2019-04 Sydney (2)

PUBLISHER

Pawan Luthra

EDITOR

Rajni Anand Luthra

DEPUTY EDITOR

Sneha Khale

MELBOURNE COORDINATOR

Preeti Jabbal

CONTRIBUTORS

The looming crises in the property market

BY PAWAN LUTHRA

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Charuta Joshi 02 9279 2004

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Property is considered to be a long-term investment. A general consensus is that given time, in any structured growth investment, one comes out on the positive side of the ledger.

The Australian property market enjoyed an unprecedented boom between 2012 and 2017, when prices soared by over 72% in Sydney and 56% in Melbourne. This growth, however, was not evenly spread, with states in the eastern seaboard experiencing the best returns, whereas Western Australia and Queensland property values actually went the other way.

For new migrants coming to Australia in the last five-six years, prior to 2017, property boom was the order of the day. Upon migration, which has its own set of anxieties, there was also the added pressure to get into the

property market, or risk missing out on ever owning a property in Australia, especially in Sydney and Melbourne. The media didn’t help either, with screaming headlines of sales far above reserve prices. When financial decisions are made with emotion and under peer pressure, rather than with seasoned and rational thought, it can bring on disaster.

Those who are most exposed to the falling property market are those who bought off the plan and are expecting a settlement in the next couple of years. Buying off the plan is a strategy akin to a double-edged sword. In a rising market, locking in a future price works well; but if the market has fallen, it can lead to a financial disaster.

Buying off the plan means putting a small, agreed deposit to purchase a property at a future time at a predetermined value. Builders like this strategy, as it secures a sale; for astute buyers, they can plan their cash flow around what they expect to buy in the future. The only variable is the bank who will review their lending based on the property value at the time of settlement.

Shane Oliver, a respected economist, has predicted a 25% drop in the property values from the peak of 2017. He says this will wind the clock back to the levels of 2014-15 property prices. He has also cited research that the Labor Party’s proposed changes to negative gearing can further depress property prices by another 9% in Sydney.

For those who have bought off the plan in the last year, the problem with lower valuations is that at the time of settlement, the lending banks may reconsider their earlier commitment and only agree to fund their lending based on the lower property value. This could put pressure on the new buyer to either front up with an additional lump sum or potentially sell the property at a substantial loss. Neither option is particularly palatable.

For cashed-up buyers, this vulnerability of the off-the-plan buyer and their exposure creates good opportunities to buy quality long-term assets at depressed prices. Like in life, there are always winners and losers in any transaction.

Darshak Mehta, Salma Shah, Usha Ramanujam Arvind, Jyoti Shankar, Mohan Dhall, Petra O’Neill, Dhanya Samuel, Auntyji

YOUR SAY

WHEN ELDERLY PARENTS VISIT

HARSHAD PANDHARIPANDE presented a well-researched article about FAQs if you have your parents visiting from India, with workable solutions for visa issues, health insurance, travel and social needs.

Krishna Kumar wrote: I am a retired Chief Engineer from Ministry of Power, Government of India. I have relocated to Melbourne to live with my children. I am involved in many social group activities and am president of a multicultural senior citizens’ association in the western suburbs of Melbourne. The article “20 things you need to know” by Harshad Pandharipande has wonderful information for parents visiting from India. Hats off to the writers for answering Q. No. 19 about the social needs of your elderly parents. Social isolation is a significant problem for seniors on this foreign land. Please convey my best wishes to Harshad for such good coverage.

Sarita Khanna Juneja wrote: Good article. I wish you had also written about the starting point of the whole process in having the parents visit, ie, the procedure of applying for the tourist visa. When I did this for my own parents, I had no clue about supplying details on bank accounts and tax papers etc. It was also interesting to read your expert’s view in the question about asking people if they are on the same flight to look out for your parents. I see this a lot on social media platforms, and have often wondered whether it is safe or advisable. But it always appears as though people are willing to help, so it must work, even though I would feel hesitant to put such a message out. I was glad the expert view was that we should avoid doing this.

SAY IT AGAIN

ON HINDU COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIA’S JAWAN CENOTAPH

A letter written by historians Len Kenna and Crystal Jordan to Mr. Prakash Mehta, President, Hindu Council of Australia on 2 April 2019, and shared with Indian Link.

Dear Mr. Prakash Mehta,

We have come to know that your organisation is holding a service for Anzac Day on the 13 April 2019 at the Jawan Cenotaph at Greenway Oval Cherrybrook at 1 pm, honouring Indian Anzac Servicemen.

1. This service is highly disrespectful verging on sacrilegious because the names included on the Cenotaph are incorrect and the list only includes Sikhs and Hindus, not Muslims, Anglo-Saxons or other people of Indian Origin who were Anzacs who served in the Australian Imperial Force and fought for Australia.

2. This Cenotaph is discriminatory and unnecessarily political due to the religious nature andidentity of the platform (Hindu Council of Australia) and exclusion of some deserving members of Indian Anzacs for the Cenotaph and commemoration, thus causing much friction and division within the Indian Community in Australia and the Worldwide Diaspora.

3. “For those who made the ultimate sacrifice” what does this mean? In our research to date: Four Anzacs of Indian Origin died in Belgium in WWI the others survived and returned to Australia.

4. These soldiers were of Indian sub-continental backgrounds, representing various faiths and a significant numbers were from the Sikh, Muslim and Christian religions. It appears jarring and inappropriate to use a faith-based platform i.e. Hindu Council of Australia to be the platform for the Cenotaph and Ceremony. We believe quite strongly that Hindu Council of Australia is not an appropriate or acceptable platform for such work.

We urge you and others, especially Mr. Julian Leeser MP, Minister Matt Kean, The Hon Philip Ruddock, Mayor of Hornsby Shire, RSL Club, Department of Veteran Affairs and Government of India officials to look into this matter and take a remedial action in this matter as a matter of priority.

Yours Sincerely

Historians Len Kenna and Crystal Jordan

(We have been researching and publishing history of Indians in Australia since 1985).

WHERE IN INDIA

This turned out to be a tough one: we asked you to identify this large freshwater lake with floating islands called “phumdis”.

Reader Charmi Kapadia Shah identified this spot correctly as located in Manipur state: Loktak Lake.

I wasn’t expecting to react as strongly as I did when I visited Jallianwala Bagh.... I certainly wasn’t expecting to cry.

Justin Rowlatt Great-grandson of Sidyney Rowlatt. The protest at Jallianwala Bagh was against the Rowlatt Act, named after him.

Shortly after I moved to Australia someone commented on how good my English was.

A) I'd moved here from NZ, b) my grandma was an English teacher, and c) English is widely spoken in India, where my parents are from. Assumptions make people look stupid.

Shalailah Medhora Political reporter, ABC

ACCEPTING OUR DIFFERENCES, ACCEPTING OURSELVES

CARL BUHARIWALA interviewed Khayshie Tilak Ramesh, the Victorian Multicultural Commission's new Youth Commissioner. Bendigo Community Health Services wrote: Congratulations. Such a wonderful acknowledgement of the work and effort you put into community.

Ming Go wrote: Good message, be who you ARE!

Sylvester Swampillei wrote: Great work Khay

Reine Pannell wrote: You. Are. Awesome.

CAPTION CONTEST

What’s the chitchat here between Lilly Singh and Ranveer Singh?

Suman Arora wrote: Ranveer: Meri shadi ho gayee. Lilly: I can tell by your clothes.

Vandana D'souza wrote: Ranveer: Should we pretend we’re in Bohemian Rhapsody or in Star Wars? Lilly: Whatever! Just “gay” for it!

Charmi Kapadia Shah wrote: Well, we know that 'Singh is King'!

Raghu Rules wrote: Stop being silly; by the way, I’m Lilly. Rishi Singh wrote: Lilly: I need to dress down with you around, Ranveer.

Indy Saggu wrote: Who's keeping whom relevant?

Rachna Gupta wrote: You sure are blinded by my pouty looks! Saba Nabi wrote: Who’s the show stopper here? Of course it’s me again!

WHO WORE IT BETTER?

ALIA BHATT OR ALESSANDRA AMBROSIO IN ROBERTO CAVALLI?

FOR PULWAMA

RAJNI ANAND LUTHRA wrote about students from The University of Queensland Indian Student Club who raised nearly 120,000 INR for the families affected by the Pulwama terrorist attacks.

Lovely Khabra wrote: Well done Sahil, good gesture. Keep it up.

Paviter Kumar Noori wrote: Great work, guys!

Atiya Gazali wrote: Great job. Now make sure it goes to the Pulwama martyrs’ families not the middleman.

Ulhas Bhovar wrote: God bless you kids!

Seema Sreekumar wrote: Shaabaash UQISC. Proud of you, my son Sid and all the hard working committee members of UQISC. Keep up your good work.

Saphira Toor wrote: Good on you guys!

Vinaya Rai wrote: Well done Sid Sree and everyone else!

The third and most substantial #AUSINDEX to date - great to see this significant Indian Ocean exercise going from strength to strength.

Ray Griggs Australian Navy ex-chief on bilateral maritime exercise

Alia Bhatt

65%

Alessandra Ambrosio 35%

Rajagopalan S wrote: Interesting how your readers always pick the Indian personality as better…

I've run from the North Pole to the South Pole; I've run Lebanon, Jordan, Palestine, across Australia, across the US, China, you name it. But I don't know why I bothered going to all those places when I could have just gone to India and experienced everything in one year. India is everything rolled up into one.

Pat Farmer ultra marathon runner at the recent Tourism India Roadshow in Sydney

BY PAWAN LUTHRA

AFederal election survey conducted by Indian Link has shown that the two leading parties are neck and neck as far as Indian-origin voters are concerned - but there’s a surprise find, an unprecedented rise in support for a third force.

It’s still a while to go before the Federal elections of 18 May and both major parties are still in first gear. Yet, both have been pretty upfront about their policies. The Coalition has gone hard on their economic credentials, the Labor Party is emphasising its health platform, especially the benefits to cancer sufferers and their families.

Both parties also come in with their shroud of worries. The Liberal party has had a rapid change of leaders, more in the party room rather than at the polling booths - Tony Abbot, Malcolm Turnbull and then Scott Morrison. The Coalition’s hard right seems to have an extraordinary hold on the policies of the party – climate change, energy management, immigration policy etc. The Labor party goes into this election with a swathe of new taxes or removal of tax benefits, such as abolishing the benefits of negative gearing for future investment properties, halving the capital gains tax concessions, cancelling the franking credits to select pensioners and other tax tightening policies.

It’s early days yet and one is sure as the campaigns roll out, there will be more incentives doled out from both platforms. The political messaging will be tightly controlled and the race to the finish on 18 May could get frantic and mistakes can be made (Remember Labor’s- or rather its leader Michael Daley’s - brutal last week at the recent NSW elections?).

So, what do Indian Australians make of it all?

At this stage, it seems that the community is equally disillusioned with both major parties - and this is where the surprise find is - support for a third force, the Greens, is up like never before.

Yet, the economic management of the economy and employment issues is appealing to the Indian Australian voters and bucking the national polling trend gives the elections by the narrowest of margins to the Coalition.

Indian Link’s election survey, undertaken online and face to face at select Indian spice outlets in Sydney on the weekend of 13-14 April, gathered data on voting intentions from 632 respondents. 85% of those surveyed were from NSW, and 5% each from Victoria, South Australia and Western

Neck and neck

What the Indian Link election poll reveals about community voting intentions

Australia. The genders were skewed with more males (56.5%) than females (42.6%), while a small proportion chose not to disclose.

There was a healthy mix of new migrants and those who have been here for a while.

30% of our respondents reported they have been in Australia for less than 5 years; 38% of the respondents between 5 and 20 years, and 28% over 20 years.

ALP VS COALITION

The Coalition snuck in by a whisker with 38.2% of the respondents favouring them over Labor (37.9%).

The surprise factor were the Greens, who claimed 20.3% of the vote.

Nearly four per cent indicated support for other or independent candidates.

“Do not want Labor or Liberal or Greens; need an Independent who fights for the benefit of the constituency not the pockets of political parties,” was a comment heard in the face-to-face interviews.

The Green vote, which is usually preferenced to the Labor Party, could well

give Bill Shorten the keys to the Lodge.

Traditionally, the Indian community vote has favoured the Labor Party, which is perhaps more in tune with the Indian cultural ethos favouring health and education. As the community has matured from the working class migrant group to those establishing, growing or being involved in small businesses, we’ve seen the emergence of a shift away from Labor towards the Coalition (as indicated by previous Indian Link polls). This has been enhanced by the new migrant voters surveyed this time round, who have given economic management a higher rating than health issues, perhaps tilting the pendulum slightly towards the Liberal party.

