2011-11 Sydney (1)

INDIAN LINK

PUBLISHER

Pawan Luthra

EDITOR

Rajni Anand Luthra

ASSISTANT EDITORS

Sheryl Dixit

MELBOURNE

Preeti Jabbal CONTRIBUTORS

Malli Iyer, Sreedhevi Iyer, Annie Pathania, Sai Narayan, Uttam Mukherjee, Sudha Natarajan, Farrha Khan, Komal Utsav Jagad, Noel G deSouza, Chitra Sudarshan, Ashita Vadher, Tim Blight, Geeta Khurana, Farzana Shakir, Petra O’Neill, Thomas E King, Ritam Mitra, Rani Jhala, Nancy Jade

ADVERTISING MANAGER

Vivek Trivedi 02 9262 1766

ADVERTISING ASSISTANT

Nitika Sondhi 02 9279 2004

GRAPHIC DESIGN AND LAYOUT

Danielle Cairis

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

Private sector dazzles

There is an energy and vibrancy about the Indian private sector which continues to dazzle. Be it the new super-efficient banks or the explosion in telephony options or supermarket chains, the private sector continues to stun observers. Contrasting the sector with the government public sector is a sharp reminder of what is driving India’s GDP growth of over 8% and why India’s star is rising around the world.

The latest example of how the private sector can take an idea from conception to a successful conclusion was the Formula 1 Grand Prix in Greater NOIDA recently. The Formula 1 car race with the best and most technical cars in the world, is the brainchild of Bernie Ecclestone. For years, Formula 1 had been raced around circuits in Europe, but as the continent reels from its massive economic problems, the excitement for the F1 waned. Ecclestone was now looking at a different staging platform. Last year with the cooperation of the Singapore government, F1 was conducted under the night skies in Singapore. Now was the time for something different and recognising India as one of the fastest growing global economies, Ecclestone took the bold step to engage with an industrial powerhouse there - the Jaypee group.

This enterprising company pulled all stops to facilitate this sporting spectacle to be staged successfully, even pumping

BY PAWAN LUTHRA

in no less than AUD$350 million (Rs 2000 crores) in the construction of the track alone. Over 7,000 workers and 400 engineers and officers worked round-theclock to get the track - over 350 hectares - ready in time.

The Buddh International Circuit, home to the Indian Grand Prix, seems to be the country’s sporting El Dorado. That India pulled off staging the F1, the world’s most expensive spectacle in the history of motor racing, has been a major coup for the country in this elite sporting world. It signifies an entrée into the elitist big league of international spectator sports, an accolade unheard of in the country’s history.

On the other hand, the Delhi 2010 Commonwealth Games - often touted as a chance for a country to show off their organizational skills - were an unmitigated public relations disaster for India. With constant interference from the public sector, the memories (other than the spectacular, and yes, private sector organized opening ceremony) are those of constant bickering and fighting, rampant corruption and an impotent government unwilling or unable to solve the various problems that arose before, during, and

after the event. The Commonwealth Games were a shameful disclosure to the rest of the Commonwealth, of the poor public sector governance in India.

While Australia debates its two-speed economy - the mining and the non-mining sector, India has to have its private sector push its public sector into the future. The public sector seems to work at its own pace (or critics may say at no pace), while the private sector is in a hurry to discover tomorrow yesterday. At places where both intersect, such as the telecommunications industry, the private sector has pushed aside the public offerings and now has instituted a highly efficient private phone system which the ever-demanding public has readily lapped up. On the other hand, national assets which are solely in the public sector such as Air India are a big drain on the public purse, with their reputation in tatters.

In the world of sports, those which are wholly dependent on the government such as hockey or football, are never able to break out of the poverty cycle; while those that have managed to break away from dependency on public sector handouts such as cricket, now have overflowing coffers.

India shone at the latest Grand Prix in India; there were 95,000 cheering Indians around the racetracks lapping up the beauty and excitement of it all. The private sector was at its very best. They certainly did India proud.

What’s On

FESTIVAL

Grand Diwali Dinner

Sat 5 Nov India Club announces Diwali Dinner with entertainment and special prizes. 6.15pm at Castle Grand Pioneer Hall, 1-17 Castle St, Castle Hill. Details Shubha Kumar 02 9873 1207.

Diwali celebration

Sat 12 Nov Namaste India Community with the support of Hornsby Shire Council will hold a Diwali celebration at Asquith Community Centre (10a Old Berowra Rd, Hornsby), 6.00pm-10.00pm. Karaoke, Bollywood dances, dinner, sparklers and more. Details Cai 02 9847-6502, Ramu 0403 129 534.

SPIRITUAL

Global Organisation of Divinity (GOD) Annual Talks

GOD weclomes Bhagyaji, senior disciple of Sri Muralidhara Swamiji to resent public talks as follows:

Sat 5 Nov Glory to the Sadguru, Dundas Community Centre, Dundas 6.30pm - 9.00pm

Tue 15 -Thur 17 Nov Practical spirituality in modern times, Cumberland High School Carlingford, 7.30pm - 9.00pm

Fri 18 Nov Happiness in every moment, Sydney Mechanics’ School of Arts (280 Pitt St, Sydney) 7.00pm - 8.30pm

Details Jayanthi Ramanan 0430 487 781

Shirdi Sai Anniversary

Sat 3 Dec Shirdi Sai Baba’s Murthi Sthapana Divas anniversary will be observed at Canberra’s Hindu Temple and CulturalCentre (81 Ratcliffe Cres, Florey). Ceremonies from 8.00am to 4.00pm include havan, bhajans, palki and lunch prasad). Details 02 6259-3057 or diwedishailesh4@gmail.com

HOLI MELA 2012

23-25 Mar 2012 Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan Australia announces the 10th anniversary of its annual Holi Mahotsav at Sydney’s Darling Harbour. The three-day long festivities will include events for school groups, musical performances, art exhibitions, cultural diversity workshops, yoga and meditation sessions, and the playing of Holi with coloured powder. Details 1300 242 826.

BOOK LAUNCH

Software for Your Soul By Dr Muthukrishnan

Thur 10 Nov Adyar Bookshop, 99 Bathurst St Sydney, 6.30pm. Details Adyar bookshop 02 9267-8507 or Dr Muthukrishnan 02 4736-6900

Srinivasa Ramanujan: A Tale of Agony and Ecstasy By Sydney Srinivas

Fri 4 Nov Strathfield Council Library, 65-67 Rochester Street, Homebush, 6:30pm.

Details 02 8762 0222 or Dr Srinivas 0402 375 275

SPORT

Council of Indian Australians, together with Hornsby Kuring-gai and Hills District Cricket Association, invites cricket players of Indian origin for their 2011/12 cricket season. Competitive cricket games are available for all ages. Details visit www.hkhdca.com.au

EXHIBITION

One Hundred Flowers

1 Sep 2011 – 2 Jan 2012 The exhibition One hundred flowers (Art Gallery of NSW), is a selection of works that have been added to the Gallery’s Asian collection over the last five years. Covering many centuries, the wide selection of art on show represents high points of artistic expression across countries and cultures as diverse and distant as Tibet and Indonesia. Outstanding among the displays is a stunning 13th-century Nepalese gilt bronze figure of Padmapani, recently acquired with the assistance of many generous donors. Other gilt bronzes on display also exemplify the quality and spirituality attained by Himalayan metal craftsmen. From India is a selection of exquisite miniature paintings, vibrant textiles and finely embroidered blouses (choli) worn by royal women of Kutch in Gujarat province. Details 02 9225 1744 or visit www.artgallery.nsw.gov.au

Love Lace

Until April 2012 Powerhouse Museum presents

groundbreaking lace works in a variety of materials. Indian artists Yogesh Purohit and Golnar Roshan are featured.

FUNDRAISER

Bollywood Beatz and Eatz

Sat 3 Dec The Curries By Candlelight Committee presents a Bollywood themed fundraiser for Hornsby Hospital. 6.30pm at Hornsby War Memorial Hall, 2 High St, Hornsby. Details Shalini 0410 485 522, Kath 0422 215 389.

SENIORS

Permaculture Food Fair

Sun 20 Nov Come to a Cultural Food Fair and Cook Book launch to celebrate the success of the Resourceful Australian Indian Network (RAIN) seniors’ permaculture gardening project. 11am – 4pm at Olds Park, Penshurst (access from Holley Road). Through the year, members of the Indian, Chinese, Thai and Pakistani communities in the St George and Sutherland Shire have been getting their hands dirty learning about permaculture gardening and compiling a cookbook of traditional recipes as part of the Linking Communities through Permaculture Project. At the event, there will be food from the cookbook, entertainment and children’s activities. There is an entry fee of $5 for adults and $3 for children which entitles you for food tasting, cultural entertainment and children’s activities. The day has been planned with the support of the St George Migrant Resource Centre and the NSW Environment Trust. So come along to eat, play and learn! Details Sudha Natarajan 02 9585-9158.

MISC

Remembering Mumbai 26/11

Sat 26 Nov The Australian Indian Medical Graduates Association (AIMGA) will hold a Jai Ho Mumbai candle light vigil to remember those who lost their lives in the terrorist attack on Mumbai on 26 Nov 2008. Parramatta Park (area 24 near Swimming Pool Car Park) at 6.00pm. There is ample parking. Details visit www.aimga.org.au

Organ donation awareness drive seeks converts

The NSW Indian Welfare Association (IWA) has taken a major step forward by taking on the task of creating social awareness about organ and tissue donation amongst the Indian Australian community, by organizing an evening of light music, with eminent speakers discoursing on the subject.

Prof. Richard Allen who is in charge of Transplantation Surgery in the University of Sydney, gave the 300-strong audience an insight into the vexing issue of organ and tissue donation, speaking about misconceptions in the community about this issue that need to be corrected. He advised the audience that Australia enjoys a success rate of over 95% in organ transplants, but added that there is a queue of 900+ patients awaiting a kidney donation. Saving lives with the available technology and medical expertise can only be possible if there is a corresponding community response. The Australian Government has earmarked $150 million to promote awareness and improve communication within families with the aim of increasing the current rate of 14 organ donations per million in Australia.

Ms Nicola Siefert, Intensive Care Donor Nurse Consultant at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital and Liverpool Hospital, detailed the life changing and life saving process followed by Donate Life, NSW and the NSW tissue banks. She apprised the audience about the Organ Donor Register under the auspices of Medicare Australia. She also urged community members to involve the family and complete the consultation process.

Among the other speakers was a beneficiary of donated organs - Mrs. Chandana Guha spoke movingly about her 12-year daughter who received a transplant after 11 years of complete dependence on the family for her daily existence. Her description of their family’s experience of bringing up a child with disability evoked tears amongst some of the audience. Undoubtedly, there were new converts to organ and tissue donation.

Mrs. Uma Srinivasan, Secretary of IWA spoke of her endeavours to awaken the social conscience of the community.

She conveyed her gratitude to everyone who made this event possible and the audience for their enthusiasm.

Entertainment for the evening was provided by a local group called Gana Mela led by Ramu and Uma Ayyar, wellknown in Sydney’s music circles. The group rendered a sequence of Bollywood Hindi film songs as well as several Tamil and Malayalam film songs to rapturous applause

from the audience. There were over a dozen performers who must be given credit for stringing together a musical evening comprising of popular songs which were sung to a ‘karaoke’ format. Their creations indicated that elaborate accompaniments and orchestration at a high cost is not the only way to entertain.

INCOME OPPORTUNITY

TO BE THE VERY FIRST PIONEER IN INDIA

Experienced, Successful Network Marketer is looking for business partner to launch Indian Market as a Ground Floor Opportunity. This World-class Fast Growing International Company achieved $3.7 BILLION sales in 6 years and debt free. This company has just opened In Malaysia

LO OKING FOR A NEW CAREER?

OR WANT TO CHANGE YOUR CURRENT FAMILY DAY CARE SERVICE PROVIDER? DO YOU...

Have an interest in car ing for and educating children? Have a safe, secure and friendly home environment? Want to be your own boss? Have the desire to work your own hours?

Want great bene ts such as:

• Job satisfaction;

• 1:1 Support & Advice;

• Excess Income.

If you answered YES & have or want to

attain a quali cation in Early Childhood Development such as a Certi cate III in Children’s Ser vices, then we have an opportunity for you at our Family Day Care Ser vice

Aussom Coordination Unit is based in Auburn NSW and has early childhood educators located in many areas of Sydney.....we are looking for enthusiastic individuals intereste d in the above

For further information please contact: Aussom Family Day Care NSW 1300 164 794 or 0435 894 490 Monday to Friday 9-5pm

Malli Iyer

IWA executive with organ donation experts

BY SREEDHEVI IYER

When I told my friend Abdul from Afghanistan, that I was going to cover Amitabh Bachchan’s visit to Brisbane, his first response was, “Could you please smuggle me in?”

It wasn’t an unexpected request. The Hindi film superstar who turned 70 this year, is known in parts of the globe where one would least expect him to be popular. Bollywood (a term he hates) going global is a recent phenomenon, but Mr. Bachchan achieved international fame at a time when people didn’t even realise such a thing existed.

The formal trappings of the event, was the conferral of an honorary doctorate on Mr Bachchan by the Queensland University of Technology (QUT). It was to be his fourth, after De Montfort University in Leicester, UK, Jhansi University, and Delhi University in India. The real thing, of course, was the chance of a lifetime for Indians living in Brisbane, to witness the Big

Aperfect

Receiving a prestigious accolade could be daunting even for a superstar, but the Big B carried the day with his natural humility and poise

B legend up close and personal. Generations of Indians in Brisbane have grown up around his movies, with dialogues from his films forming a part of their parents’ Indian identity. Sure enough, on arriving at the restored and refurbished Old Government House heritage building at QUT, it was hard to miss the air of anticipation. Crowds were already forming on the lawn outside the historical venue, now back to its former glory. After the requisite security check and media access, I was given the formal tour of how the ceremony was going to proceed, where the best photo opportunities were going to be, and where the media spots were. Hobnobbing with other media representatives, I noted a clear delineation among those who had come there to mainly cover the academic occasion and those who were there because they wanted to glimpse the megastar and reassure themselves that their hero was actually here in Australia.

Comfortable with the cameras

Ten minutes past the appointed time, the convoy arrived. Nobody counted the number of cars, for all eyes were locked in on the black Mercedes. An opened door, a shout, some cries, and the next thing you know it was Amitabh Bachchan himself, standing by the main stair of the Old Government House, shaking hands with the

Chancellor, Major General Peter Arnison and Vice Chancellor, Professor Peter Coaldrake. We went berserk, trying to capture the moment, to get as close to him as possible. The conversation went on, in muted volumes. I could catch some of it, which was merely small talk. Mr Bachchan stood where he was for slightly longer than seemed necessary – dare I wonder, that it was for our benefit? He turned this way a little, then that way a little. A consummate professional, lending us his best profiles. We understood, and went just that much more berserk! The Chancellor must have mentioned the heritage value of the Old Government House, for then the Indian thespian looked up at the building, letting the light catch attractively on his visage. More opportunities!

Ceremonial welcomes

The crowd obviously could not stand it anymore, and began chanting “Mere angne main tumhara kya kaam hai”. Highly catchy, but perhaps slightly inappropriate, given the gravity of the occasion. Mr Bachchan turned to them, waved, then requested, gesturing with his hands, that they keep it down. It was then time for him to enter the change rooms to get into his academic robes, leaving behind a slew of media reporters, including yours truly, sighing in disbelief. My hands had been shaking, and I had nearly forgotten how to operate

my camera!

The hall where the ceremony was to be held was an intimate setting, with subdued programs laid on the guests’ chairs, and a cozy dais with a podium for the participants. Mr Bachchan, befitting a PhD conferee, was escorted into the hall in an academic procession, led by the Chancellor, Vice Chancellor, Professor Arun Sharma, and other academic dignitaries. The Ceremony Chairperson, Dr Carol Dickenson, welcomed the guests, and invited Aunty Valda Coolwell to deliver the Indigenous welcome. The dignified lady uttered her welcome in the indigenous language of that land, which must have been slightly startling to Mr Bachchan, and also addressed him directly, offering him her respects, at which he smiled graciously.

More accolades

Chancellor Arnison introduced Mr Bachchan to the mixed audience of Indians and Australians,

But Amitabh Bachchan’s patience and forebearance spoke of his understanding at how momentous this occasion was, not just for him, but for us

The Chancellor must have mentioned the heritage value of the Old Government House, for then the Indian thespian looked up at the building, letting the light catch attractively on his visage

performance

evoking his illustrious career as evidence of his worthiness of the honorary degree. “Mr Bachchan has made an outstanding contribution to the global community through his achievements in the creative industries field,” he said, “and is among the most prominent figures in the history of Indian cinema. He has remained at the pinnacle of his profession for some forty years, during which his roles have evolved as India has evolved. Through his portrayal of characters, one can catch a glimpse of the evolution of India over those four decades.” The Chancellor then went on to list the number of awards and achievements Mr Bachchan has collected over the years, both within India and on the international stage. They included France’s highest civilian honour, Knight of the Legion of Honour, conferred by the French government in 2007 for his “exceptional career in the world of cinema and beyond”.

It was then time for the actual ceremony, which comprised the Vice Chancellor Peter Coaldrake presenting Mr Bachchan as a candidate for the honorary degree, to Chancellor Arniston, upon

which the candidate was accepted. As serious as such an occasion was, I couldn’t help but steal a glance at the audience, and was struck at the dichotomy of reactions. The Australians applauded with courtesy and with polite smiles. The Indians either had massive grins plastered on their visages, or literally had dropping jaws, still incredulous at the fact that the Big B was in their midst.

Amitabh Bachchan became the second Indian, after IT pioneer NR Narayana Murthy, to be honoured by QUT.

A fitting response

It was finally time for Mr Bachchan to make his formal speech. Radio announcers next to me jostled to tape the man’s own words, delivered in his famous baritone. He began with a generic greeting – I honestly do not remember his first words, since at hearing the Voice of God my knees actually buckled and I involuntarily said, “Oh my God”, something I’m sure every Indian in the room could sympathise with.

“When I was informed that I was going to be awarded an honorary doctorate by the Queensland

Although not everyone in the audience could appreciate Mr Shah’s classical rendering of the raga, Mr Bachchan was visibly moved, tapping his feet to the beat of the tabla and moving his head in appreciation with the music

University of Technology,” he said, “the instinctive response was, ‘do I deserve it’? Do I deserve an honour of such magnitude? Perhaps not.”

Mr Bachchan continued, saying, “Education is the amalgamation of diverse disciplines that informs every form of creative activity.” He attributed the conferral of the doctorate to the great strides made in Indian cinema in general, during his own lifetime. He pointed out how Indian film was very particular in being convincing of the Indian ethos, and saw himself as only a part of how Indian film represents its people and the dynamics of its culture. Mr Bachchan drew attention to how not very long ago, the same kind of films and culture were “the butt of ridicule and cynicism” but that today, the same culture was the subject of serious academic analysis. “My moment here today on this podium is a proud moment not only for me, but for the Indian film fraternity. The doctorate signifies that our cinema, artists, as well as technicians, matter.” These were definitely pre-thought, pre-planned words, heavy with historical context.

A musical interlude

After Mr Bachchan finished his speech, the Ceremony Chairperson introduced Mr Darshil Shah, a flautist, requesting he perform on the flute for the invited guests. Mr Shah had studied under Dr. Hariprasad Chaurasia, and explained to the audience that he would play the Hamsadhwani raga, common in both south Indian carnatic and north Indian Hindustani classical music schools. He also mentioned being nervous at having to perform in front of Mr Bachchan (he was, after all, about five feet away from the man) and also joked that when he was born, his father had said he wanted him to be “as tall as Amitabh Bachchan”. Mr Shah offered his playing of the flute that day as a humble submission to Mr Bachchan. Although not everyone in the audience could appreciate Mr Shah’s classical rendering of the raga, Mr Bachchan was visibly moved, tapping his feet to the beat of the tabla and moving his head in appreciation with the music.

A warm commendation

A surprise for the audience came in the form of Baz Luhrmann’s videotaped message, played for the guests on a screen. Shot on the sets of his current film The Great Gatsby in which Mr Bachchan plays a role, Mr Luhrmann praised Mr Bachchan as not only a great actor, but after having gotten to know him, as a great human being.

“It is a great sadness of mine that I can’t be there,” said Mr Luhrmann, “I just want to add my voice to the many that herald and celebrate his extraordinary career, of this great, great actor, and more importantly, this great and wonderful man. My experience of Amitabh of course as an artist is second to none, but as a person, in terms of his warmth, his spirit, his inner poetry, and his care for other people, particularly in the way he’s reached out between our two countries, this is something rare in a person, and Amitabh Bachchan is indeed, a rare human being, and a great performer. Best wishes, Amitabh, see you back on the sets as quickly as possible.”

Candid Q&A

Once the academic procession had made its way back from the ceremony hall, it was time for the media press conference. The dichotomy in media personnel was apparent once again, especially in the nature of the questions being asked. Although there were the requisite tabloid questions relating to Mr Bachchan’s daughter-in-law Aishwarya’s pregnancy, the main thrust of the conference centred around the honorary doctorate, and its importance in bringing India and Australia together creatively.

“I carry back great memories,” he said, “not just of this occasion, but the entire country. I have been here shooting for a film and have had the most glorious experience, not just in terms of the craft and creativity of the film, but indeed the hospitality and the warmth that I have received from the people of Australia. I am truly grateful.”

Work is pleasure with Baz

When asked to elaborate on his filming experience with Baz Luhrmann in Sydney, Mr Bachchan said, “I’ve been an admirer of Baz Luhrmann and his films Moulin Rouge and Romeo and Juliet. I think he’s magnificent, in his own interpretation, he has a very unique style in presentation, which is really a work of great art.”

Mr Bachchan recounted that a year and a half ago, Luhrmann was on a personal visit to India, being fond of the country, and he was touring through on motorcycle. He was with a very eminent painter friend, and he dropped by Mr Bachchan’s office, presented him with a painting by his friend and they just sat and talked of irrelevant things. “And then a couple of months ago, Baz sent a message that he wished to talk to me, and he offered me this role in the film. I’m truly honoured that he did. He did say, ‘I know it’s very small, but there’s just one scene which I’d like you to do’, and I readily agreed,” recounted Mr Bachchan.

