Jayanti Tamm
Assistant Professor of English | Movable Type Management
Toms River, NJ, UNITED STATES
Author of Cartwheels in a Sari: A Memoir of Growing Up Cult will inspire you to overcome adversities and create your own destiny.
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Biography
From the time of her birth, Jayanti Tamm, was declared the chosen disciple in the cult of Guru Sri Chinmoy. Jayanti lived inside the confines of the Guru’s inner circle, shuttling between her family’s home, Sri Chinmoy’s Connecticut headquarters, and his ashram in Queens, New York.
Sri Chinmoy assigned Jayanti to court celebrities, infiltrate the United Nations, and find elephants for him to weight lift, all in an effort to transform the world. At the age of twenty-five, after multiple attempts to leave, she was permanently exiled from the group. Tamm chronicled her experiences in her critically acclaimed book Cartwheels in a Sari: A Memoir of Growing Up Cult published by Random House.
Jayanti was a Visiting Professor in Creative Writing in the MFA Program at Queens College, CUNY. She currently is a contributor to the Huffington Post and teaches creative writing and literature at Ocean County College.
She lives in New Jersey with her husband and two daughters where she is working on a novel.
Industry Expertise (4)
Religious Institutions
Education/Learning
Writing and Editing
Women
Areas of Expertise (9)
Creative Writing
Overcoming Adversity
Memoir
Religious Sects
Religious Fundamentalists
Self-Empowerment
Inspiration to Change One's Life
Cults
Cult Leadership
Accomplishments (3)
Author – Cartwheels in a Sari: A Memoir of Growing Up Cult (professional)
2010-12-07
Before her birth, Jayanti Tamm was prophesied to be the "Chosen One," by the guru Sri Chinmoy, a man who declared himself "God." Cartwheels in a Sari reveals the hidden world of growing up "cult" in mainstream America. With humor and provocative insight, Jayanti reveals the allure and illusion of cult life, and the struggle to control her own destiny while risking everything that she has ever known, including the person that she was ordained to be.
Assistant Professor of English – Ocean County College (professional)
Ocean County College, a public two-year community college sponsored by Ocean County and the State of New Jersey, provides area residents with the opportunity to benefit from higher education. Ocean County College aspires to be an institution of distinction where faculty and staff serve to awaken students to a love of learning. We foster educational innovation through effective teaching-learning strategies, designed to develop and nurture intentional learners who are informed and empowered.
Nominee – Pushcart Prize (professional)
In 2000, Jayanti was nominated for a Pushcart Prize, which is an American literary prize by Pushcart Press that honors the best "poetry, short fiction, essays or literary whatnot" published in the small presses over the previous year. The Pushcart Prize is the most honored literary project in America.
Education (2)
American University;: Master of Fine Arts, Creative Writing 2000
Queens College City University of New York: Bachelor of Arts, English 1997
Affiliations (5)
- Queens College City University of New York
- American University
- Ocean County College
- International Cultic Studies Association
- UCLA Extension Writers Program
Links (10)
- Personal Website
- Huffington Post Blog
- Under The Thumb Of Cult Leader Sri Chinmoy
- Public Lecture: Cartwheels in a Sari
- What Is A Cult? Recognizing And Avoiding Unhealthy Groups
- Review : Cartwheels in a Sari by Jayanti Tamm
- Book Club Discussion: Interview with Jayanti Tamm
- In Cults, a Darker Side of 1960s Rebellion
- How I Broke Free From Life in a Cult
- Darien Library Presents Jayanti Tamm
Testimonials (4)
Dale Spindel, Director | Kenilworth Public Library
I want to thank you again for joining us. Everyone was impressed, not only by your writing, but also by the way you were able to speak so beautifully and without rancor about your experiences growing up. This morning, my two co-workers who had attended last night still couldn't stop talking about it.
Mary Serughetti, Director of Educational Programs | Greenbriar Woods Education Programs
I wish I were really good with words, not to mention "well-crafted sentences," to adequately express my thanks for another wonderful presentation. Your lecture was, as always, so well organized but what we love most of all is your ability to connect with the audience. There are some presenters who are always our "favorites" and you are certainly among our top three choices. Kudos.
