A warm and hearty welcome was what the youth of RAYS (Rajasthani Abroad Young Samaj) received from MMNA (Maheshwari Mahasabha of North America (New England Chapter) and the Rajasthanis in New England.  A grand dinner and dance night was hosted for the youth recently at the VFW hall in Needham.

RAYS had its first convention in a city of youth, Boston, which has so much to offer, intellect, diversity and non-stop fun. The youth came from various parts of the US as did many other members from various chapters and the National Committee of MMNA. They joined together under one roof to mingle and live the Rajasthani culture from the past to the present and to experience the rich heritage of Rajas and Maharajas.

The evening started off with registration and a social hour and appetizers. The decor set the mood for celebration; vibrant colors decorated the hall, as did traditional fabrics like lehariya and bahdhini drape the walls. The message was loud and clear on the stage with kites, LET RAJASTHAN SOAR HIGH.

The program started off with kids doing a Ganesh Vandana. There was a brief message from the New England Chapter President, Mrs. Rekha Palriwala and that was followed by an address from Dr. Seema Rathi, the President of MMNA, National Chapter. She applauded the youth for putting together this convention and also encouraged them to uphold our rich culture. RAYS representatives Jay Gattani and Roochita Jaju thanked the New England chapter and the National committee for hosting them and shared their experience as they mingled with other youth their age and from similar backgrounds. They were enlightened by the time and knowledge that they shared at the Karm Yoga Conference held earlier during the day at Mass Bay Community College. SAMAR an organization that has Bone Marrow drives for Asian groups then spoke briefly and encouraged all present in the room to register for bone marrow transplants.

The MC had various prizes up her sleeve that she gave away for a variety of quick action things like a person carrying a foreign currency in their wallet. There were three young girls and boys chosen from the audience and the best dressed amongst them were presented with a prize. The crowd was entertained by the voice of Mr Bhatia, who thrilled the crowd with a mix of old and new songs.

Folks in their dancing shoes could hardly wait to move to the Dandiya beats of DJ VJ, the tempo picked up right away and people from all ages, 5 to 70 could be seen with sticks, moving with the rhythm. The youth didn't even want to take a dinner break and the DJ led them right into Bhangra and a great mix of new songs. The food was delicious and there was a variety to please everyone, and the desserts were mouth-watering. The crowd couldn't move away from the dance floor and kept the DJ going until 12 mid night.

The evening came to an end all too soon, but the memories are with us to stay for a long time to come. The rich culture and traditions pass on from one generation to the next and we hope that the youth will uphold the pillars of our culture which is epitome of Royalty and pinnacle of valor, in a place we call homeland, RAJASTHAN!!

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