Oct 31, 2013

Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams - Marketing of Hindu Gods

Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams
Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams eServices
Marketing of Hindu God, Venkateshwara by Tirupati Temple

Online Seva Portal for Hindu God!  Holy Venkateshwara. What the heck does this mean?  You get to view Lord Venkateshwara through a web camera?  You get to pray to Lord Venkateshwara through Twitter?  You get to like Lord Venkateshwara's Facebook profile?    You go online and donate money to the temple and that is Seva?

The assistant editors of this portal, Copy and Paste, have provided the following information noted in italicized text,  from http://www.ttdsevaonline.com/Home.aspx?ReturnUrl=%2feseva%2feSevaHome.aspx   The propagandist text has been highlighted in bold for your convenience.  So, Venkateswara needs marketing now. 

Who keeps an account of the money that is collected at this Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams temple?  What happens to the money that the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams temple likely receives from selling the tonsured hair of the visitors fo the temple?  Is the account of the money collected by Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams temple publicly shared?   Who is the heck is this guy below?  No, he is not a thug from a Bollywood movie.

Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams
Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams Chairman
Welcome to the Tirumala Tirupathi Devasthanams Online Seva Portal. TTD is Happy to Provide Better Service to the Devotees with this Web Based Interface.

The ancient and sacred temple of Sri Venkateswara is located on the seventh peak, Venkatachala (Venkata Hill) of the Tirupati Hill, and lies on the southern banks of Sri Swami Pushkarini. It is by the Lord's presidency over Venkatachala, that He has received the appellation, Venkateswara (Lord of the Venkata Hill). He is also called the Lord of the Seven Hills.

The Temple of Sri Venkateswara has acquired unique sanctity in Indian religious lore. The Sastras, Puranas, Sthala Mahatyams and Alwar hymns unequivocally declare that, in the Kali Yuga, one can attain mukti, only by worshipping Venkata Nayaka or Sri Venkateswara.

The benefits acquired by a piligrimage to Venkatachala are mentioned in the Rig Veda and Asthadasa Puranas. In these epics, Sri Venkateswara is described as the great bestower of boons. There are several legends associated with the manifestation of the Lord at Tirumala.

The Temple has its origins in Vaishnavism, an ancient sect which advocates the principles of equality and love, and prohibits animal sacrifice.

The sanctum sanctorum which houses the awe-inspiring idol of the Lord of the Seven Hills is situated in the main temple complex of Tirumala. 


KLPD stands for “(K)arodo (L)ogon ke (P)atience se (D)hoka” which means Cheating with the Patience of millions says in Tirupati Balaji Temple: The richest temple with no values that    

Just to give our readers an idea about the mindboggling collection of this temple, on April 1, 2012 the collection of Hundi (offering box) amounted to Rs 5.73 crores/1.05 million USD. Temple’s yearly revenue is somewhere around Rs 2000 crores per year. That’s a lot of money for a country where 80% of the population barely ears $1 a day. 

Oct 19, 2013

Asians Indians: Democrats or Republicans?

So, the answer to the question, are Asian Indians, Democrats or Republicans, is easy. They lean towards the Democratic party.  But.  There are exceptions to this general rule.  There are more Democrats among Asian Indians than Republicans.

Republican Party and Asian Indians

The rich and the richer among Asian Indians tend to be Republican party oriented in their business lives and somewhat Democrat party leaning in their personal lives.  These group of haves is likely to vote Republican.  This group would include physicians of Indian origin in private practice and business owners.  This group thinks that they made their money by their own efforts and they are entitled to keep it with minimal tax deductions and folks on government support (African Americans, that's the stereotype) do not deserve it.  

Bobby Jindal, governor of Louisiana and Nikki Haley, governor of South Carolina are of Asian Indian ethnicity.  


Democratic Party and Asian Indians

The employee Asian Indians tend to be supporters of Democratic party.  Why is this?  The reasons are mainly psychological.  I think its because of the Indian religious culture and its concepts of dharma and vasudaiva kutumbakam.

Jay Goyal was a member of the Ohio House of Representatives.  He was a Democrat representing the 73rd District, which included the city of Mansfield and other parts of Richland County.

Whatever the political party Asian Indians favor, their turnout for voting is probably not strong.  Why?  Because they don't want to deal with the hassle of jury duty!  Asian Indians do not vote as a block.  Some Asian Indians do make political contributions but expect something in return; often a disproportionate return.  Quid pro quo.  Since most candidates up for election, ignore contributors who donate relatively small amounts, once they are elected; candidates can bet on Asian Indians stopping making additional and future political contributions.

US Politics vs India Politics

Politics is politics, irrespective of the country; its dirty.  The liberal parties are the Democratic party and Indian National Congress.  The conservative parties are Republican and Bharatiya Janata Party. 

