2013-04 Melbourne

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Pawan Luthra

EDITOR

Rajni Anand Luthra

ASSISTANT EDITOR

Sheryl Dixit

Lena Peacock

MELBOURNE

Preeti Jabbal

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Caring for our seniors

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Afriend recently recounted to me his shock and horror when shopping for his car insurance. Because the friend was now 50, he was offered a senior citizen’s discount by the insurance company salesperson. But much to the surprise of the salesperson, he decided not to take the discount. The friend was just not ready to have the words ‘senior citizen’ stamped all over his insurance.

While growing old is a reality that one must accept, Australia offers wonderful options for those who are ageing. Indians living in Australia are now spread across a number of age groups. And while those who have recently migrated here in the past 10-15 years may have elderly parents living in India, there is another group of Indian Australians who have been living down under for a number of years. These Australian Indians have the benefit of being able to make the most of a robust and fulfilling lifestyle. This is a group of retired individuals, who with careful planning and sound savings

ethics, have slowly built their retirement nest eggs. They have the advantages of a robust social system, which if required can help them with medical and financial assistance. Over the years, they have built up a strong circle of friends, and while facing the challenges of settling into a new country, strong friendships have been forged. With more time in their later years, they can put even more time into strengthening these relationships.

These Indian Australians may also have the advantage of having had children that have grown up in Australia. And with this second generation, they may have greater contact with the next generation, as compared to what they had with their own parents.

Senior citizens are well catered for in Australia. Although there are clubs in the mainstream community, Indian Australians have established their own senior events in various parts of Sydney, which allow them to meet and interact on a regular basis. These clubs are well organised, and are a credit to the community for what they offer. With regular picnics, musical programmes and other forms of entertainment, these senior get-togethers complement other religious outlets. These give our seniors a much richer lifestyle. Outside the community, there are also RSL clubs, with bingo nights and other

forms of entertainment, which keep our eniors involved.

However, there are no easy solutions to assuage feelings of guilt, which migrants in Australia have for their parents still in India. Since the 1990s, many young Indians have come to Australia, initially either on short-term visas, or as students, and due to shortages in the local economy, they have became permanent residents of Australia. While they have forged greener pastures for themselves, they often have pangs of guilt for leaving their parents behind. Yearly visits to India, or having their parents visit Australia help them to keep in contact. This is further strengthened by other communication, including phone calls, Skype, emails and social media.

But the feeling of ‘orphaning’ their parents stays on with them. Perhaps, they need to reconcile their guilt at having abandoned their parents, with the comforting knowledge that their parents have, in turn, settled into their own lifestyle. The parents are able to lead a productive and complete life for themselves, as well as having the support of family and friends. In life, the challenge is to make the most of what you have, and our senior citizens have mastered the art of that, regardless of the country they are based in.

Leanne Woodward, Usha Ramanujam Arvind, Vani Silvarathi, Chitra Sudarshan, Sukrit Sabhlok, Saloni Kober, Ritam Mita, Simmi Bakshi, George Thakur, Minal Khona, Nancy Althea, Abhineet Tangri

HC offers full support to community

Indian diaspora gathers to welcome Biren Nanda, High Commissioner of India to Australia

The Federation of Indian Associations of Victoria (FIAV) hosted a dinner event in Melbourne recently to welcome Mr Biren Nanda, High Commissioner of India to Australia. The dinner was held at St Scholastica Community Centre, Burwood and was catered by Tandoori Junction Indian Restaurant. Representatives from all major Indian organisations, businesses and local media attended the event. During the dinner the High Commissioner took the opportunity to get acquainted and interact with prominent members of the community. He was accompanied by his wife Mrs Rukmani Nanda.

Mr Biren Nanda joined the Indian Foreign Service in 1978 after completing his Post Graduation in Economics from the Delhi School of Economics.

Mr Nanda has previously served as a diplomat in Indian Missions in Singapore, Beijing, Shanghai, Washington D.C. and Tokyo. He was the Consul General of India in Shanghai and Deputy Chief of Mission in the Embassy of India in Tokyo. Prior to taking up this assignment in Australia, Mr Nanda was the Ambassador Extraordinary & Plenipotentiary of India to the Government of Indonesia. He was also Head of Division in the Ministry of External Affairs that looks after relations between India and countries in Southeast Asia and the Pacific.

Mr Nanda was officially welcomed by the President of FIAV Mr Vasan Srinivasan who sought the Commissioner’s cooperation in attempting to unite the community under one banner and gaining leverage from this combined strength towards the benefit of the community. All the other speakers echoed similar sentiments as they introduced their individual organisations/ purpose and acknowledged the need to have a united presence in Australia. The High Commissioner heard from Prof Suresh Bhargava (RMIT) Dr Gurdip Aurora (AISV), Mr Arun Sharma (Celebrate India), Mrs Madhu Dudeja (FIWAA), Mr Raj Dudeja (Indian Media Owner’s Association) Mr Karan Gandhok, Mr Ravi Bhatia (AIBC), among others. Mr Ambrish Deshmukh

performed the role of MC for the evening.

In his address to the audience Mr Nanda spoke about the strength and potential of the economy in India. He touched upon India’s trade and bilateral relationships with Australia that has grown exponentially over the years and has seen a number of acquisitions, mergers, transfer of knowledge in various sectors benefitting both the countries. He offered statistics on crime especially sexual assaults. According to him sexual crimes

are not unique to India, (in the light of the global furore over the Delhi gang rape), but are equally rampant in all parts of the world. He urged people to protest, censure and condemn such heinous acts. Mr Nanda also spoke about the cultural importance of the Indian community, and ended his speech by offering his full support to the Indian diaspora in Melbourne, wishing them well in all their endeavours.

The meet and greet purpose of the event was well achieved as

Mr Vasan Srinivasan introduced individual invitees to the High Commissioner and his wife. The High Commissioner was also requested to present a trophy to the winning cricket team of FIAV X1who recently beat the Australian Transplant Cricket Club. The audience also heard from Dr. Dinesh Parekh who spoke at length about his collection of Indian artifacts that has been lovingly put together over the years and is on display at Museum India (part of the Hindu Society of Victoria’s Cultural Centre) adjacent

to the Shiva Vishnu temple in

Downs. He invited the audience to visit and enjoy the art that has given him enormous pride and pleasure. He spoke of his intentions to eventually bestow all the pieces to the HSV. On that positive note ended a well-organised event with a simple agenda of celebrating the success of individuals and organisations that are shaping the future of the Indian community in Victoria and introducing them to the newly appointed High Commissioner.

Carrum

PREETI JABBAL

Photos: AP Guruswamy

A constantly changing writing curve

Understanding and experiencing the pulse of a country and putting this into words is a task for a skilled travel writer

BY LEANNE WOODWARD

For those who have thought about writing, finding inspiration for stories is often half the challenge. But as I found at the Australian Festival of Writing hosted by Melbourne University, when you integrate themes from your own travel experiences, coming up with ideas is the last problem you encounter.

There is a world of stories out there, of different people you meet, of societies and cultural habits, even of the bizarre. You can write about different social issues, how people relate and share lives, understanding of other people’s habits, festivals, and celebrations, and the trials and tribulations that accompany travel.

Presenters at the Festival of Travel Writing included reporters, journalists and writers such as Joe Hildebrand, Christopher Kremmer, Alex Landragin, Claire Scobie and Josiane Behmoiras. Each of these particular presenters spoke about a common theme, of incorporating in their writings their travel experiences in India, or the other way around, the travel experiences of Indian people in Australia.

I expected to hear grand stories of festivals, stories of the weird and wonderful, and stories of the people they had met. There was some of this, but more so these writers spoke of their journey and efforts in trying to understand these experiences. There was a feeling that when travelling to

Australia or India for the first time, you might as well forget any preset notions of what you think the country or people may be like. I gathered from these particular writers, that it doesn’t take long for some, if not all, of these notions to be quashed, and for many new ideas to prevail. And once you think you know and understand a place and people, then you are again presented with new ideas and notions, and with deeper revelations. These could be complete contradictions to what you, as the traveller, had originally thought.

Here lies the difficulty in writing about a place in which you had not grown up, and the characters that live there. How do you portray these identities and from what perspective? How well do you need to understand what you are attempting to portray to be true to the actuality, while avoiding making generalizations and false judgements.

Each of these presenters spoke of their efforts to develop a better understanding of themes, ideas and places about which they had written. To do this they immersed themselves in the resident society, participated in local events, local work and activities with people and families, learned from local religion, tried to understand politics, and read local media and texts. For some this was an impossible search, as their attempt to find the reason for things was, seemingly endless.

When talking about their own published works about India/ Australia, none of these authors claimed their works as perfect, or that they had included every element possible. On the other hand, they realised that there is

always more you can know to a story. Their stories presented were not a ‘be all and end all’ representation, rather a moment in their own continuous learning process.

Author Christopher Kramer describes his reasons for writing: “to understand, to explore, obtain wisdom, enlightenment, to document history, to engage others, to fulfil curiosity and to compare and put forward ideas”.

Christopher Kremmer, journalist and author of Carpet Wars, Bandit Palace and Inhaling Mahatma has extensive experience in India. At 32, he got a job as a journalist working in India and south Asia, working for ten years in the region and chasing the lessthan-exotic Asia, following a trail of tumultuous events, politics, rebellions, famines and natural disasters as part of his journalistic work. Regardless, he describes India as a place of tremendous optimism and resilience.

Christopher shared a wellremembered experience of meeting with former Prime Minister Rajeev Gandhi back in 1991, who was full of hope, as he remembers clearly. Only a few days following their meeting, Gandhi was assassinated by a woman suicide bomber. This story and others just as memorable, took Christopher Kremmer on a hopeless quest to reconcile and to find reason.

Christopher returned to Australia in 2002, and now shares his life with his Indian born wife. But after all this, and experiencing so much, having delved deep into India’s politics, wisdom, history, events and society, he still doesn’t fully understand India.

Likewise, author Josiane

Behmoiras has had several opportunities in her life to experience India. For her India is a huge puzzle, for everything you will find a reason, and for every reason, another reason!

Josiane is a novelist currently working on two projects that incorporate Indian themes. In the first, she talks about some of the many cultural exchanges between Australia and India, and the experiences of the people involved. The second project is a series of fiction novels of travellers experience when visiting Delhi. “Often people travel so that they can have those original elusive experiences. They leave their home with many expectations,” she said, admitting that she travelled to India when young and came back horrified and shocked in many ways. She returned later, living and working with a local family and more recently, since her daughter is now married to a Punjabi man, she visited India for family reasons. Each subsequent visit has shown Josiane India from a different angle, developing her understanding, respect and obviously her passion, as is reflected in her projects.

From another perspective, Joe Hildebrand, a writer for the Daily Telegraph has recently been involved in hosting a TV series called ‘Dumb, Drunk and Racist’. In this series, a group of Indian youths from various backgrounds visit and travel within Australia. The aim of the show is to see if Australia lives up to its reputation of being dumb, drunk and racist.

The visiting Indians travelled to various places, met different Australians and participated in activities that demonstrated the good and bad sides of Australia.

One particular activity from the show that Joe shared involved showing the Indians footage of the Cronulla riot, an incident of violence fuelled by racial anger, which moved Amir, a 21 year old Punjabi Sikh law student, to tears. Joe remembered wondering why Amir was so affected since he had heard of student protests in Punjab, stories of stabbings and of the Golden Temple massacre incident. Amir explained, “Yes, people kill in India all the time, but they don’t enjoy it.”

Joe had reported on the Cronulla riots for the Daily Telegraph at that time, so he knew the event well. Having grown up in multicultural Dandenong, it never occurred to him that the extent of racism in the riots were a part of the Australian urban environment. After the riots, Joe wondered if there was “actually a level of racist toxicity present in the Australian people?” The Indian visitors were genuinely worried as they had heard of attacks on cab drivers in Melbourne and Australians abusing Indians at call centres. Their expectations of Australia had been shaped by these stories and more; in exactly the same way as an Australian’s expectation of India is also shaped.

All the presenters demonstrated that having your ‘own’ travel experience will lead you to a better understanding and respect for a place and people, because relying on other people stories and on media is not enough to really find out how things are. Even so, it appears that the more you delve into a country, the more unceasing diversity you will find, and the less you can rely on your judgements or expectations.

A spotlight

BY USHA RAMANUJAM ARVIND

When is your birthday?

When is your son’s birthday?

When is your husband’s birthday?

Ranjan likes asking his class teacher every time he sees her.

A whizz with figures, the talkative seven year old has fantastic recall and can rattle off dates, phone numbers and car registration plates in a flash. When a visitor comes home, he instantly identifies them by the number plate of their car, claims mum Sandhya.

Ranjan’s giftedness with numbers is however, undermined by a relative lack of social cognitive skills. At the age of three, Ranjan spoke very little. “Delayed milestones are quite common for boys and I assumed it was just such a delay,” explains Ranjan’s mum. But her son’s inability and unwillingness to make eye contact alerted his dad Sanjay that something was amiss. A visit to the speech therapist led to a preliminary diagnosis of echolalia, the ‘immediate and involuntary repetition of ambient sounds’.

And so began Sandhya and Sanjay’s tenuous journey into the unknown. Multiple visits to occupational therapists and psychologists followed. Nearly a year later, Ranjan was identified as high functioning autistic (HFA) and they registered with Aspect NSW’s principal autism provider, for follow up support.

While it came out of the blue for Sandhya, the pieces of the jigsaw finally began to fall into place. Ranjan’s hitherto unexplained behaviour patterns like set interests, repetitive actions, fixations and clear lack of fear, now made sense to her.

The devastated mother pulled herself together for Ranjan’s sake. “If I had to help my son, I had to re-educate myself to cope with the totally unexpected situation that life had thrown at me. Half the time, I was in tears. The sheer

information overload and hectic schedules, in the weeks following diagnosis, were traumatising,” she recalls.

Language skills were her top priority, for they were needed for his immediate survival. In addition to this, his muscle tone was weak, and his fine and gross motor skills were poor. For the first time, she also learnt about ‘sensory processing therapy’.

Luckily for Sandhya, her husband has been quite the pillar of strength, sustaining the fragile family equation.

Ranjan thrives on physical contact and movement. He enjoys singing and dancing. He loves being cuddled and unwittingly ‘grabs’ other children in his class, singing with gay abandon. His classmates would respond to this ‘attention seeking’ behaviour with laughter.

Quite unlike Ranjan, the shy and reclusive Saakshi prefers the company of her iPad and Kindle. Avoiding eye contact at any cost, she would rather curl up quietly, lost in her own world, rather than make conversation. She hates being touched and gets anxious when new people approach her.

Ranjan and Saakshi are among an increasing number of Indian Australian children being identified as autistic. Literally meaning, ‘into one’s own self,’ such children are, in many ways, nuclear and isolated. The preferred term these days, is autism spectrum disorders (ASD) because of the highly individual and unique nature of each case, and overlapping of symptoms. Because of this ASD sufferers range from extremely ‘gifted’ to severely ‘challenged’.

Unravelling autism

Triggered by a neurological disorder that sets in by the first three years of birth, ASD is a lifelong developmental disability, ‘characterised by marked difficulties in social interaction, impaired communication, restricted and repetitive interests, stereotypical behaviours and sensory sensitivities’.

Sometimes, a child’s development is delayed from birth whereas others develop normally, but start losing social skills after a few years.

issue while others present unusual behaviours like spending hours lining up objects or obsessing over one interest.

Broadly, researchers agree that ASDs could include Autism, Pervasive Developmental Disorder and Aspergers Syndrome. These conditions share some of the same symptoms, but differ in terms of when the symptoms set in, how severe they are, and the exact nature of the symptoms.

At the higher end of the ‘functioning’ spectrum is Aspergers Syndrome, marked by highly developed language skills, but poor social communication strategies. These children often have no trouble with fact-based comprehension, but may have incomprehensible trouble with understanding social situations and can’t make friends.

Global epidemic

A relatively rare phenomenon even four decades ago, autism has transformed into a global health challenge, prompting governments to increase research funding and put guidelines into place for better therapy.

On April 2 this year, in celebration of World Autism Awareness Day and in a

buildings around the world were lit up in blue. This included the Sydney Opera House, Charminar, Humayun’s Tomb, Ice Bubble, Empire State Building and Al Burj.

Statistics now indicate that ASD is more common than cerebral palsy, diabetes, deafness, blindness and leukaemia, with boys being five times more likely to be diagnosed than girls. One in 100 children in Australia are autistic. The figures are higher in the US (1:88) and UK (1:55), and even higher in South Korea (1:38).

For that matter, no ethnic group is immune to this neurological disorder. In India, there has been a staggering ‘six-fold increase’ in the new millennium, according to local media forecasts. From an estimated 20 lakh cases in 2003, there are reportedly 10 million autistics at present.

However, it is hard to be accurate given that intellectual disabilities are still virginal territory and many cases go unnoticed, either because of ignorance or lack of access to quality facilities. Social stigma is an insurmountable issue, with many families still in denial or opting to exclude the child from social situations.

A pioneer case was that

up, even when the best specialists in the US did. She continued loving and teaching him, until the young lad responded.