It is interesting to see the increasing support for the Greens (20%), numbers never seen before in previous Indian Link polls of state or federal elections.

Environment issues are beginning to matter, as climate change concerns come closer to our lives in terms of extreme weather for instance, and as passions increase for the protection of our natural sites such as the

Barrier Reef.

When many South Asian-origin Australians first arrive here, they admit to being amazed that the Greens are a strong political platform in this country rather than a social-environmental movement. In recent years though, they have begun to understand the need for why such a movement might need political clout, especially with climate change, and with the urgency with which we need to adopt more sustainable life practices. The Greens’ rhetoric for compassion towards asylum seekers, their call for greater diversity, as well as their calling out of the far right voices in Australian society have no doubt touched a chord. The emergence on the scene of firebrand South Asian origin politician Mehreen Faruqi may perhaps have played a role too.

SCOTT MORRISON VS BILL SHORTEN

Again, bucking the national trend, from a leadership point of view, Bill Shorten is clearly favoured ahead of Scott Morrison.

Though it is early days in the election, the stability at the top of the ALP has ensured that Bill Shorten has been visible to the Indian Australian community: Bill has been seen at various Indian functions over the last three years. PM Morrison’s leadership started only eight months ago in August 2018, and though he has attended a few community functions, he has not had extended interactions with the community.

Larger numbers within the Indian Australian community seem to have higher faith in Bill Shorten. One respondent said, “At least I believe, if Bill Shorten is elected, he will be around for a while. On the other hand, have no idea of what bloodletting will be done in the Coalition, even if Mr. Morrison becomes Prime Minister again.”

Of course this observation is factually incorrect, and perhaps the Coalition must take more pains to point out that they have new safeguards in place now, about rotating leadership.

Others however have expressed their concern at Bill Shorten being beholden to the Union movement. “What will be good for business within the Indian community is for Bill Shorten to work more constructively with them, rather than being the front man for the Union movement,” another respondent said.

The survey also revealed that the Indian Australian community, in large, is not concerned about the backroom shenanigans in the Coalition. In our 2016 election survey too, it had emerged that the change from Tony Abbott to Malcolm Turnbull in 2014 as leader of the Liberal Party and subsequent

party do you think better formulated immigration policy?

Prime Minister of the country had no impact on voting intentions of the Indian Australian community. More than 51% had said then that the changeover had no influence on their voting decision.

This is also reflected in the current survey where 46% of those surveyed said the change in leadership in Coalition did not affect their choice. Perhaps, hailing from an Indian background where there is an expectation of political manoeuvrings as par for course, changes within the party do not amount to much: the understanding is that there will be continuity at the policy level.

Likewise, the tax changes proposed by the Opposition also has made little impact, with 45% saying that these tax changes had not influenced their decisions.

COMMUNITY CONCERNS

The long-held view within the community has been that the Labor Party will address community concerns better. This was borne out at the 2016 survey as well (Labor’s 53% to Liberals 40%). But this year, the Liberals seem to have closed the gap - 44.1% as opposed to Labor’s 45.3%. The Liberals have made admirable ground here as they increasingly reach out to the community. Ten per cent were clearly impressed by the Greens, who have done well at the expense of the Labor Party.

The cuts to immigration by the Liberal party has not resonated well with the community with 52.4% expressing more confidence in the Labor party immigration policies, as compared to 47.6% by the Coalition. One example is the issue of long-

Which Party would be better for the Indian-Australian community?

stay visas for parents: though the Liberals are pushing this now, it seems the sponsors must have a substantial joint family income of over $80,000. “That is a lot of money,” said one respondent, “especially if we are buying them health insurance, why should this level of earnings be required?”

INDIA-OZ MATTERS

As to which party will forge better relations with India, Liberals have surged ahead at 52% as compared to ALP’s 48% (At the past Federal elections, these numbers were the other way around, with a Labor getting 48% of the votes and Liberals 46%). Prime Minister Modi’s trip down under, and his friendly vibes with the then Prime Minister Tony Abbott were fondly recalled by more than a few respondents.

With the White Paper of an Indian Economic Strategy 2035 on the table, it is widely believed that the potential is there for enhanced engagement. Whichever party comes to power now, will need to step up efforts to take this relationship forward. “After the Indian elections are done in May, and with the new Australian government in place, it will be a good time for the newly elected leaders to start afresh,” one respondent said.

TALKING POINTS THIS ELECTION

The election themes of both the parties have resonated well with Indian-Australian voters but the Australian economy and employment edge out education and healthcare as issues that concern most.

Which Party do you think will forge better relations between India and Australia?

Which Party do you think will offer better immigration policies?

Indian voters are aspirational migrants wanting to succeed in their new country and feel that a strong economy and strong employment will allow them better opportunities. While health is important to them, being a younger migrant community, it has only come in at third position in terms of issues concerning the voters.

Surprisingly, environment came up as important and is ranked above education: the Greens with their pro-environment policies are certainly making themselves heard in the Indian community.

But in the end, it all comes down to the hip pocket again, just as our previous surveys have shown. It’s the economy – for sure.

To recap, support for both major parties is on an even keel, perhaps closer in numbers within the Indian Australian community than what is being seen in the mainstream polling. The Coalition needs to reach out to the community more strongly, as their key message of strong economy and jobs is an accepted mantra for the community - they need to build on this message, or the threat to this which might come with a change in government.

The Labor Party has been making strong overtures and Bill Shorten seems to have an edge over Scott Morrison, again in contrast to the mainstream polling. The Greens and the independents are increasingly attracting the Indian Australian vote.

There’s still some time to go before 18 May but on early count, it would seem that the Labor-Green link is currently holding sway in the Indian Australian voting psyche.

Rank the following issues of concern that have influenced your decision, in order of importance (e.g. if 'Health' is the most important issue for you, rate it as 1).

At this stage, it seems that the community is equally disillusioned with both major parties, andthis is where the surprise find is - support for a third force, the Greens, is up like never before.

Stop this China obsession, India is more your cup of chai

On the Australia-China versus the Australia-India equation

them any respect, or influences/reforms China’s continuing bad behaviour?

BY DARSHAK MEHTA

$44 million to appease China? Or to reward China for political interference in our democracy?

It was with a mixture of interest and horror that I deduced the above from a front page story in The Sydney Morning Herald on the 30 March, titled New ambassador and $44m plan to mend fences with Beijing.

meet the Dalai Lama - a man of peace - so scared are they of Chinese hectoring, and yet China stands up in the United Nations Security Council and shamelessly frustrates or vetoes all attempts to have Masood

Azhar of Pakistan, declared a terrorist. Australia prefers to merely stand by quietly and count its dollars. Do Australian governments seriously

On the other hand, one of China’s neighbours - India - with whom Australia shares a highly amicable relationship, democratic values, a commonality of law and language and whose fast(est) growing diaspora it hosts, gets little reward for good behaviour.

The Australia-India Council is perennially under-resourced. The bilateral relationship is nurtured largely with lip service such as ‘Curry, Cricket and Commonwealth’ or some such trite or inane words, usually on Try finding $44 million dollars extra to throw at a ‘good problem’ like India and see where it gets us, Minister Payne.

This writer discussed the above with one of the Australian-Indian community’s outstanding thought leaders, Neville Roach AO. He opined that “putting Darwin port under Chinese management was one of our most breath-taking examples of

We are aware of most of China’s international transgressions such as: n Arbitrarily locking up Australian citizens (usually of Chinese descent) on confected charges and without a fair trial. n Border disputes with most of their neighbours.

n T I B E T.

n Spying and cyber-attacks.

n Reclamation and illegal appropriation of islands in the South China Sea, weaponising them and denying international right to free passage. There are tens more, but I am sure our esteemed Foreign Minister and intelligence services know much more than you and I. However, Australian Governments of both persuasions act like Jesus Christ and “forgive them their trespasses” simply for one reason and one reason only – the commercial imperative: the mighty dollar (or, yuan).

Our trade relationship trumps our distaste at their various sins of commission and we prefer to turn an unprincipled, blind eye to China’s most egregious actions, including interfering in our democracy. Most Australian Ministers refuse to even

Roach has long been unhappy about Australia’s slavish relationship with the US, which he feels has dominated our foreign policy and led us into the disastrous wars in Vietnam, Afghanistan and Iraq. He has also long been critical of the seriously neglected relationship with India by both the Australian Government and Australian businessespecially the big end of town - and can't see a change of heart any time soon, by either.

“Mind you, India is not the only country of significant importance to Australia that we neglect and take for granted. Our relationship with Japan and Indonesia is of benign neglect, too,” says Roach.

“Australia needs to adopt a policy of non-alignment - the only policy that makes sense for a country that wants to deal independently with all nations in its own self-interest. We could learn a lot from Canada and New Zealand,” he concludes.

With a change of Federal Governmentimminent, it is to be hoped that the extremely capable, putative Foreign Minister Senator Penny Wong, will radically reset the relationship with India.

It is high time that the lip service we get from both major political parties of Australia re India is matched with foresight, hard dollars and real action.

Even good guys get tired of watching bad behaviour being continually rewarded.

With a change of Federal Government imminent, it is to be hoped that the extremely capable, putative Foreign Minister Senator Penny Wong, will radically reset the relationship with India.

Try finding $44 million dollars extra to throw at a ‘good problem’ like India and see where it gets us, Minister Payne.

Fashion statement, Gandhi style

Fashion journalist Bandana Tewari makes a study of Gandhi’s sartorial choices. SALMA SHAH reports

As part of Fashion Hub 2019 presented by Sydney’s Sherman Centre for Culture and Studies, Bandana Tewari - a fashion journalist and formerly the editorat-large of Vogue India - presented a talk on ‘Politics and Fashion’. Her focus of interest - Gandhi's sartorial choices and their impact on the politics of the time. Standing against a colonial power that demonstrated might through regalia, pomp and ceremony, Ms Tewari highlighted that Gandhi consciously chose to demonstrate the more benevolent values of sarvodaya (the greater good) and aparigraha (detachment) through his clothing. The khadi loincloth worn by Gandhi was juxtaposed against the finery on display by colonial rulers.

And in choosing this attire, he represented a sharp contrast to the standards of the empire - which sought to evoke an unchallenged belief in the authority of its rule. Gandhi, in comparison, favouring less superficial values, used his clothing to compel the junta and foreigners alike to think more curiously about fundamental values including freedom, equality and selfdetermination.

That he used his choice of clothing, his body and his whole life as a statement of principle and virtue is self-evident. What is not so evident on a surface level are the echoes of his teachings that apply today.

Ms Tewari drew insights from Gandhian principles and provided guidance for fashion consumers today. She put forward that as consumers, we have a duty to ensure that our choices are wellinformed, considered and not divorced from the economic realities of their manufacture.

Gandhi's belief in environmental sustainability - that we should leave nothing but our footprints on this earth - and in espousing a nonmaterialistic view of the world is at odds with our modern consumer society. The question is, how does one reconcile these two opposing forces?

Ms Tewari suggested, “Being a self-aware consumer and making responsible choices that consider the principles of aparigraha is a positive start.” (Aparigraha is the notion of limiting our possessions to

only that which serves our needs). She also affirmed that there needs to be a balance between choicesbetween doing what's convenient while acknowledging one's values. A practical example she offered was guidance that it's perfectly reasonable to have sartorial options - someone can still be an Indian and wear western clothes while acknowledging the history and art of ethnic wear for formal occasions like weddings.

And what of grass roots movements for more sustainable practices in production? Ms Tewari offered a well-informed and nuanced view of this. While western efforts to encourage local sustainable production are noble and well meaning, to effect change, such initiatives must come from within India and operate at the kind of scale that can genuinely foster progress. Outside efforts simply cannot operate at the size required to make a difference in India. A widespread solution could require Indian government impetus.

In her keynote speech, Ms Tewari traced Gandhi's journey from Anglophile dandy lawyer in South Africa to the "half-naked fakir" at the centre of Pax Britannica in London.

In a deft irony, the outward appearance of this anti-materialistic man was used as the ideal metaphor to show his spiritual and political journey - from a lawyer in South Africa to a man who stopped an empire in its tracks. Comparing the might and splendour of the British Empire, all brass buttons and braided epaulettes, with the simple homespun cloth of the lungi, is a powerful expression of Gandhi's philosophy and was an example for all of his followers to see as a visual language throughout the 1940s. This example lives on still in the dress of much of modern India's political class some seventy years after Independence.

