Agrawal Samachar Patrika

Volume 6 - Issue 1- Spring 2003

Agrawal Association Picnic at George Bush Park

On April 26, 2003 approximately 250 Agrawals had a reunion in the George Bush Park of Houston. The weather was great, the temperature was perfect, flowers were blooming and the park was full of people all in cheerful mood. Agrawals in their usual way played volley ball, lemon on spoon race, three legged race, and other sports coordinated by Mrs. Anjali Agrawal. This annual get-together, also called Picnic started with snacks and drinks and barbequed sweet Bhuttas, followed by chatting (networking) and sports for both youths and adults. The highlight of the picnic was a Kadhi Cook-off Competition. There were quite a few enthusiastic Agrawal participants for Kadhi Cook-off Competition. This important event was followed by an elaborate lunch. The lunch was followed by Antakchari, in which girls, boys, men and women competed against eachother. It was enjoyed by the participants with full excitement. Finally at 4PM, all headed back home as if returned from an Indian Mela. For further information on Agrawal Association, visit website www.agrawal.org.

Agrawal Association Sammelan: A Great Success 

On the evening of November 9, 2002, over 300 Agrawals met at the Mahatma Gandhi Center in Houston. Though the day was wet, it did not dampen the enthusiasm and exuberance of the Agrawals,This Sammelan, as Agrawals call it, was different from others in that a great number of youths participated making it a happy gathering. Mr. Tayal, Consul General of India, Houston was the chief guest. Soon after.snacks, the Sammelan formally began with a welcome address by Dr. Ved Aggarwal followed by an excellent slide presentation about the "history of Agrawals". Soon after that, a highly informative slide presentation regarding "gastro-esophageal reflux disease (GERD)" was explained by Dr.Manish Rungta. Mrs. Uma Gupta, the Dean of the College of Technology in the University of Houston, gave a lecture on "Leadership", followed by the message of deep appreciation for Agrawal Association by the chief guest Mr. Tayal, Consul General of India. Also, there was an useful health workshop on "Yoga" conducted by Mr. Shekhar Agrawal. A message was delivered by Mr. Ashok Garg thanking the Agrawal Community for their help and support during his son's car accident. The high light of the Sammelan was the Cultural program by the Agrawal youths of all ages organized by Mrs. Anjali Agrawal. Everyone enjoyed the excellent program until the closing moments. This was followed by a sumptuous vegetarian dinner sponsored by Mrs. Prabha and Mr.Ashok Garg. As if all this was not enough, the evening culminated with a dance session for the adults while the teenagers were entertained by a DJ. The Sammelan came to close by midnight leaving everybody enlightened, educated, enriched and entertained.

AAA Foundation By: Sachin Agrawal

Happy New Year to all board members of AAA. May this new year bring prosperity and happiness in your lives. When Maharaja Agrasen founded Agrawal samaj and established 'Agroha' more than 5000 years back, it is said that when any new agrawal family came to reside in the city, each other family donated them one (1) gold coin ( for starting own business) and a brick (to build a house to live ) thus making the community stronger and more prosperous. When me and my brother Nitin landed in the United States in August 2002, we had the dreams in our eyes, we knew we had the ability to succeed, but we didn't have the means. Nitin took admission at Wayne State University in MS Chemical Engineering and I joined Masters in Health Care Management at University of Findlay. Around November 2002, when the first semester was ready to be over and the second semester was approaching, we had no idea how we were going to survive because we did not have enough money for the tuition fees. At this moment we came in contact with the AAA and AAA decided to help us with our tuition fees in the form of Interest Free Loan which we would return when we start earning in our professional careers. Me and Nitin have maintained top grades in our studies till now. Nitin has joined Texas A&M University now and is getting a scholarship and I am taking my medical licensing exams in next few months. We are very grateful for the Interest Free Loan given to us and highly appreciate the efforts being made by AAA in the uplifting of needy members of the community like us. I am sure me and Nitin would succeed and when we start our professional careers, we would be very pleased to join hands to help other needy members of the community.AAA is making efforts to reinstate the 5000 year old principles made by Maharaja Agrasen and bring the community closer and stronger. I wish the efforts being made by the board members of AAA come fruitful in this new year.

Homoeopathy By: Dr. Sushma Aggarwal

What is Homoeopathy? Homoeopathy is a revolutionary method of treatment based on a law of cure that states that 'Like Cures Like'. The remedies are prepared from natural substances to precise standards and work by stimulating the

body's own healing power. The therapeutic effects of homoeopathic remedies have been clinically verified over more than 200 years.

Scope

Most common ailments like cold, cough, fever, vomiting, diarrhea, dysentery, colic, tonsillitis, bronchitis, asthma, measles, chickenpox, mumps, etc., can be very effectively and quickly treated with homoeopathy without producing any side-effects whatsoever.

Homoeopathy is equally effective and safe in infants and children. Besides, homoeopathy is also effective in behavioral problems seen commonly in children, such as irritability, obstinacy, temper-tantrums, fears, phobias, destructiveness; thumb-sucking, nail-biting, bed-wetting.

