Bit Feb 15 by Brisbane Indian Times

Indian Times

Brisbane

A Division of Qld Multicultural Times

AAP’s near-clean sweep of Delhi Volume 12, Number 5 Saturday, February 14, 2015

Print Post Approved PP:424022 1724

As God is One, we respect all Religions

Telephone: (07) 3865 6533 Fax: (07) 3865 5864 E-mail prod@indiantimes.com.au

• Article page 6.

om 25 top Choose fr from h ome loan lenders home

Buy N Sell

Our Service: • home and investment loans • car and personal loans • business and franchise loans • general and risk insurances

Call Gagan deep Tandon Tandon

1969 Logan Rd, Mt Gravatt.

P: 3349 3535 M: 0449 159 617

58 2 80 • gtandon@smartline.com.au 0425 425 1 158 280 www .smartline.com.au/gtandon www.smartline.com.au/gtandon

Australian Credit Licence Number 385325

From the Publisher WITH the February issue I am pleased to announce the launch of Australian Indian Radio, an extension of our media services. Australian Indian Radio (AIR) will be broadcast on the online platform and will be available on all internet enabled devices eg; Android, I phones, I pads, Smart TVs etc. Our focus will echo Brisbane Indian Times in terms of reporting, coverage and feel, a whole lot of upcoming events, current affairs, news and interviews. Within the first week of the launch we received favourable feedback, we have a long way to go and will be taking all the feedback into account, and as such we are fine tuning the programming schedule. Both our website have been professionally revamped, in redesigning our websites our young team’s biggest challenge was to convince us old school types that the young and bold design would appeal to the newer generation, tell you what it grew on us within days and we could see the light as

the saying goes. Very happy with the new design, thanks Rick. I must apologise to many important people who missed out on the launch, it was not the space rather the caterers, who would not allow any more people after a certain date. Normally if you send out one hundred invites you get back sixty confirmations, this has been our experience with our awards nights, but this time round we had over ninety confirmations, so we had a problem at our hands. I must thank everyone who made the time to be there, we had a good cross-section of community leaders, politicians, our team, tech support and advertisers. I must place on record the special effort of Ipswich Mayor Paul Pisasale for not only making the time but for beautiful plaque and certificate of appreciation presented to Brisbane Indian Times and Australian Indian Radio. Mrs Archana Singh, Honorary Counsel for India in Queensland,

Calamvale Market Place Shop 5A, 2605 Beaudesert Rd Cnr Nottingham Rd CALAMVALE Qld 4116

for formally launching Australian Indian Radio. Lord Mayor Graham Quirk for providing such a nice message. My good Friend, Mayoor Thakeria for the beautiful venue providing a night under the stars on the Sudima Brisbane roof top. Chiu Hing Chan and Hajji Sultan Deen for the welcome and MC duties, Garnishes Catering, Louis De Souza for the amazing photos, Pinal for the Video and Reena Augustine for assisting with the set up etc. My wife Usha Chandra, son Sanjay Chandra and Trudi Tarres for facilitation and all technical details, and introducing Rajani Chaudhary, the voice of Australian Indian Radio. Rajani has been God sent and has fitted right into the role, she posses a very pleasant and clear voice, her ability to translate from English to Hindi is second to none with excellent choice of words. As unusual I would have missed mentioning someone’s name so my apologies. We have already had so many people in the studio already for live recording, once again thanks everybody for the encouragement and support. On the community scene we attended many functions including the flag raising at Indian Consulate office for India’s Republic

day, as usual it was a pleasure to listen to not only Mrs Archana Singh but also Professor Sarva Daman Singh. Hindu Society of Queensland celebrated its anniversary amidst many citizen ceremonies, the night finished off with FICQ’s Indian Republic Day celebrations at Calamvale College. Brisbane was blessed with the visit of Ela Gandhi (granddaughter of Mahatma Gandhi), she did remember me from our last meeting in Durban South Africa during the 150th year celebration of Indian arrival day in South Africa. She went to the newly inaugurated Gandhi statue in Roma Street Parklands, following which she inspected the newly named Gandhi Inspiration Bridge in Springfield. Last function for the day the AIBC organised dinner reception in her favour at Salt and Pepper Restaurant. Lunar New Year celebrations have began, I am sure will be attending quite a few “Year of the Goat” celebrations. I would like to thank Ron Yap of Brisbane Chinese Lions for the first official celebration of “The year of Goat”. Until Next Month, Happy Reading. Umesh Chandra

where you get the best deals everytime!

Fiji - India - Pakistan Los Angeles - Auckland - London Cheapest fares available

for these and many more

destinations around the world OPENING HOURS

Mon-Fri: 9.00 - 5.00 Thurs: 9.00 - 7.00 Sat: 9.30 - 1.30

Please contact

JAVED RAHMAN Mobile: 0413 140 610 (Optus) 0433 212 907 (3 Phone)

Ph: (07) 3711 6040 Fax: (07) 3711 6141

Email: Javed.Rahman@bestdealtravel.com.au - Web: www.bestdealtravel.com.au Award Winning Agent - Select Group’s Top 5 Agents in Qld, Brisbane Indian Times Tourism Award 2006 & Southern Cross Galileo’s Most Improved Business of The Year

Inside

Indian Times Brisbane

Published Monthly OWNERS / PUBLISHERS: Umesh & Usha Chandra

A D ivi sio n of Qld Multi cultural Time s

• Letters to the Editor.......................2 • Migration Matters...........................4

ADVERTISING: Trudi Tarres EDITOR:

Trudi Tarres

• Local News.................................5-23 • Who, What, Where, When...26 & 28 • Health & Well Being................32-35 • Astrology...........................................36 • Real Estate................................37-39 • Business Directory.......................40-41 • Classifieds..........................................42 • What’s On................................48-49 • Bollywood & Entertainment...44-45 • Sport..........................................50-51

JOURNALIST/ CORRESPONDENTS Ram Jattan (UK) Thakur Ranjit Singh (NZ) Thilliar Varnakulasingham (NZ) Shalendra Prasad (Fiji) Dhaval Vyas (India) Rama Gaind (Canberra) ML. M. Nawaaz Ashrafi Imam Muhammad Aslam Sundar Gopal Das Yadavendra Das Pastor Joseph Dass Haji Abdul Rahman Deen Janeth Deen Jitendra Deo Mehraban Farahmand (Baha’i International)

2 - THE BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, February, 2015

Ajit K Shahi (Immigration Matters) Jatinder Kaur Vinaya Natarajan (Inspire - Prem Rawat) Peter Lane Rai Parth Raval Shobhana Shet (Spiritual Science Research Foundation) Gurjeet Singh Matt Young (Sport) Suite 5, 2281 Sandgate Road Boondall Qld 4034 TELEPHONE: (07) 3865 6533 FACSIMILE:(07) 3865 5864 E-MAIL: prod@indiantimes.com.au Subscriptions: 12 months $40.00 (incl GST) 6 months $24.00 (incl GST)

ADDRESS:

www.indiantimes.com.au

Brisbane Indian Times is a monthly newspaper published in English. No material, including advertisements designed by Brisbane Indian Times, may be reproduced in part or who without the written consent of the manager. Opinions carried in Brisbane Indian Times are those of the writers and not necessarily endorsed by Brisbane Indian Times. Brisbane Indian Times will not be held liable for any advertising / editorial content - Advertisers supply/approve content therefore should any content be deemed inappropriate it is the advertisers responsibility. While every effort has been made to capture the true likeness to colour printing is an art and therefore we cannot guarantee an exact matching of product to image. Refund / Credit is not given as a result of the previous mentioned. All correspondence should be addressed to: Brisbane Indian Times, PO Box 197, Taigum Qld 4018. PH: (07) 3865 6533 Fax: 3865 5864 prod@indiantimes.com.au

Call Trudi on 07 3865 6533

/($51 :(% '(6,*1 //( ($ $51 51 : :((% ' '(((6,* 6, * *1 1 21( '$< :25'35(66 :(% '(6,*1 &2856( 2856( 8 /HDUQ KRZ WR EXLOG D :RUGSUHVV ZHE VLWH VLWH VLWH GLVFRXQW IRU WZR RU PRUH &RXUV HV /RWV RI JUHDW ERQXVHV IRUWQ LJKWO\ ,PSURYH \RXU UHVXPH 6WDUW DQ RQOLQH EXVLQHVV ,QFOXGHV FHUWLILFDWH RI DWWDLQPHQW WUDQVFULSW W VFULSW L W WUDQ

:DON DZD\ ZLWK D ZHE VLWH WKDW \RX RZQ DQG PDQDJH QDJJHH

9LVLW OHDUQZHEGHVLJQ FRP DX RU FDOO

Is your home at risk of flooding? BCC7071-Q-FLOOD-BIT

Understand your flood risk with Brisbane City Council’s online flood awareness maps.

Be prepared for severe weather. For more on being prepared for flooding in Brisbane visit www.brisbane.qld.gov.au/beprepared or call Council on (07) 3403 8888.

Call Trudi on 07 3865 6533

www.indiantimes.com.au

THE BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, February, 2015 — 3

Migration Updates....

NSW State Sponsorship Nomination process in 2015 NSW is introducing a selection-based invitation process in 2015. This will be implemented from February 2015 onwards. Under the selection and invitation process for the State sponsorship program, prospective candidates can only apply for NSW nomination if they have been selected from SkillSelect and invited by NSW Trade & Investment. NSW will be sourcing and selecting candidates who have submitted an Expression of Interest (EOI) in SkillSelect and indicated that they wish to be considered for NSW nomination for a respective visa. The selection process will be competitive. NSW will rank candidates based on core criteria, which is: firstly, a candidate's DIBP points score, then their English ability, and then their skilled employment. Where candidates score the same on these core criteria at time of selection, they will be further ranked based on the date and time that there EOI was submitted in SkillSelect. The top-ranking candidates will be the first to be invited to apply and NSW will determine how many invitations are issued on an ongoing basis. Visit Naam Migration Australia on 0430926687 for occupations that are eligible for NSW nomination. Key steps for candidates To be considered for selection for NSW nomination, candidates simply need to submit an EOI in SkillSelect choosing respective state and eligible subclass according to individual points score. Between February and June 2015, NSW Trade & Investment will be selecting and inviting candidates to apply. Candidates who are invited to apply for NSW nomination will receive an invitation

4 — THE BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, February, 2015

www.indiantimes.com.au

by email and will have 14 days to apply for nomination. Call our expert team at Naam Migration Australia on 0430 926 687 and complete the process of Expression of Interest (EOI)We will ensure that you meet respective visa criteria and other legislative requirement of Migration Law. • Indicate interest for NSW nomination for eligible visa subclass. • If selected, you will receive a NSW invitation to apply for nomination • Invitations will be sent by email Candidates must submit an online application within 14 days of receiving the invitation to apply. Apply for NSW nomination and wait for the outcome - NSW nomination applications usually take 12 weeks to process. If nominated, you will receive a SkillSelect invitation to apply for the eligible subclass. Apply for the respective visa to Department of Immigration and Border Protection (DIBP) Lodge a visa application within 60 days of being nominated by NSW. • DIBP will advise you of the decision on your visa application. • If your visa is granted, move to NSW and commence your two-year commitment to live and work in NSW. This article is intended to provide general information on migration issues and does not constitute migration advice, and no responsibility is accepted by Ajit K Shahi or Naam Migration Australia for the accuracy of material appearing in Brisbane Indian Times. Ajit K Shahi MARN: 1174452

Call Trudi on 07 3865 6533

Exam, Clean, 2 X-Rays, Fluoride and a FREE Oral Health Pack

NO GAP or $99!* *This offer is only open to new patients at Dental Aspects, and includes item codes 011, 114, 121 and 022 only, which are to be completed in the same visit.

All New Dentures

15% OFF! DVA Patients Welcome

Call us now: (07) 3800 8899 or book online at

www.dentalaspects.com.au Dr Asmita Premsagar

BIT MARCH 2015 DEADLINES “Special Wedding Feature” ADVERT BOOKING 27 Feb / Editorial / Photo Submissions 2 March 2015 Email prod@indiantimes.com.au or call 07 3865 6533

3358 Mt Lindesay Hwy, Village Fair Shopping Centre, Regents Park 4118

Daily, one stop to Delhi*

*Brisbane Daily from 20 June 2015 and 5 times weekly now

New Airbus A330 aircraft

Friendly inflight service

PTVs in every seat in all classes

2 x 23 kg Economy baggage allowance

See your travel agent, call 1300 889 628 or visit www.csair.com.au Call Trudi on 07 3865 6533

www.indiantimes.com.au

THE BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, February, 2015 — 5

AAP’s near-clean sweep of Delhi From page 1 NEW DELHI, by now a veteran of successive electoral defeats, the Congress took comfort in the decimation of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the Delhi Assembly elections, but the repeated demonstration that parties other the Congress can defeat the BJP is bad news for the grand old party. Even in the Lok Sabha elections when the Narendra Modi wave swept the Congress away, regional leaders such as Mamata Banerjee, Naveen Patnaik and Jayalalithaa stood their ground. The Aam Aadmi Party has consolidated behind it a whole range of social groups that traditionally supported the Congress — the Dalits, the Muslims and the poor in general. “These sections feel that Congress can no longer protect their interest,” a party leader said. All the eight seats that the Congress had won in the 2013 Delhi elections were on the strength of minority votes, which did not stay with the party this time. The AAP’s near-clean sweep of Delhi would impact the Congress’s prospects of a comeback in Punjab. As it is the AAP had spoiled the Congress’s chances of tapping the anti-incumbency mood in Punjab during the Lok Sabha elections by winning four seats from the State and cornering about 24 per cent of the votes. “If we do not set our house in order in Punjab and resolve the factional war, we might as well concede since AAP in Delhi walked away with our votes,” was the refrain among Congress functionaries.

6 — THE BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, February, 2015

www.indiantimes.com.au

Even now, when the Congress is fighting for survival, the party is beset with factional problems; something evident in Delhi during the campaign which was barely visible in the face of the high decibel electioneering of the BJP and the AAP. In fact, the Congress went into the campaign without any organisational structure. All that the Delhi unit had was a Pradesh Congress Committee president Arvinder Singh. The inability of the Congress to stem the slide since the 2013 winter round of Assembly elections is frustrating a section of leaders who have been murmuring against the clique that surrounds party vicepresident Rahul Gandhi. Thinking of a nonGandhi leadership is a total no-no but the Delhi results saw a sporadic burst of slogan-shouting for bringing in “Priyanka [Vadra] to save the Congress.” Reacting to the manner Mr. Gandhi comes under attack after every electoral debacle, Congress leader Anil Shastri — whose son Adarsh Shastri won on an AAP ticket — said the entire party was responsible for the defeat and it was unfair to single out one person. “We have all become disconnected with the people.” This disconnect was further aggravated by the absence of an organisation in Delhi and, according to senior party leader P.C. Chacko, the big lesson for the Congress from AAP’s performance is that party work cannot be sporadic or election-driven. Having tried and failed to replicate the Kerala model of political work in Delhi just ahead of the polls, he stressed the need to constantly nurse party workers and work round-the-clock.

Call Trudi on 07 3865 6533

www.indiantimes.com.au

THE BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, February, 2015 — 7

Arya Pratinidhi Sabha of Qld...News

ADVER ADVERTISEMENT TISEMENT

a e d a ake. m I ist m

I’m rea I don’lly WORRIEd what t know . to do.

By Jitendra Deo, President APSQ

Patron appointed SABHA has recently appointed Justice Pandit Devendra Pathik (pictured) as the Patron of the Sabha. Pandit Pathik ji has served as the Patron of Arya Pratinidhi Sabha of Fiji for over 20 years. He brings with him lots of experience and his dedication towards the activities of Sabha is enormous. Pandit is a former Lawyer, Magistrate, High Court Judge and served in Fiji’s legal sector for over forty years. The Patron of the association is appointed each year and person is a distinguished person who is approved by the Management Committee. The President of the Sabha Mr Jitendra Deo welcomed the appointment and is grateful to have a person of such a high calibre guiding the Sabha in its future endeavours. Pandit Pathik Ji is also hold the title of 'Arya Ratna'.

My visa has expired... Talk to Immigration’s CSRS

Queensland Vedic Cultural Centre opens to Public

Get the right information.

Do something about your situation now.. Contact the Department of Immigration and Border Protection’s Community Status Resolution Service (CSRS ( ). We will give you correct information about your options,, answer your questions and connect you with other organisations for further assistance if needed.

Visit immi.gov.au/csrs or call anonymously on 1300 853 773 Authorised by the Australian Gover Government, nment, Capital Hill, Canberra.

8 — THE BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, February, 2015

THE Sabha has been preparing the centre so it could be used by members of public for Havan Yaj. The centre has basic facilities of Yajshalla (Havan Hall), kitchen and Restrooms. There is plenty of parking. The Sabha hold the Havan Yaj every Sunday from 2-4 pm and public is welcome to be part of it. The members of public now can perform Havan Yaj at the centre. The fee of $50 is required for use of centre facilities to cover operating costs. The Havan Kund, utensils are available for use as well. The Havan ingredients can be supplied if you are unable to get them. Mango sticks, Ghee, Samagri, Chamfor, etc is available at the centre as well for $25.00.

www.indiantimes.com.au

• Havan Yaj in progress at QVCC

The seating capacity of the Yajshalla (Havan Hall) is 100. You can contact Vice President Mrs Sushila Pathik for further information and bookings on 3314 6059.

Call Trudi on 07 3865 6533

www.indiantimes.com.au

THE BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, February, 2015 — 9

Mahatma Gandhi an inspiration for aspirational Brookwater

• Naren and Priya Sinnathamby.

THE recent civic dedication of a bridge to Gandhi’s inspiration which was quickly followed up by an unexpected visit to the site by his granddaughter Dr Ella Gandhi, has been welcomed by local residents including Brookwater’s growing Indian population. Council’s decision to name the 100 meter structure follows a similar dedication of a statue of Gandhi in Brisbane’s Roma Street Parkland during the G20 Summit, which was attended by India’s Prime Minister, Narendra Modi and a crowd of hundreds of fans who cheered loudly. Brookwater resident and Community Leader Naren Sinnathamby says the Ghandi Inspiration Bridge which connects the local business district to the iconic Robelle Domain Parklands, will become a prominent point of focus annually as plaques bearing the names of other inspirational people are added to the walk way over time. Robelle Domain routinely attracts thousands of visitors, community events and cultural activities including those involving the area’s many Indian residents. Most recently, it hosted the traditional Indian event of Pongal which was a great success and embraced by the Indian community and local residents alike. Naren says it’s that sense of real community that in some ways led to the idea of honouring Gandhi and his legacy to the world. “Gandhi-ji’s message was of peace and compassion, and by sticking to his beliefs, he was instrumental in bringing about independence to the

great land of India. Brookwater is all about community, and sharing his message of peace is so fitting for our community. Brookwater which is just 35 minutes from the Brisbane CBD is nestled around Brookwater Golf and Country Club, the Greg Norman designed and internationally acclaimed tournament grade golf course. Noted for its green and lush street landscaping and access to a huge array of retail, health and educational services Brookwater has a leading reputation for lifestyle and amenity. “Living in Brookwater is like living amongst your best friends every day.” says Naren, who has lived in the aspirational area for many years with his wife Priya. Naren has been a key figure in keeping the growing

and enthusiastic local community up-to-date with the area’s continuing rapid growth and prosperity. In 2014 it was announced that Brookwater would also soon be home to the Dusit Thani $550 million resort and facilities. “Luxury, safety and return on investment are things that we all look for when moving into a suburb we want to call home – Brookwater has all this and more and its just a few reasons why we are proud to call Brookwater home” he added. Brookwater’s latest offering which includes a limited number of large bush frontage homesites from $353,000 and designer home and land packages from $568,000. Visit www.brookwater.com.au for more information.

Your assumption about our ability to provide best rate and quality service could be wrong! Compare yourself!!

www.indiantimes.com.au

Call Trudi on 07 3865 6533

FOR SALE!

s r e h he th t o r B n a ndi Ind nt Restaurant Franchises available NOW!

LATEST LA ATEST NEWS! Welcome nno Para, South S W elcome to our news panel. Our new restaurant in Munno Australia ontinued support across is now open and going gangbusters. Great also to see continued Waterford SE Queensland with new restaurants open at W aterford West West and Morningside. Our loyalty program continues to grow with over 3,500 customers now enjoying special discounts and the great taste of Indian Brothers.

New Opportunities... W ant to open your own Indian Brothers Restaurant? Call now Want now,, we have existing sites in SE Queensland and new sites interstate. If I you have relatives down south who are looking to start their own business, let them know about this great opportunity opportunity..

Not all food franchises ar aree the same. The Indian Brothers system has been built from the ground up to comply with the Franchising Code of Conduct in Australia. Complying with the code is mandatory and provides protection for There’ss safety in a system! both the franchisor and franchisee. There’

Is your food franchise compliant? If you are thinking about buying a franchise, speak to the team at Indian brothers. As members of the Franchising Council of Australia we have a reliable system you can trust.

Email: franchis franchising@indianbrothers.com.au in ng@indianbrothers.com..au or call now for de details d etails Mike on 0488 777 2 277

Call Trudi on 07 3865 6533

Love the tast

www.indiantimes.com.au

Enqu Enquire uire now for best locations ons Mission Ayr Miss ion Beach, Cooparoo, A yr and Ipswich!

