Dear Editor,
When I read Kavita Chhibber’s interesting article,” The Bishnoi Tribe of India: Lessons in life”; it stirred fresh memories of my vacation to India last year when my wife and I were fortunate to visit a Bishnoi village in Rajasthan. On our return trip from Jaisalmer to Ahmedabad, we spent a day at Rohetgarh heritage hotel. We checked in, in our room in the early morning. At 4 p.m. a jeep driven by Bansi Ram, a retired school teacher drove in the front entrance of the hotel. An American couple, who like us was vacationing in Rajasthan, greeted the driver and got on the jeep. I waved at them and wished them a safe trip. But the husband smiled and said, “We are not leaving, but are visiting a Bishnoi village. Would you like to join us?” I hurriedly consulted my wife who readily agreed. Bansi Ram drove carefully through the narrow lanes and by-lanes of the residential area, got on the highway and after a few miles turned the jeep on the dusty, bumpy and dry tracks across the vast fields. 

Gusty hot winds almost blew away my baseball cap! The parched fields were barren except for a few khejri trees. Suddenly we spotted a large number of chinkara deers, blue bulls and black bucks grazing fearlessly, seemingly oblivious of our presence. The amazing sight reminded me of my young days in Nairobi, Kenya where zebras and deers used to roam freely on the outskirts of the city. Bansi Ram stopped the jeep, so I could click my digital camera! Around sunset we entered the village. We saw neat little mud houses, tiny shops, children playing in the winding lanes, women in bright red and green dresses cooking evening meals and men in turbans relaxing on string cots puffing away bidis. We visited a family living in a thatched mud hut. We sat on the string cots in a small courtyard and watched a small girl milking the cow in the stockade. Her elder sister was busy making cow dung patties for fuel. My wife engaged in small talk with the woman while she was preparing tea for us. Our last stop was at one of the village elder’s house where we observed opium ceremony, a ritual where elders and guests are traditionally welcomed with a mild opium drink. We had to remove our shoes and sit on the floor and watch as one of the elders concocted an opium drink by mixing dried opium flowers and jaggery. When ready, each guest was offered a few tablespoons of the drink in right palm to sip. It was an interesting ceremony to watch.

The trip was a rare insight into the lifestyle of the proud, nature-loving Bishnoi community. 
Mahadev Desai
Atlanta, GA

More Discussion Needed

Dear Editor,
This is not a debate between Frances West and Mahadev Desai. These are valid expressions of choices by these two very learned , experienced , socially and religiously conscious seniors ,conditioned by their cultural and religious backgrounds, life styles and economics , without imposing any moral and ethical obligations as to how to choose to live after the family has grown up.

The expression "a family that eats together and prays together stays together" does not necessarily apply in all instances, particularly in the case of senior citizens that are now living with their children in US due to necessity, economics and truly in many instances no choice. This is not by any means a subject that can be discussed from the perspective of two persons and needs a greater exploration of facts and figures. This is currently a major issue affecting senior citizens, in US, those who can live independently and those who cannot, those who cherish the idea of being with their families and those who enjoy freedom from all the chores they did and want to be free and those who desire freedom during their sunset years and those who do not relate to such living as loss of freedom because they do not have the desire and means to adapt to different lifestyles and would feel lost and lonely without their families. I can relate to these feelings because I have been a senior citizen for the last several years and I have chosen my own way of life to live.

I have lived in this culture long enough, to be adapted to a life style that is more western than eastern and I am expressing these opinions because of what I have seen and experienced over the past several years.

It is a valid subject and needs more thought and discussion and not a debate, to help others-this is not a pulpit- oriented message and should be based upon practical realities and the choices of those who are affected..
Giriraj Rao
Atlanta, GA

Good Article on Loneliness

Dear Editor,
Such articles written by Kavita, highlights the loneliness of a suburban existence. This would not happen if the families and friends had mutual connections and visited each other frequently. In the earlier days of immigration, there were what you would refer to Italian Section, Russian Section and others but that divide is gone. I believe in cities like New York there is a preponderance of Indian-Americans and there is a possibility of a life style that Kavita's mother would have enjoyed. Unfortunately cities like Roswell and Alpharetta are isolated locations where the Indian and related families are spread all over. It has to do with the life style and no reflection upon communities.
This is a good article and expressions of this kind are needed to acquaint us all with the life of transported Indian families or for that matter of fact others into the American life style in the suburbia. Kavita is a journalist and she expresses herself very well but others may experience same frustrations but cannot articulate these feelings and frustrations-so you grin and bear.
Giriraj Rao
Atlanta, GA

Balanced Review

Dear Editor,
This is Junaid Memon, producer/director of 'The Film'. I just read the review of "The Film". I must say thanks for a well balanced review .  Very few critics have such a beautiful review for a new film maker like me .... when I read it, I thought you deserve a thanks!

