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EDITOR: Pardeshi, Gaurav Ashok PUBLISHER: Neha G.Pathak DESIGN CONSULTANT: Sivasakthibalan CONTRIBUTORS: Hongyu Wang Marion Brennan Chandragupta Amrtikar Sanjukta Ghosh Chitra Sivakumar Aunty Poonam Mehta Pandit Gopal Sharma Natalie Ngai A-DESIFLAVA COMPANY LTD.: Room 20, 13th Floor, Eldex Indl. Bldg.

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Hello Readers, Welcome to a fresh new issue of your favorite community magazine ‘Adesiflava’. It all started with Disco Dandiya in 2012, followed by Disco Dandiya in 2013, Aavo Dandiya Ramva in 2014 and now is our biggest step in the league of Dandiya events in Hong Kong, Its our upcoming show Delia School of Canada Navratri Utsav 2016 on the 9th October 2016. With a venue of over 2000 people, live food stalls, indoor stadium at a walking distance of only 2 minutes from Wan Chai MTR station and LIVE singing by Gujarati Shakira Anita Sharma and Mumbai Rockers band, the event is the really the biggest Navrati Event happening in Hong Kong for general public.

Please book your tickets if you still haven’t, we’ve got plenty of space and we need a houseful event.

Our FEATURED article in this issue is about the cost of living in Hong Kong when compared to the costs of living in other major cities and countries. The article is a very useful piece of information for expats who plan to move to Hong Kong or are planning to move out. The article is based on information available on the internet and does not draw to any conclusion for anyone.

BAUHINIA’S VIEW is back. Our regular Chinese writer Hongyu Wang, who fascinates south Asian culture and living has put together Prospects and Pitfalls which talks about Hong Kong’s role as an International Financial Centre of the world. Traders, Bankers, Investors, its a must read for you guys.

CHUNG KING MANSION, which Indian living in Hong Kong has not been here or hasn’t heard about this famous and most notorious den of south Asians in Hong Kong. Chung King Mansion shelters the thousands, gives business to hundreds and provides inexpensive food, clothing and electronics to many tourists. Lots of bad stories and tales about this place, but there’s someone praising about it.

Please read our featured article ‘We Love Chung King Mansion’.

GLOBETROTTER Column takes us to Seychelles this time. The very famous editor and my writer friend Mr.Chanragupta Amritkar’s really makes me feel craving for this dreamland.

Entrepreneurial, Aunty MVP, Mano Ya Na Mano, Kids Section & Astrology will keep you glued till the last page.

Enjoy reading and send your feedback please.

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Cost of living in Hong Kong

Prospects & Pitfalls

Chungking Mansion

Mesmerizing Seychelles

Hong Kong Co Working Space

Radiance Eduction

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Content

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COMPARING COST OF LIVING IN HONG KONG TO VARIOUS OTHER PLACES ROUND THE WORLD

Hong Kong has always been well known (infamous perhaps?!) for its high cost of living, to the extent that for many expats (in particular), it consistently ranks as one of the most expensive places to relocate, according to numerous studies.

At Adesiflava we wanted to put this commonly held notion to test.

Accordingly, we went ahead and compared cost of living in Hong Kong to various other places round the world which are also well known for their high cost of living – along various parameters. Our findings are summarized in the table below. We have taken the base currency as the US Dollar for easy comparison across all the different places, unless otherwise stated where the local currency (or any other currency) is mentioned alongside.

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Places Parameters

Hong Kong

Travel

By and large travel in Hong Kong tends to be cheap and affordable. Taxi fares are particularly affordable, compared to places like London or New York. A local bus in Hong Kong would typically cost $2.82 as would MTR for 2 persons.

A peak tram in Hong Kong would cost $7.69.

Fairly expensive. Intercity transportation would cost $30+ while a taxi from the airport to the main city would cost $25+.

It is not for nothing that London is considered one of the most expensive cities in the world! A taxi from Heathrow to city centre can set you back by anywhere from $75 to $100. The tube is a much more viable option where the same ride would cost anywhere between $5 to $8+. The refundable Oyster card for $8.33 is a great alternative too.

Education

Affordable for local Cantonese language schools; prohibitively expensive for English language education at private schools. Indicative costs as high as $1100 a month.

Foreigners pay more for education as is the norm in places round the world.

For instance, medicine studies at NUS (National University of Singapore) would cost $37,000+.

Tuition fees in international schools in London can go up to $16,500+ per term. Yet, London also offers students ample opportunities to “earn while they learn”.

Food

Food in Hong Kong remains fairly affordable. A meal at an inexpensive restaurant would cost you less than $6 while a Combo Meal at McDonald’s would cost less than $4. Beer, both local and imported, would also cost you less than $4.

Plenty of hawkers across Singapore make street food extremely inexpensive yet tasty! Beer starts from $4. A Big Mac costs about $3.5.

A reasonable meal in the business district would cost $23 while a combo meal in a fast food joint would cost just $9. Basic dinner for two at a neighborhood pub would be costlier at $51 though.

Housing

Housing unfortunately is one of the most expensive aspects of living in Hong Kong, especially for expats, where median prices can touch more than half a million US dollars!

One of the biggest costs of living in Singapore, the cheapest option would be renting a shared flat at $400 a month. If you can afford, renting a house would cost upwards of $6,000 to start with.

A basic one bedroom apartment in the city centre would cost you $2,500 to rent.

Buying one in the same area would cost you nearly $15,000 per square meter.

Considerably expensive than the US because of taxes. Hot sellers like the Mercedes E-Class cost upwards of $64,000.

Numerous add-ons to the cost of a car include vehicle license costs, hefty parking fees, fuel expenses, and insurance to the extent that over a 5 year period, even a second hand Toyota Corolla can end up costing you upwards of $80,000.

Owning cars is a prohibitively expensive proposition in Singapore.

After all costs and charges, an Audi A4 could cost you $182,000 while a BMW 328 would cost $238,000.

Owning a car in London is quite expensive. Firstly, cars are expensive to buy, including those that are considered cheap in other parts of the world. Add to that exorbitant parking fees and congestion charges, so you will end up spending a pretty penny.

Using public transport as far as possible is always advisable.

While high end retail is just as expensive as in places like London or Paris, there is plenty of cheap clothing on offer in Hong Kong, which can cost as little as $2.5 to start with. For women’s clothing try the Cheung Sha Wan Road in Sham Shui Po which locals refer to as “Fashion Street”.

Clothing is where Singapore provides some respite! Places like Bugis Street and Far East Plaza offer great deals on clothes.

When it comes to clothing options, London scores well for cheap choices - consider stores like Topshop, Primark, New Look, Forever 21, and TK Maxx for great bargains!

Cars

Clothing

Singapore

London

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Places Parameters

Mumbai

New York

Thailand

Travel

Travel in Mumbai is cheap, on a regular black and yellow taxi, $15 - $18 would be sufficient to take you from one end of the city to another. Private taxis are more expensive. Auto-rickshaws (or tuk-tuks) start at 25 cents minimum fare and only run in the suburbs. Train travel on the suburban railway network (commonly called local) is most common and advisable; a first class tourist ticket usable on all lines all day would cost $2.6.

Taxis in the Big Apple start at $2.50. Buses and subways cost the same - $2.25. Driving in the city is not advisable, especially for newcomers, with traffic, congestion, parking fees being some reasons.

Traveling across Thailand is a convenient and cheap proposition with ample choices for doing so, including by air - competition has meant that airfares tend to be low as well. Once inside Thailand, you will find taxis relatively commonly, especially in Bangkok and other tourist hubs. They start at a little over a dollar as the minimum fare.

Trains and buses are cheap as well.

Education

Private schools (as opposed to government schools which could even be free but very poor quality) are getting increasingly expensive in Mumbai; even at the pre-school level, you might have to spend upwards of $11,000 on fees, which only get higher as your child progresses through school.

When it comes to education in New York City, a lot depends on the institution. For instance, the annual tuition and fees at New York Conservatory for Dramatic Arts is $31,250 at the time of writing this piece. That said, taking a child right through all the various stages of education in New York City can end up costing $1 million eventually!

International schools in Thailand are rather expensive where fees can range anywhere between $10,000 to $20,000 per annum and sometimes even more!

Food

Food in Mumbai can be unbelievably cheap, depending on where you eat (high end restaurants can be quite expensive though, even by western standards!). A budget meal at most places would cost less than $5. A big Maharaja Mac chicken burger (equivalent of the Big Mac) at McDonald’s costs just about $1.5, one of the cheapest in the world!