Through this we can see how fashion and politics are linked through the language of the garment as an expression of a set of beliefs. This insight was drawn courtesy of the Sherman Centre for Culture and Ideas, which positions itself as "a vibrant platform for challenging ideas on

and which delivered to

architecture and fashion",

this aspiration.

Gandhi’s sandals sold for £19,000 at a London auction in 2013, £9,000 more than their asking price.

Photo: www.bbc.com

Gandhi with Louis and Edwina Mountbatten.

Photo: Wikimedia Commons

Enroute to St. James Palace, Gandhi told a reporter who asked about his attire: “You people wear plus-fours; mine are minusfours”. Afterwards he observed, “The King wore enough clothes for both of us.”

Photo: www.gandhifoundation.org

An illustration of Gandhi’s meeting with King George V and Queen Mary. Photo: www.bbc.com

Comparing the might and splendour of the British Empire, all brass buttons and braided epaulettes, with the simple homespun cloth of the lungi, is a powerful expression of Gandhi's philosophy and was an example for all of his followers to see as a visual language throughout the 1940s.

Bandana Tewari speaks at the Sherman Institute’s ‘Fashion Hub’ event.

Photo: Sachin Wakhare

Dr Gene Sherman, Founder and Executive Director of the Sherman Institute, welcomes guests.

Photo: Sachin Wakhare

An Indian community centre for Perth

cherished dream

realised

BY RAJNI ANAND LUTHRA

If all goes well, Perth’s Indian community will be celebrating India’s Independence Day this August at their own premises, the Indian Community Centre. This will be possible thanks to a $2.5 million grant announced by the Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack (also the Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development), to the Indian Society of Western Australia (ISWA).

For Surya Ambati, President of ISWA, the announcement could not have come at a better time, as the association marks its 50th anniversary year. It has spurred him into action for this project with renewed vigour.

“It’s been a ten-year dream,’ he told Indian Link. “Most communities have their own centres, and our numbers have grown substantially to warrant our own premises. We are grateful to the Minister and the Government, and especially to the Honourable Ben Morton and Dr Mike Nahan in guiding us.”

Describing the project, he said, “The multipurpose Indian Community Centre will be used for events, festivals and activities including education programs, day-care for aged as well as providing a dedicated space for locals with Indian heritage to come together and celebrate their culture and traditions. Weddings and special events will also be a regular feature, given that various venues currently hesitate about our homam ceremonies etc.”

The association has had a home of sorts for the last four years at Willeton Community Centre, but shares it with two other mainstream community associations including Willeton Sports Club.

It has identified a property at 12 Whyalla

Street Willetton and is in the process of acquiring it. Within 10 km of Perth CBD and easily accessible via major arterial roads, the property is well situated. A large shed stands on the site at the moment, and plans are to commission a modern structure with hospitality and function centre facilities.

“We are currently fund-raising for the last $180,000 to seal the deal, and then use the government grant towards refurbishment,” Mr Ambati revealed.

His association has until April 30 to collect the funds in order to avail the government grant.

“We are confident we’ll get there,” Mr Ambati revealed with enthusiasm. “We’ve raised the rest of the required $720,000 already, thanks to our community members who are all donating generously. We’re hoping to inaugurate on August 15.”

(Donations are sought via ISWA and WA Indian Docs jointly (tax deductible). Donate $1,000 or more to become a Founding Member of ICC. Founding members will have their names displayed on a plaque at the Centre on completion. For more details, please visit the website www.indiancommunityperth.com.au)

ISWA is an umbrella body representing 70 separate Indian community associations in WA. Besides organising large-scale events to mark milestone dates such as festivals and national days, it has done valuable work at the grass-roots level, including welfare for the seniors, and streamlined and well-orchestrated kids’ activities such as chess tournaments. In a recent drive, ISWA encouraged large numbers of adult migrants, especially women, to learn swimming.

If ISWA is able to realise this cherished dream, it will set a welcome precedent for the Indian communities in Sydney and Melbourne to follow.

$2.5 million grant from the government will see

“We are currently fundraising for the last $180,000 to seal the deal, and then use the government grant towards refurbishment”

Surya Ambati

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Modi lookalike to contest against PM, Rajnath

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh now have an unusual candidate pitted against them:

Abhinandan Pathak, a lookalike of Modi, who is contesting form Lucknow and Varanasi as an independent candidate.

Pathak, 51, had campaigned for Modi in Varanasi and became a celebrity overnight with his strong resemblance to the Prime Minister.

"When Modi became Prime Minister, I gained recognition and respect. My resemblance of him was my biggest asset and the common people would offer me tea and request photographs. After demonetisation, things began to change and as disillusionment set in, I became a victim of the people's anger. There have been incidents where I have been beaten up only because I resemble Modi," he said.

Pathak switched his loyalty to the Congress and campaigned for the party in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan.

"I am upset with the Congress because the party did not give me a ticket in these elections. However, I still support Rahul Gandhi and his policies," he said.

Abhinandan Pathak has been living in Lucknow for five year and works as a priest to earn a living.

“The main issues of my campaign will be the need for roti, kapda aur makaan", he said.

Pathak is a native of Saharanpur and has collected the security money for nomination through crowd funding. "I am asking for one rupee and one vote from the people and the response has been encouraging," he said.

In his affidavit filed with his nomination, Abhinandan Pathak says he has no immovable assets and only Rs 50,000 in his bank account. He holds a master's degree from Allahabad University.

All the ten proposers in his nomination papers are Muslims who are also his closet friends. He is separated from his wife and six children.

Ex-judge, ex-jawan, priest to fight PM in Varanasi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi appears all set to contest against an interesting array of candidates from Varanasi, when his parliamentary constituency in Uttar Pradesh goes to polls in the last phase on 19 May.

Apart from the PM-lookalike Abhinandan Pathak, a retired High Court judge C.S.

Karnan, who was convicted for contempt by the Supreme Court is said to be preparing to contest against the Prime Minister. He is also contesting from Chennai.

A sacked Border Security Force (BSF) constable Tej Bahadur Yadav who uploaded a video on the social media showing the substandard food being served to paramilitary troopers and was later dismissed is another contestant in Varanasi.

"I want to highlight the plight of jawans and how badly they are treated. By contesting from the PM constituency, I hope my voice will be heard," he said.

A group of 111 farmers from Tamil Nadu, and fluorosis victim Ansala Swamy are also among those set to take on Modi in Varanasi

The group of farmers led by P. Ayyakannuhad staged protests in Delhi in 2017.

There are others, too, like the victims of fluorosis from Nalgonda (Telangana) and Prakasam (Andhra Pradesh), led by activists Vadde Srinivas and Jalagam Sudheer. Fluoride contamination of groundwater is a serious issue in the two states and their aim is to talk about it from a place that will be in focus.

The more "serious" candidates among all of them, is the Bhim Army chief Chandra Shekhar 'Azad'. He has staged a road show in Varanasi on 30 March and has managed a large group of Dalit youths who are campaigning for him.

Prof Vishwambhar Nath Misra, a BHU professor and the chief priest of the Sankat Mochan temple in Varanasi, who is spearheading a campaign to clean the Ganga river, is also set to challenge Modi in Varanasi.

Top government troika set to retire

While the Prime Minister is not getting ahead of himself just yet on crucial appointments given that he is slap bang in the middle of the general election, the incumbent or leader of whatever the new formation emerges out of the ongoing polls, has to decide on three vital slots which free up. All three critical appointees are on extension, and their extensions run out around the time the new government takes over.

Two top security establishment personnel who are on six-month extension retire immediately after the new government is sworn in. Intelligence Bureau Director

Rajiv Jain retires on 30 May while A.K. Dhasmana, who heads RAW superannuates on 29 May. With both Anil Dhasmana and Jain having to go, India's security apparatus will get new blood, and given that these are one level political appointees, there is a veritable blue sky available.

Cabinet Secretary P.K. Sinha also retires after an extension on 12 June. Now this troika is vital to running the nation's bureaucratic steel-frame at one level and internal and external security requirements at another. The trinity has top billing in any government after the Prime Minister's Office, which includes the Principal Secretary and National Security Adviser in its ranks.

Though the Cabinet secretary's post is for a fixed tenure of two years, like home, defence and foreign secretaries, Cabinet secretaries usually get an extension mainly because the Prime Minister looks for continuity to manage the bureaucracy. In fact, in Sinha's case, there is a precedentboth K.M. Chandrasekhar and Ajit K. Sethserved for four years each, due to extensions.

Sinha, a 1977-batch UP cadre IAS officer, has thus managed a four-year term, though, again, as with his predecessors, extension of tenure does deny other eligible IAS officers the opportunity to occupy the top post in the bureaucracy. The extensions of Chandrasekhar denied the hope of Sudha Pillai of 1972 batch IAS to become India's first woman cabinet secretary. It was the case with Seth too. By extending Sinha's tenure, the PMO ensured that all contenders of 1980 and 1981 batch of IAS would have retired.

As per government rules, no government servant shall be granted extension in service beyond age of retirement of 60 years. But as per rule FR 56, extension in public interest may be given "for a period not exceeding four years in the case of Cabinet Secretary". Sinha, who was appointed in 2015 for two years, got his first extension of a year in 2017 and the second one has been given now.

Plea in SC to let women offer namaz inside mosques

A petition was filed in the Supreme Court this month pleading that Muslim women be allowed to enter and offer namaz inside mosques.

Petitioner Yasmeen Zuber Ahmed Peerzadeasked the apex court to declare the prohibition on entry of women inside mosques as "illegal and unconstitutional" as

Sikh pilgrims attend the Vasakhi festival at the shrine of Gurdwara Punja Sahib, the second most sacred place for Sikhs, in Hasan Abdal, some 50 kms from Islamabad, Pakistan, on 14 April 2019. Thousands of Sikh pilgrims also joined in from neighbouring countries including India for the harvest festival that marks the Solar New Year.

it violated the fundamental rights guaranteed under the Constitution.

Pointing out that there was no mention of any gender segregation in either Quran or Hadith, the couple's counsel Ashutosh Dubey said: "Such practices are not only repugnant to the basic dignity of a woman as an individual, but also violative of their fundamental rights."

The petition has arraigned the Union Government, the Ministry of Minority Affairs, the Central Wakf Council, the Maharashtra State Board of Wakfs and All India Muslim Personal Law Board as parties to the case.

The petitioners said that there were no records stating that the Quran and Prophet Muhammad opposed women entering mosques and offering prayers, and in fact men and women have equal constitutional rights to worship, according to their beliefs.

Currently, women are allowed to offer prayers at mosques under the Jamaat-e-Islami and Mujahid denominations but are barred from mosques under the predominant Sunni faction, said the petition.

The petition also mentioned that in mosques where women are allowed, there are separate entrances and enclosures for worship for the two genders. The petition said that there should not be any gender discrimination at all, and that all Muslim women should be allowed to pray in all mosques, cutting across denominations.

The petition also alluded to the practice in Mecca, where "the faithful, both men and women, together circumambulate the Kaaba".

To support their argument, the petitioners cited the recent Supreme Court judgement allowing the entry of women in Kerala's Sabarimala Temple.

"The hon'ble court in the case of Sabrimala held that 'religion cannot be used as cover to deny rights of worship to women as it is against human dignity'. Prohibition on women is due to non-religious reasons and it is a grim shadow of discrimination going on for centuries," the petitioners said.

The Supreme Court has since sought response from the Centre, Central Waqf Council and the All India Muslim Personal Law Board on the plea.

WhatsApp spreading antivaccine news in India: WSJ Facebook has yet again come under critical observation in India after its

Photo: AP

Sir Dominic Anthony Gerard Asquith, the British High Commissioner to India, lays a wreath to pay tributes to the martyrs of the Jallianwala Baghon the occasion of massacre's 100th anniversary at the Jallianwala Bagh Memorialin Amritsar, India, 13 April 2019. On 13 April 1919, the Lieutenant Governor of Punjab General Sir Michael O'Dwyer ordered British Gurkha troops, under the command of Brigadier-General Reginald Edward Harry Dyer, to open fire at a mass gathering at the Jallianwala Bagh. The incident became a turning point in India's independence from British rule.

Photo: IANS

instant messaging app WhatsApp with 300 million users in the country became a medium for the rapid spread of anti-vaccine misinformation.

"Anti-vaccine misinformation, some of it from social media posts in the West, is spreading in India on WhatsApp, undermining efforts to root out measles and rubella in a country where tens of thousands of people are struck by the diseases each year," The Wall Street Journal reported recently.

Facebook and its family of apps is already facing pressure to stop promoting antivaccine propaganda to users amid global concern over vaccine hesitancy and a measles outbreak in the Pacific northwest.

