Letters

The article “Love and Loss on Two Continents” on Namesake (March 2007) was more than just the story of the making of the movie. Each word in the article evoked emotions and feelings I feel here everyday in the United States as an international student. Back home in India we think about NRIs as a happy, rich and prosperous family who have all the gifts in the world. We do not realize the pain they feel leaving their homeland in search of better opportunities and future for their children. Many Indians feel the grass is surely greener on this side of the world and are convinced that the United States is a much better place to live than their own country. But Indians wherever they go will always be looking for that Little India, which is settled deep inside our hearts.
RAGHVENDRA SINGH, Warrensburg, Mo.

AS ALWAYS, IT IS STIMULATING TO READ Little India. I feel the urge to respond to Jayant Patel’s letter on skin color, good looks and Hindi cinema versus hollywood (March 2007).

We keep propagating the notion that white is beautiful, but are then perturbed when someone else points out our human foibles. Granted some of the top heroes and heroines today and in the past were dark skinned, but they were a rarity, often in artsy movie.

Can we quickly identify strikingly good looking and fantastic actors like Sidney Poitier or Denzel Washington in Hindi cinema without making them look white? Some of us tend to associate good looks with being lighter-skinned. Our matrimonial advertisements say it all.
But then again, the whole problem of skin color applies globally, from East to West and North to South. Conscious or subconscious bias toward lighter skin color is unfortunately prevalent worldwide.
LAJU K, Via eMail

I WAS GLAD TO SEE THE FOCUS ON YOUNG Indian Americans (“Generation X,” March 2007). My teenage daughter has enough role models to discover and grow in whatever her heart desires. Please also cover articles that make them proud of their heritage and culture. I hope Indian American children will feel proud of their culture and bring the best values of their own and adopted cultures to become model citizens of this country. I also hope they will stand up and fight injustices against any culture under any name.
SATYA HITAYA, Via eMail

THE INTERVIEW WITH BIKRAM CHOUDHURY of Bikram Yoga (March 2007) is very interesting. I find it curious that he thinks vegetarians die quickly, that fruits and vegetables are chemicals and that the secret for a youthful life are in eating meat, fish, eggs and chicken. His remarks reminded me of a recent BBC interview with centenarians from Cuba. Their secret to longevity and youth were very similar to Choudhury’s, except they added three other important points, which Choudhury neglected to mention – alcohol, cigars and women.
SIVAKUMAR RAGHAVAN, Gainesville, Fl

I AM 80- YEARS-OLD, JUST NOW GETTING TO know the ropes about computers, thanks to my grandsons. Little India has nothing little about it… it’s all grand and great. It is a pleasure to read your magazine
VENGRAI PARTHASARATHY, Via eMail

ONCE UPON A TIME, TIPS WERE ONLY given to restaurant or bar waiters, but now everywhere you go from barbers shop and gas stations to cabbies, if a customer doesn’t tip workers scowl. We should not tip unless the service is both prompt and exceptional. And these workers need to understand that a tip is not their right, but a customer’s prerogative.
TAJ AHMAD, New Jersey

I THOROUGHLY ENJOYED LAVINA MELWANI’S article on the “Land of the Thunder Dragon,” Bhutan (March 2007). It opens a beautiful window into a magical kingdom high up in the Himalayas, governed by lofty ideals. The idea of using Gross National Happiness as an indicator of a successful society, rather than GNP or GDP is a noble concept. Implementation and maintaining that policy needs commitment by the public at large and that could be a challenge. The immense forces of globalization and market economy are bound to put enormous pressure on that wonderful ideal.

It is a challenge worthy of the support of the global community. As the article explains, the wildlife and environmental treasures of this small kingdom are quite remarkable. The picture of Tiger’s Nest Monastery in the article is both mystical and magical. It sounds like the current king and the crown prince are both very progressive thinkers and we all hope that their goals of GNH will be a successful model for other countries in the world. I hope Indian leaders look up north to the Himalayas even as they look West for ideas on progress, prosperity and happiness for the Indian public.
JAY BHANDARY, Shelton, Conn.

ENTREPRENEURIAL INDIA MAY ULTIMATELY overshadow the much touted start-up cultures of the West. We need to adapt to behaviors that allow us to keep pace with the never-ending bandwidth technology offers. Most countries, developing and developed alike, view innovation as a vital input of their economic growth and spend substantial portions of their national budgets to support companies and research labs. India should focus on “user-centered innovation” as a national priority.
VIVEK DIXIT, Houston, Texas

“THE KILLER BELLY,” (NOV 2006) ADDRESSED the growing problem of heart disease and diabetes amongst Indian population. I visit India every year as a part of a group of 140 Westerners to attend a meditation retreat with my guru Sri Karunamayi in Andhra Pradesh. We always have a problem with very spicy, oily and carb rich food (especially white rice) that they serve us at the ashram.
ZORAN TODOROVIC, Los Angeles, Calif

I LOVE YOUR MAGAZINE AND THINK THAT IT evolves at the pace we are evolving in America, which is very fast. There is no hreference point to compare the information you offer to anything else we know in the US. It’s amazing to see your range of subjects and your ability keep them so interesting.
SIMI CHAWLA, Via eMail

I HAVE ALWAYS ENJOYED YOUR ARTICLES and am impressed with the wide range of topics you cover. In your article on Ganesha (Feb 2007), you mention the existence of Ganesha sculptures in 5,000-year-old temples. If I am not mistaken, that would be in pre-Vedic times. It will be of great interest to know where such a temple exists.
PRAKASH, Via eMail

I WANT TO EXPRESS MY APPRECIATION FOR Shekhar Deshpande’s article, “Hear This: The Silence of Sounds” (Feb 2007). I was born and raised in America and am not of South Asian heritage. However, I have been to semi-rural Tamil Nadu five times.
I think there is some truth to his comment that much sound in America is limited in open spaces, while the sound pumped into the individual grows continuously. He left out the fact that many, many Americans, when they return to the house every day after work, immediately flip on the TV set.

So, the external sounds of a place like India are classified as “noise,” while the constant stream of inanities pouring into everyone from TVs and radios are welcomed. The simple fact is that most people are afraid of peace and quiet, or perhaps they are afraid to discover that their mind is also continually “noisy” with the most useless drivel. It is a big subject, which, ironically enough, was opened up for me through Indian traditions.

The first time I went to India was during the Tamil month of Margazhi, a time for prayers. I went to sleep my first night there after a long trip from America and promptly dropped into a sound sleep. At 3:30 am, I was more or less ejected from my bed by chanting from outdoor loudspeakers nearby. I wasn’t angry. Rather I felt a mixture of amazement, disbelief and mirth. It was one of those experiences you instantly recognize as a first in your life. India has provided a number of firsts. A full assault on your senses is normal in India. Expecting the unexpected is normal in India. This is partly why I love to go there.
MARTIN WOLFF, Via eMail