2009-09 Sydney (2)

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INDIANLINK

PUBLISHER

Pawan Luthra

EDITOR

Rajni Anand Luthra

ASSISTANT EDITORS

Usha Arvind

Sheryl Dixit

MELBOURNE

Preeti Jabbal

CONTRIBUTORS

Preeti Kannan, Darshak Mehta, Farzana Shakir, Raka Mitra, Shweta Sirohi Gupta, Thomas King, Nima Menon, Noel G de Souza, Geeta Khurana, Hasnain Zaheer, Graham Sims, Minal Khona, Aparna Jacob, Viral Bhayani, Akriti Goel.

ADVERTISING MANAGER

Vivek Trivedi 02 9262 1766

ADVERTISING ASSISTANT

Priti Bhardwaj 02 9279 2004

GRAPHIC DESIGN AND LAYOUT

Darren Monaghan

Indian Link is a fortnightly newspaper published in English. No material, including advertisements designed by Indian Link, maybe reproduced in part or in whole without the written consent of the editor. Opinions carried in Indian Link are those of the writers and not necessarily endorsed by Indian Link. All correspondence should be addressed to Indian Link

Level 24/44 Market St, Sydney 2000 or GPO Box 108, Sydney 2001

Ph: 02 9279-2004 Fax: 02 9279-2005

Email: info@indianlink.com.au

s the Australian police or legal system inept or racist in itself is a question which is increasingly gaining momentum in India and amongst the Indian community here. Yet another assault on Indians, this time blatantly racist, took place recently in Melbourne, in front of at least fifteen witnesses. The Victoria Police’s inability to do anything about it has taken the Indian community here by surprise.

Four people, who allegedly assaulted four Indian men quietly enjoying a game of pool, were interviewed by police. They have been released, pending further investigation.

Victoria Police has admitted in their press release, that police on the scene had observed fifteen males and females make racist remarks. Yet nothing was done about these fifteen individuals.

That the Victorian police could not and did not take action against the group inciting racial hatred, is to be condemned. That it took four days after the incident for Victorian police to actually make any statement at all, is deplorable.

By PAWAN LUTHRA

It is interesting to note that the police actually went public with details only when the media in India took the assault to their front pages - a full four days after the incident!

Prime time news Times Now network featured a 30-minute program on attacks on Indians in Australia, NDTV led the story with a headline of Unsafe Down Under; Times of India and Hindustan Times too ran headlines of Indians in Australia living in fear. Only after these reports were aired, did the Victorian police go public about the incident. Their comments that these “types of incidents occur regularly” is indeed a shameful display of either their inability to understand the gravity of the situation, or their ineptitude in handling cases of a racist nature.

Victorian Premier John Brumby will be in India when this issue of Indian Link hits the stands, assuring all that Australia is a safe country. In all probability, his words will be a repetition of Julia Gillard’s - who on

THE RIGHT APPROACH.THE RIGHT

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her maiden visit to India last month repeatedly stressed the same. As did Foreign Minister Stephen Smith, and before him, Trade Minister Simon Crean. Sure, it is a safe country, but tell that to the families of the victims who lie in hospital. Safety will only be accepted if these attacks cease and perpetuators of these crimes are dealt with in the strictest possible manner by the police and the legal system. Government spokespersons have said repeatedly they have “zero tolerance” towards those who incite racial violence, but does this attitude reflect in action?

It is also about time politicians and law enforcement officers understand the gravity of the situation.

Witnessing a blatant racially motivated attack on four innocent bystanders led on by a baying crowd, without taking action, is truly pathetic. What else did the Victoria Police need to jolt them into action –white-clad, cone-shaped masks and burning crosses? Or skinheads and swastika tattoos?

As an overseas student,

COMMUNITY NOTICEBOARD

Open days for international students

Fridays, 11.00am – 5.00pm The High Commission of India in Canberra, Indian Consulates and Honorary Consuls have designated every Friday an Open Day for students, when any Indian student can walk in, without prior appointment, to meet the High Commissioner, Consuls General, the designated Student Welfare Officers and Honorary Consuls and discuss their problems and grievances.

Experiencing Inner Power and Protection

20 Sept Teacher and yogi Mr Jagdish Raniga presents a free public program in Hindi at The Max Webber Public Library, Level 1 Function Room, Flushcombe Rd, Blacktown, 5pm - 7pm. Details email: marg.1@ virginbroadband.com.au or phone 8600 0150

Classical music duet

meals or commit to eating vegetarian for the week by visiting www.vegetarianweek. com.au. For every pledge, one dollar will be donated to the Great Barrier Reef Foundation to help fund research into protecting the national icon and tourism drawcard from environmental threats such as rising water temperatures and water acidification.

Saraswati Pooja

25 Sept The Chinmaya Mission celebrates Saraswati Pooja, 7.30pm-9.00pm at Chinmaya Sannidhi. Details at www. chinmaya.com.au

Spiritual discourses by Swami

Omkarananda

Pujya Sri Swami Omkarananda will be giving following spiritual discourses in Tamil in Sydney

5 Oct, 5 - 6.30 pm “Bhakthi” at Asquith Community Centre, 10A Old Berowra Rd, Hornsby

6, 7, 8 Oct, 7.30 - 9 pm “Aanmeegha

The event will provide an opportunity for those of different faiths to come together and speak about issues of social cohesion from a local perspective. Local religious leaders (including Christian, Bahá’í, Jewish, Buddhist and Hindu) will speak about the practical meaning of faith in our lives, and how young people of different faiths can share their wisdom and foster a true community.

This is a preparatory event for the Parliament of the World’s Religions, the world’s largest global interfaith gathering, to be held in Melbourne at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre from 3 to 9 December 2009.

Details call NSW Ecumenical Council on 02 9299 2215 or via email kmoroney@ncca.org. au

Mahatma Gandhi’s birth anniversary and International Day of Non-Violence

Showground. Details visit www.meff.com.au.

Happiness Seminars

12-14 Oct Happiness Guru Sunanda Parthasarathy will present talks on spiritual health and wellness at South Campus, Blacktown TAFE, 1 Main Street, Blacktown. How to Beat Stress 7.30pm Monday, 12 Oct

3 Spiritual Laws of Success 7.30pm Tuesday, 13 Oct

The Secret of Happiness 7.30pm Wednesday, 14 Oct Tickets www.vedanta.org.au or call Mohan on 0412 995 230.

Curries by Candlelight

13 Dec Enjoy a Christmas meal with an Indian feel, at Pennant Hills Community Centre, cnr Ramsay and Yarrarra Rds. All proceeds will be donated to Hornsby Hospital’s Koala Care Cottage. Details Pam 4733 0445 or Shalini 0410 485 522.

Australian Carrom Federation

25 Sept – 30 Oct

The South Indian Fine Arts Association of Canberra sponsors the visit to Australia of Indian classical musicians Debapriya and Samanwaya, vocal and sitar performers. While in Australia, Dev and Sam are scheduled to perform at various venues in Sydney, Melbourne, Canberra, Brisbane and Byron Bay. Details email devasaman@gmail. com or visit website www.myspace.com/ debapriyasamanwaya

National Vegetarian Week

28 Sept – 4 Oct Pledge to Try Veg is the theme of this year’s National Vegetarian Week, as announced by the Australian Vegetarian Society. Australians are encouraged to make a pledge either to try a plant-based meal, increase their plant based

Vaazvu” at Sydney Murugan Kovil Cultural Hall, 217 Great Western Highway, Mays Hill

12 & 13 Oct, 7:30 to 9 pm “Purushothama

Yogam” Bagvath Gita Chapter 15 at Dundas Community Hall, 27 Sturt St, Dundas

10 & 11 Oct Retreat – Manisha Panchagam at Yerrinbool Bahai Centre For details contact Rama 9837 2595 or Ramanan 0430 487 780

Social Networking Beyond

Facebook

1 Oct Hundreds of young Sydneysiders from many religious and spiritual communities will gather together at NSW Parliament House to participate in ‘Social Networking Beyond Facebook’, an inspirational event to support the Parliament of the World’s Religions 2009.

2 Oct Gandhi Centre in association with Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan Australia, and Australian Religious Response to Climate Change (ARRCC) will Commemorate

Mahatma Gandhi’s Birth Anniversary and International Day of Non Violence in Church Street Mall in front of Parramata Town Hall from 12:00 - 3:00 pm. Activities include lectures by dignataries and religious leaders, exhibition of books on Mahatma Gandhi, demonstration of Vegetarian Cooking. Also, Gandhi King Ikeda Exhibition (10:00am to 9:00pm) at Soka Gakkai International Australia, 3 Parkview Drive, Sydney Olympic Park

3 Oct Music for Peace concert featuring Mahmood Khan, Kamahl and the Blue Sky Choir by Sokka Gakkai International

4 Oct Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan and Syd-Kol present a musical concert of vocal and sitar along with Tabla. Debapriya and Samanwaya from India will be performing supported by Nikhil Harishchandrakar on Tabla.

Also semiclassical dances by Sharmila

Maitra’s Geetanjali School of Dance and Performing Arts and a mini Peace concert by Mahmood Khan and Maharishi Raval. Venue: Canada Bay Civic Hall, 1A, Marlborough Street, Drummoyne For more information contact, Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan Australia, Email: info@ bhavanaustralia.org, Ph: 1300 BHAVAN (1300 242 826)

Navaratri celebration

3 Oct Special celebration featuring Children’s Golu, Devi Krithi Group rendition and aarati and prasadams. 5.30pm onwards at Dundas Community Centre, Sturt Street Dundas NSW. Details visit www.sydneymusiccircle.info

Paratha-eating competition

3 and 10 Oct Newly opened Blacktown restaurant Singh da Dhaba announces a unique paratha-eating competition. Entry $5.00. Winner gets cash prize of $100. Details 02 9676 4677

IWA picnic

10 Oct NSW Indian Welfare Association is organising a sightseeing trip and picnic to Napean and Cordeaux Dams. Tour departs at 8.30am from Parramatta (opposite to the Council Library) and drop off at 6.00pm. Additional pick up at Liverpool would be arranged if there are sufficient numbers. Cost per person (including food) is $25 for members and $30 for non-members. Details contact N Sampath (02 9893 7729) or s Saraswathi Venugopalan (02 9838 0654)

MEFF Eid Festival

11 Oct Sydney’s annual Multicultural Eid Festival and Fair (MEFF), a family event to celebrate Eid-ul-Fitr and showcase Islamic unity in diversity and Australian multiculturalism, will be held at Fairfield

The International Carrom Federation has appointed the Australian Carrom Federation as the parent body for Carrom in Australia. As a result of this, Australia now joins with eighteen other member nations around the world that now have International recognition.

The Australian Carrom Federation (ACF) is a non-profit organisation formed to promote the game of Carrom throughout Australia. We are community based, and obtain members through membership and registration, and we welcome potential sponsors for support. Our goal is to create community awareness of Carrom, to organise tournaments at all local and national levels, and most of all to prepare an Australian team for future national and international tournaments.

We invite all Carrom Players and Clubs to use the free player registration to enter their details and playing skill levels on-line at our web site at www.carrom.com.au or write to: Australian Carrom Federation, PO Box 1143, Burleigh Heads, QLD 4220.

Volunteers required

The Health Promotion Service for Older People is looking for volunteers (both male and female and 50+) to give talks about health issues to older people. Details: Habib/ Barbara: 02 9281 3588 or 1800 451 488 (free call) or health@cpsa.org.au

New branch of Maharishi

Ramana Ashram

Maharishi Ramana Ashram announces a new branch at 11 / 48 – 54 Shaw Street Bexley North. Meetings will be held on 3rd Saturday of every month

JET Australia Prajna Classes

3rd & 4th Sunday of the month JET

Australia invites you to weekend Prajna classes, Sundays at 1.00 pm. Venue: Aurelia St Catholic Church Toongabbie. Separate English and Telugu classes. Healthy refreshments served after the class. Contact: Prajna coordinators Keshav 02 9837-4792 or Navneeth 0434 537 242

New Day Care service for aged Sri Om Care announces a Day Centre for frail aged (very limited number) people of Indian and SriLankans at Bankstown/Milperra on Wednesdays from 10 am to 2 pm. Facilities offered will be door-to-door pickup, cultural specific meals, and activities. Details Jay Raman 0410 759 906 or visit www.sriomcare.org.au

Free Yoga classes for seniors

The Spirit of India (NSW) Inc. (a not-forprofit organisation) announces yoga classes at Pennant Hills. Details Dhanraj 0424 075 364 or Suresh 0412 202 182

Tales of a forgotten past

literally from the city and the country’s conscience.

It was after reading an article in Time magazine about how ‘a number of religious and historic buildings, especially in New Delhi, were falling into ruin due to lack of care and restoration’, that Elliston decided to travel to India to picture them.

Walking through the Storm Gallery in Surry Hills earlier this month, the hues and colours of India came flooding back.

Taking one down the nostalgic lane, were Sydney-based photographer Peter Elliston’s photographs of New Delhi, or perhaps one should one say, an ‘old’ Delhi.

Even as the ‘emerging’ superpower grows rapidly in the eyes of the world, Elliston’s lenses capture an India, forgotten and tucked away in its alleys, amidst its countless people. Aptly titled Broken Monuments, the exhibition displayed some of the oldest monuments in the capital, crumbling at their core because of sheer neglect.

Unlike the famed Taj Mahal, many of these monuments including the Jantar Mantar observatory and the Qutub Minar, have been left to fend for themselves even as they face the prospect of disappearing

“I am always looking for new projects in photography and the neglected monuments of New Delhi seemed interesting. I didn’t want to just photograph regular tourist monuments, which would offer nothing new for me or my audience. But I sought monuments that have been garnered for domestic purposes and perhaps lived in,” Peter Elliston told Indian Link.

“This seemed like an interesting and original project. Also, in my photography I have been interested in monuments from around the world such as at Petra in Jordan and I wanted to show them in the context of the surrounding landscape,” he added.

The pictures include a sufi tomb near Aurangabad, a girl at a masjid in Mehrauli, a not-in-use swimming pool, the Kudyliutti tomb, and the Rangin Gate among other things.

Goats, cows and children are the only

visitors at these broken monuments. Elliston, whose work is held in collections around the world including Paris and London and locally in the National Gallery of Australia, National Gallery of Victoria, NSW State Library and many public and private collections, has travelled all over the world photographing people, places and monuments and has published four books of his own. His work has been published widely and exhibited in many solo and group shows in Australia and overseas and is well known for his portrait series documenting people swimming at Wylie’s Baths, Coogee.

When asked if the choice of these subjects were a conscious reflection of the real India, the renowned artist observed, “I didn’t seek to make a statement about India today, except perhaps to refer to the fact that monuments are disappearing and that India has such a rich history. Whether or not children and goats appear in a photograph was somewhat random. If a photo was more interesting with a person in it, then he or she would be included. For some photos of course I had little choice about whether people were included.”

His 5x4’’ camera brings out the distinct,

bright and potent colours of his subjects, the monuments and the backdrops in his pictures. According to him, a photographer does not go unnoticed with such equipment and especially in places like New Delhi, where people and noise are a constantand he has attempted to capture the quiet moments in his photographs. Elliston points out that lovers of all things India will not be disappointed with this collection of quietly perceptive images, “as they are full of a subtle honouring of things gone past, and serve to remind us of everything underappreciated – our history, our culture, our heritage, our relationship to the past.”

Interestingly, it was Elliston’s amused taxi driver who unwittingly contributed to the name of the exhibition when he said he was interested in neglected sights rather than the splendour of the likes of the Taj Mahal. “Ah! What you want to see is ‘broken’ monuments,” the driver told Elliston.

One hopes that these monuments, signifying the country’s rich heritage, culture and the bygone era, are restored to their past glory for the sake of the future generations. Else, we may have to rely only on prints or on our memories to remember them.

PREETI KANNAN takes in an unusual exhibition of photographs from India

I didn’t want to just photograph regular tourist monuments, which would offer nothing new for me or my audience

Peter Elliston

Indian company sets up edible oil plant in NSW

Indian conglomerate Bhoruka Group is all set to establish an oilseed and crushing facility in Wagga Wagga, making it one of the largest greenfield Indian investments in eastern Australia. The A$63 million agribusiness venture – Riverina Oils and Bio Energy (ROBE) Pty Ltd, hopes to boost trade ties between the two countries in the wake of strained diplomatic relations.

The 170, 000 tonnes a year oilseed crushing and edible oil refining plant will be operational by October 2010 in Wagga Wagga, 470km south-west of Sydney. Senior officials from the Bhoruka Group, a key shareholder in ROBE, were in Australia for the plant’s ground-breaking ceremony in early September.

While S N Agarwal, chairman of ROBE and Transport Corporation of India, hopes the venture would pave the way for more Indian businesses to invest in Australia, he has urged for more support from the Australian government. “The Australian government has been fantastic and extremely cooperative. We have been granted across-the-table permits unlike in India, where a businessman would spend at least a year in securing permits from different departments.”

“However, the Australian government should come out more aggressively in support of Indian businesses wanting to set up base here. They could subscribe 10 per cent of our capital and costs incurred

in setting up infrastructure. If they created a fund to raise capital, it would make investments in Australia even more attractive. In other words, we are asking the government to hold our hand,” Agarwal told Indian Link, in an interview.

The businessman, however, dismissed the need for any concessions or subsidised power costs, instead stressing on the importance of creation of a partial fund.

“The two things Indian businesses can bring in are capital and entrepreneurship. Australia, on the other hand, has great productivity and technology in the agricultural field. We do not need any concessions but only help on these fronts. We have brought 100 per cent capital for this project from India,” he added.

Agarwal also observed that the plant, spread over 18 hectares, would bolster trade relations. “In the background of the recent attacks on Indian students, investment and trade will improve relations between the two countries substantially,” he said.

The company believes that the timing cannot be more suitable for an investment of this nature, despite most companies shying away from any expansion plans in the global economic recession.

“Products like sugar and oil are recession-proof. Besides, the Indian economy hasn’t been so badly hit,” said DD Saxena, Managing Director, of ROBE.

Saxena noted that Wagga Wagga’s

agricultural land combined with Down Under’s access to logistics and storage makes the location ideal.

“It also provides flexibility to different oilseeds like canola and soya. The technology is fairly sophisticated and we can have a diverse plant that can extract up to 99 per cent of oil in the most costeffective manner,” added Saxena.

The company will export some of its 65,000 tonnes a year of refined vegetable oil to food industry customers in India, Japan, other parts of Asia, Europe and the United States. It will also produce 105,000 tonnes a year of vegetable protein meal for use in the Australian poultry, dairy and animal feed industry. The company is also considering expansion plans and hopes to

double its capacity by March 2011. The plant will also produce up to 75 million litres of biodiesel, converted either from refined oil or imported palm oil.

The project hopes to create 65 direct jobs in phase one, and up to 500 indirect jobs in the construction, transport and logistics sectors. Almost 15,000 truckloads or rail container movements a year would be needed to carry 350,000 tonnes of raw materials and finished products, according to the company press release.

The company is also considering the possible use of biomass, such as the residue from Riverina vineyards and citrus orchards or Queensland sugar cane, to generate power.

Preeti Kannan

From left, S N Agarwal, Chairman of ROBE; his son Siddhartha Agarwal, and DD Saxena, ROBE MD

NEWS MAKERS

Bringing us our daily news

USHA ARVIND talks to Sydney Morning Herald’s frontline reporter Arjun Ramachandran

Many an observant netizen, logging onto www.smh.com.au for their daily dose of taaza khabar, must be curious about the very “Indian” byline that is almost always up there. Quite literally.

