and work-related holiday parties – it seems the perfect time to throw a bash since the whole country is in celebration mode.  It’s a convenient time to get together with friends since on Christmas Eve there’s a light work schedule and a holiday the next day – a perfect opportunity to organize a get-together, which is not always possible on Diwali since that holiday often falls on a week day.

It’s all about traditions, about preserving old ones and creating new ones….

© Lavina Melwani   (This article was written in 2007.)

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Lighting the lamps at an Indian Hanukkah celebration

One Indian-Jewish family’s story in America…

If there is one place in the world which has been a safe haven for Jews, it is India.

“India has been the only country in the world where Jews have never been oppressed or suppressed or discriminated against,” says Romiel Daniel, who is Jewish-Indian-American. Indeed, India has been nurturing home and haven for generations of Jews whose ancestors fled from persecution centuries ago. At its peak there were about 37,000 Jews living in India. “Discrimination is something that has never happened in India for 2000 years and that is something we are very proud of, and that is why we go back to India so often,” he says.

“We have never ever considered ourselves different from any Indian. We may be Jewish by religion but we are Indians by nationality.” Indeed, India gave these Jews who were fleeing persecution, citizenship, complete freedom to practice their faith, build many synagogues and celebrate their traditional festivals with an added Indian zest. Israel and the Western world may now light candles at Hanukkah but the Indian Hannukiya lamps are lit the old fashioned way, as they were in Biblical times – with oil.

The Map of India with Jewish communities

How Did the Jews Land Up So Far from Home?

Romiel Daniel, a director of global imports at an apparel company in New York, is the religious leader of the Indian Jewish community in New York. He talks to many audiences in America about the Jewish presence in India. Indeed, how did the Jews land up so far from home? He says that according to oral tradition, they fled from Palestine in 175 BC, and one of the safest refuges they could find was India, where they were already trading and they settled there because they were welcomed.

Daniel gives us a whirlwind history: the Jews of India consist of four groups: The Cochin Jews or Cochinis, the Baghdadis, the Bene Israel, and the B’nei Menashe. The Cochin Jews settled in Cranganore and around Malabar in the South and lived there for centuries. They never numbered more than 2500, and many have now left for Israel. In fact, today there are not more than 16 of them left in Cochin, mostly elderly men and women.

The Baghdadis consists of Jews from West Asia, mainly from Iraq and Syria, who came in the 19^th century as traders and refugees. They settled in Bombay, Calcutta and Pune. They spoke Arabic or Persian and English. At one time, there were about 5000 of them, but today there are less than 200, most of them having emigrated to U.K., Australia and Canada. The B’nei Menashe – they were a new group which came into being in 1964 and today there are more than 5000 living in North East India. The other community is the Bene Israel which predominates the Jewish presence in India today.

The Bene Israel Jews celebrate Purim

Celebrating Purim with the Bene Israel Jews

It is believed that the Bene Israel community was descended from the Jews who fled in 175 B.C.E. from the Syrian-Greek ruler Antiochus Epiphanes. They were ship wrecked at Navgaon on the Konkan Coast, and the survivors started a new life there and over the years their families spread to the surrounding villages. David Rahabi, a Cochini Jew, is credited with the revival of Judaism amongst the Bene Israel, teaching them Hebrew and the rituals of Judaism. With Bombay (now known as Mumbai) an important port of British India, the Bene Israel moved there in search of opportunities. They set up their first synagogue in 1796, and expanded to 29 synagogues around Bombay and the neighboring villages. Their population grew to 30,000 around the time of independence

Magan Hassidim Synagogue in Bombay

A look at Magan Hassidam Synagogue in Bombay

This is one of the oldest synagogues in India, built around 1846 in Jacob’s Circle in Bombay. It was and is still the most active synagogue, and beautifully maintained. Asked how the other Indian communities have reacted to the synagogues, Daniel says, “We’ve never had a problem with any of the communities – our relationship is good with all of them. Many of the synagogues are right in the midst of the Muslim neighborhoods, right in the center of the city.”

When Israel became a state in 1948, many of the Bene Israel started leaving for Israel, because of religious Zionism. By 1964 more than half the population had left. By the early 70’s there were less than 10,000 and now there are less than 5000 Bene Israel Jews left in India, most in Bombay and Thane. Indian Jews, in spite of their small number, have played an important part in India: Families like the Sassoons and the Elias’, who were Baghdadi Jews, helped in the industrialization of the country. Noted Bene Israel Jews include Dr. E. Moses, the first mayor of Bombay in 1939, and Dr. Jerusha Jhirad, who started the Reform Jewish Movement in India.

Indian Jews march in the Israel Day Parade in New York

The Story of Indian American Jews

Many Indian Jews have migrated to North America for economic opportunities and today there are about 1500 in Canada and 350 in the US. It’s a small but vibrant community which observes all the high holidays and festivals. “We don’t want to lose our own traditions; we want to integrate but we don’t want to assimilate,” says Daniel who started organizing services for the community in 1995. The Indian Jews are scattered in all five boroughs of New York and in New Jersey, so they attend services at mainstream synagogues. Since they don’t have their own synagogue they rent the Bene Israel Congregation in the Village every year to hold their events. While the liturgy is the same, the trope or musical notations in Indian Jewish traditions are totally different.

