November 9th, 2021 Thank you for your support of the eSandesh newsletter. If you would like to include an event or share some news, please use this form to submit. We look forward to hearing from you! Click here to share this newsletter with friends or family. Subscribe to the ISW Channel on YouTube here. Click here to view as Webpage View past issues on the ISW Website.

ISW PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE Dear ISW Supporters ISW volunteers helped bring Diwali to the Worcester Art Museum where over 800 community members enjoyed the various cultural and artistic activities. Diwali Laxmi Puja at the ISW India Center had may members and their families join in celebration. We continue with the Diwali Cultural program on November 13th which will stream online on ISW Facebook page. The final event will be the Tower Hill Botanic Gardens Diwali celebration and Festival of Lights, on November 20th. I also wanted to share two key initiatives that has been the staple of ISW for many years. First our FREE Health Stop which happens every Wednesday since 2005. Check out this Video to learn more about it. Second is our Humrahee group. This group took a break this past year, but is coming back with a new vision and identity. Please keep an eye on this space for more details. Puneet Kohli, President, India Society of Worcester president@iswonline.org

ISW eSandesh Survey Last year we redesigned the ISW newsletter, eSandesh, and started publishing it on a regular bi-weekly schedule. We have seen significant readership of the articles but are always looking to improve. You can help us by providing us your feedback with this short, six question survey. Please click on this link to provide your completely anonymous feedback. Thank you, The eSandesh Editorial Team

ISW CULTURAL & LANGUAGE SCHOOL NEWS Kannada and Sanskrit Classes Interest Survey If you or your child is interested in taking beginner's classes in Sanskrit or Kannada, please complete this survey. Ruchi Chauhan & Shiamin Melville

ISW UPCOMING EVENTS

ISW DIWALI CELEBRATIONS

ISW Diwali Cultural Event November 13, 2 to 6 pm online Event details at ISW Facebook page Diwali At Tower Hill - Festival of Lights November 20, 6 to 9 pm Tower Hill Botanic Gardens Use ISW promotional code INDIA to get your discounted rate at Tower Hill Botanic

BollyZumba Winter Session Nov 2 to Dec 14, 6:30 to 7:30 pm   Fitness isn’t a goal it is a lifestyle. Zumba class of 45 minutes of rigorous dance moves to Bollywood numbers followed by 20 minutes of yoga stretches. Register now! ISW Members $65, Non-members $75

ISW Christmas December 11th 2021 Save the date for ISW's annual Christmas event with songs and celebrations in many languages plus Santa!

ISW University One on One Online classes are continuing by fifteen IYG Tutors in 3rd Grade Math & English, Introduction to French & Spanish, Debate and many others subjects. Kunal & Sunny are winding up their popular sessions on Lego Robotics and will be offering a second session starting December 4th. Click here to register. We are also delighted that our Chess for Beginners started this weekend and will continue until December. We are happy to announce that we hope to add online Meditation Classes and Quilting next Spring. Thank you to IYG Tutors as they raise funds for ISW programs. Any questions, please email iswuniversity@iswonline.org.  Thanks: Usha Yadav, Tanvi Gahlot & Shiamin Melville

ISW YOUTH CORNER Road Trip Tales: A journey to the West and back By Dhruv Jagan, 9th Grade, St. Johns Almost there! Almost there! These were the words my mom kept repeating the morning of our drive. Well, we were all excited to be so close to reaching our destination, so we all jumped into the car as enthusiastically as possible. Leaving Reno Nevada was quite a different feeling. No more hotel stays but the comfort of getting to a home was exhilarating. After six nights in hotels and pools, the comfort of a home and my parents yearning for some chai (Indian tea) was a tempting one.  Continue with them as they conclude their amazing cross country trip in California on their webpage. This is part of a new series by Dhruv Jagan that takes you on their exciting cross country trip this summer. Read the rest of the story on the ISW Website as they come to the end of an exciting journey.

ISW Community News Dr. Sahdev Passey on Worcester TV ISW veteran volunteer and former President, Dr. Sahdev Passey, was on Worcester TV sharing his perspectives about Diversity with a panel. You can view the complete video online on Youtube.