In praise of technology

Another aspect that impressed the Indian megastar was his experience with the cast and crew of The Great Gatsby. “The experience has been extraordinary. The kind

of technology that I was exposed to (as this is the first dramatic Hollywood film to be made in 3D) and just to see the level of efficiency, the management, and the kind of control, the atmosphere, and this very complex filming, it was all just amazing,” said Mr Bachchan.

“I play a 1920s American Jewish character called Wolfsheim in the film, opposite Gatsby and Nick Carroway, who actually narrates the whole story. It’s been a great experience working with Leonardo DiCaprio and Tobey Maguire. I hope I can come back and work with Baz again,” added Mr Bachchan.

In response to the impact of Indian cinema on the global stage, Mr Bachchan quoted his own experience in the 1980s, when he went to Russia, and was greeted in the airport by Russian girls dressed in sarees and bindis and singing Hindi film songs, and who had actually attended Hindi classes in order to understand the films better. He also spoke of a Russian admirer who would say that when he came out of watching an Indian film, he “had a smile on his face, and a dry tear down his cheek. I think that says it all!” said the veteran superstar.

Gracious and poised

Mr Bachchan posed patiently for photographs by the press, and was gracious when some of the fans outside broke in to be photographed with him. It became difficult for the man to move due to the crush of the crowds, but once outside, surrounded by fans, his demeanour relaxed, and he obliged with autographs and pictures.

It was then that the enormity of this occasion actually hit me. For Mr Bachchan, globe-trotting superstar, this is probably all in a day’s work. Fourth doctorate, four millionth press conference, fifteen millionth autograph to an anonymous NRI fan. If this were the daily grind that supplements your work, it is possible to get ridiculously bored of it very quickly. It’s not easy to survive when the entire world constantly wants a piece of you. But Amitabh Bachchan’s patience and forbearance spoke of his understanding at how momentous this occasion was, not just for him, but for us. As I told him during the photo opportunity, we will remember this event, this witnessing of a faraway celebrity we consider our own, for generations to come. He had simply nodded and said thank you, very softly.

The man, at 70, still connects with people, perhaps even despite himself. Earlier I had been idling inside the building looking for him, peering through the building’s archway. Mr Bachchan passed by, framed by the dark arch. He had turned too, quite inadvertently, and for a brief second, our eyes had met. Without thinking, I employed the human response. I smiled, even before I registered who it was I was smiling at. He smiled back and I’m positive it was due to that similar human reaction –smiles are infectious. In that nanosecond, when he wasn’t the superstar and I wasn’t the reporter, we were just two people making eye contact over a distance, and we still connected. It was visceral. No wonder my friend wanted me to smuggle him in. This is what I can now tell the next generation – I saw that human spark in Amitabh Bachchan

Baz Luhrmann sends a video message

Brisbane flautist Darshil Shah plays for his childhood hero

Be a Pioneer in Opening an India Market

A world class company which is one of the fastest growing companies in America’s history has broken the past 100 year’s record in the Network marketing industry is NOW expanding its business into India and we are offering a GREAT, GREAT, GREAT opportunity to be a pioneer and have a business in this great country India.

We are looking for people who are genuinely seeking their BIG CHANCE and must be honest, ambitious, hardworking and teachable. We are focused in developing leaders and will provide all training and support, plus a free sample of the product will be given to those that attend the interview.

Fun and fireworks at

Diwali ball

The ballroom sparkled with lights symbolic of Indian tradition as the people of Sydney basked in a glowing evening that redefined the celebration of Diwali abroad. The room was full of colour, and glimmered as the audience was treated to an impressive display of music, dance and culture. Guests were able to indulge in the culinary delights of a traditional Indian feast as Manjit’s brought in Diwali 2011 in spectacular style!

On October 21, Manjit’s Total Event Management hosted a spectacular Diwali Gala Ball at Sydney’s Four Seasons Hotel Grand Ballroom. Guests were greeted and adorned with turbans and scarves especially brought in from India, to welcome them to the vibrancy of Indian culture. Manjit’s showcased the significance and meaning of Diwali to an audience of 350, which included a colourful mix of guests from both the Indian and the wider Sydney community.

The evening began on a high note as guests were presented with an assortment of food and entertainment with the best of Manjit’s celebrated menu on offer. Served in a classic style that is a hallmark of the organiser, each and every dish - from the chaat paapri prawns, to the famous rose kulfi for dessert - was prepared with flawless attention to presentation and detail.

The evening’s MC, Preeti Thadani introduced us to what would be a lively blend of brilliant dance performances by leading Indian dance schools like Kalashri and Sirens. The stage was set alight with blazing Bollywood numbers, traditional elegance and finally by enthusiastic bhangra dancers brought a taste of Punjab to the night. Another highlight was the hilarious Bollywood-inspired magic show – the magician stole the show with his impeccable comic timing, and used members of the audience to help him unveil his bag of tricks!

To add further pizzazz and glitter to the evening, Manjit Gujral of Manjit’s Total Event Management took to the stage to acknowledge the contributors of such a successful event. A name synonymous with the best in premium Indian catering as well as spectacular total event management, Mr. Gujral thanked The Four Seasons Sydney and Macquarie Bank Private Wealth for their support in this venture. The evening was

captured through the artistic eye of Nosh Mistry, whose photography showcased the eventful night.

The highlight was undoubtedly the spectacular display of fireworks that began right after Mr. Gujral’s speech! The room exploded with sparks and dazzled the audience, as each table experienced their own little display of fireworks, while wishing one another a Happy Diwali.

The formalities were concluded with a raffle draw where winners took home tickets to the upcoming international cricket series

and one lucky person also took home a diamond necklace (donated by Star Jewellers). As the night went on, Ramona (Sirens) lead the audience in an interactive Bollywood dance item, opening the floor up for the guests to dance the night away in true festive fashion to DJ Dimple’s latest assortment of Bollywood chartbusters

A thoroughly enjoyable evening, Manjit’s crew left no stone unturned to provide guests with a lavish and delectable feast for all the senses – in essence, wholesome entertainment in true Indian style!!

Annie Pathania

Manjit Gujral of Manjit’s Restaurant and Manjit’s Total Event Management with sons Varun and Karan on ninemsn.

The Sirens group

Kalashri Dance Group

Rain doesn’t deter Melb’s Fed Square Diwali

BY PREETI JABBAL

Love it or hate it – the fact remains that the modernistic Federation Square in Melbourne is a happening place with a calendar choc-a-bloc with events. So much so that even on a washout day, thousands of people braved the rainy weather to celebrate Diwali at this iconic venue.

“Tonight we’ve brought you a special addition to the festival of light, the festival of rain,” said Victorian Premier Ted Baillieu much to the amusement of the crowd. “This has got to be one of the great meeting places of the world, even before settlement. And now it’s even more so. Federation Square – look around, the colours, the shapes…it’s a symbol of Melbourne, a symbol of Victoria. This is the multicultural capital of Australia and arguably the world. There could not be a better place to be on a night like this, a better place to say Namaste!” he said, to thunderous applause.

Huddled together under umbrellas and rainwear, the vagaries of weather did not deter people from seeking comfort in garam garam snacks and tadakta bhadakta entertainment. Occasional easing of showers saw more people join in, determined to catch some action, and there was plenty planned for the day. Celebrate India were one of the first in Melbourne to initiate Diwali celebrations en masse in a central location. Celebrate India was the vision of 4 key members - Dr T J Rao, Arun Sharma, Virendra Berera and the late Martand Joshi. The idea was to bring in the coloors and richness of Indian culture to the hearts of the wider Australian community of Melbourne.

The first major Diwali celebration was held in 2006. The event also created history by adorning and bringing to life major landmarks and iconic buildings in CBD such as the Victorian Parliament, Melbourne Museum, Melbourne City Hall, Federation Square, Royal Exhibition Building, Flinders Street Station, St Paul’s Cathedral and SBS Radio. Each year, more businesses and residents adopted the tradition of lighting their premises to mark the festival. This year the visibility of the festival went further, with massive banners and special dance and dhol performances at Flinders St Station supported by Metro and at Swanston Street

The most talked about initiative from Celebrate India this year was the Diwali celebrations at Melbourne International Airport from October 18 - 26. A beautiful Diwali display was set up in the Departure area and announcements of Diwali wishes were made in English and Hindi. Passengers took the opportunity to pay homage to Goddess Laxmi and Lord Ganesha before flying off to their destinations. It was both unusual and delightful to see the Indian Diwali display flanked by true dinkum Australian souvenir shops. Live performances were also held at the Airport supporting and encouraging multiculturalism in Victoria.

Among others, Melbourne’s epicenter was the venue of cheerful and varied celebrations in honour of the Festival of Lights

The Federation Square event saw diverse elements put together to provide an engaging experience. Food and craft bazaar, Ranger Roos’ adventure show for kids, Bollywood dance workshops, Greek and Chinese fusion dance performances and illuminated boat performances on the Yarra were some of the highlights. Guest appearances and workshops were conducted by AFL players like Brendon Gale, Jayden Post and Tyrone Vickery. A Bollywood film show that featured free screening of popular Bollywood films was sponsored by Mind Blowing Films as part of the week-long celebrations

The piece de resistance was the performance by Australian Performing Arts Company, Strange Fruit. Creating a remarkable fusion of theatre, dance, circus and in this case, Indian influences, they presented a spectacular item on an elevated medium. Equally popular was the special performance by India’s highly acclaimed Madhumita Roy Kathak Dance Company sponsored by ICCR (Indian Council for Cultural Relations). Grace, coordination and energetic footwork combined to offer an innovative mix of classical dance form with contemporary movements. The grand finale was a pyrotechnic display that lit up the Melbourne skies. This Indian tradition of fireworks at Diwali encapsulates all the memories, nostalgia, excitement and significance of this festival amidst its sparkling manifestation.

The brief formal presentation included the lighting of the traditional lamp by Victorian Premier Ted Baillieu. Joining him on stage

were Opposition Leader Daniel Andrews; Member for Clayton, MP Hong Lim; Minister for Multicultural Affairs, Nicholas Kotsiras; Indian Consul General Dr. Shubhkanta Behera; Dr. Raul and Mrs. Raul; Chairman of commission Chin Tan, representative of Melbourne City Council, Ken Ong; and other members of Parliament. Celebrate India’s Arun and Jaya Sharma introduced and welcomed the dignitaries who graced the occasion despite the rain.

“It takes months of preparations to hold an event on this scale. On the day of the event when the weather turned I was very concerned; however our whole team was encouraged and motivated by the enthusiasm displayed by visitors as they came prepared with umbrellas and stroller covers. We were heartened by their eager participation,” said Arun Sharma. “I am glad we decided to continue because the post event record suggests that on the day nearly 38,126 people attended and over the week a total of 158,978 people visited Federation Square. Our purpose of holding this event to promote Indian culture in Australia was definitely fulfilled,” he added delightedly.

Diwali is a celebration of light over darkness, of good over evil and of knowledge over ignorance. In this case it was also about overcoming the dullness of grey skies with positivity, enthusiasm and joyful participation. To all those who were at Fed Square smiling, enjoying, clapping and ignoring the rain, good on you! It’s people like you who turn every event into a celebration, and every celebration into a revelation of our wonderful culture.

Federation Square is a symbol of Melbourne, a symbol of Victoria. This is the multicultural capital of Australia and arguably the world. There could not be a better place to be on a night like this, a better place to say Namaste!

of Victoria

Ted Baillieu, Premier

“I am glad we decided to continue because the post event record suggests that on the day nearly 38,126 people attended and over the week a total of 158,978 people visited Federation Square”.

Arun Sharma of Celebrate India

Victorian Premier Ted Baillieu greets Melbourne’s Indian community

Multicultural mix Brisbane Diwali at

The Federation of Indian Communities Queensland (FICQ) held an official celebration of Diwali, the Festival of Lights, at King George Square, Brisbane CBD. The event was the largest of its kind in Queensland, with support from the Brisbane City Council and the Queensland Government. The event also enjoyed significant sponsorship by the Adani Group, a new Indian company which has trade ties with the Australian government.

A similar event had been held last year, and Mr Surendra Prasad, President of FICQ, hopes to model the event after the annual Diwali celebrations held in Singapore, which is a major tourist attraction. “We have great support from our Lord Mayor, Graham Quirk,” he said. “It was one of the first things he chose to do on taking office, in an attempt to make Brisbane a World Class City. In time, we hope to achieve similar standards as the one held in Singapore.”

The day-long event continued from 11am

to 11pm, with Lord Mayor Graham Quirk officiating at 7.30pm. Among the attendees were Campbell Newman, the former Mayor and current leader of the Liberal National Party. The highlights included a multi-faith prayer, incorporating religious leaders from the Buddhist, Bahai, Muslim, Sikh and Christian faiths. Mr Prasad also surprised the dignitaries by anointing Mr Quirk as an Honorary Indian of the Year.

Several stalls and booths were put up for the event, such as VisionAsia and KonnectTV, for Indian satellite channels streaming Indian entertainment directly into Australian homes. There were also henna parlours and colourful Indian clothes on sale. Food stalls sold Mumbai street snacks and authentic curries. Bombay Dhaba operated a stall selling bhel puri and jalebis, which made it an instant hit. The most colourful stall sold books and comics by the Ramakrishna Mission, and boasted customers that were Australian and Indian in equal measure.

The day’s entertainment was wide and varied, from Sanskrit chants to live tabla recitals. Shriram, a Melbourne-based singer who has worked with Indian film musician Shankar Mahadevan and has a debut album released, graced the stage at regular intervals to entertain the crowd with his singing. In the evening, a Kathak dance group headed by Madhumita Roy performed live for an enthralled audience. This Indian troupe specially flown in for the event, impressed the audience with their high quality performances, especially when fusing classical Hindustani music with a Western flavour. At around 9pm, a live Bollywood band took to the stage, and accelerated the still-lively atmosphere. Given that it was a Friday night in the middle of the city, a large crowd had already gathered, comprising of Indians, Australians, Asians, Africans and Middle Easterners, all happy to participate in the event. The thumping live Bollywood music got people up on their feet, dancing by the

stage as well as in separate pockets around King George Square. The last band to perform was the Brisbane Baba’s Band, a well-known Bhangra live group based in the Gold Coast. They belted out continuous Punjabi music for the very active crowd. Throughout the celebration, a unique factor was the inclusive spirit prevalent as African grandmothers, Hazara teenagers and Korean girls all bopping along to the same Bollywood beats. There were even some Australian security personnel, complete with fluorescent safety vests, who were quietly nodding away to the music. Dr Prasad indicated that 20,000 people turned up for the event last year, but this time around, he believed that the figure had increased, topping at 25,000. It is a proud moment for Queensland Indians, to be recognised officially on the Brisbane map, and we hope that this event will be an annual one, bigger and better in the sunshine state.

Sreedhevi Iyer

(From left) Campbell Newman (leader of the Liberal National Party of QLD), Annastacia Palaszczuk (QLD Minister for Immigration & Multicultural Affairs) and Graham Quirk (Brisbane Lord Mayor)

Proud moments for Perth

The Indian community has had much, this month, to rejoice over

BY SAI NARAYAN

Shrugging off its tag of being a dull, plain Jane compared to its more glamorous eastern cousins, Perth was exciting, vibrant and happening this month as Indians celebrated Deepavali – the festival of lights. October was a virtual smorgasbord of cultural, culinary and sporting delights as the city hosted the annual Swan Festival of Lights, CHOGM (Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting) and also the Lanco International Super Series in hockey. India and Indians featured prominently in all three events which made for some wonderful fun-filled and amazingly memorable moments for Indians living in Perth.

Diwali dhamakas

The weekend of October 22 - 23 leading up to Deepavali was full of action as crowds thronged the Swan Festival of Lights held at the Supreme Court Gardens near the iconic Bell Tower on the Swan River. The centrestage was lit up by the performances of various multi-cultural groups from across Western Australia. The performances were not only Indian, but truly reflected the multicultural nature of Western Australia. As always, the Temple of Fine Arts was at the forefront of a fair few of the programs which were conducted at evening. Some of these were Vande Mataram by Temple of Fine Arts, Aboriginal, Chinese and Cossack dance performances, sitar recital by Ustad Usman Khan and a dance drama rendition of the Ramayana.

The aroma of various Indian culinary delights wafted across the gardens and there were snaking long queues in front of each stall, as people waited patiently for their dish of choice. I did wish that I could spend more time watching the performances up close, but it was a hard choice between the cultural and culinary temptations on show that evening. The Ramayana never seems to lose its magical appeal, although it is a simple story told and retold countless times. The Temple of Fine Arts did a splendid job bringing it alive in dance and drama form, as it showed the age-old tale of the triumph of good over evil. As victorious Rama was ushered back in to Ayodhya in triumph and the chanting of Jai Ram echoed through the Supreme Court gardens, the skies above us burst into vivid colours as the fireworks display lit up the evening.

For six-year-old Kavya, the best thing she liked about Deepavali and the Festival of Lights were the fireworks and…lassi! If there was one thing she didn’t like, it was missing out on getting mehndi on her hands. On the home and community front, Deepavali is a time when a lot of families enjoy celebrating at home with their favourite savouries and sweets, while lighting up a few sparklers. There are smaller community get-togethers and family events sprinkled across Perth, and it is a time of joy and celebration.

Amit Madheshiya (29), from Mumbai, India, is the gold award winner of the 18-30 age section of the 2011 Royal Commonwealth Society

Photographic Awa

Musical treat at CHOGM concert

Following closely behind the Festival of Lights was the opening concert for CHOGM, the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting here in Perth. It is the most significant event to be held in Perth since the 1962 Empire and Commonwealth Games, and the largest gathering of international leaders ever held in Australia. Best of all, it has sparked off an eight-day arts and cultural festival which has been wonderful for families in Perth. At the opening concert, the ustad of the tabla, Zakir Hussain presented his Masters of Percussion show. On board were also acrobatic dancing drummers of Manipur as well as musicians from a number of other Indian traditions. It was an opportunity of a lifetime for Indians in Perth to view and listen to this legendary international musician, and he didn’t disappoint. As Zakir Hussain wove his magic performing duets with other musicians on the sarangi and dholak as well as the flute, Indians in the audience felt proud, excited and awed all at the same time! Hussain wooed the audience with some humorous touches, describing the traffic on Indian roads and translating that into a complex percussion beat! His brother Taufiq Qureshi matched him, and his description in the language of drum beats of a husband and wife arguing evoked peals of laughter among the audience. As the concert wound up, Zakir Hussain remarked casually, “Arre wah Taj boliye!” in a reference to the advertisement well known to Indian TV viewers.

Culture and Arts Minister John Day said, “Zakir Hussain is a talent of the highest order and a national treasure in his homeland of India. He has achieved worldwide acclaim as one of the greatest musicians and percussionists of our time and exemplifies the spirit of the festival, which will showcase the people and cultures of the Commonwealth.”

I overheard an older member of the audience remark after the show saying, “The best things in life are free - what an awesome show!” and I couldn’t agree more. The performance by the tabla maestro was free for the audience that gathered on the Supreme Court Gardens that evening, and it was a truly memorable moment for all. The opening concert finale was capped off with awesome fireworks that lit up the Perth skyline.

Award winning photographer

On another note related to CHOGM and a

matter of pride for Indians, the Gold Medal prize winner of the 2011 Commonwealth Photographic Awards is from India. Amit Madheshiya (29), from Mumbai, India, is the gold award winner of the 18-30 age section of the 2011 Royal Commonwealth Society Photographic Awards. His work was showcased among 40 others in an outdoor exhibition during the Commonwealth Festival, at the Perth Cultural Centre. Culture and the Arts Minister John Day said the top two entrants were flown to Perth to have their work exhibited as part of a special prize commissioned by the Commonwealth Festival Perth 2011.

The theme of the photography contest was ‘Women as Agents of Change’. Madheshiya’s prize-winning image is of Christian nun Sister Mabel of Chittoor who runs a school for underprivileged tribal kids.

The festival came to a close on October 30, with a spectacular free concert and fireworks at Sir James Mitchell Park, South Perth, featuring Australian-Indian group Bombay Royale; Dan Sultan and his powerhouse rock ‘n’ roll band; Capercaillie from Scotland; and double platinum Afro-pop star Ringo Madlingozi from South Africa.

Hooray for hockey

For sporting and especially hockey fans, the Lanco International Hockey Super Series was held in Perth from October 20 - 23. The tournament saw Australia’s men’s and women’s teams, the Kookaburras and the Hockeyroos, take on some of the world’s best, including the likes of India, Pakistan, Malaysia and New Zealand. The tournament showcased a brand-new format of hockey with only 9 players per side, bigger goals and more relaxed rules on stick and foot violations. The Indian women’s hockey team did very well to advance to the finals, at which they fought gallantly and were a worthy contender for the gold medal; however the Hockeyroos proved too good in the end and won by 4-1. The Indian men’s hockey team unfortunately did not fare as well, and the Kookaburras won against New Zealand in the final.

In summary, this festival season has been dazzling in Perth replete with arts, culture, sport and music. SFOL organizers and the West Australian government have done a great job in organising such an interesting and fun-filled festival for families across Perth.

Virat Kohli and Suresh Raina are already known to patrol the covers with a blatant disregard for their bodies – their modus operandi is to get to the ball, and get rid of it quickly.

Ustad Zakir Hussain performs at the CHOGM Festival.

Perth community felicitates Ansari

SHIBI ALEX CHANDY attends a reception for India’s Vice President

Clockwise:

A fresh four-year term as Secretary General for India’s Kamlesh Sharma

The Queen and Australia’s Julia Gillard with Bangladesh’s Sheikh Hasina and Trinidad and Tobago’s Kamla Persad-Bissessar

India satisfied with CHOGM outcome: Ansari

India returns with a feeling of satisfaction from the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Perth, having managed to keep the 54-nation grouping focused on the development agenda, Vice President Hamid Ansari told reporters on Oct 31.

Commonwealth nations were opposed to the move.

From the Indian perspective, Ansari said, the delegation had achieved its immediate goals, especially in getting CHOGM to back New Delhi’s position on terrorism and piracy, and in getting Secretary General Kamalesh Sharma a fresh four-year term.

The cream of the Indian community in Western Australia, prominent local politicians, cricketer Adam Gilchrist and, well, the richest Australian - all of turned up in Perth Sunday 30th Oct evening to felicitate visiting Indian Vice President Hamid Ansari.

Over 500 members of an estimated 45,000-strong community in the state, Mayor of Perth Lisa Scaffidi, several ministers of the state government, Gina Rinehart (the heiress of Hancock Prospecting), and Gilchrist, who is very popular in India, applauded heartily as Ansari spoke of his long association with Perth and growing India-Australia ties.

