Temples and more Temples in the Metro Detroit Area.

Reading Nipa Shah's blog at MIIC.com titled "Calling All Asian Indian Leaders in Michigan" prompted me to write this post.

What is the point here. Why do we need so many temples. Is it that Asian Indian Population is increasing in South East Michigan. I doubt it. The region (Metro Detroit) saw the biggest decline in population amongst all the metro areas in United States (check out my earlier post on population decline). Metro Detroit saw its population plunge by 27000.

Nipa in her blog lists 5 temples. BTW Dear Nipa!! we have another Gurdwara coming up in Canton (On Canton Center, south of Palmer Road). Isn't there another Gurdwara in Madison Heights?. Then there is Balaji Temple in Sterling Heights, and then a temple in Pontiac, and one being built in Novi.

Nipa in her blog mentions that couple of friends showed up unannounced at her house "to lighten her family's wallet". This for a new Temple Project. Not sure if she gave them money. I would have not because I don't think we need another Temple!!

In times of Economic hardship, where do they expect the money to come from.....Some one please explain the logic behind this...

Michigan India Chamber of Commerce (MIICC) Updates

If you are in Michigan, it is more than likely that you are either on my MIICC distribution list or someone or the other has mentioned the Michigan India Chamber of Commerce to you. No, you say? Ah, perhaps you are hanging out with the wrong folks - :).

But kidding aside, I wanted to take the opportunity to introduce the Michigan India Chamber of Commerce (MIICC) to you. The MIICC is a business and professional networking forum for Asian Indians in Michigan.

So how is the MIICC different from all the other organizations in Michigan that offer networking opportunities?

In addition to the monthly networking meetings and the events that will be hosted by the MIICC, the MIICC's mission is to:

1. Create awareness regarding public policy and advocacy issues that impact Asian Indian community
2. Record podcasts to share professional and personal accomplishments of Asian Indian individuals
3. Promote business within the community
   
4. Form alliances with other organizations to facilitate business, plan business delegations, and create opportunities for growth
   
5. Give back to the community by joining hands with other organizations that provide support to Asian Indians
6. Share knowledge and opinions through the weekly blog found at www.miicc.com/blog
   

The MIICC wants your participation. Come to a meeting as our guest and see the energy in the room first hand. We are here to help the community by building relationships that lead to personal and professional growth.

MIICC meetings are on the 2nd Wednesday of each month, from 5:30 pm to 7:30 pm. Location TBD.

However, Please note that our April meeting will be on April 16th (3rd Wednesday) at the Dykema Gossett Bloomfield Hills Office (39577 Woodward Avenue Suite 300, Bloomfield Hills, Michigan 48304-2820). This is a one-time deviation on date/day to accommodate a special guest speaker, L. Brooks Patterson.

The MIICC will also host a legal panel discussion on Thursday, April 24th from 5:30-7:30 pm at the Dykema Gossett Bloomfield Hills Office (39577 Woodward Avenue Suite 300, Bloomfield Hills, Michigan 48304-2820). Four attorneys will discuss legal topics ranging from immigration to business start-up.

We look forward to seeing you at a MIICC future event. Send an email to admin@miicc.com with any questions you may have or visit www.miicc.com to learn more.

Events - April 2008

Kavi Sammelan - Uttar Pradesh Association of Greater Detroit
Event will take place at William Costick Activity Center, 28600 Eleven Mile Rd., Farmington Hills, MI 48336.
Event Time: 4 pm on Sunday April 20, 2008
Tickets – $50, $30, $20
Visit Uttar Pradesh Association of Greater Detroit - Website for more details

Indian American Cultural Association
Holi and Vaisakhi Celebration on Saturday April 19th, 2008 at Costick Activities Center, 28600 Farmington Hills, MI. The Event will take place from 5.30 PM to 11 PM.
Contact the following or visit miiaca.com for more details

• Harvinder Singh: 586-295-0131 Rashmi Upadhyaya: 248-615-4819
• Bharat Malhotra: 734-495-0188 Keshav Raizada: 734-722-8990
• Shailender Madani: 248-822-8182 Arun Jauhar: 248-652-1773
• Ashu Ahluwalia: 248-349-2105 Satyen Bhama: 248 540-9458

Gudhi Padawa - Maharashtra Mandal of Greater Detroit
When: Saturday, April 12 2008
Where: Bharatiya Temple of Troy
Entertainment items
1. Maajhi Fillumbaji by Shirish Kanekar
2. Men's Cooking competition
3. Best Saree Contest
4. Under 18 Fashion Parade

Contact Mrinalini Arkatkar : 248-740-1223 or visit Maharashtra Mandal website.

