WHAT’S ON

FESTIVAL

Vaisakhi Mela

Sun 15 April (12:30pm - 9.00pm)

Hertha Reserve Stirling, 21 Cedric Street, Stirling (Opposite Stirling Train Station). Details 0424 959 494

ENTERTAINMENT

Panchamda Tribute

Sat 14 April ‘An Eternal Passion’: A tribute to Panchamda. Details Sundeep 0431 527 606

Stand-Up Comedy

Sun 15 April Zakir Khan (5.00pm onwards) Churchlands Concert Hall, 20 Lucca Street, Churchlands Details Keyur 0412 660 331

Indian music at Fairbridge

Sat 21 April (6.30pm onwards)

IndianEye’s NSG Sishyakulam performs at the Festival of Inspired Music Fairbridge. Details Yaso 0419 951 378

Classical vocal Sun 22 April (4.00pm onwards)

IndianEye presents an Indian classical vocal concert by Sri Neyveli the colonial period and how the East India Company filled Britain’s coffers by impoverishing India, and the nationalist movement that drove them out. The need for a new identity for a newly independent nation and the debatable notion of caste is also succinctly handled.

Hope again resurfaces in the chapter, Making India Work, with Jawaharlal Nehru’s speech on the eve of Independence on 14 August 1947 - “A new hope comes into being, a vision long cherished materialises.”

Post-independence, reimagining and rethinking India was the main agenda for those at the helm. Jeffrey notes three major changes between 1989 and 1992. The first one relates to that of caste, where leaders from backward groups and classes became more active in politics. At the same time, another major change took shape in the form of Hindu nationalism with the formation of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in 1977. The third major shift in the early 1990s was economic reforms that paved the way for substantial liberalisation through private sector participation, increased foreign direct investment and freeing capitalists from unhelpful bureaucracy and regulations. While the reforms reduced poverty, they deepened urban-rural and gender divides and aided religion and caste-based inequalities.

However, hope survived.

And strengthened itself through social revolutions that made a place in people’s conscience through the reach of technology and education, and the notions of citizenship and civil society. These have also played a big part in encouraging aspirations and cultural expression.

Apart from hope, Jeffrey also points out the country’s inherent conflicts and contradictions in its social and cultural fabric. It is perhaps difficult to qualify India under one single epithet, given her many contradictions. The wonder, however, is in the fact that she continues to thrive in her contradictions.

COMPILED BY PUNEET ANAND

Santhanagopalan. Venue: Chapel, All Saints College, Ewing Ave, Bull Creek, WA. Details Yaso 0419 951 378

SPIRITUAL

Kriya Yoga

Fri 20 April Australian Kriya Yoga Association presents a public talk by Paramahamsa Prajnanananda. Details www.kriya.org.au

19-21 April Sundarkaand Paath by HH Shree Ashwin Kumar Pathakji. Congregations at Spearwood, Bentley and Dianella. Details Kalpesh Vyasa 0401 103 565

SPORT

Kabaddi

Sun 6 May Perth Kabaddi Club presents Perth Kabaddi Cup. Details 0497 411 111

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