fficers editors’ notefaculty.missouri.edu/~srinivasanh/balsabha/bals... · a run out happens when...

Newsletter of Bal Sabha of Columbia, MO

January 2004 Volume 7, Issue 1

W elcome to the new year and the latest issue of Bal Sandesh!

Our community has witnessed many milestones over the past few months and we have our enthusiastic children and parents to thank for it. Bal Sabha has recently adopted the Ridgeway Elementary playground through the Adopt-a-Spot program, furthering its influence on the Columbia population as a whole.

We have also been fervently greeted with an influx of new performers and artists as the

y o u n g e r c h i l d r e n increasingly become the staple performers at nearly every cultural event. The editors welcome this change and l o o k f o r w a r d t o witnessing al l the wonderful things these children will do as they fill older shoes.

Indu, Arthi, and Meghna

EDITORS’ NOTE

C ricket’s roots actually aren’t certain, but they do trace back to

England and France. The first games were played in France between shepherds using their curved staffs as a bat. They called the game criquet or krickett. The first organized game of cricket on record was held in 1646 at Coxheath in Kent, England. In 1744, the London Club, of which Frederick Louis, the Prince of Wales, was the president, formulated the first official rules.

Cricket is a very popular game in India today and it is getting more and more popular here in America too! The game of cricket is played on a large field, although most of the action takes place on a specially prepared area, known as the pitch, or the wicket. The size of the field on which the game is played varies from ground to ground, but the pitch is always a rectangular area of 22 yards in length and 10 feet in width. At opposite ends of the pitch are the wickets or stumps which the

batsmen have to protect. The chief aim of cricket is to score more runs than the opposition.

Cricket is played between two teams of 11 players. The two captains toss a coin for the right to choose whether to bat or bowl first. Play changes end after each over. An over is a series of six legitimate deliveries bowled by one bowler. When an over is completed, play switches to the other end and continues like this throughout the game.

A match will normally be played with each side having one inning on a limited-over basis, or with both

sides batting twice in a game played over a number of days. Test matches are contested over five days. Limited-over cricket involves both sides receiving the same amount of deliveries to score their runs from, with the winner being the team that scores the most.

The fielding team has all 11 players on the pitch at the same time. Nine members of the fielding team can be positioned around the pitch, while one serves as the wicketkeeper and the other is the bowler.

The bowler delivers the ball, overhand, with the aim being to get the batsman out. Two batsmen bat at any one time, standing at opposite ends of the pitch.

The most common way of scoring runs is by the batsman hitting the ball and then running between the wickets. A batsman can score one, two, or three runs this way.

A ball that is hit to the boundary, (Continued on page 2)

2003-04 OFFICERS

President: Pramod Kantha

Vice President: Sunder Lal

Secretary/Treasurer: Kavita Katti

Cultural Secretary: Leena Pattarkine

Bal Sandesh Coordinator: Meera Chandrasekhar

This Issue’s Editors: Indu Chandrasekhar

Meghna Srinath Arthi Vellore

www.missouri.edu/~physmc/balsabha/

Cricket: What You Need to Know! Sangita Sharma, 7th Grade, Gentry Middle School, and

Nikhilesh Sharma, 4th Grade, Ridgeway Elementary School

2 Bal Sandesh Tri-Yearly Newsletter of the Bal Sabha of Columbia, MO

either along the ground or bouncing at least once before crossing the rope, produces four runs for the batting side. The four is signaled by the umpire waving an arm from side to side, finishing with the arm across the chest.

A six is the maximum number of runs that can be scored from one ball. It is scored when a batsman hits the ball over the boundary rope without the ball bouncing. The umpire signals a six by outstretching both arms above his head.

Ways of Getting Out: The most common way of getting

out is when a fielder catches the ball off the bat, before it has hit the ground. The ball does not have to come directly off the bat though. It can deflect off of the pad on to the bat or from the bat on to the pad and still be caught.

The first priority of any batter is to protect the stumps. If a bowler manages to get a ball through and dislodge the bails, then the batsman is said to be bowled. The batsman is declared out whether the ball hits the stumps directly from leaving the bowler or whether it deflects on to the stumps off the bat or the batsman.

A batsman can also be stumped by the wicketkeeper. This happens when the batter walks down the wicket to meet the ball, and the wicketkeeper collects the ball and dislodges the bails before the batter gets their bat or any part of their body grounded behind the batting crease.

A run out happens when the stumps are hit by the fielding team before the batters or runners reach the batting crease.

One more way to get out is with the declaration of an LBW. The umpir e wi l l consider giving a batsman out LBW if he believes that the ball would have hit the stumps if it had not been obstructed by the batter’s pads. However, there are way too many things to be taken into account for a play to be declared “LBW!” The rules

here are almost as confusing as the offside rule in soccer!!

Two umpires officiate on the game from the field of play. But at the international level there is also a third umpire on the sidelines and a match referee. One umpire stands behind the stumps at the bowler’s end of the pitch – he rules on lbw decisions, no-balls, wides, and leg bye. The other umpire stands at square leg – he assists with stumpings and run outs.