Earlier in February, the social networking giant was reported to have allowed advertisers to promote anti-vaccine content to nearly 9 lakh people interested in "vaccine controversies".

According to the latest report, many of the same wrong stories that misled Americans on vaccinations are spreading via WhatsApp in India, where some vaccination programmes have been halted.

"Dozens of schools in Mumbai have refused to allow health officials to carry out vaccinations in recent months, largely because of rumours shared on Facebook Inc.'s popular messaging app about the supposed dangers," The Wall Street Journal added.

The social networking giant has not officially commented yet.

In March, Facebook’s Monika Bickert, Vice President, Global Policy Management, said on a blog-post that the social networking giant has decided to take action against accounts promoting vaccine hoaxes as identified by the World Health Organisation and Centres for Disease Control and Prevention in the US.

As part of the initiative, for its 2.32 billion global users, Facebook decided not to include pages that contained misinformation about vaccinations in news feed, search, recommendations or predictions. With over one billion users, Instagram decided to block content on vaccinations that could potentially contain wrong information from showing up in the explore tab and hashtag pages.

Fighting against the spread of misinformation on anti-vaccines, Amazon in March started removing anti-vaccine documentaries from its Prime Video

streaming service after a CNN Business report highlighted the anti-vaccine comments available on the site.

Dubai Gurudwara to hold daily iftar during Ramadan

The United Arab Emirates’ only Sikh temple will host iftar for workers throughout the upcoming month of Ramadan, the chairman of the Guru Nanak Darbar Gurudwara has announced.

The Gurudwara in Dubai's Jebel Ali, which has been hosting an interfaith iftar during every Ramadan in the past six years, will offer the meals to workers in the area every day, Chairman Surender Singh Kandhari told Gulf News recently.

"There are a lot of Muslim workers in this area. There are not many places from where they can break their fast. We will invite these workers to have iftar at our Gurudwara."

He said the free vegetarian meal (langar) offered to every visitor in the Gurudwara will be given to those visiting to break the fast also.

"We will add dates, fruits, rose milk, buttermilk and some Indian snacks like pakora, samosa also for them. We expect to host 100 to 200 every day during Ramadan," said Kandhari.

He was speaking after an official ceremony marking Baisakhi, the Sikh New Year.

"This year is very important for us here in the UAE. It is the Year of Tolerance in the UAE, the 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak, the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, 320th year of the birth of Khalsa Panth, and 100th year of the Jallianwala Bagh massacre, which took place on Baisakhi. We celebrate Baisakhi to send out the message of love, peace, humanity and tolerance," Kandhari added.

3 Indian student teams win at NASA rover challenge

Three Indian student teams won awards in NASA's annual Human Exploration Rover Challenge at the US Space and Rocket Centre in Alabama USA.

The team from KIET Group of Institutions in Ghaziabad won the "AIAA Neil Armstrong Best Design Award" in the college/university division.

The Mukesh Patel School of Technology Management and Engineering from Mumbai won the "Frank Joe Sexton Memorial Pit Crew Award" in the college/university division.

The Mukesh Patel school also won the System Safety Challenge Award at the competition hosted by NASA's Marshall Space Flight Centre in Huntsville city.

Lovely Professional University from Phagwara, Punjab, won the STEM Engagement Award.

The International Space Education Institute of Leipzig, Germany, won first place in the high school division with 91 points and the University of Puerto Rico Mayaguez - Team 1 won the college/ university division with 101 points.

NASA astronaut and two-time spaceflight veteran Sunita "Suni" Williams also interacted with teams and participating in the activities.

"The creativity, skill and resourcefulness demonstrated each year on the rover course are the very traits that paved our path to the Moon in 1969, and the ones that will continue to carry NASA forward to the Moon again in 2024," said Bob Musgrove, NASA official.

Nearly 100 teams took part in the competition, hailing from Bangladesh, Germany, India, Mexico, Morocco and Peru.

The competition challenges high school and college teams to design, build and test human-powered roving vehicles inspired by the Apollo lunar missions and future exploration missions to the Moon, Mars and beyond.

The curious case of TikTok's rise in India

The rise of the Chinese short video-sharing app TikTok in India has been so spectacular over the past year that it is now nearly impossible for any social media user to not have come across its content.

These user-created videos that often contain memes, lip-syncing songs and sometimes sleazy posts regularly find ways to other popular social media sites including Facebook, WhatsApp and Share Chat. These are the platforms where most adult social media users are now getting introduced to TikTok.

For the young generation though, especially the teenagers and even younger kids, the app needs no introduction.

In fact, according to a new report from mobile app intelligence firm Sensor Tower, out of the 18.8 crore new users that TikTok added globally in the first quarter of 2019, 8.86 crore were from India.

Globally, TikTok has far crossed 1.1 billion

installs and in the first quarter of 2019, it emerged as the third most installed app in the world, ranking behind only Facebook's WhatsApp and Messenger at No. 1 and No. 2, respectively, the analysis showed.

But how do you explain the dramatic rise of this app owned by Chinese tech company Byte Dance?

"The rise of TikTok (formerly Musical.ly), highlights where the future of the Internet in India is: video," leading tech policy and media consultant Prasanto K. Roy said.

"Of the 500 million smartphone and mobile broadband users in India, well over 300 million consume predominantly or only video. And as we get the next 200 million online by 2020, the video-only share will rise to over 70 per cent," he added, indicating the potential for further growth of video sharing apps in the country.

So far, the big drivers of Internet adoption in India have been WhatsApp, Messenger and Facebook, with additional help from shopping and taxi apps, and some streaming services such as Hotstar.

"No other app before Musical.ly/Tik Tok really went to a video-only, and especially an interactive video platform. For instance, its 'react' feature lets users to film their reaction to a video and its 'duet' feature allows users to film a video aside another video," Roy added.

Another reason for its growth is that the app allows people to express themselves even if they do not have the gift of the gab. So anyone who feel a little ostracized in platforms such as Facebook and Twitter may find solace on TikTok.

"TikTok caters to those who feel left out on other primarily-text platforms, either because of literacy or language inadequacy," Roy pointed out.

However, the growth of TikTok has not been without its share of controversies.

Hearing a petition filed by an advocate, the Madras High Court earlier this month asked the Centre to ban the app, saying it "encourages pornography" and is spoiling the future of youths and the minds of children.

TikTok said as part of its commitment towards providing a positive in-app environment for its users in India, it had removed over six million videos that have violated its "Community Guidelines".

It also said it has stopped allowing users below 13 years to login and create an account on the platform. IANS

Making eco-friendly choices

Suggestions for a plastic-free life

the brain, behaviour and prostate glands of foetuses and young children.

BY JYOTI SHANKAR

Irecently attended a function that highlighted our over-dependence on disposable plastic items. It was a joyful atmosphere, with colourful decorations, children running around, adults chatting, and hot puris and chole being served. The serving ware was disposable to make cleaning a breeze at the end. Rima, who loved to puncture a hole in the puri and eat the crispy top bit before dipping the rest in her chole, yelled out, “There's a hole in my plate!” The host hastily said, “Let me give you another plate and puri,” taking away the foam plate with a gaping hole where the puri had been. The chatter in the room resumed soon after, but I couldn’t stop thinking about the ingrained disposable culture we've got ourselves into.

Plastic has found its way into the oceans, where it's not only killing marine life, it also disintegrates into micro-plastic bits that get into the fish and food that we consume. And it has found its way into our lives on a daily basis - through supermarket packaging, straws and disposable coffee cups and plates, takeaway containers... the list is endless.

In the above instance, the polystyrene foam had stuck to the puri and made it inedible; but more often, plastic finds its way into our body rather insidiously. Plastic containers in which we store or carry food can leach harmful substances into the food, especially when it's hot. BPA, or bisphenol A, is an industrial chemical found in many plastics used for food containers and water bottles, and it has been known to cause ill effects on

How can we reduce our over-dependence on plastic when its use is so ubiquitous? Especially since a disposable manner of using plastic is causing so much harm to our health and to that of the world we live in.

Thinking about food and present day supermarkets, can you imagine a world without the convenience of plastic packaging? The strength, mouldability and light-weightedness of plastic has made it a useful product, but what can we use instead?

Let’s look at alternatives to some of the most used plastic disposables and have a think back to how we once managed before plastics came on the scene.

ALTERNATIVES TO PLASTIC STRAWS: Refuse plastic straws when you order a drink. Remember to carry a couple of eco-friendly straws with you - stainless steel, paper or bamboo straws are good for the environment and they look really chic! Or you can drink straight from the can or cup.

degradable cups or bring your own. Better still, take time to sit down for a proper cuppa and watch the world go by!

ALTERNATIVES TO DISPOSABLE SERVING WARE AT PARTIES: Buy compostable ware and make sure you toss them into your backyard compost. Alternatively, participate in Share Waste and drop them off with a neighbour who composts. 'Say No' to plastic plates and cups. And an even harder 'no' to foam/polystyrene ware.

ALTERNATIVES TO PLASTIC ZIP-LOCK BAGS FOR SANDWICHES: Use brown paper bags, carry the sandwiches in a lunch box or use reusable beeswax cloth-lined wrappers or sandwich bags.

ALTERNATIVES TO BRUSHES AND SCRUBS: Plant-based cleaning brushes are a great alternative to plastic bristlebrushes. Remember the loofah we used to rub everything, from utensils to our own bodies? You can get these and similar products made of agave cactus, sisal, jute, cotton, coconut coir, hemp

Did you know most kitchen sponges are made from

petroleum-based product?

To mop up wet spills or wipe your kitchen counter-top, you can easily replace sponges with rags made out of old materials such as towels and T-shirts. They're soft, and this is a much better use of them (instead of discarding them after a few uses). If you like your rags to be pretty and you have some craft skills, then check out Youtube

videos; you'll find a plethora of ideas on how to make knitted or crocheted sponges!

ALTERNATIVES TO PLASTIC BAGS: To reduce use of single-use plastic, carry your own cloth bags and totes. Always ensure you have a few cloth bags in your car boot, in case a sudden shopping expedition beckons! “I need plastic bags to line my rubbish bins” is an excuse I often get when I ask my friends to say no plastic bags. You don’t really need bags to line your bins.Compost wet kitchen waste in your garden, feed the worm farm, or use a Bokashi bucket if you live in an apartment. Recycle all paper, glass and metals in the yellow recycling bin, and soft plastics in the special red bin at most supermarkets. That will leave you with very little waste to consign to the red-lidded bin which ends up in landfill.

For such dry waste you can easily line your bin with paper or not use any liners at all.

It all comes down to how much effort you want to put towards making this world a better place. And that’s what we all ultimately want, don’t we? Another great outcome of using environment-friendly products is that many of these businesses are set up as social enterprises which support local employment, employ women and revive traditional crafts.

So the next time you have a party, head to shops or online Australian stores such as Keeo, Biopak and Going Green Solutions. Have a blast and keep creating ripples of goodness that will make being ‘eco-friendly’ the new normal.

Most disposable coffee cups are lined with plastic, so choose bio-degradable cups or bring your own. Better still, take time to sit down for a proper cuppa and watch the world go by!

Photo: www.keeo.com.au

WHAT’S ON

SEMINAR

Building livelihood capabilities for women’s economic empowerment

23 Apr (5.00 – 6.30pm)

What do we mean by women's empowerment? What pathways can lead to the empowerment of women in different contexts? Join London School of Economics Professor of Gender and Development

Naila Kabeer as she discusses women's economic empowerment through the lens of livelihoods and capabilities. Naila will then explore the challenge of how we transfer learnings from empowerment activities into an evidence-based theory of change. Location: NSW Business School Lounge, Level 6, UNSW Business School. Details 02 9385 3189.

Saffron and Silk

Sat 27 April (1:30 pm – 3:30 pm)

Blacktown City Libraries presents author Anne Benjamin talking about her latest book Saffron and Silk: An Australian in India. Married to an Indian national she met in Canada, Anne spent years struggling with the frustrations of being a ‘foreign wife’ and uses her personal experiences to explore the larger issues of India’s culture and history. She brings a unique insight into a country that is of increasing significance to contemporary Australia. Venue: Max Webber Library Function Centre, Level 1, Cnr Flushcombe Rd & Alpha St, Blacktown. Details 02 9839 6640.

