2,20,000 illegal Indian settlers in US

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Washington: An estimated 2,20,000 Indians have made the United States their home illegally with a whopping 81 percent increase in their number in last seven years, according to latest official figures.

The dramatic growth in the number of Indians has come about even as immigration from Mexico continues to dominate the unauthorised population growth, according to the Department of Homeland Security's latest statistics on 'illegal immigrants'.

The estimated population of Indians living illegally in the United States was 220,000 in 2007 compared to 120,000 in the year 2000, thus recording one of the highest percentage increases. An estimated 11.8 million unauthorised immigrants were living in America in January 2007 compared to 8.5 million in 2000. The unauthorised population increased by 3.3 million between 2000 and 2007 while the annual average increase during this period was 470,000.

Nearly 4.2 million (35 percent) of the total 11.8 million unauthorised residents in 2007 had entered in 2000 or later. An estimated 7.0 million (59 percent) were from Mexico.

California remained the leading state of residence for the illegal population in 2007 with 2.8 million, followed by Texas with 1.7 million and then Florida with nearly one million. California's share of the national total declined from 30 percent in 2000 to 24 percent in 2007 as the greatest percentage increases of unauthorised resident population occurred in Georgia (120 percent), Arizona (62 percent) and Texas (57 percent). (IANS)

Durga Puja in California San Francisco Bay Area USA

Celebrate Durga Puja 2008 with Baybasi at Foster City

The blue skies of “Sarat” with large fluffy white clouds, the fragrance of “Shiuli” flower, the gentle swaying of “kash” and beatings of the “dhak” – all this symbolizes only one thing for a Bengali – it is celebration time, it is Durga Puja time. It is the time to wear new clothes, pandal hopping, forgetting about any dietary restrictions, gorging down on yummy delicacies and having a fun time with near and dear ones!

Location:
Bowditch Middle School
1450 Tarpon Street
Foster City, CA 94404

Puja dates:
Oct 4th Saturday and Oct 5th Sunday.

Baybasi Inc. is a non-profit social-cultural organization of the Residents of the San Francisco Bay Area, California, USA. The organization was formed in 2001 in Foster City, California and was incorporated as a non-profit in 2008. The name “Baybasi” is split English and Bengali, and means "Residents by the Bay (Area)". Baybasi is a membership based organization and its goals are broadly defined in its vision and mission statement.

Vision :
Facilitate members and their friends and relatives and public at large to enhance their spiritual, cultural, social and artistic experiences through activities related to our rich cultural heritage.

Mission:
Promote awareness of Indian ethnic identity and its cultural and spiritual heritage. Organize cultural events involving (without limitation) Bengali and other Indian traditional and contemporary songs, drama and dances. Plan and host periodic conferences and meetings to allow members to learn, network and share experiences for personal and career development. Organize events to raise funds for the relief of distress and other charitable causes.

Address:
BAYBASI, Inc.
PO Box 4538
Foster City, CA, 94404
webmaster@baybasi.org
baybasi.admin@gmail.com

Baybasi presents "Durga Puja 2008"

The blue skies of “Sarat” with large fluffy white clouds, the fragrance of “Shiuli” flower, the gentle swaying of “kash” and beatings of the “dhak” – all this symbolizes only one thing for a Bengali – it is celebration time, it is Durga Puja time. It is the time to wear new clothes, pandal hopping, forgetting about any dietary restrictions, gorging down on yummy delicacies and having a fun time with near and dear ones.

So, if you are not in Bengal and still want to enjoy the fun, festivities and frolic of Durga Puja in Foster City, how do you do it – well, get the Durga Puja here.
Durga Puja

When we first came here about ten years back, our disappointment knew no bounds when we came to know that some of us would not be able to be in Kolkata during Durga Puja. But there was a glimmer of hope – we had heard that Durga Puja was celebrated in a few places in the Bay Area. To add more strangeness to this whole experience – after we had conveyed our Bijoya Pranams and greetings to elders and near and dear ones in Kolkata, we went out and got our first taste of the zipped version of Durga Puja here in USA. Going to a Durga Puja after Bijoya Dashami – well why not , you are in the US of A after all and anything goes here.

Though it was a strange feeling, but after reaching the Puja celebrations – we could find almost all that we were missing – the “Pandal” was there, the “Pratima” was there, chanting of the puja “mantras”, “puspanjali”, sound of the dhak, Prasad and khichuri – made us feel for a while we were back in Kolkata.

Small groups of people were scattered all around engaging in one of our favorite pastimes – Adda. To add to all this was the shimmer and shine of colorful silk sarees and punjabi kurta’s. Some old friends, some new ones. Stalls selling sarees, Indian curios, Music CD’s added to the ambience. It was almost like back at home.

With the passing of days, our roots over here dug deeper into the ground, we gained experience and courage and also the desire to start celebrating some our festivities here – our small group decided to celebrate Saraswati Puja here. Nothing big or grand, something small that we would be able to manage. This was the beginning, seven years back of the first Sarawati puja celebration by us. Baybasi was born.

With each passing year came new faces and names – the small Saraswati puja that we had started got bigger and grander – Baybasi was no longer a small collection of families, we had grown to about nearly hundred persons by now.

Yes, it was time to move on and get our hands into something bigger – so, why not a Durga Puja. This year a few of us got together during our Saraswati puja celebration and planted the idea of a Durga Puja in Foster City by Baybasi.

Some were skeptical some were enthusiastic but the idea caught on. We were on our way to the next milestone – “DURGA PUJA”. The journey has begun, preparations are on and we are eagerly looking forward to this great occasion. Baybasi will be celebrating Durga Puja for the first time in Foster City, California. We know it will not be perfect, but we will do our best to make this an occasion of joy and happiness for everybody.

This will provide an opportunity to everyone interested to participate in an active way to prepare for this great event and then partake in the fun and festivities on the days of the Durga Puja. We extend a warm welcome to anyone who is interested to work with us to make this event a grand success.

A few lines on Durga Puja.

Durga Puja signifies the victory of good over evil.

