Experiencethe healing and rejuvenating powerofnatureat Kangaroo Island

BY SANDIP HOR

okangarooswelcome me as I landontheshoresofAustralia's third-largest island, but two centuries ago in 1802 a large numberofthen1greeted English explorer Matthew Flinders.

He proceeded toseize 31 ofthem as meatforhisravenouscrewand asa token ofgratitude, named the southerndiscovery Kangaroo Island.

Only a45-minute ferryridefrom Cape Jervisonthe southern edge ofSouth Australia, thislandmasswith its towering and colourful sea cliffs, lush rolling fields, footprintfree beaches, ribbons ofnative vegetation, thrillingwildlife,and boutique food and wine, has longbeen a topbucket list destination withboth international and domestictravelconnoisseurs.

The island is 155-kmlongand 55k,nwide,coveringalandareaof4416 square kmandencircledby509 kmof coastline. While Kingscote is theisland's busiesttownand hometo a tinyairport, Penneshawis anothersmall townwhere the ferryfromthe mainland arrives. Both arelocatedon the easternpart ofthe island.

Markedbythefootprints ofAmerican sealersandwhalers,Frenchnavigators and English colonisers, theearlyhistory oftheislandisnoless invigorating. When SouthAustralia was formallyestablished asa BritishProvincein 1836, Kingscote becan1ethe capital and ren1ainedso forfour1nonths,untilAdelaide in the mainland tookover. Fanningbecame the principaloccupationofthe local people and it 1natured furtherwith the soldier resettlements afterWorld WarII.

Afewbuildings,lighthouses,graveyards, memorialsandrelicsstill remainas poignantemblems ofthe earlyera.

UnquestionablyKangaroo Island is a beautiful 111akingofMother Nature, whoat times doesn'thesitate todestroyherown creationwith deadlyacts ofearthquakes, floods, landslidesandotherdisasters.

Kangaroo Islandbecameavictim ofthis naturalphenomenonearlylastyearwhen devastatingbushfires rippedthrough almosthalfofthe island,terminating infrastructure,vegetation,andlandscape, and mostdisturbinglykillingseveralnative animals, livestockand twohumans.The calamitywassospreadthat96% ofthe 326square km FlindersChase National Park-one ofAustralia'stopprotected sanctuaries- turned black. Itissaideven the birdsonthe island stoppedchirping. Manyincludingthe 4000-pluslocals, thoughtthe returntoformerglorymaynot happen soon.

MotherNature thought differently. Twelve monthson, it'samazingto see howthe ecosystem is bouncingback,with huge splashesofgreeneryemergingfrom a blackenedlandscape.

With this tragedystillfreshinmind,my islandodysseykicksoffona depressing note,particularlyafterhearingfromNikki Redman,the tourguidefrom Kangaroo Island Odysseys, the magnitudeofthe bushfire. Butthegloomstartsto fade asI notice theregenerationallaround me.

"Nature is slowlyreturningto norn1al," says Nikkias l seecolour other than blackdecorating the landscape, flora like yucca plants springingback to life. We heargolden whistlersandwattle birds singing,andspotwedge-tailedeaglesand blackcockatoos,a special offeringofthe island,up in the sky.

One wayofsupporting theisland in its recovery, issimplyto visit.

Inadditiontoobservingnature's renaissance,thereisstillenough unaffected by the bush fires to take inand enjoy. It will notonlyaidtherescue,butwillalso boost thelocaleconon1yshattered furtherbythe COYID-19pandemic. Withinternational travel barred for the timebeing, it'sperhaps the best time toexplore thisge1ninourown backyard, notonlytosavouritssplendours but alsotosupportits retrievaltoroutine.

There'sa lotin itsn1enu card, so I list someofthetopdrawcards that make the island sospecial.

WILDLIFE NATURALLY

Kangaroo Islandisabundantwithnative birds,koalas, short-beaked echidnas, and ofcourse kangaroos andwallabies.A large number ofthem died fromthebushfires, butthere areplenty thatsurvived and it's possible to encounter them in theirown habitat almosteverywhere.

