TATA Kaburlu - Welcome to Telugu Association of … Kaburlu, volume 7 Your Board Members [2012-2013] President: Katyayani Suryadevara [email protected] Vice President: Vijaya Rao

A newsletter from Telugu Association of Tucson Arizona - Volume 7, Page | 1

http://www.tucsontelugu.org/

TATA Kaburlu, volume 7

Your Board Members [2012-2013]

President: Katyayani Suryadevara [email protected] Vice President: Vijaya Rao [email protected] Treasurer: Vasudha Raju [email protected] Secretary: Sri Vani Rallabandi [email protected] Cultural Secretary: Gopal Srinivasan [email protected] Executive Board Member: Shyam Sunder [email protected] Past President: Subrahmanyam Aradyula [email protected] Founding Member: Nirmala Lavu [email protected]

Youth Representative: Meena Venkataramanan Web Master: Hari Venkat

Message from the Board

Greetings! The past few months have been

exciting with quite a few events to draw

together our community. At the outset we

would like to thank all the members

individually for supporting TATA activities and

making our events memorable and successful.

Our membership has grown over the years yet

we have managed to retain the character of a

close knit family. The fact that we are a

successful organization is not a

happenstance, it is the dedication and effort of

all our members that contributes to it and we

should be justifiably proud of that.

We would like to highlight some of the main

events and developments in TATA since the

last release of the newsletter…

[Continued in page 2...]

http://www.tucsontelugu.org/

mailto:[email protected]









Message from the Board [continued…..]

…One of our major focus areas in the recent past has been greater involvement in the Tucson community

activities. As part of this we participated in Burrito Making that was hosted at the Subbureddiyar's family

residence. Adults and children from over 26 families enthusiastically participated in this event and prepared

400 burritos in two hours for distribution to the poor and homeless. Another noteworthy event was organized

by our youngest and newest TATA board member, Meena Venkataramanan, at Ben's Bells. Over 32 adults

and children got together at Tucson Ben’s Bells downtown location and spent two hours having fun painting

bells for a worthy cause. Another notable event was when many members got together to sew, assemble and

fold large tote bags that were to be distributed to children in the foster care system under the auspices of the

Aviva organization’s Children's Services Bags for Kids initiative. Finally, we have proudly continued to

volunteer at the Tucson Community Food Bank by bagging food for distribution. Our deep involvement in our

local community is a source of pride and we hope this sets a good example for our children about social

commitment.

We also made significant contributions towards charitable causes beyond the borders of Southern Arizona.

We invited singers from Hyderabad for a wonderful evening of music with songs in Telugu and other regional

languages. We used the function to raise over $7,000 for Vegesena, an organization working to empower the

differentially-able individuals. We also raised a significant amount of contributions for the Sankara Eye

Foundation. Finally, reflecting our broad agenda of social consciousness, we raised a significant sum of

money that has been donated to the American Red Cross to be used for relief efforts for those affected by

Super Typhoon Haiyan in Philippines.

In terms of cultural activities we celebrated the traditional festivals of Sankranti, Ugadi and Diwali. The year

got off to a great start with the Sankranti celebrations hosted by Sujatha and Greg at their house. The

delicious ethnic food was noteworthy. The Ugadi function was hosted by Swapna and Rakshit Gaddam and

involved children in a well-organized cultural program. The Diwali function was hosted by Jayanthi and Shyam

Sunder and featured diya making and fireworks. The annual picnic was hosted by Sarda and Siva Kokimalla

and saw adults and children enthusiastically participating in the games and competing for the prizes. We also

had a TATA Night with Pizza catered by the Subbureddiyar family which provided an occasion for TATA

families to mingle and chat while spending a relaxed evening. To end the year we had the much anticipated

Muggula Poti, hosted as usual by Ranga and Satheesh Aradhyula at their residence. The poti saw both adults

and children competing fiercely and unleashing their artistic creativity.


As part of our mission to encourage and nourish the initiatives of TATA families we have been excited to

support Sumhit Aradhyula’s efforts to bring classical music and raise money for charitable giving through

Ragazona. We look forward to supporting such initiatives by other members too.

As the current board steps down we look forward to handing over the baton to a fresh set of board members

who will undoubtedly take our organization to greater heights. We would like to encourage all members

actively consider joining the board or nominate potential candidates. Finally with a heavy heart we want to bid

good-bye to those current board members who have left or are in the process of leaving Tucson. Vijaya Rao

and family are moving to Austin, Sri Vani and family have moved to Dallas, and Gopal and Saranya are

planning on moving to India. We wish them the best of luck, they will be missed, and we thank them for all

their efforts.

Finally, the current board would like to thank all the members for their encouragement and support in all the

initiatives. We look forward to working with the next board to maintain the spirit of TATA.

In this volume

Memories from 2013 ---pages 4 onwards

Leisure ---pages 14 onwards


TATA Volunteers at Community Food Bank

TATA members spent a morning with the Community Food Bank in Tucson. For

an energetic few hours, our members assisted in the sorting, packing and

delivery of food packets.