A second generation Indian Australian, Arjun Ramachandran is Sydney Morning Herald’s online news reporter, currently covering “breaking news” as it happens. His schedules are rigorous, fast paced and full on, but certainly without a dull moment.

For the benefit of the uninitiated, “breaking news”, Ramachandran explains, “is a broad beat, that involves a significant amount of crime reporting, but also extends to and includes major international stories, politics, and of course colourful city yarns. Importantly, it focuses heavily on the main issue or story of any particular day or week, like swine flu, bushfires and, of course, Indian students.”

Working on the early shift, Arjun has been with the prestigious group for nearly three years. A passionate newswallah, journalism seems to be a family tradition. His grandfather was a sports editor and reporter for The Hindu, while his grand-uncle founded Sruti, the iconic Carnatic music magazine that boasts a global following.

Surprisingly though, journalism was not his initial career pathway. After winning a scholarship, Arjun took a degree in Information Technology from UTS. A career in IT became the next logical step.

So, what prompted him to make the switch to media?

While Arjun enjoyed the problem-solving and analytical skills involved in the IT job, the urge to write was too strong. Journalism, he firmly believes, is a noble profession and the idea of there being a moral and ethical dimension to day-to-day tasks, unlike in many other occupations, fascinated him.

“I was always attracted to journalism. If anything, I fell into the IT career because of the scholarship. But as I was passionate about making the change, I decided that if I wanted to try journalism, I ought not to leave it too late,” he told Indian Link. While still working as an IT consultant, he completed a Masters of Arts in Journalism, also from UTS.

His wife and mother were both very supportive as he tested unknown waters.

“In fact I owe it all to my mother,” says Arjun.

His mother has not only raised him singlehandedly (his father died soon after the family migrated in the ‘70s) but instilled in him strong ethical and family values.

“Back then, with no other family here, we relocated to India, but keeping my wellbeing in mind, my mother returned to Sydney,” he remembers.

A co-founder of the Sydney Music Circle, she also initiated in him a lifelong passion for music; “though my interests are more western, particularly folk and rock genres,” he quips.

Arjun has imbibed his father’s insatiable appetite for life and certainly his cricketing genes.

“My father was a popular leg spin bowler, who was team mates with Steve Waugh at the

Bankstown club,” Arjun fondly recalls. His love of sport though, extends beyond the narrow confines of cricket. “Like any Australian male, I’m deeply embedded in Australia’s sporting culture, avidly following cricket and rugby league.”

Perhaps it is Arjun’s forte that he harmoniously combines traditional Indian values with the warmth, openness and adaptability of Aussie culture.

Being a mediaman in the mainstream, does it come with excess baggage?

Oh yes, he banters. “Fitting my long Indian name at the top of stories is a disadvantage for my editors! But joking aside, I’ve lived in Australia my entire life, so I think I approach stories the same as any other reporter.”

“But then, good journos,” he argues, (and he regards colleagues at the Herald as such), “are capable of being empathetic and open with all people and are keen to understand and tell their stories to a wider audience. So in most instances I don’t think it’s necessary to have an ethnic reporter to cover ethnic issues.”

That said, when issues affect new or recent arrivals to Australia, those migrants are often

significance for me,” he notes.

While the adrenalin rush keeps him going, the formidable part is confronting victims as they grapple with personal tragedies. This is why Arjun firmly relies on wholesome quality time with his young family to let off steam.

Playing with his toddler Dhanya “is a necessary and enjoyable contrast to some of the more gritty crime stories we cover, and something I’m grateful for,” he says. Parenting, in fact, has added a whole new dimension to his perspective, “bringing into sharper focus the human aspects of stories.”

Likewise, he is gratified by the regard the community has for scribes. “Particularly, Indians highly regard the career of journalism. And it’s nice to know I am doing something respected by my own community,” he acknowledges.

As a frontline reporter, Arjun hopes to see more desis in prominent mainstream capacities. “Now that Indians are a well-established community that is growing fast, I hope we will see more of them involved in civic life, including in politics at all levels and in the media.”

He also believes that the growing Indian diaspora in Australia will be central in further strengthening the links between these two nations.

Good journos are capable of being empathetic and open with all people and are keen to understand and tell their stories to a wider audience. So in most instances I don’t think it’s necessary to have an ethnic reporter to cover ethnic issues

Family fun day for disabled

There is no higher religion than human service.

Woodrow Wilson’s motto has been the guiding principle for the Hindu Social Services Foundation (HSSF). The foundation was formally launched at Crestwood Community Centre in Baulkham Hills recently with a gala day for the otherwise-abled.

The day-long retreat brought together young and old people of different ethnic and religious backgrounds.

It was a well-deserved outing for the families as they indulged in wholesome, nourishing entertainment for mind and body.

The launch celebrations coincided with International Day for People With

a Disability. Group coordinator Uma Ramasubramaniyam spoke about the vision of the Hindu Social Services foundation and its aim to help people needing support. The annual event hopes to bring together families, which are caring for children with a disability and the elderly/the frail who need personal assistance, for a fun outing and socialising event.

“The annual calendar is packed with events for normal people. But what about those with special needs? That is why we came up with the HSSF to provide an outlet for the frail, needy and disabled. It is open to all families caring for people with disabilities”, Vishwa Hindu Parishad coordinator Akila Ramarathinam told Indian Link

Akila spoke about her own daughter Santoshi’s skills on the computer and how she and her family assisted her development through ABA techniques and therapy.

Yoga, exercises, cultural performances, group singing, charades and competitions were organised to keep the gathering entertained. Youngsters from Hindu Swayam Sevak group Liverpool performed a lively Bollywood number.

MC Padmaja gave an inspiring talk on her hard journey of life and how she achieved success and independence by crossing every barrier with the help of her family and friends. Despite her disability, she holds a responsible position at the Westpac Bank and is completely mobile. Special needs high school teacher Dr

Subhashini Shankar also provided insights on coping with disability.

It was truly motivating to witness the success stories of many a disabled child, and share their commitment to overcome hardships and lead a positive and fruitful life. The event was well attended by Hills Shire councilors and members of the community

Usha Arvind

HSSF seeks community ideas and participation on taking their program forward. For more details on VHP’s Social Services Foundation, contact coordinator Uma Ramasubramaniam on 02 9617-0060

Anujan on behalf of his twin Arulan and mum Saraswathi

Santhoshi and Akila Ramarathinam

Padmaja Sathiamoorthy

Celebrating Hindi

SAt Sydney’s premier Hindi school Indo Australian Bal Bharatiya Vidyalaya, Hindi Divas is always a special celebration.

The students and teachers strut their stuff in the form of songs, poems, skits and poster presentations. The audience - members of the general community who walk through the classes to get a first-hand feel of the work being done at the school.

This year, students prepared projects on one of modern India’s founding fathers, Mahatma Gandhi. Their work was displayed alongside an exhibition of photographs depicting the life and work of the revered leader.

Principal Mala Mehta (OAM) founded the school in 1987. She is single-handedly responsible for having the language recognised by the state of NSW as an HSC option. Each year, many students pass the exam with flying colours under Mala’s watch. She is helped by a growing band of voluntary teachers from the community, in whom she inspires the same dedication.

For more info on the school, contact Mala Mehta, 8 Brigalow Place, Westleigh NSW 2120, Ph 02 94819105, Mob 0412 283 677 or visit the website www.iabbv-hindischool.com

at the IABBV school present their work on Hindi Divas

No more Mr Nice Guys

DARSHAK MEHTA has a vehement response to the blatant racial attacks, while condemning the government and police for their obvious procrastination

It is time for the Indian community in Australia to unite behind the toughening stance of the Indian Government and tell elected MPs and Ministers, here: E N O U G H Enough is enough.

They cannot just stand around, apologize and do nothing whilst racial attacks –mostly against students and largely in Melbourne, continue unabated. There is no point in every Federal and State Minister (or, Premier) and his dog, flying to India to appease Indians and tell them what a nice, friendly place Australia is, and how these attacks are an aberration and that really, really, really, there is no racism.

Just fix the bloody (sorry, bad pun!) problem here and there will be no need to go there.

The Police are either under-resourced or unable to understand or unwilling to do their jobs, diligently. It is part of their brief to ensure that any Australian infringing the law would attract charges being laid, and severe and deterrent penalties. All offenders should be afraid, very afraid that they will get caught and will be dealt with, severely.

For a couple of years now, the Police have been unable to effectively address the issue of violence against Indian students –in Melbourne, in particular.

It is shocking to see that there was yet another appalling incident of racism, intolerance and violence in Melbourne on Sept 12th. And to their shame, the Victorian Police sat on it for 4 days and did not even make it public, till the baying hounds of the Indian media were on to this and forced their hand.

And despite all the recent hulla gulla of the Indian media and consequent escalation of the issue of violence against Indian students here, neither the Police nor the Governments involved seem to understand the gravity of the situation and act on it.

To an extent, we are reaping the whirlwind of the Howard, Ruddock, and Andrews years, in which xenophobic sentiment, dog whistling and anti migrant/

refugee policies were blatantly pursued, encouraged and institutionalised. The Australian people’s baser instincts were stoked and catered to.

To comprehend the social context, we must realise that Australia is merely 42 (not, 221!) years old. The White Australia policy was dismantled by the Harold Holt Government as recently as in 1967. Some people in this country are uncomfortably, reluctantly, coming to terms with seeing others with different looks, complexions, religions, accents, foods, beliefs etc. Do not for one moment believe that there is wide-spread community acceptance of foreigners.

We have lived with the Pauline Hanson phenomenon (no one can brush under the carpet the astonishing fact that almost 10% of the electorate voted for an openly racist party, in a Federal election!), the Children Overboard Affair, demonization of refugees and their mandatory detention (including the Pacific solution, and now Christmas Island), the Cronulla race riots (where, at one stage, 5000 people wanted to set upon 3), the Dr. Mohammed Haneef affair, the rampant Islamophobia (witness it every time a D.A. application is lodged in any council for a community amenity), and the totally un-necessary Citizenship Test.

The next generation might be more accepting, provided broad-minded policies are followed, integration practiced and tolerance of non Anglo Saxons, preached.

But, the paradox is that every ethnic migrant group wants to shut the gates of the country the moment they have got in!

Moreover, as an island country, there is always the tendency of being terrified of who’s coming in from the water? Witness the community paranoia whipped up (in and by the media) every time a handful of boats come in with a few hundred people every year? Many hundreds of millions of dollars are spent in trying to exclude them from our towns and cities – so that people feel “safe”?

Ironically, over 95,000 Indian students who have been actively courted by Australian Universities are no longer able to live without fear of violence in

these very towns and cities from the same Australians who feel threatened by the arrival on our shores of a few hundred people with nothing but the bare bones on their sorry bottoms.

I submit that the coverage of this newspaper has been balanced, reasoned and even placid. No effort has been made to see the violence against Indian students in any light except as a law and order problem or as crimes of opportunism, as claimed by Victorian Police.

However, these attacks are now making it increasingly apparent that there are still ugly undertones of racism in Australian society and alcohol often brings these to the fore.

External Affairs needs to make it clear in blunt, uncompromising language that there will be zero tolerance on this issue and that the Police in Melbourne and Sydney need to wake up and take any issue/complaints of racist attacks seriously as they have the potential to cause a grave deterioration in the India-Australia relationship due to the stridency of reporting by the Indian media and consequent public pressure being exerted on the Government of India.

I imagine that if there was even one Chinese student who had suffered, their Government would be all over the Aussies like a rash, pushing their political weight around and leveraging their formidable economic clout.

I have come to the sad conclusion now that due to entrenched racism in parts of the Australian Police Force and in the general community in Australia, these things are not being taken with the gravity they deserve (all cheap Ministerial talk notwithstanding) as they should, and I am afraid that the only way they will be taken seriously is if India’s Foreign Minister S.M. Krishna were to exert pressure via the Australian media and make strong public statements – not just strong private representations.

And do NOT for one minute think that our diplomats here have been remiss, idle or ineffective advocates. They have acquitted themselves creditably as India’s brightest and best.

Enough of the back-room and onto the drawing room: TV is the only effective solution now in sight.

I think there is a need for the Indian Foreign Minister to shake people up here: launch a ferocious, undiplomatic, full frontal attack themed “Find the offenders, NOW”.

“Charge them, make an example of them and stop this nonsense. Do whatever it takes,” I would be screaming.

The four-day delay in the release of a public statement by the Melbourne Police re: the Sept 12 attacks on four Indian men playing pool at a pub and minding their business, leads the public in both countries to question the reasons for this extraordinary delay in making the issue public and instant inferences and conclusions will be drawn.

I think India cannot - and should notpussyfoot on this issue, any longer, at all.

I believe that India’s Ministry of

Further, the Indian Government needs to bluntly warn the Australian Government that if these attacks continue:

a) it will be constrained to step in, and prohibit any more Indian students from studying here - in the interests of their own safety

b) A Travel Advisory for Indian tourists may also be issued.

The world-wide headlines that these steps would generate would finally shake the Federal and State Governments who currently seem to think that Indian blood is cheap.

The Indian Government needs to bluntly warn the Australian Government that if these attacks continue:

a) it will be constrained to step in, and prohibit any more Indian students from studying here - in the interests of their own safety

b) A Travel Advisory for Indian tourists may also be issued.

Braveheart

Mother, socialite, lifecoach. It’s definitely for Gladys Roach, femme extraordinaire, who has emerged from a dual battle with the Big C, says

SHERYL DIXIT

Gladys Roach is an extraordinary woman, although she certainly doesn’t think so. No matter what challenges life has offered her, she has met them with a strength, resilience and aplomb, which is completely her own. She has weathered storms and squalls, but in the end, she has always come back out to sit in the sun, complete with sunscreen, hat and a good book. Gladys had an intense battle with breast cancer, finally emerging the winner through tough times which often threatened to overwhelm her, and this is her story.

Gladys arrived in Adelaide in ’65 as a young Mangalorean bride to join Neville, the love of her life whom she had been dating since they were sixteen. An endearing love story indeed, which continues to this day. “I spent my time looking for people,” she quips, as in those days Adelaide was a mere shell of its robust modern-day presence. “Those were the days when Indian migrants were few and far between, and the only spice available was a ‘curry’ powder, that had been imported from England,” she recalls. Times were tough for the young couple, and Gladys was exposed to a raft of new experiences. The eldest daughter of an indulgent father, she was unfamiliar with the mysteries of cuisine, and taught herself to cook; indeed so well, that she went on to author several cookery books later in life, and also worked in the food industry in the role of a consultant.

Adelaide is where Gladys began her journey in Australia as a young migrant with a sadly limited wardrobe. When Gladys arrived from India, her wardrobe was limited to mainly saris, which she had worn back home, and even in Spain, where she had spent two years. The Spaniards were fascinated by her attire in its colourful and unusual array, and the Australians were no different. “To them, I was something new and unique,” she recalls. “I never had a problem finding a seat on a crowded bus, someone always got up to offer me their seat. I think it was the sari,” she says. Gladys admits that Neville and she were very lucky, because all the Aussies they came in contact with during those teething years, were very friendly and kind to them. “They didn’t see us as any different from themselves,” she says. “They welcomed us with open arms and we have happy memories of those days.” A move to Melbourne followed as Neville changed his job, and they subsequently moved to Sydney with their three children. Life was happy, fulfilling and had no more than the usual complications.

But one day, seven years ago, Gladys sat

It’s human nature to say that they know what you’re going through, but the reality is that no-one really knows, except yourself. People mean well, but in the end, you are the one with the condition and you are going through each phase. You have to keep strong

Gladys Roach with her husband Neville, soon after he was awarded the Pravasi Bharatiya (Global Indian) Award in 2008 by the President of India

(Photo Mala Mehta)

looking at a letter from the government, offering free mammograms for women above the age of 60. She had the last one done two years ago, and it was now time for another test. Rather than put it off again, Gladys decided to do the test at the North Shore hospital in which her son worked as a doctor, giving her the chance to meet up with him as well. She waited at reception for the tests results to arrive, assuming that the wait was a normal one, endured by all patients who had done tests. But when a couple of doctors asked to see her again and put her through a more rigorous examination, Gladys began to suspect that all was not well. The doctors didn’t mince words; they had found a growth which would need a biopsy. It was close to the breastbone and would not have been located if it wasn’t for the mammogram. Gladys walked out of the room with a feeling of numbing shock, with no thought other than to seek out her son. When she found him, “I cried all over him,” she admits with a laugh. The next couple of weeks were anxious, with a series of tests and a lumpectomy conducted, and Gladys did 39 sessions of radiography. She was fortunate that her condition didn’t need chemotherapy, a small relief in the wider spectrum of the ordeal. Fortunately for her, the cancer was contained thanks to the treatment, and after a gruelling experience, she was on the road to recovery.

For Gladys, after the initial shock of discovering that she had breast cancer, her very next reaction wasn’t panic or fear, but a practical and matter-of-fact assessment of her situation and how best she could deal with it. “I knew I had to get on with it,” she says. “A lot of people feel the dread of the ‘C’ word which is unfortunately, instantly associated with death, but I knew that wasn’t going to happen to me.” Her strength of character and her independent personality helped her take the crisis in her stride. “I have always made my own decisions, and I decided that I would do what I had to do. My condition was not private, people knew I had breast cancer. But although I had all the support I could ever want, what I did not want was to be dependent, and I certainly didn’t want people making a fuss over me,” she says vehemently. “Even my family and friends knew this, and were always around if I ever felt the need for support. But this was my battle, and I was going to fight it my way.” Of course, despair did creep in at times, but it was more the feeling of being fed-up with the seemingly endless treatment or feeling that she had no control over what was happening. People’s reactions were varied and unusual. “Everyone was supportive, but a few people actually addressed me in hushed, sepulchral tones, which I initially found annoying, but later, amusing. They probably thought I was on death’s door!” she reveals. “It’s human nature to say that they know what you’re going through, but the reality is that no-one really knows, except yourself. People mean well, but in the end, you are the one with the condition and you are going through each phase. You have to keep strong.” This inner strength came to the aid of Gladys a couple of years ago, when her youngest daughter was diagnosed with a particularly aggressive form of breast cancer. As she confides, “My cancer was nothing, compared to what Saritha had to go through.” Her daughter had to have a mastectomy, and as the cancer had spread to her lymph nodes, she had to undergo treatment through radiology, chemotherapy and drugs. To add to her ordeal, she had all the textbook reactions to everything. Saritha’s journey was harrowing, and

having a young daughter to care for as well, made the fight harder, but it also made her stronger. Once again, the support system that surrounded her helped incredibly, and whenever Saritha reached out to family and friends, they were always there for her. The form of breast cancer that Saritha had was not genetic, nor was it hormone based, and wasn’t the same as her mother’s. Breast cancer is not genetic, although people from the same family are at higher risk of having a mutated gene. “Saritha is now getting better, and what reassures me the most is that she is starting to rediscover her creativity,” says a visibly proud Gladys.

“She has always been a generous and affectionate person with a rare sensitivity, and we are seeing increasing signs of these traits once again, a sure sign that she’s over the worst. Everyone rallied around her when she needed them, and we will all continue to be there for her whenever she needs us.”

