CIC Discover India 2020

Thanks to everyone who attended our first event of the year, CIC Karaoke Night. It was super fun and we look forward to doing it again in the future. It is time now to unveil our second event of the year, our annual trivia game event, CIC Discover India.

For people familiar with this event, it is a super fun, intimate event with teams battling each other in their knowledge of all things India. There is so much we know about India and so much that we dont. This is the time when we face off and figure out who knows better and come out learning more in the process.

It is a great opportunity for new folks in the community to make friends and bond over 3 hours of craziness. To learn more about the event, look at past years posts or talk to someone who participated. You can sign up as a team or as an individual and we will do match making at the venue.

Event Date: Sunday, March 22, 2020
Event Time: 2:00 - 5:00pm
Venue: Vineland Library, San Jose,CA
Participation Fee: $10/ team (please bring exact change, guests attend free)

Sign up here.

Karaoke Night and the next phase for Cambrian Indian Community

Hearty greetings to members of the CIC, old and new. There is a lot of stuff to share so please read on.

Over the past 6 years as a non-profit, the Cambrian Indian Community (CIC) has been bringing the community together through activities and events, big and small. From large events like Diwali and Mehendi night to mid-size and smaller events like Utsav and Discover India, CIC has been organizing events to foster Indian culture and bring members of the community together. But more importantly, beyond these events, CIC has been fostering community building by offering opportunities for members to pursue their passions- be it sports like volleyball or badminton, or micro-communities built around sharing financial ideas and career growth tips. There is something for everyone. Overall these years, CIC has been putting the building blocks to empower this vibrant and thriving community by getting people to know their neighbors and do things together. 

On one hand, the micro-communities are thriving like never before. On the other hand, the volunteering that drives the events is lacking the energy the community needs to continue to flourish. We would like to hear from you on how to proceed forward in that regard. We will use each of these events to talk to the community about new ideas and how to move forward.

Starting on February 22nd with a Karaoke night, we will move to a regular programming schedule with small and medium-size events, both new and events similar to what we have had in the past, to encourage more community participation on a much smaller and intimate scale. Think of events as being similar to a meetup or informal get together - folks aligned on common interests getting together. Our annual Discover India trivia event will follow in March. We would love to see new folks in the community help organize new events. Feel free to reach out if you are interested in organizing an event and we will be more than happy to provide guidance. 

Finally, one of the challenges we face is how to reach all of you and stay in touch. We will be using our blog and email as our primary means of contact. Additionally, we may periodically share details of new events on WhatsApp. If you are interested in staying in touch and have not attended our event(s) before, please consider sharing your email with us by attending/volunteering at the next event.

If you have feedback or ideas to share, please email cambrianindiancommunity@gmail.com

P.S: We will be reaching out to folks via email on participation for Karaoke Night. If you are interested and havent attended any of our earlier events, please email us.

CIC Diwali Gala 2019

The Cambrian Indian Community (CIC) is excited to present its Diwali Gala 2019! Get your tickets here.

We had our first ever Diwali Gala last year with a bunch of ideas! We wanted our community to come together to relax, chat, dance, eat and have a great evening It was a big success based on all your experiences. 

This year, we want to make it even better and take it up a notch!  Here is a taste of what is coming: 

1. Better Food : Festival=Food! We got you! We are picking an exciting menu from the best Bay area restaurants.  Come hungry :) 

2. Kids Activities Center: We heard it loud and clear that parents want to relax knowing their kids are nearby while not having to chase them all the time. We have booked a Kids Activity Center, next door to the hall! Kids will be entertained, Parents get to relax & have fun while the kids are engaged in some interesting activities. 

3. Professional DJ: Kids activities taken care of. Food taken care of. Nothing more to worry about. Come, dance the night away to the tunes of a professional DJ :)  

4. Spirits: In the spirit of the season, we will have some alcoholic beverages - this time with more options than last year . There is a limit though, so please drink responsibly.

5. More Things to do: We are planning to have an icebreaker like last year. We are looking to have more time for adult activities this year.

Buy your tickets here.

Logistics

Date: Sunday, 17th November, 2019

Venue: Orchard City Banquet Hall, 1 W Campbell Ave, Campbell, CA 95008

Time: 5-9pm

Dress Code: Colorful Indian party/festival attire

Tickets: Please read ticket information below prior to purchasing your tickets.

• Each adult and kid ticket includes entry to event and catered vegetarian dinner.

• Adult (13 and above): $25/ person

• Kids (aged 3-15): $20/ person

• Kids (less than 3): Free

• Alcohol: $5 per alcohol ticket for beer/wine, $7.50 for premium beverages 2 tickets max per adult

Additional Ticket Information - Please read prior to buying tickets.

• Given that ticket availability is capped due to hall considerations, we will restrict each buyer to 6 tickets. If you intend to purchase more tickets, please email cambrianindiancommunity@gmail.com with your request and you will be placed on a waitlist. - We cannot promise that we will be able to accommodate your request but will do our best.