Tote Bags for Aviva Children’s

Another event where many TATA members volunteered their time is for Aviva

Children’s Services. During this event, our enthusiastic members got to sew,

assemble and fold tote bags. These bags would be distributed to children in

foster care.


UGADI 2013

The celebration of the Telugu New Year was

hosted by Swapna and Rakshit Gaddam.

The events for the day started with prayers and

were followed by a slew of cultural programs, which

included multiple songs from our TATA singers and

a dance program by TATA young classical

dancers.

Following an end of celebration dinner, members in

attendance were also treated to a couple’s game.


Burrito Making – community outreach event

Hosted at the

residence of

Subbureddiyars, the

burrito making event

saw active

participation from

TATA members.

A total 400+ burritos

were prepared by

kids and adults from

more than 26 TATA

families.

Apart from donating

their time and effort to make this community outreach event a success, our

members pitched in with the purchase of the required ingredients.


TATA Picnic TATA Picnic 2013 was held under a pleasant weather. This year’s picnic

was hosted by Shiva and Sharada Kokimalla.

“The usual culprits at work” “Having fun”

TATA plays

“Price is Right”


Ben’s Bells - community event

The ben’s bells event was organized for the TATA

members by Meena Venkataramanan. Over 32 of our

TATA members volunteered their time to the studio by

painting bells.

Through the dedication of time, TATA members further

Ben’s Bells vision of encouraging kindness. Needless to

say, it sure was a fun filled event!


Ganesh Chaturthi at Udall Park

A gathering of TATA members at Udall Park in celebration of Ganesh

Chaturthi. Ganesh Chaturthi is one of the popular Indian festivals. A

10-day long celebration [in certain areas] culminates with the

immersion of Ganpati idols in water.

With guidance from Adults, kids can be seen engaged in creating clay

Ganesha idols. Using Clay is the traditional and eco-friendly way!


Diwali Celebrations

Diwali 2013 celebrations were held at the Pima Medical Society by this

year’s hosts Shyam Sunder and Jayanthi.

Kids celebrated Diwali in style by burning firecrackers and participated in

the making of diya. This was topped off with delicious food cooked by our

TATA members and games.


Muggulla Poti 2013

In continuation with the long standing tradition, Satheesh and Ranga

Aradhyula hosted the 2013 Muggula Poti at their residence.

TATA members withstood the cold weather and a threat of rainfall to

complete beautiful muggus. Below is a list of participant for the

Muggula Poti 2013

Adult Participants:

Sarada K

Vijayalakshmi R

Bhagawati

Usha V

Priya R.

Vijaya C

Swaroopa B

Hema G

Sarada A

Kids participants:

Mallika S

Nina R

Mira R

Meena V

Varsha R

Aditya S

Sudeep B

Sai K


Kids Participants [continued…]

Krishna D

Sahasra D

Aarush T

Keertana K


Impor tant Health Tips by Vijay Radhakrishnan, PH: 481-7863

The best remedy to control stress are, Setting limits, Regular exercise, talking and engaging with friends and family.

Vegetarians - watch out for essential Nutrients

Proteins (50 grams/day) Milk, milk products, lentils, beans, nuts, nut butters, peas, and soy products. Iron Iron-fortified breakfast cereals, spinach, kidney beans, black-eyed peas, lentils, turnip greens, molasses, whole wheat breads, peas, and some dried fruits (dried apricots, prunes, raisins). Zinc Beans, wheat germ, pumpkin seeds, and milk products. Calcium Milk, milk products, calcium-fortified soymilk, calcium-fortified breakfast cereals and orange juice, tofu made with calcium sulfate, and some dark-green leafy vegetables (collard greens, turnip greens, bok choy, mustard greens). Vitamin B12 Milk products, eggs, and foods that have been fortified with vitamin B12 such as breakfast cereals, soymilk, veggie burgers, and nutritional yeast.

Adapted from www.usda.gov

Importance of Yogurt Yogurt gives calcium and proteins, but more importantly probiotic bacteria such as Lactobacilli that help to digest lactose sugar (found in milk and milk products). Many people can develop Acid Reflux (Heart burn) or indigestion if there is not enough of this bacteria in the body, especially after consuming diary products.

Eat 5 servings of fruits and veggies everyday.

Eat Healthy

Don’t sit in front of TV or computer for more than 2 hours for leisure activities. Amount of time spent on TV has been shown to be directly proportional to development of diabetes among Indian population.

Limit Screen

Aim for atleast 30 min of exercise everyday. It not only helps you to be fit but also gives you a goodnight’s sleep.

It’s time to Rock and Roll!!

Its always known that brown rice is better than white rice. But we as Indians find it hard to give up white rice. Some of the facts to consider about white rice include, a) parboiled rice retains the essential nutrient thiamine as opposed to raw rice and b) Cooking white rice the traditional way (boiling and draining excess water) can help to get rid of excess soluble carbohydrates (helpful for dieting plan).

Are you eating the right rice???


