Feature Story
SUPPORT A GOOD CAUSE AT GARAM GARBA JUNE 25 IN ORLANDO
More than 400 people are expected at the fourth annual Garam Garba on Saturday, June 25, in Orlando. Exit 10, a group of 30 motivated students from the University of Central Florida, has consistently held the event. Over the past three years, they have raised over $7,000 for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.
This year, the group looks to raise about $4,000. "We want to bring awareness of the South Asian cultures and obtain a strong voice for South Asians within our community," said organizer Anish Patel of Orlando. "We have some sponsors but we welcome more," said Patel, whose group Exit 10 also held a full-day cleanup at the Hindu Society of Central Florida (HSCF) temple in the Orlando area last year. "This is all for a good cause."
Performing at Garam Garba will be the Rawal Bros of Daytona Beach. The event will be at 8 p.m. at the HSCF temple, 1994 Lake Drive, Casselberry.
Tickets are $8 regular admission and $5 for students. For more information, call Anish Patel at (941) 448-8621 or Sajan Parag at (941) 266-6324.
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News
‘CHANDNI O MERI CHANDNI’ FAME SINGER JOLLY MUKHERJEE TO PERFORM JUNE 24 IN TAMPA
Remember “Chahe meri jaan tu le le” from Feroz Khan’s “Dayavan?” Or ‘Meri sahibaan” from “Sahibaan? And ‘Loveria hua,” from “Raju Ban Gaya Gentleman?” And who hasn’t heard of the lively ‘Chandni o meri chandni’ from the blockbuster film “Chandni?”
Come Friday, June 24, you can hear and watch the original performer sing all these hit tunes and many more in Tampa.
Bollywood musician, singer, composer and arranger Jolly Mukherjee along with his troupe will perform at India Cultural Center. This is the renowned singer’s second Tampa concert in last eight months. He will sing memorable songs of legends such as Mohammad Rafi, Kishore Kumar, Mukesh, among others, ghazals and finally a tribute to R.D. Burman.
A native of Mumbai, he grew up listening to the sarod at home played by his father, an engineer. His family was close to the late R.D. Burman for whom Mukherjee sang as a backing vocalist. The first break came as a playback singer for Feroz Khan’s “Dayavan” under Laxmikant-Pyarelal’s music direction and since then there has been no looking back. He has sung for such music directors as Kalyanji-Anandji, Nadeem-Shravan, Anand-Milind, Anand Raj Anand, Anu Mallik, Jatin-Lalit, Uttam Singh, Himesh Reshamiya, Pritam, etc. Mukherjee himself has provided background score for three Hindi films, “Bambai Ka Babu,” “Dushmani” and “Zameer.”
Tickets for the 8 p.m. Tampa concert at ICC, 5511 Lynn Road, are $25, $50 and $100 VIP. Students pay $10. For more information, call Dr. Meenakshi Jain at (727) 480-6597, Dr. Sadhana Ramcharran at (727) 798-4258 and Dr. Ram Ramcharran at (727) 460-2460.
FORT MYERS TEMPLE TO HOLD PRAN PRATISHTA JUNE 10-12
The Hindu Temple of Southwest Florida in Fort Myers will hold Pran Pratishta and Kumbabhishekam ceremonies Friday, June 10, through Sunday, June 12. The murtis (idols) of Lord Ganesha, Lord Krishna, Lord Shiva and Navagraha will be installed using Hindu rituals, as prescribed in the Agama Shastra. Organizers are expecting more than 1,000 devotees to attend the auspicious occasion, which will be held 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. on all three days.
During Pran Pratishta, priests invoke God to reside in the murtis. Kumbabhishekam is bathing of the temple vimana (tower on top of the mandaps) and murtis with water sanctified by poojas from the kalashas (pots).
Sponsorships for the ceremonies as well as the various havens, poojas and aartis are available. The temple is at 12552 Plantation Road, Fort Myers. For more information, call the mandir at (239) 225-7245, Mallika Nandur at (239) 851-0480, Arun Maheshwari at (239) 405-8065, e-mail [email protected] or visit www.hindutempleswfl.com
NRITYANJALI TO PRESENT ‘UTSAV’ FUNDRAISER JUNE 11 IN BOCA RATON
Nrityanjali International Performing Arts (NIPA) will present “Utsav – “A Bollywood Dance Journey!” on Saturday, June 11, in Boca Raton.
Classical to contemporary dance and 1950s to current-age performances by NIPA students with other supporting dance groups will benefit No More Tears. The charity provides individualized assistance to victims of domestic violence with legal counsel, financial assistance and psychotherapy and to help them stand on their feet.
Ticket-donation is $30, $50 and $100. The 2.30 p.m. to 4 p.m. journey will be held at Willow Theatre at Sugar Sand Park, 300 S. Military Trial, in Boca Raton.
For sponsorships and other information, call (954) 282-1266, e-mail [email protected] or visit www.nmtproject.org
CHINMAYA MISSION'S FAMILY SPIRITUAL CAMP JUNE 21-26 IN ORLANDO
Most American Hindus, especially the youth, face the dilemma of balancing the two cultures, their two identities – American and Indian. Many do not know the values that shaped their Indian/Hindu culture or how to find their raison d’existence. To bridge that gap, Chinmaya Mission holds classes on Sundays to discuss scriptures and every four years holds a weeklong spiritual camp that brings acharyas from various mission locations to hold workshops and discussions on specific topics to help American Hindus find answers to their questions.
This year, the Chinmaya Mission will hold its Family Spiritual Camp from June 21 to June 26 at the Wyndham Orlando Resort, 8001 International Drive, and leading it will be Swami Tejomayananda, head of the Chinmaya Mission Worldwide. The theme is Meditation. Through discourses on Sreemad Bhagavad Gita Chapter VI (The Yoga of Meditation), “Guruji will guide the members to the realms of this Highest Truth.”
More than 300 people are expected to attend and many youth are participants. Eleventh-grader Rohan Agarwal, who attended the camp in 2007, said, “It gave me a much better understanding of Hinduism. I have been able to identify my own beliefs and strengthen them. I have gained an immense knowledge of Vedanta, which will undoubtedly help me make right decisions throughout my life.” Aashish Yamdagni, 12th- grader, added that camp “shaped my life and structured my actions to work and think both effectively and to practice Hindu culture and remain happy." The spiritual camp has special programs designed for youth and CM also makes arrangements for Upanayanam ceremonies.
For more information about the camp, call Vibhu Agrawal at (407) 963-6301, Alok Sharma at (321) 278-3143 or visit www.chinmayaorlando.org
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