WHAT’S ON

Celebrate India Day

Tue 8 Aug The Consulate General of India, Sydney marks Celebrate India Day at Martin Place, Sydney, 11.30am-2.30pm. Program features cultural shows, tourism promotions, yoga, food stalls and promotions of Make In India campaign. Details 02 9223 2702.

India Day Fair 2017

Sat 12 Aug FIAN celebrates India’s Independence Day at Parramatta Park, Parramatta, 12 noon to 7.00pm. Free event.

CIA’s India Day Dinner

Sat 12 Aug Join NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian and other dignitaries to celebrate India’s 71st Independence Day organised by CIA. 6.30pm Bowman Hall, 35 Campbell St, Blacktown. Details 0477 370 179.

Consulate General of India, Sydney

15 Aug Members of the Indian community and friends of India are invited to attend a ag hoisting ceremony at the Consulate General of India Sydney at Level 2, 265 Castlereagh St, Sydney, 8.45am - 11.00 am. Refreshments will be served after the ceremony.

ART

Baranasi: Paintings by Keroshin Govender

4 - 14 Aug Sydney artist Keroshin Govender presents his exhibition of paintings Baranasi at Gaffa Gallery (281 Clarence Street, Sydney) Details www.keroshin.com

Pagoda Country: Paintings by Gauri Torgalkar

20 July - 8 Aug Artist Gauri Torgalkar presents her exhibition Pagoda Country, based on the landscape of the Blue Mountains, at the Art Est. Art School (4/67-69 Lords Road, Leichhardt NSW). Details www. gauritorgalkar.com.

COMMUNITY

Garba Bhangra Night 2017

Fri 4 and Sat 5 Aug Chinmaya Mission Australia Youth Wing (CHYK) presents Sydney’s Biggest Indian Dance Night, Garba Bhangra Night 2017. Bowman Hall Blacktown. Details www.chinmaya.com.au

Sydney Kannada Sangha’s 35th anniversary Sat 5 Aug Bowman’s Hall, 35 Campbell St, Blacktown, 6:00 pm to 10:30 pm. Details www.kannada.org.au

Sydney Tamil Manram’s Thillana 7 Sat 5 Aug Thillana 7 is a fund raising event hosted by Sydney Tamil Manram. An entertainment night with dance, music and stand-up comedy from YouTube sensation “Smile Settai” team. Sydney Sri Durga Devi Devasthanam 21 Rose Crescent, Regents Park, 5.00pm to 10.00 pm Details www.sydneytamilmanram.org

Immigration forum

Sun 6 Aug The Council of Indian Australians (CIA) presents a free public meeting with the Assistant Minister for Immigration. Alex Hawke

MP, facilitated and supported by Mark Taylor MP, Member for Seven Hills. Venue Toongabbie Sport Club (Main auditorium), 12 Station Road, Toongabbie, 10:30am-12:30pm.

Details Mohit Kumar 0400 300 111.

Hariyali Teej 2017

Sun 6 Aug First ever family-based event to celebrate Teej with lots of entertainment for kids and adults is planned along with many more surprises. 921 Punchbowl Rd, Punchbowl, 11:30 am - 02:30 pm.

Details 0421 763 254.

ENTERTAINMENT

Roma Bollywood Dance & Dinner

Night

Fri 4 Aug Bring your best Bollywood moves for a night of family fun, food, dancing revelry. Roma Function Centre, 167 Northumberland St., Liverpool, 7:00 pm to 12 midnight.

Details 0452 337 787

Yaadon Ki Baaraat

Sat 5 Aug Bollywood Musical Charity

Event, a fundraiser for Sri Om Care, produced by Bandeesh. Dinner and snacks included in ticket price. Don Moore Community Centre, cnr North Rocks Road and Farnell Av, Carlingford, 5:30 pm to 8:00 pm. Details www. facebook.com/Bandeesh/

The Magic of AR Rahman

Sat 12 Aug Avijit Sarkar and Natraj Academy present The Magic of AR RAHMAN. Redgum Function Centre, Wentworthville at 6.30pm. Details 0425 275 883.

SPIRITUAL

Sant Nirankari Mission Sydney

Sun 6 Aug Weekly congregations held every Sunday 5:30pm to 7:30pm followed by community meals. Venue: Sant Nirankari Bhawan, 166 Glendenning Road, Glendenning.

Details Devinder 0403 216 084

Shanti Mission Satsang Sun 6 Aug Meet at the Shanti Mission Abode of Peace Ashram (1 hour north of Sydney), 45 Kings Road, Cooranbong, or at the Henley Community Centre, 2 Crown Street, Henley 9:30am to 10:30am. Details 4977 3300

Bal Samskar Kendra Open Day

Sat 5 Aug Bal Samskar Kendra opens at Oran Park Public School, 390 South Circuit, Oran Park at 2:30pm. Learn more about Bharateeya Samskriti through Samskritam followed by afternoon tea. Details Akila 0450 117 372.