Endangered Sea Lions

Thesoutherncoastoftheisland ishometo sealions. Watchingtheminlarge numbers restinginthe sunor ridingthewaves ontothe beach intrueAussie style isan unforgettableexperience. Onaguided tour it'spossible togetclosetotheseanin1als, evenpose foraselfie.

STUNNING �EAFRONT OCAT ONS

Gettingintin1atewithsun,seaand sand ispopularatseverallocationsalongthe coastline-VivonneBayinthesouth,Western RiverCove Bay,SnellBay,StokesBayand E1nu Bayinthenorth,and PenningtonBay inthe westarefan1ousfortheirspectacular settingsandbeachestosuitevery11100d.

ROCKY WONDERS

Locatedatthe westernendoftheisland inside the Flinders Chase National Park areAustralia'stwoiconicrockgrowthsRemarkable Rocks, an impressivenatural formationoforange-lichen-covered granite boulders bythe sea, and the Admirals Arch, a stalactite-coverederoded rock bridge outside ofwhich thousandsoffur sealslike tosunbathe.

OLD LIGHTHOUSES

Many shipwrecksoccurred aroundthe islandsinceofficialsettlement, leading tothe buildingoflighthousesatnearby Cape Willoughbyii11852, Cape Borda in 1858, Cape StAlbans in 1908 andCape du Couedicin1909.Alloftheseexisttoday as silent witnessesofthecolonialpast.

Lin I:. SAHARA Awayfromthecoast,naturallyevolved inland sand dunesoffer toursand activities forthe adventure-minded, slidingdownthe sandy billbeingafavourite.

-

N UIN CO ON Penneshawis theho1netoacolonyoflittle penguinswhichcanbe seenonaguided tourintheeveningsonly.

CA PRODUCE

Thepristine andstress-freeenvironment provides a fertile platformforthegrowth ofpremiumproduces.Visitorshave the chance to tastesome ofthe finestseafood, lamb, honeyand locally madewine,cider, beerandgin. ---

Travel Notes

Gettingthere: QantasLink(www. qantas.com)operates daily flightsfromAdelaide,otherwise byferrywithSealink(www. sealink.com.au)fromCape Jervis, locatedtwohourssouth ofAdelaidewithcoachservices availabletoconnectferries.

Stay: Allsortsofaccommodation isavailable,fromswagunder treestofivestar suites.

Aurora Ozone Hotel (www. auroraresorts.com.au) at KingscoteandSea FrontHotel (www.seafront.com.au)at Penneshawaregoodchoices.

Tours: KangarooIslandOdysseys (www.kangarooislandodysseys. com.au)specialisesin various smallgroup toursand tailormadeitineraries.

More Info :Visitwww. southaustralia.comandwww. tourkangarooisland.com.au

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EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST - NSW HEALTH

Membership - Local Health District and Specialty Network Boards

The NSW Government is inviting applicationsfrom people interested in becoming a memberofa Local Health DistrictorSpecialty Network Board.

The Boards are responsible foroverseeing an effective governance and risk managementframeworkforthe district/network, setting strategic directions, ensuring high standards of professional and ethical conduct are maintained, involving providers and the community in decisionsthataffectthem, monitoring service delivery and financial performance againsttargets and holding the district/ network chief executive accountablefortheir performance.

Individuals should demonstrate the capacityto representthe interest of consumers of health services and the local community served by a district/network, and indicate any affiliationswith universities, clinical schools or research centres, as well as skills and experience in one or more ofthe following areas:

• corporate governance;

• health management/health administration;

• business/financial management/public administration;

• clinical practice/provision of health servicesto patients;

• expertise, knowledge or experience in relation toAboriginal health;

• understanding of local community issues;

• understanding ofor experience in primary health care

Accepted applicationswill be included on the NSW Health Board Register for Local Health District and Specialty Network Boards.The Registerwill be used to fill vacancies on Local Health District and Specialty Network Boards during 2021 and 2022.

To apply, individuals need to complete an expression of interest indicating their skills and experience relevanttothe role by Sunday28February2021.

