An initiative by Youth Wing of Global Bhatia Foundation

July 2015

For Private Circulation Only

@ 3434th

Issue

Page 1

Once every 2000 years this event occurs - Sun enters this temple which is in Odissha State, (Southern

State of India) India. Hence this temple is called "Konark Temple of Sun". This happened on 31st May, 2015

Konark Temple of Sun

Editorial

Dear Readers,

When Hindustan was under the rule of Islamic Badshahs, few of them were engaged in destuction of temples and conversion of Hindus to Muslims. This may have lasted for about 800 years i.e. till Britishers took over from Muslims. The Hindus and Jains during this period established small temples (Pooja Room) inside their house and also created Havelis which appear as ordinary house from outside. This was done to save their religion. Though Britishers didn't engage themselves in destroying temples, Vaishnavas didn't build any spectacular temple till date.

The point to think for today's Vaishanavs is - Why can't we build a beautiful temple when the fear of its demolition is disappeared ? Why can't we have Havelis that can accomodate one lac devotees during Pooja?

Happy reading !

Haridas Raigaga, Nisha Gandhi : Dharmesh GandhiEditor : Correspondent : Design & Layout

Page 2

Inside this issue

Dr. Devashree Toprani ( D/O Mrs. Manjari & Dr. Rajendra Toprani) passed out her Final B.D.S. having stood FIRST in her college - Ahmedabad Dental College & stood THIRD in Gujarat University.

She is currently doing her Internship at Ahmedabad & plans to pursue Post Graduation ( M.D.S.)

We are proud of you!

Miss Meet Jitendra Merchant (Borivali)scored 94.40% in S.S.C.

Rinku Ashwin Monani (Anjar)Scored 9.2 CGPA in 10th CBSC

Cartoon

International News

The Sound of Music

Dewberry Team Wins

Bhatia Community in Dungar

Chewang Norphel

Dashrath Manjhi

Celebrity Obituary

Missal accomplished

Old Mandvi 1928

22 Hindu rituals

What readers say..

Bhasa

Nothing can stop automation

Press Release

For those who missed Sanskrit

Photos of the month

Page 3

Page 4

?Hindus 2nd largest group in 12 nations

?Hindu Gayatri Temple opening in Texas

?Charlotte to have Hindu temple on 17.5 acres

?Four Hindu temples launched in Europe

?Hindus back Canadian aboriginals’ demand of Pope’s apology for Church’s role in “cultural genocide”

?Majestic Hindu Temple opens in Colorado

?Australia’s National Gallery displaying Lord Rama’s story in Pahari paintings

?Hindus welcome “inclusivity” move of School District where Bothell temple was vandalized

?Hindus upset at whisky named after sacred nectar

?Hindu temple housing 126 deities built in Michigan

?Maryland to have new Lord Krishna temple

?Hindus welcome yoga instructor into Swedish royal family

?Welcoming interim prayer space at Brandeis University, Hindus ask permanent designated facility

?Expanded Utah Ganesha Hindu Temple holding elaborate 4-day re-dedication ceremonies

?Hindus want Diwali on Middlebury College Academic Calendar

?Hindus seek Diwali holiday in New York City schools

International News about Hinduism by Rajan Zed

Old Mandvi 1937Ashadi Bij Parva Kantha Vistar

Old Mandvi 1928K.T. Shah Road

Page 5

Here are the actual lyrics she used:

Maalox and nose drops and needles for knitting,Walkers and handrails and new dental fittings,Bundles of magazines tied up in string,These are a few of my favourite things.

Cadillac's and cataracts, and hearing aids and glasses,Polident and Fixodent and false teeth in glasses,Pacemakers, golf carts and porches with swings,These are a few of my favourite things..

When the pipes leak, When the bones creak,When the knees go bad,I simply remember my favourite things,And then I don't feel so bad.

Hot tea and crumpets and corn pads for bunions,No spicy hot food or food cooked with onions,Bathrobes and heating pads and hot meals they bring,These are a few of my favourite things.