THE BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, February, 2015 — 11

Australia-India day celebrated majestically by Federation of Indian Communities of Queensland By Prakruthi Mysore Gururaj Public Relations Officer - FICQ. IT WAS one of the most spectacular moments when Australian National Anthem and Indian National Anthem played in conjunction on 26th January which happens to be the nation’s formation day of both the countries at Calamvale Community College auditorium, Hamish Road, Calamvale. The time was frozen for a moment with pride and passion for each of the country by the Queenslanders. The event was indeed majestically presented with elite guest speakers who spoke high on the collaborative relationship between the two countries that was one part way back when it was a Pangaea or Pangea. Pangea was a supercontinent that was formed approximately 300 million years ago and then began to break apart after about 100 million years. The dignitaries present in the celebration of AustraliaIndia day were Mr Anthony Shorten MP, representing the Premier of Queensland, Ms Freya Ostapowich, MP representing Hon. Minister for Multi-cultural affairs, Mr Glen Elmes, Hon. Senator Clare Moore, Representing Federal Opposition Leader Bill Shorten and her other guests, Queensland Police Commissioner Mr Ian Stewart, Cr Ms Angela Owen Taylor, representing Lord Mayor Graham Quirk. Aunty Delmae Barton, Hon. Consulate of India, Mrs Archana Singh, FICQ co-patrons, Dr. Naidu Bodapati, Mr Surendra Prasad, OEM, Mr Serge, Mrs Voloschenko, Mrs Annette and Mr Lovell from ECCQ, Mr Umesh Chandra, GOPIO International EC member and GOPIO Oceania coordinator, Mr Shyam Das, Past President of GOPIO

12 — THE BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, February, 2015

Queensland, Mrs Usha Chandra and Mr Robin Jagessar, Vice-Presidents of GOPIO Queensland. Presidents and EC members of all FICQ member organisations and other community organisations. The President of FICQ, Prof. Prasad Yarlagadda, in his speech quoted that “it’s a day for us to reflect on the vibrant multicultural country we share and also the day to reflect on what we have achieved and what we can be proud of in our great nations. Let’s celebrate all the great things about Australia, our people, land, diversity, sense of a fair go, lifestyle, democracy and the freedoms we all enjoy. Australia Day is a day to reflect on our national journey: acknowledge our past, rejoice in the present and look confidently to our future.” He also added that “Recent visit of our Prime Minister Hon. Tony Abbott to India and also visit of Hon. Mr Narendra Modi, Prime Minister Republic of India to

www.indiantimes.com.au

Australia, strengthen our bilateral relationships. In addition number of Premiers of different states of Australia and various other senior diplomats visited India in the past one year lead to strong economic partnership and great collaboration in number of sectors. Today, as in the past, both India and Australia are working side by side to address pressing global challenges, to enhance economic partnership, from countering violent extremism and fighting the spread of Ebola to bolstering our economies and creating jobs” The event flowed flawlessly with a perfect blend of speeches and cultural program. It’s essential to say that this would have not been possible without the sheer commitment and hard work from FICQ Executive Committee members. All starts well and ends well is a perfect quote to acknowledge this event. Prof. Prasad, during his recent visit to India between Dec 2014 - Jan 2015, was invited to attend PBD (Pravasi Bharatiya Divas) that is held annually. Please visit Theindiandiaspora.com to read his interview that has published in one of the popular news papers. Readers can find more about FICQ at our website, http://www.ficq.org.au/

Call Trudi on 07 3865 6533

www.indiantimes.com.au

THE BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, February, 2015 — 13

Queensland Indian Community bids H.E. Biren Nanda farewell

QUEENSLAND Indian Community farewelled H.E. Biren Nanda at a dinner function held on Monday 19th January at Augustines on George, Brisbane. Prominent Queensland Businessmen and community leaders attended the farewell dinner. At the function, Mr Nanda was remembered as a man of vision, whose initiatives will take the India – Australia relationships into a new era. His achievements on many issues were remembered particularly the Uranium deal signed as a landmark for Indian energy sector. A successful visit of Indian Prime Minister Mr Narendra Modi, to Australia and addressing both houses of the Australian Parliament, organising Regional Pravasi Bharatiya Diwas in Sydney and creation of many more opportunities to promote business between both nations. Mr Nanda had been The High Commissioner of the Republic of India to the Government of the Commonwealth of Australia since April 26, 2012. Upon completion of his Post Graduation in Economics from the Delhi School of Economics, Mr Biren Nanda joined the Indian Foreign Service in 1978. Mr Nanda has previously served as a diplo-

The Mahatma’s Granddaughter Ela Gandhi in Brisbane

mat in Indian Missions in Singapore, Beijing, Shanghai, Washington, D.C, Tokyo and Jakarta. He was the Consul General of India in Shanghai from 1996-2000, Deputy Chief of Mission in the Embassy of India in Tokyo from 2000-2004 and Ambassador of India in the Republic of Indonesia from 2008-2012. Prior to taking up his assignment in Jakarta, Mr. Nanda was the Head of the Division in the Ministry of External Affairs which looks after relations between India and countries of Southeast Asia and the Pacific. Mr Nanda is married to Mrs Rukmani Nanda and has one son.

Indian Republic Day celebrated

NEW DELHI, India, celebrated its 66th Republic Day on 26th January, 2015 with great pride and honour and invited 44th president of United States, Barack Obama as a chief guest for the prestigious republic day parade. In Brisbane this historic day was once again observed at Indian Consulate office at 9am sharp. After the flag Raising both Indian and Australian National Anthems were sung. Honorary Consul for India in Queensland, Mrs Archana Singh delivered a beautiful speech on the occasion, to the delight of all present. Ex Honorary Consul for India in Queensland Professor Sarva Daman Singh also spoke. Light refreshments were made available to all present. Republic Day honours the date on which the Constitution of India came into force on 26 January 1950 replacing the Government of India Act (1935) as the governing document of India The Constitution was passed by the Constituent Assembly of India on 26 November 1949 but was adopted on 26 January 1950 with a democratic government system, completing the country’s transition toward becoming an independent republic. 26 January was selected for this purpose because it was this day in 1930 when the Declaration of Indian Independence (Purna Swaraj) was proclaimed by the Indian National Congress.. India achieved independence from British rule on 15 August 1947 following the Indian independence movement noted for largely peaceful nonviolent resistance and civil disobedience led by Mahatma Gandhi. The independence came through the Indian Independence Act 1947 (10 & 11 Geo 6 c 30), an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that partitioned British India into the two new independent Dominions of the British Commonwealth (later Commonwealth of Nations): India and Pakistan. India obtained its independence on 15 August

14 — THE BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, February, 2015

Ms Gandhi, visited Brisbane on 1st February, during a AIBC facilitated function. She visited Mahatma Gandhi Statue at Roma Street Parklands where she was met by Gandhi statue committee members and Lord Mayor Graham Quirk. After laying flowers at the statue, she accompanied Jim Varghese, chairperson of Gandhi Statue committee to Springfield, where she was met by Ipswich Mayor Paul Pisasale. Together they visited the newly named Mahatma Gandhi Inspirational Bridge. Her Brisbane Trip concluded with a dinner reception held at Salt and Pepper restaurant. During his valedictory speech chairperson Jim Varghese declared that he was dissolving the Gandhi statue committee as both the projects that the committee had been set for had been successfully delivered.

He further said that should there be a need for such a committee in the future it could be then convened. He thanked everyone for their support. Ms Gandhi has spent her life as the custodian of Mahatma Gandhi’s legacy in South Africa, as well as the caretaker of Gandhi’s farm known as the Phoenix Settlement. In 1893, Mahatma Gandhi arrived in South Africa as a young attorney looking to launch his legal career. However, after he experienced a traumatic incident of racial discrimination in Pietermaritzburg, he dedicated himself to the pursuit of social justice and equal rights. During the 21 years he lived in South Africa, he founded Phoenix Settlement, a communal ashram that served 1947 as a constitutional monarchy with George VI as head of state and the Earl Mountbatten as governor-general. The country, though, did not yet have a permanent constitution; instead its laws were based on the modified colonial Government of India Act 1935. On 28 August 1947, the Drafting Committee was appointed to draft a permanent constitution, with Dr B R Ambedkar as chairman. While India’s Independence Day celebrates its freedom from British Rule, the Republic Day celebrates of coming into force of its constitution. A draft constitution was prepared by the committee and submitted to the Assembly on 4 November 1947. The Assembly met, in sessions open to public, for 166 days, spread over a period of 2 years, 11 months and 18 days before adopting the Constitution. After many deliberations and some modifications, the 308 members of the Assembly signed two handwritten copies of the document (one each in Hindi and English) on 24 January 1950. Two days later, it came into effect throughout the nation.

www.indiantimes.com.au

as the location for much of his socio-political and spiritual work. When Gandhi returned to India to join the Freedom Struggle he left behind his son, and Ela’s father, Manilal Gandhi, to run the Phoenix Settlement and edit the Indian Opinion newspaper that his father founded in 1903. Of her grandfather, Ela Gandhi, recalls “He had time for me as a granddaughter and listened to me seriously.” Her grandfather went on to inspire world leaders such as Martin Luther King and Nelson Mandela, as well as ordinary citizens of the world. During South Africa’s struggle against apartheid, Ela Gandhi spent nine years under house arrest. Today, she is a prominent peace activist and served as a Member of Parliament in South Africa from 19942004. In 2007, she was conferred the Padma Bhushan award from the Government of India, which is India’s third highest civilian award.

The main Republic Day celebration is held in the national capital, New Delhi, at the Rajpath before the President of India. On this day, ceremonious parades take place at the Rajpath, which are performed as a tribute to India. In 2014, on the occasion of the 65th Republic Day, the Protocol Department of the Government of Maharashtra held its first parade on the lines of the Delhi Republic Day parade along the entire stretch of Marine Drive in Mumbai Delhi Republic Day parade is held in the capital, New Delhi, from the Raisina Hill near the Rashtrapati Bhavan (the President’s residence), along the Rajpath, past India Gate. Prior to its commencement, the Prime Minister lays a floral wreath at the Amar Jawan Jyoti, a memorial to martyred soldiers at the India Gate at one end of Rajpath, which is followed by two minutes silence in the memory of them. It is a solemn reminder of the sacrifice of the martyrs who died for the country in the freedom movement and the succeeding wars for the defence of sovereignty of the country. Call Trudi on 07 3865 6533

Call Trudi on 07 3865 6533

www.indiantimes.com.au

THE BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, February, 2015 — 15

The loss of a great Queenslander r Nick Xynias AO BEM, one of M Queensland’s Greats passed away peacefully at his home after a short illness. He was aged 82. Mr Xynias is survived by his wife Cleopatra, four children, their partners and five grandchildren. Prior to his death on Sunday afternoon Mr. Xynias was Honorary President and Volunteer Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of The Ethnic Communities Council of Queensland Limited, which includes Berlasco Court Nursing Home and Diversicare. ECCQ Ltd Chairperson, Agnes Whiten AOM has said “ Nick was my dear friend, someone who I admired enormously and a man who was dedicated to serving those Queenslanders from Culturally and Linguistically Diverse backgrounds” I will feel his loss for the rest of my life. It is such a sad day for his family and for everyone who knew Nick”. Born in Egypt to Greek parents, Nick Xynias migrated to Queensland in 1956 and ran a successful business until he retired in 1994. In 1960 he became involved with, and led, many community associations and in 1976 he co-founded ECCQ Ltd and had served on its board, including as Chairman for a many of those years. He had been a member of the: Ethnic Affairs Advisory Council; Commonwealth Migrant Consulting Council; Queensland Aboriginal Reconciliation Council; Queensland Multicultural Coordinating Committee; Department of Ethnic Affairs Ministerial Advisory Committee; Migrant Consultative Council of the Departments of Social Security and Education, Employment & Training; Centenary of Federation Queensland Committee; Queensland Commemorative Events & Celebrations Committee (chair); Lord Mayor of Brisbane’s Multicultural Business Round Table (chair); Responsible Gambling Advisory Committee; Jupiter’s Casino Community Benefit Fund trustee; Queensland Police Academy Committee and many more. Nick was awarded by the Queen with the British Empire Medal (BEM) in 1982, the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in 1995, and in 2001 he was made an Officer

of the Order of Australia. In 2004 he was named one of five Queensland Greats and in 2008 he was named Brisbane’s Senior Citizen of the Year. He also received the Millennium Award in 2000. He was recently appointed to the Queensland Advisory Committee for the Commemoration of the ANZAC Centenary by Glen Elmes, Minister for Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander and Multicultural Affairs and Minister Assisting the Premier. He was also appointed by the Premier to sit on the recently-established Queensland Multicultural Roundtable. “Nick Xynias had devoted an enormous amount of time and energy over a number of decades to establish and maintain “avenues” for individuals from culturally and Linguistically Diverse backgrounds to access services in Queensland. Nick’s work helped hundreds, if not thousands of people every year. He will be sorely missed” Ms Whiten said. The funeral service for Nick Xynias was attended by the who’s who of the Multicultural community, Peter Beattie, Campbell Newman, Lord Mayor Graham Quirk, Police commissioner Ian Stewart, Anastacia Palaszczuk, many other elected representatives, members of various multicultural associations and community leaders. The service was held in a traditional manner sans speeches. To pay their last respect people stood in line for over an hour. Queensland Police service had patrolled the front of The Greek Club and Greek Orthodox Church on Edmonstone Street, South Brisbane.

A Bridge to Inspiration in Robelle Domain A 110 metre footbridge linking Greater Springfield’s CBD to Robelle Domain parklands has been officially dedicated to the inspiration of Mahatma Gandhi. The official opening was held on January 30th, the local school choir sang the Australian National anthem and Usha Chandra led the Indian National Anthem assisted by Manju Jehu and Shyam Das. Civic and multi-denominational religious leaders joined members of the Indian community and many residents for the moving occasion. Gandhi famously led India’s peaceful revolution against imperial British rule after World War Two. His teachings about thinking about the greater good continue to move the world to this day. Be the change you want to see in the world’ a prominent saying of Gandhi’s was a theme for the event. “I recently spoke with India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is a great proponent of Gandhi’s teachings. Modi has been urging the world to adopt a peaceful approach to negotiations in the spirit of Gandhi and was very pleased that a statue in Brisbane City and a bridge here in Greater Springfield have now been dedicated.” said Maha Sinnathamby, Chairman of Springfield Land Corporation.

Daridra Niwaran Yug MAHALAKSHMI Maha Yagna was held at Vishnu Maya Mandir on Sunday 25th January. Fifty one Havan Kunds were set in a specially erected area between priest residence and the new temple being erected. This special havan was very significant, Dharam Guru Pundit Triptahi Ji recited one thousand names of Mahalakshmi for the havan. This havan is very auspicious as it involves invoking Ganapathy, remover of obstacles and Mahalakshmi, goddess of wealth and prosperity, to start the New Year. Ganesh removes the obstacles in our path and Lakshmi 16 — THE BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, February, 2015

grants us the prosperity we aspire for. Mahalakshmi, though she is thought to be the goddess of material wealth, she is also the goddess of spiritual wealth and prosperity. Understanding the ultimate purpose of life, Oneness with the Supreme Being, is the purpose of all life on earth, and Mahalakshmi grants us progress and wealth of knowledge in understanding this path. Dharam Guru Pujya Pundit TripathiJi said “Taking part in this havan gives success, abundance, good luck and prosperity. Mahalakshmi Maha havan also is said to bring peace www.indiantimes.com.au

Gandhi’s granddaughter Dr Ella Gandhi, herself a world famous politician and women’s rights activist has also paid a visit to the bridge, thankful to all for revering the great man. The Gandhi Inspiration Bridge will become an annual focus and dedication point over time for also honouring Queenslanders and other individuals who have inspired others to the greater good. Chairperson of Gandhi Statue committee, Jim Varghese said that an annual Salt March will become a major tourist attraction he envisages the march to start from Mahatma Gandhi Inspirational Bridge and finish off at Gandhi Statue in Roma Street Parklands, so in essence from one park to another.

in work place and home. It is indeed a wonderful opportunity to start the New Year with blessings to bring material and spiritual prosperity, and peace in life”. Umesh Chandra welcomed everyone at the Havan at the beginning of the proceedings. A large number of devotees turned out to be part of this very special occasion. The new temple building is progressing well; many obstacles have been overcome to get it to this stage in a very progressive manner. Everyone’s support is sort for the successful completion of the project, support can in cash or kind every little bit will help. The valuable contribution of many volunteers is recognised, these volunteers tirelessly facilitate all the functions by cooking, cleaning, serving food, designing flyers, singing the bhajans etc. Indeed fortunate are the ones who get the opportunity to serve in a temple. Call Trudi on 07 3865 6533

Call Trudi on 07 3865 6533

www.indiantimes.com.au

THE BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, February, 2015 — 17

Queensland election 2015: Record number of informal votes lodged, Electoral Commission says

Hindu Society of Queensland turns 24 HINDU Society of Queensland celebrated its 24th anniversary of 26th January 2015 at Gayatri Mandir, 178 Lyndhurst Road Boondall. The main pooja and Havan was conducted by Pundit Sanat Pandey. Bhajans and Jhanda Bhadhan (Flag Raising) was also part of the celebration on the day. Lunch and prasad was served to all attending. Hindu Society of Queensland has made a remarkable progress in the twenty four years of existence. They observe all major Hindu festivals; they have been able to pay off two properties within this time, the first property is where the current Mandir

is; 178 Lyndhurst Road and the second one is a vacant lot on Bracken Ridge Road, both the properties are completely paid off. The society takes part in many community functions, President Prakash Shandil heads the current committee and they have notified Brisbane Indian community of all their major events including Diwali in advance. Apart from all major Hindu festivals, the Mandir is open every Tuesday night without fail for individual poojas, the Tuesday group have convening Tuesday night prayers every Tuesday night and features Ramayana Katha.

A RECORD number of informal votes have been lodged in the January 31 state election, the Electoral Commission of Queensland (ECQ) says The latest figures show 56,100 Queenslanders voted informally, a figure that is expected to grow as counting continues. That compared with 53,797 informal votes lodged in 2012 and 46,908 in 2009. Counting in the 2015 poll is still underway, with the Labor Party on track to win 44 seats and hoping to form a minority government with the support of independent MP Peter Wellington. By Tuesday night (10 Feb), the ECQ had formally declared the result in 35 of Queensland’s 89 electorates. ECQ spokesman Carrick Brough said they hoped to declare another 30 seats on Wednesday (11 Feb) and have all seats declared by Thursday or Friday (13 Feb). He said the ECQ had received 306,000 postal votes by the 6:00pm Tuesday deadline for their return. “Postal votes can very much determine the outcome in some seats,” Mr Brough said. Informal vote count ‘a concern for major parties’ Dr Tracey Arklay from Griffith University’s Centre for Governance and Public Policy said the number of informal votes was disappointing, and that most of them would have been lodged deliberately. “It’s very difficult to cast an informal vote unless you want to do so,” she said. “If you number one box but shade other boxes, your vote is still cast as a formal valid vote.

If they had all cast a valid vote, perhaps we might have a clearer majority one way or the other. Dr Tracey Arklay, Griffith University. “That many informal votes suggest there is a lot of disenfranchised people out there who not only don’t see either of the major parties working for them, but also don’t consider voting for independents or minor parties.” Dr Arklay said it was clearly a message political parties needed to take on board. “The fact that so many people in this election chose not to influence the decision in any way is a concern,” she said. “If they had all cast a valid vote, perhaps we might have a clearer majority one way or the other. “Whether they wrote messages or drew funny faces or put an unmarked ballot paper in the ballot box is something that I’m sure there will be a report on, but we won’t know who these people are.” This information was correct at the time of publication.

Robb: Austalia India trade ties closer than ever

TRADE and Investment Minister Andrew Robb said on 16 January Australia and India were on the cusp of a new dawn in their commercial relationship as he officially wrapped up Australia Business Week in India (ABWI), a week-long roadshow designed to boost trade and investment between the two countries. "There is something special going on in India. The enormous vision of Prime Minister Modi has excited many people. Australia is looking forward to being a part of this very important period in India's reemergence as a significant power," Mr Robb said. Mr Robb had a series of high-level government meetings including with Prime Minister Modi, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and a number of other senior ministers. He has been leading a trade mission to India of more than 450 Australian business leaders, including Rio Tinto chief Sam Walsh, Woodside CEO Peter Coleman and Hancock Prospecting chair Gina Rinehart. ABWI visited eight cities including Mumbai, Delhi, Chandigarh and Kolkata. "This high-level delegation has shown the Indian business community that Australians are willing, as we would say, to put skin in the game," Mr Robb said. "This visit has been an important step towards unlocking the vast untapped potential in the relationship between our countries. "We have seen a number of deals this week in a variety of sectors building the business bonds between Australia and India," he said. This has included agreements between Woodside and the Adani Group on LNG supply, Wollongong University and Pandit Deendayal Petroleum University on mining excellence, the National Australia Bank and the State Bank of India and the SAE Institute and Reliance Media in the film sector. Mr Robb used the visit to meet a number of Indian business leaders, including the Adani Group’s Gautum Adani, Mukesh Ambani, from Reliance Industries, and Tata

Consulting chief Natarajan Chandrasekaran. He also welcomed Mr Walsh as Australian co-chair and Mr Adani as the Indian co-chair of a revitalised Australia India CEO Forum. "Our top business leaders will be critical to the success of this relationship. I'm confident they're up to the task of building trade and investment, which will create jobs and increase prosperity for the people of our countries," Mr Robb said. Mr Robb welcomed the strong reiteration from Prime Minister Modi of his commitment to finalising a comprehensive bilateral trade agreement by the end of this year. "I will keep coming back to India to ensure we get our negotiations over the line this year. This is a key priority for both our Prime Ministers," he said. During ABWI, Mr Robb attended Gala Receptions in both Delhi and • Minister for Trade and Investment Andrew Robb meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Mumbai showcasing the best of He also attended Vibrant Gujarat 2015 and and the CII Global Partnership Summit. Australian tourism and premium food and the CII Australia-India Business Summit wine.

Reporting violent extremism online THE Government has launched the Report Online Extremism tool of the Living Safe Together website for people to report illegal or offensive extremist material they find online. This will create new opportunities for law enforcement and intelligence agencies to investigate violent extremist online content, including pictures and videos reported to them by the public. It is illegal to use social media to make threats to kill or cause serious harm to another person and, following the Government’s recent reforms,

18 — THE BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, February, 2015

to advocate terrorism. Extremist material and illegal content that is found online will be assessed by authorities who will take action, such as taking down sites if hosted in Australia or prosecuting people if crimes have been committed. If the reported material is hosted on an international site, it may be sent to international partners and Interpol, or raised directly with service providers such as Facebook and YouTube. The Report Online Extremism tool complements the $545 million committed over four years www.indiantimes.com.au

to social cohesion, education and employment initiatives. The tool is part of the Government’s Countering Violent Extremism targeted intervention programme. This programme identifies radicalised and at risk people and delivers a range of tailored services such as mentoring, counselling, education and employment services, that will help them turn away from ideologies of violence and hate. The online environment is being used as a propaganda tool by terrorist organisations which have become increasingly

sophisticated in their use of social media to recruit vulnerable people. Young Australians are being targeted online by terrorist groups like ISIL and this is one important way for communities to work with the Government to challenge their destructive messages. The online form to report extremist and illegal content is available at www.report extremism.livingsafetogether. gov.au Call Trudi on 07 3865 6533

isbane... ris Bri i Brisbane... fast in kfa reakf Breakfast B ... he tth on the ..Lunch on ....Lunch lh Delhi i Delhi ..Diinner in ....Dinner

Brisbane - India - Brisbane Fares to India Starting From

icket from Brisbane to India Through TTicket Fly via Sydney/Melbourne to India with Qantas-Air India or Virgin Australia-Air India

wance Allowance 30 Kg Baggage Allo Now you can avail 30kg check-in baggage allowance when travelling in economy class between Brisbane-India-Brisbane.

Daily Non-Stop Fly the only non-stop carrier between India and Australia.

Boeing 787 Dreamliner Enjoy the luxuries of the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most advanced aircraf t and emerge with lesser fatigue.

ree Onward domestic connections FFree Fly onward at no extra cost between Delhi and

CALL 1800

any one of nine Indian cities: Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Chandigarh, Thiruvanthapuram, Kochi or Kozhikode.

Onward domestic connections at a nominal cost Fly onward at $25 (one way) between Delhi and any RQH RI Ă&#x20AC;I WHHQ ,QGLDQ FLWLHV 9DGRGDUD -DLSXU 3XQH Varanasi, Udaipur, Lucknow, Goa, Coimbatore, Vishakhapatnam, Indore, Nagpur, Guwahati, %KXEDQHVZDU 5DQFKL RU 3DWQD Fly onward at $50 (one way) between Delhi and any one of twenty three Indian cities: Amritsar, $KPHGDEDG 0DQJDORUH 0DGXUDL -DPQDJDU 5DMNRW $XUDQJDEDG -DPPX 6ULQDJDU /HK 9LMD\DZDGD Raipur, Tirupati, Khajuraho, Aizawl, Dibrugarh, Dimapur, Agar tala, Imphal, Silchar, Agra, Bhopal, or -RGKSXU

63 46 247 4 NDIA AIR IINDIA

Or log on to www.airindia.in for more details. Melbourne: (03) 8391 3319/ 3320 / 3321 Sydney: (02) 9283 3370 / 4016 / 4017 / 4020 Email to mel.reservation@airindia.in or syd.reservation@airindia.in t 31st October 2015. Conditions apply. Validity 16th Feb 2015 to *Sale upto 16th February 2015. Travel Va

Call Trudi on 07 3865 6533

www.indiantimes.com.au

THE BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, February, 2015 â&#x20AC;&#x201D; 19

Emotional bond with Ancestral land

THE call of Ancestral land sees Umesh Chandra going back to his Ancestral and very historic town of Khetri, Rajasthan every year. While the family had been in contact for a long time and visits were frequent, the trips became quite regular from 2010 which marked the centenary of departure of Lt Meena Ram Saini (Umesh Chandra’s Dadaji-grandfather) from Khetri. Khetri was the second largest Thikana in Jaipur State. The rulers of Khetri belonged to Shekhawat sub-clan (Bhojraj Ji Ka subsub-clan) of Kachawa dynasty of Jaipur. The king of Khetri Maharaja Ajit Singh of Khetri gave name of Swami Vivekananda, to Narendra. The saffron turban and clothes

was given to swamiji by Raja Ajit Singh. King also helped Swamiji financially for going to Chicago Dharma Samellan, from where swamiji got publicity worldwide.