For information and to obtain an Expression of Interestform visit: health.nsw.gov.au/eoiboards. Forfurther information please call 1800328 998

BY ANUJAVIJAY

etthe111ango maniacontinue,we say, andyouagree! Ifyou haven't madeanaamkapannayetthis --- season, tryoursimplerecipe. Plus, a 1nangopopsicleforafterschool,anda n1angosandesh. forafterdinner.

Eachwilltakeyou backtothesummer holidaysofyourchildhood in lndia.

1 cupfresh mangopulp

1cupfrozenorfreshraspberries pureed

■ 2tbsphoney(ormoreorless.to adjustsweetnesstotaste).

Add honeytoraspberrypuree. Pourmangopulpintopopsicle mouldto the halfwaymark.Add1tbsp raspberry puree. Layerwith anotherspoonof mangopulp andthen raspberrypuree. Freeze until half-frozen.say2-3hours. Stickinyourpopsiclesticks.andthen freeze untilfullyfrozen.about8 hours orovernight.

Mango Cooler

1 rawmango ¼ cupjaggery

■ Mint leaves ½tspblacksalt

1tsproastedcuminpowder

Peeltheskinoffthe rawmangoandchopintosmall pieces. Cookin apressure cookerwith enoughwaterfortwowhistles. Transferthe mangoesintoablenderalongwithahandful ofmintleaves.jaggery. Blendtosmooth.Sievethe pulpand addblacksaltandcumin.Ifneeded.add morewatertoadjust consistency.

Mango Sandesh

■ 1 litrefull cream milk

■ 2tbsplemonjuice

■ 1/3cup powderedsugar

Thinlysliced mangoes Apinchofsaffron soaked in ateaspoonofmilk

Bring milktoaboilina heavy-bottomed pan.stirring occasionally.Add lemonjuice andallowmilktocurdle.Turn heatoffand letthe milksit forfive minutestocurdle completely.

Lineastrainerwithcheese cloth and pourthe curdled milkthrough.Oncethe wheyis strained.washthe cheesewith coldwater. Bringallthe endsofcheese clothtogetherandsqueezeout the excesswater.Leave itin thestrainerfor20minutesto remove excesswater.

Transfercheesetoaplateand kneadgentlywiththehelp ofyourpalm.You'llhaveto kneadfor5to7minutesuntilit becomessmoothandsoft.Add thesaffron milk. plushworldofAshokisanawakening ofsortsforBairam.Slyandambitious thathealwayswas, Bairammanages topenetrateAshok'sworldinawayhe becomesincreasinglyindispensableto hismaster.

Nowaddthe powderedsugar andformabigball.

Placeasheetofbakingpaper onthecounterand rollthe cheeseballinarectangular shape evenlyonit.

Placetheslicedmangooverthe rolledcheese.

Withthe helpofbakingpaper firmlyrollthecheese. Leave itin fridgefor15minutestoset. Cutintosliceswiththe helpofa sharp knife.

Yet, Balram's rudeawakeningswill notbe restrictedtothe realisation oftheacute class dividethatexists. Hewill beshockedto realise after a tragic incidentone night how disposable heactually isto his employers. Bairam understandsthe onlywayto bucktheclassdivide, which iswholly loaded againsthim, itisto break all master-servant rules that have been drilled into his mind sincechildhood.

The Whitetiger

I STARRING:Adarsh Gourav, 1 Priyanka Chopra, RajkummarRao, Mahesh Manjrekar,VijayMaurya, I SwaroopSampat

I DIRECTION: Ramin Bahrani

I ***"'

1 "Don'tbelieveforasecondthere'sa million-rupeegameshowyou can win I togetoutofit".

I That's Bairam Halwai in The White I Tigerthinkingaloud,outliningthe squalid povertythatheliveseveryday, I asopposedtowhatJamal Malikin

I SlumdogMillionaire mighthavesaid.

I The White Tigersetsitstonebluntly withthatline,somewhere intheearly I portionofatwohour-odd runtime.