According to Hindu mythology a demon named Mahishasura, earned the favor of Lord Bramha after a long and hard penance. Lord Bramha, impressed with his devotion, blessed him that no man would be able to kill him and that only a woman can kill him. Mahishasura was very pleased with this boon as he thought that a woman can never defeat him. Arrogant Mahishasura started his reign of terror over the universe and people were killed mercilessly. He even attacked the place of the gods and conquered the heavens and became their leader.

After their defeat and humiliation at the hands of Mahishasura, the gods took refuge under Lord Brahma, who took them to Lord Shiva and Lord Vishnu. In answer, the three Gods combined their divine energy and create up a feminine form so brilliantly that it would kill the devil.

The beautiful Durga, equipped with the fearsome weaponry of the gods, was ready to engage in battle with the fierce and cruel Mahishasura. Mahishasura and his demon allies found their attention drawn from heaven to Earth, as Durga's power moved its way towards heaven.

A fierce battle took place. Finally when Mahishasura in the in the form of a buffalo charged against Durga, the Devi beheaded the buffalo and from it emerge Mahishasura in his original form. Durga pierced his chest with the trident and relieved the world from the evil power. That is why she is 'Durgatinashini Durga', our mother goddess who destroys the evil, protects her devotees and establishes peace and prosperity on earth.

Debipokher agomoney Maa er abhirbhav mrinmoyi rupey.
SOURCE: http://www.baybasi.org

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Durga Puja in Kansas Lawrence USA

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Welcome to Sangam


Sangam is a non-profit public charity organization based in Kansas City serving the Bengali population of Kansas and neighboring states of midwest.

Venue : Lenexa Community Center. 13420,
Oak St, Lenexa.
KS 66215


To promote cultural, educational, literary and religious

traditions of Bengal, primarily within the communities of

Bengali speaking people residing within the Midwestern

states of America.


To promote charitable activities for the benefit of the

deserving persons and institutions in USA and

in India.


To promote Indo-US relation through the development of

mutual understanding and respect of American and Bengali

cultures and traditions


Since 1991, Bengali speaking families of Kansas, Oklahoma, Missouri and Nebraska are getting together during Durga Puja festival in Wichita. A need for an association has been felt as a vehicle for promoting Bengali cultural activities in the midwestern states. During 1995 Durga Puja festival in Wichita, a consensus was formed to organize an association. An association by the name Sangam was formally formed at a meeting held on November 18, 1995, at Dr. Ashim Mitra’s residence in Overland Park.

Story of Durga Puja (worship of Divine Mother Durga)

Ananda Bhattacharya

Durga Puja is the biggest festival of Hindu communities of Bengali tradition. It may be compared with Christmas celebration of the Christian communities. The festival is performed in the fall. Traditionally it is a four-day festivity with worship services, cultural programs, feasting, family get-together, greeting exchange and making new friends. Though it is primarily a religious service, its social and cultural aspects are also significant. Locally, every year for the last nine years mostly Bengali ethnic immigrant families from India, who are residing in the Kansas City and surrounding areas in Missouri and Kansas, and even in parts of Iowa, Nebraska and Oklahoma join this festival on a weekend with great gusto and merrimen

Significance of Durga Puja: Hindus worship Durga as the Divine Mother Goddess believed to be the highest manifestation of the Universal Power of God. The image most commonly worshipped during Durga Puja is that depicting Durga having ten arms, surrounded by her children, slaying a demon coming out of a buffalo. The story describing her triumph over ‘Demon King’ who represents a great evil, has been narrated in the Holy Scripture of ‘Chandi’. Thus, by this service, Hindus celebrate the God’s overpowering victory over evil.


The Story: Many years ago there was a great war between the gods and the demons. The demons defeated the gods, captured heaven and forced the gods out of heaven. In their effort to defeat the powerful demon king and to retake the heaven, the gods concentrated their energy and created Durga – a beautiful ten-armed goddess. Each god gave her a weapon. The great god, Vishnu gave his wheel (chakra), Another great god, Shiva gave his trident (trisul), other gods gave their various weapons. Even Himalaya, the king of mountains gave a lion that carried Durga. Armed with these divine weapons Durga fought a fierce battle with the demon army led by the demon king who changed forms several times to deceive the goddess. Finally, Durga slew him, as he came out of the body of a buffalo. The demon army was destroyed. The gods regained their heaven. The universe rejoiced and sang the glory of Divine Mother Durga. Thus, Durga Puja (the worship of Durga) is a celebration of triumph of good over evil and the return of universal order peace and harmony.


There is another myth particularly popular with Hindus of Bengali heritage. According to this myth, at this time of the year Durga returns to her parents’ home with her children. Durga is the wife of Shiva who cares little about worldly affairs and spends most of his time in yoga and meditation. Thus, Durga’s welfare is a constant source of worry for her parents, Himalaya and Menika. So, once every year Durga comes down from heaven to visit her parents on earth. Thus Durga Puja is also a celebration of the yearly return of the daughter to her parents’ home.
MORE DETAILS HERE: http://www.sangam-midwest.org

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Durga Puja in Baton Rouge Louisiana USA

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Baton Rouge Bengali Association, Baton Rouge Louisiana USA


Baton Rouge Bengali Association, Baton Rouge Louisiana USA

Contact: Priyo Gopal Banerjee (President BRBLA)
president@brbla.org

Durga Puja Committee:

Priyo Gopal Banerjee - President
Samir Chakravarty - Treasurer
Tapan Sarkar - Secretary
Amitava Jana
Kailash Deka
Santanu Majumdar
Krishnendu Saha
Debolina Mukherjee
Cultural Activities: Somenath Roy

Durga Puja Baton Rouge Durga Puja Louisiana Durga Puja USA

Durga Puja in Minneapolis Minnesota USA

Bengali Student Society Of Minnesota

“A man alone in a forest is lonely indeed, but a man alone in a city is even lonelier”
-anon.