On April 2 this year, World Autism Day, Krishna’s fourth book, Why Me? An Inward Journey, was released by the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of India. His previous books Wasted Talent, How Krishna Broke Free of Autism and From a Mother’s Heart – A Journal of Challenge, Survival and Hope document the inward odyssey.

“Yes, it has been very much a lonely journey to this day,” responded Jalaja by email. “Without the help of relatives, friends, society, and above all, [the] Government.

Parents are very lonely in this ordeal, they are very much alone not only in India, but all over the world. Coping with autism is like coping with the unexpected. These children don’t have the skills to be mainstreamed and integrated. Can they play cricket or softball? So, we need to give them skills,” she stated.

Since 1971, Jalaja has lobbied extensively with government bodies to establish a hugely successful autism centre in Chennai and better access to therapy and education all over India.

At the first South Asian Autism Network (SAAN)

Photo: AP

Despite still being shrouded in mystery, this condition can be treated with early diagnosis, understanding, information, support and bucket loads of love

on autism

On April 2 this year, World Autism Day, Krishna’s fourth book, Why Me? An Inward Journey, was released by the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of India. His previous books Wasted Talent, How Krishna Broke Free of Autism and From a Mother’s Heart – A Journal of Challenge, Survival and Hope document the inward odyssey

Improving autism patients

27-year-old Payal Kapoor and 8-year-old Prasam celebrate World Autism Day in Ahmedabad on April 2, 2013, with a team of doctors and Autism Awareness Campaign volunteers under the guidance of renowned neuropsychiatrist Vinod Kumar Goyal at his Parth Hospital

While it is expensive, early diagnosis and appropriate intervention can facilitate better management and eventually get the child to be a fully functioning member of society.

Dr Chitra Chandran is a Melbourne based paediatrician, who specialises in behavioural and developmental disorders.

“While developmental disorders have existed for many years, autism spectrum disorders are being increasingly recognised by maternal and child health nurses, teachers, caregivers and even family friends who know other families with children. This has led to [an] increasing number of families seeking assistance,” she says.

The core features of ASD, she explains, are delayed language, poor reciprocal social interaction and a poor repertoire of play skills. Other features include poor eye contact, obsessive behaviours, rituals, insistence on sameness, difficulties adapting to change, sensory issues with sounds, textures, flavours, smells and lack of empathy.

“Children who present such symptoms need to see a developmental/behavioural paediatrician as early as possible,” Dr Chandran urges.

“Early intervention definitely

birthday,” she added.

“Even though parents are usually the first to notice that something is wrong, the diagnosis of autism is often delayed. Sometimes this happens because relatives, parents or even doctors downplay the early worrying signs of autism,” notes Linlee Jordan, a natural medicine practitioner and homeopath.

Jordan believes that early detection also allows parents to become aware of available options and start accessing them. “However, it is also never too late to start intervening,” she is quick to assure.

So what causes autism?

A hotly debated issue, autism has been attributed to many things from immunisation to additives and pollution. While conclusive research still needs to be done, genetics clearly play a role. “It’s good to know one thing that it is no longer debated at all - that parenting styles do not cause autism,” Jordan gladly acknowledged.

Early intervention

Currently, mainstream medical methods combine speech therapy, physiotherapy, occupational therapy, behavioural support, play therapy,

After intensive sessions tailored on the individual need, children are integrated into the preschool system, often under the supervision of special educators and trained aides.

These interventions can not only reduce behavioural issues but also help develop a child’s skills, and eventually, build up reasonable independence. Parents are also offered intensive counselling to help understand and support their children.

“However, there are many proven and unproven interventions. Parents do need to be careful when deciding what is best for their child and need to discuss this with their paediatrician or therapist before committing to therapies that can be very expensive,” warns Dr Chandran.

According to Dr Chandran, medication is only used if there are associated problems like anxiety, aggression and sleep issues. And even then as an adjunct with behavioural therapies, she adds.

“Ranjan used to be mortally afraid of dogs, which meant that we couldn’t take him to the park,” recalls Sandhya. Fear of the dark led to anxiety and tantrums. Through social stories and play therapy, all that has changed now.

setting

Once therapy structures are set in motion, most children are integrated into mainstream schooling, depending on their intellectual abilities. There are also some autism specific schools for the more severely challenged children. Additionally, the private sector caters to this growing demand by offering integrated resources. One such school is Macquarie University Special Education Centre (MUSEC), which offers a tailored curriculum at the primary school level.

When Ranjan first enrolled in his day care centre, Sandhya would often worry about him running away. “Back then, he had no concept of boundaries. But his preschool director was not only very supportive, but also well aware of autism issues. For the first time I felt a sense of relief,” she confesses.

Ranjan’s high functioning autism meant that he was also able to attend a mainstream public school on ‘inclusion support’. The family did consider a support class at their zone school, which offers an individual learning programme.

Saakshi attends one such school and her parents hope to eventually relocate her to their local public school.

Adapting to autism

Many parents have to ‘unlearn’ their natural parenting instincts, and instead don a ‘special-parent’ avatar. Most autistic children have sensory integration issues (hyper or hypo-sensitivity to textures, sounds and motion). Some children are easily and uncontrollably excitable, so parents are taught to help them use ‘quiet hands and voice’ and get them to wear ‘weighted’ jackets to calm them down.

Aspect sells special products and toys to help teach these children coping strategies in a social setting. For Sandhya, Aspect merchandise has helped to regularise Ranjan’s behaviour patterns. Ranjan feels the need to suck on a pencil, as both a habit and for comfort. Regular pencils can be replaced with a child safe special pencil caps, to avoid sucking on poisonous lead.

Applied behavioural analysis (ABA) therapy has been the buttress therapy for most families, focusing on specific issues like eye contact, playing with peers or following classroom structures.

Clockwise: Krishna Narayanan

Santoshi Ramarathinam

A typical program consists of repeated instruction, modelling and rewards for each child, along with a huge dose of love and patience.

In his very first week at a mainstream school, Sandhya was asked to pick up Ranjan as he kept doing somersaults. More settled now, Ranjan is learning now to say ‘bye’ and ‘hello’ to his mum before and after school, and respond to her questions. “The tantrums, anxiety and hyperactivity used to break my heart. But for his own good I had to be firm,” she admits.

Ranjan still hates writing and often hides his home-school communication notebook. But Sandhya has her own rewards system to encourage positive behaviour patterns. “If he behaves well in class and meets most expectations, I get him a cheese naan after school,” she says. Ranjan has responded extremely well to the rewards scheme.

“Most parents have high aspirations for their children. For me, the fact that he makes conversation with me and responds to questions is very rewarding,” she admits. He now wants to play cricket. “Can he really? I wonder. But for the moment I think I have found my inner peace. I don’t worry too much about what others think of him,” Sandhya says courageously.

Creating a support structure

Coping with autism can be quite a rollercoaster, taking its toll on marital harmony and family structure. And it can be even harder on minorities. This is why more effort needs to be made by the community as a whole, and educators and health specialists in particular, to reach out to these vulnerable people.

Akila Ramarathinam has not only helped her daughter Santoshi through the difficult diagnosis of autism, but has now reached out to many in the community. Through the Hindu Social Service Foundation (HSSF), she has for the past four years, created a strong network of support for people with disabilities. She conducts free workshops and day camps, and organises picnics and day events for both the disabled and their carers.

“When my daughter Santoshi had severe speech and language disabilities as a two-year-old, I was totally devastated,” she candidly admits. Like most Indian mothers, “why me? What have I done wrong to deserve this” was her immediate reaction.

It was her teenaged son, who literally showed her the way. Embracing adversity, Krishna took his mother to the Sydney Paralympics in 2000. “It was there that I realised that people with disabilities can turn their life around with determination. Their stumbling blocks can become stepping-stones too. It was a real eye opener for me,” she admits.

With support from Westmead Children’s Hospital and the Department of Disabilities, Santoshi was able to access to quality healthcare. “Take your child to playgroup, go on holidays, enrol in physical activity programmes like swimming, tennis or even go to the park. Shower the child with love,” is her strong recommendation.

Relying heavily on her friends’ network, she has campaigned tirelessly for the disabled cause since then. “My friends, my husband and my family have been an incredible support,” she proudly acknowledges.

Social stigma

While it is not uncommon for developmental milestones to be ignored or overlooked, often cultural and social stigmas about mental health and a fear of talking openly, or seeking information and help for the child prevents migrant families from admitting such issues. Many often hope against hope that the child will just grow out of it.

“Being the parent of a disabled child is not something to be ashamed of, is it?” asks Juhi. The Brisbane-based mother of two finds there is still a huge amount of stigma that parents face in accepting autism. “I know several Indian parents who have autistic

kids, but deny it in the community with the hope that the kids will just grow out of it. Many even drop out of society because they are worried about comments. We have to learn to be more open and acknowledge reality,” she adds.

Disclosure

The issue of disclosure is a hurdle many parents prefer to avoid, and justifiably so. Already saddled by a weighty responsibility, most are uncomfortable disclosing the disability to an extended social group. “Given that support services and funding often hinge on the diagnosis, there is often a good reason to disclose a diagnosis to a school. However, in other settings it will depend on the individual and the depth of their problem,” says Jordan.

Fear of malicious gossip, tonguewagging and bullying are at the forefront of this. “Don’t feel shy or inhibited. Don’t hesitate to discuss with a friend. There is no point in being isolated and depressed, because you can’t really support your child then,” advises Akila.

Melbourne-based author and campaigner Amanda Curtis strongly advocates disclosure. She believes revealing the medical condition to the immediate school setting can reduce the effects of bullying, normalise relations and help form positive friendships.

“Once my son’s classmates knew why he was different and why he was disruptive, they stopped being unkind to him. A lot of the mothers also came up to offer support. Initially though, I was worried what the reaction would be,” she reveals.

Frustrated by the lack of teaching resources on the subject, Curtis has recently written a children’s book My Friend Has Aspergers. She has actively campaigned about disclosure, visiting schools around Melbourne and conducting workshops for parents. Her long-term goal is to change attitudes so that children with autism are better understood, accepted and celebrated.

Alternative therapies

Many autistics also suffer from a variety of food allergies, including eggs, nuts, dairy and wheat. It is believed that certain foods triggers toxicity in their bodies, which in turn affects the neurobiology. This is where homeopathy and Ayurveda are increasingly adding value to their lives.

“Working in conjunction with mainstream treatment structures, homeopathy takes a holistic approach, by working on the physical as well as emotional problems,” claims Jordan. Her holistic practice in Sydney’s Northern Beaches has treated

A restless, forgetful, complaining child with a craving for bacon will receive a completely different remedy to a child who is restless, forgetful, fearful of the dark and is very thirsty, but hates water.

Jordan believes in a combination approach for autism.

Initially the child may receive homeopathic treatment for

which arise from the hair analysis test, which is done to assess mineral balance and heavy metal levels. The child may need supplementation with zinc, for example, if this mineral is low.

“Children with autism present complex cases and changes are expected to take time. What homeopathy does is to make them

Through early diagnosis, better teacher training and autismfriendly teaching programmes, a seamless transition into higher education and workforce is achievable

Clockwise:

Dr Chitra Chandran (Behavioral paediatrician)

Writer Amanda Curtis at the launch of her book

My Friend Has Asperger’s Linlee Jordan A homeopathic approach

Through early diagnosis, better teacher training and autism-friendly teaching programmes, a seamless transition into higher education and the workforce is achievable. While the future may look uncertain, it is heartening to note that many adults living with this disorder have carved out fulfilling lives. Meanwhile an Australian

disorders is in the offing, funded by public-private partnership. Harnessing the combined research of professionals in the area, the Autism CRC hopes to deliver comprehensive solutions to both government as well as service providers in the health and education sector.

Autism resources

Helping Children with Autism (HCWA) info line: 1800 289 177 www.fahcsia.gov.au www.raisingchildren.net.au

Autism Spectrum Australia

www.autismspectrum.org.au

Parenting Australia www.parentingaustralia.com.au

Early Childhood Intervention

info line: 1300 656 865

Autism Victoria (Amaze) www.amaze.org.au

Autism Awareness Australia www.autismawareness.com.au

Carers NSW info line: 9280 4744 www.carersnsw.org.au

Parent info line (NSW): 13 20 55 (24hr service, run by qualified counselors for parents of children between 0-18)

Sue Larkey www.suelarkey.com.au (resources, strategies and Ideas for teaching)

Amanda Curtis’s websites: www.disclosingaspergers.com www.speciallittlepeopleseminars.com www.facebook.com/pages/DisclosingAspergers

Photo: Autism Awareness Australia

What Woman’s Day means to me

According to American President Barack Obama, “The best judge of whether or not a country is going to develop is how it treats its women. If it’s educating its girls, if women have equal rights, that country is going to move forward. But if women are oppressed and abused and illiterate, then they’re going to fall behind.”

Even in this modern era, many women have to fight for civil, political and economic rights, they have to struggle for social and cultural equality, and persist in their demand for freedom from violence. As these wonderful women around the world strive to shape the future of their countries, societies and families, International Women’s Day is observed each year to celebrate their efforts. In 2013, the theme for International Women’s Day was ‘The Gender Agenda: Gaining Momentum’.

Gender equality was most prominent on the agenda for the participants of the International

Women’s Day event held recently by the Sikh Welfare Council of Victoria (SWCV). An eclectic group of women attended the afternoon event that was hosted at the Punjabi Masala Restaurant in Nunawading. Mrs Jasreen Singh and Mrs Hardeep Madan from SWCV initiated the proceedings by offering a warm welcome to the guests. Mrs Jassi Kaur then invoked the blessings of God with a melodious chant. Several prominent speakers addressed the audience on topics raging from health, society, education, relationships and cultural awareness. The agenda included afternoon tea, music, entertainment and ample opportunities for a chinwag.

“I think all the men in the world cannot represent one woman as adequately as one woman can represent all women,” said Preeti Jabbal from Indian Link as she kicked off the speeches with the topic ‘Contemporary woman’.

“Here in our adopted home in

Australia we are at what can only be termed as a very ‘happening age’, the most formative year for the gender issue. We are at a stage where every step we take is a very positive step towards there being no gender issue in years to come. And by gender equality we do not mean that it’s a game where women win and men lose, but it should mean that the choices available to both of us are enhanced,” she stated.

Mrs Raj Dudeja President of Federation of Indian Women’s Association in Australia (FIWAA) spoke next on how women have been empowered over generations due to better education and advanced technology, and how traditions and culture co-exist with this change. Family Relationship Therapist Mrs Muktesh Chibber spoke eloquently about relationships within marriage and about mutual respect as the most important ingredient for a happy married life.

Psychiatrist Mrs Manjula

O’Connor shared the story of a domestic violence victim and described the various types of domestic threats. Domestic violence according to her is not just physical, but can also be mental and psychological.

The speeches continued as Dr Harjit Kaur gave a lengthy talk on female health including breast cancer awareness and the benefit of regular health checks through pap smears and mammogram screenings. Mrs Surinder Mudher and Mrs Dilpreet Jaswal from Khalsa Punjabi School voiced the merits of educating women as a means to educating the whole society. Mrs Harjinder Kaur shared her experience as a new migrant teacher who was struggling to grasp the conflict of cultures between India and Australia. According to her, she was able to overcome the obstacles mainly through sheer determination and mental strength that was inculcated in her by her supportive parents. Towards the end of the event, young Gurpreet

Kaur from Monash University highlighted the vital importance of educating men and boys when tackling violence against and discrimination of women and girls. The world is full of stories of mothers and daughters and their aspirations and hopes, who are often denied the equal rights and opportunities they deserve. International Women’s Day marks and affirms the enduring values of equality and dignity for all women to enjoy lives filled with opportunities, freed from discrimination and violence. Events like the one organised by SWCV present an opportunity for women to share their stories, to acknowledge these struggles and find a way to move forward. Kudos to Mrs Hardeep Madan and her SWCV team for putting together a group of inspiring speakers and an enlightened audience on whose fine and feisty shoulders the long quest for equality for women will continue.

Simmi Bakshi

Waves of interest at Lahrein event

A combination of themes presented through song, dance and drama resulted in a multi-faceted evening of showbiz

Kalavishkar presented their second artistic venture Lahrein recently at the Chandler Community Theatre in Keysborough. Mandar Vaidya and Reshma Parulekar founded the Kalavishkar Innovative Art Academy on September 1, 2012 to provide an opportunity to learn theatre, dance and music. At the end of the workshops, participants are encouraged to present their acquired skills in front of an audience. According to Mandar Vaidya, Kalavishkar does not restrict itself by any linguistic barriers, or by any particular form of Indian dance. People from all multicultural backgrounds are encouraged to express their interest and learn Indian dances and dramatics.

The recent Lahrein event had six performances in total, each judged by a panel that comprised of Mrs Shubhada Gokhale, Mrs Shilpa Gaikwad and Mrs Rashmi Padwal.

Kalavishkar presented its first welcome dance in Sanskrit. The song accompanying the dance was scripted by Pandit Narendra Sharma, a renowned poet of the Hindi language and was performed during the 1982 Asian Games to welcome the international sports community to India. Reshma Parulekar, co-founder of Kalavishkar, choreographed the dance number set to this song. Sanjana Athavale was awarded the outstanding performer’s award by the judges.

