The Bengali Association of Nebraska (BANE) is a US non-profit organization which serves the ethnic Bengali population in Omaha, Lincoln and neighboring communities. BANE is a tax exempt organization.

Our Mission

• PROMOTE awareness of Bengali identity, its cultural and spiritual heritage.

• ORGANIZE cultural programs and events involving Bengali and other Indian traditional and contemporary cultural activities.

• ORGANIZE efforts to maintain and perpetuate Bengali and Indian culture among the youth of Indian origin during the process of their assimilation into the American mainstream.

• PARTICIPATE in charitable causes through voluntary work and fund raising.

• FOSTER a spirit of friendship and cooperation between its members through social activities, sports events, musical gatherings, and religious festivals

Our Activities

Saraswati Puja

Saraswati is the goddess of learning in the mainstream Hindu religion. For Bengali people, the celebration of Saraswati Puja is one of the more regularly observed religious/cultural ceremonies in the year.

Celebrations include a religious worship or Puja, distribution of prasaad, a cultural function and lunch. The Bengali almanac usually places the Saraswati Puja in late January or early February.

Rabindra Jayanti

This is a celebration of the greatest poet of modern Bengal, Rabindranath Tagore. Modern in this connection indicates the last two hundred years or so. BANE hosts Rabindra Jayanti as a yearly cultural function celebrating Tagore's birthday with songs, dances, poetry, and drama drawn from his work in the month of May. This celebration of culture is well attended by BANE members as well as non-Bengalis in Nebraska.

Picnic

BANE hosts an annual picnic, usually in a community park (with shelter). This is a day-long affair, with lunch provided, fun and games (including cricket) and good-old Bengali adda in the nice outdoors being the main objective. This picnic is free for members and is held in August.

Durga Puja

Durga is the Mother Goddess according to the religious beliefs held by most Bengali Hindu people. Ma Durga symbolises defeating of evil over good. Along with her protima (sculpture), we also pray to her four children: Saraswati, the goddess of learning, Ganesha, the god of success (especially worldly), Karthik, the god of war over evil, and Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth. According to Bengali folklore, Durga with her four children comes to visit her parents home in Bengal once a year, for five days (this is a little different from more serious religious beliefs held by many people).

For Bengali people, Durga Puja is as much, or more, a cultural event as religious. For this reason, the celebration of Durga Puja is without doubt the greatest event on the calendar of BANE. BANE hosts Durga Puja for two days- usually the weekend after the date according to the Bengali panji (almanac), or later. This is usually in late September or early to mid-October. Donation is expected from everybody attending Durga Puja separate from membership. Lunch and dinner is provided. Puja, anjali and arati are performed. Cultural functions are also organized.

Musical Events

To celebrate unique Bengali music, BANE hosts annual music nights where professional artists and musicians from Bengal are invited to perform in a music hall for BANE members and the Omaha community. Our first "Sarod & Tabla Jugalbandi" featured two outstanding musicians who gave an interactive performance at the UNO Strauss Performing Arts Center which was well attended by members of BANE and music students of all ages.

Charitable Events

As a non-profit organization, a major goal of BANE is to participate in and fund charitable causes in Nebraska and Bengali communities. Previous events have included preparing and serving food for Omaha's homeless at the Stephen Center emergency homeless shelter and sending medications to the needy in India.