Maldev Bapu Tithi Celebration 2019
Maher Samelan 2019
Maher Community Association UK
ARE PROUD TO ANNOUNCE OUR
INTERNATIONAL MAHER SAMELAN 2019 AT THE ASKA LARA RESORT ANTALYA IN TURKEY FROM 18th OCTOBER TO 23RD OCTOBER 2019
Travel Information
Visa for Turkey
UK/Europe/ USA is $20 (valid for 6 months)
India is $43 (valid for 6 months)
This is the official link for Turkish visa:- https://www.evisa.gov.tr/en/
Hotel Information
WE HAVE NEGOTIATED A VERY SPECIAL ALL-INCLUSIVE DEAL, WITH ALL FOOD AND DRINKS INCLUDING ALCOHOL
ROOM RATES:
Single £70 per night per room
Double £85 per night per room
Triple £115 per night per room
BOOK EARLY TO AVOID DISAPPOINTMENT AS THESE RATES ARE ONLY GUARANTEED UNTIL 1ST SEPTEMBER 2019!
TO BOOK: Please download Hotel Booking form: – LIDYA TRAVEL RESERVATION FORM
VISA IS REQUIRED FOR ALL ATTENDEES
Visa cost for UK residents – $20 for 6 months in advance using the link below:
visa can be purchased on arrival at a higher cost
Remember to book your flights early to get the best fares!
CHECK OUT THE RESORT: https://youtu.be/XTo26DMRHUs
Maher Single's Event 2019
The Leicester Maher Community Association (LMCA) sponsored Singles Event 2019 was a great success.
The aim of the event was to facilitate a networking platform for our Samaj members looking to meet likeminded people for marriage.
Saturday 8th June event was held at Brick and Beam; a very chic and a stylish venue in Cultural Quarter of Leicester. The event was attended by many people and included a range of activities designed to encourage positive interaction that was very well received by the participants. There was no fee and all who attended were treated to a free lavish lunch and beverages. The relaxed ambience of event was welcomed by everyone and encouraged people to socialise even after the formal event ended.
A team of volunteers worked with passion and commitment to ensure attention to detail. Rambhai Odedra (Maheronline) oversaw promotional materials and registration process. Rohan Sida and Payal Odedra made key decisions about catering, venue, music and host and were guided by Hira Ram and Dilip Karavadra. Janki Sisodia and Bijal Odedra demonstrated excellent professionalism, hard work and interpersonal skills on the event day in meeting and greeting everyone. LMCA team marketed the event and this resulted in lots of single people registering to attend. Pre-planning, discussions, meetings, support from the community and overall team work was the key to making this a great event.
A special thanks to our senior member, Keshubhai Odedra (Maher) from Birmingham, who gave up his weekend commitments to attend the event and help. It really does help with a senior members attending the event to provide reassurance to organising team and to participants.
Given the restrictions of Bhaiyats and age differences; together with a dose of Maher traditionalism and social media generation – the event was a great success. This is a massive credit to the hard work of the volunteers who put it together.
The participants were very appreciative of the event and provided lots of positive and constructive feedback. It takes great courage to branch out of comfort zones and travel long distances to attend such events. The confidence of the attendees and positive encouragement of their family members are the results of such events taking place regularly.
I Would like to thank the team who organised it. They did an amazing job.
Key things which I thought worked well were the following:
Surname letter – help to know someone’s surname without asking them
Venue – was the prefect size for the event
Activities – where better suited for the singles event.
Keep organising more events!
Sonia
The LMCA will continue empowering the team of young volunteers in sustaining the trend: organising social events for our Samaj. Rohan, Payal, Janki and Bijal are keen in reviving New Maher Era to promote our values, our culture, our respect for each other, and keep the Maher community moving forward.