Next, Kalavishkar drama kid’s zone students presented a fun filled drama with a moral called Gharonda (The Nest). Written by the late Vijay Tendulkar, this drama was translated in English and was directed by Kalavishkar’s co-founder, Mandar Vaidya.

Gharonda is a story of a

colony of sparrows, a tale of great ambitions and a message of humanity, compassion and contentment. The kids did an excellent job and ticked all the boxes of voice projection, reactions, movements and voice modulation on stage. Subah Arora who played the role of the storyteller sparrow Pankhud won the outstanding performer award.

The children’s play was followed by a Holi dance choreographed by Reshma Parulekar. Mrs Vandana Kumar carried away the outstanding performer award with some excellent dancing.

Next on the program was an entertaining mimicry performance by a Kalavishkar family stalwart, Vivek Pande. He presented mimicry items of famous Bollywood artists like Amrish Puri, Raj Kumar, Rajesh Khanna, Dev Anand and Ashok Kumar. Vivek received tremendous applause for his talent.

The next item was a celebration of harvest in the form of bhangra dancing, depicting the vivaciousness of rural Punjab. Mrs Harsiddhi Modi was chosen as the most outstanding performer for this item.

A half an hour of intermission followed, in which the audience enjoyed tasty snacks of batata wadas and gulab jamuns.

The finale of the evening was a hilarious Hindi play called Sandese, originally written by the late Sudhir Kavdi and translated by Rajesh Bibikar. The play was directed by Mandar Vaidyam, with music support by Sameer Manduskar and lights support by Aniket Parulekar and Prashant Jadhav.

Sandese was a story about chain letters that hit a town and start to multiply. The play showed how the letter impacted people from different walks of life such as employees in an office, a spinster, a

senior couple, a teacher and her husband. Finally, it turns out that a film producer and his friend who wished to promote their upcoming film were generating the letters. All the characters did justice to their roles. Manju Saini was conferred the most

outstanding performer award for her acting. The play was well directed and all aspects of acting, sets, lights and music displayed good teamwork.

Poulomi Deshpande as the Master of Ceremonies for the evening conducted the show with

aplomb. Poulomi was also the sutradhaar (storyteller) in the Hindi play.

Overall it was a very entertaining event. The packed audience enjoyed it and applauded wholeheartedly at every item that was presented.

Mika rocks Holi revellers

Live music from Indian rock star adds to the colour and fun of the festival

Iwish every Holi festival could coincide with the Easter long weekend, as it did this year. While our mainstream counterparts were busy concluding Lent and conducting egg hunts, we were busy feasting endlessly and playing with colours. The more gregarious variety, like yours truly, were celebrating both with equal zest. Double the fun! In fact, in my case, it was quadruple the fun as I caught up with different groups of friends and played Holi in different locations over the four days. One celebration was marked with pani puris filled with vodka water, another was spent aiming water guns and balloons at unsuspecting friends, the third was dedicated to dancing to repeats of rang barse and the fourth was spent jostling with crowds to attend the Holi festival at Sandown Racecourse. While it was hard to choose which experience was more enjoyable, the Sandown Holi with a special guest appearance to pep up the proceedings was the one to write home about.

The draw card for the Australian Indian Innovations Inc’s (AIII) Holi celebration was the presence of singer Mika, also know as the enfant terrible of the Indian music industry. With multiple super-hits to his credit, Mika’s recent fame and colourful personality were well suited to the event. As Mika delved into the show with full force, he certainly lived up to the hype. Addressing the sea of colourful and jovial faces, Mika announced with characteristic chutzpah, “you can love me or you can hate me, but you certainly cannot ignore me!” He invited the audience to visit his official Facebook site and with popular songs, wry comments, jokes and wisecracks, Mika had fans eating out of his hand in no time. It was easy for the rapt audience to forgive and forget that Mika had rocked up a couple of hours later than expected. The jubilant crowd danced and tapped their feet and fingers as Mika belted out one famous song after another. Jugni, Singh is King, Chinta Ta, Pungi baja le, Saawan mein lag gayi aag, Dhinkachka, each song was sung with fervour and welcomed with enthusiasm. It was a rollicking show and the thousands who came to celebrate the festival of colours took home some indelible memories thanks to the ‘powerhouse entertainer’.

AIII has been celebrating

Holi for the past six years, and the event has been improving with each experience. This year’s entertainment segment including Mika’s rocking show was presented by Sizzlin Events and Muzique Events. Besides

the main show there were numerous food and variety stalls, children’s activities, DJ’s and live bands to keep people entertained throughout the day.

Pt Hiren Upadhyay conducted the traditional hollika dahan ceremony

in the afternoon. Nearly 10,000 people were reported to have attended the event over the day.

According to an announcement made during Mika’s show, AIII is planning to get famous actor Salman Khan as their guest for the Diwali Mela, scheduled later this year. Mika was quick to point out that Melbournians are hearing

from one badmash (himself) this Holi, and can now meet another badmash from Bollywood during Diwali. The common attitude, swagger and controversies aside, a visit from these two super sensations from India will surely spice up the entertainment scene in Melbourne.

Preeti Jabbal

Clash of colours and couples at Bundoora Park

Community presented a relevant message in the midst of zestful Holi celebrations

Holi, the festival of colours, came a few days early for the people living in the northern suburbs of Melbourne. Holi celebrations at Bundoora Park on March 24 breathed an atmosphere of social merriment, with the very young, the elderly and everyone in-between joining in the fun.

Bundoora Park resonated with a particular vibrancy only associated with Indian festivals. The most significant part of the festival was definitely the colours. Blue, green, red, pink, yellow, orange - the colours of the rainbow truly came alive.

A fantastic atmosphere of the festival was recreated as almost 2000 people including youth, children, seniors and families danced to lively music and splashed colours with joyful abandonment.

Holi at Bundoora Park was a truly multicultural event as, in the true spirit of the festival, a large number of people from different cultures attended. In the spirit of the event, most arrived in white shirts which bore no resemblance to their original colour when they left, having been liberally splashed with a medley of colours. They danced to the resounding beats, and on taking a break, refreshed themselves at some of the food stalls offering a variety of different kinds of Indian cuisine. Raffles were also organised with enticing prizes to be won. In addition, stalls with information on the community were well-received, with lots of people showing interest in the Australasian Centre for Human Rights and Health (ACHRH) stall.

Many of those who attended the event recollected their days back home in India, where Holi was celebrated in its full glory. “This celebration brings back memories of fun times from my childhood,” said Arvinder Singh (24). Hailing from Punjab, this youngster took part in the revelry with two of his friends who echoed the same sentiments. “It’s great to have everyone here celebrating together,” said Amit Kapahi.

For Jimmy Sharma, the celebrations were an initiation for his four-year-old daughter. He intends to take her to India for Holi in the future. “The celebrations here are much tamer than the ones I’ve seen growing up in India. It’s great that my daughter is able to experience

the festival as well,” he said.

His wife Melanie, reiterated the point. “This celebration has been good for both my children.

They get to experience Indian culture first-hand,” she said. As parents, they also made it a point to talk to their daughter about the significance of Holi.

Several non-Indians participated in the event as well. “It’s wonderful! The atmosphere is fantastic!” said Michael Johns, attending the event

with his University mates. “It’s my first time here today, and I’ll definitely come back again next year!”

The organisers of the event, Fusion Entertainments, were pleased with the response to the festival, which is in its second year running.

“We received a good response and feedback last year. Most of the celebrations were in the southeastern suburbs, but we wanted to

celebrate here in the north as well,” said Gaurav Verma.

“Peace, harmony and friendship. That’s what this celebration is about,” added Lavisha Kapoor, one of the organizers.

What makes Holi special is that on this day, socially expected norms are not followed. In India, tacit permission is granted to all to behave equally and celebrate without considering caste, creed or colour. There is much love and respect for all on Holi. Perhaps this is why it is probably one of the most exhilarating festivals in India. Holi lowers (but does not remove completely) the strictness of social norms, everyone celebrates together and as a result, the atmosphere is filled with excitement, fun and joy.

The Bundoora Park venue offered a perfect setting to display the ills of domestic violence in the form of jealousy, gender based inequality, and abuse of control and power. To this end, ACHRH

performed a 5 minute skit about domestic violence on stage, which indicated the cause and effect of domestic violence and how quickly attitudes can change from cheerful to aggressive and fearful. Through convincing acting and well-timed music, the three minute long skit fully engaged the audience who spontaneously burst out clapping when it ended.

Amar and Roshni, the lead actors then took the microphone and offered a few facts on domestic violence to the audience, such as how it is against the law, yet a common problem. Domestic violence can be in the form of physical, emotional or financial abuse. It can happen to as many as 1 in 3 women.

MC Adrienne Slaon invited Dr Manjula O’Connor to say a few words about the skit. “This drama depicted jealousy and control, which leads to domestic violence. Help is available, please do not suffer in silence. ACHRH can help so visit us for more information,” requested Dr O’Connor.

The Bandoora Park holi festival was a resounding success, a great day of fun and festivity which was enjoyed by all.

Holi is celebrated every year on the day after the full moon in early March, and glorifies good harvest and fertility of the land, and the beginning of spring.

Dr Manjula O’Connor Vani Silvarath

3000 attend HSV Holi mela

An atmosphere of joy and celebration added to the religious element of holi at the Shiva Vishnu Temple

It was a day of festivity at the Shiva Vishnu Temple at Boundary Road in Carrum Downs, as devotees and attendees enjoyed the Holi mela organized by the Hindu Society of Victoria (HSV). Approximately 3000 people attended the event which started at 10am and went on through the day, concluding at 4:30pm. The Holika havan was performed at noon, which included a pooja at which the priest explained the significance of the Holi puja and narrated the story of the origins of the festival. This was followed by a bonfire, in keeping with the tradition of the festival.

The Holi mela was honoured by the presence of Cr Sandra Mayer, City of Frankston, Mayor of Carrum Downs; Cr Amanda Stapledon, Mayor of the City of Casey; Cr Jennifer Yang, Mayor of the City of Mannigham; Mrs Inga Peulich, State Member for South-East Metropolitan and representing State Minister for Multicultural Affairs and Citizenship; Mr Geoff Ablett, Councillor, City of Casey; Mr Chin Tan, VMC Commissioner; and Mr Rakesh Kawra, Consul General of India. They spoke briefly on their pleasure at attending the event, and were offered a tour of the newly established cultural centre within the temple’s premises.

A cheerful atmosphere prevailed as people arrived to do archana at the temple, and then went

out to partake in the festivities. They had the opportunity to play Holi, enjoying throwing coloured powder in a spirit of joy and dancing to the music played by the DJ throughout the day. Food stalls abounded with vegetarian Indian delicacies on sale, including the temple’s stall selling idlis, dosas and other items. Other stalls had clothing, jewellery, games on display and were well patronized.

“The event was an out-andout success, with more people attending than we expected and as usual, the SES did a great job of controlling traffic,” said Raghu Pendyala, President of HSV. “I thank the committee members and volunteers for doing a terrific job, and all those who attended and added to the success of the event.”

What’s on

Ugadi celebrations

Sunday 14 April from 10:30am onwards, till we run out of dosas at Westall Primary School, Fairbank Road, Clayton South. Ugadi festival celebration with dosa mela and BBQ fun games, organised by the Melbourne Kannada Sangha. Entry fee: $5 per person (RSVP only fee), and kids under 6 eat free (RSVP only). $7 per person without RSVP. Phone / SMS Nagendra (Nagi) on 0402 782 836; Srinivasa Sharma on 0401 900080; Pratima Beleri on 0413373538 or email melnudi@gmail.com

Public lecture by Dr RA Mashelkar

Monday, 15 April at 5:30pm at Storey Hall, RMIT University. RMIT University is hosting a public lecture by Dr RA Mashelkar,

Padmashri and Padmabhushan recipient; President, Global Research Alliance; Chairman/ Chancellor of the Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research.

Topic: ‘Inclusive Innovation: The Global Game Changer’. Contact Professor Suresh Bhargava, FTSE on 9925 2330 for more details

VSA Vaisakhi Dinner

Saturday 20 April from 6pm - 10pm at Ashwood Hall, 21A Electra Avenue, Ashwood. Come and enjoy a fun-filled evening with family and friends, with a hot buffet dinner. Tickets:

VSA members - $10 per person  / $8 Kids under 12yrs.  Nonmembers can join on the night. For more details and to book, email victoriansikhassociation@ gmail.com

ANZAC Day Daylesford Trip

Thursday 25 April from 7.30am – 6.30pm, trip to Daylesford. Enjoy a lakeside lunch, a visit to the chocolate factory. Boating is also an option (fare not included in cost). Organised by Sangam Association. Price: $40 for Sangam members; $45 for non-members. Kids 10 & under - $25.00 Enjoy a fun-filled ANZAC Day. Contact: sangamassociation@ yahoo.com.au

Bollywood bedazzled charity ball

Saturday, 27 April at Thornbury Theatre, 859 High St Thornbury, in aid of Muskaan, a school for children from the slums of Bhopal.

The Bollywood Bedazzled Charity Ball promises to be a colourful and exciting multicultural evening, with a delicious 3 course Indian

dinner, spectacular Bollywood dancing, a dynamic Bollywood DJ and exciting raffles, auctions and prizes!

100% of funds raised will go towards the construction of a school campus for Muskaan School, which provides hope, opportunity and respect through effective and relevant education, for children from the highly vulnerable slum communities in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, India. Together, let’s make Muskaan’s dream a reality!

Round up your friends for a fabulous night out and enjoy a great evening for a great cause!

Tickets are selling, call Marion on 0411 348 766 or Email: MuskaanSupportAust@ hotmail.com (No door sales).

Meet the motographer Sundeep Gajjar (Sunny) is a motorcycle travel photographer journalist from New Delhi, who is doing a huge solo ride in Australia, starting April 21 from Sydney. The ride is supported by Ducati, and Sunny will be travelling 23,000kms in 65 odd days, shooting photos and videos and talking to people whenever he can. To know more about the ride visit: http://www. thegrandaustralianroadtrip. com. Sunny’s route can be found at http:// thegrandaustralianroadtrip.com/ the-grand-australian-roadtriproute/

Sunny would be happy to meet Indians who ride bikes in Australia. Read more about him on http://www.motographer.com/ motoblog/?page_id=230

Do you know a super special mum out there in the community who deserves the title?

Mothers are those special people who are always there for you, no matter how many tantrums you have, or if you don’t eat your greens.

That’s why, at Indian Link we would like to invite nominations for our inaugural Indian Link Mother of the Year Award 2013 from the subcontinent community. If your mother, wife, sister, friend, or anyone you know is a very special mum, you may want to nominate her for this award.

How to enter?

Tell us in 300 words or less why your nominee should win. Include photographs of the nominee, and any supporting documents.

Email entry to: win@indianlink.com.au

Get your entry in by 5pm on April 24th, 2013 Prize?

The award-winning mother will receive special prizes, including $500 from Indian Link.

The award winner will feature in the May-1 edition issue of Indian Link, as well as on Indian Link radio.

Criteria for nominations

The nominee must be currently living in Australia as a Permanent Resident or an Australian citizen. The nominee must be of Indian or South-Asian origin. The nominee must have certain special qualities that make her stand out from the crowd. Employees, as well as friends and family of employees of Indian Link cannot enter the competition.

We look forward to seeing your nominations!

Happy Birthday Sikh superman!

Indian diaspora gets together to celebrate a living legend

When you live to be over 100, every day calls for a celebration. Ask Baba Fauja Singh, the legendary athlete who was in Melbourne recently. According to him the secret behind his longevity is a strict vegetarian diet and abstinence from alcohol and smoking. It was Fauja Singh’s first visit to Australia and history was made as hundreds celebrated his 102nd Birthday with him on April 1 at Cafe Saffron in South Morang.

A world record holder centenarian marathon runner, Fauja Singh originally hails from Punjab in India and migrated to the UK in the 90s. His entire life has been dedicated to running and he has accomplished innumerable milestones and set many records in his age group. He recently retired from competitive running after successfully competing in the 10km marathon in Hong Kong. Fauja Singh began running at the age of 89, and has run numerous marathons in his career in London, Toronto and many

other cities. His last full marathon race was the Virgin London Marathon in April 2012 at the age of 101 - completed I 7 hour 49 minutes - some 22 minutes faster than his leisurely 8 hour 11 minutes in Toronto when he was 100. In 2004, he replaced David Beckham as the brand ambassador of Adidas, role modelling their slogan ‘Impossible is Nothing’. And what’s most impressive is the fact he has donated every single cent that has come his way, either via endorsements or otherwise, to charity. His Australian trip was a testimony to his inspiring endurance and commitment to continue running for pleasure, health and charity.

During his whirlwind trip to Australia, Fauja Singh participated in the Opening Ceremony of the Australian Sikh Games, ran with thousands for the Run For Kids event in Melbourne, met the Richmond Tigers, was felicitated by the NSW Parliament, visited the local Gurudwaras and also found time to explore the flora and

fauna of Australia. The smiles never ceased, the jokes continued, the blessings never stopped, Fauja Singh was well and truly inspirational.