EXHIBITION

CREATOR by Ramesh

Mario-Nithiyendran

Until 12 May 2019 at Casula

Powerhouse Arts Centre

Ramesh Mario Nithiyendran pushes the boundaries of figurative sculpture and ceramic conventions. Creator finds the artist channelling Hindu temple iconography, museum displays and colonial public monuments to form a dialogue with museum practices around the framing of Asian faith based objects. Details http://www. casulapowerhouse.com

COMMUNITY

Kite Flying Festival

Sun 28 Apr (9.30am - 5.30pm) Shri

Swaminarayan Mandir Blacktown organises kite flying day at May Cowpe Reserve, Rooty Hill Leisure Centre, 100 John St, Rooty Hill. Details CK 0433 679 595.

Gujarati Gaurav Awards

Sun 4 May (11.00am - 2.00pm)

United Gujaratis of Australia present Gujarati Gaurav Awards 2019, to celebrate the success of the Gujarati community and to recognise their achievements on the special occasion of 59th Gujarat Sthapana Din (Foundation Day).

Venue: Harvey Lowe Pavillion, Doran Dr, Castle Hill. Details

Deepesh Parikh 0410 734 123.

Have an idea for a community project that needs funding? Want to build a community garden?

A safe and inclusive playground? Hold a cultural fair, maybe? NSW residents can now seek funding for projects valued between $20,000 and $200,000, that will make communities more liveable, cultural, accessible, safe, revitalised or healthy. Shortlisted applications will be put out to community voting online. The NSW Government has announced a total of $24.4 million for its ‘My Community Project’. Details www.nsw.gov.au/ mycommunityproject

Gandhi in my view

Consulate of India in Sydney organises a Velfie (video selfie) contest to mark the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi. Record your thoughts about Mahatma Gandhi and the relevance of his thoughts in today’s context, in a video less than a minute long, and send it to library.sydney@mea.gov. in. Last date 30 April 2019. Details 02 9223 2702.

ANZAC Day Parade

25 Apr Check out the Sikh contingents marching in this year’s parade, in memory of their forebears who fought in the two World Wars. Their meeting point will be at Chifley Square, on Phillip St, facing the Sofitel Wentworth. They are scheduled to join the march at 11:35 am.

STAGE

Curry Kings of Parramatta

18 - 20 April Lennox Theatre, Riverside Parramatta. Details 02 8839 3399 or online at www. riversideparramatta.com.au

Mickey Singh

Thu 18 Apr (8.30pm – 3.00am)

Urban Asian icon Mickey Singh will be bringing his headline World Tour to Sydney this Easter. Home The Venue, 101/1-5 Wheat Rd, Darling Harbour. Details 0431 026 656.

Sydney Comedy Festival

22 April – 19 May Check out the work of South Asian origin stand-up comics, including Jeeves Verma, Kanan Gill, Nazeem Hussain, Neel Kolhatkar, Rowan Thambar and Suren Jayemanne. Details www. sydneycomedyfest.com.au

Sartaaj at Opera House

Sat 27 Apr (7.00pm – 10.00pm)

Sartaaj performs live at Opera House in Sydney. At Sydney Opera House, Bennelong.

Details 0411 709 559.

Table recital

Indian Tabla exponent Aditya

Kalyanpurpresents two recitals

Sat 4 May (5.30 pm onwards) 31

Yeramba St, Turramurra. Sun 5 May (5.30 pm onwards) 128 Riverbank Drive, The Ponds. Details Niranjan 0404 012 676.

SPIRITUAL

Pilgrims Paada Yatra

Fri 19 Apr (5.30am - 8.30am) This is strictly a devotional, non-profit endeavour to promote tradition and culture to pass on the legacy to our future generations.The event starts at Sri Murugan Temple, Westmead. Details 0433 972 160.

Journey to Wellbeing

Sat 4 May (1.00pm - 5.00pm)

Tamil Women's Development Group presents Journey to Wellbeing an afternoon with inspirational speakers and a workshop addressing our mental wellbeing. At Parramatta RSL 2 Macquarie St, Parramatta. Details 0417 210 268.

Sant Nirankari Mission Sydney weekly congregations

Sundays 5:30pm to 7:30pm followed by community meals.

Venue: Sant Nirankari Bhawan, 166 Glendenning Road, Glendenning. Details Devinder 0403 216 084.

Free Yoga with Divine Life Society

Tuesdays 7pm Swami

Uditramanandaji of The Divine Life Society of Australia offers free Yoga classes every Tuesday from 7.00pm-8.15pm at Strathfield Girls High School. All levels of fitness welcomed. Entrance via Oxford Rd. Details Karo 0413 535 157.

Yoga at Spirit of India

11 May onwards: 15-week Yoga course, Saturdays and Sundays. Check out also special yoga classes for children (5-12 years), adults and senior citizens (55 plus). Venues at Wentworthville, Quakers Hill, Pennant Hills, Auburn, Epping, Homebush, Ryde.

Free Yoga class every Wednesday (5.30pm – 7.00pm) at Indian Consulate Cultural Centre, Level 2, 265 Castlereagh St, Sydney. Free meditation every Saturday (8.30am – 9.15am) at Wentworthville. Details www.spiritofindia.org or call Suresh 0412 202 182 or Raja 0402 789 109.

Lunch-time meditation in the city

Thursdays (12.15 – 1.00pm) The Consulate General of India (Sydney) conducts weekly free meditation sessions in association with the Brahma Kumaris at its Swami

Vivekananda Cultural Centre at Level 2, 265 Castlereagh Street Sydney 2000. Details icc2.sydney@mea.gov.in

SENIORS AASHA

Hornsby Every second and fourth Friday of the month, 11.00am -

2.00pm. Venue Hornsby Youth and Community Centre, cnr Muriel and Burdett Sts, Hornsby, close to Hornsby Station. Programs feature yoga, music, dance, games, health and tech presentations, health checks and light lunch.

Details 0412 786 569.

Crows Nest Every third Wednesday of the month, 10.00am -11.30am. Venue 2 Ernest Place, Crows Nest. Social event with free tea.

Details 02 9439 5122.

MISC

Documentary movie screening: Ride For Rights: An Indian Odyssey

Wed 24 April (7:00 pm - 10:00 pm) In 2016, four friends began a motorcycle journey through India, visiting and advocating for child rights. This is a documentary about their travels. Palace Chauvel Cinema, 249 Oxford St, Paddington. Details 02 9361 5398.

Sydney Writers’ Festival

29 April - 5 May

Join writers/poets at Australia’s largest celebration of literature, stories and ideas. Featuring South Asian origin participants including Fatima Bhutto, Michelle de Kretser, Jamila Rizvi, Roanna Gonsalves, Zoya Patel, Osman Faruqi and Nieshanka Nanthakrishnakumar among others. Details www.swf.org.au

Traditional South IndianVegetarian

Thu 2 May (5.30pm - 8.30pm) A cooking class by Sue Kumar that will teach you all the essentials of a vegetarian South Indian meal. At The Essential Ingredient Newcastle, Junction Fair Shopping Centre, 200 Union St, The Junction. Details (02) 4926 1991.

ENTERTAINMENT

Desi Swag Bhangra

Thu 18 Apr (9.00pm onwards) An invasion of Bhangra and Bollywood at Sydney’s best party spot. At Zeta Bar, Level 4, Hilton Sydney. Details 0412739020.

School holiday program: Bollywood dance class

Wed 24 Apr (1.00pm - 3.00pm) Cumberland Council School Holiday Program and Swastik Institute of Dance present Bollywood dance classes for kids aged 5 to 12 years that live in the Cumberland Local Government Area. Venue Westmead Progress Hall, 43 Hassall St. Details 02 8897 2218.

Bollywood dance night

Sat 4 May (6.30pm - 9.30pm) DJ, entertainment, fashion and fun at Bollywood dance night. Dinner included. At Oz Funland, 2/11 Hollylea Rd, Leumeah. Details 02 4626 7777.

BY MOHAN DHALL

There is a trend these days that on every student CV there should be a line stating the “charity” work they’ve undertaken. Parents love this idea –that their children will have done something “good” or of benefit to others in need. This notion of “giving” can be seen in schools, businesses and in public discourse regarding equity and access. Yet, in my view, most acts of giving, arranged by schools, religious organisations, businesses and others, are acts that lack genuine charity.

This does not mean that they do not do some good, or are of no benefit. All acts of giving can assist people in need. However, this is not enough. In my view, the motivation to do good is generally something rather more selfish than authentic; something more planned and considered than spontaneous; something more extrinsic or compelled than intrinsic.

HOW IS THIS THE CASE?

In my view authentic charity does not seek promotion or a photo opportunity. It does not advertise. It is the charity that walks with a homeless person to buy them a meal instead of giving change and walking on. It is the person who notices the old lady who cannot walk, and carries her bag while helping her across the road, and is ashamed when she says, ‘thank you’. It is the sleep-out without a blanket because the poor on Sydney’s streets do not have blankets and a night in pain is a thousandth of what hundreds of thousands feel

Giving without charity

Why the promotion of “charitable work” devalues the giving

all day every day. It is the burning restlessness to remember that nothing distinguishes me from Terry, the man with vacant eyes begging. His begging is a veil that masks a forgotten truth: so easily our roles could be reversed..

SCHOOLS ARE COMPLICIT IN EXTERNALISING SELFLESSNESS

Schools create reciprocal partnerships with orphanages, set up schools in “developing” nations and encourage students to fast for 40 hours per year in order to raise awareness about how others live. Ostensibly such activities are to round out the education of the privileged by acknowledging that there are many less fortunate. By way of brief, highly controlled contact there is the thought that the experience is authentic. My interviewing of students who have had such experiences report that they are “life changing”. When asked “how” they might say, “I appreciated that people suffer more than I knew”.

But does it change how they spend money?

Almost never. Does it change their ambitions? Almost never. Does it create a fearlessness to seek out opportunities to work towards the amelioration of suffering, quietly? Almost never. Charitable works become less charitable when promoted on social media or publicised as a “humble brag”. They become devalued in school newsletters, on business websites and on CVs when the giving was a once-off opportunity.

LOCAL AND GLOBAL

Giving without charity is so endemic that I believe it will only be when students, families, schools, businesses and other institutions embrace the local needs of the most vulnerable people that we will begin to truly

appreciate the extent of suffering and inequity around us. Spending time with women sheltering from domestic violence, listening to the homeless and those with mental illness on our streets, and giving in non-publicised ways should be the measure of the genuineness of charitable works. Of course, there are others in nations far away who live immeasurably poorer lives than us. However, a combined focus on local as well as those distant will better remind us that we are not so far away from suffering and we should keep that in mind often.

Families and educators can begin this process by forgetting the CV and the photo opp, and feeling - not just in occasional onceoff moments - the depth of pain felt by people they do not know through meeting and spending ongoing time with them.

Your bowel matters

Pink Sari takes on a new challenge: increasing the screening rates for colorectal cancer among South Asian migrants

BY USHA RAMANUJAM ARVIND

They are a winning combination and they are determined to replicate their recent success with other equally empowering missions.

After dispelling the shame and stigma around breast cancer, Pink Sari Inc, Multicultural Health Communication Services (MHCS) & Cancer Institute NSW have once again teamed up, this time round to raise awareness of colorectal cancer, otherwise known as bowel cancer.

Their latest initiative ‘Your Bowel Matters’ will be tackling historically low screening rates amongst Indian and Sri Lankan communities with a view to reduce mortality.

The Parra Villa Function Centre was awash with pink for the program launch. It was a trip down memory lane as Pushpa Jagadish sang Pink Sari Melodies popular choice winner Naari.

Addressing representatives from the South Asian community, Pink Sari Inc President Shantha Viswanathan recalled how Pink Sari had become a movement thanks not just to the passion and dedication of its volunteers but also innovative collaborations and out of the box thinking.

“Our story is your story,” she proudly added, urging stakeholders to take ownership of their health through active participation in the bowel-screening program.

Since 2006, eligible Australians in the age group 50-74 receive a free kit through National Bowel Cancer Screening Program (NBCSP). Easy, quick and done in the privacy and comfort of one’s own home, the kit involves a faecal occult test and is rightly dubbed as a “gift for living”. The program has now been expanded, with everyone in the high-risk bracket set to receive the kit once every two years. With one of the highest rates in the world, colorectal cancer is the second most deadly cancer in Australia, and affects men and women,

young and old. The risk of developing bowel cancer rises sharply from the age of fifty, with 80 avoidable deaths each week. While there are few warning signs, rectal bleeding, change in bowel habits and unexplained tiredness could be symptoms to watch out for. Poor diet choices, obesity and history of Crohn’s or ulcerative colitis are also high risk factors.

Most bowel cancers start as benign, non-threatening growths or polyps on the wall or lining of the bowel. While polyps are usually harmless, adenomatous ones can become malignant and if left undetected, can develop into a cancerous tumour, which in advanced cases can metastasise beyond the bowel to other organs.

