BRAHMA BHARATI. Volume 20 Number 1 (2018) A Quarterly Publication of Brahman Samaj of North America (January-March 2018)

Transcription

1 BRAHMA BHARATI Volume 20 Number 1 (2018) A Quarterly Publication of Brahman Samaj of North America (January-March 2018)

2 EDITORIAL BOARD Dr. Sanjay K. Pandey (CA) Editor-in-Chief Dr. Keshav Shukla (TX) Dr. Sukrit Mukherjee (CA) Dr. Sen Pathak (TX) Dr. Ajay Pandey (MI) Brahman Samaj of North America (BSNA) TABLE OF CONTENTS Officers of Brahman Samaj of North America 3 Youth Commitee and BOT 4 Message from the President of BSNA 5 Message from the Chairman of Board of Trustees 7 Message from the Editor-in-Chief 8 Message from the GBC president 9 Highlights of Dr Pathak s visit to motherland 10 Post convention (2017) press release 13 Michigan Chapter activity Goals of BSNA 26 GBC officers Convention Announcement and Information 28 BSNA Activities & Chapters News 29 Obituries Festivals 35 Financial Information 38 P.O. Box Houston, TX Phone: Disclaimer: BSNA or the Editors take no responsibility for any views of the authors, errors or omissions. 2

3 Officers of Brahman Samaj of North America (BSNA) ( ) Executive Committee President Dr. Keshav Shukla (832) Executive Vice President Mr. Gopal Chaturvedi (951) Vice President Dr. Sanjay Pandey (760) Vice President (Canada) Dr. Lakshmi Shankar Dube (514) General Secretary Dr. Ashok Saraswat (909) Treasurer Mr. Satish Dubey (832) Assistant Treasurer Mrs. Neeru Birly (408) Web Manager/IT Director Dr. Sukrit Mukherjee (714) Editor of Brahma Bharati Dr. Sanjay Pandey (760) Editor of Brahma Vani Dr. Keshav Shukla (832) Editor of Brahmakulam Mr. Shiv Pathak (281)

4 Youth Group Committee Mr. Abhay S Dube Mrs. Aditi Mishra Mr. Shailendra Shukla Mr. Shailendra Tiwari Mr. Vishresht Pathak Mr. Aseem Trivedi Mr. Rahul Panedy Ms. Mokshika Sharma Mr. Partha Dwivedi Mr. Vineet Pandey Ms. Sonal Tiwary Ms. Aradhna Sharma -- President -- Vice President -- Vice President ---Vice President -- Vice President -- Vice President -- Vice President -- Vice President -- Vice President -- General Secretary -- Coordinator -- Coordinator BOARD OF TRUSTEES (BOT) Title Name State Telephone# Chairman Dr. Sen Pathak TX Member Dr. Yogendra Chaubey Canada sepathak@gmail.com yogen.chaubey@gmail.com Member Mr. Ajoy Dube CA adube4321@aol.com Member Dr. Shrikant Mishra CA shrimishra@msn.com Member Mrs. Vimlesh Misra PA vmisra42@gmail.com Member Dr. Vinod Mishra CA vmish@aol.com Member Dr. Akkaraju Sarma PA akkaraju1@gmail.com Member Mr. Praveen Sharma CA ps9258@gmail.com Member Dr. Manoj Shukla MS mshukla@icnanotox.org Member Dr. Shivendra Shukla MO shuklasd@missouri.edu Member Dr. GNR Tripathi IN gnrtripathi@gmail.com Note: LIST OF CHAPTER PRESIDENTS Will be published in Brahma Vani. 4

5 Brahma Bharati Volume 20 Number 1 (2018) Message from the President of BSNA Dear BSNA Families and Friends, I join the Executive Committee of BSNA to wish you, your family and friends a great 2018 blessed with good health, happiness, pleasure and prosperity. I am very pleased to inform you that 2017 was another very exciting and successful year enhancing and enriching our BSNA organization. We have taken several new initiatives and supported various community activities to fulfill the BSNA Mission to: Preserve, Promote, Protect and Advance Brahmanic Values, Vedic Culture and Heritage Provide a pla orm to all Brahmans to retain their cultural iden ty and tradi on Develop cultural awareness in youths, facilitate networking and mentoring Network, help each other and promote unity and brotherhood Endeavor to support interna onal community from all over the world Organize Annual Conven on to bring Brahmans across the globe to share their talents, exper se and experience, and define the future goals, among numerous ac vi es for youth and adults Some of the recent BSNA activities are highlighted below: Increased membership and various chapter activities, and created new chapters Involved more youth and created a youth team across North America, working on their increased activities Continued to support Matrimonial Services across North America, receiving a very encouraging and appreciative response from the entire community. Thanks to our Director of Matrimonial Services, Dr. Ajay Pandey, for his continued support. The enhancement of BSNA website is completed and will be launched soon. Thanks to our IT/Web Director, Dr. Sukrit Mukherjee, for his great effort and time to reshape the website. New logos of BSNA were designed and adopted during Thanks to our Youth Group President, Mr. Abhay Dube, for his advice and effort to help design the new logos. Sought tremendous support of Brahman community of North America and globally, including other Hindu communities Increased chapter activities on the regular basis, such as the celebration of festivals, picnics, workshops on yoga, spirituality and medicines, and promote youth activities 5