Raja Khet Singh Nirban of NirbanChauhan Rajput clan founded the town, later this town was conquered by Shekhawat Rajputs and awarded to Thakur Kishan Singh Ji by his father Maharao Shardul Singh Ji of Jhunjhunu. Khetri is also a part of Panchpana. Raja Ajit Singh Shekhawat of Khetri was a far sighted and wise ruler, he built many forts, palaces and temples. Swami Vivekanand was also a close friend of Raja Ajit Singh. A statue of Swami Vivekanand is installed on a street roundabout of Khetri as memorial. Raja Sardar Singh was the last titular Raja of Khetri. Khetri Nagar has a multicultural ambience due to people from all states coming in and working in the copper project. Khetri also has a centre of Ramakrishna Mission, and this centre is active in philanthropic activities in this town and nearby villages for long time. Umesh Chandra declared during the centenary celebrations that the family will endeavour to hold an annual function in

20 — THE BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, February, 2015

Khetri, the main function would be a Kavi Samellan (Poetry Festival) and the secondary function would be a cricket carnival for the youngsters. These events are usually held in January, to

event is inaugurated by SwamiJi from the Vedanta mission. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi had visited Khetri during his election campaign, he twitted that he was pleased to visit the historic Town of

coincide with the annual PBD which always happens on 9th January the day that Mahatma Gandhi had returned to India from South Africa. This year three events were organised the

Khetri. On January 12th Dr Pranay Pandya, current head of AWGP (All World Gayatri Pariwar) also visited Khetri and held a joint function with Vedanta Society at the same Polo

first one was a Bhajan Sandhya on 2nd on January, this was in memory of Umesh Chandra’s mum who passed away in New Zealand in November 2013. The small group of very talented musicians and singers conducted the bhajans for around three hours. The second event on 3rd January was the one day cricket match held in the Polo grounds of Khetri. The youngsters really look forward to this event, I must say the local compeer is amazing, he makes the match sound very interesting and is a pleasure to listen to. Apart from the cash prizes and trophies each and every players gets Australian chocolate as a treat. The third and the main function is the Kavi Sammellan (Poetry fest) once again held in the polo grounds of Khetri. The event has grown significantly over the years; it is a much anticipated event in Khetri’s annual calendar. Every year a new group of poets are sought under the leadership of Harish Hindustani who is a local boy. The

grounds. Unfortunately I could not stay for that very important event, as I had to be in Ahmadabad for Vibrant Gujrat and PBD. Our association with AWGP goes back around forty years. My Cousin Dinesh Kumar Saini is the main organiser of the event and is ably supported by the Gopal Saini and Gopal Patrkar who is the local reporter for Rajasthan Patrika. Rajasthan Patrika covered the events three days in a row and the local TV channel had run on line news of the function.

www.indiantimes.com.au

Call Trudi on 07 3865 6533

www.indiantimes.com.au

THE BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, February, 2015 — 21

PBD 2015, Destination Ahmadabad....

THE news that PBD 2015 would be held in Ahmadabad came as no surprise to GOPIO members. The news came via MOIA source to the delegates at the twenty fifth anniversary GOPIO convention being held in Trinidad. PBD 2015 would piggy back on annual Vibrant Gujrat. GOPIO International and other organisations scheduled their conferences and function as well. So Ahmadabad was a busy little place from January 5th till 14th. Mahatma Mandir the venue for PBD 2015 is in Gandhi Nagar, roughly forty minutes drive from Ahmadabad. The newly built venue is world class and very big. Ahmadabad was abuzz with activities despite being a declared dry city. All hotels

were fully booked, hire cars were hard to get unless of course you had a prior booking. Despite all these things moved pretty smoothly, the cultural items and dinners were at far away venues which were a logistics nightmare. The venues themselves were very good and the cultural items were second to none, just the time it took to get to the venues from Mahatma Mandir and then from the venues back to your respective hotels. Overall both the events were very successful and managed well considering the numbers, it has definitely put Ahmadabad on the radars of many first time visitors. The following articles I have chosen for our publication.

Youth Pravasi Bharatiya Divas showcased India’s rich cultural and traditional heritage GANDHINAGAR (Gujarat), January 7, 2015: Young Indian NRIs have made India proud the world over and have contributed not only to their own well-being but have helped in the growth of many countries with their untiring and sincere hard work. This was stated here today by Mr Pradeepsinh Bhagwatsinh Jadeja, Minister of Law and Justice, Devsthan, Pilgrimage Development, Co-ordination of Voluntary Organizations, Non-resident Gujaratis Division, Protocol and Legislative and Parliamentary Affairs, Government of Gujarat, at the Plenary Session 1: ‘Bharat Ko Jano’ on Indian Diaspora Youth –Linkage with Traditions, Culture and Philosophy at the Youth Pravasi Bharatiya Divas. Mr Jadeja said that it was during the time when Bharat Ratna awardee, Mr Atal Bihari Vajpayee was the Prime Minister of India that the spread of knowledge on Indian culture began. Indian culture speaks of ‘Ek Bharat, Shreshth Bharat’ and the incumbent Prime Minister of India Mr. Narendra Modi is taking the legacy forward with his call

for ‘Make in India’ and ‘Skill India’. Speaking about the rich culture of Gujarat, he said that Gujarat was a vibrant state, which has a very rich tradition and ancient history. He added that in many countries a

well-groomed person is known by his clothes but in India a person is known for the richness of character. In his introductory address, the chairperson of the session, Prof. Lokesh Chandra, President, Indian

Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR), said that the culture of India was the most precious identity of the country. He focused on India’s rich culture and traditions and emphasized on its importance by referring to numerous ancient tales. Prof. Chandra read many verses from historical literature and the young audience in thrall by spotlighting the amazing cultural legacy of the nation. Dr. Nirmala Sharma, Art Historian and Professor, International Academy of Indian Culture, said that India has had a rich tradition and philosophy and has contributed to various fields of art and culture. Gujarat, she said, was the land of five jewels and ancient sites and civilisation which contributed to the development of other heritages. In their presentation, Mr. D K Hari and Mrs. Hema Hari, Founders, Bharath Gyan, highlighted the big five elements –Iron & Steel, Zinc, Cotton, Indigo and Sugar & Spice- that India was known for in ancient times. The duo said that India was once a popular destination for renowned explorers who came in search for India to explore its rich offerings.

‘Girmityas’ need to strengthen bonds, exchange ideas and be CSR missionaries GANDHINAGAR (Gujarat), January 9, 2015. The PBD session on Girmityas was chaired by Mr Shyam Parande, Secretary General, Antar-rashtiya Sahyog Parishad, India. The other eminent panellists were: Ms Usha Dwarka Canabady, Prof Gopal Arora, Professor, University of Delhi, and Amb R Dayakar, Chaiman, Diaspora Affairs Committee, Antar-Rashtiya Sahyog Parishad,India. The session focussed on the history of Girmityas. Migration in search of better opportunities is a natural phenomenon. Soon after the abandonment of slavery in Africa there was a need to find workers who were trained agricultural labourers to work in places like Mauritius, Fiji, and Trinidad and Tobago etc. Sugar plantations were important for the economy. On the other hand, industrialisation had killed the labour oriented textile and other village art were on the verge of perishing. People were famished and in need for work to sustain families. A new concept of indentured labour or agreement labour was conceptualised. The uneducated Indian farmer who could not understand or speak in English termed it ‘Girmityas’. There was movement of labour from East UP, West Bihar, Tamil Nadu travelling to the foreign lands under an agreement. These people were promised a lot but on the contrary were made to work under inhumane circumstances. The panellists unanimously agreed that the Girmityas have bonded together across the world by little things like the National Anthem etc. However to keep this bond strong, they needed to work together, exchange ideas, be CSR missionaries to India and conduct

exchange programmes. The need was felt to involve the young Diaspora and make them aware of their country of origin through the ‘Know India Programme’. It was proposed that through FICCI, they could explore to have an annual convention of the Girmityas from around the world on the side-lines of Pravasi Bharatiya Divas. He added that skill development can be a huge area of partnership between India and its Diaspora and felt that the Indian government should have more active communication with the Indian Diaspora. Mr D Natrajan, President, Indian Social and Cultural Centre (ISCC), Abu Dhabitalking about the center’s activities in Abu Dhabi said that the Indian Social and Cultural Centre meets the socio-cultural needs of the Indian diaspora in the country and conducts many events to enhance cultural outreach of India. He added that ISCC is a pan India platform and seeks to provide

22 — THE BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, February, 2015

unconditional support to Indians. Mr Natrajan gave the assurance that the people belonging to the Indian Diaspora in Abu Dhabi would carry the message of good governance of the Government of India and will always be there for the cause of nation’s welfare.

www.indiantimes.com.au

Mr Ashook Ramasaran, President, Global Organization of People of Indian Origin (GOPIO) International said that the Indian Diaspora Organizations have been totally transformed over the years and are playing the role of advocacy and lobbying bodies in countries where they serve. Over the next decade GOPIO will have to play a significant role by engaging in social and Economic issues, be constructive contributors, be a part of the fabric of the society and engage more deeply with political leadership. Mr Munish Gupta, Chairman, PIO TV Ltd Global Organization of People of Indian Origin(GOPIO) Malaysia said that there is something very unique about the 13th Pravasi Bharti Diwas – it has seen huge participation of the younger generation, a much more diverse crowd and of course the presence of some great leaders and mentors who have been our shining light. He felt that the connect between Indians and the Indian diaspora is growing and we have never seen such real embracing of Pravasis in India. He added that the Indian Diaspora Organizations need to decipher, devise strategies of working together in future. Mr Selvarajoo Sundaram, Chairman, Global Organization of People of Indian Origin (GOPIO) Malaysia said that GOPIO has managed to become a very effective body over the past few decades. He added that the PIO global movement is 30 years old and in the next run we need to formulate new and more dynamic ideas. We need to collaborate together to evolve a much stronger PIO movement. India’s global community is very strong and it is ready to stand by India as a partner. Call Trudi on 07 3865 6533

Call Trudi on 07 3865 6533

www.indiantimes.com.au

THE BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, February, 2015 — 23

Air launched under the stars

ustralian Indian Radio was launched under the stars on the roof top of Brisbane Sudima Suites on January 29th. Australian Indian Radio in an extension of Brisbane Indian Times and will compliment the successful publication. There is so much happening in and around Brisbane and so much to report on.

Umesh Chandra, has personal experience in radio since 2005, he was introduced to radio by Manju Jehu. In 2005 Umesh had gone into the studios of radio 4EB for a promotional interview of Brisbane Indian Times Multicultural Business and community awards night. Manju Jehu asked Umesh Chandra to stay for the entire duration of the show which used to be a complete hour in those days. After the program Manju Jehu said “your Hindi is not bad, would you be interested in coming in next week”, Umesh Chandra obliged, and with Manju Jehu’s guidance, he slowly worked his way up, form studio guest to assistant presenter, then with experience and training acquiring the broadcasters’ licence and becoming a full broadcaster and presenter. After becoming a full presenter and until 2014 Umesh Chandra has presented most number of shows within Indian

Programming group. He had served as the group secretary for a number of years and is currently the Vice convenor of Indian Programming Group and has been appointed a director on the Board of Radio 4EB. Umesh has also been presenting the Bollywood show on Redcliffe’s community station “Your Better Mix 99.7” the show was shelved in 2014 due to lack of Government funding or sponsorship. The show was very popular and was acknowledged by the station as one of the best produced show. With the introduction of the digital channel of Radio 4EB, the Bollywood show was shifted to Global Digital and it airs every Friday from 7pm till 9pm. Umesh’s interest in the Audio Video field goes well before the first radio interview at radio 4EB, he ran a successful video production company back home (Chandra’s Video Production) and on migrating to Australia, he completed a diploma in film and television production from the Film and Television academy in Sydney. Obviously being in the field Umesh was often approached to start a

radio station, he was reluctant until now. With the introduction of the digital technology, the horizon expanded and so emerged Australian Indian Radio, “Colouring the Digital Airways” The official launch date had to be changed due to the state elections, the short official ceremony was held on the roof top of Brisbane Sudima Suites. The event received favourable response in a very short span of time. Hajji Sultan Deen, who has supported Brisbane Indian Times and the Brisbane Indian Times Multicultural Awards welcomed everyone at Australian Indian Radio Launch and passed on the welcome to Chiu Hing Chan, the MC for the night, Chiu Hing Chan sits on the QCAT tribunal and is the chairperson of

24 — THE BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, February, 2015

• Photo’s Louis Photography - 0418 711 806.

White Ribbon Queensland committee amongst other things. Mrs Archana Singh, Honorary Counsel for India in Queensland, officially launched Australian Indian Radio by unveiling a special plaque, the first one of two that would bear her name within twenty four hours, the second one was at Gandhi Inspirational Bridge in Springfield. Umesh Chandra thanked everyone for coming and apologised that they could not fit any more people due to the catering restric-

tions. Ipswich Mayor Paul Pisasale presented a beautiful plaque and a framed certificate of appreciation to Brisbane Indian Times and

www.indiantimes.com.au

Australian Indian Radio for their continued service to the community. Guests included representatives of GOPIO, FICQ, AIBC, Qld Sanatan, IPG Radio 4EB, Queensland Trade, Springfield Land Corporation, Brisbane City Council, Ipswich City Council and Qld Government. In-house team, Trudi Tarres, Rajani Chaudhary, Sanjay Chandra and Usha Chandra were the main facilitators of the event. The new voice of Australian Indian Radio, Rajani Chaudhary moved a vote of thanks. Mayoor Thakeria of Sudima suites graciously provided the magnificent venue and the catering was taken care of by Garnishes Catering. Australian Indian Radio is now online, twenty four seven, it can be received on any internet enabled device, and via Bluetooth (if equipped) connectivity it can be connected to a car audio system. Australian Indian Radio can be received via “Tunein” a free app which can be downloaded from “Apple store” or “Google Play”, you can also listen in by visiting www.indianradio.net.au. The schedule of twenty four seven program is under constant review to accommodate requests from community members wishing to host specialty programs. As usual your valuable feedback is always welcome.

Call Trudi on 07 3865 6533

www.indiantimes.com.au

THE BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, February, 2015 — 25

Who, What, Where, When

• Above: The main organising committee of the Stumps Hotel & BSK Cricket Club Ipswich Harmony T20 Cricket tournament at the finals on Sunday 18 January at Ivor Marsden Cricket Oval, Amberley. • Right: Winners of the Stumps Hotel & BSK Cricket Club Ipswich Harmony T20 Cricket tournament, Indian Mehfil team...Stumps.

• The flag raising ceremony at Hindu Society of Queenslands Anniversary celebrations, pictured right Pundit Sanat Pandey who officiated the prayers and havan ceremony.

• Pundit Tripathiji blessing Dr Ramita Sharma and her two daughters during Mahalakshmi havan at Vishnu Mayar Mandir. The family travelled from Rockhampton for this special occasion.

• Mayor Paul Pisasale and invited guests at the presentation ceremony of Stumps Hotel & BSK Cricket Club Ipswich Harmony T20 Cricket tournament.

• One of the many families who took part in the Mahalakshmi havan at Vishnu Mayar Mandir, 86 Scotts Lane, North Maclean.

• Indian Seniors Citizen Association Inc celebrated their Christmas function at the Nemies Road hall. The function was very successful with guest speakers and lots of games. The food was very delicious, everyone enjoyed the day with lots of music and raffle prizes - A very nice way to farewell 2014. Looking forward to 2015 with great ideas. Photo courtesy Roshni Sharma.

• Mr N K Sharma (Proprietor of Sharmas Taxis & Tours of Nadi Fiji) celebrated his 80th Birthday at their residence in Sunnybank Hills with his only daughter Roshni Sharma & Grandkids Rohit, Vedkrita & Praneet together with very close family and friends from Auckland, Fiji, Melbourne, Sydney & Brisbane. Prayer on a Friday night followed by Chivas Regal party on Saturday night with Indian seniors Citizens. Photo courtesy Roshni Sharma.

26 — THE BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, February, 2015

www.indiantimes.com.au

• The annual Mahotsavam (Kodiyetram) Thiruvila (festival) was held at the New Zealand Thirumurugan Temple, located at 145 Church Street, Otahuhu, Auckland, New Zealand starting from Sunday, 25th January, 2015. The Kodiyetram Utsavam (flag hoisting function) took place at 10.00 am. on 25th January, 2015. A very large crowd of devotees attended the Kodiyetram Utsavam with a view to getting the blessings of Lord Muruga. Photo Thilliar Varnakulasingham.

Call Trudi on 07 3865 6533

www.indiantimes.com.au

THE BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, February, 2015 — 27

Who, What, Where, When

• The opening night of China’s Grand Phoenix Opera at the Brisbane Convention and Entertainment Centre on 30 January. The opening night was attended by many officially invited dignataries includ- • Member of the Sikh community of Brisbane with Brisbane Mayor Graham Quirk at a fundraising function at Landmark Restaurant at Sunnybank. ing Lord Mayor Graham Quirk and Des Power of APSA.

Krish weds Sharnelle....

• The pre-wedding dinner to celebrate the wedding of Krish Sharma and Sharnelle Kube was held on 23 January at Sitar Indian Restaraunt at Albion.

The couple was wed on 24 January at Grace Lutheran College Chapel, Rothwell. The wedding ceremony was attended by close family, friends and guests from overseas and interstate. The reception was held at Centenary Lakes Function Centre, Caboolture. The night included speeches, dinner and dance.

Members of Sant Nirankari Mission (universal brotherhood) welcomed His Holiness Satguru Baba Hardev Singhji Maharaj at Greek Church Hall on Tuesday 3rd February. The organisation promotes Global peace, love, oneness and harmony. Honorary Counsel for India in Queensland Mrs Archana Singh was amongst the invited guests who joined in the congregation in a very well coordinated and uplifting function.

28 — THE BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, February, 2015

• Part of the gathering at the Indian Consulate Office, Swann Road, Taringa on the occasion of India’s Republic Day Flag Raising Ceremony. • Right: The presence of Michael Maat and Shalini Singh from the Cross Cultural Unit of QPS was acknowledged.

• Honor unto whom honor is due’ is an adage that is appropriate and befitting to the Arts and Literature Cirlcle Trust New Zealand (Inc) for organizing Pongal Vizha (Tamil Harvest Festival) with a program of 16 events that kept the audience engrossed and spellbound from start to finish. To mark their 1oth anniversary, the New Zealand Arts and Literature Circle produced a ‘ Pongal Vizha Malar’ consisting of research articles and poems depicting Tamil culture and traditions. The characters, plot, setting and symbolism of the drama are excellent. The organizers, well -wishers and participants deserve great praise for making the function a very great success.Photo’s courtesy Thilliar Varnakulasingham www.indiantimes.com.au

Call Trudi on 07 3865 6533

www.indiantimes.com.au

THE BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, February, 2015 — 29

Commemoration of the Birth of the Holy Prophet Muhammed (S.A.W.S) “Maulood-un-Nabi” By Haji Shahban Ali Senior Vice-President Islamic Society of Queensland THE birth of the Holy Prophet Muhammed SAW is a very auspicious occasion for the Muslim fraternity. It is not only a historic occasion for the followers of Islamic faith, whose present population is estimated to be around two billion, but the entire mankind as the Holy Quran says, “we sent thee not save as a mercy to the nations” Verse 21:107 Muslims all around the world commemorate his birth, life and teachings. Here in Australia, talks and lectures are given by learned scholars who have spent years of research on this subject. Urdu and Arabic poems are also recited praising the prophet for his name means “the one who is to be praised”. These scholars and poets are either locals or come from interstate or overseas because of their knowledge and experience. • Maulood-un- Nabi at Rochedale Mosque. All the programs start with the recitation of the Holy Quran and end with the salutation on the Prophet followed by supplication to Allah. In Brisbane, some Islamic societies and Mosques had their own gatherings. Prominent among them were the Islamic Society of Eight Mile Plains and Islamic Society of Queensland who had their function at Rochdale Mosque. This was followed by Islamic Society of Algester at Islamic College of Brisbane Hall and the Al-Mustapha Islamic Institute in collaboration with Minhajul Quran International, Brisbane branch at the Community Centre, Wineglass Drive at Hillcrest. In spite of all the criticism and condemnation that is levelled at Islam, it is the fastest growing religion in the world today. It is due to the global “Islamization” that the present • Maulood-un -Nabi at Al-Mustapha Islamic Institute.

day Europe, America and Great Britain are worried as to the implication it will have on their future generations. Presently, this is a great topic of discussion in the programs of British Broadcasting Corporation covering Europe as well. Islam is a religion which deals not only with the ways of devotion and the means which make man attain communion with God, but also with a vast variety of problems relating to the world around us and questions that pertain to the social and political life of man. It has been the most misunderstood religion since time immemorial because of its many misguided interpretations and paranoia that the term “Islamophobia” has been coined. This goes to prove beyond any reasonable doubt that the Prophet has to be someone of a very charismatic character and personality who with his magnetic touch transformed peoples mind towards the truth and universality of Islam. If a small minority of misguided followers perpetrate atrocious activities in the name of Islam it does not mean that the majority are misguided as well. The two good examples are the infamous “Boko Haram” group in Nigeria and the ISIS who are plundering, looting and killing innocent people. They are even forcing nonMuslims to accept Islam. These are not acts of humanity, nor are they accepted by any sane follower of Islam. It is very clearly stated in Quran that there is no compulsion in religion and if anyone kills an innocent human being it is as if he has killed the entire humanity. So it is wrong to call the perpetrators of these heinous crimes as Muslims and the Islamic leaders and scholars speak of this almost every day. They have always maintained that Islam is a religion of peace and tolerance.

