An integral part of India’s legacy and heritage (dharohar) are its cities, towns, and villages. History awaits at every corner of India, whether it’s a lost legend, a well-preserved palace, or a village bazaar. Through our ‘Dharohar’ section we bring to you some of India’s treasured places.
This month we showcase Yercaud, a hill station in Salem District, in Tamil Nadu, India. Yercaud is known for orange groves, coffee and spice plantations. The name Yercaud in Tamil means Lake (Yeri) and Forests (Kadu), and is said to be named after the lake amidst wooded trees in the center of the town.
As the summer season approaches us, Yercaud gears up for a summer festival held every year during the second week of May. One of the major attractions is a flower show where lakhs of flowers are on display and several floral structures are set by the horticulture department. In addition to the flower shows, boat races, dog shows, folk dance performances, cooking, and rangoli competitions are some of the other prime highlights of the festival. The idea of organizing the summer festival is to draw attention to the importance of nature and conservation.
As you traverse through Yercaud, Yercaud Lake is undoubtedly one of the best places to visit. Providing stunning, panoramic views of the hills and lush green lawns of the hill station, this Lake also barges out as one of the most sought-after destinations in Yercaud. Surrounded by some wonderful cloud-peaked hills and a well persevered garden on its banks, this lake is a feast for the eyes. One of the other special places is a 32-Km Loop Road, which begins from the Yercaud Lake and takes one through the much-appreciated roads and agricultural plantations of Yercaud. This is among the most visited places, as it offers the taste of culture, the essence of lives, imprints of the heritage and the varied developments of the hill station. Away from the bustling life of Yercaud, the Pagoda Point is a perfect place to embrace the mind with solace and tranquility. It is named Pyramid Point as it is shaped by four piles of stones. Bestowed with captivating and scenic views of the hill station, the Pagoda Point offers the most sprawling outlook of Yercaud and its enchanting essence. Another great area to visit is the Kiliyur Waterfall. Considered as one of the most beautiful waterfalls in India, the enchanting and fascinating beauty of this 300 ft high waterfall will leave an indelible imprint on your mind and heart. The serene location of the waterfall serves as a secluded getaway for those, who wish to feel invigorated and beat the stresses of daily life.
Yercaud is accessible by air, by train and by road. The nearest railway station is in Salem. The nearest airport is Salem Airport, as well as Tiruchirappalli Airport. Yercaud is well connected by road as well.
Nestled in the southern region Yercaud is definitely a beautiful place, with verdant peaks, waterfalls, lakes, and gardens. Tourist places in Yercaud are not only enticing but intriguing as well, right from the hill to lake to the woods, and together they make Yercaud a perfect travel destination.
This month, we will be taking a look at some of the environmental impacts of carbon pollution. Through our carbon emissions, we have such a strong effect on the environment, and we hope that this small preview into a couple of the main climate issues will truly resonate with you, our readers.
In order to easily calculate your environmental impact, you can go to this website: https://www.onoraglobal.com/get-started. With Onora Global, you can also learn ways to reduce your environmental impact as well as fund verified climate repair projects that work to restore the planet.
We’d also like to encourage all the youth to take a look around this month. Where do you see areas for improvement in your school, town, or extracurricular activities in terms of environmental impact? We’ve come up with a five-step process to help you all pursue climate projects of your own.
Step 1: Pick an area to look into and spend time researching the topic.
Water: drinking water, sprinklers for the grass, plumbing
Waste: recycling/compost/trash bins, what is often thrown away, littering, etc.
Energy: heat in the winter, A/C in the summer, lighting systems, charging outlets, etc.
Food: at home, at school, packaging, local vs. non local, red meats, etc.
Travel: car, plane, train, bike, etc
Consumer products: clothing (fast fashion), electronics, notebooks, etc.
Step 2: Consider at least 1 benefit or positive effect of the current state of the area that you picked. In other words, if someone were to make a change in this area, what should you not lose sight of? (i.e. in the process of improving food at school, we can’t lose sight of the fact that you appreciate how easy it is to grab a quick snack in between classes)
Step 3: Have an open discussion with someone local who is involved in organizing whichever topic you chose to look into. Consider what you could ask them about how it works in your area, the impact it is having on the people carrying out any related tasks and all other local people, and the impact it is having on the environment.