6 Brahma Bharati Volume 20 Number 1 (2018) Organized another very successful joint convention of BSNA and GBC in Detroit, Michigan, with numerous youth and adult participations. The events were full of excellent professional activities in areas of culture, music, spiritual, yoga, social, arts, science, medicine, engineering and technology, business, etc. We are very proud of our youth who are actively involved in several national and international community services. We thank Michigan Chapter, Convention Committee and Convention Director Dr. Ajay Pandey for organizing this wonderful convention and to volunteers for their active support. We were honored to have distinguished speakers and guests from North America/Canada and India, and especially the keynote speaker, Mrs. Mamta Tiwari from Maryland Published the convention souvenir magazine Brhama Vani and quarterly online magazine Brahma Bharati. They are also published online in the new Website format. Recognized several prominent members of the BSNA community including our Ellis Island Medal of Honor Awardee, Dr. Akkaraju Sarma, Professor Satish Tripathi, President of Buffalo University, Dr. Sen Pathak, Emeritus Professor at M.D. Anderson Hospital and BOT Chairman, donors and sponsors of the convention programs, among others. We are very proud of having several distinguished personalities in our BSNA community who are committed to extend their valuable services to promote the Brahmanic causes. We are committed to promote youth activities and bring more youth and young families in the mainstream of BSNA. Please visit for more detailed information about the activities of BSNA. Please plan early to attend our upcoming Convention, 23rd Convention of BSNA and 8th Convention of GBC, to be held on July 27-29, 2018 in Houston, Texas. Note that we are celebrating the 25 th anniversary (Silver Jubilee) of the foundation of BSNA established on September 3, Thanks to Dr. Sanjay Pandey, Editor-in-Chief of Brahma Bharati, for his valuable time and effort to make the publication of Bhrabhma Bharati possible. I thank you all for providing us your continued support to serve the BSNA family and carry it forward to protect, preserve, promote and advance Brahmanic values, culture and heritage. We wholeheartedly thank the BOT Chairman and members, Chapter Presidents and General Body Members of BSNA, and the President and members of GBC for their continued support. With Best Regards Dr. Keshav Shukla, President of BSNA & EC Members ॐ सह न ववत सह न भ न ॐ श श श सह व य करव वह त ज न वध तम म व ष वह May Supreme Lord protect us. May He nourish us. May we work together with great energy. May our intellect and wisdom grow. Let there be no Animosity amongst us. Om, peace, peace, peace Brahman Samaj of North America (BSNA) is an independent not-for-profit, charitable, cultural, educational and social organization approved under the Tax Exempt Code of US IRS Section 501 C (3). The contributions to BSNA are Tax Deductible in USA Message from Chairman, BSNA Board of Trustees 6

7 Dear Sisters and Brothers of BSNA Family, I take this opportunity to wish you all, your family and friends a very happy, healthy and prosperous New Year full of divinity. The execu ve commi ee (EC) under the leadership of BSNA President, Dr. Keshav Shukla, has been making an outstanding effort in serving the BSNA family through their various ac vi es, such as bringing more members, organizing the wonderful conven ons, youth ac vi es, workshops on science, yoga and spirituality, networking, mentoring, etc. and carrying it forward to promote the Brahmanic values, culture and heritage in North America and globally. I extend my sincere thanks and best wishes to each and every member of the Execu ve Commi ee, Board of Trustees, Conven on Organizing Commi ees and local and global Officers and Volunteers for their reless efforts to lead the organiza on to greater successes. I also extend my thanks to the GBC President, Dr. Shrikant Mishra Ji and officers who are wholeheartedly suppor ng the BSNA. My humble request, with folded hands to all Brahmans is to join hands collec vely in promo ng, preserving and protec ng Brahmanic values and work together to help mentor all our Brahman brothers and sisters and their children to find out their uniqueness and try achieving their goals in life. I wish you all the best in your careers and future endeavors. Sincerely, Sen Pathak Chairman, BOT sepathak@gmail.com 7

8 Message from the Editor of Brahma Bharati Dear BSNA family, I am pleased to continue as the editor of Brahma Bharati (BB), a quarterly online BSNA magazine. I would like to thank all of the authors who have contributed to this issue of BB. Similar to previous years, we continue to hold our annual conventions.however, this year we will be celebrating a special milestone, BSNA s 25 th anniversary! The celebration will take place in Houston, Texas from July 27 th to July 29 th. I invite you all to join this year s convention to foster the growth, teaching, and networking amongst our noteworthy members. The convention will also provide an excellent opportunity for members and youth to share their knowledge and experiences of Vedic culture and heritage as well as professional and business interests. The convention program will include various topics ranging from education, healthcare, social, cultural, religious, entrepreneurship, and many more topics for all age groups. There will be various social, cultural, educational and matrimonial programs. I would like to thank Dr. Keshav Shukla, my wife, Mrs. Archana Pandey and others for their help with this issue of BB. Lastly, the BB publication would not have been possible without the support from our readers and contributors. If you have any suggestions or comments on upcoming BB magazines, please let me know. Lets all start planning now to meet at the silver jubilee of BSNA and make it one very memorable convention! Best Wishes, Dr. Sanjay K. Pandey San Diego, California, Editor-in-Chief of Brahma Bharati President, San Diego Chapter Vice President of BSNA 8

9 Message from the President of GBC My Dear Brahman Bandhus, Executive Committee Members, Chair of BOT and Members, Chapter Presidents and General Body Members of BSNA and Executive Committee Members and Members of Global Brahman Confederation, It gives me great pleasure to serve as the president of GBC. I would like to share with you the completion of another year on January 2018 by my governing body. We have made great progress on our stated manifesto since the time of acceptance of the presidency of GBC. We had a very successful year. We had an outstanding BSNA and GBC convention in 2018 in Detroit, Michigan. We are going to have our 23 rd BSNA and 8 th GBC convention in Houston Texas under leadership of Keshav Shukla Ji, President of BSNA and Dr. Sanjay Pandey Ji, Vice President of BSNA. Now I want to take this time to discuss the challenges we need to overcome to reach our goals of promoting, preserving and protecting Brahmanic values. We need greater focus on networking, education, leadership, youth involvement, and funding. It is vital that we are all well connected through cultural, political, or professional networks to ensure inclusiveness amongst our community members. Since education is the foundation of any organization, we should establish study programs, seminars, Sanskrit and Vedic literacy missions to enhance Brahmin/Vedic/Scriptural knowledge. Creating Community Centre for Brahmins will also aid in this endeavor. We need greater leaders to help lead these initiatives. Therefore, leadership enhancement programs for both volunteers and professionals are necessary. More importantly, these programs should promote Brahman youth involvement at the global level. We need to make sure that the younger generation is prepared to carry on the teachings and values of the Braham community. Brahmans must take up again intellectual, spiritual, cultural, economic and socio-political leadership in India and across the globe. However, to carry out all the mentioned tasks, we need funding. With the help of your contributions, we can help fund these programs. Lastly, I want to urge all the participants from different parts of USA, Canada and other countries, particularly contingents from India, to work collectively to promote, preserve and protect Brahmanic values and help all Brahmans become capable of achieving their outstanding status in the modern age. Our leaders of BSNA are working for GBC convention in New Delhi, India. We should work collectively to achieve those stated goals and objectives. I can assure you that with your help we can and will be able to work on these achievable goals, Jai Parashuram. I look forward to seeing everyone at the next annual convention. Sincerely, Shri Kant Mishra MD MS ABMS FAN FNAA, FANA Professor of Neurology Keck School of Medicine of University of Southern California Clinical Professor of Neurology David Geffen School of Medicine UCLA Director of Neuromuscular Program VA GLA Health Care System and Olive View UCLA Medical Center Past President of BSNA and current President of Global Brahman Confederation 9