• Tickets are non-refundable and non-transferable. When you purchase your ticket, it will be tied to your email address used to make the transaction and where you will receive your ticket confirmation.

• Kids under 3 can attend the event for free. You will require to purchase a free ticket for each kid under 3 in the family during the ticketing process to allow us to keep track of the total hall attendee count but you will not be charged for it.

• Tickets will not be sold at the venue.

CIC Diwali Gala presented by BB Travel Experts - Event Day Logistics

Please read this note in its entirety. It contains details about the CIC Diwali Gala happening at the Orchard City Banquet Hall (in Campbell Community Center) on Saturday, 10-Nov, 2018. 

Event Date: Saturday, 10-Nov, 2018

Time: 5:30 pm - 8:30 pm

Location: Orchard City Banquet Hall, Campbell Community Center, 1 West Campbell Avenue, Campbell, CA-95008

Event Day Logistics:

• Doors will open at 5:30 pm and will close at 8:30 pm. The hall has to be vacated by 9:00 pm.

• Registration: There will be a registration desk when you come in where you will pick up your raffle coupons, ticket (for photo booth - more on that later) and drink tokens (if purchased). Please retain all of them as you will be needing them during the event.

• Photo Booth: There will be a photo booth with family photos by Ram Athreya. Each family will get one opportunity (by turn) to get their photos taken. Your family will be called based on your ticket number. Please pay attention when your number is called. Due to time constraints we will not be accommodating more than one picture per family nor will we able to do anything other than family photos. Once the official photo booth is done, the photo booth area will be available until the end of the show for friends and family to take as many photos as they desire with their phones.

• The hall will be divided into two sections - one with banquet style seating for dinner and the other, the dance floor/ standing area. There will also be chairs in the corners of the room for friends to sit and talk.

• Music: There will be a professional DJ providing music throughout the evening.

• Food: Chai and an appetizer will be available from around 6 pm. A banquet style dinner will be served around 7 pm. Food is being catered by Ananda Bhavan.

• Drinks: The bar will be open from 6 pm for people who have purchased their alcohol. There will be a selection of beer and wine to choose from. Alcohol will not be available for purchase at the event. 

• Games: There will be a fun game from around 6:15pm. We request everyone to participate in the fun. 

• Parking: There is ample parking in the complex.

• Trash and Clean Up: The event is managed entirely by volunteers and there will be limited time to clean up afterwards. We request all attendees to dispose their trash (plates and cups) in designated trash bins and not leave them lying around. We also strongly recommend parents bring a water bottle for their kids to reduce waste.

• Kids: Parents are responsible for their kids safety. The hall is large enough to accommodate everyone. Kids can move around relatively freely. But once kids leave the hall, it will be hard to track them in the dark beyond the lobby. So we request parents to keep a watchful eye on their kids. 

• Raffle Prizes: There are some exciting raffle prizes to be given away during the event. For folks who have bought the raffle tickets online, you will get them at registration. For everyone else, you will have a chance to buy raffle tickets at the registration desk.

• Ticket Transfers: If you had to transfer your tickets (or if you are the recipient of tickets you picked up from someone else), please let us know prior to the event so we can give you the right ticket. You can email Nekzad@gmail.com with the information.

If you have any last minute questions or concerns, email or message Nekzad or Prabhu.

We look forward to seeing you tomorrow.

CIC Board and Officers.

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Presenting our Gold Sponsor for the CIC Diwali Mela - LSJ Financial

We are happy to present out third and final sponsor for the CIC Diwali Gala, LSJ Financial. LSJ Financial and Laddi S. Jhuty have been a loyal sponsor of our CIC community over the years.

LSJ Financial provides a full range of Financial products including Life Insurance, Portfolio Management, Estate Planning and Tax filing. Laddiji has been very active in our community, having conducted investment workshops for us and counts many of our community members as his clients.

Those of us who know Laddi respect his professionalism, respectfulness and efficiency in managing our financial matters and we are glad to see him continue to support CIC year after year in our events.

Please join us in thanking Laddiji for his generosity and visit his business at www.lsjfinancial.com for further information on his services.

Presenting our Gold Sponsor for the CIC Diwali Gala - Trinethra Supermarkets

We are pleased to showcase our Gold Sponsor for the CIC Diwali Gala, Trinethra Supermarkets - Our neighborhood Cambrian Indian Supermarket serving all our grocery needs.

Kishore Muvva, owner of Trinethra, epitomizes the entrepreneurship spirit and has been a strong supporter of CIC Diwali over many years. There are now four Trinethra stores in the Bay Area - Sunnyvale, Cupertino, Santa Clara (Brand NEW location at 3379 El Camino Real) and our very own Cambrian San Jose store at 4436 Pearl Ave.

On behalf of the CIC Diwali Gala team, we are very thankful to Kishore-ji for his generosity and we are confident that the community will continue to support and visit the Trinethra Indian supermarket for all our grocery needs.

