Cooking for a cause

A Bondi-based charity uses cuisine to promote sympathy and understanding

BY PREETI KANNAN

Our Big Kitchen for an interview with director Rabbi Dovid Slavin, I am greeted by the smell of fresh baking, the sound of steely knives and a bustle of activity. The Jewish community kitchen in Bondi is gearing up for a regular day of cooking, as people from different backgrounds busily prepare delicacies they know best.

The idea was to go about (Mumbai) randomly handing out the biscuits, similar to how the terrorists had indiscriminately killed people and move on. People’s lives had been shattered and terrorism is for real. While the Indian authorities and hospitals were going about doing their business, we felt the need to convey the message of compassion in a tangible way. Volunteers came together at Our Big Kitchen and we focussed on reaching out to children,” recounts the Rabbi, who is also the Ambulance Chaplin of the Sydney South Sector.

Kerala as traders.

The religious head is urging Indians and Australians to come and cook together at the community kitchen to foster friendship and overcome any feelings of animosity.

“There have been a shocking number of attacks against Indian students. We would love for the community to come together and bake for the families of victims back home. It is hard to be immigrants or be away from home. Cooking together would be a great opportunity for Indians and Australians to know each other better,” he says.

Rabbi Slavin

“If you are either an aspiring chef or simply find the idea of spreading compassion and humanity through food appealing, then this is the place to be in,” says Rabbi Slavin. The kitchen, which is only a few years old, has opened its doors for people from different faiths, backgrounds and ethnicity to come together to prepare meals for themselves or for others through volunteering and cookins. The concept of Our Big Kitchen is based on the belief that it is possible to empower people through food.

That is exactly what the kitchen did in the aftermath of the Mumbai terrorist attacks of 2008, where nearly 200 people were killed and over 300 injured.

“When tragedy happens, you just don’t see the news

Besides the fact that nine Jews including a Rabbi and his wife were killed, the community kitchen wanted to do its bit in empathising with the victims. Children and volunteers at the community kitchen baked thousands of biscuits and flew them to Mumbai with the help of Qantas, after which, Jewish volunteers distributed biscuits to children.

“Many people had lost loved ones and we wanted to let children know that love and humanity were very much part of our lives. The idea was to go about randomly handing out the biscuits, similar to how the terrorists had indiscriminately killed people. This was our way to respond to the situation,” says Rabbi Slavin, who is also the co-founder of Gift of Life, Australia.

Rabbi Slavin, who spent a few weeks in 1990 in the Indian subcontinent, recollects his stay with fond memories. He says that he was known as the ‘Kala dadiwala’ or the black-bearded man by children, for whom he ran a camp in Matheran. He says that the group of 170 Indian children were one of the most wellbehaved, happiest and lively children he had met.

The Jews in India, he observes, were well-integrated and have never felt any exclusion or discrimination or anti-Semitism, unlike in other parts of the world. As a religious minority in India, they are believed to have arrived 2,500 years ago and settled down in Cochin,

Indian chefs, he adds, are welcome to share their recipes with the broader community or even cook for the Police or Ambulance authorities to express their appreciation and friendship.

The people behind Our Big Kitchen are hoping that more people from all walks of life and from diverse backgrounds utilise the kitchen for charity or commercial purposes. According to them, a ‘cook-in’ is when a group of enthusiastic volunteers come in regularly for a few hours to help chop, cook, pack and generally keep the whole programme ticking along. The ingredients are sourced by Our Big Kitchen. The food prepared is added to a ‘pool’ of food for distribution. Individuals or groups can then purchase this food for a nominal charge.

Chak de by SYA

Sikh youths attending the Youth Harmony Festival held at Tumbalong Park in Sydney’s Darling Harbour on March 11, were a great hit.

They manned a stall organised by Sikh Youth Australia (SYA) which distributed Sikh literature donated by Sydney’s gurdwaras. The youths also sang a special shabad (hymn) for the occasion, and put up a fantastic cultural performance.