Gladys feels that in her case, dealing with trauma was probably a bit easier, as she had witnessed the struggle of a cousin and a dear friend through cancer. Additionally, her training as a Bereavement and Loss Counsellor helped her through this time. She also trained and worked in Relationship Counselling, and still offers her services in both functions on a voluntary basis. Gladys currently works as a Cross-cultural Training Consultant, helping employees in Australian companies who are being sent to India, to assimilate to the culture and understand it better; and vice-versa. Training and experience in counselling helped Gladys to look introspectively at herself, her attitudes and her life, and she believes that this made her a better human being.

For people who’re going through a battle with cancer or any other serious illness, Gladys has a strong message: “It’s very important to get as much support as you can, from the family, friends and also the system. The Oncology and Radiology departments are trained in dealing with practical and emotional support, so all you have to do is ask. And people are always willing to lend a hand, if you need one.” Gladys feels that some illnesses aren’t as rare as we think they may be, and it’s surprising how many people suffer from the same condition. The feeling that you are not alone can be very comforting, which is why networking is important. “But in the end, everyone has to deal with their condition in a way that works for them. I know that back in India, knowing that a loved one has cancer can send waves of panic through the family and community, regardless of whether its been detected early or is in an advanced stage. Dealing with that sense of panic is hard enough,” she says. There is an underlying sense of gratitude for the way things have panned out in Gladys’ life. Her matter-of-fact and practical approach has strengthened not just her, but also those around her. All her grandchildren know more about breast cancer than the average child, and they have taken Saritha’s illness too, in their stride. At no point of time were they shielded from the facts, and this has helped them develop a better understanding of the disease and its sufferers. And with Gladys, well, así es la vida, c’est la vie, that’s life! She continues to exude a quiet confidence, an indomitable spirit and a strong sense of compassion, just as she has always done. From a young girl hobnobbing with the likes of Grace Kelly and Audrey Hepburn in sunny Spain, to a mature and more placid lifestyle now on Australia’s shores, Gladys has come a long way. And as she has done all her life, she makes the most of every moment.

We featured her as our cover girl in the May-2, 2007 issue of Indian Link It was Multiple Sclerosis Awareness month, and Maina Gordon spoke to us about the condition in her capacity as MS Ambassador for the state of NSW. (Most MS Ambassadors serve one twoyear term. Maina has served two 2-year terms.) Maina, a Sydney-based Solicitor, was diagnosed with MS about 17 years ago. She has spent much time talking to lay people, sufferers and support groups about the condition and helping raise not just awareness but also thousands of dollars for research on MS.

A few months ago, Maina was diagnosed with breast cancer, and has just returned home after another stint in hospital.

Maina is one of the bravest people I know.

Life has dealt her a shocking pack of cards, healthwise but you would never know that, as she is always positive and never mopes about.

She gets on with things, practices law, dotes on her girls, tolerates her golf-mad husband, and despite her severe handicap, tries to lead as full and normal a life as possible.

To top it off, she can swear like a trooper and can certainly hold her own amongst the boys.

As we go to press, she is planning the 50th birthday party of her husband Neil –it promises to be a boisterous affair.

Maina Gordon is truly inspirational and deserves nothing but our very best wishes and prayers.

Darshak Mehta

But although I had all the support I could ever want, what I did not want was to be dependent, and I certainly didn’t want people making a fuss over me

Clockwise from extreme left:

B is for Breast Cancer

and confused, with many more unanswered questions to ask. Here is a synopsis of the condition at a glance, with a few relevant FAQs.

What causes breast cancer?

EVERY YEAR, the world marks October 26 as Pink Ribbon Day in recognition of the need for increased awareness about Breast Cancer, one of the leading causes of death in women internationally. I will do my bit again this year, and buy a cute pink ribbon brooch at work. But thanks to intense media campaigns and the endorsement of celebrity figures to this cause, breast cancer is no longer a taboo topic. However, as we learn more about this ailment, the sheer overload of information leaves us dizzy

Breast cancer is caused by certain changes in DNA. While some breast cancers may be caused by inherited changes in DNA, most are due to acquired changes. We don’t know exactly what causes breast cancer, but we do know that certain risk factors are linked to the disease. There are risk factors that cannot be changed like age, gender, family history, etc., but lifestyle choices that can lower the risk are having children at an early age, breastfeeding your babies, avoiding alcoholic drinks, not using birth control pills and hormone replacement

therapy for prolonged periods of time, keeping fit by exercising regularly, and not being overweight.

Symptoms of breast cancer

Breast cancer may not show any symptoms in its early stages. A lump which might turn into cancer could initially be too small to be noticed or it might not cause any unusual changes. More often than not it is the mammogram or an xray that detects an abnormality, rather than an examination. However in some cases, the first sign could be a lump or a mass that can be felt. A lump that is hard but painless and is uneven to the touch is likely to be cancerous. Then again on occasions a completely opposite study of tender, soft and evenly rounded lumps have

FARZANA SHAKIR offers facts and figures relating to this form

Pooja Rastogi, Poonam Chandiramani, Ashima Aggarwala, Priti Sharma, Raka Mitra, Annie Pathania.

A woman’s risk of dying from breast cancer before the age of 85 has been declining from 1 in 29 in 1983 to 1 in 35 in 2005

Think Pink … Be breast aware!

October is Breast Cancer Awareness month. SHWETA SIROHI GUPTA collects mantras from young ladies who share their awareness of this disease,

“Mammograms are not something to be scared of… something that could end up saving your life can’t be that bad!”

“It can happen to us, our best friend, our sister, you or any of us. Breast cancer does not differentiate between people based on culture, ideology or nationality. So better be aware, than sorry.”

“My mantra… routine mammograms work! If you are diagnosed with breast cancer, be brave, optimistic and never lose your sense of humour. It is curable… enjoy your life.”

Ruchi

My mantra is… early detection is the best protection… monthly self breast examinations, yearly clinical breast exams and routine mammograms! I read this somewhere years ago and got the point!

“I am always reminded of my Aunty who suffered from breast cancer twice! She would say… the only thing that I have lost is my breast. In its place I have gained friends, love, compassion, opportunities and weight!” Lucky

“Breast cancer is a disease close to every woman’s heart. What’s most important is to look underneath the breasts, at the heart. There’s a good heart that perfects breasts. It would be a pity to damage yours. So all you women out there, take care and pass on this awareness to countless more around the world!”

Prats

and Shruts

“Fight it! Breasts are worth fighting for. They comfort you at birth; as an adult they are a great accessory with every outfit, and they are the pride of motherhood when they help nourish your child. C’mon girls, let’s take care of them!”

Devika

“My mantra is… regular self-breast examinations. The same mantra is followed by my mum and my grandmum as well.”

Archana

If only we ladies paid as much attention to our breasts as men do… Protect yourself from breast cancer

Manasi

Pratiti

Parthvi and Nitasha

Self examination without any carelessness. If you get even a slight feel of something unusual, get yourself checked, and when the results are negative… you’ll enjoy a good relaxed sleep at night

Neha

Ritu

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India: Adventure unplugged

The Adventure Tour Operators Association of India (ATOAI) supported by the Ministry of Tourism and India Tourism, Sydney, showcased a wide range of tour products in a series of mid September roadshows that included Auckland, Wellington, Melbourne and Sydney.

More than 130 travel industry professionals and media attended the Sydney roadshow and workshop which was held in the Four Seasons Hotel.

Leena Nandan, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Tourism, Govt of India and Tejbir Singh, President, ATOAI, led the 10 member delegation from India.

Making her first visit to Australia, Ms Nandan said that while culture and history are the best known lures of India the diverse country offers a world of adventure opportunities.

“It’s our constant effort to promote the different dimensions of India,” she added.

Krishna Arya, Regional Director (Australasia) India Tourism, Sydney said that the growth of tourist arrivals to India from Australia in 2008 (148,055) was up by nine percent from the previous year.

With an intensive and all round promotional activity plan for the next 12 months we are hoping for a considerable increase in tourist arrivals, Arya added.

Following formalities, travel agents were updated about a wide variety of adventure products during business sessions.

Mohan Tickoo, Managing Director, KVT Adventure, Culture and Nature Tours, said that he was very enthused about new student cultural exchange tours introduced this year.

Designed for students from 10 to 15 years of age, the program puts groups of at least 15 foreign students in Indian schools where they work in tandem with local students on cultural or environmental based projects for a minimum of 10 days.

Meanwhile, Vishal Singh, Managing Director, Royal Expeditions, is preparing for the first departure of the Snow Leopard

Trek in March 2010.

Limited to 12 participants, the tour will be led through remote regions of Ladakh in northern India by the only person in the world to hold a PHD in Snow Leopards!

We plan to operate this niche trekking tour just once a year, Singh said.

Another new trek planned to set off for the first time in June/July 2010 will include several highlights of Ladakh.

Guests will be able to ride on yaks to see

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India’s many rivers welcome visitors interested in white water rafting or gentle cruising

black necked cranes, ride on two humped camels and stay in the royal palace that still belongs to the king of Ladakh.

Sanjay Basu, Managing Director, Far Horizon Tours, said that India’s most luxurious river expedition cruise boat is now being completed.

The 5-deck vessel complete with a swimming pool, spa, bar, lounge and 29 deluxe cabins is set to be commissioned for cruising the Brahmaputra River in the

north eastern Indian state of Assam by late January 2010.

Cruises will operate between Guwahati and Dibrugarh with 8 day upstream tours alternating with 7 day downstream departures.

Guests will stay in this luxurious floating hotel by night and go on jungle, village and tea garden safaris by day, he said.

Thomas

E King

The call of the Himalayas is strong for a small number of adventureminded Australians every year.

Ms Leena Nandan lit the oil lamp to inaugurate the India Adventure –Unplugged Roadshow in Sydney.

Tamasoma jyotir gamaya

Empowering remote rural India

Through education comes faith in one’s own Self, and through faith in one’s own Self, the inherent Brahman wakes up

While India may be an emerging powerhouse, certain fundamental issues continue to bog down the south Asian tiger. Topping the list are age-old culprits - education and infrastructure. Despite many sincere public and private initiatives (including the recent right to education bill which was passed in August 2009), 40% of India’s burgeoning billions continue to remain illiterate, with a mere 15% accessing secondary education and 7% progressing to tertiary level. Though the urbanised middle class has latched on to the education bandwagon, the rural areas have been left far behind. The economic hiatus has thus made child labour and exploitation a rampant problem.

The gloomy outlook however, has spurred a group of idealistic Sydneysiders to rally behind an urgent cause. Dr Nihal Agar, Jayendra Shah and Anil Yadav, who founded Ekal Vidyalaya Foundation’s (EVF) Australian chapter, have been lobbying hard not only to raise the profile of this issue, but generate funds to eradicate it. Since then the tight knit team has grown substantially, including among its ranks dedicated volunteers, young and old.

Formed in 2004, EVF Australia is part of a global network of Indians committed to making education the fundamental right of every child; particularly for those in far flung, remote villages, disadvantaged and tribal areas, where quality of life is virtually non existent.

Their ambition is to initiate and sustain as many Ekal Vidyalayas as possible and their modus operandi – collect Rs 16,000 or $480, the seed money to start one such school.

So what is an Ekal Vidyalaya?

Quite simply, a one teacher (ekal) school, according to the founders.

Basically, the teacher who is well regarded and trained community member runs the school under a tree, 4-5 times a week, at a time mutually convenient to all students, so they don’t have to miss their family commitments or schedules. The curriculum, which is taught in the native dialect, is also localized, need based, broad framework and non academic, which will set them up for daily life, Jay Shah told Indian Link

Once established, we support the vidyalaya (school) for 5 years after which it becomes self sustaining. While we ask our donors for ongoing support, it is not compulsory, Shah added.

“What we hope to do is empower remote villages, so they make the most of their circumstances and surroundings. At present, illiteracy and lack of employment opportunities are forcing villagers to move to city fringes in search of greener pastures, putting a strain on creaking infrastructure. We hope to reverse this trend by creating new pathways in their own spheres, he explained.

Ekal schools, according to Shah, strive to give an education that is not mere book learning but rather the assimilation of lifebuilding, man-making, character-building ideas. The influx of new ideas filtered through familiar channels helps make learning dynamic and fun.

“Our vision is to facilitate/encourage sponsorship of Ekal Schools by Indians and other residents of Sydney and Australia by making them aware of this noble cause and project.”

“Basically we are a humanistic group, completely non political and non hierarchic, with no specific religious moorings. We are very passionate about our cause and ensure that very little administrative costs are involved in our fundraising efforts”, Shah further added.

For us Indian Australians, donation can be a form of voluntary HECS. Most of us have benefited from our mother country and it is a small token to repay and thereby empower the less fortunate brethren, Shah argues.

At present, EVF Australia has through active fundraising supported 350 schools across India. Its sponsors are mainly philanthropic individuals as well are larger corporates like Westpac, Woolies, ISS Temple in Blacktown to name a few.

Being a registered voluntary organisation, since 2007, all donations are tax deductible.

“This move has improved our profile, making it attractive for donors as well”, Shah adds happily.

Besides direct sponsorship, EVF runs an annual flagship event – Ekal Nite. For the past 4 years, this community event has raised substantial funds.

The group has attracted a lot of youngsters lately, mainly school and college students hoping to plough back into a society they have benefited from. In fact, some of their young volunteers have individually raised up to $4000 through charity events and school activities.

Globally, the movement hopes to help eradicate illiteracy from rural and tribal

Casual position Sports Coaching

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Ring 0409 966 363 or email scottg@knox.nsw.edu.au

Swami Vivekananda

Higher love H

amsa Venkat is well known amongst classical circles of the community for her commitment to the propagation of Bhratnayam as a dance form and her annual shows. This year, her Sanskriti School of Dance joined forces with the charity organisation Ozindcare to churn out a show that was absolutely mind blowing. Ozindcare is a non-profitable charity organisation that organises many fund raising events to help the needy and destitute brethren in different parts of the globe.

On 12 September, nearly 500 people thronged the Science Theatre at UNSW to watch Hamsa’s Anuragh: The Journey of Love. The term Anuragh translates as “higher love”, and as such, the performance depicted two different love stories through the stories of Shakuntala and Meera Bai. Although they were from two different eras and were really two different expressions, the passion and the pangs were similar. The joy of union and the pain of separation were very well depicted through these tales. Hamsa’s choreography was subtle, lucid and beautiful. Each story was divided into different scenes and the commentary before each scene gave the audience an idea of what was in it. This was beneficial to even those members of the audience who would have had no clue as who the characters were. The props were not overbearing and gelled very well with the scene being enacted.

The story of Shakuntala began with her in the company of her friends and the arrival of King Dushyanta. While Dushyanta enquiries about the beautiful maiden, one of her sakhis describes the circumstances of her birth. This was well depicted with the clever play of lights. The romantic rendezvous between the two, his departure, her grief and the curse of sage Durvasa were all very well portrayed. Shakuntala’s journey to meet her beloved in a boat and her rejection by the king involved good use of stage props. The fishermen’s folk dance, the finding of the ring, the king’s return to the forest and his meeting with Bharat, his son (who is playing with a lion) couldn’t have been presented any better on stage.

In the second performance, Meera Bai’s journey of love was depicted equally beautifully. Meera’s love story begins at a

very tender age when she is gifted with an idol of Lord Krishna. He becomes the centre of her universe and everything else retreats into anonymity. Even when Meera leaves her parents’ palace in the bridal palanquin, she carries with her the idol that has now become an inseparable part of her being. Meera’s life in her new home, the gossiping court ladies, the visit of Akbar and Birbal, the festival of Holi, her vision of Radha and Krishna on the swing and finally the cup of poison that she has to drink, are all stage managed with such perfection, that they seem to jump out from the pages of a book.

Hamsa Venkat’s elaborate commentary and choreography were very ably assisted by Bala Sankar on the table/mridangam, Balaji Jaganadhan on the violin and Mohan Ayyar on the synthesizer. The music was composed by Mohan and Sangeetha

Ayyar and rendered by Sangeetha in her melodious voice. She was supported by Anand Dixit. The entire team of musicians and dancers put up a show that would stay in the memories of the audience for a long time. The juxtaposition of the finale of the evening with the purpose of the evening was very beautiful and touching. The dancers were back on stage with lit candles and Hamsa spoke about making the right choices and making a difference in people’s lives, the idea behind Ozindcare’s charity work. A fulfilling evening, everyone was touched in one form or the other. As for me and other lovers of good dance performances, we are looking forward to the next show by Hamsa Venkat and her troupe of dancers.

Nima Menon

FUL on Rochester

IAF

gets

new base for aircraft near China border

COINCIDING WITH REPORTS of Chinese intrusions into Indian territory, the Indian Air Force (IAF) said it had converted a landing ground meant for helicopters into an air strip for aircraft.

The Advanced Landing Ground at Nyoma in Ladakh, about 25 km from the border, received its first fixed wing aircraft in the form of an AN-32.

Group Captain S.C. Chatekar touched down on the airstrip, 13,300 feet above sea level, with Western Air Command chief Air Marshal N.A.K. Browne and Indian Army Northern Command chief Lieutenant General P.C. Bharadwaj on board.

“Helicopters have been landing here, but this is for the first time that a fixed wing aircraft has landed,” an IAF spokesperson said.

The development coincides with reports of Chinese border intrusions. China and India have denied this.

The landing was made possible after extensive surveys, said Col. D.K. Kachari, the defence ministry spokesperson in Udhampur, headquarters of the Northern Command.

The task of developing the landing ground to the standards required for fixed wing aircraft was undertaken by the Engineers Regiment of 14 Corps.

The landing marks the culmination of joint effort by the IAF and Indian Army to enable the air force to operate larger flying machines in the inhospitable terrain in support of the army, the IAF official added. Nyoma has been developed to connect the remote areas of Ladakh region to the mainland.

“This (air strip) will ensure that movements in the area continue when the road traffic gets affected during the harsh winters,” he added.

It will also improve communication network and facilitate the economical ferrying of supplies besides promoting tourism.

The landing comes just 15 months after an AN-32 landed at the Daulat-Beg-Oldie (DBO), the highest airfield in the world situated at an altitude of 16,200 feet, also in Ladakh region.

The IAF has been upgrading and refurbishing Advanced Landing Grounds along the border with China. India and China fought a war in 1962.

Hype over Chinese incursions can strain ties: India

A DAY AFTER Prime Minister

Manmohan Singh downplayed reports of increasing Chinese incursions, top Indian officials and the army chief warned that media “hype” could lead to “unwarranted incident or accident” with Beijing and stressed that the two countries are trying to resolve bilateral issues through dialogue.

Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao said there was no plan for Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to meet Chinese President Hu Jintao on the sidelines of G-20 Summit in the US.

Rao also stressed that there was “no significant increase” in incursions across all sections of the over 4,000 km border between the two countries.

“There is no meeting that has been planned between Singh and the leader of the Chinese delegation to the G20 Summit in Pittsburgh,” Rao told reporters here when asked if Manmohan Singh will take up the issue of incursions with Hu.

“Contrary to popular perception, the situation along the border has remained peaceful for decades,” she said. “That’s because there is no mutually agreed or delineated border. This is not a new

phenomenon. It has been going on for years.”

Rao also repudiated a media report that said China had succeeded in blocking a development loan for India in the Asian Development Bank on the ground that a part of it was meant for Arunachal Pradesh, which is claimed by Beijing. “Country partnership strategy has already been endorsed by ADB,” Rao said.

