Experiencethe healing and rejuvenating powerofnatureat KangarooIsland

BY SANDIP HOR

okangarooswelcome me as I landonthe shores ofAustralia's third-largestisland, but two centuries agoin 1802 a large numberofthen1greeted English explorer Matthew Flinders.

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

Onlya45-minute ferryridefrom Cape Jervisonthe southern edge ofSouth Australia, thislandmasswith its towering and colourfulsea cliffs, lush rolling fields, footprintfree beaches, ribbons ofnative vegetation, thrillingwildlife,and boutique food and wine, has longbeen atopbucket listdestinationwithboth international and domestictravel connoisseurs.

The island is 155-kmlongand 55k,nwide,coveringalandareaof4416 square kmandencircledby509 kmof coastline. While Kingscote is theisland's busiesttownand hometo atinyairport, Penneshawis anothersmall townwhere the ferryfromthe mainland arrives. Both are located on the eastern part ofthe island.

Markedbythefootprints ofAmerican sealersandwhalers, Frenchnavigators and English colonisers, theearlyhistory oftheislandisnoless invigorating. When SouthAustraliawasformallyestablished asa British Provincein 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 ripped through almosthalfofthe island,terminating infrastructure,vegetation,andlandscape, and mostdisturbinglykillingseveralnative animals, livestockand twohumans.The calamitywassospread that96% ofthe 326square km FlindersChase National Park-one ofAustralia'stopprotected sanctuaries-turnedblack. Itissaideven the birdsonthe island stoppedchirping. Manyincludingthe 4000-pluslocals, thoughtthe returntoformerglorymaynot happen soon.

MotherNature thought differently. Twelve months on, it'samazingto see howtheecosystem is bouncingback,with hugesplashesofgreeneryemergingfrom a blackenedlandscape.

With this tragedystillfreshinmind,my islandodysseykicksoffona depressing note,particularlyafterhearingfromNikki Redman, thetourguidefrom Kangaroo IslandOdysseys, the magnitudeofthe bushfire. Butthegloom starts to fade asI notice theregenerationallaround me.

"Nature is slowlyreturningto norn1al," says Nikkias l seecolour other than blackdecoratingthe landscape, floralike yucca plants springingback to life. We heargolden whistlersandwattle birds singing,andspotwedge-tailedeaglesand blackcockatoos,a special offeringofthe island,up inthesky.

One wayofsupportingtheisland in its recovery, issimplyto visit.

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

There'sa lotin itsn1enu card, so I list someofthe top drawcardsthat make the island sospecial.

Wildlife Naturally

Kangaroo Island is abundantwithnative birds,koalas, short-beaked echidnas, and ofcourse kangaroos andwallabies.A large number ofthemdied fromthebushfires, butthere areplenty thatsurvived and it's possible to encounterthemin theirown habitat almosteverywhere.

Endangered Sea Lions

The southerncoastoftheisland ishome to 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 theFlindersChase National Park are Australia's twoiconic rockgrowthsRemarkable Rocks, an impressivenatural formationoforange-lichen-covered granite boulders bythe sea, and the Admirals Arch, a stalactite-coverederoded rock bridge outside ofwhichthousandsoffur 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 penguins whichcanbe seenonaguided tourintheeveningsonly.

CA PRODUCE

Thepristine andstress-freeenvironment provides a fertile platformforthegrowth ofpremiumproduces.Visitors have 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, located twohourssouth ofAdelaidewithcoachservices available toconnectferries.

Stay: Allsortsofaccommodation isavailable,fromswagunder treestofivestar suites. AuroraOzone Hotel(www. auroraresorts.com.au)at Kingscote and Sea Front Hotel (www.seafront.com.au)at Penneshawaregoodchoices.

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

More Info :Visit WWW. southaustralia.comandwww. tourkangarooisland.com.au

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

etthe 111ango mania continue,we say, andyou agree! Ifyou haven't made anaamkapannayetthis --- season, tryoursimple recipe. Plus, a n:iangopopsicleforafterschool, and a n1ango sandesh forafterdinner.

Eachwilltakeyou backtothesummer holidaysofyourchildhood in India.

1 cupfresh mangopulp

1cupfrozenorfreshraspberries pureed

■ 2tbsphoney(ormoreor less.to adjustsweetnesstotaste).

Addhoneytoraspberrypuree. Pourmangopulpintopopsicle mouldto the halfwaymark.Add1tbsp raspberry puree. Layerwithanotherspoonof mangopulp andthen raspberrypuree. Freeze until half-frozen.say2-3hours. Stickinyourpopsiclesticks. andthen freeze untilfullyfrozen.about8 hours or overnight.