Supported by members of the SYA’s management committee, the youths offered information to visitors about the Sikh faith and tenets. A special Bhangra performance by Manu Singh and his Platinum Bhangra group was a resounding success. They even taught the audience several steps and before long had a 50-strong following, dancing and shouting bale bale, shava and chak de It was a heartening and magnificent sight to watch Australians of all ages and walks of life perform the bhangra, and Manu is to be commended for his efforts to promote the Sikh culture in such an educational and fun manner.

Some non-Punjabi youths at the event were so thrilled that it would not be surprising to see some of them performing in Bhangra groups, thus giving the dance an international flavour. The event was organised specially for youth by the NSW Community Relations Commission.

Surinderjeet Singh

Reserve is cleaner, thanks to ATA

The Australia Tamil Association (ATA) participated in “Clean Up Australia Day 2010”, on March 7, on the 20th anniversary of this event. Around 50 members of the organisation volunteered at Best Road Reserve in Seven Hills, NSW. The Clean Up Australia Day was formally inaugurated by Ms. Michelle Rowland, member of the NSW Women’s Forum and NSW Credentials Committee. She is a Federal Labor candidate for Greenway and joined with ATA as a volunteer along with ATA President Mr. Thiru Arumugam JP, Vice President Mrs. Nila Anirudhan, Secretary Mr. Prathap Ramachandran, Joint Secretary Mr. Ashok Narayana Swamy, Treasurer Mr. Palanivel Balasubramaniam, Public Officer

Mr. Palaniappan Kumarasamy and other executive members.

The Australia Tamil Association Inc is a voluntary organisation supporting the Indian and Sri Lankan communities and is actively involved in promoting Indian art and culture to streamline with Australian multicultural values

Saravana D Rengan

Hindu Council activities mooted at annual dinner

The Hindu Council of Australia (HCA) organised their annual dinner function on March 14 to celebrate the Hindu New Year (Lunar) and to convey their thanks to volunteers, sponsors and member organisations who helped make the 2009 Deepavali Mela a big success. Her Excellency Mrs. Sujatha Singh, Indian High Commissioner, was the chief guest; other distinguished guests included Parramatta city councillors Cr. Tony Issa (Lord Mayor last term), Cr. Probir Maitra, Cr. Mark Lack, Mr. Phillip Rolfe CEO Parramasala, as well as representatives from many Hindu organisations.

The program began with a video presentation featuring the highlights of the Deepavali Mela held at Parramatta Stadium on October 11, 2009. HCA’s President Prof. Nihal Agar welcomed the guests. wished all a very happy Hindu New Year and elaborated on the achievements of the HCA to date and its goals and objectives. He also talked about how the HCA came into being and its activities last year which included the Deepavali Mela; Meat Free day on October 02, Gandhiji’s birthday; participation in the World Parliament of Religions 2009 in Melbourne; participation in Interfaith meetings through past years; working with Australian Religious Response for Climate Change (ARRCC); working with the Department of Education for the study of religion curriculum in schools; involvement in the Indian students issues; working for funeral issues for Hindus; liaison and consultation with Federal and state government bodies; registration of Hindu marriage celebrants and others. The organisation receives around 500 calls regarding various issues including emergency help, information on Hinduism

Events for 2010 include the Deepavali Mela in Parramatta on November 7; Interfaith forums for the first time on May 6; Meat Free day in October and an ongoing working relationship with ABS for the 2011 Census, to improve communications among the wider community and ensure correct and high quality data. There will also be ongoing work for education curriculum reviews. The HCA website will be improved with more links and information regarding the Indian Panchang, Australian Community calendar, community resources, Hindu are: the first Hindu Youth conference by VHP on April 10-11 and the 25th annual Brahamotsvam by SVT on October 09-19 Oct at Helensburgh

Mr Bhakri also stated that the population of Hindus has increased significantly, but the community is still relatively young and there is a great need to provide support and communication. Support facilities are sometimes available through government agencies, but people are not properly informed about these.

Most of the work done by HCA’s member organisations and the Hindu Council is managed through their own funds, and very little government grant is accessed. These organisations provide ground level support to the community through various activities, supporting people of Indian origin from across the globe.

