Let your bucket list feature the Sankurathri Foundation if you’re traveling to India, especially Andhra Pradesh this summer. A visit to the Sankurathri Foundation campus in the coastal town of Kakinada is no less divine an experience than a pilgrimage. At the entrance of the campus, your attention will be caught by the larger-than-life statue of three human beings underneath a sprawling tree. Their unpleasant demise in the 1985 bombing of an Air India flight gave birth to the extraordinary journey of Dr Chandrasekhar Sankurathri, who has been named a Padma Shri awardee this Republic Day 2023. 

Padma Shri Dr Sankurathri, 79, is a living embodiment of what Helen Keller said, “Although the world is full of suffering, it is full also of the overcoming of it.” His life of success and happiness in Canada turned upside down after the crash of Air India flight 182, from Montreal to Mumbai, over the Atlantic Ocean near Ireland took away his wife and two children. However, unlike tragic heroes in literature and cinema, Dr Sankurathri transformed the darkness of grief and loneliness into a beacon of light for the underprivileged in rural India.

PC: Facebook.com/Sankurathri/

After three years of bereavement, he left Ottawa where he was a celebrated biologist for two decades, and returned to his roots in Andhra Pradesh on a quest for a new purpose of his life. He was also a scientific evaluator for the Ministry of Health, Canada. On seeing rural folks of his hometown and beyond mired in poverty due to the lack of education and healthcare, he rose over his personal grief to uplift them. He braved the tragedy to live for a bigger cause – breaking the cycle of illiteracy and physical ailments for the needy.        

In 1989, he established the Sankurathri Foundation in memory of his family ushering in a new era of empowerment for Kakinada. He also set up the Manjari Memorial Foundation (Manjari was his wife) as a registered charity in Ontario, Canada. Both the foundations have their goals aligned towards improving the quality of life for the poor. With all his savings, he started working on several projects through the Sankurathri Foundation, including free education to poor children at Sarada Vidyalaya that he consecrated to his daughter in 1992.

So far, the high school has educated over 5000 children from the economically weaker households, at a zero-dropout rate. The children are helped with study materials, meals, and health check-ups at the school. In its exclusive article on Dr Chandrasekhar Sankurathri, the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) lauded Sarada Vidyalaya as “a ticket out of poverty for these kids”. The article also reads, “Ask them how many have parents who cannot read and write. Most of the hands go up. Ask them what they want to be when they grow up? They answer: Teacher, doctor, police officer….”

The Institute of Ophthalmology that the Sankurathri Foundation has been running since 1993 is named after his son, who was only 7 while traveling on the ill-fated flight. The mission of providing free quality eye care to the visually impaired living below the poverty line is inspired by his son’s dream of becoming an ophthalmologist. The Srikiran Institute of Ophthalmologist has restored vision to nearly 300,000 patients of vulnerable age-groups through cataract surgeries, 90% of which were conducted for free. The institute also holds free medical check-up camps in remote areas of the state.

“15 million Indians are living without vision,” according to Dr Sankurathri’s Srikiran Institute of Ophthalmology located on a serene five-acre site near Kakinada and equipped with modern equipment. There are 10 outpatient clinics, 4 operation theatres, a pharmacy, two optical shops, a cafeteria, and an auditorium. Interestingly, the institute is recognized as the best NGO in ophthalmology by the state government. The institute continues to get support from the University of Ottawa Eye Institute, Rotary International, Infosys Foundation, Eye Foundation of America, the Canadian International Development Agency, and Arvind Eye Hospitals Tamil Nadu. Moreover, the Indo-Canada Chamber of Commerce adjudged him as the “Humanitarian of the Year 2013”.

“The demise of his wife and children was the culmination of the family tragedy that had begun in his childhood. When Chandrasekhar Sankurathri was only 7, his mother died of an unidentified illness. His elder brother went missing after two years of his mother’s untimely death. The fate continued to be hostile against the family as the Godavari floods left many village households including theirs penniless the next year. He lost his only sister when he was 13. However, he defied to be at the mercy of his fate and became a ray of hope for others. After the air incident in 1985, his stoicism became his strength. This reminds me of the concluding dialogue from “Riders to the Sea”, a popular Irish play, “No man at all can be living forever and we must be satisfied”, said Sourav Agarwal, the Editor of Travel Beats.

