spandan 08 2010 - gsca

In this Issue:

• Message from the

Chairman’s Desk

• Gumnami Baba?

• Travelogue

California Zephyr

• AN APPEAL from BOT

• EVENT PHOTOS

• Mountain Landscape

• Tastee BITES recipe

• I Write For No One But

Me

• Bengali Calendar

• Upcoming Events

• KIDS KORNER

• Kids write poems on

Life, Summer & Light

• NEW MEMBERS

• BOT Contacts

• Editorial Info

GSCA Newsletter 2010 ● Volume 2: Summer Edition ● www.gsca.us

say anything that is true but not pleasant. We are now a 150 member organization of diversified talents and unlimited enthusiasm. We are organizing events all year round that interest all of us as well as our community. So many things are going on around us. A month ago, we celebrated “Members Day”, an event where almost eighty members and guests showed up just to have fun. We had a great occasion to chat and enjoy delicious Indian food. Thanks to the Recreation Committee for arranging such an interesting event. Not long after we were faced with the shocking news that just weeks ago Dr. Divyendu Sinha, a fellow Professor and resident of Old Bridge, while taking a casual stroll with his family, after dinner, in his own neighborhood, was savagely attacked by a gang of teenagers and was severely beaten. Dr. Sinha died in Hospital two days later. He was only 49. Speculations are going on whether this was a hate crime or an antisocial activity. But a promising innocent life is lost forever. Question Is,”How safe are we in this country?” We, as a part of Indian Community condemn this brutal murder and express our deepest condolences for the surviving traumatized family.

- Sadhan Guha, Chairman, GSCA

S P A N D A N G.S.C.A. Newsletter – Independence Day ISSUE - 2010

Happy Independence Day to all of you. It’s a great honor for me to address this column. This is a space created by a few GSCA members who enthusiastically added this colorful Newsletter to GSCA’s structure. We look better & better every year. Thanks to the PRC Group. I’m not a writer and I cannot write pages and pages without any effort. But I consider it as a blessing. In my early life I learned the lesson, “Satang Bruaat, Ma Leekho”- It is in Sanskrit Language and means -- Speak hundreds of words, but don’t write anything. But I’ll say this, “Email” has caused lot of damage to GSCA. It has become the easiest and strongest weapon to attack individuals who are similar to each other in many aspects but disagree on some issue that results in an abrupt discontinuation of their long lasting friendship. I blame it on “E-mail”. I remember one more Sanskrit Verse, “Saatayam Bruaat, Preom Bruaat, Ma Bruaat Satyamm Aapreom”, meaning – Speak the Truth, Speak what pleases others, Don’t

Message from the Chairman’s Desk

Wishing all of you Happy Independence Day and hope that

your summer will be full of activities that bring you and your

family happiness and joy.

Saraswati Puja


Subhas Chandra Bose (Bengali:�� ) born 23 January 1897, popularly known as Netaji, was one of

the most influential and popular leaders in the Indian independence movement and is remembered as a legendary figure in India even today. Bose advocated complete freedom for India at the earliest. Other younger leaders including Jawaharlal Nehru supported Bose, and finally at the historic Lahore Congress convention, the Congress adopted Purna Swaraj (complete independence) as its motto. Bose was elected president of the Indian National Congress for two consecutive terms, but had to resign from the post following ideological conflicts with Mohandas K. Gandhi. Bose believed that Gandhi's tactics of non-violence would never be sufficient to secure India's independence, and advocated violent resistance. He was imprisoned by the British authorities eleven times. His famous motto was "Give me blood and I will give you freedom".

Bose is alleged to have died in a plane crash over Taiwan, while flying to Tokyo on 18 August 1945. It is believed that he was en route to the Soviet Union in a Japanese plane when it crashed in Taiwan, burning him fatally. However, his body was never recovered, and many theories have been put forward concerning his possible survival. One such claim is that Bose actually died later in Siberia, while in Soviet captivity. Several committees have been set up by the Government of India to probe into this matter.