Junaid Memon
India

Kudos to Kanya

Dear Editor,
Toilets....A luxury? The story of 'Vengal' is similar of many villages in India. I'm glad to see a youngster among us taking the initiative to help those villagers. Kanya's efforts to help the village 'Vengal' are commendable. I'm sure her efforts would succeed in bringing smiles on the faces of those villagers, specially children of 'Vengal'.
The article was passionately written and well explained the miserable conditions in which people live in a typical village in India. I wish Kanya all the luck in her efforts. 
Narender Reddy
Atlanta, GA

Interview the Gossipers!

Dear Editor,
Hi Kavita & NRI Pulse thanks for publishing the most valuable and important topic needed for our community. Needless to say, being a victim of gossip and learning to deal with it the hard way, it is an unnecessary stress for anyone. Just because one or more people decide they are jealous of you for any reason can create a situation, that you might need a professional therapist to deal with the stress. It is unreal as to how ridiculous stories people can come up with and on top of it, so called well wishers and well reputed community members' endorsement to convert the gossip into a real thing. I hope you can interview the GOSSIPERS and give them an opportunity to explain the reason behind this & how they feel about their actions. I am very interested in understanding their side as well. 
Padmaja Kelam
Atlanta, GA

Saraswati Jain's Profile

Dear Editor,
Kavita’s riveting profile of Saraswati Jain lingers in your mind and troubles your conscience at the plight of the poor, powerless and ostracized lepers by the indifferent and apathetic public and government. The gritty, dedicated and compassionate Saraswati Jain reminds one of the late Mother Teresa. The ageing, arthritic, community activist deserves plaudits for the praiseworthy work she is doing in ameliorating the care and treatment of the lepers with her punishing schedule and outreaching efforts. With her physician son Lucky, daughter-in-law Shabnam, and U.S. resident volunteers like Anil and Shubhra,and sons Sumit and Sahil she is spearheading her drive to improve the basic facilities at the four wards she has adopted in the Sawai Mansingh Public Hospital and also at the Mahatma Gandhi Kusht Ashram-at the hospital she has arranged for cooling fans, water coolers, free medicines etc. At the ashram, she has arranged for in-house toilets, decent living accommodation, and a pharmacy. Most important though, the Radha Krishna Temple where the lepers can participate in uplifting bhajans, kirtans and prayers. Kavita has described the heartrending conditions under which the lepers suffered in silence and neglect, and how Saraswati Jain has been helping them. Let us hope Kavita’s profile of Saraswati Jain will inspire the readers and move them into lending their support not only by donating cash but also by stepping forward to volunteer (shram daan). 

Mahadev Desai
Atlanta, GA

Let's Not Leave Quake Victims at Mercy of Winter

Dear Editor,
The three sequential bomb blasts in New Delhi markets on Saturday November 29 evening killing scores of innocent children and women shoppers on the eve of Muslim Holiday Eid and Hindu Holiday Deepawali by the suspected Lashker-E-Toiba terrorist organization based in the Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (POK) are attacks against humanity, designed to wedge a rift between Hindus and Muslims to incite communal riots. The two South Asian neighboring governments of Pakistan and India, after several yeas of nuclear rivalry, are now finally cooperating in their efforts to aid the earthquake victims in POK that is threatening to leave three million homeless facing the onslaught of the fast approaching bitter winter that could wipe out almost an entire generation in the absence of the United Nations help that's coming down to a screeching halt in less than a week due to the dripping or nonexistence of monetary aid from the world community of some of the richest nations with the exception of the United States. The US has sent several army helicopters, tents, medicines, and hospitals which are not at all adequate for the utter devastation. 

What we need is something like a massive Berlin airlift to evacuate the three million earthquake victims from PoK to safer areas outside Karachi and Islamabad to until the next spring when the rebuilding of homes in PoK could be resumed to rehabilitate the homeless earthquake survivors. 

For the sake of humanity let's not leave behind the scores of children and women in PoK at the mercy of the freezing winter following the footsteps of the killer 7.7 shaker in the foothills of Himalayas four weeks ago or else  history will make a note of the unfolding human tragedy of the 21st Century. 

India and USA, the two largest democracies cooperatively could set an example of mercy with humanitarian assistance to the three million PoK victims!

Shantu Shah
Portland, Oregon

"Other Type" of Movies Please

Dear Editor,
The reviews and insights into the Bollywood film scene by Mala Chakravorty are absolutely wonderful. As an NRI who misses Indian movies 'per se', it would be great if Mala could also venture into other "types" of movies coming out of the Indian movie industry. Those not necessarily mainstream or commercial, but nevertheless very much part of the Indian (Bollywood) movie scene. It would be great to know whothe directors that are emerging as this era' s Hrishikesh Mukherjee, Gulzar, Shyam Benegal, Basu Chatterjee, Mahesh Bhatt (yes he did make some good movies within the so called commercial framework e.g "Arth" etc) or even Sen are. How about some insights/reviews of their movies? In this part of the world we are hopelessly ignorant and totally at the mercy of movies that look like a number of music videos strung together by a storyline revolving around boy meets girl meets another boy theme. With the exception of few, most of the programs and movies shown on the Asian channels or the DVDs available in the ethnic shops all seem to reflect this. Our children growing up here seem to think that Indian movies are all glorified and sophisticated extensions of music videos. We have grown up with movies like "Ankur", "Manthan", "Sparsh" etc. We have laughed with Basu Chatterjee's "GolMaal" and hummed with "Rajnigandha". The entire nation cried with Babumoshai in "Anand". These were movies with a story; albeit some of them had the so called songs and dances, but they did not feel like it was thrust into the story. They were part of the embroidery. Don't they make movies like them anymore? How about letting us know?
Kakoli Mitra
Calgary, Canada 

