International Hindi Association Hosts “Holi ke Hindi Bol” Poetry Recital

On the afternoon of Sunday March 12th, the JVB Preksha (JVB) Meditation Center was alive with the sound of laughter and poetic musings as the International Hindi Association (IHA) Houston Chapter  hosted their event “Holi Ke Hindi Bol”. The program was designed to bring together Hindi-speaking individuals and celebrate the cultural and linguistic heritage of Hindi. The event coordinator was Pramod Bengani, a long time ICC- IHA- JVB Director and a Hindi enthusiast.

At the onset of the program, two youth graduates, Vani and Shivani Jain from JVB Gyanshala, recited a melodious Bhajan on Bhagwan Rama.

IHA Houston President Rajiv Bhavsar welcomed everyone on behalf of IHA, expressing his gratitude for the community’s support of the organization’s mission to promote the Hindi language and culture. He praised the talent and creativity of the participating poets, who represented a diverse range of professions and backgrounds.

JVB Board member, Nikhil Jain, welcomed everyone to the gorgeous pyramid hall that provided a perfect setting for such an artistic program. He acknowledged the importance of Hindi as a language of unity and pride. India Culture Center (ICC) President Malla Mekala provided an update on upcoming events for the of ICC including the 50th anniversary Gala celebrations in June.

Swapan Dhairyawan, an IHA Chapter & National President, then gave an overview of upcoming IHA activities, including the upcoming 20th Biennial Convention in Indiana in July and the Hasya Kavi Sammelan on August 11. He emphasized the importance of promoting Hindi literature and poetry as a means of preserving and celebrating the cultural identity of Hindi-speaking communities and enhancing the wider outreach.

The program was moderated by Pramod Bengani, a poet, writer, and humorist, who did an excellent job of keeping the program together and sharing many of his personal creations throughout the event. Bengani’s witty four-liners on each poet were awe-inspiring and kept the audience engaged throughout the program.

Seven poets – Dr Sarita Mehta, Fateh Chatur, Shaila Munshaw, Meera Jain, Dr Suresh Moonat, Vijay Nagar, Anant Desai – and two surprise guest poets: Kiran Gupta and Khalid Razvi, all from varied fields of teaching engineering, medicine, and drama direction, recited their fun creations. The poets’ readings were both humorous and poignant, covering a wide range of themes, including love, humor, and social commentary.

The event concluded with a vote of thanks by Chapter Jt Secretary Nisha Mirani, who expressed her gratitude to the poets, the organizers, the sponsors and the audience for making the event a success. Overall, the program was an enjoyable and entertaining session that brought together a diverse group of people to celebrate the festival of Holi and the Hindi language. It was an excellent opportunity for the community to come together and enjoy the fun-filled creations of the talented poets.

Attendees were then treated to a tasty spread of food, thandai, and tea, and many stayed to socialize and enjoy the festive atmosphere.