The post This Indian Doctor Turns His Grief of Losing Family in Plane Crash into Zest for Social Service; He Gets Padma Shri This Year appeared first on Travel to India, Cheap Flights to India, Aviation News, India Travel Tips.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s historic speech at the United Nations General Assembly in New York ended with a song written by Rabindranath Tagore. The beginning of the song translates to “Proceed fearlessly on your auspicious path of action; all weaknesses and hurdles shall vanish”. This song also finds resonance in the most recent achievement of Gandham Bhuvan Jai, an 8-year-old boy from Andhra Pradesh. On September 18, he scaled Mount Elbrus, Europe’s highest peak at an elevation of 5642 meters. He became the world’s youngest mountaineer to achieve this feat amid harsh weather conditions.

Gandham Bhuvan Jai’s achievement brought laurels to the country. He unfurled the Tricolor and held a banner featuring Dr. Ambedkar and the Indian Constitution’s Preamble at the top of Mount Elbrus, one of the seven summits in the world. Undeniably, climbing Mt Elbrus, a dormant volcano, is an arduous challenge in the face of unpredictable weather. He was trained by Shankaraiah, a mountaineer himself. On return to India yesterday, he was received by his father at Hyderabad International Airport.

A native of Kurnool in Anantapur district, Gandham Bhuvan Jai has been a hyperactive child. He brims with boundless energy and enthusiasm. Once Shankaraiah, the sports coach of Rural Development Trust, noticed Bhuvan and told his father to leverage Bhuvan’s energy for extracurricular activities. Thus, Bhuvan was initiated into mountain climbing by Shankaraiah, a professional mountaineer. His formal training for climbing Mt Elbrus began at Gandikota, the Grand Canyon of India, in February 2021 when the country was bracing for the deadly second wave of COVID-19.

On completion of his training in Gandikota, Gandham Bhuvan Jai trained in Ladakh in the Himalayas where he learned to adapt his body to volatile weather and atmospheric extremes. One of the challenges of scaling mountains is to brave unpredictable weather at high altitudes, other than understanding the know-how of mountain climbing. His body and mind developed harmony with harsh weather over a few weeks in Ladakh.

While the Himalayan belt of India is home to the country’s best athletes, the nation’s mountaineering talent has become the preserve of Andhra Pradesh – one of the two Telugu-speaking states.

Early this year, 9-year-old Kadapala Rithvika Sri from Andhra Pradesh conquered Africa’s highest peak, Mt Kilimanjaro. She became the youngest Asian girl and the world’s second youngest girl to have achieved this feat. She was accompanied by her father, who is also her guide and a cricket coach for Special Olympics. The undivided state of Andhra Pradesh was catapulted to global fame in 2014 when 13-year-old Poorna, daughter of a farmer, scaled the world’s highest peak, Mouth Everest. Poorna was accompanied by Anand, a cycle mechanic’s son from Khammam district (now in Telangana).

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Ugadi is a festival of the Telugu-speaking populace in the states of South India. Ugadi is celebrated to welcome the Telugu New Year which ushers in a season of freshness and brightness before the colors of Holi entirely fade away. Nature brims with sprightliness when red flowers blossom and mango buds bloom heralding the arrival of New Year for South Indians. The festive ceremonies of Ugadi are observed in harmony with the joy and beauty of nature to mark the beginning of growth, affluence and prosperity for everyone.

Legendary beliefs

Apart from its harmony with the changing face of nature, Ugadi has an age-old association with mythology and history in reference to Hinduism. It is mythically believed that the day when Lord Brahma, the Supreme Creator of the universe, stared creation of life is the first day of a new year or the Ugadi Day. If the cosmic calculations made by Bhaskaracharya, a noted Indian mathematician, are to be believed, the first day of the first month of a new year begins with the Ugadi festivity. The controversy of these beliefs apart, the fields with vibrancy of life, the meadows with colorful blossoms, the mango trees with green foliage and the households with the glow of rangoli refer to a new beginning, a new journey, a new life…

Culinary tidbits

Ugadi comes with the fresh aroma of raw mangoes in the air. It defines the mood and color of the environment, which in turn impacts the festivity and celebration. Raw mango slices are among the ingredients of Ugadi Pachadi, a must-taste festive dish that is unique to the culinary culture of the Telugu people. The women in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh get busy making several different mango preparations including pickle as raw mangoes are available in plenty for two months – April and June. Atukulu Payasam, Boorelu, Bellam Garelu, Semiya Payasam, Rava pulihora, Pappu Pulusu, Vankaya batani, etc. are some of the most popular Ugadi festival dishes, unique to the culinary culture of the Telugu people.