It was an honour to celebrate Fauja Singh’s birthday and the guest list burgeoned to nearly 250, as people continued to express interest in attending the celebration. Amanjot Bedi and Raminderjot Bedi from Della International College and Sunshine Institute of Management in Melbourne sponsored the event, which was coordinated by Jasvinder Singh Sidhu and organized with the support of Manpreet Kaur from SBS and Deepak Vinayak. Dr Preetinder Grewal co-anchored the birthday event along with Manpreet Kaur.

Mary Lalios, Councillor from the City of Whittlesea attended the event as one of the guests.

Tim Singh Lawrence, Mayor of Darebin Council felicitated Fauja Singh on behalf of his council. Farrukh Hussain, President of

South Asian Community Link presented the centenarian with a stamp collection issued by the Pakistan Government to mark the 400th Anniversary of Guru Arjan Dev Ji. Kulwant Joshi, President of Sri Durga Temple in Rockbank presented a siropa to Fauja Singh. Fauja Singh’s biographer Khushwant Singh shared some insights about him with the audience, while Gurvinder Singh from Flying Sikhs offered more details of his trip to Australia.

The birthday boy himself seemed to enjoy every minute with unflagging energy. The evening continued on a festive note with all the guests wishing Fauja Singh a wonderful birthday and a long and healthy life.

Simmi Bakshi

Quest for the best

A bevy of smart, savvy and pretty participants compete to go into the Miss and Mrs India Quest finals

It was a night of glitz, glamour and some jitters for the participants of the Miss and Mrs India Quest Pageant 2013 as they competed in the pre-selection round to go into the finals of the contest. For many, it was their first time up on stage and the ladies were certainly feeling a level of nervousness about strutting the catwalk. The camaraderie between the contestants was obvious, with many of them sharing tips and calming each other’s nerves. It was their night to shine, and the ladies were soon ready to make an appearance that would get them

into the finals of the MIQ 2013 pageant.

The personality round and launch of the pageant was held on March 22 at The Heritage Hotel on Bourke Street. The Indian beauties were given a minute each to introduce themselves, and the four judges present tested the contestant’s question and answer skills.

The second annual Miss and Mrs India Quest Pageant 2013 pageant was organised by Anamika Srivastava of Charismix Events. She strongly believes that pageants allow a woman to step out of her

comfort zone.

“Doing something different and trying something new boosts one’s self-esteem,” she said.

The twenty contestants were from different walks of life, from students to geriatric workers, naturopathy doctors to models, teachers to IT professionals – the ladies had resumes that impressed and looks to kill for.

For Anamika, a pageant winner herself, the success of an Indian woman lies in her being her unique self.

“Sometimes in the Indian community, a woman tries to

fulfil the needs of others, often neglecting herself in the process. She feels suffocated. She needs to be accepted for the way she is, as she is,” said Anamika, herself the mother of a five-year old.

“Family is important and at the same time, it is important to be successful in your career as well. When a woman is authentic in her passion, success definitely follows with the support of her family,” she added.

And the contestants in the MIQ 2013 pageant resonated with this ideal, as they were supported by an audience of over 200, comprising

among others, of partners, family and friends. The event continued late into the night.

The Mr Melbourne pageant was also introduced this year and Anamika hopes it will be a platform for men to showcase their talent, learn new skills and network. The finals in Australia will be held in July, and the winners of the Miss and Mrs India Quest 2013 pageant will represent India in an international pageant held in the United States of America. Its exciting times ahead for these multi-talented ladies.

Vani Silvarathi

Young talent at its classical best

Three different artistes showcase their impressive prowess in Indian music and dance

BY CHITRA SUDARSHAN

InConcert Music, an arm of the Laya Vidya Centre, presented a full-fledged Carnatic vocal concert by Abhishek Raghuram on March 16 at the Wellington Secondary College.

Raghuram, still in his 20s, has already carved a niche for himself at the highest echelons of Carnatic music in India. That such a young artiste could deliver such a polished performance was amazing. He selected several popular kritis and ragas – such as Tyagaraja’s Nagumomu in aberi, Marupalka in ananda bhairavi, Dikshitar’s Vatapi in hamsadhvani, to name a few, and rendered them with an ease, mastery and freshness that took everyone’s breath away. His ability to present and arrange classical kritis in a creative way, stamped with his own unique style, is perhaps what distinguishes Raghuram from the throng of other young vocalists on the Carnatic scene today.

Accompanists Vittal Ramamoorthy on the violin and Neyveli Narayanan on the mrudangam were both lustily applauded by the audience for their virtuoso performances.

The Tamil Trinity Festival was celebrated successfully for the fourth year, held over March 10 and 11 at the Hindu Cultural Centre in the Shiva Vishnu temple, and the Performing Arts Centre, Rowville Secondary College respectively. The festival celebrated the contributions made to Carnatic music by three great Tamil composers who lived probably between the 16th and 18th centuries, viz Arunachala Kavi, Muthuthandavar and Marimutha Pillai.

The festival was the brainchild of Yogaraja Kandasamy of the Indian Arts Academy, Melbourne, and provided yet another platform for local artistes to strut their stuff, as well as an opportunity to see and hear some of the best overseas dancers and musicians.

The local ‘emerging artiste’ section featured a vocal recital by Shakthi Ravitharan, a sishya of Smt Shobha Sekhar. Shakthi had her vocal arangetram a couple of years ago, and has regularly performed in various events – so she is no novice to the stage. She

began with a viruttam in praise of Ganapathy in a commanding voice, followed by a kriti immediately caught everyone’s attention. Indeed, her sonorous voice simply wafted through the auditorium and the audience which had been restless until then, fell silent.

Shakthi took up the raga aberi for a ragamtanam-pallavi (RTP) rendition – including ragas Basant and Brindavana saranga for elaboration. The lyrics were an ode to the great Tamil Trinity, very aptly composed and arranged by Smt Shobha Sekhar for the occasion. Shakthi’s presentation was nuanced and pleasing to the ear, and she navigated the transition from one raga to the next with consummate ease, without hitting a wrong note.

This was followed by a Murugan kriti, and she wrapped it up with the tongue-twister of a Tiruppugazh, ‘muththaithiru’ in raga senchurutti.

On the violin was Shri Suresh Babu, a visiting artiste from India, and on the mrudangam, Melbourne’s own Shri M Ravichandhira.

Farah Iyer’s arangetram was held on February 2 at the Darebin Arts and

varnam addresses Lord Vishnu/Krishna as enshrined in Srirangam. Farah

and

– Oothakadu’s Mohanam is a challenging piece with

footwork well with the demands joyousness of this composition, the celebration of Krishna’s Leelas and one could see that Farah

Chandrabhanu’s

Sivanandan Ahilan’s sonorous and melodious voice was supported by two mrudangists, Balasri Rasiah and his son Hariharan providing

nattuvangam, with Pallavi Susarla times, V V S Murari on the violin, Jalakshmi Sekhar on the veena.

Shakthi Ravitharan

Farah Iyer

NATYA KALA MANDIR PRESENTS

Bharatha Natya Arangetram

Kum. Aarthika

@ 6 pm on Saturday 20th April 2013

Venue: Alexander Theatre, Monash University, Clayton. Melway Ref: 70 G11

Kum. Shubhangi

@ 6 pm on Saturday 4th May 2013

Venue: Kelwatson Theatre, Forest Hill College, Burwood. Melway Ref: 52 C5

Art lovers are most “Welcome”

Any enquiries to natyakalamandir@hotmail.com

Attention: L A dies A nd Gent L emen

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Michael Clarke and his wife Kyly are all smiles at the Taj Mahal last month A gesture that had touched the ‘Iron Lady’ in India

Margaret Thatcher did not approve of the state of emergency in force during her visit to India in 1976. But she was so touched by a gesture of her host and prime minister Indira Gandhi that she made it a point to mention it in her memoirs.

“I lunched with Indira Gandhi in her own modest home, where she insisted on seeing that her guests were all looked after, and clearing away the plates while discussing matters of high politics,” Thatcher, who died recently, wrote in The Path to Power.

“Both her sons, Sanjay and Rajiv, were present, although it was the former who had most to say for himself. He had, indeed, allegedly been responsible for many of the abuses such as forced sterilisation and compulsory re-housing which had provoked such bitter opposition,” she said.

“But in spite of everything I found myself liking Mrs Gandhi herself. Perhaps, I naturally sympathised with a woman politician faced with the huge strains and difficulties of governing a country as vast as India.”

Thatcher had visited India in September 1976 as an opposition leader, three years before she became prime minister, at the invitation of Indira Gandhi. The British press had criticised her for her comment post-visit, “I came to learn and not to comment.”

Yet, in her memoirs, Thacker did say that she did not see eye-to-eye on Indira Gandhi’s emergency and the restrictions on the press.

“In spite of a long self justificatory account she gave me of why the state of emergency

had been necessary, I could not approve of her government’s methods,” said Thatcher, who was called the Iron Lady for the way she handled some pressing labour issues.

“She had taken a wrong turning and was to discover the fact at her Party’s devastating election defeat in 1977,” Thatcher added.

The fact that Indira Gandhi’s gesture of clearing the plates herself had touched Thatcher is also mentioned in the declassified documents from British archives that were released in December 2006.

Margaret Thatcher, former prime minister of Britain died on April 7, after suffering a stroke. She was 87.

Delhi Police turn to yoga as stress buster

Battling crime day in and day out, Delhi’s policemen are a totally stressed out lot. So now the men in khaki are turning to yoga as a stress buster.

After yoga classes showed positive results at one police station, Delhi Police are planning to take them to more men in the capital.

“Our men daily deal with crime, criminals and work for abnormal hours on occasion. All this is bound to lead to stress,” said Deputy Commissioner of Police (Northwest Delhi) P Karunakaran.

It was his initiative to conduct a yoga camp at the Jahangirpuri police station.

At the camp March 18-April 2, around 35 police personnel participated. The session was held between 4.30 pm-5.30 pm every day. The exercise will continue in

the district’s 17 police stations.

“We got a very good response, and now similar yoga camps can be organised in other police stations across the city,” Karunakaran added. Delhi has 180 police stations.

“The classes were successful and satisfying. I am getting feedback from participants that they feel a change in themselves after attending the yoga classes,” Assistant Sub-Inspector Pushpendra Kumar, who conducted the class, said.

He said the policemen found it “very helpful”.

“We could notice the slight changes in them due to yoga. They look more tensionfree, relaxed and have more energy for work. We also noticed an improvement in their day-to-day health problems, including depression,” Kumar said.

Kumar, 30, who has been practising yoga for the last five years, said he used to instruct policemen on yoga wherever he was posted.

Another senior police officer said, “such classes also help in increasing the working capacity of the policemen”.

The idea of yoga was explored when it was noticed that policemen were feeling stressed due to being overworked.

There were complaints of sleep-related problems, headaches and indigestion.

“A policemen has to be on duty for more than 10 hours a day, specially those on the law and order duties or posted at a police station. Yoga is very helpful in relaxing and rejuvenating the person,” stated Constable Satender Singh, who attended the classes.

Australian know-how for Jaipur’s Man Singh museum makeover

A five-member heritage delegation from Australia has arrived in Jaipur to collaborate with the Maharaj Sawai Man Singh II Museum Trust on heritage conservation and cultural tourism. The delegation will tour the Pink City and “assess the condition of the museum and the artifacts”.

The Australian and Indian teams will take part in a joint forum on museum collections and conservation, heritage architecture and conservation, and cultural tourism, the embassy of Australia said.

AusHeritage chairman and Australian cultural heritage expert, Vinod Daniel, set the tone for the forum with an address on “the Museum of the 21st Century”. He said museums had to move out of the conventional spaces and reach out to people and conservation technology had to be upgraded to control depreciation of heritage and cultural artifacts with time and extreme Indian weather.

The participants visited the Jaipur City Palace and the Jaigarh Fort.

Australian Deputy High Commissioner Bernard Philip, said in New Delhi, that he was delighted to be at the City Palace for the forum.

“Initiatives such as this one, funded by the Australia-India Council, are an important part of the ongoing conversation between our two countries,” he said.

Aditi Mehta, Rajasthan’s additional chief secretary, will inaugurate the forum, hosted by the secretary of the Museum Trust, Diya Kumari. “This forum is yet another effort on the part of the trust to learn the scientific and modern methods to conserve our heritage architecture as well as promoting

cultural tourism,” she said.

“We are happy to join hands with AusHeritage in this endeavour,” Divya Kumari added.

Vinod Daniel said the five-member AusHeritage team had a wide range of expertise and he was delighted to collaborate on a project involving the City Palace, a site on every Indian visitor’s wishlist.

In addition to Daniel, Australian experts visiting Jaipur for the forum are collections specialist Charlotte Galloway, heritage architecture specialist Roger Beeston, materials scientist Jim Mann and cultural tourism academic, Keir Reeves.

The Australia-India Council (AIC) established in 1992 to encourage peoplepeople links between the two countries, has been supporting AusHeritage members to work on many projects in India, including providing assistance for designing an international exhibition gallery for the Chatrapathi Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya in Mumbai, developing a charter for conservation of buildings for the Indian National Trust for Art and Culture, providing capacity building for museums in Assam, Kerala and West Bengal, besides Mumbai and Delhi, and developing a function brief for a Tagore museum in Shanthinketan.

AusHeritage has memoranda of understanding with INTACH and the Madras Christian College.

India successfully test fires nuclear-capable Agni-II missile

India successfully test-fired its nuclear-capable Agni-II strategic ballistic missile from a military base in Odisha on April 6, a defence official said.

The test was conducted from Wheeler’s Island in Bhadrak district, around 200 km from Bhubaneshwar, at about 10.20 am by army personnel as part of routine usertrials, said M.V.K.V. Prasad, director of the Integrated Test Range.

“The missile successfully hit the target. It was a perfect launch,” he said.

The medium-range missile with a range of over 2,000 km has already been inducted into the army, and is part of the Strategic Forces arsenal for nuclear deterrence. The Agni-II is part of India’s Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme.

The two-stage surface-to-surface missile, equipped with an advanced high-accuracy navigation system and guided by a novel state-of-the-art command and control system, is powered by a solid rocket propellant system.

The missile weighs 17 tonnes and its range can be increased to 3,000 km by reducing the payload. It can be fired from both rail and road mobile launchers. It takes only 15 minutes for the missile to be readied for firing.

The Defence Research and Development Organisation first tested Agni-II in 1999.

However, the Indian Army’s Strategic Forces Command, which operates the missile, could test it only May 17, 2010 after two successive failures in 2009.

The failed tests did not meet the mission’s desired objectives as, on both occasions, the missile lost speed and deviated from its flight path.

Since then, it has been successfully tested several times. The latest successful test once again proved the reliability of the missile, the official said.

Because I’m worth it!

A budding fashion writer wins front row seats at L’Oréal fashion event

travelling together, and the last

BY TALIA K AUR

A“money can’t buy” VIP trip for two to Melbourne for the L’Oréal Melbourne Fashion Festival (LMFF) sounded like the perfect way to spend a weekend. So when I heard about Sydney Westfield holding a competition to win this exact prize, I just knew I had to enter. Not in a million years did I think I would ever win such an amazing trip, but it didn’t hurt to enter in a few details and explain what I loved most about LMFF.

A week passed by and I had completely forgotten all about the competition. That was until I received a phone call from Sydney Westfield congratulating me on being chosen for the VIP trip for two to LMFF. I was completely shocked, and didn’t know whether it was real or not. I had never won anything before this from entering competitions, let alone a prize of this scale. I was over the moon. As someone who has such a strong interest in fashion, LMFF is definitely one fashion festival I had always wanted to attend. And to top it all off, I received the news on my birthday.

For any of you who might be unfamiliar with LMFF, it’s one of Australia’s largest and most popular fashion events of the year. It runs for a week and has everything from runways showcasing the latest Australian designers, to workshops and seminars on beauty, fashion and even tips for helping you build your own fashion business.

The prize included a trip for two to Melbourne on Qantas airlines, a nights accommodation at Crown Promenade (such a gorgeous hotel), car transfers for the entire weekend, as well as two front row VIP tickets to the Red Carpet Runway show presented by Harper’s Bazaar (where we even had our own private bar). I took my mum with me because we always have great fun when

it. I’m truly grateful for having won this trip and being able to take my mum for a weekend away. A huge thank you to

Sydney Westfield for making this

Collette Dinnigan

RachelGilbert

AurelioCostarella

The bridal runway was such an amazing show to watch. The designs were so delicate, beautiful and unique

Talia with her mum Harjit

Maticevski

Hey diddle diddle

The migrant South Asian ethos forms the backdrop of an Australian writer’s debut novel

Lesley Jorgensen

BY CHITRA SUDARSHAN

Cat and Fiddle, published in February this year by Scribe Australia, is a debut novel by Australian Lesley Jorgensen. It is about a more-prosperous-thanyour-average Sylheti immigrant family in the UK, which does not live in London’s Brick Lane, although they do have links to it, as they live in rural Wiltshire. Those who have read and enjoyed Monica Ali’s novel Brick Lane, set in that predominantly Bangladeshi neighbourhood, will welcome this new novel, although Jorgensen’s is a more feel-good kind of a story without that edgy narrative that was characteristic of Ali.