Step 4: Continue researching your topic on a local level. What can be changed to improve the climate impacts? How will you implement this? Who else will you need help from?
Step 5: Reach out to the person involved in organizing the topic and propose your solution! Be sure to detail your plan for implementation.
~ IAGB Youth Editorial Director, Aarushi Pant
MELTING ICE CAPS
Melting ice caps is a significant issue because ice is vital for our world. Ice, in general, acts as a protective shield for the Earth and its oceans. Excess heat is reflected back into space by them, keeping the Earth cold. Because more heat from the sun is bounced off the ice and back into space, the Arctic remains cooler than the equator in theory.
In addition to taking away the habitats of walruses and polar bears, melting glaciers also contribute to rising sea levels, which increases coastal erosion and leads to more intense and frequent storms such as hurricanes and typhoons as well as an increase in flooding in coastal areas. This in turn leads to expensive disaster recovery costs.
Glaciers in particular provide scientists with a record of how climate has changed over time. Glacial ice covers around 10% of the Earth’s geographical surface now. Nearly 90% of it is in Antarctica, with the remaining 10% in the Greenland ice cap. Ocean currents are influenced by rapid glacial melt in Antarctica and Greenland when vast amounts of frigid glacial-melt water join warmer ocean waters, slowing ocean currents. Sea levels will continue to increase as land ice melts.
Many glaciers throughout the world have been melting quickly since the early 1900s. Human actions cause this phenomenon. Carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gas emissions have elevated temperatures since the industrial revolution, even higher in the poles, and as a result, glaciers are rapidly melting, calving off into the sea, and retreating on land.
What can we do? Even if we dramatically reduce emissions over the next several decades, more than a third of the world’s remaining glaciers will melt by 2100. When it comes to sea ice, 95 percent of the Arctic’s oldest and thickest ice has already disappeared. Furthermore, scientists predict that if emissions continue to rise uncontrollably, the Arctic might be ice-free in the summer as early as 2040, owing to rising ocean and air temperatures.
This is a significant problem in our world right now, so it is crucial that we all unite to take action before it is too late!
As we get closer and closer to summer, I’m sure we all can’t wait for grueling hot days during a heat wave where the air conditioning doesn’t work, and towns advising us not to wash cars or water lawns frequently to save water while in a drought. Not all of summer is like this, but it might be if carbon emission levels continue to increase. Especially in Southwest America and in the Great Plains, Nasa reports that there is an 80 percent likelihood of a decades-long megadrought in future years. This leads to reduced soil moisture, ultimately causing a decrease in agriculture.
Unfortunately, carbon emissions and greenhouse gasses contribute to the likelihood of having droughts and heat waves in the United States. Shown below are the predicted soil moisture distributions of North America in 70 years. On the left is a projection if we reduce current emissions, and on the right is the projection if we continue to increase emissions every year as we are now.
But firstly, what is classified as a drought and heat wave?
Heat waves can be classified as a series of unusually hot days, and can cause agricultural loss, wildfires, and droughts. A drought is a period of time when an area or region receives below normal precipitation. Droughts can last as short as 15 days, or decades as it’s hard to pinpoint when a drought has started or ended. The effects of a drought may take months or years to actually affect wildlife, vegetation, or people, thus causing the vagueness.
Increased carbon emissions contribute to longer heat waves and drought periods. As carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gasses heat up the planet, more water evaporates into the atmosphere, which in turn raises the temperature further and decreases the amount of groundwater used for agriculture and human consumption. Additionally, when more carbon is present in the atmosphere, the atmosphere is able to trap more heat in, resulting in higher temperatures. The effects of carbon emissions can already be seen all across the country. For example, according to the Environmental Protection Agency, the average number of heat waves that occurred in a city in the 1960s was 2, while it’s now 6. The average duration of a heat wave has also increased from 3 days to 6.
To summarize, reducing your carbon footprint and limiting your own emissions can help decrease the probability of long-term droughts that many areas of the US are already facing and help limit the duration of heat waves.
When the topic of climate change is discussed, many people divert their thinking to the burning of fossil fuels as a result of industrial processes. However, there are many other types of pollution that are also heavily affecting our Earth, like eutrophication.