The life of an international graduate student anywhere outside his country is rather hectic, and here at the U of M is no different. Caught in an eternal struggle between his apartment and department, between his advisor and a Budweiser, he helplessly watches the simpler things of life pass him by as he relentlessly pursues the next big breakthrough for mankind. Back home, education was merely a part of life, it was not life itself. Life then was so densely populated with “humane moments”, fleeting moments that linger for a minute but whose memories last a lifetime. It seems ironical now that as graduate students we have to be on the constant lookout for these moments, hang onto them and savor them, such being their paucity in our lives today. Funny, isn’t it……

Birds of a feather, they say, flock together and it has borne out its verity so well in the founding of our organization. The year: 2005. A bunch of like minded students from Bengal gather on campus, each bonded by the Motherland 8000 miles away, each wanting to impart a sense of home to the campus. Their mission: to organize the world’s first ever student Durga Puja, that incomparable celebration of Autumn that can unite any two Bengalis anywhere. And thus BSSM was born…….

BSSM gathered all the Bengali students together on the same platform and invited others to be a part of its Board. As the initial shockwaves settled down, the nascent association took on a formal shape and successfully organized its first event on 16 October, 2005. You may say that was the day we were baptized. Since then, our Durgotsov has become an annual function, drawing people from as far as Iowa and the Dakotas. That apart we often have frequent gatherings - sometimes to celebrate a cultural day, sometimes to discuss sometime, but more often than not, simply to unwind……

We have now metamorphosized ourselves into a diverse student group, representing the culture and traditions of West Bengal, Bangladesh and surrounding areas, and have among our members, not only expatriates from these regions but also non-Bengalis who have an interest in our culture and way of life. We strive to bring a flavor of contemporary East-Indian socio-cultural activities to the heart of Twin Cities and try to provide a platform for any student bubbling with creative ideas to live out our traditions away from home…….

Today, many of our founding members have moved on beyond graduate school, and new members continually fill our ranks, brining with them fresh enthusiasm and a sea of brainwaves. As we continue to evolve, we look forward to forging new partnerships and meeting new friends. In short, we look forward to many more fun filled times ahead……

Avenue S.E, Room 126, Minneapolis,
Minnesota 55455.
Email:bssm@umn.edu

Bengali Student Society of Minnesota (BSSM) will celebrate Durga Pujo for the fourth consecutive year. This year's pujo festivities , "Sharodotsav 2008" will be held at St.Paul Student Center , University of Minnesota on October 4th. You are cordially invited to this grand event. We also welcome your active participation in our cultural programs or in any of the pujo committees. Contribute articles to Journal of Durga Pujo at bssm@umn.edu

Venue: St Paul Student's Center Theater
Date:4th October,2008
Timings:8 a.m.-12 midnight
N.B.- We welcome volunteers on the evening of 3rd October from 6 p.m.- 12 midnight. @SPSC Theater.

source: http://www.tc.umn.edu/~bssm/index.htm

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Durga Puja in Rochester, Minnesota, USA

Welcome to the Bengali Association of Rochester, Minnesota, USA (BARMUSA). It is the first, well established, well respected, and most widely known Bengali organization in Rochester, Minnesota.

BARMUSA was founded to explore the Bengali culture in Rochester and surrounding communities across the state of Minnesota. The religious, cultural and social activities sponsored by BARMUSA help our children to see, to know, to learn, to value and to preserve the unique and rich Bengali culture while they are growing up in another rich western society and culture. One of the objectives of the BARMUSA is to help raise our children and young generation in a way that they become open, honest, responsible, accepting, accommodating and respectful, and thus learn how to share, cooperate, communicate, and most importantly how to unify more than one culture in order to live and succeed in a global society of today's world.

BARMUSA has shown significant growth in cultural events and festivities, and has been taking a leading role in the Indian community as well as other international communities. Currently, BARMUSA celebrates annual Durga Puja and Lakshmi Puja in the fall, and Saraswati Puja in the winter together with other social and cultural activities throughout the year.

On behalf of the Executive committee of BARMUSA, I would like to invite the entire Bengali community of Rochester and nearby cities of the entire state to come forward and join BARMUSA, to take active roles and responsibilities in all social and cultural activities, and help celebrate all religious events sponsored by BARMUSA. BARMUSA welcomes everyone regardless of color, race, religion, and language. BARMUSA encourages participations and contributions from every individual and family in this great city of Rochester, cities around the state of Minnesota and every corner of the globe.

I look forward to meeting you all at our BARMUSA activities and events!

Narayan C. Debnath
BARMUSA President (2008-2010)

CONTACT INFORMATION:

Kanai Roy: kanairoy@hotmail.com

When: October 4th 2008
Venue: "Peace United Church of Christ"
1503 2nd Avenue NE
Rochester, MN 55906

Puja: 10:00 - Noon
Anjali: 11:30; Noon
Prasad: 12:30 PM
Lunch: 1:00 PM
Cultural program: 2:30 PM
Sandhya Aarti: 5:30 PM
Dinner: 6:00 PM

Executive Committee 2008 - 2010

President: Narayan Debnath
e-mail: ndebnath@winona.edu

Vice President: Amitava Das
email: dramitavadas@hotmail.com

General Secretary: Sukla Sarkar
email: sarkar.sukla2008@gmail.com

Joint Secretary: Ramanath Majumdar
email: rmajumdar2001@yahoo.com

Treasurer: Sushital Chowdhury
email: paresh53@hotmail.com

Web Administrator: Kanai Roy
emai: kanairoy@hotmail.com

Cultural Program Co-ordinators:
- Radha Majumdar - rmajumdar2001@yahoo.com
source: http://www.barmusa.org

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Durga Puja in Minnesota Rochester USA

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We humbly announce the formation of SETU, a socio-cultural organization that aspires to build a bridge between the various communities of the Indian subcontinent that are presently residing in Rochester MN and around. We welcome you all to join this organization.


PLEASE CHECK OUT "EVENTS" PAGE ON THIS WEBSITE FOR CURRENT EVENTS. THANK YOU!


