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View Full Version : Reflections on the July 3 Jat Picnic in New Jersey



birbal
July 12th, 2004, 08:30 PM
We had heard about the Annual July 4 Weekend Jat Picnic in New Jersey many years ago but really came to know about it through this website last year. Having lived in a truly remote place in Canada (Thunder Bay) for many years we felt it would be a good idea to attend the picnic this year. Mr. K.B. Phogat sent me the email about the picnic and Mr. Ram Swarup Arya graciously offered to be our host for our New Jersey trip and my wife and I spent 5 days with them.

I can say that the Picnic on July 3 was truly a memorable experience for us. It was a gathering of about 150-200 people ranging from infants to 80 years old. The overall arrangement for the picinic was excellent including a quiet, clean park with wide ranging facilities. The weather was perfect and activities included volleyball, children's events, tug-of-war (one can not think of a Jat event without it), Yoga session, and meeting new people all day. It was a wonderful experience for us to meet so many new Jat friends in such a short time.

It was a great pleasure to meet our website founder, Nitin, who showed up for the picinic even though he was leaving for India the same afternoon, and other youngsters from the Jatland site like Abhimanyu (with his Korean wife, Miyang, who was doing her best to be a Jatni), Sumita, and her sister and their fiancees.

I would encourage all Jats (at least those within driving distance) to make an effort to attend this annual event. It has potential to strengthen the community spirit and develop new friendships and networking. Social interaction of this kind is not easily available to most of us living in a vast land and we can benefit a lot from it.

One of the fear in a big Jat gathering (and usually most Indian gatherings) is the possibility of bickering, bitching and backbiting. I can say that it was totally non-existent for our entire stay and those who hesitate to attend such functions on this basis should not worry at all and start showing up for the future events.

Thanks are due to Ch. Baljinder Singh Kundu, President of the NJ-AJA for organizing this wonderful event. I am sure the new President, Lt. Col. (retd.) Virendra Singh Tewatia, will not only keep up the tradition but improve on it. By the way, it was great to meet Col. Tewatia after 37 years ( In 1967, I was a Lecturer in BITS Pilani, and Col. Tewatia was a young boy in elementary school). Another gentleman we met after 35 years was Dr. Verma who was in grade 8 in Pilani when I left India in 1969.

I would like to thank Mr. Ram Swarup Arya and his good wife Mrs. Santosh Arya for their hospitality. Many of the members on Jatland (including myself till recently) have no idea of the contributions to the Jat community made by Mr. and Mrs. Arya. I will write details of their accomplishments sometime later but right now I can only say that I felt proud that one of our Jat brothers has achieved so much starting from scratch and it was a double pleasure for me to know that Ram swarup is a Jhajharia by Gotra, and so am I, and there are not many Jhajharias around. The creation of North American Jat Charities is mostly through their efforts and the fact that it has a tax exempt status in USA makes it even better by leveraging any donations through NAJC. I will try to get NAJC Registered in Canada as our tax rate is almost 50% and if successful, it means really doubling the impact of our contributions. I would also suggest to move one of the dates for NAJC meeting to be the day before or day after the picnic.

rajender_dahiya
July 22nd, 2004, 10:51 AM
Dr. Saheb,

Great information. We do not know that such types of JAT gatherings are there in US. Really, it seems a great event from your experience. Similar type of gathering can be done in other parts of the world also.

Rajender Dahiya

bab_shinoo
July 22nd, 2004, 11:55 PM
It sounds like a real good time and a good motive too ....I wish I could have been a part of it. Hope next time :)
Babita



Dr. Birbal Singh (Jul 12, 2004 11:04 a.m.):
We had heard about the Annual July 4 Weekend Jat Picnic in New Jersey many years ago but really came to know about it through this website last year. Having lived in a truly remote place in Canada (Thunder Bay) for many years we felt it would be a good idea to attend the picnic this year. Mr. K.B. Phogat sent me the email about the picnic and Mr. Ram Swarup Arya graciously offered to be our host for our New Jersey trip and my wife and I spent 5 days with them.