Ansari was Indian High Commissioner to Australia 1985-89.

The vice president traced the early links between India and Australia to the 1800s, when camel riders from Bombay came here to help Australians explore their outback. The legend of the cameleers, mistakenly called Afghans here, survives in the name of the great Ghan Train that travels from Adelaide in the south to Alice Springs in the north.

Ansari, who led the Indian delegation to the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM), recalled how Indians and Australians had fought shoulder-toshoulder in two World Wars, and how the relations have evolved into strong political ties, scientific links and, now, investments by Indian companies in Australia and Australian firms in India.

Rinehart, worth $10.3 billion according to Forbes, is doing her bit to deepen financial ties, having recently inked a $1.26 billion deal with GVK of Hyderabad that will see the Indian firm take up majority stake in thermal coal assets in Queensland’s Galilee Basin.

“That’s my India connection,” a smiling Rinehart said when asked by IANS how she had turned up for an encounter with the Indian vice president, who was accompanied by his wife Salma.

The celebrities apart, for most Indians gathered at the event, it was just an opportunity to celebrate their Indiannessand have their photos taken with the vice president.

Anil Jain, a certified financial planner and

president of the Indian Society of Western Australia who managed to have himself photographed with Ansari, said people of Indian origin like to get together whenever an Indian’ opportunity presents itself.

“We have been celebrating Holi, Diwali, Independence Day and Republic Day with events. In fact, this Diwali, there was a gathering of 20,000 people and a big fireworks show,” said Jain, who arrived here 15 years back.

Jain and his organisation are now working towards setting up a community centre - a kind of ‘India House’ - in Perth that will serve as a meeting point for the community.

The society, an umbrella organisation for over 40 smaller Indian groups in Western Australia, also has plans to set up an old age home for Indians. It already steps in with financial aid when community members are in need and actively works with new migrants to help them find their feet in the country.

“There is a strong sense of community here,” said Ajay Doshi, president of the Gujarati Samaj of Western Australia, one of the organisations affiliated to the Indian Society. Doshi runs a business in plumbing and irrigation products that he sources from India.

Retired naval officer, Capt. Rajesh Mittal and his wife Praveena, who have been in Australia for almost a decade, briefly narrated the community’s history here.

The first wave of migrants came soon after independence, when Anglo Indians came in waves to Australia. This was the time immigration was religion-based, allowing the community easy access. The next big wave, the Mittals said, came in the 1970s and 1980s, when many professionals came to Australia. These hard working immigrants are now respected members of the larger Australian community.

The upswing in migration of students over the past five years or so and the subsequent racial tensions that have emerged has worried the community. But as Jain’s organisation shows, the existing community can do its bit to smoothen the passage.

Dismissing the general perception that the three-day meeting was a failure because it did not accept the reform agenda set by some countries, Ansari, who headed the Indian delegation at CHOGM, said the Commonwealth has been an organisation that has evolved slowly and could not be pushed into “instant” action.

“We reiterated our perspective on institutions - that we needed to strengthen existing institutions rather than create new ones,” Ansari told reporters on board his special aircraft on his way home, in a clear reference to the effort by some developed nations to push through the creation of a Commissioner for Human Rights.

The contentious recommendation was contained in a report by an Eminent Persons Group (EPG) comprising civil society members, and some membernations had sought to link its acceptance to the success of CHOGM 2011.

While some of the EPG recommendations have been accepted, others have been kept aside for further discussions, with officials indicating that the opposition to them was so widespread that they were unlikely to be adopted.

In fact, dispelling the perception that only some countries - including India, Sri Lanka and South Africa - were against the creation of the Commissioner’s office, an Indian official said that over 30 of the 54

“We wanted a return of focus on the development agenda, and if you see the communique, that is very much there,” the vice president said.

Ansari said that India would continue to support and strengthen Commonwealth Connect, a New Delhi initiative to increase information sharing among membernations, and would also announce more scholarships under the Commonwealth Scholarship Program.

New Delhi pushed for a contemporary development agenda that helped keep the focus on issues such as food security and health, Ansari said, adding that the delegation also wanted a stress on engagement with the least developed countries.

Ansari said he had a cordial meeting with Pakistani Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani during CHOGM’s informal Retreat session. “In fact, when we made the case for a second term for the secretary general, it was Gilani who seconded the proposal,” Ansari said.

India opens consulate in Perth

India’s External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna opened the country’s third consulate in Australia in Perth and made a strong pitch for greater Indian trade and investment with this resource-rich western Australia region. He was in the city to attend the meeting of foreign ministers of the 54-nation Commonwealth group.

Vice President Hamid Ansari catches up with Tony Abbot, Leader of the Opposition. Ansari’s bilateral with PM Julia Gillard was called off due to the Qantas crisis

Kali puja

celebrated amidst fanfare

It is said that if a few Bengalis meet, they organise a Kali Puja. Keeping up this tradition of Bengalis, Sydney group Amra Sobai did just that on October 26, at the Korean Community Hall in Croydon Park. Kali Puja is celebrated on the Amavasya or the no-moon night in the Hindu month of Kartik (October/November), and it coincides with Diwali.

Legend has it that Maharaja Krishnan Chandra of Nawadweep was the first to celebrate Kali Puja in his territory. Everyone was ordered to celebrate Kali Puja and thus 10,000 images of Kali were worshipped. Amra Sobai performed the Puja of their free will and with great joy and enthusiasm.

The Amra Sobai (literally meaning ‘all of us’ in Bengali), are a group of people who get together annually to perform the Kali Puja, growing from a mere eleven members to currently more than thirty. It is not a club or registered organisation, but has uniquely worked without any constitution or set of rules for more than twelve years. There are no posts/titles or hierarchy, simply a feeling of goodwill and harmony towards each other and the broader community.

When I arrived at the venue, members of Amra Sobai were busy getting organised. It amazed me to find that although no one was the boss, work was getting done. Decorations and the idol were put up in immaculate style. Not only does Amra Sobai organise the puja, but it also serves dinner to guests who, this year, numbered close to 500. The idol is completely Australian made – created by Ashis Bhattacharjee from locally available resources that are eco friendly. About five feet high, the effigy of the Goddess Kali was resplendent in glittering attire. An idol is usually reused for a few years before it is dismantled and discarded. I later learnt that the members had taken a day off from work to decorate the place and idol.

The puja began around 8.30 pm with prayers and chants, led by a priest. All the guests joined the prayers wholeheartedly. Even the little ones joined in merrily and soon the room was booming with the sound of prayers and filled with effervescent smoke, which no seemed to mind. The evening ended with a simple dinner.

Uttam Mukherjee

COMMONWEALTH BANK LAUNCHES NRI BANKING IN AUSTRALIA

It is estimated that over 400,000 people of Indian origin live in Australia. This number is constantly growing as Indian students and migrants relocate to Australia. Whether it is Australian citizens of Indian origin, permanent resident visa holders, Indians arriving in Australia on business or 457 visas or the large number of Indian students, the Indian community in Australia has significant links back home. Many Non Resident Indians (NRIs) in Australia have family back home and need to remit money frequently for family expenses, gifts or their own commitments in India. Most of the Indian community members travel to India frequently. Increasingly, a number of NRIs see real estate investments or participation in the Indian equity markets as an opportunity to grow their wealth. For all of these needs, banking services in India are required.

Commonwealth Bank of Australia provides NRI Banking Services in Australia to service the needs of the Australian Indian community to make banking in India easy.

Recognising the growing significance of India as an economic powerhouse and the significant trade ties between Australia and India, Commonwealth Bank of Australia was

the first Australian bank to open a branch in India in 2010. The branch in Mumbai is now fully operational and is located in the financial heart of Mumbai - Nariman Point. To service the large Indian community in Australia, the Commonwealth Bank has also established a NRI Banking Service in Australia, which is an extension of the Bank’s India branch. The NRI Banking Service aims to make banking services in India easily available to the Indian community in Australia and eliminates the need to travel to India or talk to call centres in India for their banking requirements in India. A range of banking accounts and deposit options are now available through the Commonwealth Bank’s India branch. The experienced and multilingual team at the NRI Banking Centre can explain the services offered and the key features of Non Resident External (NRE), Non Resident Ordinary (NRO) and Foreign Currency Non Resident (FCNR) accounts which are important to understand before you commence banking in India. You can also walk into any one of our many nominated branches across Australia to complete the account opening formalities. This makes the account opening process very

convenient and hassle free.

To make the money transfer process easy and cost effective, Commonwealth Bank now offers FEE FREE online International Money Transfers from your Commonwealth Bank account in Australia to your Commonwealth Bank account in India. Moreover, you can also transfer Rupee funds from your Indian account with us to other bank accounts in India FREE of cost through the RTGS and NEFT payment systems.

Commonwealth Bank also offers MasterCard Debit Cards linked to your accounts in India which allow you to access over 67,000 ATMs across India having the MasterCard logo. You can now withdraw cash at these ATMs free of cost for up to 5 withdrawals in a month. These Debit Cards can also be used at merchant terminals and for online purchases in India, thus saving you fees normally payable if you use your Australian Credit / Debit cards in India.

To know more about these services, simply contact the NRI Banking Team on Toll Free 1800 108 756, weekdays from 8am to 8pm AEST or email nri@cba.com.au or log on to www.commbank.co.in

Cafe Manager

Indian Cafe based at Merrylands looking for a person with a unique mix of skills and personal attributes to manage the operations.

• Exceptional leadership & customer service skills.

• This role involves a high level of autonomy and trust - make it your own.

• You recruit, train & manage your team.

• Award wages on offer for the right candidate.

• Work with a team environment that knows how to have fun!

What skills / experience do you require to apply for this role?

• Passion for coffee & hospitality.

• You must love cooking and have passion for food.

• You need to be hands on and enthusiastic.

• An organizer to keep control of stock, cash, suppliers and staff rosters.

• You need to be a mentor and a leader not just a Manager

• Knowledge on perishables and stock replenishment is key

• Have worked to and can demonstrate ability to drive results

• Brilliant customer service and the love for the industry.

• Your specific duties and responsibilities include, staff management, rostering, training and development, stock ordering and rotation, food safety compliance and OH & S.

• Must be available 7 days from 7 AM to 7 PM

Coffee making experience beneficial but not essential.

Appropriate training will be provided.

You must have previous experience within a retail food environment and have exceptional customer service skills combined with industry knowledge.

If this role interests you then please email your resume at merrylandscafe@gmail.com

New RAIN home inaugurated

through festivities

An update from RAIN Seniors group

the RAIN Home to all seniors in the region through this celebration.

BY SUDHA NATARJAN

Another Diwali has gone by and the Resourceful Australian Indian Network Inc (RAIN) has had a busy year, with our seniors in the group never really stopping work. They have participated in several projects of various nature which have involved learning, inviting, hosting, participating, assimilating and also gardening.

Once we had the renovations to the house complete, we started with the Navrathiri celebration. A beautiful kolu was set by the South Indian seniors of the group, and a different Indian language speaking senior hosted the celebration every night for the nine nights, while all gathered to celebrate Vijayadasami on the tenth day. Each day saw a different style of celebration and a different variety of festive food specific to a particular state was served. We introduced

Then came Diwali. Coordinated by Veda Srinivasan, our RAIN Gitanjali Choir groups of St George (trained by Usha Chawla) and Sutherland (trained by Kumud Powar) had several sessions of practice to sing together. They then with the multicultural choir group put together by Anne-Marie Wiles, multicultural officer of the Hurstville City Council.

Diwali celebration for RAIN seniors was part of the Discovery festival organised by the Hurstville City Council and the celebration was held at Woodville Park in Hudson Street on October 22. Our resourceful seniors got on stage in their beautiful sarees along with the lovely Chinese choir group and the wider Australian community choir singers. They sang in Hindi, English, Chinese and we experienced a true sense of multiculturalism in its best expression through music during the evening.

We enjoyed ourselves during the festivities. Currently, we are absorbed in Sanskrit sloka

learning sessions under the expert tutoring of Dr Meenakshi Karthikeyan. It is truly a divine experience to listen to Meena’s explanation of the Bhajagovindam (by Adi Sankaracharya) and our seniors enjoy sitting down to this knowledge-filled satsang on alternate Tuesdays.

Along with satsangs, RAIN seniors have created a permaculture garden at the newly purchased RAIN Seniors’ home that will soon house day and respite care for the seniors.

‘Linking Communities through Permaculture in St George and the Sutherland Shire’ is a project to increase sustainable practices amongst people from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) communities and social housing backgrounds. Led by St George Migrant Resource Centre in partnership with St George Community Housing and Inner South-West Community Development Organisation, this project aims at assisting communities encountering social isolation, overcome barriers to mainstream work and study opportunities; increase food security,

and increase social support networks and social harmony.

The RAIN coordinators were trained in permaculture concepts, gardening skills, leadership and knowledge management. With support from the project managers, we designed and built a communal permaculture garden where we have planted edible, herbal and ornamental plants. We also enjoyed the company of other community members, attended sustainability workshops and had study tours. Our garden today stands proud and beautiful, and our seniors in RAIN are a happy lot, dropping in now and then to check the progress.

As a finale to this fantastic project, our food fair on November 20, 2011 at the Olds Park in Penshurst (next to the Penshurst Library) will see all community groups presenting an array of delicious food specific to their community. RAIN plans to put together dishes from their recipe book and all families are invited, as there will be entertainment and special features for the children to make it a great family day at the park.

Clockwise: We can water the plants without having to bend.

Seniors at RAIN Vrindavan, the Permaculture garden Vrindhavan Ganesha in rusty fig tree hollow.

Golu... in RAIN home and Sanskrit Satsang led by Dr Meena Karthikeyan RAIN Choir Group

Teen band makes

classical music cool

Sixteen-year-old cellist Radha Shukla and her friends from the band

BY FARRHA KHAN

At 16, most teenage girls don’t have to worry much about schedules or gigs, with passing exams and a social life being the biggest concern. But for Radha Shukla and her three friends, life is a little bit more complicated.

Radha Shukla, Amity Brand, Vanessa Smith, all 16, and Claudia Vogel (15), make up the string quartet Quatro

“We all met at school and we had played together in groups. And then we became friends,” Radha explained. And with their mothers’ support, they decided to start playing together as a quartet. “The mums were really for it. They are a great support group. They organise our schedules and gigs and really take care of us”.

But they aren’t your average quartet. Besides being a group of young teenage girls playing classical music, their actual performances cover a range of styles.

“We play modern, Celtic and classical music. We also stand and play with choreography to our movements,” explained Radha. “If we were just the usual ‘sit down’ quartet, we’d be like most others!”

And Radha makes dancing whilst playing a cello, which is almost her own size, look amazingly easy!

Formed last year in May, the quartet have gone on to win a High Commendation in the youth category at the prestigious annual Golden Fiddle Competition earlier this year. During their performance, they humbly passed a bucket around for donations for the Queensland flood appeal.

“That was brilliant! We raised a lot of money for the floods,” Radha said enthusiastically.

The quartet have played for large audiences, at festivals and have even done a bit of busking, from which all the money they made was donated again to the flood appeal.

“I really enjoy busking with the group. It’s got a great street atmosphere to it which is very free and open. I like the idea of that free zone of music,” revealed Radha.

Born in London, and after living in Kenya until she was 7, Radha’s family migrated to Queensland. She initially began playing the cello at just 8, after being encouraged by her primary school in Bundaberg to play an instrument. Radha picked up the cello.

“I’m not sure why the cello. But I really love it,” she said.

Growing up in Bundaberg, Radha explained that it is a quiet town compared to the rush experienced in larger cities. “It’s really quiet which can be frustrating, but I’m really glad we moved here. It’s really nice and it gave me the opportunity to concentrate on my music,” she said.

Radha, along with the other girls, takes her music very seriously. “Before Quatro, I would have solo practice every other day. Now it’s

different, we all try to rehearse solo once a day. And I play nearly every day of the week, either playing with an orchestra or rehearsing with Quatro,” she explained. And this is, of course, on top of school pressures.

“I’m quite focussed on my academics, so I always do take that into account,” she said. With very little time to spare, she added with

a laugh, “Music and academics is first for me. A social life can wait.”

Amity (violin) and Vanessa (viola) had the opportunity to travel to Germany on a 3-month scholarship to further their skills under the guidance of international soloist Professor Grube, and are now continuing their studies in musical theatre, drama and vocals. Claudia (violin) is the Queensland State Champion in violin and is continuing studies in piano and drama as well. Radha, besides furthering her cello skills, is keeping her options very open.

While music will always play a large role in her life, when it comes to university, Radha is actually looking into medicine. “I did a work experience course at the hospital which has really opened my eyes. So I’ve been thinking about allied health and medicine. I could play music while I perform surgery,” she joked.

This could very likely be the case, considering the importance of music in Radha’s life. “Music is captivating. It’s always going to be interesting for us, and there is always something new to learn.”

And with all the attention and accolades that Quatro has earned and continue to do so in the year that they’ve been together, along with their own personal successes, things are only just beginning for them. “We just recorded a 12 track album which is now released,” said Radha. This album can be bought through their website www. quatrolive.com.

“I think things will only look up for Quatro now,” Radha concluded with a smile. After watching and listening to their performance online, I couldn’t agree more.

“We play modern, Celtic and classical music. We also stand and play with choreography to our movements. If we were just the usual ‘sit down’ quartet, we’d be like most others!”

Radha Shukla

Up close and personal with...

… your Indian Link Radio stars

Neelam Vasudevan

Latest movie: Dinner for Schmucks, The Three Musketeers

Currently reading: Strengths

Finder 2.0 by Tom Rath

Current fav songs: Moves Like Jagger, Someone Like You, Jar of Hearts, Someone Somebody, Isq Risq Quote for the day: Life doesn’t get easier, you just get stronger

Zodiac sign: Sagittarius

Personality type: Friendly, free spirited, caring, naughty and of course happy!!

RJ-ing style: Bilkul cool!

Dress style: Smart and colourful

Passions: Love music, reading, writing, cooking, traveling and meeting people

Sports: Gymming

Books: By John Grisham, David Baldacci, Henry Denker, Wilbur Smith and Bill Bryson.

Fav khana: My mom’s cooking, Indian, Thai, love to experiment with different cuisines...

Fav actor: Amitabh Bacchhan, Aamir Khan, Al Pacino

Fav songs: Luckiest person in the world as I play them everyday on Indian Link Radio!!! (and all of Beatles).

Movies: Sangam, Lagaan, 3

Idiots, Avatar, The Godfather, Mackenna’s Gold, The Shawshank Redemption, Ice Age 3

Fav movie scene: Oh, so many… where do I start !!

I love: My family

I hate: Negativity

Uzma Beg

Latest movie: Friends

With Benefits

Current fav song: Rain Over Me by Marc Anthony

& Pit Bull

Quote for the day: Never let the odds keep you from doing what you know in your heart you were meant to do.

Zodiac sign: Aries

Personality type: A-type personality... what the hell does cool and calm mean?

RJ-ing style: Talk back...non stop bakwaas!

Dress style: Uber casual...wish I could roam the streets in my PJ’s!

Passions: Acting, acting, acting...

Sports: I play Table Tennis, Badminton, Volley Ball, Basket Ball and Cricket but my #1 sport is swimming

Books: Sacred Hearts by Sarah Dunant

Fav khana: Unagi Don (Japanese for Eel on rice) and Bihari Kabab!!

Fav actor: Amitabh Bachchan

Fav songs: Dil To Bacha Hai

Jee, Senorita, Mora Piya Mo Se Bolat Nahi, Hina Ki Khushboo by Noor Jehan, Roothay Ho Tum by Nayyara Noor & Boohey Baariyan by Haddiqa. Mr. Saxobeat, Party Rock Anthem (Shuffling), Gimme Everything Tonight.

Movies: The Bird Cage

Fav movie scene: The dining room scene in The Bird Cage where the grooms’ family is trying their best to hide from the bride’s family that the groom’s dad’s gay and the groom’s mum’s a guy!

I love: Match making I hate: Gaajar ka halwa!

Shraddha

Arjun

Latest movie: That Girl in Yellow

Boots

Currently reading: Google Analytics in 10 minutes

Current fav song: Jo Bhi Main Kehna Chahoon (Rockstar)

Quote for the day: “Too often we enjoy the comfort of opinion without the discomfort of thought” JFK

Zodiac sign: Libra

Personality type: Focused and ambitious.

RJ-ing style:  Informative and entertaining, very consciously staying away from the usual.

Fashion: Crazy about shoes… boots, clogs, pumps… Jimmy Choo!

Passions: Photography, graphic design and world cinema

Sports: Not into sports (does Scrabble count?).

Books: Autobiography of a Yogi, Rebecca, Shantaram, To Kill A Mocking Bird, The Satanic Verses… it’s an endless list!

Fav khana: Japanese! Can munch on Katsu and drink up Miso soup all day…

Fav actor: Kamal Hassan, Al Pacino

Fav songs: Mera joota hai Japani (Mukesh), Bang Bang (Nancy Sinatra), Lateralus (Tool), One is the Loneliest Number (The Beatles), Coming Back to Life (Pink Floyd) & all of A R Rehman!

Movies: Golmaal (1979), Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro, Anjali, Naayagan, Almost Famous, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, Pushpak and all of Quentin Tarantino and Satyajit Ray’s work Fav movie scene: The first sequence of Inglorious Basterds with Christoph Waltz; the scene in Satyajit Ray’s Charulata where Madhabi Mukherjee stares straight into the camera; the interview scene in Golmaal with Utpal Dutt and Amol Palekar; Asrani’s jailer sequence in Sholay, and the last scene in Mani Ratnam’s Anjali

I love: A good intellectual debate and watching films

I hate: Reality television (can’t stand Master Chef, Biggest Loser type of shows!); public transport service interruptions/delays and corruption the way it is in India.

Ajay Sankaran

Latest movie: Guzarish

Currently reading: Who will cry when you die? by Robin Sharma

Current fav song: Chamak

Challo, of course!

Quote for the day: All those who love me, raise ur hands and those who don’t, raise ur standards...!!