Ugadi - Michigan Konkani Association

Event will take place on April 12,2008 at Southfield Civic Center, Southfield. Visit website for more details.

Back from a Trip to Minnesota

Last week my kids had a off week as the schools were closed for Spring Break. This coincided with my Mom's 70th Birthday and who is currently in the Minneapolis area. So we decided to drive to Minneapolis to wish her Happy Birthday. It was a 11 hour trip. We could have driven straight through but decided to stay overnight in Madison, WI.

As expected Minneapolis had lot more snow compared to Detroit and was much more colder.

For my Mom's Birthday, my brother and his wife (both residing in the Minneapolis area) decided to take my mom to "Big Bowl" Chinese/Thai Restaurant. Food was great. For the 1st time I had "pomegranate ginger ale" to drink. I don't think many will like it as it was kind of bitter.

Here is a Google Street View of "Big Bowl" restaurant located at Galleria Mall, Edina, Minnesota. Click on the image for a 360 deg. view.



On our way back to Detroit we decided to drive straight through. However while approaching Chicago my son insisted (don't know why) that we visit Jain Temple in Chicago. So we took a detour and visited Jain Temple located at 435 N Il Route 59, Bartlett, IL. We spent about an hour at the temple and then headed back to Detroit.

Here's Bird's Eye view (Microsoft Virtual Earth) of Jain Temple, Chicago.

Detroit Metro Leads in Population Decline

In the latest estimates released by US Census, on population changes between July 2006 and July 2007, Metro Detroit had the largest decline with 27,314 folks leaving the area. Compare this with Dallas-Fort Worth which gained approx 162,350 folks.

It would be interesting to see population changes as far as Indians are concerned in the Metro Detroit Area. With Temple expansion (Bharatiya Temple, Canton Hindu Temple, Indian Temple in Novi, New Canton Gurdwara) underway in our area, one would think that the expansion is taking place because temple folks are seeing influx of more Indians.

Click here for a look on Google Maps at Population growth at 100 largest Metro Areas in United States.

Mumbai and New Delhi ranked as one of "The World's Dirtiest Cities"

Forbes is out with a list of "The World's 25 Dirtiest Cities". India has 2 cities listed. Mumbai is ranked as the 7th Dirtiest City and New Delhi does a bit better with a rank of 24. Forbes has this to say about New Delhi

You'll find just about everything except marine life in New Delhi's Yamuna River. Garbage and sewage flow freely, creating a rich environment for the growth of water-borne diseases contributing to extremely high rates of infant morbidity.

Click here for a Google Maps View of "The World's Dirties Cities".

Related: The World's most Polluted Cities.

Happy Holi!

Wishing everyone a very Happy Holi. If you are in Michigan then you would probably be celebrating Holi indoors as mother nature dumped quite a bit of snow on us today. Enjoy, be safe and have a great HOLI!!

Here's Rang Barse one "the most" popular Holi Song.

Sachin Tendulkar - A Gentleman on the field and...

off the field


Sachin Tendulkar pretending to look the other way while the other Indian Cricket Players are checking out the autograph seeking lady who has a minor wardrobe malfunction.

Related: Check out Sachin Tendulkar's journey on Google Maps towards record breaking Test Centuries.

Canadian Comedian doing a Ajay Devgan

I had blogged on this back in July, 2006 at mibazaar.com when I did not have a separate "Michigan India" related blog.

Once again here is Winston Spear a stand up comedian from Toronto Canada, lip syncing "PYAR KIYA TO NIBHANA" from Bollywood Hindi Film - Major Saab starring Ajay Devgan. It is hilarious...