The Great Indian Ride...

enced biker, conducting tour within India and an advenBy Stuart Ball turous off road rider. Together we will be setting upon an Founder THE GREAT INDIAN RIDE epic ride starting in the Kashmir Himalayan north and heading south to Cape Comorin, the most southern point of India. This is going to be tough! Stuart relays, “Crossing the vast Australian Outback is always tough, demanding and exhausting! But from our efforts as a team we have managed to raise over $150,000 for Australian charities. I have dreamed about a big charity ride in India for some years now and I feel it is time to venture abroad and bring a little of the GAR magic to India. I am thankful that I have met Buddhi and I look forward to working with him on this venture. India is a magical country that never sleeps. A land of history, their culture that spans more than 4,500 years, with extreme diversity and spectacular tradition. This will be a dangerous, demanding and certainly an unpredictable ride. But then, nothing of any true value comes easy and I look forward to experiencing all of Mother India’s delights.” This ride will be upon the Royal Enfield 500cc Bullet and covey over 30 days covering 5500km of some of the most treacherous mountain passes in Asia including The Khardung Pass, the world’s highest motorable road at 5602 metres. Heading south we stop to view thousand year old temples 950 AD, ancient forts of Rajasthan, monasteries and palaces including the beautiful Taj Mahal, India’s pride. Then we meet the sacred Ganges, India’s main spiritual and religious artery, sacred to millions of Hindus who believe that to bathe in its water is to be absolved of all sins, and to be cremated on its banks and have one’s ashes immersed in its waters ensures salvation of the soul. We stay at Rishikesh, a pilgrimage town and the starting point of the holy Char Dham pilgrim route. The early evening daily We l c o m e Aarti prayer ceremony takes place where thousands of Adventurers, tiny oil lamps are lit and set adrift on the waters of the I AM excited to holy river Ganges. Continuing onto the varied landscape release our next of Maharashtra, resting at Nagpur (The Orange City, one challenge, THE for the KTM lovers), situated on the banks on the Nag GREAT INDIAN River, Nagpur lies at the dead centre of the country with RIDE...A north to south the Zero Mile marker indicating the geographical centre expedition of India! This of India. And no trip to India would be without visiting will be a huge 30 day adven- The Kanha National Park, the setting for Rudyard ture that will truly test the core Kipling’s famous The Jungle Book to see the Tigers! character of any rider. This I can’t wait for, it will be exhilarating to be up close After conquering Australia and completing his 4th Great and personal with the Bengal Tiger. Then if I survive the Australian Ride (www.thegreataustralianride.com) Stuart Tigers bit….we’ll be passing Kerala’s vast expanse of Ball will team up with Buddhi from Motorcycle paddy fields, neat little hamlets lines up along either side Expeditions who was born in Manali on the of the canals that I am told are amazing panoramic sights lower ranges of the Himalayas. Buddhi’s a very experi- that one can never forget! The Chinese fishing nets, the 30 — THE BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, February, 2015

www.indiantimes.com.au

reminiscent of a past trade links and overnight on a houseboat. Finally to ride into India’s tail tip, Cape Camorin, to be greeted by the three great seas, Arabian Sea, Indian Ocean and The Bay of Bengal. (This is just a brief itinerary of the ride and obviously there are many more great places, national parks, towns and bustling cities that the ride passes through.) As this is the 1st year of THE GREAT INDIAN RIDE we will develop and make changes accordingly to the nature of the ride. The ride is set for the 15th Sept 2015. And I am excited to say that we have made some amazing connections with thousands of riders, expressing their interest in joining us on this epic journey. Primarily this ride is a charity ride and so our main objective to raise funds and awareness for our chosen charity. It has been a long process, considering many worthy charities within India to donate too. I believe Plan India to be an extremely worthwhile cause, and I look forward to help raise funds to develop and maintain support for many years to come for our children’s future. Plan India is an Indian NGO working to improve the lives of disadvantaged children, their families and communities through an approach that puts children at the centre of community development. Since 1979, Plan India have been working with partners to help children access their rights to proper healthcare, basic education, and healthy environment, protection from abuse and exploitation and participation in decisions that affect their lives. Plan India currently works in 13 states in India, across 5400 communities and has touched the lives of over a million children. http://planindia.org/ The Great Indian Ride will visit Plan India locations along the 5,500km route. “It will be a humbling experience to visit different locations and see 1st hand how Plan India works. Our aim is to make the ride into an annual charity event like The Great Australian Ride, each year increasing our circles and donation tally. It’s a wonderful and very rewarding feeling to be involved in helping schools, hospitals and orphanages. I am thrilled to be part of this venture and I promise to pour my building skills, knowledge and energy into TGIR whole heartedly. I hope our actions will inspire other riders across the world to come to India and join TGIR in Adventure, Peace and Freedom, Happy travels.” For a rider to join the Team they must raise a minimum of $1000 Australian Dollar to Activate their Adventures Riders Ticket. Funds raised will be donated to Plan India and also help to build a school in north India. If you would like to help and make a small donation, please click on the link below. http://www.gofundme.com/iodrqk?fb_action_ids=102004 25133066599&fb_action_types=og.shares&fb_ref=fb_d_ m_i3 Our Facebook page is https://www.facebook.com/thegreatindianride/timeline As always, happy travels Stuart Ball - Founder - THE GREAT INDIAN RIDE Call Trudi on 07 3865 6533

Charity to Orphans in Islam Prepared by: Imam M. Aslam

“All the praises and thanks be to Allah, the All-Provider without limits, the Most Generous, the Bestower, and peace and blessings of Allah be upon Prophet Muhammad and his family and companions. Life’s grief and pleasures are of different degrees. Some are little and last only for a few hours. Others are grave and last for a long time! These are some of the pains which are lived by some people who have been gulping their bitterness for a long time! It is the bitterness found by the deprived and the weak who have tasted the bitterness of life before tasting its sweetness! Do you know who are those deprived? They are: (the orphans); those young who have lost their breadwinners before knowing bread! Those young who have lost their paterfamilias before knowing how to fly! This is the orphan who is distressed by the death of his father before tasting the sweetness of fatherhood and before feeling the protection of this strong hand! Brother: have you known now who the orphan is?! This is the orphan, O you with the kind heart. What is our duty, then, towards him?! Charity to the orphan is a noble virtue. Islam urges for the virtues and the nobilities of morality. One of the noble moralities is: the charity to orphans. The orphan is the neediest to righteousness and charity. He has lost his father while he mostly needed him, so he needs righteousness and charity. If you see a man who is merciful to orphans, you should know that he is of noble natures and good moralities. As-Sâ’ib Ibn Abdullah, may Allah be pleased with him, entered upon the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him. The Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said to him: “O Sâ’ib! Look into your morals according to which you used to behave in the pre-Islamic period and establish them in Islam. Entertain your guests, be generous towards the orphans and be charitable to your neighbour” [Reported by Ahmed and Al-Haythami said: its men are the men of the Sahih (authentic)]. In the tradition: it was narrated about Prophet Dawûd (David), peace be upon him, that he has said: “be to the orphan as a merciful father” [Reported by Al-Bukhâri in Al-Adab Al-Mufrid (the Unique Behaviour), its chain is authenticated by Al-Albani] My brothers: Mercy and charity to the orphan, as mentioned, are the moral constitutions of the high-minded. They are adopted by only a noble, virtuous and benevolent man. Abdullah Ibn ‘Umar, may Allah be pleased with them both, used not to eat food unless there was an orphan eating with him on the table! O brother, let’s be that benevolent, the gentle who is seeking to be charitable to orphans, and wipe their tears by your hands and money, and bring joy into their hearts. Know that if you succeed in that, you are, then, lucky and deserve the title of (the man of the noble manner). To he who wants to accompany the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, in Paradise. My dear brothers: Entering Paradise is the most valuable thing; then how about accompanying the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, in it? This is a degree that can be reached only by those who are charitable to orphans. The Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, has said: “I and the one who looks after an orphan and provides for him will be like this in Paradise,” showing his middle and index fingers and separating them a little” [Reported by Al-Bukhari] Imam Ibn Battâl, may Allah have mercy on him, said: “It is worthy of him who has heard this Hadith to act according to it in order to accompany the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, in Paradise. And there is no rank better than this rank in the Hereafter”. Al-Hafiz Ibn Hajar, may Allah have mercy on him, said: “It is sufficient to confirm the closeness of the degree to the other degree is that there is no other finger between the Call Trudi on 07 3865 6533

middle and index fingers” My brother: Have you perceived the result of being charitable and merciful to an orphan? Where are you from such goodness? If you are among the well-to-do, have you ever thought about providing for an orphan to accompany the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, in Paradise?! It is not a must for providing for an orphan to be wealthy. However, he who joins an orphan to him and let him eat and drink from his food and drinking achieves such degree. The Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, has said: “he who joins an orphan among Muslims in his food and drink until that he can provide for himself; verily he is assured to enter Paradise” [AlAlbani said: authentic due to its multiplicity of ways] O you who are keen on what will benefit him, if you have the opportunity to sponsor an orphan, do not waste it… even if your soul is unwilling or rejecting. Consider the reward of he who sponsors an orphan… Do you not like to be a companion to the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, in Paradise? Be generous to the orphan so your heart will soften and you will achieve your needs! If you complain from heart hardness, charity to the orphan is a reason to soften the heart. This is a remedy recommended by he who has been sent with guidance and righteousness, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him. Abu Ad-Darda’, may Allah be pleased with him, said: “a man who was complaining from heart hardness came to the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him. He said: “Do you like your heart to be soft and you meet your needs? Be merciful to an orphan. Rub his head and feed him from your food, your heart will be soft and you will meet your needs.” [Authenticated by Al-Albani] My Muslim brother: Verily, mercy to orphans is a reason to soften hearts and to meet needs! The one who is merciful to an orphan has replaced his father. A father is naturally merciful and compassionate for his children. And he who is merciful to an orphan has acquired an additional character; which is: being merciful to someone who is not his offspring! He who does that gathers in his heart the reasons of softening heart whatever hard his heart is! There is no doubt that this is a tested remedy. There is no one who treats an orphan nobly but that who has a soft heart. On the contrary, no one is unmerciful to orphans but that he has a hardened heart and bad temper! There is another benefit from the charity to orphans told by the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, to the man who asked him, which is; charity to orphans is a reason for meeting needs and achieving the desired. There is no doubt that Allah Almighty will not waste him who is benevolent to the children of others and who brings joy to their hearts. Allah Almighty is merciful and He loves everyone who is merciful. The Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, has said: “The Compassionate One has mercy on those who are merciful. If you show mercy to those who are on the earth, He Who is in the heaven will show mercy to you.” [Reported by Abu Dawud and At-Tirmidhi, My Muslim brother: Be merciful to orphans so that Allah will make good your affairs in this worldly life and in the Hereafter. Beware of the property of orphans: If the orphan has money, his custodian must fear Allah in it... You, who Allah has made you a custodian to an orphan, beware of being unjust to his right! This is Hellfire! Allah Almighty threatens those who unjustly usurp the property of orphans. Listen to this stern warning: {Verily, those who unjustly eat up the property of orphans, they eat up only fire into their bellies, and they will be burnt in the blazing Fire!} [Surat An-Nisâ’ 4:10] As-Saddi, may Allah have mercy on him, said: “If a man unjustly usurps the property of an orphan, he is to be resurrected in the

Day of Resurrection with the flame of fire coming out from his mouth, ears, nose and eyes. He will be known by everyone who sees him by the usurper of the property of the orphan”. My Muslim brother: This verse is sufficient to deter every unjust aggressor of the money of orphans. And which disgrace is greater than entering Hellfire?! He who wants safety has to escape from approaching the property of the orphans. If he is tested by any, he has to fear Allah in it and not to be unjust to their owners; otherwise he is to be in a great danger! Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, said: “When Allah Glorified and exalted revealed the verse: {And come not near to the orphan’s property except to improve it, until he attains the age of full strength. And fulfil (every) covenant. Verily, the covenant will be questioned about.} [Surat Al-Isrâ’ 17:34], And: {Verily, those who unjustly eat up the property of orphans,} [Surat An-Nisâ’ 4:10], Transliteration: Inna allatheena yakuloona amwala alyatama thulman He who had an orphan in his house hurried and separated their food from his and their drink from his. The food of the orphan was kept for him till he eats it or gets spoiled. This was severe for them. They mentioned that to the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, so Allah Glorified and Exalted has revealed the verse: {And they ask you concerning orphans. Say: “The best thing is to work honestly in their property, and if you mix your affairs with theirs, then they are your brothers.} [Surat Al-Baqarah 2:220] The Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, recommended Abu Dharr, may Allah be pleased with him, by saying: “O Abu Dharr, I find that you are weak and I like for you what I like for myself. Do not rule over (even) two persons and do not manage the property of an orphan.” [Reported by Muslim] When the orphan reaches the age of puberty; and sound judgment and righteousness are known from him, his property is to be given to him without being wronged about it a bit. Allah Almighty has said: {And try orphans (as regards their intelligence) until they reach the age of marriage; if then you find sound judgment in them, release their property to them, but consume it not wastefully and hastily fearing that they should grow up} [Surat An-Nisâ’ 4:6] Allah Almighty has ordered us to release their money to them when they reach the age of puberty and sound judgment and righteousness are known from them. The custodian should not usurp the property of the orphan before attaining his puberty in order not to be asked for it. My brother: You know that usurping orphans’ money is one of the greatest sins that throw one into Hellfire! Do not ever be one of the aggressors of orphan’s money if you are one of those who look after it. Below is a wonderful example that reflects the condition of the pious in dealing with orphans’ money. Az-Zubair Ibn Al-’Awwam, may Allah be pleased with him, was a custodian to seven of the offspring of the companions including: ‘Uthman, Ibn Mas’ud and AbdulRahman, may Allah be pleased with them. Az-Zubair, may Allah be pleased with him, used to spend on the inheritors from his own money while preserving theirs! Ponder, may Allah guide you and me, on the determination of such noble master. He is not satisfied for himself but with the highest of degrees. So, Allah has been pleased with him and with all the rest chaste companions of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him. How to be charitable to orphans? My brother: charity to orphans may be in many ways, each of which can be identified as charity. It includes: Feeding, dressing and providing for his necessary needs; the merit of it has been mentioned above. It includes: Rubbing his head and making him feel the mercy and compassion; this has great effect on the psychology of the orphan. Ibn ‘Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, upon seeing an orphan, he used to rub his

www.indiantimes.com.au

head and to give him any thing (that brings joy to his heart). It includes: Spending money on his education and learning, as one is careful to teach their son. It includes: Sincerity in upbringing him as one does their son. It includes: Compassion in disciplining him, if he committed an act that requires discipline. It includes: Fearing Allah in the orphan’s money, if he has any. He should not waste it in order not to be asked for it when the orphan becomes of age. He, otherwise, should preserve it so that he gives the orphan his money when he becomes of age. The stern warning against unjustly eating up the property of orphans has been mentioned above. It includes: The sincere investment of his money in order that it will not all be spent in alms giving. These are some of the forms of the charity to orphans. Charity to orphans is not limited to specific people. Each Muslim is being addressed to do that, as he is being addressed for doing good actions and righteous deeds. When Allah Almighty knows the sincere intent of a man, He helps him in performing every good deed. Therefore, brother, observe doing righteous deeds even by intending that in your heart, so when the opportunity comes, you perform good deeds. There is no one more helpless than a man who cannot entertain the intention of performing righteous deeds! To every Muslim My Muslim brother: Despite of being a noble manner and called for by Islam; charity to orphans is done only by those who have merciful hearts and noble selves. The Muslim society is a society which is tied by the noble instructions called for by Islam. It is the society which has been described by the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, in such a marvellous description: “You see the believers as regards their being merciful among themselves and showing love among themselves and being kind, as resembling one body, so that, if any part of the body is not well then the whole body shares the sleeplessness and fever with it.” [Reported by Al-Bukhari] This is a description showing how the Muslim society should be like. The orphan is a part of this society; he has the same rights as others and has the same obligations. It is obligatory for all Muslims to be charitable and kind to him. They are to compensate him for the sympathy and compassion of parenthood. They are to exert for him the same they do for their children and family. My brothers It is not difficult to join an orphan to your home, to feed him from what you eat, dress him from what you wear and to make him as one of your children. Let this be for the sake of Allah Almighty so that you may be one of those who Allah has said about them: { And they give food, inspite of their love for it (or for the love of Him), to Miskin (poor), the orphan, and the captive, (8) (Saying): “We feed you seeking Allah’s Countenance only. We wish for no reward, nor thanks from you. (9) “Verily, We fear from our Lord a Day, hard and distressful, that will make the faces look horrible (from extreme dislike to it).” (10) So Allah saved them from the evil of that Day, and gave them Nadratan (a light of beauty) and joy. (11) And their recompense shall be Paradise, and silken garments, because they were patient.} [Surat Al-Insân 76:8-12] May Allah guide you, my Muslim brother, and me to do good deeds and may He help you and me to be firm till death. All the praises and thanks be to Allah Almighty, and peace and blessings of Allah be upon our Prophet Muhammad and his family and companions. The prophet of Islam (PBUH) said “the best amongst you is he who is the most beneficial to others.” (Hadith)

THE BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, February, 2015 — 31

ARYA PRATINIDHI SABHA OF QLD INC

Morality By Jitendra Deo, President APSQ Continued from last issue

WHY VEDA ALONE? VEDA means wit, wisdom and knowledge and truly Veda is a Samhita of wit, wisdom and knowledge. It is a multi-book of wisdom and knowledge, comprising the Book of Nature, the Book of Knowledge, the Book of Religion and the Book of Morals. Veda is the only book on earth which deals with ‘Para’ (esoteric or spiritual) as well as ‘Apara’ (exoteric or worldly) sciences. But there are many other holy books which claim Divine origin for themselves. How should we know which of them is really divinely revealed? True, but it is not difficult to determine it after we apply the essential tests. 1. The Supreme knowledge emanates from the same Lord as is the creator of the universe and to whom we give our physical existence in this life and the lives to come. Therefore, there should be no contradiction between what we read in the texts and what we observe in the universe. For example the word cow is in the Ved and it’s a particular animal known by that name in the world. Commenting on it, James Hastings, in his Encyclopaedia of Religion and Ethics says — “Dayanand tried to make the Book of God resemble the Book of Nature.” 2. God is holy, formless, all-pervading, allknowing, all-powerful, just, benevolent and never subject to birth and death. The book, that describes its author exactly as he is, shall be accepted as divinely’ revealed. 3. The book, inspired by God, should not be found to contain the laws of nature, the evidence of the senses and other logical concerns. 4. God is infallible, while to err is human. Therefore the teaching in Gods book should be equally reliable and never subject to amendment. 5. A great philosopher of England, W.D. Brown, writes in the ‘Superiority of the Vedic Religion’ “Vedic Religion is thoroughly scientific where science and religions meet hand in hand. Here theology is based on science and philosophy.” 6. Louis Jacolliot, after making a comparative study of the various theories of creation of the world in different religions observed: “Astonishing fact! Hindu Revelation, Veda, is of all revelations, the only one whose

ideas are in perfect harmony with modern science.” (The Bible in India, Vol. II, chap. I) this is because of harmony between religion and science that there have been not prosecutions or persecutions of scientists we read in Doctor Draper’s ‘History of the Conflict between Religion and Science.” 7. To err is human, the question of any error in the case of the Supreme Lord does not arise. Hence, the Divine Revelation must essentially be without any error. 8. The revelation must be perfect in all respects, so as to meet all the demands of man. The great scholiast of Maharashtra, B.B. Panagi, writing about the Vedas in his ‘Vedic India - Mother of Parliaments’ says “The Vedas are the fountainhead of knowledge, the prime source of inspiration, truly, the ground depository of Divine wisdom and external truths.” In yet another important book of his ‘The Vedic Fathers of Geology’ he writes “I take this opportunity to remind the reader without any fear of contradiction, that the Vedas contain many things not yet known to anybody, as they form a mine of inexhaustible literary wealth which has still remained unexplored.” Dr. V.G. Raileigh, the renowned Zoologist of Bombay University writes in one of his much publicised work ‘The Vedic Gods’ “Our present anatomical knowledge of the nervous system tallies so accurately with the literal description of the body given in the Rigveda that a question arises in the mind whether the Vedas are religious books, or whether they are books on anatomy and physiology of the nervous system, without the thorough knowledge of which psychological deductions and philosophical speculations cannot be correctly made.” Panyam Narayan Gaur, speaking of the elements of Physics and Chemistry in the Vedas, thus elaborated the title of his book ‘Introduction to the Message of the 20th century’ containing a new method for the interpretation of the Vedas and experimental data proving that the Vedas are treatises on the exact science. 9. According to Aurobindo (Arvind), “Veda contains truths of science which the modern world does not at all possess and in that case, Dayanand has rather understated than overstated the depth and range of Vedic wisdom.” (Continued in next issue) Please contact Jitendra Deo 3263 1914 or Hari Chand 33454716 for information on activities of Arya Pratinidhi Sabha of Queensland or visit on: www.aryasamajqueensland.com

Introduction to Hinduism Courtesy Awadhesh Sharma EKAM Sadvipraa Bahudhaa Vadanti (RV 1.164.46). True God is one but scholars call it by many names. This mantra demonstrates the acceptance by Vedic scriptures of all spiritual thoughts that are fundamental for peaceful coexistence and development of all human beings. The mantra is taken from the Rig-Veda, the oldest Vedic scripture. It is one of many mantras in Vedic literature that declare monotheistic view about the supreme God. The word Hindu is used to identify a person or a group of people who follow religion based on Vedic scriptures. According to the Indian Constitution a Hindu is a person who is not a Christian, Muslim, Jew or Persian. By implication Buddhists, Jains, Sikhs or any other groups of people living in India are considered Hindu. This interpretation is mostly valid in relation to implementation of personal laws and legal documents in India. However, there is no consensus among scholars on accepting Buddhism, Jainism and Sikhism as a branch of Hinduism on religious and spiritual basis, although it is not uncommon for people of these religions visiting temples of each other. The term Hindu is not found in ancient Indian scriptures. Iranian used this word for identifying people living around and beyond the Indus River. The area represented modern day India, Pakistan and Afghanistan. Later the word Hindu became associated with religious belief of people living in that geographical location. Ancient Hindu religious texts use the word

“Sanatan Dharma” for the religious belief based on Vedic scriptures. Seers, scholars, religious teachers have given various interpretations of the word Sanatan Dharma. Literally Sanatan Dharma can be translated as “universal way of human living”. Numerous other translations of the term can be found to express its meaning. Universal religion is one of the literal translations, although not very common. Especially the word “Religion” which is used as a synonym for “Dharma” does not express the meaning that Dharma expresses in Sanskrit. Most commonly accepted translation of the word Sanatan Dharma is Hinduism and its followers are called Hindu. Sanatan Dharma should not be confused with the word Sanatani, which is used by some people to separately identify a certain section of Hindus. Sanatan Dharma translated as Hinduism includes all sects of Hinduism that claim their source of spiritual inspiration in Vedic scriptures. Practices to be followed by a traditional Hindu has grown so big over time that very few Hindu comply with all the requirements expected of them. Original practices have been modified and abandoned and new practices have been added and hence sometime Hindus call their religion as a dynamic religion adapting to the situation as it arises along the path of human civilisation progress. Now who can be called a Hindu in the current environment of religious belief? The simple answer is “any person who calls himself Hindu is a Hindu”. A Hindu person can live anywhere in the world; does what-

32 — THE BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, February, 2015

Your words matter

DEAR reader it is with great like giants and they looked like joy we bring you the word of grasshoppers before them. This God. Our words are not just brought great fear among the sound but what we speak has whole congregation. But the other the power to either lift people 2 spies spoke positive and returned up or push them down. We some confidence among the peocan say things that will make ple. When the people were told of people feel better about them- Pastor Joseph Dass defeat, death and loss they reacted selves or feel worse. It’s one way but when they heard the amazing what a simple compliment will do. words of encouragement, victory and gain When you tell someone “you look great they behaved differently. today” or “I really enjoy working with God has given us the power to encourage you,” those simple words will add excite- and every day we should make a goal to ment and brighten their day. It doesn’t take find at least one person to encourage. Every much time and with no cost you can bless day one of the very first think we can do is someone. to fill our mouth and heart with words that Proverbs 18 v 21 tells us that the tongue encourage and lift people. Once we are has the power to bring life or bring death. about with other people it will be easy to That means we are to be so careful what we speak words that lift people. Instead of say. Often it’s better to say nothing instead pointing out what someone is doing wrong of saying things that can hurt and bring we can point out what someone is doing someone down. right. There are enough people pushing othIn the book of Numbers we read that ers down so let us make it our goal to uplift Moses sent 12 leaders to spy out the land people. And what you make happen for othGod had given to the children of Israel. 10 ers will come back to you. of them came back with negative reports God bless you saying how the people who lived there were Pastor Joseph Dass

Dear BIT readers, Welcome to an exciting journey into 2015 through the Inspired Indians column. You may ask what is the purpose of this article? The main purpose of this article is to inspire our BIT readers and families to excel in their life, work and be proud citizens of Australia; while embracing The Spirit of this great nation. Additionally, it is to explore the true potential for which we have been created. To find insights, wisdom and understandings that will help us to make better choices daily. Do you want to prosper and live a long and purpose driven life? I am sure you re your answer is ‘Yes’, and that is why you are reading this article. This is not a get rich quick strategy by buying a lottery ticket. We know many Australians spend millions of dollars on lottery schemes. But the secret strategy shared here is opposite to what this world offers. Today let us understand the truth about miracles and the source of the greatest miracle mankind can have today. So, what is a miracle? In today’s fast paced life style with high tech gadgets at our hands, our hearts may have hard time to understand the true meaning of the miracle power. The miracle simply means supernatural power touching the natural realm we live in. It is not just limited to the world we see and smell, the greatest miracles is the one that changes people hearts and mind. I firmly believe in the miracle and hope you will seek to know the power behind the miracle. The Eatons bible dictionary gives a very clear and sharp meaning; miracle is an occurrence at once above nature and above man. It shows the intervention of a power that is not limited by the laws either of matter or of mind, a power interrupting the fixed laws which govern their movements, a supernatural power.

