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Chicago IL: HTGC (Hindu Temple of Greater Chicago) in Lemont hosted its semi-annual fund raising dinner of 2013 on Saturday, March 16. This event had a different format from the previous fund raisers in so many ways. As the intent of the program was to bring in as many people into the auditorium as possible, the guests were treated to a nice dinner in buffet style before the start of the main event in the Gupta dining hall instead of the usual banquet style dinner during the event in the Rathi Auditorium. Also, this one provided a platform for as many as eight local singers and other accompanying artists who were able to show their musical talents during the program in all four southern languages in addition to Hindi. A capacity crowd of more than 400 people enjoyed the event that lasted over four hours and was co-sponsored by Ram Raghuraman of RR International. The program was off to a good start at 7:30 pm with an invocation prayer from temple priests Sri Saikrishna and Sri Vengatesan followed by brief welcoming addresses by Finance Committee chair Dr. Rohini Udupa and the president Mr. Tilak Marwaha. Both exhorted the audiences for […]

Chicago IL: The Indo-American Heritage Museum (IAHM) staged its annual “Amazing India” program on Sunday, March 17, 2013 from noon to 5 pm as part of Navy Pier’s “Neighborhoods of the World” program from Feb. 17 to April 7 that showcases the ethnic diversity of the immigrant communities across Chicagoland. Presented at the Crystal Gardens in partnership with the Consulate General of India, the show featured dances by Chitrahar Cultural Academy, Natya Dance Theatre, Kalapriya Center for Indian Performing Arts, Anila Sinha Foundation, Satrangi Dance Group, Hareepa! Chicago, and Meher Dance Company. Madhoolica Dear and Happie Datt from IAHM introduced “Amazing India” and emceed the event. The venue was tightly packed right from noon and audience participation continued unabated till 5 pm. Choreographer-instructor Anjali Julka introduced Chitrahar Cultural Academy founded by her mother, the late Vichitra Nayyar. Two groups of children aged 3–6 and 7–12 performed to the following Bollywood songs: Bum Bum Bole, Bole Chudiyan, Navrai Majhi, and Sadi Gali. Julka’s sister choreographer-instructor Alka Nayyar danced to Piya Tose Naina Lage and Gun Gun Guna. Julka and Nayyar then led an interactive Bollywood Bhangra. Natya Dance Theatre offered three items, introduced by Nithya Sunder, beginning with “colors of rhythms” […]

Chicago, IL: Kalapadma Dance Academy Chicago celebrated their 16th Annual day Event with students and their families, friends and prominent leaders of our community on Saturday, March 16, 2013 in Mundelein High School, 1350 W Hawley St Mundelein, IL. Students of Kalapadma, ranging in ages from 3 to 50 yrs, adorned in colorful costumes, dazzled the audience of about 600 art lovers of Greater Chicago land area. It was 3 hours of pure entertainment that consisted of Indian classical as well as, Semi Classical, and fusion dances which were presented by more than 105 students. Such a grand show was made available to the audience at no cost. The theme of this year’s show was women for three reasons, Kalapadma wanted to pay homage to the medical student who was brutally raped in Delhi, it also coincided with international women’s day, and Kalapadma wanted to show support for President Obama’s initiative towards the violence against women bill and equal pay. Keeping women in mind Kalapadma decided to acknowledge all the participants grandmothers as chief guests. Representing these grandmothers was four of the oldest from the north, central, and south India. Mrs. Sumitraben Patel, a grandmother herself, wife of Mr. Narendra […]

Chicago IL: Share-a-Smile Chicago (SASC) hosted its annual fundraiser to aid senior citizens with an evening of entertainment on Friday, March 16, 20013 at India House Banquet Hall at 1521 West Schaumburg Road Schaumburg, Ill. This year’s beneficiaries were Sukhdham, an organization that serves abandoned parents on the outskirts of Delhi, the Barrington Area Council on Aging (BACOA), and other charities. The banquet hall was full with close to 400 people attending. Event coordinator was SASC Founder Sushma Bhanot. SASC President Trupti Kuvadia gave the welcome speech. Master of ceremonies amidst the colorful international dances was “100% clean” Indo-Japanese stand-up comedian Dan Nainan, who used to open for Russell Peters on nationwide tours and has performed last year for New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Apple co-founder Steve Wozniack, and President Obama. Largely targeted at teenagers, often having communication problems with their parents and divergent expectations, he played a great deal on his own mixed parentage with a Malayalee (Keralite) father and Japanese mother. Talented youth from across Chicagoland performed dances from China, India, Middle-East and Mexico and the audience partook of a family-style dinner prepared by India House Banquets. The cultural program lasted from 8:00 to 11:00 pm, preceded by […]

India, Andhra Pradesh: During the last two weeks of January, 2013, an incredibly dedicated and faith-filled couple from Andhra Pradesh, India, Dr. Geetha and Tom Chitta, extended the blessed opportunity for me to visit Hyderabad, Porumamilla, Kadpa, Chennai, Velankanni and Delhi and personally witness the extensive work of the members of the Catholic Church and the vibrant life of India– in all its forms. As Director of Mission Awareness for the Archdiocese of San Antonio since 1991, this was, by far, the most amazing chance to grow in my own mission awareness, gather photos, stories, and new friends, and strengthen my faith convictions during this Year of Faith. Due to the Chitta family’s thoughtful planning and life-long networking, I traveled with a great team of four other Americans to schools, hostels, homes for the elderly, centers for disabled, a rural out-door health clinic, and a home for AIDS orphans. At each site, we were welcomed like dignitaries, with garlands of fragrant flowers, songs, traditional dances and applause from hundreds of beautiful, well-behaved children and gracious, grateful adults. Tom and Geetha, along with the Holy Spirit, enabled us to meet countless priests, sisters, school directors, students, novices, along with spiritual gurus, […]