Mission Statements of SETU:

The Mission Statements of SETU include, but are not limited to, the following:

1. To be respectful of other cultures and their fellow members.

2. To promote the culture of the Indian sub-continent.

3. To operate through the voices and visions of all of its members who will elect representatives responsible for running the day-to-day activities for fulfillment of the goals and duties of the organization in a manner respectful not only towards other cultures but also especially towards their fellow members.

4. To support and nurture creativity through music and art.
5. To create an environment that endears and attracts young members of this community to be a part of the group in celebrating our vastly diverse and rich heritage.

Durga Puja: Oct 3, 4, and 5, 2008

Contact Person:

1. Nirupam Dutta 507-282-8020 or duttanirupam@hotmail.com

2. Koushik Lahiri 507-282-0757

3. Questions or comments about the website should be directed to Neer at dutta.nirjhar@gmail.com

source: http://www.setumn.com

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Durga Puja in South Jersey, New Jersey USA

Bengali Cultural Society of South Jersey
P.O. Box 311, Voorhees, NJ 08043
eMAIL: info@bcssj.org

Announcements

Durga Puja 2008 on October 3, 4 & 5, 2008 @ Hartford School, Mt. Laurel, NJ


The Bengali Cultural Society was formed in 1978 with the objective to promote and sustain cultural, religious, charitable, educational, and literary activities, and to provide a forum for exchanging ideas and views with various national and international organizations of similar interest.

With that objective in mind we celebrate Durga Puja and Saraswati Puja each year. In other activities we publish Sanskriti" - the magazine of the BCS. Various social programs are held throughout the year to preserve and cultivate our fine and treasured culture. Under the umbrella of BCS, a committee was formed (Planning and Development Committee) to develop a plan for the long-term structure of our own society and to steer it to that end. A Bengali Language School was established and Scholastic Aptitude Test tutorials started. At present both are in a very healthy state, growing and thriving at a regular pace. We are also very active on building our own Community Center project. Also, we have extended our effort to raise funds for various charitable organizations to India .

Our hope for the future is to let our society be the ideal for the country that is already a melting pot for millions with their manifold heritage and tradition. Let our amity and endearment be the common denominator for all around us. Let the continuous awareness of our proud heritage provide self-confidence and dignity in our children.

Bengali Cultural Society of Southern New Jersey is a non-profit organization under Section 501(a) of the IRS Code Section 501(c)(3).


Durga Puja 2008 on October 3, 4 & 5, 2008 @ Hartford School, Mt. Laurel, NJ

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Durga Puja in New Jersey USA

Bharat Sevashram Sangha of North America
(New Jersey)
3490 Route 27, Kendall Park, NJ 08824
Phone: (732) 422-8880, Fax: (732)422-8880
Email : bssnj@hotmail.com


Bharat Sevashram Sangha (BSS) is a spiritual brotherhood of monks and selfless workers devoted to the service of humanity. It was founded in 1917 by the illustrious patriot saint Acharya Srimat Swami Pranavanandaji Maharaj. It is a philanthropic and charitable organization with non-sectarian, non-communal and non-political character and outlook.


Head Office : 211, Rash Behari Avenue, Kolkata (calcutta) - 700019, India
Phone : 2440-5178, 2440-2327, 2871-0673, FAX : 2440-2326


Our Contact details :
3490 Route 27, Kendall Park, NJ 08824
Phone: (732) 422-8880, Fax: (732)422-8880
Email : bssnj@hotmail.com


Bharat Sevashram Sangha of North America ( New Jersey), Inc., was founded by Swami Amarnathanandaji Maharaj in Septempber 1997, in Jersey City , New Jersey. This is a branch of BSS, India, founded by Jagat Guru Acharya Srimat Swami Pranavanandaji Maharaj, the illustrious patriot saint of India and prophet of the New Hindu Age.

Swami Amarnathananda resides at:
3490 Route 27
Kendall Park, NJ 08824
He can be reached at: (732) 422-8880


Upcoming Events
Eleventh Anniversary Celebrations (Sep 6 & 7th)
Sharadiya Durgotsav ( Sep 28th to Oct 14th)
Maha Kali Puja & Deepavali ( Oct 28th)


For all information, please contact Ashram at 732-422-8880.
WebSite : www.bssnj.org
Email : bssnj@hotmail.com

Source: http://bssnj.org

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Durga Puja in New York Long Island USA

The New York Sarbojanin Durgapuja Committee thanks you for visiting this website. Check us out from time to time in order to view information and updates on upcoming Pujas.

Currently:

Durga Puja 2007 was held on October 19, 20, & 21. We had a nice function. Kindly visit the Internet Links page to view photos of our ausicious event.

Laxmi Puja will be held this Sunday on Oct. 28th from 12-4pm. Please join us for Puja, Anjali, and festivities.


We are a non-profit organization that represents the Bengali community of Long Island, NY. Created in 1985, our committee has grown from a handful of members to an organization which numbers several hundred and is still growing. We are interested in fresh ideas. If you have any suggestions, please contact one of our elected officers or committee members. Thanks for visiting our site!!!!

Our events feature prominent and talented local artists as well as up-and-coming artists from India. All events are held at the VFW Hall at 68 Lincoln Road, Franklin Square, NY 11010.

Contact Us
New York Sarbojanin Durga Puja Committee, Inc.
E-Mail: NYSDPC@AOL.COM


Durga Puja in New York Durga Puja Long Island Durga Puja USA Durga Puja US Durga Puja America Durga Puja

source: http://nysdpc.org/

Durga Puja inTexas Austin USA

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Austin Durga Puja 2008

Dates: Friday October 3rd and Saturday 4th October, 2008
Venue: Lanier High School, 1201 Payton Gin Road, Austin, TX 78758