The Sound of Music - 50 years later

It wouldn't be funny if it weren't so true... Julie Andrews turned 69 and to commemorate her 69th birthday on October 1, actress/vocalist Julie Andrews made a special appearance at Manhattan’s Radio City Music Hall for the benefit of the AARP. One of the musical numbers she performed was "My Favourite Things" from the legendary movie "The Sound Of Music.”

The 'Sound of Music' won the Academy Award for Best Picture of 1965 and is one of the most popular musicals ever produced.

Remember the 7 children of the Von Trapp family?

They were having a reunion after 50 years and all werelooking healthy and amazingly well...

Back pains, confused brains, and no need for sinnin',Thin bones and fractures and hair that is thinnin',And we won't mention our short, shrunken frames,When we remember our favourite things. When the joints ache, When the hips break,When the eyes grow dim,Then I remember the great life I've had,And then I don't feel so bad. Ms. Andrews received a standing ovation from the crowd that lasted over four minutes and repeated encores.

Page 6

1. People are advised to worship Neem and Banyan tree in the morning. Inhaling the air near these trees, is good for health.

2. If you are trying to look ways for stress management, there can’t be anything other than Hindu Yoga aasan Pranayama (inhaling and exhaling air slowly using one of the nostrils).

3. Hindu temples are built scientifically. The place where an idol is placed in the temple is called ‘Moolasthanam’. This ‘Moolasthanam’ is where earth’s magnetic waves are found to be maximum, thus benefitting the worshipper.

4. Every Hindu household has a Tulsi plant. Tulsi or Basil leaves when consumed, keeps our immune system strong to help prevent the H1N1 disease.

5. The rhythm of Vedic mantras, an ancient Hindu practice, when pronounced and heard are believed to cure so many disorders of the body like blood pressure.

6. Hindus keep the holy ash in their forehead after taking a bath, this removes excess water from your head.

7. Women keep kumkum bindi on their forehead that protects from being hypnotised.

8. Eating with hands might be looked down upon in the west but it connects the body, mind and soul, when it comes to food.

9. Hindu customs requires one to eat on a leaf plate. This is the most eco-friendly way as it does not require any chemical soap to clean it and it can be discarded without harming the environment.

10. Piercing of baby’s ears is actually part of acupuncture treatment. The point where the ear is pierced helps in curing Asthma.

11. Sprinkling turmeric mixed water around the house before prayers and after. Its known that turmeric has antioxidant, antibacterial and anti-inflammatory qualities.

Twenty two Hindu rituals

These are modest system in Hindu Culture. Many of us follow and adopted these.

Somebody has rightly said, “Hinduism is not a religion, it is a way of life.”

Here Nature is of paramount importance and the Gods of Hinduism are basically different forms of Nature. It is amazing how various practice of Hinduism has an underlying scientific benefit. Let’s look at 22 Hindu rituals to see how scientific this ancient religion has been.

12. The old practice of pasting cow dung on walls and ou ts ide the i r house prevents var ious diseases/viruses as this cow dung is anti-biotic and rich in minerals.

13. Hindus consider drinking cow urine to cure various illnesses. Apparently, it does balance bile, mucous and airs and a remover of heart diseases and effect of poison.

14. The age-old punishment of doing sit-ups while holding the ears actually makes the mind sharper

and is helpful for those with Autism, Asperger’s Syndrome, learning difficulties and behavioural problems.

15. Lighting ‘diyas’ or oil or ghee lamps in temples and house fills the surroundings with positivity and recharges your senses.

16. ‘Janoyi’, or the string on a Brahmin’s body, is also a part of Acupressure ‘Janoyi’ and keeps the wearer safe from several diseases.

17. Decorating the main door with ‘Toran’- a string of

mangoes leaves actually purifies the atmosphere.

18. Touching your elder’s feet keeps your backbone in good shape.

19. Cremation or burning the dead, is one of the cleanest form of disposing off the dead body.

20. Chanting the mantra ‘Om’ leads to significant reduction in heart rate which leads to a deep form of relaxation with increased alertness.

