RETREAT VII – PROPOSED PROGRAM SESSIONS

Sessions are subject to change and modification without prior notification.

BUST YOUR GUT!

Learn how to bust the ‘Sindhi Gut’ courtesy of our very own fitness guru, Vijay Daryanani, as he shares simple and effective exercises that keep your midsection from becoming your worst adversary. A Certified Physical Therapist by profession, Daryanani is an accredited Certified Personal Trainer by the American Council on Exercise as well as a trainer to the stars at ESPN’s annual X-Games! 

SINDHI CHEFS – SINDHI KHADO!!!
Between work and play, we lead an increasingly busy life. But should our lifestyle prevent us from enjoying the Sindhi foods we grew up eating? Not at all!  Anita Daryanani, a pharmacist by profession, leads a ‘Kitchen Stadium’ style interactive cooking demonstration featuring a variety of Sindhi bhajis – quick, easy, and healthy! Each dish will feature two quintessentially traditional Sindhi ingredients that are great for you – we’ll reveal these ingredients and discuss their health benefits as well as show you how to make a great tasting, super healthy bhajis! 

SINDHI LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE
This presentation was part of a series on Indian Languages and Literature, organized by Department of Sanskrit at Harvard University. Niranjan Dudani, MD - a practicing doctor, poet, writer and nationalist came to USA 35 years ago after serving 20 years in the Indian Navy. Like many other Hindu Sindhis, his family had to leave Sindh and move to India after Partition. Dr. Dudani will take us thru history and the evolution of language, the Sindhi literature that followed the path of Bhaktivad or Devotional Monotheism prevailing on the sub-continent.

A SINDHI SOLDIER'S STORY
On TV, on the radio, all over the Internet - we can't avoid hearing about Iraq. A pediatrician by training, Dr. Monica Mirchandani earned the prestigious Bronze Star medal while serving during Operation Iraqi Freedom. In addition to American soldiers, Dr. Mirchandani also treated Iraqi Army, Police and civilians at the US Army base in Baqhbah, a city located in the Diyala Province. Join us as she shares her experiences through anecdotes, pictures, and videos; and reflects on the impact that being a member of the Army has had on her life.

IT'S A MATTER OF THE SINDHI HEART
Let's explore the prevalence of heart disease among South Asians, particularly our Sindhi community. We possess lifestyle factors and genetic inheritance that makes us highly prone to major risks. While South Asians in general are predisposed to heart disease, specific Sindhi lifestyle tendencies exacerbate the effect. Learn how to beat the epidemic with advice regarding nutrition, fitness and early prevention from Bharti Daswani, a practicing physician assistant in cardiac surgery at Stanford University Medical Center. In addition to assisting cardiac surgeons in the operating room in surgeries such as coronary artery bypass surgery, she also provides education and awareness for surgical patients both pre-operatively and post-operatively. 

STAYING COOL IN CRAZY SITUATIONS - THE COMMON SENSE APPROACH
"Is there a Doctor in the house?" "No, but I am here and I can help!" More often than we would like, we find ourselves in medical emergency situations. Whether it is dealing with fractures and sprains, heart attacks, allergic reactions, dog bites, seizures, burns and cuts, etc, people often panic when they are surrounded with a medical dilemma. How do we handle such situations? What is the medically appropriate, easy, common sense approach? And more importantly how can we look really cool in these scenarios? Dr. Kusum Punjabi, ER physician-in-training with an MBA and certified clinical instructor for CPR courses in NJ/NY/Philadelphia area, shares some valuable life saving tactics by presenting basic life-saving measures in an interactive, fun discussion with cool videos and great music that you do not want to miss!!!

SATYANRAYAN KATHA
A tradition in Sindhi homes, Satyanarayan Katha is an auspicious prayer we’ve all grown up with. Most of us have attended more than one – but do we know what it means? What does it have to do with the full moon and why are we vegetarian on this day? Join us as we examine its historical context, its significance to our community, prepare for and perform a Satyanarayan Katha.

SINDHI CHEFS - SINDHI KHADO!!!
We all love churi – our traditional offering at Satyanarayan Katha. Well, did you know how easy it is to make? Four ingredients, 20 minutes, done! Jaideep Mulchandani leads us back into our version of Kitchen Stadium and shows us how to make churi, right before we start our Satyanarayan Katha.  

THE MANY ANSWERS TO YOUR SINDHI "WHY"?
Ever wonder why your parents show everyone pictures of you having your head shaved as a child? Ever tell your friends you are vegetarian on Mondays, but don’t know why? How about having your name changed after you have married, moving to a new city for your husband and then having to deal with a 2-name identity crisis? We’ve got the answer to your Sindhi “Why?”

HAS COMPROMISE BEEN COMPROMISED?
Expectations. Commitment. Compromise. At one point, these three items went hand in hand. We all grew up aware of our parents' and grandparent's expectations of each other, commitment, and the compromises made for the good of the marriage and family. But is that still the norm? Today's modern Sindhi woman complains that today's Sindhi men have expectations that are out of whack. Given today's reality of an advanced education, career paths, and the accompanying financial independence, are Sindhi women no longer willing to compromise in their relationships and marriages? And is it the false expectations, or the lack of commitment or the lack of compromise that is causing an increasing number of short-lived marriages in our community? Let's explore the links between expectations, compromise and commitment among today's young Sindhi adults and see where they really lie.

MY BIG FAT SINDHI WEDDING

We’ve all been to Sindhi weddings, but do we know what each of these rituals mean? Do we need that many excuses to party and dress up?? While these may vary from family to family, most traditional Hindu Sindhi weddings are filled with them. Join us as we share the origin and significance of each component of a traditional Sindhi wedding - from rituals to prayers, customs and tradition in unique and light-hearted manner. This session is sponsored by www.Shaadi.com.