Memories of my Trip To The Temple - by Sahasrakshi Dasika

I went into the temple. It was cold and chilly inside. When I looked down I

saw white and black shiny tiles. When I looked left I saw gods all together in

the shape of a square. People were going around it with their hands folded

together. I knew I was going to do that in the

end about the time when I would go home. I

went to where the praying was going on and I

had to sit on the cold, chilly floor. After a while I

got to stand and go around a circle of statues.

Then we prayed to god and took some food that

we called prasadam. When my mom and dad

prayed some more, my sister, brother, and I

played tag by colors. Next we had to sit where the praying was going on.

Then we drank a liquid that was poured in our hands and tasted like water

and Tulasi leaves. Finally, I got to go around the statues of gods made of

black stone. My dad saw a clay god in different colors. We took a tannish

white one. I wanted to spray paint it but my dad said no, because we were

going to put it in our backyard and it would affect the plants. The pooja

ended and I went in a room for lunch. I had lunch with my family. We ate

hot lemon rice, cold curd rice. I ate hot, gooey, tasty payasam for dessert.

Finally it was time for the long ride home back to Tucson. I didn’t like the

long drive back because it made me feel sick. I liked going to the temple

because it was so quiet and peaceful there.


Morals For Mankind–by Meena Venkataramanan

Swami Vivekananda was one of the most respected and well-known Indian Hindu

monks. He traveled the world, educating people on Hinduism and spirituality. But

aside from the revival of Hinduism and interfaith awareness, Swamiji also taught

thousands of people about, well, people. He motivated others to take pride in who

they are and instilled powerful morals in them. By doing this, he pushed even the

poorest and most hopeless people to keep persevering until they succeed and reach

their goal.

After reading his quotes, I was truly inspired by this one: “Take up one idea. Make

that one idea your life - think of it, dream of it, live on that idea. Let the brain, muscles,

nerves, every part of your body, be full of that idea, and just leave every other idea

alone. This is the way to success.”

Yes, I’ve heard many quotes similar to this one (such as “follow your dreams” or

“believing is succeeding”), but what set this apart from others is that this one really

showed me that I have to drop everything else and focus on one thing at a time in

order to make it happen. You can’t have ten goals and achieve them all at once. You

have to keep thinking about your one idea and not let anything else stand in your

way. And most of all, you have to act on it—formulate a plan to make it happen.

Then, you will succeed. And once you do succeed, the cycle repeats and you start

working on another goal until you succeed.

Swami Vivekananda was acquainted with a variety of people during his 39 years on

planet Earth. Some of this people didn’t have enough self-esteem or hope to believe

that success was even possible. To those, he said, “Whatever you think, that you will

be. If you think yourselves weak, weak you will be; if you think yourselves strong,

strong you will be.” This told them that no one else is judging them—they can be


whoever they want to be and achieve whatever they want to achieve, no matter what

it takes and how far they have to go to make it happen.

In return for success, Swami Vivekananda expected others to be kind to each other.

“Purity, patience, and perseverance are the three essentials to success, and above

all, love,” he once said. He basically stated that there is no room for hatred on Earth

and believed strongly in the principle of karma (what goes around comes around). To

succeed, you will have to be pure, patient, persevere, and above all, you’ll have to

love unconditionally. To further emphasize this idea, he said that “This is the gist of all

worship – to be pure and to do good to others.”

Swamiji was deeply against poverty and hunger and ridiculed those who were rich

and selfish--who refused to give even the least bit to the poor or hungry. “So long as

the millions live in hunger and ignorance, I hold every man a traitor who, having been

educated at their expense, pays not the least heed to them.”

His words speak the plain truth. Why is it that there are over ten million millionaires in

the world but over three billion people—almost half the world--live on under $2.50 a

day? What would happen if everyone—wealthy or not wealthy—gave just one dollar

to help fight the growing problem of homelessness? Swamiji questions this in his

quote.

More than his religious teachings, Swami Vivekananda inspired me more through his

teachings about mankind and how we can all contribute to the success of others to

make this world a better place. After reading his quotes, I’m living today—but I’m

thinking tomorrow. I plan to use his quotes to improve everyday and succeed in

reaching my goals and helping others who have less than I do reach theirs, too. The

key is a) acting on a single idea, b) believing in yourself, c) loving as opposed to

hating, and d) giving to others who have less than you do. This is what will make a

stronger tomorrow. After all, Swamiji did say, “…Have faith in yourselves, and stand

up on that faith and be strong; that is what we need.”


Sudoku for your mind

This one should be easy

8

3

1

9

4

9

7

1

5

4

2

1

4

9

2

6

8

2

4

3

7

5

9

1

3

1

8

9

2

3

4

6

2

7

3

A step higher in difficulty

[THE END]

“TATA Kabrulu – Vol 7 ” compiled by Gopal Srinivasan

8

7

6

1

3

6

4

8

7

3

1

3

4

4

7

5

3

1

3

1

2

4

9

5

4

3

9

4

2

8

6

Documents

TATA Kaburlu - Welcome to Telugu Association of … Kaburlu, volume 7 Your Board Members [2012-2013] President: Katyayani Suryadevara [email protected] Vice President: Vijaya Rao