I The idea isclear:thereisno superstar-hosted miraclegameshow I waitingtodeliveryou ifyou are Bairam I Halwai, dehatidriverdevotedtoa

I wealthyuppercaste'master'. Butif

1 youare Bairam,andatthewrongend ofthesocial stratum,gettingatthe I wrongend ofthe lawmightjusthelp.

I Only, ina countrywhere'Wanted'

1 postersthatcopsissue rarelyeverlook 1 liketheculprit,you haveto besmart

I I becausethe man whogetsitso right-Iranian-Americanfilmmaker RaminBahrani-hasneverlived in I eitherIndia. I

I enoughtogetawaywith it. I I

I Itisa notionthattriggersinstant chaosasweenterBalram'sworld, I andthemood pervadesbeneathall

I thatgoeson, asthefilm capturesthe

1 essenceoftwoverydifferentlndias thathave learnttocoexist. From I theguttersofLaxmangarhvillagein

I backwaterBihar,where Bairam hails

I from,totheworldofsuper-swanky Gurgaoncondos,where heendsupa

I driverforhis morallymalleable, ultraI richemployers, it'sinterestinghowthe film capturesthe realityaboutboth I milieuswith discomfortingprecision.

I Itleavesyou intriguedallthemore

Matrimonials

Seeking Grooms

Seekinga professionallyqualified match, teetotallerwith agoodfamilybackground, preferablyAustralian citizenor PR holder, forhighlyqualified career-oriented Brahmin girl 35, 5'2", vegetarian withgood family background,workingand wellsettled in Sydney. Pleasecontact aussyd08@gmail.com

Lookingfora well-educated andsettled match (professional orbusinessman)fora Hindu Khatri girl. Currently, sheis pursuinga Master'sdegree inAustraliatobecompleted thisyear. Herdetailsare:Age35years, Height 5'2", unmarried, faircomplexion, beautiful, slim.Kindlyemail biodata and picturesto narayan.matrimonial@gmail.com

Itiseasy, ofcourse,to rootforThe WhiteTigerforits performances, becausethecastiswhatprimarily drawsyourattention.Adarsh

I Gouravas Bairam Halwai, rises fromthefringestodelivera defining I performance,as Bahrani unfolds his I lifestorybrimmingwith unapologetic 1 tragi-comedy. Balram's isajourney from lower-classignominytowhat I he hopeswill onedaybeataleof

I I I I I successful entrepreneurship. I 1 Thegreystoryofambitiongetsatwist I ofcolourwhenhemeetsPinkymadam I (PriyankaChopraJonas, insurelyher I mostassuredperformanceinyears), I I I drop-deadgorgeouswifeofhisemployer 1 Ashok(RajkummarRao,awkwardlyout I ofsyncwithforcedaccent). Indeed,the I

Professionallyqualified match requiredfor '88-born, 5"3" Hindu Punjabigirl, divorced (shortmarriage, issueless).Workingfulltime inSydney. Prefteetotaller. MusthaveAusPR. Email: matrimonial.ml@gmail.com.

Seeking Brides

Seekinga professional matchfor Hindu-AdDharmi/Ramdasia, 27-year-old engineerboyonTRvisadoingcustomer servicejob in Sydney, withan educated familybackground,family relatives professionallysettled in Sydneyand Brisbane. Caste no bar.

Pleasecontactwith detailsand photoat hsruby_2000@yahoo.com/ 0401324862

Maintainingthe narrativetoneof Aravind Adiga's Man BookerPrizewinning bookofthesamename, Bahrani'sscreenplayunfoldsasa letterBairamwritesto erstwhile Chinese premierWen Jiabao, around his India visitof2010. As Bairam punches in hisstoryon a laptop,the idea isto laybare a representative citizen ofoneofthetwo most populousnations in the worldtothe headoftheother. Does Bairam really representIndia, andthe nation's moral, economic and culturalfibre? Wewillgivethe makersofthisfilm theadvantageofcreative liberty.

For, Bahranidoes keep his narrative ascloseaspossibletoAdiga·sstory. Thebookwasalwaysgripping,andthe writer-directorusestheadvantageto crediblyestablish everysocio-cultural commentinherent inthetale.

Wittyintone, heart-rendingin its impactandentertainingoverall.

