THE STORY OF LOWE'S STORES IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

                                             

The Complete Lowes Story From Foundations To Finishing Touches And Total Home Comfort

Lowes is recognised across the United States and in parts of Canada as one of the largest and most comprehensive home improvement retailers. While many customers first discover it for timber or a simple repair part, the true scale of the offer only becomes clear when you walk the entire store. It brings together under one roof everything needed to build a property from the ground up, to maintain its essential services, to decorate and finish its interior, and to make it comfortable, stylish and personal. This write up combines every major department into one complete guide, from heavy building materials to soft bedding, from power tools to plush carpets and fine furniture.

1. Building Materials And Structural Essentials

The heart of any Lowes store is its building materials section, which forms the backbone for contractors, tradespeople and serious do it yourself enthusiasts. The timber yard is extensive, stocked with softwood studs, joists and planks, hardwood boards for joinery, plywood sheets, oriented strand board, medium density fibreboard, chipboard and decorative panelling. Timber is available in a variety of lengths and cross sections, with clear information on grading and treatment. Alongside timber you will find plasterboard in standard and moisture resistant versions, cement, ready mixed concrete, mortar, sand, aggregates, bricks, concrete blocks and insulation in rolls, batts and rigid sheets. Roofing is fully covered with shingles, felt, flashing, guttering, downpipes and roof windows. For external works there are retaining wall blocks, paving slabs, fence panels, posts and gravel boards. Doors and windows are displayed in large bays, with internal doors in panelled, flush, glazed and barn styles, external doors in timber, steel and fibreglass, patio doors, French doors and a full selection of vinyl and aluminium windows in many sizes. The hardware aisle supports all of this with nails, screws, bolts, anchors, brackets, hinges, chains, ropes and adhesives. Staff with forklifts assist with heavy loads, and bulk delivery by lorry can be arranged for larger projects.

2. Tools For Every Trade And Every Home Owner

Tools are a defining feature of Lowes and the department is laid out to serve both the professional who relies on tools daily and the home owner who needs a reliable set for occasional jobs. Power tools are displayed by brand and by battery platform, with names such as DeWalt, Craftsman, Kobalt, Bosch and Makita taking centre stage. The range includes drills, impact drivers, circular saws, mitre saws, jigsaws, reciprocating saws, belt sanders, orbital sanders, planers, routers, angle grinders and multi tools, in both corded and cordless versions. Cordless systems are especially popular because one battery can power many tools. Hand tools are equally comprehensive, with spanners, socket sets, screwdrivers, pliers, hammers, mallets, chisels, hand saws, levels, squares, tape measures and marking tools arranged in logical order. Workshop equipment includes workbenches, sawhorses, vices, clamps and tool storage solutions such as tool boxes, rolling chests, wall mounted rail systems and stackable organisers. For jobs that require expensive specialist equipment for only a short period, many stores operate a tool hire service offering floor sanders, tile cutters, carpet cleaners, drain snakes, concrete mixers and scaffolding. Personal protective equipment including safety glasses, gloves, ear defenders, knee pads and dust masks is located close by, reinforcing a focus on safe working.

3. Plumbing Electrical Lighting And Smart Home

Behind the walls of every comfortable home is a network of plumbing and electrical systems, and Lowes stocks all the components required to install and maintain them. In plumbing you will find copper tube and fittings, plastic pipe in several grades including push fit and solvent weld, flexible hoses, valves, taps, mixers, kitchen sinks in stainless steel and composite, bathroom basins, toilet suites, cisterns, bath wastes and shower valves. Water heating is covered with tank and tankless water heaters, plus water softeners, filters and pumps. Repair and maintenance items such as washers, O rings, sealants, leak detectors and pipe insulation are readily available. The electrical department provides mains cable, twin and earth cable, consumer units, circuit breakers, junction boxes, back boxes, sockets, switches, dimmers and cable management. Lighting is a major destination in its own right, with ceiling lights, pendant lights, chandeliers, recessed downlights, track lighting, under cabinet lighting, exterior wall lights, security lights with motion sensors and a huge selection of energy efficient LED lamps in warm and cool tones. The smart home section has grown rapidly and now includes smart switches, smart plugs, smart thermostats, video doorbells, security cameras, smart locks, smoke detectors and whole home hubs that can be controlled by mobile phone or voice assistant. Guidance on compatibility and on local regulations is available from trained staff.

4. Paint Decoration Flooring Carpets And Rugs

Decoration is where personality enters a home and Lowes devotes considerable space to this category. The paint area presents thousands of colours on large colour cards, with interior emulsion, exterior masonry paint, wood paint, metal paint, primers, undercoats, wood stains, varnishes, oils and spray paints from brands such as Valspar and Sherwin Williams. A computerised mixing station can match any shade from a piece of fabric, a photograph or a fragment of existing paint, allowing for precise coordination. Application tools include brushes of many sizes, rollers, trays, extension poles, masking tape, dust sheets, scrapers, fillers and sandpaper, plus ladders and access equipment. Flooring continues the decorative theme and is displayed with large samples that can be handled and taken home. Options include solid hardwood for classic warmth, engineered wood for greater stability, laminate that faithfully replicates timber or stone, luxury vinyl plank and vinyl tile that is fully waterproof and suitable for kitchens, bathrooms and busy family areas, plus ceramic, porcelain and natural stone tile for wet areas. Underlay, grout, adhesives, trims, thresholds and transition strips complete the system. Carpets and rugs add softness and colour. Wall to wall carpets are available in loop pile, twist pile, velvet saxony and Berber styles, with fibres that are stain resistant, eco friendly and suitable for stairs. Runners are ideal for hallways. Area rugs, large rugs and outdoor rugs in wool, cotton, jute, sisal and washable synthetics allow you to define zones in open plan living, introduce pattern and improve acoustics. Rug pads, carpet grippers and doorway bars ensure a safe and neat installation, and professional measuring and fitting can be booked in store.

5. Kitchens Bathrooms And Domestic Appliances

Kitchens and bathrooms are the most complex rooms in a home and Lowes addresses them with full showroom displays rather than isolated products. Kitchen displays showcase door fronts in shaker, slab, handleless and traditional raised panel styles, in painted, timber veneer and laminate finishes. Worktops are shown in laminate, solid timber, granite, quartz and recycled composite, with matching upstands, splashbacks and islands. Storage innovation is evident in pull out larders, corner carousels, deep pan drawers with soft close, integrated bins and internal organisers. Sinks in stainless steel, granite and ceramic, plus taps in chrome, brushed nickel, brass and matt black, are coordinated with the displays. Bathroom displays include straight baths, shower baths, freestanding baths, walk in showers, wet room panels, shower enclosures, vanity units with single and double basins, toilets including wall hung and close coupled models, heated towel rails, mirrors with integrated lighting and extensive storage. Design consultants offer a free planning service, creating scaled layouts and three dimensional visualisations and preparing detailed quotations that include delivery and installation by approved fitters. Adjacent to these showrooms is the domestic appliance department, laid out like a premium electrical store. Washing machines, washer dryers, tumble dryers, refrigerators in French door, side by side and top freezer formats, freezers, dishwashers, cookers, ovens, hobs, cooker hoods and microwaves are available from leading manufacturers. Finishes include white, stainless steel, black stainless and panel ready models that can be integrated behind furniture doors. Seasonal appliances such as air conditioners, dehumidifiers, heaters and fans are also stocked. Services include home delivery, connection, removal of old appliances and extended warranties.