While the general reputation of New York is that of an expensive city, food can be cheap depending on where you eat. Generally, there are a number of budget options across the city where you can easily have all 3 meals of the day for less than $10 each.

By and large, food in Thailand is cheap, especially street food (which is also mostly very good quality!) that can be as less as $2.

However, hotels and restaurants serving non-Thai food do tend to be expensive, maybe ten times as much as street food. A Combo Meal at McDonalds would cost $5.

Housing

Location can make a big difference to housing costs in Mumbai. Renting a 1 bedroom apartment in the city centre would cost upwards of $500 while buying one would cost nearly $5,000 per square meter in the same location.

Median home values in New York are about $525,000 currently. Rent for a one bedroom apartment in the city centre would be $2,800+.

Housing costs vary by area with Bangkok typically the most expensive. On an average, a decent apartment should cost you $300 to $500 a month to rent, though there can be significant variations.

Cars

You can expect a car in the range of the Volkswagen Golf to cost about $13,000 in Mumbai. Luxury cars in India tend to cost more than overseas due to high taxes, duties, etc.

On an average a new car costs about $30,000 in New York City.

Remember there are many add-ons which bump up costs, especially parking costs which are very high in the city. There are also many tolls you need to keep in mind. If you are new, use public transport as much as you can.

Cars, whether new or used, tend to cost a lot in Thailand. For many models, especially European or American brands, you would likely end up paying more than you would back home.

Clothing

Clothing is cheap in Mumbai, especially for unbranded stuff which is available in plenty. Among the branded offerings, a pair of Levis should cost close to $40.

Clothing can be affordable, depending on where you buy.

Forever 21 and Uniqlo among others can be good bargains.

Thailand is a shopper’s paradise, with clothing being a major attraction. A lot of manufacturing activity for clothes takes place in Thailand, keeping costs really low - and thus making things attractive for shoppers.

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Places Parameters

Indonesia

Travel

Given the country’s geography as an archipelago, traveling between islands would often involve air travel which can be expensive - a flight from Sumatra to Flores could cost $300! Yet, within an island, inland travel by bus can be quite cheap - as little as $1.40!

Local transport would cost $28+ while intercity transport would cost $100+.

Taxi from airport to city center in Beijing would cost between $11 and $20. Airport express train to city center is just about $4. The subway is really cheap at $0.33.

Education

Education costs in Indonesia vary by region, with Jakarta the most expensive, especially for international schools. Tuition fees vary considerably from institution to institution, so providing a specific figure may not be feasible.

Vary considerably, depending on the institution as well as the course. As a pointer, school can cost from $7,200 to $28,000 while an undergrad course would cost $14,000 to $30,000.

Education in Beijing is becoming an increasingly expensive proposition, especially in international schools which can cost anywhere between $20,000 to $35,000 for senior year of high school.

Quite inexpensive, a basic meal would cost just $2! A Combo Meal at McDonalds costs $3.40.

A meal at an inexpensive restaurant should cost about $15. A Combo Meal at McDonalds would cost upwards of $8.

Food is quite affordable in Beijing; at budget locations, all 3 meals of the day can be had within $5 each. A Big Mac costs $2.28.

Renting an apartment in the city centre would cost about $400. Buying the same would cost $1,600+ per square meter.

A 1 bedroom apartment in the city centre should cost upwards of $1,650 to rent; the same to buy would cost $7,000+ per square meter.

An apartment in the city centre would cost $900+ to rent; buying the same would cost a pricy $8,600+ per square meter.

Food

Housing

Cars

Clothing

Australia

Car prices can be gauged from the cost A new Volkswagen Golf or of a new Volkswagen Golf which would its equivalent would cost cost about $27,000. around $25,000.

A pair of Levis jeans would cost $48 while a summer branded dress would cost $36.

Branded clothing tends to be expensive, with fw unbranded options. A new pair of Levis 501 would cost almost $95 while a summer dress in stores like Zara would set you back by $66+.

Beijing

A new Volkswagen Golf or its equivalent would cost almost $26,000.

A pair of Levis jeans would cost $108+ while a summer branded dress would cost about $52.

So in conclusion, as you can see – and as common knowledge goes, Mumbai (and India as a whole) does score very well on the affordability scale. Yet, as may have been a bit of a surprise for you, destinations traditionally considered pricy such as New York or London, can also offer some bargains, at least on the clothing front!

Article By: Adesiflava Team collaborative effort. For sources of information in this article, please contact us the editor directly.

10 Bauhinia’s View

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PROSPECTS AND PITFALLS PROJECT CITIZENS FOUNDATION HELD FORUM ON HONG KONG’S ROLE AS AN INTERNATIONAL FINANCIAL CENTRE

Incumbent and former policymakers and senior executives of heavyweight financial institutions in Hong Kong held a half-day discourse at a Project Citizens Forum themed “What Makes Hong Kong an International Financial Centre?” in the morning of 15 April 2016 on Hong Kong’s role amongst top international financial centres in the world and its future prospects and pitfalls under “One Country, Two Systems”, the over-arching guiding principle under which the city was transferred to Chinese sovereignty almost nineteen years ago from the British empire’s last colonial possession.

In his speech-esque opening remark to introduce five keynote speakers, T L Tsim, Chairman of Project Citizens Foundation which organised the forum, outlined his conviction on what makes a city an international financial centre by comparing Hong Kong with Pairs and Rome, which being ancient metropolises but nevertheless not widely recognised as international financial centres, Beirut, whose Middle East financial centre status in the 1960s was put to a stop by the Arab war and Shanghai, which he named a “black swan in the market” that symbolises the

lack of rule of law in China. Mr Tsim asserted that free flow of money, information and people, rule of law with independent judiciary, use of English in government, law court and marketplace and political stability are four pillars of whichever city that can be called a financial centre. Doomed with Hong Kong’s prospect, Mr Tsim went on to urge a reconciliation with young people to win their “inalienable assent” and appealed to Beijing to stop continuing confronting with Hong Kong’s youth to prevent a fullscale riot.

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The first keynote speaker was the city’s financial secretary, Tsang Chun-wah, John, who is widely viewed as amongst top contenders in 2017 Chief Executive election. Mr Tsang began by acknowledging the forum’s emphasis on citizenship, a concept he echoed with ancient Athens’s protection of its city-state people in return for their allegiance.

The remaining of Mr Tsang’s rhetoric focused mainly on mainland China economy and the potential of Hong Kong’s continued growth. Attributing China’s phenomenal growth to the expansion of its private sector and its opening up to foreign investor, Mr Tsang stressed on the importance of Hong Kong’s role as the largest

world economy would slow down, so as that of China, which with its large fiscal reserve is “reasonable to grow at a slower pace”. Mr Tsang also reasoned that Hong Kong’s economic future could not only depend on mainland market but must also utilise its “extensive networks with both developed and emerging markets”. Finally, Mr Tsang pointed out his policy initiatives to embrace new technology, find new market and nurture new talent. Mr Tsang pledged to establish a fintech centre at Cyberport and set up an office at Hong Kong Monetary Authority to fund infrastructure projects anywhere in the world.

Speaking of captivating on China’s

the special administration region’s GDP and over a quarter million people are currently employed in this sector.

offshore RMB trading centre with transactions in the currency topped 1 trillion last year, three-fourths of total offshore RMB transactions in the world. Forecasting economic growth this year, Mr Tsang said the

One Belt One Road initiative and the newly set-up Asia Infrastructure Investment Bank, Mr Tsang believes Hong Kong is ready to utilise this new growth opportunity as financial service accounts for 70 per cent of

Hong Kong’s deep-water port and entrepreneurial spirit as the reasons of choice. Speaking on the future, Mr Gulliver put forward three points of optimism which being China’s Belt and Road initiative, internalisation

The next coming on stage was Stuart Gulliver, Group Chief Executive of HSBC Holdings plc, who focused on Hong Kong’s future economic opportunities and briefly priding his bank, which was relocated to the UK from Hong Kong in 1991 ahead of the Handover and has recently been caught up in a tax scandal involving its Swiss subsidiary, as “open, dependable and connected”.

Reflecting on initially setting up the bank in a “barren rock” Hong Kong in early Victorian age, Mr Gulliver put

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of RMB trade and changing nature of trade pattern.