Vinayak Chakravorty

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Why OP Nayyar continues to be SHYAMAL BHATIA's favourite musician

am an ardent admirerofOP Nayyar's n1usic. Anyonewho knowsmewell, knowsof1ny love forIndian film n1usic from the 1940s tothe 1970s. l have grown up listening to, and thoroughly enjoying, songsbyco1nposers rangingfrom Pankaj MaUickand RC Bora! through to RD Burman.

Butifl mustpickapersonalfavourite among these itwould have tobe Nayyar. 1 have oftenwondered to 111yselfwhyit is that Ilike Nayyar's n1usicso much, and whatitisin his songs that makesforsuch pleasurablelistening. What isit that sets it apartfron1the others?

Early exposure

Iwasintroduced toNayyar'smusic in 1ny earlyteens bymy brother,Tushar Bhatia (MusicDirector,AndazApnaApna). The radiowasplayingEkpardesi1neradi/le gaya fro1nthe fihnPhagun.

"You have to listen to this," hesaid, and wenton topointoutbowthe songbegins ona single beat forthefirstlineand then doublesupfor the nextfate}ate,neetha meethagham degaya.

"Notice the word repetition -jatejate and meetha meetha," he said. "Isn'tit wonderful?"

Thatwas it. I was mesn1erisedbythe songand found 1nyselfinstinctivelytapping myfeet.

And fromthatpointon beganmy journeyof'discovering' 0 PNayyar.

Collecting OP

The discoveryofeachpreviouslyunheard

OPsongwaslikeuncoveringtreasure, and through 1nyschooland university days Ispenthourssearchingforthese songstoadd to 111ycollection. Radio Vividh Bharti and RadioCeylonwerethe obvious sourcesand 1 would sitpatiently with mycassetterecorderwaitingfor the announcertoutterthewords"music direction O PNayyar"before I pressed the REC button.

1 recaUgoingto Rhyth1n House,an iconic musicstore in Mumbai, with Tusharbhaijusttobeable to listen to the songsfrom thefilmAarPaar. Rhythm House hadlisteningboothswhereyou could sitdownandlisten to LPsbefore youbought them. 'Trybeforeyou buy' as the sayinggoes, exceptwe neverbought. Wecould not afford thepriceysumofRs 30 for the LPbackthen. Weweresimply there tobearthesongs - Babujidhire chalna, Sunsun sunsunzali,na and Hoon abhi,naijawan would run shiversdown my spine. Theystill do.

ChorBazarin Mumbaiis alargeflea marketwithdozensofstores selling second-handgoods. I rememberfindingan EMI Pakistanrelease LPofYehRaatPhir naAayegiwhich I endeduppurchasingfor Rs 100.Thatwaslaterin myuni days and while Rs 100wasstillalargesum, I could nowafford anoccasional splurge.The recordwas outofissueinIndia and buying this rare copywasmostcertainlyworthit.

ChorBazarbecan1ea regularhaunt whereI painstakinglywentthroughpilesof dusty 78rpmrecordsinthehopeoffinding a Nayyarsong. I discoveredraresongslike

Chayahaisennameradi/haijawan (Qaidi); Man moregaajhoo,nke(Mangu) andAha hahajawanijhootntihai(BadeSarkar).

Acassettewithall Howrah Bridgesongs and one with a highlyechoeyrecording ofManguand Musafirkhana songswere excitingfinds.

Smugglingmycassette recorderinto matineeshowsofHumSubChorI-lain, and Pran JayePar Vachan NaJayeto tape the songs,and recordingoffChayageeton Doordarshan resultedin n1e augmenting mycollection.

Son1uchmoreadventurousand thrilling todiscoverandcollectthisway, rather than downloadingoffYouTube!

Meeting the man himself I hadtheopportunitytomeetOPNayyar several timesthanks to afriendArshad Sultan. Arshadsaabwasthe representative ofPakistanAirwaysbased in Mumbai and Nayyar, beingaclosefriend, frequently visitedhim inhisCuffe Parade apartment. Arshadsaaborganisedseveral mehfils attendedbyfansandwewould spend hourssingingandlisteningtostories aboutNayyar'smusiccareer. These areoccasionsI wi!Jneverforgetandbe eternallygratefulfor.