Michigan's Contribution towards Iraq War

Ever wondered how much Michigan Taxpayer's have contributed towards Iraq War?

To date the amount is $13.9 Billion. Michigan ranks 13 out of 51 states (including District of Columbia) in terms of Dollars. California leads with $66.2 Billion. (source: National Priorities Project)

I have mapped out the contribution of all 51 states (including District of Columbia) on Google Maps which includes information on how that money could have been used if not spent on the war.

15th Annual Fund Raising Dinner on Saturday, March 22nd 2008

The Jain Society of Greater Detroit will hold their 15th Annual Fund Raising Dinner on Saturday, March 22nd 2008 at the Burton Manor in Livonia.

The event will be held from 6:30 pm to 12:00 am. An entertainment group from Chicago will be performing music and the food will be catered by Krishna Catering.

Pl. let me know if you wish to enjoy a fun evening with good food and good entertainment. You may email me at nipa [at] jenesysgroup [dot] com.

Indian Events - March 2008

Michigan Tamil Sangam Fundraising Event!
Michigan Tamil Sangam is hosting a Fundraising Event on March 29th from 6PM - 9 PM at St. Paul United Methodist Church, 165 E. Square Lake Road, Bloomfield Hills, MI. Enjoy a night of Raas Garba, Bhangra and much more. Contact Nalini Narayanasamy at 248-344-9657 (nalini_narayan [at] yahoo [dot] com) or Niranjan Varadarajan at 248-813-1631 (n4home [at] gmail [dot] com) or Radhika Ganesan at 248-854-7253 (radhikaganesan [at] hotmail [dot] com)

Fusion Festival: "Inspirations from India" Mar 29
The fusion concert, "Inspirations from India", will take place on Saturday, March 29, at 8pm at the Village Theater located on 50400 Cherry Hill Road, Canton, MI, and will feature renowned sitar artist, composer and teacher, Hasu Patel.
For more details check out Plymouth Symphony Website

More Arrests made in Brij and Aasha Chabbra Murder case

Detroit Free Press is reporting that FBI agents have arrested two more individuals in connection with the murder of Brij and Aasha Chhabra.

FBI agents took Narayan Thadani and Douglas Tabor into custody in the Houston, Texas area on federal charges of conspiracy to commit murder in conjunction with the slayings of Birj Mohan Chhabra, 65, and his wife, Aasha Chhabra, 56. The couple was found dead Tuesday inside their Troy home.

Thadani and Tabor are awaiting an appearance before a federal magistrate in Houston. The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Detroit and Detroit FBI Office anticipate their extradition to Detroit to face federal charges in this case in the near future.

Now a total of 4 individuals are in custody in the brutal killing of Brij and Aasha Chhabra. Miguel Angel Servando and Nelson Mendoza who were arrested earlier in Michigan and now Narayan Thadani and Douglas Tabor who were taken into custody in Houston.

Note:
Aasha Chhabra had filed a lawsuit in 2006 against Thadani, a life-long friend in Texas, whom she had hired to manage her assets in India. The couple accused the man of mismanaging their assets, according to court documents. The case still is pending.

Congratulations to Nipa Shah of Novi, MI

Congratulations to Nipa Shah, President of Jenesys Group, Novi for being honored with "Top 10 Michigan Business Women". She was given the Global Business Award.

The National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO) Greater Detroit Chapter honored the Top 10 Michigan Business Women at the 14th Annual Awards Luncheon which took place on March 13 at the Detroit Yacht Club. (Reuters Link).

While accepting the award one of the thing Nipa said was

I strive to be a leader and a mentor. For all the women out there, whether you think about starting your business or want a career change, use me as a resource because I'm sure there is something that I can help you with.

Indian American Couple murdered in their Troy, MI home

This is a real tragedy!. Brij Mohan Chhabra, 65 and his wife Aasha, 55 were shot to death in their home located on Delaware Street in Troy, MI. Two suspects have been arrested and will be arraigned on Thursday, March 13th.

According to Troy Police

To our knowledge the couple did not know the suspects. But we think the suspects sought them out in their home. We don’t know the motive, but we know this was not a random crime.