21. Hanuman Chalisa, according to NASA, has the exact calculation of the distance between Sun and the Earth.

22. The ‘Shankh Dhwani’ creates the sound waves by which many harmful germs, insects are destroyed.The mosquito breeding is also affected by Shankh blowing and decreases the spread of malaria.

Page 7

Dewberry received the LCDR Peter Johnson Best Practices Award for their work on the NOAA Supplemental Sandy Topobathymetric Lidar and Imagery project.The NOAA Supplemental Sandy Topobathymetric Lidar and Imagery project received the LCDR Peter Johnson Best Practices Award at the Joint Airborne Lidar Bathymetry Technical Center of Expertise (JALBTCX) Annual Airborne Coastal Mapping and Charting Workshop in Corvallis, Oregon.

Dewberry accepted the LCDR Peter Johnson Best Practices Award for the collection and processing of the data as the primary contractor for the project, which was designed to enable accurate and consistent measurement of the national shoreline following Hurricane Sandy. This award recognizes the Dewberry team's accomplishment of completing a demanding airborne lidar survey with a clearly defined challenge that was achieved with notable success within the past two years.The data collected provides seamless topobathymetric data for various applications within the entire coastal community, as well as supporting mapping, charting, geodesy services, marine debris surveys, and coastal shoreline modeling for the coastal states affected by Hurricane Sandy.

The Dewberry team acquired and produced lidar products for the entire project area, 1,200 linear coastal miles from Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, to Long Island, New York. The Dewberry team also acquired and produced high-resolution orthoimagery.

Dewberry Team Wins The LCDR Peter Johnson Best Practices Award

Amar Nayegandhi accepted the LCDR Peter Johnson Best Practices Award from Jennifer Wozencraft, Director of the JALBTCX Program.

The seamless topobathy lidar and imagery products are being used to create the updated national shoreline along the Eastern Atlantic Seaboard. The Dewberry team included Quantum Spatial, Richard Crouse & Associates, Woolpert, The Atlantic Group, and Tuck Mapping Solutions.

Thanks a lot. Very nice information. (in 33rd Issue)

I suggest G.B.F to carry out Entrepreneur Development Programme for Bhatia Community on regular basis. Further interaction of Bhatia Community Entrepreneurs on regular basis i.e some networking forum/platform to develop. Which will meet every month or every two month. This will enable community business development culture and help to develop more entrepreneurs. I will highly appreciate the thinking on this line from G.B.F and also offer myself for any work relating to this effort.

JlSK. - Ashok Bhatia (Mumbai)

What readers say..

Dungar is a Village in Rajula Taluka in Amreli District of Gujarat State, India. It is located 81 KM towards South from District head quarters Amreli. 14 KM from . 310 KM from State capital Gandhinagar.

The members of Bhatia Community are farmers even today. The villagers of Dungar know them as farmers.

About Bhatia Community in Dungar (Amreli Dist.)