Several people believed that the Hindu sanyasi named Bhagwanji or 'Gumnami Baba', who lived in the house Ram Bhawan in Faizabad, Uttar Pradesh at least until 1985, was Subhash Chandra Bose. There had been at least four known occasions when Gumnami Baba reportedly claimed he was Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose. The belongings of the sanyasi were taken into custody after his death, following a court order. These were later subjected to inspection by the Justice Mukherjee Commission of Inquiry. The commission came down against this belief, in the absence of any "clinching evidence". The independent probe done by the Hindustan Times into the case however provided hints that the monk was Bose himself. Some people believe that Gumnami Baba died on 16 September 1985, while some dispute this. The story of Gumnami Baba came to light on his death. It is alleged that he was cremated in the dead of night, just under the light of a motorcycle's headlamp, at Faizabad's popular picnic spot, on the bank of River Saryu. his face distorted by acid to protect his identity. Faizabad's Bengali community still pays homage at the memorial built at his cremation site on the anniversary of his birth. However, the life and activities of Bhagwanji remain a mystery even today. Bhagwanji sounded like him, looked like him, stood as tall, was of the same age, had similar reading habits and even had common friends. Like Bose, he too had gaps between his teeth and had a scalpel mark on his abdomen. Some rare documents, photographs and souvenirs, which reportedly belonged to the Bose family, were also found from the hermit's house. Incidentally, Bhagwanji's life was as much a point of controversy and curious debate as was his death. His followers, who also knew him as Gumnami Baba, remember him as a secretive person; he rarely went out of his room and met people from behind a curtain. Following is the result of the investigation done by Hindustan Times based on documentary and circumstantial evidence and cross-examination of witnesses: Bhagwanji was a Bengali, who was adept at English, Hindustani, Sanskrit and German. He wore round spectacles and a round gold watch, which looked like the ones that Netaji wore. (Netaji's

specs and watch were not found after his supposed death in 1945.) He treasured many rare and original pictures of Netaji's parents. (He also revered an umbrella, said to be of

Netaji's father.) His followers included many of Netaji's associates, including INA Secret Service sleuth Dr Pabitra Mohan

Roy, Leela Roy, Sunil Das and Trailokya Nath Chakaravarty. They kept tab on everything that was said and written on Netaji, especially his death mystery. He had a mind for matters military and often spoke of Hitler, Mussolini, Stalin, Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal

Nehru and Mountbatten as his equals. Also, partition perturbed him. Every year on January 23 (Netaji's birthday), many people, including Pabitra Mohan Roy, celebrated

Bhagwanji's birthday. The original of the Khosla Commission's 1971 summons to Suresh Bose, Netaji's elder brother, was found

among Bhagwanji's belongings. HindustanTimes.com also met some of Bhagwanji's associates who are under an oath of secrecy. They give

the impression that he was indeed Netaji. (Netaji too was known to put his men under oath.) HindustanTimes.com also discussed its findings with experts on Netaji, including some of his family

members. Most of them agreed with the inferences whereas the rest offered nothing in contradiction. Curiously, in 1985, a few people from Faizabad met Dr Pabitra Mohan Roy in Kolkata to inform him about Bhagwanji's death. Dr Pabitra, reportedly told them: "Ami mukh khulle deshe agun lege jabe". (This country will burn if I open my mouth.) Now you may make up your own conclusions but we may never know the truth!!

Was Gumnami Baba actually Netaji? Excerpts collected from Wikipedia, Hindustan Times and other sources by Sonny Mujumdar


GSCA participates in the INDIA DAY PARADE on Oak Tree Road



We always longed for a good old train ride to avoid boredom of flying and to let go the steering wheel for once and to just relax and enjoy a scenic ride. My husband and I did a bit of research and found out about California Zephyr, the super-liner that runs from Chicago to San Francisco. It is also one of the longest and most scenic train rides in the country covering over 2400 miles in 52 hours thru Illinois, Iowa, Nebraska, Colorado, Utah, Nevada and California. The suburbs of Illinois, Mississippi river and bison meatloaf: We reserved a small roomette suitable for couples and eagerly waited for May 1st, 2010 when we can hop on the train. Our train departed from the historic Union station, Chicago and as it exited the station we had a glimpse of Willis tower. We started enjoying Illinois suburbs and soon crossed Mississippi river into Iowa. Afterwards, we had a great dinner while watching sunset over endless cornfields. I had a bison meatloaf with spicy chipotle sauce which was delicious. Climbing up the great Rockies – Frazer Winter park, Glenwood Springs Next morning, we grabbed a quick breakfast and headed to the sightseeing lounge which is specially equipped with wider windows and glass ceiling for better viewing. From Denver onwards, it was truly a breath-taking scenic ride when the train climbs up the Rocky Mountains. The train crossed continental divide thru the famed 6-mile long Moffat tunnel at an elevation of over 9000 feet. The train stopped for sometime at Colorado’s famous Frazer winter park surrounded by snow-capped mountains which made the place look like an ideal winter vacation spot as it truly is. The train then followed Colorado River for several hours and we continued to enjoy the unparallel scenery of surrounding mountains. We also had a glimpse of hot springs in Glenwood Springs. Colorado’s Gore, Byers and Glenwood canyons After a delicious lunch we returned to our cabin thinking of taking a quick nap. Well, the outside was just too beautiful to waste it behind a nap! We experienced the rugged beauty of Colorado’s Glenwood, Gore and Byers canyons while relaxing in our cabin. Glenwood Canyon is rugged, scenic 12.5 mile gorge on the Colorado River, the largest such canyon on the upper Colorado River, dotted with aspen and evergreen trees. The train-track runs parallel to I-70, an elevated concrete highway constructed in a way so as to preserve the canyons. The day ended as the train reached Saltlake city, Utah. From ‘Biggest Little City in the World’ to San Francisco thru Sierra Nevada When we woke up next morning the train was already in Nevada. We rushed to sightseeing lounge for another round of hypnotic beauty of this scenic ride. The train was going thru the Nevada deserts and reached Reno also known as the Biggest Little City in the World. After that, the train track followed Truckee River for sometime. It went up the majestic Sierra Nevadas and crossed the historic Donner Pass above the beautiful Donner Lake. It was time for our last lunch in California Zephyr and we met an interesting young man who lives in wine country. We introduced ourselves and asked him what he does. He replied ‘I do nothing, just hang around’. Well, lucky him! Eventually, our California Zephyr reached Bay area and ended in Emeryville, a suburb of Oakland. We took a half-hour bus-ride to downtown San Francisco enjoying sweeping city views from Oakland Bridge. We met several wonderful people in this train ride - some were retired couples enjoying vacation, some were on business trip or to participate in a bowling championship, while others to experience a train ride - just like us. Our journey however did not end here and we continued with the rest of this exciting trip towards southern California. I will share that part of the story later. Stay tuned!