Jorgensen’s cast of unforgettable characters has a genuine ring: her observations are astute, full of insight, and they have more than just a passing knowledge of the social nuances of Bangladeshi families in the UK. As well as their lives and relatives back home in Bangladesh. Her antenna is quite finely tuned to the British-Asian social scene, which the reader can glean even from throwaway references like Kareem’s disdainful remark about ‘Mirpur migrants’ from Pakistan.

The Choudhury family’s two daughters, Rohimun and Shunduri. They have their own desires and ambitions which they pursue, often to the

Jorgensen’s observations are astute, full of insight, and they have more than just a passing knowledge of the social nuances of Bangladeshi families in the UK

consternation of their parents and their Muslim expectations. Their son, Tariq suffers the most anguish as he struggles with his sexuality, experiments with Islamic fundamentalism and joins the mujahideen in Africa, all in the process of trying to work out

who he is and where he belongs. Professor Choudhury tries his best to seem aggrieved at his daughter’s behavior. His wife Begum is by far the most endearing, and we feel for her as she tries valiantly to hold her family together and get her children married despite her

The ‘Cat and Fiddle’ of the Middle Ages was actually a reference to Catholics and Infidels

husband and the three children pulling her in four different directions. One cannot blame her for trying. Ultimately, the story is about her coming to terms with the fact that her children each have their own passions, and that she, as a mother has to accept this and make the most of the situation.

In between all of this, the family’s life becomes entwined with the country estate of Bourne Abbey and the Bourne family, whose history reveals an old mystery that draws the Choudhurys’ world into theirs.

Henry Bourne’s wife Thea is feeling lost, now that she’s got the lifestyle she has always longed for. His elder brother, Richard, a successful London barrister, finds himself increasingly drawn to the family home, and the inheritance that he had given up.

Jorgensen skillfully reconstructs the minutiae of family life in a Bangladeshi household, including the food, the rituals of daily

life and the saris. Jorgensen was married to an Anglo-Bangladeshi man for ten years in England, which may explain the deep understanding and empathy with which she describes the Choudhury family.

The ‘Cat and Fiddle’ of the Middle Ages was actually a reference to Catholics and Infidels. Jane Austen fans will love this novel. It is not a re-hash of Pride and Prejudice by any means, but it is very much of that tradition. It is a delightful and irresistible family saga written in a style that is engaging, and imbued with a gentle humour that sort of harks back to the Jane Austen era. The characters in the novel are very much flawed, but we can’t help liking them. The novel is also an East-meets-West kind of a story, but very much in a 21st milieu.

Winner of the 2011 Cal Scribe Fiction prize for an unpublished manuscript, Lesley Jorgensen is a lawyer who now lives in Adelaide with her two children.

Unskilled migrant woes

Open immigration is not as far-fetched as some claim

BY SUKRIT SABHLOK

Some writers have hypothesised that globalisation leads to a ‘withering away of the state.’

Indeed, it is true that trade in goods and services has become freer since the advent of free trade and the accompanying dismantling of Australia’s protectionist tariffs by the Hawke and Keating governments.

However, there has been no such diminution in state control in the area of immigration policy. From Federation in 1901 till 1973, the White Australia Policy excluded ‘non-white’ migrants through various direct and indirect means.

It was under the Whitlam government that the transformation of Australia from the ‘most British’ country to the ‘most multicultural’ began to take hold.

In 2005 an impressive 131,000 people from a variety of backgrounds relocated to Australia. Nevertheless, governments continue to restrict the free movement of people across borders so as to create a two-tiered system of ‘haves and have-nots.’

Current legislation does not treat all applicants equally, it favours skilled migrants over the unskilled. Australia has made special efforts to screen for workers with desired skills or levels of education.

The stated rationale for this approach is to raise labour market productivity, but a practical outcome of discrimination on the basis of skill is that the educated class residing in Third World nations are benefitting at the expense of the uneducated. It is educated individuals who possess the qualifications required to impress Australian authorities, with the illiterate poor in India and China unlikely to pass the screening process.

An unintended consequence of discrimination, therefore, is to exacerbate the divide between haves and have-nots, as the poorest of the poor are unable to leave developing nations in pursuit of a better life abroad. The Department of Immigration prioritises doctors, nurses, engineers, accountants and

other professionals with a verifiable work history. While this may be justified on the ground that skilled migrants have higher labour participation rates, it is questionable on humanitarian grounds.

A second characteristic of the current legal framework is the arbitrary limit on the number of migrants accepted. Yet it is extremely difficult, if not impossible, for immigration authorities to centrally plan the correct amount of migrants. The planned 2007 target, for instance, was between 142,800 and 152, 800 places. But widespread shortages have been reported, indicating that this intake was not sufficient.

The assumption that government must set a fixed number of places ought to be challenged. What if there was a way to avoid discriminatory exclusion against certain classes of people, without suffering adverse economic consequences?

“When we consider the role of migration in economic development, it is clear that immigration and free trade are two sides of the same coin,” states Chris Berg. The rationale is as follows. Firstly, “through remittances, migration encourages capital flow and economic interconnections between the First World and the developing world.” Secondly, “migrants working in the developed world are providing services that people in the developed world want”, and hence both parties benefit.

If trade and migration are but two sides of the same coin, then understanding the movement of money and the movement of people requires adherence to similar principles.

Opponents of immigration suggest that fresh migrants would become a drain on taxpayers, as they would take advantage of Australia’s generous social welfare system.

This objection is easily resolved: prohibit income support for new immigrants. With a reliance on welfare out of the question, immigrants would have to either find a job or return to their country of origin once their finances run dry.

American Economist William Niskanen correctly states that we should “build a wall around the welfare state, not around our national borders.”

Easy immigration, but not easy welfare, should be the goal of policymakers.

It is extremely difficult, if not impossible, for immigration authorities to centrally plan the correct amount of migrants

With a reliance on welfare out of the question, immigrants would have to either find a job or return to their country of origin once their finances run dry

A labour

A sugary version of the iconic Taj Mahal is a winner at the Royal Easter Show

BY SALONI KOBER

As an ode to love, you can’t find a fault with the Taj: the white of the marble is gleaming, the domes are impeccably shaped, the turrets flawless, the recesses of the windows perfect, and the flowery scrolls carved on the walls. It is simply beautiful.

It is no surprise that this monument to love took two months, yes, two whole months to create! And, hang on, it is edible to boot.

The Taj Mahal cake, crafted by Sydney’s Rashmi Uttarkar, won second place at the recently concluded Royal Easter Show.

“Just having my cake there on display amongst the finest, was an honour,” Rashmi told Indian Link. “When I found out I had won, I thought it was a mistake. I refreshed the web page over and over again just to make sure!”

She added, “I never considered winning as the goal. I was just too busy making the cake! It takes several years to find out what appeals to the judges. Overall impression, presentation, cover/ texture, creativity/originality, execution of design skills, degree of difficulty: each aspect of the art is closely marked. The cake that stood first was a ‘cottage’. The precision, the neatness, the attention to detail in it was impeccable”.

It was this love of cakes that inspired Rashmi Bedarkar to start her own cake business in Sydney, which she calls Cakes by Rashmi. Established in 2011, the business has been carving a name for itself with its beautiful, unique and delicious cakes, cupcakes, cake pops and pastries.

Baking is something that has always come naturally to Rashmi. “I loved baking since I was a kid,” she said. “Growing up, my cakes were so popular amongst my cousins that most birthday cakes were made by me!”

But the decision to go professional came much later.

“At my daughter’s first birthday, I ordered a cake that cost me a small fortune and yet failed to impress. It was then that my husband Shai suggested I take my hobby of baking to the next step, cake decorating”.

She hasn’t regretted it. Trained under Planet Cake, Australia’s top cake decorating school, Rashmi is a true artisan who loves her work.

The Taj Mahal cake took two weeks only in planning. Rashmi started by cutting out the body using polystyrene foam since a real cake cannot remain fresh for the two weeks of the Easter Show. But the real artistry was in the decoration. Once the body was cut out, the next step was to cover it with a layer of sugar just like a real cake. Talent, skill, creativity and experience were all required to knead and mould the sugar dough.

“For this project, I had to cut, shape and decorate 58 individual panels and shapes which were then pieced together,” Rashmi revealed. “The final step was managing the whole structure with utmost care. The pieces were so delicate that they could be easily damaged with one wrong move. The panels are prone to attracting moisture and ‘weeping’. And if they get too dry, they are prone to warping and become brittle”.

But Rashmi is no novice at this kind of thing. Last year, her first ever entry in a cake decorating competition, organised by the Cake Decorators Guild of NSW got her a Third Place win (as per image on far right). Her cake represented her Indian roots and was unlike any other cake in the Novice wedding cakes category.

The bottom tier of the cake showed different henna designs in royal icing, while the second tier was a painting of an Indian wedding procession complete with a bride in a doli and dancing baarati. The third tier represented Indian jewels and to top it all off was a hand crafted Indian bride, wearing a traditional lahenga nose ring, all completely edible.

For Rashmi, every cake is a “creation” with its own set of

of love

“For the Taj Mahal project, I had to cut, shape and decorate 58 individual panels and shapes which were then pieced together. Managing the whole structure required utmost care. The pieces were so delicate that they could be easily damaged with one wrong move. The panels are prone to attracting moisture and ‘weeping’. And if they get too dry, they are prone to warping and become brittle”

Clockwise: The Royal Easter Show second prize cake

Rashmi Uttarkar

Last year’s third prize cake

challenges. Her method of dealing with those challenges is to thoroughly understand the client, their needs, what appeals to them and what touches their heart. This in turn results in every cake being unique and exquisite.

From the colour, to the design to every intricate detail, Rashmi plans everything out even before cracking that first egg.

“I feel that the cake is an important part of any occasion and should represent the occasion as such. But at the same time, the cake should accomplish its primary purpose as being a delicious dessert and its taste should surpass its looks”.

And what stimulates her creativity?

“Everything around me, really! My two children, my friends and my heritage are all a source of inspiration. My biggest criticand my biggest support - are the same person, my husband Shai. He helps with the engineering aspect of the cakes and also keeps me motivated”.

Rashmi also talks to the other veteran cake makers for ideas, inspiration, tips and tricks and she feels that she would never have won if she hadn’t had

support from her cake decorators community.

What makes Cakes by Rashmi different from every other cake shop in town is the fact that the customer is dealing directly with the owner of the business.

This elimination of the middle man offers the customer a better service, at a better price.

It also means that unlike other establishments, Rashmi can offer unparalleled flexibility, whether it’s making an egg-less cake or

even a dairy free one.

“When you love what you do, you don’t work, you create,” says Rashmi.

No doubt the emperor Shahjahan and the artisans who created that other Taj would approve!

Rashmi Uttarkar

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Czech conclusion

Through Dürnstein, Vienna and Budapest, the journey through Europe ends in pretty and palatial Prague

Nussdorf, we were shuttled to Schewedenplatz Centre to look around and buy souvenirs.

perhaps, after Rome.

sailed toward Dürnstein through valley, while the captain kept us informed of various salient features of the villages along the way. Until Hungary, the Danube became wider as we sailed along, through a landscape of high visibility for miles. Just 40km/ sq is one of the most prominent tourist destinations of Lower Austria, where connoisseurs and epicureans gather to enjoy life. This is the main town of Dürnstein, where King Richard Lionheart of England was kept captive by Duke Leopold V. We enjoyed a walking tour of the city. The architectural elegance of its ancient monasteries, castles and ruins, combined with later centuries buildings, plus tasting local wines, cheeses and the cuisine was a pleasure. In December 2000, the Wachau region was included into UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites in recognition of its architectural and agricultural history. We bought pretty little bottles of Marillenschnaps as souvenirs.

Back at the Brilliant for lunch and a siesta, in the evening we ordered cocktails of our choice at the Panorama Bar. The afterdinner show was by the crew, who amazed us with concealed talent they individually and collectively portrayed. As the Brilliant sailed toward Vienna, we enjoyed the tidy landscape passing by from the deck.

After breakfast, four coaches drove us to Vienna: to Belvedere Palace, Hofburg Palace, Burgtheatre, Karlkirsche Church, Stattpark, Michaelerplatz, and the City Hall. The most enchanting though, was the statue of Pallas Athena, Greek Goddess of Knowledge, in white marble, pedestalled outside Parliament House in all her Olympian glory. We were given a tour of Schonbrum Palace, the summer residence of Queen Sissi and King Franz Joseph. Wall and ceiling paintings here drifted us back to the epoch that was centuries ago. In 2001, the blindingly tidy Viennese City Centre was granted World Heritage Status by UNESCO. After a buffet lunch at the Brilliant moored at Leuftner Pontoon in

After dinner, we were driven to the optional Vienna Concert at elegant Volkstheatre, the People’s Theatre. Its architecture dated from an era when elevators had not even been construed possible, hence climbing to the top deck for a complimentary glass of preprogram champagne, down to the main theatre for the show, further down to buy drinks for the show, further down in the basement to the toilets and a return to the show again was a bother. The most surprising feature of the show was that the leader of the twelve male and single female set of musicians was Chinese, his prologue, both in German and English, impeccable. The most surprising to Rose and myself however, was that out of the nine countries we visited on this tour, we found the locals friendly and willing to portray their positivity to visitors whatever their background. Austria was the only land where we faced bias based on skin-colour, even when I addressed them in their language. The ensemble undoubtedly did their best to entertain us; however some of the enlightened amongst us opined that they took short cuts. They also presented works of only Wolfgang Mozart and Yohann Strauss, and only thirteen in number. The program was presented by a male and female opera singers, which was welcome. Later, these artists mingled and conversed with us in English.

The next morning we were already moored at Budapest. After breakfast we were driven past the City Hall, the Parliament House, War Building, St Anthony Cathedral, and many more sights in Buda. After lunch, we toured Pest across the massive Queen Elizabeth Bridge. Back at the Brilliant, because this was our final dinner, we were invited to dine in a fancy inner-city Tavern that served typical Hungarian food (no Hungarian goulash, thank God, for the Hungarians have no idea how to prepare fine goulash).

Fancifully attired youngergeneration beauties welcomed us. There was live music of strings, flutes and drums, and as much local wine as one wished to drink.

After dinner, the Brilliant took us on a two-hour ‘goodbye cruise’ along the Danube. Massive, beautiful buildings adequately illuminated at night were a sight to kill for. Incidentally, Hungary boasts the best-looking and preserved buildings in Europe,

The next morning, luxury coaches drove us to Prague in the Czech Republic, for a three night stay in a hotel at the Old Town. Most of the old-world charm one may see is in this massive area that surrounds the inner city. Because we were to return here to see and photograph the twelve apostles who appear – one by one as the cuckoo sings at 12 noon, we rushed past the King’s palace and various other locations, and landed at the five hundred year old Karel Most: Charles Bridge, one of fifty bridges over the river Vltava. The well-maintained statues of kings and saints decorating the bridge was a sight to cherish. Our guides hurried us, but we still had our cameras running. From over the bridge, I could spot the Belgian Embassy building in which is located the Indian Embassy. The clock was surrounded by a million tourists, but we pushed through and saw all the twelve saints appearing. After lunch here, we visited the massive new Palladium Departmental Store and roamed around until late.

In the morning we were driven to the Hradchany Castle on the hill, where at every corner were quartets playing Czech music, hats on the ground for gratification. Dining rooms, kitchens, living rooms of past kings and their associated paraphernalia was a delight to view. Our lunch of local delicacies had been arranged in a tavern.

Rose and I dined in a restaurant at the Palladium; the weather was freezing and our Englishspeaking schoolgirl waitress recommended an after-dinner ginger tea. Lo and behold, this was ginger tea and a clove per serve which I had introduced to freezing Czechoslovakia thirty years ago, a tradition they still maintain!

The third day was to ourselves, so we strolled to Vaclávski Namêsti, the City Square, which was dirty and crowded with mostly middle-eastern tourists.

Ŝtêpanska Ulicé, which boasted the cherished Mayur Indian Restaurant, was now without mayur. On the site where Mayur used to be now stands a Czech restaurant. The beautiful Rajasthani furniture, those white metal cutlery sets from Allahabad and many expensive curios from India were all purloined by the Biggies when Communism ended in Eastern Europe in 1989. However, we lunched there for old times’ sake. Disappointed,

we hired a car to Konopiŝtê Castle in Beneshov, some twenty miles outside Prague. In this multistorey castle are displayed a million or so creatures, from the tiny Hummingbird to the massive African elephant and every other living being in between, which the overinflated ego of King Ferdinand of combined Europe had exterminated. The following morning we flew back home. A great holiday, which I wholeheartedly recommend!

GEORGE THAKUR

A historic whitewash

BY RITAM MITRA

Revenge. MS Dhoni refuses to admit it, but behind his greying beard and his stillsteely exterior, the man has to have had some semblance of a devilish grin as he heard that word follow the Indian cricket team over the last week or two. For who would have thought, three months ago when England beat India at home for the first time in 28 years, that the same India would be able to return the 4-0 2011-12 scoreline to their much-fancied Australian opponents. That the same India, which was embarrassed, broken and destroyed in Australia, would be able to inflict on the Aussies the same lack of public confidence as they suffered themselves just two years ago.