Page 8

Bhâsa is one of the earliest and most celebrated Indian playwrights in Sanskrit. However, very little is known about him. Kâlidâsa in the introduction to his first play Malavikagnimitram writes – Shall we neglect the works of such illustrious authors as Bhâsa, Saumilla, and Kaviputra? Can the audience feel any respect for the work of a modern poet, a Kâlidâsa?Bhâsa is dated between the 2nd century BCE and 2nd century CE. Based on the language used, his date is also supposed to be around 5th century BC. The plays of Bhâsa had been lost for centuries. He was known only from mention in other works like the famous text on poetics Kavyamimamsa written during 880–920 AD by Rajashekhara a famous poet, dramatist and critic. In the Kavyamimamsa, he attributes the play Svapnavasavadatta to Bhâsa.In the period of 1909-10 to 1912, the Mahamahopadhyaya T. Ganapati Sastri came upon 13 Sanskrit plays that were used in the Koodiyattam plays. The first discovery yielded ten complete manuscripts (Swapnavasavadattam, Pratigya Yaugandharayana, Pancharatra, Charudatta, Dootaghatotkacha, Avimaraka, Balacharita, Madhyamavyayoga, Karnabhara and Urubhanga) and fragments of one. Later, he found two more: Abhisheka and Pratimanataka. Finally, he found intact manuscript of Dootavakyam, adding up to total thirteen plays believed to be authored by Bhasa. Unlike other classical plays, none of them mentioned the author, but one was the Swapnavâsavadatta. Comparing the style of writing and techniques employed in these plays and based on the knowledge that Swapnavâsavadatta was Bhâsa's work, all of them were credited to him. Some scholars have disputed Bhâsa's authorship of all the plays but over the years the plays have generally come to be ascribed to Bhâsa.Plays of BhâsaBhâsa does not follow all the dictates of the Natya Shastra. This has been taken as a proof of their antiquity; no post-Kâlidâsa play has been found to break the rules of the Natya Shastra's. Bhâsa allows scenes that contain signs of physical violence to be shown on stage in plays like Urubhanga.This is strictly frowned upon by Natya Shastra.The Uru-Bhanga and Karna-bhara are the only known tragic Sanskrit plays in ancient India. Though branded the villain of the Mahabharata, Duryodhana is the actual hero in Uru-Bhanga shown repenting his past as he lies with his thighs crushed awaiting death. His relations with his family are shown with great pathos. The epic contains no reference to such repentance. The Karna-bhara ends with the premonitions of the sad end of Karna, another epic character from Mahabharata. Early plays in India, inspired by Natya Shastra, strictly considered sad endings inappropriate.The plays are generally short compared to later playwrights and most of them draw the theme from the Indian epics,Mahabharata and Ramayana.Though he is firmly on the side of the heroes of the epic, Bhâsa treats their opponents with great sympathy. He takes a lot of liberties with the story to achieve this. In the Pratima-nataka, Kaikeyi who is responsible for the tragic events in the Ramayana is shown as enduring the calumny of all so that a far noble end is achieved.Plays based on Ramayana?Pratima-nataka: The statues?Yagna-Phalam:?Abhisheka-natka: The coronation

BhâsaPlays based on Mahabharata?Mani Damodara Chakyar as King Udayana in Swapnavasavadattam Koodiyattam?Panch-ratra: The five-nights?Madhyama-vyayoga: The middle one?Duta-Ghattotkacha: Ghattotkacha as

envoy?Duta-Vakya : The envoy's message?Urubhanga: The broken thigh?Karna-bhara: Karna's burden?Harivamsa or Bala-charita: Hari's

dynasty or the tale of ChildhoodThe Duta-Vakya and Bala-charita are perhaps the only Sanskrit plays by a famous playwright with Krishna as the central character.His other plays are not epic based. Avimaraka is a fairy tale, which

[1]later became part of a Mani Kaul film, The Cloud Door (1994). The unfinished Daridra-Charudatta (Charudatta in poverty) tells the story of the courtesan Vasantasena and is interesting for the same story was developed by Œhudraka into the more famous Mrichakatika on which 1984 film, Utsav by Girish Karnad is based.

[2]His most famous plays Pratijna-Yaugandharayana (the vow of Yaugandharayana) and Swapna-vasavadatta (Swapnavâsavadatta) (Vasavadatta in the dream) are based on the legends that had grown around the legendary King Udayana, probably a contemporary of the Buddha. The first play tells the story of how the king Udayana married the princess Vasavadatta (his first wife).The second play tells the story of how the king Udayana, with the help of his loyal minister Yaugandharayana, later married the princess Padmavati, a daughter of the king of Magadha, and thus made this king his ally rather than enemy.Though his plays were discovered only in the 20th century, two of them Uru-Bhanga and Karna-bhara, have become popular due to their appeal to modern tastes and performed in translation and Sanskrit. Many of Bhasa's plays are staged in Koodiyattams even now, like parts of Pratijna-Yaugandharayana,Abhisheka-nataka etc.Modern revivalThe first person to revive Bhasa in modern Indian theatre was a Professor of Ancient Indian Drama at National School of Drama, and theatre director, Shanta Gandhi, who first directed productions of Madhyamavyayoga (1966) (The Middle One) and Urubhanga (The Broken Thigh) in Hindi. A decade later, his work was approached by playwrightKavalam Narayan Panikkar and theatre director, Ratan Thiyam using Manipuri dance and theatre traditions, and traditional martial art of Thang-Ta, who first performed Karna-bhara (Karna's

