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INDIAN LINK

PUBLISHER

Pawan Luthra

EDITOR

Rajni Anand Luthra

ASSISTANT EDITOR

Harshad Pandharipande

MELBOURNE COORDINATOR

Preeti Jabbal

CONTRIBUTORS

Gaurav Masand, Manan Luthra, Sanam Sharma, Dhanya Samuel, Punita Udeshi, Chetana Ganatra, Tia Singh, Usha Ramanujam

Arvind, Vinaya Rai, Avi Chandiok, Niraj Pandya, Khevalin Parekh, Auntyji, Vandana G

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ADVERTISING ASSISTANT Charuta Joshi 02 9279 2004

EDITORIAL ASSISTANT

Beheshta Wasseh

Indian Link is a fortnightly newspaper published in English. No material, including advertisements designed by Indian Link, may be reproduced in part or in whole without the wri en consent of the editor. Opinions carried in Indian Link are those of the writers and not necessarily endorsed by Indian Link. All correspondence should be addressed to

or a

BY PAWAN LUTHRA

The dictionary defines ‘confluence’ as a “flowing together.” In a literal sense, it’s about rivers. But it’s more often used to talk about coming together of factors or ideas, or of cultures in a diverse city.

strong diversity, but venues such as the Sydney Opera House and Federation Square were iconic centres for hosting the events. While these shows were well attended by Indian-Australians, they failed to attract mainstream Australians, missing out on the target audiences. The language barriers played a role in this, as it seemed that turned off the average Australian culture vulture. Poor marketing also accounted for lack of mainstream Australia attending Confluence 2016.

top states of Australia? And what is being done to market these shows to non-Indians to achieve the vision of Confluence?

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Indian Link is a fortnightly newspaper published in English. No material, including advertisements designed by Indian Link, may be reproduced in part or in whole without the wri en consent of the editor. Opinions carried in Indian Link are those of the writers and not necessarily endorsed by Indian Link. All correspondence should be addressed to Indian Link Level 24/44 Market St, Sydney 2000 or GPO Box 108, Sydney 2001

Ph: 02 9279-2004 Fax: 02 9279-2005

Nearly 12 months ago, writing about Confluence 1.0, I had concluded that though it was a journey well begun and the groundwork to engage the local Australian community had been laid, a vision for continuity had to be developed. The editorial then had emphasised that for India to develop its soft power in Australia, it had to build on what Confluence 1.0 had delivered, while understanding what it had failed to deliver.

There is an appetite for traditional and contemporary things Indian to be shared with the local Australian audiences. Only recently, writer and orator Shashi Tharoor spoke to packed programs at Melbourne Writers Festival and at the Antidotes presentation at the Sydney Opera House. The annual Sydney Festival has hosted shows such as the Manganiyar Seduction and William Dalrymple’s Nine Lives to packed theatres over a number of nights. Tickets have sold out in record times for these shows.

Nobel laureate Amartya Sen has said that the culture of modern India is a complex blend of its historical traditions and influences from the effects of colonialism over centuries and current Western culture - both collaterally and dialectically. So, Confluence needs to draw from the vast repertoire of professional options available in the performing arts, drama, theatre, music, painting, literature, martial arts etc to ensure a deeper engagement with Australia and Australians.

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Email: info@indianlink.com.au

Email: info@indianlink.com.au

One year on, Confluence 2.0 is here again, but rather than progressing on its strong achievements of last year, it seems to be actually going backwards. In 2016, not only did the program have

Yet at Confluence 2017, for a major cultural and commercial hubs such as Sydney, there are just a couple of shows; Melbourne, three shows. Is that all India can offer to arguably the

The Indian High Commissioner to Australia, Ajay Gondane, has articulated his vision for Confluence to “celebrating vitality, credibility and the ‘soft power’ of India’s culture, as passed down from one generation to another through an organic and live process. It is a credible effort to offer, to the discerning and appreciative audience in Australia, from among the best creativity emerging in present-day India.”

Perhaps more needs to be done to achieve this vision in future years, otherwise the confluence will slow down to a trickle.

YOUR SAY

MEET THE GIRL BEHIND THE HILARIOUS SHOPPING LIST!

Indian Link Radio anchor CHARUTA chatted with Era Golwalkar who created an organised (and funny!) veggie shopping list for her husband.

Era replied: Thanks for sharing!

Qismat Khan @qismatkhan13 tweeted: Hahaha! So sweet! All men wish to get smart wife like you! Great job.

Azmat Ali@Azmatalli tweeted: Our family enjoyed this story and your creative grocery list. Love from Pakistan.

Era replied: Thanks for your compliment. Am glad you liked it!

Marwati Suleiman@SuleimanMarwati tweeted: Good idea, must give the list to my hubby and kids too. Thanks for sharing Era.

Iqbal@Iqbalvtr tweeted: Really interesting. Smart.

Vidhya@aleenavm tweeted: Good idea. I can use this too.

Vinny Carrizzo@DaVinman421 tweeted: I give her props! My wife sends me to the store with a list and I STILL have to call her at least 5 times to make sure I get the right stuff.

Barbara McKinney@rennibug8529 tweeted: I love this list! My ex would have still come home with the wrong stuff.

Rhythmicons@Synthoholics tweeted: My wife takes too long in produce. It’s a running joke that she gets trapped there.

Ladymissmegan@gmail@ladymissmegan tweeted: Yes, this is awesome and useful. My ancé says he used to cook pro, but brought home a shallot instead of garlic!?!

RANVEERISMS!

Celebrity chef Ranveer Brar was in Sydney and spoke to RAJNI ANAND LUTHRA about what’s new and what’s old in the world of cuisine and the role of social media in contemporary food

Rajni Luthra @rajnil2 tweeted: What I learnt from @ranveerbrar Humility; gratitude; telling stories; doing what you love; loving what you do.

queenbee@ashadeof_red tweeted: The best #Ranveerism fact is ‘A good quality khichdi with desi ghee.’ There’s an instant connection when you nd you share the same love for comfort food - Khichdi

Ranveer reposted our Instagram post: And evening with Indian Link and India

Tourism Sydney

Ranveer also discussed food and politics with NSW MP Julie Owens over idlis, dhoklas and chutney. Ranveer posted the pic of him and Julie Owens having idlis. Julie quoted and retweeted him

Julie Owens MP@julieowensmp: What a pleasure that was. And now I know how to cook uf er idlis.

Shivani Tiwari@sunandasuklas tweeted: Julie Owens is looking nice in sari.

MADE IN INDIA, BUILT FOR AUSTRALIA

The rst train for Sydney’s $8.3 billion Metro Northwest metro line has arrived from India. They were assembled near Chennai.

Hitesh Patel wrote: Nice. Can’t wait for the ride.

KV Chaudhary wrote: Proudly ‘Make in India’ project.

Mukesh Dubey lamented: And the trains are getting derailed in India

SAY IT AGAIN

DANDI MARCH IN SYDNEY

On the occasion of Gandhi Jayanti, children re-enacted the Dandi March at UNSW in Sydney.

Rajni Luthra @rajnil2 tweeted: Wonderful reminder of a spirit that moved a nation.

CUTENESS OVERLOAD

Our Facebook post about children performing at the Bhutanese community’s annual event in Melton, Victoria got a lot of likes. People couldn’t stop gushing over their cuteness.

Ayse Salih wrote: Super gorgeous! Well done!

Usha Vazirani wrote: Wow, all the kids look awesome

Jenny Collier-Cullinger wrote: Beautiful.

Deepti Alurkar wrote: Our 3-year-old champion!

Supriya Agnihotri wrote: Cutest kanha ever!

Ankit Dang wrote: So cute!

At least 1.5 to 2% of the GDP has been sacri ced and at least 1.5 million jobs have been lost India’s ex- nance minister P Chidambaram, talking about effects of note ban and GST during a lecture at AII

I’m absolutely appalled by what is happening, because the impact (of climate change) on the Great Barrier Reef is now documented India’s former environ minister Jairam Ramesh, on Adani’s Carmichael Coal Mine

COLOUR PENCILS ON BLACK PAPER!

We’re loving the work of young Indian contemporary artist Shashikant Dhotre Indian Australian@theaussieindian tweeted: What a talent! Have seen some of the pictures before and been gobsmacked. Truly blessed by God, @ shashidhotre! More power to your pen(cil)!!

Aneeta Menon wrote: These are incredible.

Thangamani Periasamy wrote: Excellent paintings

Mahesh Berwal commented: Great talent!

Shweta Kaushal said: Amazing!

Roopa Mrudul wrote: Beautiful!

Katherine Tomlinson@Storyauthority tweeted: Vibrant!

LESSONS FROM THE LAMB AD

HARSHAD PANDHARIPANDE wrote on how the community handled the infamous lamb ad featuring Ganesha eating meat.

Haniour Sampangiramaiah Subbar wrote: In the Hindu community, we have both vegetarians and non-vegetarians. Both vegetarians and nonvegetarians worship not only Ganesha but all gods. In Hindu communities also, there was, or in some cases still is, the practice of offering of animals and birds to certain gods during festivities. Of course, the government banned such offerings. Any way, these kind of advertisements should be objected to under laws formed by the local governments to uphold the community feelings. Even in India, mutton stalls and liquor shops are named after some deities. Such naming should be banned by the local licensing authorities in India.

KV Naga Lakshmi wrote: I have different view: Hindus eat lamb. Lord is in a lamb advertisement, I don’t see the offence, or ‘religious sentiments being hurt’.

Krish Na had a different concern altogether: I’m actually more offended by the abuse of apostrophes in that Change.org petition. Cringeworthy!

NSW: A DIWALI SHOWDOWN

Get all lit up and show NSW MPs Jodie McKay and Julia Finn how you celebrate the Festival of Lights.

Aneeta Menon wrote: Love it.

Punita Udeshi Ganwani wrote: Wow! Love their spirit! That’s amazing how they’ve got involved in Diwali and how nicely they are dressed up.