10 HIGHLIGHTS OF MY RECENT VISIT TO MOTHER LAND (BHARAT VARSH) By Dr Sen Pathak, BOT Chairman I take this opportunity to wish A Very Festive, Healthy and Prosperous New Year to all my Brahmin Sisters and Brothers. May the New Year of 2018 bring peace all over the world and fulfill your great desires in life and bless you with immense health and wealth. During the entire months of September/October, 2017, I had the fortune to visit my mother land. This trip was special for me because it was during the auspicious Hindu period of Peetri Pakschha (also called- Shradhya) to offer homage (Pind Daan) to our ancestors. While flying on my way to India, I was thinking why we do pay homage to our ancestors who are not with us anymore and have left their physical bodies. After a great thinking I came to the conclusion that in our body the genetic material units (genes) from father and mother, grandparents, great grandparents, and other ancestors are inherited. It is, therefore, logical to offer homage to our ancestors who have left for their heavenly abodes. After my arrival in the village Surhurpur, District Mau, U.P., India, I was informed to perform ancestral puja, also called Shradhya. I had to visit many ancient holy places that are historically somehow connected with Shradhya performance. With my younger brother Suresh Pathak, his son, Asit Kumar Pathak, three nephews and two priests who came from Vindhyachaal (near Varanasi), first day we all visited Awantikapur where King Janmajay had performed Havan (Yagna) for serpents of the world. Next day after a brief worship and Yagna, we started our trip to Varanasi where Pind Daan was performed. It was almost getting late in the evening evening when we drove to the real place to perform Pind Daan, Tarpan and Shradhya for our ancestors and that place is Gaya and Bodh Gaya in Bihar. Gaya city is surrounded by seven mountains, situated on the western side of the ancient river Falgu and considered one of the main pilgrimages of Bharat. It is considered to be a holy place of liberation for Hindus. Every year starting from the Bhadrapakschha Chaturdashi till Ashween Pakschha Amavashya for 17 days a fair (Mela) for our Ancestral Puja is held in Gaya. Hindu devotees from all walks of life, different parts of India and also from foreign countries were gathered in Gaya for the same purpose. It is believed that if a son performs the ritual of Pind Daan for his departed father in Gaya, during this period, he (son) may be liberated from the indebtedness of his father forever. It is also believed that the wandering Souls of his ancestors, after Pind Daan and Shradhya, achieve Peace and then rest in heaven. By making his ancestors happy, the son is blessed by the departed Souls to have a bright future and achieve everything in life. We were lucky enough to find hotel reservation in Bodh Gaya which is about ten miles away from Gaya. It took us almost four days to perform these rituals of Shradhya with the help of some local Priests (Pandas), some of whom were very accommodative and offered lodging and meal-preparation places to devotees. After returning to my village, a detailed Havan with chanting Vedic Mantras by local priests was performed. Then we visited Vindhyachal again to perform rituals related to Shradhya and offered pind Daan at Ram-Sheela on the bank of holy Ganges. As you can imagine, It took us several days to complete Shradhya, Tarpan and Pind Daan and I personally felt physically drained because of fasting and performing tedious rituals following the instructions of local priests and of those who accompanied us. I was fortunate to visit the famous temple in Bodh Gaya where Lord Budha had experienced the devine knowledge. After 15 days of interval during which I visited New Delhi, the last ritual at my village was the seven days of Shrimad Bhagwat Katha conducted by Pujyapad Paramhans Parivrajakacharya Shri Swami Gyanananda Saraswati Ji Maharaj, founder of Shrimadadya 10

11 Jagatguru Shankaracharya vedic shoadh Sansthhan Varanasi, Goverdhan ShriPeeth Dham Govardhan, Mathura and ShriKrushn Yogmaya Shakti Peetham Mata Asht-Bhuja Vindhaysini Dham at my village school named Raj kumari/ Vidyawati Balika College, Surhurpur. A great procession consisting of Elephant as a symbol of Lord Ganesh, horses, chariots, more than 251 school girls and several others who participated in Kalash Yatra to the holy River Tamsa and back to the Pandal (a distance of approximately three miles one way on foot) was organized on the day before the Katha. After the Viraam of 7 th day of Katha, a Bhandara (big Feast) was held at the Raj Kumari/Vidyawati Balika College where, I was told later on, that approximately 8,000 devotees enjoyed the Maha Prasadam. In between these rituals there was a gap of 15 days during which I visited Delhi State Cancer Institute (DSCI), Dilshad Garden, Delhi, on the kind invitation of Dr. R. K. Grover, Director, DSCI. My stay there was arranged at the International Guest House of Delhi University where I enjoyed lodging and the vegetarian dishes to my great satisfaction. Every day in the morning from 10: 30 to 12: 30, I delivered talks on Conventional and Molecular cytogenetics topics and their role (s) in cancer treatment, research and prevention to the undergraduate, postdoctoral students and the faculty/staff members. Afternoon was devoted in establishing the Cytogenetics Laboratory there to be devoted for cancer patient care and treatment. We were very happy to establish this kind of lab at DSCI and cultured the peripheral blood lymphocytes of Dr. R. K. Grover as our very first subject. The very first chromosome slide was prepared on October 12, 2017, on which Dr. Grover requested me to put my signature which I did. Of course, this day was celebrated with immense enthusiasm by the entire faculty and staff of DSCI as a historic day for the Institution. This service and research-oriented Molecular Cytogenetics lab one day hopefully would be the Center for Excellence in the country. It is also hoped to be a teaching and research facility, one of its kind in India where this particular discipline is in need of tremendous improvement. I was honored to be asked to perform the ribbon cutting ceremony for a conference hall which was next to the Molecular Cytogenetics lab which was to be devoted for future lectures and teaching purposes. During my stay there, I had the opportunity to meet the Health Minister of Delhi, Honorable Satyendra Jain Ji, who visited DSCI to inaugurate a wing and addition of 40 beds for cancer patients. During my meeting in the hall way and while sitting on the podium together, I requested him to make additional space available to the existing DSCI facility because of the enormous patient load. In principle he agreed to help. Next year in February, I will visit DSCI again to improve on the techniques on which we are working. We hope to identify individuals before they develop any kind of cancer after analyzing their genetic constitution. I am very hopeful that simple Molecular Cytogenetic study may be able to help us in the identification of cancer predisposed individuals. This may help in early cancer diagnosis, treatment and prevention. Sen Pathak, Ph.D., F. N. A. Sc. Distinguished Research Professor Department of Genetics, Unit # 1010 The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center Houston, Texas 77030, USA spathak@mdanderson.org 11