National Security Adviser M.K. Narayanan and army chief Gen. Deepak Kapoor also cautioned against ‘media hype’ and stressed that there was nothing alarming about reported incursions.

“There has not been any more incursions or transgressions. As compared to last year, they are almost at the same level. So there is no cause for worry or concern. I request the media to restrain and not overplay,” Gen. Kapoor told reporters in Chennai. Narayanan stoutly maintained there would never be a “repeat” of the 1962 war with China and warned that media hype could lead to “unwarranted incident or accident” and that could create problems with the neighbour.

“The first thing, I would like to sort of wipe out the question of repeat of 1962. India of 2009 isn’t... India of 1962. I want to make this point very clearly,” Narayanan told the news channel CNN-IBN in an interview.

“We are careful. I think we are careful partly because of what happened in 1962 that we should not provoke a situation, which we don’t wish to have. I don’t think anybody in India wishes to have a conflict with China,” said Narayanan, who is also India’s special representative for border talks with China.

“I think that also goes for China. There are issues between the two countries. I don’t think we have all the answers for these issues. But the whole purpose of dialogue is to see where are the congruencies and the differences.”

“In terms of number of incursions, there has been hardly any increase. Occasionally inroads are a little deeper than what might have been in the past. I don’t think there is anything alarming about it,” said

Rao too brushed off the alarming reprots in the Indian media of Chinese intrusions.

“There has been a hype and a certain intensification of volume about the manner in which it has been reported.”

Rao said there are established mechanisms like border personnel meetings to address issues relating to intrusions and stressed that they have “worked well”.

India and China have held 13 rounds of talks to resolve the border row albeit with little progress as both sides have reiterated

Underlining the developing nature of relationship between India and China, Rao, a former ambassador to China, said the leadership of the two countries are in regular communication over important

“We remain in constant touch over all mutual issues. The leadership-level understandings and communication remain

“There is regular communication and a mutual recognition that outstanding issues can be resolved through dialogue

and communication between two nations as large as ours with international responsibilities,” she said.

Pranab admits to problem on food price front

FINANCE MINISTER PRANAB

Mukherjee has admitted that the government had a problem on the food price front due to a dichotomy in the wholesale price index (WPI) and the consumer price index (CPI).

“On the food price front, we have a problem. Before the last week, the WPI was negative. That is no satisfaction to the ordinary consumer because the CPI was moving up,” Mukherjee told reporters on the margins of a seminar.

“This dichotomy is worrisome because we are concerned with the high prices of essential commodities and food articles,” Mukherjee said after participating in a seminar-cum-interactive session on the proposed direct tax code, organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII).

Asserting that he was not in favour of curbing credit as such a measure would have an adverse impact on the economy, Mukherjee said the government had resorted to tight money policy last year to make credit availability difficult and control price rise.

“At this point of time, I cannot accept the dear money policy or credit curbing because that will have an adverse impact on the whole economy.”

In the aftermath of the global financial crisis that started a year ago, the government was faced with the problem of either continuing with the tight money policy that would have curbed growth or encourage growth though risking higher prices.

In the WPI, the weightage of the food articles is 16 but in the CPI, there are four indexes for rural, rural agriculture labour, urban, non-manual and employees and for rural poor.

“In the four price indexes of the CPI, food articles have seen weightage increasing to 56 percent from 48 percent. Therefore, there is a dichotomy on the price front due to the negative WPI and the CPI moving up,” Mukherjee pointed out.

To prevent the adverse impact of the rising prices of essential commodities, the minister said the government had encouraged import of sugar, edible oils and pulses under the open general licence (OGL) without any duty as they were in short supply right now.

“Secondly, we are requesting the state governments to revamp the Public Distribution System (PDS) so that at least below poverty line (BPL) families are protected by providing subsidised food items - sugar, rice, wheat, kerosene oil in the ration shop,” Mukherjee added.

Stimulus package to continue

THE STIMULUS PACKAGE, introduced in the last fiscal to protect the Indian economy from the impact of the global financial crisis, would continue till the economies of Europe and US recover, Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee said.

“At the recently held G-20 countries’ finance ministers’ meet in London, we came to the conclusion that we should not reverse the stimulant package, which we have injected in the aftermath of international financial crisis, till the full recovery in Europe and North America is distinctly visible,” Mukherjee told reporters.

The finance ministers of the G-20 met in London Sep 4-5 to prepare a brief for

Continued on page 32

Continued from page 30

the third group summit at Pittsburgh, the US, Sep 24-25, where Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is also participating. Keeping in view the consensus at the G-20 meet in London, Mukherjee said he was watching the situation carefully.

“I do feel there will be a recovery in the Indian economy in the third and fourth quarters of this fiscal (2009-10). We shall have to wait for some more time, as the GDP (gross domestic product) growth in the first quarter was 6.1 percent. We will know the growth in the second quarter next month,” Mukherjee said.

The finance minister hoped he would have a clear picture of the country’s economic health at the time of formulating the budget proposals for next fiscal.

“At the time of formulating the budget proposals, it is possible for me to have an overall look into the whole aspects,” Mukherjee noted.

At the G-20 finance ministers’ meeting, the experts were of the view that the US economy would revive by this year-end while Europe would begin to recover from next year.

The previous United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government announced two stimulus packages in December 2008 and January 2009.

Austerity measures not to compromise security

AUSTERITY MEASURES

government has introduced are not at the cost of security for top leaders, Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee clarified.

“So far as the austerity measures are concerned, it is clearly stipulated that it will not compromise the security measures to be adopted by the government to protect some individuals, particularly those who are more vulnerable and protected by the SPG (Special Protection Group),” Mukherjee told reporters.

The government Sep 7 announced a series of austerity measures to reduce its non-plan expenditure by 10 percent in light of drought and slowdown in economy due to global recession.

Asserting that protective security would have to be first met, Mukherjee said the government had requested those having SPG protection not to dilute their security cover.

“We have requested them to see that government efforts to protect them are not diluted,” the minister noted.

Concerns have been expressed over security of Congress president and ruling United Progressive Alliance (UPA) chairperson Sonia Gandhi, who chose to fly to Mumbai and Bangalore early this week by economy class in a commercial flight as part of austerity.

Similarly, the Swarn Shatabdi train in which Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi travelled to Ludhiana in Punjab early this week was stoned by miscreants in Haryana while he was returning to New Delhi, causing security concerns.

Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi are given Z-plus security by SPG in view of the threat perception.

Admitting that flying by economy class would be a drop in the ocean, Mukherjee said if the government was able cut non-plan expenditure by 10 percent as envisaged, there would be a lot of savings.

“If other aspects of austerity measures are considered, the non-plan expenditure can be cut by 10 percent, which will be substantial if we take into account our total plan expenditure,” Mukherjee pointed out. Elaborating on the objective of austerity, the minister said in a budget of Rs.10 lakh crore, the gross budgetary support was Rs.305,000 crore and internal resource

pakodas in oil at 180 degrees C.”

Datta and his team of chefs from IICA demonstrated live how Spanish olive oil could replace traditional oil in Indian kitchens to fry crispies and curries because

disease rates,” Mathur told IANS. Spain is currently the largest producer and exporter of olive oil in the world. It has nearly 5.19 million hectares of olive groves in the countryside with an average

with olive oil as the medium at the Spanish ambassador’s residence.

Citing health properties, the chef said the high Vitamin E content makes olive oil anti-allergic.

Leander Paes of India and Lukas Dlouhy of Czech Republic celebrate after winning the Men’s Doubles Final at the 2009 US Open in New York, September 13, 2009. They defeated Mahesh Bhupathi of India and Mark Knowles of Bahamas, 3-6, 6-3, 6-2. (AP Photo)

Studies cite that the high-level of antioxidants like Vitamin A and E in olive neutralises cancer-causing radicals. When used with fresh lemon juice, it flushes out toxins from the liver. Doctors also recommend it as a dental cleanser.

Olive oil, Datta said, was available in four varieties - extra virgin, virgin, pure and extra light.

“Olive oil, like wine, is produced by pressing and crushing the fruits. The first presses yield the best oil - the extra virgin variety or Pomace olive oil which is good for deep fat frying,” Datta said. Spanish olive oil is priced around 30 percent higher than other oils in the Indian market. But for many the health benefits may outweigh the cost.

Dietician Ritika Samaddar of Max Healthcare at Saket said, “It is best to switch to an oil with low bad fat and high smoking point as India will become the global capital of cardio-vascular diseases by 2020, according to WHO predictions. “We are already the diabetes and hypertension capital globally,” she said.

New train connects Kolkata, New Delhi in 16 hours

A NEW SUPERFAST train service was launched between Kolkata and New Delhi that will cut short the travelling time by 90 minutes and offer added amenities to passengers.

Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee flagged off the first Duronto ExpressDuronto means speedy in Bengali - at the Sealdah railway station, fulfilling the promise she made in this year’s railway budget.

The train, painted with splashes of colours, will cover the 1,454 km distance between Sealdah and New Delhi 90 minutes quicker than the Rajdhani Express, as there will be no commercial stops.

While the Rajdhani Express completes the journey in 18 hours, Duronto will take 16 hours and 30 minutes.

“I think running an express train like Duronto is an achievement for all of us. We all are heading for a new world. Thus our ideas should also be modern,” Banerjee said.

“We announced altogether 14 such trains in this year’s railway budget and many of them are already ready. We’ll gradually launch all these trains,” she said. The train will adhere to the speed limit of 110 kmph.

Another Duronto Express will be flagged off between Chennai and New Delhi next week. Other metros will also be connected in due course by the non-stop, superfast trains.

“In up direction, the train will leave Sealdah at 6.40 p.m. and reach New Delhi at 11.00 next morning. So the passengers of this train will be able to utilise the whole day for their work,” Banerjee said.

The Sealdah-New Delhi Duronto will have one AC I-tier coach, three AC IItier coaches, four AC III-tier coaches and five economy AC III-tier coaches besides generator cars.

The Duronto rakes comprise ICF coaches used in the Rajdhanis and Garib Raths earlier. The Garib Raths had AC III-tier coaches that could accommodate more passengers than usual.

Each Duronto coach is 24 metres long, compared to the regular coach length of 22.3 metres. The distance between coaches is less too - 460 mm instead of the regular 960 mm.

Besides safety and hygiene features like dustbins and fire extinguishers, the coaches have sleeker designs for bottle holders and switches, mobile charging points, sliding transparent doors between coaches, and LED night lamps instead of regular

fluorescent lights.

The train is built of stainless steel, which is lighter, anti-corrosive and more durable than the conventional ‘cotton steel’. An important safety feature is the central buffer couplers whose enhanced load capacity makes the train derailment-proof.

The fare structure, including the cost of food, will be Rs.3,295 for AC first-class, Rs.1,880 for AC two-tier, Rs.1,390 for AC three-tier and Rs.1,335 for AC three-tier economy class.

“Indian Railways is the most grassroots organisation. Thus, we’ve not increased the fare structure keeping in mind the interests of poor and middle-class people who travel by train,” the minister said.

She also pointed out the Indian Railways was also mulling various long-term and short-term policies to improve the existing passenger amenities.

“We must develop our facilities available with the railways to facilitate women, senior citizens and physically challenged passengers,” she said.

Tharoor tweet triggers a flutter

WHILE THE CONGRESS party says it would take “appropriate action” against Minister of State for External Affairs

Shashi Tharoor for his “cattle class” travel remark, his fellow Congress MP from Kerala K. Sudhakaran has tweeted in his support.

“It’s sad we shouted ‘sensitivity’ for two days to a tweet by @shashitharoor while we were actually being ‘oversensitive’,” said Sudhakaran, who has more than 2,000 followers on the twitter.

Sudhakaran, who is known as the party’s strong man in the Marxist bastion Kannur in Kerala, said: “Let’s not lose our sense of humour! Tweeting is fun! So let’s keep tweeting tweeple.”

He said: “We should also learn to take things sportingly and leave it at that, and focus on bigger things.”

Sudhakaran added that “some tweets shouldn’t be taken so seriously and (be) left at that.”

Tharoor ran into trouble for a message he posted on the social networking site Twitter in which he said sarcastically in response to a query that he would travel “cattle class out of solidarity with all our holy cows!”

The Congress said it would take “appropriate action” against him at a suitable time and reiterated that the party condemned his comments.

The minister, who is in Liberia on an official visit, tweeted that he had “learned belatedly of fuss over my tweet replying to journo’s query whether I would travel to Kerala in ‘cattle class’”.

He pointed out that the phrase “cattle class” was used in the journalist’s query, which he just repeated.

“It’s a silly expression but means no disrespect to economy travellers, only to airlines for herding us in like cattle. Many have misunderstood,” he tweeted.

He admitted that the phrase when translated into Malayalam sounded worse, especially if taken out of context. “To those hurt by the belief that my repeating the phrase showed contempt: sorry,” said Tharoor.

He also explained that the word “holy cows” was not referring to any individual.

“Holy cows are NOT individuals but sacrosanct issues or principles that no one dares challenge. Wish critics would look it up.”

Criticising Tharoor, Leader of Opposition in Kerala assembly Oommen Chandy of the Congress said: “Political workers should behave like servants of the people and not their owners.”

Shraddha Arjun

Personality type Don’t fit into one particular character stereotype really RJ-ing style Casual, informative and upbeat Current fav song Aaj Din Chadheya (Love Aaj Kal) and Ten Million Slaves by Otis Taylor (Public Enemies)

Fav actor Al Pacino

Latest movie Inglorious Basterds, Love Aaj Kal

Fav movie moments …come from films by Satyajit Ray and Stanley Kubrick

I love Spending time with my friends and catching up with the latest flicks

I hate Sitting idle for too long I need to be inspired constantly and need to be exposed to different experiences everyday!

Passions Music (various genres), photography, films and graphic designing.

Books Non fiction

I’m currently reading Che in Africa: Che Guevara’s Congo Diary

Sport Not into sport, though I like watching cricket and tennis

Fav food Brazilian bbq

Fav quotable quote

Remember, we are eternal. All this pain is an illusion. Maynard James Keenan My favourite Indian Link moment Listening to funny shers by Priyanka Rao while co-anchoring with her and Arwa

I would most like to interview Quentin Tarantino

on Indian Link Radio’s Drive Time show

4pm to 7pm)

Link up with Shraddha

(Tuesdays

as she brings you her Hollywood updates, community events, some truly funky Hindi pop numbers, and that popular segment, Top Flops of the Week.

In Praise of Pink

If a colour could ever be called feminine, it would be pink. It can be subtle in roses, bold in magenta, soft and cuddly in baby clothes or simply stunning in cerise. Pink is also the colour of support, reassurance and hope for countless women suffering from Breast Cancer. So let’s a celebrate Pink October!

Yana Gupta

Nelly Furtado

Elizabeth Hurley

Katrina Kaif

Aishwarya Rai

Sharadiyo Utsob

Manipur and Assam who they would join to welcome the festive season in the Eastern parts of India.

Growing up in Beharampore, I would go around the neighbourhood with my school friends from Mary Immaculate School, to watch the Durga Puja festivities in the local pada It was not just in Beharampore that we went to see the Durga Pritima (idol); we went to Khagra, Gorabazaar Cossimbazar, Madhupur areas too. Sometimes, I would go with my cousins, all in our new clothes, to Swarnamoyee, Bishtupur and Baganpara, and take in the sights of the goddess, all dressed up in her glamorous clothes and jewels.

I would drive with my mum, dad and brother to see the pandals (make-shift temples) of Kadai, Ranibagan, and Swargadham. The aspect of the Puja that always fascinated me in my childhood was the celebration with ‘dunuchi’ dance at the Cossimbazar Choto Rajbari. As the Cossimbazar Puja is 300 years old, it is one of the oldest pujas in the Murshidabad area. In Murshidabad, the Durga Puja would be welcomed with lots of village fairs. How I loved the ‘Khajha’ our parents bought us from the village fairs! The village fair added a new dimension to the magic of Durga Puja in Beharampore, along side ‘kash phull’ blowing gentle in the breeze and the fragrance of the shuli flower which filled the air. My parents, who used to travel to Assam, Manipur and Tripura for the Oil Natural Gas Company (ONGC) of India, would tell us stories of locals celebrating Durga Puja in

The grandeur of the Sharadiyo (autumnal) Durga Puja can be found in Bengali literature since the 11th century. In 14th century, Vidyapati wrote an exemplary illustration of Durga Puja named Durgabhaktitarangini There are historical accounts of Durga Puja being held in the courts of Rajshahi in the 16th century. In the 18th century, it was celebrated in Nadia district. Today, Durga Puja is one of the biggest Hindu festivals celebrated in major global metros, including Sydney.

In my early teens, I moved to Ballygunge in South Calcutta. The first Durga Puja I went to was at Shobhabazar Rajbari. This puja is apparently the first one to be organized by Raja Nabakrishna Deb of Shobhabazar Rajbari in honour of Lord Clive in 1757. This puja was organized to celebrate the victory in the Battle of Plassey. The guest of honour for many wealthy Bengali merchants and traditional zamindar families at this time were officers of East India Company. I saw the use of 108 candles and 108 lotus flowers being used to start the ceremony with ladies in their red-bordered cream-coloured saris with dazzling gold jewellery that made the place look as if Maa Durga had landed right in the midst of the Shobhabazar Rajbari.

Apparently the first Durga Puja was supposedly held in 1610. It was celebrated by the Roychowdhuri family of Barisha. In 1761, ‘Baroyari’ Durga puja was started in Guptipara in Hooghly by 12 young men. So Durga Puja was no longer a private ceremony, it became a community affair organised by a committee which accepted subscriptions for organising the puja. Since then, the Bengal community pujas are known

as ‘Baaroyari – ‘baaro’ meaning 12 and ‘yar’ meaning friends.

In 1910 in Kolkata, the first ‘Baroyari’ Durga Puja was organised by the ‘SanatanDharmotsahini Sabha’ at Balaram Bosu Ghat Road, Bhawanipur.

It was Atindranath Bose’s first Sarbojanin Durga Puja in 1926 which opened up the festivities to people of all castes and religions, and brought in a spirit of unity and harmony in Bengal.

During the Kolkata Durga Puja celebration, I would visit the famed potters’ colony Kumartuli, to see the creation of Durga idol. I would keenly observe the pandal being constructed for Ekdalia puja committee, as I would walk down to Mandeville Gardens to attend South Point School in Old Ballygunge.

I would feel a kind of eagerness for the puja as soon as Mahalaya approached. The mood of Durga puja would set within me while listening to Mahishasurmardini on Kolkata radio. The program was popularised since the 1950s. My mother would even play the Mahishasurmardini songs on her gramophone HMV records. School work lost all significance at this time, as it was all about getting together with friends and celebrating the pompousness of puja. I would visit the pandals of North and South Calcutta which sometime would look like the Stupa of Sanchi, Kajuraho or Madhura temple. On the nights of Astami and Nabami, as crowds descended all over Calcutta, I would go on a pandal marathon to see as many Durga idols as possible. To me, the Durga puja celebration in Calcutta is comparable to colourful carnival of Rio de Janerio, Brazil. The Astami and Nabami nights are specially filled with crowds and neon lights - to us, these neon lights made New York’s nightscape look less glamorous. I would

catch up with everybody - school friends, local friends and family members who I had not seen in months. In Kolkata, households arrange the most sumptuous food, mandatory among them being the finger-licking luchi and chickpea dal. Homes are cleaned and decorated to entertain guests.

