Currently, the Gujarati community in America is divided although it is attempting to put up a show of unity.
Gujaratis in America, one of the largest Indian ethnic group with around 30 per cent strength among Indian Americans, are having two big events in 2006, broadly with a similar focus but different flair, thanks to internal community politics.
Both events will be at the approximate cost of Rs 1.5 to 2 billion.
Some estimates suggest that it could cost more.
The first event will be held in New Jersey to be organised by the newly-formed Gujarati Association of North America.
The first Gujarati convention planned from July 7 to 9 July will have seminars, cultural events, debates, folk music, dinners and even kite flying, a popular cultural event and a game of Gujarat.
In September 2006, Associations of Indian Americans in North America is organising a Gujarati conference in Edison, New Jersey.
Here they will bring symbols of Gujarat to the US by recreating villages and lanes of Ahmedabad and food, dress and folk music of Gujarat.
The event in July is lead by a veteran political activist and a known community leader Ramesh Patel, president of Federation of Indian Associations.
He is the chairman of the organising committee and the co-chairman is Dr Sudhir Parikh. Rambhai Gadhvi, an active member of community is a convenor.
The organisers of both events have invited Chief Minister Narendra Modi. Modi has been denied a visa and it is unlikely that he will initiate any action on that front.
Ramesh Patel and some other leaders met Modi in Gandhinagar to invite him. "Modi said that he is not going to apply unless he is assured of a visa," said Patel.
Modi did inquire with Patel if his event is supported by Congressmen of Gujarat. Patel staunchly denied it.
Sunil Nayak, a young motelier, has sprung a surprise on these older political practitioners by arranging the Gujarati conference through AIANA. If his event is successful, it will create a flutter in old Gujarati lobbies.
Nayak is facing the charge that AIANA is tilted towards the Bharatiya Janata Party, but Himanshu Vyas, AIANA's spokesman in Gujarat, is a committed Congress man.
Nayak, while speaking to rediff.com said, "We are representing the interest of Gujarat and nothing else."
Patel and Parikh are old hands in managing community events and have been active in public life for three decades.
Both sides tried unsuccessfully to cement their diffrences, but the efforts failed for feeble reasons, they said.
GANA thinks that AIANA's September event is "merely a mela", while AIANA claims the July convention is "too small and not really representative of Gujaratis".
A non-resident Gujarati told rediff.com, "The July event is more about Gujaratis living in US, while the event of September will have a lot of Gujarat in US and much more. But it looks like the July event will have more serious debates and the September event will have more fun and nostalgia."
While allegations are hurled from both sides, nobody knows the real reasons behind both sides' hidden rivalry and waste of energy and money.
"We met couple of times to unite and work together, but we could not come to terms. We wanted a Gujarati organisation to organise such an event," Ramesh Patel told rediff.com.
Nayak, the force behind the September event told rediff.com, "We have been working on the conference since last 18 months. Washington-based D J Parikh had visited me with the idea. I even don't know their real objections against our event. I wish them well. I wish that their attempt will help the cause of Gujaratis."
Rival camp's Dr Parikh told rediff.com, "We have the support of more than 80-90 Gujarati run organisations. Our is the real Gujarati event."
GANA expects a modest crowd of 3,000 with its focus on strengthening Gujaratis living in US.
Minister of Overseas Indian Affairs Vayalar Ravi and Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel will be the chief guests at the July event. Former chief minister Keshubhai Patel will also attend the event, claims Dr.Parikh.
Nayak counters it by saying, "We are making arrangements for 30,000 people." However, both events are aiming quite high and are not at a loss for words in setting their goals
"Our aim is to help Gujaratis in networking. Our other important aim is to deliberate on the issue of language. How do we help our future generations to learn Gujarati? We are trying to develop a standardisation of syllabus of Gujarati and the mechanism for the test as the Hindi language has it," Gadhvi told rediff.com.
"Some American schools in Passaic and Edison are teaching Gujarati, but they don't have a method to conduct tests. We are trying to deliberate on the issue," he added.
Also, the issue of Gujarati literature of US-based Gujarati writers will be discussed in the convention.
Gadhvi said the issue of lack of blending with US society by some families is also a subject listed for the debate.
Gujaratis entrepreneurs needs easy access of loans. "We want to help people start small businesses," claims Gadhvi.
The Federation of Indian Associations Tri-state, Vishwa Gujarati Samaj, Gujarati Samaj of New Jersey and other Gujarati associations from across the United States have promised to support the July event.
AIANA event's slogan is Chaalo Gujarat.
Organisers claim, "It has a great significance since we are going to create mini Gujarat in New Jersey's Raritan Center in Edison. The event that will be hosted over the sprawling 1.70 lakh sq ft area with model villages of Gujarat and the modernised aspect of Gujarat will be created."
Surendra Patel, owner of Vishala restaurant of Ahmedabad, will be recreating the ambience of Gujarat in New Jersey.
Besides having seminars on senior citizens, youngsters and medical tourism, the organisers will also have theme shows on Mahatma Gandhi's Sabarmati Ashram, Narmada Dam and Sardar Patel's life story.
Religion can't be far behind wherever Gujaratis get together.
Pramukh Swami of Swaminarayan sect has agreed for a live televised show from Gujarat and new religious star saint Baba Ramdev will also participate in the September event.
While the July event will have Hariprasad Swami, a saint from Swaminarayan's branch, and may have prominent religious leader Indira Betiji.