California Zephyr By Monalisa Chakraborty

AN APPEAL As you read this newsletter be aware that our Durga Puja Celebration is around the corner. All of you know that this is our biggest event and most of us get involved and work together to make this event successful. Towards this effort, our Fund Raising Group has already geared up and planned an unprecedented strategy for fundraising through Advertisements & Donations from Sponsors and Patrons. As you know, last year, this Group, through their ingenuity and hard work raised $6,253.00 from Advertisement and $6,500.00 from Sponsorship. Not an easy job. Funny thing is, some of these funds, came from sources we least expected. Efforts and ideas came from members, who in the past never got involved in such a mission. I appeal to all members to get involved in this effort and bring as much advertisement or sponsorship from friends and business contacts. Whatever you can get, will shape up our big picture. Please contact: Kumud Roy - 732-662-9707 ([email protected])

or

Bidip Sinha - 732-777-0268 ([email protected]) for any information you need.

Thank you for your spirit of staying together.

- Sadhan Guha, Chairman, GSCA


Baisakhi (more pictures on www.gsca.us)

Members Day (more pictures on www.gsca.us)

Picnic (more pictures on www.gsca.us)

A Photographic Presentation of GSCA current events


.

Mountain Landscape – July 2010

by Prisha Mehta (7 years old)

TASTEE BITES: Maccher chop/Fish cakes - Anindita Dey

Fish -1 pound ( I use catfish nuggets or filet of tilapia) Potatoes-1 pound, bread slices -2 nos, Roasted jeera powder -2 teaspoon Garam Masala-2 Tea spoons Chat masala-2 teaspoons ( add more according to taste) Onion -I small -diced and fried until dark brown Green chillies-4 nos de-seeded and chopped Egg-1 nos ( add another if needed for the consistency) One small bunch coriander/cilantro leaves Hand full of cashews and raisin lightly fried in ghee Salt Bread crumbs-1 cup Oil for shallow frying

1. Place the fish nuggets/filet in a on stick pan with 3 table spoons of water .Cover it and raise the heat on medium high .The fish should be cooked in its own steam about 5-8 mins and is all white .Take off from heat and cool it

2. Boil the potatoes and mash them 3. Add the fish and mash and mix with the potatoes 4. Add the fried onions, Roasted jeera powder ,Garam Masala ,Chat masala ( add more according to taste) Green chillies and salt 5. Wet the bread slices and add to the mixture.Add the fried raisins and cashews ( be sure to fry them in ghee..it lets out lovely

aroma) 6. Add egg to this mix and refrigerate for 2 hours 7. Mix the whole mixture by hand and make small balls and flatten them. Roll them in the bread crumbs and keep them aside 8. Put oil in a shallow pan until hot and shallow fry them until golden brown 9. Serve hot with ketchup or tamarind and date chutney


I write for no one but me My thought stumble out And are loosely packed together Like old sheaves of paper Waiting to be put in a carton and sealed They will be lost in time Like all my old thoughts Which randomly surface from time to time There is no method, no counting time They mock, laugh, love and leave Yet they are mine Creations bigger than the creator Uncontrollable like a lover Who knows I can’t resist his touch I let them come, go, tease, snub For when the world has gone to bed with someone else My thoughts keep me warm.