There are several types of no-ball, all of which result in an extra

ball being bowled. The most common one is the foot-fault, when a bowler oversteps the batting crease. A no-ball is signaled by an arm raised at shoulder height. A wide is called by an umpire with both arms outstretched when the ball is out of the reach of the batsman and he is unable to hit the ball. The penalty is one run with another delivery

added to that over. Remember that you can’t be caught or bowled out off of a wide or no-ball.

A bye is called when the ball passes the stumps and the ball does not touch the bat or the batsman’s body. The signal is one arm

stretched high above the body. Umpires signal a leg-bye with a

hand touching their raised knee and this is given when the ball hits the body of the batsman but not the bat. The ball does not necessarily have to touch the leg to be called a leg-bye. It can be any part of the body except the hand holding the bat.

Cricket is a fascinating game that has been played for centuries. It’s lots of fun to watch and takes a lot of skill to play. The best part, however, is that you can play cricket right in your own backyard with a few friends! ☯

(Continued from page 1)

Women’s cricket players in the Netherlands, from a collection of sketches in the book Een eeuw georganiseerd cricket in Nederland, Den Haag, 1983, by J. Nieuwen-huysen Kruseman, J.E. Koch et al. The sketches are dated between 1880 and 1930.

Indian Woman by Nidhi Khurana

Tri-Yearly Newsletter of the Bal Sabha of Columbia, MO Bal Sandesh 3

I ndian Americans have made sig-nificant inroads into American

society in many key areas such as education, health care, and technol-ogy. They have shied way, how-ever, from politics. The Indian com-munity is mostly made of first gen-eration émigrés who have become citizens only recently. The second generation is still very young. Bobby Jindal, a 32-year-old whiz kid from Louisiana, may change all that.

In a predominantly Democratic state, this Republican newcomer confounded pundits by topping the primary. He captured 33 percent of the votes while his nearest Democ-ratic rival, Kathleen Blanco, trailed with a mere 18 percent.

Born and raised in Baton Rouge, Jindal is a Rhodes Scholar and an Ivy Leaguer. Jindal earned his repu-tation as a technocrat at age 24 by turning around Louisiana’s Medicaid system that was deep in the red. He rescued the system from a $400 mil-lion deficit and turned it into a 200 million dollar surplus. Jindal was then invited to Washington to join a federal commission, where he de-vised measures to strengthen the $210 billion health-care program for

the old and disabled. After complet-ing that task, Jindal returned home to head the University of Louisiana system. His new mission was to raise graduation and retention rates in the state universities.

By 2001, Jindal’s fame as a policy wonk had spread in Republican cir-cles, and President Bush appointed him assistant secretary for planning and evaluation in the Department of Health and Human Affairs. He thereby became the first Indian American to occupy a sub-cabinet position in the US administration. He quit the post in February 2003 after deciding to throw his hat into the ring in a bid to be the youngest governor of Louisiana.

A conservative Catholic with Hindu parents, he opted for Bobby as his first name instead of Piyush, the name given by his parents. His wife, Supriya, whom he married five years ago, also became a Catholic. Some Indian Americans were luke-warm about his conservative posi-tions, but Jindal had confidence in the support of his community. Some 20 percent of the nearly $1.5 million he raised came from Indian Ameri-cans.

Despite his loss in the gubernato-rial race, Jindal managed to convince a great number of people of his ca-pability and leadership qualities, support that could win him an elec-tion in the near future. If Jindal had won on November 15, he would have been the first ever Indian American to have risen to such heights in the US political system. The last Indian was Dalip Singh Saund, who made it to the US House of Representatives from California in the 1950s. ☯

IINDIANSNDIANS ININ A AMERICANMERICAN P POLITICSOLITICS?? H.R. Chandrasekhar

Professor of Physics

INTERESTED IN POLITICS?

T he Indian American Center for Political Awareness (IACPA) sponsors the Washington Leadership Program (WLP) for youth. With the goal of

building a new generation of Indian American leaders, WLP provides South Asian college students with internship opportunities in Washington, DC. In the last eight years, more than 130 students have participated in the pro-gram - making it one of the most successful Asian American internship pro-grams in Washington, DC. Additionally, IACPA organizes a comprehensive series of lectures, meetings and discussions to give the participants in the program a uniquely well-rounded Washington experience.

Check out this website: http://www.iacfpa.org/

D id you know that… Ankylosaurs’ armor was not

attached to its skin? Instead, it was attached to its skeleton!

The jaws of the Tyrannosaurus Rex were three feet long and held sixty teeth?

Because the scales on its back were vulnerable to damage, the Di-metrodon fought very little?

Even though the Stegosaurus was thirty feet long and weighed two tons, it had a brain the size of a walnut?

The Nathosaurus had sharp pointed teeth that served as a fish trap?

The Diplodocus had skin that looked like leather and a tail that looked like an enormous whip?

The Protoseratop eggs were the

first dinosaur eggs discovered? The Triceratops was one of the

last dinosaurs to ever roam the earth?

The Dimorphodon slept hanging upside down from a tree just like a bat?

The Mamenchisaurus had the longest neck of any dinosaur that ever lived?