Durga Puja Schedule and Programs: Friday Oct 3rd, 2008 7:30PM - 8:45PM Dinner Dinner will be served at the Lanier High Cafeteria. Please pick your hand bands from the registration desk before entering the cafeteria. 9:00PM Raghav show Lanier Auditorium Saturday Oct 4th, 2008 8:00AM - 10:00AM Puja decoration and set up 10:00AM - 12:00PM Durga Puja 12:00PM - 12:30PM Pushpanjali 12:30PM - 1:00PM Prasad 12:15PM onwards Kid's Lunch 1:00PM - 2:00PM Lunch 2:00PM - 4:00PM Break 4:15PM - 5:00PM Tea and Snacks 5:00PM - 8:00PM Cultural program 8:00PM - 9:30PM Shondhi Puja, Arati, Dhunuchi Naach, Bisharjan & Sindoor Khela 8:00PM onwards Kids dinner will be served 9:30PM onwards GRAND DINNER for further details visit: http://www.dhrubotara.org

Durga Puja in Georgia USA

Atlanta Bengali Forum (ABF) established in 2001 is a non-profit cultural organization of the bengalis in Georgia and around the state of Georgia. ABF is open and welcomes anyone who would like to join the community or participate in the events. It's goal is to foster a spirit of friendship and cooperation between its members through social activities, sports events, musical gatherings, and religious festivals. Since 2001, ABF has been holding Saraswati Puja, Durga Puja, Boisakhi, New Year's Eve Party and a summer picnic annually.

DURGA PUJA 2008

Atlanta Bengali Forum is going to celebrate Durga Puja on October 11^th and 12^th, 2008. We request the pleasure of your attendance at the auspicious occasion. Please make the celebration a grand success by your all worthy presence and co-operation. Like every year, this year also we have planned fun filled events with invited famous performers from India. At the same time we are providing great shows performed by our local talents. We have a full line of variety programs for you. On vocal entertainment, Usha Uthup from Kolkata will enchant you with her melody. We also have many exciting events from our local artists.

Venue: Berkmar High School, 405 Pleasant Hill Road, Lilburn, GA

Hotels near Berkmar High School

DURGA PUJA Schedule
Saturday - Oct 11th
Astami and Nabami Puja - 10 AM
Bhog and Lunch - 1 PM
Arati - 5 PM
Sunday Oct 12th
Puja - 11 AM
Bisarjan & Sindoor Khela : 1:30 PM
Prasad & Lunch - 2:30 PM

On Saturday evening, October 11th at 9 pm, we are delighted to present famous pop singer USHA UTHUP from Kolkata at the Berkmar Theatre. If there is a legend bridging the East and West, it is Usha. With her music and charm, she has transcended the barriers of caste, creed, language and nationality. Her endearing charm and powerful vocal chords have given Usha fans of all ages, from all over the country. A voice that needs no introduction.

Tickets for USHA UTHUP Live are selling fast and are available online from sulekha.com at https://www.sulekha.com/ticketsV3/buytickets.aspx?cid=538686 (Secure Transaction).

We also have a plethora of cultural events lined up for your entertainment. Given below are some of the highlights:
- "Rhythm Mania" - Dance Program - Saturday Evening - 6 PM
- "Ei Sure Bahudure" - Adhunik Song Program - Saturday Evening 7 PM
- "Bharate Chai" - Bengali Drama - Sunday Afternoon - 3 PM

Durga Puja in Greater Atlanta USA

Bengali Association of Greater Atlanta

PO Box 88541, Atlanta, GA 30356

Bengali Association of Greater Atlanta is a non-profit organization under Internal Revenue Code 501(c)(4) that strives to promote and sustain cultural, charitable, educational, and literary activities on behalf of the Bengali community of greater Atlanta.

History:

At a picnic gathering in May 1979, a proposal was forwarded by a few to celebrate Durga Puja in Atlanta. The proposal was strongly supported by Mr. Mohit Sen and Late Mrs. Sukriti Bala Roy (mother of Mr. Moni Roy).

During fall of that year, the first ever Durga Puja in Atlanta was held in the backyard of Late Mr. Ashok Bhattacharjee' residence under the banner of Atlanta Durga Puja. Late Mr. Sadashib Bhargava very generously lent a helping hand during those early years. Integral part of his activities included performing the "Chandipath " and educating the novice priests (Mr. Partha Mukharjee & co.) on the various rituals of performing a major Puja. The young priests received help in this matter by established priests from as far away as Chicago.

In those days people from the neighboring states and as far away as Virginia used to come to Atlanta to celebrate the Puja. Subsequently, the Atlanta Durga Puja Committee undertook the responsibility of promoting the social and cultural heritage of the Bengali community from in and around Atlanta. A few years ago the committee changed its name to Bengali Association of Greater Atlanta (BAGA) to reflect the contribution and participation of other Bengalees from cities and neighboring states around Atlanta.

Events:

The following 2008-2009 events are currently on BAGA's calendar. Keep checking this page for updates on venues and dates.

September 27, 2008, Saturday
Mahalaya

October 10-12, 2008, Friday-Sunday
Durga puja

October 18, 2008, Saturday
Lakshmi puja

Durga Puja Venue:

Venue: Shamrock Middle School
Address: 3100 Mount Olive Dr, Decatur, GA 30033

Mailing address:

Bengali Association of Greater Atlanta
PO Box 88541
Atlanta, GA 30356

for further details visit: http://www.baga.net/

Durga Puja in Florida USA

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Bengali Society of Florida USA

Subir Goswami (questions and suggestions regarding Society)

E-mail: subir_goswami@yahoo.ca

Debasis Bera (questions and suggestions regarding Webpage)

E-mail: bera_d@yahoo.com

Durga Puja - 2008

Saturday & Sunday
Oct 4th & 5th, 2008

Indian Trails Middle School
415 Tuskawilla Road
Winter Springs, FL 32708

Live in concert :

: Oct 4th,Manomay Bhattacharya
Oct 5th, Usha Uthup Hotel information
Days Inn, Fern Park,
Ph:407-339-3333

FOR MORE DETAILS VISIT: http://www.bsfnet.com/

Durga Puja in California Los Angeles USA

Bengali Association of Southern California (BASC) is a US non-profit organization which caters to ethnic Bengali population in Southern California. Since its inception in Los Angeles in 1978, BASC has been nurturing and promoting Bengali culture and awareness through two publications and hosting of cultural events several times a year.