A panel of experts spoke about the dreaded disease, dispelling commonly held myths and misconceptions around causation, diagnosis and treatment options.

“Thankfully almost 90% of bowel cancer cases can be treated successfully if detected early. And more importantly, the pain and discomfort of the traumatic journey could be bypassed through better screening rates,” explained Dr Viraj Kariyawasam.

The gastroenterologist, who has a special interest in cancer screening with emphasis on prevention and early detection,added that while there is a 98% survival rate for stage I patients, the prognosis for stage IV sufferers is a bleak 13%.

Reiterating the key message that prevention is infinitely better than cure, radiation

oncologist Dr Jay Jayamohan was dismayed by apathy of the South Asian community as a whole towards health planning and proactive lifestyle strategies.

“Our people are often in denial and do not want to talk about health. Our biggest setback is complete lack of preventative care,” he lamented, urging a shift in attitude.

Describing the statistics as frightening, Christopher Horn, who manages the NSW screening program, provided an overview of the cost effective and lifesaving public health measure. Every two years is the best practice and a couple of minutes now can save months of treatments. The uptake is particularly low among migrant communities, specifically Hindi and Tamil, which is why we have strategically partnered with influential groups like Pink Sari in the hope of reaching 25,000 eligible CALD people, he explained.

MHCS director Lisa Woodland spoke about collaboration and co-design to build capacity of cancer screening through record participation, hoping to make a difference both

powerful narrative was certainly a wake-up call for everyone attending the launch. A simple screening test could have saved me a lot of painful procedures, he regretted in hindsight. Grateful for the exceptional healthcare system in Australia, he is now urging the community to take the screening program seriously. After all we have everything to lose, if we didn’t.

For information on National Bowel Cancer Screening Program, call 1800 118. Visit www.facebook.com/ pinksariinc/

Bowel cancer survivor and now Pink Sari ambassador Karthikeyan

Krishnan’s powerful narrative was certainly a wake-up call for everyone attending the launch.

Loving right now

A list of Indian Link’s current favourites

READ

If you thought the medical profession is one where prejudices take the far back seat, you’re probably just as surprised as us at the reports of sexism and bullying that have emerged in recent years. Here’s another close look at this scourge, by an Australiabased Indian specialist, no less. Dr Joan Arakkal, a rare woman in a specialisation dominated by men – orthopaedic surgery – presented her book Slice Girls this year. A reflection on the sexism in the surgical community, it finds that women are ready for surgery, but asks, is surgery ready for women?

LISTEN

If you’re like us, fed up with much of the loud banter in politics, then ‘The Pragati Podcast’ is perfect for you. We love this Indian podcast, which is a weekly talk show on public policy, economics and international relations hosted by science/politics aficionado Pavan Srinath. He interacts with scholars and experts on topics like science journalism in India, whether China is really taking over the world (hint: it’s not), and why belts and roads are suddenly important. One of our favourite episodes was titled “Why do we elect criminals?” New episodes on Thursdays.

EAT

Gajar Halwa Cheese Cake. Sounds yum? Then try some at Castle Hill baker Tasneem Fidvi’s Sweet Temptations. A former accountant and hobby cook, Tasneem is now a pastry chef in the making. When she first unveiled this treat at Darling Harbour’s Holi Mela two years ago, it was an easy sell-out. The gajar halwa, a no-ghee preparation here, is layered between the cheese, and it all sits on a biscuit base. This favourite paved the way for Tasneem’s Gulab Jamun Cheese Cake and Rasmalai Cake: sweet temptations that we’re currently licking our fingers over!

WATCH

When The New York Times raves about a show, you know it must be pretty darn good! Made in Heaven, the new series on Amazon India Prime, has had us hooked the past couple of weeks. Co-created and co-directed by Zoya Akhtar and co-produced by Farhan Akhtar, the series is a fascinating look at a fast-changing Indian society through the eyes of protagonists Tara and Karan, who are Delhi-based wedding planners. Rich in production values and diversity, this is an important (and super-fun!) show for our times. Give this a go, you’ll love it.

Discovering Australia’s Top End

Untamed

BY PETRA O’NEILL

I’ve travelled to the Northern Territory many times. It makes me feel good to be there, for the chance to reconnect with the wilderness. I’ve always camped, but my last trip didn’t go so well. It was a balmy night of clear skies, plentiful stars and a full moon. Cicadas were humming and I was gently being lulled to sleep. But then it came - stomping, snorts and high pitched squeals. So, this time I ditched the possibility of my tent being nudged at by wild boars, and joined a tour instead. I began in the effervescent city of Darwin. Named by John Lort Stokes in 1839 after his late-friend Sir Charles Darwin, there are several buildings dating back to the early days, including Lyons Cottage, Brown’s Mart and Government House. Many of the original buildings were flattened by Japanese air raids during World War II, and then again by Cyclone Tracy on Christmas Eve 1974, leaving much of Darwin city as little more than a pile of rubble.

But the city is undoubtedly resilient, becoming a vibrant metropolis that’s been attracting attention as a destination for foodies, as well as a place to reconnect with nature.

COLOURFUL MARKETS

Close to Asia, both geographically and in spirit, the markets are a visible expression of the city’s multicultural diversity - where you can sample extraordinary cuisine from around the world and join in on the lively atmosphere, listening to live music and street performers as

you weave through the crowds. Markets are held at Mindil Beach, Palmerston, Coolalinga, Nightcliff, Rapid Creek and Parap Village, where locals go for laksa, satay, rice paper rolls, Nasi Goreng, roti, shaved ice kacang, fresh tropical smoothies and juices.

Restaurants are also renowned, with Hunumana long-standing favourite offering delicious Thai, Indian and Nonya cuisine. Those with a hankering for seafood should head for Cullen Bay or the Waterfront Precinct to try chilli mud crab, barramundi, trevally,

wilderness, colourful history and cultural diversity: it’s worth spending time getting to know the Northern Territory

crocodile skewers.

BEYOND DARWIN

Signing up for a tour that began with Litchfield National Park, I was soon standing alongside giant termite mounds, before changing into my swimsuit for many dips in deep plunge pools. Best of all, was lying wedged between rocks while water cascaded over my head and shoulders, as my legs dangled like two carrots, all the while being observed a short distance away by a giant monitor lizard.

Next day I departed for Kakadu, passing hamlets with colourful names like Humpty Doo. It was December, the beginning of the wet season, when rivers, billabongs and wetlands become flooded. After entering Kakadu National Park, we crossed our first big river, where the water lapped at the sides of the coach.

Corkscrew pandanus and termite mounds soon gave way to vast expanses of lush green floodplains. Geese flew by in their thousands; eagles circled overhead; long legged jabirus, brolgas and egrets stalked the open shallows, and crocodiles lay sunning on the banks.

Joining a sunset cruise of Yellow Waters billabong, the sky turned brilliant shades of pink and orange as the sun receded. Prongs of lightning illuminated the sky, thunder claps crashed overhead, the sky turned black with storm clouds and I sensed that here nature is wild and everywhere.

KAKADU

Kakadu is listed as a world heritage area for both its cultural and natural significance, with sacred sites and ancient Aboriginal rock

carvings, and an abundance of flora and fauna. It holds the largest protected collection of rock art in the world with more than 5000 Aboriginal art sites dating back 20,000+ years. The main art sites of Ubirr and Nourlangie display shadowy X-ray outlines etched into the rock, depicting the bones and internal organs of fish, turtles and kangaroos. The painting of animals map out places good for

hunting, as well as recording historical events including a sailing ship with billowing sails and pipe smoking sailor - early encounters with Europeans.

I hiked through scrub, savannah woodlands of paper bark and eucalyptus trees, along side deep chasms, and up sandstone escarpments to lookouts for spectacular views over the vast floodplains.

One of the highlights of visiting the Top End is the opportunity to learn about Aboriginal culture. On day three, we joined a cruise along the East Alligator River with our Aboriginal guide Robert Mandelaidai Namarnyilk, or “Robby” for short, who showed us the plants growing along the river’s edge used as medicine to cure tummy upsets and insect bites, and what’s edible bush tucker. He shared Aboriginal dream time stories including that of the rainbow serpent - the powerful being who created this land - and how the Aboriginal owners, mostly from the Bininj or Mungguy tribes, feel connected as the park’ scustodians caring for their country.

Visiting Kakaduis more than just a holiday. It’s a spiritual journey that recognises the cultural heritage of the destination and reconnects you to the land underfoot that remains a pristine wilderness.

Before my night flight home, I wanted to see one last magical sunset. I’d always joined a harbour sunset cruise, but this time I rested easy in a deck chair at the Darwin Trailer Boat Club, a typical Australian, friendly and relaxed club, on the shores of Fannie Bay. I couldn’t agree more with the barman when he said,“It doesn’t get much better than this!”

TRAVEL FILE

Getting there: Virgin Australia, Jetstar or Qantas.

Getting around: Darwin’s city centre is ideal for walking, as it is flat and easy to navigate. Just north of the city, the George Brown Darwin Botanic Gardens, have over 1,500 tropical plant species, while the Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory offers one of Australia’s best Indigenous art galleries. Get there on the hop-on hop-off explorer bus.

Multi award winning AAT Kings offers a range of day tours including city sights, Litchfield and Nitmiluk National Parks, and extended tours including Kakadu National Park.

Where to stay: Centrally located, with stunning views of the Arafura Sea, Mantra on the Esplanade offers hotel rooms and spacious serviced apartments, ideal for families. If arriving late or departing early, the Novotel and Mercure are metres from the airport.

Best eats: Darwin dining is all about Asian flavours, best sampled at the markets. For seafood, head for Cullen Bay or the Waterfront precinct. Mitchell Street is home to restaurants, pubs and cafes.

When to go: The Top End experiences two seasons – wet and dry. The wet, from DecemberMarch is when wetlands and rivers are at their most beautiful, though locals recommend May, as it is the least humid.

Shopping: Darwin offers art galleries specialising in Indigenous art, and market stalls including Kunwinjku Fine Art at Parap Markets. When in Arnhem Land, visit the Injalak Arts and Crafts Association for a wide range of crafts and paintings made by local artists. And if you like pearls, white and pink diamonds, there are shops in Darwin offering serious bling.

Travel tips: Mitchell Street can get boisterous, so stick together late at night. Box jellyfish are present during the wet season and crocodiles are dangerous anytime. Always wear a hat, plenty of sunscreen and keep well hydrated.

Kriya Yoga

free public talks

with Paramahamsa Prajnanananda, Head of Kriya Yoga International

Bhagavad Gita – In the Light of Kriya Yoga

Three Paths to the Divine: Wisdom, Devotion, Action

3 May 2019

7 pm – 8.30 pm

The Art of Converting Work into Worship

4 May 2019

7 pm – 8.30 pm

Please arrive 15mins before for a prompt start Strathfield town hall, 65 Homebush road, Strathfield, NSW

Practical Spirituality – Yoga in Daily life

5 May 2019

11.30 – 12.30 pm

Please arrive 15mins before for a prompt start Vedic Samiti Temple, 1 Arthur Street, Cardiff South, NSW

Australia Kriya Yoga Association

Awadhi style Kofta Pulao

A decadent rice dish from the royal kitchens of the Lucknow region

BY DHANYA SAMUEL

Apulao is often considered to be second grade in comparison to a biryani. The general attitude is that you make a pulao when you don’t want to indulge in the extravagance of a biryani. This could not be further from the truth: here’s an Awadhi style pulao to prove this.

Awadhi cuisine from the Lucknow region is not just famous but one that’s held in reverence. The food that came out of the Awadh kitchens had a royal elegance, and continues to this day to be held in esteem for its techniques, attention to ingredients and complexity of flavours.

The cuisine is known for its ‘nafaasat’ i.e. refinement. Spices are used brilliantly to draw out the flavour of the main ingredientbe it rice, meat, fish or vegetables - and slow cooking is the preferred method to create that final harmonious medley that makes it all so refined.

Culinary literature is important when it comes to regional cuisines like this and one of my favourite cookbooks on this subject is Dastarkhwan-e-Awadh. The authors Dr Sangeeta Bhatnagar and R.K. Saxena, both culinary historians, spoke to Nawabs, chefs and cooks of the erstwhile royal households, as part of their research.