At the end of the four to five day celebration, I would also enjoy the Bisorjon (immersion of the clay idol of the goddess Durga) in Babu Ghat or Bhagirathi River. It is a beautiful scene, with huge gatherings of devotees, all eager to see the last journey of Durga Pratima, only to welcome her again next year.

Today in Sydney, Durga puja is celebrated with enthusiasm at Concord, Carlingford or Croydon. I still enjoy puja hopping - my family and I often spend the morning at one puja, and then drive down to another celebration to see their stage performance in the evening. Last year, I got to see the Concord Durga Puja after watching a game of polo. (I had to attend the polo matches at the Centennial Park in Sydney. I still remember sitting in the Blue Hotel marquee, my mind anxiously waiting for the puja celebration! The polo players played chukka after chukka, my friends sipped Moet & Chandon vintage champagne, fancy canapés did the rounds, and the Jaipur maharajas paraded in their finery, but my mind was set on… Durga! Of course I made it to the Bengali Association’s Durga Puja celebration in Concord, in time).

Long after the season draws to a close, the nostalgia of the Durga Puja prevails in my home, as my family and I browse through the photos of heavily ornamented Durga idols over and over again. La celebration de grandeur de Durgabhaktitarangini in the Southern Hemisphere, is definitely my alltime favourite festival.

INDRANIL HALDER’s favourite Durga Puja memory from Bengal is the pandal hopping, a tradition which he carries on here in Sydney

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India is not caste structured

NOEL G DE SOUZA delves into the history of casteism, and its diminishing relevance in today’s world

AAt the recent UNESCOsponsored World Conference Against Racism (WCAR), some Scandinavian countries made attempts to equate casteism in India to racism; and to declare India’s lower castes, like the Dalits, as being indigenous. Most Indians belong to the same race. If there are any indigenous people in India, they would be some of the tribals. India was caught unawares by what was an attack on its annals, by reinventing India’s history and the origin of its peoples. There was a similar attempt in 2001.

An Indian Professor, Dr Andre Béteille (awarded the Padma Bushan) says, “Interested parties within and outside the UN would like to bring caste discrimination ….. within the purview of racial discrimination. The practice of untouchability is indeed reprehensible … but that does not mean …..(it is) a form of racial discrimination. The Scheduled Castes of India taken together are no more a race than are the Brahmins taken together.”

Castes are found in most countries whether they are called as such or not, like royalty, aristocracy and serfs. Much misinformation and misinterpretation prevails about India’s castes (jati or varna), Indians themselves having to shoulder much of the blame because no serious attempt has been made to set the record right. Many Indians have acquiesced to what has been said. For example, it is often presumed that India is structured on the caste system. Is it?

“System” implies an organised structure where each individual plays a designated role and where everyone is interconnected to enable the organisation to function. This resembles the central processing system of a computer, each item inside it having an explicit role. Are members of India’s castes joined together into a system? Are all Brahmins expected to be priests and scholars of scriptures, all Kshatriyas to be kings and army personnel, all Vaishyas to be merchants and only Sudras to be workers? Certainly not! Scholars, army personnel, businessmen and workers come from all castes and all religions. This has been happening for centuries, but particularly so since the nineteenth century. The Bhagwad Gita refers to only three castes – Brahmins (scholars), Kshatriyas (warriors) and Sudras (workers) based upon the gunas (qualities of life). It attributes the harmonious and enlightened satva guna to the Brahmin, the dynamic rajas guna to the Kshatriya and the unenlightened tamas guna to the Sudra. The Dhammapada defines a Bramana as an enlightened person who has developed certain qualities. The Bhagwad Gita

and the Dhammapada focus on personal development irrespective of origins of birth.

Interestingly, the Goan Catholics use the Bhagwad Gita type of three-fold caste classification despite 450 years of Portuguese rule. They zealously cling to their original castes and wear their caste badges with pride. Remarkably, the Greek philosopher Plato also speaks about a threefold system made up of philosopher-kings (scholars), protectors of society (warriors) and a productive group (workers).

Commonly four castes are talked about in India, the fourth being the Vaishayas [merchants]. The Vaishaya does not fit in the Bhagwad Gita scheme. This four-fold grouping is replicated in Bali. Several large groups in India do not belong to this fourfold caste system such as the Lingayats, a Hindu group mostly found in Karnataka, founded by a Brahmin named Basavanna in the twelfth century. This is also the case with reformist religions which sprang from Hinduism such as the Jains, Buddhists and Sikhs. The Mahajan Commission listed 3,743 scheduled castes!

Castes and tribals are ethnic groups like Italians, Greeks and Aboriginals in Australia. Castes in India become important when choosing marriage partners because most people tend to marry within their groups; ethnics in Australia do likewise.

Those who wish to equate caste with Indian society ignore the fact that India has been undergoing a quiet revolution since the establishment of modern universities in 1857. Higher education removed knowledge from the hands of a few and made it widely accessible. This enabled the beginnings of industrialisation and modernisation.

Industrialisation created a new set of workers who were unlike those of the old agricultural society. Urbanisation promoted a cosmopolitan society where people work and mix together, irrespective of caste or religion. Further spread of higher education prepared the ground for the advent of independence in 1947.

The voluminous Indian constitution had as its architect, Dr Ambedkar, who was a “low caste” lawyer. The one-person-onevote democracy gave numerical advantage to large groups and this included the lower castes. This gives them electoral clout in many Indian states. In addition, the reservation of seats, educational places and jobs for disadvantaged groups has turned the old caste structure literally on its head.

It is a tribute to the Indian ability for compromise and common sense that India has, by far and large, been able to accommodate its large variety of peoples –castes, religions, sects and tribals – into a workable democratic system.

Castes are found in most countries whether they are called as such or not, like royalty, aristocracy and serfs.

Healthy sandwiches

GEETA KHURANA suggests a range of options to make sandwiches that are not just nutritious, but delicious too!

Sandwiches are a favorite food of millions around the world. And these are endlessly versatile, easy and quick to make. Sandwiches can be enjoyed for breakfast, lunch, with a cup of tea or even dinner. Most adults and children carry sandwiches to work and to school every day, which is why it is essential that sandwiches should be healthy. Try to include all the major food groups in sandwiches, if you have these regularly as a meal.

There are mainly three major components to sandwiches. First is the type of bread to be used, followed by the spread to moisten the bread, and finally - the sandwich filling.

Bread

When looking for bread, there are unlimited options in the market. So what should you choose? Nutritious bread should be your first consideration. It should be low GI and high fiber. Wholegrain and whole wheat are the words to look for. The best choices are multigrain, wholegrain lavash and pita bread, pumpkin seeds, rye bread, oatmeal and linseed. Sandwiches need not only be made on sliced bread. You can also go in for pita, tortillas and wraps. If you are fond of Lebanese bread, choose the wholemeal varieties. Low calorie options of tortillas are also healthy. Most of these breads have a low glycemic index and are high in fiber.

The low glycemic index breads help to curb your appetite and maintain your blood sugar and cholesterol levels. For those with gluten allergy, gluten-free breads, corn tortillas and brown rice tortillas are also available.

Spreads

Once you have picked a nutritious bread, next comes the spread. Avocado is one of the best choices for a spread. Though it is high in fat, it has good monounsaturated fatty acids. But to be on the safer side it is better to use about one third of

an avocado per day to get the benefits, and ensure that you don’t exceed the amount of daily fat. Margarine is definitely a better choice than butter. Try to pick a margarine with the Heart Foundation tick

Any low fat mayonnaises are a good substitute for full fat dressings. Coriandermint chutney and tomato chutney make very good spreads, but if the slices are too thin, the bread will become moist and soggy.

Plan your own spreads by using hung curd and herbs, or low fat cheese.

Some other spreads might be light cream cheese, salsa, mustard sauce and honey.

Children might even like to have peanut

healthy options for non-vegetarians. But make sure your tuna is canned either in springwater or brine.

• Create healthy sandwiches by adding proteins such as eggs, skinless chicken, lite ham and lite cheese.

• Try to avoid processed meats as these are very high in saturated fats.

• Always add some kind of veggies like lettuce, tomatoes, zucchini, grated carrots, cucumbers, mushrooms and beetroot to your sandwich to make it more nutritious and it can help in fulfilling your quota of 5 serves of veggies each day.

• Black and green olives may also be added for nutrition and flavor.

• Leftover veggies from dinner can make good fillings for patties and wraps.

• Create a delicious sandwich by adding chopped walnuts and raisins to your filling.

• Leftover roasted chicken with cheese and salads with lite mayonnaises and mustard sauce is another good combination.

• For children, rainbow sandwiches with layers of coriander mint chutney, jam and butter is very appealing.

butter, vegemite and sometimes even Nutella as their choice of spread.

Fillings

There are plenty of healthy and nutritious options to choose from, you just have to be a little creative and adventurous.

• Vegetarians may enjoy a mixture of sprouts and cheese with lots of veggies cut fine and added to the mix. Use sprouted moong dal, beans, or chickpeas.

• Tuna, sardines and salmon are very

• Vegetarians should try to add grated paneer or tofu to most sandwiches, to get the benefits of protein as well as calcium in the food.

• Baked beans with mushrooms and lite cheese are again high protein fillings for vegetarians.

There are unlimited combinations for sandwiches. But try and go for the lite fillings and healthy breads and enjoy a new, different and unique sandwich every day.

Most adults and children carry sandwiches to work and to school every day, which is why it is essential that sandwiches should be healthy

Get the world to work for you

effort, you’d be benefiting from the abilities of one person. And how can we be sure that the selected designer’s performance in this assignment would be as good as their past work?

get the winning designer to complete the assignment.

In this column, we have discussed a number of common Web applications including social networks, e-learning, personal money management and communication. Here, I am going to introduce you to a compelling concept (and its application on the Internet). This concept is “crowd-sourcing” - it can be especially useful to those readers who are businessowners or those who frequently hire people providing creative, design and technology services.

Wikipedia defines crowd-sourcing as “... taking tasks traditionally performed by an employee or contractor, and outsourcing it to an undefined, generally large group of people or community in the form of an open call.”

Let me illustrate how it works by taking an example.

Let’s assume that you have decided to revamp the logo of your business. As we know, designing a good logo requires the services of a good designer. You want to get it right because it is the most prominent symbol of your business.

The traditional option is to look around for a graphic designer - check out Yellow Pages or ask for recommendations, then get quotes, short-list, select and award your project to the selected one. After all this

Let’s check out the crowd-sourcing option with the help of DesignBay www.designbay.com– a graphic design marketplace that brings together designers and people who need them. You will register as a business on this website, specify clearly what you need, your preferences, deadlines, and importantly, what you will give back as reward. This is your open call. Wait for designers to submit their proposals including their ideas and initial work. The higher the reward you offer to the selected designer and more interesting the work, the larger the number of proposals that will come your way. For a typical logo design assignment with a reward of $500, you may attract more than 100 designs in a week. Shortlist, select and

Sourcing from the crowd works particularly well for projects of medium complexity that requires a dose of creativity. It should ideally be completed as a discrete, independent assignment. If it’s too simple and mundane, you may be better off completing it with casual labour. If too complex, confidential or dependent on internal information, you may not be able to articulate it well in an open call.

Logo and graphic design, programming, photos, voice-overs and copywriting lend to crowd-sourcing easily.

Internet has made crowd-sourcing quick, easy and accessible but as a concept, it has been around for a long time.

In 1956, the NSW Government made an international open call to architects for design of two performance halls – one for opera and another for symphony concerts. An international panel of judges examined

A LIST OF CROWD-SOURCING WEB SITES

Task / industry Web site

Graphic, logo and web design DesignBay (www.designbay.com) 99Designs (www.99designs.com)

Photos, images iStockPhoto (www.istockphoto.com)

Copywriting NameThis (www.namethis.com)

Programming TopCoder (www.topcoder.com), RentACoder (www.rentacoder.com)

Voice-acting Voice123 (www.voice123.com)

Fashion Threadless (www.threadless.com)

Freelance in a range of areas eLance (www.elance.com)

more than 200 entries that arrived and the winning entry was reputedly rescued from a pile of rejected ones. As a result, Jorn Utzon was commissioned as the sole architect who went on to build the Sydney Opera House – today a world icon.

What was limited to governments and corporations with budgets running into hundreds of thousands of dollars, is now accessible to everyone and for tasks that may be worth just a couple of hundreds. It can help tap a wider range of talent to work on your assignments.

A few dos and don’ts though: Use a large and established community. A large number of providers must see and respond for you to benefit from the wisdom of the crowds. Give a lot of information and engage during the process by quickly responding to questions and clarifications.

Most websites allow providers and buyers to engage in the process. Spend the entire budget, don’t hold back. Keep in mind that confidentiality is not possible and don’t expect it.

References to explore further Crowd-sourcing can be daunting but it may be worth trying out. A few books and blogs that may help you learn more:

• Wikinomics: How Mass Collaboration Changes Everything by Don Tapscott

• The Wisdom of Crowds: Why the Many Are Smarter Than the Few and How Collective Wisdom Shapes Business, Economies, Societies and Nations by James Suroweicki

• Blog: http://crowdsourcing.typepad.com/ cs/

An amazing bush rescue

In February 1937, a young farmer, Bernard O’Reilly, was tending his stock on the family farm in the McPherson Ranges, not far from Brisbane. A cyclone appeared imminent, and strong wind gusts gave O’Reilly cause for concern. He was, however, unaware that some 35 kilometres to the west, sole survivors John Proud, Joe Binstead and Jim Westray were struggling out of the burning wreckage of a Stinson airliner which had crashed into a hillside in the vast and rugged McPherson Ranges.

As a result of the cyclone, miles of telephone wires had been ripped away, and it was not until 10am the next day that, O’Reilly heard news of the missing plane, which had been last seen south of Coff’s Harbour. As the days went by a major, but quite unsuccessful search was undertaken, until then the most intensive aerial search in Australia’s history, involving the RAAF and almost every civilian aircraft on the east coast. The search was eventually abandoned, despite Mr Proud’s mother putting up £500 for it to be continued.

Credible indications came forward that the plane had been spotted over the Hawkesbury River wilderness near Sydney, and that its wreckage had been seen off Palm Beach. Its sighting had actually been recorded in the log-book of a steamship off Barrenjoey Heads. After a long week, everyone had come to the sad conclusion that the Stinson must have crashed into the vast Pacific Ocean, with the loss of all on board.

PART ONE

Everyone so concluded, except for Bernard O’Reilly. In his book, Green Mountains, O’Reilly states that, eight days after the supposed crash, and armed only with his bushman’s instinct and a report that the plane had not stopped at Lismore on its way south as scheduled, he decided that the search had been conducted in the wrong areas. He surmised that the pilot had turned inland, away from his scheduled route, and had tried to fly over the mountains, to avoid the coastal cyclone.

Despite his own misgivings, and the disbelief of others, O’Reilly decided to make a personal search, a staggering 645 kilometres away from where the plane had supposedly been last seen.

friend, Bob Stevens, claimed he had last seen the plane, along its line of flight to Lismore, where it had failed to land. This plotted line traversed four high mountain ranges and, remarkably, O’Reilly reasoned that it must have crashed on the northern slopes of one of these four, and, therefore, more than 600 kilometres north of its supposed crash site near Sydney!

As an experienced bushman, O’Reilly then made his preparations for the search (and, hopefully, rescue) expedition he was determined to make.

O’Reilly’s

He expressed his doubts thus: “Why in the name of all that is sane and reasonable should a man go out and search nearly 400 miles away from where the plane was last seen?”

Nevertheless, O’Reilly had faith in his theory, so much so that he consulted an Aerial Survey map of the McPherson Ranges. With a ruler and pencil, he drew a straight line from the point where a nearby

Simple indeed were his needs: a jam tin with a wire handle, to serve as billy-can and cup, two loaves of bread, a pound of butter, six onions, and tea and sugar, all placed in his canvas tucker-bag.

O’Reilly’s 70 year-old mother insisted he take “a snake-bite outfit”, consisting of a razorblade, Condy’s Crystals and a length of strong cord, for a tourniquet. He rode an old farm-horse as far as Mt Bethongabel, a high point on the NSW – Queensland border, and then sent her back home.

He soon found himself in deep, almost impenetrable jungle, with deep gorges and high ridges.

Although O’Reilly had some knowledge of the general area, he soon found himself on the summit of Mt Throakban, where he

had never been before. Amid the clouds and mist, O’Reilly suddenly saw in the distance “a tree-top which was light brown”.

His bush knowledge told him this was unusual for late summer. What had caused it? A fire? A lightning strike? Or possibly, the burning of many gallons of aviation fuel?

It took him eight gruelling hours to reach this tree... and he kept climbing and descending for at least a further three hours, before he heard, incredibly, a human voice!

With a loud “Coo-ee!” the Aussie bushman’s call, he heard the response of not one, but two voices.

Despite his amazement, O’Reilly reasoned that they must be fellow rescuers, as all logic indicated that even if there had been survivors of the crash, they must be dead by now. He climbed down towards the voices, and, in his own words: “Before I looked down, I knew that I would see – a mass of smashed and charred metal. It was more than that; it was a horrible, unclean thing, which held the remains of what had once been men, a repulsive thing that I could not go near. The voices came again from below the wreck. Two voices – men alive, but in what condition? I stood for a minute, afraid to go on to them, afraid of what I should see.”

What he did see was both horrifying and miraculous. Two men, Proud and Binstead, were alive but in a dreadful state. Proud had lain for ten days on the wet ground, with a leg so badly broken that gangrene had set in. Binstead, his hands and legs red raw, tried to shake O’Reilly’s hand. It emerged that, for ten days, Binstead had crawled up and down the rocky hillside to get water for his immobilised companion.

The airliner had been tossed around in

the fury of the cyclone and had crashed directly into the side of the mountain. Both pilots, Boyden and Shepherd, had died instantly; their bodies still slumped in their seats. The two passengers on the starboard side had also perished in the crash. Soon after, the immense amount of spilt fuel erupted and the aircraft burst into flames.

Despite a broken leg, Proud had smashed a window and helped Binstead escape. Binstead then pulled a young Englishman, Jim Westray, from the fiery wreck. Somewhat prematurely, the three men then congratulated each other on their lucky escape, only later to realise that a far more ghastly fate awaited them ... involving physical pain, exposure, starvation, thirst, utter despair, and, for one of them, a tragic death.

In Part 2, we will deal with their story of survival and O’Reilly’s amazing role in their eventual rescue.

Despite his own misgivings, and the disbelief of others, O’Reilly decided to make a personal search, a staggering 645 kilometres away from where the plane had supposedly been last seen.

GRAHAM SIMS recounts an inspiring story of instinct, survival, courage and the will to succeed in this two-part narrative

The rugged McPherson Ranges, where a Stinson airplane (inset) crashed in 1937, resulting in one of Australia’s most amazing survival stories

70 year-old mother insisted he take “a snake-bite outfit”, consisting of a razor-blade, Condy’s Crystals and a length of strong cord, for a tourniquet.

OLD TOONGABBIE $459,950

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Contemporary fully renovated brick veneer home set on large level block in quiet sought after street, featuring 3 large bedrooms, bright open plan living containing separate lounge and dining area, modern kitchen equipped with quality gas appliances, ducted air conditioning, separate modern bathrooms allowing convenient use, spacious laundry, back verandah and garden terrace for relaxed entertaining leading out to the easy care grassy garden with mature trees. These features in familyfriendly neighbourhood within a short stroll to schools, shops, public transport and freeway all contribute to creating a superb living environment in this spacious modern residence.