Malida Ceremony, an ancient Bene Israel tradition

Malida Ceremony, unique to the Bene Israel

The Malida Ceremony offering parched grain is typical of the Bene Israel community and goes centuries back, a Jewish tradition in 1000 BC in the first and second temples of Solomon. Today only the Bene Israel and a few of the Middle Eastern Jewish communities still practice the nine sacrifices and offerings.

The  Bene Israel hold Elijah the Prophet in high regard so when they celebrate a marriage, buy a house or start any new venture, they invoke the protection of God through Elijah, and these prayers are said first before any other prayers. Malida is the Persian word for confection, and parched rice is mixed with sweetened coconut, dry fruit, like pistachios and almonds, and offered with five or seven fruits. (Five represent the books of Moses; seven represents completeness in the Jewish tradition.) This ancient tradition is continued by the Bene Israel Jews in New York. In fact, even when they go to Israel, they first visit Elijah’s Cave, which is in Mount Carmel in Haifa, and perform exactly the same ceremony and prayers

Kehilat – Indian Jewish Synagogue in Israel

Kehilat – Indian Jewish Synagogue in Israel

More than 70,000 Bene Israel Jews from India now live in Israel but maintain their links with India. Since 1992, trade between Israel and India had been good, and India is now Israel’s second largest trading partner, after Japan, in Asia. Full fledged consulates and embassies have been established between the two countries The Indian-Jewish community is prosperous in Israel and has built 55 orthodox synagogues there, in keeping with the Bene Israel tradition. Indian Jews are in many businesses, including Indian restaurants in Israel – so now you can always get kosher Indian treats there! In fact, Indian food has caught on so much in Israel that you have non-Jewish entrepreneurs – the Punjabis – who run successful Indian restaurants there.

An Indian-Jewish wedding ceremony

An Indian- Jewish Wedding 

Recently Romiel Daniel’s son Lael and his wife Regina reenacted their wedding ceremony for guests to catch a glimpse of the special Indian-Jewish traditions. The bride wears a white sari with intricate gold embroidery and she and the groom enter the synagogue in ways special to the Bene Israel community.

The wedding feast is replete with Indian spices and lots of coconut. Even during the festivals and celebrations, the basic traditional dishes are the same as in other Judaic communities but the methods of preparation vary. Puris or sweet puffs are an Indian delicacy which is made from Rosh Hashanah to Yom Kippur, and at Rosh Hashanah, a special halva of wheat flour with a filling of sweet semolina, dry fruits and sugar is served.

Indian spice and sweets influence the cooking, and Indian curries are a regular at Indian-Jewish homes.  As Noreen Daniel explains, “Usually the fish for Rosh Hashanah is bland but we stuff it with spices – with green coriander, ginger, garlic chilies, coconut and lime – and bake it. We try to keep our traditions in the US as much as we can – this is to pay homage to our ancestors who were in India.”

Celebrating Simchat Tohra

Celebrating Simchat Torah

Ten days after Yom Kippur is the celebration of Simchat Torah where the congregation dances joyously, holding the Sifrei Torahs. The Sifrei Torahs contain the five books of Moses and these handwritten scrolls are very precious, with it taking over a year for one scroll to be completed.

Presenting a gift of Sefrei Torahs to the Beth El Synagogue in Panvel

Remembering the Past

The Indian Jews retain their ties with India. When the Beth El Synagogue in Panvel, which is 25 miles from Bombay, was deluged with heavy rains, all six Sifrei Torahs were destroyed. The Bene Israel Jews of New York came to the rescue and gifted two Sifrei Torahs for this synagogue. These were personally delivered to the Indian-Jewish congregation in Panvel, and installed with joy, pomp and a showering of rose petals.

Romiel and Noreen Daniel continue the traditions at Hanukkah

Traditions, Indian-Jewish Style.

Romiel Daniel, clad in a Nehru jacket, and his wife Noreen dressed in a sari light the candles for Hanukkah. The Star of David is made into a Hanukkiya (instrument to hold the oil lamps) a typical sign of the Indian celebration. For lighting the lamps, others may use candles but the Indian Jews still use oil. Says Daniel, “Although our religion is Judaism, we have adapted many cultural traditions of India and are proud of them.”

The Indian Jews in New York have fond memories of their growing up years in India, of close-knit communities and a full freedom to practice their faith and be full members of the Indian family. The lure of Israel as well as economic opportunities abroad have pushed many to leave the homeland where they were born but the connections remain deep. As the Jewish population in India dwindles, the beautiful old synagogues and Jewish schools in India stand as testament to the nurturing welcome the Indian Jews received there and are a nostalgic memory for those who have now left her shores.