Particularly emphasising on One Belt and One Road, Mr Gulliver believes it will complete Hong Kong’s status as a financial centre by inviting large bond, or debt, financing into Hong Kong market in order to finance infrastructure constructions in over fifteen countries along the Belt and Road line, as well as creating opportunities for Pearl River Delta companies to raise “Green Bond” in Hong Kong in order to tackle climate

market capitalisation in mainland stock exchanges is larger than that of Hong Kong, 54.7 per cent shares in the mainland in not available for sale as it is owned by the government, a phenomenon he termed “nonfree flow market capitalisation”.

Mr Neoh went on contrasting the two markets where in mainland China as high as 58.2 per cent stock buyers are retail investors whereas Hong Kong stocks is dominated by institutional investors and listing is open to non-locally incorporated

change challenges in mainland China. “Hong Kong has nothing to fear but everything to gain,” concluded Mr Gulliver.

companies compared to domesticonly mainland China market. So far, as Mr Neoh revealed, businesses from over twenty jurisdictions are considered suitable for Hong Kong listing, where since 1992 mainland China companies were also permitted to list. Mr Neoh finished his speech by emphasising the importance of market regulation, praising his former regulatory body’s authority to criminally prosecute offenders whilst in mainland only penalties can be inflicted by stock regulators.

Anthony Neoh, former chairman of Hong Kong Securities and Futures Commission, followed suit to contrast between Hong Kong and mainland China stock and capital markets, when he made the point by illustrating on big screen that the vast majority of Chinese companies depend only on bank loan financing.

Mr Neoh pointed out that although

Proud of being headquartered in Hong Kong, Group Chief Executive and President of AIA Group Mark Tucker staged an advocacy speech to call for reform. Mr Tucker started off with commonly-herd rhetoric on Hong Kong’s reasons of being a financial centre – economic stability, high quality workforce and being a gateway to China. Mr Tucker went on to elaborate that sound legal systems and next to no public debt made life insurance business possible in Hong Kong and a highly educated workforce with many graduated from overseas institutions who are fluent in English and Mandarin and hardworking staff members who are hungry for self-betterment and providing for families made Hong Kong’s environment conductive to insurance operation. When speaking on his insurance giant’s future plan, Mr Tucker emphasised on expanding Hong Kong’s position in greater China, operating in line with international standard, developing saving and protection products and maintaining the company’s good reputation. Mr Tucker was especially interested in developing mainland marine and mediation products as China’s ever-growing investment all over the world, both in developed and emerging markets, makes such insurance lucrative. However, Mr Tucker did note that in mainland China Hong Kong insurers are considered foreign. In a sharp turn of tone, Mr Tucker spent the rest of his speech on advocating a paradigm shift in Hong Kong government’s policy toward insurers. Asking “Are our customers bettered off with less choice of products when they are widely available in Asia and in the world?” Mr Tucker criticised Hong Kong government’s overly

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conservative capital requirement for insurance companies and objected on continued implementation of insurance regulations “designed long ago in a completely different environment” by pointing out the reality that in an increasingly aging society more and more people will need to take up private insurance to complement social security. Mr Tucker ended with a call for policy makers’ better understanding of the market and industry.

Whilst previous four speakers all in some degree inclined to be optimistic, Dato’ Cheah Cheng Hye, Chairman and Co-Chief Investment Officer of Value Partners Group, a Hong Kong-based hedge fund, presented a dystopian Hong Kong.

Mr Cheah’s theory was based on his opening statement that reform and progress in mainland China has made

Hong Kong less useful. He cited figures showing that Hong Kong’s GDP used to account for over 20 per cent of mainland China’s but now only equates less than 3 per cent of the latter. Mr Cheah went on to explain his business strategies of operating

in the mainland that comprise crossborder investment – to transfer mainland money into Hong Kong accounts for further investment, a dominant method, and onshore investment – a less frequently used way to set up offices in mainland China to management asset locally.

He then logically analysed the evergrowing middle class in mainland China, a figure he quoted as 400 million out of the total population of 1.4 billion, but the need for new middle class is not met as most tend to traditional bank deposit and real estate for asset management, a field that lacks progress in the mainland.

Mr Cheah’s pessimism toward Hong Kong’s economic future and political autonomy derives from the reason that by now over 87 per cent revenue of Hang Sang Index companies is made in mainland China. He rebutted Mr Tsang’s earlier statement of Hong

Kong being the largest offshore RMB trading centre in the world with 1 trillion yuan transaction last year by presenting his findings that Shanghai grossed 2.2 trillion yuan offshore trading in the same period. Mr Cheah concluded with the notion that

most Hong Kong people tend not to discuss these issues because they “hurt our feelings and confidence”.

Following keynote speeches a penal discussion was held when Anthony Neoh, T L Tsim, Dato’ Cheah Cheng Hye as well as George SK Leung, Asia-Pacific Advisor at HSBC Limited, participated in the discussion, which was moderated by Financial Times Asia Editor Jamil Anderlini.

The all-men-speaking forum, including those on stage and those in the audience who posed questions during Q&A session following the penal discussion, was held at Asia Society’s Hong Kong Jockey Club Hall. It was Project Citizens Foundation’s fifth public forum since its inception in August 2014.

According to its leaflets available at the forum, the Foundation was incorporated as a company limited by guarantee and has been granted charitable status by Hong Kong’s tax authority, the Inland Revenue Department.

Article By: Hongyu Wang

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by Marion Brennan

You must go to Chungking Mansions,” a friend enthused when he knew my husband John and I would be calling in to Hong Kong before flying home to England. It was January 1985 and our year travelling in Africa was at an end. We were running out of money; we needed to draw on our savings back home and, if necessary, get back to work. It was late when the airport bus dropped us off at the bottom of Nathan Road, the main road through Kowloon, but it wasn’t dark. On all sides coloured signs flashed and sparkled above the crowds of shoppers.

In spite of the late hour, the road was full of traffic and shops were open for business. We took one look and knew Hong Kong was the place for us. Perhaps we could find teaching jobs in this noisy, exciting city. Meanwhile, time to take a closer look at the Mansions.

I suppose we had a picture in our minds of an elegant English stately home, a mansion. Chungking Mansions had the elegant name but not quite the style. At the

entrance, touts came running. “Need a room?” they flashed their business cards. Around us were folks in national dress speaking a variety of foreign languages and lots of backpackers. We fought our way through the throng and made our way towards the colourful small shops on the ground floor. Some provided services for tourists needing travel information or tickets and the currency exchanges were busy. A huge variety of goods from Hong Kong and around the world were for sale -clothes, saris, shoes, watches, food, souvenirs. and lots more. There were also dozens of inviting restaurants and cafes. We were so hungry. Where should we eat? Finally we ate delicious Indian food at a small table where we could watch passersby. We found a room for the night and flew home next day. But we’d left our hearts behind us. By the end of the month we were back.

We settled in to Chungking Mansions and began applying for jobs. John was first to be interviewed and

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Featured 15 was offered a job beginning in September. A little later I had a call from another school asking why I hadn’t come for interview. I hadn’t got their letter but rushed to the school anyway and was successful.

I would start work in September.

There were several months to go.

Time enough to explore. At the end of August we were back in Hong Kong. We took up residence in the Mansions but this time not in the noisy dorms full of travellers. The upper floors were mainly residential with at least eighty low-budget guesthouses to choose from. In one we rented a room just big enough for two single beds and an ironing board. We were ready to start work.

My employers had declared the Mansions out- of- bounds to all staff owing to it’s “dubious reputation”.

True, backpackers were often persuaded to carry “parcels” (we were sure they contained gold) to various destinations. Also we learnt that drugs were available. Regularly there were posted notices asking for news of missing persons, often from parents worried about their travelling offspring. There were regular raids by police and immigration officers, checking passports and looking for petty criminals and illegals, but this was our home. I never did give my address to my employers.

Meanwhile we were making lots of friends of all nationalities in the Mansions.

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There were many excellent restaurants and small cafes on the floors below our room and we were determined to try them all. During the day we would stop by for a quick snack, delicious samosas, pakoras and chapatis would keep us going until dinner. One evening we decided to eat at an Indian restaurant. As we entered the lift, a group of firemen came too.They carried hatchets and were dressed for firefighting. They got out a few floors before us and we never saw them again. We enjoyed our meal and thought no more about them. We were getting used to unusual sights in the Mansions.

When we invited a friend visiting from England to eat with us at “one of our favourite restaurants” she got the idea that it was a pretty posh place and dressed in her best. She also wore some spectacular jewellery. That worried us, especially when folks in the Mansions lift stared. Imagine her surprise when we squeezed into a

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tiny room where a few tables were set out with plastic table covers and the walls were decorated with posters of tropical beaches. But we were regular customers and knew Pat would be delighted when she tasted the food.