Mango Cooler

1 raw mango

¼ cupjaggery

■ Mint leaves ½tspblacksalt

1tsproastedcuminpowder

Peelthe skin offthe rawmangoandchopintosmall pieces. Cookin apressure cookerwith enoughwaterfortwowhistles. Transferthe mangoesintoablenderalongwithahandful ofmintleaves.jaggery Blendtosmooth.Sievethe pulpand add blacksaltandcumin.Ifneeded.add morewatertoadjust consistency.

Andesh

■ 1 litrefullcream milk

■ 2tbsplemonjuice

• 1/3cup powderedsugar

Thinlysliced mangoes Apinch ofsaffron soaked in ateaspoonofmilk

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

Lineastrainerwith cheese cloth and pourthe curdled thesaffron milk. milkthrough.Oncethe wheyis Nowaddthe powderedsugar strained.washthe cheesewith andformabigball. coldwater. Placeasheetofbakingpaper Bringallthe endsofcheese onthecounterand rollthe clothtogetherandsqueezeout cheeseballinarectangular the excesswater.Leaveitin shape evenlyon it. thestrainerfor20minutesto Placethesliced mangooverthe remove excesswater. rolledcheese. plushworldofAshokisanawakening ofsortsforBairam.Slyandambitious thathealwayswas, Bairammanages topenetrateAshok'sworldinawayhe becomesincreasinglyindispensableto hismaster.

Transfercheesetoaplateand Withthe helpofbakingpaper kneadgentlywiththehelp firmlyrollthecheese. Leaveitin ofyour palm.You'llhaveto fridgefor15minutestoset. kneadfor5to7minutesuntilit Cutintosliceswiththe helpofa becomessmoothandsoft.Add 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.

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

am an ardent admirerofOPNayyar'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 isthat Ilike Nayyar's n1usicso much, and whatitisin his songs that makesforsuch pleasurable listening. 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 fromthat point on beganmy journeyof'discovering' 0 PNayyar.

Collecting OP

The discoveryofeachpreviouslyunheard

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

1 recaUgoingto Rhyth1n House,an iconic musicstore in Mumbai, with Tusbarbhaijustto beable to listen to the songsfrom the filmAarPaar. Rhythm House hadlisteningboothswhereyou could sitdownandlisten to LPsbefore youbought them. 'Trybeforeyoubuy' 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 marketwith dozensofstoresselling second-handgoods. Irememberfindingan

EMI Pakistanrelease LPofYehRaatPhir naAayegiwhich I endeduppurchasingfor Rs 100.Thatwaslaterin myuni days and while Rs 100wasstillalargesum, I could nowafford anoccasional splurge.The recordwasoutofissueinIndia and buying this rarecopywasmostcertainlyworthit.

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 thandownloadingoffYouTube!

Meeting the man himself IhadtheopportunitytomeetOPNayyar 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 areoccasions I wi!Jneverforgetand be eternallygratefulfor.

The man, the music Icanbroadlycategorise Nayyar's music careerinto threeeras. Thefirst in the'50s wherehepredominantlyused Mohammed Rafi,Shamshad Begum and GeetaDuttas singers-Ayedi[ayedeeivane(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 byThodasadillaga kedekh (Musafirkhana) where Nayyar had Shamshadsingthe words with Rafi singing theinterlude musicthroughout.

Then came the era whereAsha Bhosle became his prime singer. The sophistication in his orchestration and hisuseof1nusicians like Rais Khan (sitar),ShivkumarSharma (santoor), Zarin Daruwala (sarod) and Rain Narain (sarangi) added adiamondlike lustretohis songs. Romanticmusicals Like MereSanani, Sawan kiGhata, Kashn1irKiKali, Yeh Raat PhirNaAayegi, Flumsaya, Ek MusafirEk Haseenagaveus songs like faiyeaapkahan jayenge, Pukartachalahoon ,nai, Zara haule haulechalo, Phirmilogekabhi, Oilkiawaz bhisu'and Bahutshukriya.

San1bandhwasaturningpoint onceagain. 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 understandwhyIlike itson1uch,ittouches the heartand thatisenough.

J'vlerinazaren haseen haiketumhohaseen, yehsamajhnekimujhkozooruratnahin, baatnazaron kihaibaatkuch bhinahin jiskodilchhaheduniya mehaiwhohaseen.

