India HeraldWeb: www.india-herald.com • Email: editor@india-herald.com • Tel: 281-980-6746

Dussehra 2014

Chinmaya Mission Houston members celebrate Navaratri at Stafford Center with traditional Aarti, above, and dance below, on Sept. 27, 2014. —Photos JAYESH MISTRY

PAGE 2 • INDIA HERALD • DUSSEHRA 2014

Chinmaya Mission celebrates Navaratri

Navratri means nine nights which are dedicated to Mother – the Adi Sakti. This beauti-ful festival comes every year but just like the rising sun has a new charm every single day, similarly year after year it fl ourishes the devotees’ hearts with new enthusiasm and de-votion.

Friday night marked yet another annual celebration of Navaratri for Chinmaya Mis-sion Houston family. The fes-tive scene at the Stafford Cen-ter was resplendent in colorful decorations as the members entered the main Garaba Hall. The joyous atmosphere with members dressed in colorful saris, chaniya cholis and Indian ethnic clothes, the warm greet-ings of “Hari Om” and “Happy

Navaratri” amongst the mem-ber and delicious food catered by Madras Pavilion delighted adults, youth and children alike.

This devotional celebration of Navratri began precisely at 7:00 PM with prayers to God-desses Durga, Sarasvati and Lakshmi who embody the three female qualities of courage, wealth and knowledge; and invocation to Pujya Gurudeva Swami Chinmayananda.

To watch CMH family mem-bers dancing around the center decorations to the rhythm of the beats was a treat to everyone’s eyes. But most of all it was the music, melodious singing of talented singers juxtaposed on reverberating music that was impossible to resist danc-

ing too. A special music team consisting of singers, Ruchira Shah, Rucha Sheth, Priya Mo-han, Badal Dave, with Darshak Thaker on drums, Kamal Haji on Key board and Srinivasan Raju as stage manager worked very hard to put up melodious music that consisted of mixture of classic and new Garabas. The MC Mr. Devang Shelat was very energetic, full of life and humor and energized all the danceers, himself dancing on the stage. A special treat in music was Sanedo sung by the music team, which was es-pecially written for Chinmaya Mission in Hindi by mission’s very own poetess Uma Aggar-wal.

Devotion and joy that fi lled hearts spilled over and was

shared by all as they reveled in the oneness, togetherness and connection.

This Navaratri celebration brought joy to each and every one in a special way. One long term Mission member felt that the dance helped her to bask in the joy of oneness – the cen-tral theme of Vedanta teaching. For another member it was a great occasion to connect with the Mission family at large - reinforce existing relation-ships, catch with old friends and learn more about acquain-tances. Then for One Balavi-har high school student it was pure fun to celebrate with her classmates. She said “As a child, I remember seeing all the older kids doing complicated and fun steps during Dandiya,

but this year I was fi nally old enough to be one of those older kids.” There was a huge sense of unity among all members – children, high school students, young adults, past students and adults, CHYKs all dancing in the same line, and while it was tiring, it was a blast, dancing with all my friends.

For more information on Chinmaya Mission Houston and Sri Saumyakasi Sivalaya and, its activities visit www.chinmayahouston.org or Call Jay Deshmukh 832 541 0059 or Bharati Sutaria 281-933-0233.

— By Uma Aggarwal and Vinod Sharma

Photos by Jayesh Mistry

Diff erent avatars of

Lord Vishnu

on display

as a part of

the Navaratri

“Golu” (Deck of

dolls), a south

Indian tradition

at the Sugar

Land home of

Roopa and

Balakrishnan.

INDIA HERALD • DUSSEHRA 2014 • PAGE 3

Get ready Houston!During the most auspicious

month of Kartik (October - No-vember) we provide you oppor-tunities for two great festivals to look forward to at ISKCON of Houston located at 1320 West 34th Street in the Heights area. Diwali, a festival of lights, will be celebrated on Thursday, 23rd of October and Govardhan Puja (New Year), on Friday, 24th.