ROOM TO MOVE

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1,505SQM BLOCK 1 Ferndale Close

Rare opportunity, potential subdivision and duplex site (subject to council approval), solid brick home with 3 double sized bedrooms, separate lounge/dine and garage. Close to transport and T-way.

Open For Inspection: Saturday 2:30pm - 3:00pm

Auction: Saturday 26 September 2009 on site at 3:00pm

Laing & Simmons Wentworthville 9688 4000 Contact Alan Fowler 0413 057 699

Inspection: Saturday 1:30-2pm

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Laing & Simmons Toongabbie 9631 5555

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This three bedroom townhouse offers spacious open plan living, built in wardrobes in all rooms, main bedroom with ensuite, modern kitchen & bathroom, air conditioning, generous sized courtyard and tandem lock up garage.

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4 Bedroom well presented brick veneer home located in a lovely quiet street close to Metella Reserve, golf course, shops + schools. Features include lounge & dining, polished floor boards, 4 good size bedrooms, gas heating & cook top, neat kitchen and bathroom, double carport, plus tandem carport & lock up garage also room for a boat or caravan, under cover verandah area, all set on a 594sqm block approx. Laing & Simmons Toongabbie 9631 5555 Contact Leanne Ollerenshaw

Raghupati Raghav Rajaram, Patiti Pavan Sitaram

We have years of experience in organizing funeral services of various religious and cultural faiths. We now extend our services to Indian / Hindu/Sikh community all around Sydney under the able guidance of Indian/ Hindu Priests from various Hindu Temples and Sikh Gurudwaras of Sydney.

We offer the following services:

1. Provide Hindu Priest, Gyanji for performing last rites.

2. Perform cremation under the guidance of Priest (Pandithji / Gyanji).

3. Offer free boat service for the immersion of Ashes “Asthi Visarjan.” Our boat can carry maximum of 20 people. (Conditions Apply)

4. We organize the repatriation of the ashes to India.

Australian Funeral Services will give family and friends the final opportunity to farewell their loved one in a Dignified and respectful Ceremony. At present we have three funeral parlours in Sydney.

We can assist in meeting funeral costs via our various payment plans.

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23 Regent Street Kogarah NSW 2217

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Email: admin@australianfuneralservices.com.au

www.australianfuneralservices.com.au

A few secrets of Thai magic

By BRUCE HEILBUTH

Our speedboat bumps over a powderblue sea off the coast of the Thai resort island of Samui. Bracing my legs and squinting against spray, I stare ahead to where a group of jagged islets loom like broken teeth on the horizon.

“That’s Ang Thong marine park,” our guide shouts over the roar of the engines. “There are 42 islands here, maybe the most beautiful in all Thailand.”

As we approach we see a series of limestone massifs, cloaked in rainforest and ringed by white beaches, rising dramatically from the water. Soon we are snorkelling over coral bommies amid blizzards of tropical fish. Later we move on to a fishing village for a lunch of deep-fried skewered prawns, omelettes and chicken curry in coconut milk.

Experiences like these are among the

plethora of attractions enticing visitors to Koh Samui (koh: island) in the Gulf of Thailand south of Bangkok. Now the most popular island destination in the kingdom after Phuket, Koh Samui is an oasis of nodding palms, beaches, cheerful locals and languid resorts for all budgets.

Just some of the reasons more and more Indian visitors from Australia as well as the subcontinent are holidaying here.

“Indian guests like the personalised service we can give and the large villas that can accommodate the whole family,” says Nigel Tovey, General Manager of the Baan Taling Ngam Resort & Spa, one of the island’s premier properties set on a wooded hillside overlooking the ocean. “They also like the quiet beaches away from city noise . . . other resorts are just too noisy for them.”

Luke Salway, Resident Manager of Silavadee, another, new resort on Koh Samui, agrees that Indian visitors enjoy the seclusion and shun the busier areas. “We’ve just had a family to stay who never left the hotel – they went to breakfast, the spa, their pool villa, dinner and back to, the villa! And our chefs make wonderful vegetarian curries.”

So important has this market become, he adds, that Silavadee’s sales team recently completed a trip to India and is now contracted directly to many Indian agents. Many resorts on the island and elsewhere in Thailand cater for the Australian Indian community in a similar fashion.

In addition to appreciating that fact that flights from Delhi to Bangkok are just five hours and those from Sydney to Bangkok are nine hours, the visitors appreciate the accommodation deals available on Samui, a 40-minute flight from the capital. Resort rates start at around $80 per night and remarkable discounts of up to 75% are available depending on the time of the year. For folks who want to do more than sit by the pool, there’s activity ranging from elephant trekking to clubbing, shopping, cycling, diving among sharks and enjoying massages in cool, scented spas. These are the ingredients that make a visit among the gentle Thais an experience that lives in the memory long after the trip is over.

For more information on Thailand, visit www.thailand.net.au

Main picture: Limestone islands off Koh Samui rise dramatically from the water.

Inset from left: A room at the Baan-Taling Ngam Resort & Spa, an elephant ready for a jungle trek and a pool at the Pavilion Samui boutique resort

Indian guests like the personalised service we can give and the large villas that can accommodate the whole family

There are 42 islands here, maybe the most beautiful in all Thailand

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“The internship placement was very helpful. It gave me real practice at a local IT company, where I was able to experience how a local company does business. I learnt so many skills there.”

“There are great discussions in Professional Year classes where students and teachers can exchange ideas.”

Navratri Special

USHA ARVIND takes us on a trip around India, introducing us to the special Navratri dishes prepared during the upcoming festive season

With the onset of Navratri, Hindus worldwide prepare for a season of fasting and feasting. It is accompanied by pandal visiting if you belong to Eastern India, golu hopping for those in the south. Dandiya and Garba dominate the evenings in the west; and North India is in the grip of Raam Leela, culminating with Raavan Dahan.

Dedicated to the female pantheon, Navratri is famous for uniquely individual cuisines. Celebrated across the length and breadth of India, each region has its own exotic fare, specially prepared and offered to the deity during the nine days this festival lasts. (The term Navratri itself stands for ‘Nine nights’). Predominantly vegetarian, onion and garlic are taboo during this period. Spices are

restricted to red chillies, turmeric and cumin seeds and rock salt is used. This column is devoted exclusively to the festive recipes, each a speciality of its region. Be it crunchy sabudana vada or wholesome sundal, mouth watering rossogollas or sumptuous undhiyo, there is something to suit everyone’s palate. Experiment with India’s multicultural flavours and enjoy…

Singhara Burfi (Water chestnut or is commonly used during Navratri to make delicious sweet and savoury dishes in central and western India)

½ cup singhara flour (water chestnut flour)

1/2 tsp cardamom powder

Stir-fry flour in ghee in a heavy pan to a light pink color over low flame. Transfer immediately to another vessel. Stir-fry khoya in the pan till there are no lumps and it turns golden. Mix cardamom powder and flour to it and cool. Make thick syrup by boiling water and sugar (check for the right consistency dropping it in cold water. It should form a soft ball). Mix syrup to the khoya batter and stir well. Grease a plate and pour mix onto it. Cool slightly and cut into

Mysore Pak

(Decadent gram dal burfi, a speciality of Karnataka)

1 cup gram flour (besan)

1 cup sugar

1 cup ghee

½ tsp cardamom powder

Heat 1 tsp ghee and add gram flour. On a medium flame, fry till it gives out a fragrant aroma and it turns slightly brownish. Take care not to burn. Keep aside. Mix sugar with ½ cup water and bring it to vigorous boil, while stirring.

Add the fried flour to the syrup. Now add 1 tbsp ghee at a time, till all the ghee is used, stirring continuously. Add cardamom and stir well. When the mixture starts leaving edges and looks a bit dry, pour it into a greased plate and cut into diamonds.

Mishti Doi

(Bengali dairy delicacy, particularly for those with an extra sweet tooth)

2¼ litres full fat milk

500 gm sugar

5 gm yogurt

Earthen pot (handi)

Small container/Deep bowl (1.5 kg capacity)

Add 300gms of sugar to the milk and boil on low heat for at least 45 minutes. Stir constantly while boiling. It should thicken and reduce by half and be pale brown in colour. Place the remaining sugar in heavy-bottomed vessel with 50ml of water and melt on low heat till it turns dark in colour. Add this to the milk. Take off heat and beat continuously till lukewarm. Transfer to handi and add yoghurt. Cover and allow

to set for 12 hours. Uncover and refrigerate. Serve chilled

Patishapta (Sweet pancakes)

1 cup grated coconut

¼ cup sugar

1 cup maida (flour)

1 ½ cup milk

1 tsp cardamom powder Oil

Make a dosa-like batter using maida and milk. In a wok, put in the grated coconut and cardamom powder and cook till there is no moisture left. Add in the sugar and keep mixing constantly till all the sugar dissolves and the coconut feels slightly sticky. Remove from fire and keep aside to cool. Now make tiny little pancakes (dosa) using the maida batter. Cook lightly, then spread

some coconut filling on the open dosa and make a roll.

Bandhakopir Dalna (Spicy cabbage)

1 lb cabbage, sliced finely

2 potatoes, cut in small cubes

2 tbsp oil

1 tbsp turmeric

1 ¼ to 2 tsp green chili paste

1 tbsp ground cumin

1 tsp ground coriander

1 inch ginger, grated

1 tbsp butter

2 bay leaves

1/2 tsp garam masala

Salt to taste

Sugar to taste

Fry cubed potatoes in hot oil in a wok, until lightly browned. Remove and keep aside. To the hot oil, add cabbage. Sprinkle with salt. Stir well and cover with

a lid. Cook for about 3-4 minutes. Now add turmeric powder, chili paste, cumin, coriander and ginger. Stir and fry until the spices are well. The cabbage should be nearly cooked at this stage. Add ½ cup water, the potatoes, fold in salt and sugar to taste. Simmer over medium heat until potatoes are cooked and there is practically no gravy in the pan. In a frying pan, heat butter. Add the bay leaves and garam masala. Stir fry a couple of minutes and pour over bandhakopir dalna.

Malpua (A Bihari sweet treat)

1 litre milk

¼ cup maida

¼ cup semolina (sooji/rava)

Ghee

Water

Boil the milk till it reduces to

Sundal

(Sundal and golu are synonymous in South India. This nutritious, anytime snack is packed with protein and loaded with flavour. Try a new sundal on each of nine nights)

½ kg black channa

1 ½ tsp. turmeric powder

½ coconut (grated)

Salt to taste

1 tsp. mustard seeds

3 red chillies (broken)

½ tsp. asafoetida powder

6 green chillies (chopped)

half its quantity. Roast the rava till light brown. Add to the milk along with maida, stirring continuously so no lumps form and consistency is runny. Heat the ghee. Pour batter in circular movements into the ghee to form a small pan cake. Flip over before it goes crisp. Make sugar syrup of 1 thread consistency. Dip the malpua in the syrup and serve out on a plate.

Saboodana Vadaa (Sago patties, a crunchy treat popular in Maharashtra)

1 cup saboodana

½ cup peanuts (roasted and crushed coarsely)

1 potato (boiled, peeled and mashed)

7-8 green chilies (crushed)

Salt to taste

Oil to deep fry

Wash sago thoroughly and drain excess water. Soak for 2-3 hours. Then, add to it all the other ingredients, except oil. Mix well into a dough.

Heat oil in a deep frying pan. Moisten hands and make small flattened balls.

Fry till they are crisp and light brown in color. Drain and serve with peanut chutney.

Arbi Kele Singhara

Undhiyo (Gujarati staple)

1 cup arbi (peeled and cubed)

1 sweet potato (peeled and cubed)

10 gm ginger, chopped

10 gm green chilies, chopped

2 gm cumin seeds

¼ kg yoghurt, whisked

2 numbers cloves

1 tsp cumin seeds

1 ½ tsp green chilies, chopped

Pinch of turmeric

1 tsp red chilli powder

on low heat for 15 minutes till the potatoes are soft. Season with salt. Add fresh coriander and serve hot

Vrat ke Chaaval

(Spicy rice made in North India, specially during Navratri)

2 numbers cloves

1 cinnamon stick

3 cup water

2 cardamoms

30 gm ghee

2 tsp kala namak

1 tsp cumin seeds

1/2 tsp chilli powder

125 gms samwat ke chaawal

Coriander leaves for garnishing

1 large potato, diced

½ kg arbi

¼ tsp coriander powder

2 tbsp ginger

Boil the arbi. Cool, peel and slice each into two. Heat oil and fry the cut arbi till slightly browned. Heat a kadhai with 1 tsp oil. Make a paste of ginger and green chillies and stir fry in the oil. Add arbi and stir over low flame. Now mix in salt, coriander powder, mango powder, ajwain. Serve hot.

Navratri Raita

1 sweet potato, boiled, chopped

1 potato, boiled, chopped

1 cucumber, chopped

3 sprigs curry leaves (chopped)

3 tbsp. of oil

Clean, wash and soak channa overnight. Pressure cook along with turmeric powder till it turns very soft. Heat oil and add mustard seeds, red chillies and asafoetida powder. When brown, add green chillies and curry leaves. Fry for a minute and add boiled channa and salt. Cook on a low flame till dry.

Add grated coconut, fresh coriander and dash of lime.

1 potato (unpeeled and cubed)

1 raw banana(unpeeled and chopped)

½ cup pumpkin (peeled and chopped)

3-4 water chestnuts (peeled and halved)

2 slices raw papaya (peeled and grated)

Juice of 1 lemon

¼ tsp turmeric powder

1 tbsp kuttu or singhare ka atta

¼ tsp cumin seeds

Salt to taste

3-4 tbsp oil

1 cup coconut (grated)

3-4 green chilies

½ cup coriander leaves

¼ cup curry leaves

1” piece ginger (grated)

4 black peppercorns

2 small cardamoms

Take grated papaya in a bowl and add salt and lemon juice to it. Heat oil in a pressure cooker. Add cumin seeds and allow it to splutter. Add all the ingredients, except papaya and coriander, to the above. Pour a little water and bring it to a boil. Stir and cover the cooker with lid; allow one whistle. When cooled, add grated papaya and simmer until gravy is thickened. Pour into a serving dish and garnish with fresh coriander leaves. Undhiya is ready to eat.

Serve hot with Kuttu ka paratha

Kache Kele Ke Kofte (Green banana dumpling in gravy)

6 green bananas

1 tsp chopped coriander

Boil and peel bananas and mash them. Add rest of the ingredients and make balls and deep fry. kadhai and then add cloves, bay leaf, cumin, asafoetida, ginger, green chilli, yoghurt, turmeric, red chili powder and water to adjust the consistency. Add the koftas and simmer for a few minutes before serving. Garnish with rogan and chopped coriander.

Khuskhus Alu

3 green chillies

6 potatoes, peeled, cubed

Salt to taste

½ tsp turmeric powder

¼ bunch coriander leaves

3 dry red chillies

2 tbsp khuskhus roasted

3 tbsp oil

½ cup water

Grind the roasted khuskhus along with the green chillies and a few tbsp of water to a very fine paste. Keep aside. Heat up half of the oil in a pot to smoking point. Shallow fry the potatoes in batches on medium heat up till they are lightly browned. Keep aside. Heat up the remaining oil in the same pan. Fry whole dry red chillies and turmeric powder. Add khuskhus paste and fry again on low heat for 5 minutes till the oil has left the sides of the pan. Add potatoes, a little water and cook

Heat up ghee; fry cumin seeds, cloves, cardamoms and cinnamon. Add potato and rice and fry for few minutes. Mix in salt, chilli powder and water, and bring to a boil. Lower the flame and simmer, covered, for about 15 minutes or till cooked through and the water is absorbed. Serve hot garnished with fresh coriander.

Makhane Kheer

(Lotus seed pudding, a speciality in the north)

1 litre full cream milk

2 tbsp ghee

50 gm makhaane

½ cup sugar

4 green cardamom

10-12 almonds (chopped)

Heat ghee in a pan and sauté makhaane over a low flame. When sautéed, let them cool and then crush them coarsely. Put makhaanas and milk in a deep pan, and bring the mixture to a boil. Simmer it over low flame, stirring occasionally till makhaanas get cooked and the milk thickens. When cooked, add sugar and cardamom. Stir to dissolve sugar and then simmer for 10-15 minutes.

Fried Arbi

¼ tsp ajwain

Chilli powder to taste

Rock salt to taste

2-3 green chillies

A pinch of mango powder

4-5 water chestnuts (singhara), boiled, peeled and chopped

1 cup thick yoghurt

1 tbsp coriander finely chopped

1 small green chilli finely chopped

1 tbsp whole roasted peanuts

½ tsp cumin seed powder

½ tsp cumin seeds whole

Salt to taste

Sugar to taste

1 tsp oil

Whisk yoghurt in a deep salad bowl. Add cumin powder, salt, sugar, chilli, mix well. Add all prepared vegetables, peanuts, mix to blend well. Chill well till required. Heat oil in a kadhai and add cumin seeds, allow to splutter. Pour sizzling tempering over raita. Garnish with chopped coriander.

Spicy Shakarkhandi

(Sweet potato delicacy)

2 tbsp ghee

½ tsp salt

½ tsp sugar

Coriander leaves

3 sweet potatoes

½ tsp red pepper

½ tsp cumin seeds

5 green chillies, chopped and deseeded

Pressure cook the sweet potatoes. Peel and chop. Now heat ghee in a pan. Add cumin seeds and saute. Add green chillies, sweet potato, salt and pepper and fry. Finish with sugar. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot.

Rasgulla

(The ultimate Bengali sweet dumplings)

1/2 litre milk

2 tsp flour (maida)

1/4 tsp lemon juice

1 cup sugar

1 cup water

4-5 drops rosewater essence

Heat milk in a pan and bring it to boil. Remove from heat. Add lemon juice. Stir slowly and gently until white curd (chenna) forms on the surface and separates from whey. Strain thoroughly and knead to a smooth dough. Add flour and knead again. Make small balls of equal size (6-7) of the dough and keep aside. Next make sugar syrup by boiling sugar and water. Add chenna balls and cook covered for 15 minutes. The balls will puff up. Cool and add rose water.

Blushing bride

MINAL KHONA

reveals fundamental tips for the bride-to-be, which will make her special day a unique one

Just like you plan the rest of your wedding, take time to decide on the look you want on the most important day of your life. Wellknown Bollywood make-up artistes Ojas Rajani and Kumar Iyer have been in the business for more than a decade, and know all the techniques to make sure the bride looks her best.