Dinosaur Facts

ASHWINI MANTRALA First Grade

Mill Creek Elementary School


HARIDWAR

H aridwar is one of the holiest places for Hindus in India. Ha-

ridwar means “the gateway to the gods.” The town has also been called Gangadvar, meaning “Door of the Ganga,” because Haridwar is where the sacred river Ganga leaves the mountains to flow out upon the In-dian plains. Many years ago the town was also called Kapilsthan after the great sage Kapil, who lived and meditated here. Today, Haridwar is the home of many Ashrams (hermitages and places for medita-tion) and Dharamsalas (rest houses for pilgrims) that have been estab-lished by various swamis and yogis. Throughout the year large numbers of pilgrims come to bathe in the Ganges, especially at the Hari-ka-charan ghat (also called Hari-ki-Pauri), where a footprint of Vishnu is worshipped. Pilgrims also consider it important to visit the beautiful Shiva temple of Daksheswar. Throughout the year many Hindus come to bathe in the river. It is said that all of one’s past sins will be washed away by dipping one’s head under the water three times.

The Aarti: Every evening around seven o’clock, an Aarti is done at Haridwar by the banks of Ganga River. This is one of the most popu-lar activities in Haridwar. Thousands

of people gather on the banks of the river, sing Aarti Bhajans, and then float their own Aarti into the river. When we were at Hardwar, we also took part in the Aarti. There are shops there where you can buy all the supplies for Aarti. We floated banana leaves down the river filled with sweets and flowers.

Kumbha Mela: Every twelve years a festival called Kumbha Mela is held at Haridwar. Every six years an Ardh Kumbha, or half Kumbha, is also held. During these important festivals, millions of pilgrims descend on the city from all over India. Ha-ridwar is also one of India’s Moksa-puris, or Seven Sacred Cities, where moksha, or spirtual liberation, can be more easily attained

PASHUPATINATH AND

MANAKAMANA TEMPLES IN NEPAL

The magnificent temple of Lord Pashupatinath, about 5 km northeast of Kathmandu, is situated amidst many other temples on the right bank of the river Bagmati. Pashu-patinath is regarded as the guardian spirit and the holiest of all Shiva shrines in Nepal.

Pashupati is one of the many names of Lord Shiva. Pashu means living beings, and Pati means mas-ter. In other words, Pashupati is the

HOLY SITES IN INDIA AND NEPAL SNEHA KANTHA

Eighth Grade, West Junior High School and SAJAL KANTHA

Fourth Grade, Fairview Elementary School

master of all living beings in the uni-verse. This is how lord Pashupati is eulogized in the Vedas, Upanishads and other religious texts.

There are many legends about how the temple of Lord Pashupati-nath came into existence. Accord-ing to chronicles, an image of Lord Shiva in the form of Jyotirlinga was covered with earth over the years, and soft green grass sprouted over it. A cow would mysteriously come every day and offer her milk to this holy but hidden Linga of Lord Shiva. When the Gwala (the cow’s owner) found that the cow had stopped giving milk, he kept a keen eye on her; he finally discovered the place where the cow had been offer-ing her milk. To satisfy his curiosity, the Gwala dug up the place and found the Jyotirlinga of Lord Shiva. Following this discovery, Gwalas gathered to worship this Linga, thus starting the tradition of the Pashupatinath temple. As time passed, Lord Pashupatinath gained popularity as a guardian spirit and the reverence of his devotees. Gradually the temple of Lord Pashu-patinath became a great place of pilgrimage.

The rulers of Nepal contributed to building a holy temple, and en-riching and beautifying it over the centuries. The temple was later reconstructed by a medieval king named Shivadeva (1099-1126 AD).

Historically, this temple was at-tacked and badly destroyed by Sul-tan Samsuddin of Bengal in the mid 14th century. This plunder caused so much damage to the temple that it needed major renovations. Ten years later, in 1360 AD, it was re-constructed by Jayasimha Ramvard-hana. Jyoti Malla took up another renovation effort in 1416 AD. The


present architectural style of the Pashupatinath temple came to be as a result of renovation by Queen Gan-gadevi during the reign of Shiva-simha Malla (1578-1620 AD).

The Pashupati area is regarded as one of the most important places of pilgrimages for Hindus. Thousands of devotees from within and outside the country come to pay homage every day. On special occasions such as Ekadasi, Sankranti, Maha-shivratri, Teej Akshaya, Raksha-bandhan, Grahana (eclipse), and Poornima (full moon day), people congregate here in far greater num-bers. The Pashupati area is also in-cluded in the list of world cultural heritage.