Zodiac sign: Aquarius

Personality type: Adaptable

RJ-ing style: Tune in and find out

Dress style: Anything that makes me comfortable

Passions: My life and every moment of it

Sports: Cricket and F1

Books: Like to read a lot of philosophical stuff. Peace J

Fav khana: Delhi’s chaat

Fav actor: SRK all the way

Fav songs: Right from the good old M. Rafi stuff to ARR, I love to listen to everything

Movies: Remember the Titans, A Wednesday, Catch Me if You Can, Million Dollar Baby

Fav movie scene: From Kuch

Kuch hota hai when SRK and Kajol meet after many years, Wah kya scene hai!

I love: Is this a trick question?

I hate: Hypocrisy

Anup Kumar

Latest movie: That Girl in Yellow Boots

Currently reading: Browsing rediff.com

Current fav song: Rabba Main Toh Marr Gaya (Mausam) by Rahat Fateh Ali Khan

Quote for the day: “The future will always pay those who are patient with it”

Zodiac sign: Virgo

Personality type: Cool, calm and controlled RJ-ing style: Soooothing –speaking like a normal human being and not like a rap artist on steroids

Dress style: Changes with moods, occasion, and weather.

Passions: RJ-ing, music, music and music

Books: Biographies, and Aussie joke books

Fav khana: Dhal and rice with fried fish

Fav actor: Nana Patekar and Harrison Ford

Fav songs: Aa chal ke tujhe, mai le ke chalu, ik aise gagan ke tale, jahaa Gam bhi na ho, aansu bhi na ho, bas pyaar hi pyaar pale, ik aise gagan ke tale (Door Gagan Ki Chaawon Mein)

Movies: Vidhaata

Fav movie scene: Enjoying the fine acting talents of Rani Mukherji, Amitabh and Ayesha Kapur in Black

I love: God’s creation of Nature I hate: …..to hate

Ajay Bisht

Latest movie: Super 8

Current fav song: Little Bad Girl (David Guetta); Someone Somebody (Sunidhi Chauhan)

Quote for the day: I’ll either find a way, or make one!

Zodiac sign: Taurus-Gemini

cusp

Personality type: Introvert, Black humour, outdoors.

RJ-ing style: Mumbai ishhhtyle!

Dress style: Jeans & Tee.

Passions: Music production.

Sports: Football, cricket

Books: I know you get them at the book shop :-P

Fav khana: Ghar ka khana, Tandoor and all seafood

Fav actor: Amitabh Bachchan, Matt Damon, Daniel Day Lewis

Fav songs: Can never have one! The list and genres are endless.

Movies: Sea Biscuit, Ben-Hur and rom-coms!

Fav movie scene: From Sholay, when Amitabh (Jay) asks Mausi to give her consent for Veeru.... LoLz!

I love: Simplicity

I hate: Double standards (I hear some have triple standards these days!!)

Rashmi

Chaudhry

Latest movie: Mere Brother

Ki Dulhan

Currently reading: Five Point

Something

Current fav song: Cheers to Freakin’ Weekend! (Rihanna)

Quote for the day: Go with the flow

Zodiac sign: Vivacious Virgo

Personality type: Dynamic RJ-ing style: Very original Dress style: Everything that makes me look chic!

Passions: Shopping, reading the dictionary, learning new skills

Sports: Badminton

Books: Beauty and health books

Fav khana: Lebanese

Fav actor: Sallu Bhai

Fav songs: Ring My Bells (Enrique), O Rabba Main Toh (Mausam), Make Me Your Radio (Stereo nations), Tere Siva (Delhi Belly), Tu Jaane Na (Ajab Prem

Ki Ghazab Kahani )

Movies: 3 Idiots, Sarfarosh

Fav movie scene: When I sat in the front row to watch Munna Bhai MBBS; went with school friends for Dil Hai Ke

Manta Nahi; when my son was in my lap for Hitch, my first independent movie with friends

Rangeela

I love: Humanity

I don’t like: Sycophants

Priyanka Tater

Latest movie: Mere Brother Ki Dulhan

Currently reading: A Short History of Nearly Everything by Bill Bryson

Current fav song: Ishq Risk from Mere Brother Ki Dulhan

Quote for the day: With God as centre and love as radius make the circle of your life

Zodiac sign: True Capricorn

Personality type: Split personality!! (Don’t we all have it)

RJ-ing style: Bindaas

Dress Style: Anything that looks good on me

My passion: Radio, TV and Films

Sports: Cricket

Books: Classics: give me Dickens, Oscar Wilde... Fav khana: Anything vegetarian Fav actor: Big B

Australia’s only 24/7 HINDI RADIO

Ring 1 8000 15 8 47 to subscribe

Live on the net at www.indianlink.com.au

DD Dental

•

Sagar Mehrotra

Latest movie: Force

Currently reading:

Autobiography of Richard Branson

Current fav song: Saathiya (Singham)

Quote for the day: Smile, it costs nothing!

Zodiac sign: Gemini

Personality type: Melancholic - Choleric

RJ-ing style: Aapka Host aur

aapka dost Sagar

Dress style: Jeans, T-shirt

Passions: Helping people to achieve their goal

Sports: Anything indoor

Books: How to Win Friends and Influence People, Personality Plus

Fav khana: Kadhai chicken and lachha paratha

Fav actor: Big B

Fav songs: Kisi ki muskurahaton pe ho nisar, Main zindagi ka saath

nibhata chala gaya

Movies: Guru, The Pursuit of Happiness, Cinderalla Man, Shawshank Redemption

Fav movie scene: Gabbar

Singh’s Kitne aadmi they?

I love: My family, Hindi music and travel

I hate: to hurt

Rachita Saini

Latest movie: Bridesmaids and Crazy Stupid Love

Currently reading: Sydney

Morning Hearld daily

Current fav song: Gym class

stereo and Teri meri meri teri (Bodyguard)

Quote for the day: Never regret something that once made you smile

Zodiac sign: Aries

Personality type: Rockstar

RJ-ing style: Bindaas

Dress style: Classy

Passions: Shopping

Sports: Rugby

Books: Gone With the Wind

Fav khana: Mutter-Mushroom

Fav actor: Salman Khan

Fav songs: Gham Hai Ya Khushi

Hai and Lag Ja Gale

Movies: The Notebook, Mother

India and Namastey London

Fav movie scene: Namastey

London (Ishq di mere mitra pehchan

ki mitt jave jadon zid apnan di)

I love: Shoes and handbags

I hate: Too many things :)

Living her

Miss India and Miss Earth 2010 Nicole Faria visits Sydney in her role as brand ambassador for Frédérique Constant

passion

BY RAJNI ANAND LUTHRA

Live your passion. So goes the slogan for leading luxury wristwatch brand, Frédérique Constant.

Well, today, one glamorous young woman from Bangalore finds herself living her passion, thanks to Frédérique Constant.

Nicole Faria, Miss India and Miss Earth 2010, has just been announced as the global ambassador for the Swiss watch company. Starting next year, Nicole will be associated with the advertising campaign for the company’s women’s watches.

“It’s a dream come true for me,” Nicole told Indian Link on a promotional tour in late October. “This is the first international campaign I’ve been associated with this at this scale. I consider myself very fortunate and yes, I’m very excited”.

Sebastien Cretegny, international sales manager of Frédérique Constant who travelled with Nicole to Australia, spoke of how she was picked for the campaign.

“We met Nicole at Mumbai immediately after the pageant, and thought she would be the right person for our India campaign,” he said. “But upon interacting with her more, we were quite certain that she would carry off our global role equally well.”

Frédérique Constant SA, an independent family-owned company based in Plan-lesOuates, Geneva, was established in 1904 by Frédérique Schreiner and Constant Stas. It has today grown to become one of the world’s leading luxury wristwatch makers, winning acclaim for its quality and precision, both in its design as well as manufacture. Its impeccable quality is beautifully showcased in its limited edition ‘Runabout Moonphase’ piece, named in honour of the legendary Runabout yachts of the 1920s. Each watch is presented in a specially crafted wooden case, and comes with a miniature reproduction of a classic Runabout boat. Included in many lists of watches of distinction, this particular number is fast becoming a collector’s item.

Nicole however, loves the watch that currently adorns her slender wrist – a jewelencrusted number known as Chocolate Double Heart Beat.

“It’s a winner with everything. I wear it very effectively with both formals as well as casuals. And it’s a worldwide bestseller,” she said.

What also draws Nicole to this design is that it is linked to charity, an issue close to her own heart. With each watch sold, Frédérique Constant will donate the cost a life-saving heart scan. The company, with its tradition of social consciousness, has been promoting medical research in muscular dystrophy and heart-related illnesses, especially with children.

“I have myself been involved in many earth-related causes,” Nicole revealed. “I’ve worked with platforms such as Save the Elephant, Save the Tiger, cleaning up the lakes of Bangalore, tree planting in Thailand with kids, and most recently, with the floods in Thailand. So the company’s passion for charitable causes particularly appealed to me.”

One of Nicole’s other favourites from the array of timepieces the company is

known for, is from the Vintage Racing collection – a specially created series to mark the new edition of the Peking to Paris Motor Challenge (the Ultimate Driving Adventure), for which the company is official timekeeper.

Another beautiful piece, specially created for the Indian market, has Hindu numerals on the face of the watch.

“A late Diwali present for your partner, maybe?” Nicole asked playfully. “Or an early Christmas present…”

(The Indian watch is available in Australia through the Avstev Group, a privately owned Swiss luxury watch distributor).

And yet, how many people are buying watches these days, especially Gen Y-ers, who rely on their iPhones and iPods to tell the time?

“That may well be the case,” Nicole noted, adding, “But nothing completes the look like a watch on the wrist!”

Nicole first got into the world of fashion as a fifteen-year-old, working in the industry in Delhi and Mumbai, and in Colombo in Sri Lanka. And yes, Bollywood has come calling ever since the international pageant win last year, but she claims she is waiting for the right offer to come along.

Nicole now joins a select group of Indian faces in various worldwide marketing campaigns, which includes Aishwarya Rai, Freida Pinto, Kareena Kapoor and Katrina Kaif.

Perhaps much more than Aishwarya for Longines, Shahrukh Khan has gone a long way with Tag Heuer of which he is brand ambassador in India. While hosting the hit TV show Kaun Banega Crorepati, Shahrukh once famously gave away the Tag Heuer number he was wearing, to a contestant who admired the watch.

Can we expect Nicole to do the same

Specially created for the Indian market, a special edition of the Frederique Constant watches have Hindu numerals on them

“I’ve worked with platforms such asSave the Elephant, Save the Tiger, cleaning up the lakes of Bangalore, tree planting in Thailand with kids, and most recently, with the floods in Thailand”

Nicole Faria

Nicole’s Chocolate Double Heart Beat watch

Diwali, OZ style!

Parramatta Stadium comes alive with the moods of India

BY KOMAL JAGAD

Diwali, the festival of lights, one of the most celebrated, dazzling and grandiose of all Indian festivals was celebrated at the Parramatta Stadium on October 30. As most of us had celebrated Diwali on October 26 with family and friends, the Deepavali Fair on the weekend was a great occasion to get out of the house and celebrate India’s culture and heritage in true desi style.

The Hindu Council of Australia (HCA) organised Deepavali Fair 2011, had as its theme this year, “A confluence of cultures and a celebration of tradition”.

Attended by over 20,000 people including special guests like Robert McClelland (Federal Attorney General representing the Prime Minister, Julia Gillard), Phillip Ruddock, (MP representing Federal Opposition Leader, Tony Abbot), Victor Dominello (Minister of Citizenship and Communities representing NSW Premier) and John Robertson (MP, NSW Opposition Leader), the event was an unprecedented success. Ravi Kumar, Global Co-ordinator, Hindu Council members, Gargi Tripathi and Neni Tiwary from Value World Travel also attended the fair.

The day-long fair was a complete entertainer for everyone present, with something for all. Kids jumped with enthusiasm at the entrance, on viewing the colourful ‘jumping castles’. Henna, face painting, balloons, dhol, bhangra, food and clothing stalls, the list went on and on.

The food section was very well represented as Chutney’s, Cheema da Dhaba, Billu’s, Taza Tandoor, Haveli, Maya da Dhaba and other prominent restaurants offering a range of authentic, mouth-watering cuisine. Almost all the flavours from India were present including Punjabi, Gujarati, south Indian, Bengali, among others and everything savoury and sweet were available to the eager crowd. From vada sambar to samosa chat, from aloo tiki to khaman dhokla, from jalebi to gulab jamun, the food on array was a treat for the tastebuds. Even ganne ka ras and lemonade made their appearance!

Other stalls offering a range of services from banking to cable TV, from mobile phone service to education and migration, even spiritual services were present to lure customers into viewing their wares.

And of course, amidst all the sparkling jazz, spirituality always lies at the heart of all the Indian festivals. The idols of Ganesh and Lakshmi were spectacularly beautiful, particularly when the priests from all the local temples came together to perform the yagya and pooja. The event had a devotional touch with Harekrishna Bhajans and Sufi songs.

Nihal Singh, President of the HCA told

Indian Link, “The event was planned and organised with the support of over 200 volunteers and it took about 4-5 months to bring it together. The Ravana effigy is made of cloth, paper, wood (baas) by local artists Pramod Bajera and Suresh Vashisth. They worked through the weekends for 3-4 months, assisted by 30 to 40 volunteers,” added Mr Singh. (The hand-made Ravana met his fiery end at the end of the festival, thanks to some modernday laser technology). Mr Singh also thanked all sponsors, volunteers, supporters and attendees for making the event successful.

The stage highlights of the evening were a dance performance by Indian Dance Centre’s Shri Raghavan Nair and Poornima Sharma called Ram Leela and Mahishasur Vadh; and a dance competition which had talented contestants showcasing their talent to visitors.

Robert McClelland said in his speech, “It is an important event and confirms an important part of Australia, Australia being a multicultural nation.” Phillip Ruddock was appreciative of the event, saying, “The fair is particularly impressive as a wide diversity of Indians and people from other cultures are present. It is very important to share culture and heritage, and this is the way to go!”

Sanjeev Bhakri, Secretary of HCA sincerely thanked Lord Indra, the deity of thunder and rain for the kind support in keeping the weather warm and pleasant throughout the day.

Over 30 different cultural groups participated in the event, including Gujarati, Punjabi Gida, Rajasthani, Nepalese and Indonesian. The Kurvat Band performed Bollywood hits to the delight of the attendees. Sponsored raffles and a variety of prizes kept many attendees happy. The dance competition saw nine dance groups perform, and winners were Road2Bollywood (choreographer Maxine) in first place; Ministry of Bhangra (choreographer Avatar) in second place and Indian Dance School (choreographer Janani) in third. Rekha Rajvanshi, Aastha Singh, Aparna Vats and Shobha Anil, all Masters of Ceremony through the day, ensured that the event progressed smoothly.

As Desi Girls catwalked along the ramp to the beats of Sholay, the effigy of Ravana possessing the nectar of immorality seemed to be eyeing the girls in particular! And at 8.40 pm he was burnt down, in the traditional Ravana-Dahan Vibrant and colourful rangoli and musical fireworks made the event even more spectacular, as the sky glimmered and shimmered with a million lights. It marked the end of a successful day, with a confluence of cultures and heartfelt celebration of our traditions.

Kudos to the HCA for a well-organised and successful event.

Photos: Sunny Cherian

Dangerous ideas

What were considered as radical and unsavoury concepts in the past have now developed into strong new thoughts and movements

BY NOEL G DE SOUZA

Sydney has just had its annual talk-fest of dangerous ideas where emotive and taboo subjects could be freely discussed. This article is not going to refer to those proceedings, but rather to “dangerous ideas” in the Indian and Australian context.

Lokmanya Tilak, one of India’s greatest freedom fighters, supported revolutionaries who used violent means to protest against the British occupation of India; he based his support upon the teachings of the Bhagwad Gita. Tried and convicted for sedition, he was transferred from his home in Ratnagiri to a jail in Mandalay in Burma. It is a quirk of history that some years earlier when the British seized Burma from its King at his capital in Mandalay, they had him exiled to Ratnagiri! In jail, Tilak wrote an extensive treatise on the Bhagwad Gita.

Mahatma Gandhi, in contrast, advocated non-violent means to achieve political rights for Indians but he was nevertheless considered a man with “dangerous” ideas. At least that is what the British, quite rightly, believed with regard to their own interests. Here was a diminutive scantily clad man (a “naked fakir” according to Winston Churchill) who dared to question the very existence of the British Empire. Mahatma Gandhi stressed that India’s struggle for independence should be a non-violent one and that Indians should remain friendly with the British people.

Gandhi went on to become an inspiration for independence movements in all the British colonies. He was a man laden with “dangerous ideas” which covered political freedom, women’s rights, rights for those who are traditionally oppressed and despised, and for universal education and voting rights. Gandhi also inspired the civil rights movement in the United States.

There was a time in Australia when considering Aboriginals as the equals of European settlers was taboo. Thus any idea that Aboriginals should have equal political and land rights was considered dangerous; they had for long no voting rights. Australia virtually ran an apartheid system with Aboriginals confined to reserves and having “protectors” to look after their affairs. The term “protection” was practically a cover for “oppression”.

Despite its own dismal Aboriginal record, Australia, to its credit, was at the forefront in condemning South African apartheid. Malcolm Fraser can be credited with his relentless attacks on that inhuman system and its ultimate dismantling.

There have been many important voices raised in recent years claiming that the Federal Government intervention in Aboriginal communities is actually an apartheid which smacks of the discredited South Africa system. That intervention is still continuing. Those who justify intervention point out that alcohol addiction is so widespread in the Northern Territory, particularly amongst the Aboriginals, that stringent rules are needed to protect Aboriginal families. Education and good leadership by the Aboriginals themselves is needed.

The world is a patchy place where human rights are concerned. The very idea that females should have any rights is taboo in certain countries. This concept is prevalent in certain quarters in the Subcontinent. It ranges from denying females basic education to even well-educated females being denied the right to choose their own spouses.

In the worst scenarios, which still exist in some countries which are neighbours to India, females should neither be seen nor heard. In such places it is dangerous for females to even ask for basic rights. A female author is considered a menace and there are many cases of female authors fleeing to other countries just to be able to survive. This contrasts with a good percentage of Indian females being well educated and holding high offices in both political and corporate life.

There was a time when scientists were considered dangerous because their views were opposite to those of religion. A celebrated example is that of Galileo, and later that of Darwin. One believes that the European Age of Enlightenment ushered in a new era for scientists. They would henceforth be allowed to dedicatedly work to unravel the mysteries of nature and to create new inventions.

Scientists studying the earth’s atmosphere and its effect on climate have worked relentlessly to unravel the effects of industrialisation and modern living on the earth’s weather. Their research has been disseminated for decades in school and university textbooks.

Little had these scientists foreseen that companies associated with the fossil fuel industries, that is coal and petroleum, would attack their personal integrity and motives. Such scientists themselves were portrayed as being part of a “political conspiracy”.

The most prominent of them is Rajendra K Pachauri who heads the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. That Panel shared the 2007 Nobel Prize with former US VicePresident Al Gore for their work on climate change.

Dangerous ideas of one era often become the normal ideas of another era. Traditionalists often battle to retain old ideas whilst radicals have to overcome barriers to ensure that new ideas get accepted.

Mahatma Gandhi advocated nonviolent means to achieve political rights for Indians but he was nevertheless considered a man with “dangerous” ideas

From charm

to courage

Women writers from the subcontinent brought their various stories to the Melbourne Writers’ Festival, to an appreciative audience.

BY CHITRA SUDARSHAN

Mridula Koshy and Tishani Doshi were two Indian writers at this year’s Melbourne Writers’ Festival. We reviewed Delhi-based Mridula Susan Koshy’s debut work of fiction If It Is Sweet in this column not all that long ago, a book for which she won the Shakti Bhatt Book Prize in 2009. She also appeared at the Brisbane Writers’ Festival a few days later. She has contributed several short stories to reputed journals and magazines, and is a prolific writer. The other novelist, a young woman, is Chennai-born and based Tishani Doshi, who has written her debut novel Pleasure Seekers (Bloomsbury, UK and Penguin India) recently. At 18, Tishani left India for the United States to study Business Administration at Queens College in Charlotte, North Carolina. During her undergraduate years she worked in several casual jobs; she later moved to London in 1999 and landed her first and last full-time job as assistant to the advertising department at Harper’s & Queen magazine. The glamour of Gucci and Prada was exciting for a while, but one day she experienced an epiphany and decided to go home. In 2001, Tishani moved back to India with the idea of training to become a scuba diving instructor (!) instead. A chance encounter with one of India’s leading choreographers – Chandralekha, led her to begin a career as a dancer at the age of 26. She travelled for the next 5 years and wrote several articles for news magazines, and in 2005, she was a finalist in the Outlook-Picador Non-Fiction competition for one of her essays. Later she won the All-India Poetry competition for her poem The Day We Went Out to Sea Tishani Doshi’s charming debut novel, The

Pleasure Seekers, was inspired by the romance between her Gujarati father and Welsh mother, who met in Britain in the 1960s before moving to India to be married. As a teenager she discovered her mother’s love letters to her father and resolved to one day write her own version of their lives. The Pleasure Seekers is the product of that resolve.

The novel begins with a focus on the romance between the young lovers, imagining the pleasures and difficulties of their early years together; however, very soon it expands to become almost a huge post-colonial family saga - somewhat reminiscent of Rohinton Mistry’s Family Matters - as Doshi lunges back and forth between cultures and generations. The Pleasure Seekers does not quite match the maturity and complexity of Mistry’s book, but is nevertheless an enjoyable novel: tender, funny and moving. It is currently being translated into German, Spanish, Italian, French, Serbian, Croatian and Polish.

An inspiring and brave Afghan woman Malalai Joya was also a guest at this year’s Melbourne Writers’ Festival. She is a writer and an activist in her war ravaged country since she was in the eighth grade, dedicating her life to making a difference to other women’s lives. She was elected to the National Assembly in Afghanistan in 2005 from Farah Province, and served until 2007 when she was dismissed for criticising the warlords and drug barons who were sitting in Parliament. She

is an outspoken critic of the current government as well as the American ‘occupation’. Joya has worked tirelessly to improve the lot of her countrymen and women, and a newspaper even called her “Afghanistan’s answer to Aung San Suu Kyi”.

In 2009, Joya wrote a memoir (with a Canadian writer Derrik O’Keefe) titled A Woman Among Warlords published in Australia under the title Raising My Voice. It is a testament to the extraordinary courage, dedication and commitment of one woman in Afghanistan.

Tishani Doshi’s charming debut novel, The Pleasure Seekers, was inspired by the romance between her Gujarati father and Welsh mother, who met in Britain in the 1960s before moving to India to be married.

