Winpune.net

FESTIVALS OF INDIAIn the month of October and November we have two of the mostimportant Hindu festivals – Dushera (also called Navratra) and Diwali.
NAVRATRA is a ten day festival celebrated in honour of Devi –Goddess ofHindu pantheon. There are three prime manifestations of Devi:Lakshmi – Goddess of wealthSaraswati – Goddess of knowldege, art and cultureDurga – Goddess of Shakti or Primordial energy that represents cosmicdynamics. The first nine days are observed as a period of austerity andvigilance by fasting. The last day is called Dushera.
According to the mythological tale Ramayana, Lord Rama performed aspecial Devi puja before he gained victory over King Ravana after 8 daysof battle. This victory symbolizes the reign of good over evil, and drawsimportance to the power imparted by the female energy. In Northern Indiamany folk performances are staged of Ram-Lila and they usually end withburning effigies of Ravana.
DIWALI – the festival of lights - is the most widely celebrated of all Hindufestivals. It announces the coming of winter, a relief after the monsoonsthat deluge the country.
For Hindus, it marks the time when Lord Rama returned home afterslaying Ravana and spending 14 years in exile. New clothes are worn,lamps are lit and fire-crackers launched to welcome the victorious LordRama.
Diwali is significant for mercantile communities. Businessmen open freshaccount books and start a new calendar at this time. Shops and homesundergo cleaning to get rid of the old and useless things and to welcomeLakshmi - Goddess of wealth. A lot of people also try their luck with thewealth goddess and gamble on Diwali night! MINI FELLOWSHIP NIGHTThis year, at WIN we will celebrate ‘Diwali’ at our ‘Mini-Fellowship Presidents
Dinner’. At this contributory event members are also putting up a small show to enhance the spirit of Diwali. The tickets includes a festive vegetarian meal and fire-crackers for children. Alcoholic beverages can bebought at the venue.
Vice Presidents
The tickets are available at - Hotel Central Park, with Anita Agrawal (Aundh), Mansi Jain (Koregaon Park), Pam Stacy (Kalyani Nagar), Nishita Shah (National Soc), Subhadra Rathi (Boat Club).
Secretaries
Rs. 800 - per person & Rs. 600 for children below 10 yrs Treasurers
3GENERAL
17 DISCUSSION
23EATING OUT
B-4 Telco Senior Officers Society, Pimpri, Pune 411008 Hotel Deccan Rendezvous, 1203/3, Apte Road, Off Ghole RoadShivaji Nagar, Pune 411004 Body Mind and Soul Clinic, 7/A, 2nd Floor, Konark Aditya, Castellino Road,Golibar Maidan Junction. Pune 411001 Energy work on Chakra and Crystal HealingMeetashi Makar, a Psychic Healer,will take us through our chakras andexplain its importance in our over all well being. The talk will also includethe power of healing using crystals Moushumi Kuvawala – 9822308301, Namso Patwardhan – 9823023213 Jasmine Jehangir’s ResidenceGarden Reach 3, Mumbai-Pune-Rd. (behind Shoppers Stop) Know your JazzRose Eilert, well-known to all, who enjoys live music, will play herkeyboard and talk about Jazz music in Jasmine’s beautiful home. A morningnot to be missed ! Nicola Pawar - 9822475500, Jasmin Jehangir – 9822664000 Subhadra Rathi’s Residence - 2 Boat Club Road, Pune 411001 Healthy EnvironmentWe are all concerned about the environment and doing our part at home,including vermiculture, solar heating, and water harvesting. But what morecan we do to help the environment ? Any ideas? Please share them and let’sbrainstorm about how to make Pune a greener place.
Nandita Anjaria – 9860200909, Rita Date – 9881468968 Pam Stacy’s Residence- A 301 Ssilverwoods, 81/1 North Main Road,Koregaon Park Our member Sharon Benjey will present a talk on insects here in India andPune. She is a self-taught biologist, who loves to answer the question, “Will ithurt me ?” If you are curious and want to know about insects, please join us ! Rekha Phadke – 9960202022, Pam Stacy – 9763166312 Yasmin Gojar’s residence-16 Floriana Estate, Keshaw Nagar, Mundwa ,Pune 411036 Home style Italian cookingBy our members Ileria Gaudino and Marisa Tosolini Nicole Walters – 9970523780, Smita Patwardhan – 9960100601 DIRECTORY CORRECTIONSRati Forbes – rforbes@forbesmarshall.comKerstin Proske – Tel. 020-2588 8529, 99237 55085Sharon Benjey – ssbenjey@chartermi.netMansi jain’s – Tel. 020-2688 0095Kerstin Stedt – Tel. 99229 50237 WELCOME NEW MEMBERSLouise Coetzer- South Africa abrinkmann08@yahoo.deBirthday 23rd Feb.
SOCIAL SERVICE SPOTLIGHT ACTIVITYOur heartfelt thanks to our Members who spontaneously responded to our appeal tohelp the flood victims of Bihar. We also thank the Army personnel who havetransported the goods.
WIN is contributing Rs.3000 to an NGO - Friends of Children - to educate one child.
After a gap of one year we are organizing a fundraiser. The date has been set forFriday the 28th of November. Details will follow in the November newsletter. / for suggestion : please contact committee members

Source: http://winpune.net/PNewsOct08.pdf