Oct 13, 2013

Cleveland Asians and Ohio Asians - A Profile

Asian Population in Cleveland, Ohio 2010

Asian Indians are the largest population of immigrants followed by Chinese and Filipono in Cleveland, Ohio.   Here are the counts:

Asian Indian 20,733
Chinese (exceptTaiwanese) 14,768
Filipino 8,215
Korean 5,336
Vietnamese 4,082
Japanese 3,474
Pakistani 1,117
Burmese 899
Thai 880
Cambodian 842
Asians in Cleveland, Ohio

Demographics of Asians in Cleveland and Asians in Ohio

No other racial group in the Midwest is proportionally more immigrant than Asians, with
more than half of Asians born outside of the UnitedStates

64% of Asians in Cleveland Combined Statistical Area (CSA) are foreign-born.

28% of Asians in Cleveland CSA are limited English proficient: Chinese (42%), Vietnamese (41%), and Korean (27%) Americans have the highest rate.

In 2007, Asian in Ohio owned over 18,000 businesses. Businesses are most concentrated in three industries:
  • healthcare and social assistance,
  • accommodation and food services, and 
  • professional, scientific, and technical services.
From 2007 to 2010, the number of unemployed Asians in Ohio grew by 350%, an increase
significantly higher than any other racial group in the state

59% of Asian Americans 25 years and older in the Cleveland CSA, between 2006 and 2010, held a bachelor’s degree or higher

During the 2010-2011 school year, Chinese, Vietnamese, Punjabi, Hmong, and Korean were the top 5 languages spoken by K-12 English language learner students in the Cleveland, Ohio.

Oct 5, 2013

Asian Indian Stereotypes for Desis

India stereotype map
Kashmiri
One Kashmiri = carpet salesman.
Two Kashmiris = carpet factory.
Three Kashmiris = terrorist outfit.
Four Kashmiris = shoot-at-sight order.

Tamil-Brahmin
One Tamil-Brahmin = priest at the Vardarajaperumal temple.
Two Tam-Brahms = Maths tuition class.
Three Tamil-Brahmins = Queue outside the U.S consulate in Chennai at 4 a.m.
Four Tam-Brahms = Thyagaraja music festival in Cleveland, USA.

UP Bhaiyya
One UP bhaiyya = milkman.
Two UP bhaiyyas = halwai shop.
Three UP bhaiyyas = a fist fight in the UP assembly.
Four UP bhaiyyas = mosque destruction squad.

Gujju
One Gujju = share-broker in a Bombay train.
Two Gujjus = rummy game in a Bombay train.
Three Gujjus = Bombay 's noisiest restaurant.
Four Gujjus = stock market scam.

Andhraite
One Andhraite = chili farmer.
Two Andhraites = software company in New Jersey, USA.
Three Andhraites = Naxalite outfit.
Four Andhraites = song-and-dance number in a Telugu movie.

Mumbaikar
One Mumbaikar = footpath vada-pav stall.
Two Mumbaikars= film studio.
Three Mumbaikars =The number of people standing on your foot in the train at rush hour.
Four Mumbaikars = slum

Sindhi
One Sindhi = currency racket.
Two Sindhis = papad factory.
Three Sindhis = duplicate goods shop in Ulhasnagar.
Four Sindhis = Hong Kong Retail Traders Association.

Marwari
One Marwari = The neighbourhood foodstuff adulterator.
Two Marwaris = Threaten the Jews as a community.
Three Marwaris = Finish off all Gujaratis & Sindhis.
Four Marwaris = 50% of Calcutta

Bihari
One Bihari = Laloo Prasad Yadav .
Two Biharis = booth-capturing squad.
Three Biharis = train capture.
Four Biharis = caste riots
Five Biharis = entire literate population of Patna

Bengali
One Bengali = poet.
Two Bengalis = film society.
Three Bengalis = political party.
Four Bengalis = two political parties.
More than four Bengalis = Countrywide agitation to bring Ganguly back into cricket team.

Punjabi
One Punjabi =100 kg hulk named Pinky.
Two Punjabis = Pinky with his bigger brother Twinky.
Three Punjabis = assault on the McAloo Tikkis at the local McDonalds
Four Punjabis = combined IQ equal to one.

Oct 2, 2013

Carnatic Music Program at Cleveland Music of Art

L and Ambi Subramaniam
 Dr. L. Subramaniam kicks off the 2013-14 Cleveland Museum of Art Performing Arts Series on Friday, October 4 at 7:30 p.m.  He will perform a program of South Indian Carnatic music with his son Ambi Subramaniam and percussionist Mahesh Krishnamurthy.

Considered India’s violin icon and the “Paganini of Indian Classical music”, Dr. L. Subramaniam performs all over the world – from Singapore to Paris, Delhi to Los Angles – and conquers every audience with the elegance and virtuosity of his style. “Positively dazzling,” writes the New York Times.

Subramaniam’s performance includes a pre-concert talk at 6 p.m. by Sonya Rhie Quintanilla, George P. Bickford Curator of Indian and Southeast Asian Art, who will discuss the reopening of the Indian and Southeast Asian galleries.

Tickets and additional information can be found through the Ticket Center at (216) 421-7350 or by visiting  http://www.clevelandart.org/events/music-and-performances/subramaniam