Win a candle gift pack worth $225!

Happy Diwali from PartyLite

PartyLite, the world’s largest direct seller of exclusive candles and homewares, would like to wish everyone a Happy Diwali! To help you celebrate this auspicious occasion, PartyLite is giving away irresistible gift packs to twenty five lucky readers, valued at over $225 each. To win, describe in 25 words how you would best like to celebrate Diwali. Send in your responses to: info@indianlink.com.au before 15 Nov 2011

Each gift pack includes five Colour Lites Tealight Holders in Purple, Pink, Turquoise, Green and Orange (one each); six Colour Lites Votive Holders in Purple, Pink, Turquoise, Green, Orange and Clear (one each); and two 18-piece tealight samplers. The range of tealight holders, votive holders and fragranced tealights are designed to suit all rooms and moods, and will help make any occasion a festive one!

This exclusive range of home accessories and candles is only available through PartyLite

consultants. Visit www.partylite.com.au to find your local Consultant, or to get information on how to earn money by starting your own home business with PartyLite!

About PartyLite

With over 68,000 consultants worldwide, PartyLite is the world’s largest direct seller of candles and home decorating accessories. PartyLite has been a leader in the art of creating ambience and entrepreneurial home business opportunities for over 35 years. Using recyclable materials and energy-efficient technology, PartyLite promotes environmental sustainability and responsibility. PartyLite Australia is committed to corporate social responsibility and is a proud sponsor of the Children’s Hospital Foundations Australia (CHFA), donating tens of thousands of dollars per year to the national charity.

I believe,

therefore I am

BY ASHITA VADHER

Now that you have completed and considered your wheel of life (Indian Link Oct-1 issue), you are now ready to explore some more.

What are beliefs?

Our beliefs are assumptions that we make about the world. They grow from what we see, hear, experience, read, think about and they apply not only how we see ourselves, but also how we see other people.  We tend not to question our beliefs because we are so certain about them and many stem from childhood.  Our beliefs can be changed or turned round by the ‘re-programming’ of our subconscious. Our beliefs can be split into two different types: empowering beliefs and limiting beliefs

Empowering beliefs help us to confidently make changes.  We use our empowering beliefs to make decisions in what can often be an ambiguous world. Limiting beliefs do the exact opposite and keep us rooted in particular situations.  Our limiting beliefs are often based on assumptions that are not true.  For example, saying you can’t learn a language. If you spend a lot of time saying that you can’t do something, for that time it will be true. Conversely, if you access the resources and mindset to learn a language, you have every reason to succeed.

“If you think you can, you can. If you think you can’t, you’re right,” said renowned American writer Mark Twain and this is a simple but powerful notion. Mark Twain thought that beliefs would influence outcome. Translate this to the bigger picture - what you believe to be true about you and your world would create your world.

Limiting beliefs and negative emotions that lie latent in the unconscious mind, not dealt with from the past, can serve as powerful internal obstacles to your most desired aspirations. They provide you with the illusion that you are not capable of achieving or doing something and they prevent you from trying to succeed.

Why let your past determine your future? A useful analogy to use is to liken limiting beliefs to old “software” within the mind that requires updating so that it has the power and speed to manage your new dreams and desires. You will continue to crash or make painfully slow progress until you install a new, updated system.

Are your beliefs limiting you?

The most reliable indicator is repeating unwanted patterns, such as procrastination and failed relationships.

We all know how to be healthy and why it’s important. So why do many of us struggle with this concept? For example, do you set out on weight-loss programs then yo-yo back to your old weight as soon as you see yourself making progress?

How about your beliefs surrounding money? Does it seem you have a glass ceiling in terms of your income never going past a certain point? Do you make positive changes in your habits only to find yourself “predictably” slipping back to old ways? These are your limiting beliefs in action! You’re behaviour is fulfilling what you believe. If you change your limiting belief to an empowering belief, your outcome will change profoundly.

Swap limiting for empowering and your outcome will go beyond boundaries

When you’re ready for a breakthrough, real change can happen in an instant! The moment you are willing to:

1. Discover the root cause of your current circumstances. Ask yourself how and why you are in your current position. List the reasons, then list the beliefs supporting those reasons; and

2. Replace those old limiting beliefs that don’t serve you with those that represent the greatest possibilities for your life. For example, instead of saying, “I can’t…” you change your belief to, “I can…” and “I will…”

Your new belief system will empower you, support you and propel you to achieve your aspirations.

That is the moment when you will soar to great heights! What would it actually feel like to be free?

What’s the cost of keeping your limiting beliefs?

Consider what will happen to your life if you don’t follow through with your commitment to change.

If you choose to keep your limiting beliefs, where will you be in three months time? Six months? One year? In the same place, doing the same things? How does that feel?

What will it cost you in unfulfilled dreams, your health and physical vitality, your relationships or your financial goals? Is this acceptable to you?

Limiting beliefs

Change your beliefs and realise your aspirations

What do you want your life to be like physically, emotionally, financially and spiritually in three months, six months and one year from now?

Will you be working in a role or business you are passionate about, surrounded by loving friends and family, enjoying good health, financial independence and really loving your life?

Your beliefs are fundamental to your outcomes in life; whether they empower or limit you. Remember... if something is humanly possible, it’s possible for you!

My eight year old son wears a T-shirt with a memorable quote on it from Theodore Roosevelt. It says, “Believe you can and you’re halfway there.” I believe he understands what this means and, like most children his age, he believes he can be and do anything; he just has to believe it. The most amazing thing is, we can all believe it!

In this instalment of the coaching journey, the focus is on beliefs and the fundamental part they play in shaping our lives

and negative emotions that lie latent in the unconscious mind, not dealt with from the past, can serve as powerful internal obstacles to your most desired aspirations.

“If you think you can, you can. If you think you can’t, you’re right,” said renowned American writer Mark Twain and this is a simple but powerful notion.

Life, laughter and misunderstandings

Another set of adventures, this time through illness, pronunciations and sound, propel the author into profound observations about his fascinating new home, writes

TIM BLIGHT

it, was the nation’s Navratri gift to me, and it was one that I won’t be forgetting any time soon. During my four-day run (and I use the word ‘run’ quite literally!)

I was amazed by the luxurious highs and the bureaucratic lows of India’s premium hospitals (resorts). I also discovered the bizarre world of Indian beliefs about health. Boy, was that an education! Not ayurvedic medicine, more a legacy of the British Raj, my friends and adopted aunties and uncles dispensed advice which, although well-intentioned, has long since been disproven by medical science. “Orange juice should be avoided; it will irritate your throat!”

Really? I thought the vitamin C in oranges was beneficial! “Chilled water will make you catch a cold!” I was under the impression that the cold virus did that! “Food should be left to cool to room temperature before refrigeration!” Sounds like a perfect breeding ground for bacteria, but that’s just my opinion!

cold, flu, food poisoning or whatever and still battle on. Drop the word ‘fever’ in a conversation, however, and one needs days off work, antibiotics are prescribed and visits from concerned friends and family begin. A local friend of mine got wet in the rain once - the temperature was still 32 degrees - and as a result was out of action for a week. I’d hate to think what happens when he takes a shower! The fever-ridden then trundle off to the dispensary where they are given a little paper bag filled with strips of tablets, devoid of actual packaging or instructions. Ah, the little quirks of a new country.

Meanwhile this is the month when the monsoon arrived in Chennai; better late than never, as they say. The northeast monsoon, so far, seems to be much lighter than the main northwest monsoon which affects Mumbai and Delhi. However, more than once I’ve been caught in the rain while ‘out of station’. For those who don’t know, ‘out

first time I heard the word peon, used to describe an office assistant.

Equally, locals find my accent and pronunciation incredibly difficult to understand. The first time I asked for ‘travel sweets’, I was brought -sweet, sir?”).

My enquiry about ‘tamarind sauce’ yielded only laughs and giggles, however ‘tamarind paste’ was met with “Certainly, sir!” And arriving at a restaurant where I have a reservation, I’ll happily answer to any of the following: Tim, Thim, Theme, Tin, Dim, Din, Sim, Sin, Chim or Chin. I’m sure many reading this will understand both the difficulties of different English dialects. An Indian friend in Australia was once horrified when, after telling his colleagues that a particular celebrity had ‘expired’, the room erupted in laughter! You don’t even have to be Indian – Australians are warned never to tell an American that they wore their thongs to a barbecue!

So as Diwali (Deepavali) nears, I have decorated the front of my apartment in multicoloured lights and regularly jump out of my skin when my neighbour decides to light a round of crackers outside my kitchen window. Sometimes in India, there seems to be no escaping from the constant noise. Even during the peaceful early morning, I am often drawn out to my balcony by some vehicle which has stopped in my street to play music. It could be anything – collecting money for the Sai Baba foundation, a wedding party, a funeral, some local guys on a birthday, an election campaign. India must be the only country in the world where local politicians go around shouting impossible promises from the back of a roofless autorickshaw, covered in flowers and multi-coloured posters. More than fascinating, it’s hysterical – some of them wouldn’t look out of place at the Sydney Mardi Gras! Wearing though it may be, I love this constant liveliness around me. Even as an Australian, I’m not a fan of the deathly silence or empty streets which permeate Christmas Eve in Australian cities – I’ve always found it difficult to associate silence with celebration. Although it’s noisy, the crackers outside my window are what bring India to life, and remind me that all around, life is being lived.

Until next month, I wish everybody a happy Diwali, happy Eid and happy Nanak Jayanti.

Even as an Australian, I’m not a fan of the deathly silence or empty streets which permeate Christmas Eve in Australian cities – I’ve always found it difficult to associate silence with celebration.

Since I first visited the subcontinent years ago, I’ve expanded my vocabulary to include words such as lakh (meaning ‘one hundred thousand’), crore (‘ten million’) and rusticate (to cancel one’s enrolment in a school)

Clockwise from top left: DMK electioneering in Chennai; Dussehra celebrations at Marina Beach, Chennai; Sai Baba of Shirdi charity cart in Chennai; Ayudha Puja (the 9th day of Navratri) in Chennai. Tamils celebrate industrial progress by decorating cars and other machines.

The other side of

festivals

BY GEETA KHURANA

For the last month we all have been enjoying the festival season in India with Navratras, Durga Puja, Diwali, Bhai Duj and Annakut. Though we can say that Indians celebrate festivals throughout the year, this month is the most important one for festivals. And no celebration is complete without the traditional sweets, mithais, parties and family outings. Naturally, the traditional Indian hospitality encompassed in three famous words, Atithi Devo Bhavo or ‘The guest is truly your God’, is quite appropriate, as you are piled with sweets and drinks wherever you go.

Though festivals are loaded with fun and enjoyment, they do sway many people away from the regular diet schedules. During festivals we mentally switch off our calorie counter and enjoy the goodies and traditional sweets, as some of these are available only during this season. However, most of these foods have shockingly high levels of fat and sugar, and thus calories. This is also the time when even the most disciplined diet-followers let down their guard and get into the festival spirit. And even talking about dieting around Diwali makes people annoyed at you.

It has been seen over the years that after the festival season, the rate of obesity goes up, sugar control of diabetics goes down and those who are predisposed to develop diabetes, start to show diabetes. Therefore, experts warn that this festival fun - and not least, the culture of sweet-eating that peaks during this time - can help trigger long-term health problems, with diabetes only the beginning. In fact, India is the diabetes capital of the world as it hosts the most diabetics among all nations. But with festivities all around it is very difficult to stay focused and adhere to a strict diet schedule. It might start with a bite here and a bite there and before we know it, we have eaten a plate-full of extra calories by the end of the day.

But now, after all the bingeing and enjoyment the festival season finally ends, and it is time to get back to shape and health. Here are a few tips:

Give away the extras goodies

Do not eat sweets and mithai just because they are there or may go bad, or because no one else is eating them. It is better to throw away a few pieces of mithai rather than put yourself at risk. Or take these extra sweets to your workplace. Your multicultural colleagues would definitely love your Indian sweets and would not mind eating them.

During festivals we mentally switch off our calorie counter and enjoy the goodies and traditional sweets, as some of these are available only during this season. Instead of snacking on fried foods or sweets try to have fruit, fat reduced yoghurt, air popped popcorns, corn cobs, sprouts and nuts as snacks.

and meals and add more wholegrains to your meals, rather than white foods.

Include veggies and fruit

With the mercury rising and the summer season here, an added benefit for people living in Australia, try and include more salads, fresh veggies and fruits in your diet.

Avoid skipping meals

The first thing that comes to most people’s mind when losing weight is to skip a meal here and there to cut down on extra calories. Avoid skipping meals to get back to your normal weight, or to maintain better blood sugar values as skipping meals slows down the body metabolism and you might end up putting on even more weight. Instead have small and frequent meals.

Watch out for portion sizes

Try to have smaller portions at regular intervals rather than heaping up your plate with food at meal times. Try to include small snacks in between meals to reduce the portion size of the meals. Sometimes large portion sizes of even healthy foods can cause problems, therefore keep a close check on the portions.

Snack wisely

Packed Diwali gift hampers look very attractive and tasty, but try to choose your snacks wisely. Instead of snacking on fried foods or sweets, try to have fruit, fat reduced yoghurt, air popped popcorns, corn cobs, sprouts and nuts as snacks. Remember, a snack is not a meal; therefore, do not have burgers and pies as snacks.

Healthy cooking

Switch to healthier cooking options such as steaming, baking or grilling rather than frying or cooking in large amount of fat and ghee. Invest in a non-stick pan and use an oil spray instead of pouring oil.

Increase physical activity

Have a regular exercise routine and try to be active. Do any kind of exercise you are comfortable with, such as walking, swimming, dancing, yoga, or Pilates. So let’s get over the guilt of over indulging in festive sweets, snacks and hospitality and get back to being fit and smart for the upcoming summer season.

It’s hard to resist the temptation of rich food and delicious sweets during the festive season, but go back to healthy eating as soon as you can

Treating with

tea tree oil

This readily available oil has a number of excellent properties which make it a must for every household, writes

FARZANA SHAKIR

Tea tree oil has been used traditionally for treating skin ailments and as a general antiseptic, and more recently, the scientific community has conducted sufficient research to endorse its medicinal benefits.

drop to your toothpaste before brushing. For better results brush with baking soda and add 1 drop of tea tree oil to it. When used as a mouthwash, it kills the bacteria that causes bad breath, gingivitis, plaque and inflamed gums. Add 3 drops of tea tree oil to a cup of warm water and use as a mouth wash 2-3 times a day. Take care not to swallow.

Abrasions and minor cuts To treat minor cuts and abrasions, clean the affected area and dab a ball of cotton wool moistened in tea tree oil directly on the area.

Boils and inflammations

We may have recently discovered the benefits of tea tree oil, but aboriginal Australia has been aware of its medicinal uses for thousands of years. Derived from the leaves of Melaleuca tree, a native to the north east coast of NSW, tea tree oil is also known as Melaleuca oil. It is a pale yellow essential oil which smells like camphor and nutmeg, and is produced by steaming tea tree leaves which are then squeezed to extract the oil. In times gone by the leaves were used as a substitute for tea, hence the name ‘tea tree oil’.

Benefits of tea tree oil

Indigenous Australians have utilized the natural antibacterial and disinfectant qualities of the tea tree as a traditional remedy for many ailments. They treated colds and coughs by breathing in tea tree oil from crushed leaves. Wounds were sprinkled with tea tree leaves followed by a poultice to disinfect and aid in healing. A tried and tested native remedy for sore throats is an infusion obtained from soaking Melaleuca leaves in water. Tea tree oil has also been used traditionally for treating skin ailments and as a general antiseptic, and more recently, the scientific community has conducted sufficient research to endorse its medicinal benefits.

Medicinal properties

The remedial advantages of tea tree oil are numerous which is why it’s referred to as ‘liquid gold’ by some. It is a natural antifungal, antibacterial, antiviral and disinfectant oil which is

organisms like ringworm, acne, dandruff, head lice, mites, insect bites, nail fungus and minor wounds. Tea tree oil has the ability to penetrate into the lower layers of the skin to impart anti-inflammatory, disinfectant, pain killing and wound healing qualities. It encourages the formation of scar tissues to expedite healing. Moreover it is known to be effective against a number of infections that are resistant to antibiotics.

Tea tree oil has been proven through studies to be effectual in treating respiratory problems like sore throat, runny nose, coughs, asthma and bronchitis. Its anti-viral properties make it ideal for the treatment of common colds, flu, measles and cold sores. It is known to strengthen the body’s natural immunity often weakened by stress, illness or medicines.

Some of the most important treatments by tea tree oil for common ailments and conditions are listed here for your benefit; however the sheer volume of its uses could go on forever.

A word of caution though, tea tree oil is toxic when swallowed and can result in diarrhea, confusion, vomiting, drowsiness and even coma. Also topical application of undiluted tea tree oil can cause irritation to sensitive skin. Therefore it is advisable to do a patch test before using, and it is even safer to dilute tea tree oil with a little olive oil before application. Pregnant and breast-feeding women should avoid using tea tree oil.

properties of tea tree oil make it an ideal treatment for acne. It can be used without being diluted on the infected area. Dab a cotton ball in tea tree oil and apply to the area before going to bed. Rinse off in the morning. Taking vitamin E supplements in conjunction with this treatment results in excellent healing of the acne, blemishes and scar tissues. A few drops of tea tree oil can also be added to your daily facial wash to treat and prevent breakouts.

Sore throat Used in a simple steam inhalation, tea tree oil works miracles to cure sore throat, congestion, chest infection and clearing mucus. Fill a large bowl with boiling water and add 4 to 5 drops of the oil. Cover your head with a towel and lean over the bowl. Inhale for about 5 to 10 minutes.

Dandruff Tea tree oil is very effective in curing dandruff. It can be added to your bottle of shampoo in the form of a few drops or used directly on the scalp. Alternatively just add 4 to 5 drops to the shampoo in hand prior to washing your hair. It helps unblock the hair follicles. Shampoos containing at least 5% of tea tree oil have been proven to cure dandruff and combat head lice problem.

Halitosis or bad breath

Bad breath caused by inflamed gums and plaque can be treated effectively with tea tree oil. Add 1

Many people use tea tree oil to treat boils and abscesses owing to its antiseptic, anti-fungal and anti-bacterial properties. Moist a cotton swab with undiluted tea tree oil and gently dab onto the boil. Dispose of the used swab, making sure that it doesn’t come in contact with the uninfected parts of the body. Repeat several times a day.

Athlete’s foot To treat athletes foot, clean feet thoroughly, especially between the toes, and apply tea tree oil directly. Alternately add a few drops to a little olive oil and massage the feet and between toes. This is said to be the most common and effective home remedy for athletes foot. Tea tree oil is also effective in treating earaches, chicken pox itch, eczema, bronchitis and bladder infections, amongst other ailments. This essential oil is readily available at health food stores and from online retailers, so add a bottle to your medicine cabinet.

Tea tree oil has been proven through studies to be effectual in treating respiratory problems like sore throat, runny nose, coughs, asthma and bronchitis

Missing India? Come home with

You’ve probably already heard of ezeego1, India’s biggest online travel bazaar. Since launching in 2006, the website has revolutionised travel for millions of Indian residents by offering a huge range of flight, hotel and holiday deals at dramatically reduced prices.

Now you can take advantage of ezeego1’s famous discounts right here in Australia via a brand-new website. Backed by Cox & Kings – the world’s longest established travel company – ezeego1.com.au is your one-stop shop for cheap flights to India, within India and around the world. And as a special gift to non-resident Indians in Australia, ezeego1.com.au is currently offering a FREE domestic airfare within India with every return flight booked to India.

“Ezeego1.com.au makes travel easy by automatically finding the lowest available prices for each element of your trip,” ezeego1 Chief Operations Officer Neelu Singh said.

“The site’s innovative central booking system scans multiple travel suppliers worldwide to bring you the best deals on domestic and international flights, hotels, transfers, cruises, sightseeing packages and more. It’s simple to book airfares to multiple destinations, or to combine flights and accommodation for a complete holiday package.”

Ezeego1’s expert staff is available to help with your booking at all times. You can call the 24-hour customer service centre on 1300 133 158. Ezeego1 customer service executives speak a variety of different languages including English, Hindi, Marathi and Gujarati.

Ezeego1’s secure payment gateway accepts Visa and MasterCard, and you’ll save plenty of time and hassle by receiving your tickets via email. Changed your mind? You can cancel online via ezeego1.com.au.

“Ezeego1’s first-rate service doesn’t stop once you get on the plane,” Ms Singh said. “If you run into any problems while overseas, you can text ‘SOS’ to an emergency contact number from anywhere in the world. One of ezeego1’s expert customer service executives will call you back within 15 minutes to assist you.”

So what are you waiting for? Start browsing ezeego1’s great range of discount travel at www.ezeego1.com.au or call the customer service centre on 1300 133 158.

Neelu Singh, COO Ezeego customer service centre

We are a ONE STOP SHOP for all your REAL ESTATE & FINANCIAL needs

• Property: Buying, Selling & Property Management

• Loans : Home, Commercial , Refinancing and Self Managed Super Funds Loans

• Financial Planning: Retirement & Investment Planning

• Superannuation: Personal & Self Managed Super Fund

• Insurance: Life/TPD/Income Protection/Trauma

• General Insurance: Home & Contents /Public Liability Paul Pius

M: 0401687842

E: ppius@anfg.com.au

M: 0405514712

E: shaktika@firstnationalblacktown.com.au

Travelling tips

How to ensure your travel plans are simple, smart and sensible

BY PETRA O’NEILL

While in Fort Cochin, Kerala, I asked a distraught young woman if she was okay. She was flying to the UK that night, her trip cut short unexpectedly. It was as she was returning to her home-stay at night that she stumbled off the road and cut her foot. Soon afterwards she became ill, was hospitalised and was advised to go home for further tests in case it could have been a bite. Had she carried a torch, first aid kit and some antibiotics, the outcome may have been different. When you travel, it pays to pack right and pack light, and here are some tips how to do this.