6. Bath Sanctuary And Bedding Comfort

Lowes has invested heavily in the softer side of home comfort, particularly in bath and bedding. The bath collection goes far beyond basic white suites and aims to create a spa like experience at home. In addition to vanity units, basins and toilets, you will find freestanding soaking tubs, whirlpool baths, rainfall shower heads, body jets, frameless glass panels, smart mirrors with demisting and adjustable colour temperature, heated towel rails, bathroom cabinets with charging points and a wide array of accessories including towel rings, soap dispensers, toothbrush holders and storage baskets. Towels are offered in Egyptian cotton and zero twist cotton in a palette that ranges from crisp white and soft grey to deep navy and sage green, with matching bath mats, shower curtains and bathrobes. Bedding and linen is equally comprehensive. Duvets are available in natural down, down alternative, hollowfibre and wool, with various tog ratings for summer and winter. Pillows include memory foam, latex, gel and microfibre in soft, medium and firm support. Sheets are sold in percale for a cool crisp feel and sateen for a silky smooth finish, in sizes from single to super king and in colours that coordinate with duvet covers, quilts, coverlets and bedspreads. Mattress toppers, protectors, weighted blankets, throws and decorative cushions allow you to layer texture and warmth. The overall effect is to allow customers to refresh a bedroom completely without structural work, simply by changing textiles and accessories.

7. Furniture For Living Dining Sleeping And Working

Furniture brings all the previous categories together and Lowes offers solutions for every room. Living room furniture includes fabric and leather sofas in two seat, three seat and corner configurations, recliners, armchairs, coffee tables, side tables, TV stands, media units and bookcases in solid wood, veneer, metal and glass. Dining furniture ranges from compact two seat sets for apartments to large extending tables that seat eight or ten, with chairs in upholstered, timber and cross back styles, plus benches, bar stools and sideboards. Bedroom furniture features bed frames with ottoman and drawer storage, headboards in upholstered and timber designs, bedside tables, chests of drawers, dressing tables and wardrobes with hinged, sliding and mirrored doors. Home office furniture has become increasingly important and Lowes stocks desks in standing and sitting versions, ergonomic office chairs, filing cabinets and shelving. Outdoor furniture includes lounge sets, dining sets, benches, hammocks and storage boxes in weather resistant rattan, timber and aluminium. Finishes are chosen to coordinate with flooring and paint, so a customer can create a unified scheme. Assembly services are available and many items are designed for easy self assembly with clear instructions.

8. Outdoor Living Garden Landscaping And Extra Services

The outdoor area extends the home into the garden. The garden centre is often partially open air and contains live plants including bedding plants, perennials, shrubs, climbers, ornamental grasses, fruit trees and hedging, plus seeds, bulbs and turf. Growing media includes compost, topsoil, bark mulch, fertiliser and plant food, while pots, planters and raised beds support container gardening. Gardening tools such as spades, forks, rakes, hoes, secateurs, loppers and wheelbarrows are displayed alongside powered equipment including petrol and electric lawnmowers, robotic mowers, strimmers, hedge trimmers, leaf blowers, chainsaws and pressure washers. For leisure, there is garden furniture, parasols, gazebos, barbecues fuelled by charcoal, gas and electricity, smokers, pizza ovens, fire pits, outdoor heaters and festoon lighting. Landscaping materials such as fence panels, trellis, decking boards in timber and composite, paving slabs, gravel, sand, cement and retaining wall blocks allow for construction of patios, paths and boundaries. Seasonal ranges include snow blowers, salt and de icer in winter and paddling pools, hose pipes, sprinklers and insect control in summer. Beyond products, Lowes provides services that make projects achievable for everyone. These include timber cutting, pipe cutting, key cutting, paint colour matching, free project advice, professional measurement, home delivery by lorry, installation for flooring, carpets, kitchens, bathrooms, roofing, fencing and appliances, tool hire, credit facilities, extended warranties and a loyalty programme. Together these services mean that Lowes functions not simply as a shop but as a complete partner for building, maintaining, decorating and enjoying a home, from the foundations beneath the floor to the cushions on the sofa.

In essence Lowes is more than a store, it is a home partner. From foundations to sumptuous sofas, from sparkling taps to snuggly bedding, it brings every element of building, fixing and styling under one roof. Whether you are laying a floor, planting a garden or choosing a new rug, Lowes offers quality, choice and expert support. Step in with an idea and walk out with a home that feels stronger, warmer and unmistakably yours. That is the magic of Lowes, practical when you need it, inspiring when you want it, and ready to help you love where you live.

( Avtar Mota )

CHINAR SHADE by Autarmota is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 2.5 India License.
Based on a work at http:\\autarmota.blogspot.com\.

PICKLE : A PART OF FOOD IN THE WESTERN WORLD

                                        

                                        

Pickle Is A Part Of Food In The Western World

If you grew up in India you know what pickle means. It means that steel dabba of mango achar that can make plain curd rice taste like a feast. It means lemon pickle that sits for months and gets better with age. It means oil on your fingers and a burst of masala that hits you even before you take a bite.

Now go to America or Europe and ask for pickle. You will get something totally different. And that difference is exactly why this story needs to be told.

In the western world pickle is not a side hero. It is a quiet companion. It lives inside burgers. It sits next to your sandwich. It hides inside salads. But do not mistake quiet for unimportant. Without pickle the western fast food industry would collapse. The McDonalds burger, the Subway sandwich, the New York deli platter, all are incomplete without it.

The Real Difference Is The Method Of Preparation

This is where the magic lies and this is what most food bloggers miss. Indian pickle is mostly made with oil as the preservative. Mustard oil, sesame oil, salt, and a heavy hand of spices. Sunlight does the work. Fermentation happens slowly in ceramic jars. The result is intense, spicy, sour, and built to survive a hot summer without any fridge.

The western supermarket pickle is completely different. It is made with vinegar. White vinegar, apple cider vinegar, plus dill, garlic, sugar, and salt. Cucumber is the king there. The cucumber is sliced, dunked in a hot vinegar brine and sealed. It is crunchy, watery, tangy, and meant to be eaten cold. It is made in a few hours, not weeks.

But here is the fascinating part that I have personally seen in the west and that will surprise readers.

