Go forth and multiply

professional ambitions, enjoying two incomes to meet the material aspirations of new migrants - all these factors seem to cement their status in their new home.

One of the important challenges facing a number of Indian Australian couples is how to plan for the growth of their family. While reunions with parents and siblings are often dependent on the current rules of the Department of Immigration, it is the challenge of having their own children that becomes a part of personal and social group discussions for young couples of a certain age group.

In recent years, the number of 457 visa holders and Indian students has increased substantially. Over a period of time, many decide to apply for Australian permanent residency and look forward to their future down under. They also get married, and the young couple start their new life together. After a short struggle of finding the right job, both of them settle into a stable career and begin to enjoy an independent lifestyle. With no family pressures and social expectations, the family unit consisting of two becomes more adoptive of the local lifestyle. Late night get-togethers with friends, the freedom to travel,

Karva Chauth is on 2nd Nov 2012

Like in previous years, SINGH FOODS AND SPICES will hold MEHENDI KI SHYAM on: 31st Oct: 1.00pm - 8.00 pm 1st Nov: 10.00am - late

No bookings: First Come First Served basis

Navratri begins on 16 Oct 2012

But the biological clock starts ticking. While a logical next step in the couple’s life, the decision to start a family is approached with a fair degree of trepidation as there is limited, if any, family support available. Whereas the earlier freedom from family responsibility was a positive in their minds, now the very lack of it weighs heavily on the young couple. While the pregnancy is planned and commenced, parents are imported from India to assist. Most international parents willingly arrive a few weeks before the birth to help with the nursing of their international grandchild. It is a trying, yet happy time as the young couple now become a family and settle into their new routine.

After a while, the parents return to India and the husband returns to work. The pressure on the family budget increases as a double income becomes a single. As the pressure on the family unit becomes apparent, so does the challenge of having the second child.

India averages about 2.6 children per family. In Australia on the other hand, families without children are projected as the fastest growing family type. Migrant families, while believing in strong family units, find themselves in a quandary. The dilemma is whether to adapt to the Australian and personal lifestyle requirements and stop at one child, or look at extending the family unit from two to three or four. While this is a very personal issue and should be respected with personal health as another consideration, often the challenges of bringing up a large family do get managed with time. Just as new experiences of the migrant are perceived as road bumps on the journey, so are the challenges faced in the earlier years of bringing up a young family. There are wonderful options available such as childcare, mothers groups, flexible maternity arrangements through work, where some of these challenges can be resolved.

Over a longer term, the children will have each other to grow up with and as the parents get older in their new home, the siblings will have each other as family and of course, in due course as extended family. We Indian Australians are very family oriented and often draw our strengths from our family units.

Of course for the really brave, one can follow the advice of the former Australian treasurer Peter Costello and have three children – one for the mother, one for the father and one for the country! The choice is totally yours.

SPIRITUAL

Navratras 2012

20, 21, 22 Oct The Mukti Gupteshwar

Mandir is organizing a 3-day spiritual festival to perform Mahayagya of Navagraha yagya, Trisakti yagya and Mahamrityunjay yagya as well as rudrabhishek on jyotirlingam. Plus, launch of the Holy Book: Shiv Dharm Maha Shastra. Details Rama on 0422 22 67 24.

Religious discourses by Sri Velukkudi Swami

7 – 11 Nov The Vedic Society of Victoria announces a series of lectures in English by the renowned Sri Velukkudi Krishnan Swami. Sri Velukkudi Swami comes from a long parampara (tradition) of religious scholars and is singularly equipped to give pravachans on all forms of Hindu scripture, due to his knowledge of various Hindu theological traditions. He has travelled widely, giving religious discourses and representing Hindu dharma in world forums and his lectures on the Bhagawad Gita are at once awe-inspiring and moving, lucid and erudite. Details Ramesh Raghuraman 0406 133 233.

MISC Mahakumbh 2013

Australian independent documentary