Manakamana is another famous temple in Nepal. About sixty miles southwest of Kathmandu, the temple is beautifully situated on a promi-nent ridge (1302 m high) overlook-ing the river valleys of Trisuli in the south and Marshyandi in the west. A few years ago, the only way to reach the temple was by an hours-long trek. A cable car service now trans-ports people to the temple in ten minutes. People believe that Mana-kamana Devi fulfills the wishes of her devotees, and she is thus called the “wish fulfilling deity.” In Nepali, Mana means heart and Kamana means desire. Manakamana is there-fore believed to turn one’s desires into reality. ☯

NIRVANA Vidya Mantrala

Eighth Grade Jefferson Junior High School

S ometimes work is depressing Even jobs you love

You want to give up because Your best isn’t enough Don’t let it get to you You know you can pull through You just need to get rid Of the troubles annoying you: There are ways To end all worries To calm your inner soul Forget all problems Slow down, don’t hurry Think of all the peaceful things you know Think of the swish of the wind The crystalline snowflake The song of the celestial birds Think of the laughs of the children, Who are playing in the blue lakes With a happiness too pure for words If you take this advice Your mind will be refreshed Ready to tackle all problems And deal with any stress You will go to work with your mind at its best You will take on all that life throws at you Soon you will lay today to rest With the satisfaction of what your best can give you. ☯


I n 2003 the members of Bal Sabha decided to adopt a

spot for trash pick up as part of an ongoing program to extend the involvement of Balsabha children and parents in commu-nity outreach activities. We first proposed to adopt the Cosmo Park Tennis Court for clean up but that request was denied by the Parks and Recreation De-partment. We then proceeded to adopt the Ridgeway Elementary School playground for clean up. However, in September, at the time of Balsabha annual picnic, we undertook a clean up of the tennis court area at Cosmo Park and that counted as our first clean up of an adopted site. On December 6, 2003, we cleaned up the Ridgeway School play-ground (see pictures). Bal Sabha will have to participate in at least four clean-ups a year as part of the adoption commit-ment. More than a dozen fami-lies participated in the Septem-ber clean-up and eight families in the December clean-up. ☯

BAL SABHA UNDERTAKES COMMUNITY CLEANUP

Pramod Kantha President, Bal Sabha


Annual Bal Sabha Picnic at Cosmo Park,

September 2003

it was time for breakfast, which was waffles with chocolate syrup and milk. By the time Rachel was done with her seconds, it was 7:00 and time for canoeing.

CHAPTER 5

Rachel, James, and a camp coun-selor were on boat number 12. They floated to a five-foot-deep area and went scuba diving. Rachel caught a parrot fish, James caught a catfish, and the counselor found a conch. When it was time to go back to camp, Rachel’s parrot fish went to her own mini aquarium. James’ cat-fish also went to his own mini aquar-ium, and the counselor’s conch went back to the sea.

Two days later, it was time for Rachel and James to go home. They promised they would come back the next year. After a few minutes, Ra-chel’s dad said, “Time to go home.” They put their luggage in the car and left for home. ☯

CHAPTER 1

I t is two days before summer vacation,” said Rachel, “and

I can’t wait until I get to camp. I get to play the horn in the morning to wake everyone up, and this is what I am going to play: The horn, the horn, awakes me at morn; the horn, the horn, awakes me at morn. Don’t you think that’s good?” “Yeah! That’s good,” James said. “Thanks,” said Rachel, “but can you believe that I got homework just two days before summer vacation? I just can’t believe it.” “I didn’t get any homework,” said James. “You know, Rachel, at the beginning of the school year, I felt that school would never end, and near the end of the school year, I feel that school lasted for just one month! Do you ever feel that way, Rachel?” “Yeah, I sure do. Well, see you later, James. I’ve got to get back to class,” said Rachel. “See you after class,” said James.

CHAPTER 2 “What do you want to play?” asked Rachel. James didn’t answer. “What do you want to play?” Rachel asked again. Suddenly James jumped out from behind the bushes and said, “BOO!” “AHHHHH!” screamed Rachel. After a few minutes, they both fell on the ground and started laughing. Soon their sides started to hurt. “Let’s play two square,” said James. “Okay,” said Rachel. James got out the ball and they started to play. After a while they got bored, so they got out

their bikes and rode for a while. Af-ter a few hours of biking, their par-ents called them in for dinner. After dinner, Rachel’s parents said, “We have a surprise for you! Guess what it is.” Rachel couldn’t guess what the surprise was. Her parents said that she was having a sleepover at James’ house. “Yes!” said Rachel.

CHAPTER 3

Two days later, Rachel and James were packing to go to camp. Rachel was telling James what she had packed. “First comes my horn, and then comes my clothes,” she said. “Hurry up, you two, it’s almost time to go,” said Rachel’s dad a few min-utes later. “We are coming!” an-swered Rachel and James. It was a 15 mile long trip. By the time they arrived, Rachel and James were fast asleep. Rachel’s dad had to wake them up. “Time for camp,” he said. “What?” mumbled Rachel. “It’s time for camp!” Rachel’s dad replied. James and Rachel woke up with a start. “What?” They both asked the question so quickly that Rachel’s dad had to tell them to slow down.