INDIA V AUST: KULDEEP’S STUNNING HAT-TRICK

India’s Kuldeep Yadav created history when he became the third Indian bowler to pick up a hat-trick in one-day international cricket. India won the series against Australia.

Krish Na wrote: Pretty ordinary cricket by the Aussies after a good job with the ball. At this rate, they’ll be mentally decimated by the Ashes series. On the other hand, India is now looking like the invincible teams of Aussies in the nineties and the noughties.

Lakshmipathi Chockalingam wrote: Too early to put India in Windies and Aussies league of 80s and 90s respectively. They have to dominate in away series which both Windies and Aussies did comfortably.

Xdulkar-Sydney @xdulkar tweeted: Australia’s last 12 ODIs away from home - L L L L L L L NR NR L L L

WHERE IN INDIA?

Sachin Wakhare answered: Stunning! Not sure but guessing Andaman & Nicobar Islands?

Poonam Chauhan wrote: Beautiful!

Kunal Singh@Kunalsatrah tweeted: Assam? Maybe Arunachal Pradesh?

Surely some North-Eastern state (He was almost there!)

Answer: This is the Umngot River in Meghalaya, possibly India’s cleanest river.

Even 1,000 Gandhis cannot ‘clean India’ without support of 125 crore Indians Indian PM Modi, on Gandhi Oct 2 birth anniversary

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Poor decision-making under pressure, that’s what I put it down to. Something we need to improve on because it’s not good enough

Aus captain Steve Smith, after 4-1 loss to India

#Adani is appalling Queensland, they cannot be trusted, Not on jobs, not on revenue, not on anything. Van Badham, Guardian writer, reacting to Four Corners show on Adani mine

THE WARMTH OF FAMILY Gaurav Masand

I’ve ‘upgraded’ from diyas to tealights ever since I moved to Oz! And while it may not be possible to have a favourite tealight, there can be such a thing as a special arrangement! Especially for me as a photographer. My favourite Diwali light arrangement snapshot is the main image of this page, from as recently as last year. My parents came visiting from Bhavnagar Gujarat, their rst visit down under, making it a very special Diwali for all of us. That’s Mum’s hand arranging the tealights.

Just shine

It’s beginning to feel a lot like… Diwali. The festival theme is creeping in when we catch up with friends or ring the family back in India. To get into the mood full on, what else can we do but bring out the diyas! We ask our friends here to pick their favourite diyas

COOL CANDLES Manan Luthra

I like candles of different shapes. Mum gets my sister and I to pick our own candles for Diwali. When we were young, we used to bring out the number candles left over from our birthday cakes. They became our ‘special’ Diwali candles. Then we started buying our own cool candles. Cupcake candle was always a favourite. We found animal candles, ice cream cone candles, watermelon candles and other fruit shaped ones, and car and truck candles. One year we picked really cool thong candles. But Mum said she didn’t want chappal candles for Diwali.

THE DIYA AS HERITAGE Sanam Sharma

There are days that are all about tradition, and Diwali is one of them. In these times of fancy LED lights, there is a soothing romance about lighting up your home with those traditional earthen diyas that icker long and slow through the jubilant Diwali night. Eight years ago, for our son Arjun’s rst Diwali, my wife Jasdeep and I bought this old-style, rustic, handmade diya It has since remained the centre piece of our Diwali decorations each year. An important part of passing on our cultural heritage to our kids in this adopted homeland is for them to understand the folklore associated with these festive occasions, and diyas are therefore an inherent part of Diwali celebrations in our households. This particular diya holds a special place for us for it has marked every single Diwali for us, since Arjun was born. This Diwali too, we shall wash it clean and ll it with sarson ka tel (mustard oil), dip a cotton wick deep into its sanctum, and let it sparkle our Diwali night.

LIGHT THAT DISPELS THE DARKNESS OF IGNORANCE Dhanya Samuel

The nilavilakku always ignites the fondest of memories for me. It takes me back to my childhood and my annual holiday visits to Kerala. Quite contrary to popular belief, the nilavilakku is not just signi cant to the Hindu religion, but also extends its signi cance to other religions. A strong and vivid memory is the huge lamp that adorns one of our ancient churches, the oil and wicks constantly replenished to ensure that the lamp is always lit, signifying the victory of good over evil always. I remember my aunt telling me about offering oil as a donation to the church, a practice by most believers who visit the church which helps keep the lamp constantly lit. And we would always collect a little oil from the base of the lamp to bring back home, as it is considered to be holy. My belief in the ritual has waned over the years. But every time I light the nilavilakku in my home, it’s not just fond memories but also the belief that light is like knowledge which dispels the darkness of ignorance.

THE MAGIC OF LIGHT Aparna Ananthuni

I don’t do diyas, but I do have a favourite diya in a work of art. In this watercolour portrait of a young girl dressed in a salmon-pink sari and shielding a richly painted, lit diya from the wind, we see the quiet, secret magic of light. It gilds the golden blouse of the subject, casts a warm, friendly glow over her sari and face, and seems to have its own personality. The portrait is highly skilled in its realism, and yet the direct gaze of the young girl (artist Haldankar’s third daughter Gita Uplekar, then aged just twelve) and the shadows blanketing the wall behind her, combine to create a sense of mystery and subtle happiness. ‘Glow of Hope’, nally, makes light both a beautiful and complicated thing.

SL Haldankar’s Glow of Hope (1945-46)

HOPE AND LIGHT Chetana Ganatra

Diwali symbolises hope, knowledge and the victory of light over darkness. Of the various rituals involved in the celebrations, the lighting of a terracotta oil lamp, or diya, is my favourite. The diya illuminates the whole house with its warm glow and is a delight to behold. On Diwali, every nook and corner of my house is lit with an oil-andcotton-wick diya - it brings a sense of enjoyment and celebration in my household. On one such ne occasion back in Mumbai 15 years ago, there was festivity in the air just before Diwali. For almost a week, I had been noticing a frail old lady, fondly called Aaji (grandmother), sitting in a dark and lonely corner of the local mall. Her handmade diyas were not exactly selling like hot cakes. But that didn’t sour the friendly smile with which she greeted passers-by. That she had not lost hope was endearing. When it was time for me to buy diyas, I decided to get them from Aaji rather than a fancy showroom. I didn’t need to light the diya for its light; I felt a glow inside when I bought it from Aaji and saw her face light up. The diya travelled with me across the ocean as a cherished possession. Aaji’s undying optimism - that’s what it reminds me of today.

NEVER JUDGE A GIFT BY ITS WRAPPER Punita Udeshi

I have a set of brass diyas that are very close to my heart. On our rst trip back to India as husband and wife, Gopal and I visited Pune. It was Diwali. Gopal had been to university there, and rented a at with a few other students. A retired couple, the Sardesais, were their neighbours and would invite them for meals from time to time. During our visit to Pune, they invited us newlyweds for dinner and showed us the fun side of their retired life. Uncle, a retired army of cer and Aunty, a social worker, made the most of this stage of their life.  As we took our leave, the Sardesais gave us warm blessings. To my utter bewilderment, Sardesai Aunty handed me a box of Bagpiper whisky. Times must have changed in India, I thought, if new brides are given alcohol instead of something traditional! Back home, I opened the pack - out came the parts to two beautiful brass diyas. I will never forget Aunty’s laugh when I described to her my (double) surprise, the next day. For 14 years since, the brass diyas have come out for Ganpati Pooja, Diwali and all other auspicious functions at our home. When it’s time to put them away, they are disassembled, and stored in the very same whisky box they came in! My diyas remind me of the gorgeous couple who gifted them to us - their blessings are always with us.

CANDLES WITH A CAUSE Tia Singh

I was raised in Australia, but there were a few times that I was lucky enough to celebrate Diwali in Delhi with my grandparents. I remember buying diyas from the Blind Relief Association’s annual Diwali Mela. This Mela has become quite an institution in Delhi over the past 30 years. It all started with a simple effort to teach visually impaired people a skill - making earthenware diyas and wax candles - as a means of earning a living. Today, their beautiful, handmade candles see people lining up at the stalls, and subsequently selling out. Although they themselves cannot see, their effort to spread a little bit of light is inspiring. I encourage all to embrace the spirit of Diwali by buying charitable candles to light up their homes with. There are plenty of places that sell the most wonderful candles for a variety of charitable causes – women, children, and animals in need. My favourite diya is a charity candle.

SL Haldankar’s Glow of Hope (1945-46)

Photo: Blind Relief Association

Let there be light

During the Hindu festival of Deepavali, the lamp has a profound meaning, full of symbolic overtones

The following invocation contains a few answers:

Asatoma sat gamaya

Tamasoma jyotir gamaya

BY USHA RAMANUJAM ARVIND

It’s that much-awaited time of the year, when Hindu homes come alive with festivities, reaching a crescendo with Deepavali.

Beyond the external trappings of fireworks and fanfare, Deepavali, as the name indicates, is a festival of lights. Why is Deepavali so important in the Hindu calendar, and even more fundamentally, why is the lighting of the lamp such an essential aspect of nitya karma (daily ritual)?

The day starts for a number of traditionalists with the lighting of the lamp, be it the conventional diya or its more contemporary avatars (including electric look-alikes). For many, it is a habit or a rigorously upheld custom; for others, it is a moment of reflection or even refreshing start to yet another day with all its ups and downs.

As with every other tradition in Hinduism, the lamp has a profound meaning, full of symbolic overtones.

Mrutyoma amritam gamaya (Brihadaranyaka Upanishad)

The verse is a prayer to lead mankind from illusion and ignorance to an understanding of truth, from darkness to light, and from fear and death to immortality. When this awareness dawns on man, he transcends his mere physical existence to perceive the Brahman or the Supreme Being.

During Deepavali, by lighting a myriad of lamps, every Hindu renews his prayers for an enlightened world.