Philosophy of life

Ugadi Pachadi is not just an overtone of the festive celebration but also an integral part of the cultural tradition and a reference to the philosophy of life in the Telugu community. It is a dish of six different tastes and flavors – jaggery, raw mango, tamarind, neem flowers, salt and green chilli – that range from sweet to bitter. The ingredients of the dish symbolize the different phases and experiences of life that everyone undergoes during the journey from cradle to grave. Human life is a harmonious mix of verities including joy and sorrow just Ugadi Pachadi, a mix of different flavors. Ugadi Pachadi is known as Bevu Bella in Karnataka.

Traditional rituals

The people wake up before sunrise. They start the Ugadi day with a holy oil bath early in the morning and wear new clothes. The women draw beautiful rangoli in form of floral designs, as an auspicious mark of the festivity, on the space just outside their homes. The main entrance, doors and windows of houses as well as shops are decorated with strings of fresh green mango leaves called thorana. According to a mythical legend stating that Lord Ganesh, god of wealth and prosperity, is fond of mango leaves, this tradition signifies good harvest and good health. The people visit temples to seek divine blessings for health, wealth, success and prosperity in the New Year.

Travel Beats is an overseas Indian community portal by Indian Eagle Travel. It publishes latest visa, immigration and travel news, inspiring features and interesting community stories. 

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Among the most interesting stories of India are stories of the few offbeat temples which are known for unusual offerings to the presiding deities. The unusual offerings to some of these Indian temples are age-old traditions, while devotees make offbeat offerings to some temples out of their unconventional beliefs. We at Travel Beats, an Indian Diaspora community portal by Indian Eagle Travel offer you a walk through some of these temples to leave you with a gaping mouth in wonder. 

Devotees Offer Chocolates to Munch Murugan in Kerala 

If you happen to visit the Chemmoth Sree Subramaniya Swami Temple in Kerala, make sure to offer Munch chocolates to the deity Munch Murugan. How the deity, the son of Lord Shiva, came to be known as Munch Murugan is one of the interesting stories of India. The deity developed a sweet tooth for chocolates since a Muslim boy offered a Munch to him. One day the boy rang the temple bell for fun and got scolded for doing so. He fell sick that night and kept chanting Murugan’s name unconsciously. The next morning, his parents took him to the temple. When the boy felt better, the priest asked him to offer something to the deity as it is a tradition. The boy took a Munch out of his pocket and put it on the altar. Since then Munch Murugan has been receiving loads of Munch chocolates from children who visit the temple to pray for good marks in examinations.

Devotees Get Books & DVDs as Prasad at Lord Shiva Temple in Kerala

Do you ever expect to get CDs, DVDs or textbooks as holy prasad in exchange of your offerings at some temple? If yes, travel to India and visit the Lord Shiva Temple at the National Heritage Center in Thrissur, Kerala. The temple authorities believe that knowledge is the best gift of God and that devotees should be blessed with it. That is why knowledge dissemination through distribution of books and writing materials is considered the holiest prasad to visitors at this temple in Kerala.

Lord Vishnu is Offered Different Types of Dosa in Madurai

Alagar Temple in Madurai is one of the unique places to visit in India for unusual offering to the deity. Originally named Kallazhagar Temple, it is a temple of Lord Vishnu. At this Madurai temple, the deity is offered different types of dosas (a South Indian delicacy) which are later distributed as prasad among devotees. Devotees on visit to the temple bring grains which are used to make crispy dosas. The first dosa is offered to Lord Vishnu and the rest is distributed to visitors after prayers.

Devotees Get Fruit Jam as Prasad at Lord Murugan Temple in Tamil Nadu

What devotes are given at Lord Murugan Temple in Tamil Nadu is among the interesting facts about Incredible India. Located in the Palani Hills, the temple is known for offering a unique prasad to devotees. The prasad is no traditional sweet but jam made of jaggery, sugar candy and five fruits. The holy jam is known as Panchamritham. The temple has got a plant where the jam is manufactured.

Liquor is Offered to Khabees Baba Temple in Uttar Pradesh

The Khabees Baba Temple at 80 km distance from Lucknow in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh is one of the most offbeat places to visit in India. Surprisingly, there is neither any idol nor any priest at this temple, except a pair of two slipper-shaped structures on an elevated platform that seems to be an altar. Visitors offer liquor to the altar at the Khabees Baba Temple in Lucknow out of devotion to a mystic saint who is believed to have lived there 150 years back. Devotees receive a portion of the liquor offered here.

