FICA + ICAGA Holi Celebration

FICA (Federation of Indian Community Association) and ICAGA (Indian Community Organization of Greater Akron) are teaming up to hold, Holi, celebration on May 19th, 2024  between 2 to 5 PM at Sree Venkateswara (Balaji) temple in Brecksville, Ohio. Holi colors will be provided. 

Contact FICA President Shekar Ganore at (216) 798-2327 or Sonal Jain, President, ICAGA at (330) 671-2599. 

The Indian Liberal

 

The Indian Liberal and Liberandu

Sujatha Srinivasan's Bharatanatyam at Cleveland Museum of Art

Coming up, for Asian Indians in Cleveland and Akron is an opportunity to watch Sujatha Srinivasan and her talented students perform Bharatanatyam.  To celebrate the recent opening of the Asian Indian galleries at Cleveland Museum of Art, the Department of Performing Arts, Music and Film Development in conert with Sujatha Srinivasan has arranged for a FREE Bharathanatyam program, (on Sunday, May 11, 2014 at 2 PM).  

Sujatha Srinivasan, Bharathanatyam dancer

In this program, scheduled for Mother's Day, Sujatha Srinivasan and a group of her talented Bharathanatyam students explore the relationship between the mother and child in Indian mythology by drawing from episodes of the young Lord Krishna and his mother, Yashoda.

Sujatha Srinivasan is an internationally known Bharathanatyam exponent, known for her classicism and creative choreography. She learned the art under eminent gurus and as a performer, she brings over 30 years of performing experience to the art.

She has won many awards and titles in India and has participated in major prestigious dance festivals in India, Sri Lanka, Paris, Geneva, Canada, apart from several cities in the US. She has to her credit many composer-oriented and thematic presentations.   Sujatha Srinivasan is the artistic director of  Shri Kalaa Mandir–Center for Indian Performing Arts, which is one of the leading professional dance institutions in Ohio, nurturing and creating budding Bharathanatyam dancers.  She teaches Bharatanatyam at Cleveland Shiva Vishnu Temple in Parma and Solon Community Church in Solon.   

Her daughter, Shriya Srinivasan is an accomplished dancer and an up and coming vocalist. Her son, Suraj Srinivasan has won scholarships at his school.  The talent filled family lives in Strongsville, Ohio along with supportive dad, Srinivasan Ranganathan.

Cleveland Museum of Art Southeast Asian Collection

Sonya Rhie Quintanilla is the curator of The Cleveland Museum of Art's Indian and Southeast Asian collection.  Dr. Quintanilla is responsible for completing the reinstallation of the Indian and Southeast Asian collection that opened in December 2013. 

Sonya Quintanilla's book

Dr. Quintanilla completed her doctoral degree at Harvard University where her dissertation focused on early Indian sculpture. The book that grew out of this work, History of Early Stone Sculpture at Mathura, ca. 150 BCE–100 CE, provides the first comprehensive analysis and chronology of the earliest known stone sculptures from an ancient cosmopolitan center in north India.

Cleveland Museum of Art's  Southeast Asian collection is rated as one of the leading collections in this area, both nationally and internationally.  It is a must see for every Asian Indian living not only in Cleveland and Akron but the State of Ohio.  Further, it is an excellent educational opportunity for young Indian Americans to see and learn about

Sonya Rhie Quintanilla, Cleveland Museum of Art

their culture and heritage. 

The collection encompasses three areas:

• India proper, 
• the Himalayas, and 
• Southeast Asia. 

The collection covers the period of the entire artistic activity on the Indian subcontinent from the earliest (Neolithic) period until the 20th century.  It consists primarily of sculpture (in stone, metal, wood, terra cotta, and ivory) and paintings (book illustrations as well as devotional paintings on cloth as seen in the Himalayan tangkas), but it also includes some decorative arts such as jewelry and armor.