Light, no doubt, is the basis of every civilization, ancient and modern, pagan and scientific. On a mundane level, it shows us the way to dispel darkness and carry on with our everyday life. On a symbolic level it banishes the inner darkness. By lighting the lamp, we hope to see clearly and strive for perfection both internal and external.

The diya (clay container) is believed to metaphorically represent vairaagya; the wick stands for concentration, and the matchstick symbolises tatva gnana or spiritual awareness. The oil used to fill the lamp represents inner purity and love. Only when

these four elements work in conjunction, can the lamp of wisdom be lit.

It is no less interesting to note that the flame of the lamp, no matter where it is located, is constantly directed upwards and thus also represents the path to wisdom, divinity and ultimately moksha or liberation.

Normally, the person who lights the lamp is the Griha Lakshmi or the woman of the house. She holds an important status for performing this daily ritual. With this simple act she starts the day, leading the way for other activities to follow.

Likewise in Hindu temples, the Garba graha (sanctum sanctorum) is small and dark, quite unlike the bright and lavish exterior. The deity is visible only when the aarti is performed. It probably denotes that man has to give up the external trappings and direct his mind inwards towards the garba griha of his heart, guided by the lamp of knowledge.

The camphor, which burns itself out in the process of lighting up represents our vasanas or desires. In doing so it gives forth the fragrance of love and service to mankind. During the aarti, we close our eyes, contemplate and bend down to look inwards at the Aatman within us. Self realisation comes with knowledge. The

jyoti denotes the Aatman (the self) and the aarti signifies that we (Aatma) are a part of God (ParamAatma) and we should always contemplate (Dhyaanam) on him.

Caught up in the worldly rat race, we often forget to stop and ponder over life’s broader significance. Possibly for this reason, the Hindu calendar is dotted with numerous but very meaningful festivals. The legends of Narakasura, the dark demon ruler of Praagjyotisha Puram (land of darkness) and Ravana, the mighty king of Lanka reinforce these concepts of ignorance and knowledge. The ignorant is always re-born (Punarapi jananam punarapi maranam). God who is immortal is worshipped as Gnana Jyothi or Light of Wisdom. When Narakasura was killed, all those who suffered under him were overjoyed. Having led a life of darkness till then, both internally and externally, they celebrated the occasion by lighting lamps. There is much significance in lighting lamps. The flame of one lamp can light an array of lamps. That one lamp symbolises the Paramjyothi (supreme effulgence). The others symbolise Jivana Jyothis (light in individual selves).

Year after year during Deepavali, we pray for the victory of good over evil and light over darkness.

During Deepavali, by lighting a myriad of lamps, every Hindu renews his prayers for an enlightened world

‘‘ ‘‘

Strengthening communities

BY VINAYA RAI

The 6th Australian Hindu National Conference held in Adelaide in early September was an outstanding event and brought together the Hindu community from various countries. The theme of the conference was ‘Strengthening Communities, Stronger Australia’ and it certainly met its objectives of “bringing together Hindus of the world” and pledge to “fortify the Hindu community and contribute to strengthen the broader Australian communities.”

The conference started with a traditional welcome to country by a Kaurna elder and beautiful Hindu prayers by children and adults. The chief guest was the Governor of South Australia, Hieu Van Le, and the dais was graced by the Minister of Multicultural Affairs, several Members of Parliament, SA Leader of Opposition, federal members of parliament, local council members, mayors etc.

It was attended by leaders of the Hindu community from India, Nepal, Bhutan, Fiji, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and by pretty much every Hindu organisation in Adelaide! Hence it was very successful in bringing together all these varied organisations. It was a good opportunity for the audience to learn about these organisations and their activities.

After a knowledgeable inaugural speech and souvenir release by the Governor, in

which he praised the Hindu community in South Australia, Rajendra Pandey, President of VHP in South Australia, gave an excellent keynote address elaborating on the need to strengthen our own community and also contribute to a prosperous and stronger Australia. He spoke of the Hindu tenets of the world as one family (Vasudhaiva kutumbakam) and Sanathana dharma and called on all to identify as Hindu Australians.

“Dharma is not a religion, it is not a tradition, it is not a culture, it is not ethnicity, it is not a nationality, it is not a faith, it is not even a way of life. Dharma means ‘that which sustains’. There is no word in English or any other language that accurately conveys the real meaning of Dharma,” he said.

Swami Vigyananand, International Coordinator and Joint General Secretary VHP Bharat, chaired the session ‘Collaboration among Hindu Organisations Temples and Associations’. He opened his speech with a fiery criticism of the advertisement for lamb featuring Ganesha and circulated a letter of protest for all to sign. During his address, he explained the purpose of HOTA (Hindu Organisations Temples and Associations) and appealed to more than 40 organisations, associations and temples attending, to work together. HOTA SA was launched on the occasion. The conference also saw the launch of two other VHP divisions in South Australia; Vedic and Cultural Centre of Australia (VCCA) and the Hindu Women’s Forum.

Youth participation in the conference was highly evident not only in the volunteers making sure everything ran smoothly, but also in an outstanding Youth Section wherein a panel of 7 young people spoke on topics

ranging from faith on campus to how Hindu community organisations create leadership and team spirit among our youth. One of the most impressive speakers was Sushyanth Subramanian from VHP, Northern Territory, who spoke on Hindu Human Rights.

There were at least 5 panel discussions and presentation sessions by various organisations which were interesting and informative. The conference provided a platform to more than 40 community organisations, temples and associations attending the conference to share their vision, mission and activities. All these organisations also shared their ideas on how the Hindu community could work unitedly to strengthen their communities and make Australia stronger.

The conference was highly appreciated by all. Zoe Bettison, Minister for Multicultual Affairs, described it on her Facebook page as a “wonderful, vibrant event and an

excellent opportunity to engage with South Australia’s proud Hindu community.”

On the Monday after the event, Tony Zappia, Federal Member for Makin made a speech in Parliament about the conference. An excerpt from the speechHindu contribution extended across all walks of Australian life, but I particularly acknowledge the focus Hindus have had on professional and postgraduate professions. Professional and higher education levels amongst Hindus greatly exceed the national average, and it is a great credit to the Hindu people that they place such importance on education. Through those professions, the Hindu community has enriched, strengthened and advanced Australia. Simultaneously, the Hindu community has initiated its own community participation programs, including but not limited to education, culture, sport, children’s programs, welfare and the environment. It’s remarkable how varied is the input of Hindus in Australian everyday life.

He concluded his speech in Federal Parliament with these words: “The VHP focus on that theme is a wonderful example of our Hindu migrants’ commitment to Australia’s future and their allegiance to Australia, and shows that they want to see Australia grow and prosper. I thank the VHP for their warm welcome to the conference, for the very professional way in which the conference was managed, and for showing how Australian Hindu people can contribute even more to Australia’s future. In particular, I commend the national president, Subramanian Ramamoorthy, and the state president, Rajendra Pandey, for their leadership of the association.”

Praise indeed! And well deserved for a conference that lived up to its theme and aims of initiating a collaborative model for working together as a united community.

The Hindu National Conference reaches out this time to the mainstream with its theme

‘‘

Until the lions have

A story from the Mahabharata is retold in contemporary dance at this year’s OzAsia Festival

BY AVI CHANDIOK

Adelaide OzAsia 2017 opened with Akram Khan’s production of Until the Lions

Like many blockbusters this dance theatre performance has it all. Desire, abduction, betrayal, a supernatural incarnation followed by destruction and then the ultimate revenge - death. What more could one want for entertainment.

Legendary kathak dancer and choreographer Akram Khan has brought his vast experience to bear in giving life to characters from Karthika Nair’s poem Until The Lions which is based on a story from the Mahabharata. There is an African proverb that explains that ‘until the lions have had their say, their story will be told from the point of view of the hunter’. Seemingly lesser characters, especially women, are usually ignored in favour of the more important ones when stories are told. Karthika Nair takes the side of the less fortunate and tells the story of poor Amba, a character in the Mahabharata, who is to be married to

the emperor Shalka but is abducted by Bheeshma. Bheeshma decides he will be celibate so does not wish to marry Amba. Amba goes back to Shalka but is rejected by him. Finding herself in such desperate circumstances, she takes her own life but returns in a super-natural male form to eventually exact the ultimate revenge on Bheeshma.

In the production the costumes were plain as the stage was sparse. However, a unique and very clever feature of the performance is the set, almost as large as the stage, in the form of a cross-section of a mature tree, even showing age-rings with fissures rent into it. In the later stages of the performance, it comes as a surprise to see the set playing an active role in setting the ambiance and underpinning the trauma of situations.

After a slow start with Amba, played by Ching-Ying Chien, dancing often in a crablike crawling fashion to growling sounds, the guitar takes over followed by melodious singing accompanying the dancers. The live music is provided by guitar, percussions and two voices.

The four musicians station themselves around the edge of the tree-trunk set. On occasions throughout the performance they walk round the set as they perform, sometimes like street musicians. There are poignant moments and moments of passionate despair

throughout the performance. Rianto’s dance of Bheeshma disclosing his turmoil is really well done in the dramatic action of the dance. Joy Alpuerto Ritter is striking for the entire show with her controlled movements while ChingYing Chien is outstanding. There is energy in vibrant actions and occasional stillness being depicted by gentle flowing movement. At times the dancing defies human physicality and at others is harsh, delicate, beautiful and ugly as the story demands.

One soon realises that the music is very much part of the performance and not just background accompaniment. Percussion is played to devastating effect in creating the right tempo for the dancers and a sense of fear and foreboding for the audience as the story unfolds. Primeval and atmospheric sounds contrast with the soft, gentle guitar music where Sohini Alam’s voice shines in melodic tunes and dramatic crescendos. Singer David Azurza was exceptional in his countertenor voice with his ethereal singing as dancers caressed his music with their movements. There were several passages of music in the Kathak tempo. It would have been nice to have seen some Kathak dancing with this music. Not just for the elegance and sensuality of Kathak per se, but to tie the performance back to the Indian roots of the Mahabharata. Were Akram

Khan present in Adelaide we could have expected to see the dance. However, as he states in the programme notes ‘I have been contemplating the uses and capacities of my body, as I turned 40.’ It’s quite understandable if he was not present after so many years of dancing at the very highest levels. Nevertheless, Rianto as Bheeshma did a fine job of dancing to the Kathak beat, albeit perhaps in a different style.