I Write For No One But Me

By Tinty Bose

Bengali Calendar 1416

(Aug 2010 – Nov 2010)

Aug 2010

19-24 : Jhulon Jatra

24th : Rakhi Purnima

Sep 2010

1st : Janmastami

12th: Ganesh Chathurti

17th: Biswakarma Puja

Oct 2010

7th : Mahalaya

DURGA PUJA DATES

13th : Shasti

14th : Saptami

15th : Astami

16th : Nabami

17th : Dashmi

22nd : Lakshmi Puja

24th : Chhath Puja

Nov 2010

2nd : Rash Yatra

5th : Kali Puja / Diwali

7th : Bhai Phonta

15th : Jagadhatri Puja

Upcoming GSCA events:

Town Hall Meeting for Durga Puja preparation September 12, 2010 - 12:30pm to 3:30pm

Scotch Plains Public Library, 1927 Bartle Ave., Scotch Plains, NJ 07076 Contact: Mimi SenGupta @ 908-322-5007 X 205 or [email protected]

DURGA PUJA – October 16th and 17th

(Watch out for Pre-registration information around end of August)

Please visit www.gsca.us for the complete listing.

INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT India

• India is about 1/3 the size of the United States, yet it is the second most populous country in the world. • Kumbh Mela is the world’s largest gathering of 60 million people and was photographed from space • The earliest cotton in the world was spun and woven in India • India is the world’s largest producer of dried beans and bananas export • With 150,000 post offices, India has the largest postal network in the world. • Hindi, English, Assamese, Bengali, Gujarati, Nepali, Manipuri, Konkani, Kannada, Kashmiri, Malayalam, Marathi, Oriya, Punjabi, Sanskrit,

Sindhi, Tamil, Telugu, and Urdu are the official languages of India.

GSCA Newsletter 2010 ● Volume 1: Spring Edition ● www.gsca.us


2

3

7

5

4

6

1

8

10 11

9

Across: 1. this was Mohandas Gandhi's

middle name 3. ______ Gandhi was the first and

only(to date) female Prime

Minister of India 5. famous massacre of innocent

Indian citizens

8. March led by Mohandas Gandhi to protest the British salt tax

9. major political party in India

10. Indian Independence Day

Down: 2. he wrote the Indian national anthem

4. Father of India 6. Jawaharlal ______ was the first and longest

serving Prime Minister of India

7. the active refusal to obey certain laws, demands, and commands of a government, or of

an occupying international power.

11. the year India gained independence

Independence Day Crossword Puzzle by Archita Roy


GSCA Trustees and their contact info: [email protected] Sadhan Guha: (908) 756-2293 Shikhar Sarkar: (908) 583-0422

Tapas Sanyal: (732) 422-1176 Biswajit Sengupta: (908) 222-0333

Sandip Saha: (732) 906-5793 Kumud Roy: (732) 662-9707

Prasun Chakravarty: 908-561-4095

Newsletter Team:

Rima Sarkar

Sonny Mujumdar Enquiries:

Rima Sarkar [email protected]

Mailing Address:

GSCA, P.O. BOX 308,

Scotch Plains, NJ 07076

[email protected]

LIFE

Life is sad, life is happy,

Life is tough, and can be a lil’ scrappy. Life is joyous, life is borin’.

Life is annoying, but soon you’ll all be soarin’. You can never throw away,

Something you go through every day. It’s like a puzzle scrambled about,

And if you don’t solve it you’ll always wanna shout! It’s never perfect or second-rate,

But things won’t always turn out great. Life is a ladder; each step is a climb,

Life should be lived, so hurry, you’re running out of time!

- Anish Roy

SUMMER

There’s nothing like,

A summer’s day.

Rest and relax,

Enjoy and play.

Summer’s just a season of,

Times of love, laughter, and

rejoice.

It’s a time that we dream of,

Dreams of utopian choice.

We may love it,

We may hate it,

But we can’t live without it!

- Anish Roy

Light

The stars shine tonight, But the sky seems so dark. What happened to the light,

That had given me this spark. It left me swiftly, and fast,

Without any warning, Left me with only darkness to bask.

Why so much mourning, A full life to live,

But without your one special light, It’s hard to survive.

To survive the darkness unless we reunite.

-Trinava Roy

GSCA welcomes our NEW MEMBERS:

Monalisa Chakraborty & Dipak Biswas

Kapil and Sutapa

Bhattacharjee

Saiket Sinha and Sandipta Mukherjee

We welcome you and hope that you will enjoy being part of the GSCA family. The best way to get the most of what we have to offer, you need to be part of our committees and volunteer.

spandan 08 2010 - gsca

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