The staff welcomed us and made a great fuss of her.

They served us delicious Chinese food and we had a marvelous evening.

Have you seen the tallest man in the world? We have.

Guess where? Yes, we saw Gabriel Estevao Monjane in 1988 in the entrance of the Mansions, towering above an excited escort of adults looking like small children.

Gabriel was from Mozambique and was over eight feet tall. What was he doing in the Mansions? Perhaps he’d been to a tailor to be measured for a suit? Certainly no ordinary tailor would stock his size. Or had he simply been seeing relatives? We never did find out.

Featured 17

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Many people have written about Chungking Mansions and their accounts can be read on line. They make interesting reading. Of course there have been changes over the years and improvements but those features we loved at first sight still remain.These are only a few of our early experiences in the Mansions. Although we no longer live there, we regularly call in to shop and eat the best Indian food in town.

Some of our friends frown when we mention going to Chungking Mansions.

They have heard bad stories and are afraid to go there. The Mansions, built in 1961, has had it’s share of crime and violence over the years but it is no worse than a lot of other places in the city. In spite of all that, thousands of us appreciate it’s unhurried atmosphere, friendly and patient shopkeepers and sense of history, rarely to be found in the bustling outside world. This is a special place for special people and long may it remain so.

WE LOVE CHUNGKING MANSIONS Article by: Marion Brennan

18 Globetrotter

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Seychelles Nature has been too kind to Seychelles which is blessed with some beautiful beaches, rarest species of flora & fauna, a bird island and the unique Garden of Eden says Chandragupta Amritkar after his second visit to this wonderful country

When I first visited Seychelles on an invitation from Juergen Thomas Steinmetz, Chairman ICTP and His Excellency, Alain St.Ange, Minister of Tourism and Culture, Republic of the Seychelles, I was thrilled. Having traversed across the globe, Seychelles had remained an elusive country and mostly unheard to the Indian community then. It was a wonderful experience. Three years later I again got an opportunity and I found it still is a paradise for nature lovers.

This time I flew Air Seychelles which has made travel to Seychelles

very convenient for us Indians with direct flights. The airline has 4 weekly flights from Mumbai to Mahe Island and the best part is that the flights leave from Mumbai early morning and from Mahe in the night thus giving the tourist full day to enjoy - both on arrival and departure days. From Hong Kong one can take the Etihad Airways which is a partner of Air Seychelles via Abu Dhabi.

The airport is so close to sea that you can sense it as your flight lands. I was informed a part of it is on reclaimed land. For tourists who don’t have hotel vehicles to pick up, there are frequent bus services to the main bus station in Victoria and taxis outside the terminal to all locations across Mahé Island. The amount surprised me – its just SCR 5 (ie, Rs.25/-) for travel by public transport to any destination across the island.

The Seychelles archipelago comprises 115 islands with a total landmass of 450 sq. km. situated within an economic zone of 1, 400,00 sq. km. 41 of these islands represent the most ancient midoceanic granitic islands on earth while 74 are low-lying coral atolls and reef islands. There are three main islands where visitors can stay

– Mahe, La Digue and Praslin.

This trip I decided to experience three hotels. The first was AVANI Seychelles, a wonderful property located right on the beach – hop skip and jump and you are in the sea. The hotel buildings are no more than 2 stories in height and all rooms are either pool, garden or beach facing. The pool is perfect and quite tempting.

I was surprised to see the mini-bar in the rooms empty but was informed

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“We are one of the largest hotel chains in Seychelles and the only one to have hotels in all three major islands Mahe, Praslin and La Digue.

We have the perfect island hopping facility to explore all three major islands.

Our

hopping

Seychelles

itineraries

island-

include

full

board accommodation (excluding drinks), car hire (Mahe & Praslin) and bicycles (La Digue), interboat transfers between Mahe and Praslin and La Digue. So at one price you get to see Seychelles. An ideal package will be for 6 Nights,” said Pravin that they are replenishment as per the guest requirement. The hotel has some good Indian food.

My next halt was Le Relax Hotel & Restaurant. As we approached the property I was pretty impressed – located on a hillside overlooking the bay of Anse Royale it is just a few minutes walk from beach. The hotel has just 15 rooms - 10 sea facing deluxe rooms, 4 standard rooms with mountain view and 1 day room. The swimming pool is located adjacent to the restaurant from where you get an excellent view of the ocean.

The restaurant which serves local, continental and Indian food was the highlight. I had some nice Indian food including a bhel and samosas.

You can also rent a car during your stay. This hotel is great value for money - not a very big place but with a picturesque sea view.

Darad,

MD,

Allied

Builders (Seychelles) Ltd, which owns the LeRelax Hotels.

From Le Relax I moved to the luxurious Banyan Tree Seychelles Resort. And what a resort it is.

Entering into Banyan Tree you get the sense of how green the resort is.

After enjoying for 6 days - some of the world’s most beautiful hotel beaches + some spectacular views from hotel rooms it was time to head back to India. At the airport experienced the Seychelles airport lounge which is nice and cozy.

Taking their sweet time for checkin (surprisingly as my time of arrival was well noted), I was allotted an ultra luxury Two-Bedroom Double Pool Villa spread across 826 sq mts with two private pools, two al fresco dining areas, two master bedrooms and a private jetpool.

The resort has 60 Creole-style villas with colonial French and English designs crafted with high, sloping ceilings, airy verandas. The villas are scattered across the resort jungle – each villa having a private pool (though the main swimming pool

is

extremely

beautiful).

The villas are of six types - Ocean View Pool Villa; Intendance Bay View Pool Villa; Beachfront Pool

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20 Globetrotter

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Villa; Sanctuary Ocean View Pool Villa; Two-Bedroom Double Pool Villa and Royal Banyan Ocean View Pool Villa.

The resort has quite a few dinning options. The Au Jardin d’Epices which provides Ocean view is an all day dinning restaurant. The breakfast buffet always has an Indian dish –enjoyed the poori bhaji.

After enjoying for 6 days - some

For those who don’t want to go in a

takes approximately an hour. Here I

of the world’s most beautiful hotel

vehicle can literally walk around the

would advise you that the sea can

beaches + some spectacular views

city and cover its many attractions

be pretty rough and if you are on the

from hotel rooms it was time to

such as the Botanical Gardens

deck you can get wet. Do be careful

head back to India. At the airport

and the Markets (the only bustling

with your cameras which can also

experienced the Seychelles airport

place in the capital). The Botanical

get wet. One can also take a short

lounge which is nice and cozy.

Gardens were established in 1901

flight of 15 minutes by Air Seychelles.

and it covers around six hectares

On reaching the port you can hire

with almost 500 different plants. At

a taxi to the Vallee de Mai or the

the centre of the Capital is the clock

more adventurous type can opt for

tower can be seen. Often described

the cycle. Vallée de Mai is one of

Victoria

as a mini-Big Ben the tower was in

only two places in the world where

Victoria the capital city of the

fact a replica of the clock erected

you can see the rare coco de mer

Seychelles is named after Queen

in London in 1897 at the junction of

palms growing in their natural state

Victoria and the smallest African

Victoria Street and Vauxhall Bridge

(the other being nearby Curieuse

capital. It is an haven for people who

Road.

Island). The Coco-de-mer is 40

reside in cities like Mumbai, Delhi,

metres tall and around 200 years

New York, London etc. as one can

Praslin Island

old. General Gordon of Khartoum

move around the city leisurely not

Praslin Island, the second-largest

was convinced that this was the site

feeling the bustle noticed in most

island in the Seychelles is famous

of the original “Garden of Eden”. This

cities. There is noticeable traffic in the

for Vallée de Mai a UNESCO World

hauntingly beautiful primeval forest

mornings and evenings but hardly an

Heritage site where the famous

is home to some 6000 Coco-de-mer

issue. Although this is the capital city

Coco de Mer nut grows. From Mahe

trees, considered to be among the

there’s only one traffic light.

we took a ferry over to Praslin which

botanical wonders of the world.