Poet Karthika Nair

their say...

Like plants, some productions are annuals and some perennials. Akram Khan’s Until the Lions is a solid production where many elements come together. It has had worldwide exposure and is continuing to do so. Until the Lions is undoubtedly a perennial and with Akram Khan devoting more of his time to production and choreography, we might well be treated to many more delights. So the dance comes to its climax. Amba,

in her supernatural form as Shikhandi, is going to take Bheeshma’s life. The set and lighting become a living being, a force of cosmic proportions. The scenes of horror and emotion see the stage rupturing along its fissures. Segments of the tree lie at different levels. Such is the force of the situation. Like erupting volcanoes, fires glow from the gaping fissures, embers fly, the dancing is insane and so to the end as Amba has her say.

Photos: Jean Louis Fernandez

Poet Karthika Nair takes the side of the less fortunate and tells the story of poor Amba, a character in the Mahabharata, rejected by Bheeshma

‘‘ ‘‘

For argument’s sake

Champion debater and Year 10 student KHEVALIN PAREKH on how competitive debating has enriched her personality and taught her many life skills

You know you are in debate when school is the extracurricular activity.

My name is Khevalin Parekh and I can completely relate to this statement, because - you guessed it! - I love debating. I am currently a Year 10 student at Aberfoyle Park High School, and I have been taking part in competitive debates for the last four years.

And just recently, the six-member school team that I was a part of won the Year 10 Grand Final Debating Championship for 2017. The championship was held by Debating SA at the House Of Assembly Chamber in the South Australian Parliament. This was a wonderful event that showcased and celebrated the talents of top South Australian debating teams. We beat out 245 other teams this year from 55 other schools from the Catholic, public and private sectors to come out tops in the Year 10 division.

I want to tell you why I love debating and how it has helped me build some really good life skills.

So, what’s debating really like? A debating team in action essentially consists of four members. There is the first speaker, second speaker, third speaker and depending on which side your team is assigned (affirmative or negative) you either provide the timekeeper for the debate (negative) or the chairman (affirmative). The first speaker primarily introduces the team’s case and the overarching points that the team will be focusing on. The second speaker then elaborates on the first speaker’s arguments whilst bringing in new points. The third speaker summarises their respective team’s individual cases and arguments but not before rebutting every single one of the opposition’s points. Every single member of the team is equally as important and

without each team member, a team would not be complete.

My team at the championship consisted of six members, and despite the abundance in numbers, I volunteered to be the third speaker in every round of debating that we did. The third speaker’s role is quite a difficult one and consists of rebutting all of the opposition team’s arguments and overall case on the spot. The other five members on my team rotated between the first, second, chairman and timekeeper positions. Being third speaker is my favourite role as I have always wanted to improve my debating skills.

It’s a bit funny why I started debating four years ago. At first, I thought picking debating at school would allow me to develop better skills to argue with my parents at home! However, the adrenalin rush I got from my first few debates pushed me to continue debating from Year 6 till now.

I consider debating to be a mentally stimulating activity, which allows one to thrive under friendly competition. Debating requires a lot of team work, persistence, determination and communication skills.

In fact, I would not have developed crucial life skills if it weren’t for debating. It has allowed me to become a more confident person, in public speaking and in daily life. I have found that I have become less nervous and anxious when talking to someone new and have found ways to break the barrier and avoid awkward situations. It also allows me to think in a rational and logical manner about every situation and examine all its aspects.

Now, let me tell you about the championship itself. Throughout the season, we were provided with very challenging topics such as ‘The development of artificial intelligence is an unacceptable risk to humanity’ or whether ‘Bob Dylan should have been awarded the Nobel Prize for literature.’ But our last topic brought our

debating skills to the ultimate test.

Our grand final topic asked whether ‘The clergy should report child sexual abuse revealed during a confession.’ Should the clergy report child sexual abuse revealed during a confession? What a moral and ethical dilemma one can face when deciding how to answer this question!

Our team was assigned the negative side to the topic. This meant we had to argue that child sexual abuse should NOT be revealed during confession. As this is quite a controversial and morally questioning topic, my team was split into two. One half of my team decided that a forfeit would best suit this case for the grand finals rather than

to argue on such a basis, as it is obvious that child sexual abuse should always be immediately reported. Nonetheless, after some thorough research into the topic, it was decided that this topic was not about arguing whether child sexual was acceptable or not - our team case was not condoning child sexual abuse - but in fact took a stance to uphold the privacy and sanctity of the confessional. In the end, our rational perspective on this very difficult subject managed to convince three members out of the 5 on the panel of adjudicators that we had the stronger argument and despite all odds against us we were able to emerge victorious.

‘‘ ‘‘

Understanding Australia’s new broadband

By replacing and upgrading parts of the existing phone and internet network, nbn is bringing more Australians access to fast and reliable broadband services.*

Most homes and businesses need to switch

As most existing landline phone and internet services will be disconnected, it’s important you switch a ected services before your disconnection date.^ nbn will notify you by mail once you can switch to a new plan over the nbn™ access network. You’ll then have up to 18 months before existing services are disconnected.^

nbn is a wholesaler

This means nbn does not sell to the public. nbn supplies phone and internet providers with wholesale services they combine with their own network services to deliver your new plan. So you’ll need to contact your preferred provider once you’re ready to switch.

You have a choice of speeds

nbn o ers three superfast wholesale speed tiers to providers - 25Mbps, 50Mbps and 100Mbps.* There’s also 12Mbps, which is not considered superfast broadband.* Talk to your phone and internet provider about speed tiers available in your area, as well as the actual speeds you can expect to experience on your new plan (particularly during peak times like the evening).

Factors a ecting your experience

The nbn™ access network and your provider’s network are likely to slow down when more people are online at once. Maximum speeds will also vary based on your modem, Wi-Fi

and other issues.*For more information on how your particular experience will be a ected, speak to your provider.

Important information on device compatibility

Safety-critical devices like medical alarms, fire alarms, monitored security alarms and lift emergency phones, may not be compatible with your new plan at all times.† To help minimise a loss in your services, check with your device provider that these will work on your new plan or whether you’ll need to find an alternative solution. It’s also important you register safety-critical devices with nbn by calling 1800 227 300 or visiting nbn.com.au/compatibility.

Contact a phone or internet provider

*Your experience, including the speeds actually achieved over the nbn™ broadband access network, depends on the technology over which services are delivered to your premises and some factors outside our control (like your equipment quality, software, signal quality, broadband plan and how your service provider designs its network). nbn is a provider of wholesale speeds to internet providers. nbn™ wholesale speed tiers available to your phone and internet provider vary depending on the access technology in your area. ^ Services o ered to phone and internet providers over the nbn™ broadband access network will be replacing phone and internet services provided over most of the existing landline networks, including copper and the majority of HFC networks within the fixed line footprint. Services provided over existing fibre networks (including in-building, health and education networks) and some special and business services may not be a ected. To find out if your services will be a ected, please contact your current phone or internet provider. For more information, visit nbn.com.au/ switcho or call 1800 687 626.† The rollout of the nbn™ broadband access network will involve new technologies, and some existing devices (including many medical alarms, autodiallers and emergency call buttons) may not be compatible with these at all times. You should contact your device provider to find out if your alarm or other device will work when connected to the nbn™ broadband access network and what alternative solutions are available. For more information, visit nbn.com.au/compatibility.

WHAT’S ON

FESTIVAL

Diwali carnival

Sat 14 Oct (1.00pm onwards) Hindu

Council of Australia presents Diwali carnival at Adelaide Showgrounds. Tickets available at venue. Seniors and kids below 5 free.

Details www.hinducouncil.com.au

Diwali Cruise Party

Fri 20 Oct Dolphin Explorer Cruise departing from Port Adelaide. Tickets vwww.premiertickets.com.au

Gurjari SA Diwali

Sat 28 Oct Gurjari presents Diwali celebrations and dinner at Dom Polsky Centre, Adelaide.

Details Niral 0400 620 949

SPIRITUAL

Chinmaya Mission discourse

Sat 14 Oct to Mon 16 Oct Chinmaya Mission Adelaide presents free public discourse in English Many Problems

One Solution at Burnside Community centre. Details Sudha 0431 309 344

Vishal Bhagwati Jaagran

Sat 21 Oct Niswarth Seva Samiti organises pooja, jagran and jaankhiya at Florina House, Ingle arm. Details Ashima 0430 540 555

ENTERTAINMENT

Carnatic music workshop & concert

Tue 10 Oct-Thur 12 Oct Shruthi

Adelaide presents three day Carnatic

Compiled by NIRAJ PANDYA

music and workshop. Chennai Palace, 119 Walkerville Terrace, Walkerville. Details www.shruthiadelaide.com.au

Grand Carnatic Music Concert

Sat 14 Oct (3.00pm to 5.00 pm)

Shruthi Adelaide presents free Canratic music concert by Vid. TS

Sathyavathi (vocal) at Fogolar Furlan

Inc. 69 Briar Road, Felixstow. Open for all, arrive early as seats are limited.

Details www.shruthiadelaide.com.au

Johnny Lever and Jamie Lever

Comedy Show

Sat 14 Oct (7.00pm onwards)

Woodville Town Hall. Details For Zimmy 0430 033 234

Harbhajan Mann

Sat 28 Oct Punjabi singer Harbhajan

Mann presents Satrangi Peengh: The Tour Venue: TBA. Details Satti 0450 803 622

Kavi Darbar/Mushaira

Sun 29 Oct First time ever international mushaira and kavi darbar in Adelaide. Venue TBA.