[3][4]burden) in 1976, and laterUrubhanga.The legendary Natyasastra scholar and Koodiyattam maestro Guru Mani Madhava Chakyar choreographed and started to perform Swapnavâsadatta and Pancharâtra for the first time in the history of Koodiyattam. Swapnavasavadatta was produced in Marathi by Panaji(Goa) based theatre group;Prabhakar Sanskritik Sanstha in the year 2003 & was presented as per the conventions of the Natyashastra.The play was scripted & directed by Anagha Deshpande while the production was designed by Saish Deshpande.A separate Poorvarang was also designed.

Page 9

Chewang Norphel (born 1935) is an Indian civil engineer from Ladakh, who has built 12 artificial glaciers. He has earned the nickname Ice Man.

Coming from a middle-class family of Leh, Norphel went to Amar Singh College in Srinagar as a student of science. He completed a diploma course in civil engineering from Lucknow in 1960. In June 1960, he joined the rural development department of Jammu and Kashmir in Ladakh as a civil engineer. He retired in 1995.

In 1996, Norphel joined the Leh Nutrition Project, a non-governmental organisation, as project manager for watersheddevelopment.

Norphel noticed a small stream had frozen solid under the shade of a group of poplar trees, though it flowed freely elsewhere in his yard. He realized the reason for this phenomenon: the flowing water was moving too quickly to freeze, while the sluggish trickle of water

Chewang Norphel

beneath the trees was slow enough to freeze. Based on this, he created artificial glaciers by diverting a river into a valley, slowing the stream by constructing checks. The ar t i f i c ia l g lac iers increase the ground-waterrecharge, rejuvenating the spring and providing water for irrigation. He constructed them at lower elevations, so that they melt earlier, expanding the growing season.

By 2012, Norphel had built 12 artificial glaciers. Norphel's largest glacier is the one at the Phuktsey village. It is 1,000 ft long, 150 ft wide and 4 ft in depth. It can supply water for the entire village of 700 people and cost Rs 90,000 to make.

Documentary film-maker Aarti Shrivastava also directed a short film on his life titled White Knight, which was screened at film festivals in India and abroad.

He was awarded Padma Shri, the fourth highest civilian award of India, in 2015.

Nothing can stop automation

Page 10

Dashrath Manjhi (c. 1934 – 17 August 2007), also known as "Mountain Man", was a poor labourer in Gehlaur village, near Gaya in Bihar, India, who carved a path

[1] [4]through a mountain using only a hammer and chisel. He carved the path in the Gehlour hills so that his village could have easier access to medical attention, after his wife Falguni Devi died from lack of medical care in 1959. The nearest town with a doctor was 70 km away traveling around the hills, or along a treacherous pass through the hills. After 22 years of work, Dashrath shortened travel between the Atri and Wazirganj blocks of Gayatown from 55 km to 15 km

When I started hammering the hill, people called me a lunatic but that steeled my resolve.

Dashrath Manjhi carved a path 360-foot-long (110 m) through-cut, 25-foot-deep (7.6 m) in places and 30-foot-

[6]wide (9.1 m) to form a road through a mountain in the Gehlour hills, working day and night for 22 years from 1960 to 1982. His feat reduced the distance between the Atri and Wazirganj blocks of the Gaya district from 80 km to 13 km, bringing him national acclaim. Though initially mocked for his efforts, this only served to strengthen his resolve. But as time went by, the unfazed farmer continued to split the troublesome hill in half, he started getting some help. "Though most villagers taunted me at first, there were quite a few who lent me support later by giving me food and helping me buy my tools," he remembered. Now all the people of Gaya district have nothing but gratitude of the "Mountain Man" who made their lives so much easier.