GLIMPSES NOT TO BE MISSED

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The nut of the Coco de Mer is very large (the largest seed in the plant kingdom) ; the leaves growing up to 6 m wide and 14 m long and is oddly shaped, being the shape and size of a woman’s disembodied buttocks on one side, and a woman’s belly and thighs on the other side. The nature and origin of this extraordinary nut was mysterious, and the propagation of the tree was not understood. The Coco de Mer palm has separate male and female trees, unlike the coconut palm. The male catkins can reach 1 metre in length, making them the longest in the world. The seeds can weigh as much as 30 kg. Entrance to Vallée de Mai is €15 per person and yable only with cash.

Fact Sheet A visa on arrival is issued free of charge for any nationality and there is no need for any official invitation to visit Seychelles.

The currency of the Seychelles is the rupee (SCR) – 1 USD = 13 SCR or 1SCR = Rs.5/-.

La Digue In the afternoon I visited La Digue the third largest inhabited island of the Seychelles. It can be reached in 2 hours from Mahe or in just 30 minutes from Praslin. We were informed that there are hardly a dozen cars on the island

Seychelles has many hotels (can be an expensive place).

Ideal options would be – Banyan Tree, Avani Resorts and Le Relax Hotels. Le Relax Hotels has the uniqueness of having hotels on all three islands and provide island hopping tours.

and the primary mode of transportation is the bicycle. Today, the island’s main industry is tourism and it is known for its beaches, especially Anse Source d’Argent and Grand Anse. La Digue’s tallest peak, Belle Vue (Eagle’s Nest Mountain), is also in the central part of the island, with a summit more than 300 metres (1000 feet) above sea level. The Lady of our Assumption Church is 100 years old.

Aldabra Aldabra is the world’s largest coral reef and listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage site. Here one can see the giant land tortoises. Two hours by boat from Mahe, Cousin Island is a nature reserve which is managed by the International Council for Bird Protection. The best time to visit is April owvr May, when approximately 1.25 million birds nest on the island.

Article by: Chandragupta Amritkar

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22 Entrepreneurial

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HONG KONG CO-WORKING SPACE A co-working space start-up

It was on 30 June, a showering summer day, that I visited Hong Kong Co-working Space, a one-room and newly renovated office in the midst of the densely populated west Kowloon industrial area.

Finding the exact location, however, was not easy. Hong Kong Industrial Centre’s Block B was shadowed by giant industrial buildings with a one-way lane connecting to the outside road. On both side of the narrow lane were stalls selling all kinds of groceries and clothing whose tentacles stretch right inside the block’s ground floor to the lift entrance that leads to upper office and warehouse floors. In order to move the lift up and down the outer plastic door would have to slide close before shutting the inner steel door.

With an entrance the width of two shoulders on the side of 4th floor there laid a corridor and several rooms on both sides, invisible from outside. Only one of them lighted up. It was the newly founded Hong Kong Co-Working Space where I met its founder, Robson Hayashida.

Entrepreneurial 23

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Mr Hayashida is founder and director of Magario International, named after his middle name, an IT startup set in operation in February 2008 when Mr Hayashida had just moved to Hong Kong. Born in Sao Paulo, spent his infancy in the US and grew up in Sao Paulo again, the 40-yearold Mr Hayashida is Brazilian of Japanese ancestry. When he was 17 Mr Hayashida’s father spotted a scholarship application for studying in Japan on newspaper and encouraged him to apply.

Surprisingly enough for himself, Mr Hayashida did got admitted into Tokyo University of Science’s bachelor’s degree programme in industrial engineering and despite that he also tested into Brazil’s second best university, he sailed off to where his ancestors were from and made Japan his new home for

the next 12 years, a time when Mr Hayashida also studied a master’s degree programme in computer engineering at University of Tokyo and worked for an investment bank.

However, setting up his own IT business has always been a “long time dream”. That dream started to materialise when Mr Hayashida was sent to station in Hong Kong in 2008.

In between 2008 and 2009, whilst working on his job, Mr Hayashida conceived the Magario International idea to “do your own thing”.

Since inception the company has moved offices five times which had always been co-working spaces, open and shared office without secluded individual rooms that have spurted out everywhere in Hong Kong in recent years, where the same spot a person sits at a particular hour

may have a totally different function in the next. Mr Hayashida’s last stay before where I met him was The Good Lab, which charges HK$2,000 a person per month and HK$3,800 for a company with two staffs. Mr Hayashida decided to move out when his HK$3,800 package was due to be increased to HK$ 4,100 in April. Surprised at my view that coworking space is so elastic a product to price change, Mr Hayashida explained, “With HK$ 4,100 I can get a much better place.” That was when he started to prepare his very own co-working space at Hong Kong Industrial Centre, which he named Hong Kong Co-working Space.

This one-room co-working space was born out of an agreement with Mr Hayashida’s business partner, an elderly factory owner who does real

24 Entrepreneurial estate business on the side. Months ago, Mr Hayashida successfully convinced this partner who owns an open area on 4th floor to split it up with a corridor and a few small rooms on both sides, the shape as it is now, in order to attempt his coworking space idea. The deal is that Mr Hayashida will be given one of the splitted rooms to test waters where he could use the space for free himself and freely let it out, or recruit members, using co-working space jargon. Profit from this room is to be split in two equal halves between Mr Hayashida and his landlord partner. Calculation is simple and straight forward – membership fee as income whereas electricity, measured by a separate metre for the room, and internet connection, previously does not exist, as cost.

If one room is performing well, meaning enough members to cover cost of running it, another will be opened up by the landlord partner until the whole area is filled up. However, if no profit are made from the current room for many months, Mr Hayashida may have to move out. Meanwhile, the landlord always has the choice of letting the split-up rooms on one-room-onecompany basis to others, should the co-working space attempt does not work out.

Magario International was a website designer from outset, a business Mr Hayashida retains to this day.

However, its profile has hugely expanded over its more than eight years in existence to social media feeds management, Hong Kong dollar payment system installation for Japanese hedge funds, mobile app design, and even being a purchasing agent on Taobao, one

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of the largest Chinese e-commerce site under Alibaba, for Brazilian customers, all leveraging on Mr Hayashida’s background as a trained computer engineer. Now, recruiting co-working space members has become the latest addition in his portfolio. “It’s a co-working space for the rest of us who cannot pay HK$2,000 a month”, said Mr Hayashida, referring to his room

room on hourly basis on five days to mainly access internet, as their village homes in northwest New Territories are not connected to broadband, to finalise new mobile app designs. Nevertheless, Mr Hayashida is not worried about a loss account in the first month as his full-scale publicity campaign of membership recruitment has not yet started. Mr Hayashida reckons

which charges HK$888 a person per month for a “dedicated desk”, for full-time work, and HK$50 a person per hour for a “hot desk”, for parttime work. “We want to give people an opportunity whenever you want to make something”.

he will have time until winter to proof to his landlord business partner that turning this room and all split-up rooms into co-working spaces is a viable path. However, even if failed there is always another way. “Maybe I’ll move back to Good Lab”, said Mr Hayashida with relax.

A look into the room’s “income statement” yields complicated result. In June there were only two “boys”, as what Mr Hayashida refers his two fellow co-workers, aged 27, in Good Lab days, who used the

Article By: Hongyu Wang

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Photo Caption: Year 8 Maths Lesson

Photo Caption: Sanjukta Ji at her Tsim Sha Tsui Centre

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This institute deals with all sorts of curriculum like IGCSE (Cambridge & Edexcel), MYP, A Levels, IB and HKDSE. It has a very strong foundation for the subjects like Mathematics, Science (Physics, Chemistry and Biology), and supported by English, Humanities and Economics.

Photo caption: Lesson venue at Ngau tau Kok, Kwun Tong

Since past 2 years and 7 months the institute has helped a number of students to overcome their academic hurdles and supported them to secure a good grade. From students’ side the requirements are sometimes on short term basis tutoring and sometimes on long term basis tutoring. Whether it is only for few months’ exam preparation project (IGCSE/IB/A Levels/HKDSE) or session wise subject understanding (like year 10, 12) or dealing competitive examinations like ACT or SAT, in every situation the tutors have always done hard work to satisfy the needs of the students.

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Photo Caption: Maths lesson for Cambridge IGCSE

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Photo Caption: A levels Maths class

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nanomaterials, spintronics, ferrimagnetics and highenergy heavy ion beams and many more. She has published more than 15 research papers in referred international journals. She has worked as an Associate Professor in private Engineering Colleges before she came to Hong Kong.