I can say that the Picnic on July 3 was truly a memorable experience for us. It was a gathering of about 150-200 people ranging from infants to 80 years old. The overall arrangement for the picinic was excellent including a quiet, clean park with wide ranging facilities. The weather was perfect and activities included volleyball, children's events, tug-of-war (one can not think of a Jat event without it), Yoga session, and meeting new people all day. It was a wonderful experience for us to meet so many new Jat friends in such a short time.

It was a great pleasure to meet our website founder, Nitin, who showed up for the picinic even though he was leaving for India the same afternoon, and other youngsters from the Jatland site like Abhimanyu (with his Korean wife, Miyang, who was doing her best to be a Jatni), Sumita, and her sister and their fiancees.

I would encourage all Jats (at least those within driving distance) to make an effort to attend this annual event. It has potential to strengthen the community spirit and develop new friendships and networking. Social interaction of this kind is not easily available to most of us living in a vast land and we can benefit a lot from it.

One of the fear in a big Jat gathering (and usually most Indian gatherings) is the possibility of bickering, bitching and backbiting. I can say that it was totally non-existent for our entire stay and those who hesitate to attend such functions on this basis should not worry at all and start showing up for the future events.

Thanks are due to Ch. Baljinder Singh Kundu, President of the NJ-AJA for organizing this wonderful event. I am sure the new President, Lt. Col. (retd.) Virendra Singh Tewatia, will not only keep up the tradition but improve on it. By the way, it was great to meet Col. Tewatia after 37 years ( In 1967, I was a Lecturer in BITS Pilani, and Col. Tewatia was a young boy in elementary school). Another gentleman we met after 35 years was Dr. Verma who was in grade 8 in Pilani when I left India in 1969.

I would like to thank Mr. Ram Swarup Arya and his good wife Mrs. Santosh Arya for their hospitality. Many of the members on Jatland (including myself till recently) have no idea of the contributions to the Jat community made by Mr. and Mrs. Arya. I will write details of their accomplishments sometime later but right now I can only say that I felt proud that one of our Jat brothers has achieved so much starting from scratch and it was a double pleasure for me to know that Ram swarup is a Jhajharia by Gotra, and so am I, and there are not many Jhajharias around. The creation of North American Jat Charities is mostly through their efforts and the fact that it has a tax exempt status in USA makes it even better by leveraging any donations through NAJC. I will try to get NAJC Registered in Canada as our tax rate is almost 50% and if successful, it means really doubling the impact of our contributions. I would also suggest to move one of the dates for NAJC meeting to be the day before or day after the picnic.

ramsarya
August 1st, 2004, 08:33 PM
Dear Babita: There usually is a jat picnic in summer in Chicago area. Midwest jats had started this picnic in 70's and it did go strong for a few years, then it slowed down whereas North-East chapter picnic kept going strong and still is very active. In case you decide to find out more about the jas and the picnic in your area, please call me or email me.
North-East chapter of AJA (Association of Jats in America) has been holding this summer picnic always on July 4th weekend for the last 27 years, except a couple of years in between. Besides the picnic, we also have a Diwali celeberation when about 100-150 jats gather. We do have lots of fun and meet new people who eventually become friends.
These two are social atherings and we take them as such. North American Jat Charities is an off-shoot of these social functions. NAJC is a charitable organization by jats for jats and is doing some excellent work helping students in India with scholarships, started at least three schools in rural areas and provide other kind of help in India too. Anybody interested in knowing more about it may contact me.
NAJC is celebrating its 10th anniversary on Dec 11, 2004 and every jat is invited to attend. It will take place in Edison in NJ, will have snacks, professional entertainment and dinner. Did I mention that it is free, it is being sponsored by some businesses and jat friends. Please keep that date free. Anyone coming from far-off places will have a chance to stay with host families and make friends for life. Interested parties please let us know.

sktomer777
August 20th, 2004, 05:44 AM
is there any such gathering in near future near chicago. i would love to join.i am in schaumburg,chicago..