BASC cordially invites you to join us at Durga and Laxmi Puja 2008, seek blessings from Maa Durga, and enjoy this festive season with friends and family.

A limited number of booths are available for showcasing your products or services. For booth rental please contact Mitra Nag (Papa) at 909-399-9639.

Please contact at info@BASCOnline.org to advertise your product/service or call Soumya K Mukherjee at (714) 331-4833 or Sumanta Chakraborty at (714) 394-5844 or Ujjayan Banerjee at (714) 323-9919

BASC Executive Committee 2008-10

BASC Executive Committee for 2008-10 has been formed.

President - Soumya Mukherjee

Vice President - Mitra Nag

Secretary - Amit Ganguly

Treasurer - Subhra Banerjee

Members:
Maitreyee Chakraborty
Siddhartha Chowdhury
Sumanta Chakraborty
Swapna Ray
Trinankur Biswas
Ujjayan Banerjee

email: info@basconline.org

Dealing with the Deal

The Congress does not feel it necessary to explain the nuclear cooperation agreement with the US to the masses because it feels there is no need for it as the deal is self-explanatory, while the Left and the BJP have branded the deal ‘‘notorious’’ and ‘deceit’’ on the people. The BJP, a party known for pro-US positioning on other occasions, has been a bit more careful. It has punctuated its opposition to the deal with concern about India being ultimately relegated to the status of a non-nuclear weapon state and about forfeiture of its right to conduct nuclear test. But for the Left, the right to conduct nuclear test is a non-issue because, after all, the comrades have never hailed the Pokhran tests, nor have they appreciated research in indigenous nuclear science that has led to India being recognized as a nuclear power. For the Left, it is cooperation with the US — of any kind — that forms the substance of anti-deal diatribe; the argument being that India, as a sovereign nation, cannot be seen reducing itself to yet another US stooge, and the nuclear deal is a means by which the ‘imperialist’ US wants to bind India for ever. Therefore, the Left has opposed nuclear cooperation with the US not because it is opposed to the deal as such but because the other party is an ‘imperialist’ power that is out to make India subservient to its global hegemonic interests. And by taking this stand the Left has also tried to prove how tenaciously it has clung on to its core ideology despite temptations to dilute it. The Left has also been at pains to explain its ‘principled’ opposition to the growing US sphere of influence even as it has no problem with China’s belligerent overtures in South Asia — because in the Communist theory China cannot harm India! That said, as one of the CPM politburo members indeed attempted, the Left would also have the deal interpreted as anti-Muslim because the US has killed Muslims in Iraq and Afghanistan and it is with this marauder that the Congress is determined to forge a nuclear alliance. It is another matter that the people of the country, including sensible Muslims, have seen through such politics of opportunism. As for the BJP, its opposition to the deal — especially after the unveiling of the text of the draft safeguards agreement with the IAEA — stems mainly from its status as the principal opposition party in Parliament; that is, from its compulsion to oppose the deal for the sake of the party’s status as the most virulent Congress adversary. Its own brand of anti-deal politics has made the saffron party cleverly refrain from commenting on certain paragraphs of the draft safeguards agreement with the IAEA that address India’s strategic concerns, such as Para 5 that says that the safeguards agreement will be implemented in a manner ‘‘designed to avoid hampering India’s economic or technological development’’ and ‘‘not to hinder or otherwise interfere with any activities involving the use by India (of) nuclear material, non-nuclear material, equipment, components, information or technology produced, acquired or developed by India independent of this agreement for its own purposes’’. In other words, the BJP’s opposition to the nuclear deal is dictated primarily by the disadvantage of not being the ruling party of the time that can take credit for making India a part of the international nuclear regime. Therefore, the politics of opposition remains the best option even for the BJP that during its term did its best to bring India closer to the US in every manner possible. Not to invoke that past is a great expedient then. The Congress surely knows this only too well, hence its defence of the deal. source: sentinel assam