If anyone is interested in joining the team to plan future events then please email at events@maheronline.org
The Man who clapped with one Hand – Shri B. M. Ratiya
Late Advocate Shri Bhayabhai Maldevbhai Ratiya (Bapu), a well known respected elder from our Maher community who dedicated his life for the development and betterment of the community and who has done noble deeds by becoming the foundation stone in Junagadh and villages of Sorath region for decades. A book written in English titled “The Man who clapped with one Hand” and in Gujarati titled “Ek Haathe Tadi Padi Gaya” was recently written by his daughter Deviben’s son Krunal Sukabhai Odedra.
In this book, Krunal has written from as early as Ratiya Saheb’s childhood days till the work he carried during his last days of 2015 in the form of photos and text. Apart from this, the book also includes memories and inspiring stories written by many known persons from the Maher Community and many of Ratiya Saheb’s friends and business clients too.
Late Bhayabhai Ratiya was born in a poor family and while playing with his friends, he fell off a horse at a mere age of 5 at Mal village near Kutiyana. Thus his left hand had to be amputated. He studied and worked hard to become a successful Lawyer and an Income-tax Advisor in Junagadh later on. Ratiya Saheb passed away at the age of 95 on 15/04/2015.
Krunal had met Shri Narendra Modi Ji, the Honourable Prime Minister of India at New Delhi during one occasion. While talking to Modi Ji, Krunal showed these photos from an event of 2011 to which Modi Ji said,
“He is the Man with one hand”. Krunal further mentioned that he was writing a book on his maternal grandfather to which Modi Ji told him, “Do send the copies of your book to me”
Krunal sent the copies later on and within a few days, he received a Best wishes Letter from the Honourable Prime Minister.
Karan Ratiya, Shri Sarmanbhai Sutreja, Shri Lakshmanbhai Jadeja and Shri Jethabhai Odedra can also be seen in the photos
Gujarati Version
જૂનાગઢ ના મહેર આગેવાન અને જ્ઞાતિ ના વિકાસ માટે પોતાનું જીવન સમર્પિત કરી, જૂનાગઢ તથા સોરઠ ના ગામડાઓ માં જેઓએ પાયા ના પથ્થર બની ને દાયકાઓ સુધી ઉમદા કાર્યો કર્યા છે એવા વડીલ સ્વઃ વકીલ શ્રી ભાયાભાઇ માલદેવભાઈ રાતીયા (બાપુ) ના જીવન ઉપર લખાયેલી બુક અંગ્રેજી માં “ધ મેન હુ ક્લેપડ વિથ વન હેન્ડ” અને ગુજરાતી માં “એક હાથે તાળી પાડી ગયા” એમ બે ભાષા માં બૂકો તાજેતર માં જ રાતીયા સાહેબ ના દોહિત્ર ક્રુણાલ સુકાભાઈ ઓડેદરા એ લખી છે.
આ બુક માં ક્રુણાલએ રાતીયા સાહેબ ના નાનપણ થી લઇ ને વર્ષ 2015 ના તેમના છેલ્લે સુધી ના કાર્યો ને ફોટોસ અને લખાણ રૂપે સમાવેશ કર્યો છે. આ ઉપરાંત મહેર સમાજ ના ઘણા આગેવાનો તેમજ રાતીયા સાહેબ ના મિત્રવર્તુળ અને અશીલો ના અનુભવો અને તેમના થી પ્રભાવિત થયેલા પ્રસંગો નો પણ આ બુક માં ઉલ્લેખ કરવામાં આવ્યો છે.
સ્વ. ભાયાભાઇ રાતીયા નો જન્મ એક ગરીબ પરિવાર માં થયો હતો અને જ્યારે તે માત્ર પાંચ વર્ષ ના હતા, ત્યારે કુતિયાણા પાસે ના તેમના માલ ગામ માં એક ઘોડો ખેલવતી વખતે પડ્યા જેથી તેમનો ડાબો હાથ ભાંગ્યો હતો. આ અકસ્માત ને કારણે બાપુ નો ડાબો હાથ કાપવો પડ્યો હતો. આગળ જતા તે ભણ્યા અને ખુબ મેહનત કરીને જૂનાગઢ માં એક સફળ વકીલ તથા ઇન્કમ-ટૅક્સ સલાહકાર હતા. રાતીયા સાહેબ 95 વર્ષ ની ઉંમરે 15/04/2015 ના રોજ દેહાવસાન પામ્યા હતા.