Mr. Phil Rolfe, CEO of Parramasala announced the surprise of the day, informing the audience that HCA’s Deepavali Mela and Parramasala will join hands in support of each other to make Deepavali Mela 2010 a much bigger and more attractive event.

In her speech, Chief Guest H E Mrs. Sujatha Singh was vehement on the issue of Indian students and the problems they face, touching on the root of the problems. She urged the community to join hands to fix this problem and strongly requested all organisations specially the Mandirs and Gurudwaras to help out, as students regularly visit these places of worship.

Dr. Bala touched on the 25th anniversary Brahamotsavam of Sri Venkateswara

Temple in Helensburgh from October 9-19 Oct, which will be the biggest temple program ever in Australia. Certificates of appreciation were presented to individuals and organisations for their tireless efforts in keeping the Hindu culture and heritage intact and alive, and passing it on to the next generation, mainly in some form of art.

Ajoy Ghosh

Parklea Gurudwara supports Clean Up Australia day

In support of the 20th Anniversary of Clean Up Australia Day, the Parklea Gurudwara organised a clean up, enlisting the help of enthusiastic volunteers who worked effortlessly to be a part of this iconic event. Volunteers donned gloves to clean up rubbish hotspot areas and clear the most frequently dropped items, including recyclables such as glass, plastic and paper.

It has been estimated that a staggering 15,560 tonnes of rubbish has been removed from beaches, waterways, parks and bushland across Australia. Approximately 588,000 volunteers across the country are took part in the event at 7073 registered sites, an increase of 6% from 2009.

“This year was a special year for Clean Up Australia Day being our 20th anniversary, so we’d like to pay tribute to all the Australian volunteers and their amazing efforts over the past 20 years to help preserve our environment,” said Ian Kiernan.

In reflecting on the past 20 years of this iconic event, Clean Up Australia Day Founder Ian Kiernan AO has announced that there are five major rubbish challenges facing Australia that need to be addressed –cigarette butts, recyclables, illegal dumping, e-waste and the pollution of our waterways. “It’s time to look forward and encourage greater action – particularly by government and industry – to take steps to overcome key rubbish problems that continue to plague Australia. Given that 50% of all items cleaned up last year were recyclable, there’s a clear need for a national action plan on recycling to reduce the number of plastic bottles and bags we see destroying the Australian environment,” Kiernan added.

UIA’s seniors forum

From shaking a leg to Madhuri Dixit’s Aaja Nachle to humming to Yeh desh hai veer Jawanon from Naya Daur, senior citizens of Sydney’s Indian community come together to put up a spirited, lively performance for the Seniors Day forum on March 20.

The United Indian Association (UIA) event saw a large turn-out from the older section of the Indian community, who danced, sang and recited poems at the forum, while at the same time highlighting issues plaguing them.

Travel concessions for the aged who are here on temporary visas, was a prominent demand that resonated at the forum with the Indian Consul General, Amit Dasgupta, urging the NSW government to look in to the issue.

“I request the NSW government to give concessions to all senior citizens. I am not sure if this is the right forum to make this request,” said Dasgupta, addressing the government, represented by Hon Paul Lynch, Minister for Disability Services and Aboriginal Affairs.

Currently, senior citizens who are Permanent Residents or citizens are entitled to travel concessions. However, seniors on bridging or temporary visas do not enjoy concessions and according to UIA officials, this number is rather significant.

Stressing on the need to respect and care for seniors, the diplomat drew attention to the recent attacks on older people by teenagers.

“While we spoke of attacks on Indian students, we forgot of the attacks on who aren’t Indian. The age profile of the attackers was between 17 and 19 years of age. What troubles me is that we seem to have forgotten the values we were brought up with,” said the Consul General, in a sombre tone.

Minister Lynch pointed out that a million people were over 65 years in NSW and said the numbers were set to increase to 8.3 million by 2035.

“One in 5 people will be 65 years of age and that is a significant change in the demographics of our population,” he observed.

The minister also noted how debates in the public sphere often made ageing sound problematic and burdensome.

“The increased life expectancy is one of the good things about contemporary life. We should stop looking it as a problem. That is why this official week is celebrated,” he said, adding that 700 events had been planned for Seniors Week. He also stressed on the multicultural nature of the event, adding that diversity was one of Australia’s greatest strengths.