12 Pictures from Dr Sen Pathak s visit to India 12

13 Post-Convention 2017 Press Release Dear BSNA and GBC Families and the 2017 Convention Delegates and Attendees, It s our great pleasure to thank you all who attended and sponsored the 22 nd BSNA and 7 th GBC convention held in Pontiac (Detroit Metro Area), Michigan on July 28 30, We had an amazing time at the convention and enjoyed our stay, especially the superb convention activities. We thank everyone for the connections made, memories created, and laughs shared. Some highlights of the convention are detailed below. Friday s session on July 28 th kicked off with social hours, prayers and lighting ceremony. Executive and BOT meeting was followed by children s talent show which showcased Ganesh Stotram, Bansuri, Kathak, Bharatnatyam, and Bollywood Dance. After dinner, we had a diverse cultural program including piano, Bollywood songs, dances, violin, bhajans, and a brilliant fusion band. The night concluded with a hearty Kavi Sammelan of many excited participants. We also had parallel session for youth including a singles meet. Youth dance and game party was a hit with participating youth. Picture (L): Kamal Sharma ji and Rajesh Tiwari ji manning the registra on desk. Picture (R): Keshav Shukla ji, welcoming the convention guest. 13

14 Picture (Top): Ajay Pandey, Convention Director, welcoming the guest. Picture (Below):Youth group at the convention (L-R: Shalini, Manisha, Ankita, Rahul, Ashish, Saurabh, Dipika and Nikhil) Saturday July 29 th commenced with yoga session and Bhajans in early morning. After breakfast, the convention was inaugurated with Vedic Mantras, lamp lighting and Brahm Vandana. Welcome speech was delivered by Convention Director, Dr. Ajay Pandey who was followed by welcome speeches by the general Secretary of GBC, Mr. Subhash Tiwary, and President of BSNA, Dr. Keshav Shukla. Morning session included speeches by Dr. Akkaraju Sarma, Mrs. Supriya Sharma and Ms. Archana Panda. We also had two panel discussions in the morning. The first panel discussion on finding life partner was led by Ms. Ambika Shankar and included Saurabh Pandey, Ashish Tripathi, Manisha Sharma and Usha Bhatt as panelist. The second panel discussion was on Diet and Lifestyle and was led by Rahul Pandey and included Somnath Sharma, Sanjay Tiwari, Sen Pathak, Ankita Tiwari, Dhruv Acharya and Abhay Dubey as panelist. Afternoon included talks on health, finance, technology, spirituality and general interest by Sen Pathak, Brij Giri, Bishwambhar Mishra, Sukrit Mukherjee, Arun Tiwari, and Kewal Tiwari. Then came the Keynote Speech by the charismatic speaker Mrs. Mamta Tiwari, a Successful Entrepreneur and Community Leader, and co-chairman of GBC. Her poignant speech inspired many of the people in the audience to move towards action to 14

15 work towards their conviction. Family introduction was led by Vijay Mishra, who called each family on the stage where each family introduced themselves and had a portrait taken with a BSNA logo in the background. Kavi Sammelan in the evening was led by Ms. Archana Panda, who captivated the audience. Youth group had a dance party led by our own DJ Viraj Mishra. Picture (above): Convention in progress. Sunday (July 30 th ) morning activities got kicked off with Yoga by Yogi Arun Tiwari. After breakfast, morning session started with lamp lighting ceremony and chanting of mantras. Then General Body Meeting was called in session by Dr. Keshav Shukla, President of BSNA. The Executive Committee Members of BSNA present were Dr. Lakshmi Shankar Dube, Dr. Sanjay Pandey, Dr. Ashok Saraswat, Dr. Sukrit Mukherjee, Mr. Abhay Dube, and Dr. Ajay Pandey. The BSNA BOT members present were Mrs. Vimlesh Misra, Dr. Sen Pathak, Dr. GNR Tripathi and Dr. Akkaraju Sarma. The GBC officers present were Mr. Subhash Tiwary and Mrs. Mamta Tiwari among others. Dr. Keshav Shukla welcomed and thanked the delegates of both BSNA and GBC, and presented a brief account of the current and future planned activities of BSNA including its accounting procedure, matrimonial initiative, youth networking, scholarship, mentoring, new website format, and other details. Award ceremony was held to honor the contribution of volunteers and participants of youth group in various activities. BSNA and GBC convention was adjourned after a vote of thanks and a sumptuous lunch. One of the highlight of the convention was poster session for highlighting the volunteering effort of our members, especially the youth members. Poster session included posters by Brij Giri, Saurabh Pandey, Ankita Tiwari, Ajay Pandey, Dipika Tiwari, Neha Tiwari, Shalini Sharma, Rahul Pandey, Priyanka Pandey, Ashish Tripathi, and Ashutosh Tiwari. Picture (L): Saurabh Pandey discussing his poster. 15