Oil Crisis: A View from USA

HN DasThe metal signboards all around the residence of the President of the United States of America has a single message. It ends with the following sentence: “While the Capitol represents the freedom and the ideals of the nation, the White House stands for the power and the statesmanship of the Chief Executive.”Standing in front of the White House on a June 2008 morning, I looked at the Capitol, at a distance, where the US Congress consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives sits. The Congress is the legislative wing of the Republic. The executive business is conducted in the White House and another big building in its compound. The huge Treasury building, across the road and perpendicular to the White House, conducts the financial business of the Republic.Standing at that vantage point, I realized that the statesmanship mentioned in the above quotation referred to the innate qualities of the leader chosen by free and fair election among the citizens of the USA. But the President’s power is derived from the wealth and support of the nation.The USA is the wealthiest nation in the world. According to the World Bank’s estimates for 2005, the gross national income (GNI) of the USA was $12,969.6 billion against China’s $2,263.8 billion and India’s $793.0 billion. The USA, however, has only a small population of 296 million compared to China’s 1,305 million and India’s 1,095 million. Therefore, the per capita income of the USA was $43,740 against China’s $1,740 and India’s $720. The International Monetary Fund found that, in terms of purchasing power parity (PPP), the USA’s per capita wealth in 2007 was $143,727 against China’s $11,267 and India’s $6,613.This wealth has been accumulated during the past five centuries by the very hard, intelligent and dedicated work of generations of enlightened immigrants who came from a post-renaissance Europe. This has been enriched by a couple of generations of IT-savvy immigrants from Asia, especially from China and India, who came in the second half of the 20th century.This tremendous wealth, both physical and human, was the basis of the USA’s power. It used the wealth to help the Allies during the second world war, Europe in the reconstruction phase under the Marshal plan, and the poor countries either directly or through the World Bank. The USA derived international power after it joined the Allies in the Second World War, ending centuries of isolation.This great nation is now smitten by a gigantic crisis. As a result of the increase of crude oil price from $45 per barrel in 2004 to $143 in June 2008 in the international market, the gasoline price per gallon in the local market has quadrupled from less than $1 in 1999 to $4 in June 2008. This has let out an inflationary pressure which has engulfed the entire economy. Meanwhile, one of the worst recessions has thrown hundreds of thousands of workers out of job so that the unemployment rate has reached the record high of 5.5 per cent. The automobile industry is in doldrums. Thousands of vehicles remain unsold in the yards. Residential and commercial house holders are in a quandary because many are facing foreclosure of their mortgages. The trade deficit has increased sky high. The US Dollar has fallen in value in the international market. The oil producers are preferring to have their payments, and to hold their surplus, in other currencies, mainly in euro.Many experts predict that the American lifestyle, based on heavy consumption of gasoline and other oil products, is facing a deep crisis. Some predict an end of this lifestyle. One expert — Paul Swartz, Chairman of the Capital Region Energy Forum — even predicted an end of the Western civilization! (Times Union, Albany, New York, June 10, 2008). In this context it is necessary to go into the root causes of this crisis of crude oil price rise. Beside the demand supply mismatch, there are quite a few factors which exerted extraneous pressure on price in recent times. Iran, for example, is in a state of flux because of constant fear of war against Israel. Iran has 10 per cent of the world’s proven oil reserves. Its production was 6 million barrels of crude oil per day in 1974. This figure fell to 3.8 million barrels per day by 2006. This happened because ever “since the 1979 Iranian Revolution due to a combination of political unrest, war with Iraq, limited investment, US sanctions, and a high rate of natural decline”, the production has been falling. Recent outbursts of US President George Bush against Iran’s nuclear programme and additional sanctions by the USA and European countries aggravated the situation. Iran has curtailed production and increased the price of crude oil.Supply has been reduced due to a number of other factors. There has been a “peaking” of world oil production. “Peak oil” has been defined as “the point in time when the maximum rate of global petroleum production is reached, after which the rate of production enters terminal decline.” According to the International Energy Agency’s estimates, there has been a “pronounced loss of momentum in the growth of oil production during the last few years. After climbing from 82.90 million barrels per day (mb/d) in 2004 to 84.15 mb/d in 2005, output only increased to 84.80 mb/d in 2006 and then declined to 84.62 mb/d during the first ten months of 2007” (Earth Policy Institute, Lester R. Brown, “Beyond the Oil Peak”, November 15, 2007.)Demand, on the other hand, has been increasing tremendously. World population has increased so much that it is expected to become double between 1980 and 2030. People are becoming more oil dependent. In the rich countries demand for oil is increasing fast because people are consuming more, private transport is increasing, and there is some amount of hoarding too. In the USA, for example, 88 per cent of the workforce use private transport to go to work. Public transport has not developed at all. Beside hoarding by the oil companies, the US Government is maintaining a Strategic Petroleum Reserve of 727 million barrels at four sites in the gulf of Mexico in enormous salt caverns which have been converted to store crude oil.China has been consuming more and more oil to propel its unbelievable rate of economic development. The number of cars is increasing. Energy-intensive industries such as steel and aluminium are consuming more and more electricity generated from oil. All coal-based power plants in the Beijing area have been converted into oil based in order to reduce the level of pollution in that city ahead of the Olympics. China is feverishly buying crude oil in the international market for strategic purposes.One extraneous factor which is playing a sinister role is speculation. Hedge Fund operators and Wall Street bankers are pushing up crude oil price by their activities in the New York market. This probably prompted Morgan Stanley to predict that crude oil price will reach $150 by July 4,2008 — the US National Day.What is the solution? The US has the resilience to bring its economy back to track given the political will. It has more than sufficient oil reserves. Already there is a move to go in for offshore drilling which was earlier prohibited due to environmental reasons. The presumptive Republican Presidential candidate Senator John McCaine supported such drilling and claimed that the US has “untapped oil reserves of at least 21 billion barrels’’.(The Washington Post, June 17, 2008). President Bush seemed to agree. (The New York Times, June 18,2008). Beside that, the US has the largest known deposits of oil shale in the world, which is “enough to meet US demand for oil at current rates for 110 years” (Oil Reserves, Wikipedia). This means that the US can easily overcome the present oil crisis in a short time.The problem will be for countries like India where the entire development process may be stunted due to increase in price of crude oil and non-availability of sufficient oil resources. (The writer was Chief Secretary, Assam, during 1990-95)