UIA President Aruna Chandrala spoke on the need to accept aged people. “Old age brings with it change in income, family composition, loss of friends and loss of companionship. But these are golden years and it is a time to enjoy retirement and grandchildren,” she said.

Some senior citizens spoke about their difficulties at the forum in accessing services like legal aid and the exorbitant expenses associated with them. UIA officials also spoke about the increasing number of older Indians, who were being abandoned by their children in nursing and aged care homes after being brought to Australia. While the number is not alarmingly high, Sue Advani said it was a problem that could not be ignored.

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Pune and Kochi join IPL bandwagon

Sahara Adventure Sports Group and Rendezvous Sports World Limited successfully bid for Pune and Kochi franchise teams in the Indian Premier League (IPL) earlier this month.

The Sahara ASG, which had also bid for Ahmedabad and Nagpur, purchased Pune for $370 million while Rendezvous SWL forked out $333.3 million as against the minimum bid amount of $225 million.

The two new teams will join the existing eight in the 2011 IPL tournament. Under the present format (home and away, all-playall), the number of matches from the next season will swell to 94 from the current 60.

IPL commissioner Lalit Modi said on unveiling the bids: “Sahara’s bid of $370 million (Rs.1,702 crore) is the highest amongst the five bidders and Rendezvous was the second highest having quoted $333.33 million (Rs.1,533.32 crore). These two companies have bid for a period of 10 years.”

Proximity to Mumbai, available infrastructure, the construction of a stadium bordering the Pune-Mumbai Expressway and also the city’s demography were critical factors that persuaded Sahara to opt for Pune, according to the company’s corporate communications head Abhijit Sarkar.

“The Sahara group is immensely proud to have won the bid. The people of Pune will be proud of the team. We cannot wait for IPL 2011 to commence,” Sarkar said.

Rendezvous emerged as the surprise package and Modi said that Minister of State for External Affairs Shashi Tharoor played his part in getting Kerala an IPL franchisee.

“Tharoor was involved in getting people together to bid for Kochi. He is an ardent fan of cricket and he wanted to see an IPL team from Kochi and his wish has been fulfilled.”

Tharoor, on his part, said his role is of a mentor and he encouraged the business houses to think of Kerala. He said the team will immensely benefit young cricketers here.

“All I did on my part was to offer encouragement, blessings and expert advise when required to the bidders. Beyond that, I had no role to play. I understand it’s a business decision,” Tharoor said in Kochi.

“IPL is an extremely valuable activity that is here to stay and grow. It will go a long way in terms of its popularity,” he said. “It will capture the spirit of the enthusiasm of the young and give young Keralites a team to identify with.”

“I do not own the team, but I will certainly give my opinion when asked for it,” a beaming Tharoor added. Rendezvous WSL is led by business magnate Shailendra Gaekwad along with Vivek Venugopal and a few others.

“We have closely been following every development within the IPL right from the inaugural year. I am very happy for our consortium and the people of Kochi as we finally have a team to call our own in this amazing city based sports franchise,” said Gaekwad.

Sahara and Rendezvous outbid three others parties Videocon, Jaypee Group and Adani, and are required to pay up 10 per cent of the bid amount within 48 hours of winning the franchise rights.

In the first IPL auction three years back, eight teams were sold for Rs.2,840 crore while this time the two new teams fetched an astronomical Rs.3,235.53 crore.

“It only shows there is no recession for the IPL and it is in the upswing,” Modi said.

Modi ruled out further expansion of the IPL in terms of number of teams, but qualified the assertion with a teaser, saying: “I do not see further expansion for some years, but you never know.”

The bidding process was first held on March 7, but was postponed due to paucity of bidders and objections by the BCCI to the clause that required the bidders to be worth $1 billion.

The IPL also removed the earlier clause of an advance deposit of $100 million and revised it to $10 million “performance guarantee” amount to be submitted 24 hours before the bids were opened.

Also in attendance at auction were Bollywood stars Salman Khan, Saif Khan and Katrina Kaif, though nobody quite knew whom they represented or in what capacity.