ISW Interviews Dr. Pratibha Shah Dr. Pratibha Shah is an internationally renowned Ayurveda expert trained in Traditional Health Sciences (Ayurveda, Energy healing) as well as Public Health. She has founded two non-profits, and is a prolific speaker and educator in the community. Before moving to the US, Shah was a Chief Medical Officer with the AYUSH ministry in India. She will be speaking about Ayurveda at the Diwali at Tower Hill - Festival of Lights being co-hosted by ISW. We interviewed her to find out a bit more about Ayurveda and how one might apply in everyday life living here in the West. Read the entire interview on the ISW Website.

Poetry Corner

दीपावली की शुभकामना —————————— झिलमिल तारे नील गगन के धरती पर हैं आए , घर आँगन के साथ साथ मन आलोकित हो जाए। पावन पर्व दिवाली का ये शुभ संदेशा लाए, है प्रकाश का उत्सव ये हम सारे कलुष मिटाएँ। 🌹🌿🌹       आशा Read the rest of the poem and English translation on the ISW website रूप रस की चाँदनी बरसा करे हरदम, सौभाग्य की बिंदिया यूँही दमका करे हरदम, माधुर्य जीवन में सजे विश्वास हो हरदम , मनमीत से ये प्रीत तो निभती रहे हरदम ।   करवा चौथ की विशेष मंगलकामनाएँ ! 🌹🌿🌹         आशा Read the translation on the ISW Website घन तमी शुक्र बघ राज्य करी   घन तमीं शुक्र बघ राज्य करी ई ई घन तमीं शुक्र बघ राज्य करी ई ई रे खिन्न मना बघ जरा आ आ आ तरी ई ई घन तमीं शुक्र बघ राज्य करी ई ई ये बाहेरी अंडे फोडुनि ये बाहेरी अंडे फोडुनि शुद्ध मोकळ्या आ आ आ वातावरणीं का गुदमरशी आतच कुढुनी ई ई रे मार भरारी जरा आ आ आ वरी ई ई घन तमीं शुक्र बघ राज्य करी ई ई रे खिन्न मना बघ जरा आ आ आ तरी ई ई घन तमीं शुक्र बघ राज्य करी ई ई The Ray of Revelation  Look up 'O' despondent soul, Behold how 'Shukra' Star; Rules in the midst of dark night; Smiles in the sky to ignite.  ||1|| Break your shell and burgeon. Let your spirit soar, Why you smother inside, All gloomy and dour? |2||   This is an English interpretation of popular Marathi Poem by B. R. Tambe. Interpretation by Suresh Dike & Sarita Deshpande. Read the rest of the poem on the ISW Website

ISW EVENT RECAP ISW at the Worcester Art Museum The Worcester Art Museum was packed on Sunday November 7th as over 800 visitors celebrated Diwali at the museum for the fifth year. The greater Worcester community was entertained with a range of scintillating dances, enthralling vocal numbers and many interactive activities. Attendees could get their hands painted with henna designs, hear stories about Diwali read by local authors, Ushma Multani and Geeta Pherwani; and do rangoli and mandala art led by museum volunteers. Delicious Indian food was available as well as lessons on how to make Diwali mithai (sweets). Thanks to an amazing group of ISW volunteers who make this possible every year. Read the writeup in the Worcester Telegram and view the videos on ISW Facebook ISW Diwali Laxmi Pooja Over a hundred devoted ISW members joined in prayer and praise for a Diwali Laxmi Puja at the newly reopened ISW India Center. Coordinated by Nisha Bawa, ISW Religious Chair, and sponsored by the Kohli family, the gathering joined in puja led by Usha Verma followed by singing of bhajans, prasad and dinner. Check out the pictures and videos on our ISW Facebook page.

Contact Information India Society of Worcester Mailing Address: PO Box 136, Shrewsbury, MA 01545

Answering Machine: 508-842-9795 Website: www.iswonline.org Newsletter editors: newsletter@iswonline.org

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