Presenting our Grand Sponsor for CIC Diwali Gala 2018, BB Travel Experts

CIC Diwali Gala 2018 is presented by BB TRAVEL EXPERTS LLC. (Affiliated partner - AVOYA TRAVEL/AMERICAN EXPRESS).

We are yet again, thrilled and thankful to present our Grand Sponsor for this year’s Diwali Gala, BB Travel Experts. Bomi Patel of BBTES has been a huge supporter of our community building efforts over the past 3 years and has willingly stepped up to be the Grand Sponsor yet again.

BBTES is a local one-stop travel agency in our very own Cambrian Park neighborhood and offers full service for all your travel needs across Airlines, Cruises, Hotels, Rail and Car Rentals. They provide personalized, super convenient and friendly service for our high flying Cambrianites - taking the pain out of booking our vacations and family trips around the world.

On a personal note, I (Prabhu) used BBTES to make my summer trip to India last summer and Bomi was super helpful getting me the best price and fast. He took the hassle out of the entire process and within 24 hours, I was ticketed and ready to go.

We sincerely request our community to reciprocate the generous support which BBTES has shown our community by using them for your travel needs!

Contact: Bomi Patel - BBTES9@gmail.com | www.bbtes.com | 408-264-4395

CIC presents Diwali Gala 2018 sponsored by BB Travel Experts

The Cambrian Indian Community (CIC) is excited to present its first ever Diwali Gala sponsored by BB Travel Experts, Trinethra Supermarkets and LSJ Financial. Before we get into specifics, here are the key event details:

Date: Saturday, 10th November, 2018

Venue: Orchard City Banquet Hall, 1 W Campbell Ave, Campbell, CA 95008

Time: 5:30 pm - 8:30 pm

Dress Code: Colorful Indian party/festival attire

Tickets: Please read ticket information below prior to purchasing your tickets.

• Each adult and kid ticket includes entry to event and catered vegetarian dinner.

• Adult: $20/ person

• Kids (aged 3-12): $15/ person

• Kids (less than 3): Free

Additional Ticket Information:

Please read prior to buying tickets.

• Given that ticket availability is capped due to hall considerations, we will restrict each person to 6 tickets. If you intend to purchase more tickets, please email cambrianindiancommunity@gmail.com with your request and you will be placed on a waitlist. We cannot promise that we will be able to accommodate your request but will do our best.

• Tickets are non-refundable and non-transferable. When you purchase your ticket, it will be tied to your email address used to make the transaction and where you will receive your ticket confirmation.

• Kids under 3 can attend the event for free. You will require to purchase a free ticket for each kid under 3 in the family during the ticketing process to allow us to keep track of the total hall attendee count.

• Tickets will not be sold at the venue.

• You can also buy as many raffle tickets as you desire (raffle prizes will be announced over the next few days)

Event Details:

The CIC has typically organized a performance based Diwali event at this time of the year. This year we are making some changes to that. Given the effort it takes to organize the performances based Diwali event and how it impacts the Dusshera/Navarathri season, we are moving it to Spring and retitling that event as our Annual Day. Look for more details on the Annual Day later this year.

There has also been a demand from community members for a more casual and relaxed get-together where friends come together to celebrate the festive season. This gala is our attempt at addressing that request. We are doing it for the first time and are using this opportunity to try a few new ideas. Here they are.

1. This event will be performance free. There will be a professional DJ playing music and one half of the large hall will be cleared to accommodate folks who let their hair down and dance the evening away.

2. We are offering a dinner buffet to allow attendees to sit down with friends and family in a banquet style seating arrangement and have a casual dinner.

3. Finally, we will also be offering alcoholic beverages for the first time. This is how it will work. Each adult can purchase (during their ticketing) two alcoholic beverage tickets for $5 each. A family of two adults can thus purchase as many as four alcoholic beverage tickets. Beverage options will be limited to beer and wine. There will not be an active bar at the event nor will alcohol be available for purchase at the venue. So if you would like to purchase it, please do so when you buy your event tickets.

We will share the dinner menu in the coming days along with event day logistics. We will also have a raffle during the event with some really cool prizes. A little birdie tells us that a pretty fancy wireless noise cancelling headphone might be one of the raffle prizes. More details in the coming days.

We look forward to seeing you at the event. It will be a lot of fun and best of all, you get to hang out with all your old friends and make new ones too!

Before I leave you, I would like to tell you about our three sponsors for the event. Returning as our Grand Sponsor is Cambrian’s very own BB Travel Experts. Bomi Patel, Proprietor of BBTES lives in our community and has been a major patron of all our events. Also returning as Gold Sponsors are Trinethra Supermarkets, our local Indian grocery store and LSJ Financial, our supportive financial planner. We request one and all to support these businesses who have been pillars in our community.

Buy your tickets here.