The man, the music I canbroadlycategorise Nayyar's music careerinto threeeras. Thefirst in the '50s wherehepredominantlyused Mohammed Rafi,Shamshad Begum and GeetaDuttas singers-Ayedilayedeeivane(Baaz), Yeh lo maiharipiya(AarPaar), Thandihawakali ghata andJaanekahan merajigar(Mrand Mrs 55), Boojh merakya naam (CID), Badi rangeelizindagi (Shrimati420), Tumjohue merehumsafar(12o'clock).

I'm still blown away by Thoda sa di/laga kedekh (Musafirkhana) where Nayyar had Shamshadsingthe words with Rafi singing theinterlude musicthroughout.

Then came the era where Asha Bhosle became his prime singer. The sophistication in his orchestration and his useof1nusicians like Rais Khan (sitar),ShivkumarSharma (santoor), Zarin Daruwala (sarod) and Rain Narain (sarangi) added adiamondlike lustretohis songs. Romantic musicals Like MereSanani, Sawan kiGhata, Kashn1irKiKali, Yeh Raat PhirNaAayegi, Flumsaya, Ek MusafirEk Haseenagaveus songs like faiyeaapkahan jayenge, Pukartachalahoon ,nai, Zara haule haulechalo, Phirmilogekabhi, Oilkiawaz bhi su'and Bahutshukriya.

San1bandhwasaturningpointonceagain. Withserious,meaningfulsongslikeAndhere ,nejobaithehain, Tu,nkotokarodosaaland Akelihoonmaipiya, Nayyarshowedusa siderarelyseeninhispreviouswork.

OP fan forever

Comingbackto the question ofWHY I like Nayyar's music asmuchasI do, I can onlyconclude that1 don't reallyneedto understandwhyI likeitson1uch,ittouches the heartand that isenough.

J'vlerinazaren haseen haiketumhohaseen, yehsamajhnekimujhkozooruratnahin, baatnazaron kihaibaatkuch bhinahin jiskodi/chhaheduniya mehaiwhohaseen.

February 2021 BY MINAL KHONA

MinaI Khona has been readingtarotcardsfor the lasttwodecades. She uses herintuition and connectwith the cards mostlyto helppeople.

The chariot card drawnfor you signifies a need forbalance in your life. Italsostands forvictory: focus on yourgoals, you are on the right path. The charioteer in the card represents one's higher selfsoifyou are on a spiritual quest, you willfind growth. Ifa situation no longerservesyour higher purpose, you will walk awayfrom it - whether itisajob or a relationship. Watchout formoodswingsthis month.

You could gothrough bouts of insecurity regardingmoneythis month. Don'tworry, itwill teach you tovalue moneyand notletitown you. Balance your expenses. Ifyouare lookingtosell property, itwill be sold. Despite obstacles, you will continue withyoursignificantotherifin a new relationship. Ifthere'sa health problem, take a second opinion before it becomes chronic. Success isyours this month butaskyourselfwhat is it reallyworth.

I This month, Gemscould dosome I soul searchingand seekanswers I from their higherselves. On thework front, itis goodto knowtheprosand I cons before makinga decision. A I shorttrip could be on theagenda. If you've had a setback, you could lack I confidence butworkon yourself. You I can resolvea lot ofyourproblems bycontrollingyourthoughts. Money I could betightbutfinances improve I shortly. Payattention totummybugsor 1 headaches.

I The card drawn foryousignifies I successatwork:youwill useyour I will powerproductively. Don'tlet temptations override commonsense, I andthink beforeyou act, especially in I matters ofthe heart. You will take up a much-needed break. Moneycould I betight butfunds underdispute will I cometoyou. You maytake a decision 1 regardinga business ora relationship. Itwill end anydilemmas insideyou. I Acceptyourcurrent situation and don't I force outcomes.