ક્રુણાલ ની નવી દિલ્હી ખાતે ભારત ના વડાપ્રધાન શ્રી નરેન્દ્ર મોદીજી સાથે એક પ્રસંગે મુલાકાત થયેલ. વડાપ્રધાન સાથે વાત કરતી વખતે ક્રુણાલએ આ ફોટા બતાવ્યા તો મોદીજી એ કહ્યું, “આ તો એક હાથ વાળા વડીલ છે”
ક્રુણાલએ વધુ માં કહ્યું કે તે પોતાના નાના ઉપર બુક લખી રહ્યા છે તો મોદીજી એ કહ્યું, “તમારા બુક ની કોપી મને મોકલાવજો”
ક્રુણાલએ થોડા સમય પછી કોપી મોકલાવતા વડાપ્રધાન મોદીજી એ તેમને આ બુક સંદર્ભે શુભેચ્છા સંદેશ મોકલાવ્યો હતો.
(Gujarati translation of the Letter)
વડાપ્રધાન
શ્રી ક્રુણાલ ઓડેદરા,
તમારા નાના સ્વ. શ્રી બી. એમ. રાતીયા ઉપર તમે લખેલી બુક ની નકલો મળવાથી મને આનંદ થયો. પુસ્તક ની દ્વિભાષી પ્રકૃતિ જે અંગ્રેજી માં ‘ધ મેન હુ ક્લેપડ વિથ વન હેન્ડ’ અને ગુજરાતી માં ‘એક હાથે તાળી પાડી ગયા’ એ તેમની યાદ માં એક વિચારશીલ શ્રદ્ધાંજલિ છે.
પુસ્તકો સ્વ. રાતીયા સાહેબ માટે ના તમારા સતત પ્રેમ ને રેખાંકિત કરે છે. તેમના દ્વારા હાથ ધરાવવા માં આવેલ પરોપકારી કાર્યો સીધી અથવા પરોક્ષ રીતે, હજારો લોકો ના જીવન ને સ્પર્શ કરે છે. તમારી બુક ચોક્કસપણે ઘણા લોકો ને, ખાસ કરી ને યુવાનો ને શિક્ષિત કરશે અને સ્વ. શ્રી રાતીયા સાહેબ દ્વારા પ્રસ્તાવિત વિચારો અને આદર્શો માંથી પાઠ શીખવા માટે પ્રેરણા આપશે.
તમારા પ્રયત્નો અને આગળની મુસાફરી માટે મારી શુભેચ્છાઓ સ્વીકારશો.
– નરેન્દ્ર મોદી
નવી દિલ્હી
શ્રી નરેન્દ્ર મોદી
વડાપ્રધાન, ભારત સરકાર
કરણ રાતીયા, શ્રી સરમણભાઈ સુત્રેજા, શ્રી લક્ષમણભાઈ જાડેજા અને શ્રી જેઠાભાઇ ઓડેદરા પણ જોઈ શકાય છે.
Luton Tournament 2018
Luton Tournament 2018
Article written by Sonia Suresh Modhwadia
There are three key ingredients that make a successful tournament: delicious food, enthusiastic fans and participants, and tough competition. On Saturday 21st October 2018 Luton delivered all three.
Luton’s own, Uttam Modhwadia, said the tournament was a success and that, ‘With unity we can preserve our culture’, the day’s success being the first step towards that unity’.
Competitors from across the UK descended upon Luton for a tournament that would, for some, be remembered for a long time to come. As is Luton tradition, they introduced new sports to the Maher community; golf and basketball. While organising football, netball and a host of other sports.