(C) Lavina Melwani

(With inputs from the Indian-Jewish Congregation of USA in New York)

Photo credits: The Indian-Jewish Congregation of USA.
(This article first appeared on Beliefnet.com as a photo gallery)

At Christmas, three beautiful images from Roberto Custodio, & Peace to the World

Madonna and Child by Roberto Custodio

 “Roberto Custodio has a unique way with the art of the found image. Working with the smallest of images cut out from magazines he transports the viewer into a fantastical and magical world of his imagination, where, child-like, we are astonished by his mastery of the art of make believe. In the present time with our avarice for sampling pieces of music, images, videos and then creating different works, our culture is continually referencing and commenting on the works of others, both past and present. Fully incorporating the art of the found or sampled image, we are constantly delighted by Roberto’s meticulous technique of cutting and repositioning the tiniest image, forcing change between signifier and signified. The artist has cleverly filtered and used the ephermal nature of the magazine printed image, to create a bold, romantic vision that is respectful of the past and yet grounded in the present. Roberto Custodio is a self-taught artist, a native of Sao Paulo, Brazil, where he still resides.”

• (Peter Louis, R L Fine Arts which shows Custodio’s work in New York)

Roberto Custodio’s Infant Jesus – a celebration of Christmas

Infant Jesus of Prague

Infant Jesus of Prague is a famous statue located in the Church of Our Lady Victorious in Mal Strana, Prague. Thousands of pilgrims pay homage to the Infant of Prague each year. Claims of blessings, favors and miraculous healings have been made by many who petitioned before the Infant Jesus.

Statuettes of the Infant Jesus are placed inside many Catholics churches, sometimes with the quotation, The more you honor me, the more I will bless you. In Ireland some brides will place a Child of Prague statue outside their houses the night before their wedding. This is meant to ensure that there will be good weather for the wedding day.

Jesus of Nazareth by Roberto Custodio in ‘A Matter of Faith’

Jesus of Nazareth

Jesus of Nazareth ( 7-2 BC/BCE 26-36 AD/CE), is the central figure of Christianity and is revered by most Christian churches as the Son of God and incarnation of God. Islam considers Jesus a prophet, and he is an important figure in several other religions. Christians predominantly believe that Jesus came to provide salvation and reconciliation with God by his death for their sins. Other Christian beliefs include Jesus’s virgin birth, performance of miracles, ascension into Heaven, and a future Second Coming.

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Hanuman Chalisa – the story behind this powerful chant

Children who have listened to the Ramayana love him f or his great strength and valor. The stories of his adventures in the service of Lord Rama are endless: he could transform in size from miniature to gigantic, fly across oceans and planets and as a child, even grabbed at the mighty sun, thinking it to be a golden fruit for him to eat.

While children love his exploits, all Hindus worship Hanuman for his undying devotion to Lord Rama. In fact, images in popular literature show him ripping open his heart to reveal Lord Rama and Sita within it. Hanuman is so close to Rama that you will find him in every Rama temple, never far from his Lord. Hanuman bhakts (devotees) worship him also because he is a sure way of reaching the Lord’s ear, and the Hanuman Chalisa is one of the most potent  and powerful mantras chanted by devotees in times of joy and times of grief.

It is said that Lord Rama had assured Hanuman that he will be present in every Rama temple and gave him the boon of immortality (Chiranjeevi): “Hanuman is the link between devotees and god, for on the Lord’s behalf he serves, inspires and protects his Lord’s servants.”

The Hanuman Chalisa – A Talisman for Life

The Hanuman Chalisa is one of the most beloved texts of Hinduism and consists of 40 verses (40 is chalis in Hindi) in praise of Hanuman.  It is written by Tulsidas, who is also the author of Ramchaitmanas or the Tulsi Ramayana.  In it, Tulsidas describes the importance of Hanuman:

You are door-keeper to Rama and without

your permission nobody can have an entry

therein.

Under your refuge one gets all comforts and

happiness. There is no cause of fear if you are

the protector.

All the bodily diseases are expelled and all

pains removed if somebody makes constant

Japa of your name, O Brave Hanuman!

Hanuman shrine in a private garden

The Hanuman Chalisa is a talisman against life’s vicissitudes and also features prominently in the death rituals of Hindus. This verse shows the value of listening to the chanting of the Hanuman Chalisa when the soul departs the human body:

At the time of final departure such a

person goes the abode of Rama and

after that wherever he happens to take birth,

he will be known as a confirmed devotee

of Lord Rama.

A person even though he may not pay any

attention to any other god, enjoys all pleasures

by serving Hanuman

All the crises vanish and all pains are removed

if somebody remembers the mighty Hanuman.

Hail, Hail, Hail, to thee O Hanuman, my

master, be as graceful to me as my godly preceptor

 

Hindus can also draw inspiration from Hanuman as the perfect devotee, and can all aspire to follow his example of undying devotion and sacrifice, and always have God in our hearts. There is a wonderful story of how Sita rewarded him with a pearl necklace for his devotion. He chewed on each pearl one by one and threw each away – because none of them had Sri Ram in them, and anything without Him had no meaning for him.

Hanuman – An animated movie for children

For Hanuman worshipers,  Tuesday and Saturday are special days when they visit Hanuman temples and offer their devotion to him, by smearing ‘sindoor’ and butter on him. He has the power to make the impossible possible and so devotees wear the Hanuman taweez or amulet to get immunity from evil. Devotees chant the Hanuman Chalisa to ensure that Sri Hanuman keeps us safe and secure through life’s ups and downs.