CHAPTER 4

It was Monday morning. Rachel got up pretty early in the morning at 6:00 sharp. She brushed her teeth, took a bath, put on her camp clothes, and took out her horn. She went outside and played like this: “The horn, the horn, awakes me at morn; the horn, the horn, awakes me at morn.” As soon as she started, everyone woke up. They were all amazed that at such a young age, she could play the horn so beautifully. As they woke up, James did the flag ceremony at the camp site. After the flag ceremony,

TH

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ahush Katti T

hird Grade, R

idgeway E

lementary School

Fall Crisp air Gently falling leaves Sweaters wakened from sleep Colors

Fall Nidhi Khurana

Third Grade Ridgeway Elementary School

S trong female characters are diffi-cult to find in great works of lit-

erature such as the Tolkien or Hindu epics. Female characters frequently play secondary roles, often those of wives or mothers. It is rare to see a strong female leader. Although the Silmarillion, The Fellowship of the Ring, and The Two Towers, by J.R.R. Tolkien, and the Hindu epics, the Mahabharata and the Ramayana, face these problems, strong female characters still manage to emerge and make an impact on the story. Tolkien describes few females in his novels; however, the females he does create resonate with beauty and strength. Two women, Galadriel, leader of the elves, and Eowyn, Lady of Rohan, exemplify the female ideal. The heroines of the Hindu epics Draupadi, wife of the Pandavas in the Mahabharata, and Sita, wife of Rama, also shine through, revealing their beauty and influence.

Beauty is a trait used often in literature to describe a female char-acter. Female characters in epics are typically astoundingly beautiful, winning them the favor of men or gods. In Tolkien’s works and the Indian epics, the very first descrip-tion of the female character is in re-gard to her appearance. While men are usually first described as being strong or powerful, a woman is first

described as being beautiful. While this is certainly a romantic concept,

one wonders what the underly-ing significance is. Perhaps

the beauty of the female characters is meant to

be not only a physical de-

s c r i p t i o n , but also

an indica-tion of their

personal and moral character.

Their beauty is a sym-bol of their inner good,

foreshadowing the influence they will later have. This discussion begs the ques-

tion: is it necessary for a female character to be both beautiful and

good? Is it possible for an ugly woman to be the heroine? In regard to Tolkien, the answer seems to be clear-cut. Since Tolkien created few female characters, women like Galadriel and Eowyn must serve as the example. Their beauty and goodness is unquestioned; they both embody the ideal form of either at-tribute. Even other female charac-ters, such as the female Valar and Luthien, described in The Silmaril-lion, exemplify the highest physical and moral standards.

In Hindu texts, this issue is more complicated. Very often female characters are described as both beautiful and good. Females who are ugly are likely to be evil; one example is Surpanakha, Ravana’s jealous and vengeful sister. She is described as being “misshapen and mean. Her yellow skin rutted like a bad road. She had a pot belly and ears like flat baskets, claws on her fingers and toes, squinty eyes and messy hair.” However, in contrast, some women are described as the opposite: ugly but good. Durga, the female manifestation of Shiva, is often described as fierce, blood-thirsty and powerful. She is por-trayed with her blood red tongue sticking out in a menacing expres-sion. Beautiful is rarely the first word used to describe her. In fact some may find her physical form

distasteful and disturbing. However, Hindus worship Durga as a goddess. Despite her unattractive physical form, it is nevertheless an indication of her other attributes and abilities. Thus her unusual physical form is a deviation from the standard connec-tion between beauty and good.

The four female characters dis-cussed here are great examples of true physical beauty. Tolkien de-scribes the elves as the ideal race, and Galadriel is no exception. She is the daughter of Finarfin, king of the Noldor, and the lady of Lothlorien, an enchanted realm. Like other elves she possesses unearthly beauty and wisdom. She is de-scribed as the “most beautiful of all the house of Finwë, her hair…lit with gold as though it had caught in a mesh the radiance of Laurelin.” Her beauty can be likened to pure and pristine nature untouched by human hands. In a sense she is unreal and untouchable. Gimli, one of the dwarves, known for their obsession with gems and jewels, proclaims her “above all the jewels that lie beneath the earth.” Surely this compliment is a testament to her beauty.

A human manifestation of beauty is found in Eowyn, Lady of Rohan. She is the niece of King Theoden and his loyal protector while his son and nephew are away. Tolkien describes her as beautiful and strong, “Very fair was her face, her long hair was like a river of gold. Slender and tall she was in her white robe girt with silver; but strong she seemed and stern as steel, a daughter of kings.” Like Galadriel, her beauty is unreal. She is not feminine or womanly in the typical sense of the word. In-stead she is entrancing, much like a cold sculpture, mesmerizing to the eyes but cold to the touch. Aragorn sees her as “fair, fair and cold, like a morning of pale spring that has not yet come to womanhood.” She cap-tured the attention of the deceitful Wormtongue, who Gandalf accused of watching her under his eyelids and haunting her steps. Eowyn is the perfect counterpart to strong, attractive, and powerful men such as

(Continued on page 9)


DIAMONDS

IN THE ROUGH: Women in

Tolkien and Hindu Epics

Tara Chandrasekhar Bal Sabha alumna

Mahabharata on palm leaf


Aragorn. Her appearance is stun-ning and at the same time awe-inspiring.

Draupadi’s beauty is also legen-dary. She is the wife of the five Pandavas, the heroes of the Mahab-harata. She is the daughter of King Drupada, born to him as a gift from Shiva. She emerges out of fire, “her eyes…black and as large as lotus petals…she (is) handsome and warm and affectionate.” She epitomizes Indian standards of beauty with her long flowing hair, slender waist and lotus shaped eyes. By this descrip-tion she can be considered more hu-man in appearance than the ethereal Galadriel.