Diwali, also referred to as Deepavali literally means “row of lights”. While this festival is traditionally celebrated by lighting lamps, on a deeper lev-el it signifi es the victory of good over evil and the journey of a soul from darkness to light. As described in ancient texts of Ra-mayan, Diwali commemorates the day Lord Rama returned to His kingdom after defeating the evil King Ravana.

The text of Mahabharata has mentioned this day as the day the Pandavas returned from their exile. Refl ecting on scrip-tural signifi cance of this day one has a chance to deepen one’s own faith and also to celebrate this festival with love, light and joy. ISKCON of Houston - as a time-honored tradition - will have a spectacular candle light arati in the newly constructed grand temple at 7 p.m. on Thurs-day. Program will begin at 6:30 pm to set the mood, there will be a talk about the signifi cance of this auspicious occasion be-fore the evening culminates in a most beautiful candle light dar-shan of the Deities.

The glorious celebration of Govardhan Puja (New Year) begins with mangala arati, the greeting of Deities with lamps, the very next morning at 4:30 am. Govardhan Puja is a festi-val inaugurated by none other than Lord Krishna Himself when He manifested His divine past times in the sacred land of Vrindavan. After convinc-ing His father Nanda Maharaj, that the worship of demigods is futile and it was the sacred hill of Govardhan that was provid-ing for all their necessities, He prescribed the form of worship to Govardhan.

The festival is celebrated by offering hundreds of deli-cious bhoga preparations that devotees make with love and affection to offer to Giriraj - King of all hills, who once car-ried Krishna and His cowherd friends. This day also reminds us that Krishna protects His devotees in all calamities when he performed the past time of lifting Govardhan to shelter the residents of Vrindavan from tor-rential rain that Indra - the God of rain, sent to punish them for neglecting His worship.

Govardhan hill is considered as one of the most holy sites for followers of the Gaudiya Vaisnava tradition. ISKCON of Houston is fortunate to host an actual shila (sacred rock) from the very same Govard-han. On Friday, you can witness

abhishek of Sri Giriraj shila, which refers to the bathing of this Deity in auspicious sub-stances such as milk, honey and fresh fruit nectars. Abhishek is at 7 pm, followed by discourse. All the variety of cakes, sweets, pudding, breads, sweet rice and many more foodstuffs are offered to Giriraj Govardhan. This is known as annakut dar-shan (mountain of food). After offering the delicacies to Giri-raj Govardhan, the feast will be served to everyone.

This festival bonanza is not to be missed and the free vegan/vegetarian dinner feast on both days is simply a delicious bo-nus! For more details, call at 713-686-4482 OR visit 1320 W 34th Street, Houston TX 77018 and http://www.iskconhouston.org/

Celebrate with ISKCON of Houston - Diwali &

Govardhan Pooja, Oct. 23- 24Beetroot Kabab

Lotus Root with Honey-Chilli

SauceIngredients: 2 lb Lotus Root

(available, sliced, in most Chi-nese/Asian stores), 2 tsp chopped Ginger, 2 tsp chopped Garlic, 1 tbsp Red Chilli paste, 1 tbsp

Ketchup, 1 Tbsp Honey, 2 tbsp Corn starch, 1 tsp Soya sauce, 1 tsp vinegar, spring onion to gar-nish, salt and white pepper pow-der to taste, oil for frying.

Method: Slice Lotus root, add some corn starch and toss. In a nonstick pan, add oil, fry lotus root and set aside. In an-other pan, add some oil add gin-ger and garlic and saute. Add all spices - vinegar, honey and soy sauce. Stir continuously and make sure it cooks well. Add a little water and the fried Lotus root and cook.

Take a small bowl, add some water and corn starch and mix well. Add into the sauce to make it thick and coating consistency. Garnish with chopped spring onion and serve hot.