The day began with football, the 11 and under and 15 and under categories. The Maher Sports Committee, the organisers and participants were happy to see two stark contrasts from the year before. The first, there were more than two teams in both categories and second, girls participated in both categories this year. The future potential of Maher football was seen on that pitch, with London claiming victory in the 11 and under event, thanks to the player of the tournament: Veer Keshu Modhwadia. Leicester dominated the 15 and under category, taking home both the winners and runners up trophies, Dylan Odedra being the clear player of the tournament.
As always, the Senior Football attracted a number of spectators, and the thirteen teams that participated did not disappoint the crowds. There was a wonderful mix of old and young players, each team fighting hard for the win. Some premier league worthy goals were scored, with amazing goal keeping from all sides. We even witnessed the first goal by a girl in the tournament, by Priya Modhwadia (London).
In the end, there could only be two finalists, winning against two of the toughest teams in the tournament, Borough FC and Loughborough, London A and Luton A made it to the finals. London players praised their goal keeper, Akshay Sisodiya, whose unwavering resolve won them the semi-final penalty shootout. Luton’s Rushil Karawadra and Ranjit Bokiria scored beautiful goals to send their team to the final round of the competition, hoping to win for the fifth time after winning the previous four years.
To say the finals was a tense game, would be an understatement. Both teams played their hardest, constantly fighting for the ball and taking every opportunity that came their way. But, with both goalies conceding only one goal, the game went into extra time. With both teams playing exceptionally, the game ended in a nail-biting penalty shootout. For all London supporters it was a surreal moment when Mitesh Karavadra scored the winning penalty to break the ‘London Penalty curse’. Ashok Modhwadia took home the player of the tournament trophy and 2018 marked the first seniors football win for London. A win London’s Suresh Modhwadia, manager and coach of the London team has been waiting for, for over thirty years.
As always, a number of people signed up to play table-tennis and pool, from young players who had never participated before to veterans. So many so that pool unfortunately could not be finished before the day ended and trophies were presented.
The greatest success of the day was arguably the netball competition, for the first time in a long time there were five teams: London A, London B, Luton, Loughborough and Birmingham. Luton not only had some of the most enthusiastic and determined players, but also the youngest of the tournament. The young netballers reminded everyone about the importance of having fun and taking part. Loughborough gathered the Maher matrons, creating a team who entered for fun but left wanting to take up sports once more, and return next year. The biggest surprise of the day was the minibus full of netball players who travelled down from Birmingham, keeping their promise from the previous year to come to the 2018 tournament. There were spectacular goals scored by all teams but in the end London A retained their title for the fifth year in a row, thanks to the amazing goal scoring by Priya Modhwadia, whose skills left us all speechless.
Giving a speech The UK Maher president Vimalji Odedra hailed the tournament a success, later saying, “The recent Maher tournament in Luton was very successful and a bright day for Maher Sports”. As president of London Maher Community Association he added, “I am very proud of London’s achievement in football, netball and the other sports they took part in”.
All in all, the day was a success, we can only hope the next tournament, which will hopefully be held in Loughborough. will bring more participants (children and women) and more spectators from across the UK.