Details Shah 0420 212 969

COMMUNITY

India Night 2017

Sat 7 Oct Adelaide Indian Students’ Society presents a night of culture and good company: closing the distance between Adelaide & India. Woodville Town hall. Details Rohan Parikh 0449 791 873

MEDIA

Diwalichya hardik shubhechha

KhusiDiwali

Nepali

Marathi

Deepavali shubhakankshalu Telugu

A linguist’s Happy

Deepavalira anek shubhechha

Oriya

Deepavalikidillimubarakhbaad

Deepavaliparbecheshubhashay

Deepavalihabbada

Urdu

Konkani

Kannada

shubhashayagalu

Diwalidiyanbohtboht

vadhaiyanPunjabi

Sanskrit

Deepavali shubhechaha

Diwali Happy Diwali

Deepavali

Diyareeajoon

nalvazhthukal

SubhoDeepabalirpreetiOsubechshaBengali

Diwalikishubhkaamnaayein

Hindi

Deepavali parbada shubhashya Tulu

Diwali ni hardik shubechao Gujarati

Deepavali aashamsagal

Deepawalikarnesubhokamnathakil

DiwalihunzhathhathMubarak

RamRamsaDiwalirajualdakarusa

Malayalam

Kashmiri

wadhayoon

Tamil

Sindhi

Marwari

Assamese

WE’RE POWERING FORWARD MAKING ENERGY MORE AFFORDABLE

As Australia’s energy system transitions, the Australian Government is making energy more affordable. We’ve already secured agreements from retailers to offer consumers a better deal, and some households could save up to $1,500 per year on their power bills. We’re also ensuring there is enough gas for Australians before it’s shipped offshore. To find out more search ‘POWERING FORWARD’.

It’s actions like this today that are powering a more affordable energy future.

Diwali Quiz

Questions

1 Diwali is a national holiday in India. Name the other nations where it is also a national holiday (Hint: There are 10!)

2 Does Deepavali mean ‘row of lamps’ or ‘string of lanterns’?

3 How much does India spend each year at Diwali on reworks?

4 When is Diwali celebrated each year?

5 What other religious groups celebrate Diwali in India, apart from Hindus?

6 Which southern Indian town produces the bulk of the country’s recrackers for Diwali?

7 Playing cards during Diwali is part of celebrations in which Indian metropolis?

8 What type of oil is traditionally used in oil lamps lit during Diwali?

9 Why do Jains celebrate Diwali?

10 What special signi cance does Diwali have in the business world?

Deepavali means ‘row of lamps’. Deep

Let the light Shine

I’m sorry, Gemma. But we can’t live in the light all of the time. You have to take whatever light you can hold into the dark with you.

Libba

Bray,

A Great and Terrible Beauty

The sun will rise and set regardless. What we choose to do with the light while it’s here is up to us. Journey wisely.

Alexandra Elle

People are like stained-glass windows.  They sparkle and shine when the sun is out, but when the darkness sets in their true beauty is revealed only if there is light from within.

Elisabeth Kübler-Ross

No man, when he hath lighted a candle, putteth it in a secret place, neither under a bushel, but on a candlestick, that they which come in may see the light.

Luke 11:33

Sometimes just looking up and seeing the light is enough.

Terri Guillemets

Never fear shadows. They simply mean there’s a light shining somewhere nearby.

Ruth E. Renkel

Light gives of itself freely, lling all available space. It does not seek anything in return; it asks not whether you are friend or foe.  It gives of itself and is not thereby diminished.

Michael Strassfeld

Dare to reach out your hand into the darkness, to pull another hand into the light.

Norman B. Rice

We are each gifted in a unique and important way. It is our privilege and our adventure to discover our own special light.

Evelyn Dunbar

What I know about Diwali

I’d never heard of Diwali until a friend asked me. Rather than admit my ignorance, I did some research and look forward to participating in the Festival if I get the chance.

Melissa Hiatt-Boyle

I have many friends of Indian background, including Hindu and Sikhs. I nd they love to wear lots of clothing with colour and they look especially happy. My understanding of Diwali celebrations is one full of a Festival of Lights. Somewhat similar to my Greek Orthodox religion, it signi es a time of sharing and giving. It signi es a time of empowering good over evil and bringing our God and Goddess back into our life and our homes with prayers and light from candles and lanterns that have been blessed.

Georgina Kritikos

I don’t know anything. It’s a festival?

Katelin Farnsworth

Diwali is all about colour, lights, and intricate patterns which form beautiful visual creations that can be admired. It is about paying respect to

Diwali is the Festival of Lights. All I know is it’s like Fireworks Night in the UK. All over the UK, reworks light up the night.

Barbara Taylor

When it comes to Diwali, more Australians need to see the light.

Carmel Shute

Diwali is a Hindu festival with lights, held in the period of October to November. It is particularly associated with Lakshmi, the Goddess of Prosperity.

Julian Burns

I must confess to having no knowledge of the Diwali festival!

Sheryl Zurzolo

is a very popular event that my partner and our friends celebrate. I love this event as people everywhere light candles, reworks, lanterns and bon res to illuminate this holiday. Everything lights up and looks beautiful!

Zlatko Varenina

Top 10 Bollywood Diwali Songs bollywood

10 Kaise Diwali Manaye (Paigham, 1959)

1

9 Mele Hain Chiragon Ke (Nazrana, 1961)

8 Aaye Hai Abke Saal Diwali (Haqueeqat, 1964)

7 Shehar

6 Deep Diwali Ke Jhuthe (Jugnu, 1973)

5

Lakhon Tare Aasman Mein Magar (Hariyali Aur Rasta, 1962)

4 Ayee Hai Diwali (Aamdani Atthanni Kharcha Rupaiya, 2001)

3

Pairon Mein Bandhan Hai (Mohabbatein, 2000)

2

Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham (Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gham, 2001)

1 Happy Diwali (Home Delivery, 2005)

7

8

9

6 2 3 4 1 5

10

Ki Pariyon (Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikander, 1992)

MATRIMONIALS

SEEKING GROOMS

Seeking Gujarati match, either in Australia or abroad, with good family values, for a well settled accountant. Australian citizen, 42, 5’8”, divorced with no children. Vegetarian and non-smoker. Respond with photo and biodata to WhatsApp/Viber 0421 504 058 or email gujiaust@gmail.com

Brother based in Sydney seeks suitable match for 39-year-old Mumbai-born, never married Gujarati girl. 5’4”, well cultured medium built, B.Com and working for international shipping company in Dubai. Hindu grooms please. Contact on 0416475948 or komaldxb@gmail.com

Seeking a professionally quali ed, settled match for Sydney-based, never married Australian citizen. Hindu, Punjabi Khatri 44, 5’3” slim, fair, attractive girl. Postgraduate and working on a good position in government organisation. Please send details with photo indsyd2016@gmail.com

Suitable match for a soft spoken and intelligent IT professional 32-year-old girl. Must be healthy, clean-looking and preferably Canberra-based. Pl SMS your interest to 0415948567.

Looking for a professional, well-educated, cosmopolitan, tall, Hindu groom (Australian resident or citizen) for a 32-year-old Telugu divorcee with no kids working in Bangalore IT MNC. Please contact on persephones84@gmail.com or 0417 17 0487

Seeking professionally quali ed match for fair, slim, beautiful, family oriented Punjabi Khatri girl. 37/5’2”, well quali ed, working as IT Business Analyst in Sydney. Innocent divorcee having 11-year-old daughter. Caste no bar. Send biodata and pics to matrimonial4alliance@gmail.com or call on 0413820305

Sister based in Sydney seeks suitable match for 38-year-old/5’5’’ nevermarried Punjabi Khatri girl. Doctor by profession, vegetarian. Settled in India, but ne to move overseas. Currently in Sydney on holidays. Caste no bar. Email guruji2111@gmail.com or call on 0449785957

SEEKING BRIDES

Seeking alliance for my son, 32-year-old male, 6’, Haritasa gotram (Dhanishta 4th padam), Masters in Design from IIT Kanpur and MFDI & MEM from Sydney, working in QBE Sydney as UX Designer. Looking for a slim, Brahmin girl from Australia/NZ. Contact +919848994624 or vemramkri@ yahoo.com

A well-settled, clean-shaven 48-year-old (looks only 35) good looking, tall, slim. Senior manager with one of the four major Australian banks from a Jat Sikh family is seeking a lady with a view to marriage. Citizen of Australia and USA, good natured, sociable with a blend of Eastern and Western values. Caste and age no bar. Respond to param69@gmail.com

Seeking suitable match for Bengali boy, Australian citizen, 33 years old, 178cm, holding Masters degree, manager in a leading bank. Family wellsettled in Australia. Seeking well-educated Hindu girl, 25-31 years old. Australian citizen or PR. Please respond to matrimozind@gmail.com.

Manglik, handsome, vegetarian, slim, Australian citizen Punjabi Mittal boy 28, 5’9”. Well qualified, doing last subject of CPA working full time (Melbourne). Seeking beautiful, slim, vegetarian, professional girl. Any upper Hindu caste send full biodata with snaps. Contact +919888389431, 0468343708.

Seeking professional bride for Hindu Punjabi, US Green Card holder and Australian citizen. 35/6’2”, Masters in Computer Science, Consulting Manager in Houston. Schooling and university studies from Australia. Email biodata with recent picture to mgahir@gmail.com

Seeking a suitable bride for an Australian citizen Sikh boy, 42 years old (looks younger), 5’ 8½” with wheatish complexion. Whole family settled in Australia. Innocent divorcee after 1-month marriage. The girl should be 34-38 years old with family and cultural values. Caste/religion no bar. Please email biodata with recent full length photograph to pleasecommunica8@gmail.com

AUSTRALIAN TUTORING

AUSTRALIA POST, HORSE FEED AND GENERAL STORE

BUSINESS FOR SALE $150,000 only!