Very Important Personals

Always keep your valuables - passport, camera, cash, mobile and credit cards close to you. I recommend a bum bag, preferably with a wire cord running through it. Securely fastened around your waist with a padlock, you will be less likely to be targeted by pickpockets. On arriving at your destination, keep on hand the completed outgoing passenger card, boarding pass, airline ticket and documentation, eg. hotel reservations. Try not to wear expensive jewellery, instead plastic or imitation would be best. Your watch should either be cheap or one with a locking device. I carry small amounts of cash in two currencies, like Australian and US dollars and convert the one that gives the more favourable rate, though if ATMs are available, they are a good alternative. Carry a small amount of the country’s local currency to cover for basic expenses like a prepaid taxi. If you’re carrying a debit card, make sure it’s loaded with only enough cash to cover your expenses. Let your bank know your itinerary. They will then monitor your transactions.

In the bag

For daily travel, carry a small, strong tote bag or back pack and make sure it has antiseptic hand wipes, a pen, small notebook, sunhat, reading glasses and sunnies,

I carry small amounts of cash in two currencies, like Australian and US dollars and convert the one that gives the more favourable rate, though if ATMs are available, they are a good alternative.

and a map. If you’re taking a flight, include earplugs, toothbrush, paracetamol, magazine, travel sickness tablets etc and an empty water bottle. Once through Airport Security, use a purified water bubbler to refill the bottle and keep well hydrated during the flight.

Light luggage, lesser lures

Set your sights on only a carry-on suitcase with wheels, weighing either 10 kgs or 7 kgs, depending on the airline’s regulations

Your bag will stay with you with no risk of loss, tampering or damage, and will help you exit customs ahead of the queue.

Fasten the bag with padlocks and carry a wire cord for securing your bag to the luggage rack when you travel by train or bus

Try and include a brightly coloured luggage tag to make sure your bag looks distinctive, so that you can identify it easily.

Packing tips

For what to pack, consider your itinerary. What will you be doing, and where will you be each day? What will the climate be like, will you need to dress formally? Next, tip all your possible clothes onto the bed and begin the process of mixing and matching. Base your selection on what you will need and on colours that go well together. Consider how often your clothes can be laundered or pressed. Every Vivanta by Taj hotel I stayed at provided irons and worked miracles with laundering. One boutique hotel though, returned my shirt damaged, so don’t take your very best clothes. Stripes and patterns disguise wrinkles. Dark or khaki colours disguise stains. Avoid white.

Packing

Pack your clothes in order of use, so you don’t need to forage in your suitcase to find what’s needed. Fill gaps along the edges with underwear. Bring A4 size zip lock plastic bags and as you travel, roll up dirty clothing, sit on the bag and the air compression will squeeze your clothes tight. When choosing clothes consider if you can leave some behind, further reducing bulk and making space for those must-have souvenirs to take back home.

Organise toiletries and medication to fit in the front pockets of your suitcase, packed in see-through plastic zip lock sandwich bags and sorted into purpose. For example, utility bag for torch, alarm clock, calculator; first aid bag for basic medication. Carry medications in their original packaging to cover every conceivable illness you risk contracting, and ensure none contain a prohibited substance such as pseudoephedrine which could land you in trouble in some countries. For prescription medication, carry a signed and dated letter from your doctor stating it is for your own personal use.

Legislation on liquids

The Office of Transport Security respon-

Pictures, this page and next

1. Bags

2. Pack prevention medication and for if you become ill

3. For your tote bag inflight

4. Keeping your valuables secure

5. Pack your utility items

6. Pack your personal items

7, 8,9. Colourful luggage tags

10. Your carry on liquids, gels and pastes

11. Suitcases

airports suggests:

* All liquids, aerosols, gels and pastes in carry-on luggage should be 100 grams or under, and clearly visible in a plastic zip lock bag. Baby products and medicines may be exempt.

* The four sides of the bag must add up to no more than 80 centimetres (e.g. 20x20 cm or 15x25 cm) and must be shown at Airport security screening points for international flights

Carry medications in their original packaging to cover every conceivable illness you risk contracting, and ensure none contain a prohibited substance such as pseudoephedrine which could land you in trouble in some countries.

* The contents when combined must total no more than one litre, including creams, gels, lipstick, lip balm, perfume etc.

* Checked-in luggage usually has no size restriction, but take only the amount of gels, liquid, etc. that you will use overseas, preferably in travel size containers

When proceeding through Airport Security, be cooperative. I have had vegemite (paste) and fruit salad (liquid content) confiscated, and while in India, I was asked to hand over two batteries (only two spares for your camera are allowed). If you purchase duty free, do so after clearing Airport Security and inform sales staff if you are taking a connecting flight.

And finally

Submit a copy of your detailed itinerary with your visa application.

Make sure your family has a copy and if you are going to a destination with any element of risk, register your details with the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, who will contact you if there is an emergency and keep you informed of developments.

Pack maps, details of your hotels to show to taxi drivers and only the pages you will need from your guidebook, but never walk around with one as it signals that you are a tourist.

Keep a copy of your passport and visa, debit card and carry a few spare passport photos.

Carry emergency contact details, 112 is the internationally recognised emergency number. Organise emails so flight and hotel bookings can be easily accessed if your documentation gets misplaced

Don’t store any personal information electronically that may compromise your identity, such as credit card information, at

the risk of misuse, specially at internet cafes and airport internet kiosks

Never leave your luggage unattended, never carry anything for someone else and always pack your own suitcase.

When returning to Australia, make sure you read and complete the customs declaration form correctly and don’t be reluctant to ask a Customs and Border Protection Officer about any item in your possession that you are unsure of. What may seem harmless enough, may pose a threat to Australia’s livestock, agriculture and native flora and fauna. Items including food, seeds, nuts, wood, plant or animal material could introduce some of the world’s most serious pests and diseases into Australia. Anything exposed to foreign soil or waterways such as hiking boots also pose a threat. Ensure you clean and dry them thoroughly before packing them. Failing to declare such items could result in a hefty fine and surprisingly, when you do declare upfront, you often exit the arrivals hall quicker.

WHERE CAN I GET MORE INFORMATION?

Australian Customs and Border Protection Service

1300 363 263

www.customs.gov.au

Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service 1800 020 504

www.aqis.gov.au

Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade

1300 139 281

www.smartraveller.gov.au

Office of Transport Security 02 6274 7111

www.travelsecure.infrastructure.gov.au

WHAT TO TAKE

Here’s what I packed on my recent 30-day trip to India

• Jeans paired with a business shirt when flying

• For outdoor activities, comfortable loose fitting capris and long-sleeved shirts for sun protection, also suitable for visiting temples

• Enclosed sandals with good traction and a hat

• 3 pairs of shorts to mix and match with 6 shirts.

• One outfit for evenings.

• Swimming costumes, underwear, pajamas

• A raincoat and a pair of dress up shoes

A corner of Cambodia

BY THOMAS E KING

‘Speedie’. Yes, that was a good name to describe my Cambodian train driver/ conductor. The only thing was that such a name didn’t set him apart from all the others who also deserved the same moniker. Without even giving the possible confusion a second thought I smiled at the casually dressed young man, but he didn’t look up as he was speedily assembling my conveyance.

‘Assembling’ was truly the operative word because after he had lugged rusty wheels and a bamboo platform onto tarnished tracks, he completed the ‘train’ with a bamboo mat. Oh yes, there was one more thing ... the engine. I recognised the ‘powerhouse’ as an old motorboat. Here he picked one from a pile and dropped the dented and dirty hunk of metal into place. Without a word except “have a great trip” from other travellers who had ventured out from Battambang and were also awaiting a similar magical mystery tour, we would soon be on a one-of-a-kind odyssey.

Cambodia’s ‘bamboo train’ is not only this Southeast Asian nation’s most unconventional attraction but a transport oddity unique in the world. I crossed this experience off my ‘bucket list’ earlier this year when the solemn-faced driver manually engaged the noise maker by pushing a fan belt against oily wheels. How hi-tech! (A stick was used to slow and stop the train.)

We were off in a flash - actually 0 to 40 km/h took a little longer. By the time we hit top speed, however, it felt like we were zooming through the rice-rich Cambodian countryside at 100 km/h. As the sole passenger on this trip, I sat tightly upright and only a few cm above the twisted track as we whizzed past pleasant mountain vistas, restful rivers and farm scenes complete with smiling children, water buffalo and work weary farmers tilling massive rice fields.

This hidden gem is an adventure from the time one steps aboard the ‘train’ which leads to a fascinating countryside and an astounding number of ancient architectural wonders

My digital camera went into overdrive capturing the serene postcard-like surroundings as I didn’t have to worry about reflections from windows. My tiny open-air carriage didn’t have them! It was also void of walls, chairs and benches, seat belts, video monitors or even metal frames to restrain my bulk and that of other thrill-seekers from high-speed tumbles into fields or rivers.

During the 5 km journey back to base I thought of what I had heard earlier: take advantage of this train oddity today, as it will soon be history. This is ever so true as change is coming to this isolated corner of Cambodia. Battambang will certainly benefit with an upgraded rail connection to the Cambodian capital of Phnom Penh and beyond.

During many years of French colonial rule a substantial rail network was built throughout Cambodia which included steel ribbons linking Phnom Penh with Battambang to the northwest and beyond. Much of the track still exists, but years of neglect have resulted in rust and ruin. Upgrade on the once busy Phnom Penh/ Battambang section is expected to be completed in 2013, by which time the ‘bamboo train’ will have carried its last passenger into history.

The world’s only ‘bamboo train’ was one reason I had opted to visit sleepy and provincial Battambang. The lure of French architecture was another drawcard to make the 370 km journey northwest from Phnom Penh.

Cambodia’s second largest city of Battambang has numerous superior structures blueprinted by the French. An ongoing restoration program has repaired cracks, refreshed windows and gardens and beautified concrete surroundings with colour-coordinated paint. Apart from lovely mansions brought back to glory and now used as administrative offices, a stunning bank and commercial outlets, perhaps the most notable French architectural contribution is the expansive

circa early 20th century Phsar Nath. Distinctive continental characteristics such as thick walls, well-defined lines and a clock tower are major features seen on the outside of this building. Inside its airy interior the atmosphere is all Cambodian, however, as stall holders bargain with cashed-up locals for a variety of items from house wares and rat traps to clothing and edibles.

Vendors in Phsar Nath sell just about everything, though one staple predominates. Baskets laded with different qualities of rice litter the market’s well-worn concrete floor. Throughout Cambodia, Battambang is known as ‘the city built on rice’. The valuable crop is a field favourite in a province known for its fertile alluvial soil.

Most visitors are keen to explore the fertile farmlands and cottage industry villages just beyond Battambang. I was no exception and like so many other visitors, hired a driver who owned a sturdy threewheeler as well as a most knowledgeable and engaging guide, both for only a few American dollars. (This foreign currency is much preferred to the local and rarely seen Cambodian Riel.)

My amiable guide – Mr Prach contactable on mobile 016 865024 for personalised tours to fit any number of travellers – it proved, was to provide invaluable commentary and insight into this rural region. We sat off from the central sited old colonial market after I had seen a solemn procession of Buddhist monks receiving morning offerings.

Surfaced main roads are well maintained in this part of northwest Cambodia but just off the wide bitumen, conditions became dusty, bumpy and as I expected, far more interesting. We made our first stop at the small settlement of Peam Ek, just a few km from the ‘big smoke’ of Battambang. It’s here that I met 16-year-old businesswoman, Mliss.

Her house like most others in the area

Apart from lovely mansions brought back to glory and now used as administrative offices, a stunning bank and commercial outlets, perhaps the most notable French architectural contribution is the expansive circa early 20th century Phsar Nath.

had been built on stilts and Mliss was sitting in the shadow of the house when I arrived. She didn’t slow her work to exchange pleasantries with Mr Prach or myself and instead just continued a task she knew well: making edible rice paper sheets, integral ingredients for spring rolls.

It’s a profoundly simple and very labour intensive task that I found utterly boring as the exertion involves endless repetition. First Mliss ladled milky water that had been saturated with ground rice flour onto steaming hot metal domes. It only took moments for the concoction to cook before Mliss put the paper thin sheets onto string racks to dry. They would then be stacked, packaged and prepared for shipment to local eateries and restaurants in other parts of the country. Mliss knew the routine well as it has been her daily duty for the past 10 years. Boring though I thought this job to be, she said the task “was much better than working in a rice field”.

I left her small family-owned cottage industry factory with mixed emotions knowing that while Mliss had not experienced a childhood, had to work a tiring 7-day week (only during monsoons was she able to have a much appreciated ‘holiday’) for a monthly wage of 50,000 Riel (about A$18.00), she was very happy knowing that she was contributing to her family’s welfare.

There were also children working at the sole refreshment stall before Ek Phom Temple, my next point stop. While Buddhism now prevails throughout the Kingdom of Cambodia, Hinduism was a strong religious force for many centuries and grand temples were built throughout the country.

Few Hindus other than those from foreign lands visit the moat-encircled Ek Phom today. A few genuine pilgrims do come to the tiny village of Tkov, 13 km outside Battambang. However it’s mostly non-Hindu locals interested in a picnic back dropped by a moat and temple, or enthralled tourists who tramp through the ruins of this once striking 11th century religious structure. They are surprised as I was to find a temple and a far-flung collection of other spiritual havens that were built as Hindu temples, but are now dedicated to the teachings of Buddha.

1) An early morning procession of monks silently files through the streets of Battambang.

2) Many of the city’s fine French buildings have been renovated to serve locals and visitors.

3) A ‘driver’ pilots a rail car along a short circuit for those riding the ‘bamboo train’.

4) A statue of Dambang Kranhoung, guardian of Battambang, stands at the entrance to the city.

5) Bright flowers contrast with the stone ruins of the weathered 11th century Ek Phnom Temple.

While Buddhism now prevails throughout the Kingdom of Cambodia, Hinduism was a strong religious force for many centuries and grand temples were built throughout the country.

A Cambodian flag tops the weathered Ek Phom which was ruined around 1976 when Pol Pot’s infamous Khmer Rouge stole laterite and sandstone blocks and used them to build roads and bridges. Vines have overgrown many weathered columns that have in many cases been nearly covered by windblown sand and soil.

Hindu carvings can still be traced, however, on supports as well as on the few remaining lintels. Despite its perilous state of preservation the temple still bears witness to the architectural prowess of King Suryavarman I who constructed this wonderful religious sanctuary and numerous other temples in this cultured corner of Cambodia.

Travel notebook BATTAMBANG

FLIGHTS

Thai Airways International has 44 flights a week linking Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth to Bangkok with two onward flights a day to Phnom Penh. Contact travel agents for the latest airfare specials and promotions or THAI reservations on 1 300 651 960. See www.thaiairways.com.au

ACCESS

Air conditioned buses leave Phnom Penh throughout the day for the $5, 5½ hour ride to Battambang. There is also an inseason (water level permitting) ferry service from Siem Reap to Battambang.

TRAVEL

Arrangements for hotels and tours in Battambang and the rest of Cambodia can be confidently made by e-mail through the award winning Phnom Penh-based Great Angkor Tours Co. Ltd. E-mail Tour@GreatAnkorTour.com See www. GreatAngkorTour.com

ACCOMMODATION

Located in a quiet suburban setting, the conveniently sited Khemara Battambang 1 Hotel has 136 rooms and a large swimming pool. See www.khemarahotel.com

INFORMATION

As a representative office of the Cambodia Ministry of Tourism has not been established in Australia check with your travel agent for holiday advice. See the government’s official website www.mot.gov.kh Lonely Planet has published a guide devoted to Cambodia. See www.lonelyplanet.com/cambodia.

Interest Rate dropped by Reserve Bank after two and a half years, more cuts to come ?

By Navjeet Singh Matta, ASIC Licensed Mortgage Broker also Director- Gain Home Loans (Full member MFAA)

Dear friends,

November 1st 2011, would have been known more by the Melbourne Cup when a race occurs that “stops the nation”. This race is conducted every year on the first Tuesday of the month of November, incidentally, the Reserve Bank of Australia also decides the fate of the Australian public on the same day, although every month on the first Tuesday. But this day was different as after several interest rate rises in the last year, the RBA has decided to cut the interest rates by 0.25%, in fact the last rate cut occurred in April 2009. This is a big relief for mortgage holders who will now save around $60 a month on a $300K mortgage. At the time of going to print, two major banks Commonwealth Bank and Westpac have already announced that they will fully pass on this cut and it’s almost sure that the other banks like NAB and ANZ will follow suit. Australia is the only developed country in the whole world which has the highest interest rates at 4.5% compared to 0% in Japan, 0.5% in UK and 0.25% in US. The business community and lot of economists have been pleading with the RBA to cut the rates for a long time as the non-mining sector has been struggling to keep with the low sales and less or no profits. There has been a lot of talk of how Australia is dependent on the mining sector and how a lowered demand from countries like China and India can impact our economy adversely and then we could be in the same boat as other countries like US and European economies, having said that the Australian fundamentals and the banking system is far stronger than these economies and there is a very little chance that we could go in recession. Lot of economists are predicting that this is not the last rate cut and there can be couple of more rate cuts which may happen in early 2012 or even in next month. The signs were there. For the last few months, the fixed rates have been consistently dropping and were very lucrative and cheaper than the variable rates, I have been asked this again and again whether to fix the mortgage or not, my answer is, if you do want to fix, never fix the whole loan amount as you can split your loan and do it proportionately to suit your needs, if you are unsure, call me to discuss your situation.

My contact number is 02 9676 3417 or 0412 452 429.

First Home Buyers, the time is running out !

I have outlined in my previous articles that the NSW government will start charging stamp duty from First Home buyers from 1st January 2012. There is a potential saving of $18,000 on a purchase price of $500K if you buy property before that. Let me clarify a few things here, first of all to be eligible you must sign the property purchase contract no later than 31st Dec 2011 even though the settlement occurs later and secondly the $7,000 first home grant will still be available even after this date and so far there is no information of that being abolished. We at Gain Home Loans have been helping first home buyers since 2004 to achieve their dream of property ownership in Australia, so if you are a first home buyer, contact us and we will guide you at every step, will help you find the best loan (even if you don’t have genuine savings) and help you find the most suitable property through out free RP Data property reports. We deal with all major and non-major banks and best of all we don’t charge any fee as get paid by the lenders. For your added confidence, we are fully licensed by ASIC and a fully approved member of Mortgage and Finance Association of Australia. Visit our web-site to www.gainhomeloans.com.au learn more or contact one of our experienced loan consultants on 02 9676 3417.

Disclaimer: Any advice given in this article does not take into account the personal needs and objectives or financial situation of the reader. The reader should consider the appropriateness of this and seek professional advice before making a decision whether to acquire or continue the products and services mentioned.

Payback!

BY RITAM MITRA

England’s spectacular capitulation in the 5th and final ODI at Eden Gardens on October 25 brought to an end a humiliating tour for the Poms who will go back home having lost their last 10 ODIs on Indian soil, following their 0-5 drubbing there 3 years ago. It will, for many fans as well as the players themselves, provide some comfort after the horrible lows the Indian side suffered during their recent visit to England.

The scoreline does not do justice to the dominance that India asserted over England. The winning margins – 126 runs, 8 wickets, 5 wickets, 6 wickets and the 95 run victory in Kolkata – were convincing, and it was apt that MS Dhoni made the final contribution to the series with a catch, having been, once again, India’s talisman in the batting line up. Dhoni’s effort was immense in pure numbers – keeping for a total of 217 overs, scoring 212 runs off just 188 deliveries, all while captaining an inexperienced side and losing 4 of the 5 tosses –but Dhoni was not dismissed even once! Adding to this, his last two innings against England on their home turf reveals that England have now failed to dismiss MS Dhoni during his last 330 runs at the crease. His feats are comparable to Michael Bevan, who was dismissed in only 66% of his innings, and was of course, the ultimate finisher in one-day cricket.

The tour was initially seen as an overdose of cricket between the two sides, with many fans still suffering an English hangover. Marquee players such as Sachin Tendulkar, Virender Sehwag, Zaheer Khan and Yuvraj Singh were all ruled out with injury and fitness issues, while the selectors made the bold decision to drop Harbhajan Singh even after his strong Champions League performance. Without so many regulars, crowd numbers were always going to be an issue, but India’s performance belied their inexperience.

The glaring difference between this Indian side and others is the fielding department. Never before has an Indian team prowled the field with such unwavering commitment to the ball. Virat Kohli and Suresh Raina are already known to patrol the covers with a blatant disregard for their bodies – their modus operandi is to get to the ball, and get rid of it quickly. In Kolkata, India added to this duo the extremely talented Manoj Tiwary at backward point who saved at least 15 runs on his own in the field; it was about time India recognised that fielders can make contributions with their athleticism in the same way batsmen make contributions with their blade.

Happy in Hyderabad

Dhoni set the scene from the very first ODI in Hyderabad, where his typically agricultural 87* off 70 deliveries set up India’s 300/7, which England never looked like chasing. India’s spinners applied the asphyxiation we have grown accustomed to witnessing in the sub-continental middle overs, and all of a sudden India had finally beaten England, after failing to do so in the entire English summer.

Virat Kohli and Suresh Raina are already known to patrol the covers with a blatant disregard for their bodies – their modus operandi is to get to the ball, and get rid of it quickly.

(India) have not lost a bilateral series to an opponent other than Australia since 2004-05, and have only one solitary defeat in the last 16 matches at home.

Dashing in Delhi

The Delhi match provided the seamers with some assistance, and England made a thoroughly inauspicious start – 2 down without a run on the board. Although several batsmen made starts, as is the case in Indian conditions, you are never quite “in”, and Vinay Kumar’s 4 wickets set up a modest target of 238. India also lost two early wickets in their makeshift opening pair of Ajinkya Rahane and Parthiv Patel, but it was by far their most clinical batting performance – Kohli and Gambhir combined for a record unbeaten stand of 209 for the third wicket, reaching the target within 37 overs, Kohli in the process scoring the only century of the tournament.

Majestic in Mohali

England finally amassed a total worthy of the pitch, as they battled to 298 in Mohali. Jonathan Trott, the highest run scorer in 2011 ODIs, was unbeaten on 98*; but even his efforts were not enough. This was the closest match, but for some reason the result never really looked in severe doubt for India. A man-of-the-match 91 from Rahane set up the platform for solid contributions from the remaining batsmen, and although India lost wickets at regular intervals, a Dhoni fireworks display put the match, and the series to rest with 4 balls to spare.

And in Mumbai

The Indian spinners again left England with a meagre total to bowl at, England reaching 220 thanks mainly to their number 7 Tim Bresnan’s run-a-ball 45. However, India once again made light work of the target despite losing early wickets. Raina and Kohli’s 131-run stand was notable for their uncanny ability to run singles when not hitting boundaries; even though they hit 23 fours between them. Although Raina fell for a violent 80, Dhoni again came in and finished the job and kept the 5-0 scoreline in sight.