Incidentally, Reliance had paid $111.9 million to bag the franchise rights for Mumbai team, followed by Vijay Mallya’s UB Group who paid out $111.6 Million to purchase the Bangalore side in the inaugural season in 2008.

The other winning bids at that time were (in US dollars): Chennai - 91 million; Hyderabad - 107 million; Delhi - 84 million; Jaipur - 67 million; Mohali - 76 million and Kolkata - 75.09 million.

***

Gurgaon to have intelligent traffic system

Police in Gurgaon plan to install liquid crystal display (LCD) screens at major intersections as part of an IT-driven system to streamline road traffic during the Commonwealth Games in Delhi.

“The screens will provide information about traffic at the next intersection, alternative routes and parking lots. This is part of the Intelligent Trffic System (ITS),” Police Commissioner S.S. Deswal said.

A traffic police official said that “intelligent” traffic lights and variable message signs (VMS) would be the focus of the system.

“Currently, we have traffic signals with prefixed timings. In the intelligent signalling, there will be sensors fixed on roads which would read the volume of traffic on the road on the basis of which the signals would turn green and red,” he said.

Also, the system will have a device to scan registration number plates.

“With this we can know whether the vehicle has been used in any criminal activity. Data of such vehicles will already be stored in the device,” the official said.

The major intersections where the ITS is likely to be installed are Shankar Chowk, IFFCO Chowk, Rajeev Chowk, Golf Course road, the road that leads to CWG venue and the Gurgaon-Faridabad road.

Agartala to be India’s first green city

Tripura has announced plans to make all public and private vehicles in Agartala run on compressed natural gas (CNG) by 2013, thus making the capital “India’s first green city”.

Tripura Natural Gas Co Ltd (TNGCL), a joint venture of the Gas Authority of India Ltd (GAIL) and the Tripura and Assam governments, has undertaken a project to supply CNG to all private and government vehicles.

CNG will also be available to those now using electricity, petrol and diesel to run various machineries.

“The TNGCL has been supplying piped natural gas (PNG) to more than 7,416 domestic consumers and 155 commercial establishments and industrial units in Agartala and its outskirts besides hospitals and crematorium,” TNGCL chairman Pabitra Kar told reporters.

He said: “The company will soon provide PNG connections to 10,000 new domestic consumers in the city and outskirts. Agartala will be the first city in India within the next three years to become a green city.”

According to Kar, the transport department would introduce 70 CNG based passenger buses by this month-end to augment the transportation systems.

Over 60 percent autorickshaws, a large number of small cars and buses are now using CNG in Agartala, the fourth city in India after New Delhi, Mumbai and Lucknow running CNG vehicles on a large scale.

The TNGCL chairman said that the supply of CNG and PNG were being gradually expanded across the northeastern state to make the state a green and environment friendly state.

The TNGCL has recently finalised a 25 year plan for the purpose.

“The Supreme Court had forced the authority to make the capital a pollution free city by introducing CNG run vehicles, but in Tripura we are on our own initiative doing this eminent task,” Kar said.

From Trinidad to Indian village, a connection lost and found

A village school in Faizabad district bears a cornerstone - “Built by Paltu Persad of Sorzano and Queen Street, Arima, Trinidad”. It is the story of an indentured labourer who travelled half way across the world for work and his grandchild who came back in search of her roots.

Not many in Bassi village would recall that Paltu Persad left his village to go to Trinidad in 1910 and returned 37 years later.

But a hundred years later, his granddaughter Leela Maharaj was moved to tears when she saw the plaque. Leela Maharaj and her husband Balliram Maharaj had travelled from Trinidad to attend a function to mark the centenary of her ancestor’s departure to the Caribbean island.

To the Maharajs, the trip was a “pilgrimage”, the result of a “discover your roots” search. They not only located the ancestral village in Faizabad district but also discovered some relatives still living there, descendants of Persad’s brother.

“It was on the invitation of Ram Jokhan, second cousin to my wife Leela, that we visited the area,” Balliram Maharaj said.

“This visit is the biggest highlight of my entire life because of the experience, respect and honour bestowed on my wife Leela, our son Navin and myself by the people here,” he added.