For simple example, when we lift an object or a weight, force of gravity is overcome by a greater force of your muscles. Gravity is not absent, but it has just been overcome by greater force. Same is true in an event of a miracle, natural law has been overcome by supernatural force that is unseen or unknown. Miracles are result of grace of God who responds to human cry for help through faith and simple act of prayer. Miracles are also a mystery, because of our limited capacity to understand the unlimited love of God. We reason and think based on our education, culture and family upbringing which form our heart boundaries. I am a recipient of many miracles in my life and I know many of my friends and family also have encountered the supernatural favour. This is purely as the result of relationship that we have been developing through the Holy Scriptures. It has nothing to do with our great service to our job or community, it is simply knowing who we are as God’s children. Therefore the greatest miracle that happened to me was the changing of my heart and mind. When we learn to humble and accept the free gift of God’s love and mercy to touch your hearts, you qualify for a miracle. When you say a prayer with childlike faith and sincere heart, God send a miracle power your way. No amount of good works or million dollars can buy or create a miracle. Miracle is simply learning to know and say ‘yes’ to our creator and letting His love flood our hearts. Therefore the greatest miracle is when you know you have been forgiven and made a new creation. If you need a miracle today, why not say yes to the Miracle Maker Jesus Christ. Say this prayer with sincere hearts; “Father God, I need your help, forgive me, heal me, I believe that Jesus died for my sins and rose again to give me a life of miracles. Bless me with your unlimited grace and mercy. Thank you God in Jesus name I pray, Amen”. Friends if you said this prayer for the first time, write to us, so we can help you to grow in the life of supernatural miracles that are waiting for you. Our email is: navig8grace@gmail.com Ravi Vastrad

ever circumstances require and follows socially accepted human behaviours. Characteristics such as honesty, truthfulness, kindness, compassion, non-violence, integrity, respect to elders, devotion and many others human virtues are especially expected of a Hindu. Normally a person born of Hindu parents is a Hindu. If one parent follows other religion, then the religion of the children born of them is settled at family or local community level. When the children become adult then they can adopt any religion of their personal choice, although changing of one’s religion is not very common. It has been observed that only a small percentage of population change their religion from their religion at birth, and that also due to some external inducements. Traditional Hinduism does not allow conversion from other religions to Hinduism. Modern Hindu religious leaders accept conversion from other beliefs to Hinduism. They consider it desirable in India to pro-

mote cohesiveness and moral and spiritual unity among the population, however many social traditions prevalent there remain a barrier to such conversion. Overseas some sects of Hinduism accept people of other religion and help them adjust to their Hindu way of life. It is a common practice for a Hindu to share religious rituals with people of other beliefs. Hindu persons can generally be identified by their names, which have their origin in Sanskrit and other Indian languages that are derived from Sanskrit. Hindu names mostly relate to names of gods, goddesses, and divine, spiritual and physical objects and places, and attributes in Indian languages. Recently it is also noticed that some people with traditional Hindu names follow other religions. Especially it relates to people who have converted from Hinduism to other religions but wish to maintain their ancestor’s way of identification. More information on Hinduism will follow in the next edition of BIT.

The miracle maker...

www.indiantimes.com.au

Call Trudi on 07 3865 6533

Pregnancy massage for better physical & emotional health

Health Beauty Wellbeing

By Heena Mohanlal Babes with Babies HAVE you and your baby missed out on the essentials? The benefits of new mother and baby massage have been enjoyed in other cultures for centuries and now Australian parents can have help with their babies making the most of the miracle of touch. Research shows that regular pregnancy massage and postnatal massage, bring a multitude of physical and emotional benefits to both mother and baby. Let’s not miss out on the fact that something that feels so amazing is actually good for you! Before we go any further, I strongly urge that you seek care from a certified massage therapist who is qualified to perform prenatal, postnatal and infant massage. Now let’s begin our journey into Pregnancy massage While a woman is pregnant her body undergoes numerous changes, physically as well as physiologically and spiritually. During the various trimesters, the body of a pregnant lady changes causing her various strains and discomfort as her certain of gravity changes. Pregnancy massage is tailored depending on her needs on the day. Massage is a wonderful way to help alleviate many of these discomforts, as well as promote a sense of well-being. Let’s have a look at the benefits of Pregnancy Massage Improves mood and relaxation by stimulating natural feel good hormones and decreasing stress hormones (adrenalin and cortisol). Decreases aches, pains and muscular tension (back, shoulders, neck, hips, joints) Promotes easier breathing and sleeping Reduces swelling (edema) in hands and feet and promotes better circulation to mother and baby. Helps with posture, range of movement and flexibility, Enhances the health and nourishment of your skin. The wonders of baby massage. Infant massage must be experienced to fully appreciate the benefits for parent and baby. Infant Massage provides these benefits in a number of ways. 1) Stimulating Stimulates all the systems of the body including the: • Nervous system • Circulatory system • Respiratory System • Elimination System • Immune System Stimulates the release of oxytocin, known as the cuddle hormone (is

Call Trudi on 07 3865 6533

released in both parent and child), prolactin (promoting milk production in the mother) and other endorphins. • Reduces muscle stiffness and normalizes muscle tone 2) Relaxing • Helps relieve tension built up from all the stimulation in the baby’s environment • Helps babies handle sensory stimulation and respond in a relaxed manner • Helps babies sleep better • Helps regulate sleep/wake cycle 3) Relief • Touch combined with vocalization helps reduce pain levels up to 80% • Helps tone digestive tract • Helps alleviate gas and promote elimination • Releases hormones for food absorption. • Releases endorphins, natural pain killers, to ease emotional distress. Now looking after yourself after the birth of the child - Post pregnancy massage I consider post natal massage to be even more important than pre natal care. After the euphoria of bringing a child into the world can be an ecstatic, yet overwhelming for a few days. It is extremely important to ensure that the new mum is not ignored. For many generations, new mothers have been given daily, full-body massages during the first few weeks after the delivery. This post pregnancy massage is believed to strengthen the new mother and help her recover. Relaxing muscular tension, stiffness and soreness associated with looking after a newborn (for example in the neck, shoulders and back) Increasing energy levels Improving toxin elimination encouraging healing of body and mind Toning of muscles and overstretched skin Aiding recovery from caesarean section Helping to realign the body balance particularly of uterus and pelvic space Reducing the risk of post-natal depression. How about massage after Caesarean? Most doctors will ask you to wait a couple of weeks before getting a massage. At first it is best to stick to a massage of the head, feet and arms. You can even get a back massage sitting up or lying sideways but must avoid the incision site. After about 5-6 weeks, a scar tissue will have formed on your scar. By this time, you will also feel comfortable lying on your tummy again. At this point it will be safe to have a special scar tissue massage. This involves gently massaging of the region around your scar. Experts say this can help reduce the scar and heal the deeper layers of the wound. It can also help prevent your tissues from sticking together, also known as adhesions. I believe it’s essential to maintain a holistic balance between the emotional, mental, physical and spiritual level in this delicate journey through pregnancy into motherhood. By balancing a woman’s emotional state, the bond and connection between mother, child and partner is strengthened. Well what can I say, a happy healthy mummy and her bub means a happy fulfilled family!

www.indiantimes.com.au

THE BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, February, 2015 - 33

Health Beauty Wellbeing Cum chinnee, cum People in their eighties have sex – get over it nimak, cum tel, cum chawal Author - David Lee Age UK Research Fellow at University of Manchester www.theconversation.com

• Jigmet Norbu Siri or Dechen Namgyal - Class 9.

Peter Lane Rai

IN A recent Australian survey, people’s main goals for 2015 were to “lose weight and exercise more”. Very few people actually enjoy exercising but many more want to lose weight to “look and feel good” physically. When our BIT correspondent Pete Lane Rai is running in the sprawling, congested cities of India, he is often stopped by men asking how to lose their large stomachs and keep fit without having to pay expensive gym fees. Last November when Pete was running in Hyderabad he was stopped by Saji and Vijay. They were taking their morning walk in an effort to keep fit, so they asked for further advice on exercise and how to lose weight. Now we all enjoy Indian food; Tandoori chicken, roti, aloo ghobi, matar paneer and those delicious sweets like burfi or gulab jamun! Yet Indian food can have a super abundance of three deadly ingredients that will very quickly lead us to put on undesired kilos: sugar, salt and oil. So Pete advised: “cum chinnee (less sugar), cum nimak (less salt), cum tel (less oil), cum charwal (less rice) in their diet and more vegetables. This will lead to weight loss. Instead of sugar laden chai and coffee they should drink more water.

As for keeping fit, it is simple: skipping, then some push ups, abdominal work and power walking. Pete also told them he is training for the Brisbane Twilight half marathon, March 22, 2015, organised by his club In Training. Pete does voluntary work each year with youth in India, so he gives In Training running shirts to youth who will exercise with him. He was just sorry that he didn’t have some In Training shirts with him to give to Saji and Vijay as they had already been given away to young people who had exercised with him during his two weeks stay at a Discipleship centre 30 kms away. So make your goals for 2015: lose weight, exercise and eat and drink healthily!

Urinary incontinence By Thilliar Varnakulasingham

URINARY incontinence is the involuntary and unintentional leaking of urine. It occurs more often in women than in men. Incontinence is a subject most men and women are reluctant to talk about even with their doctors. As a result, they suffer physically, emotionally and needlessly. They fail to get help that can restore continence and confidence. Incontinence is more common as people age, but incontinence can be seen in children, adolescence and adults. In 1998 the World Health Organization (WHO) reported that bladder control problems affect more than 200 million people worldwide. The WHO also said that incontinence is a largely preventable and treatable condition and that it is “certainly not an inevitable consequence of ageing”. The NHS estimates that between 3 and 6 million people in the UK have some degree of urinary incontinence. More than 32 million Americans, including one in three older women, live with incontinence. Urinary incontinence affects over two million Australians. It affects one in ten in Australia. It affects women, men, the old, the young and the not-so-young. More than 100,000 Australian children will wet the bed tonight. Diabetics tend to have decreased bladder

emptying and are prone to have incontinence. You can do something about incontinence. And the sooner you act, the more effective the results can be. There are four main types of urinary incontinence- stress, urge, overflow and total. In stress incontinence, small amounts of urine are expelled during coughing, sneezing, laughing or exertion. Stress incontinence is the most common type. Urge incontinence is involuntary contractions of the bladder. Large amounts of urine are suddenly released. The person has no control to stop it. Overflow is a continual dribble of urine. It is caused by the bladder’s inability to empty properly, causing it to overflow. Total incontinence is the total (complete) loss of control over bladder function. There are several risk factors for urinary incontinence. They include a history of childhood bedwetting, morbid obesity, engaging in high-impact physical activities, smoking, chronic cough, diabetes, depression, constipation, pregnancy and heredity. Urinary incontinence may also be caused by treatable medical conditions such as urinary tract infection, constipation, pregnancy, childbirth, menopause, hysterectomy, enlarged prostate, prostate cancer and neurological disorders. You have to reach the toilet in time to uri-

34 — THE BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, February, 2015

WHEN we consider society’s prevailing view of late-life sexuality, the convention has been that older people are not particularly sexually active or interested in intimate sexual relationships. These preconceptions can be extreme, ranging from humour to disgust, or simply a refusal to believe that people in their seventies and eighties have sexual interests or needs at all. Thankfully, such assumptions appear largely inaccurate. There are the individual stories of those open to sharing their experiences, as Patricia, 81, did with author Iris Krasnow: Steven asked me to go to Paris with him. I said, ‘Okay, I guess it’s time to try you out.’ My husband was the only man I’ve ever been with, so being intimate with another man was very scary, but he was very kind and respectful. It’s not teenage sex, but it’s very satisfying. We love to experiment. We love to dance. There is a lot of cuddling and snuggling. This man, my God, is a gem in every way, whether it’s sexual or spiritual or cultural. It’s so romantic it’s almost electrifying. And there are various studies that reveal that many older people maintain healthy, active sex lives. What do older people think? Our research into the sexual lives of more than 7,000 men and women between the ages of 50 and 90 in England reveals much about older attitudes to sex, how sexually active they are and what problems and concerns they experience with their sexual health. We’ve been carrying out this study since 2013 and it’s the first time that people over the age 80 have been included. In our survey, we found that half of men and almost a third of women aged 70 and over were still sexually active, with around a third of these sexually active older people having sexual intercourse twice a month or more. Around two-thirds of men and over half of women thought “good sexual relations were essential to the maintenance of a long-term relationship” or “being sexually active was physically and psychologically beneficial to older people”. Sexual problems were relatively common,

however, with a third of sexually active women reporting difficulties becoming sexually aroused or achieving orgasm. For men, difficulties getting and maintaining an erection was the most common problem, reported by 40% of those who were sexually active. Chronic health conditions and poor self-rated health seemed to have more obvious negative impacts on the sexual health of men compared to women. Men were also more concerned about their sexual activities and function than women and with increasing age these concerns tended to become more common. Sexually active women were less dissatisfied with their overall sex lives than men and also reported decreasing levels of dissatisfaction with increasing age. There are two sides to this – on the one hand we don’t want to impose unrealistic expectations on older people in terms of feeling they need to meet youthful norms of sexual prowess and feelings of failure if they don’t do so. Importantly, we found a lot of diversity in our data, for example, of those men and women who reported they hadn’t been sexually active over the past 12 months the majority of were not concerned or worried about it. However, that’s not to say that the sexual health needs of older people should be ignored or overlooked – research has clearly shown that clinicians and other healthcare professionals need to be proactive when broaching the topic of sexuality and to engage openly with older people. Indeed, the same research has shown that older people who were asked about their sexual health and functioning were then more likely to seek further help with any sexual problems they may have. As Caroline Abrahams, charity director at Age UK, said: With an ageing population it is important that providers of sexual health services understand the needs of older people both in clinical settings and when developing information and advice. These recent findings now need to be used to improve sexual health advice and information for older people. We hope our research will also encourage a more open discourse about late-life sexuality and health, and foster wider understanding between generations that sex doesn’t stop at 50.

Disclosure Statement: David Lee does not work for, consult to, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has no relevant affiliations.

nate. Otherwise, you may experience incontinence. Other symptoms include leaking urine in your underwear, wetting the bed at night, straining while attempting to urinate and a slow urine stream. Some sufferers choose not to go out. They fear they may create an awkward situation. They become homebound and cut off from others. Now-a-days public toilets are available in several locations. If you are homebound, incontinence affects people socially, emotionally, physically and mentally. There are many myths that surround incontinence. It is not a common problem. It is a simple condition. Only old people will be affected by incontinence. Incontinence cannot be treated or helped. Do drink only tiny quantities of liquid. All the myths are not facts. There is a great link between constipation and bladder problems. Constipation can add to bladder problems in two ways. It may weaken the pelvic floor muscles due to straining when passing a bowel motion. It can put pressure on the bladder. A full bowel pressing against the bladder can block the flow of urine, making you feel the need to go to the toilet more often than normal. There are ways to avoid constipation. Drink six to nine glasses of water. Add fiber- vegetables, fresh and dry fruits, including prunes, wholegrain and wholemeal cereals, and legumes such as baked beans, kidney beans and soy beans to your diet. Be sure to drink extra water when you increase your fiber intake. Drink pure cran-

www.indiantimes.com.au

berry concentrate, but avoid cranberry juice cocktail which is diluted and filled with sugar. Take a walk or do some exercise. Those who can eat only soft foods, some good sources for them are bananas, rolled oats, fruit juice, pureed vegetables and stewed or canned fruits. You may take this step to avoid incontinence in a public place. It may work for you. You must cross your legs when you are about to sneeze, cough or laugh. Incontinence can be improved or cured. You must learn to keep your pelvic floor muscles healthy and strong. When the pressure is on during pregnancy, childbirth or after surgery, your pelvic floor is ready to take the strain. You must maintain good bladder, bowel and dietary habits. If you are overweight, try to lose some weight. Your added weight may aggravate and weaken bladder muscles. If you smoke, you must quit. Coughing may cause urinary leakage. Besides this, nicotine causes irritation to the bladder. Incontinence may be treated by a variety of physicians including general practice or family practice physicians, urologists or gynecologists depending on the cause of complexity of the particular case. If you are affected by incontinence, you must see your doctor. The telephone numbers of the National Continence Helpline and the Department of Health and Aging in Australia are 1800 330 066 and 1800 500 853 respectively. Call Trudi on 07 3865 6533

Health Beauty Wellbeing

4 ways to take care of your thinning hair Courtesy Nimisha Modi Hetvi Hair & Beauty - 04 123 500 13

THINNING hair could really be stressful as you are losing something you will never get back. But taking care of thinning hair is not rocket science. You can easily take care of your thinning hairline. Here's how... Maintaining a balanced diet: What you eat makes a huge difference on the health of your hair. And if you don't maintain a healthy diet, there are chances you will have a thinning hairline. So make sure your diet is healthy and you take all the required nutrition's in appropriate quantities. Stress too much: We are all, due to personal or professional reasons, stressed all the time. And stress can lead to hair fall. So the key here is to counter your stress levels with stress bursting exercises. Follow a hobby that you have left following due to work or personal commitments. Listen to good music and try not to exert yourself with external factors that cause stress. It will help you a great deal. Take care: Taking good care of your hair is also important. Shampoo and condition your hair regularly. Do not change your

shampoo and conditioner too often, stick to one product. Oil your hair regularly and wash then properly. Pollution in the world outside can take a toll on your hair. Proper hair care can help in reduced hair fall. Cover up: If you spend a lot of time outdoors then pollution, exposure to sun and dust can cause hair fall. So cover your hair if you are spending too much time outdoors and it will help a great deal. TOI

Don’t wait until

it’s too late

Ayurvedic treatment for fat loss By Dr Pradeep Neupane ACCORDING to Ayurveda, our constitution is governed by three bodily intelligences called doshas, these are Vata, Pitta and Kapha. Among these three bodily intelligences, it is usually an imbalance with the kapha dosha that is mainly responsible for weight gain. For excessive fat loss, we would look at a diet and certain lifestyle practices that will reduce kapha in our bodies. Although kapha is essential for strength, stability, protection and immunity, we want to avoid a build up of kapha which results in weight gain. Causes of Kapha Imbalance: • Adopting diet or lifestyle that aggravates the kapha dosha. • Too much sleeping, too little exercise. • Too much heavy, cold and sweet or salty foods. • Eating more than our digestion can cope with or just eating a diet that reduces our digestive power With above causes, we begin to accumulate toxins in our channels, which then move to our tissues, resulting in an increase production of fat cells. Diet principles to reduce kapha • Ensure that each meal has a protein source to keep you feeling fuller for longer. Aim for around 30% of your daily intake to come from vegetarian protein source, or a small amount of white meat is ok if you are meat eater. Avoid red meat where possible. • Small quantities of food more often during the day – making one meal a day your largest meal – usually lunch is the best time when digestion is strong. • Include warm soupy type meals in your diet often as these are very easy to digest – a good staple meal is kitcharee (see recipe) • The diet should have around 10-20% of wholegrains that could include buckwheat, millet, quinoa, corn etc. Include these mainly at breakfast and lunchtime as digestion is strongest at these times. Avoid any processed types of grains and try to keep breads to a minimum. • Fruits and vegetables should be a staple in your diet, around 50% of the food you eat. Include as many types of fruits and vegetables as you can, variety really is the key here – we want to include as many of the 6 Call Trudi on 07 3865 6533

tastes as we can, lessening the reliance on sweet vegetables and fruit. • Exclude all processed foods as these almost always include salt (and not the good kind of salt!). Although salt is an important part of our diet, this should come from a small amount of black salt or pink salt added to our meals. • Diet should contains moderate amount if spices (all spices). Begin experimenting with spices in your cooking such as – turmeric, ginger, fennel, ajwain, fenugreek, cloves, cardamom, cumin etc. • Dairy foods can be included in small amounts – avoid too much yoghurt as this is quite heavy to digest, and because kapha is heavy, we want to limit heavy foods. Only have warmed unhomogenised cow’s milk, cold milk will increase kapha. Avoid other types of dairy such as ice creams, custard, cream etc. • Avoid all types of chilled drinks as these may kill our digestive fire immediately. The best drinks to have are warm herbal teas and warm filtered water. As much as you can, avoid alcohol and stimulants like coffee. • Avoid sweeteners like sugar as these are heavy to digest and the sweet taste increases kapha – if you need to use a sweetener use a little bit of honey. • Including salads in your diet will help to reduce kapha as these are light and dry, the opposite of kapha. The best time to include these is at lunchtime when digestion is the strongest. • Warm water with Lemon juice and a little bit of black salt in the morning will help to reduce fat. • Exercise - Minimum 45 min physical activity is essential. It can be just simple walking or yoga or jogging. • Taking some of the Ayurvedic herbal preparations such as Trikatu, Guggle, Kasayam preperations will be very effective to balance the fat metabolism naturally. • Ayurvedic detox (Panchakarma) can be very beneficial to unblock the blockages from the tissues and remove the toxins from them. Many of our patients with overweight have got remarkable benefit in losing a huge amount of unwanted body fat in a very small time with our detox program.

Bowel cancer often develops without any warning signs. Screening every 1-2 years could save your life.

www.indiantimes.com.au

THE BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, February, 2015 - 35

• ???