Recent performances  that occurred as part of the Performing Arts Series of Cleveland Museum of Art are:

• L. Subramaniam and ensemble; 
• Pre-concert talk by Sonya Quintanilla 
• Sufi Devotional Music: Asif Ali Khan 
• Nrityagram Dance Ensemble by Surupa Sen and Bijayini Satpathy;
• Pre-concert talk by Rajika Puri

Asian Indians celebrate Diwali at Cleveland City Hill

Dr. Chittaranjan Jain and Asim Datta of FICA

FICA, Cleveland and Cleveland Community Relations Board host Asian Indian Festival Diwali at Cleveland City Hall

Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson gave brief remarks at the Asian Indian Festival of Lights celebration held in the Cleveland City Hall Rotunda.  Diwali is one of the biggest festivals of Hindu Asian Indians in Cleveland and Akron.  It is celebrated with great enthusiasm and happiness in Cleveland and Akron areas in Northeast Ohio.

During this Asian Indian festival, Hindus worship their Goddess Lakshmi. This event celebrates the rich cultural heritage and traditions of one of Cleveland’s many diverse communities, and included music, dance and delicious cuisine.

The members of the Federation of India Community Association of Northeast Ohio FICA and the Cleveland community, particularly Asian Indians, enjoyed a social evening filled with cultural and educational activities.

Hira Rane, Michael Sreshta and Venky Venkatesh at Cleveland City Hall

Harsha Rane at Cleveland City Hall

Kalyani Veturi, Kuchipudi dancer at Cleveland City Hall

Sri Pasumarthy Sreekrishna, Asian Indian Flute player

Mayor Frank Jackson at Diwali function

Geeta Limaye on violin at diwali at Cleveland City Hall

FICA is one of the many community organization representing Asian Indians in Northeast Ohio.  Community Relations Board is an outfit of City of Cleveland.  Its members represent Cleveland's racially, ethnically, and religiously diverse population. Members include Mayor Frank G. Jackson and Reverend. Dr. Charles Lucas.  Blaine Griffin is the director of the Community Relations Board.

The Asian American outreach contact is Le Nguyen 216-664-2319.  Youth  outreach contacts are James Box and Pastor Grady Stevenson.  Hispanic liaison are Lucy Torres and Theasha Dainely at 216-664-6248.

Photo credit: Ruggero Fatica; URL of media gallery City of Cleveland dated Nov 8, 2013: http://www.cleveland-oh.gov/CityofCleveland/Home/media-gallery/slideshow?id=1400
 

Asian American non-profit of Akron and Cleveland gets 775k

Congressman Tim Ryan announced that a $775,000 grant to the Asian Service in Action, Inc. (ASIA), a non-profit organization from Akron and Cleveland that works to empower and advocate for Asian Americans/Pacific Islanders.

Congressman Tim Ryan: Grant to Asian Services in Action
Cleveland and Akron

The money will be used by Asian Service in Action (ASIA) to provide culturally and linguistically appropriate information and services, including comprehensive care across all life cycles, including primary care, OB/GYN, pediatrics, geriatrics, preventive dental, diagnostic laboratory and x-ray, pharmacy, and emergency medical services. 

The Asian Service Action Inc. grant was awarded by the Department of Health & Human Services Division of Grants Management Operations.

Akron Office of Asia Service in Action is at 730 Carroll Street, Akron, OH 44304 and Cleveland Office of Asian Service in Action is at 3631 Perkins Ave., Ste. 2A-W, Cleveland, OH 44114 (t) 216-881-0330

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.

Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh-Cleveland's Dharma and Yoga Fest

Cleveland Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh's Dharma and Yoga Fest 2013

For Asian Indians of Cleveland and Akron, the local branch of Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh (HSS) is organizing a Dharma and Yoga Fest on September 22, 2013 at Beachwood Community Center from 2 PM to 5 PM.  This HSS event's goal is to promote universal peace through Dharma and Yoga.

The event is a celebration of the 150th birth anniversary of the Hindu monk Swami Vivekananda.  Swami Vivekananda was born Narendra Nath Datta on January 12, 1863 near Kolkata, India.  He was a key figure in the introduction of the Indian philosophies of Vedanta and Yoga to the Western world.  If there is one man that Hindus, or a person of any other religion would like/want/need to investigate, it is Swami Vivekananda's.  His philosophy is profound, sustainable and universal. 

Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh is inspired by the idea that the whole world is one family, ideally/theoretically/utopian (vasudhaiva kutumbakam) and conducts educational activities across the United States in order to promote this message.  The Mahatma Gandhian vision of holistic development and respect for all forms of life (human, animal and plant); nonviolent conflict resolution are thought to be an extension of the ancient Indian concept of Vasudaiva Kutumbakam.  Again this is a ideal/theoretical/utopian/conceptual vision and has little to do with present and foreseeable ground conditions in India.  

Planned activities during this event include:

• Meditation
• Singing
• Dance
• Discourses
• Yoga
• Workshops on Dharma and Yoga 

 

Beachwood Community Center is located at 25325 Fairmount Blvd in Beachwood.  For additional information, contact clevelandhss@gmail.com or 216-375-6691 or 216-288-8340 or 224-392-9768.  Local sponsors of this event, as noted today, are Bamboo Garden, Indian Flames, Udupi Restaurant/ Lakshmi Grocers and Sunny Auto Repairs.

All humans are forms of the divine. The goal of human life is to manifest this divinity within, do it by 

1. work (Karma Yoga), or 
2. worship (Bhakti Yoga), or
3. philosophy (Dhyana Yoga) or 
4. psychic control (Raja yoga), or 

a combination of these, and be free.  This is the whole of religion, said Swami Vivekananda.  No other Hindu monk has summarized the concept of Vedanta has eloquently as Swami Vivekananda has.  Remember it as WWPP and if there is one thing that you should teach your children, it is this.  Finally, some of Swami Vivekananda's ideas should be taken in the proper context and not transplanted to the present time.     

Russ Mitchell to be MC for Cleveland Indian Festival USA

India Festival Cleveland, Ohio, USA 2013 will be at Independence Middle School on September 14, 2013.  Russ Mitchell of Channel 3   

Russ Mitchell of Channel 3 is to be the MC for the 2013 India Festival Cleveland, Ohio, USA 2013 Evening Show. Russ Mitchell is the Managing Editor of Evening News and lead anchor of the 6pm and 11pm newscasts of WKYC Channel 3 since 2012.

Russ Mitchell was the anchor of the CBS Evening News weekend editions and The Early Show on Saturday, and national correspondent for CBS News Sunday Morning, the CBS Evening News, and The Early Show.

Russ Mitchell has been honored with multiple local and national Emmys Awards. He has received the National Association of Black Journalists Award, the Society of Professional Journalists Sigma Delta Chi Award for his coverage of the Elian Gonzales story, the New York Association of Black Journalists Award for Best Documentary, and the Press Club of St. Louis 18th Annual Media Person of the Year Award.

Russ Mitchell to be MC at India Festival USA, Cleveland

Russ Mitchell is married to Karina Mahtani-Mitchell, a freelance contributor of entertainment reports.  They have four children, ranging in age from a 21-year-old college senior to a 4-year-old

Asian Indians in Cleveland Are Selfish Not Snobby

FICA (Federation of Indian Community Association) official should be commended for taking the monkey by its horns and attempting to deal with this issue that may be nonspecific to Asian Indians in Cleveland.  The official of the elite FICA wrote something like this in the June 2013 issue of their publication Lotus. 

Surprisingly, however, at the volunteer appreciation dinner a week ago, the presence of the Indians was extremely sparse, to say the least, which meant not many offered to volunteer at this event, though there were many non-Asians seen helping out at this Asian event . 

So, once again it led me to wonder why there is such utter reluctance on the part of the Indians to be “out there”!! I have often heard comments made by non-Indians that we are a community driven to snobbery by our relative successes and greater wealth, and consequently, we chose to remain aloof. Is that true? Do we suffer from a sense of superiority over all others? But how can that be? Are we not a humble people? Isn’t snobbery uncharacteristic of our cultural upbringing? Is our reluctance then to blend with the non-Indians caused by our relative shyness? Any thoughts, anyone?