Clocks and Watches are Offered to Brahma Baba Temple in Uttar Pradesh  

Image Credit: Wishesh.com

If the offering of alcohol and chocolates to deities (mentioned above) does not surprise you, visit Brahma Baba’s Temple in Uttar Pradesh and see what devotees offer to please the deity there. Devotees of all religions – Hinduism, Islam and Christianity – offer clocks and watches as tokens of gratitude towards the deity for fulfilling their wishes. Among the most interesting stories of India, the story of Brahma Baba Temple dates back to the time when a man asked the deity to bless him with driving skills. When he began to drive, he offered a clock as a thanksgiving gift to the temple. Since then it has been a tradition at Brahma Baba Temple. Surprisingly, there is neither security nor any priest to take care of the temple.

Chinese Dishes are Offered to a Temple of Goddess Kali in Kolkata   

A visit to the Chinese Kali Temple in Chinatown is the most interesting things to do in Kolkata. The temple is named so since the Chinese residents of Chinatown worship Goddess Kali. They offer different Chinese dishes like noodles, dim sum and chopsuey, not traditional Indian sweets to the deity. The worshipping of Goddess Kali by the Chinese inhabitants of Chinatown in Kolkata is also an instance of religious tolerance in India.

Toy Planes are Offered to a Gurudwara in Punjab for Visa Approval  

Why Shaheed Baba Nihal Singh Gurudwara in Jalandhar is called Airplane Gurudwara or Hawai Jahaj Gurudwara is one of the interesting stories of India. Devotees offer toy airplanes as prasad to this offbeat temple in Punjab as they believe that this unconventional offering will result in visa approval for them and fulfill their dreams of going abroad. And that’s why many shops outside the temple sell toy aircrafts.

Devotees Get Prasad with Rat Saliva in Karni Mata Temple in Rajasthan  

Karni Mata Temple in Bikaner, Rajasthan, is one of the most offbeat places to visit in India. It is a temple of about 20,000 black rats which are kabbas and considered holy. The prasad brought by devotees for the deity is also offered to the rats. Then devotees receive the prasad laced with rat saliva, which is believed to bring good luck to them.

Devotees Get Cloth Moist with Menstrual Fluid at Kamakhya Temple in Assam

Kamakhya Devi Temple in Assam is one of the most offbeat destinations in India. What is offered to devotees in return of their visit to the temple during the famous Ambubachi Festival in June is one of the most unconventional and interesting stories of India. The Kamakhya Temple in Guwahati remains closed for the first three days of the festival and opens its door on the fourth day when small pieces of cloth moist with the supposedly menstrual fluid of the goddess are distributed as prasad to thousands of devotees who gather at the temple complex on this occasion.

Bottles of Wine are Offered to Kal Bhairav Nath Temple in Madhya Pradesh

Kal Bhairav Nath Temple of Ujjain is one of the most popular Shiva shrines in India. The guardian deity of Ujjain City in Madhya Pradesh, Kal Bhairav Nath is offered bottles of wine every day. Evidently wine is the only holy prasad given to devotees at Kal Bhairav Nath Temple. Different brands of wine are available outside the temple throughout the year. The temple was built during the Maratha regime, according to some Maratha legends.

Devotees Get Jaggery Water from the Mouth of Lord Vishnu Idol in Andhra Pradesh

Panakala Narasimha Swamy Temple in Andhra Pradesh is one of the few Indian temples which are known for unusual offerings to deities. An idol of Lord Vishnu in Narasimha avatar (sphinx) is worshipped at this temple on the top of Mangalagiri Hils. As per the age-old tradition of this temple, jaggery water is poured into the mouth of the idol. It is believed that when the deity feels full, half of the jaggery water comes back out of the mouth and it is distributed as holy prasad to devotees.

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Indian Tourism is scaling up with several new and upcoming attractions such as the longest ropeway over sea in Mumbai, Vistadome train coaches with glass ceiling in Visakhapatnam of Andhra Pradesh, and Dr. Kalam Memorial at Rameshwaram in Tamil Nadu.

Vizag, as Visakhapatnam is popularly known among tourists, is all set to outsmart Goa on the strength of its new-age tourist attractions. After having introduced Switzerland’s Glacier Express-like Vistadome train coaches with glass ceiling and air conditioning in Araku Valley, Vizag is likely to get India’s longest ropeway for spectacular rides between two tourist spots.