Unsolved mysteries of India By Dhaval Vyas Ahmedabad, India Continued from last issue Mysterious Shanti Devi Shanti Devi was born in a well to do Delhi family in 1930. However, she didn’t stay happy for long. When she was four & a half years old, she started insisting that her mother and father were not her true parents. She claimed that her name was actually Ludgi and her true family lived in a different city. She claimed she had died giving birth to a child and gave very specific information on her husband and family life elsewhere. Shanti’s worried parents set out to find if there was any meaning behind their daughter’s claims, and what they found out was truly unnerving. A young woman named Ludgi Devi had indeed died in childbirth at the time and in the town Shanti had specified and the family and relatives she had described very much existed. When she eventually met her “husband from previous life,” she recognized him instantly and acted like a mother towards his child. The media soon became interested and authorities as revered as Mahatma Gandhi were soon keenly watching Shanti’s case. It turned out she was not only able to remember her past lives, but she could also remember the time “in between lives”— that is, the afterlife. She claimed to have met Lord Shri Krishna during these layovers between her lives. The Lord tasked her with spreading the story of her experiences, which is why she was able to remember. Later on Shanti Devi went on to be a scholar, teacher, and student of religion. For over sixty years, she embraced all major and quite a few minor religions’ teachings, try-

• Mysterious sounds in Ganga & Brahmaputra Delta. ing to determine the universal truth behind that have been reported in many waterfront them all, which was presumably the great communities worldwide. In India, they mission she was given. Hundreds of have been heard in the delta regions of researchers and scientists put her claims of Ganga and Brahmaputra. While they resemreincarnation memories to the test, but no ble the sonic boom of a supersonic jet, one was ever able to prove her a fake. It what’s even mysterious is the fact that they remains an unsolved mystery. have been reported from times before any Mysterious Sounds in Ganga & aeroplanes were invented. T.D. LaTouche, a Brahmaputra Delta British officer wrote about them in his jourMistpouffers or Barisal Guns are unex- nal in the 1890s. He wrote, “…reports of plained sounds that resemble a sonic boom Barisal guns occurring with the earthquake

Astrology Aries - March 21 - April 20 In the initial stages of the month you shall feel energetic and enthusiastic, and it will show in your work. You will not shirk responsibilities or challenges. However, the planetary movements suggest that you will progress at a snail's pace. The positive side of this is that you shall have enough time to plan your future actions meticulously. This applies more particularly to businessmen. Professionals will function at optimum levels. You will give a tough time to your rivals, and will work to improve your rapport with your boss, but your rapport with your immediate superiors may leave much to be desired. If you are fresh out of college, the chances of your bagging a good job are high. Taurus - April 21 - May 22 On the career front, things will flow smoothly in the initial stages of the month. Your bosses will be happy with your work, and will also give you the due appreciation, which will in turn motivate you to perform even better. You shall be on the same wavelength with your colleagues. Things may get a bit slow and tiring later in the month, but Ganesha assures you that there is nothing to worry about. Around the middle of the month, businessmen may get a good and lucrative opportunity. However, around this time you are likely to be gripped by inertia, which may cause some depression. To keep it at bay, you will have to motivate yourself to comply with your responsibilities sincerely. Also, make sure that you do something relaxing or productive, such as exercise or meditation, to keep yourself healthy and fit. On the financial front, you shall be comfortable, but make sure you have enough reserves for taking care of emergencies. Gemini - May 23 - Jun 21 This month, you will work towards your goals energetically, and seeing your dedication, your superiors will give a positive feedback to your boss, who, too, will appreciate your work and give you the due rewards. Around the middle of the month, some upheavals on the domestic front will demand your attention. For some of you, things may worsen to such an extent that you may feel like breaking off, but Ganesha advises you not to take any decision impulsively. The tricky phase will pass, and then you can start reviewing things to take a mature decision. In the latter part of the month, the stars will turn to your favour, and will help you stay out of trouble, but your personal problems may take a little longer to get resolved. However, during this phase you can at least initiate appropriate steps to restore harmony in your personal life. On the financial front there may be some unexpected expenses, but nothing that you can't control. .

shocks, but they also are said to occur without, and to have been frequent before the big earthquake. A host of plausible explanations may now exist for these enigmas, including earthquakes, rock bursts, mud volcanoes, explosive venting of gas, storm-driven waves, tsunamis, meteors, distant thunder and socalled booming sands.” These unexplained sounds are still reported and continue to puzzle experts.

www.ganeshaspeaks.com Cancer - June 22 - July 22 This month may be a bit tough on your financial situation. Your expenses are likely to increase, but Ganesha assures you that there is nothing much to worry about as you shall have sufficient saving reserves to take care of them. Besides, your earlier investments may yield good returns now. On the work front, things will be flowing smoothly, and you shall enjoy your work with colleagues pitching in to support you whenever needed. Around the middle of the month, though, you are likely to experience some negative moments on the domestic front, but you will have no alternative but to stay cool and patient. It shall only be a passing phase, and it would be prudent to not aggravate the situation by getting provoked. In the latter part of the month, you may feel so stressed out that you may want to take a break from everything, and recharge your batteries. Go ahead, as it will put you in a positive frame of mind, coaxes Ganesha. Leo - July 23 - August 22 The earlier part of the month may not be too good for taking action, as the planetary configurations do not favour new initiaves much, so Ganesha advises you to focus on planning and reviewing things. This will help you in taking corrective actions, if needed, in the latter part of the month. You may face a funds crunch, but it can be easily controlled by cutting out your wasteful personal expenses. On the work front, you shall be brimming with enthusiasm, as your present tasks will largely be to your liking. However, some of you, who may be seeking a job change, would be advised to refrain from doing so, as the phase may not be too conducive for it. In the second half of the month, the time will be right to implement all your well laid out plans. Some disputes on the personal front may upset you a bit, but handle them with maturity and everything will be fine. Virgo - August 23 - October 22 You shall be in a very generous mood during the initial stages of the month, and you will not hesitate in donating funds to charitable organisations. You will, however, have to check this tendency, or else your savings may take a severe dent. It is all the more important to increase your reserves of savings because Ganesha foresees some unexpected expenses later in the month. If you are a businessman and have made your strategies meticulously, you are in for a favourable month. On the professional and personal fronts, things may be a bit dull, and you may long for something exciting to happen. If you are single, but committed to a relationship, you will have a pleasant and enjoyable time with your beloved in the earlier part of the month. In the second half of the month, you will gain a lot of

Disclaimer: This is only a guide and is not directed towards any particular individual and the writer shall not be responsible for anything to do with the article content.

36 — THE BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, February, 2015

mental clarity, and will be able to take judicious decisions, which will benefit you in the long run.

may be major changes taking place, but you may not notice them as your focus will be on your work and not on personal issues.

Libra - September 23 - October 22 Your hard work will fetch you the deserved results this month on the professional front, and will also improve your growth prospects. However, Ganesha warns you that if your efforts fall short of expectations, then you may not get the due benefits and may end up feeling deprived. You need to do some introspection and identify the areas where you may have gone wrong, so that you can avoid making the same mistakes in the future. Certain setbacks, even though they may be minor, could make you temperamental later in the month. Even little things such as a colleague not listening to you attentively, or some petty politics can throw you off balance to such an extent that you may start hunting out for another job. This is just a passing phase, so you would do well to see it through with patience. Towards the end of the month, things will start turning in your favour, and your family life will become happy.

Capricorn - December 23 - January 30 Personal issues are likely to take the centre-stage now. You may have some serious differences with your spouse, or maybe with the other members of your family, which are likely to keep you disturbed in the initial stages of this month. But, Ganesha feels that this stress may ease in the first week itself, as the planetary shifts will have a soothing effect on you. You will also realise that there is no point in getting worked up over issues that have no immediate solution, and then you will start focusing on more important matters. Your rapport with your bosses or subordinates, at this time, may not be very good; you may have disputes or differences. But, don’t get into any direct confrontation or ego clashes with your seniors as it could ruin your hard-earned reputation.

Scorpio - October 23 - November 21 As the days roll by this month, things will slowly pick up momentum, you will gain clarity and shall become very decisive. Around the middle of the month, the time will be good to take action and execute plans you had made for your personal and professional growth. But don't expect rewards immediately. It may also entail huge expenses, but don't push yourself too much financially. Arranging funds for fulfilling your ambitions will be a problem and unexpected expenses will make matters worse. Those of you who are drawing a fixed salary are likely to suffer the most. During the later stages of the month, though, things will start turning in your favour. You shall acquire a new perspective, and will then put in more efforts at work to achieve your goals. If you wish to change your job, you may start applying for the same now as you are likely to get a positive response Sagittarius - November 22 - December 22 This month, Ganesha foresees that you shall have no major difficulty in performing your routine work, but when it comes to tackling something even slightly challenging, you may not be able to cope up with it. This phase of confusion will end in the second half of the month, and you will be ready to take challenges head-on. Businessmen will also face some confusion regarding ongoing projects. You may want to do something in some particular way, but the ground realities may not permit it, which could lead to a lot of frustration. Ganesha says you must play safe now and instead of taking risks just stick to deliberation and planning. Traders should keep an eye on inventory and get rid of the unnecessary stock to make room for new purchases that are in demand. As for your personal life, there

www.indiantimes.com.au

Aquarius - January 21 - February 19 Ganesha feels that this month you may be too possessive, as you may be going through an emotionally disturbing time. In a bid to overcome it, you may have to give your partner and loved ones some space. There is a danger that events may cause some damage to your ties. On the financial front, you are likely to face serious constraints, leaving you groping for ways to make both ends meet. Borrowing some money to meet immediate demands may help you, but don't spend on leisure or unnecessary activities, as this could add to your financial burden. Students or scholars may also have a tough time focusing on studies. The positive thing this month is that the stagnancy of the previous two weeks will now come to an end and you will be able to take decisive action. The planetary movements will energise you to work in a more organised manner and with a positive approach Pisces - February 20 - March 20 You may feel a bit unlucky in the initial stages of the month, feels Ganesha, and you may feel emotionally hurt by minor things which you would normally ignore. Moreover, you may continue to face hostile situations at work and home for some time. As a result your relationship with your better half may also be strained initially. And, since both of you will be on an ego trip, as of now, a compromise is also quite unlikely. But, don't lose heart, as things will begin to improve after the second week of the month. You will then be able to think more clearly, and take a decisive action to bring an end to your woes. On the health front, do not neglect minor ailments, and take prompt treatment. In the latter part of the month, the stars will take a positive turn, and you will be able to see the right direction and take steps towards achieving your objectives. Travel is on the cards, and will prove to be fruitful.

Call Trudi on 07 3865 6533

Arnold Schwarzenegger to visit Brisbane for real estate conference

Real Estate News

LENDING IAN AW AL A TR

G E LE

N D ER O

WINNER 2014 TG A

HI, I’M CRAIG WALSH YOUR HOME LENDING EXPERT.

S RD

“He’s got the new Terminator movie coming out this year, so that’s another reason why I thought he’d be too busy this year.” Celebrity agent Max Markson of Markson Sparks brought Schwarzenegger to Sydney, Melbourne and Perth 18 months ago for a series of financial summits. “He’s a big fan of Australia and it’’s so great that’s he’s now getting to come to Brisbane and whatever they are paying him will be cheap compared to what he gives back,” Mr Markson said. “He’s very generous with his time and he was just a delight to work with. “I can still remember his speech. His five rules are simple. The first is to have a vision, then think big, don’t listen to the naysayers, work your arse off and always give back. “He’s very funny and he will quote famous lines from his movies like ‘Hasta ha Vista, baby’, from Terminator 2. “He’ll work very hard while he’s in Brisbane.” Mr Schwarzenegger will speak at the Queensland Real Estate Agent’s meeting at the new Royal International Convention Centre at the RNA on March 17. Tickets start at $199, with VIP tickets

back and now it’s really happening.” Mr Twiddle has signed a confidentiality agreement over the fee paid to the big Hollywood star but he did say he’s “break even” if he sold 1000 tickets. “I have kept my event affordable and I think my humility appealed to him. I am a genuine massive fan and have been since I worked in a movie theatre years ago when Terminator.” Tickets go on sale at www.qreas.com.au

AU S

available so punters can meet the star at a private function. Mt Twiddle, a former real estate sales agent turned REIQ instructor, loves seminars. “I’ve always loved motivational speaking conferences. I have always written down my goals and my ultimate goal was to get Arnold Schwarzenegger to come and speak at one of my conferences. “I have been a tragic Arnie fan since way

MARKETING guru Glenn Twiddle is on strict a diet of broccoli, protein powder and water until his idol Arnold Schwarzenegger arrives in Brisbane to speak at his real estate conference. Mr Twiddle of Little Mountain on the Sunshine Coast is still pinching himself for securing the great Hollywood star turned politician at his motivational conference in March. “I am such a massive fan of Arnold and I cannot believe he’s agreed to come out from LA,” Mr Twiddle said. “It’s taken six months of talks with his agent, and his agent’s agent to secure the deal and even to get Arnie’s signature on the dotted line made it very real and I had to pinch myself,” said the 42-year old Mr Twiddle, who was born and bred in Ipswich. Despite being the face of a recent realestate.com.au Australia Lives Here selfdeprecating campaign, Mr Twiddle approached Mr Schwarzenegger even though he “knows nothing about the local real estate market”. “But who cares about that? That ad campaign made fun of the fact he’d confused Australia with Austria. But it’s his personal rules for success that are legendary and have help propel him to great success in anything he chooses from bodybuilding, to Hollywood films and into politics.” “Arnold’s rules and philosophy can be applied to any walk of life.” Mr Twiddle jokes that he’s on a bodybuilders' high-protein diet to hone his physique before he meets his 67-year-old idol, who stars in Terminator: Genisys out later this year.

As a lending expert in the South East Queensland area I understand that no two home buyers are the same. I can: Guide you through the home buying process. Answer all your home loan questions, from “How much will I need for a deposit?” to “What is Lenders' Mortgage Insurance?” Provide you with a conditional pre-approval*, so you can move quickly when you find the right home. Help you choose the right home loan for your financial situation and lifestyle. Arrange an appointment today. I can come to you at a time and place which is convenient for you.

Contact: Craig Walsh 0407 226324 Email: craig.walsh@cba.com.au

Things to know before you Can: *Provided the details initially agreed do not change, conditional pre-approval guarantees the amount you can borrow but not the interest rate. If you do not find a property and accept our formal loan offer within 90 days of the conditional pre-approval date, we will need to obtain from you updated financials and confirm that the loan still meets your needs and financial objectives. Applications are subject to credit approval. Full terms and conditions will be included in our loan offer. Fees and charges are payable. Interest rates are subject to change. As this advice has been prepared without considering your objectives, financial situation or needs, you should consider its appropriateness to your circumstances before acting on the advice. Commonwealth Bank of Australia ABN 48 123 123 124. Australian Credit Licence Number 234945. Mortgage Innovation Managers are Authorised Representatives of the Commonwealth Bank.

NEW RELEASE

STAGE 3 STAGE LAND from from $440,000

Our Stage 3 release is without doubt the most sought-after new land in Brisbane, entering past the stylish contemporary homes in Stage 1 and the impressive hilltop mansions currently under construction in Stage 2 of this outstanding development. • Lot sizes from 453sqm up to 728sqm (typically 500sqm) • Close to Pacific Golf Club • 5 minutes to Westfield Carindale • 10 minutes to Manly and the Bay • 10 minutes to Private Schools • 20 minutes to Brisbane Airport • 12 kilometres to Brisbane CBD SEE US ON www.realestate.com.au

HIL/151-BIT

CARINDALE’S HIGHEST LAND

VVISIT ISIT OUR OUR OONSITE NSITE SALES SALES CENTRE CENTRE Greendale Greendale Way, Way, CCarindale arindale UBD UBD Map Map 182 182 D-12 D-12

11300 300 7789 89 001 001

www www.hilltopcarindale.com.au .hilltopcarindale.com.au Call Trudi on 07 3865 6533

www.indiantimes.com.au

THE BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, February, 2015 — 37

Get off the rental merry-go-round...

Real Estate News

By Gagan Tandon 0425 158 280 So you’re ready to take the plunge into the property market. It can be an exciting time, but for some people it’s also a bit daunting, remember your Smartline Adviser is always there to help you get value for money. Money, money, money It’s critical to get your sums right at the start of the house hunting process. There’s no point in getting your heart set on your dream property and then discovering that the loan payments would be beyond you. Complete a personal budget to find out how much you spend each month and how much you might be able to afford to repay on a loan. It’s best to

be prepared for the cost of buying, and that’s where a Smartline Personal Mortgage Adviser comes in. An adviser will help you establish the costs in your own case (such as stamp duty and mortgage insurance) find out how much you can borrow from 25 top lenders as well as calculating repayment schedules for differing loan amounts. Get out and about When you have some

idea of what you might be able to afford, it’s time to get a realistic idea of what your money will buy. Hone in on your preferred area and study the prices property is being sold for, both via auction and private treaty. Take a good look, Sometimes when you first look at properties it’s hard to see past the pretty curtains and the nice sofas to the nitty gritty details. But it’s no good getting

carried away and moving in, only to discover that the curtains were concealing cracked windows and the sofas were covering holes in the floor. It’s really important to take a good, hard look at even the most attractive of properties to make sure that it has all the features that you want and that it really is in the condition that you expect. Take a buying checklist along with you to keep you focused on the details. Your personal interpreter Property advertisements really do have a language all of their own. Your Personal Mortgage Adviser will help you understand all of the jargon and technicalities in layman’s terms. Understanding all the jargon will increase your confidence when you are talking to the property professionals. For home loans and property buying assistance feel free to contact: Gagan deep Tandon, Dip FMBM, MBM. Personal Mortgage Adviser. P 07 3252 4799 / Mobile 0425 158 280 / F 07 3852 1699 e gtandon@smartline.com.au w smartline.com.au/gtandon

Real Estate Is Our World BEAUTIFULLY PRESENTED FAMILY HOME!

BOONDALL $679,900

EXCELLENT HOME FOR A LARGE FAMILY - DUAL LIVING!

BANYO $575,000 MEMBER

The Real Estate Institute of Queensland

38 - THE BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, February, 2015

EXCEPTIONAL PROPERTY FOR BOAT OWNERS!

NUDGEE BEACH $565,000

www.globenetrealty.com.au (07) 3865 4466 Shop 5, 2281 Sandgate Rd, Boondall, Qld 4034 www.indiantimes.com.au

Usha Chandra 0419 775 416 Call Trudi on 07 3865 6533

NO STAG W E3 SE LA L L ND IN G

Exclusive Heathwood address…

NBN NBN N New ew CRE CREST ST Release Release fro from m$ $263,000 263,000

cconnection onnection aavailable vailable to blocks to aallll blo cks

Build your new home in an elevated position in Brisbane’s premium South Western suburbs. Heathwood Avenues is an exclusive new estate of stylish homes, neighbouring established Parkwood and just minutes from every convenience of Forest Lake.

AVE/91-BIT V

Our new Crest Stage 3 Release offers a choice of high and level blocks, ranging in size from 400m2 to 686m2, • Stroll to Parkwood Village convenience shopping • Handy to Forest Lake Village & schools • Minutes to Citylink Rail Station & Motorways • Easy access to Indooroopilly & Sunnybank • 30 Minutes to Brisbane CBD

V VISIT ISIT O OUR UR ON ONSITE SITE S SALES A LE S C CENTRE ENTRE TThe he A Avenue venue ((off off S Stapylton tapylton R Road), oad), Heathwood, Heathwood, Brisbane Brisbane UBD UBD Map Map 2238 38 QQ-44

11300 300 7708 08 774 745 45

www .heathwoodavenues.com.au www.heathwoodavenues.com.au Call Trudi on 07 3865 6533

www.indiantimes.com.au

THE BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, February, 2015 — 39

Business Directory AUTOMOTIVE SERVICES

Are you working in Automotive Workshop!

COURSES - AUTOMOTIVE Come talk to us about getting qualified

Covert your Skills into Australian Recognized Qualifications

HAIR & BEAUTY SERVICES

PH 3846 7774 - admin@intech.edu.au 2 ar Advanced Diploma in IT

ENTERTAINMENT

Enrol now in courses:

Automotive Mechanical Automotive Diesel (Cert 3) Automotive Electrical Cert 3) Automotive Management (2 years ) EngineeringͶWelding and Fabrication (Cert 3) Information chnology (Cert 4 & Dip & Adv Dip) Business (Cert 4, Diploma & Advanced Diploma)

BEAUTY SERVICES

CARPENTRY SERVICES

Gandhi’s Carpentry Service

2 year Business Courses 2 ar Diploma o T Package up to 3 years or more Www.intech.edu.au RTO30100, CRICOS 02035F

28 Russell Street or 44 Hope Street, South Brisbane, QLD, Tel: 3846 7774

FASHION OUTLETS

JEWELLER

SPECIALISING IN SMALL JOBS

Call Vinay- 0426 971 606 Email: westend@smith-sons.com.au Lic No. 1191211 ABN. 46 161 368 609

CIVIL MARRIAGE CELEBRANT

MIGRATION SERVICES

HAIR & BEAUTY SERVICES

Lekh Ram Sukh Civil Marriage Celebrant, JP (Qual) Ph/Fax: (07) 3287 7132 - Mob: 0421 351 061 E: lekhram@tpg.com.au www.lrams.com 40 - THE BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, February, 2015

www.indiantimes.com.au

Call Trudi on 07 3865 6533

Business Directory MORTGAGE ADVISER

PHOTOGRAPHY / VIDEOGRAPHY

RELIGIOUS SERVICES

Choose from from 25 top lenders â&#x20AC;˘ home and investment loans â&#x20AC;˘ car and personal loans â&#x20AC;˘ business and franchise loans â&#x20AC;˘ general and risk insurances

Gagan deep T Tandon, Tandon andon, Mobile 0425 158 280 www .smartline.com.au/gtandon www.smartline.com.au/gtandon Australian Credit Licence Number 385325

PHOTOGRAPHY / VIDEOGRAPHY

UNREEL EYES - VIDEO/PHOTO Your Eyes - My Lens...Weddings, Events, Parties, Love Stories, Videography & Photography. Call 1300 308 618 or visit www.unreeleyes.com E: info@unreeleyes.com

SOLICITOR / MIGRATION AGENT

AthÄ to Brahma JigyÄ sÄ All religious and spiritual services including PujÄ , Havan, SanskÄ rs, SatyanÄ rÄ yan kathÄ , RÄ mÄ yan PÄ th, Discourse on Vedic texts, etc. are available for traditional and modern Hindu families. Contact Awadhesh Sharma, Ä&#x20AC;chÄ rya, JP (Qual) on 07 3195 4576 or mobile 0403040452. Vasudhaiva Kutumbkam For all 16 Vedic Sanskaar Sanskrit prayers: Hawans, Weddings, Death rites; new homes, anniversaries, birthdays etc Pandit Dr G A Tularam 0403 819 327 or email a.tularam@griffith.edu.au

TABLA LESSONS

Ashu Babu Memorial Tabla School ~ devoted to Indian classical tradition ~ Instructor: Shen Flindell t 2-% T MFBEJOH DMBTTJDBM UBCMB QMBZFS t ZFBST FYQFSJFODF t #FOBSFT (IBSBOB MJOFBHF t ,JET BEVMUT HSPVQ QSJWBUF t "SPVOE #SJTCBOF (PME $PBTU t "OOVBM TUVEFOU DPODFSU t "DDSFEJUFE FYBNT Ph Shen 0415106428 ethnosuperlounge.com/learntabla

Tabla Wala Australia

Best quality Banarsi tabla, accessories and repairs, PDGH VSHFLĂ&#x20AC;FDOO\ WR FOHDU $XVWUDOLDQ 4XDUDQWLQH $OVR DYDLODEOH NLGV WDEOD GKRODN SDNKDZDM GKRO QDDO HWF

WEDDING INVITATIONS

web: tablawala.com.au

Call Trudi on 07 3865 6533

www.indiantimes.com.au

phone: Shen 0415106428

THE BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, February, 2015 â&#x20AC;&#x201D; 41

Classifieds.... FOR SALE

MATRIMONIAL Match required for a Medical Doctor, 27, Saraswat, Marathi, 170cm,fair complexioned with medium built from a professionally qualified (Not necessarily medical) girl from a reputed Hindu family. Caste, Community no bars. The boy will like to settle in Sydney or in bustling township of NSW. Reply: With Photograph to dabols@iinet.net.au -----------------------------------------------------------------------54 year old widow, Fiji born, Hindu and holder of Australian PR looking for a suitable partner aged less than 60yrs. Calls from those already in Brisbane or those willing to relocate to Brisbane only. Mobile number is 0413 933 625. -----------------------------------------------------------------------North Indian parents KP settled in Australia invite alliance for Chemical Engineer son 6ft 88 born working in gas industry. Looking for professional girl with good family background. Contact with full details: kashaust@gmail.com

FRANCHISE OPPORTUNITIES

POSITIONS VACANT

aUsTrAlIA’ S #1 iNdIaN tAkEaWaY bUsInEsS iNvEsTmEnT fRoM $60K wWW.mIsSiNdIaTaKeAwAY.cOM.aU/fRaNcHiSE BOOK YOUR BUSINESS DIRECTORY / CLASSIFIED TODAY!