Ingredients: 5 Beetroots, peeled, grated: 1 Potato, boiled, grated; 1-1/2 tsp Ginger, peeled, chopped, 3 tbsp Garlic, chopped; 3 tsp Green Chilies, chopped; 1/2 tsp Amchoor powder, 1/2 tsp Chaat masala, 1/2 tsp Garam Masala, 1 tbsp Lemon juice, 3 to 4 tbsp Besan, 2 tbsp Corn starch, 2 tbsp Butter, Salt to taste.

Method: Heat butter, add ginger, garlic chilli paste and saute. Then add grated beetroot and potato and saute till mois-

ture is dried up. Make sure that Beetroot is completely cooked and mash. All all spices and lem-on juice. Mix well and transfer to a bowl. Add coating agents Besan and Corn starch (you can also add bread crumbs - optional). Mix well.

Divide dough into 6 or 7 balls and fl atten each in your palm to make a Tikki.

Heat a nonstick pan, add some butter and cook Kababs on medi-um heat. Flip both sides to make sure Kababs are cooked. It is a very soft Kabab. Serve hot with mint and tamarind chutney.

Recipes by Chef Nirmaan Shah of Shivam Caterers. Specializing in customized menu for all celebrations. He can be reached at 1-855-647-6226

CHEF’S CORNER

PAGE 4 • INDIA HERALD • DUSSEHRA 2014 INDIA HERALD • DUSSERHA 2014 • PAGE 5

In the home of Roopa and Balakrishnan in Sugar Land, the golu centers on the theme of Shiva, Ganesha and Muruga. A large col-lection of over 325 dolls with stories and displays engrosses visi-tors. As one strolls around the house, the diff erent art work of paper mache dolls amazes the observers.

Bommai (Doll) Golu is the artistic display of dolls on numbered tiers or steps, usually made of wood. The nine steps represent the nine days of Navaratri. Traditionally, a few top steps include idols of gods and a kalash (ceremonial jar) with fresh water, covered with a coconut and mango leaves. The next few steps have idols of saints and heroes of the country. Another step represents human activities, depicting functions such as marriage, temples, and an orchestra or music band. Business is usually represented by the Chettiar set of dolls, with shop items and wooden dolls called Marapachi dressed in colorful clothes. Today, Golu has the thematic representation of ancient stories, depicting scenes from the Ramayan and Mahabharat, among others. It is a custom to add a few new dolls every year and some are based on contemporary themes, including social and political ethos of the day. On the tenth and last day of the festival, the Golu dolls are symbolically put to sleep and packed the next day to be brought out of the boxes the following year. Here are some glimpses of the tradition in south Indian households in the Sugar Land area.

Deck of dollsSouth Indian Style

Th e traditional setup of the dolls in the home of Nappinnai and Raja Amirthalingam in Sugar Land.

Sheila and Sriram stand in front of the doll display in their Riverstone home in Sugar Land.

Mount Kailash, below, recreation of Lord Ayyappa and Sabarimalai, right, and the conventional doll displays, right top, and right bottom, are also in the Srirams residence.

Mehaa and Layaa Raja in the midst of the display.

Below, Kumbakarna on display in the Raja household.

A will is one of the most important documents you’ll ever create in your lifetime. Your will can clearly state who will be guardian of your minor children, who will inherit your assets, when they will inherit your assets, and any conditions that must be met for them to receive your assets. Yet, according to a legal services website RocketLawyer.com, almost 50% of Americans do not have a will.1

If you die without a valid will, the court does not have your instruc-tions to follow, and it has no way of knowing how you may have wanted to distribute your assets. The state where you lived steps in and makes the decisions for you, according to the distribution schedule set forth in its intestacy statutes. The state’s de-cisions may or may not conform to your wishes, or do what is best for the people closest to you. And your loved ones will likely have to hire an attorney and incur delays to deter-mine who will receive your assets.

Common misconceptions.

My assets are so small that a will is not necessary.