Eutrophication is the process of uncontrolled and rapid algae growth. It is mainly caused by harmful algal blooms (HABs). An HAB is an algal bloom that causes negative impacts to other organisms via the production of natural algae-produced toxins, mechanical damage to other organisms, or by other means. They are caused by three main factors: external and internal nutrients, warm temperatures, and water stability. Algae can prosper off nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorus from fertilizers and can thrive in warm waters. When more algae is produced, more cyanotoxins, toxins produced by cyanobacteria, are produced, and there are three main types that can be harmful to animal life: microcystis, anabaena, and cylindrospermopsin. Overall, these cyanotoxins produce deadly chemicals and when consumed, they can cause fever, vomit, nausea, headache, and liver and kidney toxicity.
With the increased number of HABs, the surface of the body of water is covered, blocking sunlight from going into the water. This stops photosynthesis in plants in the water, leading to less oxygen in the water. The algae die due to the low oxygen levels, so they float to the bottom of the body of water and are decomposed by microorganisms and bacteria. The decomposers use oxygen in the process, reducing oxygen levels in the lake, putting the lake in a state of hypoxia. This leads to the death of marine life, converting the body of water into a dead zone. This can lead to many problems, including recreational purposes, food, economic value, biodiversity, and the water supply all being affected.
Currently, this is a major problem in the United States and needs to be taken into consideration until it’s too late.
~ IAGB Youth Member, Kishan Angadi
Ocean Acidification
What is ocean acidification?
Ocean acidification is the lowering of ocean pH over time due to an intake of CO2 from the atmosphere. When carbon dioxide dissolves in water, carbonic acid is produced. This carbonic acid then dissociates, producing free hydrogen ions which “steal” free carbonate ions from the water. These carbonate ions are important as they are used to make calcium carbonate, which is used to make the shells and skeletons of many marine animals.
Coral bleaching is when the algae that live within the corals leave due to environmental stressors such as increasing ocean temperatures and ocean acidification. Without the algae, the corals cannot survive, destroying the reefs. As coral reefs are home to thousands of species, this affects the ocean food chain on a large scale.
Approximately 20 percent of the world’s population derives at least one-fifth of its animal protein intake from fish.1 Much of the seafood we eat is affected by ocean acidification. Crabs, oysters, clams, mussels, and shrimp will have difficulty creating strong shells and exoskeletons, making it more difficult for them to survive. When their population diminishes, the population of the fish that eat them also decreases, disrupting the whole ocean food chain.
Many jobs and economies around the world also depend on seafood. Decreasing harvests could hurt the developing nations that have few agricultural alternatives.
Humans also depend on coral reefs for storm protection and tourism opportunities. Coral reef plants and animals are important sources of new medicines being developed to treat cancer, arthritis, human bacterial infections, Alzheimer’s disease, heart disease, viruses, and other diseases.2
Ocean acidification is one of the many detrimental impacts of the increased amounts of CO2 in our atmosphere, and it demonstrates just how important it is that we each do all that we can to reduce our collective carbon footprint!
In the past two years, the term diseases has been prevalent in the lives of everyone around the globe. Headlines about the coronavirus disease and its progression seem almost non-stop. Infectious diseases can spread respiratorily (like COVID-19) as well as through food, insect bites, or direct contact.
With temperatures substantially increasing each year, diseases are spreading significantly more than ever before. The National Library of Medicine warns that the issue of water-borne and vector-borne infectious diseases will be exacerbated by the increase in temperatures and changes to precipitation caused by climate change1. For water-borne diseases, extreme climate events that have been linked to climate change, such as heavy precipitation and floods2 may increase the risks for infectious diseases spreading through water systems. Warmer temperatures also have been linked to illnesses from pathogens such as Salmonella and Campylobacter2. Vector-borne diseases are those that are spread through blood-feeding carriers such as mosquitoes or ticks. Mosquitoes breed in warmer areas and Earth’s rising temperatures create a better environment for them to thrive in, facilitating the spread of the diseases they carry. Examples of vector-borne diseases include dengue fever or malaria.
Inviting nominations for the next IAGB Youth Spotlights! The IAGB youth initiative spotlights talented local youth who have demonstrated outstanding contributions to art, sports, or the community. Nominees must be 25 years of age or younger, and they must have lived in the New England area.