Ojas Rajani: Skin-care is essential a few days before Ojas Rajani is a well-known make-up artist who has worked with personalities like Aishwarya Rai Bachchan (he styled her make-up and hair for the Commonwealth Games in Melbourne), Urmila Matondkar and Neha Dhupia among others. He is much sought after for all high profile Mumbai weddings. Here are a few tips from Ojas.

l The bride-to-be must concentrate on skincare and haircare from the day she starts planning her wedding.

l Her skin must be well-prepared so that when we apply make-up along with other products like a glow serum, the skin must have a soft, dewy, fresh appearance. A lot of brides prefer the au naturelle look, so flawless skin is very important to get that no make-up look.

l The skin has to be primed so that it has no facial hair, no zits, scars or blemishes. Nails must be clean and manicured. On a personal level, I think that if a girl doesn’t want to look like a painted doll, she must make sure her skin is in very good condition.

l Sometimes the bride-to-be comes to us with hair that is in absolute shambles. If she wants an elaborate hair-do or extensions, she must have a good haircut, some protein treatments and conditioning treatments done. When a client has scanty hair, I even suggest voluminising treatments so the hair gets more body and bounce.

l One doesn’t need to go overboard spending money on beauty treatments. You can go to a good salon in the neighbourhood to get your hair treated with some deep conditioning treatments.

l For your skin, if you have blemishes or problematic skin, consult a dermatologist. If you have flawless skin, you can continue using the products that work for you and even keep it clean with a homemade scrub made from besan

l You can experiment with colours and try

out eye pencils, lip colours etc., based on your face, personality and the colour of your outfit on your wedding day. You may want to wear a certain colour, but it must look good and you should be able to carry it off.

l If you have a look in mind, consult your make-up artist to ensure that the look you have chosen is going to work for you, given your personality and overall looks.

l Coloured lens are a big fad these days, so try them on and see if they look good on you.

Kumar Iyer: The classical, simple look is the best Kumar Iyer is a veteran in the business of make-up for the last 13 years, and is the

hand that waves the magic wand to style many of the commercials we see on TV for some of the leading cosmetic brands in India.

Sushmita Sen and Manisha Koirala are regular clients.

l If a bride-to-be has good skin, she should make sure she maintains it well. If she has problematic skin, she must consult a professional.

l For people who have good skin, I would

suggest that they finish with their facials and clean-up treatments at least ten days before the wedding. So even if they have a break-out or eruptions on the face, they could subside within a week.

l Start your skincare routine at least three to six months before your wedding day. Make sure you maintain a healthy lifestyle, exercise and avoid late nights. As it is, there are several occasions before the wedding that call for late nights, so prevent additional stress to your skin by keeping those occasions to a minimum.

l Unless you look after your skin from within, the best skincare clinic in the world and the best products cannot give you good skin in a short span of time.

l If you want to have hair extensions done, try them out at least a month in advance. They can get itchy and the scalp cannot take the stress, so it is best to try them out, see if they work for you and if they do, get them done for your wedding day.

l Some girls like to have gel nails added onto their nails. If you bite your nails, grow them a bit, and try on the gel nails at least two months prior to the wedding. Your hands need to get used to having them on as they tend to get stuck in embroidery on outfits; the diamontes get entangled and can cause minor disasters.

l Check out colours for lipsticks, blushers and eye pencils when you have the time. It is best to have minimalistic make-up, not a heavy caked-up look, so it’s best to go easy on the foundation.

l If you want to look like, say Kareena Kapoor in some movie, sit down with your make-up artist and see if that look will work for you before insisting on it.

l You can seek professional help to remove blemishes and have your hair in good condition before the wedding.

l Avoid current fads like tattoos on arms, rainbow coloured nails and going over the top with make-up. The classical, simple and understated look is the best.

INDIAN LINK IDOL 2009

12 contestants …. Thousands of judges!

12 final contenders remain after eliminations in Indian Link Radio’s second Indian Link Idol series. They will be judged by you … our listeners. The early rounds simply blew us away with some fantastic performances. But the best, as they say, is yet to come!

Our Top 12 will be performing Soft, Dhamaal and Folk rounds on 19th September, 26th September and 3rd October. Tune in to this musical extravaganza, Sundays at 10.30am. Listen to some of the best singing talents in our community… and then pass your verdict! Grand Final on Saturday 14 November

Sydney brides Preeti Goswami and Sabrin Rahman (inset) as dressed by Thornleigh-based beautician Nithya Yuvaraj

Mrs Kakkad’s Cadaburry

NIMA MENON delves into the history of the world’s earliest confectionary producer, and why it justly deserves public accolades

As I reached out to the top of the supermarket shelf for my regular Cadbury’s chocolate fix, a crazy thought cropped up in my mind. Will I continue to feel the same when it is launched in its new avatar under a different banner? Of course I will. How can I ever outgrow something that has been a part of my happy days for more than 3 decades? The news had hit me like a splash of ice cold water - the news that Kraft Foods were bidding to buy Cadbury. So many questions had raced through my mind then - what’s to become of me and all those chocolate lovers out there? Hmm… Cadbury chocolates… that purple cover… that glass and half full… that piece of heaven slowly melting in my mouth … hmm……

Every time I see Cadburys on supermarket shelves, my mind races back to that scene in the movie Main Hoon Na, where Mrs Kakkad (Bindu has been exceptional in that role) tells her student that she would give him Cadburys if he passed his Hindi exam: “Main tujhe Cadaburry dhoonge, woh bhi milaky.” And immediately my lips curve into a smile

Since time immemorial, Cadburys have been synonymous with chocolates. During

my childhood days, I don’t remember asking for chocolates, it was always Cadbury and I don’t think at that point I knew any better. Cadbury was never seen as a brand name; like Casio meant keyboards, Cadbury meant chocolate. And my sweetloving tastebuds haven’t felt any difference in the taste from then to now. Yes, today we have lot more flavours to choose from, like Rocky Road (my absolute favourite), Roast Almond, Caramello, etc.

For the fifth year in a row, Cadbury has been voted the most trusted brand by Australians in a poll conducted by Reader’s Digest. According to RD, “The most important thing to a customer, it seems, is a brand being true to its promise. …….Some brands consistently retain our confidence and trust by fulfilling their promises. But having consumers’ trust means meeting expectations, without fail.” It is hard to reach the top, but it is harder to stay there. The purple cover with its one and half glasses of milk has become a trustworthy symbol and there are no second thoughts when a consumer reaches out to pick up a Cadbury’s chocolate. So many different brands of chocolates have come and stayed, but none was able to overthrow

Cadbury from its pride of place at the top of the ladder. Cadbury has been around in Australia for 86 years and generation after generation of Australians has enjoyed every bite, and each bite has proved its worth.

The story of Cadbury is a pretty amazing one, of dedication and enthused with the will to be the best and be different. Back in 1824, John Cadbury opened a grocery shop on Bull Street in Birmingham. He started experimenting with cocoa and drinking chocolate and as this started getting popular, he hired a small factory and there began the great chocolate saga that continues successfully even today. Though chocolate came to England in 1650, it was a drink for the royals and the wealthy. It is believed that King Charles II’s court enjoyed this aromatic drink a great deal. The Cadburys made the delicacy more affordable. The thriving business passed down the family line and each one of them kept the standard going. It got bigger and more variety came in, but at no point in time was there a compromise with quality or taste. The first Cadbury box was designed by Richard Cadbury and the first Easter eggs were introduced in 1875. While the purple cover hit the shelves in 1920, the timeless glass and a half full symbol adorned the cover in 1928 and the very popular Cadbury Roses came in 1938.

Over the years, Cadburys have not just made and sold chocolates. The group has been actively involved in community service. John Cadbury hoped that the people

would consider the drinking chocolate he offered as a better alternative to alcohol that was destroying lives. Since 1878, factory workers have been provided with better living conditions. Cottages were built even for pensioners who had worked at Cadbury. The Cadbury Foundation that was formed in 1935 gave grants for projects involving education and employment. During WW II, urns of hot chocolate were sent out during air raids. Cadbury has helped raise funds for Save the Children and have built wells in Ghana. Cadbury helps fund raising activities in schools. The chocolate frogs of different flavours have always been popular with kids.

As long as people continue to enjoy chocolate, Cadbury will continue to be around. I cannot think of walking into a shopping mall and not seeing Cadbury chocolates there. This is a brand that has earned the people’s trust with their commitment to quality. This is a brand that believes in giving back to the community a part of what it has earned from the community. This is a brand that helps lift people’s moods. You need a chocolate fix, can’t think of anything better than a Cadbury. The Cadbury song “Wouldn’t it be nice” is another feature that is so easy to relate with. It would be nice if the world was all chocolate, all sweet and crunchy, all nutty and marshmallowy, with a soft centre and a crispy covering. Yuuummm! Even Mrs. Kakkad knew that!

John Cadbury hoped that the people would consider the drinking chocolate he offered as a better alternative to alcohol that was destroying lives

have turned out to be cancers. So it is advisable that any unusual changes such as breast pain, swelling, skin irritation, dimpling, nipple pain, nipple discharge, a lump in the armpit, nipple turning inwards, redness, scaling and thickening of the breast skin be promptly investigated.

Causes of changes in the breast

Even if someone displays one or more of these symptoms, it doesn’t mean they definitely have breast cancer because most lumps do turn out to be benign. The reason could be that a vast majority of breast changes are hormonal, caused by glands that make a woman’s breast feel different at various times during the menstrual cycle. Cancer-like symptoms are also apparent in the presence of a cyst in the breast. This is a sac filled with fluid and is more common in women aged 35-50 and in those taking hormone replacement therapy. Cysts do not normally change into cancer, but in rare cases they can have a cancer growing inside them or near them. Ultrasound is considered to be the best way of distinguishing a lump from a cyst. Another cause of changes in the breast, especially in younger women, is fibroadenoma which is a firm, fibrous lump and rarely changes into breast cancer, but if it becomes painful it is usually removed under general anaesthesia.

Types of breast cancer

Breast cancer begins in the ducts of the breast. If the breast cancer is invasive it means that the cancer cells can spread outside the ducts and into the surrounding tissues. Invasive cancer cells sometimes spread outside the breast area to other parts of the body. They do this by travelling through blood vessels or veins. Another

type of breast cancer is the pre invasive cancer. This is the name given to abnormal or cancerous cells that inhabit the milk ducts. While Paget’s disease is a rare type of breast cancer that begins in the milk ducts and spreads to the skin of the nipple.

Different stages of breast cancer

If the cancerous cells are contained in the armpit and breast region it is considered to be in the early stages, but if it has progressed to surrounding areas such as the chest, muscles, bones and skin but has not advanced further on in the body, it is regarded as locally advanced breast cancer. In contrast, if the cancer cells have spread from the breast to other areas of the body like the lungs or bones, it is called metastatic breast cancer.

Who is high risk?

Women who have had two or more family members diagnosed with breast cancer before they turned 50, especially if they are close relatives like their sister, mother or daughter are considered to be at high risk. Those who have been previously diagnosed with invasive or pre invasive breast cancer or who have a mutation in genes, are at a higher risk of getting breast cancer. However it is important to remember that just because a close relative had breast cancer, it does not mean that you will have it too. Most women who have breast cancer have no family history.

AT A GLANCE

l All lumps are not suspicious only those that are painless, irregular and slowly enlarging

l Pain and tenderness in the breast could be caused by hormonal changes in the menstrual cycle, pregnancy, stress or HRT.

l The pill is safe to take, but prolonged, uninterrupted exposure could increase the risk of breast cancer.

l Early detection means more options available and better chances of survival.

l Wearing a bra at all times does not increase the chances of breast cancer.Statistics

l Breast cancer is the most common cancer amongst Australian women

l Currently 36 women are diagnosed with breast cancer every day.

l One in eight women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in Australia by the age of 85.

l Australia’s death rate from breast cancer is lower than New Zealand, Canada, United Kingdom and United States of America.

l The average age of first diagnosis is 60.

l The risk of breast cancer increases with age.

l About 24 percent of new breast cancer cases diagnosed in 2002 were in women younger than 50 years.

l There were 2,707 female deaths from breast cancer in 2005.

l A woman’s risk of dying from breast cancer before the age of 85 has been declining from 1 in 29 in 1983 to 1 in 35 in 2005.

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2009 Car of the Year

The Volkswagen brand has just reached a significant milestone on the Australian market with the sale of the 100,000th Golf since the initial model introduction. The celebratory new Golf 118TSI was handed over to its proud owner, Mark Hall, by Solitaire Volkswagen Hawthorn in Adelaide.

Judging by the humble beginnings of the MkI in 1976, which then was assembled locally in Clayton, Victoria, nobody could have preempted the significance of this truly iconic model. Wheels Magazine recognized the significance of the Golf when it was named Wheels’ Car of the Year in 19764,429 Golfs were sold that year.

The first ever Golf MkI to be registered in Australia still is in the hands of its original owner, who himself was part of Volkswagen’s history. Mr Dirk Goudberg was employed as Quality Control Manager at the Volkswagen plant in Clayton, Victoria, from 1958 until 1976. His vehicle was amongst the first six Golfs to be exported to Australia in individual components to be assembled locally. The vehicle itself was completed locally in late 1974 and registered in 1975 as the first Golf in Australia.

In 1983 the Golf MkII replaced the ‘original’ Golf with global production of 6.3 million MkII Golfs between 1983 and 1991. The Golf MkIII went on sale in 1994 and for the first time since the MkI a diesel variant in the Golf range returned to the Australian market in 1996. 1998 saw the introduction of the Golf MkIV.

2004 was marked by the 500,000th

Volkswagen sold in Australia as well as the Golf MkV release in Australia. The MkV was awarded a range of significant awards by the Australian motoring media in its days. The Golf GTI was awarded the NRMA ‘Best Car Awards’ for Best Sports Car in 2007 while just missing out winning the second year in a row when it was marginally beaten

by the Golf R32 in 2008. 2008 also saw the Golf GTI win the ‘DRIVE Car of the Year Award’ for the third consecutive year.

To date, the Golf has turned out to be a selling success with more than 26 million Golfs produced globally since the initial days of the Golf MkI.

The next chapter in the Golf’s journey

has only just begun with the introduction of the new Golf into the Australian market in March 2009. This model is regarded as the most economical, safe and refined Golf yet and promises to be another Volkswagen success story in the making. In its short time on the market, it has already been honoured as the “2009 World Car of the Year”.

MANOJ RAJAN BABU

BA.L, LL.B, LL.M

MOBILE: 0403 264 976

Keeping it simple

APARNA JACOB succumbs to nostalgia and whips up an Indian culinary creation, which certainly impresses her husband!

o matter how hard he tries, my husband’s Hindi never goes beyond chapatti, daal, pyar, nahee, kidhar hai and Puneet Chhabra (a Punjabi guy whom he dislikes intensely).

This particularly becomes a problem when he wants me to recreate something he ate at my mother’s house, and cannot name or describe it adequately. For instance:

“You know those round things your mother makes...”

“What colour?”

“White, ever so slightly brown.”

“Sweet or savoury?”

“I’m not sure, maybe both.”

“Breakfast or lunch?”

“Both, I think.”

“What did we eat it with?”

“The green long thing…”

At this point I usually give up. For two reasons. One, I’m perpetually homesick and miss everything my mother cooked; and two, because cooking Indian food in Sydney is an emotionally painful, tiresome and frustrating experience. I try not to think about it. On weekends, I call my mother so many continents away and ask her for obscure recipes like ginger curry, mango and jackfruit seed, or spicy prawns that I hope to replicate in my tiny kitchen in Sydney.

She painstakingly lists ingredients and spices I could never buy at Coles, but could maybe get my hands on if I went trawling through the Indian stores in my area.

“Are you writing this down?” my mother would ask, and I’d lie, “Of course!”

Truth is, I just like to listen and imagine the taste of coconut chutney with spluttered mustard seeds and red chillies on my

SEEKING BRIDES

Australian citizen, 36 years old, hospitality professional, working in Sydney. Seeks girl between 27-36, no caste bar. Please contact 0416 398 869 or for other details and photo mail me atsatishsingh_2009@yahoo.com

Seeking alliance for a 28-year-old, 5’11”, Gujarati boy. Working as a database analyst in Melbourne, Australian citizen. Looking for a well educated, preferably Gujarati girl with family values.

Please email with Biodata at mayurimodi@hotmail.com or ring 0400 872 333. Bharat Matrimony id: G549338

Sister-in-law seeking a suitable bride for her handsome Sikh Khatri brotherin law, clean shaven 28, 5’9” Aust citizen. Business Manager, Melbourne, Masters in Finance Has a perfect mix of east and west culture. Contact matrimonial.mb@ gmail.com

Well-settled Sikh widower, 60+, seeks an educated 50+ life partner, with good family values. Preference for someone whose children are settled. Caste no bar. For enquiries please contact 0402 359 609.

tongue, or imagine sinking my teeth into soft fluffy idlis. Or imagine the comfort of fried green banana and beans toran with steaming white rice. And those chapattis every morning, perfectly round and soft and fragrant from homemade ghee.

Feeling desperate, I wander into the corner “Indian” store. These are always Bangladeshi stores, but I can’t be bothered correcting people who call every dark skinned person of Southeast Asian origin, Indian (or worse, ‘Paki’). I usually come here once a month to buy a certain phone card called “Another Indian Phone card...” The guy who owns the store stands behind the display of samosas, chicken patties and assorted mithai: almond barfi, coconut barfi, pistachio barfi, peda, ladoo, glaring jalebis and less glaring jalebis

I’ve now known the guy behind the counter for four years (though I still don’t know his name) and he’s always polite with his ready smile and honest answers.

“Are the samosas fresh?”

“No.”

“Is the mithai fresh?”

“No.”

“Is this masala good?”

“No.”

(Does my bum look big in this? No.)

“Phone card for you today?” He’s smiling.

“No, I’m just looking for something,” I say and go to the back of the shop where gigantic bags of spices and grains recline on the floor. There are stacks of Mysore sandal and Lux soaps, Shikakai and Sunsilk shampoo, Fair and Lovely and agarbatti Hair oil sits next to Bedekar’s achar, poha next to a DVD of Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikandar

Gulab jamun and idli and dosa mixes, hing and sambar powder jostle with dried fish for their space on the same shelf. There’s Shaan, MDH and Mangal masalas for all conceivable preparations: kormas, biryanis, salan, tandoori, dum aloo, Jal farezi, you name it! I pick up a chana masala for $1:80. I rush home. An onion is quickly

Matrimonials

Australian citizen, 27, 168cm, handsome Punjabi Hindu Khatri boy. Masters in Accounting & Finance. Own business. Well established family in Sydney. Seeking good looking and qualified match. Caste no bar. Please contact: 0401 057 224 or send details with photo to: matriaussyd@gmail.com

Seeking well-qualified match from good family background for handsome, well settled Gujarati boy 31, 5’7”. Raised in India, living in Sydney since 9 years. MBA from Sydney, CPA continuing. Working with leading FMCG as accountant. Please respond with details and photo, email: kdsydney@gmail.com

Parents invite matrimonial alliance for their younger of 2 sons. DOB: 23 Oct 1984, B.Com LLB (Hons.), half-way through CPA, permanent government job (APS 6), handsome, fair, 170 cms, nondrinker, non-smoker, vegetarian. Father doctor in Canberra, elder brother software engineer. Email mpgupta@hotmail.com or mobile: 0419 749 448.

Seeking well qualified and beautiful girl for a Gujarati Nagar Brahmin boy, 29, 5’10”, Masters in Engineering, permanent resident of Australia. Currently working as a Project Manager in Sydney. Please contact on bgtmatri@gmail.com or on 02-9632 7398.

Handsome, clean shaven Jat Sikh, 28 years, 5’-9’’, professional (IT engineer, MBA), Australian citizen from well settled Sydney family seeks beautiful, slim, (5’ 4”+), educated working professional from well settled Sikh family in Australia, with strong family and cultural values, and a good sense of humour. Email groom09@ hotmail.com

SEEKING GROOMS

Seeking a perfect match for our 24-year-old, 5’5”, beautiful, Sikh daughter. She is a professional (lawyer), earning high income. We are well settled in Sydney for past 30 years. Father

masala fried and a can of chopped tomatoes tossed in. I drain and add two cans of chickpeas. In five minutes, I’m gobbling a bowl of hot and very authentic tasting chana masala. My eyes are teary and I’m not entirely sure if it’s the spice or the emotion.