Sita is in many ways the Hindu standard of female beauty. She epitomizes every virtue a woman hopes to possess. She is the adopted daughter of King Janaka. He found her as a golden baby when he was plowing a field. Of divine origin, “she rose from her mother Earth and sat throwing handfuls of dust over her feet.” Sita is de-scribed as a “fair young girl. Her eyes were dark like the eyes of a doe, her lips were full, her long dark hair was falling down her back clear to her ankles and it was fragrant from being scented over incense smoke.” In fact Sita’s beauty was so astounding that, as her father said, “But who describes Sita? All this was forgotten when she looked at you. When she smiled, what else existed?” Like Draupadi, Sita is more human than characters such as Galadriel and Eowyn. The emphasis in describing her is on her womanly attributes, her body, eyes and hair. She represents the other end of the spectrum of beauty, embodying the human and womanly form.

Galadriel, Eowyn, Draupadi and Sita exert an influence on their par-ticular story through their qualities of inner strength and wisdom. Galadriel is a leader of her people, guiding them in the Noldor rebellion against the Valar. After leading the rebellion she remains in Middle-Earth with her husband, Celeborn, ruling over and protecting the hidden realm


Map of Middle Earth

of Lothlorien. She is the keeper of Nenya, the ring of water, allowing her to ward off the decays of time and postpone the weariness of the world. Her powers alone preserve the pristine and ethereal beauty of Lothlorien, while protecting it from the evil eye of Sauron.

Galadriel also has the ability to read the thoughts of others, search-ing their mind for answers to her questions. She uses this skill when she first encounters the fellowship of the ring. Each member of the group felt that they had been “questioned long and deeply” by her eyes. She is able to better protect her realm using this knowledge. She immedi-ately knows the innermost motives of each member of the fellowship and is able to judge their loyalty to the Ringbearer. Galadriel also pos-sesses an inner strength and integ-rity. When offered the One Ring by Frodo she is tempted but refuses, recognizing that eventually only evil would come from such absolute power. She has the wisdom to un-derstand why she should refuse such a powerful gift and the strength to do so.

Eowyn is easily able to live up to the challenges she faces during the battle between humanity and the

minions of Sauron in The Two Tow-ers. She is first described as being wise and intelligent. She is por-trayed as compassionate but not overly emotional when it comes to her ailing uncle Theoden; when she leaves Gandalf and the others with Theoden, her glance was “grave and thoughtful…as she looked on the king with cool pity in her eyes.” Her ability to feel compassion for those suffering without losing her perspec-tive makes her a good leader. She is well respected by her people. In fact, when Theoden and her brother Eomer go into battle, Ewoyn is cho-sen to fill their place as lord. Hama the guard suggests her, saying, “She is fearless and high-hearted. All love her. Let her be as lord to the Eor-lings, while we are gone.” When the people of Rohan are under siege Eowyn is able to lead them to safety and ensure their survival.

Draupadi’s influence occurs on a much smaller scale. While she does not have the power to win a war or protect her people, she does exert a more indirect influence on the ac-tions of her family. Her charms en-able her to restore all that is lost in the unfortunate game of dice be-tween the Pandava and Kaurava



clans. The evil Duryodhana takes advantage of Yudhisthira’s weakness for the game of dice, tricking him into gambling away his possessions, kingdom, and freedom. After losing himself in the game, Yudhisthira loses his brothers and eventually Draupadi to Duryodhana. Duryod-hana and his brother, Duhsasana, attempt to humiliate Draupadi in front of the court. However, her devotion to Krishna saves her. When Duhsasana tries to disrobe her by ripping off her sari, he is frus-trated to discover that under each dress is another one. The king Dhri-tarashtra, Draupadi’s uncle by mar-riage, recognizes the injustice done to her and grants her any wish she desires. She decides to save her husbands from servitude to their cousins, and ensures their freedom.

Draupadi also influences the ac-tions of her husbands on the battle-field of the great war between the cousins. Jayadratha, a friend of Duryodhana, is taken with her beauty and attempts to abduct her . He is pursued by the Pandavas and releases her out of fear for his life. When Yudhisthira asks Draupadi if Jayadratha should be punished with death, she instructs him to postpone Jayadratha’s death. She thus pre-vents her husbands from provoking a conflict with the Kauravas by kill-ing one of their allies, and this action delays the war. However, she makes sure that Jayadratha pays for

his actions with his life once the war begins. In so doing, Draupadi upholds the honor of her family us-ing cool-headed strategy. Sita also exhibits wisdom, devotion a n d i n n e r strength when faced with the challenge of exile. At first Rama in-tends to forfeit his kingdom and go into the forest alone. Sita insists

on accompanying him, rebuffing his attempts to discourage her by de-scribing the dangers that await them. She says to him, “Surely your fortune is also mine…I’ll be no bur-den. Rama, I depend on you. I cannot be cast away like water left in a cup. Dear Rama, I am the hum-ble dust at your feet, perfectly happy. How will you avoid me?” Sita upholds the Hindu principle that the husband and wife are one; wher-ever he goes, she refuses to be far behind. Sita is also generous; she quickly gives all of her possessions, her jewels, and her palace to her servants while she is away. Few members of the royalty are so trust-ful and generous with their servants.