Established business (30+ years) in Douglas Park, NSW, generating income from four revenue streams with potential to add more Current owners now looking to retire, got their Permanent Residency (PR) via this business and have been running for 14+ years Very profitable electronic post office and horse feed business, close to Menangle Park Racecourse with loyal customers This business has been generating net income of 100,000+ p a with growth potential

No prior experience required, perfect for husband/wife team Close to a train station, petrol pump and school This bargain price includes all stock at value, containers used for storing feed as well as Post boxes Call us today!

Contact: Jaspreet or Bharat Munjal +61 2 46327240 or +61 416773433; Email: jloodu@gmail.com

Sweet things in life

With Diwali just round the corner, get inspiration from GAURAV MASAND as he rustles up these divine delicacies in his kitchen

Chikki

Chikki/brittle can be made with sugar or jaggery or both. You could make this with peanuts, dry fruits, coconut, sesame seeds or bengal gram. The recipe presented here is simple and has readily available ingredients.

Ingredients

1 cup peanuts (without skin)

1/2 cup jaggery

1 tbsp ghee or clari ed butter

2-3 cardamoms powdered

Instructions

Pulse peanuts in a food processor very brie y, to get a roughly cut texture. You don’t want a powder. Dry-roast peanuts in a heavybottomed pan, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes. Take off the heat when the nuts start to get brown spots.

Khorak

This is a traditional Sindhi recipe, made with whole wheat our, dry fruits, ghee and poppy seeds (khus khus) during festivals, especially during Diwali.

Ingredients

¾ cup whole wheat our

½ cup ghee

½ cup water

¾ cup jaggery

¼ cup dry fruits (cashews, almonds, walnuts, raisins), chopped nely

2 tbsp poppy seeds

2 tbsp dessicated coconut

3-4 cardamom, seeds only

In another heavy-bottomed pan, add ghee and jaggery until they start to melt.

Keep stirring on a medium ame until the jaggery turns a deep brown and begins to bubble slightly.

To test if the jaggery is ready, take a few drops of the hot jaggery in a spoon and drop it in a small bowl of cold water. If the jaggery turns brittle immediately, the jaggery mix is ready. Add cardamom powder to it along with roasted peanuts and take it off the heat.

Pour the mix on to a greased plate/ baking sheet.

While it’s still hot and pliable, cover it with a baking sheet and roll it with a rolling pin so that it spreads evenly. Make square (or any other shape) incisions with a sharp knife before it cools down completely.

Let it cool down completely, at least an hour, then break it into the pieces. Store in a dry container.

Baklava

Baklava is a Mediterranean sweet with Turkish roots. It has a rich lling of dry fruits, sweetened with honey or sugar, between lo pastry sheets. This recipe is a Persian ‘Pakhlava’, made with dry fruits and rose water. You will need lo pastry sheets which are readily available in the freezer section of any supermarket.

Ingredients

For lling

1/3 cup almonds, peeled

1 cup walnuts

2 tbsp rose petals

1 tsp cardamom powder

1/4 cup sugar

Instructions

Heat water in a pan and add jaggery to it. Boil until it forms a sticky syrup. Keep aside.

Heat ghee in a pan. Add our and cook on medium ame, stirring continuously, until golden brown for 5-6 minutes. Add all other ingredients, except the jaggery mix, to the our. Mix well. Add the jaggery syrup to the our mixture.

Stir for 2 minutes on medium ame until jaggery syrup has been absorbed. Spread the mix in a tray lined with baking paper or greased with ghee. Garnish with extra dry fruit pieces. Let this set for 2-3 hours and cut into required shapes.

Stored in a cool, dark place. Will keep for 1-2 weeks.

For covering/pastry

20 lo pastry sheets

½ cup melted butter

For sugar syrup

1 cup sugar

½ cup water

¼ cup rose petals

Instructions

For the syrup

In a saucepan, boil water. Stir in sugar until it dissolves and then add rose petals. Keep aside.

For the lling

In a food processor, pulse walnuts, almonds, rose petals and sugar for 1 minute.

For making baklava

Preheat oven to 180 deg C. Grease a baking dish (18cm x 28cm and 3.5cm-deep) evenly with butter.

Lay 8 lo sheets in the baking dish one by one, brushing each sheet with butter.

Scatter half of the lling evenly over the buttered lo sheets. Cover mixture with 6 lo sheets one by one, brushing each with butter.

Scatter the remaining lling over. Cover with 6 sheets one by one, each brushed with butter. Brush the top with butter too. Refrigerate for 10 minutes. Make incisions into baklava, with a sharp knife, in desired shapes. Traditionally, it’s diamond-shaped.

Bake at 180 deg C for 35-40 mins or until golden brown. Pour rose petal syrup over the pieces. Let it cool. Remove from baking dish. Serve at room temperature.

entertainment

cine TALK

VARUN DHAWAN OUT-SALMANS THE ORIGINAL

Now this is a lm that reminds us how enjoyable frivolity in cinema can be, if packaged and executed expertly.

When a 20-year-old lm about identical twins caught up in endearing inanity is rebooted, we immediately get emotional about the old lm which incidentally, was trashed on release. We even begin to treat Anu Malik’s pedestrian tunes in the original as classics.

There is news for all nostalgia addicts. Judwaa

JUDWAA 2

STARRING: Varun Dhawan, Jacqueline Fernandez, Tapsee Pannu, Anupam Kher

DIRECTOR: David Dhawan

2 is not only a more engaging ode to inanity than the original, but Varun Dhawan even manages to outdistance Salman Khan’s considerable energy level in the original.

What works bigtime for this remake

is its absolute honesty of intention.

David Dhawan wants to entertain as he has been doing for decades. There is no socio-cultural political agenda (bar a super-dumb reference to Trump), no attempt to induce gravity. The point is the pointlessness.

The prattle and the preening is all so frenetic, we get no time to think. We just go with the ow. And glow with the sparkle that father-son Dhawan generate together.

Judwaa 2 is unwilling to let go even a stray moment of potential pleasure. The lm’s obstinacy to win us over with a feast of fatuousness breaks our defences down after a while. It is the kind of massy rabble-rouser that we don’t see in mainstream cinema any more. We either have “realistic” romcoms set in small towns or wannabe Hollywood spectacles which go nowhere with their egoistic ambitions.

Judwaa 2, never embarrassed about its aspirations, aims to be a lowbrow entertainer. Nothing more, nothing less. And it succeeds in being just that from the rst frame to last. Everyone on screen has a blast. The mood of an ongoing party slithers down to the audience, infecting us with a giggly sense of beholding guilty pleasures.

The lm is lavishly mounted.

Cinematographer Ayananka Bose shoots London with the lip-smacking relish of a tourist who has been there,

A SIMPLE, REALISTIC EYE-OPENER

NEWTON

STARRING: Rajkummar Rao, Anjali Patil, Pankaj Tripathi, Raghubir Yadav, Sanjay Mishra and Mukesh Prajapati

DIRECTOR: Amit Masurkar

HHHHH

Low-concept and modestly-scaled lms are always hard to sell, but authentic passion and a steady accumulation of detail, sets writers Amit Masurkar and Mayank Tiwari’s Newton apart.

Set against the backdrop of elections in the world’s largest democracy, Newton is an exemplary indie drama. It is the portrait of an idealistic man surviving in a society that is corrupt by tradition and lethargy.

Wanting to make a difference in society and to standout, Nutan Kumar (Rajkummar Rao) who has completed his Masters in Physics, rechristens himself as Newton.

He is now working for the Indian government. During elections, despite being a standby, he is named the presiding of cer of a booth situated deep in the jungles where 76 voters reside. The area is purported to be

infested with Maoists. How Newton deals with the administration and the security forces to conduct the elections there despite the constant threat of an ambush from the Naxalites, forms the crux of the tale.

Projected in a fair and balanced manner, Newton’s journey is truly an eye-opener. Initially, his gullibility is suspect, it borderlines to stupidity but Rajkummar Rao as Newton carries it with elan. You chuckle at his idiosyncrasies and conversations with his superiors and counterparts, especially when he attempts to conduct the elections by the book during the absurd circumstances. But it is his sincerity that touches the right emotional chord. It throws open questions about the democratic procedures adopted in the area and its projection by the administration to the media and the world thereby.

Rao is aptly supported by Anjali Patil as his assistant during the election process.

As Malko Neetham, the teacher in a local school, she is a perfect balance to Rao’s naive beliefs. As a local, she gives an appropriate insight into the plight of the

oppressed tribals.

Raghubir Yadav and Pankaj Tripathi add some spark to the otherwise staid narrative. Yadav as Newton’s laid-back colleague, the near retiring Loknath is excellent. He keeps you entertained with his constant complaining of how he is forced to work under strenuous circumstances despite his diabetes and various health issues.

Tension brews with Pankaj Tripathi as Atma Singh, the leader of the platoon deployed to provide security for Newton and his team members. He is a natural with his patronising tone trying to

done it all. There is the comfort of the familiar about the presentation which is something quite the opposite of nostalgia. Speaking of which, I wish Salman’s cameo had been better written into the plot. It is disappointingly glib and lacking magic.

Holding the crunchy crisp saga of mistaken identities together is Varun. He is so perky and on-the-ball, this lm is bound to take his stardom many steps ahead. Without making a song and dance about it, he manages as an actor to connect both with the child within himself and the audience.

With two ladies more than willing to swoon over him, Varun has himself a whale of a time. While Tapsee Pannu brings a kind of sobriety even to the wackiest incidents, Jacqueline Fernandez’s giggly sexiness is becoming tiresome. A crash course in restraint is seriously recommended.

But everyone in the lm quickly cottons on to the impetuous mood of the presentation.

So do we, actually. Don’t think about why and how the two Varuns end up where they do. There is a remarkable absence of apology about the David Dhawan kind of lm. It exists for the sole purpose of providing mass entertainment. That Varun Dhawan proves to be such a chip off the old block is providential for David Dhawan. Subhash K. Jha

demoralise Newton. And, it is interesting to watch him become submissive every time he tries to get his way around.

