American/Bengali/Indian Aaddaa or Gossip Chat
American/Bengali/Indian Aaddaa or Gossip Chat to Celebrate Shrine Restoration, and Anniversary
Sachi
G. Dastidar
After a long time Dastidar family decided to go back to the
pre-Covid era on Sunday, December 10, 2023, by inviting friends as well as
donors of our life-changing event of reestablishment in Bangladesh of our 1700s
shrine of Black Mother Kali which was destroyed during 1950s pogrom. The shrine
was built and rededicated on August 18, 2023, at 11 am by Dastidars as requested
by exuberant villagers and by Hindu Monk Jiban Maharaj of Bangladesh. Monk
Jiban Maharaj was the true inspiration and worker for the project. We were very happy that we received support for
the shrine rehabilitation project from Americans, Indians, Bangladeshis,
Bangladeshi Hindu refugees, Singaporean, Hindu, Jewish, Muslim, and Christian donors,
including individuals who never met us. See https://empireslastcasualty2.blogspot.com/2023/09/partition-casualty-and-its-restoration.html.
We decided to celebrate this life-turning event, that many consider to be the
first since India’s independence and partition of India in 1947 from the
British oppressors. Aaddaa-chat was with our friends, donors for the
shrine as well as to celebrate our 48th anniversary, and 56th
year of friendship between Shefali and me. We invited all the donors from the
U.S. – from Texas to New Jersey to Upstate to New York City. Of course, we
didn’t invite donors from India and Singapore. People from too far couldn’t join
for a delicious lunch at an Indian restaurant near our home in eastern Queens
of New York City. Unfortunately, on that day there was hurricane and a huge
rainstorm that prevented many from New Jersey and Long Island joining the
party.
We were very pleased to see our friends enjoying the
party in spite of heavy rainfall outdoor. We were happy to see our
granddaughter Shriya-Lakshmi showing a big flower bouquet and a balloon with
words “Happy Anniversary” to all the visitors. We were also pleased to see some
of our friends whom we maintained friendship since our arrival in New York City
from Alabama in 1979. In addition, we saw several friends whom we worked with
at our Probini Foundation educating the poor and the dirt-poor in Bangladesh
and India, as well as some who worked with our Indian Subcontinent Partition
Documentation Project. Here are some pictures from the party:
A famous singer, Mrs. Subhra
Goswami, in the middle with Dastidar daughter Joyeeta and her son Nico-Lakshman on the
left, and granddaughter Shriya-Lakshmi in the middle, holding flower bouquet
and balloon for her grandparents’
We were grateful that Prof. Dr. Kusumita Pedersen reminded in her speech that 10th December is Human Rights Day declared by U. N. so that we can celebrate that. Prof. Dr. Minna Barrett, who traveled from Connecticut reminded us of her support for human rights’ work, Probini and ISPaD. Mr. Shuvo G. Dastidar, Coordinator of Partition Project spoke about his work with Probini Foundation and with ISPaD or The Indian Subcontinent Partition Documentation Project. Mr. Priyatosh Dey, the new Chair of the Partition Documentation Project spoke briefly. Some of the donors for the rebuilding of the 1700s shrine who were able to join were, Dr. Minna Barrett, Mr. K. Islam, Mrs. S. Goswami, Shuvo and Sumedha Dastidar, Dr. Bhola Banik, and the hosts Sachi G. and Shefali S. Dastidar.
Distinguished Professor Dr. Minna Barrett Speaking at the Gathering
A famous professor, rights activist
and a scholar of Hinduism, Prof. Dr. Kusumita Pedersen reminded the importance
of December 10, the Human Rights Day, holding a booklet. There are several
schools and orphanages in Bangladesh who have her name engraved for her donation
to build those for the poor and the
Eminent Lawyer Stu Moore, Esq., of Long Island, and Friend of the Family Since 1979
Shriya-Lakshmi, at Center, Holding Bouquet and Balloon in Honor of Her Grandparents Anniversary
We were pleasantly surprised that several individuals left
donations for a second “revolutionary” work in Bangladesh at Pirojpur Ashram which
is building a place for senior and poor citizens, a health clinic, and more.
Some of those donors are Mrs. Khushi
Basu, Mr. Khursh Islam, Mr. Priyatosh Dey, Dr. Bhola Banik, Mrs. Rani De, Mrs.
Subhra Goswami, and Prof. Dr. Minna Barrett. Hearing the struggle for development,
a generous donation to Swamiji was sent by Rajesh Agni living in Texas, and
another donation came from Dastidar family in memory of Mishti Debi, wife of
Satys Bhowmik, present at the aaddaa party. Below is a picture of the
project.
For information of the project,
see: SRIRAMKATHI,
PIROJPUR: HELPING THE UNDERPRIVILEGED POOR & THE DIRT-POOR
(empireslastcasualty2.blogspot.com)
It seemed friends enjoyed companionship and food as the aaddaa
party continued for several hours in spite people’s anxiousness to return home:
Here are some pictures of that party:
On December 14, the day of the anniversary, Lakshmi got her grandparents a celebratory cake. After school, she led her grandpa to a shop unknown to grandpa, to buy the anniversary cake.
Shriya-Lakshmi just didn’t celebrate grandparents – Dadu and Thakurma – saying “Happy Anniversary Grandparents” but brought awards from her school on the same week for her grandparents to celebrate, with parents Shuvo and Sumedha.
New York City Council Member Tom
Genero Presenting Citation to Shriya
Lakshmi danced at the Persian Yalda New Light Festival, organized by Prof. Dr. Alireza Ebrahimi at the State University of New York at Old Westbury campus, on December 15, 2023, where she was awarded a flower bouquet and cheers by the Persian-American community:
Dr. Alireza Ebrahimi Presenting the Bouquet
Picture: Courtesy of Prof. Ebrahimi
Happy
Anniversary! Merry Christmas! Happy Diwali/Deepabali! Happy Hanukkah! Happy Yalda!
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