You drawa destinycard this month,sogo withtheflowwhere possible. Therecould

I Thecard picked representsthesign of TaurussothefinickyVirgocould well be

I stubbornthismonth. Oryou maymeet be new businessventurescomingyour way. Ashorttrip could introduceyouto a potential business partnerorromantic interest. Watch yourhealth, especially yourheart. Itcould also indicatea heart attackforafamily member. Friendsgive you thesupportyou need. Finances improve, especially inthe realm of investmentsorprofits. Perseverewithout worryingaboutthe results.

I someonewhoisaTaurean. Stressin a relationshipalmostmakesyou walkaway I butyouwon't.Positivechangesareround I thecornersodon'tgive upontheone

I you love.Travel plansfallthrough.Dental problemsare indicated. Money matters I need resolving. Earlierblocksinyour I head, workorpersonal lifeease upand positivechangesareontheway.

Yourcardthis monthstandsforthesign ofGemini soyou could blowhotand cold on mattersthatinterestyou. Ifsingle,you could meetsomeone reliable, afinancial advisorora man in a position ofauthority. Adisagreement in a relationshipdoesn't getresolved immediatelybutyou will reunite.You impressyourbossesatwork anda new projectbasedon pastwork could comeyourway. Health improves overall.You prosperfinanciallythismonth. Bediligentinyourwork.

I YourcardrepresentsLibrasotheusually

I indecisiveCapricorns maytakeeven

I longertomake uptheirmindsthismonth. Nervousenergyisindicated,andyoucould I losefocusthismonth. You could also I meetsomeonewho is December-January born, probablya professional - ora I militaryperson.Work isstressful;watchfor I bacterial infections. Change howyourelate I topeopleforbetterresultson allfronts. A legal matterends in awinforyou. Stay I detachedto maketherightdecisions.

I You maydisplaya Leo-likegregariousness notusuallyassociated withthesecretive

I Scorpios.Oryoumightmeetsomeonewho I I Aromanticrelationshipcancausesome heartachebutall isnotlostAnewprojectat I workdoesn'tquiteexciteyou. Manyofyour I I problemsarereallyself-created,socontrol I I yourthoughts.Watchagainstdeceitinsome I form.Takea breakfromwork;especially I ifyouarestrugglingwithdepression.Any I setbackyoufaceisshort-livedsodon't panicordosomethingimpulsive.

I divorce]canbesiegethemthismonth.

I isa Leo.Youwill havesuccessatwork andyou desirea position ofauthorty. Buttrynotto becometoodemandingor controlling.A relationshipcould leaveyou feelingresentful orjealous.Apassionate loveaffaircould beontheanvil forthose I whoaresingle.A rockyrelationshipwill

I end. Health remains upbeatand good luck I iswithyou allmonth.

I TheusuallygenerousAquariansneedto I lookoutforfeelingsoflackthismonth. Guardagainsta povertyofspiritkindof I approachand practicegratitudeinstead.

I Seekinnerguidanceforeverythingthat I needsclarity.ExpensescouldmountSome ofyoumayevenhaveanextra maritalaffair.

I Youneed restfromaperiodofmentaland I emotionalstress.Workcolleaguescouldbe difficultthismonth.Afallorinjurywill need I medicalattention.Spiritualguidancesees I youthroughatough month.

I Indulgeinsomeself-analysisthis month; I repeatedpatternsand old habitscould be I holdingyoubackonmutiplelevels.Itis alsoacardofrejection,substanceabuse, I lossofa lovedoneand even heartbreak.

I Yet,the universewillgiveyoua helping handthroughsomeone. Don'tgetso I familiarwithsomeonethattheygetbored I withyou.BusinessimprovesforthesefI employedandresourcestoacquiremoney throughmultipleavenueswillcome.Give I yourselfsome loveandTLCthismonth.

Every breath is a blessing

DEARAUNTYJI

It'sbeen12monthsofCOVIDandwe havenotheardapeepoutofyou. Where haveyoubeen,areyouwell, andwhatthoughtshaveyouhad?

Subkuch theekthaaktohai?