When western people make pickle in traditional format, fermented with spices, not just vinegar, it becomes a treat to the taste buds like nothing else. I was in a farmers market. A lady there was selling naturally fermented pickles. No vinegar at all. Just cucumbers, salt, water, garlic, dill, mustard seeds, black peppercorns, red chilli flakes, left in brine for seven days. The jars were cloudy. They were bubbling. That cloudiness means live bacteria. That is real fermentation. I tasted one. It was not the flat sour of vinegar. It was deep, complex, fizzy on the tongue, salty first then sour then warm from the spices. People were lining up for it. Americans who are used to only vinegar pickles were calling it the best thing they ever tasted. That is because fermentation with spices creates flavour that vinegar can never copy.

No European pickle is exactly like Indian achar but the closest are piccalilli from Britain which uses mustard turmeric and mustard seeds like mango achar, sottolio pickles from Italy and Greece where peppers and artichokes are preserved under olive oil with garlic and chilli, and ajvar and ljutenica from Serbia and Macedonia which is roasted red pepper ground with oil garlic and chilli and stored like thick pickle, these are the only European pickles that use oil as preservative and taste intense and spicy like Indian achar while most European pickles like sauerkraut and toursi are water and salt based and taste light and sour.

Why The West Is Falling In Love With Fermented Pickles Again

For almost hundred years the west forgot fermentation. Industrial food made vinegar pickles cheap and fast. But now health, gut health, probiotics, all these words are back in trend. And fermented pickles are at the centre. A real fermented pickle is full of good bacteria. It helps digestion. It is a natural probiotic. It has less sugar. It keeps the crunch longer. Chefs in New York, London, Berlin are now making pickles like Indians do, with time and patience.

In Germany they make Sauerkraut which is nothing but fermented cabbage with salt and caraway. In France they make cornichons with tarragon. In Hungary they make fermented green tomatoes with dill. In America the new cult food is spicy fermented dill pickles with habanero.

The west is learning what we knew all along. That time is an ingredient.

Three Secrets That Make Western Fermented Pickles A Treat

First, they use cold fermentation. They keep the jars at cool room temperature. This keeps the cucumber crisp. Indian pickles often become soft because of heat and oil, western fermented ones stay crunchy like fresh fruit.

Second, they use a bouquet of spices, not just chilli. Dill is their coriander. Mustard seed, bay leaf, allspice, garlic, these build aroma. When these spices ferment, they release oils slowly. The taste keeps changing every day.

Third, they drink the brine. Yes. In the west people now drink pickle juice as an energy drink after gym. Fermented pickle brine is salty, tangy, full of electrolytes. Some bars even use it in cocktails called Pickleback.

Greek Pickle

Greek pickle is called toursi and it is one of the most loved meze foods in Greece and you will find a big jar of it on almost every taverna table. In a traditional Greek home toursi is not just cucumber it is a rainbow of vegetables like tiny cucumbers, sweet Florina peppers, cauliflower florets, carrots, green tomatoes and cabbage all cut and packed together. The brine is simple and very Mediterranean, water, salt, a little grape vinegar, lots of fresh lemon juice, garlic, bay leaves, black peppercorns and plenty of dried oregano. Sometimes a splash of olive oil is added on top to seal the jar. The jars are left at room temperature for seven to fifteen days and during that time natural fermentation starts, the liquid turns cloudy and slightly bubbly and that cloudiness means it is full of good probiotic bacteria. The result is crunchy, tangy, herby and refreshing, not oily or very spicy like Indian achar. Greeks eat it cold with feta cheese, olives, grilled fish or a glass of ouzo and the sour crunch cuts through rich food perfectly. Toursi is documented as pickled vegetables prepared by the traditional recipe of the Balkans and Middle East and the word itself comes from Persian torsh which means sour, and in Greece it is enjoyed as a meze or appetizer.

The Hispanic Pickle

In the Hispanic world pickle is known as encurtido or escabeche and it is a staple from Mexico to Spain with a bold and fiery soul. In Mexico you find jalapeños en escabeche with carrots, onion and garlic in a brine of vinegar, oregano and black pepper served with tacos and carnitas. In El Salvador the national pickle is curtido, a lightly fermented mix of cabbage, carrot and onion that is essential with pupusas. In Spain and the Caribbean escabeche is often fish or peppers preserved in olive oil, vinegar, bay leaves and paprika creating a sweet, sour and smoky flavour. What makes Hispanic pickles unique is the perfect balance of heat and acidity and while most are quick pickled with vinegar, many traditional village recipes still ferment slowly with salt just like Greek toursi. Unlike Indian achar which is intense and oily, Hispanic encurtidos are bright, crunchy and refreshing and are eaten in generous portions to cut through rich meats and bring life to every meal. In Spanish encurtido literally means pickled food, and curtido is a traditional Salvadoran fermented cabbage salad that is a must with pupusas.

Russian Pickle 

Russian pickle is called solenye ogurtsy and kvashenaya kapusta and it is survival food for the long winter The most famous is salted cucumber made with no vinegar at all Cucumbers are packed in jars with garlic dill heads blackcurrant leaves cherry leaves and horseradish root and covered with salt water to ferment in a cold cellar After few days they become malosolny lightly salted and after few weeks they become fully sour cloudy and fizzy and full of probiotics The second staple is fermented cabbage with carrots and cranberries called kvashenaya kapusta and Russians also pickle tomatoes mushrooms and apples They eat pickles with black bread with soups like solyanka and with vodka and the brine called rassol is drunk as a cure Unlike oily and spicy Indian achar Russian pickle is salty sour garlicky and crunchy and is eaten in generous portions as a salad just like Greek toursi

Is Pickle A Part Of Western Food

Although pickle is a part of western food, it plays a different role. In India pickle is emotion. It is mother made. It is stored for a year. In the west pickle is utility and now luxury. It is the crunch in your burger and also the artisan jar you pay twenty dollars for at a farmers market.

If you are a food lover you must understand both. And if you ever get a chance, try to make a western style fermented dill pickle at home with Indian touch. Take fresh cucumbers, add salt, garlic, mustard seeds, dill or even curry leaves, a little turmeric, and let it ferment for five days. You will get something that connects Jammu to New Jersey in one bite.

That is the real power of pickle. Same idea, different language, loved everywhere.

(Avtar Mota)

CHINAR SHADE by Autarmota is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 2.5 India License.
Based on a work at http:\\autarmota.blogspot.com\.

"A SUNDAY ON LA GRANDE JATTE " BY GEORGES SEURAT

                            

A Sunday on La Grande Jatte

by Georges Seurat

Georges Seurat (1858-1891) 

Georges Seurat was a French Post-Impressionist who pioneered Neo-Impressionism and the technique of Pointillism. Born in Paris, he studied at the École des Beaux-Arts and became fascinated by optical science and colour theory. Rather than blending pigment, he applied tiny, distinct dots of complementary colour side by side, allowing the viewer’s eye to mix them.