Known for some of the best beaches in India, Vizag is not just a beautiful port city but a popular, family-friendly tourist place on the east coast of India. It is nicknamed the City of Destiny for its tryst with devastating natural calamities like tsunami and cyclone. Though it was torn apart and suffered major setbacks, it never succumbed to overwhelming power of nature and damaging blows of fate. Like Phoenix in the Arabian Desert, Vizag rose out of ruins only to attract tourists.

Interesting Facts about the Proposed Longest Ropeway in Vizag 

India’s longest ropeway in Vizag will pass from Kailasagiri to Dolphin’s Nose. It will offer thrilling rides with panoramic views over the famous Ramakrishna Beach. A one-way ride on the proposed ropeway will cover nearly 12 km. Another stretch of the longest ropeway in Vizag will cover nearly 2 km between Kailasagiri and Simhachalam.

To be precise, the ropeway will connect Kailasagiri, Simhachalam, Dolphin’s Nose and RK Beach among the most popular tourist spots in Vizag. The longest ropeway in Vizag will get glass-domed cable cars to enthrall tourists with glimpses of lush green landscape on one side and sweeping views of the sea on the other.

New Tourist Attractions in India 

• Vistadome Coaches of Araku Valley Trains
• Longest Ropeway over Sea in Mumbai
• India’s First Underwater Metro in Kolkata       
• APJ Abdul Kalam Memorial in Rameshwaram

Famous Tourist Places in Vizag

One of the best places to visit in Visakhapatnam, Kailasagiri is a sprawling hilltop park. Spread over a forested area of 380 acres at a height of 360 feet, Kailasagiri dominates the landscape and overlooks the beaches in Vizag.

Among the beaches of Visakhapatnam, Ramakrishna Beach is a most scenic one. Sunrise is a mesmerizing view to behold at this beach, in addition to relaxed strolling and sunbathing. Rides on the proposed longest ropeway in Vizag will pass through Ramakrishna Beach.

Dolphin’s Nose is a vantage point among the places to visit in Vizag. Bearing resemblance to a dolphin’s nose, it is a 174-m high rocky cliff with a long-standing lighthouse. Adjacent of Dolphin’s Nose in Vizag is a residential area of armed forces, which is restricted to tourists. The other side of the hill is landscaped by a secluded beach, Yarada.

Among the best tourist places in Visakhapatnam, Simhachalam Hill is where the famous Varaha Lakshmi Narasimha temple is located 800 meters above the sea level. Dedicated to an incarnation of Lord Vishnu, the temple has five gateways and three courtyards, making it resemble the exterior of a fortress.

How to Reach Vizag

Vizag is a short flight away from Hyderabad, Bhubaneswar and Kolkata.  Though Bhubaneswar is the nearest airport, Vizag is accessible to foreign tourists via Kolkata International Airport and Hyderabad RGI Airport. Vizag is one of the popular weekend getaways from Hyderabad City.

Also Check how to save big on travel to Visakhapatnam

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It is often said and remarked that NRIs (in general) are out of sync with their cultural identity and heritage. But, the reverse is true. Being thousands of miles away from India, NRIs long for family functions, traditional food, cultural values, native festivities and a lot more, according to a survey which Indian Eagle, a leading international travel booking organization, recently conducted in a group of Indians in America. NRIs inculcate Indianness in and impart cultural values to their children. Some of our stories of young Indians bear a testimony to this truth about NRIs.

Photo Credit: TheHindu.com

The latest instance is two young Indian American girls’ chanting of 700 slokas in the Bhagavad Gita out of memory. 9-year-old Shruti Vagdevi Vipparthy and 12-year-old Sindhu Vagdevi Vipparthy – two sisters from California, recited 700 slokas from the holy book fluently, at Datta Mukthi Kshetram on the banks of Godavari River in Andhra Pradesh, thereby surprising everyone about their umbilical bond with Indian culture and heritage.

This is not the first time that they won hearts with their single-minded recital of sacred Hindu scriptures. Previously, these California Indian girls made a world record for their nonstop chanting of the Hanuman Chalisa during a religious event in Texas. – Indian Eagle

The Indian American girls having their ancestral and cultural roots in the Telugu states of India elicited blessings from saints as well as monks for devotional chanting on another occasion in India this year. In July 2017, they wholeheartedly recited the Gita Mahatyam, the Gita Dhyanam, the Sampoorna Gita Parayana, the Gita Sara and the Gita Aarti for nonstop 4 hours from memory to the utter surprise of Sri Sachchidananda Swamiji in Mysuru.