For his glorious feat, this Bihari old man became popularly known as the 'Mountain Man'. He died on 17 August 2007 at the age of 73, while suffering from gall bladder cancer in All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi. He was given a state funeral by the Government of Bihar. Later, Nitish Kumar, the then Chief Minister of Bihar proposed to build a 3 km metalled road from Gahlaur to Amethi, naming the project as Dashrath Manjhi Road. A hospital in his name is also proposed for serving the villagers. Noted filmmaker Ketan Mehta portrayed him as the poor man's Shah Jahan (Taj Mahal). The Bihar government also proposed his name for the Padma Shree award in 2006 in social service sector.

On July 2012, director Manish Jha announced a film, Manjhi, based on the life of Dashrath Manjhi. While on his deathbed, in ICU, he had put his thumb impression on an agreement, giving away "exclusive rights" to make

Dashrath Manjhi

a film on his life. The film is produced by Sanjay Singh, who previously produced Udaan (2010). Nawazuddin Siddiqui has been cast in the lead role in the film 'Mountain Man', which is based on Manjhi's life. In Olave Mandara, a Kannada film by Jayatheertha, Manjhi's deeds are referred to in the story, which inspires the young hero's love.

The First Episode of Season 2 of Aamir Khan hosted TV Show Satyamev Jayate, aired in March 2014, was

dedicated to Dashrath Manjhi. Aamir Khan, who visited Gehlaur in Gaya district on Tuesday to pay homage to Dashrath Manjhi (also known as the Mountain Man) said he was truly inspired and moved by Manjhi's achievement. "I am trying to be like him (Dashrath Manjhi). He has shown that nothing is impossible. His story is one of conviction and courage. I draw immense

inspiration from him."He also met Bhagirath Manjhi and Basanti Devi, son and daughter-in-law of the man who single-handedly carved a mountain, who were living in deep poverty. Aamir Khan and Rajesh Ranjan alias Pappu Yadav, MP came forward to provide financial help to Bhagirath and Basanti. Pappu Yadav provided Rs.100,000(1 lakh) in cash to them and also promised to provide Rs.10,000 every month. He said monthly financial help would be provided to Bhagirath and Basanti by Maa Maati, the voluntary organisation of his wife Ranjita Ranjan, also an MP. However, despite all these promises of help Basanti Devi died due to lack of medical care in April 1, 2014.

Page 11

Genetic study of ancient tribes mentioned in Ramayana rejects Aryan invasion theory and supports indigenous common ancestry of Indian populations; says an article published in PLOS ONE

The initial peopling of India is of great interest, but has remained a much debated issue. A paper published in the internationally reputed journal PLOS ONE has thrown light on this issue by utilizing the data obtained from Valmiki Ramayan and testing this with the genetic studies carried out by using advanced genetic research and tools. The research team comprised of:

1. Geneticist, Dr Gyaneshwer Chaubey, from Estonian Biocentre, Tartu2. Traditional Anthropologist, Prof. V.R. Rao, Anthropology Department, Delhi University3. Ramayana Scholar, Mrs. Saroj Bala, Director of the Institute of Scientific Research on Vedas4. IITian from Delhi, Mr. Anurag Kadiyan,

The team extracted detailed information about Indian tribal populations from the oldest epic Valmiki Ramayana and tested their concordance and discordance with the high resolution genetic data. This was an interdisciplinary project between the scientists and scholars from India and from Estonia. It took around three years to complete this research project.

To begin with, the team selected three main tribal populations, namely: Kol (e.g. Guh Nishad), Bhil (e.g. Bhilni) and Gond (from Dandakvan area), and extracted references to these tribes from different chapters of Ramayana, along with their geographic locations. Then they, particularly Dr. Gyaneshwar Chaubey, scanned hundreds of thousands of single nucleotide polymorphisms among these three ancient tribes, and also compared the results with their neighboring populations and other world populations.

