DESPLAINES, IL: United Senior Pariwar, established five years ago to look after the welfare of seniors and others in the town of DesPlaines and surrounding areas, celebrated three major Indian events during its periodic meet held on Sunday January 13 at Kathy Hall in Niles, a north side suburb of Chicago.
The events covered were the 64th Republic Day of India, Makar Sankranti party and the 150th birth anniversary of Swami Vivekanand. Mafat Patel, often described as ‘Uncrowned King of Devon area’ and Chairman of the association, was the main Guest of Honor.
The event started with a lamp lighting ceremony by the honored guests Mafat Patel and Hasmukh Soni, Treasurer and Chhitubhai Patel, Vice President of the association accompanying them. Acharya Rohitbhai Joshi and Dr Anant Rawal performed the ritual and ceremony befitting the auspicious events.
Suresh Shah, Secretary of the Association, welcomed the members and narrated the details of the program and activities planned for the year 2013. He informed that during the course of the current year the management has decided to celebrate various religious as well as social and national events on a large scale. He strongly pitched for support from all the members by active participation as has been the case in the past.
Acharya Rohitbhai Joshi explained in detail why the association members are celebrating the holy festival of Makar Sankranti. He said that Makar Sankranti is a major festival celebrated in various parts of India. According to the lunar calendar, when the sun moves from the Tropic of Cancer to the Tropic of Capricorn or from Dakshinayana to Uttarayana, in the month of Poush in mid-January, it commemorates the beginning of the harvest season and cessation of the northeast monsoon in South India.
“The sun switching from one zodiac sign into another is called Sankranti and as it moves into the Capricorn zodiac known as Makar in Hindi. The festival is named as Makar Sankranti in this context. It is one of the few Hindu festivals which are celebrated on a fixed date i.e. 14th January every year,” he observed. At the end he congratulated organizers of the seniors association for the activities being carried out for the welfare of seniors.
While celebrating other two events, the 64th Republic Day of India and 150th birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda, Dr. Anant Rawal said that In India, Republic Day honors the date on which the constitution of India came into force replacing the Government of India Act 1935 as the governing document of India on 26 January 1950. He further said that the date of 26 January was chosen to honor the declaration of independence of 1930. It is one of the three national holidays in India.
While the main parade takes place in the national capital, New Delhi, at the Rajpath before the President of India the anniversary is also celebrated with varying degrees of formality in State capitals and other centers also.
Touching upon the celebration of 150th birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda, he urged all the members to adopt the principles of Swamiji in daily life.
In his address, Guest of Honor Mafat Patel Guest thanked all the members for their support to the seniors association and assured them that he would always remain supporting this association at all the times. He praised all the Executive Committee members for their dedication and commitment for achieving the objectives of the association and urged them to do better this year.
Kanubhai Patel and Sudhakar Shah, front ranking activists of the association, spoke on how to live a healthy life and presented a live demonstration of yoga which was well received. At the suggestion off Chhitubhai Patel, Vice President and Hasmukh Soni, Treasurer, all members and guests paid tribute to the young girl of 23 years old who was the victim of heinous gang rape in New Delhi.
All the members requested the executive committee to submit a memorandum to President Pranab Mukherji, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde and Law Minister of Government of India sharing their concern, anger and anguish with the people of India over this crime. They urged that this unfortunate happening should be used to sensitize people and initiate reforms in existing rape laws making them more stringent.
Some politicians and religious personalities have made adverse comments over the gang rape incident and the Parivar members took exception to their statements and comments affirming their stand against these ill-thought out observations. The members of United Senior Pariwar have asked such persons to introspect before speaking and should rather mind their own business.
Anupama Patel
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