For the husband’s dinner, I decide to go all out and make him fake bhature to go with the chana. I enjoy his disbelief as I present the plate with bhature on the side and a proud sprig of coriander atop the chana

“Wow! Chappati!” he says, eyes filled with wonder. He looks so grateful.

“And what do you call this, sweety?” He’s chasing a chana around the plate with a piece of bhatura. Pathetic. I hand him a spoon.

“Chickpeas,” I say, making it simpler for both of us.

working as executive in an international company and mother employed in bank. Please send details and photo to rajkhohli@gmail.com

Parents invite matrimonial alliance for their 31-year-old daughter, 5’ 2”, fair, based in Sydney. She has completed her BE and MBA, working as IT consultant. Good family background. Caste no bar. Please respond with details and photo email: gi658@yahoo.com

Parent of Punjabi Khatri girl, 28/5’8”, beautiful, professionally qualified, working in a Multi National Company in Sydney, seek professionally qualified well educated, settled boy. Caste no bar. Please e-mail bio-data and recent photograph to seekmat@gmail.com

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I enjoy his disbelief as I present the plate with bhature on the side and a proud sprig of coriander atop the chana

“I was diagnosed with multiple myeloma on June 23. Started my first cycle of treatment July 2. Not long ago. For me, it was a relief to hear what was wrong,” Lisa, 37, posted on her blog, lisaraniray. wordpress.com

“The plasma cells in my bone marrow were rampaging, multiplying, squeezing out the red blood cells and it was time to begin doing something about it. I was also tired of being tired all the time. So when I sat there with Bobcat, my life partner and reservoir of Yellow, and got the news I didn’t react and I didn’t cry. I’m an actress, believe me, I can be dramatic. Not just then though,” she added.

The model-turned-actress decided to undergo medical examination a few months ago after she felt “exhausted, pale and drained” all the time.

Explaining her disease, Lisa said: “Myeloma is incurable. It’s a relatively rare cancer of the bone marrow… Every year, approximately 2,100 more cases are diagnosed. I’m a junior member in many ways, having been diagnosed at 37, while the average age is 65… makes the disease not quite as ’sexy’ as other cancers.”

However, Lisa Ray is hopeful that “it can be cured” with the new treatments available in the healthcare sector these days. “So today with Velcade and, Revlimid and other promising new treatments in the pipeline, our improving. But only with an ever expanding toolbox of treatments and awareness can this cancer be beat. So I’m going to do everything I can to wrench the spotlight onto myeloma and cancer awareness. I believe it can be cured. That’s the dirty realist in me,” she wrote.

Lisa was born to a Bengali father and a Polish mother. She joined showbiz as a model and later ventured into films with Nethaji. After that she was seen in Vikram Bhatt’s stayed away from mainstream Hindi films as she could not speak the language fluently.

In 2002, internationally renowned filmmaker Deepa Mehta cast her opposite Rahul Khanna in the crossover film Hollywood. The Canada-based director later repeated Lisa in

Sallu sneaks in Sridevi

Bollywood actress Sridevi will be seen in a rare appearance on Sony TV’s game show Dus Ka Dum 2, hosted by Salman Khan. Her producer husband Boney Kapoor will also be there. Sridevi, who has been on a stretched sabbatical from the arc lights, went on the show specially to promote her husband’s upcoming film Wanted, which stars Salman as the protagonist. Sridevi was last seen in the 1999 Malayalam movie Devaraagam, also made an exception for the sake of Salman with whom she featured in a number of projects including Chandramukhi and Chand Ka Tukda The last Hindi film she acted in was 1997 release Kaun Sachcha Kaun Jhootha. Boney and Sridevi will be joined by the film’s lead actress Ayesha Takia and director Prabhudheva. “Now we can all shamelessly promote our film Wanted,” said an unabashed Salman. Well, at least he’s being honest!

her Oscar-nominated period drama Water (2005), in which she impressed critics with her performance as a young widow.

Deepa is deeply impressed by Lisa’s brave fight. “I knew about her illness two months ago. She told me. It was hard to believe. She wanted to keep it very private, and rightly so. Only her close friends and family knew,” said Mehta. “When Lisa blogged about her illness, I was surprised. It was very courageous of her. I think she decided that by coming out in the open about the illness she would not only be able to confront and overcome the sad situation, but also encourage others in similarly troubled spaces to fight and win over their illness,” added the director.

The actress is currently in Toronto where she has her own home. Mehta says Lisa is peaceful and very calm. “I met her last a few weeks ago. She is the epitome of grace under pressure. Truly exemplary,” said Deepa.

Lisa has just completed a romantic

comedy Cooking With Stella with Mehta’s brother Dilip Mehta. “I remember when Lisa was shooting for Cooking With Stella, she was having so much fun with all of us. There was no sign of the illness. The only outward manifestation of the crisis to come was her loss of appetite. I remember telling her on the sets, ‘Lisa, you aren’t eating anything.’ She’s going to defeat this crisis. Lisa is a fighter.”

Good luck, Lisa, our wishes and prayers are with you.

Seeking Slumdog fame?

Hot news is that Shah Rukh, the King Khan, who had earlier refused the offer of Oscar-winning director Danny Boyle to work in his flick Slumdog Millionaire, is now set to work in his latest offering, Bombay Velvet to be directed by Anurag Kashyap of No Smoking and Dev D fame. Aamir Khan, the perfectionist superstar, has already signed up for the film, which will begin production by 2010. SRK and

VIRAL BHAYANI and ABHILASHA SENGUPTA bring us up-to-date on what’s hot and happening in Bollywood

SHAH RUKH KHAN

LISA RAY

SRIDEVI

SALMAN KHAN

Kashyap can manage the potentially lethal combination of Aamir and Shah Rukh Khan, they’ll have gone a long way towards making the film a success.

Bombay Velvet will be based, somewhat obviously, on the great metropolis of Mumbai. The movie, set in the 1940s, is based on real incidents that occurred during those uncertain and unsettled days of the freedom struggle.

Shah Rukh Khan had been approached by Danny Boyle to star in Slumdog Millionaire in the role that eventually went to Anil Kapoor, but he refused. SRK’s loss was Anil’s gain, as he well-remembers.... It’s unlikely that the badshah of Bollywood will let this chance slip through his fingers, is it? Up for a possible Oscar would be incentive enough!

Kaif or Turquotte?

Sounds odd? Perhaps, but it’s the truth. Katrina Kaif, Bollywood’s sizzling hot sexy bombshell who is in a romantic relationship with Salman Khan, has finally admitted that her passport mentions her name as Katrina Turquotte and not Katrina Kaif, as she is known to her innumerable fans. However, the gutsy actress refused to be apologetic

surname. Of course, being Bollywood the issue had been blown out of proportion, and Katrina was accused of not being Indian. It came to light when Jackie Shroff’s wife Ayesha mentioned in an interview that she was not Katrina Kaif, as was popularly known, but was in fact, Katrina Turquotte, as mentioned in her passport. Initially Katrina didn’t clarify in the hope that the issue would die a natural death, but as it lingered on, she was compelled to come forward and clear the air. The surname Kaif, which had been suffixed to Katrina by Ayesha Shroff for the sake of simplicity and acceptability in Bollywood, stuck to Katrina’s name and she continued to be known by this surname since. Katrina is now one of Bollywood’s leading ladies and is also considered to be the lucky mascot for filmmakers and actors, Akshay Kumar (Welcome, Namaste London, Singh Is Kinng) being one of them. So what’s in a name? No matter what she’s called, Katrina will still remain her gorgeous self.

Bikey John confesses to passion

Bollywood heartthrob John Abraham’s

“Bikes are my passion and I take care of my helmets like my babies. Like people go and buy clothes, I go shopping for helmets. I have different helmets for different days,” said John recently.

“People feel I’m crazy, but I love shopping for my helmets and I have all major brands,” he added. The 36-year-old actor who is the brand ambassador of Yamaha, recently launched three new bikes - Vmax along with limited edition of Fazer and FZ series. At the launch, John talked about safety measure that bikers should keep in mind while riding.

“Safety is very important and that’s why helmets should be a biker’s priority. Safety of pillion riders is also important and they should also wear helmets,” he said.

“Indian roads, mainly Mumbai are not very conducive for two wheelers. There are riders who don’t take any precautions and are very irresponsible. On the other hand, there are people who walk on the road without thinking and taking care,” said the actor who will be next seen in films like Hook Ya Crook and 1-1800 Love

Spread the safety message, John!

Angry Ash

Aishwarya Rai maybe happily married to Abhishek Bachchan, but her past is catching up with her. The lovely lass dated Salman Khan and Vivek Oberoi in the past, and both her ex-flames have been doing the

ungentlemanly thing and sneaking skeletons out of their closets. In a recent interview, it is alleged that Sallu insisted he never hit Ash and if he ever did, Ash wouldn’t have survived to see the day. Pathetic, but that’s Salman. Vivek talked about her being ‘plastic’ and claimed that she made him do all kinds of things, and called him immature! Now Ash wisely said nothing to these revelations from her ex-lovers, but naturally, she’s not happy. A friend revealed that she was very upset with all the publicity and slandering.

“What Mr Khan and Mr Oberoi are doing is very ungentlemanly. It is specially wrong when the lady is happily married and her life revolves around her new family. What happened in the past is over and done with,” the friend said.

These allegations, most of which are fabricated nearly moved Ash to tears, said the friend angrily. “She doesn’t need this stress, particularly since Aishwarya is working on two of her most difficult and challenging roles in Raavana and Guzaarish. The last thing she needs is rude distractions from the past. Recently she was so upset, she could hardly control her tears on the sets of Guzaarish. All she kept saying is, ‘I’m living my life the way I want. I wish others would do the same. Just let me be.”

That’s right, boys, let her be. Move on, you two!

CAPTION CONTEST CAPTION CONTEST

What are Priyanka and Shahid whispering to each other here?

Send in your responses to info@indianlink.com.au and win a surprise prize

Last issue Caption Contest winning entry

What’s the chitchat between Anil Ambani and Amitabh Bachchan here?

Amitabh Bachchan to Anil Ambani: “Thanks for fixing up that Hollywood movie role for me, to be directed by Steven Spielberg. Of course, I have asked for my fees to be in US dollars ….”

Sunil Kumar

Sunil Kumar wins a double pass to new Hindi film

Some other good ones

Amitabh to Anil: You might be richer than me, but you do know that I’m better looking! Sadaf Shaad

Kaise bana crorepati? Naresh Nanda

JOHN ABRAHAM

AISHWARYA RAI

Teachers in features

is perhaps the worst thing that could ever happen to you.

6. Vidya in Shree 420

even though teachers teach us lessons, sometimes they can be very painful to learn.

10. Miss Chandni from Main Hoon Na

Who says beauty and brains cannot coexist in a person? Who says that just because a woman looks like a model, she has to walk the ramp? She can very easily walk down the corridor of a school too! Although this doesn’t mean that she won’t dress like a model!

Sushmita Sen is every schoolboy’s dream in this fully entertaining movie by Farah Khan. She is smart, strict and sensible, with just the right amount of sweetness to make her a student’s favourite.

9. Ms Briganza in Kuch Kuch Hota Hai “Pyar kya hota hai? Anyone, anyone, anyone?” Well, it can be hard taking teachers seriously when they start asking such deep and romantic questions, in fake British accents while wearing miniskirts to class. That is of course, any teacher but Miss Briganza….Aaahh!

8. Johnny Mathew in Rockford

There are very few teachers who are responsible, hardworking, and also cool, man!

Sir Johnny Matthew is one of those few. In a time when the topic of teen love and crushes was such a taboo with parents and teachers, actor/director Nagesh Kukunoor plays the role of a teacher who believes that it doesn’t matter if you make mistakes, what matters is if you learn from them or not. Rockford rocked so much more for your presence, Sir Matthew.

7. Miss Geeta in Swadesh

Good teachers teach you the difference between right and wrong; they make you understand that you should be a good person and that, whether in a park or in a classroom, fighting is bad. But the best teachers are those who teach you that there is right and wrong, and also an inbetween, which is the part that you will deal with most of your lives. They make you understand that you must not just be a good person, but the best person that you can be, and that you owe it to yourself and the world to be the best version of you. The best teachers teach you that fighting is bad, but giving up on what you believe in,

Old Hindi movies are so charming because of how deep, yet obvious they are. Nargis is Vidya, a virtuous and idealist teacher, and on the other side is the superficial temptress Nadira, playing Maya. Ichak dana bichak dana is a song that most people and all ages know and love, and the credit goes entirely to the teacher.

5. Professor Amar Verma in Sir

There are teachers who change your attitudes, and then there are those who change your lives. The name of the movie is enough to get this one into our Teacher’s Day list. Naseeruddin Shah is unforgettable and Pooja Bhatt, splendid.

4. Raj Aryan Malhotra in Mohabbatein

The heavy duty name suggests that the teacher is heavy duty, and he’s going to rustle some leaves and make a little noise. In Mohabbatein, that’s exactly what Shah Rukh Khan does, even if it means that he suffers so that his students can live their life to the fullest.

3. Mary from Mera Naam Joker

This teacher and student story is as bitter here, as it is sweet. The story tells us that

2. Debraj Sahai in Black

Our parents give us life, and guide us through it with the help of our teachers. Black is the story of a teacher who not only guided his student, but actually gave her life. It also has a beautiful and hopeful end. Teachers are always the ones giving, always the ones making the difference, but there are very few lucky students who get to do the same for their teachers.

1. Ram Shankar Nikumbh in Taare Zameen Par

A teacher becomes a favourite for different reasons. Some are good because they are funny; some are strict, some smart, some pretty. But if there was a superhuman teacher, the superhero of all teachers, someone who was made by combining the right proportion of all these qualities into one single teacher, it would be Nikumbh Sir from Taare Zameen Par

He is our favourite teacher not just because he loves life and children and books, but because he loves teaching. Nikumbh Sir takes pride in the fact that he is a teacher and that’s what makes him our No. 1 teacher on this list!

Every September, India honours its teachers on Teachers’ Day, paying tribute to those beacons of light that guide us in the formative years of our lives. Here, AKRITI GOEL delves into the annals of Bollywood to find its top 10 most inspiring educationalist characters.

Aamir Khan and Darsheel Safary in Taare Zameen Par

CINETALK

A huge let down

Film Dil Bole Hadippa!

Cast Rani Mukerji, Shahid Kapoor, Anupam Kher, Poonam Dhillon, Rakhi Sawant, Sheryln Chopra

Director Anuraag Singh

Somewhere down the line in this mishmash of Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi, Chak De and what have you, Shahid Kapoor, looking as intense as a man who has just discovered he has acute molar ache, scowls at Rani and says, “You should be an actress in films”.

Actress she is. And a highly competent one. Rani has worked really hard on getting the Sardar-ji’s act together. At times she’s quite funny and poignant. But her attempts go waste in a film that seems to move in a rudderless stupor.

Rani is sorely let down in her made-to-order vehicle by a script that’s as phony and pasted-on as the moustache she pastes on to infiltrate the all-boy’s cricket team helmed by a Britain-returned dude from a broken family.

Shahid’s dad Anupam Kher lives in Amritsar, while his mom, Poonam Dhillon, lives in London.

Backgrounds are not very high in the list of this messy and annoying mishmash about cross-dressing and sporting spirit. While Shahid’s character we know is from a broken

home, only god and the scripwriter know where Rani’s character Veera/ Veer comes from.

While Hillary Swank, as a girl dressed as a guy, got the Oscar for Boys Don’t Cry, Rani misses her award-winning turn by a wide margin, thanks to a script that meanders like a bumbling bumblebee which doesn’t know who to sting.

The story of the spirited girl’s sprint into a men’s game and into the coach’s heart lacks bite and humour. The dialogues are ultra-pedestrian, some of the exchanges between the rustic Rani and the posh Shahid shamelessly taken from Jab We Met

What were the makers of this film thinking? Not much, as we can easily see in the slithering progression of the material and dismaying lack of motivation. After the interval, the wobbly narration just collapses in a tired heap, with scenes in a nautanki featuring Rakhi Sawant plunging to the bottom-most rung of mediocrity.

The climactic cricket match between India and Pakistan is as exciting as watching Kaminey with the soundtrack turned off. In Dil Bole Hadippa!, the soundtrack is so loud it drowns any finer point that the narration may possess.

Don’t waste your time looking for silver linings in this dreadful cricket film. Someone said cricket is a game played by 12 fools and watched by 12,000 fools. No we know what he meant.

Of fake art and a murder

Film Blue Oranges

Cast Rajit Kapoor, Harsh Chaya, Rati

Agnihotri, Pooja Kanwal and Aham

Sharma

Director Rajesh Ganguly

An alcoholic woman is murdered, and thus begins a process of deconstruction that takes the plot back to where it all started. It’s hard to pinpoint where Blue Oranges begins. The director has chosen an intricate flashback-and-forth mode of storytelling

that he isn’t always able to carry off with elan. But the art is in the right place... a part of the plot is devoted to the hazy world of fake paintings and names like M.F. Husain are mentioned in passing.

Our sullen hero Kevin (newcomer Aham Sharma), we are told in whispers, paints fakes. He also fakes emotions when the questioning gets too close for comfort. He’s an enigma in a movie that unravels the mystery with insubstantial proof of its expertise.

Kevin probably murdered this rich alcoholic woman (Pooja Kanwal). The film’s sullen hero apparently didn’t show up for their wedding. But he shows up eight years later at her doorstep, his long-

haired painter’s look replaced by short hair, spectacles and terse words that suggest he’s secretly unhappy.

Murder suspects pile up rather neatly. And the interrogation is done with a reasonable amount of expertise and restrain. No jokey cop-sidekicks, no item songs in smokey dens and no villains accumulating in the plot’s skyline like suspects lined up at the roadside.

At the vortex of this mildly engaging whodunit is a freelance investigative officer Nilesh (Rajit Kapoor) with a paraplegic daughter, who keeps reading books that no teenager should. In fact the girl gives the film its incongruous title. She’s the key to the puzzle of the murdered alcoholic

woman who had men barging into her home unannounced.

If there are no highs in the narration, there are no plunging lows either. You come away from Blue Oranges hoping that murder victims in the future remember not to drive while drunk.

Caution is a predominant strain in the storytelling. The one stand-out performance comes from Rajit Kapoor who says the most oratorial line with the authority of a librarian who knows every book on the shelf by its binding.

The rest of the cast is passable, sometimes less. But that’s the way of the world. You win some, you lost most of it.

Subhash K. Jha, IANS

Kuchh meetha ho jaye...

Let’s face it, we really don’t need an excuse to have some mithai – any time of day or night. And if the mithai is as fresh and delicious as Maya’s, any excuse will do.

Soft, juicy rasgullas, rich, fragrant gulab jamuns, hot jalebi, barfi, kalakand…you name it, we have it. All made fresh by our experienced halwais using their traditional recipes.

And while you enjoy our mithais, don’t forget to try our mouth-watering chaat, snacks and thalis – north and south Indian delights that are ready for you all day long.

So, kuchh meetha…namkeen….chatpata ho jaye?