Georges Seurat's most celebrated work,"A Sunday on La Grande Jatte (1884–86)" , housed at the Art Institute of Chicago, took two years to complete and epitomises his methodical, almost scientific approach. Though he died aged just thirty-one, his systematic style profoundly influenced modern art. The 7 large, exhibition paintings Seurat considered his main works:

1. Bathers at Asnières  :Une Baignade, Asnières_ (1884): 2.06m x 3m - National Gallery, London

2. A Sunday on La Grande Jatte  : Un dimanche après-midi à l'Île de la Grande Jatte (1884-1886): 

2.07m x 3.08m  : Art Institute of Chicago.

3. Les Poseuses / The Models (1886-1888): 

2m x 2.5m  : Barnes Foundation, Philadelphia

4. Parade de cirque : Circus Sideshow (1887-1888): 

0.99m x 1.49m : Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York

5. Le Chahut (1889-1890) : 1.70m x 1.41m :  Kröller-Müller Museum, Otterlo, Netherlands

6. Young Woman Powdering Herself : Jeune femme se poudrant (1889-1890) : 0.95m x 0.79m :  Courtauld Gallery, London

7. The Circus  : Le Cirque (1890-1891) : Unfinished at his death, aged 31  : 1.85m x 1.52m :  Musée d'Orsay, Paris

A Sunday on La Grande Jatte

Saw his painting ,"A Sunday on La Grande Jatte"

in  original inside the Art Institute of Chicago. It's huge , about 7 x 10 feet, which is why it fills the whole wall like that. It has been in the permanent collection there since 1926, in the Helen Birch Bartlett Memorial Collection. In the museum it's usually hung in Gallery 240.

Painted 1884-1886, it's the painting that invented Pointillism. Seurat didn't mix colors on a palette , he placed millions of tiny, distinct dots of pure color side by side. Up close it's just dots, from a distance your eye mixes them into that sunny riverbank.

A few things about ,"A Sunday on La Grande Jatte":

 

The technique is called Neo-Impressionism / Pointillism.Seurat was obsessed with colour theory and optics. That border of blue, orange and red dots around the frame is painted by him too.

It's Paris on a Sunday afternoon.The island of La Grande Jatte on the Seine river. Everyone from the working-class man in the orange shirt lying in the grass at bottom left, to the fashionable woman with the monkey on a leash on the right.

It's perfectly composed. One needs to see how almost everyone is in profile, like Egyptian friezes, and how still everything feels , even the dog. Seurat wanted modern life to feel timeless.

It took him two years and dozens of oil sketches. When he showed it in 1886, it shocked everyone and made him famous ;  he was only 26.

( Avtar Mota )

CHINAR SHADE by Autarmota is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 2.5 India License.
Based on a work at http:\\autarmota.blogspot.com\.

UTILITY IS THE NEW VALUE SYSTEM

                                       

                                  ( Portrait of Aristotle ) 

UTILITY IS THE NEW VALUE SYSTEM

We live in an age that worships utility. Everything is measured, like fruit by its juice, by what it yields. Education is valued if it delivers a job, like a key is valued only if it opens a vault. Religion is valued if it delivers peace of mind, like a pill is valued for sleep. A relationship is valued if it delivers advantage, like a contact is valued for reach. Even virtue is valued if it delivers brand equity, like charity is valued for a photograph. The very language of value has changed. From sacred to profitable. From true to useful.

Classical civilisation asked a vertical question: does this thing participate in something higher than itself? Modern civilisation asks a horizontal question: what does this thing produce next? When usefulness becomes the only measure of worth, man himself becomes a tool. He is valuable only as long as he is useful. Love becomes networking. Learning becomes skilling. Leisure becomes productivity. Life becomes a permanent performance review.

Upanishadic Clarity

It is this anxiety that Upanishadic thought interrupts. It begins precisely where utility ends.

The Isha Upanishad opens with a declaration that destroys the entire economics of ownership: "Isha vasyam idam sarvam yat kincha jagatyam jagat". All that moves in this moving world is enveloped by Brahman. Nothing is outside. Nothing is unclaimed by that One Consciousness. Then it gives an impossible instruction: "tena tyaktena bhunjitha" . Enjoy through renunciation.

This is not a moral sermon. It is pure metaphysics. It says enjoyment is not possible through possession. Possession tightens, guards, fears loss. It suffocates the object and the possessor alike. Only when you renounce the claim of mine does the thing return to you, not as property but as Prasada, as grace.

Why does the Upanishad say this? Because it has seen that Atman and Brahman are one. If all is one, the very structure of possession collapses. Possession requires two: a possessor and a possessed. If duality is Maya, if separation is illusion, then ownership is the first illusion. Hence the searing question: "ma gridhah kasyasvid dhanam" . Whose is wealth that you should covet? To say mine is to affirm ignorance.

In this vision, service is not social work. It is not charity from a higher to a lower. It is correction of vision. When you serve, you are not being good to another person. You are remembering who you are. "Tat tvam asi". Thou art that. To feed another is to feed yourself in a deeper body.

Buddha's and Nagarjuna's Clarity

The Buddha carries this realisation forward with ruthless compassion. He said, if you knew what I know about the power of giving, you would not let a single meal pass without sharing it in some way.

For the Buddha, sacrifice is not noble sentiment. It is intelligence. The root of dukkha is Tanha, craving. The I wants to accumulate because it believes it is incomplete. Every act of genuine giving is surgery upon that craving.

Nagarjuna takes this to its final logical end. He says there is not the slightest difference between Samsara and Nirvana. The giver, the gift and the receiver are all Shunya, empty of inherent existence. Therefore true Dhaana happens only when there is no giver left to be proud.

The Atheist and Albert Camus

The atheist and Albert Camus arrive at the same abyss from the opposite side.

Atheistic existentialism denies Brahman. It says there is no cosmic Self, no divine plan, no afterlife accounting. Man is thrown into a world that does not explain itself. Camus called this the Absurd: our desperate hunger for meaning colliding with a silent universe. His answer was not suicide, not hope, but revolt. In "The Myth of Sisyphus", Camus says we must imagine Sisyphus happy. Why? Because even if the rock will roll down again, the act of pushing it together, the solidarity in the struggle, creates value where none was given.

Camus writes: In the midst of winter, I found there was, within me, an invincible summer. That invincible summer is not given by unseen power. It is created by fidelity to others without reward. His doctor in "The Plague" works without believing in heaven, risking his life simply because it is the only decent thing to do.

This is the striking convergence. The Upanishad says give because all is Brahman. The Buddha says give because the self is empty. Camus says give even though there is no Brahman, no self, no meaning: give because in a meaningless world, generosity is your revolt against meaninglessness.

Atheism removes the metaphysical guarantee but cannot remove the metaphysical result: the more you cling for utility, the emptier you become; the more you give without utility, the more real you become.

Utility asks, what will I gain? That is the language of the market, of expediency, of the absurd man who has not yet rebelled. Dharma asks, what will remain of the I when I have given all? The Upanishad answers: That remainder is Brahman. Camus would answer: That remainder is freedom.

