My prayers this Spring

By Atreya Verma
7th grade, Liberty Park Middle School, Birmingham, AL

On the occasion of so many religious festivities like Vasant Panchami, Mahashivratri, Holi, Saraswati pooja, in early spring, here are few of my favorite couplets (Dohe) from Kabir.

With these, I offer my prayers to the Almighty.

1) Sai itna dijiye, Jaame kutumb samaaye;
Main bhi bhookha na rahoon, Sadhu na bhookha jaye!!

-O Almighty, give me as much only, as adequate for my family, me and my guests.

2) Rahiman ve nar marr chuke, Je kahu maangan jaye
Unse pehle ve muye, jis mukh niksat naahi

-People who ask from others are like dead People. But, even worse are those who deny to give and share with those who ask.

3) Dheere dheere re manaa, dheere sab kuchh hoye;
Maali seenche sau ghadaa, ritu aaye phal hoye!

-My dear mind, everything happens at a scheduled and destined time and pace. Have patience!

4) Guru Govind doau khadey, kaake laagu paaye
Balihaari guru aapno govind diyo bataye!!

-My teacher is the one who introduced me to you, O Almighty. That is why I hold my teacher in highest regards.

Posted by ks on 03/01/10 at 12:20 AM
Family • Youth Forum • Permalink

Rahul’s Rave Reviews - “The Hunger Games”

By: Rahul Gaini

When reading this book, THE HUNGER GAMES by Suzanne Collins, I felt like I was in a state of repose in the real world, and I literally felt like I was the main character, Katniss Everdeen. This book grabs you by the throat and pulls you in. It contains action, love, survival, and a bloody fight to the finish.

For you action-packed lovers out there, this would be the book for you. It starts off back in District 12, where Katniss Everdeen lives with her mom and sister (who goes by the name Prim).

Katniss does not have a dad anymore because her dad dies in a mining explosion. There are twelve districts, each district having one specialty. The twelfth district, also known as District 12, is known for its coal. Because of this, many mining explosions occur, and unfortunately Katniss’ dad was in one of them.

This book takes place many years in the future. The Capitol is the area that consists of all the people who are rich and have many accessories. The Districts are ruled over by the Capitol, and are treated unfairly. They do not have much food, and many of them die because starvation. Back in the Capitol, people are made fun of for being fat but it is quite the opposite in the Districts. Every year, two children from each district are chosen to compete in The Hunger Games, games that are broadcasted for the entertainment of the people in the Capitol. In these games, the chosen children are picked to fight and kill each other to fight for there own survival. The place where these games are held is the same place, but the Capitol changes the landforms in the area so that nobody knows what the area holds for them. For example, one year there could be a volcano the people have to fight against each other in, and the next year it could be a desert. Somehow, Katniss is one of the people in her District to be chosen for the games.

And the odds of her winning?  Close to zero percent.       

Rating:

I rate this book five out of five stars because it takes you into a whole new world and makes you not want to leave the world until you finish the book.

Posted by ks on 03/01/10 at 12:19 AM
Family • Youth Forum • Permalink

Hamara Bharat (Our India)

August 4, 2009
By Smriti Krishnan
Grade 10, Spain Park High School, Birmingham, AL

Jawaharlal Nehru, later to be India’s first prime minister, had predicted the moment in his famous speech entitled “Tryst with Destiny”. Nehru spoke, “At the stroke of the midnight hour, when the world sleeps, India will awake to life and freedom. A moment comes, which comes but rarely in history, when we step out from the old to the new, when an age ends, and when the soul of a nation, long suppressed, finds utterance….. We end today a period of ill fortune, and India discovers herself again.”

Along with Nehru, Mohandas K. Gandhi and Rabindranath Tagore also spearheaded the Indian Independence movement.

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Posted by ks on 08/31/09 at 05:20 AM
Family • Youth Forum • Permalink

Don’t Let Ecomony Get You Down

Submitted By Deepa Mishra, Rising Freshman, Hoover High School, Birmingham, AL
Published in Birmingham News on March 24, 2009

The economy is in trouble, businesses are shutting down, and people are being laid off. This is usually all we think about nowadays.

Yes, money is an inconvenience in our lives that we just cannot get rid of but we can absolutely give it less importance for a while. Our lives do not need to revolve around money; we have other more important things in life, too, such as family and friends.

Spending time with the special people in your life might make you appreciate the smaller things in life. For instance, be happy you have food to eat or water to drink. Some people do not even have that much. 

Or appreciate having a shelter with a roof when other adults and children in Third World countries have the ground and the streets as their home. These people live in scarcity and are in constant fear of what awaits them tomorrow.

Just try to enjoy the better and smaller things in life once in a while and be grateful for all you have rather than worrying about what you do not have. 
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Posted by ks on 06/08/09 at 09:48 PM
Family • Youth Forum • Permalink

Kavya Shivashankar is the national spelling bee champ

May 26, 2009. WASHINGTON - Cool and collected, Kavya Shivashankar wrote out every word on her palm and always ended with a smile. The 13-year-old Kansas girl saved the biggest smile for last, when she rattled off the letters to “Laodicean” to become the nation’s spelling champion.

The budding neurosurgeon from Olathe, Kan., outlasted 11 finalists May 26 to win the Scripps National Spelling Bee, taking home more than $40,000 in cash and prizes and, of course, the huge champion’s trophy.

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Posted by ks on 05/30/09 at 06:18 AM
Family • Youth Forum • Permalink

1. Great Turnout for the Callahan Lecture by Prof. Larson at the Birmingham Museum of Art
2. March 2010 Anniversary Edition
3. Holi - Hindu Festival Of Colors
4. Amy Singh named by Obama on Arts Body
5. Editorial March 2010
6. Jan/Feb 2010 Edition
7. My prayers this Spring
8. In the spotlight - Deepa Bhate
9. Rahul’s Rave Reviews - “The Hunger Games”
10. Hindu Scriptures – The Smritis