Coming to today’s dish, let it be stated at the very outset that making a good pulao requires as much skill as a biryani. The

INGREDIENTS:

n 500gms aged basmati (long grained) rice; washed and soaked for at least 1 hour

n 500gms lamb (or mutton) mince

n 1 inch piece ginger

n 5 medium garlic cloves

n 1 tsp red chilli powder

n 10gms roasted gram flour

n 1 inch cinnamon stick

n 3 whole green cardamom

n Salt, to season

n Ghee (clarified butter)

n 5 medium red onions

n 1 ½ tbsp rose water

n 1 pinch saffron

n 250 ml milk

flavours are much less complex in a pulao: there are far fewer spices and aromatics and it is a subtle play of those few spices that make a pulao so delicious. It all starts with cooking the rice perfectly. Use aged long grain rice which must be fragrant and aromatic, and cook it so that each grain is separate from the other yet done perfectly.

A kofta pulao is, literally, meatballs and rice. The meatballs are shaped small in this recipe, unlike the larger ones that we are accustomed to eating in pasta or as snacks. Though mutton would be used traditionally, I have used lamb mince here, which is flavoured with just cinnamon and cardamom.

Another important ingredient is ghee

DIRECTIONS:

n Grind the cinnamon and cardamom to a fine powder.

n Grind the garlic and ginger to a paste (add a few drops of water if necessary)

n Also grind 2 onions to a coarse paste and keep aside.

n Finely slice the remaining 3 onions; fry in ghee till golden brown, drain and keep aside.

n Into the mince, add half of the cinnamon-cardamom powder, roasted gram flour, 1 tbsp ghee and salt to season. Knead well to ensure that all the ingredients are mixed well and the mince has a fine consistency.

n Take small portions of the mince and roll into small balls (slightly larger than marbles). You will roughly get about 30 - 35 balls. Heat ghee in a pan and fry the meatballs; keep aside. (Take care not to overcook or the meatballs taste dry)

n To cook the rice, heat 1 ½ litres

or clarified butter. In traditional Awadhi cooking, tempered ghee is used but here I stick to plain ghee to keep things simple. Oil can be used but would hardly provide any flavour, and ghee is way healthier anyway. The rice and koftas are cooked separately and then layered; the cooking process is then finished using the dum technique. For those who aren’t aware, this is where all the ingredients are placed inside one pot and the edges sealed using dough. Slow charcoal heat is applied on top and bottom, and the food is allowed to slow cook with minimal heat.

water. Season with salt and add the remaining cardamom-cinnamon powder. Add the washed rice and parboil; drain and keep aside.

n In the same pan that the onions were fried (add more ghee only if necessary), add the onion and ginger garlic paste. Sauté on medium heat till the rawness disappears. Then add chilli powder and sauté till the ghee separates.

n Add the fried meatballs to this and add 1 cup (250 ml) water. Cook till most of the water has disappeared. Taste and season with salt if necessary.

n Meanwhile soak saffron in warm milk.

n To finally assemble the dish, place a large deep bottom vessel on low heat and add half of the cooked rice. Then layer with the cooked koftas/ meatballs, add half of the rose water and saffron milk. Then add the remaining rice followed by the

Now most of us would use a modern dum technique in our homes. You could either place all the ingredients in a casserole dish, seal using a foil and finish cooking at low heat in the oven. Or you could follow my technique: since I don’t like to use foil, I cover with a tea towel and then place the lid on top so that it’s really tight and no steam escapes. The pot is then placed on a flat tawa or directly on heat but at its lowest setting. Ensure that the edges of the towel hanging out aer scrunched up; we don’t want to start a fire!

remaining rose water and saffron milk.

n Seal the edges (read description above for dum techniques) of the vessel and cook covered on low heat for about 20 minutes.

n Open just before serving and garnish with fried onions.

n Serve with a raita.

cineTALK

SHASTRI DIES AGAIN

THE TASHKENT FILES

STARRING: Mithun Chakraborty, Naseeruddin Shah, Pankaj Tripathy, Shweta Prasad, Pallavi Joshi, Mandira Bedi, Rajesh Verma, Prashant Gupta

DIRECTOR: Vivek Agnihotri

HH

It is difficult for even a diehard movie buff like yours truly to think of one kind thing to say about this politically motivated film that asks the question that we all wanted to ask but didn't know where to go.

Who killed our second Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri while he attended an important summit in Tashkent? Did he die a natural death?

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The conspiracy theory lashes out at every politician we've grown up respecting except Shastri and his one follower in contemporary politics who believes in clean and mass-friendly governance. Guess who?

Not that the narrative is not without its episodes of enlightened storytelling. Getting Shweta Basu Prasad to play the central character of 'fake news' gatherer desperate to get a real scoop to save her job, is a clever device to show how good intentions can, and often are, born in the lap of muck. When she is not busy hamming, Shweta is quite effective in a pert, precocious kind of way. But the zeal to embrace the film's dubious politics gets the better of her judgment. The same goes for the distinguished cast. Actors known to be unfailingly effective find themselves being placed on slippery grounds as they struggle with their lines of pick-axe bravado.

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Vivek Agnihotri brings together a formidable cast of ever-credible actors, which includes his wife Pallavi Joshi playing a wheel-chair bound historian with no qualms about factual distortions, struggling here to look convincing while spewing conspiracy theories that would make even Subramanian Swamy blush.

Using actors with a powerful voice, Agnihotri unleashes the most unbelievable theories in how and why Shastri died. Some of the accomplished players like Naseeruddin Shah and Pankaj Tripathi are wasted. Others like Prashant Gupta and Prakash Belawadi struggle with lines that even the best orators in the world find hard to inject with conviction.

The film starts off as a blind examination of a clean and honest Prime Minister's death and ends with broad and slanderous remarks on Indian leaders accepting suitcases filled with currency notes from international agencies which want to control (the word used in the film is 'colonize') India.

A large part of the narrative is restricted to a room where all the members of a committee mull over the possibility of Shastri's murder in Tashkent. Everybody goes into spasms of self-generated anxiety, lending to the proceedings an aura of arrested eeriness. At one point, Mithun Chakraborty, in what is clearly his moment of glory, gets up and goes around labelling every member of the committee a terrorist for peddling selfinterest in the name of nationalism.

It made me wonder, what would we call cinema that propounds dangerous propaganda, intellectualises googled gossip and validates Chinese (or in this case Russian) whispers for its own reasons?

Shastri is dead... again. Long live Shastri.

Subhash K. Jha

ALBERT PINTO KO GUSSA KYUN AATA HAI?

STARRING: Manav Kaul, Nandita Das and Saurabh Shukla

DIRECTOR: Soumitra Ranade

HHH

Apart from the seething fury directed at a social structure that victimizes and crushes the underdog and a raging anger at capitalism, this new Albert Pinto played by Manav Kaul,

NEW, ANGRIER AVATAR

uneven and spasmodic.

It strews itself all over the place, literally, as this Pinto takes off on a road trip to Goa with a creepy gay paedophile.

Pinto's rancour is sometimes directed at the wrong people, like this convivial tribal (played by Omkar Das Manikpuri) who Pinto burns with his cigarette for smiling all the time. Pinto comes across as a spoilsport, a partypooper who won't let others enjoy life, because he can't. Or won't.

The Kaul-Shukla interactive journey is engaging to a point. But it soon plunges into an embarrassing low-blow of shared acrimony that isn't getting us, or the two main characters, anywhere.

Albert Pinto's relations with his suicide-driven father formed a base of splenetic cop-out in both the versions. Here, Albert relives his father's death in scenes that creep up on him in unexpected places... outside a restroom, in the middle of a forest, and so on. We are never sure of when Pinto's outward-projected anger pulls into an inward-drawn self-destructive force.

uncoil in sync with Pinto's anger. In the new avatar, Stella is made to be omnipresent. Even when Pinto disappears on her, he sees her everywhere: on posters in an alcohol shop, a giggly prostitute whom Pinto solicits at a dhaba enroute to Goa with his sleazy child-abusing companion (are we supposed to find Shukla's character endearing in his depravity?), in a forest where a benevolent tribal introduces him to his pretty wife (who could be Smita Patil in Aakrosh if only she was placed in a less disoriented situation).

Nandita plays multiple roles quite effectively, though at times she doesn't appear fully convinced of her weird omnipresence in the plot.

and the earlier iconic Pinto played by Naseeruddin Shah, have nothing in common.

Saeed Mirza's 1980 classic gets a nod in this completely refurbished take on societal prejudices and an individual's resentment against a system of governance and economy which encourage monstrous disparity. While Mirza's film swathed Naseeruddin's implosive rage in reams of anchored anger and sublimated satire, Manav's anger and bitterness is

NOT PROPAGANDIST, YET IDOLISES

MODI: JOURNEY OF A COMMON MAN (WEB SERIES ON EROS NOW)

STARRING: Ashish Sharma and Faisal

Khan

DIRECTOR: Umesh Shukla

HHH

A very thin line divides passion from propaganda. Films about figures we admire, especially living characters, tend to lose their focus and blur the lines of objectivity if the maker is emotionally too close to the subject to give us a comprehensive picture of both the glory and flaws that constitute greatness.

To expect any kind of blemish in character to emerge in this biopic would be unrealistic. However, director

Manav is a very fine actor when playing unpredictable, volatile, rudderless characters. Writer-director Soumitra Ranade burdens his character with an existential baggage that the narrative is not quite equipped to carry. Given the absence of a lucid motivation, Manav struggles to imbue his character with a sense of subverted purpose.

Added to the narrow, anarchic universe created by a writer-director who fathoms the dynamics of all-consuming rage but doesn't quite have a grip over its movement in his narration, is the part of Pinto's pert girlfriend Stella, played with impassioned exasperation by Nandita Das.

Stella, in the original, was played by the formidable Shabana Azmi. She had little to do except recoil and

attempted to give us a comprehensive, sincere and factual view of a life remarkably rich and mottled. This adherence to the straight and narrow path tends to make the narrative somewhat sluggish and tedious.

We all know about Prime Minister Narendra Modi's humble childhood as a tea seller, his rise to political glory via the spiritual route. The series gives us an insightful look into the Modi saga, the Modi-fications, so to speak.

Shukla, a Gujarati, is obviously a Modi follower. He doesn't allow his evident hero-worship to get the better of his narrative. Shukla digs deep into Modi's self-philosophy. Through lengthy debates and monologues, which can be taxing for the non-believer, the series builds a convincing if not compelling construction depicting the phenomenal rise to power of a contemporary politician who defines a self-built legacy.

While the young actor Faisal Khan

All through its running time of 90 minutes, Albert Pinto... see-saws between psychedelic surrealism and a bizarre symbolism. Early in the film, Pinto swallows a piece of glass with his beer. It remains stuck in his throat, quite like the film which celebrates the hiccups of explorative existence to an extent where the obstacles and dilemmas seem like the reason for the film's existence.

At another point, Stella informs Pinto that she is pregnant. He reacts with joy, sarcasm, confusion and resignation, all in a disconcerting loop. The scene ends with Stella declaring that she was only testing Pinto's loyalty.

The sequence is remarkable for converting compartmentalised emotions into a frenzied mass of overlapping emotions. Here, more than anywhere else, the director tells us we are entering a universe where the characters' emotional responses are not to be relied upon. Given the absence of an authentic centre, Albert Pinto... dithers dangerously and quite seductively, on the brink. It doesn't topple over. But the abyss is just a breath away.

Subhash K. Jha

who plays the teenaged Narendra Modi passes muster, Ashish Sharma who plays the young adult version of Modi brings in plenty of credibility to his part. The supporting cast is shadowy and constantly eulogistic.

Little incidents and forgotten anecdotes from the PM's past are resurrected with warmth and sincerity. These may not interest the average web watcher who binge-watches

Sacred Games. But Modi: Journey Of a Common Man has a certain sincerity in its tone of narration. Though budgetary constraints tend to bog down the series' spiralling ambitions, the authentic Gujarati locations go a long way in ratifying Modi's long journey to statesmanship.

Even on the level of hagiography, this web series shows admirable restraint and a genuine faith in the politics of a national leader who wants to change the face of Indian politics.

Subhash K. Jha

Umesh Shukla and his writers Mihir Bhuta and Radhika Anand have

The BUZZ

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

MADHURI DIXIT: THE IMPORTANCE OF STAYING RELEVANT

When the queen speaks, you listen. From Tezaab to Total Dhamaal, Madhuri Dixit Nene has followed her own path. In a career spanning over three decades, the screen icon has constantly kept pace with a changing industry. The trick to her longevity? Always adapting and trying to do work that is relevant to the times.

Talking about her changing image with time, she said, "I think I always got opportunities to do some cool stuff even in the 1990s when I was young. When my son watches my dance for Que sera sera with Prabhudheva, he says 'You are my cool mom'. It is the relatability, the relevance of those works (that’s important to me). I am always trying to do work that holds relevance."