( Avtar Mota )

CHINAR SHADE by Autarmota is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 2.5 India License.
Based on a work at http:\\autarmota.blogspot.com\.

FIRAQ GORAKHPURI AND THE EXPANSE OF UPANISHADIC BRAHMAN

                                            

Firaq Gorakhpuri and the Immeasurable Expanse of Upanishadic Brahman

"Koyi meri aankhon se dekhta, teri bazm e naaz ki wusatein

Woh har ek gosha makaan makaan, woh har ek lamha zaman zaman"

Translation:

(If someone could see through my eyes, the expanse of your assembly of grace

They would find every corner to be a whole universe, every moment to be a whole eternity)

Commentary

This couplet is from Gule Nagma, the immortal poetic composition of Firaq Gorakhpuri, and it establishes beyond doubt that Firaq is the torch bearer of profound concepts of Indic civilisation in Urdu Ghazal. In a tradition often coloured by Persian imagery, Firaq brings the vision of the Upanishads and the Bhagwad Gita into the Urdu verse with unmatched grace.Firaq brings Shiva who drank poison, Nal Damyanti, Ahilya, Shakuntala , Sri Krishna and Sri Rama into his Gazal.

Equally fluent in Hindi and Urdu, Persian and Sanskrit, he incorporated elements from his deep, self-taught knowledge of the Vedic and Puranic ethos into his poetry. Influenced by Vedic and Vedantic thought, he viewed nature not as a detached backdrop, but as an extension of human emotion and divine energy.Through these metaphors, Firaq proved that Hinduism and Indian philosophy were organic to his identity and poetry, creating an inclusive, composite cultural matrix that permanently expanded the boundaries of Urdu literature.

At the core of Firaq’s vision was a deep faith in India’s civilizational spirit: its gentleness, its compassion, and its enduring belief in the oneness of humanity. He lamented that Urdu poetry had not fully reflected the beauty of India’s cultural essence, and he made it his life’s mission to do so. 

On the surface it appears as a lover speaking to the beloved, yet in truth Firaq is engaged in a devotional description of Brahman as understood in the Upanishads. He uses the imagery of ishq to articulate what the sages called ananta. When he says koi meri aankhon se dekhta, he is invoking drishti, the Upanishadic principle that reality is not seen by the eye but through a consciousness purified by love. The seer and the seen become one. This is precisely what the Upanishads describe as Tat Tvam Asi.

Teri bazm e naaz ki wusaten is not merely a gathering. It is the cosmic expanse, the chidakasha, the infinite field of Brahman where all existence assembles. Its wusat or vastness cannot be measured by space because it contains space itself.

The second line reveals his Vedantic realisation. Wo har ek gosha makan makan means every particle contains the whole. This is the great truth that the macrocosm resides in the microcosm, that Brahman is "anu se anu and mahan se mahan" . Wo har ek lamha zaman zaman dissolves time into timelessness. In Brahman every moment is eternity, the akala tattva.

This vision attains its most majestic illustration in the Bhagavad Gita when Sri Krishna reveals his Virat Swaroopa to Arjuna in chapter eleven. Arjuna, granted divya drishti, beholds the entire cosmos within the divine form. He sees countless mouths and eyes, infinite suns blazing together, all gods and all beings, the whole of creation with its birth and dissolution contained within one boundless body. He cries that space itself trembles before this form which has no beginning, no middle and no end. This is exactly what Firaq describes. Every gosha is indeed makan makan and every lamha is zaman zaman. Thus Firaq proves that Urdu ghazal can carry the eternal light of Indic civilisation and that love itself becomes the path to realising the Virat.

( Avtar Mota )

CHINAR SHADE by Autarmota is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 2.5 India License.

Based on a work at http:\\autarmota.blogspot.com\.

INDIANS IN CHICAGO: COMMUNITY, CULTURE AND CONTRIBUTION

                                                                        
                                             

                                               

                                                                        

                             

                                    ( India Day Parade in Chicago )                            

INDIANS IN CHICAGO: COMMUNITY, CULTURE AND CONTRIBUTION

 

The Indian presence in Chicago forms an important chapter in the wider history of the Indian diaspora in the United States. What began as a relatively small movement of students, professionals and traders gradually developed into a substantial community whose influence can now be seen in medicine, science, higher education, information technology, commerce, the arts, religion and civic life. Chicago offered Indian immigrants several advantages. It possessed major universities, hospitals, scientific institutions, manufacturing industries and commercial organisations. It was also one of the great transport and trading centres of the United States. These circumstances attracted doctors, engineers, academics, scientists and businesspeople from India, while later migration brought families, entrepreneurs, information technology professionals and service workers. Greater Chicago is home to approximately 230,000 people of Indian origin, making it one of the important centres of the Indian diaspora in the United States.

The development of the Indian community was not confined to the city itself. Over time, a considerable part of the population moved into suburbs such as Naperville, Schaumburg, Oak Brook, Bartlett, Palatine and other parts of the metropolitan region. This suburban expansion encouraged the establishment of temples, gurdwaras, cultural associations, language schools and businesses. The history of Indians in Chicago is therefore not merely a history of immigration. It is also a history of institution building, adaptation, cultural memory and participation in American public life.

Professional Migration

The professional character of early Indian migration to Chicago was significant. Doctors, engineers, university teachers and scientists were among those who found opportunities in the city's hospitals, universities, laboratories and industries. This professional presence continued to expand as immigration laws in the United States changed during the second half of the twentieth century. Highly educated Indians entered medicine, engineering, computing, finance, research and higher education. Chicago's major universities and medical institutions were particularly attractive because they offered opportunities for postgraduate study and specialised employment. Over succeeding decades, Indian Americans also became increasingly visible in information technology, corporate management, accounting, law, finance and entrepreneurship.

It would, however, be misleading to describe the community solely as a highly educated professional diaspora. Indian migration to Chicago has always contained considerable social and economic diversity. Alongside physicians, academics and engineers were small traders, restaurant owners, shopkeepers, taxi drivers, service workers and families who established businesses after years of modest employment.

This combination of professional achievement and small-scale entrepreneurship became one of the defining characteristics of Indian life in Chicago.

 Universities and South Asian Scholarship

Chicago occupies an exceptional place in the American academic study of India and South Asia. The University of Chicago has maintained a distinguished tradition of South Asian scholarship since the earliest years of the institution. Sanskrit has been taught there continuously since classes began in 1892. The University also developed important programmes in South Asian languages, history, religion, literature and civilisation. Its South Asia Collection became one of the major research collections devoted to the region. University sources have recorded holdings exceeding 720,000 volumes and instruction in numerous modern and classical South Asian languages. The Digital South Asia Library, developed with the participation of the University of Chicago, has further strengthened access to dictionaries, bibliographies, reference works, maps and other materials relating to the subcontinent. The University's association with India also has a powerful historical symbolism because Chicago was the city in which Swami Vivekananda addressed the World's Parliament of Religions in 1893. His appearance remains one of the defining moments in the early intellectual encounter between India and the United States.