February 2021 BY MINAL KHONA

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

The chariot card drawnfor you signifies a need forbalance in yourlife. Italsostands forvictory: focus on yourgoals, you are on the right path.Thecharioteerin 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't let temptations override common sense, 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 businessora 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. Positivechangesare round I thecornersodon'tgive upontheone I you love.Travel plansfallthrough.Dental problemsare indicated. Money matters I need resolving. Earlierblocks inyour I head, workorpersonal lifeease upand positivechangesareontheway.

[evena

I You maydisplaya Leo-likegregariousness notusuallyassociated withthesecretive

Yourcardthismonthstandsforthesign ofGeminisoyou could blowhotand cold on mattersthatinterestyou. Ifsingle,you could meetsomeone reliable, afinancial advisorora man in a position ofauthority. Adisagreementin a relationshipdoesn't getresolved immediatelybutyou will reunite.You impressyourbossesatwork anda newprojectbased on pastwork could comeyourway. Health improves overall.You prosperfinanciallythismonth. Bediligentinyourwork.

I YourcardrepresentsLibrasotheusually I indecisiveCapricorns maytakeeven

I longertomake uptheirmindsthis month. 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 legalmatterends in awinforyou. Stay I detachedto maketherightdecisions.

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. Healthremainsupbeatand good luck I iswithyou all month.

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 holdingyoubackon mutiplelevels.Itis alsoacardofrejection,substanceabuse, I lossofa lovedoneandeven heartbreak.

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

Every breath is a blessing

DEARAUNTYJI

It'sbeen12monthsofCOVIDandwe have notheardapeepoutofyou. Where haveyoubeen,areyouwell, andwhatthoughtshaveyouhad?

Subkuch theekthaaktohai?

Theworldisadifferentplaceit appears somuchhaschangedand peoplearestilluptoalltheircrazy tricks Wehaveneededavoicelike yourstohelpallofusstaysane-and youhavenotsaidasingleword 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.Itoccurredtomethatthereis amessagehere.Natureandthe universearegivingussignalsthat eachbreathisablessing,andwe needtobemore responsible-to thosearound usandtotheplanet itself.Somaiapnisaansginrahithi andthinkingabouthowtomakethis worldabetterplace.Butthen.early thisyearI realisedtheworldneedsa wake-upcall,anditneedssomeone likemetopointoutthebittertruth toallyouandhelog. Tojaago. mere doston, ourdekho-insteadofasking mehowIam,askyourselfwhatyou havedonetomaketheworldabetter place.Haveyouacted withloveand wisdom, respectandtolerance.or haveyou beenwastingyourtime postingrubbishonFacebook?

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

DEARAUNTYJI

Iama30-year-oldsinglemanbornand raisedinAustralia.butIstraddle both IndianandAussie culture NowIdon't know manypeoplewithkidsandmostof myextendedfamilyare in Canada.USand Norway SoIhave nothad muchcontact with bacche log Inanycase,Ihave moved toa newblockofunitstoliveinSydneyand itappearsthisblockofflatsisfullofpeople withbabies Therearebabiesofevery colour sizeandsoundintensity Someare fatandothersareskinny...butthe mote moteAsianonesarethe cutest. NowusuallyIamindifferenttokidsbutI amintriguedbythesefat.squishylittle beings.and nowIam wondering whetherI 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 superiorhumanbeing.Mostpeoplehave bacchebecausethat'swhatpeopledo-and somepeoplejustdoitwithoutanythinking aboutwhetherlunaticslikethemshould havekidsinthefirstplace.Theonlyreason wehavechildrenistocontinuethehuman race.That'sthe basic,mostfundamental reason.Butifyoudon'tdoitthensomeone elsewill-sothequestionforyouistoassess whetheryouhaveanysuperior genesto contributetothehumangenepool.Sofor allthe badmash, bewakufand budtehzeeb log, thereareothersamajdharlog who need tobalancethescale.Itseemslikeyouneed tocontributeyourintellectand wisdomto thehumangenepoolotherwisetherewill bealevellingoffofilliterateashikshitvyakti whohavetheir2-3children whodon'thelp progresshumanity.Asfortheworldbeing rough-yes.that'strue.Butit'suptous todoourbesttomakeitabetterplacefor our children.So. goforthandprocreate posthaste.Justmakesurethemotheris notapsychowhowill passon herfaulty genesandoffsetyoursuperioronesinyour progeny.Howtofindaspousewhoisnot lattoo isyournextquestion.Agarmerirai chahiyeto batana.

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Together let's keep going and stay safe. Visit health.gov.au for more information, or call the National Coronavirus Helpline on 1800 020 080. For translating and interpreting services call 131 450.