Observer and Eccentric Newspapers report

Madan Kaura, a longtime fellow yoga teacher of Brij Chhabra at Troy’s Bharatiya Temple, said Chhabra was devoted to a yoga movement that aims to achieve self-realization.

"He was a very special person," said Kaura, of Farmington Hills. "He was a spiritual person."

He said Chhabra enjoyed going to the Detroit Center of Self-Realization Fellowship ranch near Gaylord where retreats, classes and meditation are held. "He used to go there often."

"He was totally clean in every way," he said of his friend’s conduct and life.

Neighbors, meanwhile, said that Aasha Chhabra had multiple sclerosis and so could not leave the house much. She had caregivers come in during the day to take care of her.

Our Deepest Condolences to the friends and family of Brij and Aasha Chhabra.

Indian American is the top winner in the prestigious Intel Science Talent Search

Shivani Sud an Indian American who attends Charles E. Jordan High School in Durham, North Carolina won the top prize in the prestigious Intel Science Talent Search. The winner was announced last night in Washington DC. Shivani Sud won a $100,000 scholarship.

Shivani had submitted a bioinformatics and genomics project to Intel Science Talent Search that focused on identifying stage II colon cancer patients at high risk for recurrence and the best therapeutic agents for treating their tumors.

A versatile student, Shivani Sud is a Teen Court student attorney, a Durham Rescue Mission volunteer and performs classical and modern Indian dance.(via)

There were a total of 40 Finalists from schools across United States as shown in this Google Maps Mashup. (Note: Indian American Shravani Mikkilineni from Michigan who attends Detroit Country Day School was one of the finalists.)

What's in your Drinking Water?

CNN was reporting yesterday that researchers have found prescription drugs in the drinking water supplies of 24 major metropolitan areas which includes Detroit, MI where researchers had found "Unspecified Drugs".

Even though quantities found are far below the levels of medical dose, scientists are worried of long-term consequences to human health.

I have mapped out the metropolitan areas affected on Google Maps along with prescription drug info. (Note: Information window pop up after every 8 seconds. However you can click on "Disable/Pause" button if you need more time to read thru the text in the information window.

Here's a screen shot of Drugs found in drinking water around Columbus, OH.

H1 B Exploitation

We all know that there is quite a bit of exploitation of people who come from India on promises of Green Cards and living a wonderful life in the US.

A company named Signal International Facilities in Mississippi is charged with human trafficking in a motion filed by 120 of its workers who walked off its facilities. Two Mumbai based firms have had their recruiting licenses suspended by the Indian Government for charging outrageous amounts for a visa and for sending people to the US to work under inhumane conditions.

The workers are being represented by attorneys from the Southern Poverty Law Center, The Asian American Legal Defense Fund and Education Fund, and the Louisiana Justice Institute.

Reading this really, really, really aggravates me. What is wrong with these people? Why do they want to exploit others and think that they will never face any consequences? And in spite of so many occurrences of these types of situations, why are the Indian and US governments not able to scrutinize such firms to pro actively prevent this from happening?

I'm appalled and sickened to learn that helpless people sold jewelry and personal belongings to come to the US in the hope of a better life and ended up being exploited by unscrupulous individuals who cared about nothing other than the little bit of money that would line their pockets.

The workers who led the protest and law proceedings are to be commended. For all others out there who face similar exploitation, I hope that you find the strength to stand up and demand better conditions.

Sita and Manisha Kaura of Bloomfield Hills devise a quick way to learn English, expand vocabulary

Detroit News is reporting that the Indian American, Dad and Daughter duo (Sita and Manisha Kaura) have come with a method to

revolutionize education, to expand vocabularies, to increase understanding, to help everyone feel as passionately about words as they do.

There approach to vocabulary and spelling improvement revolves around 1,500 word parts, most derived from Greek or Latin, that they have identified as the most useful.

According to Dad

If you spent two weeks with us, you would have words coming out your ears.

In fact they have a manuscript ready. It contains 377 pages covering probably 20,000 words, fleshed out to 550 or 600 pages with illustrations.