CIC Natya Sangeeth Utsav 2018 sponsored by Skyline Tutoring, Music Village, KalaAwishkar Dance School and Kumon-Los Gatos Blossom Crest

The Cambrian Indian Community is excited to welcome you to CIC Natya Sangeeth Utsav 2018. 

CIC’s Natya Sangeeth Utsav is our annual event to promote Indian music and dance forms and is in it’s fifth year in 2018. It features Hindustani and Carnatic classical music, vocal and instrumental, Bharatanatyam, Kuchipudi and Kathak dances, with solo and group performances by our community members. When this event was first held 4 years ago, the participation was limited but it is hearteningly notable that the music and dance segments presented right from its inception were well received by the audience. From the past 2 years, the participation and volunteer effort for this event has been increasing and this year, we reached maximum program capacity with a waiting list within the first two days of the announcement of the event.

This year, the Utsav event will be held on 20th May 2018 at Guadalupe Elementary school. We are very excited about our community seniors also participating for the first time in a group recital. We are happy to announce that there are multiple sponsors for this event - Music Village,  Skyline Tutoring, KalaAwishkar Dance School and Kumon of Los Gatos - Blossom Crest. Utsav 2018 will be held at a local elementary school (Guadalupe Elementary) and we look forward to showcasing all the performances on a beautiful well-lit stage.

CIC Khana Khazana 2017 - Chef Spotlight - Chef Manasi

Here is the last Chef interview before the event. This time, I am thrilled to present Chef Manasi. In a way, this final interview for Khana Khazana 2017 was where I wanted to be when I started this effort. The conversation was super casual over a cup of chai and snacks. It was relaxed and the questions and responses just flowed naturally. Over the past few weeks, staying behind the camera has allowed me to listen, and to learn so much about my friends, fellow community members and cooks extraordinaire. I am so happy I got this opportunity to do this video series and am now a strong proponent on the use of video as a means to not just publicize but engage with the community.  Manasi was a wonderful conversationalist and hearing her  thoughts on cooking, I can only imagine how awesome it is going to be on Sunday. I cant stress on this any more. Sign up your family for CIC Khana Khazana 2017. This is going to be super fun and for a good cause.

Please do watch the video to learn more about Chef Manasi and what she has in store for Khana Khazana. Her answers to the Q&A are also below.

I will leave you with one more thing- there is one last blog post coming related to something exciting for Khana Khazana. Should arrive on Friday or Saturday. So stay tuned for that.

Q: What is your inspiration to be a cook?

A: The chemistry of ingredients and varied possibilities with the same inspire me to experiment, cook and create.

Q: What motivated you to be a part of this unique experience Khana khazana?

A: The idea of bringing together our community for raising funds through a gastronomical avenues by the local chefs motivated me to join the bandwagon.

Q: Who is your role model in the kitchen?

A: My aai (mother) is my role model forever. She has the ability to make simple recipes into soul food, I idolize her for that always!

Q: What is that dish you vividly remember growing up seeing mom/dad/grandma/yyy cook and enjoy?

A: I grew up eating freshly cooked home made food made by my mom. My mother makes the traditional layer wheat roti everyday , that to date no one else (not even me) could replicate. Memories built around simple homey food stay forever:)

Q: What experiences shape how and what you cook- is it the place you are from, the city you grew up in, the place you currently live or anything else?

A: I was born and brought up in Bombay. The city's spirit has imbibed in me the enthusiasm, determination and urge to learn and explore. I love my chaats and Pav bhaaji but staying in US has added the different flavors from all over the world into my plate. Hence, the food I cook is a fusion of nuances from typical Brahmin cuisine to street foods to Thai, Italian, Mediterranean, Greek and others.

Q: Without naming the dish, what should people expect from you at Khana khazana?

A: Simple,seasonal, homey yet presentable food and a smiling face serving them with love :)

CIC Khana Khazana 2017 - Chef Spotlight - Chef Jabeen

Here we are with an interview with Jabeen, our third featured chef for CIC Khana Khazana 2017. One interesting vignette to share is that when I started planning for these videos - I wanted them to be very similar. The same questions and how each chef answered it. As you can see from the Q&A below, thats how most of the chefs responded too (with the exception of Meera who wrote a lovely story for us). But as we shot each video, the approach started changing. Instead of sticking to a script, we started having conversations about food and the experiences that have shaped how we have approached it. I learnt a ton about cooking styles, influences, experiences and so much more that I am so fortunate to have been part of this publicity exercise. I hope the enthusiasm of the chefs comes across in the videos just as it did to me when I spoke to them. On a special day, here is a special video from Jabeen. The Q&A responses follow below the video.

Q: What is your inspiration to be a cook?

A: My mother, grandma, sister, aunts, and friend’s mother.

Q: What motivated you to be a part of this unique experience Khana Khazana?

A: Few lucky friends in Cambrian Park have tasted my food. When Latha Santosh approached me, I thought I would give it a try. I am hoping with some help, I should be able to do it.