Kim Serpe, Coordinator of Honors English | John F. Kennedy High School, LI
I must say, there has been a buzz in the building since your visit. The students and staff (including me) found you absolutely captivating.
Arlene Sahraie, Director | BooksNJ Festival
Thank you from the bottom of my heart for making BooksNJ2011 such a magical day. And it was just that magical....words cannot convey our sincere gratitude for your generosity and good will. I am so thrilled that you could be part of our effort to bring readers and writers together!
Event Appearances (18)
Cartwheels in a Sari: A Memoir of Growing Up Cult
Darien Public Library Speaker Series Darien, Connecticut
Cartwheels in a Sari: A Memoir of Growing Up Cult
West Orange Public Library Event Series West Orange, New Jersey
Cartwheels in a Sari: A Memoir of Growing Up Cult
Byram Shubert Library Speaker Series Greenwich, Connecticut
Cartwheels in a Sari: A Memoir of Growing Up Cult
River Road Books Event Series Fair Haven, New Jersey
Cartwheels in a Sari: A Memoir of Growing Up Cult
Germ Books Event Series Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Cartwheels in a Sari: A Memoir of Growing Up Cult
SeaBrook Village Speaker Series Tinton Falls, New Jersey
Cartwheels in a Sari: A Memoir of Growing Up Cult
Penn Bookstore Reading Series Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Cartwheels in a Sari: A Memoir of Growing Up Cult
The Book Cove Reading Series Pawling, New York
Cartwheels in a Sari: A Memoir of Growing Up Cult
Monmouth County Library Headquarters Speaker Series Manalapan, New Jersey
Cartwheels in a Sari: A Memoir of Growing Up Cult
Freehold Boro Public Library Event Series Freehold, New Jersey
Cartwheels in a Sari: A Memoir of Growing Up Cult
Just Books Reading Series Greenwich, Connecticut
Cartwheels in a Sari: A Memoir of Growing Up Cult
Barnes & Noble Author Series Fresh Meadows, New Jersey
Cartwheels in a Sari: A Memoir of Growing Up Cult
Borders Bookstore Author Series Freehold, New Jersey
Cartwheels in a Sari: A Memoir of Growing Up Cult
Mercantile Library Speaker Series New York City
The Memior: Sharing Your Innermost Experiences For All The World To Read
BooksNJ 2011 Paramus, New Jersey
2011-06-12
Finding One's Own Path: From the Life of a Cult to a Full Life
International Cultic Studies Association Annual Conference New York, NY
2010-07-10
The Journey to One's Self
Brandeis Book and Author Luncheon Monroe, New Jersey
2011-10-24
Writing One's Life: From Inspiration to Publication
Rutgers University Book Club Author Lecture Rutgers University
2011-09-19
Sample Talks (3)
Writing One's Life: Sharing Your Innermost Experiences For All The World To Read
Writing a memoir requires taking great risks. The most effective memoirs plunge fearlessly into memory and expose what had once been concealed. That process demands shaping and reshaping memory to refine both the overt and subtle dimensions in order to transform it into a compelling narrative. To write one’s true story, we need to take full ownership of our past as well as our aesthetic strategy. My workshop provides a safe, nurturing forum where the risks will result in deep rewards.
Finding One's Own True Path: The Journey To Finding One's Self
Sharing her own extraordinary story of being born and raised as the 'Chosen One' in a cult, Jayanti Tamm inspires her audience to discover their own hidden courage and determination in order to find their own true path to happiness.
Cults: The Hidden Dangers
In a riveting retelling of her own experience of being born and raised in a cult in 'mainstream America,' Jayanti Tamm reveals rare insights into the appeal of cults and the powers of their manipulation. Often shocking and always engaging, this lecture provides an inside glimpse into a world most people will never know.
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- Keynote
- Moderator
- Panelist
- Workshop Leader
- Host/MC
- Author Appearance
- Corporate Training
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