More than a century later, this connection received institutional recognition when India's Ministry of Culture contributed 1.5 million dollars to establish the Indian Ministry of Culture Vivekananda Visiting Professorship at the University of Chicago. The professorship was designed to bring distinguished scholars in fields related to Indian philosophy, history, politics and social thought to Chicago. The University of Chicago has a strong presence in India through its Centre in Delhi and other South Asian research initiatives, with faculty from India and Indian-trained scholars contributing to its academic and research programmes.

Indian Scholars ,Doctors and Academics

Scholars of Indian origin have played an important part in Chicago's academic life. Dipesh Chakrabarty became internationally known through his work on history, postcolonial thought and South Asian studies at the University of Chicago. Rochona Majumdar has contributed significantly to scholarship on modern South Asian history, cinema and culture. The University's commitment to Sanskrit scholarship was further strengthened through the establishment of the Anupama and Guru Ramakrishnan Professorship in Sanskrit Studies. The endowment reflected both the long tradition of Sanskrit scholarship at Chicago and the growing involvement of Indian American philanthropy in academic institutions. Professor Yamuna Krishnan (born May 25, 1974) is a well-known researcher and teacher in the Department of Chemistry at the University of Chicago, where she has worked since August 2014.                                                                                                                      

                                                          (Prof. Yamuna Krishnan)

Another important person from the Indian diaspora in Chicago was Professor Subramanian Chandrashekhar. Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar (1910-1995) was an Indian-American astrophysicist and Nobel Laureate in Physics (1983). A longtime professor at the University of Chicago, he discovered the Chandrasekhar limit, showing stars above 1.44 solar masses collapse into neutron stars or black holes. His work revolutionized stellar evolution and earned Chicago decades of scientific prestige and inspired generations of cosmologists worldwide at Yerkes Observatory.

                                                                   

                                              ( Subramanian Chandrashekhar)

Dr Nishant Agrawal, MD, is a Professor of Surgery and Professor of Radiation and Cellular Oncology at the University of Chicago. Nishant Agrawal, MD, specialises in the management of patients with benign and malignant tumours of the head and neck.

                                                                      

                                    (  Prof. Nishat Agarwal   )             

 Another well-known person of Indian origin is Prabha Kant Sinha .  Prabha Kant Sinha is co founder of ZS Associates, a global professional services firm focused on sales and marketing. Born in Chhapra, Bihar, he studied at IIT Kharagpur and earned a doctorate in America. A former Kellogg faculty member, he has authored books, supported solar energy access, and remains a noted philanthropist and trustee of Art Institute Chicago .As per list of donors displayed at the  institute ,the Sinha family has donated more than one million dollars to the Art Institute Chicago .

                                                 

                                ( Prabha Kant Sinha )

 Chicago is enriched by a large and vibrant community of professionals of Indian origin who serve one and all with dedication and distinction. Their contribution spans medicine, technology, education, business, law and public service, touching countless lives every day. In this brief write up I have mentioned a few names only to illustrate the depth of service and talent. Mentioning some does not suggest that others are lesser known or less valued. The complete list would be far too long to include here. 

                                                                                                             

Indian Business and Entrepreneurship

Business enterprise has been another important feature of Indian settlement in Chicago.Some immigrants entered retail trade, hospitality, restaurants, travel services, food distribution and professional services. Others established firms in information technology, consulting, medicine and finance. Gujarati immigrants became particularly visible in retail and hospitality enterprises, although Indian entrepreneurship in Chicago has never been confined to one regional or linguistic group.

The growth of Indian owned businesses also reflected the changing character of immigration. A shop, restaurant, or travel agency could function as both an economic enterprise and a social institution where newly arrived immigrants got information, met acquaintances, and maintained connections to familiar languages and food. Nowhere was this process more visible than on Devon Avenue.

Devon Avenue and the Making of Little India

                                                                  

                                                              

Devon Avenue in the West Ridge area became the most recognisable centre of Indian and wider South Asian commercial life in Chicago. During the 1970s and 1980s, Indian shops, restaurants, sari stores, groceries and other businesses appeared along the street. Over time, the area developed into one of the best-known South Asian commercial districts in the United States.

The Chicago History Museum identifies India Sari Palace, which opened in 1973, as the first Indian sari shop on Devon Avenue. Before such stores appeared, many South Asian women depended upon mail-order purchases for saris and other clothing. The arrival of a local sari shop therefore represented more than a change in retail convenience. It created a meeting place for immigrant women and families.

Photographer Mukul Roy documented the transformation of Devon Avenue in 1984. Her photographs record grocery stores, clothing shops, restaurants, street life and the emergence of a recognisable South Asian neighbourhood. They are now valuable historical evidence of how immigrant communities created cultural familiarity within an American city.

Patel Brothers

                                                   

                            ( First shop of Patel  Brothers in Chicago )        

                                                 

One of the most important businesses associated with Devon Avenue is Patel Brothers. Mafat Patel moved to the United States from Gujarat and, together with his brother Tulsi Patel, opened the first Patel Brothers grocery store on Devon Avenue in Chicago in 1974. The founders recognised that Indian immigrants struggled to find spices, grains, flours, and other ingredients that formed part of their everyday food culture. According to the company's own history, the first shop occupied approximately 900 square feet. From that modest beginning, Patel Brothers expanded into a national chain with more than 52 stores across the United States. Its importance extends beyond commercial success. Patel Brothers illustrates a larger feature of diaspora history. Food is one of the most persistent forms of cultural memory. Grocery stores selling familiar rice, flour, lentils, spices, fruits, frozen Chapatis and Parathas, vegetables and sweets enabled immigrant families to maintain culinary practices while adapting to American life. The store therefore became part of a much wider cultural infrastructure created by Indian immigrants. I saw Indians, Pakistanis, Bangladeshis, Nepalese, Sri Lankans and Afghans visiting Patel Brothers.

                                             

                                ( Mafat Patel )

In 1968, Mafat Patel headed for America in search of the American Dream. He was 23 and had just received a visa to pursue his MBA at Indiana University. Two years later, he graduated and left for Chicago, eventually settling into factory work on an assembly line. It was a sense of isolation and, as he would say later, appetite that pushed his life into a new direction.

After he noticed others longing for a taste of home, he decided he wanted to open a grocery store. As fate would have it, in 1971, a local businessman approached Mafat about a location on Devon Avenue. Knowing he could not do it alone, he reached out to his brother, Tulsi, who was still in Gujarat.

                                               

                                    ( Tulsi Patel )

Devon Avenue as Cultural Memory

Devon Avenue eventually acquired Sari shops, jewellery stores, sweet shops, vegetarian restaurants, meat shops, travel agencies, religious goods stores and establishments representing different regions of India and South Asia. The area was never exclusively Indian. Pakistani, Bangladeshi and other South Asian communities also contributed to its development. This mixed character is one reason the street became an important example of South Asian urban life in America.