I don't think Asian Indians of Cleveland are more or less snobby than any other community.  It is observed that they tend to be less snobby when dealing with Caucasians and more snobby towards their own kind and this makes them humble, right?  The days and times when one could say that snobbery is inconsistent with Indian culture is history.   That is never coming back and nostalgia is day dreaming.  I don't think Asian Indians of Cleveland suffer from a sense of superiority over all others either.  Maybe they do in some areas because of a false notion their culture is better than other cultures. 

So why are Asian Indians not into voluntary community service and events?  Here's one sugar coating free theory; I think that a lot of them, who are newer immigrants, think what's in it for me, for my family, for my sub-community, my state in India and finally India (not the US)? and they don't like the answer they get.  Its that uncomplicated.  A lot of them tend to be selfish and this is okay.   They know who and what pays the bills.   Asian Indians are not shy either; when it comes to being "out there" for the darshan of the Supreme Lord, the Dollar.

"aaj kaha ka nation kahe ki dharti maiya
Na Biwi Na Bacha Na Baap Bada Na Maiya
The Whole Thing Is That Sabse Bada Rupaiyya"

Volunteer work and community participation is an unpaid at will individual choice.  No one is obligated or required to do any volunteer work for any cause or reason.  And yeah, Swami Vivekananda is wrong.  What Swami Vivekananda said about volunteer work probably made a bit of sense when he was alive but now it simply is abba su lu tely  ridunkulous.  

Asian Indian performers at Cleveland Asian Festival

Cleveland Asian Festival is a good event.  The organizers put up a good show.  The Asian Indian kids put up a good show too and present Indian culture well..  The Indian food at this event sucks.  After two or more visits to this Cleveland Asian Festival, most people can't stand this good event anymore, they move on and find relatively more interesting things to do. 
 
 Any thoughts, anyone?    

Hindi Comedy On Tap for Asian Indians in Akron and Cleveland Ohio

International Hindi Association, Northeast Ohio Chapter President Dr. Anoop Kumar Announces Hasya Kavi Sammelan 2013 at Bamboo Garden in North Olmsted, Ohio

This year's Hasya Kavi Sammelan in Cleveland will feature three poets. 

Dr. Suresh Awasthi of Kanpur is a leading satirist in India who has entertained and awakened the conscience of millions of people with his humor containing a deep penetrating satire. Eleven books to his credit, Dr. Awasthi is a maestro of haasya-vyang. He is also a Hindi professor and a journalist.

Dr. Kunwar Bechain is a renowned lyricist and poet from Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh. Dr. Bechain is also known as the king of ghazals, and has published several books. He has traveled to various countries outside India, and mesmerizes the audience with his creative and original poetry. He received President’s Award & worked as head of the Hindi department in MMH College, Ghaziabad.

Shri Sanjay Gupta is a leading humorist from Faridabad. He has entertained the audience at places like I.I.T., NDTV, Delhi Door Darshan, and Radio Salam Namaste. He has made numerous trips outside India, and has written several books. He keeps the audience spellbound with his humor and satire.

International Hindi Association's Hasya Kavi Sammelan at Cleveland Shiva Vishnu Temple

Audience at Hasya Kavi Sammelan at Cleveland Shiva Vishnu Temple in 2012

Audience at Hasya Kavi Sammelan at Cleveland Shiva Vishnu Temple 2012

Established in 1980 in the United States of America, the International Hindi Association (IHA) or Antarashtriya Hindi ‘Samiti’, is one of the most vibrant Hindi institutions in the world. Its programs and activities focus on fostering the cultural heritage of India through promotion and propagation of Hindi and its literature among Indians abroad to ensure that future generations are not only able to speak Hindi with pride but can also learn and enjoy the reflections of Indian culture abundant in Hindi prose and poetry written through generations. The activities such as Hindi classes, youth camps, poetry recitals (kavi sammelans), literary symposiums and publications promote and inculcate human values inherent in the Indian culture.  International Hindi Association is a non-religious, non-political, and non-profit lingo-cultural organization is run entirely by volunteers with the support and patronage from its growing membership worldwide.