The analysis, conducted using various statistical methods/tools, suggested that the genetic structuring of these ancient tribes is largely similar to their contemporary tribal and caste populations, suggesting genetic continuity for more than 10000 years. Further, extent of genetic component sharing among different populations reflected their similarity with other Indian populations establishing that these were primarily founded over indigenous component, having continuity since last over ten thousand years.

The team has also concluded that all Indians from North or from South, irrespective of their caste and tribal affiliations, share a common genetic ancestry, which is undoubtedly founded over the indigenous ASI component.

Mrs Saroj Bala, Director of I-SERVE, felt elated and said that the genetic study carried out by Dr. Chaubey and his team members of Estonian Biocentre has taken the astronomical and archaeological dates of Ramayana Era calculated by I-SERVE to the next higher level. The article containing such scientific dating has been published in different news papers from 2003 to

th2013 and it was also aired by 'Zee News' on 6 December, 2013. Ramayana should no more be referred to as mythology; it reflects the true history of ancient India.

Mr. Gyaneshwar Chaubey (gyanc@ebc.ee) has offered to answer all technical queries and Smt. Saroj bala (delhichapter@serveveda.org) will answer questions relating to references in Ramayana and other corroborating scientific evidences. The link for opening the article in PLOS ONE is- http://dx.plos.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0127655,

Title: Genetic affinity of the Bhil, Kol and Gond mentioned in epic Ramayana

Saroj Bala, IRS (former Member of CBDT)Director, Institute of Scientific Research on VedasMob: 9958008787

I-SERVE Delhi ChapterInstitute of Scientific Research on Vedas

(Recognised as SIRO by DSIR & notified u/s 35(1) (ii) of Income Tax Act)www.serveveda.org / sarojbala.blogspot.in

I-SERVE, Delhi Chapter delhichapter@serveveda.org

Press Release

Charles Correa (1 September 1930 – 16 June 2015) was an Indian Architect, urban planner and activist. An influential architect credited for the creation of modern architecture in post-Independence India, he was celebrated for his sensitivity to the needs of the urban poor and for his use of traditional methods and materials.

He was awarded the Padma Shri in 1972, and the second highest civilian honour, the Padma Vibhushan given by Government of India in 2006. He was also awarded the 1984 Royal Gold Medal for architecture, by theRoyal Institute of British Architects.

Correa began his higher studies at St. Xavier's College, Mumbai at the University of Bombay (now Mumbai) went on to study at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor (1949–53) and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in Cambridge, Massachusetts (1953–55). In 1958 he established his own Mumbai based professional practice.

Correa was a major figure in contemporary architecture around the world. With his extraordinary and inspiring designs, he played a pivotal role in the creation of an architecture for post-Independence India. All of his work – from the carefully detailed memorial Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Museum at theSabarmat i Ashram in Ahmedabad to Kanchanjunga Apartment tower in Mumbai, the Jawahar Kala Kendra in Jaipur, the planning of Navi Mumbai, MIT'S Brain and Cognitive Sciences Centre in Boston, and most recently, the Champalimad Centre for the Unknown in Lisbon, places special emphasis on prevailing resources, energy and climate as major determinants in the ordering of space. He designed the Parumala Church as well.

His first important project was "Mahatma Gandhi Sangrahalaya" (Mahatma Gandhi Memorial) at Sabarmati Ashram in Ahmedabad (1958–1963), then in 1967 he designed the Madhya Pradesh Legislative Assembly in Bhopal. He also designed the distinctive buildings of National Crafts Museum, New Delhi (1975–1990), Bharat Bhavan, Bhopal (1982),Jawahar Kala Kendra (Jawahar Arts Centre), in Jaipur, Rajasthan (1986–1992), British Council, Delhi, (1987–92) theMcGovern Institute for Brain Research at MIT, Boston (2000–2005), City Centre

Page 12

Charles Correa, Architect

(Salt Lake City, Kolkata) in Kolkata (2004) and the Champalimaud Centre for The Unknown in Lisbon, Portugal (2007–2010).