Article By: Dr.Sanjukta Ghosh

32 CIBS Experience

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Exhilarating CIBS Experience It is indeed very exhilarating to live in Hong Kong as we can keep working on my dreams and succeed. Our interest in the field of media started from our school days. College days gave us the opportunity to participate in Radio and TV programmes. I say ‘we’ and ‘us’ because my sister and myself both were keen in participating in such events. That same interest continued even in Hong Kong and dragged me to Desitadka, a radio for ethnic minorities, broadcast by Race Relations Unit of HKSAR in which I could present about Temples of India once and introduce our language classes in the other. I usually approach China Ratio International of Beijing in presenting some programmes in Tamil as they encourage listener’s participation in their production.

In the year 2015, CIBS brought ws a special gift.

Advertisement on MTR dragged ws to CIBS. CIBS is a Community Involvement Broadcasting Service that encourages all the citizens of Hong Kong to produce their programmes and present it to the Hong Kong radio listeners. It was a pilot project from 2012 and we came to know only in the third year. The entire production cost is borne by RTHK. Studio rental, buying CDs, honorarium to participants, fee for auditor are considered in the cost. We need to give the budget while submitting the application. In the era of computer, world wide web, youtube etc, radio still survives because of the good listenership due to such online broadcasting.

So far we have successfully completed three programmes, Indian Voices from Hong Kong, Indian Instrumental Dhamaka and CCG-CIBS Quiz contest each one bringing many Indian community members. Now working on two more Indian Folk Mela and Indian Voices from Hong Kong Season 2. More

than 250 have participated in our shows so far. To encourage all those who are interested in producing such shows, we would like to share our experience in getting the contract from RTHK. They had three categories for submission – open, education and

CIBS Experience 33

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ethnic minorities. I was in a dilemma whether to apply for it since we thought the chances of getting selected is meek and I am busy with my studies, as I am pursuing my Ph.D research study. But my dream haunted me often and finally made me apply for producing the show. We planned for a show about India, targeting both Indian children who were born and brought up here and, Hong Kong audience to tell about India, the culture and our life in Hong Kong in the ethnic minority category. I planned some features for the 13 episodes that were needed to be produced and submitted the application for the 9th quarter of CIBS in the name of Children Cultural Group on the final date of submission at 11:30pm.

After the initial scrutiny of submitted applications, we were asked to get votes for our programme. Public voting also carries some valid points for selection.

Only during that time, we came to know that two other Indian organizations has also submitted an application to produce programmes.

Then we were crestfallen as we thought that we may not have fair chance in getting enough votes for our programme.

But untiringly I requested many and personally sat with some and submitted votes for our programme.

After the voting period ended and when we received the mail from CIBS we were astonished. Surprisingly, we were shortlisted.

Next stage, we were invited to attend an interview. Three of our Children Cultural Group members registered for attending the interview. It was planned to the minute. We were informed that interview will last for 10 minutes. There will be six leading media persons and academicians in

the interview board and more than 10 members of CIBS. When the first bell goes, we need to tell the details about our show for a minute and stop after second bell goes. Seven minutes for question and answer and last one minute for us to get some clarifications.

After that we were taken into a small room full of people seated around a conference table. We presented our show details and they asked the very important question of the target audience. We explained our intention and the interview was over soon.

At that time we still did not have any hope of getting it as there were 15 applicants for 3 places. All those applicants are from organizations having lot of members. But within a week, we got our results and we were overwhelmed to know that we can produce our programme of 13 episodes.

Then our journey started off in producing the shows. Recruitment of presenters, getting signature tune for the programme, choosing the studio, inviting the participants, coordinating with the participants all these culminated in our production schedule.

Propagating the message was another task that we need to do to make people listen to our programmes. So every week we made a flyer about the programme and sent the details by email, posted onto our Children Cultural Group Facebook page specially prepared for this and broadcasted the messages to participants and reached out to all our well-wishers through Whatsapp.

Feedbacks were received every week. We tried to improve our programme at every stages of the process.

We need to thank the enthusiastic participation of our Indian residents without which we could have been successful in our productions.

We are very happy to propagate our message to the general public by registering our life in Hong Kong in the government website, namely cibs.rthk.hk as all the episodes are archived.

Indian Voices from Hong Kong focused on the various cultural aspects of India like literature, food, music, drama etc.

Indian Instrumental Dhamaka brought the musical instruments like nadaswaram, flute, veena, violin, mandolin, Indian drums and saxophone. CCG-CIBS Quiz Contest brought Indian students and adults to come together who will compete for Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam Trophy and experience the knowledge sharing.

Current programme Indian Folk Mela is bringing the folk flavor of India.

The hightlight in this programme is our people (children and adults) living in Hong Kong are trying to do the singing of folk songs. It is really encouraging us in our production.

Our next 13 episodes that start from October will introduce various regions of India also brought to focus by people belonging to different regions.

We are very eagerly waiting to produce those programmes. Hope you all can support our endeavor by listening to our programmes.

For more details about RTHK-CIBS and listening to our programmes visit the website cibs.rthk.hk.

Article By: Chitra Sivakumar

34 Aunty MVP

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MRS. POONAM MEHTA HK’s well-known Counsellor & our Columnist for Love & Relationships section.

M. Ed. Guidance & Counseling, University of Newcastle Upon Tyne U K and Early Years Registered Educator in Hong Kong

SHARE YOUR LOVE AND RELATIONSHIP PROBLEMS WITH HER, SHE KNOWS IT ALL..

Aunty MVP 35

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Question 1; I am a 35-year-old lady married woman with 2 kids and quite recently I have got a very big opportunity to work in a firm. Although I am doing fine but I feel I am not able to devote time to my home and kids.

Although I have a helper to take care of my kid but my child refuses to listen to her and tries to boss over her. However I try to ignore that maybe she is in a playful mood and will change, as in front of me she is absolutely nice and sweet. Could it be that she is too young to express that she misses me as when I ask her she seems to be ok with my working. Please advise Dear Concerned Parent, You clearly won't give up on the dream of work-life balance, but what you can do is to work on home front first. I am not sure how young your child is! If, children are not expressive they are curious obsrvers. Give instructions to your caregiver in front of your child, so that he/she knows in your absence the cargiver is in charge. furthermore, sit down and talk to your child and let him or her know the caregiver is a part tof the family and she is resposible for his/her welbeing. Therfore, he/she has to listen to her instructions whilst you are away at work. Be consistent and do not to pay attention to his /her whims and fancies.

In addition, Be mindful of how you speak with your caregiver. please be respectful to the caregiver children observe and react accordingly.

Giving some responsibilities to your child also helps. Relying on your husband can be a tremendous

help on the home front. other way to restore balance to your home life is to set boundaries. When you are with your family and with your child, really be with them. They will learn to respect you. Adults are best role models!

Question 2 I am Parul from Tin Hau. I am an avid reader of your column. Also like the advises u give to others. I have a peculiar situation here I got married to a guy six years ago and I got divorced from 3 years later I have a son from him now I am in a relationship with another who is also married and has 2 kids. Now he can’t leave his family yet he want to pursue with me although he is ready to accept my son and me. I am torn between two worlds don’t know how to come out of it. Can u pull me out of this mess?

Dear Parul, Thank you for your encouraging words. I appreciate it and it motivates me. Thanks to A DESI FLAVA for such an opportunity.

I understand your feelings and it is very difficult for a single mother to control her feelings and sense of insecurity is the core cause.

Besides, this relationship may have been on the rebound. So be careful.

You may not have set out to fall in love with a married man, but there are times in life when even the most intelligent women find their emotions getting the better of them. Loving and dating a married man can be extremely painful and seldom works out well, especially when there are children involved.

Furthermore, remember that his first priority will always be his

children and his wife, no matter what he says. do not sacrifice everything for him. Be independent.

Go on dates with other men. Have other hobbies. He's not giving up everything for you, so you shouldn't give up everything for him either.

Make your relationship worth your time. Be honest with yourself.

However,what you're getting into is risky, own up to the risk.

In addition, no matter what he says, he's still having sex with his wife.

Don't let your relationship with him keep you from seeing other divorced men or widowers, in your age bracket . Don’t let him take advantage of you. If his wife finds out, it will be very painful for her as well and the outcome will be a very unpleasant experience and these memories may daunt you rest of your life.

Even though he is making promise of leaving his wife, and if he really does! Please get one thing right, his children will always be his priority not your son.

‘The only thing that gets broken in a marriage are the children”

Best wishes.

Please send your love and relationships related questions to adesiflava@gmail.com with subject line as Aunty MVP. You may request to keep your identity anonymous

36 Mano Ya Na Mano

Enhance Your Love Using the Crystal The crystal or the quartz is considered to be a good source of positive energy. Therefore, it is used for enhancing positive energy. In the Reiki treatment, the crystal is used extensively. The crystal has an important place in feng-shui too.