Clean up in Kolkata

It has been a long time since Eden Gardens was

this empty for an international match featuring India; however the few that turned up were treated to an astonishing display of clutchhitting by Dhoni, followed by some top-notch spin bowling by the series’ top wicket takers in Ravindra Jadeja and Ravichandran Ashwin. India seemed to be heading for 240 until their captain exploded; India scored 91 runs in the last 10 overs, and Dhoni was unbeaten on 75*, blasting 4 massive sixes in the process. Cook and Kieswetter made their best start of the series, adding 129 for the first wicket inside 20 overs – however England proceeded to lose their 10 wickets for just 47 runs, highlighting their inability to play spin and unwillingness to use their feet to move to the ball.

Of course, fans and writers, as is their wont, often wax lyrical about the Indian side when they perform well, and save scathing criticism for when things don’t work out. However, this performance by India deserves plaudits for what it was - India fielded a severely depleted unit with an average age of just 24 years, and beat a markedly similar team to the one that beat them just 2 months ago.

Any praise beyond this, however, would be somewhat insulting to Indian cricket. For although 5-0 sounds perfect, especially in the aftermath of the disastrous England tour, it is easy to forget the bottom line; India are extremely tough to defeat in home ODIs. Since October 2005, India have won 51 of their 76 ODI fixtures at home, including 27 of the last 36. They have not lost a bilateral series to an opponent other than Australia since 2004-05, and have only one solitary defeat in the last 16 matches at home. Anything other than a convincing margin against England, then, would have been far more worrying than either Duncan Fletcher or MS Dhoni would have cared to let on. India next face the West Indies at home before the real test: Australia in Australia!

Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the Australian summer of cricket.

A convincing win is what India needed to restore the faith of fans after their abysmal past performance against England – and they delivered, with interest!

Indian Grand Prix

A job well done

If anything, the inaugural Formula One Indian Grand Prix at Greater Noida on October 30 gave birth to a new culture of motorsport in a country that otherwise is obsessed with cricket, Bollywood and of course, politics.

For sure, promoters Jaypee Group and the Buddh International Circuit (BIC) felt the birth pangs, but the new born appears healthy and a bundle of joy. From here on, the future of this “child” is dependent on those responsible for it - the Indian motorsports honchos.

To an extent, the huge embarrassment of the government-supported Commonwealth Games in Delhi last year has been somewhat compensated by the BIC that is comparable to some of the best Formula One tracks in the World.

The Hermann Tilke-designed 5.14 kms long circuit marked by an undulating 1.2 kms straight and the driver’s delight of a ‘Parabolica’ (turns 10 through 12), has tremendous potential to become the very best. Double World champion Fernando Alonso remarked, the BIC can get better over the years.

The facility built by a corporate that overcame massive odds, not to speak of the usual skepticism and hordes of Doubting Thomases who dot the Indian landscape, is something the country can be justifiably proud of. Of more significance is that it has paved the way for motorsport in India to move to the next level.

The very fact that a clutch of Indians racing in the two support races, even got to drive on a fullfledged Formula One track and on a Grand Prix weekend in itself was a huge plus, for they would have gained immensely by the experience.

For Indian motorsport, the hard work begins now and the eyes would be on the Federation of Motor Sports Clubs of India (FMSCI) to build on the resounding success of the October 28-30 weekend that will go down as a historic and epochal moment in the country’s racing history.

And when Sebastian Vettel brought home his Red Bull car while completing his third career treble of Pole, Fastest Lap and Win, the country would have heaved a collective sigh of relief that the event passed off smoothly in front of an estimated global television audience of 500 million besides the capacity 1.2 lakh spectators at the venue.

There may have been glitches in the lead up to the race weekend, but certainly, there was no doubting the commitment on part of the promoters who surmounted last minute hassles and pin-pricks in the form of cargo clearances, taxes and a vagabond canine.

It stands to reason that the Indian Grand Prix can only get better. The dust factor that added a few creases of worry is sure to be addressed and once the facility develops over the years, there is every possibility that India will become a favoured Formula One destination.

The drivers who entertained the fans over three days have all endorsed the circuit even though there are shades of Sepang International Circuit in the BIC layout, but that is an issue hardly worth a debate, for overall, the Indian Grand Prix was an unqualified success.

McLaren’s Button, who finished second, dedicated the race to Wheldon and Simoncelli. In a mark of respect to his compatriot, Button had Wheldon’s DW logo on top of his helmet and also wore a black arm band to mourn the death of his close friend.

“We’ve had two fatalities and it’s very difficult. I knew Dan from a young age - so I think we should dedicate this first Indian race to Dan and to Marco, who was the most amazing man to watch on a bike,” he said.

Alonso, who had watched Simoncelli’s fatal crash at the Sepang circuit in Malaysia last weekend, also had mixed feelings. The Ferrari driver on his helmet had a sticker sporting No. 58, Simoncelli’s Honda number.

“As Seb and Jenson said, it’s mixed feelings with these being sad weeks for motorsport and we all raced for them (Dan and Marco) today. We’re always remembering these two fantastic people,” he said.

The 33-year-old Wheldon, a former rival of Button and his Red Bull team mate Mark Webber, was killed during the season ending IndyCar racing after he was involved in a fatal 15-car pileup in Las Vegas on October 16.

The following weekend the world watched aghast the death of Simoncelli, who was struck by other bikes after he fell at the Malaysian Grand Prix.

F1 management has shown how to organise a big event

That the inaugural Formula One Indian Grand Prix was a huge success is a tribute to the sheer professionalism shown by the F1 fraternity. It was a near flawless show and the Indian promoters, Jaypee Group, were no less efficient.

The Formula One Management (FOM), which is vested with the task of organising 20odd races in a season, showed why they are such a successful bunch of top class pros. The caravan left the country winding up everything in hours after the race. It is no mean job to shift some 600 tonnes of cargo, comprising sophisticated equipment, arrived a week before the October 30 race. Incredibly, it was all neatly packed within five hours after the show, ready to fly to the next port of call of the F1 circuit, Abu Dhabi.

Jaypee Group deserves a mention for playing their part well, but they would not have been able to pull it off without the support of the FOM, headed by Bernie Eccletsone and the International Automobile Federation (FIA).

The Indians are still learning the ropes of organising mega sporting events. There was no last-minute scramble and all those involved in the organisation of the historic event were on their toes from the word go.

FOM not only controlled the 60-lap race, it also helped the security officials and local media on putting things together.

German driver Sebastian Vettel of Red Bull Racing steers his car during the Formula One Grand Prix of India at the Buddh International Circuit at Greater NOIDA, India, on 30 October 2011.

Mango tango

Diwali belly? Try some mango.

BY RAJNI ANAND LUTHRA

I know exactly how you feel. You’ve eaten too much at Diwali, haven’t you? You got one too many boxes of mithai – probably still have some sitting in your fridge – and not only did you pig out on them, you went out to the Diwali Mela and bought some more. And this was after eating hot jalebis and chole bhature and aloo tikkis at Parramatta Stadium. I know, ‘cos I saw you there, you petus…. Oh, alright, join the club!

Anyway the mood right now is still a bit squeamish, and the desire is for something fresh – fresh produce, cooked as lightly as possible. Now that the Festival of Light is all done, we commence the Festival of Light Eating.

And guess what, mangoes are in! Read on for some easy recipes. Here, mangoes are used to add a glamorous touch to your main meal, as they tango with various salad ingredients.

Mango and Prawn Salad

1 large ripe but sturdy mango, thinly sliced Baby Asian greens

24 medium cooked prawns, peeled and deveined but with tails left intact ¼ bunch fresh coriander, chopped For dressing

2 egg yolks

Mango Rice Paper Rolls

1 under-ripe mango

1 Lebanese cucumber

2 spring onions

12 x 15cm round rice paper wrappers

2 cooked chicken breast fillets, sliced ¼ cup torn mint leaves

Peel the mango, remove the flesh and slice thinly. Cut the cucumber and spring onion into 8cm long thin straws.

Place the rice paper wrappers in a bowl of warm water for 1 minute or until soft and pliable. Remove and pat dry on a clean tea towel. Lay them out on your bench.

Divide the mango, cucumber, spring onions, chicken and mint between each wrapper, placing them on the bottom-left side nearest to you. Roll up firmly to enclose the filling, folding the right side over the filling as you go to make a base, and leaving the left side open to show the filling.

Serve with sweet chilli sauce or a dipping sauce of 1/3 cup fish sauce and 2 tablespoons lime juice, if desired.

(Image and recipe provided by Mango Communications)

Mango Salsa

1 large ripe but sturdy mango, peeled and cubed

1/2 red onion, finely chopped

2 small chillies, seeds removed, finely chopped

1 tbsp chopped coriander

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Juice of 1 lime

Toss together mango, onion, chilli, coriander, oil, lime juice and some salt and pepper in a bowl. Cover with cling film and refrigerate for half an hour.

Mango and Prosciutto

Mango cubes

Baby rocket leaves

Prosciutto slices

Place one rocket leaf on a mango cube, then wrap prosciutto slice around. Use half a slice if your cubes are small. Secure with wooden toothpick. Cover with clingfilm and chill.

Another Mango Salsa

2 large ripe but sturdy mangoes, peeled and cubed

1 large Lebanese cucumber, seeds removed and then cubed

2 tbsp chopped fresh dill

2 tbsp finely chopped fresh chives

2 tbsp fresh lemon juice

Mango Chicken Papadums

2 single chicken breast fillets

2 tbsp tandoori curry paste

1 tsp vegetable oil

Plain mini pappadums

1 ripe but sturdy mango, peeled and cubed

1 small Lebanese cucumber, cubed

2 tbsp finely chopped red onion

1 tbsp chopped fresh coriander

3 tsp fresh lime juice

1/2 cup natural yoghurt

1 tbsp chopped fresh mint

1 garlic clove, crushed

Fresh coriander sprigs, for garnish

Marinate the chicken in the curry paste in a glass or ceramic bowl.

Heat oil in a non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Cook chicken on both sides. Set aside to cool, then shred.

Cook the pappadums to packet directions.

Toss together the mango, cucumber, onion, chopped coriander and one-third of the lime juice in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper.

Combine the yoghurt, mint, garlic and remaining lime juice in a small bowl. Season with salt and pepper.

Lay out pappadums on a serving platter. Top with chicken, mango mixture, yoghurt mixture and coriander sprigs to serve

Matrimonials

SEEKING BRIDES

Seeking suitable Australian resident girl for 29 year-old, 6 ft tall, handsome, Gupta boy, well educated, MBA (Marketing)/ Hotel Management, Specialization in food production. Presently working as Senior Quality Analyst, IBM India. Only son of senior government executive. Boy settling in Sydney for business, family in Sydney, early marriage, serious proposals only. risrrrgupta@yahoo.com.au 0434 550 109.

Brahmin Iyer 34/5’9”- MBA, MS, veg, dual citizen, own house, well settled with permanent IT job in large company, pleasant looks and cheerful personality, seeks bride 2833 with similar cultural background. Photo TM ID M2116878, email kkrangan@yahoo.com or contact 0418 720 781.

Alliance invited for 30-year-old wellsettled Hindu boy, fair, handsome, 5’9”, Computer Engineer, working in Sydney, Australian PR. Looking for well-educated, working girl with family values, settled in Australia. Contact 0418 160 054, sktipu786@gmail.com

A32-year-old male, never married, Fijian Indian background, 5’8, fair, handsome Australian citizen vegetarian and non-smoker, living in Sydney, seeks suitable match, aged 25-30, honest girl with good family values. Caste and education no bar. Please reply with photo and details hi.watsup@hotmail.com or call 0449 109 620.

SEEKING GROOMS

Seeking suitable professional Australian Resident match for beautiful Punjabi Arora permanent resident girl, belonging to a doctor family. Born June 80/ 160 cm. Working as dentist in NSW earning handsome salary. Please email your details drpri19@gmail.com

Seeking compatible, well educated, employed/ business match from respectable family broad minded/mature outlook, independent, Indian background, age 49 onwards, for caring, honest, Indian Christian divorcee, Australian citizen. Well settled in Perth, 49 years, 5’3” tall, younger looking, attractive graduate nurse, employed. Caste no bar. Please send profile with photos to mail ID... emily.lotus@hotmail.com

Seeking suitable match (from Australia, never married) for Hindu girl 34 years, Chartered Accountant (non-veg), living in Australia over 25 years, with eastern and western family values.

Please email with all details on ganesh2011v@gmail.com

Seeking match for Hindu Arora girl, 24, professional and working, born and brought up in Sydney. Well educated and settled family. Boy with similar background preferred. Email: rtmkh8064@gmail.com or call 0405 488 042.

I envy you, your moment

BY RANI JHALA

I was at a restaurant. The proprietor had seated me at my favourite table, a twoseater, in the far corner of the room. Our dishes had been served and I looked at our plates. Mine was already half eaten; my wife’s was still untouched. Ah, these blissful moments were priceless, intercepted by the rustle of my wife’s sari, or by the clanging of her bangles.

I followed my wife’s gaze as she looked at the couple seated at the next table. The wife was upset about the order. She had wanted their usual selection and her husband had wanted them to try some new dishes. She had given in to his wish, but from that moment, she had spent every minute regretting her decision. Others too listened in to their conversation, for it was loud enough.

Another lady who was with a group at the table next to me was blaming her husband for their delay. A man at that same table was making fun of his wife’s choice of music. Two tables away yet another couple were arguing about the man’s wandering eyes. Four tables away, a father yelled loudly at his child and accused his wife for failing to discipline her. Some couples joked about each other’s failings, and some attributed faults where none existed.

I looked across my table and smiled at our blissful silence.

Indira and I met in college. I was her senior by two years. It was customary for newcomers to be ‘ragged’ by their seniors. It was not the kind of violent, abusive bullying that now exists, rather the playful kind where we asked them to do jobs for us, such as go into town and bring us a snack or stand in the middle of the courtyard and sing a song. Though now, it would be considered bullying. It was my lot to rag her. My first task for her was to iron my shirts. They came perfectly ironed on a hanger, but to my dismay fell apart on me in the middle of a class presentation, for she had very cleverly and strategically unpicked the seams. That act was not only defiance on her part, but a challenge to me as well. The next day I asked her to wash all my clothes. She did these but returned them all dyed to varying degrees of pink, for she claimed she had accidently washed a red petticoat with my clothes. Now being made to look a fool, I decided to make her carry a placard saying ‘I was wrong to make a fool of Arvi and I apologise for it’ and walk around the campus. I felt bad about my decision and felt worse when I heard

added “But he makes it so hard, when he is so easy to make a fool of.’ From then on, the battle lines were drawn but no matter what I threw at her she counter-acted and won. We spent the next few months playing these games, and then suddenly the games stopped. And we both realised things were getting serious.

Then one day, Indira suddenly disappeared from college. All we were told was that she was unwell and had returned home for treatment. She had not bid anyone goodbye. She had not even contacted her close friends.

The two weeks that followed were my loneliest. Everywhere I looked, I saw Indira, every word uttered, reminded me of her. Finally I managed to get her phone number but when I rang, her mother informed me that Indira was still in hospital but she would pass on my message. Two weeks in hospital could only mean something serious. I left on the next train and arrived unannounced at her home. I could see her family was surprised, but were gracious in their welcome. Her brother took me the hospital. Even before I entered her room, I knew I loved her. As I entered, I knew that one day she would be my bride, but I was unprepared for the sight I was to see. Indira lying prostrate still connected to tubes and

“How did you get through, I thought it was ‘family only’,” she said, smiling. “Yes, so I was told before I was allowed in,” I replied. I had conveyed my message and I knew from her teary eyes that she had understood its meaning: I was now family and I was here to stay.

“No one was to tell you anything,” she remarked. That explained why her friends had maintained their silence. It had surprised me that none of them had been in contact with their supposedly dear friend. I would learn later, that they took turns to visit Indira, always promising to keep their silence.

My weekend stay turned to a fortnight. From her father I learnt that she had a heart condition that was now ‘ticking bomb’, a bomb that would never let her be a mother. And for that reason Indira had decided that she would never be a wife. And this was one battle I would not and did not let her win. I married her the day she came out of hospital, ensuring that she did not have the chance to escape. That ticking bomb was gracious in giving us eighteen wonderful years together. My parents’ initial disappoint at our circumstances was soon overcome by their feelings for Indira. I had a brother who would give them their grandchildren, but I had brought them the daughter they never

They came perfectly ironed on a hanger, but to my dismay fell apart on me in the middle of a class presentation, for she had very cleverly and strategically unpicked the seams.

had. We completed our college degrees, I got a job and we moved to several countries in the world. No medics in any country could fix her health condition, but each was awed by her inner strength and courage.

Most couples look for friends and social groups outside of their marriage. I had my best friend by my side. Most marriages have arguments and fights. Ours never saw one. Maybe we were done with all the fighting in college. People look for external entertainment. We were just happy to be in each other’s company. On so many occasions we would get ready for a party and then decide that we would rather stay at home and just talk.

The time bomb finally exploded and took everything from my life, but not the memories and not her presence. Even now, I see her seated across me at our table. Even now I hear the rustle of her sari and the clang of her bangles. Even now she smiles at me from across the room and I hear my Indira say, “I wish we had their time”.

I looked around. The conversations were still loud, the arguments still raging and the comments were still insulting, but it no longer bothered me. As I got up to leave, the gentleman at the table with the group remarked, “I hope we were not too loud?” I patted his shoulder as I walked past “Not at all, in fact, I envy you, your moment.” This is a work of fiction but it is a tribute to a real-life Indira and Arvi.

I had conveyed my message and I knew from her teary eyes that she had understood its meaning: I was now family and I was here to stay.

When a partner is a true friend one can want nothing more, reveals this poignant short story

ARIES March 21 - April 19

Tarot

Tarot ‘n’ You Tarot ‘n’ You

Tarot predictions for February 2010

Tarot predictions for NOVEMBER 2011

LIBRA September 23 - October 22

Planning your end-of-year vacation? Tarot suggests care. This month the cards are indicating that you may face some delays relating to travel. It is best to check all bookings carefully. Financially, you are in for a positive time and there are going to be a lot of changes where work and making money are concerned. The cards are also indicating a fantastic time for relationships and love. Make time for meditation and relaxation this month.

TAURUS April 20 - May 20

The cards are indicating a time for financial stability around you. There are a lot of plans on your mind and you are looking at some lucrative ways of making money. But remember to keep a balance with your personal life - your relationship may be under a little bit of strain as you have not been seeing eye to eye with your partner lately. Take time out together to discuss things and you will be able to move forward together.

GEMINI May 21 - June 20

It is time for introspection. Tarot is indicating that this is a time to find out what you really want in life. It is also time to bring together some family members who are not on talking terms. You may find that you are trying to juggle finances this month. Romantically you are in the mood to make things better, and if single you are now ready to look for that right companion. Quite a busy month, overall!

CANCER June 21 - July 22

Tarot suggests you are looking for stability this month. Your cards are indicating this will be a time of deep thought and decisions. This is also a time of letting the past go and allowing new adventures to come into your life. You may decide to take up travel or study, or both. You may also be thinking about the future of a current relationship. Financially you are looking at savings and how to bring in more stability around you.

LEO July 23 - August 22

Your cards indicate a time of rapprochement. There have been some harsh words spoken to a loved one and you are now thinking of how to make this better. Tarot sees some strain around a particular relationship. But don’t worry; you will be able to work things out well if you act with maturity. Financially, you are looking at a good month but be careful with your spending; do not go into a major (property?) deal without proper advice.

VIRGO August 23 - September 22

It’s professional success, peace and overall happiness for you this month. Tarot notes you are doing well in your career, and suggests rewards are coming your way. Financially you seem to be making good progress, and this month you could be looking at ways of expanding your horizons at work. There is a new partner on the horizon for singles; if with someone, you will be looking at making love more permanent. A great month for you.

Tarot indicates that now is the time to work towards bringing balance and peace into your life. You have been under tremendous pressure lately and you just want to unwind and take things easy. Financially you are not as happy as you would like to be, but more opportunities are coming your way. Your love life is improving, but then again you are also maturing. You can do it if you put your mind to it. Good luck.

SCORPIO October 23 - November 21

Tarot notes that you have been concentrating on your health issues lately, but foresees that this month you will start feeling a lot better. Professionally you will be looking at other avenues of making money and also re-assessing your current job situation. If looking for work, this is a great month to seal a deal. Financially, you need to make sure that you are putting money away for the future effectively. Remember to take time out to relax, though.

SAGITTARIUS November 22 - December 21

Tarot sees confusion. A lot has probably been bothering you in recent days. This will pass, but this month will be a little up and down with regard to your emotions. Financially you will help out a friend in need. But watch out for misunderstandings with people around you and keep your emotions under control. There is plenty of potential for flare-ups that you must avoid. Healthwise, you will also be thinking about your fitness and diet this month.

CAPRICORN December 22 - January 19

This is a powerful month for you, and Tarot suggests there will be many changes around your life. Financially, there are new opportunities and offers around you. Make the most of them. This is a great time to look at studying or living abroad. Your love life is not giving you a lot of joy but perhaps you need to work things out in your head to change this. Health is also a slight concern, so look after yourself.

AQUARIUS January 20 - February 18

This month you will be taking a fresh look at your professional plans and trying to keep yourself motivated. Tarot notes you are not happy with a certain business venture so you may walk away from the idea. There are also people around you who are being quite negative about your plans; you should not allow this to deter you. Finances are going to get better this month. And finally, it looks as though love is in the air.

PISCES February 19 - March 20

The cards are indicating this month is a time of changes and new ideas. You are bursting with thoughts and feelings, dreams and plans. Tarot urges you to take them forward as you will be very successful – so what’s holding you back? There have been some difficulties around you lately, but now is the time when things are going to start looking up. Financially, things are slowly looking better. Love life needs spicing up, but overall, good times ahead for you.

Only one call can change your life

BUZZThe

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

Gaga WOWS India

Now we’re used to seeing Lady Gaga at her bizarre best on her good days, and let’s not talk about her bad ones. So at her first formal appearance in India, it was quite a surprise to see Gaga actually looking like a lady! She looked simple yet elegant, dressed in a one-shoulder gown by Indian designer Naeem Khan and a sparking necklace with matching earrings. But what attracted was a clever and creative desi twist - her bouffant, which had streaks of saffron and green - colours of the Indian flag. Gaga greeted the audience confidently saying,

“Namaste everyone! I am so glad to be here. I could never even imagine that I would get to come to India and perform and meet my new, amazing fans that are here in India. So I would like to say thank you to all of you. My deepest gratitude.”