Dad and Daughter contend that

We should not simply be memorizing words . We should be trained to recognize the fragments that form it, one of the 1,500 word parts they have determined to be key

Here are some examples:

sesquipedalian (I have no idea what this means, but lets follow Sita and Manisha Kaura's approach)

You can break up sesquipedalian into 3 parts: Sesqui, meaning one and a half; remember when Michigan celebrated 150 years of statehood with its sesquicentennial celebration in 1987? Ped, meaning foot. Alian, as in pertaining to words.

Sesquipedalian: as a noun, the word that means, "a long word."

Let's try another word: incommensurable

Sita Kaura pieced together in (not), com (together or consistent with) and mensura (measurement) and correctly defined it as disproportionate, or impossible to measure or compare.

Sita and Manisha!! If you are reading this blog post, do let us know your book title. I am sure lot of us would find it very beneficial.

Note:

Sita Kaura is a doctor who grew up in northwest India, lives in Bloomfield Township and runs a general practice in Southgate. Manisha Kaura is a sophomore at Detroit Country Day who likes tennis, go-karting and mountain biking, and bragged to her close friends about her fifth-grade graduation present -- the 2,662-page, 4-inch-thick, 12 1/2 -pound Webster's Third New International Dictionary.

Golden Gate a new Indian Restaurant in Rochester, MI

Molly Abraham writes in Detroit News about a new Indian Restaurant named "Golden Gate" in Rochester, Michigan.

Molly Abraham writes

Golden Gate is the creation of Qureshi Akkas Hussain, originally from Bangladesh, who spent some time in New York and also in Newcastle, England (where the natives don't need much persuasion to dig into Indian fare) before arriving in Michigan in 2000.

His Michigan experience includes being a professional waiter at two very upscale restaurants, for six years at Opus One, then moving on to Morton's the Steakhouse in Troy for a few months.

Having his own restaurant was always in the back of his mind, and when he found a suitable spot in Rochester, he decided the time was right.

Signature dishes include a number of lamb treatments, from a mild curry made with boneless lamb to ground lamb curry, and nearly as many vegetarian choices made with lentils, peas, potatoes, cauliflower and eggplant.

Those who like the convenience of the lunchtime buffet will probably appreciate the set dinners for two or four, either vegetarian or with meat, typified by this dinner combination for four ($68): an array of mixed appetizers such as samosas and pakoras, or a choice of soup, followed by chicken tikka masala, lamb karahi (boneless lamb, cooked with fresh ginger, onion, tomato, green pepper and black pepper), rice pilaf, flaky naan (the bread made in the tandoor oven), as well as dessert and coffee or spiced tea. A vegetarian dinner for four is $58.

Golden Gate is not much different from many of the modest Indian restaurants that dot the area. What sets it apart is the care and concern of its well-traveled proprietor.

More details from Detroit News:

• Address: 125 S. Main St.,Rochester 48307
• Phone: (248) 601-7000
• Hours: Lunch buffet 11:30 a.m.-3 p.m. Tues.-Sun.; dinner 5-9:30 p.m. Tues.-Thurs., 5-10 p.m. Fri.-Sat., 5-9 p.m. Sun. Closed Mon.
• Prices: Lunch buffet $8; appetizers $2-$6; breads and side dishes $1.50-$4.50; main dishes $8-$16; desserts $2.25-$3
• Credit cards: All major
• Liquor: No
• Smoking: No
• Parking: Rear lot
• Wheelchair access: No barriers

Home at last after 35 years

Kashmir Singh a former Indian Policeman from Punjab and later a trader in Electronic Goods was arrested in the city of Rawalpindi in 1973. The Government of Pakistan convicted Mr. Singh of spying and was later sentenced him to death.

Now Mr. Kashmir Singh has been released by the Pakistani Authorities after 35 years. Yesterday Mr. Kashmir Singh crossed into India via the Wagah Border.

How did Mr Singh's release come about? Quoting BBC:

His release was spearheaded by Ansar Burney, a social worker and cabinet minister who tracks people lost in Pakistan's jail system.