• The crystal is a splendid medium of enhancing the energy of the earthelement of house: The crystal, when kept in the south-western corner of the house, maintain love and understanding among the different members of the family.

• The crystal kept in this direction of the house makes the chi energy of this area extremely effective and positive which leads to an enhancement of love between the husband and the wife or the lovers. If any young woman is not being able to get married, she must bring this remedy in use. In this way, she can definitely get a good life-partner under the effect of the chi energy.

For this, it is necessary that the south-western corner of the house should be energized by putting up many big crystal &Rose Quartz Grapes etc.

• On a table in the south-western corner of the house, keep big crystals, crystal balls, crystal grapes and heart- shaped crystals/rose quartz.

Directly over these crystals, keep a table-lamp or a lighted-up bulb. This will help to constant flow of the chi energy of love.

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SPECIAL • If the crystals are small, then arrange them in the shape of a necklace and wear them round the neck. Remember that small crystals are meant to be worn in the form of a necklace and not for keeping in a corner of the house.

• Never allow anybody to touch your crystals. Remember that you should always think positively when you are close to the crystals.

• If you fight, quarrel or talk negatively in the room in which the crystals have been kept, then they begin to give off negative energy and in such a situation, it becomes necessary to make the crystals pure again. To do this, was the crystals properly in saltwater and then, keep them in the sunlight for 3-4 hours • If the rainy season is going on at such a time, then keep the crystals in a deep thali and keep them on the roof. The lightning flashing across the sky will fill these crystals with living energy.

This is the best way to energise the crystals.

By keeping the crystals & rose quartz in the south-western corner of the house, you definitely make the land-energy of your house very effective and this increases the feelings of brotherhood, unity and understanding among the various members of the family.

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Make the main Entrance of the House Auspicious Every good or bad energy enters the house through the main entrance only. If the main entrance of your house is in the right direction, at the right angle and built in the proper –manner, then everything remains all right. But if it is not so, the inauspicious chi energy can give adverse re results. The adverse atmosphere around the hose also has a bad consequence on your main entrance. The imbalance of elements and of yin as well as yang energies can also cause these bad results. If this happens, it can have an adverse effect on your family’s peace, affection, happiness and prosperity, besides leading to bitterness in the relationship.

Therefore, to make your life secure, loving, happy and peaceful, have the direction of your house activated and made effective according to the feng-shui.

Mano Ya Na Mano 37 If the main entrance of your house faces the east, then— Put up a yellow/golden wind-chime in the north-western area of the hose.

Take car not to have a water-source or a bright in this direction.

If the main entrance of your house faces the west, then --Keep a heavy thing made of metal in the western part of your house. It will be good to put up a silver wind –chime or stereo system in this direction.

This will increase the moments of love in your life.

If the main entrance of your house faces the north, then--Make an arrangement of a bright light toward the south-western area of your house. Also, keep a pair of mandarin ducks, rose quartz, heart and picture of loving couples in this zone.

If the main entrance of house faces the south, then----Keep auspicious symbols like the crystal, om, swastika, holy cross, etc. To make the chi energy more effective towards the north-eastern (Ishan) zone of your house.

If main entrance of house faces the south-east, then---Put up bulbs of light in this zone of the house to make this direction effective.

If main entrance of house faces the south-west, then---Keep some natural rock crystals of a big size in this direction to make the familial relationship deeper and more affectionate.

If main entrance of house face the north-east (Ishan) then---In the northern direction of the house, keep a water-vessel or have a underground tank or a reservoir of water made to balance the chi energy in this direction. Also, keep natural rock crystals in the south-western direction.

If the main entrance of your house faces the north-west, then— To do away with the adverse characteristics of this direction, put up plants and trees in the eastern directions.

Article By: Pandit Gopal Sharma

38 Astrology

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ASTROLOGY BY BEJAN DARUWALLA - OCT 2016 Aries: Ganesha says the twin themes of profession and domestic commitments are both important and linked together. You seek to make some fundamental changes in the home so that there is overall comfort, peace, security. You also examine ways and means to give your best shot to your work requirements. How you can combine good times with hard work, fun with responsibility sets you thinking.

Taurus: Money will be adequate rather than spectacular, but you cope.

In fact, you continue to think of ways and means to improve home and family, property and the interactions with relatives and extended family.

Your health, too, could pose some problems; certainly lowered vitality.

It may make you feel you have too much to cope with, but cope you will, with a little nudge in the right direction coming from Ganesha.

Gemini: It’s time for you to concentrate majorly on financial matters, specially the investments angle. It is certainly a favourable time, even for some shots in the stock market. They could pay off well.

There could be some differences of opinion, if not open conflicts, at work. Your travel plans and home commitments, too, will be in conflict with each other. It’s all overridden by the great tie you have with pleasure, entertainments, amusements. Some very creative moments too, come after deep, calm thought!

Cancer: A sudden spurt of energy and determination revitalises you.

You share ideas, good time, work and pleasure with some creative, intensely committed people. These are shared moments with loved ones. All this energises you to face problems squarely and positively.

Money matters, too, gain from the insights and your troubles ease to a considerable extent.

Leo: In this period and in a somewhat different way in the next you will

realign your focus. In this period it is the spiritual plane that you aspire to putting aside the material world.

However, finances, funds, loans, payoffs will all have to be dealt with.

Also family funds and commitments, even while you create time for meditation, tantra, mantra, religion. A bus period, for sure.

Virgo: You are at greater power and prestige now. It’s time for you to make the right career choices and moves. Ideas for expansion, enhancement of power and status, come to you from the workplace. A sense of fulfilment, too. Also from the time you spend with people you love and care for. A very caring and supportive atmosphere will surround around now.

Libra: Once again, you need to make the right moves – but with people you interact with at the workplace.

Co-workers, superiors, subordinates – the lot! Your novel approach and be implemented enthusiastically.

It makes you feel pretty good!

Money matters and true spirituality – opposites come together once again this period.

Scorpio: You may have sought the P’s of power, position, prestige, but now you learn to handle the responsibilities they bring. You may feel burdened by them, but there is also recognition along with them.

But others and you, yourself, learn to be aware of your true worth. Older relatives may have health problems; giving you some worries to reckon with but the benefits you’ve gained, and also the appreciation in the family circle, too, make you happy and content.

Sagittarius: You will exist once again on two different levels – perhaps even widely divergent ones. Equal fervour will go into your almost frenetic socialising and partying and your search for the deeper meaning of life, for inner values, for some cosmic answers. There

could be some resistance or stone – walling for your innovative ideas / techniques at work, but you will win people over by your charm and grace; also the genuine conviction you display.

Capricorn: You realise the need to keep a watchful eye on your welfare, interests, progress. This is not ego or selfishness, but just being sensible and alert. It is in this spirit that you will find yourself busy with several activities at once. The range will be home and property, family and finances, legal issues and partnerships. You will sort out clauses, read the fine print, and take the right steps in this mood of vigilance and carefulness. It certainly keeps you very busy indeed.

Aquarius: You may feel that now that you’ve put your finances in order, you can afford to let down your hair a bit.

Whatever the reason, you have a ball this period. Parties, entertainment and amusements galore – you’re out to have some fun! Also, you meet someone who talks your language, emphasises and shares, and brings out the best in you. It may lead to a fine working partnership – I do not mean marriage, necessarily.

Pisces: You get to work with a vengeance this period. You’ll slog as hard and long as you partied, pulling out all the stops as you strive for greater power, status of and of course, better money. Gains of all kinds are what you’re striving for.

Ties, correspondence, short trips yield much this period. Also, you find the time to entertain, to shop around for the little extras that add beauty to existence. You are persuasive rather than forceful – and still get the desired results. Ganesha approves of your changed attitude!

Astrology 39

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ASTROLOGY BY BEJAN DARUWALLA - NOV 2016 Aries: Ganesha says there is a true desire to give, great reciprocity in your attitude. You receive much in terms of affection, love, emoluments and you are open – handed and generous in giving them back! Like Ganesha all his devotees. You are professional at work, caring and tender with loved ones and lover / spouse, and brilliantly confident in financial dealings.

Taurus: My often used phrase “Hard work, matching rewards” sums up the entire gamut of activities this period. While advancement and progress in career and profession are important, they certainly don’t form the total picture. You work equally hard at your relationships, family responsibilities, at your personal ambition as a more contained human being.