As  G. Venkatesh explains in an article on Boloji.com, “We pray to him for giving us physical and mental strength, to ward off the negative/evil influences from our lives, to obliterate our timidity/cowardice and to sharpen our intellect. When we pray to Lord Hanuman with a pure heart and an unshakeable faith, he is sure to come to our rescue.”

(This article was first published in Beliefnet )

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Raksha bandhan

Raksha Bandhan – The Bond of Protection

Indeed, if you are Hindu and have a brother, no matter where you are, you will try to meet up with him on Raksha Bandhan which falls this year on August 26.  This is an ancient Hindu festival which occurs in the month of shravan on the full moon. Sisters pray for their brothers health and well-being, tying the sacred Rakhi thread on their wrists,  and brothers pledge to protect their sisters.

Raksha Bandhan.

Rakhi: A Lifelong Bond

On Rakhi, sisters prepare a tray with  ceremonial items and sweets and pray for the welfare of the brother, placing a tikka on his forehead and tying a bracelet of silken threads on his wrist.  The sister feeds him sweets and the brother gives her a gift of money, clothes or jewelry, pledging to be there for her always. Families continue the tradition through the years and often you see brothers and sisters, in their 70’s, observing this ritual and renewing the lifelong bonds.

Rakhi, the Shining Talismans

In today’s day and age, online stores have sprouted up and rakhis can be ordered online too and yes, there are electronic rakhis or e-rakhis sent by thousands of sisters to brothers across the world.  Many years ago, brothers and sisters parted by many miles would use the postal system, pushing the rakhis into an envelope and sending it half way across the world to a loved one. Now it’s been replaced by all these different versions – but the sentiment remains the same.

Celebrating the festival of Rakhi

A Pledge of Caring

The sentiment of Rakhi – that of caring, great love and a pledge of protection –  remains unchanged and even strengthens over the years. Bollywood songs often refer to this pledge between brothers and sisters with many tear-jerking songs and there’s even an entire film devoted to these sentiments titled ‘Rakhi’.

Each year a fresh group of children get initiated into this brother-sister bond.  One wonders, will the sentiments change over the years? As gender roles change, will both sisters and brothers tie the rakhi on each other and give gifts to each other?  I recall one independent little girl saying she didn’t need protection or gifts. After all, in a perfect world,  both males and females have the power to love, protect and pray for each other!

(C) Lavina Melwani

Photos – credit Creative Commons

This article first appeared in Beliefnet.com

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Happy Raksha Bandhan! Here are 10 quick #desserts that will impress your brother or sister: http://goo.gl/03gn8b

Raksha Bandhan desserts

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Tulsi Gabbard: On Janmashtami, Seeking Sri Krishna

Tulsi Gabbard’s thoughts on Janmashtami

Tulsi Gabbard’s 2018 Janmashtami Message

We all want to be happy. And while we may try to find happiness in different ways, our desire to be happy is inherent within each of us. It is part of our spiritual nature.

The Supreme Lord, Sri Krishna is the reservoir of all happiness. So if we want to be happy, we need to be connected with Him. And he gives us so many ways to do this. By hearing His instructions through scripture, we can be connected with Him. By hearing of His pastimes when He appeared in this world some 5000 years ago, we can be connected with Him. By hearing and glorifying any of His countless names, we can be connected with Him. And by engaging our time, energy, and skills in the loving service of God and all His children, we can be connected with Him.

So if we want to be truly happy, all we need to do is think about how can we dedicate our actions, our lives, to pleasing God. Then we can actually achieve the highest happiness – a happiness that’s impossible to attain in any other way.

God is sometimes called Rama, which means “He who gives transcendental happiness or bliss to those who engage in His loving service.” This is the perfect solution to any unhappiness or purposelessness that we may be experiencing.

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Dressed to dance for Ganesha for Ganesh Chaturthi

Temple Fashions – Dressing for the Gods

Crowning Glory – Ganesh Chaturthi

The crowds are excited – it’s like one big giant block party at the Hindu Temple Society where the silver idol of the temple deity, Lord Ganesha, bathed and decorated with flowers, incense and jewels, is taken in the chariot for a festive procession around the streets of Flushing. Devotees pull the chariot with ropes and there’s joyous dancing, music and joy. It’s Ganesha’s birthday – and everyone is invited! There are thousands of packaged meals and rose milk for everyone – and the kids look forward to the laddoos, one of Ganesha’s favorites (along with modaks). On the streets thousands of packages of snacks and mango drinks are passed out to the huge crowds that gather to witness the Rath Yatra.

Friends at Ganesha’s festival: Sonia Lalvani, Renee Mehraa, Lavina Melwani and Aarti Sakhrani

Young students in Bharata Natyam costumes practiced on the streets and performed right on the road as Ganesha’s chariot approached. The drummers drummed, the dancers danced and the devotees crowded around for blessings.