WHATÊS ON!

LISTINGS START FROM $11 P/M includes website listing! CONTACT prod@indiantimes.com.au

FEB / MARCH 15

17 & 24 February...

Let’s Talk! Guided English conversations with trained volunteers...Guided English Conversations is a community service for people wanting to improve their spoken English. The conversations will be guided through a range of relevant topics which will include, education, health, travel etc. Trained leaders will lead groups of 3-4 people and refreshments will be provided and the cost is $2 per session. The 6 sessions, commencing in February, are to be held at Centenary House in the grounds of Westside Church of Christ, Jamboree Heights. For enquiries and enrolment please phone 3279 1570.

14 February... Yoga lifestyle workshop – raw energy...11am to 5pm at Australian School of Meditation & Yoga, 236 Montague Road, West End. * Group consultation with Wellness Coach, * Yoga Asana class plan for self care and optimal flexibility, * learn the safe way to detox, lose weight, and keep it off, * Staying motivated and on track with your health goals and

Brisbane Indian Times proudly serving the Multicultural Community since 2003 proudly sponsors this page for community organisations / non profit organisatons! To view full list of upcoming events visit www.indiantimes.com.au

many more topics. $55 includes meditation pack and delicious raw vegan buffet lunch. Bookings essential 3844 8441, brisbane@asmy.org.au or visit www.asmy.org.au Indian Classical Vocal Recital – Smt Sunita Tikare (Mumbai)...7pm for 7.30pm start at 18 Denham Street, Annerley. Harmonium Sri Rahim Zullah, Tabla Sri Shen Flindell. Tickets $15 at the door. Contact Rahim 0414 988 907 or Shen 0415 106 428

15 February... Sri Selva Vinayakar Koyil (Ganesha Temple) Brisbane (South Maclean) – Lalitha Sahastranama Stotram Chanting... 4915-4923 Mt Lindesay Highway, South Maclean. For further information contact Temple Priest 5547 7302 or Ratam Wimalachandran (President HASQ) 3279 3696 or 0411 594 394. Visit www.sriselvavinayakar.org

15 February to 17 February... Hindu Society of Qld Inc - Gayatri Mandir - Maha Shivraatri...178 Lyndhurst Road, Boondall. Pooja 6pm / Pravachan by Pt Sanat Pandey from 7pm-8.30pm. Dinner provided daily. For more information contact Prakash Shandil 0408 876 414 or Sunil Maharaj 0488 324 891 or visit www.hindusociety.qld.org.au

16 February... Sri Selva Vinayakar Koyil (Ganesha Temple) Brisbane (South Maclean) – Pirathosha Viratham (16 Feb & 3 March)... 4915-4923 Mt Lindesay Highway, South Maclean. For further information contact Temple Priest 5547 7302 or Ratam Wimalachandran (President HASQ) 3279 3696 or 0411 594 394. Visit www.sriselvavinayakar.org

17 February... Shree Devpuriji (Shiva) Ashram - Yoga in Daily Life Shivaratri...With Mahamandaleshwar Paramhans Shri Swami Maheshwarananda Puriji Maharaj and Acharaya Rajan Sharma. Held at Shree Devpuriji (Shiva) Ashram, YOGA in Daily LIFE Centre, 46 Doggett Street, Newstead. Commencing at 7pm with Shri Swamiji’s opening discourse, on the significance of Shivaratri. 8pm Bhajans, Mantras and Chants, dedicated to Lord Shiva, opening to the powerful energy of this sacred night. 9pm Mantras & Shiva Lingam Puja with the chance to perform Abhishek. Conducted and guided by Acharaya Rajan Sharmaji of Nepal. 10pm Meditation, guided by Shri Swamiji, receiving the grace of Shiva, and clearing obstacles from the spiritual pag to move forward. 12pm midnight Prasad, distributed to all present. RSVP to book your place 3252 2550 or visit www.brisbane.yogaindailylife.org.au Shree Vishnu Maya Mandir – Maha Shivratri...5.30pm onwards but the temple will be open all day – 86 Scott Lane, North Maclean. All necessary pooja samagri like Bel Patra, Rudrax, Milk, Panch Jal, Panch Gabbya and Chandan etc will be provided for free. Bhajans, Kirtans and Prawachan. Vrat Phalahari Prasadam will be provided. Food sponsor $300. For sponsors, donations or any queries please contact Pt. Narend Sharma 0413 920 590, Bharat Solanki 0411 131 485 or visit www.shreevishnumayamandir.com.au Sri Selva Vinayakar Koyil (Ganesha Temple) Brisbane (South Maclean) – Maha Sivarathri Viratham... 4915-4923 Mt Lindesay Highway, South Maclean. For further information contact Temple Priest 5547 7302 or Ratam Wimalachandran (President HASQ) 3279 3696 or 0411 594 394. Visit www.sriselvavinayakar.org

18 February... Sri Selva Vinayakar Koyil (Ganesha Temple) Brisbane (South Maclean) – Amavasai Viratham... 4915-4923 Mt Lindesay Highway, South Maclean. For further information contact Temple Priest 5547 7302 or Ratam Wimalachandran (President HASQ) 3279 3696 or 0411 594

42 — THE BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, February, 2015

www.indiantimes.com.au

394. Visit www.sriselvavinayakar.org

21 February... Santoshi India House presents AN EVENING with the LEGENDS...A tribute to Rafi and Kishore through an extravaganza of song and dance that will take you back to the golden years of Bollywood. Doors open 6.30pm - Venue: Macgregor State School Hall, 370 McCullough Street, Macgregor. $30 per person / $15 Children. Includes full buffet dinner. Dress code = 70’s Bollywood - prizes for the best dressed! Tickets available online at www.eventbrite.com.au (just type in an Evening with the Legends) or you can purchase at all Santoshi India House outlets - Mount Gravatt - Strathpine - Cannon Hill. For tickets or more information contact Himaansu 0405 382 754 / Deepak 0403 629 381 or Reena 0401 229 866 Conference on Essence of Ramayan – Theme: Ramayan an Ocean of Love...5:30 to 7:30pm at Gayatri Mandir, 178 Lyndhurst Rd, Boondall. The program will have presentations from overseas and local speakers who have in depth knowledge on Ramayan written by Goswami Tulsidas. The topics include: Sanathan Dharma (Eternal Righteousness) as depicted in Ramayan, what we learn from Ramayan which we can use in our lives, Devotion and Faith as portrayed by Goswami Tulsidas in Ramayan and Love, knowledge, peace and truth as present in Ramayan. Also there will be DVD presentation on devotion, Indian classical dance on the life of Lord Ram and bhajans. Dinner will be provided. All are welcome. For further details please contact Narayan Reddy 0469 837 959 / Rahul Kumar 0400 725 329.

22 February... Sri Selva Vinayakar Koyil (Ganesha Temple) Brisbane (South Maclean) – Monthly Chathurthi Viratham... 4915-4923 Mt Lindesay Highway, South Maclean. For further information contact Temple Priest 5547 7302 or Ratam Wimalachandran (President HASQ) 3279 3696 or 0411 594 394. Visit www.sriselvavinayakar.org

27 – 28th February... Babasiga Lions presents Babasiga Festival and Crowning of Miss Labasa 2015...held at Rocklea Showgrounds, Goburra Street, Rocklea. Friday formal program commences at 6pm. Saturday 7 aside soccer tournament for Babasiga Cup – 7 aside Rugby. Entry of Queen floats at 5.30pm, formal program commences at 6pm. Multicultural foods (halal), stalls, sweets, entertainment. Come and live your Fiji memories...Contact Imran 0431 039 241 / Munaf 0411 105 626 for more information.

28 February... MAQ Badminton Indian Open...We are happy to announce MAQ Badminton Indian Open 2015 and would like to welcome you and your family to this event. This is a platform for the Indian community to compete and promote the sport. It is also an opportunity for everyone in the family to enjoy the game. Events: Mens Singles / Men’s Doubles – G1* / Men’s Doubles – G2* / Women’s Doubles / Mixed Doubles / Boys Singles under 18’s / Girls Singles Under 18’s. *G1: Players with tournament grade skills. Typically grade B and above. *G2: Players who don’t fall in the G1 category. Note: A men’s doubles team can register in either G1 or G2 – not both. Event Venue: Calamvale Community Hall – Event Fee: $10 per participant for each event (Under 18’s) $20 per participant for each event. Online Registration: Please register via the online form http://goo.gl/WeLV2f. We will contact you with payment details and follow through with a confirmation. For more information email badminton@brisbanemalayalee.org or call Vivek 0406 486 166 / Dinesh 0422 001 044 / Easo 0414 188 148.

Call Trudi on 07 3865 6533

AYS 7:30 PM! THURSDA DAY A TE SCHOOL HALL! VIRGINIA ST TA AT rain Station Platfo form)! (Next to Virg rgi ginia Tra

SA ANDGAT 1678 78 S ATE RD! VIRGINIA, BRISBANE 4014! M: 0405 392 779 93! E: saibababrisbane@gmail.com!

LIKE on fa facebook – www.fa facebook.com/SaiBabaBrisbane!

“It is My special charra acteristic to frre ee any perrsson, who surrre enderrss completely to Me and who does worrsship me ffa aithfully and who rre ememberrss Me and meditates on Me constantly” – Sai Baba ! Call Trudi on 07 3865 6533

www.indiantimes.com.au

THE BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, February, 2015 — 43

WHATÊS ON! Continued from page 42

1 March...

flyer page 47

3 May...

FEB 15 / MARCH 15 Hindu Society of Qld Inc - Gayatri Mandir - Ram Naomi Katha...178 Lyndhurst Road, Boondall. For more information contact Prakash Shandil 0408 876 414 or Sunil Maharaj 0488 324 891 or visit www.hindusociety.qld.org.au

JOHNNY LEVER live in Brisbane...Managed and presented by Kritika Bansal event management and RD Entertainment. The event is 5pm onwards at Sleeman Sports Chandler Theatre. See flyer page 13

16 May...

QFFA – QLD Fiji FA presents QCUP 2015...Acacia Ridge FC, Mortimer Road, Acacia Ridge. Free parking, Licensed bar, Fiji style food, jumping castle, kids soccer. For more information visit www.qffa.com.au

International Congress of Fiji (ICFI) – Annual Girmit night...Management Committee of ICFI advise that the annual Girmit night will be held on Saturday 16 May 2015. If you are planning any major event, the ICFI management will appreciate if you are able to please plan it around this date to avoid a clash. Thank you for your consideration and cooperation. For more details contact Sarat Maharaj – Public Relations officer 0407 111 709.

Sri Selva Vinayakar Koyil (Ganesha Temple) Brisbane (South Maclean) – Masi Makam & Nadesar Abishekam... 4915-4923 Mt Lindesay Highway, South Maclean. For further information contact Temple Priest 5547 7302 or Ratam Wimalachandran (President HASQ) 3279 3696 or 0411 594 394. Visit www.sriselvavinayakar.org

28 March...

19 July...

Kunjhaa Punjab Deeyan presents Folk ‘N’ Fusion Ladies Night 2015...Afternoon tea from 3pm onwards, performances start 5pm sharp, at Logan West Community Centre, 2 Wineglass Drive, Hillcrest Qld 4118. See flyer page 43

Hindu Society of Qld Inc - Gayatri Mandir Guru Purnima...178 Lyndhurst Road, Boondall. For more information contact Prakash Shandil 0408 876 414 or Sunil Maharaj 0488 324 891 or visit www.hindusociety.qld.org.au

5 March...

4 April...

15 August...

Hindu Society of Qld Inc - Gayatri Mandir Hanuman Jayanti...178 Lyndhurst Road, Boondall. For more information contact Prakash Shandil 0408 876 414 or Sunil Maharaj 0488 324 891 or visit www.hindusociety.qld.org.au

GOPIO QLD Inc – India Day Fair 2015...11.30am – 8pm at Roma Street Parklands Amphitheatre. Parades, live performances, cultural items, food and stalls. For sponsorship Contact Usha Chandra 0419 775 416 or Vivek Chopra 0424 579 039

18 April...

30 August TO 6 Sept...

Varnam Cultural Society Qld – Chithirai Kalai Vizha... Preparations are underway the major event to be held at St John’s Anglican College, Forest Lake. This year it is going to be a Multicultural Feast with performers from a few other communities agreeing to be a part of it, also the event will be graced with the presence of various VIP’s from Indian and other communities. We are currently seeking expressions of interest from 1. Boys & Girls for folk dance 2. High School / College Girls for western / folk dance 3. Kids for drama 4. Toddlers aged between 1.5yrs to 3 yrs. 5. Upcoming instrumentalists (Violin, Guitar, Piano/Keyboard, Tabla, Veena etc) 6. Other programme organisers, choreographers, volunteers and performers interested in being a part of this event. Rehearsals for most of these programmes will start early February. For more information contact Swapna Rajarajan 0422 344 248 or email varnamqld@gmail.com

Hindu Society of Qld Inc - Gayatri Mandir Shree Krishna Janam Astami...178 Lyndhurst Road, Boondall. For more information contact Prakash Shandil 0408 876 414 or Sunil Maharaj 0488 324 891 or visit www.hindusociety.qld.org.au

21 April to 25 April...

Hindu Society of Qld Inc - Gayatri Mandir Annual public DIWALI Celebrations...at Cannon Hill Anglican College, Corner of Junction Street & Krupp Rds, Cannon Hill (or alternative venue) For more information contact Prakash Shandil 0408 876 414 or Sunil Maharaj 0488 324 891 or visit www.hindusociety.qld.org.au

Sri Selva Vinayakar Koyil (Ganesha Temple) Brisbane (South Maclean) – Vishnu Sahastranamam & Parayanam... 4915-4923 Mt Lindesay Highway, South Maclean. For further information contact Temple Priest 5547 7302 or Ratam Wimalachandran (President HASQ) 3279 3696 or 0411 594 394. Visit www.sriselvavinayakar.org

4 March...

Hindu Society of Qld Inc - Gayatri Mandir Holika Dahan...178 Lyndhurst Road, Boondall. For more information contact Prakash Shandil 0408 876 414 or Sunil Maharaj 0488 324 891 or visit www.hindusociety.qld.org.au Shree Vishnu Maya Mandir Holika Dahan...Please come and join us for this very auspicious occasion! By Dharam Guru Pundit Tripathi Ji. March 1 – Chautal, Bhajans & Prawachan. Holika Dahan on 5th from 7pm. Maha Prasad (food) both days. For food sponsor $301, donations and queries please contact Dhiru Desai 0406 213 153, Bharat Solanki 0411 131 485 or visit www.shreevishnumayamandir.com.au Sri Selva Vinayakar Koyil (Ganesha Temple) Brisbane (South Maclean) – Powrnami (full moon) Sathya Narayana Puja... 4915-4923 Mt Lindesay Highway, South Maclean. For further information contact Temple Priest 5547 7302 or Ratam Wimalachandran (President HASQ) 3279 3696 or 0411 594 394. Visit www.sriselvavinayakar.org

7 March... Yuvi Events presents HOLI, the ultimate colour celebration...12noon to 7pm at Mt Gravatt Showgrounds, 1644 Logan Road, Mt Gravatt. See flyer page 43.

8 March... The Mantra Room – Gauranga Full Moon Festival– See flyer page 46

9 March... Sri Selva Vinayakar Koyil (Ganesha Temple) Brisbane (South Maclean) – Sankatakara Chathurthy... 4915-4923 Mt Lindesay Highway, South Maclean. For further information contact Temple Priest 5547 7302 or Ratam Wimalachandran (President HASQ) 3279 3696 or 0411 594 394. Visit www.sriselvavinayakar.org

16-22 March... A Taste of Harmony...A Taste of Harmony is a fun, free and delicious way to celebrate your workplace’s cultural diversity. See flyer page 46

21 March to 28 March...

27th – 29th March...

Chinmaya Mission Australia - Geeta at a Glance with Swami Swaroopananda... Free public talks in English at Brisbane Multicultural Arts Centre, Level 1, 102 Main Street, Kangaroo Point Qld 4169. Each Night 7.30pm to 9pm - Free Special Bala Yagna for kids aged 5-12 years with Br. Gopalji on Bhagavad Geeta at same time. For more information contact Priya 0413 490 308 / Ullhas 0401 382 573 or email brisbane@chinmaya.net.au

26 April... NATRAJ Productions Australia presents SAMANTAR (Two generations so near yet so far apart) Hindi Theatrical Drama with Rohini Hattangadi... Rohini Hattangadi (“Kasturba” of Oscar winning movie GANDHI, Winner of British Academy of Film & Television Arts (BAFTA) Asward, Filmfare and National Film Awards. See

44 — THE BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, February, 2015

17 September... Hindu Society of Qld Inc - Gayatri Mandir Ganesh Chaturthi...178 Lyndhurst Road, Boondall. For more information contact Prakash Shandil 0408 876 414 or Sunil Maharaj 0488 324 891 or visit www.hindusociety.qld.org.au

14 October to 22 October... Hindu Society of Qld Inc - Gayatri Mandir Navraatri (Durga Naomi) celebrations...178 Lyndhurst Road, Boondall. For more information contact Prakash Shandil 0408 876 414 or Sunil Maharaj 0488 324 891 or visit www.hindusociety.qld.org.au

31 October...

11 November... Hindu Society of Qld Inc - Gayatri Mandir Diwali celebrations at Mandir...178 Lyndhurst Road, Boondall. For more information contact Prakash Shandil 0408 876 414 or Sunil Maharaj 0488 324 891 or visit www.hindusociety.qld.org.au

Weekly Events... Australian Pentecostal Assembly Brisbane – Sunday Worship every Sunday 9am-11.30am at 84 The Community Place, 84 Kedron Park Road,

www.indiantimes.com.au

Wooloowin Qld with Pastor Prakash Jacob. Cottage Meeting every Tuesday 7.30pm-9pm / Kids Bible Study every Friday 7pm-7.45pm / Intercessory Prayer every Friday 7.45-9pm. Worship in Hindi, English, Malayalam and other Indian Languages. For more information Phone 07 3315 5597 / 0413 347 562 or email info@apabrisbane.com.au / www.apabrisbane.com.au Brahma Kumaris Australia – Meditation & Positive Thinking Sessions – Mondays 10.30am to 11.30am: Regular meditation should improve your ability to focus and think clearly. By practising mediations which cultivate our ability to sense and care for our natural energy we are able to live life with greater awareness and confidence. Each class includes guided meditations, discussions, short talks and the introduction and practice of techniques. Each session is a different topic. Meditation sessions Tuesdays 6.30pm to 7.30 pm and Sundays 5.30pm to 6.30pm. During these sessions there will be meditation commentaries, music and periods of silence. You can come and go at any time during these sessions. Venue: 27 Bordeaux Parade, Mermaid Waters. Please phone to register – 5575 2126. Email goldcoast@au.brahmakumaris.org or visit www.brahmakumaris.org/au/whatson for more information Nundah Yoga - FREE meditation classes – Nundah Community Centre, 14 Station Street, Nundah. Organization of Hindu Malayalees Queensland (OHM Queensland) – Monthly Bhajans held every first Saturday of Malayalam calendar. Activities include Bhajans, Malayalam Class, Library service, religious short educational presentations, vegetarian dinner etc. For further information please contact President Krishnan AK on 0418 727 570 or ohmqueensland@gmail.com Sai Baba Aarti Program – Every Thursday 7.30pm – Virginia State School, 1678 Sandgate Road, Virginia (next to Virginia Train Station) Aarti & Archana opportunity for all attendees, Prasad & Dinner provided. Enquiries call 0405 392 793 / saibababrisbane@gmail.com / Like on facebook www.facebook.com/SaiBabaBrisbane Sri Selva Vinayakar Koyil (Ganesha Temple) Brisbane (South Maclean) – For full list of upcoming events please visit www.sriselvavinayakar.org The Gold Coast Hindu Cultural Association Gold Coast Bhajan - monthly Bhajans held every third Friday of the month starting at 7.15am at the Helensvale Community Centre - 31 Discovery Rd, Helensvale. Activities include Bhajan recitals, short educational presentations and free vegetarian dinner. All are cordially invited to attend. For further information please contact Director/Religious Activities, Mr S Barataraj on 0417 588 839 or gchcan@gmail.com or visit www.goldcoasthindu.org The Mantra Room – Live Kirtan – Spend an evening of sacred Yoga chant with Gayatri, Ishvara, Jayadharma and friends Fridays 6pm, Sundays 5pm and Wednesdays 7pm at Australian School of Meditation & Yoga, 236 Montague Road, West End. Amazing Vego Food $5. Come celebrate, meditate and let the music set you free. For more information call 3844 8441 or email brisbane@asm.org.au

Call Trudi on 07 3865 6533

www.indiantimes.com.au

THE BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, February, 2015 — 45

46 — THE BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, February, 2015

www.indiantimes.com.au

Call Trudi on 07 3865 6533

www.indiantimes.com.au

THE BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, February, 2015 — 47

Did Salman Khan roast AIB members for Arpita jokes?

Bollywood & Entertainment Coming Soon... Detective Byomkesh Bakshy Release Date: 3 April 2015 Starring: Sushant Singh Rajput Director: Dibakar Banerjee Synopsis: In a contemporary interpretation of war torn Calcutta during the 1940's, the film follows the first adventure of Byomkesh (Sushant Singh Rajput), fresh out of college, as he pits himself against an evil genius who is out to destroy the world. It's his wits against the most villainous arch criminal the world has seen, in a world of murder, international political intrigue and seduction. A War... A Mystery... A Detective... Expect The Unexpected...

Broken Horses Release Date: April 2015 Starring: Kerry Barden and Paul Schnee Director: Vidhu Vinod Chopra Synopsis: Having left town as a child after the death of his father, young music prodigy, JACOB HECKUM, returns to his desolate hometown after years only to discover that BUDDY, the child-like elder brother he left behind, now works for a notorious drug gang. The gang’s ruthless boss has twisted Buddy’s simple mind and manipulated him into a killer...a surrogate son who blindly does as he is told. Jacob is unable to convince Buddy to leave his new fraternity. Drowned in guilt for having abandoned him, Jacob realizes the only way to save Buddy is from the inside out. Set in the shadows of the turbulent American-Mexican border Broken Horses is a gritty, epic thriller about bonds of brotherhood, laws of loyalty, and the futility of violence. Broken Horses features Vincent D'Onofrio, Anton Yelchin, Chris Marquette, Maria Valverde and Thomas Jane. It is a film from director Vidhu Vinod Chopra.