Complete List of Winners and Runners up (apologies for any mistakes or omissions, list was based on information that was available):
11 and Under Football
Winner: London A
Runners up: Leicester
Player of the tournament: Veer Keshu Modhwadia (London)
15 and Under Football
Winners: Leicester A
Runners up: Leicester B
Player of the Tournament: Dylan Odedra (Leicester)
Senior Football
Winners: London A
Runners up: Luton A
Player of the Tournament: Ashok Modhwadia (London)
Netball
Winners: London A
Runners up: Birmingham
Player of the Tournament: Priya Modhwadia (London)
Badminton – Men
Winner: Kishor Modhwadia (London)
Runner up: Ravi Gareja (Luton)
Badminton – Women
Winner: Mira Modhwadia
Runner up: Priya Modhwadia (London)
Badminton – Men’s Doubles
Winners: Kishor and Satyam Modhwadia (London)
Badminton – Mixed Doubles
Winners: Kishor Modhwadia and Mira Modhwadia
Runners up: unknown and Priya Modhwadia (London)
Table Tennis
Winner: unknown
Runner up: Kishor Modhwadia (London)
Basketball
Winners: Loughborough A
Runners up: Loughborough B
Player of the tournament: Ryan Saund (Loughborough)
Golf
Winner: Raj Visna (32 Points)
Runners up: Babu Odedra (31 Points)
Third place: Kanu Odedra (28 Points)
Front Nine Hole winner: Pratap K K
Back Nine winner: Jitu Modwaday
Longest Drive: Vlijay Vadar
Nearest Pin: Khima Goraniva
Char Dham London Yatra 2019
Char Dham Yatra (London) open to all
Coach Leave from – Lockerbie Ave, Leicester LE4 7ZX on the 20th April 2019 at 7.00am in the morning for our first darshan
HARE KRISHNA MANDIR
(1) – At Bhaktivedanta Manor – Hare Krishna Temple Watford, we can do the 🙏 darshan and look around in the shop and bakery. We will then leave for our next 🙏 Darshan for –
JAI JALARAM BAPA MANDIR
(2)- JALARAM JUPDI, once we’ve done the darshan, we will have proper prashadi there we will then leave for our next 🙏 darshan for
SWAMINAYAN MANDIR
(3)- SWAMINAYAN NEASDEN TEMPLE,
Again we will do the darshan there, there will be a gift shop there and their own restaurant. Once we finish there we’ll then make a way to our last temple which is –
SANATAN MANDIR
(4) – SANATAN MANDIR this is another beautiful mandir on Ealing Road in Wembley. The poshak of every murtis are beautiful, you would be able to see the beautiful Swarovski diamonds on the ceiling. We will end our darshan here.
While we’re on Ealing Road, you will get some time to do some shopping or eat.
We will leave from Sanatan Mandir for Leicester at 7pm
£15 per seat including children.
Please bring some snack a and drinks for yourself just in case.
Please contact:-
Deviben Khunti on – 07882 233113
Sudhirbhai odedra at MAHER CENTRE -: 07940075763
Shobhnaben Bhogaita on – 07862 799319
SANATAN DHARM NI JAI HO
Jai Shree Krishna
Ranmaljibhai Odedra passed away (Peterborough)
Jai Shree Krishna 🙏🏽
It is with deepest sadness & heartache that we inform you that Ranmaljibhai Odedra (Peterborough) passed away on 19th March 2019. Aged 64. He was sadly diagnosed late stage stomach cancer and taken from us too soon.
Ranmal is the devoted son of Mrs Makiben and late Chhotujibhai Odedra, loving husband of Shobhnaben, fabulous Father to Krishan and Nishant, wonderful father-in-law to Vandana, amazing brother to Rambhi and late Vijubhai, protective brother-in-law to Ushaben, adorable Kaka to Minesh, Roshni and Usha, doting ‘Dada’ to Rishi and Yash and a pillar of strength to the entire family and friends/community. Words cannot express how much he meant to so many people. He was one in a million!
The funeral ceremony is on Sunday 24th March 2019 at
10.30am at home for vidhi, puja and darshan:
107A Eye Road
Peterborough
PE1 4SG
Tel: 01733 760825
Followed by crematorium rights at 12 o’clock noon at Peterborough Crematorium,
Mowbray Road, Peterborough, PE6 7JE.
Please note that there are major road works and closures on A47 this weekend so take extra time as the diversions will add extra hour to your journey. Please read this before travelling. https://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/news/leicester-news/motorists-facing-hour-long-40-2664102
The family kindly requests everyone to come back to the residence for prashad afterwards.
No flowers please! Instead the Family request that you make a donation to Cancer Research in the box at the residence and Crematorium.
May his soul rest in eternal peace.
Aum Shanti 🙏🏽
The Odedra Family