Q: Who is/are your role model(s) in the kitchen?

A: None other than my Mother and Elder Sister.

Q: What is that dish you vividly remember growing up seeing mom/dad/grandma cook and enjoy?

A: Dum Biriyani (both veg and non-veg).

Q: What experiences shape how and what you cook- is it the place you are from, the city you grew up in, the place you currently live or anything else?

A: It’s the taste buds and my favorites, makes me cook as close as possible to my mom’s recipes. My son is another driving factor for me to cook as a mom.  I also like to try different ingredients and cuisines if it’s healthy enough, then I adopt it. I have grown up going to markets to buy fresh vegetables, so I am a big fan of the farmers market in bay area. Cooking with fresh ingredients makes the food to go to another level.

Q: Without naming the dish, what should people expect from you at Khana Khazana?

A: Come hungry and savor the mix of Indian spices and veggies with family.

Cambrian Indian Community - The story so far and the road ahead

A few years ago, when the Indian community in the Cambrian Park neighborhood was no more than a few families, there was a dream. A dream to build a home, away from home. To foster and keep alive our culture in this new land. But to also give back to this country for all that it had given them. These families celebrated their joys and shared their sorrows together. They became family. 

The community started to grow. More and more families saw this small neighborhood of San Jose as where they wanted to put their roots. The good schools and tree lined streets welcomed them. As the Indian community in Cambrian grew, there was a strong desire to bring families together on a more regular basis. To learn, cherish and to serve. Thus was born the Cambrian Indian Community (CIC).

In 2014, a few of these committed individuals got together to formalize this organization and registered as a California State Non-Profit. CIC was incorporated in July 2014. Since that time, the community has exploded. Our events have grown in magnitude. We meet often - we do mehendi and music and dance and Diwali and karaoke and trivia together. We have contributed for important causes. We have volunteered to build the larger community where we live. In the process, we have made and continue to make friends for life. 

Earlier this year, over piping hot chai and wonderful kachoris from a gentle Cambrian soul, we filed to become a 501(c)3 non-profit. This would allow us to expand our charter. To dream bigger and to do greater things. A few weeks ago, we were informed by the IRS that our application was approved to be a 501(c)3 organization.

For me, as one of the joint directors of CIC, this has been a 4-year journey. But for many others, it has been the culmination of a journey that started over 15 years ago. And we are all ready to take the next big step in this journey. 

As a 501(c)3 organization, we can take your donations, big and small and you can claim it for your tax deduction. This begs the question, do we really need money, if so how much and what for? To answer this question, I would like to explain how we have generated funds in the past years and how we have put it to use.

Nothing comes free. We all know that. And for the past 3 years since we incorporated, we have spent quite a bit of money to be able to do what we do. We started with getting ourselves this website (~$100/yr). We then added insurance to cover us in case of accidents during our events (~$650/year). We have also been paying the minimum taxes required (~$800-$1500/year).

We raise funds through sponsorships during our Diwali event and from the chais and samosas and chaat we vend at different events. And these funds add up. We then use that money to buy things for the community. From the audio mixer, mics and speakers we used at last week’s Utsav to the chai pot, we have built up our bhandaar, bit by bit.  We would like to grow this bhandaar. We would like to add a small tent, more utensils, additional electronics like a dedicated laptop and a small video camera, cloud storage for the thousands of photos and videos from our events,  and eventually rent a storage to hold all this. Right now, many kind souls in the community are accommodating all this in their garage. We would like to relieve them of this load soon.

In the past three years, we have raised money only once to help us incorporate in 2014. We have been fiscally responsible and frugal to avoid having to go back to raise more funds. As we expand, we need to grow our infrastructure to meet the growing demands of the community. 

We, the members of the CIC Board would like to invite you all to our next fundraiser - CIC Khana Khazana on the 14th of May at 10:15 am in Houge Park. The event will be an all-you-can-eat hand-cooked brunch for $30/family (upto 4 members). For larger families over 4 members, we recommend an additional $10/person. But I really want you to consider donating more to help us build our funds.  For all your donations over $30, you can receive your tax-exemption certificate from our Treasurer. You have seen our interview with a couple of chefs who will cook for the event with a couple more to come in the next week leading up to the event. 

If you have questions or ideas about how we can do more for the community, we would love to hear. Please reach out to one of the members of the board. We hope you consider contributing and helping us grow this community. We also hope you consider organizing events for us and volunteering to make a difference. See you all next week at Khana Khazana. 

CIC Khana Khazana 2017 - Chef Spotlight - Meera

As with other chefs for Khana Khazana, I had asked Meera for answers to questions to keep things simple for her. She wrote us her story instead. I have read it twice now and I find it fascinating. I am publishing it verbatim here. So read on for Meera's journey with cooking and food. But before you get reading, I also had a chance to talk to Meera about all things food and the interview video is available for your viewing. We did the interview as Meera made piping hot aloo bondas for me- yes I know, I am lucky that way. It was a super fun chat and I think you will enjoy it too. I hope you agree with me that we cant wait to sample what Meera has to offer on the 14th of May at our CIC Khana Khazana.