Founded in 2002, Cradles to Crayons provides children from birth through age 12, living in homeless or low-income situations, with the essential items they need to thrive – at home, at school, and at play. We supply these items free of charge by engaging and connecting communities that have with communities that need.
Visit with an elder who lives in an assisted living home and make their day a bit brighter. Each elder has something unique to share and offer and is looking forward to making new friends!
“With the 126th Boston Marathon coming up in April, this month for our Community Conversation section, we’re taking a look at the community’s favorite outdoor fitness activities! Founded on April 19th, 1897, the Boston Marathon is the oldest annual marathon event in the world.”
“With spring already presenting itself in the sunny skies and high temperatures we’ve been seeing, this time of the year is the best for running and hiking. For me, running is a great way to alleviate stress and get at least 60 minutes of exercise daily. Jogging about a mile or two almost everyday has amazing benefits, for me personally it helps me sleep better at night and get all that extra energy out. If running isn’t your preferred activity, walking the same amount is also extremely beneficial. Taking a trail is a great way to enjoy your walk too. One of the nicest trails that isn’t too difficult is the Whitehall State Park loop in Hopkinton. The natural sounds from the forest have such a calming effect and especially on sunny days the pond glistens creating scenic views. Getting outdoors and soaking up the sun is my preferred way of relaxing.”
~Anshika Shekhar, IAGB Youth Team Member
“I love to go to the gym to keep myself fit. Walking on the treadmill while listening to inspirational stories is really relaxing and gives me time to think about myself, and how I feel. A great place to work out is the NARA Park, the Nathaniel Allen Recreation Area, in Acton. The scenery is beautiful, and there are many good places to walk.”
~Pritha Anand, IAGB Youth Team Member
“Over the past few years, I have realized how physical and mental health are a closed feedback loop – one feeds off the other. And yet, fitness is a journey, a continuum and a mindset. Each of us are at a different stage on it but one thing in common is our ability to keep challenging ourselves to improve, to keep moving forward. Influenced by friends, I recently (3 years ago) started with long distance running. For me, training for marathons is a goal, a north star that keeps me disciplined through the year and to hold myself accountable – tying back to the goal of improving, one race at a time. Thanks to many regional clubs in the Boston/New England area, one can find folks with similar interests and we motivate/learn from each other. Whether it be running, walking, biking, swimming or any other favorite activity – “the hardest part is getting out – the rest just follows!”. Weather’s getting better, see you out there?”
~Makarand Joshi
“As we prep for the upcoming spring season, I love running on the minuteman trail. With so many people running, walking, biking on the trail, you start to feel a sense of community. Wherever you are, don’t forget to support your nearby trials.”
~Vijay Parthasarathy
“My favorite outdoor fitness activity is running. We humans are born to run and running is one of the most time efficient exercises available to us. Most of us are able to run sustainably as long as doing it right. My favorite trail not just this time of the year, but year round is the Charles River Loop, also known as Paul Dudley Bike Path. The path offers loops from 2 to 17 miles. You will derive a lot of motivation running along with people of different shapes and speed. The path is also usable in the middle of New England winter! Be fit and happy!”
~Ajit Sabnis
“Beautiful flower blooms and longer days are enough to encourage me to do outdoor activities in spring. Love the freshness and brightness outside! I try to find time in a day to do a 40-50 mins walk outside. For me walking on nearby street walkways is the quickest option on weekdays. On weekends, I prefer going on trails. The Go-to trail for me is the Minuteman trail that connects Arlington-Lexington-Bedford. Oak Hill trail in Littleton is a good hiking trail with a small loop of 3.4 miles. Bigger hike like Mt. Monadnock is maybe once or twice a year for me. Once in a while I am encouraged to get up early and walk on a nearby beach while watching beautiful sun-rise. Also, goes unsaid that walking and hiking with friends provides benefits of good mental health.”
IAGB held this much anticipated zoom session about the basics of NFTs (Non-fungible Tokens) and Blockchain technology on March 3, 2022. Mr. Thomas Arul CEO of Bluemi Inc., and co-founder of Abris.io gave a detailed presentation on the topic. He offered the contours of the emerging technology and explained in layman’s terms how that is helping open new avenues of funding & investment. As he described, a detailed and realistic understanding of different platforms is necessary for anyone aspiring to create and offer a NFT. Partnering with a good platform is crucial in their success. At the same time an investor has to appreciate the changing nature of the technology and thereby the strengths as well as risks associated with the new tools before making a decision.