Aurora, IL: On the auspicious occasion of Maha Sivarathri 2013, Sri Venkateswara Swami (Balaji) Temple in Aurora, IL, organized spectacular cultural celebrations ‘Shivoham’ on Saturday, March 9th, 2013, at the temple auditorium. Maha Sivarathri is a very important event for the throngs of devotees of Lord Siva. Hindus pray to Parameswara with impeccable devotion and concentration during this special period with fasting, and staying awake all night chanting His prayers on Sivarathri Day. “Shivoham” unique classical and contemporary dance performances by professional teachers of Chicago land, in the Indian classical dance forms of Bharatanatyam, Kuchipudi and Odissi have been presented in the Veluchamy auditorium. The event began with the melodious chanting of Lingashtakam by students of Smt. Sunitha Vissapragada, Artistic Director of Balanandam Group. This was followed by Lalita Sangeetam composed by Late Sri Palagummi Viswanathan and performed by the students of Rajaveena School of Music under the able guidance of Smt. Rajeswari Pariti. Highlighting the evening was a unique presentation, Ambalavaanan – depicting Bhakta Kannappa’s love & devotion towards Lord Shiva, an electrifying performance by Joshua George student of Poonam Mahesh, artistic Director or Nrityanant Performing arts institute. Poonam & Joshua presented yet another scintillating performance of “Ardhanareeshwaram”. Natya […]

Chicago IL: The Asian American Coalition of Chicago honored Indian Americans Mohina Ahluwalia, and Isha Jog, at their 30th Annual Lunar New Year Celebration, Saturday, February 23, 2013, at the Hyatt Regency O’Hare Hotel in Rosemont Illinois. This year’s gala event themed “Celebrating Three Decades of Unified Leadership and Services” was hosted by the Vietnamese American community of Chicago, with Mr. Doug Nyugen and Dr. N.T. Hieu serving as event chairpersons. Mrs. Mohina Ahluwalia, Chief Executive Officer Alfa Manufacturing Industries Inc., Past Chairperson, Punjabi Cultural Society of Chicago, and with a stellar record of community service won the Indian American Exemplary Community Service Award. Ms. Isha Jog, Senior, Hoffman Estates High School, Hoffman Estates, Illinois, Distinguished Young Woman of Illinois 2013 and Miss Teen Illinois American Elegance, and a dance artist won the Indian American Youth Who Excel Award. Mrs. Lourdes Mon, an educationist and an Asian TV show producer was honored with the Pan Asian American Award. The Hon. James Thompson, Former Governor State of Illinois received the Coalition’s GRAND ASIAN AWARD. This award is periodically presented to someone of non-Asian descent, who has made significant contributions to the Asian Pacific American community. “DePaul University Bhangra Team” presented by […]

Chicago IL: Hari Om Mandir locked at 6N020 Medinah Rd, Medinah, IL celebrated Mahashivaratri on Sunday, March 10, 2013, with bhajans from 6:00 to 8:00 pm. Despite heavy rain and thick fog, devotees had been trickling in before then to perform worship of the Shiva linga on this auspicious day when the ascetic god finally awoke from his deep meditation to marry his consort Parvati for the welfare of the world. As the rain died down, more families arrived and the hall was almost full by the time a temple committee member attired in the ascetic garb of Lord Shiva appeared, wielding the trident and playing the damaru (small hourglass-shaped hand-drum), with his wife as Parvati dressed in auspicious red, to receive worship and bless the assembly seated before them. Devotees queued up to worship the linga at two different locations within the temple: at the separate shrine to Shiva and Parvati behind the primary sanctums dedicated to the manifestations of Lord Vishnu and at another temporary linga that had been specially installed in front and to the right of the main shrines. The latter had large cardboard backdrops of the snow-covered Himalayas to transport the devotees to his abode […]

Lemont IL: Hindu Temple of Greater Chicago (HTGC) at Lemont, IL, celebrated the Lord of Dance (Nata-Raja) on Mahashivaratri with a cultural program that saw wide participation from across Chicagoland, even all the way from Iowa. Classical styles from both South and North India were represented, as also old devotionals rendered through contemporary fusion. Performers ranged from six-year old kids to mothers dancing with their adult daughters. As befitting this festival of ascetic Shiva’s awakening from the depths of prolonged meditation to the world of the senses, most items portrayed the god deploying his limbs in ecstasy (tandava), sometimes accompanied by consort Parvati’s gentle (lāsya) dance. Following a dhun (folkish melody) from HTGC cultural committee, there was a tabla ensemble performed by Hersh Pathak, Darsh Kapadia, Shiven Gupta, Akhil Ghosh, Ayush Panda, Dhruv Chepakasseril, and Amogh Raula from Jugalbandi Academy of Tabla and Kathak Dance in Naperville. Founder and choreographer Bindu Pathak has been teaching in Chicagoland since 1995. This was followed by “Om Namah Shivaya” a Kathak performance featuring Shreya Surti, Sahej Sharma, and Anusha Singh. Tabla ensemble comprising Athyun Nagelli, Amal Ghosh, Shivansh Padhy, Hersh Pathak, Harsh Sharma, Amogh Raula, and Pragya Mahishweri then performed together (jugalbandi) with […]