Sita later exhibits great loyalty to

her husband when the evil demon king Ravana abducts her. Ravana must coerce her into being with him; he cannot force himself upon her due to a curse. But Sita will have nothing to do with him; she spurns his advances with force. As Rama’s ally Hanuman says, “Sita will drink no Lanka wine nor ever love another husband…when do elephants mate with hogs, and who finishes a good meal with a glass of vinegar?” Sita’s purity and integrity remain intact, justifying the battle fought in her honor. Had she been unfaithful and succumbed to the temptations and pressure surrounding her, Rama’s efforts to rescue her would have been in vain.

Galadriel, Eowyn, Draupadi, and Sita occupy a unique place in their respective stories. Galadriel is one of the few female characters in the Lord of the Rings trilogy. Her social status is equal to that of Elrond and Celeborn, both recognized leaders among the elves. It is more inter-esting that she, not Celeborn, is the keeper of one of the rings. No other female character has this honor. The ring names her the protector of Lothlorien, her hidden realm. She is known not only for her beauty but also for her power and wisdom.

Though not as powerful and re-spected as Galadriel, Eowyn occu-pies a unique and powerful place in the realm of men. She is a leader



Draupadi and Kunti with the Pandavas, Punjab Hills, Kangra, ca. 1800. Opaque watercolor and gold on paper.

Textile Art: The Ramayana battle


chosen by her people; she serves them intelligently and selflessly. In The Return of the King in the battle of Pelennor Fields, she disguises her self as a man and risks her life in battle with the Witch-King of Ang-mar. She does the impossible and slays him. Her incredible feat earned her wide renown and there-after changed the place of women in the Eorlingas tradition.

Draupadi’s grandeur and power are on a different level from those of Galadriel. She possesses no magical powers and directly leads no one. However, she is a pivotal character in the Mahabharata. The Pandavas undertake many quests at her re-quest. For example, Bhima goes in search of flowers to please her and discovers his brother Hanuman, the monkey king. Anyone who offends Draupadi quickly pays the conse-quences; Jayadratha and Duhsasana meet swift deaths during the war for their actions.

Sita is very similar to Draupadi in that she neither directly leads nor has ostensible influence. However, a great battle is fought on her behalf, in defense of her freedom. She her-self is strong, as witnessed by Hanu-man when he first meets her. He sees “her slim muscles under the golden skin strong as steel within silk.” She is the perfect consort of the powerful godlike Rama. Sita is the ideal Hindu woman, devoted to her husband but confident in herself and her abilities.

Galadriel, Eowyn, Draupadi and Sita are certainly not the first char-acters to come to mind when de-scribing the Silmarillion, The Fellow-ship of the Ring, The Two Towers, the Mahabharata or the Ramayana. Each of the stories centers on the male characters, devoting little time to females. Nevertheless, these women play unique roles in their respective tales, transcending tradi-tional roles of wife and mother. All four women are beautiful, well-respected, and influential. Each woman shines through her story like a diamond in the rough. She may be overlooked at first glance, but once discovered she is more capti-vating than the rest. ☯


I gaze outside my window, bored, with nothing to do. The aroma of

my mom’s delicious baking pervades the house and enters my room. I immediately recognize this unmis-takable smell as one of my favorites- brownies. From my room I yell, “Mom, when will the brownies be done?”

I hear soft footsteps coming down the hallway and turn to see my mother standing in the doorway to my room. She smiles and says, “I just put them in the oven 10 minutes ago. They still need about 45 minutes to bake and then 10 more minutes to cool before you can eat them.”

“Oh,” I say, dejectedly. “I guess I’ll just wait in my room till they’re done.”

“Why don’t you go do something outside? This is one of the last days of nice weather we’ll have before the cold spell hits. You’ve been cooped up inside the house all day,” says Mom.

“There’s nothing to do, though,” I reply gloomily.

“Oh come on, the fresh air will do you some good. You’ll think of something to do. Why don’t you ride your bike?” she suggests.

“The tires are flat and I can’t find the pump,” I whine.

The telephone rings, and my mom starts down the hallway to pick it up. “Take a walk on the trail be-hind our house or something,” she replies exasperatedly, and picks up the phone.

After a minute, I can hear her chatting happily with someone who seems to be an old friend. Morosely, I trudge to the door, deciding that at least going outside will be a change from being in my room. I put on my shoes, grab my windbreaker, and open the door.

I walk out to the trail as the gen-tle wind laps against my face. I shove my hands into my pockets and glance up at the sky. The scene is breathtaking. The sky is flushed with brilliant shades of crimson, tan-gerine, gold, sapphire, indigo, and violet. The radiant colors blend to-gether so well that it looks like a beautiful work of art. A big golden ball sinks deeper and deeper into those colors that surround it. I look in front of me and see the trees with

leaves of orange, red, and yellow. As the setting sun filters its last rays through the trees, the leaves glint with a golden tinge. I feel as though Mother Nature is beckoning me to take a journey into her vast land of enchantment. With uplifted spirits I eagerly accept her offer and start off on the trail at a good pace.