When color, aroma, flavor, combined with some passion and love for your near and dear ones blend in together, a beautiful dish is born. My inspiration for cooking mainly comes from me being a lover of eating delicious food. I still remember, as a child I grew up in a typical TamBrahm family where the day dawns with the aromatic flavor of filter coffee. I thank the Gods in the heavenly aboard because neither of my parents restricted me from having this pure delight . As the days continues , I would notice my mom zooming around in the kitchen like a tornado , to get breakfast ready and pack all of lunches as well. I was and am still amazed of her swiftness , with which she works in the kitchen. 

Amma grew up in Mumbai and so she has influence from both Tambrahm and North Indian Khana. Even today, I cannot make the Aloo Paranthas and Phulkas with the softness that she has claimed. Her Aviyal and Paruppu Urundai Sambhar with Potato podimas is to die for. These are some of the richness of everyday food that I grew up with. That’s how my love for eating delicious food grew. She is definitely one my role models in the kitchen. My uncle (perippa), was another towering personality whom I have been inspired by. Every summer we would travel from Chennai to Mumbai for vacation and stay with uncle and family. He would royally cook for us everyday, in spite of his busy schedule at work. He always saw that we never went hungry during the stay I have imbibed that quality from him. There were few instances when I have returned home hungry from someone else’s house. I hate to have a feeling to go a restaurant after having lunch or dinner at someone’s! Believe me, I can point out so many examples. My lesson from uncle is never have your guest feel a bit of hunger when he/ she steps out of your house. 

Since I am a connoisseur of food and I hate a hungry stomach, I see to it that anyone who comes to my house, never leaves with a hungry stomach. I cook everyday with love and passion for my son and husband. They are my strongest critics, and when I see smiles on their faces when they like it , the happiness I experience has no limits. So here are two other inspirations and the pillars of my life, whom I dedicate my cooking capabilities, plus they are my scape goats as well :). I discovered a new me, in this country and it happened in the recent past. 

I hosted a memorial day party in Sunnyvale, and bravely invited close to 80 people! This was the very first time I cooked for a large number of people, with a lot of variety , and that is when I figured I did love to present or showcase what I cook! I was to see thrilled to see the happy faces of my friends and their kids! Kids ate with no complaints! There was no excess food! All plates and faces happy! Now it has become a family tradition to host a Memorial Day party, my friends know it and block their calendars :). 

I want to see the same thrill and excitement on the faces of my fellow Cambrianites, who have given me so much in the past two years! So when Latha proposed to me the idea of Khana Khazana, and cooking for almost 200 people, the bar is raised and the challenge is here. I am super enthusiastic to challenge myself for this big day, and all of you be ready to cherish the softness of a Madurai Jasmine flower with a Kerala delight condiment to go with it, and a chilled delicacy dunked in yogurt blended in with flavors from mint and coriander with a dash of spices!

What is the Cambrian Indian Community?

It has been an eventful year with so many new people moving into the Cambrian Park neighborhood. We had a super successful Diwali and we are now ready to welcome 2017. But before that, we have had a ton on interest in what CIC really is and how people can be a part of it. So on behalf of the Board of the Cambrian Indian Community, I wanted to write a bit about who we are and what we do.

From our annual CIC Utsav 2016 event

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Inception

The idea for a formal non-profit organization that caters to the needs of the Indian community in the Cambrian Park neighborhood area was seeded quite a while back. The early settlers as we refer to them now did not have the strength in numbers to make one such vision a reality. About 3 years ago, the community started showing up in larger numbers in our events that prompted a real effort from a dozen or so people to formalize CIC. We had a fund raiser for the legal costs to seed an organization. As a result of these efforts, the Cambrian Indian Community was registered as a CA state non-profit organization on July 4, 2014. 

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What does CIC do?

The CIC’s mandate revolves around bringing the Camrian Indian community together through events that celebrate Indian culture and tradition and also contribute back to the society we live in and that has allowed us the freedom and independence to organize in the first place. As part of this, the CIC has the following annual events in its calendar.

• Discover India (Feb/Mar)
• Easter Celebrations (Apr/May)
• Utsav Cultural Festival (May/June)
• Mehendi Night (Sept/Oct)
• Diwali (Oct/Nov)

In addition to these annual events, we have members of the community step up and add new events to the calendar. Some examples are CIC Sports Day in Summer 2015, CIC Karaoke in Summer 2016 and more. Any member of the community can help organize new CIC events. For more details see this blog post and reach out.

Beyond these cultural milestones, the CIC family continues to periodically do Seva at local shelters to give back to the community. CIC also contributes to local schools and charities to foster a vibrant community.