Apart from the performances, the few things that stay with you after you leave the auditorium are the visuals and the background score. Swapnil S Sonawane’s cinematography captures the rustic set-up with ourish. Music by Naren Chandavarkar and Benedict Taylor adds a subtle undertone to the sombre note of the narrative.

Overall, this simple, slice-of-life tale is interesting, engaging and educative.

Troy Ribeiro

Who wants to be a Hindi cricket commentator?

Think you have what it takes to call a match like Harsha Bhogle or Bill Lawry?

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Indian Link Media Group will be broadcasting live cricket commentary selected matches for the upcoming KFC BBL, KFC WBBL & ODI, AdelaideAustralia vs England

We are looking for commentators who:

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Entries close 25 November 2017. T&Cs available at indianlink.com.au

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the BUZZ entertainment

UP-TO-DATE NEWS ON WHAT’S HOT AND HAPPENING IN BOLLYWOOD

THE TOM ALTER WE DIDN’T KNOW

He was the most different American India has ever seen. Actor Tom Alter, who passed away on 29 September, was an actor but also a cricket fan, teacher and a shayari exponent. He was 67 when he lost the battle against skin cancer.

Here are some facts about him you might not know:

* Born in 1950 in Mussourie, Tom Alter was the son of American missionary parents whose family moved to India from Ohio way back in 1916.

* As a child, Alter would be made to read the Bible in Urdu by his father, a priest. In later years, his love for the language inspired him to play such great Urdu literary gures as Ghalib, Sahir Ludhianvi and Bahadur Shah Zafar on stage.

* He was drawn to Bollywood after seeing Rajesh Khanna in Aradhana. Inspired by Khanna’s crazy stardom, he came to Mumbai to try his luck in acting. “I didn’t know who Rajesh Khanna was before Aradhana. But in just one week I saw that lm at least thrice,” Alter had said in an interview.

* He was also an avid cricket fan who did the rst ever TV interview of Sachin Tendulkar, and also gave commentary in a one-day match India played in

* He acted in Assamese, Gujarati, Kannada, Kumaoni, Marathi and Malayalam cinema.

* He was the only actor who appeared as two key gures spanning a momentous near-century of the country’s history - portraying both Bahadur Shah Zafar and Lord Mountbatten.

* He made his debut with Ramanand Sagar’s Charas (1976).

* He was also among the handful of actors who played both tyrant colonial of cers and gures from India’s freedom struggle. That’s right, he played Maulana Abul Kalam Azad and Mahatma Gandhi.

* His last TV show was Rishton Ka Chakravyuh, and on the big screen, he was last seen in Sargoshiyan. He also shot for a short lm The Black Cat, in which he plays acclaimed author Ruskin Bond.

* He also worked with late actor Peter O’Toole and Ben Kingsley.

* He was conferred the Padma Shri, India’s fourth highest civilian honour, in 2008.

ANUSHKA SHARMA: DESIGNER

From acting to producing lms, spunky girl Anushka Sharma has now turned designer. She launched her new entrepreneurial venture this month, a clothing line called, what else, “Nush”. “This is something I had been planning for the past one and a half years,” she revealed at the launch, adding with the honesty so typical of her, “I am excited but at the same time, I am extremely nervous.”

Anushka is well-known for her willingness to go out on a limb to get what she wants, whether it is modelling, acting, producing. She likes starting out with a clean slate. Perhaps that’s why her production rm is called Clean Slate Films.

“I’ve always done what I love. I love wearing good cloths, so I present my venture, something very special to me, my own clothing line,” she said.

Salman Khan, Hrithik Roshan and so many other celebrities now have their own fashion labels, that it is almost a rat race to announce your own line.

“I don’t see it is a rat-race as such; I think, the more the merrier!” the gutsy lady said. “It is a great thing that you have fashion available to you, like this. More brands, more designs, more styles, more choice and if I can enable and add value to that, I think that is a great thing.”

Well, if all else fails…

ASHA PAREKH: 75, NICE GIRL

Asha Parekh, who turned 75 on October 2 and doesn’t feel her age at all, is happy to share her birthday with Mahatma Gandhi.

But there is the downside too.

“Every birthday of mine is a dry day. So my friends never get to toast my health and wellbeing with a glass of wine...! Aah, never mind. I am happy to be alive, well, healthy and still not pushed into oblivion, as many of my colleagues are.”

Oblivion is far from Asha’s ambit of activity. In fact, 2017 has been a particularly eventful year for her.

“That’s right. My memoirs The Hit Girl came out. I was apprehensive that it may hurt some. But I was determined to tell the truth. Or else, no point in writing about your life.”

Asha boldly spoke about her relationship with lmmaker Nasir Hussain. Was there any negative impact on Nasir Saab’s family?

“None at all. I didn’t expect there would be. When I was so careful not to hurt his family during our relationship, why would I cause them any hurt now?

Nasir saab’s family has always been close to my heart. They all respect me. In fact, (Nasir Hussain’s nephew) Aamir (Khan) is always very respectful and affectionate.”

On the downside, the year saw her dream project, her hospital for the poor, shut down.

“My hospital will now be turned into a 5-star health facility. That means the facilities will no longer be available to the poor and the underprivileged. That’s why I ran this no-pro t hospital, for the poor. Alas, the dream has ended.”

Ever the optimist, though, Asha is thankful for what life has given her. “I am still around and healthy. I was called the ‘hit girl’ because of the success ratio of my lms. It was God’s blessings.”

“It’s sad to lose friends at my age, though. Watching them go one by one is a very scary experience. I just wish when I go, I go without pain. And that people will remember me as a nice girl.”

RANCHI DIARIES

Could you do the Ranchi accent? Well, here’s how actor Taaha Shah did it. You see, he plays a street food vendor in an upcoming lm called Ranchi Diaries, and spent a week there, watching the street banter and listening in closely, to get the dialect and mannerisms right.

As well, to nail the accent, he recorded his dialogues in director Sattwik Mohanty’s voice and heard them over a 100 times to get the accent right.

In his earlier lms like Luv Ka The End, Gippi and Baar Baar Dekho, Taaha played urban characters. “My new character Pinku is a small-town rugged boy,” he said. “I am happy to have experimented in this lm”.

The actor also revealed he got an amulet from a temple in Ranchi.

“I was at the shops one day and came across a boy who wore an amulet that caught my eye. He told me it was from a temple. I thought it would enhance Pinku’s look, so I went to the temple and got it,” he said.

The lm, produced by actor Anupam Kher, is set to release on 13 October.

ANUSHKA SHARMA

ANOTHER TOILET PREMKATHA

Filmmaker Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra says the inspiration for his upcoming directorial Mere Pyare Prime Minister comes from Mahatma Gandhi, who was a warrior on sanitation issues.

Mehra spoke recently about the lm and the issue of sanitation, which he has been helping to tackle since the last four years via his association with an NGO.

“When it comes to cinema, it is entertainment rst as that’s what brings the people in. Purpose has to be built into the cinema, along with the entertainment. My next lm Mere Pyare Prime Minister is inspired by Mahatma Gandhi. Shot in Mumbai, our set is called Gandhinagar.”  He added, “Few people know that Mahatma Gandhi was a warrior on sanitation issues.”

Mehra has been associated with Yuva Unstoppable NGO, which has been working towards building toilets in slum areas and municipal schools.

BIOPIC ON JHULAN GOSWAMI

Former Indian women’s cricket team captain Jhulan Goswami revealed recently that a biopic will be made on her life. The working title is Chakdah Express, in homage to her hometown Jhulan, 34, will be the rst female cricketer on whom a biopic will be

CAPTION CONTEST

made. A biopic on former men’s team captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni has been made while a docu-drama on batting maestro Sachin Tendulkar released earlier this year.

The biopic, to be made in Hindi, will be directed by Susanta Das.

“We have seen MS Dhoni and Sachin Tendulkar’s biopics. But this will be the rst biopic set in women’s cricket,” Das said. “The focus will be her journey, the odds she overcame since she was 10. Hope it will inspire and motivate millions of youngsters. It’s about chasing your dream.”

What we want to know is, who plays Jhulan?

SAIF DISCOVERS HIS INNER CHEF

Saif Ali Khan meanwhile, went to a vestar kitchen for his version of method acting.

Raja Krishna Menon, director of the upcoming lm Chef has dished out details on actor Saif Ali Khan’s newfound cooking skills.

“When we started, Saif was very worried about my expectations from him in terms of being able to chop and cook like a masterchef. During the training that started with the basics and went all the way to plating Michelin star dishes, Saif began to really enjoy cooking,” Menon said in a statement.

WHO

IT BETTER?

BIBHU MOHAPATRA

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From cutting and chopping vegetables and kneading dough to actually rustling up dishes like pastas and rotzzas (the main food item sold on the food truck in the lm), Saif has managed to do it all.

The actor trained for close to four hours everyday, over a period of a month, with Chef Himanshu and his team at the JW Marriott kitchen in Mumbai.

By the end of it, Saif was able to chop not 50 or 100 but 200 onions and garlics, every day.

“Cooking has now become a part of who he is today. Saif discovered his inner chef through this lm. I was quite content to see his transformation from someone who has never cooked to that of a professional chef,” said Menon.

The lm is slated to release on 6 October.

If all else fails, Saif….

KRITI SANON: ENGINEER

No, no, this is not a new role. It is her actual calling.

The beautiful Kriti holds a BTech degree in Electronics and Communication Engineering. She was preparing for higher studies in the US when the lm offers began to pour in. She had already been modelling while at university.

“Yes, I got a pretty good score on my GMAT,” Kriti revealed, much to our surprise.

Well, if all else fails…

WHAT TWEETY BIRD TOLD US THIS WEEK

Match the following tweets to the celebs that made them.

Parineeti Chopra Priyanka Chopra, Twinkle Khanna

As two chubby nerds in bursting uniforms in Panchgani @karanjohar & I couldn’t have imagined being on the cover of Vogue together someday

Hearing about the shooting in Las Vegas is devastating. When will this stop? Violence isnt the answer. Condolences to the grieving and hurt What a memorable time in the spiritual heart of @Australia. Thank you #Uluru @AusOutbackNT

Can you guess what KANGANA IS trying to say to her B-town, er, friends?