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Ganesh Chaturthi

A couple from Sri Lanka celebrating baby’s first visit to the Ganesha Festival

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The Fascinating Story Behind Ganesh Chathurthi’s Modern Day Makeover 

Ganesh Chaturthi – Photo: chirag D. Shah

A Birthday Celebration for Lord Ganesha in New York

This isn’t Kashi or Prayag but thousands of devotees clog the streets, dancing and chanting as Ganesha’s Ratha Yatra takes place – in Queens, New York. Yes, this pilgrimage spot happens to be in Flushing, Queens, and Hindu-Americans came to celebrate Ganesha Chaturthi from as far as California, Florida, Texas, Atlanta – and even India!

Ganesha Chaturthi is the 9 day Hindu festival celebrating the birth of this joyful deity and is one of the most colorful national festivals of India. In India, after rituals, chanting and prayers, thousands of clay images of Ganesha are taken out in joyous processions in the streets before being immersed in the ocean in a rite called Visarjna. The festival is especially big in Maharashtra, but is now being celebrated in many parts of the Indian Diaspora. Sri Ganesa Chaturthi Nava Dina Mahotsavam is from September 7 (Friday) thru September 16, 2016 (Sunday)

Appropriately, the very first Hindu temple to be built in America was the one dedicated to Ganesha, who is after all, the Lord of New Beginnings. The Sri Maha Vallabha Ganapati Devasthanam, also known as the Hindu Temple Society of North America, in Flushing, New York is a magnificent temple in the South Indian tradition. It is here that Ganesh Chaturthi was first celebrated in America in 1977 and has been a major annual event ever since. Ganesh Chaturthi, also known as Vinaya Chaturthi, is celebrated on the chaturthi or fourth day after the new moon in the Tamil month of Avani (August – September.)

Celebrations at the Hindu Temple Society of North America

Ganesh, the Lord of Auspicious Beginnings

It is Lord Ganesha’s birthday and everyone is invited to this giant block party. Over 50,000 lunches are prepared; there are hundreds of pounds of sweets and hundreds of gallons of rose milk. About 20,000 people turn up over the course of nine days at this temple.

Since Ganesha, also known as Ganapati, is the presiding deity at the temple in Flushing, the festival is observed on a grand scale with many prayers, chanting and rituals. During the nine days, devotees chant the Moola Mantram 400,000 times morning and evening, besides many other ceremonies and rituals. There is a special puja session where hundreds of children participate in a special kids’ Ganesh puja.

Ganesh Chaturthi – food for the soul

On the 9^th day,  Lord Ganesh is bathed and decorated and  readied for the ceremony. The highpoint comes at 1 p.m when He is taken in the rath or chariot out into the streets of Flushing, with devotees pulling the ropes, accompanied by musicians and drummers. The devotees dance, dance and dance in the procession.  Along the route merchants in the area ply the masses with food, water and drinks, as thousands of worshipers throng around. Many non-Hindus stop out of curiosity – it’s like a big community fair open to all. Lots of Caucasians also participate in the temple, even in the japa.

Ganesh Chaturthi rath yatra

A Farewell to Ganesha

In the evening as the sun sets in Hindu communities around the world, thousands of clay images of Ganesha are taken in procession with chanting, music and dancing to be immersed in the ocean in countries across the diaspora. Says Dr. Uma Mysorekar, president of the Hindu Temple Society of North America, “When the clay dissolves in the water, the energy of Ganesha is spread all over, floating across the oceans to bless the entire universe.”

Here, due to environmental concerns, the temple’s clay Ganesha cannot be submerged in a river but is immersed in a plastic swimming pool in the temple’s backyard, as devotees circle around, chant and dance. Once the clay melts into the water over a period of several days, this holy water is sprinkled on the lawn.

“The most important thing is that by being spiritual, by being a devotee, by being a part of this festival it’s also brought the community together,” says Mysorekar. “The number of people who come for the procession is just mind boggling.  They come from far, they come from near, regardless of the weather. They love to be a part of the festivities. It only shows the Lord has the supreme power to bring people together.”

She adds, “A temple in this country is not just for worship but it’s also for bringing the community together. In India it’s easy because there are so many places they can go and therefore the temple is mainly for prayers. Here we have got to look at it in a different fashion.”

Indeed, to the jubilant young people dancing in the streets, many barefoot, it’s a chance to express their joy, to be part of something bigger than themselves, absorbing Ganesha’s energy by osmosis. By partaking in the festivities, they celebrate their faith and their community, far from the homeland.

Sri Ganesa Chaturthi Celebrations will be streaming live atwww.nyganeshtemple.org/tv

More Information About the Festivities Here

A Ganesh Mantra by Sonu Nigam with some lovely sepia artwork of Ganesha

Finding Ourselves in Ganesha – What his Attributes Signify

There are several stories in the purãnãs explaining how Ganesha got this unique form. However, a closer look could help us become aware that the form of Lord Ganeša has a deeper meaning, and that it is a symbolic representation of a perfect human being.

Ganesh Chaturthi at the Hindu Temple Society

Gajãnanã/Gajamukha, the (large) elephant faced, reminds us to think big and to develop a discriminating intellect.

His eyes are narrowed in deep concentration.

His šoorpa karna (fan-like ears) urge us to listen more, while His hidden mouth alerts us to talk less and curtail our food cravings.