Born and brought up in USA, Shruti Vagdevi Vipparthy and Sindhu Vagdevi Vipparthy belong to Andhra Pradesh from their father’s side and to Telangana from their mother’s side. The girls completed the grade 7 and 3 respectively in California. Their parents – Anand Murthy (father) and Vijayalakshmi (mother) – teach them the sacred scriptures and holy books of India with focus on their native cultural heritage.

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The tourist train between Visakhapatnam and Araku Valley has got the long-awaited European makeover in form of Vistadome glass coaches, which are somewhat modeled on the Glacier Express in Switzerland. The first of its kind in India, the air-conditioned Vistadome coaches fitted to the Visakhapatnam-Araku Valley passenger train will spellbind travelers with panoramic views of nature through large glass windows and a glass-domed ceiling, thereby giving them a feel of the Swiss Alps train.

Visakhapatnam, a short flight away from Hyderabad RGI Airport, is a popular tourist destination in Andhra Pradesh. Traveling the Visakhapatnam-Araku Valley route by train is one of the most scenic train journeys in India. On top of that, the newly launched Vistadome coaches are a pure delight to tourists. The Vistadome train coaches come with a host of breathtaking features including special observation lounges and push-back chairs with rotating seats.

Among the unique features of Vistadome coaches of the Visakhapatnam-Araku Valley passenger train are double-wide reclining seats with a 360-degree rotating facility for an overwhelming joy of sightseeing. Each of the two Vistadome coaches cost INR 3.38 crore for 40 seats. Tourists now can drink to the beauty of natural sights along the 128-km route from Visakhapatnam to Araku Valley while sitting on the reclining, rotating, pushback chairs.

What’s the most fascinating about the Vistadome coaches is the glass ceiling with electrically controlled transparency. To say precisely, opalescence of the glass-domed roof can be controlled to delight travelers with crystal-clear views of the outer world during the journey. Passengers of the Visakhapatnam-Araku Valley train can climb to special observation lounges in the Vistadome coaches for more spectacular views.

The Vistadome coaches are also fitted with automatic sliding doors and multi-tier luggage racks. The modern amenities that the glass coaches are equipped with for convenience of travelers include LED lights, GPS-enabled info system, and multiple TV screens for infotainment, according to the press release issued by Indian Railways.

The Vistadome coaches were launched for a trial run on the Visakhapatnam-Araku Valley route. Tickets for rides in these coaches will be available from April 18 for use from April 19, 2017. A ride in the Vistadome coaches may cost around INR 600.

Reportedly, two similar coaches with the same features will be added to tourist trains in Kashmir Valley in order to promote tourism.

Travel Beats is an Indian Community portal by Indian Eagle, a leading international organization for cheap flights booking. Travel Beats publishes the latest travel and tourism news for Indian Diaspora.

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Indian American entrepreneurs are on a roll whether it is PepsiCo CEO Indra Nooyi who hit headlines as biggest alumni donor for Yale School of Management or it is India-born businessman Hanu Karlapalem in the race for the hot seat of Madison City’s mayor in Alabama.

Born in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh, tech entrepreneur Hanu Karlapalem is contesting for the post of mayor of Madison City in Alabama, the United States. He is the founder and CEO of Vinhamz, a business network solutions, in the city.

51-year old India-born businessman is planning to announce his candidature for the election of mayor of Madison City at an upcoming event. He is confident that he would prove to be a visionary as mayor of Madison City.

He says that Madison lags behind top cities in the US by 15 to 20 years though it is one of the fast-growing cities in the state of Alabama in south. He believes that he is the right candidate with a vision and mission to drive the growth of Madison City in all fields so that it can compete with major cities in the United States.

“There is no other Indian American as capable as I in the entire state of Alabama. If I win in the election for the mayor of Madison City, it would be a historic event,” says Indian American tech entrepreneur Vanu Karlapalem from India.

“Madison is one of the most educated cities yet it is not among the top 10 in the United States,” adds Mr. Karlapalem while commenting on the sorry status of Madison City where building better roads, increasing employment opportunities and improving internal communication are the needs of the hour.

“Today I stand in the election for mayor of Madison in Alabama because of the city’s diverse culture and tolerant community. Madison is one of the most cosmopolitan cities in the US,” says Mr. Karlapalem cheerfully.

Indian American entrepreneur Hanu Karlapalem has served as a board member of the University of Alabama in Huntsville. He has also been a member of the International Services Council of Alabama. Moreover, he used to be the president of the local Indian association for Madison and Huntsville.