Global Organisation For Divinity Australia: Activities at Namadwaar

G.O.D Australia gladly informs that Namadwaar, Chanting and Prayer Centre at 44 Oakes Road Winston Hills, is fully operational. All members of the community are welcome to have Darshan of the Lord and participate in Nama chanting and other programs during the following times:

Monday to Friday 9am-10.30am and 6pm-7.30pm

Weekends: 10am-12.30pm and 4pm6.30pm Details godivinity.org.au

Vedanta classes with Arsha Vidya

Australia

Bhagavad Gita, Sundays 6pm Upanishads, Saturdays 8.45pm Beginners class, Sundays 2pm

Vishnu Sahasranama, Sundays 10am Vedic chanting classes, Saturdays

6.30pm

All classes except chanting classes are on Zoom. Details Shankar Arunachalam on 0403 059658 or arunachalam.shankar@gmail.com

Maha Mrityunjaya Yagna (Homam)

Sun 6 Aug Chanting Rudram Mantra (Namkam and Chamkam), Maha Mrityunjaya Mantra, Shivalinga Abhishek, Yagna. Bhojan Prasad (lunch) to be served on conclusion. Sponsorship $51 per family. Shri Shiva Mandir, 201 Eagleview Road, Minto. Details 0421 376 384, 0421 301 779

YOGA

Free Yoga with Divine Life Society

Tuesdays 7pm Swami

Uditramanandaji of The Divine Life Society of Australia offers free Yoga classes every Tuesday from 7.00pm8.15pm at Strath eld Girls High School. All levels of tness welcomed. Entrance via Oxford Rd. Details Karo 0413 535 157.

Yoga: The way of life

Saturdays 8am; Wednesdays

7pm A retreat for body, mind and soul, join weekly yoga sessions at Glenwood Public School (Saturdays) or Moorebank Community Centre (Wednesdays). Details Meera 0433 125 708.

Spirit of India Yoga

Saturdays and Sundays

Yoga classes are held in Ryde, Wentworthville, Quakers Hill and Epping. All levels incl. beginners, senior citizens, children. To enrol in this 15 week course email spiritofindia2002@yahoo.com, visit www.spiritofindia.org.au or contact Suresh 0412 202 182

MISC

Race Discrimination Commissioner’s Student Prize

2017

The Race Discrimination Commissioner’s Student Prize is an annual competition for school students aimed to promote research and discussion of racism among young people.

Entries close 15 Sept, 2017. Students in Years 10 and 11 at a school in any Australian state or territory are eligible to enter. Entrants may write an essay (maximum 1,000 words) or record a speech (video or audio, maximum 5 minutes) and submit it to the Commission via the entry form.

Entrants must answer one of the following questions:

1. The best way of killing ugliness is with kindness. To what extent should this guide our society’s response to racism?

2. Fighting racism demands that we also defend liberal democracy. Discuss.

The winning student will be awarded a book voucher from Dymocks worth $150.00.

Grants available for Seniors Groups

Mark Taylor MP, Member for Seven Hills, has announced grants of up to $10,000 for seniors groups in Seven Hills to host events and activities during the 2018 NSW Seniors Festival, the festival’s 60th year. Organisations are encouraged to apply and be part of more than 1,000 free or discounted events to be held across the state. The 2018 festival, the largest celebration of older people in the Southern Hemisphere, will run from April 4 to Sunday April 15, 2018. Past events have focused on creativity, recreation, technology and health, while also bene ting the culturally and linguistically diverse, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. For the rst time, there are three funding categories available:

* Tier 1 Grants of up to $1000 for small-scale local events or activities targeted at community organisations and schools

* Tier 2 Grants from $1,001 to $5000 for local community events targeted at larger community organisations

* Tier 3 Grants from $5,001 to $10,000 for large scale community events run by local councils in partnership with organisations and groups.

Grant applications close 5pm, Friday September 8, 2017. For more information or to submit an application, go to www. nswseniorsfestival.com.au .

Activities at Indian Cultural Centre

Kajari Teej Ro Melo

Sat 5 Aug Rajasthani Association of NSW Incorporated (RANI) invites you to Teej festival ‘Kajari Teej Ro Melo’, 11am-3pm at the Consulate General of India, 265 Castlereagh St Sydney. Come and experience the glory of Rajasthani culture and cuisine. It is a free event; catered lunch is included. Dress code will be traditional Rajasthani. Register via Facebook page: Rajasthani Association of NSW Incorporated (RANI)

Hindi Classes Saturdays 2.30pm4.30

Located at the Indian Cultural Centre, Level 1, 265 Castlereagh St, Sydney. Hindi classes are $5 per one hour class or $40 for ten classes. Registration is essential as there is a maximum of 20 people per class. Paid parking is available in the vicinity.

Details email icc2.sydney@mea.gov.in