OHM NorCal forms under KHNA Auspices

Santa Clara, CA. Apr 30, 2008: A long-cherished dream of the large community of hindu malayalees in the San Fransisco Bay Area came to fruition today, with the announcement of a new organization formed under the auspices of KHNA. Named Organization of Hindu Malayalees - Northern California (OHM-NorCal), the group will bring together all the malayalees with interest in the Kerala hindu culture, arts and religious traditions. The formation of this group underlines a significant chapter in KHNA's own history, as the northern california areas had been considered among the "last frontiers" to cross, as the continental organization spreads its reach across North America.

Northern California is a vibrant community with an estimated size of over 700 malayali hindu families. Though many families have been active in the community since the 60s, a significant influx of families happened during the past two decades due to the area being a hub of technology professionals. Though existing organizations such as MANCA and Maithry have been nurturing the malayalees' social and cultural interest, many who are active members of such organizations felt the need for more focussed activities that can only be sustained through a malayali hindu organization. With the encouragement and help from sister organization of southern california, OHM of Los Angeles, the families have now come together under a new banner, OHM-NorCal. Please see the newly established OHM Nor-Cal website for more information.

The organization is being registered independently of OHM in Southern California, but the active cooperation between the two OHMs are already evident in the programs being organized during the Memorial Day weekend, when the 17th annual Swathi Thirunal Day will be celebrated in Los Angeles on May 24th, followed by the first Swathi Thirunal Day organized by OHM-NorCal in Sunnyvale on May 26th. Both functions will have as Chief Guest, Pandit Ramesh Narayan, award-winning movie music composer and world-renowned Hindusthani vocalist. Pandit Ramesh Narayan will perform the inaugural two foreign programs of the newly formed Mewati Swathi Gharana, the first Gharana (gurukulam tradition) ever to be started for Kerala's genius maharaja, Swathi Thirunal, who is also among the earliest Hindusthani composers from South India. For more information of the inaugural program of OHM-NorCal, please see the OHM Nor-Cal website . For information on the 17th ST Day in Southern California, see the OHM website

The KHNA community all around the continent wishes the new organization in Northern California all the best!!