India do not do whitewashes. This is the first time that India has won four tests in a series in its 81 years of Test history. They traditionally take the foot off the pedal, rest on their laurels, let things slip. But this time was different. From the very start of the series, there was a sense that nothing less than 4-0 would suffice to heal the still raw wounds from their disastrous 2011-12 Australian tour.

It was as atypical an IndiaAustralia series as one could have imagined. For while India have been known to succumb, as they did in 2011-12 on Australian soil, it is rare, almost unique, to see an Australian team crumble as willingly as they did on this tour. Indeed, while India won four tests in a series for the first time, Australia lost all tests in a series with four or more matches

for only the second time, the last time being Bill Lawry’s ill-fated tour to South Africa in 1970.

HIGHLIGHTS

With convincing victories in all four matches, the highlights for India were:

Dhoni’s 224 at Chennai

MS Dhoni’s unforgettable innings in Chennai set up India’s tour remarkably well – so much so that former Australian captain, Ian Chappell, is convinced it broke the backbone of the Aussies right from the outset. Honours between the two sides were even after two and a half days – India being 4-200 to Australia’s 380. But Dhoni left with the score at 9-572. Ashwin also cleaned up with 12 wickets.

Vijay and Pujara’s 370run stand in Hyderabad

Although Murali Vijay and Cheteshwar Pujara scored the only half-centuries in India’s first innings at Hyderabad, they were big ones – the duo hit 167 and 204 respectively in the fourth-highest partnership ever for India. The Aussies were listless in the field, and clueless against the Indian attack. Honourable mentions: Jadeja (who twice took 3/33) and Bhuvneshwar Kumar for his fabulous spell with the new ball. India’s win, by an innings and 135 runs, was their second-largest against the Australians.

Shikhar Dhawan’s 187 at Mohali

Homework-Gate may have taken centre-stage before this match as Australia spectacularly dumped four players for not completing a team task by the specified deadline. But, with Virender Sehwag dropped

from the side, Shikhar Dhawan made his debut his own. He negated the first-day washout by powering to 187 runs at a strike rate of 107 – the fastest century by a debutant in Test history. Bhuvneshwar Kumar once again produced a great spell of swing bowling to set up an easy chase.

Jadeja’s 5-for at Delhi

Michael Clarke, Shikhar Dhawan and Mitchell Starc were out injured for the dead rubber, but it was the most hardly-fought match of the series. Peter Siddle scored two determined half-centuries, top scoring for the Aussies in both innings, but Jadeja took care of the rest of the Australian order in the second innings, claiming a maiden five-for that drove India towards an unlikely victory after Lyon had run through the Indians with 7-94 in the first innings. Pujara stroked an unbeaten 82 on one leg, as he led India to its first ever 4-0 triumph.

The upcoming challenges

It’s easy to get carried away given how well India’s youngsters performed on this tour. And they deserve all the plaudits they receive, for Test cricket is never easy, and Australia don’t just give you victory, as much as it seemed that way on this tour. With the IPL having just kicked off, it’s time to start thinking about the shorter format of the game.

Champions Trophy, England/Wales, June 2013

The selectors have definitely taken note of how well the young guns played, with some surprising omissions from the list of 30 probables named in their

Champions Trophy squad for June. Team stalwarts for much of the past decade, such as Virender Sehwag, Zaheer Khan and Harbhajan Singh, find themselves without a job as the selectors slowly begin moving away from the old guard. Already out of favour with Test selectors, the trio will be forced to question their future in the game.

More surprising than all of these omissions is the fact that Cheteshwar Pujara did not even make the list of 30 probables. Pujara tormented Australia and almost single-handedly stood up to England, and averages over 55 in List A matches as it is. He scores quicker than most in Test cricket and is an electric fielder – instead, Pujara will be leading an India A side in South Africa, clearly an indication that the selectors want Pujara to get used to the pace and bounce of the wickets over there ahead of the crucial series against the South Africans in December. You should always pick your best team for a tournament, however, and Pujara would walk into most ODI XIs in the world right now based on his domestic and international form.

Nevertheless, India may well be one of the favourites for the tournament, the infusion of youth mixed with the experience of the likes of Dhoni, Gambhir and Raina makes for an exciting combination. The only question will be whether the Indian spinners can stifle opposition batsmen in the unfamiliar conditions of England – and given the propensity of the Indian seamers to self-combust under pressure, this could well make or break India’s tournament.

India in South Africa, December 2013

It remains to be seen whether the likes of Vijay, Pujara, Dhawan and Jadeja are able to perform overseas with anywhere near the same impact as they can at home. India have a long wait until their next Test series, which takes place in December against the unchallenged world number one side, South Africa. Steyn, Philander and Morkel make for a far more threatening combination on juiced-up pitches, and this will be the real gauge of how much India have improved since their recent rough patch.

The batsmen might just get through unscathed, Pujara appears the most ready for South African conditions, with the ability to sway away from the short ones and produce a Dravid-like wall of forward defence. Meanwhile, Vijay has tightened up his technique significantly over the last two years, he can play the ball late, and has great balance when the ball is angled into his pads. On bouncy wickets, the challenge for Vijay will be moving forward as far as he needs to when he’s just seen a ball whiz past his face at 150 km/hr the previous ball.

The spinners, though, may well struggle on all the pitches except perhaps the slightly helpful Durban wicket – and MS Dhoni will need to have a long hard look at whether Jadeja’s struggle with the bat can be offset by his skill with the ball. An attack of Umesh Yadav, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Ishant Sharma and Ravi Ashwin doesn’t look too menacing, though – India need to find some serious quicks, seriously quick.

For now though, India can be relieved, if not ecstatic at beating a weakened Australian outfit, they are back on track.

The Indian cricket team savour the jubilation of their win over arch-rival Australia and look at their next plan of attack

(From left) Ravindra Jadeja, Shikhar Dhawan, Cheteshwar Pujara and Murali Vijay: will they perform with the same impact overseas?

Competition and camaraderie at Australian Sikh Games

Athletes and audience alike enjoy displays of sporting skill and celebrate Punjabi tradition

It would be an understatement to say that life in Victoria was hectic over the Easter Weekend. For those who did not go away on holidays there was plenty to keep them occupied in Melbourne from the multiple Holi celebrations, 102-year-old marathon marvel Fauja Singh’s visit and the 26th Australian Sikh Games. The Indian community social calendar was choc-a-bloc throughout.

The Australian Sikh Games are held in each major city of Australia in rotation, and this year they were held in Melbourne from March 29-31. The games brought together the Sikh fraternity from all parts of the world including teams from New Zealand, Canada, Singapore, Indonesia, Hong Kong, UK and Malaysia. These popular games attract a large audience every year and embody the spirit of multiculturalism in Australia. Sporting skills are honed and tested through games like hockey, soccer, netball, volleyball, cricket, kabaddi, tennis, wrestling, athletics and golf. Previously Melbourne has hosted the Sikh games on 5 occasions with the last one held at Monash University in 2007.

The Punjabi competitive spirit was on ample display during the games as teams from overseas, interstate and Victoria vied with each other for gold. The audience was treated to a carnival like atmosphere with many stalls selling merchandise, Indian delicacies, kids activities, performances and ongoing entertainment.

The celebrations did not restrict themselves to the games venue as other events like the Sikh Games gala ball, Sikh Games cultural night and Dastaar Competition were also held during the long weekend.

Singing and dancing are an integral part of any Punjabi celebration so it was no surprise that an entire evening was committed to promoting the traditional folk arts of Punjab. The Sikh Games mega cultural night was held at Robert Blackwood Hall, Monash University in Clayton on March 30. Twelve teams from around Australia (Sydney,

Adelaide, Townsville, Brisbane and Melbourne) and one from Auckland (New Zealand) performed for a packed audience of over 1500 people. Other attractions included Dhol Algozae Jugalbandii and Jindua performed by Pardeep Brar and group.

Said cultural coordinator and host of the event Dr Preetinder Grewal, “It was a kaleidoscope of vibrancy and colour with so many lively and pulsating dance performances; however the piece de resistance was the presence of 102 year old marathon runner Fauja Singh. As the chief guest for the evening, the remarkable athlete regaled the audience with jokes and stories and recounted numerous anecdotes from his life. His words were very inspiring and the audience was delighted with him.” Dr Grewal also thanked the Australian Sikh Games Organizing Committee S Harbhajan Singh Khera, Surinder Cheema, Kuldeep Bassi and Sarabjot Dhillon for making this event a huge success.

Some of the main sponsors for the Sikh Games were Education Access Australia, Imperial College of Technology and Management, Sunshine College of Management, Della International College, MPA Accountants and Barkly International College.

The Australian Sikh games are held under the auspices of the Australian National Sikh Sports and Cultural Council. The ANSSACC is the umbrella body of partner organizations that are selected each year to host and deliver the games in each city.

These are mainly community organizations that are run by volunteers who wish to contribute to the Sikh community. The 2013 partner organizations were Khalsa Lions, Victoria Sikh Association, Melbourne Punjabi sports Club and Melbourne Kabaddi Academy. The next Australian Sikh Games will be held in Perth.

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There’s a spa in your kitchen

Simple domestic remedies can lead to clear, glowing and healthy skin

he world is turning to holistic remedies and natural ingredients –whether it is diet supplements, pain relievers or beauty products. In India we have always had an innate knowledge about natural remedies. So in a two-part column, I will give you a list of fruits, veggies and oils you can use to enhance your beauty. And the best part is, these are things that can be found in everybody’s kitchen.

Coconut

This ingredient is vital to south Indian cooking, and long, lustrous hair has always been synonymous with regular massage of coconut oil. You can use coconut oil to also heal cracked heels and chapped lips. The natural emollients found in coconut oil reduce dryness of the skin. Take a tablespoon of coconut oil and massage it into your heels. Wear socks and leave on overnight. Doing this regularly will soften the skin and reduce cracks.

Keep a tiny bottle handy by your bedside with some coconut oil in it. During winter when your lips get dry and chapped, apply a little coconut oil on them before going to bed. Another great benefit of coconut oil is that it can also be used for a full body massage to reduce dry skin.

Avocado

Though we don’t use it in our cooking, living in Australia means you do include this fruit in salads when it is in season. Avocado has known benefits that help the female reproducing system and it is full of good fats.

It is also good when used as a face mask. Take some ripe avocado, mash well and mix with two teaspoons of honey. Apply on the face and neck and leave on for 20 minutes. Rinse off and you will find your skin looking much softer and plumped up. That is because of the natural oils in avocado and the moisturising effect of honey.

Banana

Another ubiquitous fruit, always a staple in most homes, is the humble banana. If one is getting overripe, don’t throw it away. Instead mash half a banana, mix it with some yoghurt and warmed

up honey, and apply over the face and neck. Leave on for 15 minutes, then rinse it off first with warm water and then with cold water to close the pores. You will find that you have softer glowing skin.

Aloe

vera

Several people have aloe vera growing in their gardens, but few are aware of its beneficial properties. If you scald your skin or have sunburn, just snip off some aloe vera and apply the fresh gel that oozes out onto your skin for instant relief. It has soothing and moisturising properties. You

During winter when your lips get dry and chapped, apply a little coconut oil on them before going to bed

use some overripe ones for your hair if you plan to throw them away. Just mash a few strawberries and mix with a tablespoon of mayonnaise. Apply on the strands of your hair like you would apply a conditioner, then wash it off after 30 minutes with shampoo. Try this once a month for a glossy mane.

Almonds

could apply it in this natural gel form on your face on a cold winter’s day to relieve dryness of the skin.

For a mask that gives you glowing skin, take a teaspoon each of honey and milk, a pinch of turmeric and a few drops of rose water. Add aloe vera gel scooped out from the leaf and apply the pack on to your face. Leave on till it dries up, wash off and see the difference.

Strawberry

Now most of us like to eat this fruit with cream or blend it with milk and yoghurt, but you could

Yes, these nuts are expensive and one would much rather eat them. But the ones that have gone bitter or old, could make a very good face pack. Grind the almonds and mix with a teaspoon of dairy whitener and water. Make a paste and apply onto your face and neck. Let the mask dry and harden, leaving it on till it feels tight on your skin. Splash water on your face to wash off. Do this for a week at a stretch, and you’ll find that it removes unwanted blemishes and patchy tanned skin, and leaves your skin soft to touch and glowing.

I do this everyday, so I can vouch for it.

MINNAL KHONA

Cooking for the sake of harmony

Workplaces around the country celebrate A Taste of Harmony Day

A Taste of Harmony (18-24 March, 2013) is Australia’s biggest and most delicious celebration of cultural diversity. Work colleagues around Australia brought in dishes and shared stories about their different cultures, and many sampled dishes from other countries for the first time. With more than half of Australia’s population born overseas, or having at least one parent from another country, its workforce is the perfect place to celebrate diversity through food. The message from Harmony Day (21 March) was that ‘Everyone Belongs,’ and the theme from this year was ‘Many Stories - One Australia.’ Indian Link asks four workers what they did for A Taste of Harmony Day:

PriNciPlE Of iNclusivENEss Sunny Kansara, Cricket Victoria, Melbourne

Harmony in Cricket is one of the important programs at Cricket Victoria. Celebrating it at Cricket Victoria has given me the opportunity to learn other staff’s cultural background and also gave me the opportunity to showcase my cultural background. I am proud to work for Cricket Victoria where such days are celebrated. Harmony in Cricket is based on the principle of inclusiveness, no matter of a person’s cultural background. I think this shows what the game of cricket has to offer all of the community. On Harmony Day, we had food from around the world and it was a good experience to see staff gathering in the kitchen with their traditional dishes. I was unfortunately unable to make any Indian food myself, which I now regret. I have two newborns at home and therefore majority of the time at home passes in taking care of them”.

DivErsiTy TasTEs gOOD Falguni Madhavani, Performance Education, Sydney

I made a vegetable rice dish with a spicy masala twist to it. A Taste of Harmony is a positive way of bringing everyone together to celebrate cultural diversity at our workplace by way of sharing delicious food and interesting stories. Performance Education truly epitomises the essence of A Taste of Harmony where we want to celebrate the cultural diversity by learning more about each other and what a better way is there to learn this than sharing food! We primarily work with international talent coming from different parts of the world like India, Nepal, Bangladesh, China, Japan, Korea, Vietnam etc. A Taste of Harmony was widely enjoyed and generated interesting discussion and understanding of students coming from different cultural backgrounds. Life is about eating, travelling and meeting new people. It was an absolute super hit! Diversity surely tastes good!”

ExPlOriNg TraDiTiONs Lindy Hyam, Singleton Council, New South Wales

It was great to see the diversity of our community reflected through our Harmony Day activities with a mix of newer and older cultural groups bringing a wealth of knowledge, traditions, food and ways of living to our town. We’re enriched as a society because of it and it’s an opportunity for children and our older groups to interact directly with other parts of our community. Harmony Day participants had the opportunity to learn about other cultures which is especially important in more rural communities where they don’t have the same exposure to other nationalities.” (Singleton had sixteen countries represented on the day, including India)”.

a maraThi Dish fOr ThE OfficE Svetlana Mahajan, Underwriters Laboratories, Sydney

We had Italian, Scottish, Bosnian, Chinese, Hong Kong, Bangladeshi, Australian, Mexican and Indian. The rest will last us the week for sure! Everyone loved the balloons and certificates. Will definitely do it again! I tried/made a Maharashtrian dish (I am from a state called Maharashtra in India), called Kolhapuri Rassa. Though the parent company is big, we are a fairly small office in Australia, with 15 staff members. So we are close-knit as a team, but A Taste of Harmony was a way to communicate with each other about our cultural backgrounds, and exchange stories about the food brought by everyone. Most are Australians, but were encouraged to bring a dish that represents a country of their heritage, so we had much variety. The overall response was awesome. We have a contractor who works four hours a week, she got pesto pasta and made pesto from scratch. Everybody did their best without any incentive, so it was pretty cool. The best dish to me was Queen Mary’s Pie from Scotland. I don’t usually like sweets, yet I had two pieces. Luckily, it was not very sweet, and had a subtle flavour of fruit mince. There were no leftovers.”

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Lutfun Quddus MBBS, FRACGP

TAROT

ARIes March 21 - April 19

The cards show that you will feel low on energy until midmonth. Be very aware of people’s intentions; this could be a month of a lot of rivalry and disputes. Take good care of your diet, and keep calm. There is thought about buying a new car; take your time and the right one will come up. Work is steady but your restlessness will show in demotivated working patterns. Take a break and decide what you really want to do.

tAuRus April 20 - May 20

The cards indicate a lucky month: you will feel that you are gaining recognition and will therefore gain confidence. You will also enjoy your life more. Take care of your health; you may feel sleepy and lack energy. It is time to reassess your diet and exercise regime. You may find some unnecessary expenditure coming up: do not worry, you will be able to take care of them.

gemINI May 21 - June 20

The cards indicate a great month for progress, gains and an increase in income. It is a great time to invest in property or deal with property and land issues. Look after health: watch the pain in your left leg. A relative will upset you by being critical of your plans. Do not allow this to alter your judgment as this is just a sign of envy. A surprise party planned for a friend may help you meet someone interesting.

cANceR June 21 - July 20

This is a time when you will be more interested in spirituality and getting involved in meditation and your personal wellbeing. This is a wonderful time to progress your career too, so start making it clear that you want a higher position. regarding family and responsibility, sort out some things as you have not been spending enough time at home. A financial matter needs your attention.