The sounds of nature now take over. The birds chirp cheerfully up in their cozy nests and tree branches. Their melodious music nourishes my soul and warms my heart on this chilly autumn evening. The leaves that remain on the trees rustle softly as the intermittent wind whispers secrets into their ears. Twigs snap and leaves crackle as a nearby rabbit scurries quickly to its hole. I sense a quick movement off to my right and see a squirrel nib-bling on an acorn. It sees me and quickly darts up the nearest tree. I continue walking on the dirt path, over a bridge, around a pond, and through a dense grove of pine trees. I stop in this grove, close my eyes, and inhale deeply. The earthy smell of pine and dirt gives the atmos-phere a sense of freshness and clears my head of all other thoughts that have been bothering me. I con-tinue walking, and after a short dis-tance I stop again, this time in front of a large oak tree.

I remember this tree. It used to be my favorite of all the trees on the trail. As a kid, I would choose a book from my room and run out to this tree everyday. I would sit down un-der it and read for hours, until my mom or dad came and took me back home. I felt safe and protected un-der it. It was like my special guard-ian and my second home. I remem-ber coming out to this tree during autumn as a child and staring in awe at the pretty orange color of the leaves. I look at the tree now and see that its leaves are still that same exquisite orange color. It is taller and looks older than it used to. I run my hand down the trunk of the tree, and the rough yet leathery bark is a comfort to my hand. I glance at the sky, half hoping that there is still enough light to run back home and


A WALK ON AN AUTUMN EVENING Meghna Srinath

Ninth Grade, West Junior High School


Editorial Staff Phone E-Mail Vellore S. Arthi 446-0663 [email protected] Indu Chandrasekhar 446-6143 [email protected] Anand Palaniappan 446-1962 [email protected] Aditya Srinath 446-8403 [email protected] Meghna Srinath 446-8403 [email protected] Parent Advisors Meera Chandrasekhar 446-6143 [email protected] Vellore S. Gopalaratnam 446-0663 [email protected]

SPAGHETTI– INDIAN STYLE 4-6 servings

Ingredients: 1.5” diameter bundle of spaghetti Seasoning: 1 T chana dal 1/2 T urad dal 1 t mustard seeds 1/4 cup peanuts 2 sprigs curry leaves 2 onions, diced 2 potatoes, cut long (French-fry cut) 1 bell pepper, red or green, diced 1 large tomato, diced 1/2 C carrots, diced 1/2 C frozen peas 2 to 4 T vegetable or olive oil 1 T puliyogarai mix Salt to taste Chili powder to taste 1 T cut cilantro

B reak up spaghetti into 3-4” pieces. Bring 4 quarts of water

to boil in a large pot. When the wa-ter boils, add spaghetti. Cook for 12 minutes. Drain water and set cooked spaghetti aside.

Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large (12”) frying pan or wok. Add the seasoning ingredients—chana dal, urad dal, mustard seeds and peanuts. When done, add onions and sauté till golden brown. Add potatoes, sauté till lightly browned. Add the additional oil, if needed. Add bell peppers, sauté till limp. Add salt, tomatoes, carrots, peas and 1 cup of water. Simmer till car-rots are tender. Mix in cooked spa-ghetti. Add puliyogari mix, chili pow-der and cilantro. Enjoy! ☯

BAWARCHI The Kitchen CornerThe Kitchen CornerThe Kitchen Corner

Kusum Chandrapal

Published Tri-Yearly Republic Day Issue– January Summer Issue – May India Nite Issue (Fall, Section of India Nite Booklet)

http://www.missouri.edu/~physmc/balsabha/

Arthi Vellore Indu Chandrasekhar

get a book, but then I realize that darkness has crept into the sky. It is now a navy blue color, speckled with shimmering flecks of silver and adorned with a glowing white ball.

Wistfully I resume my walk, now at a quicker pace. I draw my windbreaker closer to my body as I shiver and realize that it is cold and late, and I must be getting home. The crickets take up where the birds left off, and the new orchestra plays a piece of spo-radic chirps, much unlike the continuous, flowing music of the birds, yet still soothing in a way. I arrive at the end of the trail and start walking up the hill, back to my house. Halfway up, I turn around and look longingly back at the trail. I remember this special evening’s events: the spectacular show of col-ors, the melody of the birds, the en-counter with the animals, the pine grove, my special tree, and the grand finale- the crickets’ tune. The calm, peaceful atmosphere has made me feel relaxed and content.

I keep walking and finally reach my house. The other car in the driveway tells me that my dad is home. The instant I open the door, the smell of brownies welcomes me. “I’m home!” I yell.

My mom comes from the kitchen and says, “So you decided to take a walk after all?”

“Yup,” I answer. “Well, how was it? You were out

for a long time,” she says. “It was…awesome,” I reply, as I

head straight for the brownies. ☯


THANK YOU!THANK YOU!

This issue of Bal Sandesh has been made possible through the financial sponsorship of:

Days Inn/Travelodge Howard Johnson/Panda Pals

India’s Rasoi Taj Emporium

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