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The CIC Board

The CIC Board currently has 5 members-

Latha Santhosh (President)

Krithika Santhanam (Vice President and Secretary)

Sachin Holla (Joint-Director)

Rangaprabhu Parthasarathy (Joint-Director)

Manish Sabu (Treasurer)

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How can you stay in touch?

This blog and website are the only official voices of the Cambrian Indian Community. At times, members of the community share details of local events in social networking groups like Facebook and WhatsApp. The best way for someone to stay in touch with community events is to periodically check this blog. 

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What next?

As an organization, we have some great ideas on how to grow and contribute to the community and the neighborhood we have embraced as home. But we are sure you have some wonderful ideas too. So please reach out via email or drop one of the Board members a note. 

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CIC Diwali Dhamaka 2016 - Event Day Guidelines

CIC Diwali Dhamaka 2016

Presented by LSJ Financial

Event Day Guidelines

November 12, 2016

The CIC Diwali Dhamaka 2016 Organizing Team

Dear friends and patrons of the Cambrian Indian Community,

Welcome to our biggest event of the year, CIC Diwali Dhamaka 2016 presented by LSJ Financial. Our team of coordinators, choreographers and volunteers have put together a great event for you. Organizing an event with over 400 people expected to be in attendance, poses unique challenges for a completely volunteer-driven organization. To make this event an enjoyable experience for everyone involved, we have put together a set of guidelines. We kindly request that you read this document in its entirety to help you know what to expect at the event. If you have any questions or concerns, please reach out to Team RAG and we’ll ensure they are answered promptly.

Event Date, Time, Location and Parking Details

Date: Saturday, Nov 12th, 2016

Time: 2:00pm - 5:30pm.Check-in closes at 1:50 pm. Participant/Choreographer check-in at 1:00PM

Venue: Orchard City Banquet Hall, Campbell Community Center, 1 W Campbell Ave, Campbell, CA 95008.

Google Map: https://goo.gl/maps/A2qf2qdih8K2

Look for signs to the Orchard City Banquet Hall to guide you to the correct parking area/spots.

Additional free parking is available at the below locations nearby:

• 2nd Street Parking Garage, on Civic Center Dr, between 2nd & 3rd St. (~8 min walk) -  https://goo.gl/maps/UmUBqTx6gW52

• Home Church @ Winchester & Latimer (~7 min walk) - https://goo.gl/maps/33t9dyRtWnQ2

Registration and Food Tokens

• If you haven’t received your tickets yet, please register yourself at the reception.

• If you already have Khabar/tickets, please present your tickets at the reception.

• Note: Registration closes at 1:50PM and tickets are necessary to get your snack boxes.

If you have signed up for childcare, you should have already received a separate email with details. If not, please reach out to us.

Event Schedule

This is the planned event timing. (The sequence of events will be available in the Cambrian Khabar that will be distributed during registration on the day of the event (you would have already received it if you are a participant or volunteer):

2:00 - 3:15 pm: Child performances

Snack break

4:15 - 5:30 pm: Adult performances

Seating

• Given the size of the audience, we will not be able to move chairs. Also, the aisle spaces are necessary for easy movement of people.

• We are unable to reserve or hold specific seats for you in the auditorium. Let us be fair to people who take the effort to come early please.

• We request you to kindly refrain from leaving your seat in the middle of the program. Also, please silence your phones. The participants (kids & adults alike) have put in a lot of effort into the program and this is the least we could do as a community to appreciate that.

• In the rare situation when you have to step out, please note that you’ll be allowed to re-enter only during program transitions (for the same reasons as above)

• Please keep small children seated with you at all times and do not let kids run around in the lobby area or inside the auditorium.

Participant Seating

The first five rows of seating in front of the stage are reserved for participants, choreographers and photographers. Keeping this area clear for them will ensure a smooth and trouble free flow of events.

Event Photography/ Videography

We are having a talented and dedicated team of volunteer photographers and videographers covering the event in many ways and angles possible. In addition, we have reserved one row of seats in the front for parents to come forward and take their own pictures/videos. Since seating is limited in this special row, we request parents to only come forward and occupy these seats for their child or spouse’s performance and to vacate the seat at the conclusion of the performance. Please do not stand up to take pictures while seated in the front row. If you need to, you may do so from the sides of the hall by the windows - in which case please position yourself there at the beginning of the program and move out of the area at its conclusion. Please be proactive and quick in moving in and out of this area so that all parents can have a chance to capture pictures/videos of their children. In addition, please refrain from moving in and out of this row during performances. We would like to keep all the aisles and walkways clear at all times.

Food & Water

Snacks will be provided during the snack break. Please hold on to your tickets!. Ushers will be present to guide you to the rear of the auditorium where food boxes will be distributed. The snack is vegetarian and dairy free. Please reach out to food volunteers (during the break) if you have specific questions about the ingredients. Chai for adults and lemonade/other cold beverage for kids will also be available at this time. A water station will be available inside the auditorium for the entire duration of the event (2:00 - 5:30 pm). Please follow the instructions posted on the auditorium walls to properly dispose of leftovers and food boxes.