Leo July 21 - Aug 22

Be careful about communicating with people, as you are unsettled and restless right now. There may be more money and popularity at work and career, so do not upset anyone as this is a good time to get recognition. Take care of your health, you may be very low on energy and a little tired. You may help a friend going through problems and there may be health issues around a young female. Your loved one is on your mind.

VIRgo Aug 23 - sep 22

This month you have the cards of marriage and commitment. If married, take care of your loved ones. If unmarried, think of making a commitment. Increase or start a health regime. Don’t eat heavy fried foods, get more fresh air. An older female member of the family may get ill suddenly, but they will recover well. Some property papers may need your signature. Dealings with authority are indicated too.

predictions for APRIL 2013

By NANcy JADe ALtheA

LIbRA sep 23 - oct 22

The cards indicate that you will need to be careful how you handle work and close friends. There could be explosive situations at work, avoid these. Your spouse may have some issues which need to be resolved. They will be feeling left out, as your main concentration will be on financial issues. You are waiting for important news which will arrive midmonth. There may be a new contract on the way.

scoRPIo oct 23 - nov 21

You have some new plans in the work area of your life. You have also planned a short break as you need time to clear your head. There are some legal documents that need your attention: make sure you do not procrastinate. Take care of your health especially as stress is a factor this month. There will be a trip where there will be water: relax and enjoy the atmosphere. You need to meditate right now and de-stress.

sAgIttARIus

nov 22 - dec 21

The cards indicate travel and adventure. You have itchy feet and will take a longer break than usual. Your spouse will not be too well, with a lack of energy and motivation around them. Take care of finances, there may be unexpected outgoings. You will also look at school changes, or even moving to another city. You are assessing all areas of your life and trying to change a lot of things.

cAPRIcoRN dec 22 - Jan 19

You have exciting new ideas with work and will be looking at networking, promotions and advertising. Work will be your main focus and you will meet new people, with a rise in your income. There will be some difficulties with family members and health issues of an older person. Mind your eyes, as you seem to be sleeping at irregular times. You have many admirers, but your eye is on one person.

AquARIus Jan 20 - feb 18

The cards indicate stress at work, with long working hours ahead. Take care that you get enough rest. There will be some extravagant purchases, for which you have been saving. There are issues around your house which need attention: get a professional in to sort them out. If interested in taking on a new hobby, make sure you push yourself and do it. It is a childhood passion.

PIsces feb 19 - March 20

There is a real feeling of excitement: you want to change your life completely. You have put off some amazing ideas, now is the time to go forward and take some chances. A very special person wants to make a commitment to you. If single, love could be in the air, and you may be playing hard on your partner. Past hurts get in the way. Go with the flow, as this person is making a real impression on you.

Macadamia madness!

Delicious and packed with goodness, the home-grown nut is a tasty accessory to a variety of recipes

Lamb and Kumara Tagine with Macadamias

2 tsp ground coriander seeds

2 tsp ground cumin

2 tsp paprika

1 bunch coriander leaves, with stems removed

1 onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, chopped

2 tbsp lemon juice

2 tbsp macadamia oil

1.2 kg boned lamb shoulder, trimmed, cut into 5cm cubes

1½ cups reduced salt chicken stock

1 cup dry roasted unsalted macadamias

500 gms kumara, peeled and cut into 5cm chunks

12 seedless dates

Whether you munch on them as a snack, or add them to your meals, eating macadamias is a great way to look after yourself. By simply including a handful of macadamias in your diet regularly, you will enjoy a range of health benefits as well as their unique and delicious taste. Macadamia oil is also versatile and healthy for dressings and cooking.

Macadamia nuts are packed full of nutrients as they are rich in monounsaturated fats and are heart-friendly. They contain phytochemicals such as antioxidants that help maintain health and wellbeing, fibre to maintain digestive regularity, as well as protein, vitamins and minerals. Macadamias are Australia’s native nut and were a treasured delicacy for traditional Aboriginal Australians. Known as the King of Nuts, macadamias can be handpicked from trees in rainforests or grown from native trees on farms from Noosa to Byron Bay, and are even exported globally. And while they can be eaten unsalted, salted or in a variety of mixes, these versatile nuts can also be used to make some delicious and nutritious recipes.

Pumpkin and Macadamia Soup

1 tbsp macadamia oil

½ cup roughly chopped, roasted unsalted macadamia nuts

1 small white onion

1 teaspoon grated ginger

3 cups diced pumpkin

1 apple, chopped

3 cups salt reduced chicken stock

Reduced fat natural yoghurt for serving

Whole or halved roasted unsalted macadamias, for garnish

Heat oil in a heavy-based pan; add macadamias, onion and ginger and sauté for 2-3 minutes, or until golden brown.

Add the pumpkin and apple and cook for 2-3 minutes, then pour over the stock. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes or until pumpkin is soft.

Transfer mixture to a blender and process until smooth and creamy.

Serve in large bowls with a swirl of yoghurt and a few roasted macadamias tossed over for garnish.

Mango, Avocado and Macadamia

Salad

1 ripe mango

1 ripe avocado

100 gms rocket

1 cup dry roasted unsalted macadamias, crushed

For the dressing

Juice of 1 lime

2 tbsp of macadamia oil

1 garlic clove, crushed

1 tsp wholegrain mustard

1 long red chilli, deseeded and sliced

Chop the mango and avocado into small cubes of the same size and set aside; make sure you don’t bruise them and keep them in a good shape.

For the dressing, mix the lime juice, oil, garlic, mustard and sliced chilli together.

Put the rocket in a large bowl, add the mango and avocado and the dressing, and gently toss to combine.

Top with the roasted macadamia nuts.

Preheat oven to 150°C. Combine the ground coriander, cumin and paprika, fresh coriander, onion, garlic and lemon juice in a blender or food processor, and blend until almost smooth.

Heat the oil in a large frying pan; add 1/3 of the lamb, fry until browned on all sides. Transfer to a baking dish. Repeat with the remaining lamb.

Add the coriander mixture and stock to the frying pan, bring to boil and add to the lamb.

Cover the baking dish with foil and bake for 2 hours. Add the macadamias, kumara and dates, and cook a further hour or until the lamb and kumara are tender. Serve with couscous or rice.

Beans with Macadamias and Pecans

175 gms green beans, trimmed

1 tbsp lemon juice

1 tbsp macadamia oil

1 tsp honey

½ tsp Dijon mustard

50 gms dry roasted unsalted macadamias, roughly chopped 50 gms unsalted raw pecans, roughly chopped Black pepper to taste

Place beans in a saucepan of boiling water and blanch for 1-2 minutes. Drain well and place on a serving plate.

Heat a small saucepan over medium low heat. Add the lemon juice, macadamia oil, honey, mustard and nuts. Season with pepper to taste. Heat for 1-2 minutes, stirring until honey has dissolved. Spoon warm dressing and nuts over the beans and serve immediately.

Recipes and photos:

Suncoast Gold Macadamia Nuts www.suncoastgoldnuts.com

Lamb and Kumara Tagine with Macadamias

Beans with Macadamias and Pecans

Pumpkin and Macadamia Soup

Mango, Avocado and Macadamia Salad

cINe tALK

Dum hAI, boss!

C HASHME BADDOOR

sTarriNg: Rishi Kapoor, Lilette Dubey, Ali Zafar, Siddharth, Divyendu Sharma, Taapsee Pannu and Anupam Kher

DirEc TED by: David Dhawan

HHH

Dum hai, Boss!” - the perky young Miss Congeniality in David Dhawan’s Chashme Baddoor, a far cry from the shastriya sangeet trainee tutti fruti-eating Deepti Naval in Sai Paranjpye’s film, exclaims whenever she is impressed by her lover-boy’s dialogue-baazi Exclamation marks are the only punctuations in this seamless comedy of courtship played at an impossibly high octave.

Barring the core theme of two friends maliciously nipping the third friend’s romance in the bud, and some mischievous sequences and characters from the original which have been entirely re-interpreted as ‘swines of the times’, Dhawan’s Chashme Baddoor is far(ce) removed from Paranjpye’s original. Those were days of relative innocence. Whistling at girls at bus stops, chasing unwilling girls to their homes, and landing up at their doorstep under assumed identities were all considered innocuous bachelor bacchanalia. In Paranjpye’s Chashme Buddoor, it was a big deal that Rakesh Bedi managed to get into Deepti Naval’s bathroom pretending to be a plumber.

In Dhawan’s film, the very gifted Divyendu Sharma, who plays Bedi’s part, just can’t pretend to know the perky girl

next-door intimately by her bathroom decor. He manages to take a picture of a tattoo on her waist to convince his lovesmitten pal Sid (Ali Zafar) that the girl is... well, not chaste but quite a chalu cheez.

While the writing gets chalu, it miraculously steers clear of being cheesy by a wide margin. Under the veneer of vicious courtship games played by two desperately single guys, Dhawan’s film retains a core of innocence. A tongue-in-cheek virtuosity remains the film’s greatest triumph. SajidFarhad’s writing is wild, naughty and witty, but never vulgar. The whimsical wordplay flows from a tap-dance of prankish internet-styled banter which is border-line silly but nonetheless very engaging in an off-handedly smart way.

If anything, the repartees flow much too furiously. From Anupam Kher’s slaphappy mother Bharati Achrekar (effortlessly replacing Leela Mishra from the original) to Goan cafe owner Rishi Kapoor’s unidentifiable assistant - everyone is a certifiable quipster in the new film.

Among the three protagonists, Divyendu, playing an awful self-styled shaayar, gets the most tawdry lines of bumper-sticker wisdom, which the actor delivers with such punctuated panache, we can’t help guffawing out our implicit irshaad

Comic timing is of vital importance to this film. And every actor gets it right dead-on, sometimes dead-pan. To me, the film’s most natural scene-stealer is the southern star Siddharth, who nails his character’s filmy flamboyance. Many would say Siddharth has gone over the top. But to sustain that high-pitched level of crazy energy throughout the film is no laughing matter.

Ali Zafar is far more sober and controlled than his co-stars. It takes some doing to remain steadfast in your stipulated sobriety while all your costars pull out all stops.

The laughs, so refreshingly liberated of lewdness, flow almost non-stop. Adding a dollop of spice to the original script is an entirely unscheduled love angle between Rishi Kapoor and Lilette Dubey. Lallan Miya (Saeed Jaffrey), who played Rishi’s character in Paranjpye’s film would have loved that. Outstanding both, Kapoor and Dubey’s onscreen romance looks warm and credible.

Audaciously, Dhawan and his writer Sajid-Farhad have transferred the celebrated chamko detergent demonstration-sequence between Farooque Sheikh and Deepti Naval in Sai Paranjpye’s film to the Rishi-Lilette characters. Maybe the writers saw this pair’s chemistry to be more frothy and foamy than the central romance?

Ali Zafar’s courtship of the vivacious Taapsee Pannu is relatively thanda. One reason for their frosty compatibility is Ali Zafar’s reined-in performance. He deliberately plays his part a few octaves lower than his loud co-stars who are so hyper-strung that you sometimes

wonder which drugs they are on.

The film moves wickedly at its own volition creating a crazy pattern of comic chaos that stops short of being anarchic due to the finely-tuned situational satire simulated in the writing out of a material that was created 30 years ago when there were no mobile phones and the height of male voyeurism was the Playboy magazine.

Dhawan’s film doesn’t take the characters’ contemporary courtship games into areas that would offend the moralists. He knows where to stop.

Carry on, Mr. Dhawan. David Dhawan’s new-age interpretation of the 1981 film moves far from the original, creating for itself a new pathway of hilarity without showing any disrespect to the source material.

Ali, Divyendu and Siddharth’s audacious antics, make the trio of girlcrazy heroes in Paranjpye’s film look like angels. This is David Dhawan’s wickedest comedy of one-upmanship since Mujhse Shaadi Karogi. You can’t miss it. The attention-grabbing chest-thumping gibberish-spewing rowdy boyz won’t let you.

Dum hai, Boss!

S UBHASH K. J HA

cLueLess RemAKe mAKes oRIgINAL seem much betteR

H IMMATWALA

sTarriNg: Ajay Devgan, Tamannaah

DirEc TED by: Sajid Khan

SHridevi said recently that her 1983 career-making potboiler Himmatwala was no Mughal-eAzam. She was right to a point....Until now, when Sajid Khan’s remake of the film has come along.

And suddenly the old Himmatwala appears to be a classic!

It gave us the timeless Sridevi as an arrogant spoilt rich bitch who mouthed insane dialogues like “I hate the poor”. Thirty years later, Tamannaah Bhatia does a Sridevi. She gets into Sridevi’s leather pants, with a whip to match, and tortures the peasants in a village lorded over by a

fatuous feudal dad who is not really evil. He is just mad.

We hear the larger-than-life hero Ravi (Ajay) mouth words of oldfashioned heroism with a straight face. But somehow we aren’t convinced. Indeed, there was more than a dash of Shakespeare’s Taming Of The Shrew in the way the original Himmatwala Jeetendra brought Sridevi to heel.

The new-age Sridevi is a squeal. She quickly changes from her audacious mini skirts and high heels, to salwar-kameez, solely for the man in her life.

We can look at Ajay Devgn in Himmatwala as the man who came in from the cold and warmed up the bucolic baddies’ backsides with what he calls a “bum pe laat”. Cute? That’s how Ajay plays his shehar ka hero gaon ka super-hero part. He wants us to believe

he is having fun with the trite part. But the boredom underneath the facade of fun shows up often enough to make us cringe.

The fractured world of Sajid Khan’s Himmatwala is not looking for healing. It is happy being unfinished, wonky and out of shape. A wheezing grunting snoring world of demented feudalism where the Zamindar, as played by the gifted Mahesh Manjrekar is part-fiend, part-clown.

Mahesh and Paresh Rawal do the Amjad Khan-Kader Khan banter from the original Himmatwala with a dash of homo-erotic humour when they are forced to share a bed in a cowshed.

Is this a film to be taken

seriously? And when a tiger appears from nowhere to help the hero fight the goons in the climax, how do we set aside the uneasy feeling that the narrative is laughing not with us, but at us?

S UBHASH K. J HA

A sPINe-tINgLINg custoDy bAttLe

A ATMA

sTarriNg: Bipasha Basu, Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Doyel Dhawan and Shernaz Patel wriTEr-DirEc TOr: Suparn Verma HHH

All of us have to live with our fears. Sometimes we have to die with them. That’s where trouble starts in Suparn Verma’s smartly-written, nimbly-executed shiver-giver which, blessedly, doesn’t lapse into a gore fest... At least not until the last few reels when the body count piles up faster than we can say ‘Aatma’.

By the end of this horror drama, I get the feel that the script, which has so far moved at a smooth pace, kills too many people. Life is short. Shorter if you have a dead spouse determined to wrangle your only child’s security by legal or otherworldly means.

Early on we see Nawazuddin as Bipasha Basu’s brutal husband twisting her arm, hurling her to the floor, hurting and wounding her pride and her body.

Domestic violence is a serious crime.

It can get nasty and ugly on screen when put into the wrong directorial hands. Director Verma doesn’t succumb to sleaze. He creates an inner-belly of monstrous disturbances underneath the smooth normal face.

At the top, the movie displays polished surfaces smiling benignly into our faces. The director makes telling use of suburban spaces: the marble floors, the freshly-painted walls, the imported kitchen appliances, eye-catching furniture and the luminous lighting, all seem to suggest that life is beautiful.

The fissures and aberrations make themselves apparent through the fabric of normalcy until we are left gawking at the gaping wounds that fester underneath.

At heart, Aatma is a custody battle for a child, a Kramer vs. Kramer, where one parent is dead.

Verma shoots the chilling premise with minimum ostentation. Ironically the husband, as played by the stark and startling Nawazuddin, is frighteningly demoniacal even when shown alive. In a scene that progresses effortlessly

from the ordinary to the ominous Nawazuddin after losing custody battle in the judge’s chamber, threatens the judge and thumbs his nose at any law that separates him from his daughter. Here, and anywhere else, living or dead, Nawazuddin’s omnipresence is a terrifying prospect.

Verma makes austere use of terror tactics. Mirror images that don’t match up with the people, a ball rolling down an empty school corridor, and in the frightening finale, Nawazuddin leading his daughter by her hand down a railway track, Verma’s images are vivid and spine-tingling. He uses space to convey distances that stretch into hearts filled with emptiness.

AN oVeRRAteD emotIoN cALLeD LoVe

R ANGRE zz

sTarriNg: Jackky Bhagnani, Amitosh Nagpal, Vijay Verma and Priya Anand DirEc TED by: Priyadarshan

HHH

Way back, Tina Turner sang, What’s love got to do with it?

Now in Rangrezz, the question is spun into a spunky drama of brutal love and betrayal.

Priyadarshan takes the original Tamil film Naadodigal and twists it into an engrossing saga of how lust can often be a convenient pretext for love.