16 Picture (Below): Youth dance group celebrating their performance. Picture (Above): Panel discussion on life and work balance We also introduced our convention slogan (Brahman Karma: Jan Kalyan, Brahman Dharma: Atma Gyan) and a special convention song. Convention song was composed by Tilak Sharma ji and was sung everyday before starting of different sessions. 16

17 Picture (Below): Award Ceremony Dr. Ajay and Mrs. Madhu Pandey, their children Priyanka, Rahul and Saurabh and extended families, along with the Convention Co-Director Mrs. Krishna Sharma, Michigan Chapter volunteers and convention committee members/senior advisers did a phenomenal job in organizing the convention. The convention support of the BSNA Executives, such as Mr. Gopal Chaturvedi, Dr. Sanjay Pandey, Dr. Lakshmi Shankar Dube, Dr. Ashok Saraswat, Mr. Satish Dube, Mrs. Neeru Birly, Dr. Sukrit Mukherjee, Mr. Abhay Dube, Mr. Shiv Pathak, Dr. Sen Pathak and others, and GBC Executives such as Dr. Shrikant Mishra, Subhash Tiwary and Mamta Tiwari and others, is greatly appreciated. 17

18 Picture: Some of the convention attendees Picture: Michigan Chapter attendees 18

19 Pictures, videos and more details from the convention will be posted on website and more to follow. Thank you again for enjoying the great weekend in Pontiac. We ll be announcing soon the 2018 Convention venue and date which will be held in Houston, TX. With Best Regards, Dr. Keshav Shukla President, BSNA & Dr. Ajay Pandey Michigan Chapter President and Convention Director 19

20 Michigan Chapter Acivities 2017 BSNA Michigan Celebrates Diwali 2017 Festival: Sunday-22 Oct, 2017 BSNA Michigan Member Families and Friends celebrated Diwali festival on Sunday, 22Oct2017. Meeting started with BSNA Vandana followed by brief introduction of families. All the members expressed their desire to help BSNA achieve its goal of providing a platform to North America Brahmin Families. Networking initiative was the most interesting topic discussed during the meeting. It was also decided that each BSNA family should have one on one get-together by hosting at least one family every month. After sumptuous dinner group went outside to celebrate Diwali. We had outdoor bonfire and fireworks which lasted for almost half an hour. Every person got a chance to engage in fireworks. Once the firework was over, everyone gathered around the bonfire and talked. Several members entertained the group by showing up their singing talent. We heard songs from different parts of India in Hindi, Bhojpuri, Bengali, Punjabi and Maithili. The whole atmosphere was captivating. Members attending the get-together were Chakradhar & Madhu Sharma, Somnath & Neha Sharma, Subham and Supriya Sharma, Anil and Sunita Tiwari, Rajesh Tiwari, Rahul & Jayanti Mishra, Reyansh Mishra, Kanak Giri, Priyanka Pandey, Ajay & Madhu Pandey. Attached are some pictures from the Diwali celebration. 20

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23 BSNA Michigan Chapter Celebrates Convention Success BSNA Michigan chapter member families and friends celebrated the convention success at a get-together at Kamal and Krishna Sharma ji s house on Saturday, 26th August Michigan chapter hosted 22 nd Annual Convention of BSNA and 7 th Annual Convention of GBC from July 28 30, 2017, in Auburn Hills Marriott, Pontiac, Michigan. Meeting was called to order and started with BSNA Vandana. Since we had some new families in the audience we had brief Introduction of the members. Convention report was presented by Ajay Pandey, convention director for the convention. Financial summary showed that the convention was a great success from financial perspective since it ended in surplus of fund. Although the surplus fund was not a huge amount, it is a positive sign for the future convention planner. Thanks to all the donors who made the financial situation a success. Actual accounting for the convention will be published in Brahma Bharti at a later date. Various aspect of convention was discussed by members. Members emphasized the need for a stronger BSNA. We need to focus on items which are important to the community. Activity items suggested were networking, local family get-together, volunteering, outing, religious discussion group, festival celebration etc. We had dinner with several items which were very tasty. The get together lasted almost till midnight. Members attending the meeting were Subham & Supriya Sharma, Chakradhar and Madhu Sharma, Purushottam and Kusum Sharma, Birj and Kanak Giri, Kamal and Krishna Sharma, Kewal and Vijaya Tewari, Somnath and Neha Sharma, Subhas and Sushila Upadhyay, Ajay & Madhu Pandey, Rajesh Tiwari, Anil Tiwari, Basant and Jayshree Mehta, Mr. & Mrs. Renuka Dwivedi, and Laxminarayan Nagaraj. 23

24 Picture (Above): Convention success celebration Picture (Below): Convention success celebration with sumptous dinner 24

25 Picture (Below): Certificate awarded for people who missed the award ceremony. 25

26 Goals of BSNA Since its inception in September of 1994, BSNA has made steady progress under the leadership of our previous presidents, EC, BOT members and BSNA members and sponsors. Our major goals are to protect, preserve, promote and advance Brahmanic values, culture and heritage as intended by the founding father and cofounders of BSNA with the vision to unite the Brahman society, up-lift different sections of the Brahman community via education, service, networking, and exchange of ideas, thereby contribute to the progress of entire community and humanity. Every member of BSNA is a volunteer and is associated with the organization to serve the community. The most important goals are to impart knowledge to our youth and younger generation and improve the value system of the society. The current EC and BOT would like to assure you that this progress continues and help BSNA attain new heights. Some of the ongoing efforts are highlighted below: Continue to unite Brahmans in North America (NA) including inactive BSNA members and bring various Brahman groups from different parts of India settled in NA to involve in BSNA and revive dormant chapters across NA Increase membership of youth and adult in NA, establish leadership programs for youth, support youth activities, encourage youth to express their views and organize youth convention, and develop interactive social networks for youth, adult and senior Brahmans Continue to provide free matrimonial services coordinated by our BOT member, Dr. Shivendra Shukla ji Revamp organizational infrastructure at local, regional, state and national and international levels. Provide global support and enhance international activities to needy Brahmans. Provide support for disadvantaged Brahman students through scholarship programs, and help settle new Brahman families arriving to NA and involve them in BSNA activities Use the recent most technology to make BSNA website more appealing under the guidance of Dr. Sukrit Mukherjee, and form a social network of NA Brahmans to enhance communication globally Stratify the goals in short term and long term periods. Be inclusive of yoga, science, engineering, medicine, business, culture and religion to educate Brahman family & others through conferences and news letters Continue to deliver the message to NA communities that BSNA is not a caste based organization, but a charitable, cultural, social, educational and religious organization to help all societies and youth and promote humane values Preplan for convention venues/activities in advance involving EC, BOT, chapter presidents and local members Continue to seek the advice from Senior Advisory Board, BOT members and former officials of EC/BOT Resolve any major issues amicably through mutual discussion, be respectful to seniors/others and promote family values/hindu culture among youth and adult. Acknowledge with due respect the time and effort offered by BSNA members and individual Brahmans for their community services Update Directory for Brahma Kulam, publish Brahma Bharati more frequently with educational, cultural and spiritual information to share with the entire Brahman community We need the support of all BSNA members to collectively accomplish our intended goals to Protect, Preserve, Promote and Advance Brahmanic Values, Culture and Heritage under the banner of BSNA. 26