For first-generation immigrants, Devon could evoke memories of familiar streets, smells, languages and foods. For younger generations born in the United States, it offered access to traditions that might otherwise have survived only within the home. Its importance is therefore historical as well as commercial.

Indian Art and Chicago

Indian artists and artists of Indian origin have also contributed to the cultural life of Chicago.The most famous example is Anish Kapoor, the Mumbai-born British sculptor whose Cloud Gate stands in Millennium Park.

                                                               

Cloud Gate has become one of the defining visual symbols of Chicago. Its polished stainless steel surface reflects the skyline, clouds and spectators, transforming the surrounding city into part of the work itself.

Kapoor's presence in Chicago is particularly significant because the sculpture is not simply an Indian artwork transplanted into America. It is the creation of an internationally recognised artist whose Indian birth, British career and global artistic language illustrate the transnational character of contemporary culture. Cloud Gate therefore represents, in an indirect but powerful manner, the increasingly complex relationship between origin, migration and artistic identity.

Indian Artists and Performers

Chicago has also provided a platform for numerous other Indian artists and performers. Indira Freitas Johnson has worked in sculpture and public art, often engaging questions of peace, gender, social responsibility and cultural memory. Hema Rajagopalan, founder of Natya Dance Theatre, has played an important role in introducing and sustaining Bharatanatyam in Chicago. Through teaching and performance, classical Indian dance has become part of the city's broader artistic landscape.Indian musicians have regularly appeared in Chicago's concert halls and cultural festivals. Artists associated with the sitar, tabla and other Indian classical traditions have helped establish sustained audiences for Indian music.

The city's museums and galleries have likewise exhibited Indian modern and contemporary artists. Such exhibitions have helped move the presentation of Indian art beyond stereotypical notions of the exotic and towards serious engagement with photography, architecture, modernism and contemporary artistic practice.

Indian Festivals

Festivals have played an important role in maintaining community identity. Diwali, Holi, Navratri, Durga Puja, Pongal, Onam and Baisakhi are celebrated across the Chicago metropolitan region. Different celebrations reflect the extraordinary regional and religious diversity of India. Gujarati associations organise Garba and Dandiya gatherings during Navratri. Bengali organisations celebrate Durga Puja. Tamil families observe Pongal, while Malayali organisations celebrate Onam. Sikh communities mark Baisakhi with religious services and communal gatherings. Diwali has developed particular visibility because it is observed not only within homes and temples but also through public and community events. These festivals fulfil several purposes simultaneously. They maintain religious practice, allow communities to transmit traditions to children, provide opportunities for social interaction and introduce Indian culture to neighbours from other backgrounds. They demonstrate that diaspora culture survives not through memory alone but through repeated communal practice. The main Hindu temples of Greater Chicago are spread across the city and its suburbs. The most important and widely visited include:

1. Hindu Temple of Greater Chicago, Lemont. This is one of the best-known Hindu institutions in the Midwest. Established in 1986, it has a major Sri Rama Temple as well as a Ganesha, Shiva and Durga Temple. Its architecture draws on Chola and Kalinga traditions.
2. Sri Venkateswara Swami (Balaji) Temple, Aurora. This is a major South Indian temple dedicated principally to Lord Venkateswara and serves a large Telugu, Tamil and broader Hindu population.
3. BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, Chicago, Bartlett. This is one of the architecturally most impressive Hindu temples in the Chicago region. The complex contains a traditional stone Mandir, a carved wooden haveli and an exhibition explaining Hindu Dharma.
4. Hanuman Mandir of Greater Chicago, Glenview. Dedicated especially to Lord Hanuman, it is an important centre for North Indian Hindu worship, festivals and religious education.
5. CKB Chicago Kali Bari, Glen Ellyn. It is particularly important to Bengali Hindus and devotees of Goddess Kali, while also celebrating major Hindu festivals.
6. Manav Seva Mandir, Bensenville. A Sanatan Hindu temple serving a broad North Indian and Gujarati community.
7. Shree Swaminarayan Hindu Temple ISSO, Itasca. This is another important Swaminarayan temple and community centre.
8. International Society for Krishna Consciousness in Chicago. This is the principal Hare Krishna centre within Chicago itself, with regular kirtan, Bhagavad Gita study and major celebrations such as Janmashtami and Ratha Yatra.
9. ISKCON Temple of Greater Chicago (Naperville), Naperville. It serves the western suburbs and is centred on Radha Krishna devotion and bhakti traditions.
10. Shree Ganesh Temple of Chicago - Regal Foundation, Devon Avenue. This is especially convenient if you are visiting Chicago city rather than the outer suburbs.

Sikhs and Gurdwaras

Sikh communities have established a substantial religious and social presence in the Chicago metropolitan area. The Sikh Religious Society operates Gurdwara Palatine at 1280 Winnetka Street in Palatine. The institution functions not only as a place of worship but as a centre for religious education, Punjabi language instruction and community service. Its Gurmat School teaches Punjabi, Gurmukhi and the study of Gurbani to younger generations. The Gurdwara illustrates an important characteristic of Sikh institutions in the diaspora. Worship is combined with education, service and collective identity. Langar, the tradition of the communal kitchen, brings together people regardless of social background and preserves one of Sikhism's strongest teachings on equality and service. Through such institutions, Sikh families have been able to preserve religious traditions while participating fully in American social and professional life. Greater Chicago is home to an estimated 10,000 to 15,000 Sikhs, although no precise official figure exists because the United States Census does not enumerate religious affiliation. Greater Chicago has approximately six to eight Sikh Gurdwaras.

Chicago offers a good example of Hindu Sikh fraternity within the Indian diaspora. Although the two communities maintain their distinct religious institutions, temples and Gurdwaras, they frequently meet through cultural associations, Indian community organisations, Independence Day and Republic Day functions, charitable activities and interfaith programmes. Families from both communities also participate in one another’s social and cultural celebrations, especially Diwali, Baisakhi, Holi and major community gatherings.

Indian Muslims and Mosques

Indian Muslims form part of the much larger Muslim population of metropolitan Chicago. Their religious lives frequently overlap with those of Pakistani, Bangladeshi, Arab and other Muslim communities. Mosques and Islamic centres therefore often represent multiethnic congregations rather than communities defined by nationality. Indian Muslim families participate in Ramadan, Eid celebrations, charitable activities, educational programmes and interfaith initiatives. This wider Islamic setting demonstrates another characteristic of diaspora life. Identities formed in India may assume new meanings abroad. Regional and national distinctions sometimes remain important, while religious institutions simultaneously bring together people from many countries. Some of the principal institutions in Chicago  are the Muslim Community Centre (MCC Chicago) on Elston Avenue, one of Chicago’s oldest and largest Muslim community institutions, and Makki Masjid on Ainslie Street, a major North Side mosque with a strong South Asian congregation. Around Devon Avenue, important mosques include Masjid-E-Ayesha, a Sunni Hanafi mosque at 2409 W Devon Avenue, Makkah Masjid near Devon Avenue, and Masjid e Noor on Greenview Avenue.