Meet Aamir Khan, the super actor who is also a super dad www.mindblowingfilms.com

WAS Salman Khan also burnt by the controversial roast organised by All India Bak**** in December last year? The threepart video was taken off from YouTube by the group this week after protests by some political parties which alleged that the video was 'vulgar'. According to the buzz, there were some jokes at the expense of Salman's sister Arpita during the live event. This apparently made the actor very angry and he called up AIB's co-founder Tanmay Bhatt. During this furious 2am call, he asked Bhatt how dare he mess with his family members. He also demanded that none of those jokes should end up online, a website reported. This call allegedly ensured that none of those jokes found their way to the edited • Shah Rukh Khan and Salman Khan kiss Arpita on her Sangeet. (Photo: Arpita Khan / video the comedy group put it up on social Khan Instagram) media. According to sources, Salman even called The group in a statement on Twitter, howup Karan Johar who was the roast master ever, have said the decision to take off the on the show and expressed his displeasure, video was not due to any "2am phone according to reports. calls". HT

Tight security at film shoot to make Aishwarya 'feel absolutely safe'

• As Aishwarya Rai Bachchan starts shooting for Sanjay Gupta’s next, the makers of the film have arranged for extra security for the actor. (HT Photo)

• Bollywood star Aamir Khan with his son Azad. With those genes, this junior Khan is likely to create waves in Bollywood once he comes of age. (Hindustan Times photo).

Aamir Khan, who seems to have a little free time on hand, nowadays, is spending most of it with his youngest son, Azad. The actor has been dropping Azad to his playschool every day since a week. “During his visits to the school, mothers of Azad’s friends have been keen to meet him. As soon as word spread that Aamir has been stopping by daily, more and more mothers have been spotted chatting with him there,” says a source close to Aamir, adding, “On the first day that he went, he spent close to an hour chatting with the women. He has been going to the school

without security personnel, who usually accompany him everywhere.” Apart from this, Aamir spends time playing with the three-year-old at home and even takes him to a nearby park sometimes. “Whenever possible, he takes Azad to a garden close by, and they play there. Aamir wants to make the most of his free time by spending it with Azad because he is growing up.” As a result, Kiran Rao has also got more free time to relax while her husband handles the parental duties. When contacted, Aamir confirmed the news. HT

48 — THE BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, February, 2015

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, who is facing the camera again after five years for Sanjay Gupta’s film, has been provided with a foolproof security cover in order to keep overzealous onlookers at bay. Apparently, Aishwarya has been provided with 10-12 bodyguards at the film’s shoot. Also, the idea behind a tight security cordon is to make sure that the actor’s looks and other details about the set are not leaked out by way of photographs clicked by fans. “Ash’s security arrangement has been paid extra attention to, especially because she has been — and is required to — shoot quite a bit at outdoor locations [in Mumbai], on roads and in eateries etc. Not just her movements, but Ash’s vanity van is also being guarded. Since she has a number

www.indiantimes.com.au

of fans, the makers want her to feel absolutely comfortable and safe,” says an insider. Since Gupta’s film also has Irrfan Khan and Shabana Azmi, among others, the makers have left no stone unturned to keep the other cast members and the crew safe and relaxed as well. In fact, it’s believed that around `40 lakh has been earmarked for only the security arrangements. “Earlier, another security agency had been hired, but since the makers weren’t satisfied with their work, Ronit Roy’s security agency was roped in,” adds the insider. When contacted, Gupta confirmed the news, saying, “Yes, as any other responsible film-maker, I have gone in for an elaborate security arrangement to keep the cast and crew safe.” HT Call Trudi on 07 3865 6533

Bollywood & Entertainment I fell in love with Amitabh Bachchan: Akshara Haasan Akshara Haasan has inherited the acting legacy of her parents, Kamal Haasan and Sarika, who have been part of Indian cinema for over four decades. She made her screen debut February 6 with Shamitabh. The 23-year-old tells us why she wasn’t sure about becoming an actor and also talks about her father’s stardom. You weren’t sure about becoming an actor. How did you zero in on Shamitabh? To be honest, I had taken time to discover my calling and did different things like being an assistant director, a photographer and a dancer. I thought this was the right time to understand what acting was all about. So I went up to mom and told her ‘it is time I act’. Shamitabh happened with Balki (R Balki; filmmaker) sir spotting me outside an editing studio. But he didn’t know who I was, and much later, he asked me if I was interested in working in his film. What was it like to do a scene with Amitabh Bachchan?

In my first scene with him I had to look stern. However, my

voice was quivering. But then, he made me comfortable. I fell in love with him after watching Kaun Banega Crorepati. I thought “he is one of the most successful actors and I cannot mess up.” That was the kind of pressure I put on myself. His aura can be intimidating. Your father, too, is a name to reckon with. I have seen his stardom, but for me, he is my dad and not the way the audience sees him. As a kid, I could not figure out why everyone was running after my father. But when I see him on screen, I see him as an actor and not as my father. In my childhood, however, if my parents were beaten up on screen, I would start crying. The final scene of Sadma (1983), where dad is trying to make Sridevi recognise him, tugged at my heart strings. How is your rapport with Shruti? Shruti is a friend, a sister and a guide. There is a lot of understanding between us. She’s very protective about me.

Actor Jiiva, Tamil director Deekay team up for next DESPITE the fact actor Jiiva's Yaan was a dud at the box office, Tamil director Deekay has decided to work with him in his yet-untitled film in Tamil. Deekay made his directorial debut with Yaamirukka Bayamey which turned out to be a blockbuster last year. "The project with Jiiva will go on floors soon. I can't divulge details about the plot, but it's going to be totally different from my first film. Elred Kumar, who produced my debut film, will also be producing this project," said Deekay. The rest of the cast for the film will be finalised soon. According to a source close to the director, the project is expected to roll from March. Meanwhile, talks are on for the Hindi remake of Yaamirukka Bayamey. HT

Ranveer suffered from depression like Deepika, around the same time

ACTOR Deepika Padukone, who opened up recently about having experienced depression, was apparently not the only one in low spirits. Her love interest, actor Ranveer Singh, too, was very depressed during the same period. “Deepika was suffering, it’s true, but Ranveer was the one who was disturbed and was seeking help. He even saw a therapist,” a source told a Mumbai tabloid. Early in January 2015, Padukone spoke to Hindustan Times and revealed that up until last 2014 she struggled with anxiety and depression. Padukone explained how, while her career was thriving and she was rising to become one of Bollywood’s most sought-after actors, she was simultaneously battling mental illness. She went on to talk about how it was a friend’s suicide due to anxiety and depression, as well as her own personal experiences, that encouraged her to speak up about this issue, one that isn’t widely discussed in India. HT Call Trudi on 07 3865 6533

www.indiantimes.com.au

THE BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, February, 2015 — 49

Sports News ICC Cricket World Cup Top Ten: Debutants

Roar to play legendary Liverpool risbane Roar FC, the Hyundai AB League Champions, will play English Premier League giants Liverpool FC in a blockbuster showdown at Suncorp Stadium on Friday, 17 July. The five-time European Champions confirmed the thrilling match up in a press release issued from Anfield on 4 Febrary morning (Brisbane time). Ian Ayre, Liverpool FC Chief Executive Officer, said: "We visited Australia for the first time two years ago and the support we received from our Australian fans was incredible. Liverpool FC has over 600,000 supporters in Australia and we look forward to meeting as many of them as possible while we are in the country. "Pre-season is an important time for the team as they prepare for the upcoming season and the matches against Brisbane Roar and Adelaide United are an exciting part of that preparation, giving our supporters a chance to see the team up close, no matter how far away from Anfield they live.” Corporate hospitality opportunities are available immediately for the 17 July match as well as 320 exclusive tickets to the official Brisbane Roar FC Supporters Function. For details go to www.roarhospitality.com. au/liverpool-vs-brisbane-roar/ Roar members will be advised of an exclusive pre-sale opportunity. Full details of general ticket sales also will be released soon. Liverpool FC, who were runners-up in last year’s EPL and are currently seventh on the ladder, boast a squad of superstars including England internationals Daniel Sturridge and Raheem Sterling, Slovakian defender Martin Skrtel, Ivorian Kolo Toure and Australian goalkeeper Brad Jones. Securing a prestigious match against the Reds continues what is turning into a big season for the Roar.

The club resumed the Hyundai A-League season on Monday night with a thrilling extra-time 3-2 win over Wellington Phoenix and later this month returns to the AFC Champions League for the first time since 2012. Roar managing director Sean Dobson said it would be a proud moment for the club to host Liverpool FC. “To be on the same field with Liverpool FC, one of the true giants of world football, reinforces Brisbane Roar’s standing as Australia’s premier football club,” Dobson said. “It will be a special night for all our members and fans as they cheer on the Roar against such legendary opponents playing on our home ground.” The 17 July Suncorp Stadium match against the Roar is part of a pre-season tour by the Reds that also includes a game in Adelaide. Liverpool FC last toured Australia in 2013 when they beat Melbourne Victory 2-0 in front of more than 95,000 fans at the MCG. LIVERPOOL FC BY THE NUMBERS • The club has won 18 top division titles in England, including three in a row from 1981- 84. Their last crown was in 1989-90. • Liverpool FC holds the record for the most European Cup victories by an English team, having won the competition five times. • The club has won the FA Cup seven times (the last in 2006) and the League Cup eight times (most recently in 2012). • Research shows Liverpool FC has an estimated 580 million fans worldwide. • Their Facebook page has attracted more than 25 million likes and their Twitter account has more than 3.4 million followers. brisbaneroar.com.au

Ronaldo agent defends player over birthday party MADRID: Cristiano Ronaldo's agent has defended the FIFA Ballon d'Or winner after he was criticized for throwing a lavish 30th birthday party on Saturday (7 Feb) hours after Real Madrid's 4-0 La Liga drubbing at Atletico. Widely published images, which prompted angry reaction from Real fans on social media, showed Portugal captain Ronaldo and teammates including James Rodriguez, Marcelo and Keylor Navas enjoying the festivities. Real president Florentino Perez was reportedly furious and Spanish media reported the fact that none of Real's Spanish players

attended, including club captains Iker Casillas and Sergio Ramos, pointed to divisions in the squad. "Cristiano remains the world's best professional, the best in history," Ronaldo's agent Jorge Mendes told Spanish radio. "He was very upset at the defeat," Mendes added. "He told me that he would be there for a very short time but that he had more than 40 children at the party and had to go." Real's defeat at Atletico, which came after their city rivals dumped them out of the King's Cup last month, allowed second-placed Barcelona to close to within a point of the La Liga lead-

50 — THE BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, February, 2015

ers with just over half the season played. Real coach Carlo Ancelotti described the reverse at the Calderon as his worst in his two seasons in charge and blamed himself for the capitulation. A weakened defence, missing the injured Pepe and Ramos along with Marcelo through suspension, was torn apart by a rampant Atletico. Real need to rediscover the form that led them on a Spanish record 22-game winning streak in all competitions at the end of last year before next week's Champions League last 16, first leg at Bundesliga side Schalke 04.

SOME of these players are spring chickens while others have been playing at the highest level for some time already. Here are some of the most exciting players who will be playing in an ICC Cricket World Cup for the first time in 2015: 1. Corey Anderson (New Zealand) Until recently, Anderson held the World Record for the fastest ODI century, after he reached three figures from 36 balls against West Indies in January 2014. The allrounder has become a key part of the Black Caps’ team since making his ODI debut in mid-2013, scoring more than 680 runs at an average above 36 with a strike rate close to 130. This will be his first appearance at a Cricket World Cup and Anderson has been in excellent form in the lead-up to the World Cup, ensuring he will be one to watch. 2. Glenn Maxwell (Australia) Maxwell’s performances in limited overs cricket have seen him gain worldwide fame since his ODI debut in 2012. His off-spin will be an important tool for Australia in the World Cup, as well his skills with the bat.The bighitting all-rounder showed what he was capable of during Australia’s ODI tour of India in late 2013, when he posted scores of 31, 53, 3, 92, 9 and 60 in six matches, scoring 172 of his 248 runs in boundaries.Australia will be counting on the all-rounder in his maiden ICC Cricket World Cup, particularly after Maxwell scored 95 in an ODI in February and followed up with 122 off 57 balls in Australia’s first warm-up match. 3. Hamilton Masakadza (Zimbabwe) A right-handed batsmen and occasional leg-spin bowler, Hamilton Masakadza made his international debut in 2001. He will be the oldest debutant at the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015, marking the latest milestone in a career that has spanned more than 140 one-day internationals and seen Masakadza score three centuries and 24 fifties. A purple patch of form in 2009 saw him become the first Zimbabwe player to score above 150 twice. 4. Hamid Hassan (Afghanistan) Hamid Hassan honed his cricket skills as a child growing up in a refugee camp in Peshawar. He made his debut for Afghanistan in its first one-day international in 2009 and since has picked up more than 40 wickets, including a career best 545 against United Arab Emirates in December 2014. A skilled player with plenty of potential, Hassan and his teammates will play in a World Cup for the first time this year. Given Afghanistan’s rapid rise up the cricket ranks, cricket fans around the world will be tuning in to see how the team can go in its maiden tournament. 5. Quinton de Kock (South Africa) Quinton de Kock had achieved more by his 21st birthday than many cricketers do in an entire career. Having already caused plenty of excitement for his skills with the bat and behind the stumps, cricket fans around the world will be looking forward to his maiden World Cup appearance.

www.indiantimes.com.au

The left-hander blazed his way to five centuries in his first 19 ODI appearances, becoming the first player to score three successive one-day centuries and the second player to score four ODI centuries before his 21st birthday. 6. Joe Root (England) An exciting batsman with buckets of talent, Joe Root is a superstar in the making. He debuted in England ODI team in early 2013 and Root has since produced a string of impressive performances, including three one-day centuries and eight fifties. Root scored 69 against Australia in Hobart in January 2015, which will no doubt give the batsman a confidence boost ahead of the teams’ World Cup opener at the MCG on February 14. 7. Jason Holder (West Indies) Holder is only 23 years old but already the talented bowler has been entrusted with the Windies’ ODI captaincy. An up-and-coming pace bowler, Holder was called up for his maiden ODI in early 2013 before taking over the skipper’s job from Dwayne Bravo in December 2014. The Barbados bowler, who will be eager to make an impact at his first ICC Cricket World Cup in 2015, has shown good form in his ODI career to date including a fourwicket haul against Pakistan in his fourth match. 8. Dinesh Chandimal (Sri Lanka) He made the Sri Lankan Development side in 2009, scoring a century against New Zealand, and was rewarded with his international debut in 2010. Chandimal played his first one-day international against Zimbabwe, scoring 10* on debut and followed up with 111 in his second match, before another century in his sixth outing. He has also scored 12 fifties and averages close to 30 in ODIs. Having missed out on a place in Sri Lanka’s 2011 Cricket World Cup squad, Chandimal will be eager to have an impact this time around. 9. David Warner (Australia) Warner’s international career started in 2009 with a bit of history – he was the first man to represent Australia without a first-class match to his name since 1877 – and the swashbuckling opener has continued to impress since. His big-hitting and aggressive play has seen him notch a high score of 163, while Warner has formed a good relationship at the top of the order with Aaron Finch. From 11 ODIs in 2014, Warner scored 406 runs including four fifties. His good form continued in January when he smashed 127 off 115 balls against England at the SCG. 10. Rohit Sharma (India) This is one batsman cricket fans will definitely look forward to seeing at the Cricket World Cup. Sharma has scored not one, but two ODI doublecenturies. His first, a total of 209, came in late 2013, but his biggest feat to date came in late 2014. Sharma blitzed Sri Lanka to score 264 from 173 balls – the highest individual ODI score in history. icc-cricket.com Call Trudi on 07 3865 6533

Sports News

World Cup warm-up: Australia register crushing win against India ndia's preparations for the cricket Ithrashed World Cup suffered a jolt as Australia the defending champions by 106 runs with Glenn Maxwell and David Warner striking blistering centuries in their first warm-up game. Electing to bat at the Adelaide Oval in a match where the two teams used their full 15-member squads, the hosts rode on Warner's 104 and Maxwell's 57-ball 122 to put up a mammoth 371 all out in 50 overs. Warner made his runs off 83 balls. The hard-hitting Maxwell smashed 11 boundaries and eight towering sixes. Warner found the fence 14 times and cleared it twice. India were then bowled out for 265 in 45.1 overs to give the hosts another moraleboosting win ahead of the quadrennial event, starting Saturday 14 February. Ajinkya Rahane top-scored for the visiting side with a 52-ball 66, while Shikhar Dhawan (59) and Ambati Rayudu (53) too made half centuries. But their efforts proved to be too less as the rest of the batsmen crumbled in the face of some aggressive bowling by the Aussies on a surface

that looked pretty good for batting. Pacer Pat Cummins was the most successful bowler for Australia as he returned figures of three for 30, while there were two wickets apiece for Mitchell Starc, Mitchell Johnson and Josh Hazlewood. Still in his comeback trail in international cricket following a month-long sabbatical due to a hamstring injury, 33-year-old pace spearhead Johnson had impressive figures of two for 26. The star-studded Indian batting line-up that includes the likes of Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Suresh Raina and skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni all failed to impress. So was the case with all-rounder Stuart Binny and Ravindra Jadeja who were also smashed by the Australian batsmen. It was not just the batsmen but the bowlers too performed badly, leaking too many runs courtesy some wayward bowling in the day-night game. Earlier, Warner and Maxwell smashed strokeful centuries to help Australia post a daunting total against a hapless Indian bowling attack. Maxwell's stay in the middle came to an end when he retired out. HT

17-year-old golfer Lydia Ko becomes youngest world number one

17-year-old Lydia Ko of New Zealand became the youngest golfer to hold top spot in the world rankings by tying for second place at the LPGA season-opening Coates Golf Championship in Ocala, Florida, on Saturday 7 February. American Tiger Woods was previously the youngest golfer to become world number one when he did it in 1997 at 21, while Shin Ji-yai held the women's record after reaching top spot in 2010 aged 22. • Lydia Ko of New Zealand The Korean-born Ko, led by (AFP Photo) as many as four strokes in the final round but slipped behind after a dou- Korda and Jang Ha-na of South Korea at ble-bogey six at the 17th hole as she fin- the Golden Ocala Golf and Equestrian ished one shot behind winner and good Club. friend Choi Na-yeon of South Korea, who The precocious Ko began the final round fired a 68. with a one-stroke lead and was disappointStill, it good enough to lift her ahead of ed not to win the tournament, saying she Inbee Park of South Korea in the rankings. hadn't thought about her ranking. "It's amazing," said Ko, who also ended the "I didn't really know what I needed to do to 2014 season by winning the CME get in that position. All I was focused on Titleholders event in November and a $1 million prize for claiming the season-long was trying to play my best out here," she said. "So it's a huge honour to be in that points race. Ko, who as a 15-year-old amateur in 2012 ranking. I'm just going to just focus on my became the youngest ever winner on the golf, not think about the rankings. The tour, shot a one-under-par 71 for 15-under rankings always comes after the results." REUTERS 273 to share second with American Jessica Call Trudi on 07 3865 6533

www.indiantimes.com.au

THE BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, February, 2015 — 51

APPLY NOW AT WWW.MISSINDIA.MENU EMAIL - FRANCHISE@MISSINDIA.NET.AU pHONE - (07) 3040 8420

DARWIN

C OURSES : IINTERNATIONAL NTERNATIONAL S TUDENTS COURSES STUDENTS

BSB40407 Certificate B SB40407 : C er tificate IV IV in in Small Small Business Business Management Management BSB51107 Diploma Management B SB51107 : D iploma ooff M anagement BSB60407 Advanced Diploma Management B SB60407 : A dvanced D iploma ooff M anagement BSB60207 Advanced Diploma Business B SB60207 : A dvanced D iploma ooff B usiness BSB51207 Diploma Marketing B SB51207 : D iploma ooff M arketing

BRISBANE

NEW S U P M A C

C OURSES : IINTERNATIONAL NTERNATIONAL STUDENTS STUDENTS COURSES

BSB40407 Certificate Business Management B SB40407 : C er tificate IV IV iinn ssmall mall B usiness M anagement BSB51107 Diploma Management B SB51107 : D iploma ooff M anagement BSB60407 Advanced Diploma Management B SB60407 : A dvanced D iploma ooff M anagement BSB60207 Advanced Diploma Business B SB60207 : A dvanced D iploma ooff B usiness BSB51207 Diploma Marketing B SB51207 : D iploma ooff M arketing Certificate Accounting FFNS40611 NS40611 : C er tificate IIV V iinn A ccounting Diploma Accounting FFNS50210 NS50210 : D iploma ooff A ccounting General EELICOS LICOS : G eneral EEnglish nglish

FEES HLY NT NI MO MENTS. L INSTA

BRISBANE/DARWIN BSB30412 B SB30412 BSB30112 B SB30112 CHC30212 C HC30212 CHC30113 C HC30113 BSB40407 B SB40407 BSB51107 B SB51107 BSB60407 B SB60407 BSB60207 B SB60207 BSB51207 B SB51207 CHC50113 C HC50113 FFNS40611 NS40611 FFNS50210 NS50210

: : : : : : : : : : : :

C OURSES : D OMESTIC S TUDENTS COURSES DOMESTIC STUDENTS

Certificate Business Administration C er tificate IIII II iinn B usiness A dministration* Certificate Business C er tificate IIII II iinn B usiness* Certificate Aged Care C er tificate IIII II iinn A ged C are* Certificate Childhood Care* C er tificate IIII II iinn EEarly arly C hildhood EEducation ducation aand nd Care Certificate Small Business Management C er tificate IIV V iinn S mall B usiness M anagement * Diploma Management D iploma ooff M anagement Advanced Diploma Management anagement A dvanced D iploma ooff M Advanced Diploma Business usiness A dvanced D iploma ooff B Diploma Marketing D iploma ooff M arketing Diploma Childhood Education & Care hild D iploma ooff EEarly arly C Certificate Accounting(Brisbane only)* ccoun C er tificate IIV V iinn A Diploma Accounting D iploma ooff A ccounting (Brisbane Only)*

**Eligible Eligible ffor or CCert ert 3 GGuarantee uara funding oonly nly aavailable vailable iinn QQueensland. ueensla **conditions conditions apply

www.accollege.edu.au / admissions@accollege.edu.au admissions@accollege.edu.au www.accollege.edu.au

Australian careers c o l l e g e we care for your career

UUNIT NIT 22C,C, 11990 990 LLOGAN OGAN RRD. D. UUPPER PPER MMT.T. GGRAVATT RAVATT QQLD LD 44122 122

Brisbane Campus Campus PPhh : 33343 Brisbane 343 33318 318 FFax: ax: 33343 343 33118, 118, MMobile obile : 00455 455 8824 24 2212 12 Darwin Campus Campus Darwin

innellie, DDarwin arwin NNTT 00820. 820 Winnellie, 33AA 6666 CCoonawarra oonawarra RRoad, oad, W 9470407 PPhone hone : 0088 889470302 9470302 FFax ax : 0088 889470407

52 - THE BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, February, 2015

www.indiantimes.com.au

G N I L L ENRO

W O N NTIS CODE : 31642 CRICOS: 03029G Call Trudi on 07 3865 6533