Since he has been on the board of several institutions, he comes with a lot of leadership and decision-making experience for the development of Madison City in Alabama. He says that he will better be collaborating and communicating with the city council in various campaigns as well as projects to “promote a culture of development and diplomacy”.

Mr. Karlapalem has already shared a few ideas such as an incubator for small businesses, a board for supporting veterans, a citizen advisory council and a youth council to work with city leaders for the future betterment of Madison City.

Tech entrepreneur Hanu Karlapalem shifted to Alabama in the US when his spouse took a software development job in Huntsville 16 years back. After he relocated in Alabama, he pursued a master degree in information systems management at the University of Alabama in Huntsville.

Madison was the site of a battle during the American Civil War in 1864. Today it is a thriving suburb of Huntsville and a short drive from Huntsville International Airport. Intergraph, a conglomerate in software development, is Madison’s largest employer. – IndianEagle

Read More Interesting News about NRIs in the United States

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In 2015, the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh has been in news for its ‘Laddu’ offerings to the deities. One single ‘Maha Laddu’ weighing 8,369kg was offered to a Lord Ganesh idol at Visakhapatnam, while the Tirupati Temple celebrated the 300^th anniversary of its ‘Laddu maha prasad’ this year.

The Maha Laddu in Andhra Pradesh has entered the Guinness World Record book for its whopping 8,369kg weight. Among the Indian sweets, laddu is the favorite of Lord Ganesh, the deity of success and prosperity in Hinduism. The largest single laddu has been prepared during the Ganesh Festival in Visakhapatnam for five consecutive years.

The maker of the Maha Laddu, Saladi Venkateswara Rao who owns a sweet shop at Tapeswaram, a village in Andhra Pradesh, received the Guinness World Records certificate last evening. Unsurprisingly, it is the fifth time, not the first time that the certificate has been awarded for the Maha Laddu in Andhra Pradesh.

Saladi Venkateswara Rao shared that his team made another laddu weighing 6000kg besides the Maha Laddu. The 6000kg laddu was offered to a Ganesh idol at Vijayawada. He added that the weight of Maha Laddu in Andhra Pradesh had been on the rise from 5,570kg in 2011 to 6,599kg in 2012 to 7,132kg in 2013 to 7,858kg in 2014 to 8,369kg in 2015.

The Maha Laddu in Andhra Pradesh cost a whopping INR 16.5 lakh this year. It is offered to the 80-feet Ganesh idol at Visakhapatnam, with support from NRIs. A team of 15 members prepared the Maha Laddu in 12 hours, using 2,900kg sugar, 1,100kg ghee, 800kg dried fruits, 2,300kg tur dal, 700kg sugar chips, 10kg camphor and 40kg cardamom.

We will continue making the Maha Laddu bigger and bigger till the tenth consecutive year and it sets the 10^th Guinness World Record. Our next target is to make a 500kg kova (a sweet milk recipe) for the Saibaba Temple at Shirdi in Maharashtra. – Saladi Venkateswara Rao from Tapeswaram.

The 5,600kg laddu offered to the 59-feet high Ganesh idol in Hyderabad comes from Tapeswaram. It is Hyderabad’s biggest Ganesh idol.

Travel Beats, a digital portal for Indian diaspora by IndianEagle, publishes the latest news and stories about India, USA, Canada and NRIs. IndianEagle is one of the best travel booking sites for flights to Hyderabad and other Indian cities.

Other Interesting Stories of Andhra Pradesh

• Historical Facts of Andhra Pradesh’s New Capital
• Most Interesting Facts of Tirupati Temple Laddu

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The foundation stone of the new capital of Andhra Pradesh was ceremoniously laid by Prime Minister Narendra Modi yesterday. The new capital city Amaravati is being referred to as people’s capital because soil and water from 16,000 villages in the state, prominent seats of pilgrimage from across the country, and some foreign countries were used for the foundation ceremony, attended by around 4 lakh people. Spread over 54,000 acres between Vijayawada and Guntur, Amaravati is easily accessible because of its central location. The upcoming capital of Andhra Pradesh holds lots of economic, geographic, cultural and historic value. We at Indian Eagle take a walk through the history, culture and religious value of Amaravati.