Attendee response to this live and interactive session was immense. IAGB Youth team member Cynthia Rajeshkhanna moderated the participation interactions. IAGB President Vaishali Gade welcomed and thanked Mr. Thomas Arul and the attendees.
As our communities are growing and expanding, we see the need to understand other cultures and appreciate them. For the diversity and equality path on our conquest, we feel removing information barriers and misinformation is the key. To aid that IAGB is very excited to bring Discover India series- a virtual series to our communities. We have collaborated with Shishubharti and Burlington Public Libraries to feature Discover India Series at many of our neighborhood libraries. With this series we hope to excite and ignite the community and bring awareness in an engaging manner about India.
It has been two whole years since the pandemic hit. Suddenly life came to a standstill and many few had any idea how to navigate the uncharted waters. However almost immediately a spontaneous flow of public response started and numerous constructive channels opened up to encourage and accommodate the voluntary efforts.
‘Ekam Boston’ is one bright example of such efforts. As soon as the world closed down and the frontline workers started an uphill battle, a few thoughtful Samaritans from Lexington came together to provide the PPE so dearly needed at the time. Almost a hundred volunteers of all ages got involved in making and providing hand sewn masks, caps, 3-D printed shields, ear savers, disposable gowns, and sometimes all important food too. They went out of their way to find out where the need was and coordinated their efforts to fulfill it in a timely way.
What happened next is perhaps a differentiating factor for ‘Ekam Boston’. Sensing the enormous energy within the community, Director Nagasree Chakka and her team decided to give it a practical twist. Over the last two years they have been trying to transform the initial outpouring into a formidable and still growing brigade of committed adults and more importantly kids of all ages, to serve the community.
They are working in association with EKAM Foundation, a nonprofit organization devoted to the wellbeing of underprivileged children and mothers. Despite the motto to serve underprivileged back home, the local chapter’s mandate is multifocal. While contributing to the welfare activities in India it intends to be involved heavily in the local communities here as well. After the heavy lifting of pandemic related work, volunteers have come together to assist and contribute towards homeless shelters, soup kitchens, senior citizen centers, centers for disabled individuals, therapy farms, wildlife sanctuary farms, armed forces and veterans organizations. The nature of the assistance varies according to the beneficiaries’ needs – from food (meal packages) to supplies, from focused attention to physical work.
The crucial yet ancillary part of the mandate is offering help in kind to the underprivileged children in India. Through the efforts of ‘Ekam Boston’ educational needs of students from low funded government schools are sponsored, and even nutritional help is offered through the sustainable wellbeing model of self-grown nutri-gardens in their own backyards. It is imaginative that even to raise money to fund such projects in India the young volunteers contribute to the local communities as they have been creatively earning and contributing to project ‘$20 in 21’.
These highly motivated and extremely self-driven volunteers seem to be up for any kind of service opportunity. As a result they have completed literally hundreds of projects and are spread to many parts of the eastern Massachusetts. They have grown their own team to more than 250 individuals (ages 5 – 88). 9 youth volunteers in the year 2020 and 15 youth and 5 adult volunteers in the year 2021 have been recognized for outstanding service with the prestigious President’s Volunteer Service Award.
IAGB wishes ‘Ekam Boston’ very best for their future endeavors!
An integral part of India’s legacy and heritage (dharohar) are its cities, towns, and villages. History awaits at every corner of India, whether it’s a lost legend, a well-preserved palace, or a village bazaar. Through our ‘Dharohar’ section we bring to you some of India’s treasured places.
This month we showcase Shillong, a hill station in the northeastern part of India and the capital of Meghalaya. The city derives its name from ‘Leishylong’ – the Superpower or God who is believed to reside on the Shillong Peak, overlooking the city. Lying in the cradle of tall pine trees and pineapple shrubs, Shillong’s undulating terrain is a constant source of attraction for tourists.
As the chill of winter recedes and the charm of spring descends on the Khasi Hills, it is marked by Shillong community’s biggest festivals – Shad Suk Mynsiem (‘the dance of peaceful hearts’) which is held during the month of April. Shad Suk Mynsiem is an agrarian festival and celebrates the optimism for the coming year, and is the Khasi way of offering thanks to the creator for all the blessings and bountiful harvests received – characterized by many symbolic rituals, dances and the best of traditional apparel.