27 GLOBAL BRAHMAN CONFEDERATION (GBC) OFFICERS ( ) PATRONS HH Shri Shri Puthige Swami Ji (India) Justice Giridhar Malaviya (India) Prof. Satish Tripathi (USA) Pt. Mange Ram Sharma (India) Justice B.M. Chaturvedi (India) Justice Ajay Prakash Mishra (India) BOARD OF TRUSTEES TBD Chair* Mrs. Mamta Tiwari (USA) - Co-Chair Mr. Mahendra Mishra (USA) Dr. Sen Pathak (USA) Dr. Lakshmi Shankar Dubey (Canada) Dr. Shivendra Shukla (USA) Mr. R.D. DIXIT (India) Mr. Govind Kulkarni (India) Mr. Shubhesh Sharman (India) Dr. Ram R. Shukla (India) Mr. Umakant Shukla (India) Mr. Dharanidher Trivedi (India) EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE President: Dr. Shrikant Mishra (USA) Executive Vice President Dr. Keshav Shukla (USA) Senior Vice President Mr. Uttam P. Tiwari (India) Vice President Each Member Organization Head General Secretary Mr. Subhash Tiwary (India) Treasurer Mr. Satish Dubey (USA) Editor, Vishva Brahma Bharati Dr. Sanjay Pandey (USA) Editor, Brahma Jyoti Dr. Keshav Shukla (USA) Manager/Editor, Web Page Dr. Sukrit Mukherjee (USA) Youth Wing Chair Ameeti Mishra (USA) Abhay Dube (Canada) Aseem Trivedi (USA) Shailendra Tiwari (USA) 27

28 Annual Convention 2018 Announcements A joint Annual Convention of BSNA and GBC will be held in Houston, Texas, during July 27-29, The convention detail will be provided by and through BSNA website soon. Matrimonial BSNA provides the opportunity to BSNA and GBC members for introducing potential matrimonial support. Dr Ajay Pandey (Michigan chapter president) is coordinating this task. More detail on the matrimonial support is available on For additional information, the parents, family members, unmarried boys and girls should contact: Dr. Ajay Pandey, ajaykp@yahoo.com; Tel: BSNA Website BSNA will be launching a more professional outlook of its website soon. Thanks to Dr. Sukrit Mukherjee for his time and effort to make it possible. BSNA Membership BSNA EC is working hard to bring more member under its umbrella, and is in the process of updating the list of life members, annual members and nonmembers for the regular contacts. 28

29 BSNA Chapter News Diwali Celebration 2017: Texas Chapter News (11 November 2017): Brahman Samaj of North America (BSNA) and Gujrati Brahman Samaj of Houston (GBSH) jointly celebrated Diwali Milan on November 11, 2017 at SRKT Temple. Happy Diwali and New Year! Welcome to the Brahman Samaj of North America Families. Brahman Samaj of North America (BSNA) is the largest Brahman organization with sole objective of bringing people with Brahmanic values together and help them seek their own cultural and social identity. It endeavors to create an international community of Brahmans. BSNA has won the acceptance and respect of a large number of highly distinguished people from all over the world. Our network and membership include spiritual leaders, scientists, engineers, doctors, lawyers, industrialists, and professionals from all walks of life. BSNA Motto: Preser e, Promote, Protect and Advance Brahmanic Values, Vedic Cult re and Heritage Provide a platfor to all Brahmans to retain their cult ral identit and t adition Develop cult ral awareness in youths, facilitate net orking and mentoring Net ork, help each other and promote unit and brotherhood Organize Annual Convention to bring Brahmans across the globe to share their talents, ex er ise and ex erience, and define the f t re goals, among numerous activities for youth and adults. Membership: Annual: $35; Life Time: $350 (Checks Payable to BSNA) Contacts Treasurer: Satish Dubey (dubeysatish@hotmail.com) Texas Chapter Activities: Chapter President: Mr. Gyanesh Dadhich (ngdadhich@yahoo.com) 2018 Convention Activities: Convention Director: Mrs. Abha Dwivedi (trans.abha@gmail.com) Global BSNA Activities: BSNA BOT Chair: Dr. Sen Pathak (sepathak@gmail.com) During the celebration several families became annual member of BSNA. Our mailing list will be updated soon to incorporate the names of new members from different regions. With Best Wishes and Regards Dr. Keshav Shukla, President of BSNA (drshuklak@gmail.com) 29