Ansar Burney discovered Mr Singh on a recent trip to a jail in Lahore and persuaded Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf to revoke his death sentence and order his release.

Mr Burney said last week that Mr Singh had been held in a condemned prisoner's cell for most of the time since his conviction and had become mentally ill.

He said that he was first informed about the case several years ago by members of the Indian community in London.

But he was unable to locate Mr Singh, despite visiting more than 20 jails across the country in connection with his campaign for prison reforms and prisoners' rights.

The minister said Mr Singh had not received a single visitor or seen the open sky and, like other condemned prisoners, was locked in an overcrowded cell for more than 23 hours a day, in conditions which the minister described as "hell on Earth".

Michigan's most admired companies

Fortune magazine has published a list of Michigan's most admired companies. Here they are:

Name	Location
Autoliv	Auburn Hills
Kellogg	Battle Creek
Penske Automotive Group	Bloomfield Hills
Steelcase	Grand Rapids
Universal Forest Products	Grand Rapids
Stryker	Kalamazoo
TRW Automotive Holdings	Livonia
Dow Chemical	Midland
ArvinMeritor	Troy
Herman Miller	Zeeland

American Idol - Season 7 (2008)

American Idol Season 7 is underway on Fox Television. Remember Indian American Sanjaya Malakar from Season 6. Unfortunately there is no Sanjaya Malakar type contestant this season.

There are though some incredible talents like 17 year old David Archuleta (image - top right) from Murray, Utah. One of the songs he sang on the show was "Imagine" by John Lennon. That was a great performance. I have included the YouTube video of that song in this Google Maps Mashup of American Idol Contestants - Season 7 (2008).

Congratulations to Narendra Sheth on the 34th Anniversary of "Geetmala" Radio Program in Michigan

Today March 1st 2008, Narendra Sheth completes 34 years of hosting "Geetmala" an Indian Radio Program. Geetmala can be heard every Saturday on WPON 1460AM from 11 AM - 1 PM.

Tune into Geetmala to hear the latest Bollywood hits or yesteryears Bollywood Classics. In addition he does at times interview local Indian personalities.

Once again congratulations Mr. Sheth!! Your radio show has to be the longest (34 years, WOW!!) running Indian Radio Program in Michigan.

Holi Celebrations - 2008

As per the Hindu calendar, Holi falls on the Phalgun Purnima (or Pooranmashi, Full Moon), which will occur on March 22, 2008.

Here in Michigan couple of Indian Associations have planned Holi Event:

Uttar Pradesh Association of Greater Detroit
"Rang Rangila" on Saturday, March 15th at Bharatiya Temple, 6850 Adams Road, Troy, MI 48098. The Event starts at 5.30 PM. For details check out upad website.

Gujarati Samaj of Detroit
"Holi Hai" on Saturday April 5th at Wylie E. Grove High School, 20500 W. 13 Mile Road, Beverly Hills, MI 48025. The Event starts at 1 PM. For details check out Gujarati Samaj of Detroit website.

What is Holi? Quote from Indian Express

Originally a festival to celebrate good harvests and fertility of the land, Holi is now a symbolic commemmoration of a legend from Hindu Mythology. The story centres around an arrogant king who resents his son Prahlada worshipping Lord Vishnu. He attempts to kill his son but fails each time. Finally, the king's sister Holika who is said to be immune to burning, sits with the boy in a huge fire. However, the prince Prahlada emerges unscathed, while his aunt burns to death. Holi commemorates this event from mythology, and huge bonfires are burnt on the eve of Holi as its symbolic representation.

This exuberant festival is also associated with the immortal love of Krishna and Radha, and hence, Holi is spread over 16 days in Vrindavan as well as Mathura - the two cities with which Lord Krishna shared a deep affiliation. Apart from the usual fun with coloured powder and water, Holi is marked by vibrant processions which are accompanied by folk songs, dances and a general sense of abandoned vitality.

Today Holi is an excuse for Indians to shed inhibitions and caste differences for a day of spring fever and Big Fun. Teenagers spend the day flirting and misbehaving in the streets, adults extend the hand of peace, and everyone chases everyone else around, throwing brightly colored powder (gulal) and water over each other.