Also he designed state-of-the-art research and development facility of Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd (Mahindra Research Valley)at Chennai, which is the epicentre of various R&D networks of Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd.

From 1970–75, he was Chief Architect for New Bombay (Navi Mumbai), an urban growth center of 2 million people across the harbour from the existing city of Mumbai, here along with Shirish Patel and Pravina Mehta he was involved in extensive urban planning of the new city. In 1985, Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi appointed him Chairman of the National Commission on Urbanization.

In 1984, he founded the Urban Design Research Institute in Bombay, dedicated to the protection of the built environment and improvement of urban communities. During the final four decades of his life, Correa has done pioneering work in urban issues and low-cost shelter in the Third World.

From 2005 until his 2008 resignation Correa was the Chairman of the Delhi Urban Arts Commission.

On 18 December 2011, the eve of the Golden Jubiliee of Liberation of Goa, Correa was bestowed with Goa's highest civilian honour, the Gomant Vibhushan. In 2013, the Royal Institute of British Architects held an retrospective exhibition, "Charles Correa – India's Greatest Architect", about the influences his work on

[modern urban Indian architecture. He died on 16 June 2015.

Celebrity Obituary

Page 13

For those who missed Sanskrit

Page 14

Dadar-based restaurant's version receives award for ‘the world's tastiest vegetarian dish’

The 50-year old owner of Dadar-based eatery, Aaswad Upahar and Mithai Griha, Suryakant S Sarjoshi smiles from ear to ear when asked what goes into his missal. The dish has been awarded the ̀ the world's tastiest vegetarian dish' at the recently concluded Foodie Hub Global Awards in London. “The rassa is what sets one restaurant's missal apart from the other. Ours has a mix of traditional spices and also the quality of the moth beans and farsan has to be factored in,“ he says. The recipe of their award-winning dish, says Suryakant hasn't been tweaked even a bit ever since the restaurant's inception in 1986. “In the last 29 years, we've also stuck to the same farsan vendor as consistency in quality is important to us,“ says Suryakant, who personally tastes the hot-selling dishes of his restaurant to check for quality before opening for business every day. “While pav is the accompaniment of choice with the star dish, there are ̀ health-conscious' guests who also pair it with chapatti and puri too,“ he says.

Tucked in a corner between Sena Bhavan and Kohinoor Mills, the eatery was established in 1986 by Suryakant's father Shrikrishna Ganesh Sarjoshi who came to Mumbai in 1968 from a village in the interiors of Konkan. He started out as a salesman for Trupti Restaurant (now shut) before the then owner Vinayak Bhagwat decided to reward his dedication and commitment with an offer to partner in the business. “When we started out, Aaswad was only a 300 sq ft space and we could only host a cover of 12 guests as barely three tables could fit in,“ says Suryakant, who was only 20 and a student of D G Ruparel College at the time.

Initially exclusively specialising in Maharastrian staples like thalipeeth, kothambir vadi, missal, ussal and masala rice, the eatery diversified their menu to include udipi favourites when they expanded the restaurant in 1995. Today, the restau rant is completely air-conditioned and can accommodate 64 guests at a time. “Now, we even innovate with udipi dishes, like we have an uttappa sandwich and a cocktail uttappa (bite-sized platter of several uttappa variants),“ says the man who remembers frequenting the eatery to gobble down crispy thalipeeth before heading for college in the 80s.

Basking in his newly-earned glory, Suryakant feels that Maharashtrian food has gained a lot of popularity in recent years and that a segment of his guests are first-timers who

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Missal accomplished

are willing to try it out.Despite this recent achievement, Suryakant doesn't have any illusions of being the final word on missal. “A lot of people make great missal. My favourites include Phadatare Misal Kendra in Kolhapur. Even Vinay Health Home in Girgaon does a very good job,“ he says.

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