30 Workshop on Yoga: The yoga workshop was organized at India House by one of the BSNA members, Mrs. Anjana Pandey and was sponsored by BSNA Texas Chapter. We were lucky to have a very reputed and experienced personality on Yoga/Meditation visiting from India. A flyer of the event is enclosed. The event was open to all. Several people took the benefit of this exceptional opportunity. An evening of Yoga and Bhajan session was held at Indian House, Houston to fundraise for the Hurricane Harvey relief. The event was conducted by Mrs. Anjana Pandey and instructed by Mrs. Bharti Pandey (a yoga instructor and the Proctor of the Bharti Yoga Academy in Mumbai, India). The event was sponsored by the Brahmin Samaaj of North America (BSNA). The yoga session was based on Yoga Sutras of Patanjali. As per Patanjali, there are beneficial effects of yoga on humans. Some excerpts from the Patanjali Sutra that highlight this philosophy- Harmony with your thoughts and the ability to concentrate are attained by aligning the mutable aspects of humankind with a specific subject. chapter1 Allowing your thoughts to flow in an uninterrupted 30

31 From left to right: President BSNA Dr. Keshav Shukla, Mr. Sanjay Pandey and Mrs. Anjana Pandey (organizer yoga session) From left to right: Dr. Keshav Shukla (President BSNA), Mrs. Anjana Pandey, Smt. Bharti Pandey, Mrs. Abha Dwivedi (Regional Director), Mr. Gyanesh Dadhich (Texas BSNA President) Smt. Bharti Pandey From Left to Right:- Mr. Khurana (Harmonium) Musician with late Manna Dey, Anjana Pandey and Vocalist Bhargava Vasavada 31

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34 Obituries: Late Dr. Shiva Bajpai ( ) Dear BSNA Families and Friends, With heavy heart I would like to announce the sad demise of our beloved Dr. Shiva Bajpai ji. He passed away at his residence in the Pacific Palisades, Los Angeles, California, on Saturday, January 13, 2018, at the age of 84. His children and family members and some close friends (e.g., Dr. Shrikant Mishra, past president of BSNA and current President of GBC) were by his bed side. He passed away in peace. He had a long struggle with parkinson s disease. He is survived by his wife, daughter, son-in-law and grandson and his nephew in USA and several family members in India. Dr. Bajpai has been a key figure of BSN. As a life member of BSNA he served BSNA in various capacities and before his death he was the immediate past chairman of the Board of Trustees of BSNA and Chairman of Board of Trustees of Global Brahman Confederation (GBC). Dr. Bajpai had served as Professor of History and Director of Asian Studies at California State University, Northridge, Los Angeles, ( ) and as Professor Emeritus continued to teach till He has also taught at the Banaras Hindu University, India, ( ) and at the University of Minnesota ( ). He co-authored a major reference work: A Historical Atlas of South Asia (1978: University of Chicago Press) and co-authored a book, THE HISTORY OF HINDU INDIA, From Ancient to Modern Times Himalayan Academy, Hawaii. We are compiling from the various sources about his life time professional and social accomplishments which will be published separately in another Brahma Bharati Issue. BSNA family prays to the almighty Lord Shiva to provide the departed soul humble abode in the Swarglok and achieve Moksh. We extend our heartfelt condolences to Bajpai family and pray Lord to provide them strength to bear his great loss. BSNA and GBC Family 34

35 2018 FESTIVALS January 14th Makar Sankranti/Pongal/Lohri Makar Sankranti is a Hindu festival celebrated in almost all parts of India. It is a harvest festival that falls on the Magh month (Hindu Solar Calendar).Makar Sankranti marks the transition of the sun into the zodiacal sign of Makara (Capricorn) on its celestial path. The day is also believed to mark the arrival of spring in India and is a traditional event. Makara Sankranthi is a solar event making it one of the few Hindu festivals which fall on the same date in the Nepali calendar every year. In southern part of India, this festival is called as Pongal whereas in Punjab and adjacent area people celebrate it as Lohri. January 22 nd Vasant Pancahmi The celebration of the Vasant Panchami is centered on the Goddess Sarasvati. Sarasvati is the goddess of wisdom. She embodies the different facets of learning such as the sciences, arts, crafts and skills. She is said to be calm and collected. She is often pictured seated on a lotus or a peacock, wearing a white dress. February 13 -Maha Shivaratri is a Festival, which is celebrated in the honor of Lord Shiva. This globally celebrated festival is also known as Padma Rajarathri. Understanding the significance of this auspicious day, we thought of providing you the information on Maha Shivratri in Let's first know about the date and Muhurat of Mahashivratri in March 01- Holika Dahan 2018 will be celebrated on the 1 st March. As the spring approaches the world around dons a colorful attire. Holi is celebrated on the full Moon day of the Hindu month Phagun which is a day after Holika Dahan. It seems like a nature's way of telling us to enjoy the colorful makeover that it has bestowed us with. The winter declines to welcome the dancing spring. March 02 -Holi Every year, Holi is celebrated on the full moon day in the the Hindu month, Phalgun. In 2018, Holi celebration date is on March 2 nd. Arrival of Holi calls for fun, entertainment, enjoyment, get together, lots of music and dancing, along with colorful environment all around. 17th of March, Chaitra Navratri (Vasant Navratri 2018) is going to start from also known as Basant Navratri or Chaitra Navratri. The ninth day of Vasant Navratri coincides with Ram Navami, hence it is also considered as Ram Navami at some places. 17th March-Gudi Padwa Gudi Padwa is the Marathi New Year. In addition to Maharashtra, Gudi Padwa is also the New Year of Goa and parts of Karnataka. Gudi Padwa commemorates many legendry events. One legend signifies the defeat of Shakas by Shaliavahan. Some people commemorate the victory of Chhatrapati Shivaji on this day. 17th March-Yugadi or Ugadi The term Ugadi or Yugadi is taken from the Sanskrit language where 'Yuga' stands for 'age' and the word 'Adi' means 'beginning'. So, the entire word Ugadi means, 'a new age beginning'. It is also said that Lord Brahma started creating universe on this day, hence it is called Ugadi. March 25th -Ram Navami is a Hindu festival. Ram Navmi is celebrated to commemorate the birth of Lord Ram to King Dashrath and her wife, Queen Kaushalya of Ayodhya. Lord Ram was the seventh Avatar or incarnation of Lord Vishnu. Ram Navami falls on the ninth day of Shukla Paksha in the month of Chaitra as per the Hindu calendar. The festival marks the end of nine day long festival of Navratri. Rama Navmi is a glorious festival that also goes by the term Chaitra Masa Shukla Paksha Navami. It is the last day of the Chaitra Navratri. 35