Send in your responses to media@indianlink.com.au and WIN A TICKET to a new Hindi lm

LAST ISSUE CAPTION CONTEST WINNING ENTRY

What’s the chitchat between JUDI DENCH and ALI FAZAL here?

JUDI: Ali, maybe we should tell the world that we really are the reincarnations of Victoria and Abdul.

MEERA S ASHFIELD NSW

Meera wins a ticket to Simran

SAIF ALI KHAN

KRITI SANON

ASHA PAREKH

ASK AUNTYJI

Pre-marital counselling

DEAR AUNTYJI

I met a wonderful man 18 months ago and we are getting married shortly. Now Auntyji, I am surrounded by divorced people: two of my ve cousins are divorced; two of my uncles have separated from their wives; three of my best friends are in the process of divorcing. I am desperate for this not to happen to us. I have done a lot of self-assessment and so am conscious of my behaviour and what triggers me. I am determined to always treat my husband with respect. I will always show him affection and will be grateful for what he does. I will compliment him and be nice to his friends and family. I will not be quick to anger, and will always try to see his point of view, before I put mine forward. I will communicate with him in a productive manner so that we can resolve our arguments - when we have them. I will aim to give him my best self, and I’ll seek his support to ensure I remain a kind, loving and respectful wife. Is there anything else I should know? What sage counsel can you offer me? I will most de nitely invite you to the wedding!

AUNTYJI SAYS

Well, my dearest gulab jamun, I am so proud of you! You sound like such a cultured, level-headed young lady. How I wish your peers could learn from you. You have such a sensible head on your

shoulders that you couldn’t possibly go wrong. You have highlighted all the things that a loving, kind spouse does. If you have spent time analysing your behaviours and your thought patterns, then you can’t go wrong. If you continue to do this throughout your marriage, you will be sure to stay married. If I were to be so bold as to offer a suggestion to someone who already is a guru in this, it would be this. At the end of each day, ensure that there are at least three or four things that are left unsaid. The things that we don’t say are sometimes even more important than those things that spring forth from our muh. There will be many moments when you get angry or resentful. You will want to say things - which ultimately, a self-aware person like you will regret. So if you ensure you have the discipline to hold back on some things, and leave them unsaid, then you are way, way ahead in your quest. Keep in mind that we don’t want you to keep those things unsaid and have them simmer under the surface. We want you to control your zubaanwhich is like toothpaste, once it leaves the tube you can’t put it back in. So, with this key strategy in mind, many blessings for your married life. Will there be rasgullahs at your wedding? I have a particular fondness for these!

DEAR AUNTYJI

Oh my goodness! Have you seen all the tamasha about the Meat and Livestock Australia advertisement about lamband about our dear Lord Ganesha being portrayed as a meat eater? Auntyji, how outrageous! I have written to the MLA protesting this advertisement in the most vocal terms, because I believe the lamb ad is in poor taste and depicts Ganesha incorrectly. I am deeply offended. This is such a cheap gimmick and I don’t know what the ignorant and insensitive creatives were thinking. How could they come up with something so inaccurate, and did you see, even the Indian government has voiced its displeasure. As Hindus we should all stand united. We should all voice our disgust. What do you think, Auntyji, where do you stand on this important issue?

AUNTYJI SAYS

Arre you people! I felt VERY confronted when I saw my favourite bhagwan Ganesha so portrayed in the ad. Selling a meat product? Ram, ram! What an insult to my Indian-ness in this land far away from my Hindustan. I almost tweeted-sheeted my anger, but then I held back for a moment and decided to think. So I got off my twitterbox and put my facebook back on the bookshelf, made myself a cup of garam chai and calmed down. Ganesha came into my thoughts

and helped.  The key question to ask ourselves here is, what would Lord Ganesha say about all this? I think he would be delighted that he got to make the Australians aware of the pantheon of gods he represents – the representation of our gods has been a long time coming. Second, Ganesha would say, he has so many obstacles to overcome in the world that he would not care about a meaningless little ad on Australian TV, in fact he would totally ignore it. Perhaps, you my dear little lamb chop, you need to go and nd yourself a more meaningful issue over which to vent your spleen. Like Pawan bhai wrote in his editorial, how about we direct our passion and energies on more relevant issues like domestic violence or mental illness. The Ganesha I pray to, will not like this constant whinging and need to be outraged; he is too large-hearted a god to be affronted by some ignorant ad maker who does not appreciate the depth of what Ganesha stands for. If my bhagwan was here, he would have said, “Get over it. And get over yourselves. Don’t be as boring and as bland as an overcooked seekh kebab. Let’s go and do some real good and help those who need real help.” And as for the Indian government, seriously, they really do need to focus on more important and pressing domestic issues.

The need to be more culturally sensitive

TAROT foretell

Lights twinkle in an October that is especially devoted to festivity, food and family. Diwali sheen magically rejuvenates homes, people and relationships as though in resonance with the freshness of Nature; the unfolding of many-hued owers in Australia’s magni cent Spring serenade. May the festival of lights brighten and bring peace.

ARIES March 21 - April 19

Your faith in yourself is unshakeable, Aries, as it ought to be with Mars in your driver’s seat! The High Priestess asks you to look for that which might not be clearly visible - a secret you must unfold. Might that be your lyrical side? The Page of Cups urges you towards poetry, music and all things artistic as you are invited to balance intelligence with empathy. A visit to an art museum with young members of your family proves exciting!

LEO

July 21 - Aug 22

The Star with the Ace of Wands places you where the action is! Your imagination and inventive power propel you to make a foray into fresh avenues of business activity. Luck from above graces your intelligence and vivacious optimism, leading you to success. Like a benevolent ruler, you are mindful of those around you and your concern for others makes you well-loved. You’re a magnet for miracles, Leo! As you take a bow, keep the stardust on those regal shoulders!

SAGITTARIUS

Nov 22 - Dec 21

TAURUS

April 20 - May 20

Sunshine, you’re a blessing to be around this month! Lifting spirits, spreading cheer, lending a helping hand and a listening ear - you place others at the centre of your life’s sphere and you get back so much more. Love and harmony light up your family life! It’s a vibrant time and even though the Knight of Discs niggles at your purse strings a wee bit, you take that in your stride for you know together-times are eeting and most precious.

VIRGO

Aug 23 - Sep 22

The Fates smile on you this month, Virgo, as the Nine of Cups grants you a wish ful llment. Whether your wish is related to family, home, career or recovery from illness - a long-held goal will be brought to full fruition. Hold your success in your heart, though, for all may not be as a rst glance may reveal. A toss up may reveal fair-weather friends that you need to tuck away. Rely on your instinct and savour time with soulmates.

CAPRICORN

Dec 22 - Jan 19

Oh, Sagittarius, you’ve been dreaming a solitary dream of nding your own way. You’re innocent of worldly ways just like The Fool is, but is it deliberate? You feel you need this time to go within and explore; to discover where you view yourself a few years from now and then work out ways to get there. Rebuilding is always good with a dash of Sagittarian optimism. The Ace of Swords beckons you to go in the direction of your dreams.

GEMINI

May 21 - June 20

Mercurial wings lift you to great heights in the areas of communication, especially if writing and public speaking are your forté, Gemini. You may be invited to address a gathering to inspire young minds and you’ll be in your element. The Tower cautions you to do a bit of ground work as you may need a couple of aces up your sleeve. Certainly, with your charm and a bit of humour thrown in, you’ll own the mic and the day!

LIBRA

Sep 23 - Oct 22

Noble Libra, you balance your work and ideals for the greater good. You will be successful in realising your goals if you act after deliberation and weighing of the pros and cons. This may keep a few people around you guessing but so be it! The Magician card ensures you will not be swayed by lower energies. The Three of Cups brings you love and understanding. When you see love shining in your partner’s eyes, you’ll feel you’ve come home.

AQUARIUS

Jan 20 - Feb 18

Going somewhere, Capricorn? Your bags are packed and you’re on the ready says The Chariot! You’re enchanted by a mind-body-yoga kind of tour to a national park or remote spot that is appealing to you at several levels. Perhaps you feel a calling to conduct a session where the spirit is refreshed. The Page of Wands is de nitely outdoors and sporty and loves to learn. Happy times with young people around a camp re are de nitely your thing in October. Enjoy!

CANCER

June 21 - July 20

Emotions rule you and yet, in the mire of the daily toil, you crabs are the least likely to spend time with yourselves. With the Judgement card encouraging you to admit your own feelings to yourself, this is a priority now. Cancer, you must be gentle with yourself as you feel your thoughts. The Queen of Cups encourages you to open up to the possibilities there are for relationships and at work - for they hold a lot of promise!

SCORPIO

Oct 23 - Nov 21

The card of The World assures you of success! It lies just ahead. All the prework towards a presentation and the burnt oil of maddening midnights are about to bring you your heart’s desire. If you feel you’re losing steam, take power naps, recoup and get back in there! The Two of Swords will neither let you give up nor give in to suggestions that are not at par with your ideas. Stay as you are, Scorpio - top notch you!

PISCES

Feb 19 - March 20

You’ve been in a charmed space of late, Aquarius, which may have spoilt you for choice, says The Lovers card. Perhaps you need to connect with the real world. Art and aesthetics play a strong role in your life and you tend to gravitate towards the futuristic. The Two of Cups leads you on the persevering path so you come into contact with people who value your labour of love, be it prose, poetry or painting. Go for it, Aquarius!

You may welcome The Alchemist into your life as you work on small changes in your lifestyle - be it your diet or health routine or work hours. You will discover a new energy within yourself once you implement these changes. And it’s catching! Those around you will feel this, too. The Four of Cups brings you an enhanced experience of satisfaction at both the home and workplace. There will be memorable fun times that will exhilarate your gentle Piscean spirit!