Indian desis in San Ramon, Dublin, Pleasanton, Livermore & Danville

Its Karvachauth time, again. If you live in the Tri Valley area, this year (2011) as well you can head out to Livermore Temple for the Karva Chauth Puja / Katha. There will be three sessions on Saturday, Oct 15, 2011 – including at 5:00 PM and 6:00 PM. The pooja sessions can be joined only in the beginning, else one would need to wait for the next session.

Within Bay Area, Sunnywale, Fremont Temples typically have huge gatherings of women coming coming in the evenings for Thali Puja. In the Tri-Valley area, the Livermore Temple is slowly but steadily becoming a nodal point for this north-Indian style puja as well (even as its predominantly a Venkateswara temple). 

Mehndi/Henna – Putting Mehndi on the day, or the day prior, is also a big part of the tradition. Can’t see someone professional catering to the Tri Valley residents. So its either Do-It-Yourself, or there are other places in Bay Area to head to for about 25 bucks: Lovely Sweets-Tisha (Fremont) – 510-396-7501, or Sadia Fashion House (Fremont) – 5109968062, and probably many others.

There is special food for this festival too. Most of the grocery stores or “Sweet Shops” (like Cafe Tazza) in Dublin/Pleasanton will carry the stuff – Matthi (mostly sweet), Phenia-Jalebi, Cocunut, etc. is traditionally required.

At least in northern India, this festival has become a big fun (and big money and more!) event (beauty treatment and spas in Ludhiana, botox for Karwa Chauth in Delhi,  and and even a Karvachauth mobile app that turns the screen of your phone into a ‘sieve’ / ‘chalni’, through which one can see the moon). There apparently are no big events or get-togethers that have caught up here, but don’t be surprised to see desi women, probably traditionally attired, in movie theatres in Hacienda and elsewhere during the day this time around! Get togethers in the evening to watch the chand (moon) together has become quite common, followed by dinner pot lucks.

The last thing is the big wait for the moon – that, especially on this day, seems always to play hide and seek. Moonrise on Oct 15 this year is slated to be at 8:38 PM for San Francisco.

About: Karva Chauth is an annual one-day festival celebrated by Hindu and some Sikh women in North India and parts of Pakistan in which married (and some un-married) women fast from sunrise to moonrise for the safety and longevity of their husbands (or future husbands). The fast is observed in the states of Punjab, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, Rajasthan and Gujarat. The festival has become a big deal with Indian diaspora, including in US.

This year again, The Federation of Indian Associations is organizing the grand mela and parade on August 13-14th. The mission of these India Independence Day festivities is to promote unity in diversity and democracy and build healthy relationship between various Indian and American communities. Folks from Tri Valley area have traditionally attended this biggest Indian mela in the bay Area with enthusiasm.
Location is same as lasy years – 39439 Paseo Padre Parkway, Fremont, CA, 94536 (Corner of Paseo Padre and Walnut Ave).
The Festival of India Banquet Night would be held in San Jose Airport Garden Hotel on Sunday night.
This year’s events will feature a Free Health Fair, Dance Competition, Grand Parade, Kid’s Corner, Banquet and a grand Cultural Program.

There will be more than 100 booths consisting of Clothes, Arts & Crafts, Food Vendors serving up regional cuisines from across India.

There is a special two day Spice of India Weekend at the Alameda County Fair which is on from Wednesday, June 22, 2011 till Sunday, July 10, 2011 (at Alameda County Fairgrounds in Pleasanton, CA)
Spice of India Weekend – June 25-26 Saturday/Sunday – 2011

2011 Fair Prices:  Adult $10, Senior $8, Child $6

All Day in Festival Square both Saturday & Sunday:

• Art & Painting
• Henna Booth
• Produce & Spices (India Plaza, Dublin-shopindiaplaza.net)
• Cultural booths Indian
• Indian Food vendors on-site in Festival Square. (dishes for sale)

Saturday -June 25

• 12:00 – 12:30 – Welcome young and old for yoga and meditation basics with Yogi Mahendra12:30 – 1:45PM – 1st Annual Best of the Bay SAMOSA Contest Fastest Rolling & Best Tasting – Sponsored by India Plaza (*PRIZES for the Fastest Rollers & Best of the Bay overall Samosa)
• 01:45 – 2:00PM – DJ – Bollywood Music
• 02:00 – 3:00PM -TRAVEL THROUGHOUT ALL OF INDIA. NO PASSPORTS NEEDED! Unity in Diversity! Come see, hear, and taste from the culture from several regions
• 03:00 – 6:00PM – Bollywood Extravaganza! Live Dance Performances

Sunday-June 26

• 12:00 – 12:30 – Welcome young and old for yoga and meditation basics with Yogi Mahendra
• 10:00 – 1:00PM – My PART by ART: A World Art competition to help Benefits to Aid Japanese Tsunami Relief (In partnership with local corporations and non-profits)
• 01:15 – 1:45PM – Cooking Demo- Come learn the regional cuisines across the country of India
• 01:45 – 2:00PM – DJ – Bollywood Hits
• 02:00 – 3:00PM – TRAVEL THROUGHOUT ALL OF INDIA. NO PASSPORTS NEEDED! Unity in Diversity! Come see, hear, and taste from the culture from several regions
• 03:00 – 6:00PM – Bollywood Extravaganza!

There are a zillion others fun activities going on at the fair – check http://www.alamedacountyfair.com/2011fair/home/index.php

Free sumptuous food, and entry. Where else could it be, but in a Punjabi cultural event. One of the handful of such events – the 8th Annual Diversity Spring Festival will be held on Saturday May 14 2011 at the Todos Santos Park Plaza in downtown Concord (the corner of Willow Pass and Grant Street) from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The Baisakhi (Vaisakhi) festival is sponsored by the Therapeutic Residential Services, and the Federation of Indo-American Association of Northern California. The event is presented by South Asian Behavioral Health and Training Foundation – SABH CENTER which is a Non-Profit California agency providing residential & mental health services to mentally & developmentally disabled, new immigrants & seniors.
Every year about 5,000 people from all over the Bay Area attend the Concord Baisakhi festival. There are expected to be 50 + booths for clothing, electronics, financial, health and information in 2011. As well, expect Cultural shows by children and artists.
Check last year’s event with pictures here.