36 March 30-Hanuman Jayanti Hanuman Jayanti, also known as Hanumath Jayanti, is the auspicious day when birth of Lord Hanuman, the Monkey God, is celebrated. This day occurs on Chaitra Purnima (Full Moon day). It is a widely known fact that Hanuman is the son of Kesari and Anjana; however, Pavan Deva or Vayu Deva (God of Wind) also has a major role in Lord Hanuman's birth. This is the reason why Rudra (another name for Hanuman) is also known as Pavan Putra, the son of Vayu. April 14 Baisakhi Baisakhi in 2018 is marking the commencement of the solar year; and in Punjab, it is celebrated as the New Year. On the event of Vaisakhi, devotees show gratitude towards the Almighty for granting them with good harvest. Baisakhi has special importance in Sikhism, as this is the day on which Guru Gobind Singh Ji (the tenth guru) established the Khalsa Panth. April 18 th Akshaya Tritiya Akshay Tritiya, also known as Akha Teej, is celebrated on the third day of Shukla Paksha (bright fortnight) of the Hindu month of Vaisakha. Akha Teej or Akshaya Tritiya and Parashurama Jayanti occurs on the same day. Parshurama Jayanti is observed as the birthday of Lord Parashurama, sixth incarnation of Lord Vishnu. Akshaya means 'never diminishing', and same is Akshaya Tritiya's significance in Hindu Calendar. May 23 rd Ganga Dussehra Ganga Dussehra in 2018 is being celebrated on 23 rd June. According to Hindu lunar calendar, every year, Ganga Dussehra is celebrated on the tenth day of the bright half of the Hindu month Jyeshtha. As per Gregorian calendar, the month of Jyeshtha falls in between the months of May-June. This pious festival is also known as Gangavataran. It is a Sanskrit word, which is formed after the conjunction of two words - Ganga + Avataran. Ganga is the name of the Goddess and Avataran means landing down. Hence, it actually means the descent of the Holy River Ganga. June 23 rd Nirjala Ekadashi Nirjala Ekadashi is one of the most important of all 24 Ekadashis that fall during a year. This day got its name from the way of fasting that is performed on this day. The uniqueness of this day is defined, further. Go ahead and look out for the speciality of the day of Nirjala Ekadashi. July 9 th Yogini Ekadashi The Ekadashi that occurs in the dark fortnight (Krishna Paksha) of the Hindu month Ashadha is called the Yogini Ekadashi. It is said that if someone keeps the Yogini Ekadasi fast, he/she gets liberated from all the materialistic greed of this world. Yogini Ekadashi is also supposed to be the one that nullifies all the ill thoughts and helps in getting rid of all the sins committed. So, on this Yogini Ekadashi in 2015, feel relieved from the affection of materialistic world and find peace in heart. Yogini Ekadashi is the one that gives one, the relief from the materialistic world and the existence of the evils in life. If someone observes the Yogini Ekadasi Vrat, he/she attains higher levels of spirituality and gets the chance to reach the heavenly abode. Hence, observe the Yogini Ekadashi 2018 fast and get the blessings of Lord Vishnu, to reach his heavenly abode and getting away from all the tensions. July 14 th Puri Jagannath Rath Yatra Lord Jagannath is also considered as another form of Lord Vishnu. Jagannath Temple is one of the four Sanctum Sanctorums of India. These four Holy stations are collectively known as 'Char Dham'. It is believed that if a person travels through all these four Holy Sanctum Sactorums attains salvation. At Puri, Lord Jagannath is worshipped along with His brother Balabhadra and sister Devi Subhadra. Car Festival commemorates the annual visit of Lord Jagannath to the Gundicha Mata Temple. 36

37 July 22 nd Devshayani Ekadashi The term Ekadashi means the eleventh day of the Hindu calendar. Out of all the Ekadashis, Devshayani Ekadashi is considered to be the most significant one. The day of Devshayani Ekadashi is observed during the Shukla Paksha (dark fortnight) of the Hindu month of Ashada. As per the Gregorian calendar, it is the month of June-July. Devshayani Ekadashi is also known by the following names of Maha Ekadashi, Ashadi Ekadashi, Toli Ekadashi, Padma Ekadashi, Devpodhi Ekadashi and Hari Sayana Ekadasi. This day is dedicated to all the persons, teachers or things from which we all have learnt something. It is the time to express your love and warmth to all those who have believed in you and who helped you in excelling in what ever way you wished to. As per Hindu mythology, the day of Guru Purnima is dedicated to Ved Vyas (the greatest guru of all times). That is why it is also named as Vyasa Purnima. So, this Guru Purnima or Vyasa Purnima in 2015 dont forget to thank all the people or things who have acted as a Guru. Even if a book had been the greatest mentor for you of all times, this is the day to show your gratitude toward it. ग ग व ण ग द व मह र ग स पर त म ग रव नम July 28 th -Sawan begins Savan, also known as Shravana or Sawan, is the fifth month of Hindu calendar. The month of Sawan commences during the month of July and ends in the latter part of the month of August. Sawan is considered to be one of the most pleasant months according to the Hindu calendar, as it gives us divine relief from the scorching summer with pleasant drops of rain. Saavn is also referred to as one of the most festive months in India. The month of Shravan brings you many holy opportunities to please the Lord. Saavn is also known as 'Avni' in Tamil. With the commencement of the month of Sawan, Sun enters Leo. Each day of the Shravan (or Saavn) holds its own religious significance. Hence, the whole Saawan can be termed as the host of auspicious days. August 15th Nag Pancahmi August 25 th Raksha Bandhan September 1 st Balram Jayanti September 11 th Hartalika Teej September 2 nd /3rd Shri Krishna Janmashtami September 12 th Shri Ganesh Chaturthi September 25 th to October 8 th Pitrupaksha October 9 to 18 th Navratri October 18 th Dussehra October 27 th Karwa Chauth November 4 th Dhan Teras November 7 th Depaawali, November 22 nd Dev Dewali, Kartik Purnima December 15 th Dhanu Sankranti 37