His versatile vakra tunda (curved mouth/trunk) that can uproot a tree and also lift a leaf off the ground, reminds us to recognize when to tackle a problem head on and when to be sensitive and gentle.

He is Eka danta (the single-tusked). By foregoing one of His tusks to help write the epic Mahãbhãrata, He points out the importance of making personal sacrifices for an enduring greater cause.

His mahãkãya/lambodara (huge belly) happily digests all pleasant and unpleasant experiences alike, suggesting that we too follow suit.

Lord Ganeša carries an ankušam (a small axe) in his upper right hand to symbolically help sever His devotees from their binding worldly temptations and attachments.

The pãša (a looped rope) He holds in his upper left hand is a symbolic lasso to pull His devotees towards Him and set them on the path of Truth.

The varada mudra, the boon-giving hand gesture, is an assurance of His infinite benevolent grace, and the modaka (filled with a sweet center) represents Him offering His devotees the supreme knowledge of Brahman leading to Moksha or salvation.

Mooshika Vãhanã, the divine mouse vehicle represents our restless mind filled with fleeting desires and ego that could take us for a ride and lead us astray. Lord Ganeša riding on the Mooshika sets an example for us to take control of our mind.

( Source: Ganeshanjali )

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Navratri – The Goddess Durga

 Navratri – Durga, Lakshmi, Saraswati

They spin round and round, going faster and faster, but never breaking the sacred circle, as they clap their hands rhythmically, dancing around the Garba or earthen pot. They smile as they twirl around for in these nine nights they are celebrating the Goddess that is enshrined in all of us.

This hugely empowering dance is called the Garba and it is the centerpiece of the celebration of the Hindu festival of Navratri or Nine Nights. Is the Almighty a He or a She? Well, we lesser mortals may never know for sure but Navratri is a celebration of the female cosmic energy that makes it possible for mankind to continue – Devi, the Mother Goddess. It marks the victory of the Warrior Goddess Durga over the Buffalo Demon Mahisa, whom she fought for nine days and vanquished on the tenth, and so is a celebration of women’s power.

Known in different regions also as Navratras or Durga Puja, this festival is one of the most important ones in the Hindu calendar and culminates in Dusshera, which leads on to Diwali, the Festival of Lights. It is a time of prayers, dance and music and is celebrated lavishly all over India and by the Hindus living abroad. The diya or light is lit for nine nights and it is a time of rituals.

The first three days are devoted to the worship of the Goddess Durga, also known as Amba, Bhavani, Jagdamba and Mahakali; the next three days are dedicated to Lakshmi, the Goddess of Wealth, and the final three days to Saraswati, the Goddess of knowledge, art and learning.

Photo Credit: Kash_if Flickr via Compfight cc

Navratri – Garba and Dandia Raas

In Gujarat, a western state in India, the festival is defined by the ancient village dances of Garba and Dandiya Raas, which are even mentioned in the Vedas.  In India there are big Garba and Dandiya Raas parties in towns and cities, often with major dandiya performers joining in. In the US, however, celebrations are reserved only for the weekends. Raas Garba performances and celebrations are held in many venues from school auditoriums to huge tented areas where thousands turn up on three weekends for dance, music and socializing.

The word Garba is derived from the Sanskrit word Garbadeep, which means a light inside a pot and represents the Almighty shining through the perforations of the pot, which symbolizes the universe. The garba tradition revolves around Shakti-Ma or Amba, the Mother Goddess, and garba or the clay pot also represents the womb and fertility.

The circle itself is also a very potent symbol – there’s not a beginning or an end and the end is contained in the beginning. It’s a very meaningful ritual for females because it honors the Goddess and also their own ability for creation. Garbagraha is the containment of all knowledge; it is the womb from which everything emanates.

Says Smita Amin Patel, an educator in folk arts, “It’s about parampara – the female lineage that goes back to eternity, before memory, and it’s been passed down to the females through generations.”

In the old days only male priests were allowed to conduct religious ceremonies so the women, for their part, conceived these vratas or rituals in order to partake of this time of religious activity. And what better way to do it than in a joyous manner, through dance?

Navratri in Immigrant Communities

Both Garba and Dandiya Raas have taken staunch hold in immigrant communities, handed over by grandparents and parents in a ritual that is part religious, part cultural. Garba is a religious and social event and harks back to the village traditions.

“All social events that happen in the rural areas always have a ritualistic or religious significance,” says Patel, “ Whether it’s the drawings on the walls of the huts, whether it’s the motifs you see on the women’s skirts – all of them have significance in their religious life and their vratas, the rituals they perform.”

The circle formation in garba has a great deal of symbolic and metaphorical importance because life itself is a circle, without beginning or end – an unending cycle. When you perform a garba, you do not break the circle – people go in and come out but the circle remains.

“Garba is definitely a village dance and it’s a participatory type of folk art rather than something that is learned and taught and has tenets,” explains Patel. “ It is something young women grow up with and infuse it into their being and every time there is a celebration, that is what they perform.”

