Uniting generations: Steps towards cultural harmony

When I first met her a decade ago, I was captivated by Jyotsna’s dedication to uniting the Indian diaspora in Toledo and her tireless efforts in creating a familiar world for them thousands of miles away from home. A conversation with her at any given time is invariably filled with rich cultural anecdotes and nostalgia.

In Toledo in the early 2000s, Jyotsna turned the local Hindu temple into a vibrant community hub, where Sunday gatherings brought families together over shared meals and cultural celebrations. As the Chairperson of the Festival of India, she transformed it into a kaleidoscope of music, dance, and food that united the community and even drew a lot of media attention to it, with even the Toledo mayor participating in the festivities.

“People in the US are curious about different cultures, aren’t afraid to explore them.”

Jyotsana infused the same energy into the Houston Maharashtra Mandal (HMM), rallying the community around festivals, cultural workshops. She tells me proudly of the time that they enacted “Janata Raja”, an elaborate theatrical production that requires more than 100 actors to raise funds for the Vastu project. Jyotsna animatedly describes all the other fun stuff she’s been a part of through the HMM – dhol-tasha performances during the Thanksgiving parades, Diwali and Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations., but leaves me with one last thought that supersedes all:

“Start with baby steps; every effort counts towards progress. Instead of taking on too much at once, focus on smaller initiatives to achieve long-term success. Give back to the community; we need to share what we learn for it to grow further.”