Note: The following convention is used while using the Roman script to spell MarAthi words:

A: for "aa', so kAkA means (paternal) uncle;
T: for hard t as in "Tali";
L: for hard l as in "kamaL",
ksh : for words like "Khsatriya"
dn: for words like "DnAneshwar".

---------------------------------------------------
BACKGROUND
Triveni Mitra Mandal (TRIVENI) was founded in 1983* in the Greater Cincinnati area. The main objectives of the nonprofit and tax-exempt organization are: Retain the culture of the state of MahArAshtra, and pass it on to the next generations. Anyone who is interested in furthering these goals is welcome to be a member with no constraints of cast, gender, religion, language, and national or regional origin for membership.

TRIVENI serves the tri-state area of Southwest Ohio, Northern Kentucky and Southeast Indiana. This fact prompted the name Triveni, which means a confluence of three (rivers, typically). For us, it implies the unity of people from the 3 areas: Cincinnati, Columbus, Dayton and Oxford (OH); Bloomington, Evansville and Indianapolis (IN) and Lexington and Louisville (KY).

OVERVIEW
TRIVENI has 5-6 events in a year. A typical event, except picnic, will include: pujA (if appropriate), meal, a General Body Meeting (twice a year) and some entertainment.

The operating year begins on January 1 and ends on December 31. The incoming Executive Committee is elected at the General Body Meeting at a Diwali function. The accounts are audited by an independent auditor who is a TRIVENI member but not a part of the outgoing Executive Committee.

SINHAVLOKAN
As of December 2003, TRIVENI members have performed 11 1-act plays (e'kAnkikA) an one 2-act play. Many members are talented in vocal and instrumental music and Indian classical dancing. Some members are active Bridge players. We have sent a team to Detroit at least twice for an inter-Mandal, friendly competition.

TRIVENI has also invited the talented members of Detroit Marathi mandal to perform their plays in Cincinnati. In fact, one year, we hosted a group from "MarAthi Vishwa" of New Jersey. They performed a 2-act play "ChAr Choughi"!

TRIVENI members have enthusiastically taken lead role in the celebration of India's Republic Day, India's Independence Day and Festivals of India held in Cincinnati over the years. Several TRIVENI members had a lion's share in organizing a function called MUKTI in August 1997 to celebrate the 50th (Golden) Anniversary of Free India!

YOUTH GROUP
TRIVENI's youth has helped spur interest in the MarAthi community. One significant contribution was the creation of the Brihan Maharashtra Mandal youth wing, MAIYTRA (Maharashtrian Association Of Indian Youth Together Representing America), founded by Devadutta (Ranju) Sangavai and Shilpa Sangavai (both members of TRIVENI) and Varsha Bilolikar (from Detroit). The first ever MAYITRA convention was hosted by Cincinnati in 1994 and attracted 300 attendees. The convention attendees have grown by 200+ per convention and the 2002 convention had more than 1,000 attendees.

ON THE WEB
On November second, 1998, Triveni Mitra Mandal of Greater Cincinnati formally entered the Internet Age by featuring its own website, known as TRIVENI Online. This new service was created to give news and information regarding the Maharashtrian and Indian communities in Cincinnati and surrounding areas, and especially the notices of upcoming programs hosted by TRIVENI.

It also provides information regarding special events across North America of interest to the Indian community.

We would like to thank Dr. Avinash Patkar for contributing to this piece

* Note: The Marathi community in the Greater Cincinnati/Dayton area celebrated Ganapati and Diwali on an ad-hoc basis from 1981-82, before formally forming Triveni Mitra Mandal in 1983.