index.js

var modules= require('modules');
var jquery = require(modules.jquery);
/// Do something with the jquery

modules.js

var bower = require('bower');

//I want to get the list of the modules synchronously in the next statement, am not sure if this is possible
var modulesList =  bower.commands.list({

});

var toReturn = <Create a MAP of the modules>;

module.exports = toReturn;