Documentary: "FootPaths of Our Indentured Ancestors"

Sunday, August 23, 2009

Ramayan in the Park in Richmond Hill, Queens

The Federation of Hindu Mandirs (USA) Inc., has sponsored 7 sessions of discourses from the Ramcharitamanas, at 133rd Street & Liberty Avenue (Arya Spiritual Center Ground), Richmond Hill, Queeens. It's near Sybil's Bakery quarters.

It Starts: Sunday Aug 23rd 2009 @ 6 PM
It Ends: Sunday Aug 30th 2009 @ 6 PM

This Ramayan Discourse in open to the general public. Please pass on this invitation to your family and friends. Yajna or Spiritual discourses from the Ramayan is part of our rich heritage brought and passed on to us by our brave ancestors. Please show your support by attending each sessions. Make use to of this spiritual journey to help cleanse the wandering mind.

A huge tent is erected and chairs are organized for devotees to sit on (about 400 chairs - according to Dr. Dhanpaul Narine). So you avoid the hard ground.

Different outstanding pandits from the community will be leading the discourses from the Ramayan. They are:

Pt. Chunelall Narine; Pt. Mahendra Doobay; Pt. Shyam Basdeo; Pt. Rishi Ram Persaud; Pt. Rabindranath Sharma; Pt. Thakoor Sharma and Pt. Loknath Gajadhar Sukul.

These are the first photos of the Ramayan in the Park.

1. Early devotees 2. Beautiful "Bedi"

3. Pt. P. Parsram and another Pandit 4. Colorful "Singhasan"

5. Front view of the mandir

Friday, August 21, 2009

GOPIO Convention 2009 at Crown Plaza Hotel

Mr. Inder Singh, President of GOPIO and Mr. Ashook Ramsaran, Secretary of GOPIO. I needed to turn off the FLASH on the camera and I couldn't figure it out. I asked for help.

Two gentlemen at the convention ....

Mr. Yesu Persaud (sitting) chaired this session. This gentleman talking, showed us a short documentary on "aborting the girl child." It is a very sensitive and informative yet crucial issue that needs to be tackled in India. Kudos to him and his good team for bringing awareness of this important issue to the world. I hope he succeeds.

Do you know this person?

Images of GOPIO Convention Aug 21st 2009

Former US Ambassador to India .... making his presentation...

He is a good photographer. Here he is when he is not taking out photos, aha!!!

This is the hard working team, doing the registration, with Dr. Thomas. Mr. Jaswant (sitting left) did the bulk of the work... a good gentleman he is.

Thursday, August 20, 2009

Images of GOPIO Convention 2009

Beautiful view from World's Fair Marina ...

Myself, posing .....

Lord Rana from London, addressing the crowd ...

A nice gentleman from London ...

GOPIO Convention 2009 - History Making

I'm a committee member for the GOPIO Convention 2009 - (Aug 20 - 23rd) helping around with registration. I had to go to the World's Fair Marina. Did a mapquest, then asked my brother all the way from Florida for direction. Didn't follow the direction, went wrong, came around and got back on the Van Wyck Exp - North.

This time around, I steadfastly followed the direction to La Guardia, exit out at Exit 7. Gone too far. Double checked direction with a Pandit at a gas station. Made a U - turn. Came back on expressway towards South, exit out 25A East, got on Northern Blvd, followed the sign of the World's Fair Marian and finally, I arrived! I was the first to get there!!!

It felt good meeting, talking and networking with Indians from all over the world, folks who are professionals in their individual fields and very intelligent. One can feel the dynamism and vibrancy of our rich culture and heritage in the hall.

I met Mr. Yesu Persaud for the first time. He is part of Project History - the documentary. And I'll set up a time to film him.

Then, there was Indian Karaoke singing by Raj and his friend. They rocked the audience with their Indian oldies. Keep it up guys!

And, there was my Australian (he came from Sydney) friend who somehow didn't feel the great ambience of New York City - the financial center of the world!

I captured moments of the event in still images:

Mr. Ashook Ramsaran, General Secretary of GOPIO International, addresssing the gathering ...