Her latest role in Kalank alongside Sanjay Dutt, Varun Dhawan, Alia Bhatt, Sonakshi Sinha and Aditya Roy Kapur, is a good example of this. Madhuri plays Begum Bahaar in the movie, of whom she said, "She is an introvert and emotionally scarred because of the past tragedy of her life. She is silent, yet conveys a lot through her eyes. She is what she is because of the bitter

experience of her life."

At 51 years, the actress is no stranger to social media, with a solid presence on Instagram that is peppered with fun positive quotes, glimpses of her private life and plenty of images of her famous dazzling smile. And she knows the importance of social media for promoting a movie, saying, "In our time, we had more face-to-face interaction with our co-stars, but these days it’s all about social media. The good thing is, I am finding that (virtual) world quite fascinating. Posting quirky pictures on social media, I enjoy that too!”

Does she believe that senior actresses are now getting much better characters to play than earlier?

"I strongly believe that people like us have to break the stereotype. If we’re carving a path that shows how women of our age can flourish with substantial characters in films that go beyond the cliched, our next generation will continue it. We have to open doors for the next generation. It is not as an activist that I’m speaking, but as an artiste."

Madhuri Dixit - actor and dancer extraordinaire, budding Instagrammer and...activist? We like the sound of that!

KRITI SANON: THE TIMES THEY ARE A-CHANGING

She’s currently basking in the glory of the success of her recent film Luka Chuppi and so Kriti Sanon is in a good place to look at the state of the industry.

Especially when it comes to taboo topics like in Luka Chuppi, about a young couple who move in together. The film has managed to cross over Rs 90 crores at the Indian box office.

"The box office numbers are encouraging and I'm grateful to the audience," said the 28-year-old actor.

She believes the audience is now much more accepting of different subjects that would earlier be considered "taboo".

"Our idea wasn't to (endorse) live-in relationships in general. But yes, we did want to stir the audiences a bit and leave them with the thought that everyone has the right to lead their lives according to their wishes and we shouldn't judge them for that," she said.

Looks like the audience got the message…

A SONG FOR PARINEETI

Another actor who is looking back happily at a recent success is Parineeti Chopra.

Pari has just come off a role in the Akshay Kumar film Kesari, in which she sang the soulful number Teri Mittiwhich has been very well received.

“The song came about because I used to keep humming it all the time and everybody used to appreciate it,” she said.

Music producer Azeem heard her and proposed the idea of doing the song in her voice. Parineeti revealed they dubbed it within two hours, and shot the video in another two hours.

Buoyed by this, the chirpy actor is calling upon other music directors to give her a similar break.

"I think now is the time for me to sing more and show people what I can do, because I do believe I can sing,” she related.

Of course, she is a trained Hindustani classical singer.

"I come from a family of singers so I have been blessed with the gift of sur and taal. While I was growing up, my parents thought that it was a good idea for me to also learn it professionally.”

She did her first gig at only three years old.

“Yes it’s true,” she laughed. “Singing is the first creative art I pursued and it’s been a huge part of my life throughout.”

She has sung the song Maanake hum yaar nahin for the film Meri Pyaari Bindu.

What would she like to sing, if given a chance?

"I would like to come out with tracks that really resonate with the youth. I think I will always want to pursue doing very very melodious songs because I have a very husky voice and I think that suits me."

So she knows what she wants… and like her big sister, let’s hope she knows how to go out and get it.

SALMAN AS 'BHARAT'

It’s a slow reveal.

We mean Salman Khan’s look from the much-awaited film Bharat.

We’ve seen two looks so far, out of five apparently – each to be released daily this week. So dramatic…. talk about building up hype!

Anyway, for the first look, we saw an aged Salman, all salt and pepper in hair and beard, very different, and sort of Amitabh-ish. Now we know what Bhai will look like 20 years from now.

Next day, we saw him as a young dude, and we were transported back to the 1990s, when a hunky and dashing Sallu ruled the silver screen.

Wonder what tomorrow will bring?

Reckon we’ll see a middle-aged, potbellied version…? Not bloody likely!

The film Bharat depicts the history of India through the life of an ordinary man. Named Bharat and played by Salman. It is an official remake of Korean film An Ode To My Father.

Talking of fathers, Jackie Shroff plays Salman’s dad here.

The film's other cast members include Katrina Kaif, Tabu, Disha Patani and Sunil Grover. Directed by Ali Abbas Zafar, Bharat will release on the occasion of Eid.

EVEN PADMAVATI DIDN'T FACE SUCH STRESS: SANDIP SSINGH

Producer Sandip Ssingh of PM

Narendra Modi fame is hopeful the Election Commission gives his film "justice" and he can release it soon.

But he says the process has given the team more stress than what the makers of Padmavati (Padmaavat) went through.

KRITI SANON

The Supreme Court recently directed the Election Commission (EC) to watch PM Narendra Modi, a biopic on the Prime Minister, and submit its report regarding the film's release in a sealed cover.

"We are in a lot of stress,” Ssingh revealed. “The team is losing confidence, but we hope and pray that we get justice and we release our film. For the first time it has happened that a filmmaker has to go through this. It is humiliating... not even Padmavati had gone through so much of stress. At least their release was not cancelled just a night before. But we have no option. We are waiting for justice," Ssingh said.

The brouhaha for the Vivek Anand Oberoi-starrer biopic began as the film's release date was shifted from 5 April to 11 April, the first day of polling for the seven phased Lok Sabha elections.

But just a day before, the poll panel ruled that any biopic material in the nature of biography/hagiography serving the purposes of any political or individual entity connected to it should not be displayed in electronic media, including cinematograph, during the operation of the MCC (Model Code of

Conduct).

After the film's makers approached the Supreme Court, the apex court put the ball in EC's court.

“Everyone’s seen the trailer, and people know it's an expensive film,” Ssingh said. “We put in crores of money, and a lot of money went into its promotions. All we want is our film should be released and people should get inspired by watching it”.

PRIYANKA: GOOD BAHU

Singer-actor Nick Jonas says it is "kind of a dream" that his wife and actress Priyanka Chopra, Sophie Turner and Danielle Jonas are "so connected".

In an interview to Entertainment Tonight, Nick opened up about the close friendship that has formed between Priyanka and his brother Joe's fiance Sophie.

"It's a great feeling. I mean, it's kind of a dream where, as close as we are as brothers, that our wives and fiance are so connected as well," Nick said.

The Chains singer admitted that reforming the Jonas Brothers band was "obviously a huge adjustment for everybody", but they have gotten nothing but love and support from their significant others, including Kevin Jonas' wife Danielle.

"These incredible women have handled it so well and have been the best support system for each of us, individually and as a group," Nick shared. "To get to share that with them is a really amazing thing."

While Priyanka has been welcomed into Nick's close-knit family, the 26-year-old entertainer said he has managed to blend in well with his wife's family as well.

"It is one of the things we were so drawn to about each other. And the family's just getting bigger and bigger, and that's a beautiful thing. We love including our loved ones, our family, in everything we do...our house is for everyone, our doors are always open," he added. "That is, in my opinion, how it should be."

ON TWITTER THIS WEEK

Match the following stars to the tweets that appear below:

Shah Rukh Khan, Priyanka Chopra, Farhan Akhtar, Priyanka Chopra again, Madhuri Dixit

Much fun in Chennai today. Well played @ChennaiIPL& my fantastic @KKRiders we did our best but sometime it’s not good enough. @ Russell12A@imkuldeep18 will giv u guys a massage, @SunilPNarine74 will help. #piyushchawla ‘I am in love with ur new body’

My first ever #jonasbrothers show. And it was incredible!!! I'm so proud of these guys!! #Family

I hope you’re enjoying #Echoes as much as I enjoyed making it. What’s your favourite single off the album so far?

Dance is a hidden language that connects you to your soul. Get ready to see #BahaarBegam in theatres on 17th of April.

Good luck Sophie Turner you are a boss babe. And are very loved… J-sister. 'Game Of Thrones' tonight

LAST ISSUE CAPTION CONTEST WINNER

PARINEETI CHOPRA

SALMAN KHAN

PRIYANKA CHOPRA

ASK AUNTYJI Culture Shock

DEAR AUNTYJI

To say I am livid is an understatement. My husband and I have been married for 17 years and sometimes, with the pressures of work and running a household, things can get stressy. But I try to be nice to my family: I cook them hot meals every day and look after their needs. Anyway, last week, I made aloo bhaigan. Because I always try to look for ways to improve, I asked my husband during dinner, Shamu, what can I do next time to make the aloo bhaigan tastier? And you know what the shaitaan said? He said, how about a dash of compassion and chamach full of kindness? Auntyji, I literally choked on my puri. What a nasty thing to say! I stopped talking to him immediately, and not one word has passed my lips since. Shamu has been trying to apologise, but I don't want to hear anything from him. My feelings are hurt and I want to punish him. My kids tell me that I should move on and not worry about this so much. How not to worry, Auntyji, unhone hamara dil jo tod diya. What to do, Auntyji, pleaseadvise?

AUNTYJI SAYS

OMG, you truly are the manifestation of Kaali if you were able to punish your husband by not speaking to him for over a week. See, normally I would say your husband is a badmaash, a zalim, but in this instance, based on your behaviour, I reckon you are the kalankani. So your husband made a flippant comment. Judging by your reaction, there must have been some truth to this, because anyone else would have laughed because it was funny. But clearly you have the bitterness of a karela with how you treat your husband. You like to punish him - and you are doing this now with your zaherila silent treatment. Arrenagin, sambhalja. Do you want your children's future spouses treating them the way you are treating your pati? You should do some reflection. Are you a nice person at home? Do you speak with love in your voice or is everything like poison dripping from your gala? And as for your husband, he is the father of your children. Show him love and affection, because he too has a choice in how he treats you: you’re lucky he is not a jaahil like you.

DO

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Suitable match for an Australian citizen Hindu girl, highly qualified IT professional. Parents highly educated and well settled in Sydney. Should be well qualified and working professional, Australian citizen or permanent resident. Please respond to rukrghrmn@gmail.com

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SEEKING BRIDES

Seeking 25-30-year-old Hindu/Punjabi girl from Australia for our 32-year-old specialist doctor son, 5'9", born and brought up in Sydney. Please respond: gupta_rsr@hotmail. com or ph 0414 282 510 Alliance invited for well educated, divorced, 5' 9", 1975-born Sikh Khatri boy. Working and self-employed, earning 100k per year. Looking for compatible Sikh girl from Australia. Early marriage. Phone: 0422 102 242 or email: ghai07@yahoo.com

Australian Melbourne resident (born South Africa/Hindi) 32-year-old professional, outgoing and well-travelled man seeking Indian or Sri Lankan lady with similar interests for marriage. Please e-mail details with photo to father ranjitha@slingshot.co.nz

Australian citizen, male, professional, working for Government department, owns house in Sydney, huge assets. Seeking suitable match for marriage. Contact sydneyboy293@yahoo. com or 0438 029 833

DEAR

AUNTYJI

I recently went to the US to visit a cousin, and I was introduced to her daughter and her American husband. Now Peter is white as white can be, he grew up in the Midwest, and he works in IT, but Auntyji, he spoke shuddh Hindi to me. When I made him a cup of tea, he said, shukriya, aapki daya ki koi seema nahi. Auntyji, after I picked myself off the floor, I asked him where he learnt to speak like that. He replied that when he met Nandita five years ago, he made an effort to learn to speak Hindi. And then, when we went to our sister's wedding anniversary, he went around speaking Hindi while everyone just marvelled at him. Now Auntyji, my daughter too is married to a gora, but the only Hindi words he knows are biryani and raita. I wish Mike would learn to speak Hindi like Peter so that all my relatives can be impressed. When I mentioned this to my daughter, she went pffft in my face, as though I had suggested she grow a seeng mathhe par. How can I convince Mike to learn Hindi, Auntyji? Any guidance offered will be gratefully accepted.

AUNTYJI SAYS

Look at you, ek gora Hindi kya uguldiya, you are all impressed. So what if he learnt the language and walks around seeking validation from desi log in order to get over the vanilla of his whiteness. He grew up in the Midwest and is in IT – could he possibly get any blander? So Peter realised this, and he probably decided, while he was under the effect of curry fever, that he would become more interesting if he learnt the language and then spouted it like a typical firangi who has nothing interesting about them but their affectations. Well, good for him and his bland self. But the real problem is with you. Why do you find this impressive? You probably speak three languages, do you want people to comment on how well you speak English? Please leave poor Mike be. At least he doesn't try to be something he is not, and he does not seek validation from anyone. Sharam karo, ashikshit behen, that you even thought about changing another human being to make yourself look good. Yet another kalankani you are.

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