Lakeshore Muslim Community Centre and Dar ul Eimaan Islamic Community Centre are also directly on Devon Avenue. Another significant institution is Faizan e Madinah, which began near Devon Avenue in 2007 and later expanded to Western Avenue.

Cultural Associations

One of the strongest foundations of Indian community life in Chicago has been the voluntary association. Organisations representing Gujarati, Marathi, Tamil, Telugu, Bengali, Kannada, Odia, Punjabi and Malayali communities have helped preserve languages, festivals, music, dance and regional traditions. Such associations often organise cultural evenings, children's programmes, literary gatherings, religious observances and celebrations of Indian national occasions. The Indian American Centre in Chicago has served as an important secular community institution, providing programmes and assistance for immigrants, families, young people and senior citizens. Universities have also supported Indian and South Asian student associations. These organisations play a somewhat different role from older immigrant associations. They bring together young people who may be recent arrivals, international students or second and third generation Indian Americans. The result is a continually evolving idea of Indian identity.

Indian Journalism in Chicago

The growth of the community also produced its own media. India Tribune was founded in Chicago in 1977 by Prashant Shah and developed into a publication serving Indian readers in the United States. The newspaper has covered Indian affairs, diaspora concerns, community events, politics, festivals and cultural activities. It continues to identify its origins with Chicago and its service to the Indian American community. Community newspapers were particularly important before the development of the internet and social media. They provided information about immigration, religious events, marriages, businesses, visiting performers and political developments in India. They also created a public record of immigrant life that would otherwise have disappeared.

The photographs of Mukul Roy provide another form of journalism and historical documentation. Her images of Devon Avenue preserve everyday scenes that later acquired considerable historical significance.

Indian Americans in Corporate and Professional Life

Indian Americans in the Chicago region are present across medicine, technology, finance, engineering, higher education, management and human resources.It is difficult to quantify their exact representation within particular professions without comprehensive occupational data. It is therefore preferable not to make unsupported claims about dominance within specific industries. What can be stated with confidence is that professional employment has remained an important component of Indian American life in the region. The movement from the first generation of engineers and physicians to later generations of executives, researchers, entrepreneurs and technology specialists demonstrates the social mobility achieved by many Indian American families. At the same time, the history should not be reduced to professional success. Small businesses, restaurants, grocery stores and community institutions were equally important in establishing a durable Indian presence.

 Philanthropy and Institution Building

As the community became more economically established, philanthropy assumed increasing importance. Indian American families have contributed to universities, hospitals, religious institutions, cultural programmes and educational initiatives. The creation of academic chairs, scholarships and cultural programmes reflects a transition frequently seen in immigrant communities. The first generation concentrates upon settlement and economic stability. Later generations begin investing in institutions capable of transmitting knowledge and cultural identity. The endowed Sanskrit professorship at the University of Chicago offers a particularly instructive example. It joined private Indian American philanthropy with an institution possessing a long-established tradition of Sanskrit and South Asian scholarship.

Vivekananda and the Historical Connection with Chicago

No account of India and Chicago is complete without Swami Vivekananda. His appearance at the World's Parliament of Religions in September 1893 brought Hindu philosophical and religious ideas before a large American audience.

                                                                             

                                                                    

                   (Avtar Mota inside the Fullerton Hall, Chicago, where Swami Vivekananda addressed the Parliament of Religions in 1893) 

The importance of Vivekananda lies not only in the fame of his address. His presence established Chicago as one of the earliest American cities associated with a major public presentation of Indian spiritual thought. That historical memory has remained alive through the activities of Vedanta organisations, universities and cultural institutions. The later creation of the Vivekananda Visiting Professorship at the University of Chicago thus possessed both academic and symbolic meaning. It linked contemporary scholarship with an encounter between India and America that had begun in the same city more than a century earlier.

Identity Across Generations

The first generation of Indian immigrants often maintained a direct emotional and linguistic relationship with India. Their children inherited a more complicated identity. They grew up in American schools, spoke English as their dominant language and participated fully in American social life, while continuing to encounter India through family, religion, food, festivals, cinema and occasional travel. The third generation may be still further removed from the original migrant experience. This gradual transformation explains the importance of temples, Gurdwaras, cultural organisations and language schools. Their purpose is not merely to preserve the past unchanged. They reinterpret inherited traditions for people living in a different society. Indian identity in Chicago has consequently become plural. A person may simultaneously identify as American, Indian American, Gujarati, Bengali, Tamil, Punjabi, Kashmiri, Sikh, Hindu, Muslim or Christian.

Diaspora identity does not necessarily require choosing between such affiliations.

Conclusion

The history of Indians in Chicago is ultimately the history of migration transformed into belonging. Doctors, engineers, academics, scientists, traders, shopkeepers, artists, musicians, journalists, religious leaders and entrepreneurs arrived under different circumstances and at different times. Together they gradually produced institutions that made permanent settlement possible. Their contribution should not be measured solely in terms of professional advancement or financial success. Equally important were the grocery stores, temples, Gurdwaras, newspapers, cultural associations, language classes and festivals through which a scattered immigrant population became a community.

Devon Avenue remains one of the most powerful symbols of this history. The sari shops, food stores and restaurants that emerged there during the 1970s and 1980s transformed a commercial street into a cultural landscape. The importance of Devon was not merely that it allowed immigrants to purchase Indian goods. It allowed them to encounter one another.

A bag of lentils, a sari shop, a restaurant or a video cassette could become part of a much larger process through which memory and community were reconstructed in a new country. From the teaching of Sanskrit at the University of Chicago since 1892 to the development of modern South Asian studies, Chicago has been one of the important American centres for serious scholarship on India. The memory of Vivekananda's appearance in 1893 adds another dimension. Chicago was not merely a destination for later Indian immigrants. It had already become a symbolic site in the history of intellectual communication between India and America. Indian classical dance, music, photography, architecture and contemporary art have likewise found audiences in the city. The Indian community of Chicago is no longer simply an immigrant community in the conventional sense. It contains recent migrants, long established families, American born children and grandchildren, professionals, entrepreneurs, artists, religious communities and people whose connections with India vary greatly.

What unites this history is not a single language, religion or region. It is the experience of carrying inherited cultural worlds into a new environment and allowing them to change without disappearing. Chicago changed the Indians who settled there, but Indians also changed Chicago. They contributed new foods, languages, religious traditions, intellectual perspectives, artistic forms and forms of entrepreneurship. They established institutions that now belong permanently to the social landscape of the metropolitan region.

The history of Indians in Chicago is therefore both an Indian story and an American story. It demonstrates that migration need not end in the disappearance of cultural memory. Under favourable conditions, memory can become an institution, an institution can become a community, and community can become an enduring part of the history of a city.

 

( Avtar Mota )

 

CHINAR SHADE by Autarmota is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 2.5 India License.
Based on a work at http:\\autarmota.blogspot.com\.