You are generally worth more than you think. Even if some pos-sessions do not hold great monetary value, they could hold an enormous amount of sentimental value—and that’s something you can’t put a price

The Importance of creating a will

on. Failing to indicate who receives these treasures in your will can cause friction among family members that lasts for decades.

When I die, my spouse will get all of my assets.

Maybe, and maybe not. Any assets held jointly with right of survivor-ship automatically pass to the joint owner. And assets with a benefi ciary designation, such as IRAs, life insur-ance, and annuities, pass as stated on the benefi ciary form. What happens when your surviving spouse dies? What happens if your benefi ciary form is outdated? Will your children receive their share at too early an age? Does your spouse have the fi nancial skill to manage the family wealth?

I can create a will on my own and save the legal costs.

“Do-it-yourself” wills often do not contain all of the necessary compo-nents as required by state law. Any-one who might benefi t from an in-validation of your will can contest it, and if the courts decide in his or her favor, your estate may have to pay for all legal costs. The few dollars you save now can cost your loved ones thousands of dollars later.

I don’t want my fi nal wishes to be set in stone. I’ll create a will later in my life.

The terms of a will can change as often as needed. Legal experts agree that you should reexamine your will

periodically to make sure it is up-to-date. A will should receive a “checkup” when-ever there is a substantial change in your life.

How to create a will.Drafting a will is diffi cult and is not an

endeavor you want to tackle single-hand-edly. It’s important that you call on the services of an estate-planning lawyer. A lawyer might help you:

• Determine what type of will you need• Make the right decisions as to how

your assets should pass• Change the terms of an existing will,

if appropriate• Save on estate taxes• Take advantage of estate planning op-

portunities people often overlook

Life insurance and wills.How does life insurance fi t into the

picture? Life insurance is a vehicle you can use to help make sure your estate has the cash needed to pay expenses at your death, such as funeral costs, debts, and es-tate taxes. Without liquid assets, the estate may be forced to sell assets—securities may have to be sold in a down market and other assets may have to be liquidated at a discount. In most instances, life insurance proceeds are paid income tax-free to your benefi ciaries. If desired, life insurance can

be owned by a trust or a third party and also not be subject to estate taxes.

Don’t wait until it’s too late.Creating a will forces each of us to come face-to-

face with our own mortality—and dealing with death is diffi cult. But it will be much more diffi cult for your loved ones if you don’t have a will. To ensure that your will is legally viable, seek the services of a qualifi ed attorney to draft and refi ne it.

This educational third-party article is provided as a courtesy by Amiralli Dodhiya (Amir), Agent, New York Life Insurance Company. To learn more about the information or topics discussed, please contact Amir Dodhiya at ph: 832-877-0177.

Neither New York Life, nor its agents, provides tax, legal, or accounting advice. Please consult your own tax, legal, or accounting professional before making any decisions.

1Yahoo! Finance, “Half of Americans with Kids Set to Die Without a Will,” May 6, 2012, Lisa Scherzer, The Exchange, http://finance.yahoo.com/blogs/the-exchange/half-americans-set-die-without-193140015.html.

SMRU Approval: 515347 (exp. 08/19/15)

Amir Dodhiya, Agent

Key Message: A will gives you control over how and when your assets are distributed after your death.

PAGE 6 • INDIA HERALD • DUSSEHRA 2014

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By John W VargheseReal Estate is one of the invest-

ments options for anyone to grow wealth.

This is a good time to invest be-cause of the combination of low in-terest rates and low purchase price where investors can get approxi-mately 8% or higher rate of return on investment.

Due to the number of people relo-cating to Houston, house prices are likely to go up in the future so it's a great time to buy now.

The interest rate on bank deposits are very low, as you know, compared to the rate of return with real estate.

Being busy with their career people often worry about the time and pain that comes along with maintaining the property, Keep in mind, though, that every job /career has its own chal-lenges; however, it all boils down to the attitude what we have. The good news is that you can get a property manager to take care of all the prop-erty maintenance responsibility.