source: sentinel assam

US keen on grabbing defence market

— Radhakrishna Rao

Defence Minister AK Antony, while inaugurating the new building complex of the Bangalore-based Defence Avionics Research Establishment (DARE), stressed the need for self reliance in the design, development and manufacture of high precision avionics systems for the Indian Air Force, which is workifig out a strategy for modernisation and augmentation on a massive scale.Antony has repeatedly expressed his vehement opposition to the blind and wholesale import of defence hardware and advanced technological systems. In fact, he has made it clear that India will clinch a deal for defence hardware and associated technology only as an equal partner. His thesis is that India has technological expertise and an industrial base, resurgent enough to not only absorb and adopt advanced imported technologies, but also to indigenously design and develop state-of-the-art weapons and armaments.‘High technology products need to be futuristic. Our over-dependence on foreign suppliers must reduce. We must develop our own systems indigenously. A tendency to depend on foreign suppliers may land the country and the armed forces in deep trouble in crucial times in the form of import restrictions, technology transfer denials or even undue and unjustifiable delay in the delivery of already contracted systems or components of critical nature” observed Antony. He did not leave anyone in doubt that he was referring to the US.In fact, the American sanctions and technology embargo that came in the wake of India’s 1998 nuclear blasts had affected the developmental schedules of a number of projects of national importance including the Tejas Light Combat Aircraft (LCA), developed by the Aeronautical Development Laboratory (ADA) and the Saras multi-role light transport aircraft, developed by the National Aerospace Laboratories (NAL), Bangalore.Notwithstanding the growing bonhomie in Indo-US relations, many Indian industrial outfits, research institutions and scientific organisations continue to be under the US Entity List. Not surprisingly then, both in the civilian and defence sectors here, the US is not favoured as a dependable and reliable partner for projects of critical nature.As it is, way back in early 90s the US had coerced an economically emaciated and political unstable Russia into going back on its commitment of transferring the critical cryogenic engine technology to India. Their argument was that the transfer of technology, which is of dual use, constituted a clear-cut violation of the so-called Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR). Overcoming all the impediments, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has now successfully developed an indigenous cryogenic engine constitution the upper stage of the three-stage GSLV (Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle).Similarly, DRDO has not forgotten how the US tried to coerce the Union Government into dropping the development programme of Agni range of surface-to-surface, nuclear capable missiles. Antony notes that “despite technology denials and restrictive export regimes, DRDO has been able to develop strategic systems and advanced missiles”.Against such a backdrop, India’s defence establishment is fully aware of the implications of getting defence hardware and advanced armament systems from the US. For the denial of spares and refusal to service the hardware in the event of an embargo would mean a serious setback to the country’s defence preparedness. But then, Russia which has supplied India with a vast array of military equipment including combat aircraft and utility helicopters is fast eroding its Indian base. Indeed, the Indian military planners are losing patience with Russia for its failure to stick to the deadline and make available spares on time.Peeved by the inordinate delay and a hefty price hike in respect of retrofitting the decommissioned aircraft carrier Admiral Gorshkov, naval chief Admiral Suresh Mehta had sometime back questioned the logic of looking at Russia as a reliable and trusted military partner. Similarly, the Russian insistence on a massive increase in the price tag of Su-30 MKI multi-role combat aircraft, which currently constitutes the very backbone of the IAF, has not gone down well with the Indian defence establishment. It is here that the US is trying to step into the Indian defence scenario with robust optimism.In this context the statement made by the US defence secretary Robert Gates that military-to-military ties between the two countries would continue to be independent of the controversial Indo-US civilian nuclear agreement, assumes significance. Of course, Indian Government’s lack of political will to go ahead with the deal has pushed it into a “slow and certain death.” Gates was forthright in his assertion, “We ask for no special treatment. We are pleased to have a place on the table. And we believe that in a fair competition, we have a good case to make”.On its part, US defence and aerospace major Boeing estimates a US $10-15 billion defence market in India over the next one decade. “According to industry projections, there will be a need for around 1000’defence aircraft by 2020, while 70 per cent of the requirement will be filled by the existing orders for aircraft like Su-30s” says Deba Mohanty, a defence analyst with the New Delhi-based think tank Observer Research Foundation.Perhaps the biggest trump card of the American defence hardware and systems is their perceived superiority in terms of performance, efficiency, technology and state-of-the-art electronics and avionics systems in comparison to the Russian defence equipment. The latter’s biggest disadvantage lies in avionics and electronics, which form a major component of an aircraft.Both Boeing and Lockheed Martin, keen on grabbing the mega Indian order for the supply of 126 medium multi-role combat aircraft to IAF have offered their most advanced fighter machines to India. The argument of Boeing is that F/A-18E/F Super Hornet that it has offered to India is already in service with the Australian Air Force. Not to be outdone, Lockheed Martin has sweetened its offer of making available F-16 IN Fighter Falcon by hinting at a possible future sale of F-35 JSF of perhaps F-22 combat aircraft if India goes in for F-16.Meanwhile, US aerospace and defence contractors are awaiting Indian request for proposal for the supply of around 200 light utility helicopters. These helicopters will replace the aging fleet of Cheeta and Chetaks in service with the IAF and the Indian army. source: assam tribune

Seek confidence vote in Lok Sabha, Advani tells government

Seek confidence vote in Lok Sabha, Advani tells government

June 29, 2008 20:12 IST
Asking the United Progressive Alliance government to seek a confidence vote in the Lok Sabha if it wanted to go ahead with the Indo-US nuclear deal, Bharatiya Janata Party stalwart L K Advani on Sunday said the Centre should focus on burning issues and development instead of fighting with the Left over the proposed pact.

"We will ask the government to face a confidence vote in the Lok Sabha on the nuclear issue following the present political situation," Advani said while addressing a rally in Rourkela.
The UPA government, Advani said, was wasting time in fighting the Left parties on the nuclear deal instead of concentrating on development and solving burning problems.

"We cannot sacrifice our atomic energy and future tests in Pokhran by signing the agreement with the USA," Advani said pointing out that it was during BJP-led National Democratic Alliance rule that the second Pokhran test was conducted.

Advani lashed out at the UPA government for increasing Naxal activities in the country and said during the NDA regime insurgency was under control due to inter-state coordination meetings of naxal affected states which was abolished by the present government.

The BJP leader said the NDA government had given priority on national security and to control cross border terrorism which had been totally neglected now. Earlier, Advani addressing the concluding session of the two-day state executive body meeting of the BJP in Rourkela, asked the rank and cadre to be prepared for elections any time. source: http://www.rediff.com/news/2008/jun/29advani.htm

N-gurus Speak up

N-gurus Speak up

Three eminent nuclear scientists of the country have raised serious questions over the need to sign the much-debated civilian nuclear agreement with the US. They are Dr PK Iyengar, former chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission, Dr A Gopalakrishnan, former chairman of the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board, and Dr AN Prasad, former director of the Bhaba Atomic Research Centre. In a press release, the scientists have questioned the argument that the deal will ensure energy security for the country and gone to the extent of saying that the independence of India’s foreign policy will be jeopardized by the stipulations of the Hyde Act. They are ‘‘of the opinion that the government should not proceed to seek IAEA Board approval for the current draft safeguards agreement until its implications are debated fully within the country or at least within the UPA-Left Committee as well as with a group of experts who are not party to the IAEA negotiations’’. The three scientists have cautioned the government against ‘‘the mythical extra energy security’’ that the deal will supposedly bring. Given the concern of the country’s three top nuclear scientists, it is imperative that the government sit for a thorough discussion with country’s nuclear scientific community as well as energy experts and make the whole process transparent. The people must know the benefits that would really come in after the deal is finalized, and at what cost. It will not do for the Congress to publicize the deal just because it has to keep its commitments and save its face. Let the debate be more meaningful. source: sentinel assam