IACRF celebrates Navratri Holidays
Contributed By - Dr. Prakash V Kotecha & Ramu Ramakesavan
All our seniors are back in sunny Arizona! With all the Hurricanes and flooding in Texas, Florida and the Caribbean, our state is a safe haven for all of us. Fall is full of festivities at the Ekta Mandir and the Community Center. The seniors finished celebrating Ganesh Chathurti and Navratri Dandia Raas dance and are looking forward to everybody’s favorite festival, Diwali.
Memorable Events:
NAVRATRI:
Navaratri was celebrated on September 21st with full gusto - in Senior Style. Mataji was installed, Garba music was filling the Hall and members enjoyed Garba and Dandiys Raas. Thanks to Lalitbhai, Meenaben, Jayaben, Vinod Shah, Deviben and others to set up everything and lead the activities.
Ganesh Chaturthi:
Prakash Deshmukh being an active organizer of the Ganesh Chaturthi at the Ekta Mandir, the seniors had front row seats. We enjoyed the week-long festivities including the Visarjan of a dozen or more Ganesh moorthys at the temple pond on the last day. Pushpa Deshmukh enlightened the seniors on the meaning of the Ganesh Stuti sung during the festival and with specially made Modaks.
It was nice to see all the seniors back in town. Manubhai/Sharadaben and Meenaben/Ramanbhai Bhavsar returned after several months; Charan/Rajinder Chabra, Neeru/Subash Sood, Prakash/Meena Kotecha, Davinder Kaur, Amrita/Balbir Khurana, Kishorebhai/Taraben, Bhagubhai/Jayaben and Venkat Mukku returned after a long hiatus. Jon/Doris Banks returned after their extensive travel in Northwest USA. Even Prem/Krishna Lahoti who were marooned in Houston have returned to dry land. It is a full house at the Thursday get-togethers! The Monday meetings have resumed since the beginning of month of September.
The Chair Stretch Exercises, Table Tennis and Card game have become the staple activities for the seniors. With Bhajans and Anthakshari on the first and third Thursdays to compliment it, we have a very attractive list of activities for every taste not to mention women folks’ favorite Lunch cooking!.
Dr. Prakash Kotecha, our resident Health Promoter doctor, told us a little secret about our heart. It pumps 2000 gallons of blood and it beats over 100,000 times every day! He advised us to live an active and healthy lifestyle (not be couch potatoes) to keep the heart going strong for years to come.
We had four new members in the Senior Group: Varsha Javia, Vijaya/Sekhar Babu, Noshir Hansotia. Welcome aboard!
Lunch Sponsors:
Kamini and Jayesh Shah sponsored a South Indian meal with idli/vada/upma to celebrate her 60th birthday. Manjuben and Sharadaben/Manubhai cooked a traditional meal with kheer and modak on the week of Ganesh Chaturti. Brinda/Kumar catered a nice lunch with cake and Halwa for Kumar’s birthday, there was a large contingent of their family members to celebrate. Finally, Mohan/Neela treated us to a pizza/salad lunch on their 51st wedding anniversary. Meena/Prakash sponsored lunch on Navratri celebration day, consisting of Kheer, Sukhadi, Bhakervadi, etc. We celebrated Meena’s birthday and wished her a long happy life.
Member News:
Ramaben Patel, one of our Senior Group leaders from the past, who is now in Florida had a successful knee replacement surgery and is at home undergoing physiotherapy as part of recovery. Mahendrabhai Dave has recovered well and is back home with his son. Umaben Shah is waiting to recover her strength before a second stent is implanted. Ranga Sarangan has almost completed near isolation period after Kidney transplant and we look forward for him to start attending our gatherings. Usha Gautham is in India because her beloved father passed away unexpectedly. Our condolences to Usha.
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Senior Group meets every Monday and Thursday, 10:00AM to 2:00PM at the Indo-American Community Center located at 2809 W. Maryland Ave., Phoenix, AZ 85017, for information please contact Mahendra Devgania Tel: 602-708-0733.