Dandiya Raas was danced by Lord Krishna, the Celestial Cowherd, with the Gopis or milkmaids. “Each of the Gopis thought that Krishna was dancing with her alone because he seemed to be everywhere at the same time,” says Patel. “ But of course, he is a metaphor for the Almighty, because each one of us calls the Almighty by different names.”

While the Garba is performed by women in a circle, singing and clapping rhythmically as they worship the Goddess, in Dandiya Raas, both men and women participate, moving in two circles in clockwise and anti-clockwise directions, clicking dandiya or wooden sticks with changing partners.

FOGANA, the umbrella group for all Gujarati groups in the US organizes Garba and Raas contests to ensure that the authenticity is maintained. The children of immigrants still perform these ancient dances but also bring in variations, influenced by Bollywood, Indipop and western music. So now you also have Disco Dandiya and Disco Garba.

Indeed many colleges from Rutgers to New York University have Raas Clubs and have Garba contests. With its emphasis on female energy, the dance has a special allure even in these modern times and connects women to their strength and potency.

As the writer Chitra Divakaruni Banerjee wrote in her powerful poem, The Garba:

“We spin and spin
back to the villages of our mothers’ mothers.
We leave behind the men, a white blur
like moonlight on empty bajra fields
seen from a speeding train.”

Both Garba and Dandiya Raas have many variations, depending on regions and communities but the basics are always adhered to. The dance is at the heart of any celebration and no wedding or birth of a child in a Gujarati household would be complete without it. It is so much a part of religious ritual and social interaction, that you see women of all ages, even the elderly, performing with joy and abandon, for they are celebrating the Goddess within them.

© Lavina Melwani

This article which has been updated,  first appeared on Beliefnet.com

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Garba, performed during Navratri, is being danced by students of India Performing Arts Center

At Navratri,  the Joy of Garba

Garba is a religious and social event and harks back to the village traditions. “All social events that happen in the rural areas always have a ritualistic or religious significance,” says Smita Miki Patel, who is an educator in the folk arts of Gujarat, and has founded the India Performing Arts Center, a dance school in New Jersey.  “Whether it’s the drawings on the walls of the huts, whether it’s the motifs you see on the women’s skirts – all of them have significance in their religious life and their vratas, the rituals they perform.”

Ask her why Garba is so important, and Patel, who came to the US from Bombay in 1981, says, “It’s very dear to all Gujaratis because it’s worship of the Goddess.”

Indeed, the word Garba is derived from the Sanskrit word Garbadeep, which means a light inside a pot and represents the Almighty shining through the perforations of the pot, which symbolizes the universe. The Garba tradition revolves around Shakti-Ma or Amba, the Mother Goddess in Hinduism,  and garba or the clay pot also represents the womb and fertility. It’s a very meaningful ritual for females because it honors the Goddess and also their own ability for creation.

Garba – Dancers from Nartan Rang Dance School of Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan

Garba  & Dandiya Raas:  Rituals and Romance

Garba, the state dance of Gujarat, dates back to the Vedic Shastras and its essence is that it has to be in a circle and there must be claps and clicks. It is a very ancient dance form and it’s still performed in the villages, the towns and the cities of India.

While the Garba is performed by women in a circle, singing and clapping rhythmically as they worship the Goddess Amba, in Dandiya Raas, both men and women participate, moving in two circles in clockwise and anti-clockwise directions, clicking dandiya or wooden sticks with changing partners.

Asked about the possibility of romantic connections being formed, Patel said, “It is becoming so in the modern world – and it was so before. Obviously the social interaction is different – in a rural area it may be from a distance, here the connection is much closer, and more.” Indeed, these events have become social icebreakers wherever Gujaratis live, be it in India, Africa, the U.S. or England.

Smita Miki Patel, Artistic Director of India Performing Arts Center in Edison, NJ

Garba – Changes in a New Landscape

The Nartan Rang Dance School of Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan in New York has many students learning Raas Garba and their origins are from all parts of India. Swati Vaishnav, who is the Artistic Director, teaches folk dances, semi classical and movie dances at this school. She says, “It is very vigorous and kids enjoy the rhythm – Garba has varying rhythms – fast and slow – so it keeps the children very interested. It’s not only going in a circle all the time – they keep making different formations all the time. It makes it more creative.”

Swati Vaishnav with students from Nartan Rang Dance School, teaches them Garba

People are certainly getting involved because Vaishnav says the ages of her students go from four years of age to 45 years! She says, “They all started at young ages and have come back for repeat lessons because Fogana has a category for adults too, 30 and over.  That’s the greatest thing they’ve done because there are so many people who are interested and this gives them an opportunity to continue.”

“In Fogana, folk arts are a way for us to reach our youngsters and make them proud of their heritage,” says Patel. “Because it’s something participatory and not something people lecture you on, you can partake of it and be social with it, and it becomes a very wonderful vehicle for us to pass on our culture to the next generation.”

Having been reared with Raas-Garba,  most Gujarati children know it almost by osmosis. For them, it’s part of religious ritual and social interaction. This writer is constantly amazed at the grace and confidence with which even middle-aged and the elderly join in the ever-expanding circle at Gujarati weddings and other celebrations. They are performing for the Goddess, and there’s no self-consciousness or shyness.