Theworldisadifferentplaceit appears somuchhaschangedand peoplearestilluptoalltheircrazy tricks Wehaveneededavoicelike yourstohelpallofusstaysane -and youhave notsaidasingleword Ab tokuch kaho nah!

AUNTYJISAYS

Arre mereyaaro, merebhakt, mere imlikikesundhi, maiyaheento thi, ourkahajaatitum logonse door?Buthaan, thodisishaantthi, becauseIneededtimetosochna samajhnakiisduniyameinhokya rahahail. Yousee,earlylastyear. wehadmassivebushfireshere andtheair literallybecomefoul. Soans Jenamushkilhogaya tho. Literally.Uske baad.I noticekiour blacksaathisintheUSwere getting killedandtheycouldn'tbreathe becausesomeone wasputtingtheir kneesontheirthroat. PhirCOVID hua. andthepeoplewerefinding ithardtobreatheagain.andthose whodieddidsoaftergaspingfor air.Itoccurredto methatthereis amessagehere.Natureandthe universearegivingussignalsthat eachbreathisablessing,andwe needtobemoreresponsible-to thosearound us andtotheplanet itself.Somaiapnisaansginrahithi andthinkingabouthowtomakethis worldabetterplace.Butthen. early thisyearI realisedtheworldneedsa wake-upcall,anditneedssomeone likemetopointoutthebittertruth toallyouandhelog. Tojaago. mere doston, ourdekho-insteadofasking mehowIam,askyourselfwhatyou havedonetomakethe worldabetter place.Haveyouacted withloveand wisdom,respectandtolerance.or haveyoubeenwastingyourtime postingrubbishonFacebook?

Haveyoushowncompassionand humdarditoyourparivaarandfellow saathis, orhaveyou remainedan ignorantbewakuf?Likhkarmujhe batao, mere bachcheshaitaano.

DEARAUNTYJI

Iama30-year-oldsinglemanbornand raisedinAustralia.butIstraddle both IndianandAussie culture NowIdon't know manypeoplewithkidsand mostof myextendedfamilyareinCanada.USand Norway SoIhavenothad muchcontact with bacche log Inanycase,Ihave moved toanewblockofunitstoliveinSydneyand itappearsthisblockofflatsisfullofpeople withbabies Therearebabiesofevery colour sizeandsoundintensity Someare fatandothersareskinny...butthe mote moteAsianonesarethe cutest. NowusuallyIamindifferenttokidsbutI amintriguedbythesefat.squishylittle beings.andnowIam wonderingwhetherI tooshouldgetmarriedand havekidsofmy own ButAuntyji,the worldisaroughplace; isittherightthingtodotobringa child intothisworld?Andisitmandatorytohave kids? Whatareyourthoughts?

AUNTYJISAYS

AlielemychiknalKitnepyarahairetu gettingallcluckylikethat!Iamsoproudof youforaskingsuchaninsightful.intelligent question.Someone likeyoudeserves tohavechildreninstantly,becauseyou have alreadydemonstratedthatyouarea superiorhuman being. Mostpeoplehave bacchebecausethat'swhatpeopledo-and somepeoplejustdoitwithoutanythinking aboutwhetherlunaticslikethemshould havekidsinthefirstplace.Theonlyreason we havechildrenistocontinuethehuman race.That'sthebasic,mostfundamental reason.Butifyoudon'tdoitthensomeone else will -sothequestionforyouistoassess whetheryouhaveanysuperior genesto contributetothehumangenepool.Sofor allthe badmash, bewakufand budtehzeeb log, thereareothersamajdharlog who need tobalancethescale.Itseemslikeyouneed tocontributeyourintellectandwisdomto thehumangenepoolotherwisetherewill bealevellingoffofilliterateashikshitvyakti whohavetheir2-3children whodon'thelp progresshumanity.Asfortheworldbeing rough-yes.that'strue.Butit'suptous todoourbesttomakeitabetterplacefor our children.So. goforthandprocreate posthaste.Justmakesurethemotheris notapsychowhowill passonherfaulty genesandoffsetyoursuperioronesinyour progeny.Howtofindaspousewhoisnot lattoo isyournextquestion.Agarmerirai chahiyeto batana.

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