Start with a primary home - if you are renting right now, there is no rea-son to pay someone else's mortgage.

Americans today are more likely to think real estate is the best option for long-term investments than in the past, ranking it ahead of gold and stocks,

according to a recent Gallup poll. Gallup's April 3-6 Economy and Personal Finances poll that asked Americans to choose the best option for long-term investments: real estate, stocks and mutual funds, gold, sav-ings accounts and CDs, or bonds. Prior to 2011, Gallup asked the same question, but did not include gold as an option.

the question, half of Americans said real estate was the best in-vestment choice.

Stock values have also been improving in recent years, aid-ed particularly by the bull mar-ket in 2013. The 24% of Amer-icans who regard stocks as the best long-term investment is also higher now, up from 19% in 2012. Still, Americans are modestly more likely to say real estate is the better invest-ment today, perhaps because of the recent volatility in the stock market.

Lower-income Americans, those living in households with less than $30,000 in annual income, are the most likely to say gold is the best long-term investment choice, at 31%. Upper-income Americans are the least likely to name gold, at 18%.

Upper-income Americans are much more likely to say real estate and stocks are the best investment, possibly be-cause of their experience with these types of investments. Upper-income Americans are most likely to say they own their home, at 87%, followed by middle (66%) and lower-in-come Americans (36%). Gallup found that homeowners (33%) are slightly more likely than renters (24%) to say real estate is the best choice for long-term investments.

Americans between 18 and

29 years old are almost evenly split, with about one-quarter each saying real estate, stocks, gold, and savings accounts are the best choices for long-term investments. However, the 23% who said savings accounts is much higher than the percentage who gave this same answer in older age groups.

With housing prices improving across the country, Ameri-cans are regaining faith that real estate is the best choice for long-term investments. But home ownership is also associ-ated with views of real estate as an attractive investment op-portunity. This leaves groups with lower home ownership rates, like lower-income and younger Americans, still looking elsewhere for investment options.

Likewise, stock values have been improving and Ameri-cans are more likely now than in recent years to say stocks are the best investment, though more still choose real estate. That could be partly attributable to more Americans owning a home than owning stocks, but could also be related to recent volatility in stocks this year, especially during the time the sur-vey was conducted.

Different investment options historically offer different lev-els of risk and different rewards. Savings accounts and bonds are historically safe, but do not offer as high of returns, and Americans typically don't regard those as the best invest-ments. While stocks can be more volatile, they also can of-fer huge returns. What Americans view as the best choice for investing refl ects myriad factors and is infl uenced by how the investment is currently performing and respondents' biases to-ward where they are invested.

Americans Sold on Real Estate as Best Long-Term Investment

Gold was the most popular long-term investment among Americans in 2011 -- a time when gold was at its highest market price and real es-tate and stock values were lower than they are today. Gold prices dropped signifi cantly after that and it lost favor with Americans. The 24% of Americans who currently name gold as the best long-term investment ties with the 24% who choose stocks.

Bonds have been Americans' least favored investment option for as long as Gallup has been asking the ques-tion. Savings accounts and CDs, on the other hand, have been more pop-ular in the past. In September 2008, before gold was an option and at a time when the real estate and stock markets were tanking, savings ac-counts were the most popular long-term investment among Americans.

This year, the housing market has been improving across the U.S. and home prices have recently been ris-ing after a steep drop in 2007 dur-ing the subprime mortgage crisis. This current improvement in prices may be why more Americans now consider real estate the best option for long-term investments. In 2002, during the real estate boom that pre-ceded the mortgage crisis, and be-fore gold was offered as an option in

John W Varghese NMLS # 349182Real Estate Broker / Partner

Stanley John Realtors920 FM 1920 • Stafford, TX 77477.

832-877-5545 (direct) or 281-969-8701 (offi ce).

PAGE 8 • INDIA HERALD • DUSSEHRA 2014