Dancers from Nartan Rang Dance Academy performing Garba

While the children are performing Garba and Dandiya, they are bringing their own changes and variations into this age-old dance, influenced by Bollywood, Indi pop and western music.

Garba – Tradition and Transformation

Patel says the dances have got modified over the years but at Fogana due to its commitment to the past, there are detailed rules and regulations for ensuring authentic performances. In the folk category competition, for instance, there has to be a maximum of two props, such as hankies, pots, tambourines or the dhol, because the dances are about the joys of working on farms, fields and on the road. She says, “We are definitely trying to preserve the extreme ethnicity of the oldest garba. We are trying our level best with the styles, the lyrics, the costumes as well as the steps of the garba.”

Dancers from India Performing Arts Center perform Dandiya Raas

While bhangra and garba raas are all folk dances, the Gujarati folk dances don’t seem to have crossed over as much as Bhangra. According to Vaishnav,  Bhangra’s rhythm has become so powerful and prominent in this country because it combines east and west and young people enjoy that more. In Garba the western touch has not come in. Patel mentions Bhangra’s rise in London and the many remixes which have made it popular on the dance floor.

“Lately, these have become a meeting place for teenagers,” says Vaishnav of the Garba celebrations, bringing another aspect into the open. “Not everyone goes to the venue in nice ghaghra cholis and kurtas and just make it a meeting point to hang out instead.”

She feels some children have lost interest in the dance competitions due to school work and other extracurricular activities. She says, “ Fogana competitions require a lot of practice and perfection for teams to be able to make it to the top and over the years, it has even become quite expensive to travel to Fogana’s national competitions.”

Garba Finds New Fans in America

Patel also agrees that it’s all a matter of exposure: Young people often get their ideas from the movies, and want to incorporate what they see in their own events and weddings. She points out that Bhangra is seen a lot more in Bollywood films which are viewed by one and all. “If we were to have 101 garba raas movies – I think you might see it more.”

Indeed, Garba Raas has entered into the consciousness of pop culture, from Salman Khan and Aishwarya playing dandiya raas in ‘Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam’ to the romantic duo in ‘Bride and Prejudice’ playing Dandiya Raas. Now more Gujarati and Rajasthani folk dances are being introduced into movie dance sequences by choreographers. Patel says even the rural, husky voice which one rarely heard before, is becoming popular in Bollywood movies.

Because of Garba’s popularity and Navratri celebrations, a lot of high school and university kids drag their friends for Garba and Dandiyas for the competition as well as Navratri, she says. During weddings there are sangeet and Garba Nights where American friends of bride and groom learn to wield the dandiya sticks. She says, “I have judged many competitions for youngsters in school, colleges as well as in Fogana and have witnessed whites, blacks, Spanish, Italians besides Indians dancing to the rhythm of Garba-Raas on the stage.”

© Lavina Melwani

(This article was written in 2005 and was updated in 2010 with fresh conversations with Artistic Directors and Choreographers Swati Vaishnav and Smita Miki Patel.)

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Diwali  Firecracker Art

Of course, we are now in America, a country where it is illegal for individuals to burn any fireworks. It’s always an orchestrated, disciplined show put on the Fourth of July to be seen as awe-struck bystanders, as spectators.

In India,  every  street kid with even a few rupees to buy crackers and every family patriarch with tokras full of crackers is a showman,  creating magic.  Yes, fireworks are serious business at Diwali and occupy big people – and little people.

Yet firecrackers continued to be a big part of Diwali in India – until finally their continuing explosion caused havoc on the environment. This year there is a ban on fireworks. As NPR writes, ” Citing air quality and noise levels as their main concern, at least two courts have issued separate rulings seeking to curtail fireworks.” According to Hindustan Times, ” India’s Supreme Court banned firework sales in the national capital region of Delhi, and in a neighboring area, a high court “fixed the time slot of 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. for bursting crackers on Diwali in Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh.”

Will people abide by the rules or will the pull of a childhood ritual be too strong? That remains to be but here we witness a fast disappearing art – the firework wrapper – going up literally in smoke.

Sivakasi – Fireworks Capital of India

Sivakasi is a town in Tamil Nadu famous for its fireworks and match factories, and produces  70 percent of  India’s fireworks – although it is now finding heavy competition from China.  Writes the Business Standard: “There’s a sense of the inevitable in Sivakasi town. There have been intense campaigns against firecrackers in cities and the people are buying less of the pyro products of the town. Besides, access to cheaper fireworks from China is cutting into the earnings of the industry. On top of that, the government has cracked down on unlicensed manufacturing units. The industry estimates that up to 80 units have shut shop in the past one year and around 20,000 people have lost their jobs.” You can read the article Sivakasi Cracker Industry Looks for a Sparkle

Shopping for Diwali firecrackers Photo Credit: igb via Compfight cc

Diwali Nostalgia – This too is Art!

Of course, this is art-for-a-moment which is ripped to pieces immediately to get to the all important fireworks. The next morning, after the smoke and burning smell has cleared, these images lie on the floor with the remnants of firecrackers, amidst the  ashes…

Diwali Firecracker Wrappers – A Lost Art

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