True Role

Dear Editor,
I saw Page 3 a few days ago and as a journalism student was very moved by what I saw. What Madhavi in the movie was trying to do is the TRUE role of a journalist, and I wish more people would see it that way and support this role. It upset me to see friends around react in a "so what" attitude to the fact that harsh realities are often hidden in society and I hope one day this attitude changes. For the sake of the hard work of journalists and all that they have to do through, it definitely should.
Someday...it will change.
Varsha Naik

Great Insight

Dear Editor,
Mala Chakravorty's insights into Bollywood`s exploration of themes in Hindi movies and their impact on the average NRI made scintillating reading. She has done outstanding research in writing the article. 

Sitting in Calcutta with our loads of problems we are not even half as updated on either the Hindi movie scene or the theme that they purport to purvey. 

An excellent critique. The writer's insights become a learning process for us. And the learning can be highlighted at parties and social gatherings as our own views-copyrights notwithstanding.
Gautam Ganguli, Kolkata



Does Bollywood Signal Change?

Dear Editor,
Apropos Mala Chakravorty's article 'Sex, Cinema and the NRI', the issue is, as in Hollywood, which is often a leading indicator of where society desires to toward, and is moving too, are the new Bollywood films signaling a change?
Hollywood has increasingly had new age films, all indicators of the increasing importance of the spiritual, alternative medicine etc, as in Ray's and Anderson's cultural creatives, pointing to a different image of the future, if not future itself. Hollywood leads in many dimensions (of course tons of material for the varieties of male gaze).
Does Bollywood?
Sohail Inayatullah, Australia

Materialism a Motivating Tool & an Obstacle

Dear Editor,
I agree with the views of both the writers (Debate- It's a Materialistic World). Materialism has become a motivating tool and obstacle for man to become human. We have seen people motivated by materialism reaching the peaks of richness and turn that richness into helping others through charity and become humans at last.
We have also seen people with their greed for materialism going to any lengths to accomplish their goals which means cheating and hurting others and turning themselves into totally selfish human beings and with no symptoms of 'human' left in them.
Narender Reddy
Atlanta, GA

Indian Public Will Question Conscience

Dear Editor,
The write up on the film Swades made great reading. I watched the film a couple of weeks ago, and I must admit that though I did like parts of the film, in parts it did reach out to the audience as sermonizing. In your magazine, the writer has with her lucid pen most wonderfully encapsulated the film in totality and the punch line came in the form of of a shock to many Indians in India who were happy to pass the buck to the NRI public to do something towards the progress of their nation, when the writer questioned their own contribution to their nation. I'm sure every thinking public in India will now question his own conscience. Thanks for this great eye-opener.Hoping to read more such wonderful stuff in the weeks to come.
Jayanti Banerjee Das
Mumbai, India

What Will Others Think About Me?

Dear Editor,
This is regarding Narender Reddy's article, "Simply Say no". It is an interesting article. Though for the most part I liked it, I differ with Reddy on certain things. Mr Reddy, I am writing this with the assumption that you have written this for Indians. If my assumption is wrong then you can ignore this letter. 
Indians as such suffer not just from saying "NO" but from a bigger problem than that, which is “What do others think about me"? So saying NO is only a subset of this. Not only this thought but any thought that crosses its limit, is called fear.
So this fear dominates Indian minds. It is very difficult to get out of the fear as this is nurtured right from childhood. Often I hear mothers telling their children “Well, if you don't behave, people will think you are a bad boy/girl". So we teach our children right from childhood to fear and live for the society in the way it dictates verses the way you love it. So this is a culture issue. We all suffered from this and will suffer. If you want change, it has to occur from the grass roots and lot of work has to be done. You don't expect a change all of a sudden from a culture which does not want to talk or accept the existence of an issue.
In the examples you quoted, Arjuna, Rama or Sita are from the royal dynasty. At least ordinary people have the luxury of living life of their choice, where as leaders, public figures and royal people have little or no choice in this regard. Whether Princess Diana or Clinton, Narendar or Mallika- no exceptions :)
Mallika


Less Stress
I enjoyed reading Narender Reddy's article on saying "NO". I have been 'trying' to practice this for the last 2-3 years (I am 62) although I wish I had done this all my life. You know one benefit out of this trail, among other things, is less stress.
Every parent should inculcate this into their children's mind.
T R Reddy 

Recognizing 'Barkat'
The story is very interesting and reminds us that almost all of us have similar episodes of 'Barkat' in our lives but not all of us want to recognize it. I thank Kavita for the way she explained 'Barkat' and put the thought process of readers in motion.My grandfather once wrote, " The best thinking is that which makes further thinking inevitable"
Wish you all a blessed 2005.
S.P.Singh