Who to Approach for Help

Floor coordinators wearing a black sash with the words “Volunteer, Cambrian Indian Community” in green neon color will be present inside the auditorium. Please reach out to them at any time for any concerns or questions.

Event Sponsors

Our sponsors will be positioned in the lobby area. Please make it a point to visit them to know what products and services they offer. Without their generous sponsorship, the event would have been impossible to pull off.

Again, please do not let kids run around in the lobby area or inside the auditorium.

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Restrooms and water fountains are available right outside the main hall in the lobby area. Please refrain from using the restrooms inside the hall - this will be used as a changing room for participants.

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Appendix

Snack Box Contents:

• Vada pav

• Upma

• Chutney

• Mysore pak (sweet)

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CIC Discover India Quiz 2016

Wish you all a wonderful 2016. Hope the year has been treating you well till date. As always, CIC is busy trying to put together an interesting slate of events for you to participate, meet new people, and most of all, have fun. To that effect, we are happy to announce our very first event of 2016, the second annual CIC Discover India. The first ever Discover India Quiz was held in 2015 and the response was very enthusiastic. Participants seemed to enjoy the event as much as I, the quizmaster had in putting the event together. So, it made sense to continue the tradition and organize one for 2016. 

The community has a lot of new faces and this is an event designed to bring new people together and get them to meet some of the folks who have lived in the community for a long time. As many participants from last year would attest, this is the ideal icebreaker event. You can partner up with someone you know or use the opportunity to meet someone new. By the time the event comes to a close, rest assured, you would have made a lot of new friends. 

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Name of the Event: Discover India Quiz 2016

When: 2 pm - 5 pm, Sunday,February 21st, 2016.

Where: Vineland Public Library, 1450 Blossom Hill Road, San Jose, CA 95118

Sign up: Click here to fill the form.

Early Sign up deadline: Jan 31 (comes with some perks)

Late Sign up deadline: Feb 11

Walk ins: Only if we are short of teams. Strongly urge people to sign up early.

For F.A.Qs on signups and teams, see below.

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What is Discover India?

Discover India is our very own quiz and trivia event. This is an opportunity for all the smart folks of Cambrian to match their wits against one another. Worry not, this is not a hardcore quiz. No prior preparation is required. It is a trivia event and has something for everyone. I wrote an FAQ for the event for last year and much of the spirit of it holds true. You can read that here. If you are unsure if this is an event for you, reach out to me and I will connect you with one of last year’s participants. You can talk to them and make your decision. There will be a lot more information I will provides we get closer to the event with regards to rounds, points, etc.

Last year, we had prizes and the wonderful community strongly urged me to do away with them because they wanted to just have fun. So to that effect, based on feedback from last year, there will be no competitive prizes.

There will be rounds of jeopardy style questions, a few rounds of audio and video questions from movies and stuff, dedicated cricket and sports rounds, 20 questions, dumb charades and more. Most importantly, all questions will be about India or Indians. So it will be an awesome opportunity to learn more about your country. I can assure you that you will walk away learning something new about India. 

This is a team event. Each team will be composed of 3-5 adult members and up to 2 child members (9 or above). If you cant form a team in advance, worry not. We will get you into a team at the venue. The key is to sign up in advance. Families can participate together as teams or join hands with friends. We'll provide a detailed FAQ about the rounds and specifics, a week before the event. 

How is Discover India 2016 different from the one last year?

This is one question I wanted to address for those who participated or heard about the event from last year. 

• This year’s event will be a little shorter in duration (I will have more questions than time permits as always but we will try to finish quicker).
• We will have significantly better video systems (this).
• We will have much better audio (the CIC has its own Ion Block Rocker that can easily fill a room with good sound)
• Audience Prizes !
• Interactive rounds. I am trying to take the best from last year and do more of it. I am also trying a lot of cool new ideas this year that will hopefully excite participants.
• Questions do not test your trivia skills. Questions are designed to make you connect the dots and work together as a team. 
• Designed to bring families, friends and newcomers together. It is our best icebreaker event. Make the most of it.

What is this early sign up you are talking about?

To incentivize people to sign up early (and help me prepare appropriately), there will be some bonus perks. These perks will only be revealed after the Early signup deadline passes. Suffice to say, it will give these teams a slight edge going into the event. Is that reason enough? 

Do I have to prepare?

No, no, and no. Just sign up, meet new and old friends and have a lot of fun. 

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If you want to warm up here are some audio quizzes I(Prabhu) did a while back. 

Links:

Hindi Movie Dialogues Quiz

Republic Day Patriotic Quiz

Indian TV ads Quiz - Part 1, Part 2

Trivia: The image on the blog post link and on the top of this page is my rough rendering of the Thanjavur Brihadeeswarar temple which turned 1000 in 2010. No kidding! Know more about your country. Sign up for Discover India today. You lose nothing but you gain a lot.

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