The History of Amaravati

The history of Amaravati or Amaravathi dates from the 2^nd century BC. If the 2000-year old history is believed, it was a thriving capital of the Satvahana Kingdom in ancient India just as Patliputra (modern-day Patna) was the capital of Magadh during the Maurya era. The rulers of the Satvahana dynasty were in power from 3^rd century BC to 2^nd CE between the Maurya and Gupta eras, which are considered golden times of India. Evidently, Amaravati has rich history for being the yesteryear capital city of the Satvahana Empire.

The history of Amaravathi continued till the fall of Nizams in the princely state of Hyderabad. After the fall of the Satvahana Kingdom, the Pallava Dynasty annexed the Krishna River valley where Amravati is located. Then the region was ruled by the Chalukyas and the Cholas subsequently till Amaravati was made part of the Telugu Empire by the Kakatiyas in the medieval times.

The rulers of several dynasties added to the history of Amaravati from the medieval times of India till the end of the Mughal era. The Delhi Sultanate, the Bahmani Sultanate, the Golconda Sultanate, the Vijayanagar Empire, and the Mughal Empire possessed Amaravathi successively till the first Nizam of Hyderabad occupied it. Even Hyder Ali of Mysore possessed it for a brief period. Amravati was colonized by the French in 1750 and by the British in 1759, too.

Among the foreign pilgrims to ancient India, Chinese traveler and Buddhist monk Hiuen Tsang visited Amaravati in 640 CE.

The Culture of Amaravati

Being part of several different dynasties over centuries, Amaravathi has a miscellaneous culture which is rich and diverse. It used to have great cultural impact on the people of Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Karnataka and Andhra during the post-Mauryan period. The Satvahana rulers preserved Hinduism and patronized Buddhism with equal care. It enriched the culture of Amaravati with enlightenment and rationality.

Many historical facts bear a testimony to the Buddhist influence on the culture of Amravati in the bygone years. The valley between the Krishna and the Godavari River had been a prominent site of Buddhism since before the Satvahana rose to power. A stupa and a monastery were built when Ashoka was the king of the Mauryan Empire in the 2^nd century BCE. It is said that the stupa at Amravati, measuring 50 meters in diameter and 27 meters in height, was one of the biggest Buddhist stupas in Andhra Pradesh. The panels carved on it depict the story of Lord Buddha.

Amaravati is known for its own school of architecture influenced by the Buddhist art and culture. The Amravati school of architecture has unique features, which is evident from the sculptural work on the Buddhist monastery of Amaravathi.

According to art historians and art critics, the Amaravati art is among the major three ancient schools of Indian art. Many works of the Amravati art are preserved at the Government Museum in Chennai and the British Museum in London. The Southeast Asian arts including the art of Sri Lanka are found to be influenced by it.

The Religious Value of Amaravati

According to some sources related to ‘Vajrayana Buddhism’, Lord Buddha himself visited Dharanikota, a place adjacent to Amaravathi, and preached there. If this legend is believed, the history of Amaravati dates back to the 500 BCE. After the Emperor Ashoka, the Satvahana rulers contributed to the development of Buddhist culture by building imposing stupas in the Krishna River valley.

The famous Amaravati Stupa is said to have been built in presence of presence of the great saint, Acharya Nagarjuna.  Besides, Amaravathi is home to some Buddhist relics dating 2000 years back. Evidently, the upcoming capital of Andhra Pradesh is an important pilgrimage site for Buddhists.

Amaravati is a seat of pilgrimage for not only Buddhists but also Hindus. It is home to several Lord Shiva temples, of which the most famous is Lord Amaralingeswara or Amareswara Swamy Temple. That is why the new capital of Andhra Pradesh is also known as Amararamam.

Of the legends of Amaravati, one says that when the demon Tarakasura was killed, a shivalingam in his throat broke into pieces which fell out of his mouth in five different spots. The most significant of the five spots is Amareswara at Amaravati, and this is the place where Indra and the other gods are said to have worshiped Lord Shiva.

Jainism used to coexist with Buddhism and Hinduism in Amaravathi during the bygone eras following the decline of the Satvahana Dynasty. Therefore, Amaravati is also known as ‘City of Tolerance’ or Sridhanyakataka. Being a center of pilgrimage for Hindus and Buddhism, Amaravati is also known as ‘Punyakshetra’ (holy land).

The upcoming capital of Andhra Pradesh is a 310-km road drive from Hyderabad, the capital of Telangana. Major international airlines operate flights to Rajiv Gandhi International Airport of Hyderabad from the US and Canada. Indian Eagle books cheap flights to Hyderabad from major North American cities.

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