As you traverse through Shillong, there are many places to visit. Named after an Elephant like stone at its foot, the Elephant Falls are amongst the most popular falls in the North-East. It is a tourists’ paradise with three layers of the falls accessible to the layman from different vantage points. Another natural landmark is the Shillong Peak. At the height of 6449 ft or 1965 m above sea level, Shillong Peak is the highest point of Shillong. It offers a breathtaking panoramic view of the entire city, the Himalayas, and its waterfalls. Shillong is also home to the Don Bosco Museum. It is the house of the beautiful culture and tradition of North East India. It has 16 laid out galleries that showcase artifacts, paintings, figures significant to Northeastern culture. Lying in the center of Shillong city, Ward’s Lake is an artificial lake surrounded by a prolific green garden. Also known as Pollock’s Lake, this artificial water body is encircled by an extensive lush garden and lies in the middle of the city. One can take a walk around this horse-shoe shaped lake on the cobble-stone path or simply admire the colorful floral beds in the garden. Umiam Lake is another mesmerizing man-made reservoir surrounded by East Khasi Hills. It is famous for boating and water sports along with a stunning sunset view. The lake was formed after a dam was constructed to generate hydroelectric power. Police Bazar is among the major markets of Shillong, and a popular shopping haunt. In addition to an array of restaurants, hotels and big brand stores, the Police Bazaar also has a flea market section selling traditional handicrafts, exquisite Meghalaya merchandise and regional apparels. Shillong is accessible by air, by train and by road. The nearest airport to the hill station is the Umroi Airport near Barapani, which is about 25 kilometers away. The closest railway station from Shillong is in Guwahati. Driving up to Shillong is also an option from Guwahati to Shillong. Shillong’s undulating terrain and natural charm is a constant source of attraction for tourists. The cascading waterfalls, azure lakes, botanical gardens, breathtaking greenery, swaying pine trees, and museums displaying the enriched culture of the Khasis, all make Shillong a perfect travel destination.
What is Wordle? If you’re active on social media, you might see people posting a series of yellow, black, and green box emojis to their story or page. What does this mean and how did Wordle grip onto us becoming a daily task for many people?
Wordle was created by Josh Wardle and was recently sold to The New York Times for a little more than 3 million dollars. Wordle is a free game that can be played on your browser, and the objective of the game is to guess the 5 letter word in less than 6 attempts. When a word is entered, the squares change colors to indicate whether the letter is present in the word. A gray square means the letter is not in the word, a green square means the letter is in the right space and in the word, while yellow means that the letter is in the word, but not in the right space.
To the left, is an example of a Wordle for March 19th. As you can see, it took me a while to figure out the word!
Wordle’s rise to fame is well contributed to Tik Tok and Twitter, since the game spread like wildfire through these platforms. Since then, multiple different versions of Wordle-like games have been released; like Heardle. This game is where a snippet of a popular song is played, and the user has 6 tries to guess the song.
Wordle has been around since 2013, but due to boredom in the pandemic over the past couple of years, the game’s popularity skyrocketed. Logging onto Twitter, you can see millions of tweets under the hashtag “wordle” showing twitter user’s Wordle guesses for the day. If you haven’t tried Wordle yet, find a time to spend 5 minutes in your day guessing this 5-letter word. Who knows, Wordle can maybe help improve our daily vocabulary!
Inviting nominations for the next IAGB Youth Spotlights! The IAGB youth initiative spotlights talented local youth who have demonstrated outstanding contributions to art, sports, or the community. Nominees must be 25 years of age or younger, and they must have lived in the New England area.
Founded in 2002, Cradles to Crayons provides children from birth through age 12, living in homeless or low-income situations, with the essential items they need to thrive – at home, at school, and at play. We supply these items free of charge by engaging and connecting communities that have with communities that need.
Visit with an elder who lives in an assisted living home and make their day a bit brighter. Each elder has something unique to share and offer and is looking forward to making new friends!