Gemini: Once again, you redefine your focus and your motivation. I’ll come back to this in just a moment.

Let me first mention support, help, shared responsibility towards dependents, parents and in – laws, older people, relatives in general.

Therefore, the focus – immediate and extended family find that no effort is spared by you, also time, money, affection.

Cancer: I can just conclude this period forecast in one sentence “More of the same” as last period.

Let me spell it out, though.

You display sympathy, tact, understanding at work as well as in the domestic scene. You are patient and very, very hard working but you do it willingly. In fact, you do it with a smile on your lips and a song in your heart. Glorious contentment and waves of affection lap your feet!

Leo: It is now a propitious time for planning new ventures, projects,

enterprises. You are eager to work.

In fact, slogging don’t frighten you – you relish it, almost. You still create little oases of relaxation, joy, comfort, tenderness not just within the intimate family circle but with new acquaintances and friends, too. They all get a warm welcome to your heart and your hearth.

quite some time now. It could make you a bit crass, a bit cocky if you don’t watch out. But your growing caring, commitment, kindness, empathy may easily prevent that from happening. What does happen is a much higher happiness quotient, levels of satisfaction, joy in relationships.

Virgo: You’ve had so many good things coming you to from Ganesha.

They have been both tangible (money, prospects, assets) and intangible (friendship, family, love).

Now you assess the responsibilities they bring. You’re willing to do your best for your marriage, your family.

Nothing is too great an effort. I’m talking of mindsets / attitudes here.

At work, you find rapid changes, ever – escalating expectations.

Capricorn: For some period now, your activities have been personalised, individual – centred, revolving round matters to do with home and family. Now it’s a big – time gains in money.

You are surrounded, enveloped, ensconced in luxury, comfort, prosperity. Love, too, for good measure, is vital, intense. Fulfilment and satisfaction come to you in many ways, not least of them being communications, contacts, ties.

Libra: Your family itself and family affairs are your top priority, that’s for sure. You are unswerving in your devotion, loyalty, attachment.

You’re careful with your money now, despite lots of social activity / entertaining. You love to spend on children / dependents / pets, on objects of luxury and comfort for the home, on the home / house itself. Your work angle is greatly energised and you strive to give it your best shot.

Scorpio: Your work angle remains a source of satisfaction but you’re more family – oriented this period, too, as in the preceding period.

These values are here to stay in your life – for sometime, if not for every.

As I say frequently, there are no guarantees in life and in astrology.

You fulfil your responsibilities to society, too, giving back more than you take from it, from nature, from the environment.

Sagittarius: You are brimming over with self – confidence, with the security of things going right for

Aquarius: It is as if Ganesha can’t stop giving you all that you desire.

Hopes, ambitions, dreams are all coming true; wish – fulfilment is likely. On the financial scene, we’re now talking of mega – bucks – capital, funds, start – up loans and such. Family, lover, mate are where you really strike it rich, though.

You’ll feel that nothing can surpass the joy, satisfaction, contentment you now share with them.

Pisces: You now take on a major self – enhancement exercise.

Please notice that I have not said self – improvement. That would imply that something was lacking – which it was not, actually. Work, personal relationships, family life all flower in this scenario. You seek to add to your personally, home, wardrobe, physique, assets, jewels, accessories –you name it! For the most part, I must say, you meet with spectacular success.

40

Kids Contest

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Spot The 5 Differences In These Photos

There are 5 differences in the two photos shown above.

Please circle the 5 differences and send us a scanned copy, fax or a hard copy of this page to below address: Aamchi Mumbai, 3D, 3rd Floor, Lyton Building, 36-38 Mody Road,Tsim ShaTsui, Kowloon.

E-mail: info@adesiflava.com ; adesiflava@gmail.com • Fax : +852-35911316

First 3 correct entries will each receive a HK$100 cash coupon of Aamchi Mumbai restaurant. You can use this coupon against your food or drinks bill at Aamchi Mumbai.

Winners of Aug-Sept 2016 Issue

Anjali Varma 6 Years Discovery Bay

Vivaan Nirmal 4 Years Causeway Bay

Shruti Rangarajan 12 Years Tai Koo

42 Kidsfest Hong Kong

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THE BIGGEST CHILDREN’S THEATRE FESTIVAL

RETURNS TO HONG KONG KIDSFEST 2017 World-Class Theatre for Children and Families HONG KONG, 5 September, 2016 – KidsFest, one of the largest theatre events in Asia, returns to Hong Kong in its sixth edition for children and their families. To be held at the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts from 5th January to 12th February, 2017, the fun-filled KidsFest is an ideal medium to engage youngsters in literature and language very early on and offers a perfect blend of live entertainment, education and all-around fun for the whole family.

Tickets went on sale on 29 August, 2016, with group discount packages – there is a 10% discount for booking two shows or for group of 10 people or more, while a 15% discount is offered for a booking of three shows or more.

In KidsFest 2017, ABA Productions partners with Stamford American International School to bring a wide variety of world class performances

to Hong Kong to promote the magic of live theatre to young audiences.

Launched in early 2012 in Hong Kong and Singapore, the 2017 lineup features 10 different productions over five weeks.

This year, the shows have been handpicked to suit a wide range of age groups. Two productions to watch out for are Gruffalos, Ladybirds and other Beasts which feature Julia Donaldson herself live on stage, and Romeo and Juliet Untold, which is Shakespeare Globe’s creative twists to Romeo & Juliet. Other shows that should not be missed are Stick Man, The Snail and the Whale, Shark in the Park, The First Hippo on the Moon, The Way Back Home, Why the Whales Came, Horrible Histories Awful Egyptians and The Best of Barmy Britain.

“KidsFest is an exciting festival for the whole family where compelling characters are brought to life and scenes from well-loved books are enacted vividly on stage. It is a wonderful platform for family interaction and at the same time nurtures a child’s interest in literature and language in a fun and interactive way. KidsFest has become a key event on Hong Kong’s calendar of cultural events where families can look forward to a series of worldclass productions,” said Matthew Gregory, Executive Producer of ABA Productions Ltd. Don’t miss out – join us for some family fun this January! Tickets are on sale on 29 August 2016, and available through HK Ticketing - call 31 28 8288 or visit their website www.hkticketing.com.

For school and group bookings, please call Vanessa Lee at 2547 7150 or email vanessa.lee@aba-productions.com.

Kidsfest Hong Kong 43

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Find out more about KidsFest: www.kidsfest.com.hk About ABA Productions ABA Productions (www.abaproductions.com) is an international theatre production company dedicated to creating and promoting a wide variety of performance styles from all corners of the world.

Recent productions have included Hamlet, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, The Taming of the Shrew, A Clockwork Orange, The Woman in Black, Boeing Boeing, Potted Potter, Circus Mechanics’ Birdhouse Factory, Insane in the Brain, The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged), The Bible: The Complete Word of God (abridged), The Complete History of America (abridged), Completely Hollywood (abridged), Waiting for Godot, The Gruffalo, The Gruffalo’s Child, Stick Man, Showstopper!, The Improvised Musical, Room on the Broom, Horrible Histories Awful Egyptians and the Asian tour of the international smash hit musical Peter Pan, which visited Taipei, Manila, Singapore, Hong Kong and Kuala Lumpur between 2005 and 2008. ABA Productions produces KidsFest in Hong Kong and Singapore.

About Stamford American International School Stamford American International School (Stamford) was opened by Cognita in 2009 and is founded on a mission of providing the best teaching and learning experiences for each individual. Following their success at Stamford American International School in Singapore, drama, music and literacy have since taken on a great importance at Stamford. Stamford is opening a Hong Kong campus for children aged 5 to 18 in September 2017.

Gruffalos, Ladybirds and Other Beasts Following the sell-out success of this show at the Edinburgh Fringe in 2015 and Stratford, Oxford and Bristol in 2016, Britain’s bestselling author Julia Donaldson comes to Hong Kong to act out her stories and songs with a cast of five, including her guitar-playing husband Malcolm.

Romeo and Juliet Untold The ultimate romance – of Shakespeare’s star-crossed lovers – retold from the perspective of the Capulets’ party planner.

For more information and press inquiries: Instinctif Partners / Natalie Ngai, T 2868 0590 / 6213 3666, E natalie.ngai@instinctif.com Instinctif Partners / Phoebe Sou, T 2868 0549 / 5915 8582, E phoebe.sou@instinctif.com

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