Homoeopathy is an effective alternative to antibiotics in infectious diseases. Homoeopathy has definite treatment for sinusitis, tonsillitis, bronchitis, otitis media, urinary infections, etc. Viral infections are very well treated with homoeopathy.

Homoeopathy offers very effective treatment for allergic diseases including various skin diseases like eczema, contact dermatitis. Psychosomatic disorders like migraine, asthma, acidity, peptic ulcer, colitis, etc. are successfully treated with homoeopathy.

Homoeopathy also alleviates emotional disturbances such as

excessive anxiety, irritability, insecurity, obsessive traits, undue jealousy, paranoia, depression, neurosis etc. Homoeopathy can also avoid surgery for tonsillitis, piles and other conditions.

Myths

Homoeopathy is not only for chronic diseases or only for certain disorders. It is universally applicable to all kinds of diseases. It is not 'slow-acting' and is effective in the treatment of acute disorders. Homoeopathic remedies are not 'harmless.' They may be harmful if taken when not indicated or if not consumed according to the prescribed frequency or strength. Homoeopathy does not prescribe harsh dietary restrictions as commonly believed. Also, it is not necessary to stop essential medicines such as insulin, blood pressure medicine etc., unless so advised.

Benefits

Homoeopathy is effective, safe, quick and free of side-effects. Unlike antibiotics and other such medicines, homeopathic pills do not hamper digestion, or lower body resistance. Neither do they neither cause any allergies nor cause any damage even if taken over a long period.

Limitations

Homoeopathy is not a surgical science. It is not for life-threatening conditions like heart attack which requires intensive acute care in hospital. Homoeopathic remedies cannot be substituted for vaccination

Summary

Homoeopathy is a clinically proven holistic therapeutic science applicable to a wide variety of clinical conditions, both acute and chronic. Because of ignorance and lack of awareness in general public about the usefulness of homoeopathy in all kinds of diseases, many patients take recourse to homoeopathy only at a very late stage. But, like any other therapy, homoeopathy is not magical and cannot reverse structural damage.

Dr. Sushma Aggarwal has volunteered for Agrawal Association to share her experience in Homoeopathy medicine. For personal advice toAAA members, she can be contacted at her residence in Missouri City, telephone #281-403-4847.

Beautiful Mind- Narrated by Acharya Darshana Nanavati Transcribed by Professor Bharat B. Aggarwal, Ph.D.

Have you ever wondered why I am here? What is the purpose of my life? How can I be happy? How can I be "self-realized"? If yes, please read on. First remember, you are not the only one who has these questions. Even great prince Buddha, great warrior Arjuna, and several other great personalities in the history had the same questions. We need to remember that good thoughts lead us to "Self-realization and liberation" and bad thoughts bring us unhappiness. Mind is a beautiful instrument; how we play it, can lead us to ruins or liberation. What is "Mind"? Mind is nothing but a flow of thoughts. Mind is like a river and thoughts are like water flowing in the river. Like river, mind also gets flooded. Anger, jealousy, hatred, and greed etc are nothing but floods and whosoever comes on the way, gets carried away with it. Just as no one likes to go near the raging river, similarly nobody likes to go near the raging person. If river is serene and peaceful, one likes to walk by it and enjoy its company; so is true of the serene person. River flows only when there is riverbed. When there is no water, you see only the riverbed. Mind also flows on the riverbed-like substratum. What does mind do? Mind loves to run from one thought to another; either mind is trying to get something or to get-away from something. Think who is the boss? Mind is the boss. We keep on running constantly-why? Because of mighty mind! Intellect determines the direction of the mind, whether to go right or left etc. While physical body we have constitutes the "gross body", the mind and intellect constitutes the "subtle body", also called "Jiva". Jiva is constantly traveling to find another body so that it can satisfy its desires also called "Vasanas". As a rule, gross body we leave here on the earth, subtle body (mind) we carry from one life to another. Thus our mind is our companion from one life to another. Therefore, we should pay utmost attention to our mind. We can be happy or unhappy, based on what our mind is thinking. Mind is the seat of emotions. To be happy or not to be happy is in our hands. Just as dirty water in the river during the flood prevents you from being able to see through clearly, so the mind when it is clouded by anger etc. When water is clear we can see right from wrong. Just like riverbed, substratum on which thoughts flow is called "OM or "Parmeshwar". We must purify our thoughts, also called "Antakaran", by having nobel company and noble thoughts- this leads to no more thoughts-no more Jiva, because Jiva has met Shiva-that is the death of perceiver, feeler and thinker. This leads to "Self Realization". Thus the goal in life is to halt the flow of thoughts-to halt the mind-then Jiva merges into Shiva. Till then, we keep on coming back to the "Mother Earth" to learn how to halt the flow of thoughts. Thus mind is a source of "Self Realization". We can decide to be happy or unhappy by adjusting our mind.

****** Post birthdays, scholarship/ award recipients, weddings, anniversaries, new births. Contact Devi Rungta at rungtadsm@aol.com or 713-436-3234 OR Naresh Mittal at nareshmittal@yahoo.com or 713-565-9484.