The 25-year-old global pop icon performed at the F1 after-party, causing the usual sensation. And judging by her reaction to the Indian audience and their enthusiastic welcome for the singer, you can bet she’ll be back before you can say Gaga!

Kareena for posterity

Kareena is in exalted company these days, hobnobbing with Shah Rukh Khan, Hrithik Roshan, Amitabh Bachchan and Aishwarya Rai. However, not in Bollywood, but in Blackpool, Britain. Kareena recently unveiled her wax statue at the Madame Tussauds museum amidst fanfare. “It is an honour and a privilege for me to have my own wax figure at Madame Tussauds Blackpool and even more so to launch a global Bollywood exhibition. This is a moment of pride for Indian cinema,” Kareena said in a statement. It took four months to create the wax statue, which cost 150,000 pounds.

“The figure looks incredible and is so life-like. I had to do a double take when I saw myself - they have really done a superb job at capturing my essence,” she added.

Perhaps Kareena will soon find herself competing with fellow actor Hrithik Roshan’s status. The Bollywood heartthrob has reportedly made it to the list of top 10 most kissed statues in London’s Madam Tussauds museum. Last year it was Shahrukh Khan, now it’s Hrithik and perhaps next year, it will be Kareena!

The unveiling of Kareena’s wax figure also flagged off a global exhibition, where the statues of Bollywood stars will be taken to six major cities around the world to be exhibited, before they are brought back to Blackpool in January next year. An honour, and a well-deserved one too. Good on you, Bebo, will Saif be next? Keep guessing…

Kristen courting King Khan

This current fascination of Hollywood for all things Bollywood seems to be spiralling upwards to new heights.

The latest to join the gang is, strangely enough, Twilight actress Kristen Stewart, who is a huge fan of, strangely enough, superstar Shah Rukh Khan. She calls him an “epitome of romance” and says she would love to work with him. “I am a big fan of Shah Rukh Khan who is an epitome of romance in Bollywood,” said Kirsten via an e-mail interaction. Given a chance, he would be the one with whom she would love to do the second part of her movie,

The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn “And not just Hollywood, but I would love to work with him in Bollywood movies too and for that I am also looking forward to learning Hindi,” said the 21-yearold actress who obviously has Bollywood in her sights in the near future.

“I have also seen the promos of his latest movie Ra.One which are very impressive and I just loved his look in the movie. I’ll definitely watch the movie also. He is truly an inspiration to me,” she added.

Hmmm, think she’ll change her mind after watching RA.One? But I have to admit that the thought of Kirsten in her role as Bella Swan in the vampire saga Twilight doing item numbers in a masala movie kind of boggles the mind. Well, stranger things have happened in Bollywood!

Garam Dharam has a gripe!

He’s been in the film industry for over five decades, and Dharmendra is still going strong. But although the veteran actor has acted in numerous movies, he still admits to being media shy and a very private person. The thespian just had a new release, but he is clearly uncomfortable in the movie world of today where good films suffer because they are not promoted and where everything is commodified.

Other Bollywood celebrities may look for extra media mileage, but the veteran actor is not game for too much exposure, Dharam revealed, as his latest movie Tell Me O Kkhuda released recently.

GUESS WHO

She rose to fame as an item girl but hasn’t been seen around lately…

“They call me media shy. I am media shy because I don’t want so much exposure. We make films, they work and people like them, that’s enough for me. I try to maintain my privacy; that’s why we don’t make so many public appearances,” said Dharmendra, whose sons Sunny and Bobby Deol too, avoid the limelight.

Bollywood’s original He Man entered showbiz in 1960 with Dil Bhi Tera Hum Bhi Tere and went on to work in all kind of films - from the lyrical Bandini and the serious Satyakam, to comic classics like Chupke Chupke and, of course, the cult entertainer Sholay And through it all, the decades of fame and stardom, Dharam continued to remain a private person. And one who seems peeved at the excesses of filmdom we see in current times.

“Everything has become more of a drama,” he said, somewhat grumpily. “We have started taking advantage of everything. Love has also been commodified; people have started exploiting love. I miss the time when everyone used to stay together with all the love, exchanging things with neighbours.”

The thespian adds, “I still live in that environment. That is still in my roots. It has given me life and I have the same environment at my home. Even my kids have stuck to their roots.”

Dharmendra admits that he wasn’t in favour of his daughter Esha becoming an actress, but now he’s proud of her. “I was concerned whether she would be able to keep up with the pressures of the industry, but I am glad she could handle all that,” he said. Tell Me O Kkhuda Hema Malini’s directorial venture, which also marks their daughter Esha’s re-launch in films. The father and daughter team should make interesting viewing, in this obvious family venture.

Dharam still has a grouse about the promotion of films, which have now become an inevitable part of the film industry, but because of which other good films suffer, he rues. “Filmmakers have made the audience so used to promotions that if a film is not promoted at a certain level, people feel that the film is not worth watching,” he said.

Giving the example of two of his films, he added, “Good films fail to work because they are not promoted the way they should have been. Apne was a bigger film than Yamla Pagla Deewana the producer did not have enough money to promote the film. But we extensively promoted Pagla Dewana; moreover the script was good and people enjoyed it. However, it’s true if the films today are not promoted in the right way, they tend to stay behind.”

“I have still not been able to understand today’s audience. Everything is so hyped. Now we see actresses using abusive words on screen, which doesn’t suit them. I feel really sad,” he said.

Well, this is the Gen Y of Bollywood, Dharmendra, so watch out! More change is in the air!

Ranbir ready to rock!

Ranbir Kapoor isn’t content to be a part of the Kapoor khandaan, with legendary actor Raj Kapoor as his illustrious grandfather. The son of Rishi Kapoor and Neetu Singh, Ranbir has already made his mark in Bollywood in just four busy years, but he wants to go on and on until he’s “the biggest star”.

Comedy, political thriller and dramaRanbir’s body of work boasts of variety, and he says he wants to grow with every character. It’s a claim to fame that few actors of his age and calibre are able to match, and it’s all well-deserved for this young man.

In the last four years, the chocolate boy has morphed into an actor, and a good one at that. He entered the industry with Saawariya, did light-hearted dramas like Bachna Ae Haseeno and Wake Up Sid, but it was his mature performance in Rajneeti that changed everyone’s perception of Now with Rockstar and Barfee, Ranbir feels he is on the right path.

“I hope I can grow with every character I do. I want to be the biggest star. I want to be the best actor and I feel I am on the right path. I have been fortunate that I have worked with such talented directors,” said Ranbir, 29, in an interview. Undeterred by negative talk, he says, “I am happy with my growth and the way my career is shaping up. People have tried to pull me down with negative reviews and never-ending rumours. But that doesn’t affect me at all now because I have become numb to such stories. I have learnt how to detach myself. It doesn’t bother me or my peace of mind.” Wise words indeed from a young, but certainly switched-on actor.

Ranbir proved his mettle in his debut Saawariya (2007) which a damp squib at the box office, but the young actor rose above the film’s fate and won the Filmfare award for the best

However, essaying a Jat boy was not easy as the actor couldn’t find a common connect with his character.

“My character comes from a different stratum of society. He is somebody whom I haven’t met in my life, so it was very hard for me to get into his skin. I went and spent a lot of time with a Jat family in Delhi. It was very important for me to observe them, to pick up certain nuances,” he said, showing unusual professionalism when studying his character portrayals.

Though he plays an aspiring musician in the film, Ranbir lacks the art in real

What’s Kareena thinking as she unveils her own wax statue?

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

Last issue Caption Contest winning entry

What’s the chitchat here between sisters Shilpa and Shamita?

Shilpa: Look, this is how you do a red carpet… show some more skin.

Darshana Kaul (Jolimont, WA)

Darshana wins a CD of new Hindi film Azaan

So what’s next for this busy actor with so many aspirations?

“I would want to do an out-andout negative film. I want to play with characters, I want to explore myself. People ask me if I want to do an action film, because action films are in vogue. I would definitely do one in some time, but not when it is being followed as a trend. I will do it when I feel it is the best time for me to get into such a role,” says Ranbir. Looks like this young man is set to have a busy and adventure-filled life! Good luck to him….

RANBIR

DHARAM

KAREENA

Cine Talk

Ra.One raises the bar for Hindi films

Here’s a movie the Hindi film industry can be proud of. Ra.One can be touted as the first Hindi film that blends the elegance of Hollywood with Indian sensibilities.

From the very onset, this classy sci-fi film sets the viewers’ adrenalin soaring. It also educates, entertains and eulogises our culture. And, very predictably, from the very beginning you know that the crux of the film is about how good triumphs over evil.

Ra.One dwells into the virtual world of today’s youngsters who are hooked on to technology and video games.

Prateik (Armaan Verma) is one of them. For him the villain is the hero simply

because he does not play by the rules. It’s winning, by hook or by crook, that matters to him.

Shekhar Subramanium (Shah Rukh Khan), the clumsy, nerdy game developer father of Prateik, lovingly tries convincing his son with, “Allow me to quote....” and quotes Mahatma Gandhi and such like. The youngster is unimpressed, thereby revealing the generation and cultural gap between the two of them.

Disheartened by the strain in the fatherson relationship, Shekhar develops the invincible Random Access One (Ra. One), who can take any form, to please his son. Still not fully convinced with his own creation, as a standby he also develops Good One (G- One), who could exterminate Ra.One if need be.

Excited with his father’s creation, Prateik plays Ra.One with a screen name, Lucifer. He manages to cross level two of the video game, thereby antagonising Ra.One. Unknown to Shekhar and his team, Ra.One steps out of the game into their real world

to eliminate Lucifer, thereby threatening Prateik’s life.

This concept of the characters sliding from the virtual world into the real world seems to have been inspired from the Hollywood film, The Purple Rose of Cairo.

Ra.One is an outright Shah Rukh Khan film.

The way Shah Rukh gracefully slips into the roles of Shekhar, Ra.One and G-One, leaving no room for confusion, is remarkable.

He is the superhero of the film. That’s because the script was skillfully and convincingly put together by Anubhav Sinha, Kanika Dhillon, Mushtaq Sheikh and David Benullo. The dialogues by Kanika and Niranjan Iyengar are good in parts.

The little gimmicks by Sanjay Dutt, Priyanka Chopra and Rajnikant add to the lighter moments of the film but take the story nowhere.

Shahana Goswami as the employee at the electronic company and Arjun Rampal as Ra.One look fine for the roles they play but

have very little to deliver. Armaan as Pratiek is impressive.

The outfits of Ra.One and G-One designed by Robert Kurtzman and the bright production design are worth a mention.

Vishal-Shekhar’s music and the background score along with the awesome stunts and thrilling chases are electrifying. The film would not have been what it is if it was not for Resul Pookutty’s sound design, Sanjay Sharma’s editing and for the visual and special effects team.

With all the minor blemishes, this movie is still worth seeing at least once.

This high energetic film is loaded with antics, animation and action. With many thrilling sequences mounted with grandeur, it gives you the feel of a live video game. It is probably one of the classiest movies seen in the Hindi film industry and a feather in Anubhav’s hat.

Troy Ribeiro

Film: Ra.One

Cast: Shah Rukh Khan, Kareena Kapoor, Arjun Rampal, Armaan Verma, Shahana Goswami Director: Anubhav Sinha

A search for identity

Film: Tell Me O Kkhuda

Cast: Esha Deol, Vinod Khanna, Rishi Kapoor, Dharmendra, Arjan Bajwa, Chanda Roy Sanyal

Director: Mayur Puri/Hema Malini

Take away all the awkwardness of the comic relief by Johnny Lever and a plot that moves through three segments without transitional smoothness... and you have a film that’s tender, sweet and gentle.

Tell Me O Kkhuda (TMOK) is a bit of a smile-invoking ode to parenthood.

Tanya (Esha Deol, in an author-backed, tailor-made, custom-built role), happily ensconced in her life of parents (benign Farouq Shaikh-Deepti Naval), best friend (Chandan Roy Sanyal) and sweet-heart (Arjan Bajwa) discovers she is an adopted child.

Thus begins her genealogical journey. The drama unfolds with the least fuss or ostentation. To the narrative’s credit, it dithers not from its picaresque aspirations.

Esha goes through three different emotional and geographical locations in pursuit of papa-dearest. Of these, the Turkish sojourn with Rishi Kapoor and the beautiful Turkish actress is the most crisply edited and packaged. The Rajasthani sojourn with Vinod Khanna as a havelibound zamindar, meanders all over the place, subsuming issues such as female foeticide. Here the narrative makes ample space for a camel race which adds spectacle to the emotion without really saying much about the characters or their need to reach into the recesses of their heart.

The third segment which brings the real-life family of Dharmendra, Hema Malini and Esha together, has a certain

emotional resonance because of the real-life relations. The family portrait is heart-warming.

Shot in stunning locations including Istanbul, the film could have done with a more evocative music score and tighter editing.

The performances range from the endearing to the endurable.

No doubt this film is meant to showcase Esha’s evolved status as an actress. The girl has eloquent eyes and an

Grin and bear it

expressive face which knows how to hold an emotion. Esha is a graceful portrait of a girl in pursuit of something echoing happiness.

TMOK is a heart-warming story of a search for identity. It occasionally loses its way but finally finds a satisfying culmination. This is a high-gloss product shot on exotic locations that include a young woman’s wounded heart.

Subhash K. Jha

Film: Damadamm

Cast: Himesh Reshammiya, Purbi Joshi, Sonal Sehgal

Director: Swapna Waghmare

So here he is. Himesh Reshammiya is back in front of the camera. This time he moves away from the wannaberockstar image to play a working-class nerd.

Himesh’s Sameer is a bit of an idiot. So he celebrates the departure of his over-possessive bossy girlfriend Shikha (Purbi Joshi) by dancing on the streets, making weird faces at passing chicks (who should be shown reciprocating with a stern scowl if not a slap but are instead shown giggling), messing up his tidy apartment and binging on booze with his unsavoury boss who keeps giving our Sameer wrong advice on how to handle women, particularly bossy over-possessive girlfriends.

Damadam has its nice sweet wholesome moments. It’s one of those innocuous romcoms that neither leave you impressed nor cold. The heartwarming moments come on when you are most expecting them and linger on long enough to make you forget how annoyingly misguided a character the hero really is.

There is a ring of truth to Sameer’s self-destructive rejection of a five-year-old seemingly stifling relationship for a posh fling in the tempting lap of luxury with his boss’s classy sister Sanjana (Sonal Sehgal).

Shah Rukh Khan had done the same in Aziz Mirza?s Raju Ban Gaya Gentleman, giving up the comfort of true love for a fling with a rich heiress. To her credit, Sonal Sehgal doesn’t play the ‘other woman’ as a bitch. She echoes Sushmita Sen’s tranquil seductiveness from Goldie

Behl’s Bas Itna Sa Khwab Hai. And that’s high praise.

Remarkably, Surbat Sinha’s screenplay has a believable trio of protagonists -- flawed, fumbling, all too human. But the peripheral characters are a letdown. They aren’t only sketchy but also clumsily etched into the plot.

Also the music, Himesh Reshammiya’s mainstay, is here uninspiring and often obtrusive. The track Ishq unplugged comes at an embarrassing juncture when the love triangle is in need of a solution, not a song.

What wins you over is the director Swapna Waghmare’s earnestness. She has her heart in the right place. So does the film. Some of the time. For the rest, you’ve to grin and bear the excessive zeal of a supporting cast and a music score that doesn’t know where to draw the line.

Himesh Reshammiya’s performance is that of a goofy Everyman, a bit of a messed-up soul who finally admits he needs a bullying girlfriend to get him through the complexities of life. Himesh works his performance around the character’s weaknesses and his own limitations as an actor.

It is the underused Purbi Joshi as Himesh’s overbearing girlfriend who steals the show. She imparts a sense of lived-in authenticity to her role, almost at times going beyond the script in search of her character’s lost soul. Why don’t we get to see more of this pretty talented girl in our films?

Subhash K. Jha

The Facebook farce

BY SMARTY PANTS

It is mandatory, say those who apparently know better than us, that if you have an internet connection, you just have to be on Facebook. They claim that this social networking site rules their lives and loves, and you know what, they’re absolutely right!

Now if you’re so deluded as to think you can survive without FB, as it has been admiringly abbreviated by those busy people who invented SMS-speak, I suggest you rethink your attitude and get on there. Why? Because it’s the best forum to see people – friends, friends of friends, acquaintances of friends of friends, making idiots of themselves for the edification of the net junta. Believe me, everyone who’s anyone who wants to be anyone is on FB, spilling out the details of their personal and family lives, peppering the net with their loves, hates, dislikes, irritations, bodily functions, pets….you name it!

Words of wisdom

I have a few favourites who can be relied on to brighten up my day with some new revelation that brings to the fore an essential part of their personalities, and I confess, piques my sense of the absurd.

For instance, I love the gyanis. This bunch of jokers comes from an increasing breed of pseudo-intelligentsia who brighten our day by posting their opinions on FB. Some come up with ‘elevating’ quotes from the great, to which other wannabe smartasses respond, wishing that they had thought of the good ones themselves. For example,

There

25 likes

‘So true! For me he’s right up there with Nelson Mandela.’

‘Let’s not forget Au Sang Su Kii’

‘Of course, for India it is Mahatma Gandhi, the greatest hero of world peace that ever existed. I am proud to be Indian because …..’

(here the person explains why in tedious detail.) Now tell me, what don’t we know about the above? Any normal person with a modicum of sense, a reasonable grasp of history and access to the news would realize that this exchange states nothing but the oh-so-obvious.

This lot discusses current affairs, history, human rights, books, music, celebrities…in fact, anything under the sun that is worthy of an opinion and that’s, well, just about everything. Some of the exchanges are truly hilarious, as they vie with each other to prove just how intellectually superior they are, definitely more so than their pals participating in the exchange.

bored. A husband and wife proclaimed their adoration for each other in verse and song recently, and when I recounted this to my neighbour, an extremely funny lady, she said, “Do they live in the same city?” Yep, they do! “In the same house?” Uh, huh! “So why don’t they just tell each other?” she asked. Exactly my point!

Another supposed ‘friend’ but in reality not even quite acquaintance posted, “Sad and disappointed”. Just two responses to that one: “Why?” and “Go eat chocolate!” The rest of us couldn’t care a hoot!

Another namoona has made it his life’s work to garner as many friends as he possibly can on FB. The most obscure of relatives have been sent a ‘friend’ request, me being one of them. I have only heard of this young turk, never met the family and am related by marriage and two divorces. Why on earth should I be his friend? Yet another obscure relative has posted 1500 photographs of his newborn for the edification of friends and family, most of whom don’t know him and have no intention of making his acquaintance.

But then, there’s the other end of the spectrum in which parents have to check FB to find out what their children have been doing. There is this young lady who refuses to admit her mother onto her profile as a ‘friend’ because “that’s so, like, uncool and like, she’ll know whom I’m dating and all, how weird is that! C’mon, I’m 15, I’m not a kid!”

Phukat publicity

There are the ones who use FB as their exclusive advertising campaign, to let all of us unfortunates know exactly how rich, successful, happy and contented they are. Now here’s a story that you may find hilarious or pathetic, depending on your sense of humour. A guy living in one of the oil-rich Middle East states posted a photograph of his latest acquisition, a BMW 3 series convertible. His childhood friend living somewhere obscure in Obama-country posted a, ‘Really, you too?’ accompanied by a shot of his BMW, identical in all but colour. Another mutual friend with an unnecessarily enquiring mind soon discovered that the visuals of both cars had been downloaded

Marketing magic

And speaking of advertising, this is where the commercial aspect of life comes in. No matter what you’re peddling, be it home-grown organic chickens, personalized spa treatments, plumber services, you can get out there and let the world take note of your life. You can bet your “Hectic day, just unblocked 12 toilets in 9 hours!” is sure to get a record number of ‘likes’, and most people will think, “Well, there’s a man to call when I need something done with my loo!” Next, a few people will make inquiries, involving the 700 friends attached to the post in these intimate scatological details. But you can also rest assured that if you muck up the job, thanks to FB, you’ll have to change your profession!

Lokpal made me pause

Anna Hazare’s anti-corruption movement has found a family in FB. Ever since the issue hit mainstream media, FB has been throbbing with opinions for and against the movement. Everyone and his family, twelfth cousins sixth removed have something to say on the issue, some admittedly are intelligent, but the others ramble on, dissecting, probing, posting media clips, articles…in fact, everything that’s anything on the Lokpal is on FB! Is this a forum to make an informed decision on whether to support the Bill or not? If you had to vote based on these comments, you’d need a face-to-face with Anna himself, to help clear the debris.

FB is a forum where you can post a million pics of your family, tell everyone how proud you are that your 3 year old can sing the national anthem (with a link to her performance on YouTube), boast that your son’s got his doctorate, that your daughter’s marrying a millionaire, that you know Amitabh Bachchan, that your cat has given birth to the cutest, itsy-bitsiest, lovely, little kitties, that you’re now the proud owner of a retro lawn-mower or that your 13 year old was just awarded, ‘Geek of the Year’, which is supposedly, a rare and coveted honour.

Of course, it has its uses. At least you find out just in time that the guy chatting you up at the pub wears fluorescent green underpants, transparent nailpolish and really likes Justin Beiber. And that’s only by looking at his profile. Dads can now share their sons’ varied views on Pippa Middleton’s derriere and mums can be pleased to know that their daughter’s now got an uncommissioned tattoo, although they may not be quite as happy at its position on her anatomy. You’ll also know that your husband has a stalker-like crush on Katrina Kaif and is a part of the John Abraham fan club.

So enjoy your time in the spotlight as a performer or a voyeur, at least until the next cyber-wonder comes by to entice away from us the little privacy we have left.

It may be hailed as the social networking site of the century, but it also provides us with a peek into personalities and their idiosyncrasies.

are the ones who use FB as their exclusive advertising campaign, to let all of us unfortunates know exactly how rich, successful, happy and contented they are

No matter what you’re peddling, be it home-grown organic chickens, personalized spa treatments, plumber services, you can get out there and let the world take note of your life.

‘The Dalai Lama is a paragon of peace, virtue and kindness. We are fortunate to bask in his glory and intelligence.’