This month, we’re spotlighting Aarya Wachasunder and the students Madelyn Kiernan, Giselle Kiernan, Anne Li, Arav Arora, and Rachael Friedman from the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Club at Littleton High School for their work in getting Diwali approved as a district holiday!
We interviewed Aarya Wachasunder to find out more about her project.
What drove you to begin pushing for Diwali as a district holiday?
I have been living in the United States since I was 5 and had noticed that every Diwali went by in an uneventful flash… More importantly, I realized that Indian Americans were not able to enjoy our culture’s biggest festival without its customs feeling like chores. This January, after hearing about Acton-Boxborough’s decision to give their schools a day off for Diwali, I realized that not only was this doable, it was something I could invoke to create positive change in my community.
How did you and your team go about the process?
We made a presentation, started two petitions, gathered statements from teachers and students, and met with our local school committee. There, we showed our presentation which included statistics on Asian Americans in Littleton, background information on the festival, as well as personal statements. We also spoke with Acton-Boxborough’s Diwali initiative starter, Deepika Prakash, and Acton-Boxborough student representative Rohan Ravindran, who both gave crucial assistance. I reached out to Ms. Vaishali Gade to ask whether IAGB would be interested in creating a statement of support. She agreed and made a video for us to present at the meeting, which was met with positively impressed reactions. The school committee found it well that we had an official organization speaking on our behalf.
In petitioning the high school, Aarya’s team received 311 signatures. For their second petition, they gathered 421 signatures from the Littleton community!
At the team’s second meeting with their school committee, Aarya shared the IAGB video and another student-created video. After the team addressed concerns centered around the number of holidays in the school calendar by highlighting the town’s changing demographics, the school committee voted unanimously to establish Diwali as a district holiday!
In what ways do you see Diwali becoming a district holiday as meaningful to you and your community?
I am so glad that this change was made in Littleton so that Indian American students, especially in younger grades, will not have to feel uncomfortable or out of place when celebrating their culture. I want them to celebrate Diwali with as much joy and enthusiasm as they do Christmas. To me, it was absolutely imperative that Indian Americans in the town of Littleton were properly represented, and I think that this initiative was a fitting way to help recognize our culture.
“With spring already presenting itself in the sunny skies and high temperatures we’ve been seeing, this time of the year is the best for running and hiking. For me, running is a great way to alleviate stress and get at least 60 minutes of exercise daily. Jogging about a mile or two almost everyday has amazing benefits, for me personally it helps me sleep better at night and get all that extra energy out. If running isn’t your preferred activity, walking the same amount is also extremely beneficial. Taking a trail is a great way to enjoy your walk too. One of the nicest trails that isn’t too difficult is the Whitehall State Park loop in Hopkinton. The natural sounds from the forest have such a calming effect and especially on sunny days the pond glistens creating scenic views. Getting outdoors and soaking up the sun is my preferred way of relaxing.” 
“I love to go to the gym to keep myself fit. Walking on the treadmill while listening to inspirational stories is really relaxing and gives me time to think about myself, and how I feel. A great place to work out is the NARA Park, the Nathaniel Allen Recreation Area, in Acton. The scenery is beautiful, and there are many good places to walk.” 
“Over the past few years, I have realized how physical and mental health are a closed feedback loop – one feeds off the other. And yet, fitness is a journey, a continuum and a mindset. Each of us are at a different stage on it but one thing in common is our ability to keep challenging ourselves to improve, to keep moving forward. Influenced by friends, I recently (3 years ago) started with long distance running. For me, training for marathons is a goal, a north star that keeps me disciplined through the year and to hold myself accountable – tying back to the goal of improving, one race at a time. Thanks to many regional clubs in the Boston/New England area, one can find folks with similar interests and we motivate/learn from each other. Whether it be running, walking, biking, swimming or any other favorite activity – “the hardest part is getting out – the rest just follows!”. Weather’s getting better, see you out there?” 
“As we prep for the upcoming spring season, I love running on the minuteman trail. With so many people running, walking, biking on the trail, you start to feel a sense of community. Wherever you are, don’t forget to support your nearby trials.” 
“My favorite outdoor fitness activity is running. We humans are born to run and running is one of the most time efficient exercises available to us. Most of us are able to run sustainably as long as doing it right.
“Beautiful flower blooms and longer days are enough to encourage me to do outdoor activities in spring. Love the freshness and brightness outside!