Persad had gone as an indentured worker to work on the sugarcane plantations in the West Indian nation. He was one of the thousands of Indians who returned home from a successful stint in a foreign land with the zeal to contribute to his native village. Independence was in the air when Persad decided to return home to India in 1947 to spend his last years in his village. On returning home, Persad decided to set up a school in the village. The school was completed in 1953.

Leela and Balliram had been keen to find out more about their ancestors who had come to Trinidad from India, but were not sure how to go about it. Their families had lost touch with the relatives in India, and they had very little information about their ancestors. They hired a prominent genealogist, Shamshu Deen, who carried out family searches in Trinidad.

The Maharajs had a couple of old documents which gave some clues; these bits of information helped Deen locate the ancestral villages of the Maharaj couple. Incidentally, Persad and Balliram’s grandfather, Changa Maharaj, were friends and belonged to villages in the same district in Uttar Pradesh. Changa went to Trinidad in 1911 from Channauli.

According to the Maharajs, Persad endured many hardships, like the hundreds of thousands of indentured Indians in many parts of the world. He left the security of family, friends and community, in order to develop his vision. That vision was for a better future for his family.

“He worked hard all his life and then decided to return home to his village to live among his relatives. He did not just look after the people of his village in India but he also established several businesses for his Trinidad family - such was the vision of this simple yet great pioneer,” Balliram said.

A prominent businessman of Trinidad and president of the Trinidad Supermarket Association, Maharaj disclosed that Persad’s family still owned the premises on Sorzano and Queen Street which had been converted into a supermarket.

While visiting the school, Leela learnt that it had 668 registered students. An estimated 30,000 children had studied there, Leela said, many of whom had gone on to become doctors, lawyers and university professors.

To mark the anniversary, Leela announced the institution of the Paltu Persad Achievement Award, an annual grant of Rs.10,000 to the top achiever of the year. “For a long time we were longing to visit India. But pressures of work kept us away. So when this invitation by Leela’s cousin came it was not only to celebrate her ‘ajah’s’ (grandfather’s) 100 years of departure, but to visit the school he started,” Balliram said.

Now Balliram plans to organise a grand family reunion next year to mark the 100th anniversary of his grandfather, Changa’s departure for Trinidad.

Feel like a maharaja chugging from Kolkata to Delhi

Now, travel through the heart of India in the lap of luxury. Equipped with LCD TVs, panoramic windows and internet connectivity, the new Maharajas’ Express promises to make the journey from Kolkata to Delhi a royal experience.

The train is the latest offering from Indian Railways on the lines of the Palace On Wheels to generate revenue and help tourists explore India. It possesses elegant features and international-level comfort.

The journey from Kolkata to Delhi by Maharajas’ Express has been christened Celestial India. It will cover pilgrim and tourist centres like Gaya and Varanasi, the Bandhavgarh forests, Khajuraho, Agra and Gwalior before terminating in Delhi.

The train chugged out with 38 passengers from Kolkata in mid-March.

“I am delighted that this train was flagged off from this great city called Kolkata,” said veteran journalist and broadcaster Mark Tully, who was present at the flagging-off ceremony.

He said: “Maharajas’ Express will herald a new era in luxury and travel. This is a great experience indeed.”

The train has five deluxe cabins, six junior suites, two suites and one grand presidential suite. The charges for the presidential suite are $2,500 (Rs.113,762) per person per day.

It is equipped with LCD televisions, DVD players, individual temperature control, direct dial telephones, Wi-Fi internet connectivity and large panoramic windows.

“My best wishes are there with all the passengers who are the first to board the train from Kolkata. It’s a gift to those who want to savour royal India and can afford it,” Railways Minister Mamata Banerjee said on the occasion.

“The tourists can pay in dollars or Indian currency. It’s a new initiative by the Indian railways to boost tourism in our country,” she said.

Maharajas’ Express is owned by the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) and managed by a joint venture company, Royale India Rail Tours Ltd.

According to railway officials, the interior of the train was designed by E.K. Associates and manufactured at Integral Coach Factory, Chennai.