In what must rank as one of the most gripping elopement sequences written in the history of celluloid courtship, three friends, who look like they’ve walked out of Kai Po Che when Chetan Bhagat wasn’t looking, get together to abduct a powerful minister’s daughter from a crowded temple to unite her with their lovelorn friend.

The entire sequence lasts for a good 10 minutes. And yet there is an air of unrehearsed casualness in the way the three, played with throw-away conviction by Jackky Bhagnani, Vijay Verma and Amitosh Nagpal, flee, fall and scamper away from danger, bruised, bleeding and bellowing like wounded animals, with the eloping couple in the backseat of a screeching car.

Full marks to the action director

for cutting to the chase without negotiating a single faltering step in the way the drama unfolds.

Indeed, the real hero of this surprisingly watchable film on the violent end of that much-abused emotion called love, is cinematographer Santosh Sivan.

Santosh’s unerring eye for a detailed emotional and physical landscape makes this Priyadarshan’s visually richest film since Gardish in 1993.

This film isn’t at all apologetic about serving up a spicy dish. The Bihar-UP dialect dialogues come across selfconsciously the way they are mouthed by the two actors, Pankaj Tripathi and Lushin Dubey, playing warring politicanparents of lovers-on-the-run. Ms Dubey is specially hammy. But then this is no place for the soft-spoken.

There are strong sensory perceptions here. The landscape is ruthless, rugged and riveting. The emotions are primeval. Caveman tactics are the prevalent mode of vindication. It’s a tough world.

Though Rangrezz is partly a coarse bro-mance and partly a mocking romance, its brutal landscape scoffs at softer emotions.

And the violent flare-ups are shot with gumption and gusto, packing in plenty of punch.

Priyadarshan wastes no time in building up a tempo in the spiralling storytelling, and the characters plunge

into a crisis before thinking of the repercussions.

The three guys seem to convey more sincerity in their feelings for one another than the two man-woman relationships in the plot. Jackky, giving a subdued but effective performance, likes the girl next door (Priya Anand, Sridevi’s pert niece in English Vinglish) but shies away from any physical contact. As for the other couple, whose elopement forms the central plot, their love evaporates faster than the film’s pacy editing can cope with.

But not before one of the protagonists loses a leg and the other, his hearing ability.

All this for love that never was! The racy proceedings could have been funny were they not so sad. The rage and passion of betrayal are astutely captured.

The film poses some disturbing questions on the lack of genuine commitment in today’s relationships. What if love is just hormones at work?

It’s a film with a number of advantages, the performances topping the list.

While Amitosh Nagpal, Vijay Verma and the redoubtable Rajpal Yadav as the

Tragically, the terror runs out of steam mid-way and the endgame doesn’t have the edge-ofthe-seat scream-stifling impact that the rest of the film leads us to Aatma is one of the scariest films in recent times because it doesn’t try to be scary.

The chills come from the normal gleaming surfaces. Suparn Verma keeps the proceedings quiet, subdued and uniformly ominous. He gets able support from his editor Hemal Kothari, who gives a tightly-wound but nonetheless baggy and freewheeling feel to the footage, and from the cinematographer Sophie Winquvist, who makes Bipasha and her world look pretty, though not in a picture-postcard way.

Aatma features some talented actors in the cast. Shernaz Patel and Jaideeep Ahlawat get into their characters’ skin without doing anything here that takes their reputation forward.

The show belongs to Bipasha all the way. After Raaz, she once again carries the scare-fest on her shapely shoulders, feeling every minute of the single mother’s terror and horror as her sadistic husband’s malevolent soul takes over her life.

Bipasha seems to get better with every film.

S UBHASH K. J HA

protagonist’s buddies in arms are first-rate, Jackky Bhagnani as the boy next door, who doesn’t think twice before plunging viciously into a friend’s love problem, gives a quietly self-assured performance. His character Rishi hardly sings and dances. But you know he can. You can sense the rhythm simmering under the surface of discontent.

Cupid’s arrow has never struck a deadlier blow.

S UBHASH K. J HA

the buZZ

Barfi! All the way!

It was a glittering event attended by Bollywood’s brightest and best, as celebrities turned out in droves at the maiden edition of the Times of India Film Awards (TOIFA) in Vancouver, Canada recently.

Box office hit out to be the top winner, cornering the Best Film, Best Director, Best Actor and Best Actress trophies. Anurag Basu picked up the Best Director award while Ranbir Kapoor and Priyanka Chopra carried home the Best Actor and Best Actress trophies, respectively. Even Southern actress Ileana D’Cruz, who made her bow in Bollywood with Barfi!, won the Best Debut Female award for her performance.

The award for the Best Debut Male went to Ayushmann Khurrana for super hit Vicky Donor, in which he played a sperm donor. Rishi Kapoor won the Best Actor in a Negative Role trophy for Agneepath

In the Critics’ Awards category, Gauri Shinde won the Best Debut Director for telling a heart-warming tale in English Vinglish; Best Actor Female award went to Deepika Padukone for Cocktail, and Best Actor Male award was given to Irrfan for playing the steeplechase-runner turning into a dacoit in the ravines of the Chambal in Paan Singh Tomar. The Anurag Kashyap-directed Gangs of Wasseypur, a gritty celluloid saga of the coal mafia and bloodthirsty vengeance, won the Best Film critics award.

Abhishek Bachchan won the Best Actor Comic Role for Bol Bachchan

sRK’s eNJoyINg the exPRess exPeRIeNce

It’s been a while since energetic superstar Shah Rukh Khan has been seen in a light-hearted avatar, so it’s no surprise that he’s pleased with comedy-action entertainer Chennai Express. SRK believes it is “different” from the intense and serious films he has done in the recent past. According to sources, the film has fantastic comedy, action and amazing songs.

The film, produced by the actor’s wife Gauri Khan, features Deepika Padukone opposite King Khan. Shah Rukh is, of course, happy with the way the movie is shaping up, revealing that he injured his right shoulder while shooting for the film.

“It’s awkward for me to speak of [a] film that I produced, but I just have to say that Rohit [the director] has done me great favour while making a film like this for me. It’s fun and I am enjoying it. Yes, I end up doing very intense films like Jab Tak Hai Jaan, Chak De! India and My Name Is Khan,

and so, it [Chennai Express] is a nice change for me,” he said recently.

The Bollywood badshah also hopes to do more such films in the near future.

SRK has been experiencing a few ups and downs lately. His IPL team the Kolkata Knight Riders are doing well at the time of going to press, and he’s on a high. But the controversy of veteran actor Manoj Kumar suing him for Rs100 crores must surely be a low. The veteran actor had shot a scene for 2007 hit Om Shanti Om which was subsequently edited out when the film was released. However, a re-released version in Japan includes this scene, which Kumar feels is disrespectful to him.

The actor also revealed that he’ll soon be making another film, A for Apple, B for Billi, C for Cutta (ABC). With a name like that, naturally, SRK doesn’t want to reveal more! Good luck to the King Khan!

Other notable winners at the awards were Sonu Nigam, Best Playback Singer Male for Abhi mujh mein from Agneepath; Saans by Gulzaar for Jab Tak Hai Jaan won for Best Lyrics and Atul-Ajay won Best Music Director for Agneepath.

And while the awards created a stir, Bollywood blazed through the evening with a range of power-packed performances.

Shah Rukh Khan, dressed in a long red jacket, entered the stage to thunderous applause, starting his act with a small speech, thanking the city of Vancouver for love and respect. He then danced on his popular tracks like Suraj hua maddham, Challa ki labh da phire, Chamak challo and many more, while the audience went quite mad with delight and tried to mob the stage.

Before SRK, Abhishek Bachchan, Katrina Kaif, Priyanka Chopra and Aishwarya Rai had enthralled the audiences with their super-charged acts. This was Aishwarya’s first stage performance abroad after the birth of her daughter in 2011, and she didn’t disappoint. She not only dazzled everyone, her act was one of the highlights at the gala night. Looking gorgeous in a black free-flowing outfit, she performed to songs like Khwaja mere Khawaja and the title track from Dhoom 2

Priyanka dedicated her act to women power, while Katrina’s Chikni Chameli performance set the stage on fire.

The icing on the cake was the last act by choreographer Shiamak Davar, who not only sang songs from Student Of The Year, but also invited the entire galaxy of stars on the stage as well as other performers for the closing act. Trio co-hosts Ranbir Kapoor, Anushka Sharma and Boman Irani thoroughly entertained the audience with their wit and humour.

It was a bonanza that Vancouver is unlikely to forget for a long time to come. Well done, Bollywood! Next stop, down under?

Aamir Khan aids Sanjay Dutt Sanjay Dutt’s imminent imprisonment has thrown a spanner into Bollywood’s works, and several projects that feature the unfortunate actor are now in limbo. But some of the industry’s biggest stars are showing a great deal of support for Sanju baba, and Aamir Khan is one of these. Aamir has gone out of his way to allot days out of turn to Raj Kumar Hirani’s PK, to ensure that Sanjay’s scenes are completed before the latter’s proposed incarceration on April 18, a move that has had both the producer and actor heaving a sigh of relief. The 53-year-old was sentenced to five years in jail by the Supreme Court March 21 for illegal arms possession during the 1993 Mumbai bomb blasts. Sanjay has been asked to surrender, to serve his remaining term of three-and-half years, as he has already spent 18 months in jail.

Bollywood’s best have rallied around Sanjay, with Jaya Bachchan vociferous in her support for the actor, while others accept the court’s decision. Watch this space for news on whether Sanjay will be granted a pardon…

A different Chashme Buddoor David Dhawan, director of the hit remake of Chashme Buddoor is going hoarse claiming that his film is different from the one made 32 years ago by Sai Paranjpye. Dhawan emphatically claims that he has done nothing that would offend the director of the old classic, responding to

AishwAryA rAi

reports that the veteran director is upset about the remake.

“How can she be upset without seeing my Chashme Buddoor? I have not taken anything from her film except the idea of three friends, two of whom are pukka kaminey types. That apart, if Sai was to see my movie, she wouldn’t recognise it,” said Dhawan, who has churned out hit comedies like Hero No.1, Biwi No. 1 and Partner

The 1981 movie starred Farooque Sheikh, Deepti Naval, Rakesh Bedi, Ravi Baswani and Saeed Jaffery, while the new one features Ali Zafar, Taapsee Pannu, Siddharth, Divyendu Sharma, Rishi Kapoor, Anupam Kher and Lilette Dubey, and it is doing well at the box office. Critics have also given the new version a thumbs up.

“Mine is a completely different film,”

who woRe It betteR?

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Dhawan said. “Not one shot or frame in my film can be compared with Sai’s film. And we have changed the script considerably. Rishi Kapoor’s character is a totally revamped avatar of what Saeed Jaffrey played in the original. Rishi even has a love angle with Lilette Dubey. The two of them are fantastic as a pair”.

The prolific director insists he has not given Paranjpye any reason to be offended.

“She’s so well respected. I love her Chashme Buddoor. But my film is not what she made 32 years ago. It can’t be. Times have changed. What worked back then would look completely out of place now,” he said.

What is particularly exciting is that Indian cinema, in its 100 years’ legacy, witnessed for the first time, the digitally restored version the 1981 Chashme Buddoor, and its new-age remake of the same name. And while the latter seems to be doing better business, the former is setting pace for more classics to be restored in times to come. And while the remake minted nearly Rs 5 crore at its release, the original version is unlikely to match that trend.

But for those of us who love our golden oldies, it’s certainly worth a watch again! ranbir wants to be a baddie

Actor Ranbir Kapoor would love to play negative roles, but he says no director is ready to accept him as a baddie.

“I would love to play a negative role, something that is like an anti-hero. Something without guitars, roses and even a heroine. I have been asking this for quite a long time, and I hope the directors are hearing me out and come out with scripts like that,” said the 30-year-old actor who starred in hits like Rockstar and Barfi.

Indian cinema is celebrating its 100 years, and Ranbir says a significant change over time is the fact that there are “challenging roles for actors today, unlike in the past when an actor kept on doing same kind of roles for three to four years”.

“I think the time when films like Dil Chahta Hai and Lagaan came into being, that was the period when we noticed the slight switch in storytelling. I think cinema has kind of evolved after that. Also, I think every hero was playing the same character over three to four years in the past, but right now there is so much diversity in characters,” said the young heart-throb from Bollywood’s famous Kapoor family.

But although Ranbir has himself managed to maintain a great variety in his roles - be it a free-spirited boy in Saawariya, a loverboy in Bachna Ae Haseeno, a carefree college boy in Wake Up Sid, a ruthless manipulator in Raajneeti, a struggling singer in Rockstar or a deaf and mute innocent boy in Barfi!, he still hasn’t been able to nab a downright negative role.

“There are so many challenging roles now. There are more stories to tell. Back then, there were more society problems [in films]. Now, we have wider things to make,” Ranbir added, hoping no doubt, that some kind director would offer him a challenge.

The actor will be next seen in Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani, which also stars Deepika Padukone, Kalki Koechlin and Aditya Roy Kapur. He’s also excited about playing the lead in a biopic on late actorsinger Kishore Kumar. Well, Ranbir, let’s hope a villain role comes your way!

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Big B: You’ve got to remake Sholay for the western world, Steven. Speilberg: As long as you don’t force me to put Abhishek in it…

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Maturing to the sound of Indian music

A dislike of daal leaves one young man somewhere between India and Britain

of colour simultaneously dance graciously across the stage, hands stretched high as if reaching for the heavens. Rather than seeing half-naked men holding oversized forks and attempting to spear fish thin air, battle scenes were instead played out. It was in that antiquated and very Indian way, that I nostalgically remember my grandmother watching from one of the seemingly infinite episodes of the Mahabharata on TV. Like a kaleidoscope, my whole view had totally changed with the merest of distortions.

Older me also appreciated for the first time how important an intermission really was, as the crowd percolated through the back exit to take their fill of the Indian sabjis on offer. (Although as a caveat, this does not take away the confusion still inherent within me that questions why an Indian movie needs to be four hours long. Or why characters move from India to Switzerland, and then back to India again in the space of a few seconds.)

I won’t lie. I don’t think I’ll be going to many Indian shows for a while now, but both my partner and I are happy that we went to this one.

BY ABHINEET TANGRI

Having been brought up in Britain by Indian parents

I am still confused as to whether or not I am indeed Indian. Having travelled overseas extensively over the last few years my situation has not been helped by the confused look from locals when I say that I am British.

Some are equally confused when I say that I am Indian, most likely because I am not wearing iron pressed jeans and have no sideparting or moustache.

But I have been in Australia for 10 days now and something within my mentality has changed. I would not say that I have discovered my Indian-ness. Far from it. In fact my dislike of daal is as strong

as it ever was, despite my mum’s insistence on how nutritious and flavoursome it is. However, in this short period I feel that I have come to realise that at the tender age of 30 I am much more accepting of my own inherent culture.

This epiphany, if one can call it that, came to fruition a recent Saturday night. My Portuguese girlfriend and I were invited along to a dance performance of the Ramayana. It would be a fallacy to suggest that I was ecstatic at the prospect of watching something in a language that I couldn’t fully comprehend. But my partner and I thought that a Saturday night away from the usual movie on the sofa might make for an interesting change, and so we agreed to go along.

In typical Indian style we arrived a couple of minutes late. A brief look around gave me a glimpse of numerous non-Indians, which in hindsight provided a wonderful change to the homogeneity of the 100% Indian crowd that I had

been used to from attending these events as a youngster. At first this unfortunately appeared to be the only thing that had changed in this time. The initial few minutes of the show did nothing to quell the reminder of how much I had disliked these events that I was forced to watch as a sprightly young Indian boy with a sideparting. I observed my young cousins a few seats away and saw that same confusion; what was going on, why did they need to be there and why was there no popcorn? To make things worse I couldn’t even use my smart phone to haphazardly browse the internet. I was stuck… and so were they.

Yet it would be a lie to think that as a 30-year-old I have not gown up just a little bit. It did not take long for my initial thoughts to recede, and my preconceptions to abate, before I slowly came to realise that I was actually enjoying the show.

A pubescent version of me would have seen 10 girls dancing in peculiar clothes. An older (perhaps more mature) version of me saw 10 beautiful whirlwinds

In fact, my perception of many things that I was subjected to growing up as an Indian has changed. No longer am I put off by beautiful Indian music. I always appreciated the effort but dad just isn’t that great at singing Jagjit Singh’s Kagaz Ki Kashti in the shower. And I don’t know why, but mum’s choice of Indian music just wasn’t cool when she played them in her car. Outside this bubble of homeliness, however, I find much Indian music placid and serene.

A lot of this change in perception over the years has little to do with any notion that I have become more Indian with time; rather I have become more accepting of different cultures with time. And therein lies the key to this change. Or at least that is the way that I perceive it.

Possibly to the chagrin of many Indians, I am and will always be a child of the Western world. No doubt there will be others in my generation who are diverted from the path that was set down by the countless Indian generations before them. Irrespectively of the path on which a child is eventually led I believe it imperative that they be brought up to respect all religions and all cultures, however different. Even the ones with singing and dancing, and four hour long movies.

A lot of this change in perception over the years has little to do with any notion that I have become more Indian with time; rather I have become more accepting of different cultures with time

Possibly to the chagrin of many Indians, I am and will always be a child of the Western world